Category Archives: Round the Web

‘Round the Web: April 2016

April 29, 2016 By in Notes on Life, Round the Web 3 Comments

FullSizeRender (23).jpgHow’s everyone doing?

Joe and I are taking off later today to spend the weekend at this very rustic cottage on a farm outside of Cottage Grove, two hours south of Portland. (This was my ‘experience’ gift to him for Christmas…so we’ve been looking forward to it since December!) The plan is to do a little bike tour to six covered bridges in the area, explore Cottage Grove, have a picnic at Dorena Lake, and of course chill at the cottage (found on Airbnb).

On Sunday the owners are going to give us a tour of their farm, complete with geese, chickens, ducks, and rabbits. If I’m on the ball I’ll take some photos of our trip and share them in a post sometime next week. :)

Until then, a few links for your Friday/weekend browsing…

* Ijeoma Oluo on why Beyonce’s Lemonade is about much more than infidelity.

* Raising men who do housework.

* Every interaction between two strangers walking dogs ever.

* How ’empowerment’ became something for women to buy.

* Why everyone on TV has the same hair.

* Five spring hikes within two hours of Portland.

* “Stop telling me I should have kids.”

* Excited to start reading this book this weekend.

* How about this ‘chore date’ idea? I think I’m into it.

* Lastly, let’s bubble wrap this man :)

xx ~C.

‘Round the Web: March 2016

March 31, 2016 By in Round the Web 4 Comments

photo-1417721955552-a49ac2d334e8 (1).jpegHi all, I’m back from our trip to California and ready to head into April…but not without saying goodbye to March with a little ‘Round the Web action! I’ll be sharing some photos from SF next week, but until then…

* This incredible home makeover made me cry

* Honest Illustrations About Adulthood

* Have you see James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke” sessions? It’s new to me, but the most recent one is with Jennifer Lopez, and it’s highly entertaining. J. Lo seems so fun and cool!

* 10 Ways You’re Making Your Life Harder Than It Has To Be

* This penguin and this 71-year-old man know how to do friendship

* Great tips on how to shop for clothes…in a way that’s socially responsible

* Wow, what an inspiring list of 50 + films about women

* If it’s been a while since you had a deep belly laugh, I recommend reading David Sedaris’ latest essay The Perfect Fit. It’s hysterical.

* Lastly, for the ladies…10 Common Bra Problems, Solved

xo ~C.

Image by Paula Borowska

‘Round the Web: February 2016

February 28, 2016 By in Books, Films + Music, Home, Food + Design, Notes on Life, Round the Web Leave a comment

photo-1433424165784-75568b0aca13How’s everyone doing?

Last night I had the chance to see one of my favourite Canadian singers, Basia Bulat, perform in Portland. She was amazing! (I went with Joe, who got us tickets as part of my Christmas gift.) This woman plays a zillion instruments and sings with her whole body, every part of her in the song and in the moment. It’s such a joy to see.

Today we are heading to our friends Dianna and Evan’s place to watch the Oscars with our Portland crew. We all had vague intentions of “dressing up” for the event but have decided to go to to the opposite end of the spectrum instead, with a theme of pajamas/extreme comfort. Dianna is going to make her famous “Rotel” dip, which is literally just canned Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta cheese, stirred and heated. It’s completely gluttonous and stupidly delicious. (I can’t wait.) Very intrigued to see how Chris Rock deals with #oscarssowhite and hoping he doesn’t hold back.

Onto the links, if you’re looking for some coffee (or whatever else you may be sipping) companionship…

* What a beautiful Modern Love essay

* 10 ways to tie a scarf

* Breasts: The Odd Couple made me smile and think back to my ‘late bloomer’ years. “I was only twelve, but already understood that a mismatched set put me at a cultural disadvantage. We girls pick things up along the path to puberty, collecting whispers like wildflowers and poring over teen magazines as if reading sacred texts.”

* Currently reading this book. And this one. (Lots of easy-to-implement wisdom in both.)

* Barbie’s got a new body (Finally!)

* Have you seen the movie Room? Joe and I watched it a couple weeks ago, and we both thought it was excellent. I enjoyed this interview with Brie Larson, the lead actress, on the radio show q recently, discussing her intense preparation for the role.

* The problem with “diversity”. (And a vote for inclusion.)

* Lastly, the best parts of being in love…13 couples and one solo artist on what being in a relationship means.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

xox ~C.
(Photo by Anette Grolle)

‘Round the Web: January 2016

January 31, 2016 By in Home, Food + Design, People + Interviews, Round the Web 1 Comment

photo-1445820200644-69f87d946277* How cool is this tiny house on Sauvie Island?

* Minimalist Wardrobe Resolutions for a New Year

* The Hollywood Reporter’s 2016 Actress Roundtable (with Carey Mulligan, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett, Jane Fonda, Brie Larson, Helen Mirren, Charlotte Rampling, and Kate Winslet)

* What Being a Single Parent is Really Like

* Are you addicted to distraction? (Are we all?)

* These awesome women have created an invisible bike helmet. For real.

