salvage yard.

I think it's really important to find unique places to visit in your state. I've been guilty of taking my own surrounding area for granted and I think it's kind of silly. Traveling is important, too, but I think it's important to travel around your own town before moving onto others. My family and I still do this and we're always so happy when we stumble upon hidden gems that have been right under our noses for years. We've actually visited this salvage yard once or twice, but it has so many hidden treasures and there's always something new to check out no matter how many times you've been.

My mom found a really cool piece of a sign that said 'at' amongst the many other over-sized letters they had. We loved walking through the rows of odds and ends, sifting through tons of doors, and playing the Tarantella on an out-of-tune piano. It was such a lovely summer day — the kind I'm sure we'll have many more of since I am officially done with my second year of college. It is such a surreal feeling. This semester really flew by, and just like that I am already a Junior. After two years of working a full time summer, I'll only be working part time for this summer. I'm really excited to have some time to hang out and relax and do some really fun, crafty things with my mom. My family, Jeffrey and I are also taking a trip to Wisconsin to visit my sister and her boyfriend. Then, Jeffrey, Evie (my sister), Mark (her boyfriend) and I will drive to Minnesota to stay with Jeffrey's grandma. She has a summer lake house that is quaint and heartwarming. It's going to be such a welcome change from a 40 hour work week. I can already imagine the pure bliss. What are your plans for the summer?

love.

What's the Good News?

Good News #1: I'm officially home for the summer and am almost completely done with my second year of college.
Good News #2: I'm thinking I should study for my last final at the beach tomorrow.
Good News #3: We had Thai food for dinner and it was delicious, as always.
Good News #4: I'm watching Taylor, Jeffrey's brother, graduate with a degree in Religion on Saturday.
Good News #5: I just had a bowl of Mint Chocolate Chip with Nutella. Divine.
Good News #6: I finally get to read books that aren't required for something.

What's your good news?
xoxo

chocolate cake with a splash of ovaltine.

Like I mentioned here, I like to bake in the midst of chaos. So, when I went home this weekend I made a cake. It was relaxing — like it always is — and the results were wonderful. I used Olivia's recipe. If you've never checked out her blog, everyday musings, I suggest you do immediately. There's a good chance a feeling of relaxation and warmth will come over you as you scroll through her archives. That's how all good blogs should make you feel, right? Anyway. I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe, except that I would add more Ovaltine. Malt reminds me of my childhood and I'm always feeling nostalgic, so I would definitely take the Ovaltine up a notch.

Here's Olivia's How-To post. Make sure you use an 8-inch round pan, and grease the sides and bottom with butter and coat the bottom with parchment. This cake is flourless, so it's meant to be extremely decadent. I served mine with strawberries. Olivia served hers with blueberries. I'm sure both are wonderful, and I bet a combination would be even better.

love,
R.

do you know how to make my posting column extra-wide?

Does anyone have any idea how to make the posting column extra-wide so that I can post pictures that are much bigger than the ones I'm able to post now? I know it has to do with messing with HTML, but upon looking at all the HTML codes I just get scared. So technical and code-like, which makes sense, I guess. But it frustrates me to no end.

Your help would be greatly appreciated.
You can tell me in the comments,
or feel free to email me here: xo.simplyr[at]gmail.com


I hope you're having a truly lovely weekend & thanks in advance for any help you can give.
lovelovelove.

spending the weekend with this little guy.

photograph(s) i like.

My favorite picture from our senior prom (2008) and maybe even my favorite picture of us, ever. That's Jeffrey's red '66 bus behind us and he got those shoes specifically for prom. They matched the orange flecks in the tie I found for him at Salvation Army. It's still his favorite tie. I found that dress at Nordstrom and it was a perfect fit, which never happens. I remember getting those shoes with my mom. We couldn't believe how perfect they were. I did my own hair and couldn't have been happier with it. Jeffrey and I didn't exchange corsages, but instead boxes of candy. And he had a vase of daisies waiting for me in the bus, along with a display of twinkle lights lining the ceiling. We met our friends at a little pizza place that isn't particularly fancy, but it was our place. We sat on the back patio and had the most wonderful time. I have really fond memories of that night — the moments that led up to it, the moments during it, and now, 2 years later, the moments I can still feel when I look at this picture. I think that's really what pictures are for — little catalysts that bring you back to a very specific moment in time. Photography is such a beautiful thing.

bocce ball.

