Month: December 2012

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2012: Year In Review

Nap wars

2012 is going to go down in history.  (My personal history, that is.)  As bad as 2011 was to me, that’s how good 2012 was.  I ended 2011 sad and discouraged.  I end 2012 bouyant and on top of the world, for one reason: this was the year I got my baby.  Oh, it wasn’t the easiest road – Peanut was a teeny little 31-week preemie who spent seven grueling weeks in the NICU.  But since I’ve spent the vast majority of 2012 being wildly happy, first to be pregnant and then to be a mom (especially after Peanut came home from the hospital), I’m calling this year the biggest WIN ever.

Oh, but I did have some goals that I set at the beginning of the year, and then revisited six months in with a progress report.  Now I’m ready to look back on the year and see how I did.  Here’re my grades…

BLOG

Goal: Clean up categories and redesign blog to look less like a strictly-food blog and more like the creative space I envision when I write here.

Grade: B+

Notes: I made time for almost all the blog clean-up I wanted.  I did reorganize the categories and the tag cloud, and I added a Goodreads widget, so the blog doesn’t look like a food blog anymore (since it’s not a food blog anymore).  I’d still like to shoot a new header, so maybe I’ll find the time to do that this coming year.

HOME

Goal: Finish painting!  And plant a gigantic vegetable garden.

Grade: F

Notes: I only painted one room: Peanut’s nursery.  Well, to be honest, hubby painted it while I watched.  And while it’s super cute in there, the rest of the house is desperately in need of some love.  The builder bland look is SO not my bag of chips.  I set a goal of painting the master bedroom purple before I turn 32, but as for the rest of the house, I’m seriously considering hiring someone.  Normally I’m very much against paying someone to do something that hubby and I could do ourselves.  But I think the time has come to admit that we’re just not going to do this and we need to call in a professional and just get the job DONE already.  And as for the garden, hubby kindly planted me one while I laid on the couch, having been knocked sideways by spring allergies and first trimester exhaustion.  But the northern Virginia sun done burned it all up.  Boo, sun.  I think our cauliflower is finally coming in, though, ten months after planting.  So…

FITNESS

Goal: I’d love to run another half marathon, if circumstances are right.

Grade: Incomplete.

Notes: When I wrote “if circumstances are right,” I secretly meant “if I continue to be irritatingly un-pregnant.”  I knew that 13.1 miles while preggers, which some women don’t blink at, was beyond my capability.  But I figured that another half mary would be a good distration as long as I wasn’t knocked up.  However.  The pregnancy gods finally smiled upon me and I spent the bulk of the year either pregnant, trucking to the NICU, or caring for a baby at home, so the half didn’t happen.  I’m not planning one for 2013, but maybe 2014.

READING

Goal: Plow through my to-read list and make some headway on reading the books I already own.

Grade: B

Notes: The main driving force behind this goal was a desire to save money and stop buying so durn many books.  I achieved that by going nuts at the library.  So I think I complied with the spirit of the goal.  And I did read a handful of books from my to-read list.  This one was a solid effort, although I can do better.  I have a lot of books that I actually own and would like to read, so I think I’m going to revisit this goal in 2013.

LIFE

Goal: Wake up smiling and live each day with exuberance.

Grade: A-

Notes: It helped that I spent most of this year enjoying an easy pregnancy and a mellow baby.  Aside from the seven depressing weeks in the NICU, I’ve had a wonderful year, which made it easy to smile most days (unlike 2011, when my facial expressions pretty much cycled between scowl, frown, and whimper).  I’m not sure I am at a point where I can smile even when life throws me tough circumstances – goodness knows I didn’t smile much between August 21st and October 11th this year – but at least I know I can appreciate the good when it comes.  I hope 2013 is as good to our family as 2012 was.  I’ll split my face from grinning.

BIG DREAM

In my post welcoming 2012, I mentioned that I had a big dream I was cherishing for the year, and that I’d tell you what it was if it came true.  Well, it came true.  I’m finally a mom, and motherhood is every bit as magical as I’d hoped it would be.  Peanut has lit up hubby’s and my life, and we’re so in love with her we can barely function.  And I promise no more secretive hinting – all my goals and dreams for 2013 will be out in the open!

How was your 2012?  Did you meet your goals?  Or did you fall a little short, but feel great anyway?  Share with me!  (Please.)

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2012 Book Superlatives

I had so much fun giving high school yearbook-style awards to my 2011 books that I thought it’d be a hoot to do a 2012 edition!  So here you have ’em, my 2012 Book Superlatives:

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel…(Source)

Brainiest

My “smartest” book this year was One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.  It’s definitely one of those “intellectual” books that people pretend to read to look smart at cocktail parties.  This one had been sitting on my TBR forever, but once I got around to finally reading it, I was blown away by the lovely prose and imagery.  Magical realism isn’t really my thing, but One Hundred Years of Solitude was beautiful.

