We'll Always Have Paris

Even though I have no plans for a trip to Paris at the moment (although a trip to the west coast, friends, and Disneyland may be in my future), I do crave this book.

It is a fabulous tour book, based on movies filmed in Paris! So you can eat at the cafe in Sabrina, stroll past buildings seen in The Bourne Identity, Charade, and The Devil Wears Prada, and explore little known areas in the City of Lights. I'm enchanted, and I may pick this up just to see the city through the lenses of famous directors.

And another fun project - for when I'm NOT working 7 days a week...

Making your own flower brooch

The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources...

...but I can't help sharing!

I've fallen in love with Design Sponge, a blog that helps alleviate my boredom and inspires me to put a little more color and creativity into my apartment. And if I ever find free time (...what's that?) I may actually attempt some of these projects.

The first is a fun project to turn old botanical prints into more modern prints.

The second turns antique keys into art. I've seen this in a lot of design stores, blogs, etc. I admit, I've never collected old keys, although they are somehow inherently fascinating. What does this open? What does it lead to? A physical manifestation of Aladdin's "open sesame," if you will.

Adventures in Wonderland (aka DC)

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat
How I wonder what you’re at!
Up above the world you fly
Like a tea-tray in the sky.

I realized that I have neglected to include the teensy-weensy, itty-bitty detail that I have moved to DC!

How could this be, you might wonder? Probably because I've been so busy running around like a chicken with its head...well you know. Needless to say, I have settled into my life as a DC-er quite nicely, finding (two!) jobs, and lots-o-friends. I always thought I would never move here, or become a city girl (and I still don't think anyone really considers me a city girl, even though I commute into DC, have memorized parts of the bus and metro systems, and was once even asked for directions to Metro Center), but I find that I like being able to see the National Monuments as I go to work each morning. Its little details like that that make you realize you live in a city unlike any other.

So here are a few highlights of my sojourn in DC:

Made friends with a red panda at the National Zoo -


Witnessed the Battle of Cedar Creek -


And marveled at a cloud in the Corcoran Gallery of Art -



Here's hoping for many more exciting episodes of Lilly's Adventures in DC Wonderland!

Winter Weekend

So its the first snow of 2010, and I got some great pictures.


Of course, I'm worried about driving to work tomorrow. I finally have a job with the 2010 Census, and as much as I love making money, I HATE driving in winter weather. I blame it on the time my senior year when all the kids got out of school at the same time, and all the parents left work to pick up their kids and get home, and EVERYONE in Wake County was on the roads that afternoon. It took me four hours to drive home with my brother, when usually it took all of 30 minutes. I remember getting out of the car and my legs were like jelly from being so tense and having to switch between the gas and brakes so much. It was a great decision for me to go to college in Charleston, because it NEVER snowed there. :) But its already snowed twice this winter: once when I was driving back to Raleigh from Knoxville, and then this past weekend.



But here are some pretty pictures, that belie the reality of having to deal with snow when you're past the age of sledding down big hills and snowball fights.

Greyhounds are Greyt!

I went to Borders tonight to do some writing, and sitting outside was a woman and her greyhound from the Greyhound Pets of America organization. I stopped to chat, because I fell in love with this breed while researching possible pets this summer. He was such a sweetheart, and it got me thinking about the holiday season. So if you are looking to find a wonderful pet, and can offer a forever home, consider adopting a retired greyhound.

So I am back in Knoxville after spending a glorious weekend home in Raleigh for Thanksgiving. Of course I miss everyone there, so I've tried to keep myself busy today. First off, I went to my last TA lecture, then had the rest of the day to myself. I'm still writing my seminar paper on the battle of Gettysburg, which I will complete before I leave for Charleston this weekend. I also had a little time to surf the web for some cuteness, and this is the result:




Currently Listening to Joe Purdy




I was much happier when I saw a little of the sun today, peeking out for a few seconds from behind the rain clouds. It also got amazingly cold in a matter of a few hours tonight. Not so sure how I feel about that; it smells like it should snow - you know, that sharp, sweet smell that happens when its just cold enough to see your breath, and the clouds look like they could produce nice fat fluffy flakes at any moment.

But it didn't snow. Hey, technically its still November- I can wait :) (and for those of you who know me, this is saying something - I am actually hoping to see snow this winter)

Lazy Sunday

Had a lazy kind of day, trying to stay out of the drizzly rain that hovers over Knoxville. Graded papers (boo), wrote part of my own paper on the Battle of Gettysburg (double boo), and then enjoyed a book at Borders (yay).

I was also surfing Etsy after seeing my sister's latest blogpost, and found these amazing paint/prints. I'm in love with all the colors she uses, and that they come in multiple mediums (paintings - large and small, rings, necklace pendants).

Currently listening to