What's On My Nightstand

• Rifle Paper Company Notebook. I've been eyeing the botanical trio ever since I saw them online and lo and behold they popped up at my local Target. Splurge! No questions asked. I've just polished off another Moleskine and while I was a bit hesitant to switch it up after all these years, I'm absolutely loving it.
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. My dear friend Anna recommended this to me. And friends, when Anna suggests something, I count it as gold. So I didn't wait for my tiny library branch to get it. I just bought it. One chapter in and... I don't know if she's psychic or if we just rubbed off each other a lot back when we were living under the same roof in Edinburgh, but this is exactly the kind of read I need right now. 
• Crêpe Suzette OPI Nail Polish. Confession: I'm not actually wearing this right now. I just hope I get around to it this week. Because it looks like fall and I simply can't get enough of that.
• Mini Eiffel Tower. Snagged this trinket from my grandma (I think) way back and... I'm just France-asizing... *le sigh*
• Shells. Random, but I happened to empty out a purse the other day...
• Southern Ground Music & Food Festival Lineup. My little sister and I met up in Charleston for this this past weekend and it was amaaaaaaazing!!! Not just because it was my first weekend off since starting work here at the beginning of August, but because my sister's such fun, the food was incredible, and the music was stomp-tastic. The Wood Brothers and The Head and the Heart blew me away and gave me chills, but Zac Brown, the man himself, left me slack-jawed. So I'm just gonna leave this here and reminisce... 

And while I'm reminiscing, I might as well tell you I've had Zac Brown on a constant loop ever since I left. Just trying not to focus on themes like love, family, friends, and simplicity rather than getting overwhelmed by ALL THE THINGS awaiting me when I got back. "Jolene" is the song I'm playing into the ground, though, so we'll call it this week's lullaby.

What's on your nightstand these days?

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

P.S. I promise- hold me to it, now- to post something other than my nightstand this week! Heavens to Betsy! This blog is accidentally monotonous!

What's On My Nightstand

• Apple Ale candle. This scent is maybe a little too sweet, but in small doses, a little too sweet is pretty nice.
• Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate. I used the no sugar added kind and then sprinkled the whipped cream with a little cayenne pepper. It's lazy meets Chocolat! *shrug*
• Mini pumpkin. Thanks, Mommy Moo! Come back and visit soon! Side note: I. LOVE. PUMPKINS.
• EOS Blueberry Acai Lip Balm. Yet another surprise from my mom. So sweet. Blueberries for Sal was one of my favorite books as a kid, so blueberries are kind of my thing. So thoughtful!
• Shall We Dance. Folks, I've been looking for this movie everywhere. Everywhere. For two years. Lo and behold my local Barnes & Noble just happened to be selling classics at half price this week! Fate!!! I first saw it on TCM last night and discovered it to be the source of classics like "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me." The story has all the old Hollywood black-and-white charm you might expect, but "They Can't Take That Away From Me" makes the movie. It's why I bought it. Honestly. When Fred Astaire stands behind Ginger Rogers on the docks in New York City and sings, "The way you haunt my dreams. No, no, they can't take that away from me," and she just stops... and then when her eyes well up with tears and you know she's in love with him after he croons, "The way you've changed my liiiiife!" OH MY GOSH! *hands over heart* It's just one of my favorite movie scenes EVER! Also, I want to be Ginger Rogers. Just had to be said.

Well, of course, now that I've gone on and on about it, it should come as no surprise that this week's lullaby is Fred Astaire's timeless "They Can't Take That Away From Me." I've always loved this song (I have no less than eight different versions in my music library), especially Sinatra's (and I loooooove Sinatra), but this one takes the cake. Knowing the love story behind it, hearing Fred Astaire's voice just warms my heart like a good cup of lazy man's Chocolat hot chocolate.

