I spent a little time with this momma’s girl a few days ago when it was storming outside and skies were dark and filled with rain clouds. We stayed inside where it was warm and cozy and had a mini photoshoot with a fluffy white bed and a little soft light coming in through an open window. I don’t know what she saw in those clouds, but she was entranced with the light outside.

So this is Emmie. She says hi … what’s for dinner?
xo.

Some days, when the clock in the newsroom hovers somewhere around 3 and the hint of sunlight coming through the room’s ceiling-lined windows is too tempting, Maggie and I sneak outside to get fresh air, give our eyes a break from the computer and explore the personality in the street blocks around us.

Instead of smoke breaks, we try to take photo breaks. And instead of cameras, we use our phones, glorious phones.

This is something we don’t do enough, sometimes saying we’re too busy or we’ll go when we finish something. Which can turn into never. But I think everyone in every profession should take those 15 minutes to step away and change the scenery. We always come back in a better mood, refreshed and with a new perspective of whatever it is we’re working on.

So here are a few snaps I took during a couple of our afternoon walks. Enjoy, friends.

So now it’s time for Five Senses Monday, where I reflect on the last few days through the Five Senses. Please share your five senses — either in the comments or on your own blog.

Hearing:
Rain droplets knocking on my window  — a sound that’s decided to take a break this winter.

Feeling:
A little nostalgic going through boxes I’ve had stored since college.

Tasting:
Jalapeno in a spicy mango margarita, flavors I never thought I’d enjoy together.

Seeing:
An itty, bitty mouse stick it’s head out from a couch at one of my favorite coffeehouses. Eek.

Smelling:
Chicken stock on the stove.

I took a little drive to the river:I have a bad nighttime habit of transforming my bed into an at-home office/TV station. I’m trying to do more personal computer work out and about so that my bed is only used for sleeping. This week, I went to one of my favorite local coffeehouses:Coworkers and I tried the new cuisine at Alebrijes, where chef Ruben showed off his fruit-infused tequilas (no we didn’t drink all of that) and 60+ sauces. I’m big on traditional Mexican food, but we switched it up with samplings of filet mignon, duck, a buffalo taco and more.I worked a late shift Friday and spent part of my morning having coffee and listening to a table of retired men discuss oatmeal toppings and refrigerators. While there, I snapped this photo because it was refreshing to see people with newspapers in their hands:What I thought was going to be a quiet Friday night alone turned into dinner, coffee and movie with my sister, her hubby and two of my favorite little kids. I was still the first to fall asleep during the movie. Like always.After dinner, Joseph got too comfortable at “his” Starbucks. I thought I was a ‘bucks regular, but this 4-year-old definitely has me beat as the baristas knew his name.I went through some boxes I’ve been storing from college and I found  collages I made, including these from my calendar during senior year.And then I played with my niece Emmelia a little bit. It was too cold outside, but she liked staring out the window at the rain clouds above.I hope you had a lovely weekend and find some warmth this week. xo.

But other than that, the only insight I have into that world is through writing about restaurants, which is how Maggie and I made it to Busaba Thai on the river.

Usually I write the stories while photographers Jen and Dan shoot the food. This day, though, was particularly crazy and we didn’t have any photographers who were able to slip away for lunch. So Maggie and I went, her as the new restaurant writer and me as the photographer. It’s nice to change it up, to know I can just have fun taking pictures and not worrying about asking all of the right questions and scribbling everything down.

We really enjoyed Busaba. Chef Busaba Voraritskul learned to make Thai food from the family that has been cooking for Thailand’s royal family for generations.

Here is a little at their little restaurant and island bar with lots of flavor. You can read Maggie’s story here.

This weekend I got halfway through the January Photo a Day Challenge by fatmumslim — along with hundreds of other Instagrammers.

So far, this is my January:

Day 1. You: Me and my nephew, Joseph. Day 2: Breakfast: Starbucks and a free Sunday Times on a Monday.Day 3: Something you adore — my new niece, Emmelia Rose. Day 4: Letterbox — It’s where most of my mail goes, anyway. Day 5: Something you wore: Mardi Gras mask.
Day 6: Makes you smile: rocks hand painted by a friend.
Day 7: Favorite: My favorite collection is of old cameras.
Day 8: Your sky. Day 9: Daily routine — the drive to work with my “I’m not gay, I just really love rainbows” air freshner hanging on the rearview mirror.
Day 10: Childhood. My favorite picture of my mom and me. And also of childhood: Dogs, beach and me pretty much sums it up; some things never change.
Day 11: Where you sleep — Beneath a cluster of paper lanterns.
Also where I sleep: With green paisley and a purple pillow pet.
Day 12: Close up — me and my niece Sophia.
Day 13: In your bag.
Day 14: Something you’re reading — The new issue of Kinfolk.
Day 15. Happiness — Happiness is pups ready for a morning drive.

Oh well.

Did you have a lovely weekend? What did you do?

