Happy weekend!

My dears, what do you have planned for the weekend? Apple picking? Pie baking? Thanksgiving planning? We've vowed to have a productive weekend, tackling projects that have been on our to-do list for far too long. It won't be all work, though—I'm sure we'll still manage to fit in a walk and some Christmas market exploration.

Some links for your Friday:

This is fueling my retirement dreams, in which I become a goat farmer, renowned for my delicious cheeses (it could happen).

May 15 cannot come soon enough.

This made us cry-laugh so hard.

Help make a second season of Serial.

This makes my nerdy side (is there a non-nerdy side?) so very happy.

We watched this documentary on Netflix this week and loved it.

Wishlisted.

I've been listening to these guys lots (did you see them on Jimmy Kimmel?). Fun fact: Rhiannon Giddens sang the title role in Susannah when we were in grad school together (square-dancing hussy).

Totally into this new video series.

Pretty please to have this life.

What every toddler you know needs for Christmas.

Here's a gratuitous photo of Lola being adorable:

Taken by CM (she's generally only sweet with him)

Hope your weekend is full of lazy mornings, productive afternoons, and Glühwein evenings. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Friends, have you had a good week? We have been spending lots of time attempting to make Big Life Decisions, and it has left me with very little brain space for things like blogging, or taking photos, or ANYTHING ELSE. Phew. I will try to use the weekend to calm down. Apologies for the vagueblogging.

In the meantime, some links:

I love when hardworking, talented people are recognized for their work.

We have been sitting around listening to this like some old-timey couple in an era before TV existed. You should too.

When I need comfort food, I always come back to this. (But I halve the recipe.)

This better be amazing.

My cousin Gunnar made this cool thing.

Proud of my alma mater.

I finally tracked down some brown sugar in Vienna, so I will probably make these this weekend.

Are we still saying "girl crush"? If so, this.


And here's what's happening all the time at our place:

Here's hoping your weekend is filled with bowls of warm comfort food, snuggly cats, and a newly found Zen attitude. xoxo LMB

Happy Halloween weekend!

Happy Halloween, everyone! Do you have big plans for the weekend? Halloween isn't a big thing here, but we are going to a little pajama party with friends tonight. And rushing to get all our errands run today, since tomorrow is a national holiday and nothing will be open. CM has the whole weekend free(!), so we're looking forward to lots of lounging and maybe a bit of exploring as well.

Some linky goodness for the weekend:

This is me.

Good news for moms.

On the top of my wish list (in bordo).

So beautiful.

Lazy Halloween costume ideas.

Made me laugh.

My new favorite Instagram feed.

This was a big hit.


And in case you missed it on Instagram, here is Lola discovering nature:

Hope your weekend is full of hot chocolate, treats not tricks, and lazy lounging. xoxo LMB

Happy birthday weekend!

Friends, do you have big plans for the weekend? It's been a full week over here (which is why it's been a light blogging week). I'm looking forward to a lovely relaxing weekend of hanging out with CM, eating lots of yummy things, and (of course) a little Sunday excursion. Plus, tomorrow's my birthday! CM is taking me out for a special date. I'm crossing my fingers that it includes a showing of Gone Girl, hint, hint.


Some links from the week:

Two things I did to chickens this week. You really can't go wrong if you start with a whole chicken, can you?

Google street view camel. Come on.

The magazine I'm into right now, even though I'm preeeeetty sure its core demographic is post-menopausal (there are an awful lot of ads for anti-aging creams).

One of my favorite authors has a NY Times Magazine column now!

The product I swear by for a little glow.

My favorite weather app (thanks, Papa Bossy).

The show we've been catching up on.

150 wines for $15 or less.

Jennifer Garner is awesome.

Dying to do a project using this.


My favorite shot of the week (not of cats, if you can believe it):

from my Instagram feed

Hope your weekend is full of autumn leaves, flushed cheeks, and celebrations. See you back here Monday. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

My dears, did you have a good week? We saw friends, ran a very cool 5K, and I got to see the final dress rehearsal of the new Idomeneo at the Staatsoper. Tomorrow night we're going to the Lange Nacht der Museen (Long Night of Museums), an event all over Austria where you buy one ticket and can get into any museum from 6pm to 1am! CM went four years ago, and he said it's a great way to get to know smaller museums that you might not otherwise visit. If the weather's nice on Sunday we'll be tromping around again, and if not we'll just be snuggling up at home braising meat. What do you have planned?

A few links in the meantime:

The book I devoured this week. Even better than I imagined.

The video that had us DYING each of the eleven times we watched it.

The science I can get behind.

