“Living In” was an old series on (the awesome but now sadly defunct) Design*Sponge where different contributors would put together collages (I guess the kids are calling them “mood boards” these days) that brought to life the ambience of a particular movie or book. Here I’m taking it a little more literally and designing housesContinue reading “Living In…Seoul Villa”
Author Archives: mourningdove
German Word of the Week: Baumschule
Before I get into discussing baumschule, I have to point readers to Ben Schott’s adorable little book Schottenfreude, in which he makes up German words to describe special situations he thinks there should be a word for, like “Zwillingsmoral – Reading horoscopes you don’t believe in.” Since German lets you build nouns of incredible length, it’sContinue reading “German Word of the Week: Baumschule”
Iron Teakettle and Winter Tonic
The rental I’m staying in in Berlin has this beautiful iron teakettle that sits on a brazier stand that takes a tealight. It’s so nice to brew a pot of green tea up and then sip it hot all afternoon while sitting and working on the couch. Today I put some winter tonic in theContinue reading “Iron Teakettle and Winter Tonic”
Aikido and Rhetoric: Finding Balance Outside
Now and again, it is necessary to seclude yourself among deep mountains and hidden valleys to restore your link to the source of life. Breathe in and let yourself soar to the ends of the universe; breathe out and bring the cosmos back inside. Next, breathe up all the vibrancy and fecundity of the earth.Continue reading “Aikido and Rhetoric: Finding Balance Outside”
Ceramics Saturdays: Vershenkte Teekanne!
One of the neat things about Berlin is that you’ll just find random boxes of stuff on people’s stoops with a little sign that says “Verschenken!” (“give away”). On my way to drop off some knives for sharpening, I picked up this teapot (coffee pot, really) with a dashing little peacock on it. No ideaContinue reading “Ceramics Saturdays: Vershenkte Teekanne!”
Tomé Hill
I’m posting this story today in honor of the 50th birthday of my lifelong friend Michele, whom I met in first grade at Montgomery Elementary School in a friendly competition for the affections of a boy named Tag, who turned out to be more interested in snapping his fingers rapidly over his math worksheets thanContinue reading “Tomé Hill”
Field-Trip Fridays: IKEA with Lucky
I did this when I lived in Münich–try to take a day trip every Friday to somewhere new and interesting. Fridays worked well because my collaborator had to take the train back home to her family that day, and museums, national parks, etc. were less busy on Fridays than on the weekend. So, I’m tryingContinue reading “Field-Trip Fridays: IKEA with Lucky”
Hey, it’s the Sun!
Not the ball–that’s the Fernsehturm 🤣. But the reflection on the building next to it proves the sun actually came out today for a hot minute (sorry, Cassandra)!
PBS Cooking School
I read a great short essay in the New York Times today by food columnist Eric Kim, in which he calls himself a “Food Network Baby” who, along with others of his generation, learned to cook–and to enjoy food as culture–by watching Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, and other TV chefs in the late 90s andContinue reading “PBS Cooking School”
Letter of Recommendation: Weleda
Weleda was founded in Switzerland in 1921 on the philosophy of putting as few and as natural ingredients as possible in beauty products. I’ve been using Weleda since I discovered their salt toothpaste at our local co-op a decade ago: I have sensitive teeth and weak gums, and the salt helps with that as muchContinue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Weleda”
The Rookery 