Idle Curiosities

This week, I’m kicking off a new series on this shiny new blog. Well, technically, I’m revamping an old favorite and giving it a glow-up—kind of like this blog itself. Your girl lives for a good theme, so here we are.

Back in the day, I called it “This and That.” A charming little round-up of all the things that made me go, “Ooooh!” over the past week or so.

Think of it as a grab bag of stuff that made me swoon, flummoxed me (fancy word for “Wait, WHAT?”), got my brain buzzing, mysteriously emptied my bank account (thanks, cart), or was just plain cool or pretty.

And so, dear reader, I present to you: Idle Curiosities—a whimsical little series where I gather all the delightful, curious, and occasionally baffling things that catch my eye, make my brain hum, or inspire a spontaneous “Add to Cart.” (even if I don’t check out right away-it’s window-shopping but like, on the internet.)

Idle curiosity, is a desire to learn or know something for personal interest, without a specific reason. It is often characterized by a sense of wonder and a desire to explore new ideas or information.

So here goes this week’s Idle Curiosities.

This year, I’m all about simplifying—fewer things to stress over, more time to focus on what I actually enjoy. One of my first steps? Embracing my natural hair. It’s been exactly a week since I decided to let my strawberry blonde, frizzy waves do their thing. And listen, this is groundbreaking for me. Normally, my ventures into “going natural” last a day or two at best before I’m back to my trusty blow dryer. This pattern started way back in 1996 when I cut my hair into The Rachel (because, of course, I did).

High School me. Before I cut my hair, never needed a blowdryer.

The thing is - I don’t remember my hair ever being this wavy. I mean, sure after the beach, but no. Not like this. I remember washing it and tying it up in a Scrunchies until it dried. It would take hours and I usually went to sleep with it wet - so I don’t know if that had anything to do with it. The point is. High school me, never needed a blow dryer. Until I cut my hair and it would just CURL! Which is why I needed to dry it. OH MY GOSH!

Sorry - for the ADH fueled rant, What was I talking about - yes, going with my natural waves…

Last week, someone hit me with the wildest compliment: A girl at Costco stopped me and said, “You look like Blake Lively in This Is Us.” First of all, WHAT?! I don’t see it, but I’m flattered. Apparently, it’s the hair and the color. I had to Google Blake, and yep—she’s rocking those effortless waves I aspire to.

Naturally, this compliment was the final push I needed to actually watch the film (because -of-course-I-had-to) and then I proceeded to Google Blake Lively like it was my full-time job.

My search ended with me clicking “Add to Cart” on three Colleen Hoover books: It Ends with Us, It Starts with Us, and Ugly Love. I haven’t started them yet, but I’m bracing myself for some late-night binge reading and the inevitable emotional devastation.

Does this mean I’m in my Blake Lively Hair Era? Lol, no. I’m in my This Is My Actual Hair Era, embracing the frizz, the waves, and everything in between. Maybe. Jury is still out. Ask me next week.

While I was Googling, I stumbled across this fascinating New York Times article about Hollywood smear campaigns involving Blake Lively and It Ends with Us. Let me tell you—it’s like Mean Girls’ burn book, but taken to a corporate level. Scathing doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Back to my hair, though. Inspired by my Blake moment, I decided to invest in some products to help me keep these waves looking less “I live in a wind tunnel” and more “effortlessly chic.” I splurged on Olaplex No. 10 Curl Defining Hair Gel and Ouidad Botanical Boost Curl Energizing & Refreshing Spray, and I’m on day two and loving my hair a lot more. I’ve been using the Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil for a while now and when my hair is mostly air dried I finish my hair off with that. I like how it adds shine without weighing things down, and the Ouidad spray is a miracle worker for reviving second-day waves, which is giving me lots of hope that I may be able to stick to this natural hair-don’t care thing for a while.

And while we’re talking beauty, let me just say: I will forever be loyal to Clinique’s Almost Lipstick in Black Honey and Pink Honey. They’re the ultimate your-lips-but-better shades and never make my lips dry. I wish I could say the same for the Sheer Matte Lipstick in Bisou Balm that TikTok convinced me to buy on Black Friday. The shades are gorgeous, I have Amour Fou and Rose Latte but this lipstick is drier than the Sahara. Even so, I have been religiously wearing them for a month. If you try it, make sure you layer it over a moisturizing lip oil or balm. I am a fan of Aquaphor Lip Repair but at night I use the regular stuff in the tube as a mask. I’ve got this lip mask by Laniege in my Amazon shopping cart. If you’ve tried it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

I promise I was not obessing over my hair every spare moment I had.

