We would like to introduce you to our wonderful (and fellow curly-haired) friend, Holly. Holly has great taste in general, and specifically in music. She put together this playlist for each of us to enjoy over the weekend. So get it started and Happy Friday! Thanks, Holly!!

The Zombies – Year
Ben Sollee – A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
Black Keys – Never Give You Up
Braids – Plath Heart
Crayon Fields – Take Me Where the Light Isn’t Cruel
Gotye – Somebody That I Used To Know (Bibio Remix)
Islands – This Is Not A Song
Karen O – Mammas Dont Let Your Babies
Lissy Trullie – Madeleine
Mina Tindle – To Carry Many Small Things
Sharon Van Etten – Serpents
The Love Language -Britneys Back

Biggest Lessons: Part 1

By Farrell

January 12, 2012

Inspired & Inspiring

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This past November, I had a love affair with Oprah’s Lifeclass. I had never really been very interested in Oprah, so a lot of the footage was new to me. I thought that her series was so wonderfully put together and gracefully summed up Oprah’s biggest life lessons. If you haven’t watched the series, you must because it is so powerful.

In light of my new interest, I started to find myself curious of other people’s life lessons. I decided to ask each of my parents what their biggest life lessons were. My mother was the first to respond, although her response may not be considered a lesson. I told her that, “the lesson is a challenge and the challenge is a lesson.” Here is what she wrote:

Biggest challenge: Mom

My biggest challenge is to live through my heart and not my head. One might think this is easy, but it is really tricky – (tricky trick as my mother would say). It may just be the trickiest trick of all. Living with my heart guiding me means disregarding things that the mind throws in front of me, things that often seem so reasonable but feel off. That is the key I think, to knowing when you are in your head and not your heart- how you feel.

People don’t necessarily like it when you’re operating from your heart because your actions or responses often don’t make sense in a logical way – so they see you as not thinking straight. This is exactly what happens. The brain sees things in a straight line – if that, so this. The heart however “considers” and somehow comes down on the side of love, however messy and unclear that seems. I want to live here. This is my biggest and most consistent challenge.

Stay tuned for part 2 and 3.

Wigging Out

By Lauren

January 11, 2012

Personal & Interior Style

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Farrell and I share a love for dressing up in costume and both really enjoy the transformative power of donning a wig.

It is a passion clearly inherited from our fun-loving mother.

There’s really nothing like that instantaneous feeling of metamorphosis that suddenly takes over. A simple change in color, style, texture or length and voila, a whole new you!

I have many recollections of past Halloween and costume parties, as well as a few random just-because moments, that were heavily enhanced by sporting a wig. But among them all, there’s one in particualar that really stands out.

When I was in college, I studied abroad in Prague for a semester. My friends and I found an awesome wig store on one of our weekend trips away and each bought one as a souvenir. My friend Jo selected a long, straight-haired purple number with bangs. On the last night of our program, she wore it out to the neighborhood bar, directly across the street from our dorms. The place was the epitome of a local watering hole and its Czech patrons could not have been more dismissive of our presence throughout our entire stay. They were clearly unamused by, and uninterested in, the slue of American college students that regularly invaded their spot.

That was all until Jo introduced the purple wig. We were in the ladies room when, to our amazement, one of the Czech women there not only acknowledged us but motioned to ask if she could try on the wig. She slipped it on her head and a sudden display of joy and amusement came over her. She and her friends fell out in uncontrollable squeals of laughter. And then one by one, every woman in the group took her moment. Each trying on the wig in the bathroom, making a grand entrance back into the bar and taking a lap as would a fashion model. The best part of it all was that the same level of joy and howling laughter occurred with every woman’s turn. Tears ran down our cheeks we were all laughing so hard! It was awesome…

…because no matter who you are, every once in awhile, it’s important to let yourself totally wig out!