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• Petit Écolier. When I eat these, I'm sitting at Mme Chauchat's dining room table. I need to be at her dining room table.
• Lady Grey Tea. Been drinking this with a splash of milk and sugar like my teacup is bottomless.
• Secondhand Lions. I need about a thousand comfort movies this week. This one's been a family favorite for ages, but I never had my own copy till I saw this peeking out of the $5 bin this weekend. Just the most endearing story there ever was or ever could be.
• My latest painting. I did this little canvas over at Ali's on Sunday. For an hour, I just got to switch my brain off... and it was glorious. This is the kingdom in a story she and I have been working on for years. So I was escaping in more ways than one! I'll do a closeup soon!
• Mexican Pumpkin Candle. When my sister Katy told me these were buy one get one at World Market this week, I was out the door immediately. Looks and smells like fall! Isn't the tin wonderful? 
• Letters from friends. With 'Happy Autumn!' written on the envelope? The loveliest!

And with that, I'm tucking in with this week's lullaby, "Know Me Well" by Roo Panes.

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• Honeycrisp Apple. I'm pretty sure I could have bought a small country for the price of three honeycrisps, but I'm also sure it was totally worth it. Tastes like fall! Eeeeeep!
• Chocolove Orange Peel in Dark Chocolate. This is not what resisting temptation looks like.
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I'm so embarrassed to admit this, but... I've never read these books. Trust me, it pains me more than it pains you! But with the ever-so-slight turn to cooler weather, that magic of autumn, I just had to let this world be a part of it. I've just started The Magician's Nephew and every line is like taking a bite of Turkish delight for the very first time. I'm in love. 
• Marshmallow Fireside Candle. So many fall scents are crazy overwhelming with all their spices, but this is sweet and light. A very pleasant surprise.
• Que Bella Mud Mask. Planning on using this the next time I draw a bath (tomorrow night? *fingers crossed*). But yeah. Teatree and witch hazel? It sounds like something from a fantasy novel! So naturally, I snatched it up. I'll let you know how it is!

I put this song on first thing almost every morning, but it's also in heavy rotation at night. Really it could count as every week's lullaby, but this week I'm finally letting you in on it. "Raising Cain" by Gregory Alan Isakov. It'll change your life.

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• Soft Moleskine Ruled Journal. As I recently told you, life's been a little crazy lately. So I've been documenting all these changes like mad. Still a long way to go yet, but I love the process. I've always been partial to these journals; this one's my... fourth? fifth? I love cramming them full of everything from movie tickets to fortunes and general paper-y clutter.
• iTunes Gift Card. I've definitely been in a musical funk recently, but after this vacation... ahhhh!!!! Inspiration! Must buy all the songs!!!!!
• Fighter Plane Gummies. These were part of the welcome bag for out-of-towners at my friend Danielle's wedding. I mean, she just married an Air Force pilot, so these are pretty perfect, right? Also... I just ate them all while writing this blog post! I'm a little hyper!!!!
• Pineapple Crush Candle by Tyler Candle Company. My friend Anne gave this to me for my birthday last week. How sweet! No really, it smells really sweet! The scent lingers long after it's lit and I really like that, I must say. Plus it smells like her place and makes me think of her, which is also nice.
• Maybelline Baby Lips Grape Vine. I know, I know... But I'm obsessed with these! At first the deep purply shade scared me off, but really it goes on like balm and doesn't make a glaring difference in my lip color. It's just lovely and smells good too!

Thanks to my handy iTunes card, most of the music I've purchased recently has been upbeat pop. So lullabies are few and far between this week. If I had to choose one, I'd say it's probably "The One You'll Find" by Shane & Shane... Actually that one's upbeat too! Ah well. Sadly I can't find a link to the whole song anywhere, so you'll just have to trust me... and download it! I wouldn't lead you astray, I promise.

What's on your nightstand these days?

