Listen & Love: The Lumineers.

I don't often post about music on Sho & Tell, mainly because the bulk of what I listen to is forty-plus years old: the Who, Led Zeppelin, the Velvet Underground. Every once in a while, though, I come across a song that's too good not to share, and "Ho Hey" by The Lumineers falls into that category, without a doubt. It's fresh, light-hearted, sweet as pie. 

Have a listen for yourself:

Heard anything lately that you've loved? Do tell!

Clockwise from top left: unknown (please share if you know the photographer), Mark Sink, Jason Tang.

Stop Worrying & Eat More Cake.

...if you say so! This morning, I'm loving these sugary words of wisdom, this cultured cat, and this gentle reminder to stop worrying and start doing more of what makes us happy - eating cake, for instance (kind of reminds me of this wonderful quote).

Speaking of happy things, what are you up to this weekend? I'm looking forward to attending two brunches - one indoors and one at the park - and spending time with my niece (she's three and one of the funniest people I know).  I'd also love to kick back with a book or catch a movie - have you seen any good ones lately?

See you next week! 

Sweet Thing: S'more Bakery.

Ever since posting about the Kitchy Kitchen's S'meaches recipe earlier this month, I've had s'mores - or, more specifically, fancy s'mores - on the brain. So, naturally, my heart skipped a beat when I spotted the S'more Bakery stand this past weekend at Smorgasburg, an outdoor food flea market in Williamsburg.

By this time, I'd already downed a lobster roll and an enormous passion fruit doughnut (what a breakfast!), but I couldn't help myself - I ordered the Salted Sailor, which substitutes salted caramel for chocolate,

and the more traditional S'morgasm, which marries a bourbon-Madagascar vanilla marshmallow with semisweet chocolate ganache and two homemade honey graham crackers. 

Both delicious. Even after all that snacking, I could have easily had a third (S'more Bakery's full menu features peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut, and coconut varieties, as well as a large selection of flavored marshmallows - I'm curious about the Earl Grey). Or maybe I'll give gourmet s'mores a try at home - I'd welcome any excuse to whip up a batch of these again!

Read more about S'more Bakery, here.

Paintings & Planters.

Etsy shop Scarlett BF stocks a colorful collection of hand-painted creations, including bottle stoppers, jewelry, a tiny terrarium flamingo, and the coolest flower pots on Earth (words I never thought I'd say).

My favorite's the one covered in paint splatters ("A gang of butterflies? A gummy bear crime scene?" the shop owner speculates), but really, they're all pretty hard to resist.

Shop more, here.

Very French Gangsters.

Say hello to the world's most adorable outlaws (and models for children's eyewear company Very French Gangsters). Those pouts, those poses, that attitude - tres chic. The middle one cracks me up - and the third one reminds me a little bit of myself!

Hope you all had a marvelous weekend. Mine was a culinary whirlwind: a lobster roll and passion fruit doughnut for breakfast Saturday, followed by octopus, chickpeas, and olive oil cake for dinner. Then I kicked off Sunday at Roman's with another doughnut, fresh ricotta cheese, and salted dark chocolate sorbet (my favorite). Aren't weekends the best?

Happy Monday!

Via Honestly WTF.

Reminders.

For the weekend, three exquisite reminders via letterpress company Acorn and Whale:

What are your plans the next couple of days? I'm going shopping for vintage dresses, catching up with one of my oldest friends, and trekking to Fort Greene for these delicious doughnuts.

I hope you all have a wonderful, restful weekend - thank you so much, as always, for reading!

Likes.

A few random "likes" to kick off this cool, cloudy Thursday: minimalist birdhouses (for hip birds, obviously),

eco-friendly coffee cups (found thanks to Joy),

"retro jumping shoes,"

and this cooler-than-cool Coachella ensemble.

Oh, and I loved reading your comments from yesterday - thank you to all who shared travel memories and wishlists! I'm feeling very inspired. Have a wonderful Thursday.

Worldly Works.

The summer before I graduated college, I traveled to southern India to spend a month interning at a music magazine. It was the first time I'd taken a trip without my family, and I was terrified - as the plane touched down in Bangalore, I contemplated turning right back around and going home. But as you can probably guess, I didn't, and I'm so grateful for that. I had the time of my life. Toward the end of my stay, I remember thinking,  I could do this forever. As long as I can travel, I'll be the happiest person alive. 

Travel's been on my mind a lot these days; I daydream constantly about my next big trip. I've always wanted to return to India (in four weeks, I barely made a dent), but I'd also love to stroll the streets of Marrakech, sample Spanish seafood, see the padlocks of Paris - the list could go on and on. These watercolors, by the Sketching Backpacker, are only fueling the wanderlust.

What's your favorite travel destination? And where are you going next?

More from the Sketching Backpacker, here. Found via NotVentures.

Sweet Thing: La Churreria.

A churro, for me, conjures many happy memories of summer: waiting in line under the blistering sun at Disneyland; sitting bare-legged in the grass at the neighborhood park, dusting sugar off my knees. Years later, now an adult, my churro consumption has dropped considerably. But yesterday, as temperatures in New York City climbed over 80, a visit to Nolita's La Churreria brought all these sweet memories flooding back, and then some. 

Here, in addition to tapas and Spanish sandwiches, you can order churros dipped in hot chocolate, coated in chocolate, or stuffed with your choice of three fillings. Here's one, sprinkled with sugar and filled with crema. Like a naughty distant cousin to the humble cream puff, it'd make an indulgent, show-stopping breakfast.