These past few days have been tough. I've spent too many minutes feeling sorry for myself and thinking about things that I can't really change. And I've been letting it affect every aspect of my day. I can't stand when I get into ruts like this. I can't stand when I let outside things influence my inner peace and stability. And then I remember I have people like this in my life. People that I spend entire afternoons with in the backyard, playing bocce ball, and trying (repeatedly) to get a good self-timer shot. And feeling bad for myself starts feeling kind of silly. xo

lunchbox.

Friday was such a delightful day. Jeffrey only has class until 10:40 on Fridays and I don't have class at all, but we usually use Fridays as a catch up day for school work and don't use it for fun adventures like we probably should. However, this Friday we hopped on our bikes and tried out a newly opened restaurant in our area called Lunchbox. You order your food through a tiny window and eat outside and it is absolutely wonderful. I'm sure we will be back there plenty of times.

We got a Coke, which is such a perfect beverage for the spring days we've been having, and 3 latin style tacos. The pork was coated in a garlic-lime sauce and topped with pickled vegetables. Our tacos were served with chips and really, really tasty salsa.

Plus, lunch dates make everything better.

xo, R.

have a wonderful, lovely, happy weekend.

I hope your weekend is filled with good things. My parents are coming up on Saturday to help me edit a few assignments and go out to lunch with me, I think I'll make a whirlwind trip to Target and possibly spend some time in Borders. I heard they might be closing, so now I'm feeling all sentimental. And I'm sure Jeffrey and I will squeeze in a bike ride somewhere in there. Oh, and one of our favorite local restaurants is shutting its doors after years of operation, so I think my girlfriends and I will have to commemorate its existence by eating there one last time. Have a splendid weekend! xo

ice cream in a parking lot.

Last night Jeffrey called me at around 11pm
and told me to come down to the parking lot.
When I met him, he was standing there
with a carton of chocolate ice cream and a box of cake cones.
"We forgot to have the chocolate ice cream you wanted."
He scooped some out for me and we sat side by side
in the middle of the parking lot, enjoying our cones.
That's love.

Have a happy day! xo

smile notes.

Things that make me smile today:

1. Being completely done with one of my classes.
2. Sharing graham crackers & Nutella outside with Jeffrey.
3. Drinking a Tazo Organic Iced Black Tea with lunch.
4. Post-it notes.
5. Finishing an assignment that had me way too stressed out.
6. Seeing the cutest little finch on a Palmetto branch.
7. Cheese & crackers.
8. The Avett Brothers.
9. Studying outside.
10. Seeing Taylor (Jeffrey's brother) in the school newspaper for the millionth time.
11. Unannounced phone calls from my mom.
12. Searching for cake recipes.
13. Happy dreams.

I hope you find plenty of reasons to smile today. xo

The Quirk Project (No. 5)

Destini's Quirks

1. Pens are kind of a big deal to me. I get really excited over a good pen. And maybe I'm sort of picky sometimes when it comes to selecting a writing utensil. Like, if a pen is supposed to have a cap on it...then it needs to have the cap on it when I write with it. (This "logic" doesn't apply to clicky pens, of course). And if my choices are either a pen without a cap or nothing, then I won't turn it down. All I'm saying is, there's a nicer weight to a pen when the cap isn't missing.

2. I can't do roller-coasters. They gross me out. The flips, the tracks, the seat-belts or harnesses, the click-clicking to the top...yuck! I'm still trying to decide how I feel about the "exhilarating, stomach-dropping feeling", because I'm really only cool with that for a few seconds. All I know is that my palms start sweating and my heart starts racing from the moment I step into a kiddie-coaster line, and when I get locked in the seat, my panic is verging on heart attack status.

3. Every week when I watch American Idol, I get SO excited and get the urge to pick up any instrument, learn to play it and belt out my tunes! And I secretly always wish that my roommates will leave the apartment the next day, so that I can slide around in my socks, singing American Idol songs all day.

