Ever since having seen the darling Pixar film, Ratatouille, I’ve wanted to try this classic French dish. I didn’t get a chance to eat it in Paris, so a while after coming home, I finally decided I would just have to attempt it myself. I adapted this recipe to my taste, since it had the movie-style layered veggies, instead of the more traditional chunks. It’s just so purdy that way! 1-2 Cups tomato sauce 2 Minced garlic cloves 3-4 Sprigs thyme, or…
If you ask me about my trip to Paris in the spring, I’ll probably spend so much time talking about the flaky croissants and melt-in-your-mouth duck confit that you’ll begin to roll your eyes and regret asking. But if you can gently steer me away from the topic of food (no easy feat, I’ll warn you), you might be able to find out another area or two in which Paris really resonated with me, besides with my stomach. I might…
Never mind that I hadn’t even sat on a bike in maybe ten years or so. “Let’s do the Virginia Creeper Trail!” they said. “It’ll be fun!” they said. “It’s super easy!” they said. So I agreed, since I have a hearty dose of fear-of-missing-out, and since occasionally I like to do something I’m bound to be terrible at. The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 34 mile gravel path that is made from an old railroad track. The first 17…
If you’re anything like me, sometimes you realize you are thoroughly tired of all your music. It all begins to sound the same, and you just need something new to get you out of your ten-favorite-songs rut. If this describes you, let me show you what I’ve been listening to lately. Maybe one of these will strike your fancy and become your new favorite. And maybe you should comment below and let me know your favorites to jog me out…
I am not a high maintenance girl. In fact, you could say I veer in the opposite direction. Getting ready for work usually takes me fifteen minutes, max. If you know me and you’re the kind of person who does take time to pretty up regularly, then you’re probably thinking of my blemished face and frizzy hair and secretly nodding to yourself, “You know that’s right!” It’s not that I don’t like glamming up, it’s just that, to quote the honorable…
Now for the fun part. I am giving away a mandala cloth to one Striped Pineapple reader this month.
I’ve never been a fan of writing in my books. I label them in pencil and don’t write notes in the margins. So it’s somewhat odd that I decided to try a journaling Bible, eh? At first I could hardly bring myself to write in it. What if I’d want the space later for something else? What if someone else read it? What if I messed up and made irreparable marks in it? Finally, I forced myself to just start…
I told you all once about how I won an Urban Southern giveaway and was gifted with a lovely triangle clutch. What I couldn’t convey to you through a blog post was just how good it smelled, and how lovely it felt, both the smooth exterior and the soft suede interior. I carried my clutch and continued stalking their business, and making mental notes of which bags I would love to own if I ever found a good enough excuse…
When I lived in Illinois, my roommates and I split our expenses via a very high tech little tattered notebook full of scribbles. It worked alright, but my brain didn’t love the extra math workout each time we tried to balance what we owed each other. When Lyn and I moved in together, we upgraded to a slightly higher form of expense splitting, and I can’t stop recommending it to people. The app is called Splitwise, and it’s free on…
I first encountered Jenny through her blog, Dinner, a Love Story, and I was drawn in by the color and humor and her lovely writing style. Imagine my delight then, when I opened a present from Lyn and found her book inside. How to Celebrate Everything is just what the title implies, a guide to all the popular holidays, as well as many other occasions that deserve celebrating just because. For instance, check out her “Yay, It’s Wednesday Cake!” and see if that…
You know how sometimes you come across a book that just warms the cockles of your heart and makes you wish you could crawl inside it and live there? Meet “The Blue Castle” by L.M. Montgomery. I was introduced to Montgomery a bit late in life, which perhaps makes my delight in her writing just that much greater, since I can appreciate its skill more now than as a kid. And of all my favorites of hers, I believe “The Blue…
A friend of mine gave me this book one year for my birthday, and I have to say, it is one of the most beautiful books I have ever seen. Although it is laid out like a child’s book, and would probably appeal to children as well, it is rather more suited to an older readership. It tells the story of Jesus’ life and death, in the most beautiful poetry and illustrations. But let me show you, rather than tell…