Etsy in the New Year

Christmas may have just happened, but I'm back to wish-listing all of the wonderful things that Etsy has to offer. Here are a few of the things I am really liking these days:

Leather cuff

Cameo necklace

Coffee table

Ok, the sweater might be cute for Spike, but I really just think these dogs are HILARIOUS.

Leather leaf earrings

I. NEED. THIS. NOW. Leaf ring

Photos courtesy of Etsy (dot) com

House Hunting

House hunting if frustrating on so many levels. I've seen the shows and said to myself, "I'm sure not every house hunt is as frustrating as this one." Let me be the first to say I was so wrong.

My friends, Erin and Deidre, and I are looking for a place to live next year. It's a little soon to be looking seriously (it's still too early) but we can't help but see what's out there.

Then, today, we found it. The house that has so far trumped all of the other houses. Wanna see what it looks like?


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Yep, that's it. It may look small (It is not by any means) and in need of a little TLC (all of that shrubbery has been cut and the sidewalk does not look like that anymore), but we loved it. Hardwood floors, three bedrooms, office, kitchen, two bathrooms, sunroom, and back patio.

Too bad we don't need it for six months.

Oh well, we'll keep on looking.

Design*Sponge

Have you ever been to the blog called Design*Sponge? You should. I've been obsessed with the idea of decorating my (still imaginary) house/apartment/studio/shack next school year and this place has the best ideas. I've read her blog for about a year now, but recently I have been going back and trying to find my favorite ideas and saving pictures in a folder (a virtual computer one that is).

She has sneak peaks that show the inside of people's homes as well as great DIY projects and gift suggests.

Here are a few of my favorite sneak peeks:

Studio Olivine

Night Owl

Minor Details

Birdie

See Jane Work (One of my favorite living rooms of all time.)

Audrey Romano

Addie Gartland (I WANT that yellow record shelf!)

Nawlins Baby

Mmmm... you've gotta love New Orleans (atleast, it has a special place in my heart). For me, it's one of those special places that I get to go a couple times of semester and "check up on." You can't beat the $2 beignets at Cafe du Monde (no matter how tourist-y it may seem) or the people displaying their drawings along Jackson Square.

For me and my friend Claire, though, New Orleans is also cooking school. When we were freshman we found this place while searching for a walking food tour of New Orleans (There is even a walking CHOCOLATE tour). We went, had the best time, and have talked about going back ever since.

So, today we went again to "our place." (If anyone ever asks to go to the New Orleans School of Cooking with either of us seperately, we we have declined because it just wouldn't be the same)

First, we started out with breakfast at Cafe du Monde (It wasn't really on the agenda but we arrived with 30 minutes to spare, so we went the couple of blocks over and ate before we ate some more.)
Here is our cook/chef/host. Here I believe he is mixing up the batter for the BEST cornbread I have ever eaten.
Our menu was: Red Beans and Rice, cornbread, pecan pie, and pralines. Yum yum yum.

Again, best cornbread ever.

If you are ever in need of a fun thing to do in NOLA, I highly recommend it to everyone.

The Busiest Week Ever

Do you sometimes feel like it has been the busiest week ever? This week, is that week for me. I started classes, squeezed in three work out times, tried to nap, drank coffee coffee coffee, and even did a little journalism work in there too.



I'm sure you are wondering what that salad has to do with my week. Let me tell you.

Last week (before I came back to school) I was asked to help a large news organization (Dow Jones) by being a stringer. All I had to do was make sure the CEO of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank made it to the speech, gave his speech, and made it out safely. (Ok, I had to do other things as well like, eat this salad and record his Q&A session, but whatever) So, yesterday I got to dress up professional-like and go to this lunch/speech. (Can you see that card on the table, it says "Media." Yes, I get to sit with the cool media people.)

It was a great experience for me and will only help me break into the industry even more. Who knows what will happen later on because I took the job!

I also had two stories in the JFP this week. You can click here and here to see them.

So, now it's the weekend (woo hoo!) and I am going to relax by eating sushi, going to the movies, and taking a day trip to New Orleans on Monday to the New Orleans School of Cooking. If you are ever looking for something fun to do in NOLA, go there! My friend Claire and I went freshman year and decided to go back for some more fun. I'm sure I'll have a good post about that on Monday (or whenever I get around to it).

Happy weekend!

Suckers

I have a big fat family of suckers... for animals. Somehow, animals find their way to our home and into our hearts. My parents always say that the next day they are going to find a home for the dog or cat, whatever it may be, but it never happens.

Exhibit A:Spike made his way into our life mere days before I left for college. I don't know what our family would do without our pug; he's the mascot!

Exhibit B:My sister slyly brought home Pepper saying that she was going to "watch it for a few days while my friend is out of town." Totally false. Been here over a year.

Exhibit C (sigh, prepare yourself):
Truffles. This sweet (for now) little girl came home the other day in my sister's shirt. (Same sister who brought home Pepper. Do you see a pattern?) My sister went to a New Year's Eve party in Canton. At the party she heard whimpering from under the house and found this little pup. The mother had stopped feeding it and this poor runt was starving. (Awws can start here)

My sister took it with her and spent the night with a friend. The next morning she came home and brought Truffles because she was worried it was going to die. My parents stared at it, swearing it was going to a vet and then STRAIGHT to a good home that wasn't ours. Since it was New Year's Day, no one was open so we had to wait another day. Then the dog went to the vet. When the dog got a name and didn't go STRAIGHT to a new home, I knew it wasn't looking good.

I'm pretty sure we just got another animal.