WHAT I READ

ALL THE JOY & NO FUN: THE PARADOX OF MODERN PARENTHOOD

Warning: Try not to cry.. especially at the end.

It is an excellent book for all parents to read, both fathers and mothers because it shows the perspective and research done from the viewpoint of each. Everyone thinks they could be doing more and their spouse/partner could be doing more too. This is helpful in seeing how they tick / think.

I’d need a new book, like a mashup of a book like Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus + All Joy & No Fun for modern parents.

THE LANGUAGE OF FOOD

What a great book. The history of food and the origins of where ice cream and other delicious treats (and their names) come from.

Densely researched, and a real pleasure to read. Couldn’t put it down!

THE KILL ARTIST +

I could not put this down. If you like spy mystery thrillers, this is a GREAT BOOK. Not at all “detective fiction” like what my preference is, but man it is engrossing. I couldn’t stop reading it. I even wanted to give up sleep to read the next chapter.

I think I have found my new series to read for the year, so I ended up reading all of the following from the same author:

• Messenger
• The English Girl
• Fallen Angel
• English Spy
• Portrait of a Spy

COMFORT ME WITH APPLES

I really love reading her words and her memories, she’s so vivid. I want her to write even more! I’d suggest reading her first book though Garlic and Sapphires if you haven’t yet, it will set the stage for what kind of writer / person she is, this Ruth Reichl.

MY KITCHEN YEAR

A cookbook like no other. I want to try every recipe in here, that’s how convincing she is, weaving stories in throughout the entire book.

Her recipes sound and seem simple, I am going to start with some of her potato recipes.

EAT PRAY LOVE MADE ME DO IT

If you read and loved the book Eat Pray Love (like I did), you might like to get even more inspired by reading these memoirs and stories of others (mostly women) who have been inspired by the book as well, to change their lives, leave abusive relationships, etc.

WHAT I DIDN’T / COULDN’T READ

PILGRIMS

I don’t like Western novels. Pass. Sorry.

ANOTHER CARVEN SILK MAP PRINT TANK – $100

Off eBay. My skillz are still pretty strong in sniping. 😉 I love collecting this print and now I have another one of it!

I bought this Carven silk map tank but the neckline is not this pretty blue, it’s a strange orange, which I plan on hand-DIY-ing to make it copper or rose gold instead because orange is a terrible colour on me.

So, I finally got it, the orange was terrible against my skin tone.. and it just looks weird to me. The blue is much nicer above in the stock photos.

When I wore it, it looked okay but I still didn’t love it…

• Map print top
• Gray flannel felt satchel
• Taupe moto draped jacket
• World Map cuff

So I gilded that sucker with rose gold acrylic paint. It turned out beautifully.

Here’s the before & after:

Here I am wearing it (post-gilding) and I feel like it looks much better:

• Ted Baker Coat
• Foley + Corinna Bo Cross-Body Clutch
• Gray flannel blazer
• Drusy ring
• Map printed top

KATE SPADE WORLD MAP SCARF IN NATURAL / PINK

What can I say? Really? There are no words. I am a SUCKER for map prints, particularly ones from Kate Spade that are oh so soft and ridiculously perfect.

Scored this one pre-owned on eBay for less than its retail price, and it was still in its packaging with original tags and folds. SWEET.