Nada Surf's Retro Depeche Mode Cover

You all know Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" even if you don't know that's what it's called. It's a great song, some say one of the best songs ever. This summer the indie band Nada Surf came out with an album of covers of their favorite songs. I've never heard of the other songs on it, but their rendition of "Enjoy the Silence" is late summer sun great. You can even turn it up loud and do a little dance in your bedroom and/or living room during a work break (if you happen to work at home like some people)--it's really good for your circulation. So turn up the speakers and push play, in that order.

World Humanitarian Day

So, I didn't realize that there was a World Humanitarian Day or that I had missed it until I saw this awesome video. (And don't blame me if you want to hop on the next plane to Africa after you watch it.)

Shameless Self-Promotion: My First CNNgo Article

Hi People! I've been working my freelance writing more this summer, and today my first article on CNNgo went up! It's a review about Shanghai's only African clothing shop and its socially responsible to boot (the store not the article). Also, the article was my friend Kellie's idea, so thank you much to her!

Now off you go and give me some stars or something...just don't embarrass me. Nobody wants to be the freelancer with the kookie friends.

http://www.cnngo.com/shanghai/shop/sukuma-china-wearing-africa-your-sleeve-shanghai-144784

Just Finished: A Book that Hums

Sweetness & Light: The Mysterious History of the Honeybee by Hattie Ellis

Did you know that honeybees:
1. Hum at middle C.
2. Sweat nectar.
3. Can beat their wings at 200 times per second.
4. Are not native to America.
5. Can see every color but red (and many red flowers have reflect UV which bees can see or have purple in them.)
6. Do a complicated dance to show other worker bees when they've found a new source of nectar. The dance is more frantic depending on the quantity of nectar. They also show their fellow bees obstacles on the path to the nectar source such as trees.

Several people have asked me how I chose to read a book about honeybees. Have you ever had honey? It's an amazing substance that never goes bad, has antibacterial qualities, and tastes and looks different depending on the type of flower nectar used. The creatures behind such stuff have to be fascinating.

Kitchening: My First Galette

I've been wanting to make a galette of some sort for a while now and I was feeling adventurous the other day so I bought some plums and tried my hand at a recipe I saw on Honest Fare. I won't post the recipe, so if you're interested, just head over there and don't judge me because her plum galette is way prettier than mine.

Before I begin. I have to show you something very important. This past week we had numerous days in the low-100s. I say "low" because it makes me feel better. I'm sure it's hotter somewhere towards the center of the earth, but right now its difficult to fathom.

In my new apartment there's an invisible force that prevents the air-con all the way at the back of the adjacent living room from getting to the kitchen. I think the kitchen, beautiful as it is with its ruby red cabinet doors, is like a petri dish. Instead of growing bacteria, however, it multiplies heat like some infectious disease or toxic mold. This information will become particularly important later in the story. Doesn't look menacing does it? Force fields are very deceptive.

No doubt these purply plums will make you feel a little cooler. They're so juicy and round. More round than the bowl they're nestling in, actually. (Bowl made by yours truly.)