This is the coolest video. It’s a short stop-motion film from Sean and Lisa Ohlenkamp, showing what really happens after hours at Type Books. It made me smile (and also had me wondering how long this must have taken to make!)
[I embedded the video below, but if you're having trouble viewing, click here to see it on YouTube]
[via BlogTO]
Since Clara was born, it takes me forever to read a novel. But I’m glad I stuck it out and made it through A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2011, and I really really really liked it. Read more about the book here on the Pulitzer website, or read the NY Times book review here.
A good book always makes a great gift. Three titles I’m coveting this holiday season are:
1. Design Sponge At Home by Grace Bonney
One of my all-time favourite blogs is now a book. Say no more.
2. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan, illustrated by Maira Kalman
Eating well is simple. And beautifully illustrated!
3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Even if you don’t know who Mindy Kaling is (and you really should, her Twitter feed is hilarious), you’ll probably enjoy this book.
I saw this post on Cool Hunting about a new book called Beer Craft, and I immediately sent it to Ian. Ian’s been into home-brewing for a while now, and has created a few tasty beers in our basement (yep, I was totally skeptical at first, but seriously, they’re good!)
This book looks rad – Ian says the content is really good, and I love the design. It was written/created by a couple – he’s a beer critic, and she’s a designer. How awesome is that? I think we need this book at our house, so I’m adding it to my online shopping cart right now…
Public libraries are such a good idea. I know that sounds simplistic and kind of obvious, but think about it. If libraries (and the infrastructure for them) didn’t already exist, it would be nearly impossible to start up today, don’t you think?
Anyway, on to the point of the post. We have some really good public library branches in Toronto (S. Walter Stewart is my personal fave), and some that are just so-so. I used to think the Jones library (my local branch) wasn’t anything special, since it’s so small.
At first I would just go there to pick up my holds, and then leave. But then I noticed the magazine section at the Jones library. It’s as well stocked as a Chapters store. You can get the current issue of many titles, and you can actually check them out. I currently have the latest issue of Style At Home, and Ian has the latest Popular Mechanics. You can get House and Home, Toronto Life, Oprah, Real Simple, National Geographic, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, GQ… The list goes on and on.
The Jones library has become my personal magazine stand. I know I’m spoiling the secret by sharing it. So go have a look, but don’t take out too many issues, or I’ll have to fight you for them.
Another online magazine for you to check out… Australia-based Adore Magazine. I read about their British Edition over at SFGirlByBay and it was love at first sight when I saw this:
I want it all. Seems my obsession with all-things British is still going strong. Sigh.
Tina Fey has written an autobiography of sorts, called Bossypants. It comes out in hardcover and audio book on April 5. You know this one’s gonna be funny.
The design blog world is all a-flutter with Matchbook Magazine – the latest in a steady stream of shelter/lifestyle mags (seems everyone’s still trying to fill the void left by Domino).
I’ll admit, I was a bit skeptical about Matchbook. I only have so many hours in the day, and as much as I love wasting time online, a magazine has to be really great to hold my attention. So I checked it out, thinking I’d give up after reading a few pages.
But then I stumbled on this page:
I want just about EVERYTHING here. Look, there’s a bookplate that says “This book belongs to Avery”!
And then I kept reading, and saw articles about Anna Bond (of Rifle Paper Co), Peggy Guggenheim, Princess Margaret (who knew she was an “it girl”?), Burberry, Jemma Kidd, Warby Parker… and that’s just in the first half of the magazine.
Matchbook Magazine, you’ve won me over.
As Ian and I start to make the long list of stuff we need to get for the tadpole, I want to make sure we don’t forget to build a great library for the kid. Of course, we’ll be visiting the actual library often, but there are some books that are so good, I want to have our own copies.
On the must have list:
Goodnight Moon
Where the Wild Things Are
The Very Hungry Caterpillar (and anything and everything else by Eric Carle)
Eloise
This is New York (and the rest of the “This Is” series)
Moxie, The Daschund of Fallingwater
The Secret Garden (I’ll have to read that one to the kid for a while until they’re older)
What other books would you recommend for our kid?