I did a little of this and a little of that, which you can see in Five Senses Monday, where I reflect on the weekend through the five senses. Play along in your own blog or in the comments. I’m curious what each of your are “sensing.”

Tasting:
My new favorite salad: romaine topped with a crumbled Trader Joe’s veggie burger and tossed with garlic hummus (also yummy stuffed in a pita pocket). Diner coffee and a shared basket of fries. A bite of a friend’s port wine ice cream (yes, you read correct — wine ice cream … nothing says “goodbye, we’ll miss you,” like ice cream). Teriyaki chicken and iced tea with Emma and Cindy in Sacramento.

Feeling:
Sad: Because my friend Amber moved all the way to Texas Friday, though I’m extremely proud of her. A heavy heart: for a little boy during a hard time. Comfy: as I stayed in my pjs one until the sun went down.

Hearing:
A motorcycle convention radiating into the car (not pleasant, sirs). Sweetie, my Border Collie, communicating to me with non-stop squeaky toy lingo.

Seeing:
Like a movie scene, Amber getting on the tram at the airport while her entourage waved with teary eyes. My favorite magazine/trinket store, Newsbeat, completely empty and closed up. Sweetie sitting in the bathtub — in the dark — waiting for a bath. Lots of vintage clothes I adored and loathed in Sac.

Smelling:
Garlic and mushrooms cooking in olive oil … I could eat that as en entire meal (Portabello steaks this week, perhaps?).

. . . .

Enjoy your week, friends. Here are a few photos of lately, via Hipstamatic/Instagram:

The aftermath of a three-hour dinner with friends after learning that Amber would be leaving us in California and moving to her home state, Texas. Grill cheese and Port wine ice cream may have been involved:On Friday, a few of us loaded into my toaster and drove the girl with the one-way ticket to the airport. We took group pictures together — and they also took pictures of the creepy bunny sculpture that looks like Superman:
I got home Friday to a quiet house and found a package from Kinfolk waiting for me. Volume Two of the magazine finally arrived, and I wanted nothing more than to savor it. I waited, though, until Saturday morning. I read a little, but not too much because I didn’t want it to end:And then I read a little more Sunday morning, too:I did spend one entire day this weekend at home. In my PJs. It was awesome, and I highly recommend it. I worked on my website, made Amber a blog banner, cooked up some food, cried over “Where the Red Fern Grows,” started an art project and watched the entire third season of “United States of Tara” (did you know it’s canceled?):I made country potatoes in the oven: And Saturday, I finally got showered and dressed after the sun went down. Honestly, it was one of those “I want to hang out with someone, but it’s too late or no one is around” moments. So I thought about the other thing I wanted … ice cream. And then I thought about all the gym time and salads from the week, and made a healthier, layered banana/whipped cream/pudding parfait in a jar instead. Whoa — big night out at the market. And then we have Sweetie. She is the comedic relief in my life. The other day — and every day since — she hopped in the bathtub and sat there in the dark while she waited for a (second) bath:Excitement was getting my Christmas gifts from Maggie this week. She knows my love of food memoirs, so she bought me the Best Food Writing of 2011 so I can perhaps discover other food writers. I’m so excited to read it. It’s another book I’ll need to savor, so I haven’t started it yet. I also received the 5-year journal, where you answer one question every day and it repeats for five years. I love it, and I’ll definitely share some entries from this baby. And don’t you love the beaded necklace? She made it with a beautiful charm that says, “You are Loved.”

Lastly, I opened a cool Whimsy for Wendy’s poster from her ebook, and it’s now hanging in my cubicle.

Monday started with an early lunch out with a retired coworker, Mike, who always shares stories of his early days in the newspaper industry and trips along the Northern California coast:After a long week and lazy Saturday at home, I was excited to do something fun with Cindy and Emma. We grabbed our cameras and his vintage stores in Sacramento:How was your weekend? Any highlights? Any senses?

I was thinking of getting out of my PJs sometime soon to have a coffee date with my new book. Then I remembered I have these photos from another cafe trip leftover from the holidays. Can you think of anything more wonderful fresh whipped cream?

I can’t either.

Soap is one of those things that has always baffled me. I always thought it would be super complicated … and I think I was right.

On a sunny, but chilly, afternoon, Andrea had me over to show me her craft. Here is a little glimpse into her world, from the first step of snapping on rubber gloves to work with lye to slicing a bundt cake block of soap a day later.

Everything in soap making is very specific. That’s probably the most difficult part. The temperature of the lye and water have to be a specific temperature, and get to that temp by soaking in an ice bath. Each of the elements have to be measured perfectly. Timing is everything.

We started in her work room/back house with the lye. It’s not something you want to use too much in the house. It gets hot, hot, hot.