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• Howl's Moving Castle. This is one of the first films I saw when I first moved to Baltimore, thanks to a glowing recommendation from my cousin, and I've been looking for my own copy ever since. So when my friend Sarah showed up on my doorstep with it as an early birthday gift, I STARTED SCREAMING! Best!! This story has my heart; everything from the plot to the character flaws to the visuals and voices are golden. I've had this on in the background as I pack my bags tonight and I've been swooning over the score like mad!
• Kate Spade Gold Doodles Pen Necklace. I've been a sucker for Joan's style on Mad Man since the moment she graced the screen. So naturally, I couldn't resist splurging on a gold pen necklace like hers a while back. This is one of my few staples and I've been giving it some unabashed favoritism this week.
• Tazo Organic Apple Red Tea. I don't know why this stuff is so hard to find up north, but my mom is constantly bringing boxes of this to me whenever she visits me up here. The pesky cold weather is hanging on for dear life, so I'm still indulging in a cup every night. This taste will never get old! It makes me think of home...
• Salted & Roasted Peanuts With Shells. There's just something the process of snapping the peanuts out of the shells that makes me enjoy them so much more! Oh man... makes me want to go to a Braves game! *tomahawk chop*

And the lullaby this week? "Shoot the Moon." I can't tell you why, but I've been on the biggest old school Norah Jones kick recently. The whole Come Away With Me album is so comforting, I just want to melt under my covers and... zzzzz...

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall. I picked up this middle grade novel on my last library run after hearing nothing but complimentary things about it. This tale about four sisters on their summer vacation certainly has its charm. Their camaraderie and bickering takes me back to trips crammed in the back seat with my two sisters like it was yesterday; each relationship is vivid and unique to the next. I particularly love the youngest, Batty, who goes everywhere in butterfly wings. I'm determined to like this novel, but it's a bit more slow-going than I'd prefer having just hit the halfway point.
• B'more Bill's Dills Fire Garlic Pickles. Halle-frick-frackin'-lujah farmer's market has returned and with it the pickle man and the best sear-your-tongue-off pickles in town! Stand back, because my mouth's basically a flame thrower!  I'm obsessed with these. Obsessed. I swear I go through a pint a week, crying as I try to eat them in quick and very unwise succession. When I was a kid, I used to ask for pickles for dessert. Now that I'm older, there is no ask; just do!
• Come To Bed Red Butter Nail Polish. Moonlighting as a barista, I'm not allowed to wear nail polish... but they didn't say anything about my toes! I've been lusting after Butter nail polish for what feels like an era and my sister Katy just treated me to this bottle in anticipation of The Great Gatsby (Gatsbyyyyy!!!!). Ah! She knows me so well. This gorgeous shade of red has ousted all the others for the top spot, reigning over all my other reds. It's so quality, I feel like quite a flapper!
• Mayura Headband. Thanks to my handy birthday-month coupon from Anthropologie, I was finally able to splurge on this just in time for my friends' Gatsby party this weekend. I'm so delighted to have this in my collection of, you know, four other headbands! Honestly though, I think this is a piece I will treasure for a long, long time; the color goes with so much, it easily dresses up an outfit, and it's just fun. I can't wait to wear it to the premiere this Friday!
• Strawberry Lemonade Crystal Light Liquid. A few squirts of this stirred into a glass of water and you've got yourself a refreshing and calorie free treat for spring. Yum!

You may call my lullaby this week a cheesy cliché, but I don't care! Not a smidge. I've had "The Book of Love" by Peter Gabriel on repeat, clutching at my heart like I'm hearing it for the first time over and over. But I can explain! I'm in my dear friend Daneille's wedding next weekend and am going to another after that... Ahhh wedding season! I've got love on the brain. So naturally I'm thinking of the best proposal video in the whole wide universe and weeping freely over it just thinking about it! Ugh. This song plays at the end and... and... *sob*...*pats splotchy face dry*...*replay*...*sob*... etc. What's your lullaby this week?