One of things that grabbed my attention this week—is this new podcast I discovered called In the Dark. It’s an investigative series that digs into some truly gripping and thought-provoking cases. If you’re into true crime or just love a good deep dive into the human experience, this is your next listen. It’s the kind of storytelling that makes you want to cancel plans just to keep listening.

This article about Wal-Mart making it’s communities poorer has me nodding my head.

So there you have it—my week of beauty experiments, Costco compliments, Blake Lively spirals, and a new podcast obsession.

What’s been inspiring you lately? Tell me all about it.

Full disclosure: some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you click and purchase, I might score a small commission—like finding spare change in my couch. No worries though, I only hype what I actually dig. Transparency is key, and I’m all about keeping it real.

This and That

 How are you? It's been like, a REALLY long time since I've posted any new content.I don't know if it's the cool autumn breeze or the fact that I've been creating art in new and exciting ways this summer, but I'm feeling energized to breathe some life back into this space.If you are actually reading this... I hope you'll stick around.I thought I'd start a new weekly series as a way to ease back into posting regularly that features some of my favorite things I use and love, and stuff, I am plain crushing on; but either can't afford, or can't pull the trigger and hit "confirm purchase" on. I guess it's my way of window shopping. I'll also share things I've come across that I've read, found inspirational, or just plain cool.Things will be kept pretty positive. If they're not, I'll be sure to let you know in advance.So here goes...Quote: I've been mediating on this quote for the last month. I ran into some challenges with my work as a Youth Minister and it's helping me to keep moving forward, despite, what feels like one thousand obstacles.

“Nothing great is ever achieved without enduring much.”-St. Catherine of Siena

Check out these hair ties. They are so chic.Need some inspiration? Watch this quick video on changing a behavior.How to Decorate with Roses, by Nell Whitaker at The English HomeI am currently reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. More to come on that end.We are big fans of ice cream cake over here. This is a Turkey Shaped Ice Cream Cake, you didn't know you needed. Apparently Baskin & Robbins has been serving up this turkey shaped cake since the 70's. Why am I only learning about it now? By Tim Nelson at Food and Wine.I am a huge fan of sparkling water. I can't get enough of the stuff. Between you and me, I prefer it unflavored, but I won't turn down a fruit flavor fizzy sip. I just added a bunch of new brands to try because of this article. Proceed with caution if you like bubbly water too. We Tasted 75 Drinks from 25 Brands to Find the Best Sparkling Water, Period, by Naomi Tomky at Saveur.I love a ribbed beanie. I really want this one in this color.My husband bought Ellena and I a pair of these classics home last week. I'm not gonna lie. I love twinning with my daughter for stuff like this.How cute are these flocked Christmas trees in galvanized tins?I've got this fleece jacket in my cart for Ellena. It's cute right?That's it for now.Be well friend.I'm praying for you. 

Little Lovely Things - Book Feature

Today I'm here to share this lovely little book called, Little Lovely Things This novel is a quick, at times edge-of-your-seat read. If you're looking for something to read this summer that isn't your typical romance or mystery this is the book for you.Summary:A mother's chance decision leads to a twist of fate that is every parent's worst nightmareIt is the wrong time to get sick. Speeding down the highway on the way to work, her two little girls sleeping in the back seat, medical resident Claire Rawlings doesn't have time for the nausea overtaking her. But as the world tilts sideways, she pulls into a gas station, runs to the bathroom, and passes out. When she wakes up minutes later, her car—and her daughters—are gone.The police have no leads, and the weight of guilt presses down on Claire as each hour passes with no trace of her girls. All she has to hold on to are her strained marriage, a potentially unreliable witness who emerges days later, and the desperate but unquenchable belief that her daughters are out there somewhere.As hopeful and uplifting as it is devastating, Little Lovely Things is the story of a family shattered by unthinkable tragedy, and the unexpected intersection of heartbreak and hope. 

I received an ARC to facilitate this review.