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Best Looking: Young House Love, by Sherry and John Petersik

This idea book is chock full of eye candy!  Sherry and John of Young House Love fame share 243 never-before-seen projects (some big, some small) to give your home a spruce.  Everything is doable, even for DIY novices.  I can’t decide which project is my favorite… maybe the dresser gradient (I love ombre-style pieces).  Or the “stenciled” lace table runner, which looks ridiculously simple and which I am so totally going to do.  I spent a day flipping through the book and came away with tons of fantastic, simple ideas for personalizing my own space, and plenty of inspiration to get going and take on some home projects.

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Best Friends: The Betsy-Tacy Series, by Maud Hart Lovelace

Betsy, Tacy and Tib are best friends growing up in turn of the (last) century Minnesota.  From Betsy’s first meeting with Tacy, to the girls’ weddings and lives as married women, every moment is charming.  On the way they fall in love with the King of Spain, learn that different can be good when they visit Little Syria, create their own fun with a Crowd of friends in high school, and dream about boys and school success.  I loved reading about these friends’ lives in a simpler – but richer – time.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And…(Source)

Class Clown: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), by Mindy Kaling

Mindy is the slightly goofy, totally dorky BFF of my dreams.  This book explores memories of her childhood as a “timid chubster afraid of her own bike,” her college days and her breaking into the comedy scene, and adds musings on the exact perfect amount of fame, why Hollywood stylists hate size 8, and what type of men Mindy simply will not date.  No matter what the topic, Mindy had me in stitches.

Village School by Miss Read(Source)

Teacher’s Pet: The Chronicles of Faircare, by Miss Read

I might be cheating a bit here, but I’m naming an entire series (I haven’t finished it yet, but I’ve read the first fourteen books and I think that’s enough to get a feel for it).  Miss Read is the witty, wise, beloved head teacher of Fairacre School.  Her tales of life in a small English village in the 1950s are sweet without being saccharine, slyly funny, and even informative (not every book, but many, include commentary on rural education and socioeconomic issues of post-war England, but they’re presented in such a way that the reader never bogs down and hardly even notices she’s learning).

The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of…(Source)

Biggest Nerd: The Social Animal, by David Brooks

I like David Brooks’ writing, even though our politics are pretty wildly divergent.  The Social Animal was a fascinating look at 21st-century human life from cradle to grave through two “composite human” characters, Harold and Erica.  While it occasionally got a bit technical, for the most part it was social science that read like a novel.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a…(Source)

Most Creative: The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente

The story of September, who is spirited off to Fairyland by a Green Wind, on the back of a Leopard, is full of charm and sweetness and creativity in abundance.  September believes that Fairyland will be a nice change from washing dishes while her mother is off at work, but soon finds that it is a troubled place under the thumb of an evil Marquess (nothing to be done; she has a hat).  This was a sweet, fun, extremely creative story.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell(Source)

Most Opinionated: The Partly Cloudy Patriot, by Sarah Vowell

Sarah Vowell wins two years in a row!  With her essays on American history and culture, she makes learning – dare I say – FUN.  Last year I compared The Wordy Shipmates to that girl who always has her hand up in history class, but you should listen to her because she’s got good stuff to say.  The Partly Cloudy Patriot is much the same.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness(Source)

Most Likely to End Up in Hollywood: Shadow of Night, by Deborah Harkness

It’s probably cheating, since I awarded this category to the first book in the All Souls Trilogy (A Discovery of Witches) last year, and this time I’m giving it to the second book in the trilogy.  But I still think this trilogy is going to get filmed eventually (after all, if Twilight was worthy…) and I maintain that Daniel Craig simply must play Matthew.

Shine Shine Shine by Lydia Netzer(Source)

Biggest Loner: Shine Shine Shine, by Lydia Netzer

Maxon and Sunny aren’t exactly loners, since they have each other.  But they’re both definitely the weird kids with big backpacks (much as Sunny tries not to be).  Still, get to know them – they’ll reward you with a beautiful love story that’s about how we are all different, and how we are the same.

Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin(Source)

Cutest Couple: Freddy and Fredericka, by Mark Helprin

Prom King and Queen has to go to Mark Helprin’s royal couple, Frederick, Prince of Wales and Fredericka, Princess of Wales.  Freddy is stuffy, intellectual, terrible with the press, and completely hapless. Fredericka is blonde, vapid, and famously compassionate.  When they are dropped from a helicopter over New Jersey and told to prove their fitness for the throne by re-conquering the United States for Her Majesty the Queen Philippa, they learn to love one another in the process.  I laughed until I cried at these two heartwarming royal goofballs.

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Peanut’s First Christmas

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It wasn’t exactly what I had imagined, but Peanut’s first Christmas was pretty perfect.  We had been talking about going to my parents’ home in upstate New York for the holiday, but we decided to wait because there was a flu going around and we wanted Peanut to be a bit bigger and have had more shots before we took her on such a big trip.  It turned out to be the right decision, since several of my family members were sick and while I know they wouldn’t have gone near Peanut while they were under the weather, we still would have worried.  So we stayed home and celebrated a small, quiet Christmas – just the three of us – and it was just right.

