discovering skyr

on a whim.
i went to whole foods after work the other morning.

the aisles were uncharacteristically vacant.
the flowers fresh cut.
and the loaves of bread still warm.
and steamy.

as i was leisurely exploring.
i came across this yogurt.
and in keeping with the spirit of spontaneity.
i bought a few flavors.

i came home.
peeled one open.
drizzled a touch of honey on top.
and immediately fell in love.

far and away.
the thickest.
most delicious.
yogurt i've ever tasted.

spoonfuls of bliss.

***

also:

been watching this addictive british masterpiece.
reading this simple, beautiful book.
and melting into winter landscapes while listening to this.


***

::: alright

on monday.

i took myself out on a much-needed date.

i sipped a chai tea latte.

wandered a little town in the sunny afternoon warmth.

and saw this incredible movie.
(you all MUST go see it!)

it was good to spend some time with myself.

turns out.

i'm doing alright.

:: let yourself GO...

i read the book wide-eyed.
and open-hearted.
a highlighter in one hand.
journal in the other.

i envisioned the world through liz gilbert's eyes.
was inspired by the lessons she learned.
and the amazing places she adventured to.

there are many aspects of her travels
that exemplify the things i am doing in my wildest dreams.
eating pizza in italy.
running through gardens in india.
biking through bali.

she described an indonesian house she rented for several months.
all bright red kitchens.
and outdoor showers crafted with mosaic-tiles.
secret gardens.
and papayas hanging outside the bedroom window.

i read this description over and over again---
because when i think myself into my happiest place...

that's where i am.



so it goes without saying--
that i am uber excited for this movie.
to see all the amazing landscapes.
feel the emotions.
meet the characters.
experience the loudness.
the quite.
brought to life.


let's all meet somewhere in the middle come august.
and see it together.

deal? :)

:: very much looking forward to seeing this film...

good veins and a documentary:::

ahhhh.....tuesday. the day of fresh music. and--inevitably--a trip to target. after my scheduled massage this afternoon was cancelled, i took my time getting ready. i sipped my pomegranate vitamin juice. i listened to michael buble's latest offering. checked my e-mail. then i headed out to purchase the much anticipated new john mayer release.

and can i tell you-- i am not disappointed. john's sound changes ever-so-slightly with each record. and i would have to assess that--in comparison to continuum (his previous album) this one is lighter. perhaps not in content, but definitely in sound. and i'm not even going to lie about how much i love his duet with taylor swift. i must also admit that, while looking at the cover, i realized how much being a nurse has changed my outlook. i actually rolled my eyes at myself when the first thing i noticed was how easy it would be to start an IV on john's fabulous veins. (bet he's never heard that compliment before...)

as i was exiting the "entertainment" aisles, i saw the documentary "food inc.", and immediately tossed it into my basket. i've been aching to see this film. since i made the decision to be vegetarian (which has been a few months now!!) i've been extremely conscious of, not only what i put into my body, but the source of it. from what i've heard, this documentary is an eye-opening look into the world of food collection and processing. i can't wait to curl up with a mug of coffee this afternoon and watch it.

here's to a fabulous tuesday...

the spotless mind:::

{via wide open spaces}

if you've never had the good fortune of viewing the film 'eternal sunshine of the spotless mind', you have no idea the power and enormity of the words in this photo.

in the movie, joel & clementine are two eccentric, lost souls-- who find themselves in a relationship with each other. the pure bliss of early romance quickly starts turning to disdain-- and the two individually decide to undergo a procedure that will, one-by-one, erase every trace of memory they have of one another. the catch is that they view each memory before it is taken from them. in essence, reliving each day they spent together. when forced to consider all the beautiful, wonderful, glorious aspects of their relationship, they realize how much they truly love each other, but it's too late. "the spotless mind" is irreversible.

the exchange, quoted on the chalkboard in the photo, takes place at a time during the film when both characters are reliving a memory---each aware that it will soon be over and forgotten. in their dream-like state of remembrance, they make the conscious effort to do what they didn't have the sense to do in real-life. that is to enjoy every precious second they have together.

i ponder this concept. i always have. i have never wanted to be a prisoner of regret. i can recall being a small, small child. perhaps 7 or 8. and crawling out of bed in the middle of the night, sneaking into my parents room, and apologizing for telling a lie, or being mean to my sister, or having a poor attitude. i was petrified that they would die in their sleep, and i never would have made things right. to this day, i don't hang up the phone without saying i love you. i never leave coffee with a friend without a hug. i do my best not to hold grudges. and i strive to stay in contact with as many friends as i can. you never know what a day will bring. and it's a dark place on the hindsight of understanding and realization.

i never want to escape emotion. i love feelings. even sadness at times. when i feel, i know i am alive. i would never want to live with a spotless mind. what an unfortunate existence.

i live with no regrets. i love incessantly. and i embrace every aspect of life::: the good. the bad. and the ugly.

because compared to the alternative of having none of it--

i feel pretty blessed to have it all.

