Bookmarks

B + I are really enjoying this album as of late.

Watched Seasons 1 - 4 (!!) of "Doc Martin" during the flu of February... ugh. LOVE IT. The show takes place in the fictional Cornish town of Portwenn and reminds me so much of the 90s show "Northern Exposure."

We started watching "30 Rock" from the beginning and ahhhhh! - I'm Liz Lemon. I can't wait to read Tina Fey’s new book Bossypants.

It's CSA season already- our first delivery was the first week of April. I'm SO GLAD because menu planning was getting borinngggg. I just love our farmer. It's so fulfilling to support someone that truly enjoys what they do. How many of us can really say that each morning?

This bag seems a little too nice for a shopping bag. I like the simple construction.

How's that for rambling thoughts and links.
.... And Scene.

Winter doldrums

Yup, I'm there. The "I-can't-wait-for-winter- to-end" feeling. The deep freeze, after last week's blizzard, has been grand. But luckily there is good music, hot drinks and Netflix. And phone calls with old friends. I'm on a documentary and English drama kick right now. I think Netflix thinks I'm doing grad school research.
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I enjoyed this music interview today. A whole life in a song?

"Some people write love songs about what happens in the beginning of a relationship," Bergquist says. "We've sort of moved on to what happens during the bulk of that relationship — the work, the investment, the commitment, you know? And some of it doesn't really sound all that sexy."

God, I love them. I own several OTR albums now. His liner notes always read like a beautiful and poignant short story.


(Image taken by Vana. That was such a fun trip!)

Year Beginning.

Bookends.
A wake this evening.
A baptism on Sunday.
Epiphany pageant tomorrow.
Hellooooo 2011.



In the past I've made some lofty goals in January. This year, I'll try for these four ... with perhaps a few surprises in-between.

1. Take a vacation. One that doesn't stretch for one long weekend. Or sleeping on a friend's air mattress. It's been awhile. And we deserve it.
2. Go to more concerts. We both love music + live in the city. No kids yet. Make it happen.
3. Read more classic literature. I picked up a Charles Dickens novel at the library this week after being captivated by the BBC mini-series, "Bleak House." Oh.So.Good. Watch the trailer here.
4. Live with less. Declutter our apartment. Take inventory. Donate.

Number five was to find more meaningful employment... but I can check that one off the list. My consultant position recently developed into a staff position. Hooray!

Ready. Set. Go.

{mini goals clockboard}

Year End

Hello. Again.

Logged for my own personal memory. Ten things from Twenty-Ten...

(1) L started a new job last summer as a consultant ... (that was my last blog post. life continued. blogging stopped. not what i intended)
(2) B researched Rudolf II, hyenas, programming languages, logic gates, He-Man, ICBMs, typography, druids and Scottish Blackface sheep ... (among other odd hobbies, interests + random searches)
(3) We both turned thirty ... (new decade. geez, that sounds old. but not really)
(4) L explored Columbus, Ohio while B attended the Origins Game Fair. He pitched a board game design. She roamed around Short North and German Village... (happy birthday to brad)



(5) Visited the New Glarus Brewing Company in Wisconsin ... (excellent road trip suggestion)
(6) Toured the Grosse Point Lighthouse, along the Lake Michigan shore ... (falafel for lunch. happy birthday to leanne)
(7) L volunteered at the community workday at Holy Wisdom Monastery in Madison, WI. Helped restore the monastery's 95 acres of native prairie and wetlands ... (personal retreat one day/ work day the next. monasteries are quiet. duh. but really, really quiet. the fall colors were just about to pop. nice hiking paths)
(8) B participated in Octocon 6 & 7 in Chicago - approximately 44 hours of board gaming ... (insane. but oh.so.fun)
(9) Went to a couple summer concerts at Millennium Park in downtown Chicago ... (like this one)



(10) Became Friend-Aunt-and-Uncle MANY times over ... (2010: Year of the Baby)



post-edit: (11) Celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary ... (Budos Band concert) xoxo

Matisse, The Beatles and Coco Chanel

I very much enjoy roaming the Art Institute of Chicago by myself. We have a membership pass and whenever I'm in the area, I try to squeeze in time to wander around the museum- even if it's just for 20 minutes. I don't mind the company but I'm also quite content exploring on my own. I like to people watch and overhear conversations. After an appointment on Friday, I wandered over to the museum to check out the Matisse exhibit.