The article making me super proud of my awesome friends (there might be one of these every week, as it turns out).

The show I will be watching all weekend if it rains (all 154 episodes are on Netflix as of this week!).

The recipe that is just as good as I remembered.

The brilliant way I'm reading magazines overseas.

The magic that's keeping my skin from drying out as the weather changes.

The best place for fall jackets.


Also, I made pretzels from scratch yesterday, and I'm very proud.

from my Instagram feed

Here's hoping your weekend is full of successful kitchen experiments, carb consumption without guilt, and adventure! xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Have you had a good week? The trip to Salzburg made my week fly by, and I can't believe it's already the weekend! I'm looking forward to a lazy Saturday, and we're crossing our fingers for good hiking/outdoor wine drinking weather on Sunday.

A few things I'd like to share:

The shoes I'm wearing constantly.

The article making me proud to have awesome friends.

The German word I'm trying to use all the time in conversation (it means "quiet as a mouse").

The free app we're using to track expenses.

The video everyone in Austria has seen.

The chart I'm gawking at.

The book I can't stop thinking about.

The dinner party meal that never fails me.

The brilliant idea we're thinking about adopting as our own.

The blog you should be reading if you aren't already.


And here's the pretty Bossy Cat chillaxing in bed while we drink our morning coffee.

Hope your weekend is filled with open windows, long walks, and just the right amount of day drinking. See you back here next week. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

My friends, how was your week? We've been in production for the Studio Showcase (a scenes programs with the incredible young artists at HGO), and the show is tonight! It's been such a lovely process, not least because CM and I got to be in the same room all day long. Tomorrow morning we both head out on VERY early flights (the car's coming at 4:30am—ack!): CM to NYC and me to Chicago (more Bohème for me, happily). Luckily, we've both been upgraded, which should help our early morning moods. What are you up to this weekend?

Meanwhile, a few links:

I'm loving the new Prabal Gurung collection for Target. I walked away with this cardigan, which is perfect for brightening up chilly days.

Papa Bossy sent me this amazing video, the first thing I ever saw that made me consider getting a dog.

Wow, this and this have made me feel even better about the way we're eating these days.

We've been researching summer vacations and CM discovered this awesome site for finding hotels. Yes please to ANY of them.

Can't wait to make this! And here's another fave of ours.

The Bossy Cat was feeling left out because I've been posting so many kitten pics, so here she is, in all her glory:

Hope your weekend is filled with smooth travel, museum afternoons, and cuddly kitties! xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

My dears, what's on tap for the weekend? We're throwing a little dinner party tonight after work, we're seeing a concert at the Rothko Chapel tomorrow night, and then supposedly Sunday we're going on a hot air balloon ride. Although currently the forecast says it might be raining, so I'm trying not to get my hopes up. You may recall that the balloon ride was my birthday present from CM in October 2011. We're still trying to make it happen. If we can't go, at least the Oscars should heal the pain.

While I'm crossing my fingers for sunshine, a few links:

This post really hit home with me. Can't imagine why.

Not a particularly sexy link, but I always forget to get my free annual credit reports (so important), and we did it last weekend (after organizing all our 2012 tax stuff—big day). Get yours here!

After eyeing it for ages, I finally bought a Clarisonic (the Mia 2 in Emerald). I've only been using it for a few days, but I swear my skin feels smoother and cleaner.

LEGO Michael Jackson. Cool.

Oh, this looks delicious. And it's Whole 30 friendly!


Here's Lola in the fruit basket, then and now. She's so big!

Hope your weekend is full of clear weather, lazy couch time, and red carpets! xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

So apparently this is a "long" weekend, but for us it's TWO whole consecutive days, so we're happy. We're planning daily bike rides and lots of cooking and as much movie watching as possible (so much to do before February 24th!) It's so rare that our schedules mesh, so we are taking full advantage. What do you have planned this weekend?

While we're enjoying some much-needed time together, a few links for you:

I want to go to there.

Our new favorite.

This makes me laugh.

I recently went here to buy baby shower gifts for a friend and practically died from cuteness.

I love this site.



In a rare break from hissing at each other and biting us:

Hope your weekend is full of together time, sunshine, and bitey kittens! xoxo LMB

Happy Nemo weekend!

Friends, are you staying warm and dry and safe this weekend?? I hope so! I'm home in Houston for a super-quick trip to see CM play a concert last night. I had a couple meetings today, but mostly I'm just chewing my fingernails and hoping I can make it back to NYC tomorrow morning. Flashback. If I get there, I'll be in the city for only 24 hours for the last Elisir of the season and my friend's baby shower. Sunday I head home for 3 weeks! And just in time, as it turns out the kitten does not know her own mother anymore ("And whose fault is that," a wise friend asked me pointedly when I complained about it today). My husband seems to remember me just fine. Phew.

