aah, the Northwest...

Breathes there a man with soul so dead
Who never to himself hath said
This is my own, my native land!

Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned,
As home his footsteps he hath turned
From wandering on a foreign strand!

If such there breathe, go mark him well;
For him no minstrel raptures swell;
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim

Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,

Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.

Sir Walter Scott

You would think the Vancouver Olympics would just make me think of, well- Canada. But watching the opening ceremony last night was like taking a little trip back to the Northwest...the mountains, rain, trees, even the totem poles!....thanks for the memories, B.C.

Hello, Weekend.

An Ode to Google Reader

Remember the days before Google? Going to the library, looking things up in a phone book, actually having to make a phone call? Well, now I think: "Remember the days before Google Reader?" Having to remember the names of the blogs I read and websites I want to look at? Yup, life was pretty rough.

My friend Sarah introduced me to Google Reader...it is basically a place where you can subscribe to all the blogs/ websites you read and it will tell you when they have been updated. (Is is sad that I feel slightly accomplished when there aren't any updates left to read?)

Word to the wise: Google Reader does slightly change the format of the blog- so you can use it as a link straight to the website. Plus it's fun because you can divide things into folders. If you're the kind of person who thinks folders are fun. Which I am.

I'm a fan because I now don't have to remember the URLs for any of the blogs I read. Ahem, I'm not going to tell you how many that is- but here are a few of my current favorites...

*Gg
In case you haven't heard, my mom is creative, wise and just adorable. Her new blog just jumped straight to the top of my list of favorites...

*academichic
The Trinny and Susannah of academia. They're academic! And they dress really well! I'm way too addicted to this one...

*decor8
I typically skim (read: look at the pictures) on this one because she updates.. a lot... but I always am inspired to try new things in decorating my apartment. Love the colours and creative ideas...
*Jane Brocket
She likes colour and England and domesticity. And I like her.
Thanks, Sarah, for the introduction to Google Reader!

bake(d)

Welcome to Bake. This bakery opened in our neighborhood a few months ago, and I now consider myself single-handedly responsible for keeping them in business. Not hard when you can get this...

and this....
for just a few dollars.
The lady who owns the bakery recognizes me now (I think she can spot my keen-ness from a few blocks away).

They don't have a real sign outside yet, because they can't afford the taxes that Chicago charges for "air space" (thank you, Mayor Daley). But it's okay, cause I tell everyone I know about their coconut macaroons, so I think word's getting out.
It took us awhile to figure out why they put Post-It Notes under their coffee cups...but of course it must be for all those genius ideas you come up with over a cup of coffee...or for Saturday morning Target lists...

Every time I'm here, I get new ideas for decorating my apartment....I'm currently trying to find a tree branch to paint silver and hang from my living room ceiling (really.)
Happy Valentine's Day from Bake.
Yum.