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Our neighborhood church organized a "Beatles Mass" last night. I'd say it had a rather progressive theme: Celebrate peace and love - ancient Christian tradition with a Sixties spin :) Big turnout...

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When Brad and I were still dating, we saw "A Hard Day's Night" at this dumpy movie theater in Old Town. They had two movies playing that weekend: The Beatles & "Requiem for a Dream." Both films ended @ the same time. Half the movie goers were giddy and chatty... the other half looked pretty depressed.

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I rented "Coco Before Chanel" last night. It was a bit of a departure from The Beatles... haha. I liked it, didn't love it. There were two Chanel movies that came out about the same time. Rent this one- the French one. Audrey Tautou {Amelie!} stars as Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel.

Sharon Jones + The Dap-Kings

Brad introduced me to Sharon Jones + The Dap-Kings {thanks babe} and it was my errand-running-decluttering-soundtrack-of-the-week. I think this is my favorite track- love the horn section. I had the album in the background as I was cleaning up the kitchen Tuesday night before we watched "Up in the Air" {liked it, didn't love it}. To our surprise, the movie soundtrack began with Sharon Jones + The Dap-Kings- ha! Have an enjoyable weekend...

The Stable Song

Finch on Saturday

{Goldfinch among the maples ... photograph}

Horse Feathers

Horse
Feathers
{band}

Truth

{slow start... gorgeous song}


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Happy New Year! ... back from a blogging pause. Wow, 2010.

truth: The holidays are difficult for me, at times (family stuff). But New Year's is easily one of my favorite days of the year. For the past several years, we've spent New Year's Eve/Day with some assortment of studio friends.

We rang in 2010 with Joah and Candace. They visited family in MI for Christmas... dropped by Chicago for a few days... and left for Nashville, TN this morning. It was -6 degrees w/ the wind chill this morning... but that's another story- brrrrr! I never brought out my camera. lame. (They'll be married 2 yrs. this summer)


truth: We played a lot of board games over the long weekend. A LOT. And made meals together, listened to music, watched a great animated short, caught up w/ life stories, discussed career possibilities, had Sunday brunch with another college friend in the city, napped, read ... caught winter colds. Aside from the last part, it was a relaxing start to 2010.

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life; and thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greater part of life is sunshine." -Thomas Jefferson

merry, merry

On Saturday, I ventured downtown and had lunch with an old friend. Joslyn and I met in first grade. We met at the Chicago Cultural Center- easily one of my favorite buildings in the city. An all-city youth ensemble played live jazz music for an hour. Later that evening, Brad and I walked down the street to a church gathering. Potluck.. games... white elephant exchange... roaring fire. You know, typical winter festivities in the Midwest. :) Last night, we had some family come down to the city for Thai food and the Redmoon Theater's Winter Pageant. {Brad and I attended another Redmoon production over the summer.} The Winter Pageant was very entertaining- quite odd!- but a lot of fun.

"Redmoon Theater creates theatrical spectacles that transform streets, stages, and architectural landmarks into places of public celebration utilizing an original language capable of speaking across cultural, ethnic, and generational boundaries."

While You Wait for the Others

playlist love... Grizzly Bear.
though I don't understand the video.

I went on a solo 'L' ride & checked out The Renegade Holiday Fair this afternoon. I listened to my favorite Christmas album en route & modeled my new upcycled cashmere mittens {thank you Rebekah!}. Adding to the festive mood, I put up our Little Fake Christmas Tree last night. Working against the festive mood, we watched No Country for Old Men afterwards. Hmmm.
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The indie fair was unbelievably crowded but I prevailed and found some beautiful Christmas gifts. I have a tight budget and a small list of recipients this season; so I wasn't too overwhelmed. It was 1-part Christmas shopping and 1-part gallery opening. :) Just about every artist had an Etsy shop.
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A few pieces I admired...

