More Maira!

It makes my day when there's a Maira Kalman op-ed. This one makes me feel like I'm going to get a lot accomplished today. Just look at everything Thomas Jefferson got accomplished.

Bacon again

For those wanting to fully embrace a bacon party, this T-Shirt will surely be a hit. My friend Elizabeth sent over the link to snorgtees.com where they have it and lots of other Tees.

Click here for just about every bacon link you could ever want. Porkopolis is worth a visit, kind of one big ode to the pig.

I don't know, all this bacon is making me want a salad.

Edith Zimmerman's food art

Moving forward. Edith Zimmerman's food art rocks.

Has Bacon Jumped the Shark?

There's a funny post at Fall Off the Monkey Bars about bacon related items that have taken bacon to unwarranted and frankly repulsive levels with, in my opinion, the bacon-flavored personal lubricant taking the cake. I mean really, that's just gross. Seriously. Deeply. Wrong.

I've got to move on from here quickly so as not to sully the innocent anticipation of the Bacon Party. I wonder if a small amount of bacon is good in a chocolate chip cookie? Anyone want to speculate on what's made bacon so trendy right now?

Patron Saint of Bacon

Who knew there was a patron saint of bacon? Saint Anthony is available here.

Here's a link to a bacon lovers gift guide at mrbaconpants.com. While it sounds enticing, the bacon bandages, air freshener, and wallet might be a bit, well, revolting.

There's lots of bacon recipes, gift ideas, some downloads at the Royal Bacon Society.

The burning question is, I suppose, will we make the famous bacon explosion this weekend? I'm inclined to say "no." It looks sort of dense and unseasonable.

Bacon Week

I guess I might as well just admit I'm obsessed with the Bacon Party and declare this Bacon Week. My friend Elizabeth sent info about Vosages Bacon & Chocolate bar. I must confess, I've already sampled one and found it delicious. I think a few mini bacon chocolate bars will make for good take home party favors (by "party" I mean four people are coming over). Check out too their Flying Chocolate Pig.

Also, there are wine pairings to consider. There's this article about it.

And holy moly, who knew there was a Bacon of the Month club? Looks like seriously good stuff.

Bacon Vodka

I had to post this link for Bacon Vodka sent by KCS in FL...it's intriguing, perhaps disgusting, though I wouldn't say "no." I wonder, instead of olives would you put meatballs on your toothpick in a bacon martini? I was going to order some for our bacon party, but it's not available until the first week of July. Bacon Vodka Bloody Mary sound good--maybe with a scrambled egg floater.

Does anyone else have other ideas for the Bacon party?

Bacon Party

I'm a twitter with anticipation. We're having a bacon party in a couple of weeks, a few friends are coming over (I suggested people wear pink in honor of the pig). We're having parmesean cheese "cookies" with bacon, W's special ABC salad (the B is for Bacon), and possibly bacon ice cream if we can figure that out. All things bacon, though of course in moderation. BYO Lipitor. Any other suggestions for bacon recipes? I'm looking into wines. Sorry, not a very PETA friendly post.

Hilarious wedding video

Brian & Eileen's Wedding Music Video. from LOCKDOWN projects on Vimeo.

Where to start? This speaks to my personal daydream of having the bridesmaids and groomsmen at our wedding do dance routines. Anyway, this video made me smile. I saw it on A Cup of Jo.

Britannia in Brief

Our book, Britannia in Brief, was released today!

You can read the preface here. Over at Anglotopia.net you can leave a comment and enter their contest to win a free copy. Though it's kind of tooting our own horn, I'll paste our advance praise below. Toot.

Here's who I think will find our book useful: anyone who is dating or married to a British person, who is moving to the UK for work or pleasure, who works or hangs out with British people, who is just visiting the UK, who enjoys British "telly and film" but doesn't get a lot of the references, and also armchair Anglophiles.

So pick up a copy and tell your friends!

