Barclays Premier League

The past couple of Saturdays, we've been getting up to watch soccer - and it's so fun. ESPN has been showing a match from the Barclays Premier League (club soccer from England). The teams are all about 100 years old and have incredible crests and fabulous sayings - like Liverpool's "You'll Never Walk Alone." Chelsea seems to always be one of the best. I like Arsenal because they usually have one or two of my Dutch players on the team. And Tony likes Blackpool because they're really bad but have great fans. Tune in Saturday morning!

More Bright Star

When I watched Bright Star last week, I "grabbed" some shots. I really love movies that are visually inspiring. I loved Fanny Brawne's (Abbie Cornish's) clothes. I also loved the furniture and architectural details. I would love to have this bedroom (in the first shot) - the curtains, the chair, the mirror...

Friday Featured Art: America Windows

Marc Chagall's America Windows are one of the most recognizable aspects of the Art Institute. (They were featured prominently in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.) They've been undergoing some extensive renovations, but they are schedule to be on display again soon!

Thursday Text: Bright Star

I recently watched Bright Star again. I really, really love it. (Even though it is heartbreaking.) So today's text is John Keats' poem from which the title was taken.

Bright star, would I were stedfast as though art--
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--
No--yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever--or else swoon to death.

Colin and Justin's Home Heist

A show that I like to catch on BBC America is Colin and Justin's Home Heist. On the show, these two designers take over and make over homes in Canada. They're pretty silly, but I like to see the end result (see below).

Flowers

I have decided that I can squeeze $5 out of the grocery budget each week for some fresh flowers. These roses are from WalMart - can you believe it? I bought the vase at a yard sale for either 25 or 50 cents, so the whole arrangement was rather inexpensive. (I went to get some more yesterday, and they didn't really have anything - I'll have to try again next week!)

NieNie's Basement

I just realized that Friday's post was my 500th. Hooray! So, did you see the remodel of NieNie's basement by Alice Lane? I really love this mirror - and the built-in bookcases.

Friday Featured Art: The Elgin Marbles

Beginning Monday I'll be taking two art history classes. I'm very excited. Today's featured art is a classic piece - literally. The Elgin Marbles are sculptures taken from the Parthenon during the early 1800s and transported to London. They are now part of the permanent collection at the British Museum. The museum is incredible, but the marbles were really one of my favorite things that we saw there last summer (when I took this picture).

Thursday Tunes: George Strait

Lately I've been listening to the George Strait 50 Number Ones CD. It's a great way to make the transition from summer to fall (which I'm sure will take another two months...). I really love George. This CD brings me memories of the last 15 years. Check Yes Or No makes me think of my high school boyfriend who was a cowboy and wished that he was George Strait. Carrying Your Love With Me marks the time when my late husband and I were dating and he went to Tennessee on his mission. And Run is a song that my husband Tony and I really love. Check it out here.

License Plates, Part 3

OK - I promise I'll stop with the license plates after this post, but I had to submit these three for your consideration. I like the character of Montana's, and I like that Alabama's says "Sweet Home Alabama."