4. I can't drink coffee in the morning, I'm a nighttime drinker. I really enjoy getting coffee with friends, and I like the idea of waking up in the morning to a nice, big cup of coffee...however, when I'm really tired and up early in the morning (you know, when most people would turn to coffee, I steer clear), because I just end up feeling really sick. A few days ago, Alex, our friend Andrew and I woke up at 5 am to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, hike into the woods and film a documentary. We started our morning off with coffee and about halfway through the trip, Andrew had to pull over on the side of this cliff-road, because I thought I was going to throw up. I never did, but the rest of the car ride was pretty nauseating.

5. When I'm watching tv, I prefer to go UP to the numbers, rather than come down to them. This quirk is really verging on OCD, but it's okay because it's probably the only OCD quality about me. If I want to change the channel or volume from 27 to 25 for example, I can't just go down two clicks.. I have to go 27, 26, 25, 24...and then back to 25. It's strange and I can't really explain it, but as a kid, I associated "going down" as being truly negative, so I adopted this odd little habit.

6. I am habitually disorganized. When I have a child, let's just hope that their father has some organization skills, because they will learn nothing from me. I am constantly trying to change my ways...constantly! I'm relying heavily on my planner this semester, so I'm making some strides... my desk however, that's a losing battle. I try, but that thing has yet to stay organized for longer than a week. It's a shame too, because I have a really cute glass desk from Ikea :)

7. I am SO shy. It's something I'm really trying to work on, but I think I'm getting shyer as I get older. It's funny because anyone who knows me would be like, "You, shy? YEAH RIIIIIGHT!" But it's true! I get really, really, reeeeally nervous every time I have to walk into a new classroom, give a presentation or call someone on the phone, or something. My career interests don't look kindly to shyness, since I'm in film school right now, looking to further myself in filmmaking, acting and music... so I'm REALLY trying to conquer the crippling shyness a-sap!

8. I say "Just Kidding" ALL the time! I don't know where it came from and I can't seem to shake it. Sometimes I'll notice it and try to correct it......with another "just kidding"!! Really? Reeally? I'll try and give you a mental picture. I don't know if you're familiar with Kristen Wiig's Saturday Night Live character, Judy Grimes... (but one of my favorite clips can be found here!) I'm not as bad as her... but almost.

Thanks for sharing, Destini! xo

This is the last installment of the Quirk Project I have received. If you're interested in submitting your quirks, please look here.

homemade croutons.

My Grammy was an amazing woman and she was very talented in the kitchen. The other night I was craving croutons, but didn't have any on hand. Then I remembered my Grammy's crouton recipe and I whipped up a batch. Now, believe me when I say that this recipe actually lends itself much better to stale bread. However, I didn't have any stale bread on hand and my croutons still turned out wonderfully.

Directions:
• Place a skillet on medium heat and lightly coat bottom with olive oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic to the pan. (You may need more or less garlic depending on the amount of croutons you're making.)
• Lightly butter a piece of bread on both sides. Earth Balance will work fantastically for this.
• Dust bread with Garlic salt, salt+pepper.
• Chop bread into crouton size pieces and place pieces into pan.
• Allow the croutons to sizzle in pan until golden brown (about 3 minutes), but keep a close eye on them because they'll burn in a second.
• Flip and repeat process until desired color is achieved.
• Use immediately & enjoy!
*Jeffrey and I used two pieces of bread because we're crouton lovers, but you'll be able to tell how much you need once you start chopping the bread.

xo, R.

sewing sloth.

I may be biased.

In fact, I certainly am.
But.
I still encourage you to check out Jeffrey's company, Sewing Sloth.
He creates hip bags that have a convenient loop on the back that attach to belts.
These bags are especially convenient for people who bike ride on a regular basis.
And I'm not lying when I say these bags are beyond adorable.
I think that just about anybody could use one.
And the price is just right.

Click here to take a look at his Etsy.

We hope you're having a glorious weekend.
xo, R.

we have fun.

outside eating.

The weather has been too perfect and since this 70º bliss doesn't last too long, Jeffrey and I have been enjoying almost all of our meals outside. It is so sweet to meet Jeffrey on campus with our packed lunches and compare & share what we brought. It's like lunch in elementary school all over again and I love it. Plus, we often see people that we know and get to chat with them for awhile — the joys of eating outside are absolutely endless.