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On Christmas Eve, hubby and I laid out the presents from Santa while Peanut snoozed in her swing.  (In future years we’ll be a lot more judicious about not doing this in front of her – and we’ll leave cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer – but there was really no need for that this year.  We just wanted to get the job done and get Peanut changed and fed and shuffled off to bed.)  She went down beautifully for me, but I couldn’t sleep all night – not excitement, I don’t think; I just couldn’t get comfortable.  Morning came too quickly.

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By daylight, Santa’s stack looked even more insane than when I piled everything up the night before.  I guess he went a little overboard!  Oh, well, is anyone really surprised?  It was bound to happen for Peanut’s first Christmas.  (And probably her second… and third… and what can I say?  Shopping for babies is fun.)  Peanut snoozed while hubby and I caffeinated, and then hubby gave her her 9:00 a.m. bottle and I changed her into her adorable Christmas morning outfit.  And the next thing we knew, it was time for Peanut and hubby to come downstairs while Mommy videotaped the big moment.

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Peanut was bemused, but she does love the lights on the Christmas tree.

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We set her up on her newborn lounger while she checked out all her festively wrapped gifts.  She was definitely interested.  Or is that look more “horrified” than interested?  Heh.  It’s a good thing I didn’t take her to sit on Santa’s lap this year.  I can only imagine the epic silliness that might have ensued.

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Daddy explained Santa to Peanut while Mommy got more tea.  We had a BIG stack to get through.

 

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I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but opening all those gifts was kind of exhausting.  I can’t wait until Peanut can rip wrapping paper herself.  She got plenty of clothes – since she’s almost grown out of her newborn clothes, I thought I’d let Santa outfit her with a 0-3 month wardrobe – and lots of books, because obviously Santa was going to bring plenty of books to this house.  He always does.

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And there were toys, too.  Plenty of toys.  Peanut even liked some of them.  (But she gave this pigeon – who, when you press his tummy, yells LET ME DRIVE THE BUSSSSSSSS! – a pretty dirty look.)  Midway through, I started thinking about making a trip to Target to get a hamper for the family room, to store some of these toys.  Peanut’s pink bins definitely won’t fit it all.

The rest of the day was relaxing.  Daddy played some video games, Mommy had a nice cup of tea and caught up on some Martha Stewart magazines, and we did lots of family snuggling on the couch while watching Downton Abbey (we’re trying to re-watch every episode thus far before series 3 starts airing in January).  And I found the time to roast a chicken (no sense doing a whole turkey for just us) and bake a meyer lemon cake for Christmas dinner.  It may not have been the big, loud family gathering I had in mind when I was pregnant and we were talking about holiday plans. But I had the two most important people in the world right next to me, and the most beautiful gift of all to cuddle with all day.

Merry, indeed.

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Merry and Bright

Merry (almost) Christmas, friends!  I hope that while your cider is mulling, your treats are baking and your lights are twinkling, you are getting some good quality time with your family and friends.  I’m probably buried under a pile of wrapping paper or running around making last-minute preparations for Peanut’s first Christmas as you read this.  ‘Tis the season!

I’ll be back on Wednesday with a Christmas recap, but for now, here’s a poem to bring some sparkle to your holiday, by (who else?) my favorite poet, e.e. cummings.

little tree

little tree
little silent Christmas tree
you are so little
you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest
and were you very sorry to come away?
see     i will comfort you
because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark
and hug you safe and tight
just as your mother would
only don’t be afraid

look     the spangles
that sleep all the year in a dark box
dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine
the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads

put up your little arms
and i’ll give them all to you to hold
every finger shall have its ring
and there won’t be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you’re quite dressed
you’ll stand in the window for everyone to see
and how they’ll stare!
oh but you’ll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands
and looking up at our beautiful tree
we’ll dance and sing
“Noel Noel”

To all my friends: I hope your holiday season is merry and bright.
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Peanut: Four Months

Streeeeetch

Just doing my stretches. Nothing to see here.

WOW – I can’t believe I’m already writing Peanut’s four month update.  I feel like I just pressed “publish” on her three month update, and yet here we are.  Four months.  A third of a year.  Where is the time going?  Please excuse my mom sniffles.

Em n Em

Hi, pretty lady.
You don’t look like my mom, but you seem to have brought food, so I guess you can stay.

This has been a busy month for Peanut & co.  We’ve had an influx of houseguests – Grandma and Auntie Em for Thanksgiving, Aunt R soon after, followed immediately by Nana and Grand Dad, and finally Uncle Dan just last weekend.  And while we love visitors, and we love each of the people who dropped in this month, the flow of houseguests has left both Peanut and her parents exhausted, overstimulated, and in desperate need of some quiet time.  We have about two weeks now without guests, until the next installment of family comes after Christmas, and while I’m so looking forward to seeing them, I’m also glad to have ahead of me a stretch of days where it will just be Peanut and me, snuggling and reading on the couch.