Here's another, oozing dulce de leche. Is there any way on earth this could possibly be bad?

I topped out at these two yesterday, but next time I'm in the neighborhood I'm looking forward to sampling the rest. Here's to the beginning of a beautiful summer. 

Visit La Churreria's website, here.

Curious Coloring.

I'm such a fan of these offbeat coloring books by ilustrator Elizabeth Graeber. (Elizabeth is also the creator of "An Illustrated Guide to Cocktails," which I love, as well.) I mean, when was the last time you saw a coloring book of obscure plants? 

Of coffee?

Of salt and pepper shakers?

See more, here .

Oh, and speaking of off-the-wall Etsy finds, remember these amazing children's slippers from a while back? Apparently they're now available for adults. Be still my heart.

Pinhead.

Pins that have caught my eye lately include two classy canines, a very happy birthday cake, and my favorite Mad Man (Don Draper, who?).

Clockwise, from top left: Andy Warhol photo by William John Kennedy; white dog photo by Rafal Milach; birthday cake photo via Sparkles and Pretending; John Slattery photo by Sebastian Kim for GQ; lemon poppy seed mini doughnuts by the Novice Chef; Ruca Bean Yates-Mora photo by Sarah Yates.

Find me on Pinterest, here. Have a lovely weekend!

Cleverly-Crafted Cardboard.

Who knew that out of plain old cardboard, it was possible to construct a Polaroid camera?

A pendulum clock that really works?

A handsome pair of men's dress shoes? (Custom orders available!)

I was inspired to search for these cardboard curiosities (all available on Etsy) after seeing "Caine's Arcade," a ten-minute film that's received a ton of web attention this week, and for good reason. I watched it this evening and was so impressed, I had to repost it here in case any of you out there haven't seen it yet. It's most definitely worth a watch - I guarantee it will brighten your day.

Learn more, and donate to Caine's Scholarship Fund, here. Film by Nirvan Mullick.

Flowers, Flats, and Felines.

Oh, ban.do. Season after season, there are just no words. I've added my favorites from the latest collection - pictured below - to my summer shopping list, which also includes ballet flats in every color (perfect for warm weather frolicking), vintage silk scarves (so I can try this), and this kooky tank top, (just because).

What's on your list? See more from ban.do's spring/summer collection, here.

Photos by Max Wanger.

S'Meaches.

Marshmallows, peaches, a roaring campfire, Johnny Cash: these "S'Meaches" - dreamt up by Claire Thomas of the Kitchy Kitchen - just blew my mind. Is it summer yet?

 

Claire's video is in the running for "Best Single Food Video" in Saveur's Best Food Blog Awards 2012. Like what you saw? Vote!

Photo and video via the Kitchy Kitchen.

Adventures in {SAKE}.

Four months ago, my sister-in-law, Margaux, and I were in Tokyo, visiting cat cafes and trying our darnedest to look like Harajuku girls - starting with our fingernails. This past week, in New York City, we decided to continue our Japan-themed adventures and enroll in a sake class at the Brooklyn Kitchen, a culinary shop and classroom space located in Williamsburg (once again, Course Horse made this process simple as can be).

It's a beautiful space. And look at all of the great classes they offer the rest of the month - I'm especially tempted by this one. 

Our instructor, Henry Sidel, formerly of Brooklyn Brewery and now the president of Joto Sake, guided us through the fundamentals of sake brewing, tasting, and pairing. I'd always assumed sake was meant to be served only with Japanese food. Apparently, I was wrong. Kimchi, whitefish, chorizo, cheese - the possibilities are seemingly endless (and endlessly delicious).

Over the course of two hours, we sampled nine different kinds of sake. Yes, nine. (Note the rosy cheeks.) My favorite? The Maboroshi Kurobako. At $200 per bottle, it was also the most expensive of the lot.

In the end, all that strenuous sipping paid off. The following night, at dinner with our family, we took the liberty of ordering a bottle of sake for the table. The verdict? Unanimous approval. Star students, if I do say so myself. 

A big thank you to the Brooklyn Kitchen, Joto Sake, and Course Horse. More from my adventure series, here. 

See you tomorrow!

Magnetic Monkeys.

Mesmerized by Kiyoshi Ookawa's portraits of Japanese snow monkeys...

...and feeling a bit like this guy this afternoon, after a long, hard week of culinary adventuring with this lovely lady (can't wait to share one of our adventures with you on Monday)!

What are your plans this weekend? Wishing you a lovely one.

Photo by Kiyoshi Ookawa via Colossal. 

Office Envy.

Behold, the office of Max, Bri, Michael, Steve, Emma, Brian, and Jonathan. Did you happen to see the tour over on Apartment Therapy yesterday? The full post's here, with photos by Bethany Nauert.

Makes me want to rethink my own workspace, below - it's looking a little lackluster in comparison (though I do have a framed print of a marmoset wearing a suit, resting atop a stack of books).

Maybe a hot pink map of the world is next? 

Outstanding Achievements.

When I was a kid, I loved paging through the "Guinness Book of World Records" - it was hours of entertainment. So, naturally, this series - by San Francisco artist Maria Forde - brings me back. I especially love the last one, of James Whale, who apparently holds a world record for kissing: 4,525 women in eight hours. Impressive.

So much more - including author portraits and priceless pearls of wisdom - on the artist's website, here.