a better day, brought to you by robert pattinson.

a few of my favorite things.

**etsy**
when i have a moment to actually waste at work, this is my favorite place to waste it in. like a fabulous, never-ending flea market with everything under the sun (and then some). i've found a beautiful necklace, a gift for a friend, a cat collar for leo and even a bridal veil. (shhhh.......)

**caprese**
fresh basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella tossed with olive oil and black pepper makes for one of the easiest and most delicious meals (especially when paired with a lightly toasted baguette) and my all-time favorite food. with summer quickly approaching and zero desire to turn on the oven for dinner in 85 degree weather, i plan on many, many caprese nights.

**gossip girl**
it's like sugary sweet candy for my soul. totally unbelievable, like a dawson's creek of the new millennium.... if joey potter frequented the martini bar in her neighborhood, wore alexander mcqueen instead of gap and gave dawson a whole lot more than just a kiss by the lake.

**cupcake**
within walking distance's from my sister's st. paul apartment (i fear i'd be 300 pounds if i lived where she did), this little bakery makes the best and most creative cupcakes. (i'm partial to the red velvet.) since i'm a bit of a connoisseur (cupcakes happen to be my obsession), i'm pretty sure i know what i'm talking about... and if i don't, someone please point me in the direction of a better cupcake!

happy weekend!

current obessions, vol. 2

happy friday from my front stoop! (well, okay, technically this is the view from the side stoop....)

cream cheese wontons
quite possibly the cheapest, easiest recipe i've ever made, and the one that gets the absolute most praise. (however, i'm still working on perfecting my guacamole recipe, and i have high hopes that it will give this one a run for its money!) a less fattening version of the appetizer you can get in asian restaurants everywhere.

in the produce section at the grocery store, pick up a pack of wonton wrappers.... usually by the pre-packaged salads. what you put in them is up to you. i usually do cream cheese/jalapeno, or a cream cheese/herb mix. my cousin likes to make them with crabmeat, and my aunt likes to make them a sweet treat with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.

whatever mix you decide to do (get creative, that's the fun part!), put a small spoonful into the center of the wonton wrapper. fold up the corners, and put in a muffin tin. after that, i bake them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown.

they are tasty, delicious little pieces of heaven that i could eat every day. (and sometimes, i do.)

chelsea lately
i have a delusional fantasy that in my next life, chelsea handler and i are best friends. i just feel like we're such an obvious pair. (okay angie, i take it back. we're all an obvious threesome. he he.) clearly, we mesh. and can you imagine the raunchy dating stories that would be told among us? priceless.

the only time i ever get to see my BFF is at 5:30 on weeknights on E! (i've got to catch the reruns, as i'm far too old to stay up for the 10:30pm broadcast), and if i miss her, my world just isn't right. her humor, while a bit crass for some, often leaves me cracking up on the floor, leaving my cat to wonder what's in that glass i'm drinking out of. (it's wine, leo.)

my front stoop
i get oddly and exceptionally giddy when the weather turns warm. if i'm at work, i'll excitedly look out the window every 10 minutes or so, making sure it's still nice out and counting down the minutes until 4pm when i can high tail it out of my office and onto my front stoop.

being the city girl that i am, i don't really have an excluded porch surrounded by trees.... what you see is what you get with me! and what i got, i love. i love inviting a couple of friends over, making some cocktails, sitting on my stoop, admiring the crazies and unwinding from the workday. neither my friends nor the crazies (sometimes they're one in the same) ever fail to amuse me.

ah, the joys of summer.......

current obsessions, vol. 1

i started reading "a new earth" after josh convinced me it would change my life. as always, he was right.

the book really emphasizes the present moment, and the power of just being. i cannot believe what this seemingly obvious concept has done for me. i truly feel the "satori", or enlightenment, that mr. tolle talks about throughout the book.

from mr. tolle: "life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. how do you know this is the experience you need? because this is the experience you are having at this moment."

brilliant.

i fell in love with meiko after seeing her perform with the hotel cafe tour at the high noon saloon in madison, wis. last month. her voice was powerful and incredible, and it definitely translates from live show to CD. perfect to to play at full volume on a rainy day, candles lit, wine in hand.....



as everyone who's had any sort of contact with me within the last few months knows, i am an obama girl, loud and proud. this is not to say that i'm closed minded and i shun my friends who are mccain or even (gasp!) hilary boys and girls. i pride myself on being open-minded.

but i whole-heartedly believe that obama has the power to bring this country together and change the world. aside from his policy proposals and stances on the issues, i believe him to be one of the, if not THE, most inspirational people of the 21st century.

i am so excited to see the changes that 2008 brings in the political arena, and i am counting down the days until november 4. i'm also a strong advocate for exercising civil rights and responsibilities, so i encourage everyone to educate themselves on the candidates and VOTE!!