Chop To It

{image from A+R Store}

How awesome are these colorful, wooden My Hashi Chopsticks by IDEA? Each reusable chopstick set comes with it's own to-go container - so you can refrain from using those horrible splinter-ridden, land-fill filling chopsticks used at most sushi joints. Love, love these!

Pink(berry) is the New Red

{My shoes: Urban Outfitters; Rosemary's shoes: Target}

{The staff at pinkberry was totally supportive of our insanity}

If you're looking for a way to stay cool today, might I suggest a trip to the pinkberry located at 2100 Arden Way. Aside from having delicious fro-yo, the staff at that location is super fun! Special thanks to Jacob, who snapped the bottom photo of us. Oh, and Chantel and Bethany were went above and beyond the call of duty, too!

A Pear Affair

{Image by sara + h}

Can I just take a moment to wax poetic about Bosc pears? I mean, they're crisp on the outside, tender and sweet on the inside, and chock full of fiber - basically, pure goodness in a warm-hued, nature-made package. Anyway, I simply cannot get enough of these things and will continue to enjoy them until the end of May, when they will no longer be in season.

At any rate, my obsession with the delectable fruit led me to the above photograph by sara + h, aka Sarah Rubens, who was kind enough to let my use the image on my blog. Find more photographs by Rubens on her online shop and on Flickr - 39/52 Bubble is another one of my favorites.

You Keep Me Hangin' On

Found these snazzy Hanger Tea Teabags via a friend who spotted them on Yanko Design. I love the concept and packaging. Designed by Soon Mo Kang.

For Cookin' & Stuff

House Industries comes out with some pretty awesome products, including these ampersand cutting boards. The maple-block boards are limited-edition and available in small and large sizes ($75 & $100, respectively). A perfect gift for all your knife-wielding designer friends.

Check out the other great House Industry objects here.

Grandma's Graham Delights

I was 15 years old when my grandma Hilda passed away in October of 1992. Still, I have many fond memories of her. I know she made the best lasagna, kicked ass at crosswords and Scrabble and made a wonderful treat she called "graham delights." I'm not sure if the recipe was her own or if she got it from somewhere, but I love these simple-to-make treats and thought I would share with you.

Ingredients:

• graham crackers
  
• 1 stick of butter
  
• 1/4c. sugar
  
• chopped nuts

To do:

• Separate graham crackers along all lines & place on a cookie sheet lined w/ aluminum foil
  
• Melt butter in sauce pan
• Add sugar to melted butter and boil for 2 minutes
• Drizzle butter/sugar mixture over crackers
• Sprinkle with nuts
• Back at 350 for 10 minutes - watching closely

Heaven on Earth? Perhaps.

{photo by Yelper Paul C.}

I just got back from my early-morning walk with Walter and the air was sweet with the smell of fresh donuts from Marie's D0-Nut Shop. It is very dangerous to live in such close proximity to such a tempting place. Of course, it's pretty awesome after some late-night drinking - as the place opens at 1am and the donuts are served warm. Yum!

Surprise!

{photo by Katie Spence}

My co-worker just got back from a trip to Canada and he brought me back a Kinder Surprise! For those of you who don't know what that is, man, are you missing out. Basically, they are these hollow milk- and white-chocolate eggs that have a small toy inside. They're available all over the world, save the good ol' U.S.A. - although, you can find them at a few stores. Apparently, they're illegal in the U.S.A. because of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938, which prohibits embedding "non-nutritive items" in confections. Boooring.