"Britannia in Brief is an indispensable guide. Better than Fromer's, shorter than the Encyclopedia Britannica, it is hilarious, clever, and spot-on. This book is perfect for every foreigner who wishes to talk local, and for every local who doesn't get out enough." --Amanda Foreman, author of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

“A witty, irreverent crash course ‘101’ that all Anglophiles will love. Leslie Banker and William Mullins have bridged the great divide between two countries separated by a common language. A bloody good read!” --Anita Naughton, co-author of Tea & Sympathy.

"A brilliant guide to the highs and lows of British pop culture from Ascot to alcopops." --Nicky Perry, co-author of Tea & Sympathy and owner of Tea & Sympathy on Greenwich Avenue.

The amazon page for the book has an excerpt.

My Perfect Yellow

There's nothing better than finding a really terrific color. I'm still in love with the yellow I painted my old studio apartment in NYC and am seriously considering trying it again in our new house in RI. It's Benjamin Moore mellow yellow 2020-50. My place had a lot of sunshine, in a darker space I'd go for a lighter shade, Benjamin Moore moonlight 2020-60.

This photo was taken by my friend and interiors photographer Poul Ober.

Cabinet of Curiosities

I just stumbled across this post on Apartment Therapy that showed via Morbid Anatomy this amazing cabinet of curiosities. That's it, I'm going to make my own cabinet of curiosities--it will never be as beautiful as this one, but it will be something. What's amazing about this one from Paris is the cabinet itself, I love the curvy details, that it's painted white, and the horns mounted on it. Brilliant!! What a perfect way to display a collection.

Tweenbots

Lily sent me a link to this great project, Tweenbots. See more below, but basically artist Kacie Kinzer made cute little robots and set them out in NYC with just a flag telling people where they were going. What's amazing is how many random people stopped to help the little robot get to its destination. Maybe this would have happened in other cities--but it makes me love NYC even more to see it in action.

10 Baby Essentials

I didn’t think having a baby would be THAT big a deal. I mean, people do it all the time. So, I ignored most of the advice given to me while pregnant deciding to “go Zen.” This was partly because there is so much info out there and I felt overwhelmed trying to sort through it all without giving myself even worse heartburn. Now, with a five month old baby, I offer ten thoughts for first time mothers in easy reading format:

1. Don’t buy a lot of newborn size diapers and clothes before the baby is born as your baby might outgrow them in a week or not fit into them to begin with.

2. The two books you need are Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and The Happiest Baby on the Block. Read at least the first couple of chapters before having the baby.

3. Fill your freezer with chicken pot pies, frozen soups and whatever. Seriously, unless you live in a city where take-out is easy, just do it.

4. Accept the fact you’ll need lots of help. Ask for it when you need it.

5. Make sure you like your pediatrician. Take the time to meet with candidates before the baby is born.

6. If possible, get your hair cut (a trim, nothing dramatic!), nails done and such beauty things right before the baby is born. It'll help you feel more human.

7. Take lots of pictures.

8. In the night, change diaper before feeding (so you don’t wake him/her up if she falls asleep).

9. After a month or so, even if you’re exhausted, you need to find a babysitter, take a shower, put on some earrings, and go on a date with your husband even if it’s just an afternoon walk without the baby.

10. It’s easier to dress a baby in clothes that are a little too big.

Does anyone have anything else to add (or any disagreements)?

Baby's Own Parade

At first I was skeptical about the "family basinette," though now I don't know what I would have done without it. Essentially, it's a wicker basket on wheels that was in my mother and aunt's nursery some decades ago. Many little cousins have spent their first few months here.

My aunt lent it to me and my mom had a new skirt and bumper made (from an absolutely adorable Osborne and Little print). The beauty of it is the parade aspect...I wheel baby and bassinette around with me a lot of the day. Into the kitchen while I make snacks and bottles, into the living room to listen to music, and wherever. The only sad part is Harriet is on the verge of outgrowing it---then what will I do?

Here's a wicker bassinette on ebay.