Sweet dream, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• Moisturizer Green Apple ChapStick. I kid you not, I keep one of these everywhere. There's one at the desk, one in every jean pocket, for each purse, under the bed, on the bed, on the windowsill, and on the nightstand. It's smooth and yummy, to be sure. But I have a sneaky feeling that my obsession with it derives from the apple flavored lip gloss reference in McFly's "Little Joanna," which is one of my favorite songs. And I don't mean favorite in the same way everything's my favorite. I'm talking top 5 favorite and, thus, mega influential. Obviously!
• Eiffel Tower Forever 21 Necklace. How much can you love a piece of jewelery that cost less than $2? I'll tell you: beaucoup! I'm wearing this all the time these days. Tout le temps! As if I really needed a visual to get me France-asizing... *le sigh*
• Salted Caramel Pretzel Skinny Cow Bar. Ice cream? Chocolate? Salted caramel? Pretzels? Suffice it to say that I spend at least 67% of my day in heart-fluttery anticipation of this nightly treat.
• Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver. Trying to be more proactive about reading more of the genre I'm interested in writing most, I picked up this middle grade novel at the urging of a friend. It feels like it's been a while since I really liked a book (two months is a long time in book years, okay?), but by the end of the first paragraph, I was hooked. I can't put it down! The writing style is precisely what I aspire to. It's warm, but not too rich, and the way the author shows you things instead of telling you is remarkable. I find myself scribbling down her delightful turns of phrase right and left and the three main characters leave me feeling like I've got a gooey center rather than ribs and assorted organs. Looking forward to reading much more from this author!

'Dreamy' is the word I most associate with my lullaby du jour, "Come Back When You Can" by Barcelona. Their whole Absolutes album goes hand-in-hand with one of my stories, but this song gets my daydreaming about it churning at full steam. And I'm not just saying that because I have an affinity for any song with "ohhhs" in the background... But it certainly doesn't hurt!

What's on your nightstand these days? Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

P.S. You might have noticed that there was no 'mardi muse' yesterday. Having just started a part-time job on top of my full-time job, I've decided that I just want these nightstand posts to be the scheduled weekly posts on this blog. Maybe that will change in the future, but that's the way it is for now. I will still be squeeing about fictional characters and obscure inspirations on a regular basis, though, never fear! xx

What's On My Nightstand

• Coco Before Chanel. It's very Twilight Zone using the English title... Anyway, I've been wanting to watch this exquisite film recently and yesterday I finally reached a point where I just need to calm a llama down. Maybe I fled to it because it has such an enchanting score (listen to it on a daily basis? moi?... oui!) or gorgeous scenery and costumes or the fact that the French language instantly puts me à l'aise or simply that I needed the kind of good yet devastating cry that only a period piece can deliver... But whatever it was, it did the trick. I'm just kidding. We all know it was Alessandro Nivola speaking French! I mean... bonjour!
• Elastic Hair Thingamabobs. I may not know what they're called, but I have pledged my allegiance to them for over a year now! This is all I use for working out these days. No more bands busting on me in the middle of a run, no sir! Sadly they can be a bit expensive in my local boutiques. But just when I was going to crack and splurge on another one, my friend Jennifer sent me a boatload! I shrieked. I shrieked over elastic hair thingamabobs! You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty!
• Macadamia Nut Hershey's Kisses. Did you know they had these? Did you? Did you?!?! Well I did. Just one of many perks of having a pilot for a dad! But I warn you-- a moment on the lips, forever in a daydreaming vortex of sunny days spent watching your exquisi-cute surfer boyfriend Kai out on the waves as you perfect impossible-to-shake-your-hips-that-fast hula dance moves on the beach.
• Play Date Essie Nail Polish. After months and months of holding the must-have-all-the-colors monster at bay, I finally broke down in Dallas the other weekend and snatched this up. I've been eying it for ages and I've got to say, I don't feel guilty for caving at all! This is just a fun springy shade and I'm going to be using it non-stop.
• Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil. I'd describe how wonderful this tinted balm is, but I'm too busy pursing my lips together... mmm...

Like I said, I've been in dire need of anything and everything that can get me to chill out this week. So I've been running with arms outstretched to my lullaby of the week, Needtobreathe's soulful "Washed By The Water." I'm talking on a constant loop. Whenever I start to FREAK OUT, I pull out this puppy like a good old-fashioned tranquilizer gun. Bam! Instant calm. I think I might need to have another listen right now, actually...

