I like big books and I cannot lie

Are ya'll ready for it?  The Hunger Games world premier, duh!  I'm hosting a "pre-game" party at my house, so I have all things Girl on Fire on the brain to gear up. 

Doesn't the cool factor of Katniss sort of make our obsession with Edward, Jacob and (I guess) Bella seem really lame?

I won't be in line for the midnight showing - me and my amigas are blue-haired like that - but I'm super-stoked just the same!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

In other book news, I started this one the other night.  It's about a Manhattanite woman who falls in love with farming, all things fresh food, as well as an "all man" farmer who's happens to be a brilliant cook.

Just a few pages in, and I'm ready to hang it up, buy some fertile land, and learn what life's really all about.

Eclipse Novella - Read it?

Have any of you read the new, Eclipse novella: The short second life of Bree Tanner? The story as told by a small character, a newborn vampire, from the third installment of the Twilight saga. My friend clued me in about it last weekend, and I picked up my copy today. Would love to hear your thoughts.

New Releases: Penguin Classics

Those of you who, like me, count yourselves among the devotees of Penguin's oh-so-designerly Classics collection might be happy to know that you can pre-order the latest releases for a nice discount from Amazon. The offerings include: The Odyssey, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Emma, and Treasure Island (my fave with the palm & parrot design!) *Click on images for links



























Penguin is releasing the titles on March 10, so I imagine the pre-order discount is available 'til then. Trendy as the collection may be, you must admit, their collectible status is likely to endure. Read on!

Rumor has it...

...That RPatz may be taking the lead role in the film adaptation of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants.

I read the amazingly-researched tome over a year ago, and was completely mesmerized by the dramatic tale of a Cornell vet-school student who joins a circus after suffering a horrific family tragedy.
Reese Witherspoon has already signed on as the beautiful circus performer, Marlena, and Sean Penn is mulling the role of the twisted animal trainer. A promising cast, me thinks.
I'm no circus or (heaven forbid!) clown fan, but if you haven't read WFE, get to it, and get ready to anticipate seeing Pattinson in the film almost as much as you look forward to seeing his sparkly-skinned self in the Twilight series.

A 5-Star Day!

Do any of you remember reading - in a newspaper {gasp!} the daily horoscopes? You know how they'd rate the day your astrological sign was set to have on a scale of 1 to 5 stars? My mother used to call me up at college and say "'Hey, you're destined to have a 5-star day!'" It was just a fun little thing we did...

Well, I think I can safely (and most gratefully) say I had one heck of a 5-star day!

First, my friend, Camila over at High-Heeled Foot in the Door made the sweetest mention of MLHP in her post (thank you, again, CP)!!
Then, I just happened to check out the results from here

to learn I won 3rd place in the Vignette portion of the contest! I'm super-excited, because the prize for third place is this book...

One man's story of the trials, tribulations, and exhultations of home remodeling - I can't wait! There's also a gift card to Goodwill that I'll be donating to one of my Stateside friends.

Just in case you're curious - here was my entry. Remember the first DD I did on our guest bedroom?

...And, here's the Domino mag pic that inspired it...OK, O-kaaaay...I'll stop gushing! I don't win much, can you tell? Maybe I should start playing the Lotto - they DO have one down here, ya know!

I hope you all had a wonderful April 1st, and that you weren't Fooled too much!

Not-so-closeted Francophile

Me and Ben, Paris (duh?!) 2005

I'm not sure why I titled this post in that way...I mean, really, is there a need to be a closeted Francophile? No, indeed not - but remember, a few years back, when many people were touting an anti-France sentiment? Freedom fries instead of french fries, etc, etc... I guess it stems from that - no matter...I was never on that bandwagon, anyway.

I've always wanted to be fluent in French. Took the first two, five-hour-credit courses of French at UT (made A's, thank you very much!), but dropped it during my third semester, when I changed majors. I should have continued, even if my new degree program didn't require it... C'est la vie, n'est pas?
You can only imagine, then, how fluttery I got when I discovered Corine at Hidden in France. A French woman, writing about design (among other things), while living in The States. Her writing style is wonderfully engaging, witty, and self-deprecating TOTALLY my kind of gal! But wait! Get this...She's begun a new endeavor (and this is where my francophilia really kicks in) - She gives French cooking classes....while teaching French!
I think this is such a brilliant idea, and if I lived in SoCal, I'd be ALL OVER THIS in a heartbeat. Since I'm not, I'll have to settle for the blog version: Cooking in French.

