Discoveries of late

Rosewood furniture. Yesterday my husband, parents-in-law, and I went to Philadelphia, mostly for the art museum. It's free on the first Sunday of the month, which makes the drive totally worth it. You should go. Anyway, we spent three hours just on the top floor. We saw a lot of great stuff,* but the Chinese rosewood furniture blew my mind. So simple, but that was part of its beauty: anything more elaborate would have taken away from the perfect lines and warm gloss of the wood.

Oatmeal pancakes. I've made them before, but never like these babies. Oats soaked overnight in yogurt and milk and then I finished them off in the morning. They were delicious! I think soaking oats is the way to go: things seem more tender, fluffy, and filling, whether pancakes or baked oatmeal.** Still mulling over what to do with the rest of my grains, but I know that oats are one of the highest in phytic acid so this is a good start, even if I never get crunchy enough to soak my biscuit flour. haha :)

Yard sales. I know, it's terrible that it has taken me so long to go yard saling, but I've seen the light at last. Two hurricane glasses, one large crock pot, and a pair of black pumps later, I'm hooked.***

Capogiro Gelato. Also on our Philadelphia expedition, we stopped by this wondrous little shop for the coolest gelato flavors I've ever seen: banana rum, caramelized hazelnut, coconut milk, even basil. My favorite? Tarragon with Bluecoat gin. It was AMAZING.

The Promise. I love this book! It's the sequel to The Chosen, and meant for a more mature readership. Chaim Potok's style reminds me of Ernest Hemingway's, but he has a far deeper spiritual sense. And unlike doom-and-gloom Hemingway, his writing actually contains themes of hope and purpose . . .

*Including two (!) bridal parties taking pictures on the front steps. It was cute.
**Also concerning oats, though not soaked: this bread. Jared was a huge fan. I liked it too.
***That's not even the half of it. A French tablecloth, a slotted spoon, a long kitchen knife, a huge wicker basket, an Ann Taylor sweater set, a narrow leather belt, and a picture frame. It was a good haul.