Bridging the Gaps

By Farrell

January 10, 2012

Pictures

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I love walking over the Williamsburg Bridge. To give you an idea of where it is, the Williamsburg Bridge connects Manhattan’s Lower East Side to Williamsburg, Brooklyn (and is the bridge that directly connects Lauren and me). New York City has tons of bridges, yet this bridge in particular is popping with graffiti and street art. The walkway is bursting with colors! Every time I walk it, I feel inspired and grateful to be living here.

This weekend, I decided to take a walk and capture some of its inspiration. Here are some of my favorites:

(Click images to enlarge)

I have always liked graffiti, but on my walk over the bridge I realized that most street artists take the time to write positive and uplifting messages about love and our human connection. Isn’t that nice?

Picturesque

By Farrell

January 9, 2012

Pictures

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Hi! Every week we ask some of our friends to send us a photo from the weekend. Below is this week’s batch. Thanks for your contributions, friends.

Elliot – Chicago, Illinois

My roommates and I recycled old liquor bottles, a mason jar, and a lightbulb to make terrariums. In these cold months, especially in Chicago, when everything is frozen and depressing it’s nice to have some green around the apartment.

Albert – New York, New York

Shakshouka! Have you ever heard of it?! A friend hosted us for a dinner party on Friday night and this is what she made. It was delish. I think it is sort of like an Isreali chili (though, no one else there agreed). Shakshouka is eaten with pita, hummus and friends!

Mary – Finisterre, Spain

A pilgrim arriving in Finisterre.

Anne – Arlington, Virginia

Grading papers on Sunday. My newcomer 7th and 8th grade ESOL students wrote original fiction stories after we recently completed our fiction unit – they’re fantastic!

Elliot – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Got into a drunken fight with the sidewalk. The sidewalk won.

One Word, Two Ways: Fresh

By Farrell

January 7, 2012

One Word, Two Ways

7 Comments

Every week we pick a word and both write about that word. The word this week is Fresh.

When I thought about this word, so many things came up and I realized I love all things fresh. Here are my favorites:

Fresh Food

My ultimate favorite in life!

Fresh Air

I love podcasts and one of my favorites is NPR’s Fresh Air. Some of my favorite recent episodes have featured Jimmy Fallon, Alexander Payne (director of “The Descendants” and “Sideways”) and Darrell Hammond from SNL.

Fresh Flowers

The first week of a New Year certainly promises opportunity to make a fresh start in any aspect of your life. Though I didn’t really make any solid resolutions this year, there are a few places I would like to start anew. Among them is a return to greens and to juicing.

My mother gave me a juicer for Christmas a few years back and I really got into the habit. I was committed to eating greens most days of the week and felt great. The boost that fresh juice has on your body is instantaneous. The nutrients hit your bloodstream immediately, in the same way that alcohol does.

Below is the loose recipe for one of my favorite fresh juices. It is a little on the sweet side given the sugar in beets, carrots and apples but it tastes great. You can play around with the proportions based on your own preferences but I usually go with something along these lines:

2 whole Beets
3-4 Carrots
1 Green Apple
3 leafs of Swiss Chard (Kale, Spinach or other dark greens also suffice)
A knob of peeled Ginger

To fresh beginnings!

Homie of the Day: Dad

By Farrell

January 6, 2012

Homies

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A couple of weeks ago, I received a text from our thoughtful father suggesting that we do a blog post on the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi. He went into some detail to explain Wabi-Sabi and it became clear he was the one to write the post. So without further ado, take it away, Dad.

Are you Wabi-Sabi?

Several years ago I was introduced to the ancient Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi, a paradigm shift in my perception of beauty. American culture honors the new, the sleek, the modern, the unblemished:

A Sony flatscreen tv,

a Richard Meier-designed building,

virtually all things Apple.

Wabi-Sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and of accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay and death. Described by the architect Tadao Ando, “it celebrates cracks and crevices and all the other marks that time, weather, and loving use leave behind. It reminds us that we are all but transient beings on this planet….Through Wabi-Sabi, we learn to embrace liver spots, rust, and frayed edges, and the march of time they represent.”

