It’s Friday leading into my birthday weekend (my bday is on the 14th — this Sunday!). That makes this an extra fun weekend. Even more fun? My mom, sister, and I (who live in Atlanta, Columbia, and Winston-Salem, respectively) are meeting up in Charlotte tomorrow night for a Dixie Chicks concert. I can’t WAIT. Susan and I got my mom tickets to celebrate her birthday back in March, so we have been looking forward to being together for this show for several months. It’s just a bonus that it falls on my birthday weekend, too!
I hope you have lots of fun things planned, too. While we wait for the weekend to actually begin, though, here are this week’s Friday Favorites from Curiouser & Curiouser:
- The Olympics have been the theme of every evening at Keller Manor this week. (We’ve kept the TV on at work, too, and so it’s been fun to keep up with events during the day as well.) Kevin and I come home and tune in to the day’s events (we don’t have cable, but have been impressed with NBC.com’s streaming and replays), constantly in awe of the talent these athletes possess. I love the inspiration the Olympics convey, and the pride in country. Frank Bruni’s New York Times op-ed piece, “The Olympics Make a Grown Man Cry,” was spot-on, as far as I’m concerned. They’ve been a welcome relief amidst this insane political season and our cynical lives in general. This piece is definitely worth a read.
- I’m obsessed with Albion Fit activewear — specifically their Antigua print. I have a pair of Antigua Extend Leggings, an Antigua Romper (which I’ll probably be wearing to the concert this weekend), a Here and There Zip Up in Slate Antigua, and I just ordered a pair of the Slate Antigua Sprinters, taking advantage of a free shipping offer Albion Fit had earlier this week. If you’re looking for an awesome print to incorporate into your workout wardrobe, I highly recommend this one.
- Last Friday night, my friend Bethany (who lives in Richmond) and I had a virtual dinner date. Y’all — it was SO much fun! We’d found this Bon Appétit recipe for Thai Drunken Noodles (one of my FAVORITE Thai dishes) and both wanted to make it. We realized it would be much more fun to make it together, and so we did just that! We FaceTimed as we prepped and made dinner, then sat down and ate “together” as well. It was awesome, and we can’t wait to do it again. It honestly felt like she was in the kitchen with me, which made me so very happy. (And these noodles? Uh, yeah. I’ll be making them again soon.)
- Did y’all know there was a stationary-themed subscription box? It’s called Papergang, and it sounds incredible. (That is, for those of us who love all things paper — think notebooks, gift cards, desk accessories, and more.)
- Last, but certainly not least, Tim Regan-Porter, who I met while interning at Paste Magazine back in 2010 (he was the president and CEO at Paste) is now the Director of Mercer University’s Center for Collaborative Journalism as well as the father to a 3-year-old daughter, Rose. He recently wrote this piece on raising a daughter, and the importance of language in the process. I just loved his perspective, and wanted to share it with y’all.
Happy weekending!