Stuff I Love // Good Reads, Florence, and Being Toasty

Oh, January. I can’t believe you’re over today. Back in November I was thinking how much free time I would have to work on all these projects I had been brewing in my mind this month, and now it’s basically over. I mean, I did accomplish quite a bit on the business end of things (don’t even get me started on taxes and how much I owe the government this year), and on the home front (my dining room is nearly done! hooray!), but there’s never as much time as you think there will be. Next thing I know it’ll be full on wedding season! Eek! But for now, I’ll share some stuff I’ve been loving this month. If you’re so inclined, let me know in the comments what YOU can’t get enough of so that I know what I need to be checking out! :)

1. When I flew out to Utah for Sundance a couple of weeks ago, I decided to pick up a couple of novels to entertain myself on my long travel days. (When it was all said and done, I ended buying AND reading four novels during my two days of plane-hopping. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when access to a TV and internet is taken away for long stretches of time!) One of them was Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. I had seen previews for the Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock movie adaptation, but I wanted to get my hands on the book first. SO glad I did. For subject matter that seems so heavy and depressing (a young boy loses his father in the 9/11 attacks and embarks on a journey around New York City to find closure), the novel is surprisingly full of hope and even a good bit of humor. It is by far one of the most beautifully written, poignant, and earnest books I’ve read, and I’ve been recommending it to everyone I know ever since. Another of the books, An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin, was completely different but just as enjoyable. Because it revolves around the art world in New York in the 90′s, one of my favorite elements of the book was actually the cover, which felt like a canvas. I thought that was just such an interesting nod to the subject matter, and I was extra careful not to smudge or bend it. But the book itself is also quite good. I didn’t realize that on top of being an excellent actor and a fantastic musician, Steve Martin is also a talented writer. I guess some people just get all the breaks. ;)

2. Last fall, Jamie’s parents gave us a Keurig coffee maker, and man…. I am addicted. I was a little skeptical about the quality of the coffee, but then I discovered Green Mountain’s Pumpkin Spice K-cups, and it was love at first taste. I don’t even drink it with cream or sugar. It has the perfect amount of spiciness and flavor while still being a pretty full-bodied coffee. Unfortunately, I found out that it’s a seasonal offering, so I used an Amazon gift card I got for Christmas to buy a huge bulk pack of it. Hopefully it’ll get me through the next couple of months. :)

3. While at the airport, I also picked up a copy of the new HGTV Magazine. I’ve being seeing commercials for it while I’ve had House Hunters on in the background while I work, and I was so surprised that anyone would be putting out a new print magazine when so many are actually shutting down their publications due to the economy and changing technologies. But I think that’s part of the power of their brand, and I have no doubt that the magazine will succeed… especially after I opened it up and started looking through some of the features. They went on set for the show Up All Night (one of my favorites of the year by far!) and showed where everything in their living room came from, which I loved because I always drool over that gorgeous house. They also interviewed the family who owns the Father of the Bride house in Pasadena, which was really cool because really- who doesn’t love that house and wish they lived in it? Plus, the whole issue was filled with lots of neat little tips and ideas and resources. I might just have to buy myself a subscription.

4. Florence. Oh, Florence. How I love you. Earlier this month I declared “Shake it Out” my 2012 anthem, but I’ve been listening to the entire album on repeat for weeks. Her voice is incredible. Her style is magical. I just adore her. Go listen.

5. This week I am especially thankful for my little space heater. Let’s just say, in an attempt to change out our dining room light fixture on my own and not knowing how to work with the really old wires in our really old house, that I managed to blow out the electricity in half our house. Our friend Will, the lifesaver, came over and spent half his weekend fixing all the electrical problems in the house (we owe him BIG time!), but we’re still waiting on a part we had to order for our heater, so my little space heater is my BFF right now. Even when our heat IS working, I like to sit right in front of it while I work, just because I’m so cold-natured. Literally, there have been times when I’ve put it on full blast and cradled it in my lap on the couch, which I’m pretty sure is a safety hazard. I’ll carry it from room to room with me depending on where I’m working or what I’m doing. Even though it feels like spring outside right now, I just can’t give it up. What can I say? I love feeling cozy!

Is there anything YOU just can’t get enough of? Let me know below!