Wonderfuls

This Week's Wonderfuls:

Music:
{my current playlist}

1. A Happy Song // Nataly Dawn {this is the song I would sing to Sam right now if he were here with me}
2. Heartbreaker (feat. John Legend) // MSTRKRFT {this song is more than a year old but I just recently heard it when iTunes genius recommended it to me. Now I can't stop listening to it}
3. Singing Softly to Me // Kings of Convenience  {now this song is VERY old, but again, I had never heard it so it definitely made the playlist this week. I heard it in my Love, Sex and Science class when we were asked to bring in love songs... I brought "You and I" by Ingrid Michaelson,"Home" by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and "For Once In My Life" by Stevie Wonder}

and because of Coachella:

1. Contra // Vampire Weekend. {The entire CD. Now I already had this CD and I have been listening to it for a while now, but after hearing them play it live {they were my FAVORITE band of the whole weekend} it has a whole new meaning.}
2. French Navy, If Looks Could Kill, &  Lloyd I'm Ready to be Heartbroken // Camera Obscura {favorite Coachella discovery. Thanks Simona!!}
3. 40 Day Dream // Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros {no surprise here}
4. Love Lost // The Tempter Trap {I love this song because - as I understand it - it is right in line with how I understand Love}
5. Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise // The Avett Brothers {another excellent Coachella discovery}

Fun Kitchen Discovery*:

I was rummaging through my pantry and found...

Quinoa . It is wonderful because it:

• is so easy to cook. I put a pot on and took a shower and it was done by the time I was out.
• keeps VERY well in the refrigerator. I have had quinoa for the last three days now. 
• is SO filing.
• tastes good with so many things. [e.g. lentils, beans - black especially but all beans work!, veggies, tofu... I could go on... even apples and cinnamon for a sweet treat!!

{Please check back for a recipe! I will be posting it very soon.}
*I called this a "discovery" because I often cannot remember what I have impulsively bought at Trader Joes because usually everything looks delicious and everything seems to be asking for a spot in my kitchen cabinet

Cheese:

Trader Joes Cambozola 

{WARNING: this is not for the faint of taste buds.}

Perfect for: A quick and intensely flavorful snack [I eat it with Savory Rice Crackers - also found at Trader Joes] and elegant holiday cheese platters. {Is it too soon to be thinking about Holiday Platters? I hope not. I hope it is never too soon. I guess we should take out the "holiday" and just say "cheese platter" because chesse platters have a place at any party}

Hang Out Spot:

Babycakes, again no surprise here. I love them because of their chais, but I also love them because the people that work there are SO WONDERFUL (why they made this list!). 

Anecdote: The day was Friday, and I decided that I did not want to wash my hair. Also, my hair has been looking rather flat, so I spiced it up and parted it down the middle. Being honest, I looked ridiculous - straight out of the fourth grade. I threw on a head scarf (made out of an old T-Shirt) and a tube top that I recently decided to "revive" (meaning I went home and shopped in my own closet and found this top from sophomore year of high school) and made my way out. Upon my arrival at Babycakes, I placed my things down and went to get my chai. 

-How Babycakes made my day 1: I went to the counter and was welcomed by "Aren't you just the cutest! Hello gorgeous!!" -New Friend 1

-How Babycakes made my day 2: (New Friend 1 continued) "You know what? I think it's your skin. It is just radiant!!"

-How Babycakes made my day 3: (second trip to the counter. this time for a cupcake. My friend Andres and I decided to "split" one - meaning I eat the frosting and he eats the cake part) New Friend 2 "I LOVE your top. It is SO cute." [remember that my top is 5 years old from Banana Republic]

... I will be going back to Babycakes. Every. Single. Day. For the self-esteem boost alone.

Dessert:
Frozen Yogurt. Tart plain mixed with red velvet and carob chips. I went and bought the large size and keep it in my refrigerator... this MAY have been a bad idea because I definitely had more frozen yogurt in the last four days than I have in probably a month. But on the upside, carob chips are part of the legume family and actually aid digestion!! So you eat it, but a few minutes later, its gone. Too crass? Was that too crass? Are we close enough yet? Lovely blog following friends? I hope so. I think about all of you often. And with such fondness :)

What are YOUR week's Wonderfuls!?

Cheese (or other fun food): _______________________

Music: _______________________________________

Fun Kitchen (or other room in your house) Discovery:

_____________________________________________

Hang out spot: ________________________________

Dessert: __________________________________

I hope your week has been filled with them!!

xxooxoxo