Oh, and my Easter Peeps were such a welcome treat during these last few lunches. I haven't stopped carrying them around with me. I have lost all control when it comes to Easter candy.

xo, R.

list.

I love to bake.
There's something so relaxing and peaceful and fulfilling about following a step-by-step process.
I like to bake at anytime.
I actually prefer baking when there isn't any special occasion to bake for — just baking to bake.
I guess you could say that baking is my "thing."
Some people run when they get stressed, or read, or sleep, or take a walk, but I like to bake.
It just feels therapeutic.
These last few weeks of the semester are going to be absolutely crazy.
I have about one million things to do and even to look ahead one day freaks me out.
I know I won't really have any time to bake anything.
So instead I'm making a list of all the things I'll bake when school is over and summer is here.

1. This cheesecake.
2. These brownies.
3. These cupcakes.
4. These cookies and these cookies and these cookies.
5. These cupcakes.
6. This cake.
7. This banana bread.
8. These cupcakes.

xo, R.

The Quirk Project (No. 4)

I honestly don't even know what to say about my sister. She is my best friend and confidant and I love her so much.

She is incredible.

Evie's Quirks
{Single serving tarts that we baked together.}

1. I love ginger more than anyone else I know. I will eat everyone else's ginger at a sushi place. I love crystallized ginger. I love to put ground up ginger in anything I can. I once had ginger ice cream and it was amazing. I love ginger snaps, and ginger cake. One time I tried to put ginger in my coffee...that didn't go too well, but every other experience I've had with ginger has been good.

2. I like clutter and I like things. I want every space to be filled up with something where I live because I like to have a lot to look at. Also, all the things can be friends with each other and then they won't get lonely. I have several collections of things: owls, rocks, and old photographs are probably my largest collections. I used to collect bottles, but then I ended up with too many and they were kind of a pain to move.

3. I love baking. I know a lot of people love baking, but I really love baking. I fantasize about baking things, but don't have enough money to bake everything I want to. I like the process of adding everything and mixing it and then putting it in the oven and waiting and smelling the delicious smells. I like altering recipes and combining different flavors to create a whole new taste experience. Sometimes I think I'd like to open up a bakery, but I don't think I'd like the business side of it and also I think that if baking were my job I might not like it as much.

4. There is always a song in my head...always, sometimes more than one song. I am also always listening to music.

5. I like planning things, but I'm not always the best at following through with them.

6. I love to touch things. I walk through stores and touch all the clothes and different objects. I touch plants when I'm walking outside. I like to step on different surfaces and see how they feel. At times this has probably made me look a little crazy because I've walked down the street running my hand along buildings. Probably while also simultaneously singing along with my ipod and looking up into a tree at the birds there.

7. I have a really good memory. I can tell you the time and place I met a person years after I met them. However, there's always about 10 thoughts bouncing around in my head at once so I am constantly losing things like keys because when I put them down I'm caught up in my head...not where I'm placing my keys.

read more about submitting your own list of quirks here.

i want these shoes in the worst way.

not only do TOMS support an amazing cause, but i think they would look cute with just about anything, particularly sundresses. i think i might purchase these at the end of the semester (April 21st!) as a congratulatory "You Did it!" to myself. i think i deserve it after the 18 credit course load i talked myself into this semester.

*image via TOMS.

Happy Easter.

It is so fun to dye Easter eggs.
We get really into it at my house.




Easter is such a beautiful holiday.
I hope yours was spectacular.

xo, R.

p.s. the holes at the top of our eggs are from blowing them out, so that we can keep them year after year.

What's the Good News?

Good News #1: The weather is absolutely beautiful today. And it was beautiful the day before that, and the day before that.
Good News #2: My family is dying Easter eggs today.
Good News #3: Easter is tomorrow.
Good News #4: I met my sister's boyfriend for the first time this week. He is wonderful and makes her happy. Perfection.
Good New #5: This hectic semester is coming to a close and I feel at peace with my long to-do list.
Good News #6: I'm about to go to Target.
Good News #7: We're making homemade pizza tonight and all my favorite people are coming over.


I'm just full of good news. What's yours?