the north face & a couple of saints :: :: ::

it's cold. quite cold actually. it's two shirts and obnoxiously thick fuzzy socks cold. it's get me a mug of hot joe STAT!-- cold. i am extraordinarily tempted to don the new north face jacket right here and now. have you ever owned a north face? worn one? experienced its near perfection? well, please. do us all a favor and rectify that if you haven't.




i purchased this fabulous maroon-ish north face windwall last week. it speedily arrived and i was sporting it within a few days. fortunately for me, this little miracle arrived just as the ghastly winds were blowing in. i had tossed the jacket on and sped out the door one evening. my vehicle was dinging incessantly, reminding me that a gas station pit stop was no longer something i could put off. so i whipped into the nearest fill-er-up, and waited in the brittle cold. except, i realized, the cold wasn't so brittle. in fact, i could barely feel the wind blowing at all. be still my heart. did this jacket actually live up to it's name? was my delightful splurge seriously a wall against the wind? indeed it appeared so.

i was delighted! second only to the little green plungers that occlude the hole on your starbucks lid--- this was the greatest invention i had ever seen!

long live the north face. may you keep me warm outside--and occasionally inside-- this fall/winter and always!


also- it would be against my very nature not to mention how consumably jazzed i am about the midnight viewing of The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day. oh! how long i have waited for my favorite crime destroying irish brothers to grace the big screen again. long black coat and sunglasses are at the ready. october 29th-- you have no idea what you're in for.

:: i heart revolution && baseball

until you've seen it. until you've experienced it. it's almost impossible to imagine the poverty that people, all over the globe, live in. i haven't traveled far outside of this country--but even so-- i have seen families-- individuals-- children-- living in unthinkable surroundings. barely surviving. hungry. filthy. you arrive at their dilapidated doorstep, and offer what limited assistance you can. you share God's love. you paint a kids cheek. you provide a bag or two of store bought items. then you leave. and you cry. and you know that there must be more we can do.

there has to be more.

it's because of these experiences that i was uber excited when i heard about Hillsong's new theater experience on November 4th. i've already purchased my ticket. i urge everyone to see if this powerful documentary will be showing near you. it's not one to miss.





in other news:: last nights Tigers game was phenomenal! and our FREE tickets were only a few rows from the field! i would be lying if i told you it didn't reach a mighty low temperature by the end of the evening--- but it was well worth it! and of course-my bratwurst with mustard kept me warm!

such a fun fall adventure.

Bright Star:::

so very excited for the release of this beautiful movie!
hopefully i can sneak away to the theater over the weekend & see it!

the edge of love:

just purchased the movie "The Edge of Love". cross your fingers with me that i get called off work tonight. i can think of nothing more satisfying than spending the evening curled up in my cozy jammies, with a mug of warm chai tea, watching this film.

here's to a peaceful early fall saturday evening...

made for TV:::

i don't watch a lot of made-for-television movies, but when i saw the preview for this one--during my TiVo'd episode of Project Runway--i was majorly intrigued.

can't wait to tune in...

the green dress:::

a few years ago, before the movie Atonement was released, i received two free advanced screening passes from my local Borders store. i was ecstatic when the delightful gal behind the counter handed them over to me, but immediately became panic stricken when i realized that the show started in 3 hours! i knew this situation demanded my best and fastest problem-solving. almost without thinking, i dialed my cousins cell phone number, sang her my sad tune, and convinced her it would be MORE than worth her while to drive the 40 minutes to see this movie with me. i mean-- it was FREE! so, obviously--she agreed. and a few hours later we were comfortably seated at a nearby theater--- evian and popcorn adorning us on either side.

i was immediately taken with the film. the score. the cinematography. the acting. having read the book prior to hearing about the movie, i was already invested in the story. the rest was just icing, as far as i was concerned.

now- at the risk of sounding superficial - i am going to divulge a little secret. even more than the fabulous story & music & character portrayals, i was deeply and madly effected by:: the green dress. i thought it was just me. i thought i was quite possibly the only person on earth who actually lost track of the story line admiring Keira's magnificent green frock in one of the earlier scenes. i was enamored with the color. the details. the draping. the fit. ahhh...the glories of a talented costume director!

it wasn't until months later, while at another free screening for the movie Sweeny Todd, that i discovered there was a whole community of green dress lovers out there. i struck up some idle conversation with the fellow-movie-goers behind me, and at the first mention of Atonement, praises started to ring for THE GREEN DRESS! i felt like i had come home. lovingly surrounded by more of my own. people all over the theater started chiming in. it was a revolution. a flash mob of dress lovers! i went home and even discovered a facebook group dedicated to la green! i was bemused by this united front of fashion addicts!

my vote that year for best supporting actress in a feature film went to the green dress---but she didn't win, sadly enough. however, she continues to remain one of my favorite pieces of theatrical costume.

and so: as this weekend comes to a close--- i am sharing with all of you, MS. GREEN & asking::

can a dress change your life?