Uncle Dan

Wait. This isn’t Daddy. Seriously, Mom, who is this guy?

Oh, yes.  About the snuggling and reading on the couch.  We’re still doing that, despite the pediatrician’s gentle suggestion that we really should be more disciplined about crib naps.  I have tried to be better about enforcing the crib for naptime, but Peanut really, really hates napping in her crib during the day, even though she’s perfectly happy to snuggle on Mommy anytime.  A big part of the problem with the crib is – as a friend suggested to me – you need to do a “delicate transfer” of baby to crib once baby has nodded off.  Well, that’s fine for tall people (like the friend who suggested it), but I’m very petite (a shade under five feet) and I just can’t execute.  Daddy is more successful because he can keep Peanut snuggled up to his chest while he leans over the crib and deposits her on the mattress before she even realizes what’s happened.  But Mommy has to “forklift” Peanut into the crib and she wakes up every. blinking. time.  So crib naps just aren’t happening that often for us.  But I’m okay with it, because my maternity leave is ticking away and I want to get in as many snuggles as I can before I have to return to the working world.

Santa is coming!

You said he brings presents? Presents? PRESENTS?!?!?!

In addition to hugs and snuggles, I’m storing up smiles.  Peanut is full of them lately – especially between 8:00 and 9:30 a.m.  She greets me with a big grin almost every morning and chats happily through her diaper change and bottle.  And she’s just so much fun in the morning – babbling and interacting with everything and everyone she sees – that she makes me forget how tired I am before my tea.

Oh noes, it's the Mamarazzi again.

Oh noes, it’s the Mamarazzi again.

Of course, hand in hand with those bubbly mornings goes the certainty that she’ll unravel later in the day.  She’s not colicky, thank goodness, but by around 5:30 p.m. she’s pretty much had it with the day and she gets progressively fussier until around 8:00, when she dozes off, usually on Mommy and with one little hand buried under the neckline of Mommy’s shirt.  (I guess she likes her hands to be warm?)  And thus ends most of our days.

Peanut at 4 Months:

Adjusted Age: 2 months
Weight: 8 lbs, 9 oz
Length: ~23 inches cooperative
Clothing Size: Newborn still, but she’s very close to growing out of it.  Santa will be bringing her plenty of 0-3 month size clothes, since she barely has any and she’ll be needing them soon.
Sleep: Lots to say on this front!  We’re still doing fairly well with putting Peanut down after her 9:00 p.m. bottle, although we had a temporary setback in that department.  I was stressed about something for a few days (unrelated to Peanut) and I think she sensed that I was tense and started acting out after her evening bottle as a result.  I definitely think babies can tell, and to paraphrase one article I read while in the thick of it, if you depended on someone else for your survival and they were upset about something, and you didn’t know what it was, wouldn’t you freak out?  When the source of my stress eased up a bit, the nighttime shenanigans eased up too, so I definitely think there was a connection there.  Let’s hope it doesn’t start up again, because I was a pretty tired Mommy for awhile.  Also on the topic of sleep, our pediatrician has told us that at four months we can start gently nudging Peanut toward sleeping through the night.  Huzzah!  We’ll start slowly, by allowing her to stretch out her middle of the night bottle (as in, we won’t wake her up to eat, but instead let her sleep until she wakes up and feels hungry; the ped thinks we’ll get an extra hour or so out of her right off the bat).  I don’t know that we’ll ever go the true “sleep training” route, since I’m more of an attachment parent.  But I am employing some sleep training techniques already; specifically, I’m trying to set up some rituals to signal to Peanut that it’s time to sleep.  When I go in for her 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. bottles I am very quiet and don’t chat or sing, unlike the daytime bottles, because I want her to learn that these are “quiet times.”  But before I put her down at each of those feedings, and for naps during the day, I sing “Hush Little Baby,” which we’ve designated as our “sleepytime” song.  I want Peanut to associate “Hush Little Baby” with cuddling up and going to sleep, so it’s reserved for those times; we sing other songs during the day.  Well – sorry to be so long-winded about sleep!  It’s been a big focus for us this month, though, and sure to remain that way for a few more months yet.
Likes: Still enjoying stroller walks and being carried around; loves to suck on her paci and her toys, especially a crab rattle that was part of a gift basket from my firm; enjoys staring at the pretty white lights on the Christmas tree; madly in love with her swing (still getting used to the bouncey seat, though).  And I wouldn’t call it a “like,” but she is finally beginning to tolerate baths without screaming – win!
Dislikes: Being weighed on her baby scale; tummy time (still) – although she’s pretty much given up on putting any effort into lifting her head, and now she just lays around licking her hand; wearing socks.
Milestones: Great head control while being held basically upright by Mommy or Daddy, although she can’t be bothered to practice during tummy time; lots of smiles and babbling, especially in the morning; rolled over again, for Mommy this time!
Quirks: Definitely a morning person!  She’s bubbly and chatty and oh-so-fun first thing in the morning, then gradually falls apart as the day wears on.  This isn’t surprising at all, since both Mommy and Daddy are morning people as well.  We’ll see how much Auntie Em enjoys it when she takes over baby care duties for us after I go back to work, though…

HA HA MOMMY UR SWADDLES R A JOKE LOL.