* Joe and I love making this pizza that’s super easy and actually healthy

* Against the open office trend

* 7 Things You Can Actually Do About Climate Change

* Amanda De Cadenet interviews Hillary Clinton on The Conversation. (All personal, not political.)

* 6 Rules for Great Storytelling

Lastly, thank you for all your thoughtful comments on my ‘By Chance’ post. I appreciate them very much. xox

(photo by Dominik Lange)

‘Round the Web: September 2015

September 30, 2015 By in Round the Web Tags: , , Leave a comment

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It may have been a couple months since my last ‘Round the Web…but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been bookmarking the goods.

For your browsing pleasure…

*Advice on Writing From The Atlantic’s Ta-Nehisi Coates

*How dogs get older (so sweet)

*15 inspiring career books recommended by women

*The kids and families who vacation at Burning Man

*Great interview with Elizabeth Gilbert on her new book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

*I would never do this, but I respect what it stands for

*Getting a kick out of this instagram account

*If this movie gets made, I will definitely be seeing it

Friends, is it seriously October tomorrow?

xo ~C.

‘Round the Web: June 2015

June 30, 2015 By in Books, Films + Music, Notes on Life, Places + Travel, Round the Web Tags: , , , , Leave a comment

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How’s everyone doing?

Joe and I flew back to Portland last night after spending the weekend in St. Paul, Alberta for my family reunion. I had the chance to reconnect with a whole lot of aunts, uncles and cousins, many of whom I hadn’t seen since my Grandma passed away in 2005. It was wonderful. Joe hadn’t met this side of my family yet, so it was really cool to introduce him. We looked at old photos, sipped cocktails that my cousin Quinn whipped up, hung out in my Uncle Murray and Auntie Jean’s deluxe RV, and sat around a fire in a big circle, all at my cousin Amy’s beautiful country property. Of course we invited everyone to come visit us in Portland — now we just need a bigger place with a guest room!

Onto this month’s ‘Round the Web…

*Amazing photos (and the winning entry) for Environmental Photographer of the Year.

*Have you listened to Obama’s interview with comedian Marc Maron? Recorded in Maron’s garage 11 days ago (for his podcast ‘WTF’), it’s candid and compelling. The New Yorker gives a great summary here, and you can listen to the full interview here.

*Just finished this outstanding memoir.

*Ann Friedman on why the Supreme Court’s marriage ruling is “a little tricky”. (I agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly: “Marriage is all well and good, but it should not be a fundamental way we access government resources and social privilege in our society.”)

*Incredible footage of the Northern Lights in Iceland during the Solar Maximum  — “the peak of solar activity that occurs every 10-11 years.”

*Vera Wang on knowing when to walk away…and start something new.

*Portland’s ‘Movies in the Park’ summer schedule. (I’m hoping to catch The Wizard of Oz on Aug.20)

*Lastly, I finally joined Instagram. You can find me at courtney.tait. :)

See you in July!

xx~C.

‘Round the Web: May 2015

May 31, 2015 By in Round the Web Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

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Mick, Keith, and B.B. King

I just realized it’s the last day of May. Which means time for a trip around the web…

*A Day in the Life of Pinterest. (I found this very funny.)

*How young women feel about Hillary.

*9 Hikes Around Mt. Hood that sound amazing. (Some are just 45 minutes from Portland.)

*6 comedy actresses let loose in this revealing roundtable from The Hollywood Reporter. (Including Lena Dunham, Amy Schumer, and Kate McKinnon.)

*Transgender veterans in New Orleans.

*For anyone who has ever been ‘Done’ with someone. (Frazey Ford’s voice is gorgeous.)

*While the term ‘Slow Parenting’ annoys me (does everything need to be categorized?), the sentiment behind it just makes sense. Inspiration for trying it out.

*Own a retail business? (Or want to?) Excellent tips from Emily Henderson on how to keep people coming back.

*Lastly, apparently B.B. King called this one of his greatest performances.

Back soon, friends! ~C.

photo via worldofwilbekin.tumblr.com

‘Round the Web: April 2015

April 30, 2015 By in Round the Web Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

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Amidst the devastating earthquake in Nepal, more U.S. police killings of unarmed black men, and Native actors walking off the set of Adam Sandler’s awful racist movie, April held a shining ray of hope: news of Kermit’s glass frog doppelganger, discovered in Costa Rica.

From National Geographic:

“The lime-green amphibian . . . has bulging white eyes with perfect black pupils, much like Jim Henson’s musical puppet. But this frog can’t carry a tune. In fact, it has a long whistle like that of an insect, which, according to a new study, may be why scientists didn’t notice it for so long—Costa Rica’s last glass frog discovery occurred in 1973.”

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A mascot for the age of transparency? I don’t know, but something about this creature’s little green see-through body (it’s just 1 inch long!) makes me feel better about the world.

Of course, it’s not the only cool thing I came across this month. ‘Round the Web we go… Continue reading →

‘Round the Web: March 2015

March 31, 2015 By in Round the Web Tags: , , , , , 4 Comments

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How are you guys doing?