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. I have been slowwwwly chipping away at this since New Year's. I just have a very difficult time reading non-fiction and chapters on things like marriage and kiddos made it all too easy to leave it to the dust bunnies. But now I've gotten to topics like taking time to be silly, starting collections, and being generous to friends, so I've been reaching for it a lot more often this week. 
• Maybelline Baby Lips Pink Wink Lip Balm. I got this on a whim the other day and ohmahgosh what did I ever do without it? It goes on like chapstick, but has enough of a sheer pink tint to make me feel like I'm making an effort. Ha. I might be in serious danger of running back and buying every single shade! But who am I kidding? I have foreseen it!
• Red Enamel "Take A Bow" Kate Spade Ring. This is probably my happiest outlet purchase to date. Not only do I have fun memories of that day, but, hello, I'm a Kate Spade junkie and it was less than $20. I've taken to wearing this on my lefty middle finger recently as my righty ring finger is otherwise preoccupied with yet another Kate Spade ring... Oopsies! Anyway, I've gotten a lot of compliments on this one this week, so here it is!
• Fresh Dates. You know what I buy in bulk at Costco? Dates. Weird, I know. But I suffer from chronic sweet tooth syndrome and they make for the perfect substitute to the bag of chocolates hidden away in my desk drawer. They're so sweet naturally, they kick the craving like it's nothing and I don't feel guilty after answering their siren call. That being said, I've been known to go out of control eating these in the past, so I do have to portion them out and throw the container back into the refrigerator before I take a little bowl upstairs.
• Le Cupcake Graphique Stationery. My best friend Ali gifted this set to me a while ago and I still use it all the time. She and I daydream of opening our own bakery one day (complete with a music venue in the basement and a suite for guests upstairs, of course, because we're realists) and that thought always puts a smile on my face whenever I pull it out and see that cupcake with all the flavors listed in français. Anyway, I've been trying to make a conscious effort of being more proactive about sending little notes to friends and family lately. Because I love a lot of people and I dwell on that a lot on my own, but it's important to say these things!

Ever since NaNoWriMo, I've had a much harder time with songs with lyrics. That's how used to getting in the zone and writing with reckless abandon with a movie score in the background I was. It just became the norm. This week has seen me revert back into that a bit more again. So this week my lullaby has been Christophe Beck's "The Spigot" from Under the Tuscan Sun. Oh... oh the sun-kissed and sunflower-lined dreams this conjures up! Does anyone else fancy a trip to the Italian countryside right about now? I have a bottle opener, so I'd say we're all packed and ready to "buongiorno!"

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• Fat Spike Lavender. My mom and I dote on the South of France like crazy. We've made such great memories there and some of our favorite stories like A Good Year take place there as well. So when we saw a little stand at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market packed with "lavande! lavande!" she was very quick to snap one up for me. I've still got to re-pot it and figure out how to take care of it, but it already smells lovely. Here's hoping one day soon we'll return to Provence and finally get to see the lavender in bloom!
• Coral Ambition Color Whisper Maybelline Gel. It was only last week that I dared to branch out on the lip color bandwagon. Truth be told, I still feel a bit shy about it, but this is a nice just-a-hint color that I'm liking. It's more translucent that I anticipated, but still a keeper.
• Neutrogena Hand Cream. While it seems we've abruptly shifted into summer weather here in Baltimore, my poor hands are still recovering from winter. This is a definite must and you really only need just a dab, just like the bottle says.
• Dove Dark Chocolate Promise. Presented without commentary.
• Kindle Keyboard and Fabric Cover. I never thought I'd invest in one of these, absolutely never. But you see... whenever I travel, half of my library magically winds up packed away in my suitcase because, "I don't know what mood I'll be in!" For the indecisive, choosing books for travel is like choosing between fictional boyfriends; you hate to play favorites and create even more drama by failing to do so. So I broke down and got a Kindle last summer and went straight to Etsy for a non-generic case to keep it cozy. Right now I'm reading and seriously loving The Secret Garden! Confession: to date, I've only read free books on my Kindle... Oopsies!