I know France is known for 5-star "haute cuisine," but my preference in French fare is the simple, yet amazing food you get from bistros and brasseries. I imagine Corine provides a taste of both. Here's to you, mon amie blogguere!

On a side note: if you like simple but fabulous French fare - I recommend Ina Garten's Barefoot in Paris cookbook.

The (Ottoman) Empire Strikes Back

The Ottoman Empire ended in 1923, but you wouldn't know that by looking at interiors today. The influence of Turkish and Moroccan motif has hit the design world in a big way - you've seen it everywhere, even if you didn't know it. I'm most definitely a fan of these typically richly-intricate and patterned looks...makes me wonder if maybe I should've gone to Istanbul rather than Malta for that law school study abroad program!

This recent coffee table book on traditional Turkish Iznik pottery started my little Eastern reverie...

If you like Chinese blue and white porcelain...meet your new best friend! The ancient Turks were highly influenced by the beautiful porcelains hailing from Ming-dynasty China - they just spiced up the styling with color and more obvious floral patterns.

But what about the other items that have created a trend-frenzy?

Like the open-lattice cutwork pattern so iconic of Morocco that has been gleefully stamped across many a design surface...

From rugs...

Here, Kelly Wearstler's interpretation...

And a more accessible option from Ballard...

There's pillows to be had...

And beautiful cutwork ceramics...

Seen here in a (very IN-expensive) non-lamp version

And don't forget the stainglass-like juice glasses...

I adore the idea of the large, tufted floor pillows...to me, something no Ottoman-inspired room could do without!

apartment therapy

...And PBteen has gotten in on the action!

But there's also those fantastic pouf ottomans (ha! gotta be a pun there!)

How EVER is a girl to choose? ;)

Little Bit of Trivia...Did you know??? Out of all the amazing places Barbara Hutton visited and lived, she most adored Tangier?

...With serene gardens like this, I can certainly see why...

Majorelle garden - twenty years after its meticulous restoration by Yves Saint Laurent and partner Pierre Bergé

Wishing you an exotic weekend!!

Literary Desserts

I was lying in bed the other night, finishing up a sweet little book by Jennifer Weiner titled Little Earthquakes, when I read a line that was so poignant to me..and maybe I was extra sensitive because I was nursing a nasty stomach bug, but...
A character was talking about one of my favorite desserts, Tres Leches, and listed the three milks that give the delicious treat its name: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and the milk of human kindness
How beautiful is that?
Sometimes words, even simple ones, are very powerful, and Little Happies often pop up where and when you least expect them...

Reader's Block?

Is this a cool, color-coded bookshelf, or what? Cute pug, too! ;)

I believe there is such a thing as "reader's block." You know, like writer's block, but on the other end. I say this because I've experienced it. I've always been a rather avid reader. My mother attributes it to the fact that I was read to a lot as a young child. I feel book lovers are enriched people, and I hope I am able to impart a passion for reading to Avery - so far, books are one of her fave toys!!

After I finished law school, I went through a period when I had no literary interest. I felt like my brain could barely focus long enough to read People magazine, let alone all the books I had saved up for when I had time to read (for pleasure) again. This reading slump hung around for the past two years - maybe it had something to do with studying for the Bar, being pregnant then nursing a child (hormone interference?) during that time, I don't know.....BUT I am happy to say, I am in full recovery from my reader's block!

A kind friend loaned me a nice selection of books when we arrived here in Brazil; I'm into the fifth novel. I'm so delighted to have reclaimed the hobby, and can again engross myself in the lives of other characters. The latest is Marisa de los Santos' Belong to Me - a wonderfully moving story, one oddly appropriate to me right now??? I don't normally recommend books because everyone's literary interest is so subjective, but I would wager that most of my women family and friends would enjoy it. It's definitely one for your Wishlist!

Still need a lot of practice with the 'ol macro lens (see above)

Speaking of Wishlists....I am a HUGE fan of them!! My heart always jumps a little when I find something great for someone when I'm not looking for it, then buying it because I know they would love it. Overall, though, I say a Wishlist, Registry, etc. is the way to go. My fave is Amazon's - they have such a huge variety of items - I've got everything from desired cookbooks to exercise equipment on mine. Sometimes, I'll put something on there just to remind myself to go back and order it some day! (Oh well, it's my little system!)