On the Rocks: Lime Derby.

I'm easily sucked into tradition and all that it entails. This Saturday is the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby and you can bet I'll be tuned in to the all-day coverage right down until the winner crosses the finishing line. For those of you equally enthralled, you'll know that the traditional cocktail of the Derby is the mint julep. But have you ever tried one? Wow. Powerful stuff. This year I'm opting for the lighter Lime Derby which just may take a permanent place on my summer cocktail list.

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz. Smirnoff Lime Flavored Vodka
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
- Cucumber
- Fresh mint

Muddle cucumber in a mixing glass, add mint and bruise. Add remaining ingredients into a mixing glass, fill glass with ice. Shake the ingredients and strain the mixture into a martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a cucumber wheel.

:: photo and cocktail via Cocktail Times

The Daily Eat: Strawberry Panzanella.

Strawberry Panzanella is foreign to my palette, but sounds (and looks) delicious all the same. Crusty bread, strawberries, brown sugar, yogurt? Yum, yum, yum and yum.

:: photo and recipe via 101 Cookbooks

Ceramic Rise & Fall Lamp.

I'm in a major lamp lovin' phase as of late and this is my favorite of my favorites: the Ceramic Rise & Fall Lamp. Some of you may have noticed this little gem in the last issue of Domino. It caught my eye and there was no going back. You can control the height of the lamp and the concentration of light by adjusting the pulley system. This one's going to need to be mine at some point.

Black Book.

Black Book is an 800-page overview of design shop Pentagram's recent work. The book is a compilation of over 400 projects from the last several years, arranged in alphabetical order, like a dictionary, and printed on "Bible paper," complete with tabbed sections and ribbons for bookmarking. It covers everything from architecture to graphics, buildings to websites, branding to signage, interiors, packaging, exhibitions, interfaces, furniture, products, brochures, magazines, and houses, all in simple picture-and-caption form.

Mad Props: April.

It's already the end of April which means one thing - April Mad Props! Check out the posts that stuck out in my mind and drop me a link in the comments if there's one you can't stop thinking about that I didn't mention. Happy linking!

A Cup of Jo : Lilly McElroy Throws Herself at Men

A Cup of Jo : Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down

adgoodness : Comic Goodness

At Home with Kim Vallee : Eco-Chic Party Essentials

Design Scouting : A DIY Bulletin Board

mackin ink : i didn't want to forget to tell you this one...

More Ways to Waste Time : Frazier & Wing Paper Mobiles

More Ways to Waste Time : Help Me Choose a Kitchen Backsplash

Neatorama : 16 Abandoned & Decaying Hotels From Around the World

Oh Happy Day : Photobooth Album

Beacon Bookmarks.

I read. A lot. More in the winter when the weather isn't cooperating, but just a lot in general. My love of books leaves me forever looking for something to mark my place - be it a receipt, a magazine subscription card, or a tissue (unused!). I had a lovely pewter bookmark my grandmother gave me a few Christmases ago, but it went MIA somewhere in the moved from Cleveland to Oklahoma City.

I'm loving these wooden bookmarks from etsy seller Beacon Bookmarks. They look sturdy and are coated with a water-based clear satin finish for protection. I may need to order myself a K.



:: via Roadside Scholar

The Daily Eat: Pear Crumble with Vanilla Brown Butter.

No matter how many hours spent at the office (14.5 yesterday) or ailments diagnosed with (mono as of this morning) I will always post The Daily Eat. This is my vow to you, Design Crushers.

This Pear Crumble with Vanilla Brown Butter looks yummy-licious. Pears are underutilized in my kitchen and this gives me a perfect opportunity to remedy that!

:: photo and recipe via Spicy Icecream

For You.

I'm kind of in love with David Horvitz. At least the idea of the him on his website where he'll do different things for you for set prices.

Some examples:

• If you give me $1,626 I will go to the small Okinawan island called Taketomi and send you an envelope filled with star-sand (don't worry, I've been there before, I know where to go). I will send it from there.

• If you give me $3,143 I will for as far away as possible. I live in New York. I will go to Perth, Australia the farthest distance from New York on Earth. I will mail you a photograph of me standing in New York. I will then mail you a photograph of me standing in Perth. I'm a little sad right now and I would kind of like to escape, so if you are thinking about getting one of these and not sure what you want, please take in consideration my emotions and pick this one.

• If you give me $30 I will walk around New York, and the first homeless person I see I will buy him or her whatever he or she wants to eat (as long as it is less than $30). I will mail you back the exact change (minus the paypal fee and the cost of the postage stamp) with the receipt for the food and the name of the person who ate it.

:: via A Cup of Jo

Hang In There.

I'm covered up with web design this week. So please, lovely readers, hang in there for me! I haven't forgotten about you.

:: photo via fffound

The Daily Eat: Lemon Whoopie Pies.

Ever since my first whoopie pie experience I've been dying to make some more. When I ran across this recipe for a lemon version I began drooling uncontrollably. You think I'm kidding...

:: photo and recipe via Joy the Baker

Porcelain Fortune Cookies.

Since I consider myself somewhat of a fortune cookie aficionado, these porcelain versions of the crispy treat caught my eye. They'd look great piled in a bowl as a centerpiece or as place-card holders. Just don't try to crack one open because there aren't any actual fortunes inside!

Monday Goodness.

:: via ffffound

Happy Weekend.

This week has flown by and this weekend I'm looking forward to:
• watching the Hornets v. Mavs game tonight with friends
• going to the bank tomorrow morning to talk to my mortgage specialist(!)
• volunteering at the Festival of the Arts tomorrow afternoon
• maybe getting in a little pool time Sunday to decrease my "Pale and Pasty Level"
• re-watching Juno
• catching up on some much needed rest

Happy Weekend to you all - see you Monday!