We move inside for the yummy stuff.In the kitchen, you work with the good stuff: the oils, the wonderful natural scents and you grind oatmeal in a coffee grinder (if you so choose to use oatmeal … on another batch, Andrea make a coffee soap with coffee grounds inside).When it’s all in a large pot with the cooled lye, you mix and mix with a stick mixer until it looks like your grandma’s banana pudding.
Andrea added honey at the very end, but was careful not to mix too much after.Then, you pour into a mold of your choice. Silicone is easiest because, once it hardens, getting the soap out is a challenge. With silicone, you can twist and pull and turn the container inside out. Then, you cover it with cardboard and wrap it like a tight little baby and let it sit for at least a day. You can feel the chemicals warm the towel as they react inside. Eventually, the lye will be worked out, the soap will cool, and you can finally unveil it. I went back to visit Andrea a day or two later, and we worked it out of the mold. A giant bundt cake bar of soap that smelt so yummy.

After you slice it up the way you like, you still have to let it dry for weeks. The longer it sits,  the longer it will last once it starts being used in water.

I can’t wait until it’s ready and I can take home a bar of this yummy honey almond soap. I think it’s one of my favorites.Thank you Andrea for sharing your wonderful craft! One day I will take on the art of soap making, I swear.

So when I vowed to myself that I would only give handmade Christmas gifts, I had to dig into my daisy craft chest (that’s it up there). Oh, because part of the deal was I had to use supplies I already owned (that was the hardest part, people … no matter how much craft junk you accumulate, you always — always — need more).

So like I said, I get the urge to make stuff. These are some of the things I’ve made recently, mostly for two special friends who both have birthdays around the holidays.
I know bottle cap jewelry is everywhere right now — teeny-bopper craft set or Justin Beiber key chain, anyone?), but I wanted to see if I could make my own spin. I made these for a friend who truly understands the beauty that is the 1971 movie, “Harold and Maude.” I like the way they turned out, and with the pounded metal and paint, I don’t think you can totally tell they’re bottlecaps.
And this is the back view.
I don’t have a picture of the actual surprise ball, but all of these trinkets were inside of it. I wound surprises in crepe paper so the ball would have to be unwound little by little to discover all of the treasures. At the base I had the larger framed print and then continued with eraser kitchen stuff, hair clips, cute socks, a Whoopee Cushion, a Peas-in-a-Pod friendship necklace, vintage flower earrings (on a slide), salt water taffy, buttons and a tiny, retro blue phone. It’s not totally handmade, but I think surprise balls are super fun. Surprisingly, it’s hard to find frames for photobooth strips. I know, right — I thought they’d be popular, too. But not even Pinterest or Etsy came through with products or even ideas. I thought I’d give Cindy a photo strip of us in like a collage or something bright, but then I decided to go simple and clean. And I’m glad I did. Again, not totally artistic, but did you ever think of framing all those old photo strips you have stuffed in shoe boxes?I’m so in love with this little girl and her pet zebra. I think she has so many stories to tell. When I found her, I knew I had to use her, and I knew who to give her to. I made a little collage with torn paper, pink paint, a tree of life, 3-d butterflies and diamond gems.
Inspired by the interwebs, I made this little windchime-esque wall or window hanging. I used a thrifted doily, a found stick, a feather, beads and a baby terrarium. I think I’ll be making more of these, so, friends — I hope you like them ;  )

. . . . .

Here we go. A Monday. The first Monday in a full work week. A full work week after a December of shorts weeks filled with eves of holidays and restful days at home.

It can’t be the 9th day of 2012 already. I’m supposed to have more photos uploaded and edited, more goal lists written, more bills paid by this point.

I have been doing a lot. Just more of what I want to do than what I thought I needed to do. But I’m taking it slow: trying to get a feel for the 2012 me, adjusting back to my favorite elliptical at the gym, sitting with a new puppy who’s finally coming around, and making art and food that’s good for my body.

Now that we’re a week in, how is 2012 going for you?

So, shall I get to Five Senses Monday, where I reflect on the past few days through the senses. Please play along, or just say hi. Please.

Tasting:
A bite-size Dove chocolate. Because, the encouraging words on the wrapper make work fun. A hearty pecan from its shell. Iced coffee on a cold morning.

Feeling:
Relief that a family member woke up yesterday after going into the hospital more than a week ago. Happy to see friends. The feel of carrots sliding out of the dirt. Homemade soap on my skin. Sometimes koo-koo. Like I could hibernate until August.

Hearing:
Life lessons from a movie night: “A lot of people enjoy being dead. But they are not dead, really. They’re just backing away from life. Reach out. Take a chance. Get hurt even. But play as well as you can… Otherwise, you got nothing to talk about in the locker room” (Harold and Maude); Thank you, more please (Happy Thank You More Please; a good philosophy, I think).

Smelling:
Wood chips in a smoker — a distinct smell of summer.

Seeing:
A mosquito so big you’d think I was in a Louisiana swamp. Bowling balls in the gutters. A weekend fly by too fast.

. . . . .

Lastly, let’s all try to better ourselves this week … Go to bed 15 minutes earlier. Trade your afternoon soda for a walk around the block. When you feel sad, read a list of things that make you happy. Add a vegetable to at least one meal. Smile, even if you just cried. Give yourself permission to stream Netflix while you’re at the gym. Find a hug. Take one day at a time.