fresh, summer produce

On Friday afternoon I headed to Rockwall to the Barking Cat Farm "off-the-truck" sale. Each Friday at 2 p.m., they transport a load of their freshly grown items to a random parking lot near the farm and allow the public to purchase directly. A sustainable, all-natural farm, Barking Cat grows fruits and veggies, flowers, and herbs. Depending on the season, you might find tomatoes, onions, radishes, or rosemary, among other produce. They also sell farm eggs, goat cheese, and free-range chicken. I purchased some baby carrots and 2 pounds of new potatoes and baby purple onions. Saturday night, I sauteed the carrots in some olive oil with a bit of sea salt. Not only were they full of flavor, but I felt good knowing I was supporting a local farm that's practically in my backyard.

three-legged dog, thy enemy

I woke up this morning to the joys of extreme muscle pain. I blame the three-legged-dog yoga pose. I hope the two of us can make friends because my poor biceps feel like a train ran over them.

centering myself

My last yoga class was seven years ago, and I used to be such a fan of its healing properties, the way my body feels after that final stretch, and the breathing and meditation. So I decided to take a class and drag Jen along with me. (It's always a good idea to have a good friend in tow when you're trying out a new place.) Luckily, we both loved it. It was a great session, mostly because the instructor was very good and she really worked us. I left feeling exhausted but so relaxed. Afterward, Jen took me to Green Papaya. Mmmm. There's nothing like a plate full of veggies and fish after a good workout. I had never been to this place, but it's definitely going on my list of favorite spots. Thank you, Jen, for being my yoga buddy. We're going to try to make it (at the very least) a weekly habit.

branching out

It's been three weeks now since the magazine went bust, and I've been diligently searching for jobs. In my quest, I've discovered a new kind of career move, one that I hope I will get a chance to do. I won't expound it now, since I'd like to wait and see if it pans out. But it's something I've grown quite excited about over the last week. I don't plan to give up writing and editing. I'm hoping I can continue those kinds of projects on a freelance basis and then perhaps return to it full time later. For now, I'm eager to try something completely new, something where I can utilize my word skills yet still challenge myself with something new and exciting. I'll post more as it all develops.

(I'm using the image above simply as an illustration of my "branching out" title. It was taken at the Kimbell.)

i love you, dallas

I love my fair city. It wasn't until I lived in London for a year that I realized how special Dallas was. If you're not from Dallas (or only visited for a day), you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. Because Dallas just isn't known for being spectacular. But the last decade has brought many spendid things to my city, adding to some already-fantastic bits of culture. I'd like to thank D Magazine for arousing my lust for Dallas today. I just completed the magazine's Best Things in Dallas poll, where they've randomly paired the best things about Dallas against each other (like the Nasher Sculpture Center vs. Snuffer's cheddar fries or The Arts District vs. The State Fair of Texas) and force indecisive residents like me into picking one over the other. Voting ends in a couple of weeks. I encourage all my Dallas buddies (past and present) to vote!

I love you, Dallas. Thanks for making me feel so at home.

light the way

Next purchase? A new chandelier or pendant for the dining room. If anyone has an opinion about the selections below, I'd appreciate it, because I'm leaning toward the expensive ones right now. And I need to think cheap(er).

Round Shade from Restoration Hardware

George Nelson pendant from Design Within Reach

Eden pendant from CB2

Marcel Wanders from Design Within Reach

an afternoon on porches

Sunday was Father's Day, which is always a pickle when you're married. Like Mother's Day, it's your obligation to visit both sets of parents. So the first part of the day was spent at the ranch with The Husband's fam, where we kicked back in rocking chairs and porch swings on the ranch house's wraparound porch (above). It was an incredibly hot day, close to 100 degrees, but sugary iced tea and a swirling ceiling fan kept us cool. Afterward, we headed to my parents' place. The evening was spent on another porch. This time, instead of a bright green pasture, we were gazing at the dull gray waters of Lake Ray Hubbard at County Line Bar-B-Q. Once the sun began to set, the breeze coming off the water was really quite nice, and my mango margarita made it even more comforting.