Hump Day Happiness

     If you are the kind of person who saves wine for a special occasion or silk panties for an anniversary, than today's post is not for you... but if you regularly make margaritas because of, not despite of, it being Thursday or wear real pearls to the grocery store, than listen up... Today's post is on candles, mostly taper candles, and how happy they make me at the dinner table each night. With slow food, the entire meal becomes an event and giving it an added edge with crystal glasses, candles burning, great textures for your cloth napkins... it just encourages you to linger even more. Sure, we could catch American Idol or Biggest Loser on whatever nights they come on, or we could spend an hour with me cooking dinner (while the hubby plays with the pups in the backyard) and two hours lingering at the table talking and laughing together (let me recommend the soundtrack to The Big Chill as the perfect cooking and lingering music... I love it...). Here are a few that are on my list to purchase...

     Ana Candles are already a lust of mine and they have been on my "Ebay Saved Search" for six months or more (let me tell you, NO ONE is selling Ana candles on Ebay... boo). They run about $21 a pair and at the rate we go through candles (a set of tapers every two weeks) these are a little pricey for our blood... but I am going to splurge soon... very soon...

     I found these Hand Painted Robin's Candles on Ebay and my obsession with birds (my mom too, it's genetic... we buy bird everything) spills over into thinking these candles are perfect. Pretty sure I could paint my own candles, but these are so darn pretty, and at only $8/pair, who can beat that?

     These French Script Candles make me think of playing while drinking strong coffee and making blueberry pancakes on Sunday mornings while I let my main man sleep in for a few extra hours (yea, we don't have kids, we give in to little luxuries a lot... smile...) Also, super affordable and on Etsy as well, which always makes me happy to be supporting artists themselves, directly at the source...


     If you like scented candles (though not tapers) Yankee Candle is making a few strides... Yankee Candle used to make these "Beanswax" candles with two wick which meant they were not only made from soy, but also actually burned well as opposed to those huge one-wick wonders that Yankee Candle usually sells. They only came in a half dozen scents but Yankee Candle discontinued them stateside and overseas this past year. You can still find them floating around at discount stores (though I may have bought out my local T.J. Maxx of all of them last December... sorry about that...) but other than that, my excitement at a greener face to a cooperate company was short lived. I found these Yankee Candle Soy Wax Signature Tumblers online, but I haven't actually seen them yet so I am reserving judgement until I track one down...
   Anyway, tonight, light some candles, put out some crystal and linger until those wooden chairs make your butt hurt... than move to the couch and keep talking! Enjoy!

Hump Day Happiness

I found an amazing chocolate bar at Fresh Market last week and may have fallen in love... it is not your "everyday of the week" kind of chocolate, but for a decidedly indulgent afternoon treat (especially in the bathtub with a glass of wine and a stack of magazines) this one is my new favorite...

    I gave a bite to a friend and he said it tasted "like a cup of tea" but I think that was all of the orange flavour and spices that tickle your tongue... Really, it is amazing, it is organic... who could want for anything more? Hehehe...

    And though, I promise to avoid politics as much as possible on this blog, I did want to share this op-ed article with you all because of how much I love the author's conclusion... I don't know if we have to be paranoid about letting our children out to play in the public places of the world but how much better would it be for the entire family if we were out there playing with them?

"Sure, it would be nice to uncage New York's children so they can feel the ecstasy of free play. But it's no less fun if we watch over them. In fact, it might be more fun. Tag, you're it."

Enjoy tingling your tastebuds and engaging your mind... Happy Wednesday!
Photos courtesy of http://www.chocablog.com/

Hump Day Happiness

This past Friday night we attended The Hangout Beach, Music & Arts festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Though we got there a little late to enjoy the entire festival (those darn jobs holding us back from our weekends! ;P) we did catch the Zac Brown Band who had a real New Orleans jazz band on stage with them the whole night. I've always been fascinated by the power of live jazz, especially the improtu nature that creates so much of the music. Morbid as it may sound, I've always wanted to have a full New Orleans jazz band and a gospel choir to sing at my funeral, whenever that day may come! :) "Oh, When the Saints... Go Marching in.."

But I digress... the jazz band made my night and they played all the way out of the concert that night so I was able to catch these shots of them as they headed out. I have a special love for New Orleans (this past Mardi Gras I would get up early every morning and walk Bourbon Street for miles to photograph in the morning sunlight while everyone else slept off their Hurricanes until noon...) but the without the jazz, the Big Easy just wouldn't be the same. This Hump Day's Happiness is the music of the New Orleans jazz bands... download a bit onto your iPod (or whatever you have... buy a record, make a mixtape, etc.) and let yourself slip into the sunny South for awhile... I can almost taste the beignets now...

Hump Day Happiness

     Wednesday is upon us, "Hump Day" as we always called it in college, and to celebrate being halfway through the week I have decided to begin a tradition (we shall see how long she shall wave!) of sharing something that has made me happy this week and hopefully will do the same for you... a bit of mid-week indulgence, like lighting taper candles for a Monday supper or eating an entire red velvet cupcake in one sitting... or two cupcakes... with that delicious cream cheese frosting... Mmmmm... smile...

     So this week, our debut is... drumroll please... silk pajamas! I spent all day Tuesday home with my husband wearing only silk pajamas (I didn't even sleep in them... I got up, showered and then consciously chose to dress in pajamas for the rest of the day...) from sunrise til bed. Delightful. They are warm when you are chilly, cool when you are hot, and they make you feel divine, etheral and decadent as you float around the house, whether you are doing dishes or picking out paint colors for your bathroom. My pajamas are covered in giant hibicuis flowers in a variety of shades of sunset and were a splurge after a college breakup, but here are a few that I thought you might love and appreciate in your life...

Chi Silk Loungewear

A fair trade option with a chic Asian inspired top... you could totally have friends over and still wear these...

Organic Silk Satin Pajama Sets

This camisole top and bottom set is so pretty I may need to put this on my own wishlist for the future! I love the edging that looks like rose petals... sexy and adorable... score!

Pretty Plum Sugar
Gorgeous pajama sets and robes from a favorite Etsy seller... makes me want candlelight baths, hot tea & time to journal... simply divine...

The dreamer Satin Pajama

And because moderation is key in all things, even indulgence, here is a significantly less expensive option in satin from Victorias Secret... it is neither fair trade nor organic, but if you reduce your footprint elsewhere you can still splurge a little and share in the experience... Enjoy!

Photo (Header) from ultra-health.org