Friday audio treat

I do love a good Flavorpill mix tape, but this one happens to include Antlers and Band of Horses, making it extra special.

Download it for yourself right here.

of infomercials and celebrity trainers

(More than a week after the fact) My latest article for the Curator is now online! This one tackles the beast that is P90X, and of course the inimitable Tony Horton. Take a couple minutes to read it.

[image via extremefitnessresults.com]

Motel 6-ing it

Road trips of my youth were defined by fights with my sisters over who shared space under a bad floral bedspread and who took the floor (usually my twin sis, Dianna—she kicks!). None the less, Motel 6 has been a familiar comfortable resting place even in my adult road trips: I know exactly what to expect and that it'll cost me less than 50 bucks.

What a treat though to discover my favourite budget motel chain is getting a slick little makeover. Read about it at the New York Times.

private Paris

 Ten-course dinner in a private Parisian supper club? yes please!

From the New York Times:
"Secluded in private apartments, unmarked buildings, blind alleys and underground caverns, a host of hidden new hangouts has sprung up in the City of Light’s shadows, creating a vogue for stealth addresses and a corresponding surge in confounded pacing, desperately unfolded maps and requests for directions."

Now that we actually have dining room chairs (see below!), perhaps I'll have to start my own private supper club right here in TO :)  I'll just need to find a chef...

The Keys

Somehow I've been lucky enough to make a lot of incredibly talented friends over the years and travels. I like to share them with you guys from time to time, so I'm thrilled that one of my favourite people and favourite musicians, Tenelle Porter has finally recorded some songs with her band The Keys, and posted them on Facebook for our listening pleasure.

If you like pure, sweet vocals, rich cello and intelligent song writing, then you'll probably want to check them out, right here.

new job, new feature

It's been a quiet week here on the front lawn. I took some time away from the computer and put it towards good times with visiting cousins and long walks in the sun. It was so gloriously warm on Thursday night (after a record-breaking 20-degree day) that we strolled to a nearby ice cream parlour at twilight and sampled the local gelato. On March 18th! It was bliss.

The reason I COULD take a break from my computer is that I landed a great little job here in Toronto. While I have loved the freedom of freelancing these past months, I have really missed being around creative people and simple routines of getting ready for the day. I also missed the guarantee of a pay-cheque every two weeks :)

The job? I'm a Marketing Strategist and Copywriter for a boutique-y comms firm, called Walden, just down the road from us on Queen East. It offered everything I was looking for in a job: lots of writing and imagining, and a little project managing; a laid back creative environment; flex hours; interesting people; and swift commute (by foot even!). I thought these perks were enough to offset the less than ideal pay. Besides, cost of living in Toronto has nothing on London.

In other news, a project that I've been working on for ages finally wrapped up this week. Lots of you will be getting the print version in the mail, but those of you who aren't TWU alums can check out the latest issue of Trinity Western magazine online. While you're at it, take a few minutes to read my feature, The Aesthetics of Attentiveness!