March was a bit of a ‘life anniversary’ month for me, as three years ago, on March 1st, Joe and I flew to Delhi from Korea to start our three month trip to India, Indonesia, and Cambodia. I still get so much joy from those memories. (This is the video we made, while on the road, of our time in Rajasthan.)

Life these days still feels adventurous, albeit in a different way than sleeping overnight in the desert or riding motorbikes to fishing villages with names like Banko Banko. This weekend we went to a Swedish film at the NW Film Center, played Settlers of Catan with friends, and drank cold brew coffee in the Pearl District. The sun was shining and the evenings were mild enough to sit out on our balcony. Half the plants survived the winter, the others have yet to reappear. In April, I’ll get the fertilizer out, add some fresh soil, and see what I can revive. :)

Onto the links…

* Who says we can’t peak past middle age? “Finding Success, Well Past the Age of Wunderkind”.

* Wow, what a wonderful photo series on dads (and their kids) who take parental leave in Sweden. I would LOVE to see more images like these in mainstream media.

* A guide for first-time visitors to New Orleans. (“Yes, you need to go have beignets at Cafe Du Monde, and yes, they are just square donuts.”)

* “The best thing you can do for yourself — and all the women around you”. Wise words from Elizabeth Gilbert.

* Have you taken the Love Language Test? (My #1: quality time.)

* The ghost children of China’s one-child policy. “Ms. Lu, who is 42, has grown consumed by a desperation that she has cursed her child merely by giving birth to him.”

* I watched this movie while having a sleepover with girlfriends on Friday night. Hint: Rob Lowe, saxophone, 1985.

* This female former manager at The Huffington Post and The Washington Post wrote a public apology to the mothers she used to work with. Worth the read.

* humanae is a project cataloging “all possible human skin tones”…with pantone codes. See the work-in-progress.

* My 21 year-old sister Abby is living in Austria for four months, doing a study-abroad semester of university. Which means she spends her weekends galavanting around Europe. Here is Amsterdam, through her eyes.

Happy reading, everyone.

xx ~C.

p.s. Photo of birds in flight is by Melissa McFadden. Find her on instagram at florenceeva.

‘Round the Web: February 2015

February 28, 2015 By in Round the Web Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

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Wow, February flew by. Is it just me, or does the 28 days versus 30 or 31 make this month feel an entire week shorter? It seems I just posted January’s ‘Round the Web, and here we are again. Anyway, I’ve got the goods, friends. These links cover everything from Tindering to parenting to psychedelics.

Side note: I know I’m just one of many, many people who were devastated when Jon Stewart announced his upcoming departure from The Daily Show — hence the image above, in tribute. I don’t use the word devastated lightly. Stewart makes American politics bearable, in a ‘Thank God I’m laughing so I don’t cry’ kind of way. The man is irreplaceable. But I respect his choice, summed up by what he said in this interview following his announcement: “You shouldn’t stay somewhere just because you can.” A good reminder not to get complacent, no matter what level of success you’re at.

Onto the links…

* Rolling Stone breaks down 9 things they learned from Stewart’s post-announcement interview on the Employee of the Month podcast, including #1: He’s not retiring.

* Wow. Did you see this incredible dance piece by Sergei Polunin, to Hozier’s “Take Me to Church?”

* What you learn in your 40s. “There are no grownups . . . there are no soul mates.” Wise, witty article by Pamela Druckerman, author of Bringing Up Bébé.

* The Trip Treatment. Fascinating, in-depth read at The New Yorker on new research into psychedelics for treating effects of illness.

* I like this idea of a Capsule Wardrobe. Who doesn’t want only things they love to wear in their closet? Here’s how to do it.

* Whoa. Maybe I’m just an out-of-touch married lady, but Tindering in New York sounds nuts to me: “Except for ordering their drinks, none of the people I was with that night spoke to any other actual human beings . . . Each of them had six or seven Tinder chats going simultaneously.” Insightful piece from the New York Times.

* What a cool kitchen makeover in this California home. The transformative power of paint always blows me away.

* 300 Awesome Free Things for entrepreneurs. If you ‘re a freelancer/blogger/internet user of any kind, this is a pretty amazing resource. I especially love the huge list of free stock photography sites…invaluable!

* Whatever you do, Keep the Channel Open.

* Empowering Kids with Our Trust. A thoughtful piece on what I imagine is one of the toughest parts of parenting, written by my friend Sarah Conley.

* Because it’s Valentine’s month, after all: 5 Ways to Rekindle the Sexual Fire in Your Relationship.

* How do you guys get your news? I mentioned The Skimm in my Flash of Life post last week, but it’s worth recommending again: “The daily e-mail newsletter that gives you everything you need to start your day. We do the reading for you – across subject lines and party lines – and break it down with fresh editorial content.” Founded by two female news media veterans. (Thanks, Dianna!)

* Lastly, this image won the World Press Photo of the Year 2014. Progress.

And that’s a wrap. See you in March, everyone.

~C. xx

ps. If you enjoy these links, feel free to share the love and pass this post on…through facebook, email, twitter, secret handshakes…whatever moves you :) I appreciate it! Thank you, as always, for reading.