While you're snowed in, a few links:

This looks so cool. If I ever start running again, I will certainly invest.

I've always wanted to go to this. I think I'll be in rehearsals both days, so this probably isn't the year, but it seems like a good use of a Saturday, no?

In my ongoing attempt to look more like a grown-up, I walked into Sephora this week and begged for help choosing a lipstick. I ended up with this one in Sonya, and it's perfection.

I know I'm coming late to this party, but I finally saw Jiro Dreams of Sushi this week. OH, what a lovely film. See it!

I'm listening to this on repeat. And wishing we had HBO so I could watch Season 2.


Look at this wild jungle beast. Isn't she fierce?

Hope your weekend is filled with cozy slippers, hot cocoa, and comfort food. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Oh my goodness, it's February. Wowza. During January I dropped off the face of the planet and right into mid nineteenth-century Bohemian Paris, and I'm just now emerging back into the real world (although the show opened almost 2 weeks ago). Bohème was such a lovely experience in every possible way, challenging me and delighting me and most of all reminding me that I'm on the right path, that this is indeed what I should be doing with my time. There was, however, no time or brain power left for extracurricular creative pursuits, and as a result I lost the habit of blogging. I'm back in New York for a bit now. I got to see the last performances of Maria Stuarda, and now I'm on performance duty for a few more nights of Elisir. I'm catching my breath. How was your January? I've missed you.

While I'm remembering how to do this blogging thing, some links for you:

Well, of course I want Zosia Mamet as my new best friend. Don't you?

If you have some time, read this beautiful exploration of joy by Zadie Smith. (via Orangette)

Have you listened to Alec Baldwin's new radio show, Here's the Thing? I love it.

Our friend Isabel on becoming Sesto.

I'm absolutely loving my new Everlane t-shirt and tote bag. Such high quality and so affordable!

Here's a little bit of our Bohème.


And, because I'm missing them (are you?), here are my sweet cats. Photos by CM, obvs.

Hope your weekend is full of brunches, warm coats, and date nights. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

How was your week, my dears? I've been struggling, as we all have, to find moments of lightness and joy after last week's tragedy. I'm so happy that CM arrives today to bring me out of the doldrums. This weekend we'll get cracking on our December list.

Some links to occupy you while we're at the circus:

I love this software that automatically adjusts the lighting on your computer at night. No more blue glow!

Thoughts on staying in love (via Planting Dandelions).

ACK! Puggles!

I enjoyed this article about Deb Perelman. Have you bought the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook yet?

Send a call from Santa.

How to help.


CM made his first batch of barrel-aged negronis! Don't they look gorgeous? (Custom-made labels are from Pinhole Press.)

Here's hoping your weekend is filled with holiday celebrations, hot chocolate, and strength in numbers. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Have you had a good week, friends? Somehow this one has managed to both fly by AND be completely exhausting. Any good plans for the weekend? I've scheduled some time with friends, some time at work, and some time with colleagues at a Christmas party. Let the eggnog flow.

For your weekend, some links:

I don't really need one, but I'm wishing for this like crazy.

Homemade Girl Scout cookies!

If you're wondering what to get me for Christmas, I would also take any one of these.

Baby krazy? You might not want to look at my college friend Erin's website.

Owl Jolson! Amazing.


CM sent me this amazing pic of BOTH cats kneading our bedroom rug. We're so close to the dream (the 2 of them sleeping snuggled together in a pile, obvs).

Hope your weekend is filled with wassail, twinkly lights, and good cheer. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Oh my goodness, things have been busy. For you too? I think it's that time of year. What are you up to this weekend? Something wintry and festive? Now that my second opening of the season is over with, I'm deep in rehearsals for the third. But not ALL weekend, and luckily CM is coming back to town. We're planning some holiday festivities—I think we'll buy our Christmas tree this weekend!

In the meantime, some linkety links:

Fab holiday shops!

Can't get enough of this.

An excellent reason to go to midtown.

Gentlemen, CM swears by this.

I've probably linked to this before, but it deserves another look. Oh, aspiration...


Lola and Lucy are keeping CM very busy taking photos of them at their cutest. I mean, honestly:

Hope your weekend is filled with peppermint hot chocolate, skinny pants with boots, and snuggling under blankets. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Friends, what are you up to this weekend? I have a busy one planned: a Broadway show tonight, work tomorrow followed by a much-needed night in, the fabulous Joyce on Sunday, and a slumber party with the Wise Soprano. Phew. I can't wait!