HA HA MOMMY UR SWADDLES R A JOKE LOL.

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Triple Ginger Fizz

triple ginger fizz

Sometimes I think I missed my calling.  Wouldn’t it be fun to design cocktails?  Swanky, gourmet, delicious cocktails?  I had this one in mind for Thanksgiving and thought about it for days.  I love ginger and it’s such a holiday flavor for me (although don’t get me wrong: I’ll eat ginger anything, any day of the year).  This cocktail came out just as I imagined it – sweet, slightly warming, fizzy and perfect for a holiday celebration.  We toasted to Peanut’s first Thanksgiving with it, and it’ll be on my Christmas menu too, and probably New Year’s.  It’s just that good.

Triple Ginger Fizz

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2″ ginger root, peeled
candied ginger pieces
ginger licqueur (such as Domaine Canton)
dry (Brut) sparkling wine (such as Champagne, Prosecco, Cava or Cremant de Bourgogne)

  • Prepare the simple syrup: heat sugar and water together with peeled ginger root until the sugar has completely dissolved in water.  Allow the syrup to cool completely as the ginger root steeps.  When syrup is fully cooled, remove and discard ginger root.  (Can be made ahead and refrigerated.)
  • Prepare four Champagne flutes with a few candied ginger pieces in the bottom.
  • Add ginger-infused syrup, dividing equally among four glasses.
  • Add ginger liqueur in equal part to the syrup.
  • Top with sparkling wine (fill glass to the brim – it’s a celebration!).

Source: Covered in Flour

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Holiday Hits: Bookworm Bests

Since shopping is such a blast, I’m back with one more bonus list of gift suggestions for the holidays!  Now, if you’ve been reading this blog for more than… I don’t know… thirty seconds or so, you’ve probably figured out that I love to read.  I love pretty much everything there is about books.  Reading is my primary hobby, and I’m a huge fan of anything that celebrates reading and books.  So if you have a similarly obsessed bookworm in your life (or if you are a similarly obsessed bookworm and want to get a treat for yourself), here are some bookish gift ideas.  These are all things that I already have (Santa, I’ll write you separately) and love.  Speaking for my people, I can tell you that pretty much any of these things would be a huge hit with your word-loving pals:

Eclectic vintage typewriter key bracelet book worm(Image Source)

Vintage typewriter jewelry.  Yep, you read that right.  I am particularly obsessed with the offerings of Lizzy Bleu on Etsy.  I have this “Book Worm” bracelet, but there are plenty of other choices in this Etsy shop – you could get yourself a pendant with your initial or any one of her many bracelets made from vintage typewriter keys.  I love this stuff – not only is it a nod to my love of words and writing, but it’s eco-friendly to boot (I’m on a huge upcycling kick).  And the quality is great.  Typewriter jewelry is a fun, quirky way to advertise one’s love of words.

Jane Austen Bookmarks - Set of 6(Image Source)

Unique bookmarks.  Hubby got me these Jane Austen bookmarks for my birthday this year and I’m in love with them (and him too, obviously).  They worked for me on multiple levels – for one thing, I’m crazy about Jane Austen.  She might be my favorite author… but don’t hold me to that; I don’t want to be tied down.  And for another, y’all know I love bookmarks.  But if your bookworm isn’t into Jane Austen, just a quick search for the name of the recipient’s favorite author and “bookmark” in Etsy is practically guaranteed to yield you some great finds.  For example, I typed in “Tolkien bookmark” and found this gorgeous hand-stamped copper bookmark that would be a fantastic gift for a Lord of the Rings enthusiast.

Lavender Bookmark & Sachet Set(Image Source)

Scented bookmark.  That’s right, ish just got real.  You know that I can’t get enough lavender.  (Or maybe you didn’t.  Anyway, it’s true.  I can’t.)  Well, this is the extent of my mania: I have TWO lavender bookmarks.  As in, fabric bookmarks stuffed with dried lavender.  I got the first one from a lavender booth at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York.  Hubby and I were on our babymoon the week before Peanut was born (well, we didn’t know it was the week before Peanut was born, but that’s how things turned out) and we were wandering through the market when I ground to a halt in front of, basically, my mothership.  This booth had all things lavender and I wanted everything, but I had intentionally packed a small bag and I was saving room for a trip to the Strand, and then I saw the bookmarks and very sweetly said “I need this, it’s really important.”  And then, because I can’t leave well enough alone, I bought another lavender bookmark on Etsy later.  Look, I love the scent of book as much as the next girl, but sometimes you just want your reading material to smell like France, amirite?