--Screenprinted posters {... and a musician I like!}:
--Handmade dolls... and their photobooth antics:

--Homemade snowflake soap {scented with vanilla and sugar}:
--Animal Track ID Memory Game Set:
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I bought myself a birch wood picture holder. I will mention a few other finds later this month { ... after gifts are opened}.

She & Him

She ~ Fine-tuning a PowerPoint document to present at a convention tomorrow morning. The subject: community development and sustainability.

Him ~ Attending the Toy and Game Expo to pitch an original board game design. 2 years in the making!
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take a listen ...

I like the earthy coffee color of this print.
Perhaps I still have a caffeine buzz from the weekend ...

Saturday night ~ Live Irish music in a pretty spectacular {home} basement pub ... thanks for the invite, Alyssa. It was a great evening!

Sunday afternoon ~ Coffee date with my dad in Evanston ... two-hr walk around the lakeshore and historic neighborhoods.

gratitude

I heard about the Weezer Snuggie on NPR this morning. For thirty bucks, you get their Raditude {Standard} CD + Exclusive Weezer Blue Snuggie.

I haven't listened to Weezer in quite sometime. They remind me of college and the spontaneity that goes with the territory. Not too long after Brad and I were officially dating, we drove up to Milwaukee- on a Tuesday night- with a couple architecture classmates. They played at The Rave... truly a magical dump. As Weezer started their set, Brad guided me out of the mosh pit so I didn't get pulverized by the football players behind us. Aww, true love.

Talk of yesterday

**pause the background music... scrolll down.



Brad + I recently went on a little urban "staycation" around Chicago. We used a gift certificate we received last year for Christmas. On Sunday afternoon, we walked to the nearby bus stop and went on an adventure. We walked 4-5 blocks at the other end and just like that... we arrived at the Inn.

It was lovely.

... we explored the nature museum & watched roach races as part of "Bugapoloza"... uh, gross. {we also visited the butterfly haven}
... went on a fall hike around Lincoln Park and North Pond {heron sighting}
... had a lovely Italian dinner {gluten-free menu options!}
... tried some raw cheesecake {also wheat-free}
... walked around several Chicago neighborhoods
... relaxed in the city that we both love

In These Arms

You'll have to pause the background blog music {scroll down} but I assure you this clip/song is eqally as beautiful and contemplative. :) The Swell Season has a new album coming out, "Strict Joy." It is their follow-up album to the enormous success of their little film, "Once." The video is a snippet of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova's performance on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts. You can watch the 34 minute session here.

The Autumn

'Tea with the Pumpkin King' print. Love it.
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We're feeling a bit under the weather around these parts. Something is going around the office & my nanny kiddos' school. It is supposed to be a cool and rainy weekend in Chicago. I even heard mention of possible snow flurries Sunday night. {what??} Hmmm. The boy & I have a good excuse to be sleepy bums and art-project buddies. And hot tea and movie watching chums.
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If you haven't noticed, I posted some background music of a group I've been listening to a lot lately. Balmorhea. Most of the background sounds are from their 'Rivers Arms' album; Pitchfork gave it a pretty good review.
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Did you see Jim & Pam getting married on The Office this evening? :) Awww... perhaps the cutest couple on TV.

Have a nice weekend...

You and I

Chicago is a city composed of neighborhoods. Many neighborhoods. And each one has its own special character and unique history. On Saturday afternoon/evening, we went to a dinner party in Pilsen. Our friends bought a fixer-upper a few months back & welcomed their first child, baby Jude {he is mighty cute}. In addition, Joe became a licensed architect this summer. 2009 has been an eventful year for them! :) It was a pretty chill gathering- we grilled, exchanged thoughts & ideas and played with the baby. The boys also played Brad's board game design {he's thinking of trying to get it published}. It was great to catch up on each other's lives. Several of us met in architecture school though we've each carved out our own path... traditional, nontraditional and/or career change.
There are several things going on in this picture. It also seems circa 1983- ha! {In truth, I played with the photo editing site Picnik.}

Did you have a nice weekend??

I love this song from Wilco's new album.
Jeff Tweedy & Feist singing duet...