{happy friday}

Happy Friday! I took that picture up there two years ago today. Back when I was in college & home for break starting on December 1st. {Okay, it was the 15th. But compared to this year in work world, it seems like it was the 1st. Those were the days.}

This week was an annoying one. Last Sunday I was booted, quite literally, so I'm stuck in this walking cast for at least two weeks. {Based on the pain I'm feeling, I think it's becoming a bigger injury.} I slipped in Penn Station when I was traveling back to SF after Thanksgiving & landed on my ankle wrong. I guess that's what I get for taking the subway to the train station...to take the train to the airport. It was a complicated journey that I will unfortunately need to do, once again, this Monday, but this time I'll be wearing this:

^^try walking up SF hills–in the rain–in this thing!!

Here are some fun links from the week...

15 photographs from the Sony World Photography Awards. 

I've been binge-watching Transparent {watch this trailer} & find everything about it completely fascinating. There is a not one thing about this show that I do not like. The acting is superb.

An amazing bedroom makeover.

I've been following the progress of A Beautiful Mess' Habitat for Humanity project. I can't wait to see the finished product!

These gf cookies are delish. They require tons of patience {the sand dough is hard to roll out} but they eventually turned out great!

Christmas pranks: Jimmy Kimmel vs. John Krasinski & Emily Blunt.

& finally...the cutest video ever. These kids are so sweet & totally un-materialistic.

Have a great weekend!
xo

{happy friday}

Hi all! How was your week?  Mine was filled with rain rain & rain. Yesterday SF was hit with what named a #hellastorm & we all had to work from home! Blackouts spanned the city & the wind was crazy strong. My roommates & I were prepared with water, candles, & flashlights under our tree, but we lucked out & had power all day. 

Here are some fun links from this week...

A gingerbread farm. So cute! {ps. Gluten-free gingerbread houses.}

Easy DIY alert: festive wire place cards.

Lena Dunham's response to her critics. {After reading her book, I can honestly say that I believe her.} 

Totally in denial that The Newsroom is ending this weekend. The show gets a lot of backlash {which, to some degree, I understand}, but it's just too good to end this early.

51 Of The Most Beautiful Sentences in Literature. "She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together." —J.D. Salinger, A Girl I Knew

Coldplay released a new song! And it's getting my mind off of this article & the rumors it's spreading...

& in case you missed it, three blog posts from this week: book recommendations, photos of the bridge, & a fun, easy wrapping idea.

Happy weekend!

{fun wrapping idea}

One of my goals for December was to come up with a fun, creative wrapping idea... & I think I found it!

I'm a fan of using just plain butcher paper as a wrapping, but since it's so simple, I wanted to add a little somethin' somethin' to them.  This weekend I had to wrap a few gifts for my church's "giving tree", so I knew they'd be transported & shuffled around. Because I didn't want to risk them losing a bow or tag...

...I taped a ribbon!

^^blog photography at it's finest: my roommate's legs, chipped nails, & empty lemonade bottles

All I used was some washi tape, which I bought on Amazon a few weeks ago, & scissors!  Washi tape is colored, thin tape & one of the most versatile materials ever.

I'm already running out of rolls—I've been using it that much.

Just a super simple, but festive wrapping idea that I thought I'd share!

{the bridge}

I don't think I've mentioned it on here yet, but my step-sister moved to San Francisco! It's been so much fun having her here in the city.  We were both feeling ready to get out of our cramped quarters for a while, so on Saturday we decided to rent a car & drive to Mt. Tam.  The fresh air felt amazing & just what we needed, although we underestimated how hard the hike would be after all the rain we've had! We were sliding all over the place. 

Saturday was also Madison's first time driving over the GG bridge, so on the way back we stopped at two different lookout points to get some photos. I love any photo with the bridge in the background :) 

^^the skies were perfect for some HDR action

{books, lately}

Ever since I joined the library last month, I've had a book in my hand at all times. It helps pass the time on the bus & gets me away from my computer. Win, win.

Here's what I've read & enjoyed in the past 8 weeks...

The Matchmaker - Elin Hilderbrand 

&

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty

ps. Big Little Lies is being made into a miniseries & already has an all-star cast.

Room - Emma Donoghue 

Still thinking about this book...I mean, wow.

&

The Sweet Life in Paris - David Lebovitz

Makes me want to move to Paris right now!!

Yes Please - Amy Poehler

Yes please, Amy.

&

Not That Kind of Girl - Lena Dunham

I didn't even mind that she didn't write about Girls. Lena is a fantastic writer.

Me Before You - Jojo Moyes
This one tugs at the heartstrings.
&
Delicious - Ruth Reichl
I loved Ruth's memoir Tender at the Bone, so I was not surprised to
have loved her first venture into fiction.

 -

I'm currently giving my eyes a break & listening to Serial {can you say addicted??}, BUT...anyone have any book recommendations?  I need new ones!

{happy december}

Happy December everyone!

I took a month off from blogging. Sorry about that!

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? I just got back from a quick trip back home. It was filled with snowy weather, good food, & lots of friends & family time.... just what I needed.

Lots of bloggers have been writing their December goals, so I'm going to follow suite:

- blog more? :)
- read four books
- plan a budget for holiday shopping & stick to it
- create a fun wrapping paper
- try 3 new recipes

Let's see how this goes!