READ Sign wooden wall art cottage decor - word sign - library sign - SLATE GRAY(Image Source)

Wooden “read” sign.  I think this would be a fantastic gift for a reader: a wooden sign proclaiming their favorite hobby!  I have one of these signs in my reading nook and I love it; it reminds me of one of my favorite activities and makes for some cool decor.  Plus, you get the good feeling that comes with supporting an independent artisan.

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Penguin Clothbound Classics.  Books!  What a novel idea!  (Hee hee.)  But here’s the thing – buying books for a bookworm can be a tricky business.  Yes, we love ’em.  But it’s easy to end up with repeats.  I love giving books as gifts, but I always worry that the recipient already has a copy of the book.  But when the books are this pretty, I personally don’t mind having more than one copy and many bookworms would probably agree.  I collect Penguin Clothbound Classics and keep them together on a shelf in my bedroom.  They publish some of my favorite classics in gorgeous editions.  There are other collections, put out by other publishing houses – this just happens to be the collection that I particularly like and am therefore dedicated to acquiring.  I can practically guarantee these will be a hit – even if the bookworm in question already has a copy of, say, Pride and Prejudice, it’s hard to take issue with a pretty printed cloth cover.

Pride and Prejudice book cover t-shirt(Image Source)

Nerdwear.  I love my Pride and Prejudice shirt from Out of Print Tees, and my Reading is Sexy shirt from Buy Olympia, both of which I wear un-ironically.  Seriously – cute, comfortable, and a message I can totally get behind (and I’m talking about both shirts here).  Of course, there is a danger here: you don’t want to buy your bookworm a shirt advertising a book they hate.  But if the recipient’s favorite book is available, they’ll love a fun new library-going outfit.

Mug: White Diner(Image Source)

Bookstore Swag.  Bookworms have bookstore radar.  It’s true.  We’re drawn to bookstores; it’s our nature.  And most bookworms have a favorite bookstore.  A place that they dream about.  For me, that place is the Strand in New York City.  I love that place.  Forget Disneyland – the Strand is the happiest place on Earth.  I’d totally live there, except that I don’t want to move to New York.  I own a not-embarrassing amount of Strand-logo merchandise, including the above mug.  And a few tote bags.  And some bookmarks.  But if your bookworm dreams about a different bookstore – maybe Powell’s, or City Lights, or Politics & Prose – you can make him or her very happy with a cool mug or bookmark or t-shirt proudly announcing his or her personal affinity.

Nerd alert – I really like all this stuff.  And that’s cool, because it’s cool to be who you are and… stuff.  So.  Nobody paid me to write this post, and nobody gave me anything free.  Like I said, I just really, genuinely like everything I’m recommending.

What do you buy for the bookworms on your list?  Anything worth making a collect call to Santa over?  Spill.

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Hug Someone

I don’t usually post on weekends, and I don’t have anything to say that won’t sound trite in the face of the terrible tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.  But it seems wrong to let something so sad go by without comment.  So I’m stopping in the midst of the whirlwind of diaper changes and bottles and tummy time and board books to think about the parents who will never squeeze their dear little ones again.

Tonight when I put Peanut down, I stayed a few extra moments in her room and gave her a few extra squeezes. Instead of thinking about the mounds of dishes I had to conquer downstairs once I laid her in her crib, instead of rushing out to get it all done so I could crash on my pillow, I snuggled her in the rocker and thought about our weeks in the NICU and about how happy I am to have a safe, healthy baby in my arms, despite the rocky road it took to get there. And I thought about the parents of Newtown, and about all the parents who have to send their little ones off on the school bus on Monday. No one should have to fear sending their child to school. I don’t know what that’s like, and I can’t imagine it right now, but I know what it’s like to stare down real fears about your little one’s health and safety and it’s the worst feeling in the world. So I rocked Peanut, and I cuddled her, and I wiped away tears of sadness for Newtown and gratitude for my beautiful little girl.

I don’t know anyone in Newtown; I’ve never been there.  And school shootings are always horrific.  But this is the first one that’s happened since I became a mother, and I’m deeply shocked.  My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who lost a loved one this week, especially the parents, and the heroic teachers who laid down their lives for their students, and to those sweet souls who will be young forever.  This weekend, hug someone you love.

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Repost: Holiday Wine Guide

I wrote this last year in response to a request from my father-in-law, and thought it would be nice to bring it out again this year.  If you’re having trouble deciding what wines to serve this holiday season, here’s a little something to get you started!

Well, friends, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!  Time to gather with family and friends around the fire… sing carols… light candles… generally make merry.  And what’s merrier than wine?  You might be wondering what bottle to bring to your in-laws, or what to pour if you’re hosting, or what to chug when your Aunt Matilda corners you and demands to know when you’re going to learn how to hold onto a man.  Look no further, darling readers, because I can answer all of those questions and more.

First things first – sparklers!