"let them...wear fabulous shoes":::

spending a lazy afternoon sipping warm chai tea (fresh off the plane from india), reading the last 100 pages of The Time Traveler's Wife, and watching "Marie Antoinette".

oh the dresses, the food, the decor, the hair, the SHOES!

summer: see, wear, capture:::

WARNING:

if you are having a bad day. if you are within the 'extra emotional' time of the month. if you're sad about anything else in your life. heed my warning and WAIT to go see 'my sisters keeper' in theaters. this is my sincere plea. from experience i can tell you:: the dam's will runneth over. the floodgates will be lifted. your emotions will swell to the brink. the napkin dispenser near the popcorn counter will be empty of napkins. for this movie is horrifically sad.

but it's also wonderful. i had read the book by jodi picoult several years ago- so i knew the premise of the story- but to see it set to music and so beautifully acted, brought on entirely new feelings and emotions. grown men in the theater were crying like babies. young teenage guys with their girlfriends were trying to quickly wipe tears away with the corner of their pink floyd t-shirts. it was a weep fest of monumental proportions.

so i recommend the movie with caution. it is definitely NOT for the weak & weary. but it is an excellent, controversial story about life, death, love and family.

in other (more pleasant) news:: they arrived. the ultra-fabulous silver TOMS are mine. they fit like a glove. they're insanely comfortable. they sparkle. need i say more? i think not!
i love that i can feel good about the purchase of these shoes. it's truly rewarding to realize that, as i am slipping my new shoes on, a little child on the other side of the world--who has been walking barefoot their whole life-- is slipping on theirs too.

"toms on feet" summer june 2009

i've also noticed that i've taken quite a few pictures of flowers this summer. it's no mystery why: their stillness, color and beauty are captivating. i think it's interesting to note all the different places where one can come across flowers. they are planted in pots. in the ground. in hanging planters. they are on tabletops and counters. in windows. in vases. they are a summer staple. and i am in love with them.

"love note"
rashy's kitchen counter: summer june 2009

"floating flowers"
royal oak street corner: summer june 2009

"gerber in the city"
planter outside 'neighborhood knits': summer may 2009

:: adventures of a 2 year old ::

last friday, at about 8am, graham asked me:

"ash-a-leeeee, are we going on an adventure today?"

i asked him what kind of adventure he had on his mind. he replied:

"what about the the-air-ter?"

he went on to explain that he really really really wanted to see the movie "UP". So, against all my better judgements, i agreed to take all three boys to the movies that afternoon.

i must have had a short, severe lapse of common sense when i thought it would be possible to take a 6 year old, 2 1/2 year old and a 8 month old to the movies. but i talked myself into it by reasoning that tons of other people (single moms/dads, stay at home moms/dads, jon & kate + 8, etc) do this kind of thing every day. i also reasoned that it would be increasingly horrible to limit graham's summer adventures just because his brothers were younger.

so after everyone was fed, clothed, pottied, shoed and educated on "the-air-ter" behavior, we headed outside to load up carseats and excited movie-goers. at 6, graham is pretty self-sufficient. and he is so extremely obedient and well behaved. you have only to tell him what to do, and you know it will be done. at 8 months, dean is getting active, but still content to be carried in his seat: wide-eyed and alert, taking in the whole world.

so it's reid, my little 2 year old tornado, that makes me adopt the mind of a mother. he's the one who will run into the street. who will throw a cast-iron hot wheels car at the baby. who will dump his lunch plate onto the floor because he's trying to lick the mac-cheese remnants off it. who still needs a story to fall asleep. he's the one kicking my seat on the drive--making me realize it really is as annoying as my parents made it out to be. he's the one who needs a booster seat, that i don't have a free hand to grab, at the movies. but in the same vein, he's also the one who runs down the stairs in the morning and right into my arms to snuggle. he's the one who giggles the loudest at just about everything. who hugs the dogs like they are his best friends. who still asks to take his socks off for nap. who wants so badly to be independent, but still wants you to help at the same time--because he can't do it on his own quite yet.

reid makes me think like a mom. helps me be selfless like a mom. helps me to love unconditionally like a mom. he's the quintessential mischievous little boy. right down to feeding his sandwich crust to the pups.

:: what i'm loving : a week in review

here we are. closing the cover on another beautiful week. i am actually pretty jazzed about the resident's graduation tonight. my new summer dress, white heels and chunky jewelry are all howling to be put to use. stay tuned for pictures.

in the meantime- here's what's been tickling my fancy this week:::

this restaurant:

this show:

this purchase:

this movie:

this city:

this catalog:

7 Things That Made Me Happy Today:::

No. 1:::

A much needed and long overdue Girls Night Out with Jill::: Chili's consumed/Obsessed viewed

No. 2:::

Discovering old pictures of me and my little sis

No. 3:::

The smell of my lilac tree blooming in the backyard

No. 4:::

Catching up on my DVR episodes of 'LIVE with Regis and Kelly'

No. 5:::

The song "The Moneymaker" by Rilo Kiley

No. 6:::

Purchasing the 2nd Season of Lipstick Jungle on DVD

No.7:::

The trailer for this fantastic movie (which has me SO SO excited!)

Until tomorrow...