While I'm taking advantage of this incredible city, here are some links for you:

Curated TED talk playlists. Cool.

My new favorite pants. I might need to get them in every color.

Thinking of sending this to the continent of Europe. Think it would catch on?

My latest to-do list tool. Loving it so far.

How amazing would this be? Save your miles!


Have you ever seen anything cuter than this photo CM took of Lola? Honestly.

Here's hoping your weekend is full of good music, good food, and good company. xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

Well, friends, I'm safe and sound (and dry!) in Manhattan. My flight was smooth and not too crowded (I even snagged an exit row with an empty seat next to me), there was no gridlock on the George Washington Bridge, and my sublet (found on Craigslist—eep!) is quirky and lovely. Phew. This week was stressful and strange. I felt like I was in 2 places at once, and the uncertainty of whether I was actually leaving yesterday drove me crazy. It's good to be here. Back to regular programming next week.

What's on the docket for you this weekend? Any big plans for that extra hour? I'm getting settled, transitioning back into full-time work mode, and planning to patronize some local establishments (lots of businesses have lost huge amounts of money because of the storm).

While I'm settling in, some links for you:

Amazing Sandy photos.

What a sweet idea.

Highly recommend.

This arrived this week. Can't wait to get started!

DIY cat costume.


Here's the Bossy Cat fishing for kittens:

Hope your weekend is filled with exploration, hot cocoa, and POWER! xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

We're a bit bleary-eyed this morning, having been woken up in the middle of the night by a kitten attacking us for sport. Blergh. She is cuter when she sleeps through the night. However… it's Friday! What are you up to this weekend? Today the Houston weather has magically turned colder, so I'm hoping for some nice long walks. Plus, tonight is opening night of L'Italiana in Algieri.

While I'm busy sleep-training my kitten (kidding…sort of), some links:

Have you registered for Go Mighty yet?

We rented Moonrise Kingdom last night and I loved it in all its Wes Anderson weirdness.

Just bought this cutie for fall.

In lieu of a Vespa, I think I need this.

Rabbithole of the week. Gorgeous.


And here's Lola falling asleep in a fruit basket.

Hope your weekend is full of cooler weather, changing leaves, and hot cider! xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

What do y'all have planned for the weekend, friends? Something fun? And is it just me, or has this week just flown by? Tonight is the opening of the HGO season, so we're getting dressed up in our black tie finest and seeing opening night of Bohème.

While I'm admiring how handsome my husband looks in a tux, some links:

This is the map I need to navigate NYC.

Loved this article about a man, a Fitbit, and Paris.

Cool street art.

Our go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. #paleoschmaleo

Fascinating post.


This is what it looks like around our house much of the time.

Hope your weekend is full of champagne toasts, cookies warm from the oven, and cat safari! xoxo LMB

Happy birthday weekend!

And how will YOU be celebrating my birthday this weekend? I am taking the whole weekend off from work, and on Sunday morning CM is taking me on an adventure to cross off a list item! It was actually my birthday present from LAST year, and this is the first time we've been able to fit it into our crazy schedules. Go figure.

While I'm birthdaying it up, a few links for you.

As an experiment, I've been letting my naturally wavy hair air dry. The only thing keeping it from becoming a frizzy bird's nest mess is this fantastic product.

Just what the doctor ordered.

My parents got me this book for my birthday. Looking forward to sinking my teeth into this one.

I'm in!

CB2 has some gorgeous art prints right now. I can't decide whether this one or this one is my favorite.


This is Lola asleep on my stomach. She is being THIS CUTE every day around here.

Hope your weekend is full of celebration, champagne cocktails, and cake! xoxo LMB

Happy weekend!

My dears, what's on tap for you this weekend? Any big plans? We're planning a long bike ride, a trip to the new Houston Trader Joe's, and maybe a movie night (we want to see this). It's lovely to be home.

Some linky goodness for you:


We made these for cocktail hour at our dinner party last weekend. Delicious.

I had new headshots taken this week, and I realized the night before that I had nothing to wear. One quick sweep through Anthropologie and I walked out with this in blue, which turned out to be the perfect thing for the photos. I also couldn't resist taking this beauty home with me. I'm craving new fall clothes with a vengeance!

LOVED this book. Somehow managed to read it in a day. Cried at some point in every chapter. Don't judge.

My life is full.

This is on my to-make list.


Here's Lola being cute, which is apparently her full-time job. My hand is there for scale, obvs.

Hope your weekend is full of date nights, fall foliage, and purry kittens! xoxo LMB