There’s nothing more festive than a glass of bubbles.  But please, oh please, don’t call these wines “champagne.”  Repeat after messy: “Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France.  Anything else is sparkling wine.”  Actually, sparklers can have different names depending on their country of origin.  For instance, a sparkling wine from France, but not from Champagne, is called cremant.  If it’s from Spain, it’s cava.  Italian vintners offer up Prosecco.  Listen up, now, there’s nothing, I repeat, nothing wrong with drinking a sparkling wine that’s not from Champagne. This weekend hubby and I had a wonderful rose Cremant d’Alsace (a.k.a. a rose sparkler from the Alsace region of France) by Wolfberger.  Check it out.  It was dry and berry-rific and luscious.  And you can’t go wrong with anything from my absolute favorite California sparkling wine producer – Domaine Carneros.  Anything from their widely-available brut to their lovely rose to their high end “Le Reve” wine is phenomenal.  There’s no better wine for a celebration, in my opinion, than a sparkling wine.

Winter whites…

White wines are always a good option at the holidays, because pretty much everyone will drink them.  There are a few people who will only drink red, but in my experience most people will happily drink white wine.  But they can be tricky at the same time, because they vary widely in terms of body, aroma and flavor.  For instance, while a crisp, refreshing sauvignon blanc is absolutely delicious, it’s probably better suited to quaffing pool-side while noshing on a farmers market salad sometime in July.  For fireside sipping, you want something with more heft.  Consider a California chardonnay (I love the offerings from Carneros, the Russian River Valley, or Santa Barbara).  One widely available chard that smells and tastes like a small-batch production instead of a mass market wine is the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay from La Crema.  My parents introduced me to this wine and I could have sat with the full glass in my hand all night, just breathing in the aroma.  (Don’t worry, I did eventually drink it.)  La Crema’s Sonoma Coast is available in pretty much every wine shop I’ve been to, and at around $20, is a good value for an excellent wine.

Or you might consider a white Burgundy.  These wines are also, generally, made with chardonnay grapes, although a few Burgundy producers also offer up aligote.  (But it’s extremely difficult to find in the U.S., so don’t worry about accidentally buying it.  If you buy a bottle of white Burgundy from an American wine store and they’re not making it super obvious that it’s aligote, it’s definitely chard.)  Burgundy wines follow the French classification system, as they must.  French wines are generally classified into Grand Cru, Premier Cru, Village, and table wine, depending on the location of the vineyard the particular grapes hail from.  Grand Cru is the best, is almost certain to be prohibitively expensive (especially after you toss in the cost of importing it) and is hard to find.  Don’t waste your time looking for a Grand Cru, unless you are proposing and have a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket.  Premier Cru, the next-best designation, is still expensive, but you can find a reasonably-priced bottle now and then and it’s very, very good.  Village wines will – duh – include the name of the village on the bottle.  If you have a well-stocked wine shop with a French focus, you’ll likely find a bottle or two with a Village designation, and they’re generally very good.  And of course, you can’t go wrong with a wine from Burgundy sub-region Chablis.  Chablis produces all white, all chard, no oaked, and its wines have a delicious, refreshing flinty character.  Chablis wines are some of my absolute favorites.  Just please, please don’t buy anything labeled “California Chablis,” or my heart will shed tears of grape juice for you.

Red Red Wine…

If you are serving a roast, or you just like reds better than whites, there are many, many options that would work wonderfully for the holidays.  First of all – wine purists, please feel free to close your eyes and start humming now – you can’t ignore Beaujolais Nouveau.  Great wine it is not.  So what is it?  Fun, fruity, festive and cheap.  Yes, there are plenty who scoff at Beaujolais Nouveau, saying “if I want candy, I’ll eat candy, goshdarnit!” – and maybe, maybe those types will consider the slightly earthier Beaujolais-Villages.  Which is good too.  But you shouldn’t dismiss Nouveau.  The current season begins with a release of bottles in early November, and those bottles are really only good until Valentine’s Day.  But if you’re entertaining a group that likes their wines flighty and fruity – and drinks some volume – consider Nouveau.

Okay, say you’re too snobby for Beaujolais Nouveau.  (You’re missing out, but whatevs.)  Try bringing a little South of France sunshine to your holiday with a Cotes du Rhone.  The Cotes du Rhone region is found in Provence – land of suntans, olives and lavender, and lovely grapevine-planted hillsides (like in the picture heading this post).  The wines are luscious and fruity, but earthy at the same time.  Cotes du Rhone wines come at all different price points – you can pay top dollar for a bottle from neighboring region Chateauneuf-du-Pape – but many Rhone reds are a very good value for the excellent quality of the wine you get.  Hubby and I drove through several towns in the Cotes du Rhone last year, and we’re particularly fond of Gigondas, where we had lunch (and I drank a carafe of local rose, nearly without help, and then slept all the way to Burgundy).  A good wine shop will probably stock a few bottles from Gigondas and nearby Vacqueyras, but if you look even closer for offerings from tiny Provencal villages like Sablet and Seguret, you’ll be amply rewarded.  A good Cotes du Rhone will set you back anywhere from $15-30, so they’re not cheapie wines, but provided you like your dinner guests, you’ll find these wines are worth more than their price point.

