2012 Favorites: Moments.

It seems appropriate to post my favorite moment of 2012 on the last day of the year. There were a lot of moments that I loved in 2012—ringing in the new year with my friends, celebrating the last year of my 20s (I'm going to be 30 in 2013, yikes!), and discovering little things—like French press coffee and buttered toast with honey—that made, and continue to make, life just that much better. But one moment in particular stands out, late one evening in July, when ACS and I stood on a historic street in downtown St. Augustine, listening to a guitarist and a violinist sing and play their instruments. It was one of those heavy, sultry nights that only make an appearance during summer—there was a dewy sheen over everything—but the music was beautiful, fragile, transfixing. We quickly noticed that other people stopped in their tracks to listen, too, but at the same time—at least to me—it felt like we were the only ones there.

In my original post, I wrote, "Do you ever have moments when you're nostalgic for something even while it's happening?" That describes this experience exactly; it was so perfect it was almost heartbreaking.

Here's to many more of them in 2013.



P.S. My favorite album, book and taste of 2012.

Photo of St. Augustine's Castillo de San Marcos: My own. Talk about a pink moment.

2012 Favorites: Taste.

As this month winds down, I'd like to share some of my favorite things from 2012—things that range from music to books to tastes to those little moments that have stuck with me. Today it's all about taste.

Similar to how I feel about the amount of reading I did this year, I also feel like I baked a bit less than normal, too (or maybe this feeling is just amplified because, thanks to being sick for the past two weeks, I totally neglected my usual Christmas cookie frenzy). But I really liked what I did bake, so there's that, right?

As I was looking back through the archives, though, there was one recipe that I thought about for months after I made it, and that is the pumpkin cinnamon rolls from Smitten Kitchen, pictured above. Dear Deb: I can't thank you enough for posting this recipe; the mere thought of those sticky, pumpkin-y, soft, just-sweet-enough buns is enough to make my mouth start watering. Plus, I've figured out that if you really beat the cream cheese frosting for a good long while, it gets even tastier and creamier—as close to that iconic Cinnabon frosting as the home cook can get, I think.

Here's my original post, which has a link to the recipe; if you make these buns, I think you'll see why they're my favorite taste of 2012 (and why I'll be dreaming up reasons to make them well into 2013).

P.S. My favorite book of 2012, and my favorite album, too.

What are you doing this weekend? + Merry Christmas!

Happy, happy Friday! I'm so happy it's the weekend, aren't you? And even better, it's a four-day weekend for me—I have Monday and Tuesday off—and it's Christmas. I feel like I've finally gotten a bit of my Christmas spirit back, thanks to present-wrapping with some pretty metallic paper I scooped up at TJ Maxx, our annual office potluck lunch and the seriously decked-out decorations in the awesome orchid shop by my office, where I walked around in a winter wonderland-y haze (that, OK, was probably aided by my meds) yesterday when I slipped in to purchase a gift. Plus, my brother gets in from California on Saturday, and it'll be great to all be together for Christmas.

I'm going to take Monday and Tuesday off from blogging, and maybe all of next week, too, we'll see. But if you're looking for some reading over the weekend, here are three things I loved stumbling across this week:

Missed connections, holiday-party edition. (The New York Times)

Zadie Smith on joy. (The New York Review of Books)

Do you sign your emails or letters "xoxo"? (I only sign them that way if they're to friends and family members.) The discussion on this post by Joanna is fascinating, though, and makes me wonder if there is something to the idea that the signature is industry-specific—although I work in a creative field and would never use it in professional correspondence. Hmm. (A Cup of Jo)

And this morning at 9:30 a.m.: A moment of silence for the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy, exactly one week since they took place. (Will it ever be possible to talk or write about what happened without tears?)

Happy holidays, friends—I hope they're filled with love and warmth. xoxo

Photo by Nicole; I just love her sparkly pink tree.

The best lip balm ever.

I am prone to getting really, really chapped lips, especially around this time of year when the air is drier (yes, even down here in Florida!), and honestly, it's kind of gross. The chapping has been especially bad as of late thanks to my stupid bronchitis (oh no, it's not just a cold—thank you, Western medicine, for coming up with the Z-pack), so I've been on the hunt for a really good, ultra-moisturizing balm—and I found it in my own medicine cabinet (yay). Josie Maran's argan lip treatment is amazing—you don't need much, just a swipe, and it's incredibly moisturizing and luxurious but not gooey or thick. Seriously, my lips feel better within seconds of putting it on; I've never had that kind of instant relief with any other product. Highly recommend if you're prone to chapped lips, too, or just need something for the colder winter weather.

P.S. I also love Maran's argan oil for the face...

P.P.S. The argan lip treatment I have came as a sample in a gift box, so it's a smaller size; I know $18 is a lot for a little pot of balm, but trust me, it lasts forever, and I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't think it was amazing. xoxo

Photo via

2012 Favorites: Books.

As this month winds down, I'd like to share some of my favorite things from 2012—things that range from music to books to tastes to those little moments that have stuck with me. Today it's all about books.

I didn't read nearly as much as I wanted to in 2012—the samples of books I've downloaded to my iPad but never purchased always stare at me judgingly when I open the bookstore app. Sadness.

But that said, I really enjoyed what I did read: Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, for example, or Julia Child's My Life in France, which I know has been out for years but which I raced through for the first time in November and loved (what a great reminder that pursuing your passion can truly pay off). Even Gone Girl, whose ending I found really disappointing, was engaging.

My favorite book of 2012 sneaked in under the wire, though, and it is The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach. Confession: I actually started reading this book a few months ago and put it down; I guess I wasn't in the right head space to commit to it (does that ever happen to you?). But I picked it back up again and loved it. It's about baseball, yes, but it's also about what happens when you're just about to achieve your dreams, just about to get everything you ever wanted or worked hard for—and then suddenly find it all out of reach and have to figure out what to do, either temporarily or permanently. Certainly something we can all relate to.

I was worried about needing to know a lot about baseball when I started this book, because I don't—but I didn't have to; though I'm sure there are some nuances I missed that an avid fan wouldn't've, I never felt lost or like I didn't understand what was going on. That's due, in great part, to Harbach's writing: It's simple and straightforward, and it makes you feel like you're part of what's going on and emotionally invested in the story without getting too wrapped up in its sentences. I loved it. I loved this book. You should absolutely read it.

What was your favorite book of the year?

P.S. My favorite album of 2012...

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