My latest blog post...

Quoted: I know — you’re never supposed to say never, and there’s a chance I’ll eat my words. But this cooking from scratch experiment taught me about certain foods that I’ll probably always buy readymade, and other foods that I’ll *probably* never buy again. Strong words, eh?

Smart idea...

Quoted: Many people greeted the recent news that several major retailers are going out of business by pondering what this means for the broader U.S. economy. Those people make more money than I do. Big bankruptcies mean big sales, and for me, the timing couldn't have been better.

LOL, the commercials for the commemorative Obama plate crack me up.

Quoted: Obama ties—and thongs? Please stop the merchandise madness.

LOL, I love Slate. Apparently it's harder than you'd think to drop $150K on clothes...

Quoted: On Wednesday, we learned from Politico that the Republican National Committee had spent $150,000 on clothes and accessories to outfit Sarah Palin and her family. Whoa, I thought. Now that is a whole lot of flag pins. So, what kind of campaign duds would a cool 150 grand actually buy you?

My friend Talia edited this book! It sounds fascinating, and the author was featured on the Today Show this morning!

Quoted: How much do we know about why we buy? What influences our decisions in today’s message-cluttered world? An eye-grabbing advertisement, a catchy slogan, an infectious jingle? Or do our buying decisions take place below the surface, so deep within our subconscious, we’re barely aware of them?

Good to know!

Quoted: A few months ago, I visited the optometrist for an eye exam, and, as usual, the doctor found that I'd grown still-more nearsighted and needed a new pair of glasses. This time, I wasn't going to fall for it. I'd been reading about a surprising new online business—prescription eyeglass shops that claim to offer well-made glasses at extremely low prices.

Check it out! My best friend Rachel's beau just wrote a novel - my copy's on its way... I know you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this one looks really cool.

Quoted: A film director has a nervous breakdown, checks himself into a mental institution, and meets the inspiration for his next film.

I'm doing a story on barista/coffee culture in Seattle and one of my interviewees (a coffee consultant) recommended this book - looking forward to reading it! I love books that tell history through the lens of a specific food or item.

Quoted: Stewart Lee Allen is the Hunter S. Thompson of coffee, offering a wild, caffeinated, gonzo tour of the World of the Magic Bean. His wry, adventurous prose delights, astonishes, amuses, and informs.

Weird! Man, kids' toys keep getting stranger and stranger...

Quoted: Products like Webkinz are not my thing. At first glance, they seem to be a cunning and more commercial version of old-fashioned stuffed animals. Each bear or tiger comes with its own code, which its kid caretaker enters into the Web site. Next, the kid decorates his pet's house by earning points in inane game-playing followed by even more inane shopping. And voilà, there you are, fighting with your 8-year-old about screen time.