link love + happy valentine's day

how to draw hearts with circles-a geometric "love" story - fiber lab

Happy Valentine's Day! This video by Justina Yang from Fiber Lab is definitely a must-watch, since it's so awesome. The three-part video shows different ways to create a heart from a simple circle - the first two that incorporate math are my favorite, and made me smile. She also created this impressive video story of a paper croissant, which completely blew my mind. Like, kaboom.  I don't know if I actually want her job (ew paper cuts and sore fingers), but maybe it'd be cool for a week.
Anyways, hope you have an especially lovely time this weekend with your loved ones, or just taking some time to pamper yourself. As for me, it'll be me and my cat having our own little party (read: having tuna and going to bed early).

articles:
- "lung in a box" keeps organs breathing before transplants

food:
- cheeto-crusted jalapeno poppers
- vegetarian banh mi

fun finds:
- this victorian home
- this soho loft
- this dinner party set-up
- the adorable swiffer ad couple
- jauntful: shareable, printable city guides that you create
- nine true facts that sound completely fake

link love + happy friday

via tumblr

Happy February! I've been away for a little (long?) while, and so much has happened. I'm now in Madison, freezing my butt off, but enjoying cuddling with my cat in my new digs and working at my new job. (Seriously, this company is the absolute coolest.) I'm also doing my best to send some of this cold and snow towards California to help with the drought situation, so we'll see. In the meantime, enjoy these links, and have a lovely weekend as the Olympics start! GO USA!

(olympic) articles:
- putin's olympic fever dream
- just how bad is the scene in sochi?
- even more bad: anonymous in sochi: being gay at the olympics parts one & two
- and a quick primer on US and Canada's women's hockey

diy:
- mandarin votives
- these paper lovebirds

food:
- balsamic vegetable noodle soup
- sweet tea-brined hot chicken wings (what??!)
- how to make a healthy portable breakfast

fun finds:
- this gorgeous israeli hotel
- also this hotel in greece
- "cut food"
- building new york's bridges
- how to google more efficiently
- cats taking selfies

link love (and happy 2014?)

photobooth shenanigans from the s'mores party i had a few days after christmas

I'm pretty sure this is my first post for this year. So, happy 2014! This week, I flew to Providence, RI, and had a slew of problems trying to get there, which you'll hear about tomorrow. I got there in one piece, though, and had the Team Canada roster announcement (for hockey, who cares about the other sports) to tide me over until I finally arrived. Seriously, thank goodness for smartphones, otherwise I'd be bored out of my mind and probably still stuck trying to fly out to Providence.

Anyways, now that all the hockey rosters have been announced (and the Blackhawks are sending 10 players, tied for most in the League), I'm even more excited for Sochi*, and February in general. I know we barely started January and 2014, but I feel like this month is just a filler until February, when I'll start my new job (deets on Sunday), move into my own place, and basically become a full-fledged adult. I can't wait.

articles:
- the origins and meanings of ashkenazic last names (boring title, super interesting read, especially when you find out this one dude you didn't like has an insult for a last name)
- banished for questioning the gospel of guns

diy: 

- wall of origami rainbow koi (maybe you'll see this in my new apartment??)

fun finds:

- this napa valley rehearsal dinner 

- dictionary of numbers - putting numbers in human terms
- how to improve your wine, the cheap, easy way
- 20 kids who are totally winning at hide and seek

*and about the gay rights (or lack thereof) issue in Russia and people wanting to boycott the Olympics, here's a well-written opinion on why there's a better option. 

link love

Hi friends! It's the last link love of 2013, and it's unfortunately going to be a short (but good!) one. But that just gives you more time to enjoy family and friends for the holidays, right? Yeah, I'm pretty much just making excuses now. But it's definitely been a busy week, and I'm loving it. I got this awesome glass fish statue thing during white elephant last night, I've got a friend visiting from out of state, and I'm hosting a s'mores party tonight. It should be a blast.

Hope you end the year with a bang!

food:
- cranberry hand pies

fun finds:
- trees cut from paper shopping bags
- this list of notable instagrams
- these minimalist nature photos
- the best of SNL 2013
- essential kitchen skills no one taught (but everyone should know)

link love

Labels Against Women | #WhipIt #ShineStrong Pantene

This short ad by Pantene Phillipines does a great job breaking down the double standards. You wouldn't really expect it from a shampoo ad, but it works.