The Hazel Wood a novel by Melissa Albert - Review

 This weekend was a wonderful weekend full of reading!  Lately, I've been chain-reading. The moment I close a book on the final page, I'm up and reading another. Which is not unusual for me, but it's my goal to keep it up throughout the year. Mainly because last year I didn't read a whole lot, and I want to read at least thirty books this year, which isn't a whole lot for me, but with how busy I am, it can become a hard goal to achieve. In January I read two books, and over the weekend I read another, which puts me at 3, and a good start to accomplishing this reading goal. Also my "to be read" list was growing much too fat for my liking... sigh.So many books.So little time.Are you wondering what I was reading that was so unputdownable? If you follow my Instagram feed you may have guessed. I totally paused Cassandra Clare's The Dark Artifices, series after finishing Lady Midnight to begin, The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert.This book called to me like a Siren from the shelves of Target. I left it in the store the first time I heard it sing, and went home and added it to my TBR list, totally promising myself I'd not buy any new books till I tackled the books on my shelves. This resolution like most didn't last long and on my next visit, it was in my red shopping cart and not coming out until I had to pay for it.I have to say, this book, probably isn't for everyone. I think it lends itself to a specific type of reader. That's not to say you won't enjoy it. I think if you have an open mind, and you enjoy things to be a little bit weird in a Twin Peaks sort of way, then perhaps this book is for you.If not, that's perfectly okay. Like I said, this book is for a specific type of reader.Me. (Maybe you?)I enjoyed the author's voice and her prose. I am now anxiously anticipating the sequel to this novel. Her voice reminds me a bit of Holly Black or Maggie Stiefvater, so if you've enjoyed their stories, I think you'll enjoy this one too.

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD

There are Harry Potter and other modern-day references I found to be a bonus and was completely charmed by the author's witty use of them.The story is about a single mom Ella, and her daughter - who spend their life like gypsies moving from one place to the next, until the bad luck in their past catches up with them and the young protagonist Alice, finds herself search and rescue for her reclusive grandmother and kidnapped mother in a fairy tale land made up of dark forests and refugees. For a bit of help on her journey, she enlists the help of an unlikely classmate Ellery Finch. (Isn't that name great - it sounds like he should be in fairytales...)Characters from her grandmother's fairytale novel start showing up in Alice's life and as you can imagine, it's not a good sign.Alice isn't a nice protagonist - she's got pent of anger inside of her which sometimes comes out, but she tries and I like that about her.I enjoyed this book, and I think you could too!

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Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, Virginia. I FINALLY made it!

I've wanted to visit Fountain Bookstore since Maggie Stiefvater mentioned it on one of her social media channels. If you don't already know, she sends her signed books and other goodies to the store. I already have several signed books by Maggie from when I attended a signing at Books & Books in Miami several years ago, but I did manage to score a signed copy of The Raven Boys, which I didn't have a physical copy of. Apart from Maggie's signed copies they have a fairly large selection of signed books which is super cool. 

What I love best about independent bookstores is the personal experience. The person who helped me, I think his name was Chris asked me about why I liked Maggie Stiefvater (they get quite a few fans - no surprise) but he'd never actually met one. I'm fairly certain I convinced him to read her books now. He, however, got me to buy Laini Taylor's Strange the Dreamer, which I have seen, but haven't really picked up. However, he said it was one of the best fantasy books he's read in a long time and that it had him in tears. He had me at "sobbing". 

I also picked up my book club's next read which is, A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. I'm super excited to read this one! 

Best Sites for Free E-Books

Oh how I do love to read and e-books are just wonderful. As you can see behind me I'm just as big a fan of traditional paper books, but sometimes an e-book is much more convenient, especially if you like to read anywhere or at anytime. I frequently get asked where I find my books. Usually I say Amazon, but that can get pricey so I do hit up these free sites on occasion when I need a new book fix, or sometimes to discover new authors.Here are my favorite sites for free ebooks.NetGalley Librarians, booksellers, bloggers, authors, and some of the best publishers are available.  These are usually new ARCs (advanced reader copies) unpublished or just published novels. You are expected to review the book, which can easily be done from inside their site.Edelweiss Tons of books. Some even hard-copy. Same with NetGalley a review is expected in exchange for the book.If you want to get into reviewing books NetGalley and Edelweiss are excellent places to begin.  FreebookSifter   I like this site's search feature which allows the user to search under genre, or author etc.Free Books Blog - Lists mostly free Kindle books.

