New layout with my favorite color: red! (and other things I love!)

I don't know why I didn't do it before. Red is my favorite color, and my blog needed a change! I still think there's work to be done, but now at least I can get to my blog page and feel a little more at home :)

First up, things I have tried and loved!

Coconut milk yogurt, by So Delicious. Considering that it's made by Turtle Mountain, probably the best vegan ice cream purveyor, it's no surprise to be that there's a lot of saturated fat and sugar. But, for those days when I just can't do the milk thing, this fills in quite nicely. I am told that the plain version only has about 12 grams of sugar, so I might add a post later about a coconut-yogurt mango smoothie. YUM!

The Dress, Design, Decor blog that I came upon is a new obsession. A yoga instructor at my internship (ending next week! so sad!) taught me a little something about how visuals are so necessary to have in our lives. Simply put, looking at pretty things is important for happiness. Kind of explains why I read Vogue, huh? Can't afford a damn thing in that magazine, but it still fulfills an aesthetic need for my brain.

Find Daniela's blog here: http://dressdesigndecor.blogspot.com/

Really, I just love her! :)

Threadless has a cute store in Chicago, and I have really missed their constant presence (on people's shirts!) in the hipster parts of my neighborhood (because I'm in Harlem...not as hipster as Lincoln/Wicker Park!)

But I've tapped into my roots with Urban Librarians Unite, with really sweet, educated men and women of Brooklyn and Queens. The threadless shirt design above mirrors the "We Will Not be Shushed" logo and I love it!

http://savenyclibraries.org/

It's mango season. I've had at least 2 a day. My nails are looking gooooood!

Francisco Goldman's new book Say Her Name is just beautiful. I saw him speak at the McNally Jackson bookstore in Soho, and it was really great to hear his perspective about Aura, his young love who lost her life in a bodysurfing accident. I'm about 50 pages in, and it is just one of the "prettier" books I've read in a while.

I just finished Portia de Rossi's new book, Unbearable Lightness. It was really fascinating, and definitely a different take on a personal eating disorder. You really feel for her pressure to be thin, especially in the Hollywood environment. A great read!

AND OF COURSE...Magnolia cupcakes! I felt a little jilted after BabycakesNYC didn't call me back for a job, but now that I'm employed again I'll probably hit them up again! Nothing like sugar during finals week to curb your stress.

Magnolia has great seating at their Columbus Ave. location, and they recently got a cute cupcake (with a raspberry on top!) that donates a $1.00 the Japan Society's relief fund!

A special shout-out to one of my best friends, Ms. Dana. She got engaged and her fiancée is moving with her to Seattle. They are gonna rock it there, and I am so excited for their new adventures! You two make a beautiful couple, and I am just in awe of the maturity and warmth that went into your decision.

Love is in the air this spring! Spread love as if it were Tofutti cream cheese on a toasted bagel...generously!