So much has happened this week, and next week is going to be just as busy. I've got two DIY projects in the works that I might finish this weekend (though probably not), I've figured out my mom's christmas present, and I'm still working on my brother's (and everyone else's). Thank goodness practically every blog is doing a gift guide so I can get some ideas.

Hope your holiday shopping is going better than mine! or if all else fails, just give people food. You can't go wrong with food.

articles:
- gene therapy keeps "bubble boy" disease at bay
- gay rights and putin's olympics
- who says math has to be boring?

food:
- blood orange caramels
- italian jam shortbread tart
- cut-out cookies with champagne glaze
- quick and easy bread bowls

fun finds:
- beautiful typographic book covers
- the oregon coast
- npr's planet money makes a t-shirt, and follows how it's made
- this instagram feed
- the year in photos (tw: some graphic content)

link love + happy friday

image via tumblr

Happy December! I say this every time, but it's crazy how quickly this year has gone by, and I feel like I've still got so much to accomplish before 2014. It's going to be a super-productive couple of weeks, that's for sure.

We can't have a christmas tree this year because my crazy cat climbs up the middle and makes a huge mess.  So instead we're decorating the mantle and the staircase; i.e. places she has no access. Maybe the front windows too. It'll be a first without a tree, but I think we'll be fine. Have a wonderful weekend!

food:
- gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting and sugared cranberries
- candy cane chocolate cookies
- gingerbread spiced marshmallows

diy:
- holiday gift toppers round-up
- printable holiday gift packaging (from paper crave)
- more printable holiday gift tags (from oh so glam)
- even more printable holiday gift tags (from creative index)

fun finds:
- this gorgeous hand-forged brass coffee scoop
- how a former set from "the wire" became a new public design school
- this wedding in provence (but mostly the provence part)
- i want to go there: hokkaido, japan

link love

Swan Lake | Ep. 10 | city.ballet

There's this docudrama produced and narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker about the New York City Ballet that's absolutely fascinating, called city.ballet. Each episode's about six minutes long, and they get better as they go along. You can catch all the episodes online here.

Articles:
- gut bacteria might influence our brains

Food:
- peanut butter & marshmallow sandwich cookies
- hoosier mama's cranberry chess pie
- apple cinnamon beignets w/ apple caramel sauce

Cool Finds:
- toddler naps with his 2-month-old puppy every day
- ikea lets loose 100 cats into an empty store to see what happens
- cloud-shaped ice cream
- you don't know africa (until you play this game)

link love

Timelapse: Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

My family and I were going to road trip to NM last month to see this, but ended up not finding the time. But I feel like it's something that has got to happen eventually. Maybe next year?

Anyways, I hope you have a not-too-stressful weekend in preparation for Thanksgiving next week!

Articles:
- surgeons discover quirky knee ligament all over again
- why your childhood is crucial to how you'll age
- the smarter you are, the stupider you are
- should brain scans count as evidence in court?
- i want to be a millenial when i retire (i want this now)
- the widow who created the champagne industry
- reinventing the condom

Food:
- persimmon, prosciutto, and brie grilled cheese
- applesauce carrot bread with pecan streusel
- cranberry pâte de fruits

DIY:
- cardboard rudolph
- typography cookies (custom gift tags for presents?)

Cool Finds:
- visit the Netherlands
- the man who invented the calendar by bj novak
- this floral workshop in the berkshires
- the invisible bike helmet (totally amazing!)
- 16 people on things they couldn't believe about america until they moved here
- famous photos reimagined as selfies
- punctuation tips
- this ridiculously awesome volvo commercial (you have to check this out)

link love:thanksgiving

picture originally from my instagram

I love Thanksgiving, and not just because of all the food. It's like the (non-religious) spirit of Christmas, minus all the commercialism, with more gratitude, and a dash of history thrown in. I think it's pretty great. Here are some DIYs, recipes, and more to help you prepare, even though Thanksgiving is still two weeks away.

Food :
- roasted carrot soup
- ultra-crispy potatoes
- inside-out sweet potatoes
- baked mushrooms, broken bread
- winter squash butter

Dessert:
- 25 ways to make pie
- chocolate-dipped pistachio shortbread
- cranberry upside-down cake
- vegan chocolate-dipped molasses cookies

Drink:
- apple orange hot toddy
- the perfect fall sangria

DIY:
- DIY Thanksiving placemat
- simple fall wreath
- rosemary wreath place cards

Purchase:
- Individual wedge-shaped pie boxes

link love + happy friday

Roundhand lettering demo by Glen Weisberger

I'm always fascinated by hand-lettering, and this is a mesmerizing video. Just watch.

