Do-goody Two Shoes

Is it just me, or are these really cute?

TOMS Cordones, $69

Better Than a Toy Inside

Cereal box masks. Do you remember getting the cereal, and hoping for a mask that you didn't already have, then carefully cutting it out? Or maybe punching it out. Something like that. I vaguely remember a monkey as my favorite. This Halloween, instead of stressing out about a costume, I may just wear one of these. If only I could find that monkey...

Saturday's Child

Along with every other foodie in America, I am currently obsessing about Julia Child. Digging out my old copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, reading My Life in France, even perusing Julie Powell's blog. The juxtaposition of those last two leaves me liking JP less and less and JC more and more.

Granted, MAFC is not exactly vegetarian-centric. You've got fifteen varieties of roast chicken, you've got your veal stock, your recipes that involve digging out bone marrow -- you get the picture. However, you can't argue with a good beurre blanc. And there's a reason the cookbook is a classic; the way it takes you step by step through the techniques, the love of food that's inherent in the whole project, the butter... Then, there's Julia herself. She didn't even start cooking until she was in her mid-thirties, and then she jumped right into a professional cooking course at one of the world's most prestigious culinary schools, ten hour days of practice, and then co-writing a cookbook that two other people had been working on for years. Impressive, n'est-ce pas?

That's why August 15th, on Julia's birthday, I'll be doing what every other foodie in America is doing: gathering friends and coercing them into cooking elaborate, butter-laden, impractical dishes, stuffing ourselves with said dishes, then going to see a movie that isn't Harry Potter.

Marquise My Words

Alas, I fear this chair will never be mine. Those dreaded words, "price upon request," have sealed my fate. But isn't it scrumptious? All one needs is a cashmere/alpaca throw, a cup of Raspberry Earl Grey, a good book, silk pajamas, and a rainy day. Even as I was mentally redecorating my living room around it, I realized -- hey, it already fits in! But if I had all the money in the world...or enough to ignore the PUR tagline...my furniture would consist of a few these and a chaise longue or two (hot pink).

www.decofinder.com, Price Upon Request (grr)

Bag Kismet

I'll admit I've been a bit uninspired about blogging lately, but that was until I saw THIS. This fabulous-in-every-way, fair trade, recycled, super-cute handbag, which will be mine someday, as God is my witness. I found it while checking out the "competition" on eBay's World of Good site, a great place to buy gifts, but not as good as, oh let's say...Ten Thousand Villages.

worldofgood.ebay.com, $25

Brought to You by the Letter A

Advocaat
Annie
The A Team
Avocados
Africa
and...that's
about it (for now).

Important Notice

Strawberries are the new cupcake.

The cute strawberry above is from crackersandhoney.com, BTW.