this moment

Film: Mammoth

Mammoth is a 2009 film directed by Lukas Moodysson, a Swedish filmaker.

Michelle Williams and Gael Garcia Bernal play a successful New York couple who seem to have it all- Their apartment is spectacular, they both have successful careers and they have a beautiful daughter whom they dote on, named Jackie.  

The film takes place in New York, Thailand and the Philippines- with breathtaking scenes in Thailand and the design and style of the NYC apartment is enviable. 

The cinematography is well done and the camera angles are well thought out and executed. 

The film is touted as a reflection on globalization but I think it it more of a commentary on working mothers and modern day slavery. 

The lead characters do an amazing job- I am a huge Michelle Williams fan and as a close observer of a medical professional think she captures her roll as and ER surgeon well.

Gael Garcia-

Well, it is the icing on the cake that he is an amazing actor. 

My review of Wendy and Lucy, a film with Michelle Williams

Things I Saw Thrifting

I have a running list of things I am looking for and love the rush of finding the perfect item.
Presently, I'm looking for seating: for my master bedroom and my monkeys rooms, curtains (I want to sew something using vintage fabric), I have BIG plans for mason jars and I will buy anything that I can bake bread in- mildly obsessed with making bread these days-
If you have not seen my 'how to' vlog on no-knead bread please check it out- here

Some things I saw:

I swear these are the same seats I used to sit on when I would ride the 'Red Rocket' to school in Toronto

Pretty sure I need something like this for somewhere

What a perfect cuddle seat! I can just picture the four of us on this!

That lion looks like he ate a mouse. 

A banana split chair

I love the idea of a telephone table- my grandmother had one of these- 

G-d knows I never sit and talk- Multi-task- what is this world coming to?!

Love this- It folds up to be 'small' and compact! 

Old- fashion luggage is so trendy as a home accessory- certainly with present day weight restrictions it would not be worth it's weight to use it for its intended purpose.  

I like the style of the first chair and the fabric of the second- They should get married. 

And I did BUY some things: 

We have NEEDED one of these forever and even though my youngest already ripped off part of the equator ("I couldn't help it mom") the monkeys really love this globe- I like that it has measurements, really spins, has tidbits of information, elevated mountain ranges and Israel.  

An Abacus- I need to learn to use it so I can teach the monkeys-

Oh you just wait- I'm going to jar the whole world up.

So in love with this vintage 1970's sheet- 

It looks as if it has barely been used, vibrant colors and not at all worn.

I'm going to make something amazing out of it!

Super Fast Delicious Appetizer

I put these appetizers together the other night when our friends the C's came over for dinner.

Like any good Polish-Jew I love bacon- it is my understanding that bacon is fattening so I sometimes buy Turkey bacon at Trader Joe's (I am in NO way implying it tastes like bacon). 

I also bought some dates and I happen to always keep cheese in my fridge- 

So I stuffed the dates with cheese, wrapped them in 'bacon' and called it fancy. 

Slice the date and scoop the pit out- stuff with cheese-

Cut the 'bacon' to size so it wraps around once with slight overlap

Stick a toothpick in it

Bake for 15 minutes at 350

These are my thrift store plates- still love them-

What is your favorite super fast appetizer? 

Bashert

On our ten year anniversary

Dr J and I don't celebrate Valentines Day- Never have, seems a bit redundant.  

When he leaves for work, before I wake up, he leaves me a note.  

When we lived in Detroit he would fill up my car with gas for me in the winter.

Now in the dessert he fills up my car for me in the summer.

We had a short courtship- less than a year before we were married. 

When we found each other is was bashert. 

We didn't wait, we didn't take time to figure it out- we were just grateful to have found each other. 

According to Jewish writings before a male child is born, a 'voice from heaven' announces who he will marry- bashert means 'it is meant to be'- fate or destiny. 

The word bashert can be used to refer to any kind of fortuitous good match, such as finding the perfect job or the perfect house, but it is usually used to refer to one's soul mate.

This poem is a favorite of ours:

On Marriage
 Kahlil Gibran
You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.


Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.


Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

I also relate marriage to the the lyrics of the Beyonce and Jay Z song Bonnie and Clyde:

She do anything necessary for him
And I do anything necessary for her
So don't let the necessary occur!

Russian Nesting Doll- Matryoshka Doll

Matryoshka dolls or Russian nesting dolls are made from a single block of wood.  

The first set was made in 1890 inspired by the Japanese Seven Lucky Gods- 

These dolls are common in many Eastern European countries.  I grew up playing with a couple of mini sets that I still have.  When I was in Russian I bought myself a set of The Beatles dolls and enjoy displaying them.

I decided to make this shirt for myself and used a similar technique to the 

Mola Design we did a few weeks ago-

I used this box from Poland as inspiration for my design.

Because of the hood on the back of the shirt I like to think of it as my secret matryoshka-