What are your favorite holiday wines?  And happy sipping, friends!

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Holiday Hits: Treats for Tea-Lovers

Mmmmmm, tea.  You know I love it.  Maybe too much.  I can’t start my day without it (well, I can, but then I’m grouchy all day), and I’m sipping on herbals into the night.  I seek out tea experiences while traveling – whether that’s visiting the Mariage Freres boutique in Paris or sipping a traditional afternoon tea in London.  And I love anything that helps me celebrate my addiction hobby.  If you have a friend or relative who is similarly obsessed with tea, here are some delicious gift ideas, all things that I have and enjoy:

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Travette Tea Pot.  This is my number one recommendation, because no product has changed my tea-drinking life the way this little guy has.  When I first got into drinking loose leaf tea, I looked long and hard for a way to perfectly brew a cup.  M, my colleague who introduced me to the joys of drinking loose tea, brewed hers in a drip coffeemaker (which she only used for tea) and that worked for her.  But I wanted something smaller and more portable.  I tried tea balls, a teastick, and special mugs with tea infusers that fit into them – some were better than others, but none were perfect for me.  They either allowed too many leaves to escape, or they dripped all over my desk, or both.  Then I found the Travette Tea Pot at Teaism.  And the clouds parted, and I saw clearly for the first time.  The Travette has a fine mesh basket that fits into the pot and allows nothing – I mean nothing – to escape.  It makes enough for two mugs, and if you pour the first mug out the basket is suspended above the water line, preventing over-steeping.  And the double-walled construction means the pot keeps the second cup piping hot while remaining cool to the touch from the outside.  This would be a perfect gift for someone who is looking to get into drinking loose tea but is nervous about brewing it – the Travette makes brewing the perfect cup of tea absolutely foolproof.  I have two – one at home and one at work – and I can’t remember life without them.

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French Tea: Mariage Freres – Three Centuries of Savoir-Faire.  Mariage Freres is the ultimate tea purveyor.  I’d say “in my opinion” but I don’t think there can be any debate.  Mariage Freres is just the best.  This gorgeous book tells the story of the company, from its founding to present day, and includes some stunning photographs.  I keep my copy on the coffee table in my reading nook and flip through it whenever I want a little eye candy or relaxation.  Sipping a cup of Mariage Freres tea while reading isn’t required, but it sure does help.

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Mariage Freres Tea.  Mmmmmmmmm.  Since we’re already discussing Mariage Freres, let’s talk about how much any tea drinker would love a tin of this stuff in their stocking.  The answer: they’ll love it a LOT.  Plus, it would give you the opportunity to go to Paris to choose the perfect tea from among the hundreds of blends in the flagship store on Rue de Bourg-Tibourg.  (What’s that you say?   You weren’t planning to fly to Paris to get your holiday shopping done?  And you don’t want to pay through the nose to have tea shipped from France?  Well, Dean & Deluca also stocks many of the most popular Mariage Freres blends, and I guarantee you’ll find a blend your tea-lover will consider delicieux.)

Peace Love Tea - Organically Upcycled Vintage Silverware by Sycamore Hill(Image Source)

Upcycled Tea Spoon.  I have this “Peace Love Tea” spoon from SycamoreHill on Etsy and I use it every ding dong day to scoop my loose tea into my Travette Tea Pot – it scoops the perfect amount for one cuppa.  It’s a fun, unique gift and probably something the recipient would never think to buy for him- or herself.

Small Wood Fired Teacup with Ochre Celadon Liner, Beautiful Flashing, and Comfortable Handle(Image Source)

Handmade Teacup.  I love the sky blue handmade mugs that my mother-in-law gave to me (a Christmas gift one year) – in fact, I’m drinking my breakfast cuppa out of one of them as I write this post.  A beautiful mug or teacup can truly elevate the tea experience, and it’s an extra special bonus if the cup in question was a gift from a loved one.  You could search Etsy or craft fairs for the perfect ceramic mug (the mugs my mother-in-law chose happen to be one of my favorite colors, and the organic shape lifts my spirits every time I look at them – I know that she was truly thinking about me when she chose them), or you could pick up a pretty vintage teacup (maybe one with a saucer!) at your local antiques shop.  There are as many unique mugs out there as there are tea drinkers, and if you go this route, the recipient will think of you with a smile every time he or she takes a sip.

As cool as it would be if I was paid to write for a living, I’m not.  This post wasn’t perked or paid for by any of the manufacturers mentioned, and everything I recommended I actually own, use, like, and paid for with my own money or was gifted by a thoughtful friend or family member.  If I decide to run off and join a hippie commune… just a dream I had… I’d totally take this stuff with me but none of the sellers would ever know the difference.

Tea lovers – what gift would you love to get to celebrate or further enable your habit?