Things I am enjoying lately:

Lindt A Touch of Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar

I can't even tell you how delicious these are. I bought one last week and could not wait until this week's grocery trip on Friday to get more, so I stopped at the store after work today. When I saw they were on sale for two for $4, I bought six.

They are best eaten with:



Tamari almonds

Just plain old dry roasted almonds work, too, but tamari almonds kick it up a notch on the deliciousness scale. I get them in bulk at Central Market.




Super by Perricone Lush Lips with Coconut Oil

This is one of the best lip balms ever. Rich and moisturizing with a delicious hint of coconut and good staying power. Not shiny, either, so good for guys and girls alike.



Antica Farmacista Room and Linen Spray in Vanilla, Bourbon, and Mandarin

I've been spritzing this on my pillow before I go to sleep at night, and it is delightfully delicious-smelling.



Fringe

I started watching this show halfway through Season 2 last year and was immediately hooked. I recently ordered the DVD sets for Seasons 1 and 2, and while the show has been on winter hiatus over the past month or so, I've watched both complete seasons repeatedly -- I'm on my third viewing now. New episodes start next Friday and I cannot wait.

Note: I just realized I used the word "delicious" to describe every item in this post except for Fringe. If I could figure out a way to work it in there, I would.

Quote of the Day

“Feminism is a whole state of being. It’s having lenses on your eyes, your ears, all your senses all the time. You’re not a feminist just when you’re doing activism work, you’re a feminist all the time. You’re a feminist when you’re watching a movie, where you decide to go out, the way you make your economic choices. All the smallest details and the biggest details."

~Farah Salka, coordinator for Nasawiya, a feminist collective in Lebanon

Click here to read more.

(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)

Achilles loves his walkies.

Here's my first attempt at taking and posting video from my phone. When we go on our morning walkies, Achilles loves to walk along the top of the curb as though it's a balance beam:

Why I should not be allowed to bake, ever.

Last week at Central Market I saw these beautiful mason jars filled with layered cookie mixes. Now, I am a very good cook, but not such a good baker, which is why I haven't attempted to bake cookies in many years. But this was a mix! And it was pretty! I scanned the instructions and saw that all I needed to add was butter, one egg, and vanilla. Surely I could do that, right?

No, as it turns out. I could not do that.

Today was baking day and I was very excited at the prospect of a batch of fresh, warm oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I got out my butter and let it soften and then I added the egg, vanilla, and cookie mix. I put the first pan of cute little cookie dough balls into the oven, and ten minutes later I pulled out a gloppy mess. It was like one giant, thin, runny, sad cookie.

"What the heck?" I asked myself. I re-read the instructions. Soften 1 and 1/4 sticks of butter, add one egg and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, add entire contents of jar, and mix. "But that's what I DID," I said.

Then I re-re-read the instructions. Soften 1 and 1/4 sticks of butter.

OH.

I'd used 1 and 1/2 sticks. Because apparently I am not so good at fractions.

The second pan turned out worse than the first. The third pan actually came out as individual cookies, but still sad and thin.

Sigh.

I have three dozen flat, gloppy, extremely buttery cookies and a new resolve never to bake again. It's too humiliating. Anyway, that's what bakeries are for, right? Right.