And why is my lullaby du semaine "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" by Ella Fitzgerald, you ask? It's rather sad and not at all spring-y. Well, the closest I can come up with is that a not-as-good version of it plays in the newer version of The Parent Trap and my ultimate dream in life is to spend rainy days holed up in the ivy-covered château on my someday vineyard with my plaid-wearing scraggle muffin lover man. And I've been daydreaming a whole lot recently... mmm... I don't know! The connection sure makes sense to me! Which songs have you daydreaming lately?

Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

P.S. I'm not blazing through a book a week, just so you know! I'm a slow reader and, unfortunately, very recently a book juggler... New habits die hard!

What's On My Nightstand

• Writing Irresistible Kidlit by Mary Kole. Look what the Easter Bunny brought me! By the way- plot twist!- in this scenario, I am the Easter Bunny. I only recently discovered Mary Kole's blog and am wondering what on earth I did with all my time before. So I've just started chipping away at this and am completely nerding out over every little detail.
• Feelin' Hot-Hot-Hot! OPI nail polish. Ok, perhaps the cheesiest nail polish name ever (seriously, where do I apply for that job?), but I always like to go with something loud and obnoxious when I have a race coming up. And how could I not go with pink for the cherry blossoms?
• iPod Shuffle. I can't stand arm bands for my iPhone or main iPod, so this tiny gizmo is a huge life saver! I'm jamming this little sucker full of One Direction to pump me up for my first-ever 10 mile run this weekend. I'm thinking I'm going to have "One Way Or Another" play every ten minutes to help pace myself. Hey, whatever works! Also... eeeeee!!!
• 100 Calorie Jolly Time Popcorn. I don't know what it is, y'all... But I have this weird thing where I've got to have a certain snack with a certain TV show. I've started watching Parenthood (side note: ZOMG CRYING!!!) and this has inexplicably become the go-to snack for it.
• San Antonio Starbucks Mug. Everyone in my family collects the 'you are here' mugs from Starbucks, but we have this rule where you can't get the mug unless you've actually visited the place. My roommate just got back from a trip to Texas and I love Texas and I love these mugs and she just surprised me with this! It's so cute and not the typical city design, so I'm not going to confess the decibel at which I squealed when she pulled this out. Too cute to drink from? Howdy ho, I think so! For tonight at least...

As for lullabies, this week Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors have been singing me to sleep with "Live Forever." I first heard this song when they opened for Needtobreathe at Ram's Head Live last fall and it made quite the impression, I must say!

Well, there you have it! Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. My dear friend Mariah gifted this to me way back during NaNoWriMo and now I'm completely stumped as to why I didn't dive into immediately after that hellish month was over. I've been juggling a few books recently and nothing's really stuck, so I finally picked up this little gem, and it's right up my alley! I'm loving the dollops of description, whimsical character names like Wiggins and Miss Heliotrope, and enchanting 1940s writing style that brings I Capture the Castle to mind. Hmm... it seems my favorites often have both Mariah's and J.K. Rowling's stamps of approval!
• Gunner's Tea Bags. The perfect compliment to my current read! Isn't the ribbon bag darling? The Eastern Shore Tea Company always has a nice bit of art to go with their foil wrapped tea bags. Apple tea like this is always a win in my book, but their Starry Night tea is still my personal preference.
• Fitbit One. I was a bit skeptical when my aunt gave me a fitbit, but I was an addict before I knew it! It's so much more than a pedometer and I have an irrational attachment to mine. Which is why I completely freaked when mine broke. Luckily, their customer service is excellent and they replaced my Ultra with this new model just in time for my Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run next weekend! Phew!
• Cadbury Mini Eggs. Argghhhh!!!!! Would I could quit you! Out of all the holiday candy in the entire world, these are my ultimate Achilles' heel... Get this bag away from me!
• Sugar Daddy Essie nail polish. This subtle yet shimmery pink is quickly becoming one of my neutral go-tos.