:: photo via ffffound

Who Won? Design For Mankind Inspiration Poster.

The lucky soul of Win It: 

Design For Mankind is ...

Shauna

Shauna's entry stated:
"I am inspired by people who have abandoned the notion that security will save them. People who seek out experiences and perspectives in order to learn, grow, try, fail, succeed and try again. I am inspired by people who do so with an open and kind heart again and again, no matter the weather."

Thanks to everyone who entered the latest edition of Win It and congratulations to Shauna! Send me an email with your mailing information and I'll send off your Inspiration poster next week. Also a BIG thank you to Erin at dfm. If today wasn't your lucky day, but you're still jonesing for one of her posters be sure and check out her etsy shop!

The Daily Eat: Banana Muffin Bread.

I make a mean banana chocolate chip pancake, so this Banana Muffin Bread looks right up my alley. I love that it's not supposed to be too sweet and that there are chocolate chunks hanging out in there as an added bonus!

:: recipe and photo via The Food Traveller

The Combinations Rule.

I've never seen truer words typed on an old index card before!

:: via ffffound

Ceramic For Mix.

Ever swirl wine around a glass? That's the idea behind Ceramic For Mix, a revolutionary drinking vessel. Gently swirl the mug to set the ceramic ball at the bottom into motion and stir the contents. The ball is kept in place by a slightly protruding base when stirring and drinking. Goodbye, spoon. It was nice knowin' ya.

Cafe Ladies.

It's beautiful out this afternoon and I'd give just about anything to be one of these ladies lunching at a little sidewalk cafe. Oh, and to be in Paris. In the 1920s.

Okay, I think that's it.

:: via ffffound

360 Vodka.

Not as if a lot of us need a great reason to toss one back, but 360 Vodka is giving us one anyway. The eco luxury vodka is crafted from a philosophy of eco-awareness and corporate responsibility. These ideas are then brought to fruition through their greener processes and products. During just the labeling process the company saves 113 grown trees, 48,371 gallons of water and 5,409 pounds of solid waste. The bottles are even 85% recycled glass. From the looks of it all you'd never guess what sort of liquid was floating around inside!

:: via yumsugar

The Daily Eat: Vanilla Sugar Sweet Buns.

I hate feeling munchy, but that's exactly the kind of day it is. And as good as these Vanilla Sugar Sweet Buns look, I'm glad they aren't in front of me because they wouldn't stand a chance!

:: photo and recipe via The Knead for Bread

Win It: Design For Mankind Reminder.

Just a reminder that you have 25.5 hours left to sign up for Win It: Design for Mankind!

Playing off the idea of inspiration, comment to the original post telling me what in everyday life is your biggest inspiration. I'll choose my favorite answer. You have until tomorrow (Friday, April 25th, 2008) at 12:00 p.m. CST to enter. I'll choose the lucky winner of the grape Inspiration poster sometime that afternoon so check back to see if you're The One!

Folding Grill Tools.

I fired up the grill for the first time of the season last night, in the midst of a thunderstorm no less. Nothing fancy - just some honey dijon chicken for salads - but that time of year has definitely arrived. I'd love to own a set of these folding grill tools. They're completely collapsable with folding pakkawood handles.

:: via Josh Spear

On the Rocks: Pear Cachaça Slushy.

With the weather warm again, I'm excited to start trying some frozen drinks! This Pear Cachaça Slushy tops my list at the moment. Add "slushy" onto anything and I'm a taker! A pitcher of these would be perfection for a lazy afternoon by the pool.

:: image and recipe via Cocktail Times

The Daily Eat: Famous Chocolate Wafer Icebox Cake.

The Famous Chocolate Wafer Icebox Cake looks like equal parts fun to build, easy to make and mouthwateringly delicious.

:: photo and recipe via alice q. foodie

SL16 Noooodle.

Some people are just born with that certain knack for guessing how much pasta to make. I am not one of the blessed and time after time end up with either too much or too little. I've seen those nifty little kitchen gadgets geared towards helping you measure portion sizes, but the SL16 Nooodle is so much better! And after you're done cooking your pasta it doubles as a trivet. Love that it looks like a big wet noodle itself, too.

:: via Cool Hunting

BADASS: Marshall Alexander.

Stop by friend Mike's blog - no more fwds - and check out his interview with the amazing papertoy artist Marshall Alexander. Oh yeah, and that Badass header? All moi.

Illustrator Crush: Matthew Woodson.

I'm loving the muted tones, attention to detail and subject matter of illustrator Matthew Woodson's work. Check out his extensive portfolio here.

Woven Plastic Basket.

The oranges I've been consuming nearly every single day need a little resting place like this woven plastic basket. A little kitschy. A little roadside diner. A lot cheap.

The Daily Eat: Apple Streusel Cupcakes.

The gooey cinnamon frosting, apples and crumbly streusel trio sitting atop these Apple Streusel Cupcakes just called to me today. I love when a traditional food (RE: apple streusel) reinvents itself in another form (RE: apple streusel cupcakes)!

:: photo and recipe via lily.violet

Happy Earth Day.

Because it's the little things that add up.
Because as of now it's the only one we've got.
Because it should be every day.

:: photo via ffffound

Photographer Crush: Cig Harvey.

Cig Harvey is the photographer of all photographers in my newly-formed opinion. Anyone who can take ordinary, everyday things and turn them into the extraordinary is something special. Harvey has worked for such clients as Kate Spade, Royal Shakespeare Company and Ralph Lauren - just to name a few. The woman has talent and although I'm a little late to jump on the USS Cig Harvey I think I'll be signing up for a nice, long journey.

Readymech Pinhole Cameras.

Always wanted a pinhole camera? Take a break from your day job - print and construct one of these free Readymech Cameras from Corbis!