Project Gutenberg free audio books, some are narrated by people others an electronic generate voice. Site also offers up sheet music which is way cool.

eBooksRead - This site offers more than 3o0,000 ebooks, as well as classic texts, dictionaries, manuals, statistics and essays.OverDrive Great site to link up to  eBooks from your local library or school. This also includes audio files and other media depending on your library system.  Using an App makes it easy too available on iTunes and Android.Book Yards - This website boasts that it's the library to the world. Not sure if it is, but I like websites that aspire to great things and in my opinion there are few things greater than libraries, let alone "world" libraries.Goodreads - Goodreads is probably one of my favorite sites for connecting authors to readers, and people in general to books. They have a great selection of e-books a lot of which are free to download.Feedbooks - Excellent selection of e-books but this link takes you to the free-domain ones.

 Please note: This post was originally posted on December 10, 2013. I update it as I find new places for free books.

Libreria Acqua Alta: Quirky Venice, Italy Bookshop

Living in Italy certainly has its perks... A short train ride to Venice is unquestionably one. Last week, while meandering over canals and waxing poetic, I remembered this book shop I'd read about when I knew I'd be moving to Italy. Prior to researching the area we were to live in, or anything of significant importance, I Googled, "bookstores in Italy" or something equivalent because visiting every single "must see" bookstore or library in Europe is on my bucket list. Yes, friends, I know where my priorities are.On previous excursions to Venice, my husband and I had no plan, except to "get lost". In the excitement of being in Venice, I forgot about this shop. I don't know if it was the just bloomed wisteria which dappled balconies, the murky turquoise water sparkling in the afternoon sun, the memory of a novel that took me to Venice long before I set foot on its cobbled streets; which contributed to my remembering. Or my desire to walk into a bookshop and find a treasure... Preferably in English, because despite my six-year study of the Italian language, when I read in Italian, it is slow going.A not-so-quick Google + map search provided me the address to la "Libreria Acqua Alta"  which means "Library of High Water", and my husband a mission: to get me to this book shop. A few hours and ninety percent of my iPhone's battery life later, I was there.The Liberia Aqua Alta, calls itself the "most beautiful bookshop in the world". I wouldn't vote it "most beautiful", but it is a welcoming, eccentric, dusty store which makes it's guests feel as though they've stumbled into a place that could only be found in a story. Upon entering, visitors are cocooned in a cacophony of books, welcomed by feline guards who are remarkably tame and take no notice of all the store's patrons. You will find a motley crew of genres ranging from new publications to old second-hand books. I like to imagine how the books came to be at La Libreria "Acqua Alta" were they left behind by tourists in gondolas, found underneath hotel room beds, or left by distracted café goers? Oh, the stories they could tell...You will find books in many languages, mostly in Italian of course, but don't let that stop you. A book from this shop is a perfect memento of your visit to Venice. Pick a book that speaks to you and take it home as a special treasure. I discovered two books. The first was The Allegory of Love by C.S. Lewis. It is a yellowed, 1958 copy, with notes by a former owner who was called Brigitte Rü-something. I can't really read her handwriting, but she wrote Friuli, 1961 on the inside title page. The second treasure I took home was Henry James' The Portrait of a Lady, published by Penguin in 1074. It too is delightfully yellowed but in otherwise excellent condition. I couldn't help but wonder where these books have been, or how long they sat piled on the shelf waiting for me to find it.There are books on Venice, stacked high front and center in a gondola that takes up much of the floor in the center of the shop Yes. You read and see correct. Who needs a shelf when you can store your books in waterproof bins like a bathtub or gondola?On each side of the gondola that monopolizes much of the main room's floor space, are narrow aisles. You'll have to squeeze by other bibliophiles in rapture to get to the back of the store where you'll discover a staircase made of old encyclopedias.You know the ones rendered useless by the Internet... They've been given a new purpose. I can think of far worse walls and much sadder ends to a book's life than that of delighting people from all over the world. It is exciting climbing the steps, wondering what you'll discover...Which as it turns out is just a canal. But it is a canal in Venice.Magic.If bookshops and libraries are on your "must see" list when traveling, you can find La Libreria "Acqua Alta" on Calle Longa S.M. Formosa 5176, Castello 30122.