Highly evolved

I wonder if the next generation will develop special muscles or bones in their hands to accomodate texting. And perhaps several hundred years from now anthropolgists will dig them up and wonder what brought about the adaptation.

Dayton is delicious!

So Dayton isn't a bustling Metropolitan city, but it does have its fair share of fine cuisine. I think some are reluctant to try independent restaurants because they are unfamiliar; people know what to expect with chains. However, the majority of the time it's worth the risk to discover a great new place. Here are some of my tried-and-true favorites. Please share some of your favorite independent restaurants and coffee shops around the area, as well!

• Figlio (on Stroop Road in Kettering) Italian


• Thai 9 (on Fifth Street in the Oregon District) Thai


• Tanks (on Wayne Avenue in Dayton) Bar food


• El Meson (East Dixie Drive in West Carrollton)


• Press (on Wayne in the Oregon District) By far the best coffee shop in Dayton––try the home-brewed chai

These are little gems located somewhat outside of the Gem City. Nonetheless, they're worth the drive.

La Piazza (Market Street in downtown Troy) Great calamari
Greenfire Bistro (Main Street past downtown Tipp City)
Tavernette Inn (Main Street in Medway)

Heartless Bastards

Heartless Bastards: the name is very deceiving. Though their music isn't easy-listening, it also isn't hardcore. Their lead singer, Erica Wennerstrom, has a rare combination of a powerful voice and evocative lyrics.

Even better, they are proof that good things come from Dayton! After seeing them at Canal Street about a year ago, I became an even more devoted listener. Good news! They are coming back to Canal Street this December 27th.

Here is a link to their website:
www.theheartlessbastards.com

Here are the album covers so you know what to look for next time you're at the record store:

Handmade owl doorstop

What's better than a plaid doorstop? You got it- a plaid doorstop with owl features. I found the base (see first picture) at a local antique store. I thought it was the perfect shape for an owl body. Add some felt and buttons that were begging to be used, and ::hoot!hoot!:: I had a charming little owl.

I realize owls are kind of trendy now, but I have always had a fondness for the feathery creatures. Perhaps it is due to the wisdom they symbolize or their iconic features.

Please post your own owl adaptations and keep crafting alive!

Vintage Tablecloths

I love our kitchen. So much so that I don't particularly mind washing the dishes or cooking because it's that cheery. We painted the walls light yellow and the windows let in a pretty light that makes the kitchen glow.

Our table is a perfect complement too, as it belongs in the same 40s/50s era as the house. I collect tablecloths that were also made in that same time period. Stay tuned for more pictures of quirky tablecloths and tea towels from my collection.

As seen on the table, I share Claude Monet's sentiment: "What I need most are flowers, always, always."

Chopping off my cold feet

I have always loved the quote, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Leave it to the Chinese Philosophers like Lao-tzu to say it best, hunh?) The quote is rather fitting for the first posting on this blog because I have been wanting to start for quite some time now. Unfortunately, that "overplan" feature of my brain has been holding me back. Often, I think we procrastinate because we want our end product to be flawless and that is such an undertaking that it's more tempting never to start. Well boo to that- here's to just going with it and accepting imperfections!

Speaking of Chinese quotations, here are some of my favorite Chinese proverbs:

Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.

One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade.