Seasonal Sweets

I'd like to think that we do a pretty good job of incorporating seasonal foods into our diet, and this past weekend was no exception. An early morning visit to the local Farmers’ Market, followed by a trip to my garden plot, gave us plenty to work with, and we had fun devising a menu full of freshness--a few recipes to come in the following weeks! 

Stress-less Summer

A variety of relaxing bath salts that I'll be putting to good use this weekend

Last summer, I committed nearly the entire month of July to this cleanse. Although I successfully completed it, I can’t exactly say that it made me eager to take on such an extreme detox challenge ever again (I’ve since come to realize that more moderate plans like this are a bit more my speed). Yet, when I find my life getting a little carried away, I do like to get back to basics and refocus on some commonsense principles. After a few solid weeks of late nights at the office and one too many takeout dinners, I’ll be spending this weekend trying out smoothie recipes, practicing yoga, and enjoying a fragrant bath.

Gone Girl

If you’re an avid reader like me, you probably eagerly await the crop of blockbuster novels that are released just in time to consume your summer months. I have a ridiculously long list of must-read books, and a well-used local library where it’s hard to rent new releases and even harder to manage wait lists so that I don’t have too many 2-week loaners at once. Thus, you can imagine my excitement when the stars aligned and a recently-released novel that I’ve been dying to read became available for checkout right as I was finishing another book.

In a nutshell, this is the summer book that you’ve been waiting for—the one with short, perfectly captivating chapters in alternating viewpoints that you can quickly devour, the one that keeps you guessing right up until you don’t want to guess any more, at which point it starts to scratch the itch for scandal that has only ever before been scratched by Keith Morrison’s overly dramatic Dateline specials. 

If you have ever found yourself getting caught up in a real life disappearing wife whodunit, where you contemplate complex scenarios of blame and closed-door conversations, and begin to wonder if your own thoughts are the byproduct of a highly-orchestrated media blitz, then I recommend that you add Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl to your own list of must-reads. 

Loving Laundress

I used to dread the monthly chore of hand-washing delicates. But then, I stumbled upon the fragrant, black and white-striped world of The Laundress. Evidently, one can conquer any task cheerfully when armed with “lady-scented” detergent, a Parisian-style washbasin and neon pink rubber gloves. I thought I might share my preferred tools of the trade so that you too can make a menial job that much more enjoyable.

via/via

Tourist Treasures

The heat streak continued this past weekend, but it was as though the weather was perfectly timed for our play-it-by-ear plans. We shopped the Magnificent Mile in the early morning hours (so the surprisingly short wait for Garrett's didn’t take place in the blistering heat!), we ducked into the Field Museum right as the black clouds rolled in, and by the time we left the Genghis Khan exhibit, the brief storm was over. We then spent the next 24 hours enjoying the many things that Evanston has to offer. Among the staycation sights…