A Map for Saturday

Watched another movie this morning... "A Map for Saturday" about one man's year backpacking around the world.  It gives me the travel bug, makes me want to save up all my money and just go somewhere for awhile.  It's funny... for my last vacation to Australia  everyone kept saying "I wish I could do that" or "Your so lucky you can do that."  Well, anyone can do it, if they have the right attitude. 

The movie helped remind me how I've lost a lot of focus on where I wanted to go in life and where I've ended up.  Maybe it can be a constant reminder of where I wanted to be and how to get there.

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art

I just finished watching the 2009 film "Bright Star" and can't believe I didn't watch it sooner than tonight.  The love story of John Keats and Fanny Brawne is told so absolutely, heartbreakingly beautiful...

Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art —
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like Nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors —
No — yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft swell and fall,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever — or else swoon to death.

- John Keats, 1819

Love & Luck

Loving this Love & Luck necklace from Dogeared. Lucky for me I have a coupon that will make it a little more affordable for me.

Five

Five of my favorite Project Runway contestants.

Daniel Vosovic

Jillian Lewis and Rami Kashou

Christian Siriano

Kenley Collins

Four

Four makeup products I use all the time.

Stila Runway Palette

Nars Eyeliner

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer

Diorshow Mascara

Three

Three famous women who inspire me in one way or another.

Miranda Kerr

Heidi Klum

Delta Goodrem

Two

Two paintings I love that couldn't be more different.

No. 14 (Rothko)

The Astronomer (Vermeer)

One

One movie I own that I can watch all the time.

Casino Royale

Awesome edible crayons...

From Luxirare. I love these... they definitely brightened my day this morning. That in addition to some other big news at work!

via.

Lucky number 13!

I'd like to interrupt your regular broadcasting to inform the world that I actually won a contest! I hardly ever win anything... Yay!

I won the Prismera Design Giveaway on Modish by commenting and having my comment number randomly selected... and that was number 13! I always knew I liked it... :)

At any rate, I love love love the necklace and had contemplated just buying one from Prismera Design, but unfortunately can't be spending really any money at all on jewelry. I've been looking for something I can wear all the time, and I believe this piece to be just that. Happy Friday to me!

Anthropologie Hardware

I am currently obsessed with Anthopologie's new DIY: Hardware section of their website. I LOVE Anthro's hardware and am really excited about this new interactive portion of the website.

Golden Sand

(from iamhome)

How gorgeous is this succulent in GOLD sand. I love it.

Fabulous Doodles by Brooke Hagel

Mystie Vogue Ready

Marie loves Fashion

Lily

I'm currently hooked on these gorgeous prints of fashion illustrations by Brooke Hagel. I was browsing Etsy when I stumbled across her shop! I would love to buy a couple of these to replace the current illustrations I keep in my bathroom.

New Andrea Camilleri translation!

SO excited for the newest translation of the Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri, Wings of the Sphinx! It'll be released December 29, 2009... I can't wait!

Are there any new books you can't wait to be released?

Roundup: This Week's Loves

Skout "Chateau de Versailles" pillow
(via One Kings Lane)

Tourneau Women's Oval Watch
(via Rue La La)

Faryl Robin "Plum"
(via Ideeli)

Laila Azhar Silk Front Drape Camisole
(via Gilt)

Laila Azhar Pleated Colorblock Dress
(via Gilt)

Pretty dress...

Pretty yellow and silver Nicole Miller dress. I love the detail on the back!

(via Bluefly)

Union Jack Pillow

(Union Jack Pillow from Cox&Cox)

Italian crime novels

I've been a huge fan of author Donna Leon for awhile.  My mom discovered her several years ago, and when she discovered she wrote mysteries based in Venice, she just had to get me Death at La Fenice one Christmas.  Since reading the first one, I've read every single one I could get my hands on.   All 15 I've run across.  Half.com is one of my best friends when it comes to books, so that is how I got a lot of them.  Today I decided to check up on some of my favorite authors... since Leon released a book last year I figured she was due for a new one soon, and I knew another one my favorite authors, Andrea Camilleri, who's Inspector Montalbano series is based on an Italian policeman (in Sicily) has a recently translated book being released in Feb.  He writes in Italian.

