First, Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter is the best book I've read in a long while. It came out in 2012, but I'm a little late to the game. This book presents a fascinating and completely realized collection of characters and worlds and is beautifully written, with passages that feel more like poetry than fiction. This book is equal parts love story, travel narrative and mystery and it includes a play, a screenplay, a chapter of a Hollywood memoir and a war memoir. Though the book spans more than fifty years and follows dozens of intricate story lines, it never felt contrived or confusing. On the contrary, it felt very real and almost believable, and I was devastated when it all ended. So much so, that I actually immediately started it over again. I LOVED this book! I would go so far as to say it saved my January.
Next up: beautiful, bright, tactile objects. I recently got a new case for my iPhone and surprised myself by gravitating toward the neon red color option, which is actually more of a neon peachy-salmon. I'm almost always drawn to blues and greens, but this color really spoke to me and I'm glad I stepped outside my comfort zone. It makes me happy every time I see it and is also slightly soft for good grip, but not so rubbery that it can't easily slip in and out of my pocket. The Incipio NGP case was recommended by The Wirecutter and only cost $13 on Amazon!
One of my goals (always) is to drink more water. I don't drink nearly enough – I just never think of it – and a friend recently suggested that if I had a great vessel I loved drinking from, I might be more inclined to remember. After some searching, I decided on a bkr bottle (pronounced "beaker"), a glass bottle enclosed in a silicone sleeve. Its narrow glass mouth is amazing to drink from and the silicone sleeve feels great to hold. I want it with me all the time and therefore I am drinking more water! Color: Deep; purchased from Gus & Ruby Letterpress in Portsmouth, NH.
This handmade noodle bowl from Ocean Fire Pottery was crafted in my hometown of York, Maine by Amy Clark. I've had this bowl for a couple of years now and it has always made me happy. The fact that it is handmade automatically makes it great, but also it's one of my favorite colors and its size and shape fit perfectly in my hands. As you can see from this photo, even a pre-packaged $1.19 grocery store packet of ramen noodles (yes, I splurge for the "pricey" brand!) can be elevated to new heights when enjoyed from a handmade noodle bowl. Bonus: handmade chopsticks made in Kittery!
Disclosure: I have no material relationship to any brand or person mentioned in this post. These endorsements are based on my own personal opinions only and are not sponsored in any way.
I have Al James' "Stuff That Gets Used" article to thank for this one (and my husband who reads A Continuous Lean on a regular basis). He clued us in to Bobo's Mountain Sugar wood-fired Vermont maple syrup, whose tagline "A Taste of Tree" is quite accurate. This maple syrup is the best I've ever tasted, and the fact that it's handmade in small batches by a young couple carrying on an ancient tradition makes me love it even more. Dark and robust is where it's at, and this is coming from a girl who grew up thinking Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth's were the real deal (I've come a long way!). If you're confused about the new maple syrup grades, check out this cool maple grade graphic designed by Rumbletree, created for New Hampshire but also applicable to Vermont (but trust me on the dark and robust thing).
I bought myself a year-long subscription to the Portland Patch Project for Christmas and I am looking forward to a year of surprises in my mailbox. First of all, surprise snail mail! Secondly, a slew of talented local artists from the Portland, Maine area will be designing these sewn patches throughout the year. So far, I have not been disappointed. Pictured here are the January and February patches, plus a bonus lobster patch and authentic 1980s NKOTB trading card (random, but so fun). There was also a great print in the first shipment (not pictured). The website features artist profiles and I can't wait for the March patch (I'm a HUGE fan of Eric Hou's work). Not sure where to sew my patches just yet, but they're making me very happy.
I'm a long-time David Lynch film fan, however I've never seen Twin Peaks in its entirety. I watched the first few episodes about 10 years ago, but couldn't get into it. I finally decided to commit and am immensely enjoying the Twin Peaks: The Entire Mystery Blu-ray box set, taking care to spread it out and not binge-watch the entire series all at once. I'm watching an episode or two a week and loving it! I haven't started delving into the extra features yet (of which there are a ton) because I'm terribly afraid of spoilers, but I will backtrack and watch them all before winter is through. The packaging of the box set alone makes me super happy and each episode feels like a new gift to be unwrapped.
Speaking of unwrapping gifts with amazing packaging, my sister sent me this incredible box of chocolates from her holiday trip to London. These are from Fortnum & Mason, a department store established in 1707! The box alone is incredible, printed with gold foil and featuring a scenic flora and fauna print under the lid, not to mention the chocolates inside. Of course, I had to geek out and look up the brains behind the packaging design. My photos don't do it justice.
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