Articles:
- the one key difference between kids who excel at math and those who don't
- how the new health insurance exchange isn't always enough 
- two kinds of loyalty
- podcast: what it's like to work at the onion
- here's the funny thing about black women in 'snl'
- i don't know how to describe this but it includes google maps and i cried

Food:
- apple cider caramels
- baked pumpkin doughnuts with salted caramel glaze

Cool Finds:
- Do Lectures: inspiring talks from people who are changing the world
- 10 gorgeous, nostalgic photos of new york's old penn station
- some of the coolest lego projects ever
- wordoids: made up words that sound right
- this dinner party
- this penthouse (with a rooftop terrace!) in Manhattan
- this farm in Tennessee

link love + happy friday

3-year-old contemplates the effects of his diet on the toilet

Wow, this video made me crack up so hard. And it reminded me of that show Bill Cosby used to host, Kids Say the Darnedest Things. That was a funny show. So was The Cosby Show. I just like Bill Cosby.

Hope the Halloween candy hangover isn't that bad, but if it is, you'll have the whole weekend to sleep it off. And if you've got too much Halloween candy, we've got you covered right here.

Have a smashin' weekend, and hello, November!

Articles:
- why children hide by covering their eyes
- math proves bacon is a miracle food
- carrot dating - the new dating app that let's you bribe your partner into giving you a chance
- (ignoring all opinions on standardized testing) American education isn't mediocre, it's deeply unequal
- how popcorn took over movie theaters
- interesting stuff about why first-borns are smarter (but it's not really quantifiable)

Food:
- finally, a use for all those kale stems you've been throwing out: kale stem pesto
- if you've got extra apples, this slab pie looks fantastic
- I may need to invest in a donut pan after seeing these french toast donuts
- 15 ways to use up Halloween candy

Cool Finds:
- which state matches your personality?
- this home in the Yucatan
- xkcd: 20th century headlines rewritten to get more clicks.  definitely spot on.
- in case you're not on instagram enough already, here's a cool person to follow
- who knew walnuts could be set on fire and used as candles?

link love + happy friday

When I'm Able to Find You - Me & Mr. Cassidy

I mentioned Oh, Hello Friend's 5th anniversary party last week, and Me & Mr. Cassidy was there to provide live entertainment. They were absolutely fantastic. Their cover of Drops of Jupiter/I Try is also pretty special (song starts at 1:02). You should definitely check them out! You can watch their videos here, or sample some tunes on their website.

We're going apple picking this weekend in Oak Glen. We'll see how it compares to apple picking out East =P

Have a lovely weekend!

Articles:
- ff you're not a politics sort of person, but still want to know happened with the government shutdown, the NY Times provides a great summary
- a fascinating article on alcohol as an escape from perfectionism for women
- it's interesting to see what older people think about younger people, in this case about spending, or the lack thereof
- scientists are finally figuring out why people need sleep
- this really resonated with me for some reason. experience matters.

Food:
- I've never had a cronut, but this apple pecan pie version looks pretty tasty

Cool Finds:
- want: a disco ball pizza oven
- not sure if this qualifies as "cool", but a photographer takes portraits of the men who catcall her on the street in Philadelphia
- cats napping in cute places. now say it with me, "awwwwww"
- Kelly Clarkson covers songs and absolutely kills it. (my fave is "I Will Wait." That's a lie. I can't choose. "Lose Yourself" is def pretty epic though.)
- coffitivity gives you coffee shop background noise without the distraction to boost productivity. win-win.
- this portland library turned home is absolutely swoon-worthy

link love

Vinyasa Flow - Dylan Werner

This video is one of the coolest things ever. Now that I've seen this, I really want to add "learn how to do yoga inversions" and "go on a yoga retreat" to my 101 list, but clearly I can't because it's 101 things in 1001 days and not 103 things. Rest assured that I will not forget about those two goals, though! I will do those crazy handstands and inversions eventually. He also has a super awesome couples acroyoga video as well; I did not know that was a thing, but maybe that needs to go on my list as well... I think I need to find a boyfriend/partner first.