So now, that old, worn and scratched-up kitchen table takes on a new beauty. Unsightly marks and grooves begin to evoke the hours spent over family meals where love, conversation, support and compassion flowed easily.

“Sabi things carry the burden of their years with dignity and grace,” Ando continues to explain. “The chilly mottled surface of an oxidized silver bowl, the yielding gray of weathered wood, the elegant withering of a bereft autumn bough. An abandoned barn, as it collapses in on itself, holds this mystique.”

Wabi Sabi Leaves In Embrace

“At its core, wabi-sabi is about recognizing the beauty in what is, so you can step back and appreciate what you have all around you.” Adam Kayce.

Wabi-Sabi is a simple aesthetic. Let it expand your personal sense of beauty in architecture, poetry, home décor, furniture design, even your personal search for meaning in life.

A Thousand Words

By Farrell

January 5, 2012

Pictures

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This Christmas was extra special because I got an amazing camera right before I went home for the holidays. I have always loved photography and taking pictures of things that are special to me. It was great to be able to capture my whole experience at home, from my point of view. Here are some of my favorite photos from the holiday season.

Trying on some of my Great Aunt’s jewelry.

The Raindeer came early this year!

A view of Lake Erie from our backyard on Christmas Eve Eve.

My mother has such a knack for decorating around the holidays; I wish I could show you the whole house!

One of the best handmade ornaments from the “Make Your Own Ornament Station” at our Roots Day Party.

Two of my favorite people meeting for the first time.

Around midnight on Christmas Eve, after the extended family left.

Opening presents on Christmas with my family.

Thanks to my cousin who put together the show, we watched old slides on Christmas night with the entire family. The picture below is of my Mom and my Uncle David.

Boxing Day mocktail with fresh cranberries, ginger ale and cranberry juice.

Such Great Heights

By Lauren

January 4, 2012

Inspired & Inspiring

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Did you guys see 60 Minutes this week? They re-aired an incredible story from October about Alex Honnold, a mountain climber who uses no rope or equipment on his climbs of over 1,500-feet high and up to 90 degree angles. He keeps a pocket full of chalk around his waist to dry off his hands, so they can securely support him on the climbs. It is amazing. And I guess a little insane.

While I am not especially prone to thrill seeking myself, just watching the story of Alex’s climbs is enough to raise your heart rate. Though, counter to what you might expect, Alex says he doesn’t experience adrenaline rushes. In fact he characterizes his climbs as “slow”, “controlled” and “mellow”. Yowzah!

If you have a chance, I’d highly recommend checking out the full story. You can watch it here.

And speaking of heights, the 60 Minutes story reminded me of this video I stumbled upon a couple of years ago. It documents two fearless female highliners on their trip to France’s Ritson Gap. Wow, some people are brave! Enjoy and set your sights high!

Send it sistah ! from sebastien montaz-rosset on Vimeo.

Terrariums

By Farrell

January 3, 2012

Holistic Living, Personal & Interior Style

1 Comment

This past Christmas, I wanted to do something different. I am usually pretty stressed when gift giving; I want my gifts to be the best that have ever been given. I spend so much time thinking about the perfect gift to give that sometimes, I forget to give a gift at all. This year I realized that I just wanted to give the people I loved something beautiful. I decided to make terrariums and boy, oh boy, was it fun. I had only two places to go – a craft store and a plant nursery.

Making terrariums is very simple. All you need a glass vase and these few things:

How to make your basic terrarium:

Step 1: Add an inch think layer of pebbles to the bottom of your vase.

Step 2: Add 2-4 inches of potting soil over the pebbles.

Step 3: Pick the arrangement of plants and which plants to use .

Step 4: Plant accordingly

Step 5: Cover with moss

Step 6: (Optional) Add miniature toys or rock beds.

I followed these instructions and everything went great! Here are some pictures of the ones I made for Christmas presents.

After receiving his terrarium, my brother told me about this amazing terrarium artist named Paula Hayes. You should definitely check out her extraordinary work!