And, of course, no nightly routine would be complete without a little lullaby for comfort. This week I've been turning to "Little Bird" by The Weepies. 

What about you? Whether it's your nightstand, a lullaby, or both, I'd love for you to share! Sweet dreams, moonbeams!

What's On My Nightstand

• My Mom's Chex Mix. It seems whenever she gives this stuff to me or my sisters, we ration it out so it lasts as... long... as... hu...manly... possible. Sure the recipe's on the side of the box, but I'm convinced it wouldn't taste the same if I made it myself!
• Bullish on OPI nail polish. I'm perpetually on the hunt for that perfect shade of red. This is the closest I've come so far.
• I'm with Lucy. Fate threw this movie into my path back in high school. I ask you, why does no one know about this movie?! I swear the only people who've seen it have done so at my insistence. You spend the whole movie guessing which of her five blind dates she ends up marrying and they start being weeded out halfway through. A little quirky and a lot entertaining, this is the film that brought Henry Thomas crashing into my existence. Ughhaahhhhdkjfslj!!!! To this day, I say his grand gesture is one of the grandest of any I've ever seen in a chick flick! *hand-over-heart-the-entire-scene*
• My First New York. This weekend my sister Katy gave me this collection of 2-5 page stories from some of the city's most well known residents and it's been an absolute breeze. Think Paris je t'aime (yes, I realize there's a New York, I Love You, but it lacked that je ne sais quoi) except real-life tales spread from 1933 to the present. My favorite so far has been Liza Minnelli's, which is rather like a fan flail.
• Odd and the Frost Giants. This is the first book I've ever read by Neil Gaiman and I'm just wondering whatever took me so long. His writing style is simple and fluid yet oh so fantastical. A real sucker for anything related to Thor and especially Loki, I'll be finished with this one in two shakes. 

Thanks to my recent fixation on Rise of the Guardians, and perhaps a string of Edith ugly cries, this week's lullaby is none other than the comforting "Still Dream" by Renée Fleming, which plays during the credits. My heart... cannot handle it. Which is why I have it on infinite repeat as I lie curled in the fetal position, hugging my stuffed animal. Vraiment. 

What's On My Nightstand

As a self-professed and scientifically proven (if only through the number of episodes of Doctor Who I can crank my way through in the late hours) night owl, I feel most creative when the rest of the world is winding down. So by default, the things that pile up on my nightstand tend to be the best indicators of my mood or taste du jour. This week I've got...

• The Paris Wife by Paula McLain. This has been on my list ever since I read Hemingway's A Moveable Feast, which is one of my favorite books in the world. I'm only eight chapters in so far, but I'm a bit lovestruck. I often refer to Paris as the love of my life, so any story that opens with "Though I often looked for one, I finally had to admit that there could be no cure for Paris" is going to have my heart.
• Scottish dialect coasters. When I was 21, I interned in Edinburgh for the summer and I simply couldn't leave that magical place without investing in a few of these at the welcome center by the Princes Street Gardens. I've always got one or two floating about. Galoot means bumbling fool or awkward and clumsy, in case you were wondering! Aren't they fun?
• EOS Organic Lip Balm. I'm using sweet mint at the moment and absolutely loving it, but I've got my eyes peeled for honeysuckle.
• Kate Spade Ivonne Eyeglasses. I've been wanting a new pair for ages and when I saw these in tortoise saffron... Sold!
• Chocolove Toffee & Almonds in Milk Chocolate. Though more of a dark chocolate purist, I'm kind of glad my Whole Foods was sold out. This is the most divine companion to a little late night reading.

And what are a few evening essentials without a lullaby? Tonight Al Lewis will be singing me to sleep with "Make a Little Room," which was recommended to me by my sweet friend Katie. Ah! She knows me so well!

What's on your nightstand? Sweet dreams, moonbeams!