Author: Lauren

Spring is coming!

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So it’s *only* mid-March. And I know it will *most likely* snow again in the coming weeks. But when I woke up the other morning the first thing I thought to myself was… “it’s coming.” Before I looked out the window, before I stepped outside, I could feel that feeling in the air—spring is coming. (This feeling may also be attributed to the loudly chirping birds that now accompany my alarm clock going off, but I refuse to be mad at these birds. I welcome the chirping birds. Keep it up, birds.)

Clevelanders are part of a special set of people that can look forward to spring like nobody’s business. In general, I am excited about getting OUTSIDE and not needing to add multiple layers to do so. In particular, I am looking forward to banishing my snow brush from the floor of my passenger seat to the trunk, riding my bike (preferably to an ice cream establishment), and ballet flats.

Here are a few books that put me in a “spring mood”:

secretgarden
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

anneofgreengables
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
I often reread books from my childhood if they were particularly special to me. The Secret Garden is already on-deck (= on my nightstand).

icapturethecastle
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

treegrowsinbrooklyn
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

roomwithaview
A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

-Lauren

Lauren’s Top Ten for 2014

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Here’s my top ten of 2014! I was surprised to find that most of them actually were published this year—this makes me feel unbelievably hip and with it, which is a strange and new sensation for me.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith
Detective Cormoran Strike is back in the second installment in this series. I love the main characters of Strike and Robin and am excited that seven books have been planned. I always like to imagine who would play the characters if a book became a movie. Strike is tough because I have such a clear picture in my head and it’s hard to find a match, but I think Robbie Coltrane comes closest. For Robin, I pick Felicity Jones.

The Secret Place by Tana French
Tana French is hands-down on of my favorite authors. I probably recommend her to friends more than any other author. Her latest doesn’t disappoint in the least.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler
I was so excited for Amy Poehler’s first book to come out in November. I think she’s absolutely hilarious and also appreciate her as a voice for women. Amy and Tina Fey will be hosting the Golden Globes together again this year and I. can’t. wait!

Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
I am big fan of HBO’s Girls and love Lena Dunham. Her writing is raw, honest, and funny—I was glued to the page.

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
In high school Tsukuru is one of a group of five very close friends. One day, suddenly and without explanation, he is informed that they can no longer speak to him. Years go by until he is encouraged to revisit his past, track down his former friends, and find answers.

The Martian by Andy Weir
This isn’t the type of book I would naturally gravitate towards and I was so pleasantly surprised! The main character, Mark Watney, is an astronaut stranded alone on Mars. He’s incredibly intelligent and amazingly has a sense of humor that prevails as he fights to survive. I don’t have to wonder who’d play Mark in a movie, as it has already been announced that Ridley Scott will direct the film version in 2015 starring Matt Damon.

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra
Spanning roughly a decade from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, this book follows a small group of individuals struggling during the hardships and turmoil of the Chechen Wars. There were single sentences that took my breath away, and the last 100 pages or so make for really incredible reading. One of the best books I’ve read in a while.

Miracles Now: 108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose by Gabrielle Bernstein
I enjoy Gabby Bernstein’s books and I think her latest is one of her best yet. I read this book straight through, but you could also flip to any page and read a single entry to take with you as you go about your day. We all need to find our inner hippie every once in a while.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Mystery in the form of creepy family secrets! Margaret is a young woman who spends her time working in her father’s antiquarian bookshop. One day she is contacted by a famous author she’s never met who wishes to finally tell her own story before she dies—and she wants Margaret to be her biographer.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
I somehow missed out on reading this classic until now. My only regret is that twelve-year-old-me didn’t have her chance. What a wonderful story! This is sure to be a book I go back to and read again.

-Lauren

Zoo babies!

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Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is one of my favorite places to visit! I’m lucky to have a pass, so limited time and inclement weather are never an excuse not to stop in and spend a little time with the animals. I’d been meaning to get to the zoo for the past couple of weeks and I finally made it this past Saturday to see one very special new addition, the baby orangutan.

Baby girl Merah (which means “red” in Bornean) was born to first-time mother Kera Wak on October 5 but only went on view to the public on November 6, after time in seclusion with her mother. Mommy was proudly cradling baby in their habitat in the Zoo’s rainforest. At one point she stretched out on her back and pulled the baby up under her chin for a snuggle. They were a bit difficult to see, but every once in a while the Merah’s head would pop up and look down at us—too cute for words!

The Zoo has actually had a lot of babies born this year—two Francois monkeys, a Howler monkey, an endangered lemur, two giraffes, and two meerkats! Will you be braving the colder weather to get an up-close look at these adorable little ones?

-Lauren

Collecting

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I remember asking my mother when I was little, “Mom what can I collect? I need a collection!” It seems that most collections are a bit more organic in their generation and development. Your Great Aunt Sally gives you a charming teapot and the rest is history as you embark on a delightful journey, scouring flea markets and antique stores for new friends for that first, special teapot. I, however, always felt uninspired in this area. I needed my mother to please tell me what I should be collecting so I could get on with it. I had a box of rocks and minerals, I had a few kaleidoscopes, some dolls…but I never really got anywhere.

Apparently this desire to have a collection still nags me, because recently I found myself caught up in researching the subject. I dove into internet searches and books on collecting with great commitment. I was fascinated to learn about types of collections that had never occurred to me—or items I hadn’t even heard of before! Match safes, tip trays, hotel silver, French enamel—oh the possibilities! I kept going, my research expanded, I took notes.

And where did I get? I remain without a single match safe or piece of Depression glass. I own not one vintage advertising tin. However, I can tell you where to look for them, what to look for, and how to learn about your next great treasure. I know that glass can have straw marks or bubbles, but steer clear of “glass sickness.” I know how to navigate eBay with savvy. For me, it seems that the research was the best part. I guess I collect…information! (Although, the next time I come across a piece of American Limoges china in that pattern I just have to have, I’m not missing my chance.)

-Lauren