Moments of Beauty

The ideal response to the heat wave we're all having.


(via focus damnit)

Smile

Have a carefree weekend.

(book design by jan hendrickx via pinterest)

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Have a cute weekend.

(photo by logan's look on instagram. via here)

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Have a fun holiday weekend.

(photo by little rosy runabout on flickr via here)

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Have a chill weekend.

(glasgow, 1980. photo by raymond depardon. via pensées de choeur)

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Don't forget to have fun this weekend.

(via pinterest)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Tranquil Modernism
Take a tour of a minimalist South Yara home that mixes clean modern lines with natural textures—all wrapped around an internal courtyard filled with stunning tropical plants. That's the dining area shown above.

Otherworldly Architecture in Japan's Magical Mountainside
As Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there." Love this slide show of the stunning avant garde architecture in Karuizawa, Japan.

How the Victorian Obsession With Order Created the Sugar Cube
Fun food history about the creation of the humble sugar cube. 

Read Books. Live Longer.
A new study by researchers at Yale University's School of Public Health shows that book readers live two years longer on average than those who don't read at all—and even half an hour a day was enough to create a significant survival advantage. Happy reading!

From Picasso to Noguchi, 11 Artists Who Designed Spectacular Playgrounds
Fun list of artist-designed children's playgrounds around the world. A lot of adults would enjoy exploring these, too.

New Shampoos For Dry, Curly and Coloured Hair
Guardian beauty editor Sali Hughes discusses the benefits of the new no-sulphate shampoos—foamless or low-foaming shampoos with increased conditioning properties for dry, curly and coloured hair.

Spiced Grapefruit Tea Loaf
Perfect for with tea or coffee on chilly early spring afternoons, this variation on the classic lemon tea bread is delicately scented with cardamom, cinnamon and allspice.

(photo: shannon mcgrath for robson rak architects. via sfgirlbybay)

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For the Academy Awards this weekend, wouldn't it be wildly surreal and lovely to see an actor receive their Oscar wearing a design like this one, by Japanese designer Hideki Seo? So much more fun than the usual strapless ballgowns (or tuxes).

(via ju est fou)

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Don't forget to play this weekend.

(sweet photo by olivier ribardière. via pirouette)

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Have fun this weekend.

(photo by tim walker via pinterest)

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Have fun this weekend.

(photo via pinterest)

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Have a fun weekend.

(photo via pinterest)

Smile

Have fun this weekend.

(photo by tim walker via pinterest)

Moments of Beauty

Freewheeling. Photo by Daniel Riera for The Gentlewoman, spring/summer 2016 issue.

(via the poetry of material things)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Melbourne Factory Living
Take a tour of the stylish bohemian home of artist Saskia Folk, in what was once a leather factory in Melbourne. Love this one.

10 Golden Movie Beauty Moments
Fun slide show over at Vogue of golden beauty in film including Elizabeth Taylor's gilded Cleopatra costume, Grace Kelly's gold lamé ball gown in To Catch a Thief and, of course, the classic Goldfinger scene.

The Paper-Airplane Collector
From The New Yorker: "The artist Harry Smith collected two hundred and fifty-one airplanes off the streets and annotated each one with notes on where and when it was found." Lovely slide show of Smith's collection — so many different designs!

Going Souterrain
Fascinating article by Will Hunt about his experiences exploring the catacombs, tunnels and caves underneath Paris, where he spent several days and nights with a band of urban explorers.

10 Books About Forgetting
Writer Alastair Bruce picks his favourite books on the theme of forgetting, including The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro, Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

Wim Wenders on European Cinema and the American Western
AnOther magazine speaks to the cinematic legend about filming his newest short in Fellini's favourite studio, and the allure of 60s cinémathèques.

Seven Best Apple Breakfasts
Food and Wine magazine has a lovely round up of seven great ways to use the autumn bounty of apples for breakfast, with recipes for busy work mornings and leisurely weekends.

(photo: bodie and fou)

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One of these things is not like the other ...

(photo from pudge the cat tumblr via kemukujara)

Simple Pleasures

A social evening of card or board games with loved ones or friends.

(photo by tim walker)

International Women's Day

A very happy International Women's Day to you. Here's to all the wonderful women — past, present and future — who have made our lives better (and more fun).

(vintage 1933 new york photo via pinterest)

Sponsored Post: Uncommon Goods

Shortly before Christmas the lovely online shop Uncommon Goods was kind enough to invite me to choose an item to review over the holiday season. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Uncommon Goods features unique designs and handcrafted gifts created in harmony with the environment, made without harm to animals or people. They're also committed supporters of non-profits, recycle as much as possible and believe in giving back to their community — all admirable goals that I definitely agree with. 

When it came to choosing an item from Uncommon Goods, I ended up picking Colorku, a board game that's a clever variation of sudoku, using coloured balls instead of numbers. Andrew and I have been playing ever since it arrived — it's an excellent game, both absorbing and addictive. It's also so beautiful to look at, as it's made of rubber tree wood with brightly painted wood balls — I'm happy to leave it out on a side table when it's not being played. Highly recommended. This would definitely be a fun Valentine's Day idea out of the many offered on the site (either for your significant other or for your family) — or, if games aren't your thing, choose from the many other wonderful products at Uncommon Goods, ranging from home decor to bed and bath items, wall art and more. But I think we'll be enjoying another round of Colorku this evening!

(photos by me on instagram)

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Snow nose. Watching dogs discover snow is one of life's great pleasures.

(photo by hartmut bösener)