Drive-by post

     If you are interested at all in becoming a web designer, you have to pick up this publication. It is pricey, $14.99 an issue, but the info, tutorials and articles are so worth every penny. It is published in the U.K., so it has a very international perspective. I pick it up whenever I can afford it and sometimes, even when I can't. It also includes a CD with every issue that has tutorials, free brushes, graphics and more. What's not to love here? Web Designer, check it out.

Foodie Friday!

    If you live in TC or have plans to visit this year, you cannot miss a visit to 9 Bean Rows Bakery. Although I mentioned them before back in the winter, I have to give them another shout out, the offerings are that good. They are located on Front St., in a tiny little hole in the wall, and offer my favorite bread and croissants on the planet. Although they have several fabulous breads, but my newest fav is the sea salt and fennel, holy moly, it is to die for! I crave this bread all the time.

Warm croissants

I could eat an entire loaf with nothing but sweet cream butter, but it also makes brilliant grilled cheese sandwiches. The croissants are the lightest and butteriest I have ever had. The brioche loaf makes incredible french toast. AND, they are the nicest people, you never leave the bakery unhappy, even when they are out of your favorites (which happens if you don't get there early enough, they open at 7 a.m.).

Farm fresh eggs!

     The latest news? They just added a bit of seating and now offer espresso and coffee. One more thing, they also offer beautiful farm fresh eggs, many times gathered that morning, and they are also wonderful. Just remember, you must have some people to share with before you go in, because you won't leave without enough food for at least 4 people, trust me.
     Now about "Simply Cupcakes," the new cupcake shop that is only a few steps away. French buttercream melts in your mouth without being sickeningly sweet. It smells divine when you walk in and then the eye candy hits you and you feel woozy with delight. On any given day you can choose from at least 9 different cupcakes, all  look like little pieces of art.

Cupcakes for my birthday!

A typical display of the days offerings

     Some of the choices I've made include: Lemon Love, Raspberry Waltz, Black Tie, Cherry Royale, Snowball, Key Lime, Banana Cream, Blueberry Blast, Red Velvet, oh I could go on and on and on...Honestly, that little block of Front St. has become the most tempting and dangerous strip of downtown for me to drive by, or think about...

Guilty Pleasures...

     I admit it. I have guilty pleasures. Those things that you know you really shouldn't like/enjoy, but do anyway. Of course, I don't "do" guilt, so really they are what I would call guilty pleasures if I did do guilt. I read a wonderful book, "The Feminine Mistake," a few years ago and the author talks about guilt being a very unproductive thing and states that she doesn't "do" guilt, and I have adopted this as well. Nothing good comes from doing things out of guilt or from feeling guilty. If you are doing something nice or kind out of guilt, is it really that nice or kind? If you are carrying around guilty feelings, how is that helpful in your life? If you guilt someone into doing anything, is that ever a good thing? I don't think so, but that is my personal opinion. So, again, I don't "do" guilt. But I digress, forgive me.

     Back to guilty pleasures. A few of mine include the occasional romance novel (Julie Garwood or Johanna Lindsey), butter fried store-bought pierogies, Taco Bell steak supreme gorditas (don't judge me), Little Debbie gas station brownies, chocolate covered Twinkies (the local Kilwin's is really the main pusher here, I blame them), Cheetos (puffy or crunchy, I'm not picky) and Cracker Barrel's chicken dumplings (why, oh why?). Ok, that is all I am confessing to today. These things are not so good for my mind or body, so I don't have them often, but sometimes I just have to indulge. If you are in the mood to cook anything, make sure you check out my favorite foodie blog guilty pleasure, And All the Trimmings, photos to go with each recipe, I could hang out there all day.

Catching up

     So I haven't posted in several months. I guess I need to give a condensed recap ala Neil Patrick Harris' 2011 Tony Awards wrap up. Here goes...

Typography "Creative Grid" project

     Back in school, feeling cool, feeling fine learning web design. C#, Access, XML, everything was going swell. Throw in Type, I get the hype, letter forms do more than sell. Final projects and presentations, all precursors to end of year examinations. Studied hard, sleepless nights, passed my classes, scaled those heights. Took a week to recover, while being a  mother, end of year kid stuff, they had also had enough.

Ultrasound of my grandson!

Time to plan for my Navy son's arrival in June, along with his wife (carrying my grandson, who will be born soon!) End of year concerts, field trips and more, while planning two baby showers, what are mom's for? Spring came and went, hubby built raised beds, planted our garden and picked dandelion heads. Dandelion jelly did not want to set, so poured it on pancakes as syrup you bet. Son arrived with fanfare and joy, showers went well, can't wait for the new baby boy.

Tea Baby Shower

First shower theme was a tea fit for the queen, second shower theme was Star Wars BBQ like you've never seen. Cried when they left, my heartstrings pulled tight, but feeling much better, thanks to summer sunshine and light. Read "Hunger Games," and could not put it down, but also working on a JavaScript crown.

Star Wars BBQ Invite

Back in the kitchen, cooking away, new and old recipes wanting to play. Hubby got Bell's Palsy and gave me a scare, but is now on the mend and we hear it's not rare. Visits to and from my parents, they are too far I say, but thankful to have them in my life everyday. And just yesterday, we heard and saw pics, a bear was seen roaming our hood, I assume just for kicks.

Black bear wandering around our 'hood!

 
So that's the gist, a wrap up of sorts, my blog now returns to regular reports. Happy summer to you and to yours, from northern Michigan, where you'll find me enjoying mine, but of course!