Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Just Like a Woman
Thought provoking review of two new books that rescue the brilliant Jane Austen from being dismissed as a writer of romantic froth. Hear hear — she is so much more than that.

Model Transformations
W magazine has a fun slide show featuring legendary models transformed into other famous people — check out Linda Evangelista, Karen Elson and Jessica Stam among others. Slightly NSFW — just so you know.

An Elegantly Frugal Rental in Maine
Inspiring slide show of the home of Michael Fleming, a Maine artist and furniture maker who works with driftwood; his partner, Jennifer Wurst; and their young son, Finn — all living stylishly on an income Ms. Wurst calls “near poverty level.” Their secret? Found and handmade furnishings, thrift and ingenuity. Beautiful.

A Stitch in Time
Fed up with the often trashy designs on offer in children's clothing stores when shopping for her young daughter, Alexandra Lange started looking for vintage clothing patterns, quickly discovering that her own taste in kids' clothes is the same as her taste in furniture, art and architecture — the 1960s. She particularly loves the mod Mary Quant look — for herself as well as for her daughter, which is actually right on trend for fall.

Adventures in Indiana State Fair Food 2011
The Incidental Economist rounds up his family and heads off to sample the wildest of state fair food — including the doughnut burger, the ice cream burger, deep fried peanut butter cups and deep fried kool-aid. I think my arteries hardened just reading about his afternoon there. Via The Browser.

The College Years
It's back to school this week — armed with personal histories and transfer credits, grads from ’88 to ’15 hold a fall-semester seminar for The Morning News on majors, dorms, and the types of roommates to avoid.

1961 Disneyland Fashion Show
This is pretty awesome — a recent discovery of 12 awkward photos from a 1961 fashion shoot set in the "fairy-tale backdrop of Disneyland in Anaheim California." Wow. Via dinosaurs and robots.

Tomato Cobbler
Hannah of the gorgeous honey & jam blog offers this intriguing recipe, which she rightly describes as being the perfect balance between summer and fall. Must try this one.


(lovely photo by bart brussee)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.



Cover Girl

Tired of sun frazzled hair? Adopt Jackie O's nonchalant summer style of a head scarf topped by oversized sunglasses — follow the link for some fetching scarf designs to choose from.



Maybe It's Time For Plan C

Interesting NYT story about the second thoughts of the recent wave of white-collar professionals who've left demanding corporate careers to follow their dreams of becoming self-employed as chocolatiers, bed-and-breakfast proprietors and the like.



If There's A Man Among Ye: The Tale of Pirate Queens Anne Bonny and Mary Read

Read on for the wild, gruesome and hair raising true exploits of two female pirates, who were definitely no shrinking violets.



Top Ten Books to Read Aloud

Author Mal Peet picks the bedtime story books he and his children most enjoyed — including Roald Dahl's The BFG, The Wind in the Willows, Oliver Twist and more.



The Victorianator

Longing to answer your cellphone with the rich eloquent tones of a Victorian reconteur? Check out this fun iPhone app, developed by a team of poets, graphic designers and computer scientists at Concordia University in Montreal.



Artist's Palate

Wallpaper magazine has a great series featuring a recipe for a favourite dish by an artist, accompanied by a photo inspired by their work — the link takes you to Christo and Jeanne-Claude, but do have a look at the other artists, too.



Ark Nova Mobile Concert Hall

This is such a wonderful concept. A huge inflatable and lightweight mobile concert hall will host free concerts in areas of Japan devastated by the earthquake and tsunami which hit earlier this year, designed by the Japanese architect Arata Isozaki in collaboration with the artist Anish Kapoor. Check out the drawings — just lovely.



Where Children Sleep

Photographer James Mollison's new book is of portraits of children and their rooms around the world — and it documents some huge contrasts. Definitely thought provoking. Via kottke.



A Celebration of Pesto

Saveur has some delicious suggestions for taking advantage of late summer's bounty of tomatoes and fresh basil — their four course pesto feast features Pesto Focaccia, Provençal Vegetable Soup with Pistou, Pesto-Rubbed Chicken with Panzanella and even a dessert of Pesto Panna Cotta with Tomato Sorbet and Candied Pinenuts.





(photo from kitka via brickhouse)

Smile

From Danish company Minimii — a dollhouse version of iconic designer Arne Jacobsen's own 1929 villa in Charlottenlund. Built on a 1:16 scale, the dollhouse closely replicates details of the original — and miniature versions of Jacobsen's furniture designs are also available to furnish it, too. Love. Via Phaidon | Edit.

Mother's Day

A very happy Mother's Day to all the mums — have a wonderful day. And to my own Mum and stepmum Judi — thanks for everything.


(photo by Daniel Farmer)

Buffet

This week's links. Enjoy.

Lonny Magazine
The latest issue of Lonny is online, and once again it's gorgeous! Get yourself a cup of tea and prepare to enjoy.

Adore Magazine
A lovely new online decor magazine based in Australia. Check out the newest issue, which is full of summery colour (perfect reading for those of us shivering in the north).

Brancusi Working
Check out this very rare short film of the sculptor Brancusi assembling one of his column works — and then goofing around with a friend and a dog. So cool that this exists. Via the Noguchi Museum on Twitter.

Tee Scarves
Wondering what to do with an old t-shirt that's too worn to give away? Make it into a very cool spaghetti scarf! Follow the link to the Method blog for easy instructions — you'll be wearing one in half an hour! Via pinterest.

Top 10 Talking Animals in Literature
Great list of novels featuring talking animals — ranges from The Golden Ass by Apuleius to The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Honey Laundering
Do you know where your supermarket honey is really from — and more importantly, what's in it? An eye opening story from the Globe and Mail — and a good argument for eating locally whenever possible.

Guess the Technology
Utterly sweet short video of modern-day French-Canadian schoolchildren in the role of 20th century archaeologists, guessing the uses of gadgets from the ’80s and ’90s. Via Francesca Tronchin.

10 Risotto Recipes
I'm a big fan of risotto — usually I'll make it plain (often with a handful of fresh spinach or asparagus), or I'll make Donna Hay's tomato and eggplant version — but these recipes from Saveur look fun to try, too.


(photo from family living via this pretty space)