nyt now.

I meant to tell you all about this last week. If you aren't signed up already, NYT NOW. For those in DC, it is basically Playbook from the NYTimes. For those of you outside the beltway, you sign up for NYT NOW and every morning they send an email with the most important news/articles. Consider it a CliffNotes for your water cooler conversation and to jumpstart your day. You can scan the headlines and see the latest.

ready.

I am ready for the weekend. And it is looking like there is going to be a big snowstorm on Saturday! Did you all read this Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant piece in the NYTimes last week about why women don't speak up? I am posting this especially for all my male readers out there. Also, who knew this about Tom Hanks? And with the news today about Sheldon Silver (it's about time) - this BuzzFeed piece on Bharara is worth the read. Last but not least, I am loving this West Elm mirror!

caked.

I came home late last night and decided to make this Rasberry Almond Coffee Cake that Cup of Jo had posted a while back!  It's good stuff and I recommend it. Below is the full recipe - enjoy!

For the streusel topping:
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. butter

For the cake:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. almond extract
1 cup frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

To make the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine almonds, brown sugar and 3 tablespoons butter. Using your fingers, work the butter into the sugar and almonds until blended.

To make the cake: Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the 5 tablespoons of butter. Using either your fingers, a pastry blender or two knives, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Don't allow the butter to melt or form a blended paste with the flour.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and almond extract. Pour over the flour mixture, and stir until just barely combined. Add the frozen berries, and fold in until just mixed through.

Spoon batter into prepared loaf pan. Top with the streusel topping, distributing evenly. Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for ten minutes.

represent.

That's right people, 36 Hours in Denver. Believe it. I would say they nailed half of it...if ever you want a tailored, true 36 hours, I will always give you an itinerary! This makes me miss home....

classpass.

Are you all on ClassPass? Have you heard of it? Tried it? I just put myself on the list and I am intrigued. It basically allows you to sign up for unlimited classes at various studios for class workouts. If indeed it is full access to classes, I am pretty psyched since this will help vary up workouts and save money!

walk it off.

It's winter and it's cold. My mind started going to a warmer place this week - tapping into my raw survival skills born of my Colorado roots and true winters. (In truth, living on the east coast has made me weak-it scares me to think about anyone from DC north to New Hampshire driving in Denver because dear god they just don't know!). Anyway, the way I see it, I just have to get through the end of February. The warm place I have been going to happens to be Italy. We are going there at the end of May for a wedding and lucky for us we added on a week before with Ben's family. I've never been to Italy. I am very excited. And most importantly, when we leave the house in the morning for a run at 6:15 am when the temperature is in the 20s - Italy is now my end goal and distraction! We have started researching restaurants and food, thinking about activities and must-see places, and strategizing on different plans of attack for tackling Rome in the limited two days we are there. And all of this was to lead to these shoes. Don't you think these would be great to rock...or not so much? You can tell me...I can handle it (not you Ben...I already know you don't like these!). Also, if folks have Italy recommendations - send my way one and all!

target practice.

My computer is seriously broken, hence the lack of posting. I am hoping to get myself to an Apple store soon-cross your fingers for me that they can work their magic. Anyway, over the weekend I fell in love with this little bench at Target. I wasn't able to really spend enough time with the bench and decide whether to grab it (because Ben hates Target and we basically have 15 minutes in the store before he starts to unravel) but we are going to make a second field trip to pick one up this weekend for the entryway. More soon. Once I have my computer back and running - I can show you the grand plan for this bench!

brooks again.

I agree with David Brooks about once a year. So it's surprising that it comes this early in 2015 but his column today, I Am Not Charlie Hebdo, hits on a number of points I have been thinking and trying to articulate in my own head....that very fine balance between humor (and particularly humor that is very much needed to push the boundaries) and then the offensive, insulting humor that is wrong. I mentioned last month that Ben and I have had this ongoing debate for a long time now, and in fact, the conversation came up randomly a couple different times in December with friends and family....and now it has been brought to the surface with this latest attack in Paris. Anyway, would love to hear your thoughts...Brooks lays out much of it really well (and in case you care - the one time I agreed with him in 2014 is here).

sebastiao.

Winter vacation feels like it was so long ago already....but we started it strong with a visit to the International Center of Photography in NYC. Since August, I have been waiting to get to the Sebastiao Salgado exhibit and we finally made it happen! Salgado is one of my favorite favorite photographers (Jordan turned me on to him over ten years ago) and his work never ceases to amaze me. This exhibit was phenomenal. His most recent book, Genesis, is different from a lot of his previous work, in that it was focused on landscapes, wildlife and nature. His work in a book is spectacular, his work in large form on walls is just mind-blowing. If by chance you are NY before the exhibit ends, it is an absolute must-see!

tgi...

Ack...the week is flying and I haven't had time to catch up on all the things I have been meaning to post about. But to keep you occupied - here are some favorite reads from the week. America's Angriest Store all about Whole Foods shoppers is a pretty entertaining read...(though note that contrary to what the writer says, WF employees are not all happy and in fact if John Mack had his way none of them would have healthcare or benefits)....moving on though. The Secret History of Women in the Senate starts slow but made my Wednesday morning as I drank my coffee and worked through it. For all the Serial enthusiasts out there - this TIME interview with Deirdre Enright is one of the best pieces I have read post-podcast - highly recommend it! Everyone cross your fingers now and hope that this NYTimes article means the start of Louis CK on tour. Need a break from reading at this point?...I spent far too long on Dot&Bo the other night - in case you want to peruse some online shopping - great stuff!  And finally, What Ruth Bader Ginsburg Taught Me About Being a Stay-at-Home Dad in The Atlantic - particularly liked these two gems...but really the entire thing is solid. 

• "Indeed, part of what made Ginsburg’s legal strategy so effective was that she exposed the irrationality of sex discrimination by challenging laws that—at least on their faces—conferred special advantages on women."

• "It’s easy to assume that celebrated figures like the Boss possess superhuman levels of discipline. But an insight one gains working at a place like the Supreme Court is that we all face similar constraints on our time, energy, and intellectual bandwidth."

read file.

Happy New Year! We are back in DC after two weeks that felt like longer - after a vacation in Costa Rica, quality time in New York and a fantastic New Year's Eve wedding in New Haven - I am ready for 2015!  More to come soon...but real quick, I plowed through some good reading during the break, including these three books below. Just thought I would share and pass along....

Sold by Patricia McCormick was a quick yet powerful read. It's a story of a young girl sold as a sex slave. I can't tell you you will find it to be uplifting but certainly a reminder and amazement at what people can survive.

I couldn't put down The Light Between Oceans by M.L Stedman. It has you questioning throughout, swinging from character to character and empathizing when you don't want to. It is quite a read - you can ask Ben how much it got into my brain - I couldn't stop talking about it!

Talk about timely. Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson is upsetting and inspiring. This read and Stevenson himself has in my mind joined the ranks of Paul Farmer, Barbara Ehrenreich, Jonathan Kozol, etc. His work is incredible. The book is a must read especially in light of the recent resurfaced debate about race and justice - I can't recommend it enough. I will be talking about and giving this book out to friends and family for the next year, it is just that important and potent. Incredible.