I checked Amazon, saw the new Leon novel will be released in April, but I also ran across a list of Leon's novels in chronological order.  Even though I knew I'd read them all, I checked anyway.  I knew wrong.  The list had 2 books on it I'd heard of, but assumed they were the British titling of a book I'd read.  Wrong again.  Here is the list per Wikipedia:

1. Death at La Fenice (1992)
2. Death in a Strange Country (1993)
3. The Anonymous Venetian (1994) aka Dressed for Death
4. A Venetian Reckoning (1995) aka Death and Judgment
5. Acqua Alta (1996) aka Death in High Water
6. The Death of Faith (1997) aka Quietly in Their Sleep
7. A Noble Radiance (1997)
8. Fatal Remedies (1999)
9. Friends in High Places (2000)
10. A Sea of Troubles (2001)
11. Wilful Behaviour (2002)
12. Uniform Justice (2003)
13. Doctored Evidence (2004)
14. Blood from a Stone (2005)
15. Through a Glass Darkly (2006)
16. Suffer the Little Children (2007)
17. The Girl of His Dreams (2008)
18. About Face (2009)

Books nos. 10 and 11 I haven't read and I can't find on any of my usual sites in the States/Canada (except for over $100 USD... no way).   So I decided to check Amazon UK and lo and behold, was able to find them both, in paperback, for only $30 USD including shipping to Canada!  I absolutely love finding books I haven't yet read by my favorite authors.

So, I decided to check on Andrea Camilleri.  Again, this is Wikipedia's list:

1. The Shape of Water - 2002 (La forma dell’acqua - 1994)
2. The Terracotta Dog - 2002 (Il cane di terracotta - 1996)
3. The Snack Thief - 2003 (Il ladro di merendine - 1996)
4. The Voice of the Violin - 2003 (La voce del violino - 1997)
5. Excursion to Tindari - 2005 (La gita a Tindari - 2000)
6. The Scent of the Night - 2005 (L’odore della notte - 2001)
7. Rounding the Mark - 2006 (Il giro di boa - 2003)
8. The Patience of the Spider - 2007 (La pazienza del ragno - 2004)
9. The Paper Moon - 2008 (La Luna di Carta - 2005)
10. August Heat - 2006 (La Vampa d'Agosto - 2006)
11. The Sphinx's Wings - 2006 (Le Ali della Sfinge - 2006)
12. The Sand Path - 2007 (La pista di Sabbia - 2007)
13. The Potter's Field - 2008 (Il campo del vasaio - 2008)
14. The Age of Doubt - 2008 (L'età del dubbio) - 2008

August Heat is the novel that is being released in English in February... I'm so excited I can't wait!  I have contemplated trying to read his novels in Italian, but would have to get a hold of one first (hello Amazon UK!).  Maybe a future project...  As it is, I am anxiously awaiting his next release in English and the Donna Leon books in the mail!

Things I love (Part I): Personal finance edition

• I love the PearBudget online spreadsheet because, through it, I have discovered that I actually live within my means and often have extra money at the end of the month to put other places.  I am able to see where my money goes (okay, I really like to buy clothes) and where I *think* my money goes but it actually doesn't (eating out).
  
  
• I love the Yodlee Moneycenter, because: a) I can track all of money between all my accounts (and when it leaves my accounts), b) I can track my Canadian accounts, and c) I can see my net worth and where my assets/liabilities are and what percentage of my total those are (for instance, my retirement account is currently 75% of my assets).  Well, I love it for more than reasons a, b and c but those are just the ones I want to mention.
  
  
• I love the Get Rich Slowly blog, because not only does blogger JR have great posts and insights about things related to personal finance, he has a great following of thoughtful and learned readers who are able to provide additional insight and information.  The forums are fantastic and people are so willing to help others out.  I love.

LOVE this dress