I’ve always been a reader, but lately I’ve embarked on a particularly bookish lifestyle and I can’t wait to sit by the pool (or in bed, for that matter) every weekend and make my way through my list of summer reads.

What are you reading? I never turn down a book recommendation.

This Is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decreptitude & More. For Young and Old Alike. by Augusten Burroughs – I love a good Augusten Burroughs book, but I’ve already been warned that this one is a far cry from his usual darkly jaunty stories.

Signs of Life by Natalie Taylor – Recommend as part of Sometimes Sweet’s summer reading list. There’s nothing like a sad sad memoir (with a pretty cover) to make you appreciate your own life.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green – Another tear-jerker. I’m pretty sure this is on just about everyone’s “to read” list this summer.

The Newlyweds by Nell Freudenberger – There are some harsh reviews for this book on Amazon and GoodReads. Which is kinda why I want to read it.I guess mail order brides can be quite polarizing.

An Uncommon Education by Elizabeth Percer – The description says that the book “captures the complicated ties of family, the bittersweet inevitability of loss, and the importance of learning to let go.” I, apparently, want to weep my way through my summer.

Seating Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead – Finally! Some fluff!

Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler - Because I’m curious what other explanation there could be besides “you’re a big fat jerk.”

Happy Friday the 13th! Godspeed.

• Gwyneth Paltrow signed on to play Dora Maar in the upcoming Pablo Picasso biopic, 33 Dias. Antonio Banderas will play Pablo. I going to need to noodle this over for a bit before making any judgements.
• I just finished reading So Big by Edna Ferber and it is excellent. It’s a Pulitzer Prize winner from 1925 and I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of it until now.
• These mini crocheted animals are amazing.
• Sperry Top-Siders. For babies. And then I died.
• This neon sign needs to be in my house. It’s in the window of a shop near my house and I’m afraid to go in and ask how much it is.
• My dog wears a bathrobe. Is that not the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever seen?
• Jean Paul Gaultier for Coke. It’s everything you’d expect and more.
• Text from Dog. I can’t stop laughing.

I’m flying home to Chicago today to celebrate my birthday with friends and family! What are you doing this weekend?

• I had lunch with the Elizabeth Street Cafe with coworkers this week and it’s another place you have to visit if you’re ever in Austin. Pork belly bánh mì – do I need to say more?
• I expect Orla Kiely for Bed, Bath & Beyond to be even more amazing than the Target line from a few years ago.
• I love these layered iphone cases. Like, love love.
• Fuck your Missoni hand towels. This Tumblr made me laugh.
• After hearing all the buzz, I downloaded Fifty Shades of Grey. Yeah for smutty fiction! Have you read it?
• 40 secret iPhone features because the iPhone continues to amaze me.
• Ryan Gosling as a young Walt Disney would be perfection. He was  a Mouseketeer.
• 22,000 Hot Wheels. Just in case you ever wondered what that would look like.
• A stamp that looks like my glasses. I’m going to go on a stamping spree!
• How comfy would this rug be to step out of bed onto every morning? Too bad the yarn is $125 a skein!
• I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect mac & cheese for pretty much my entire adult life. This goat cheese mac & cheese may come pretty close.
• Apparently Marilyn thinks more highly of the Olive Garden than she does bloggers.
• I had way too much fun earlier this week live streaming the JayZ SXSW concert and dancing in my kitchen. (More fun, it looks, than some of the people in the audience. Nerdie white guys weren’t appreciating Hova!)
• I want this clutch. Bad.

• I’ve all but banned sky-high heels from my life, so I’ve been rocking the sliver wedge trend for seasons. Excited to stock up now that they’ve caught on!
• If you love meringue (like I do) Strawberries & “Cream” from Spoon Fork Bacon looks delish.
• The Chicago Neighborhoods Project is fantastic. It’s nostalgic and modern and I love the idea of giving each neighborhood it’s own gorgeous logo.
• Who doesn’t love a good gif? I can’t stop watching the girl in the sunhat. She’s mildly creepy but oddly captivating.
• 24 hour Sprinkles. It’s like all my dreams have come true. Now, if I could only get one installed in my bedroom.
• 13 cheeses everyone should know. No excuses.
• This dog. I have no idea who his (I always assume dogs are boys) owner is, but I love this dog.
• Goats in sweaters. Just because.
• Penguin cam! Say goodbye to your afternoon.
• L’amour Fou. A documentary about the 50 year relationship of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé is high on my to-see list.
• I need new furniture and I would like a great big chair and a half with matching ottoman for my living room. So comfy!
• I stocked up on summer reads (even though most were on my spring reading list) and I can’t wait to dive in!

The Flame Alphabet by Ben Marcus
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Smut by Alan Bennett
The Odditorium by Melissa Pritchard
The Million Dollar Mermaid by Esther Williams

It’s against the very core of my being, but I saw One Day in the theater last summer before I read the book. Before I even realized it was a book. Shameful.

“He wanted to live life in such a way that if a photograph were taken at random, it would be a cool photograph.”

I adored the movie, which is really saying something because Anne Hathaway and I are not on good terms. But I do love love love Patricia Clarkson.

Maybe I enjoyed the movie so much because I hadn’t read the book? I mean, that scene THAT SCENE came out of nowhere. I literally gasped in the theater – like a fool. And it wouldn’t have if I’d done my due diligence.

“I’m not the consolation prize, Dex. I’m not something you resort to. I happen to think I’m worth more than that.”

But then again, if the movie can make me all sentimental, the book is sure to make me cry, right?

“And then she frowned, and shook her head, then put her arms around him once more, pressing her face into his shoulder, making a noise that sounded almost like rage.
‘What’s up?’ he asked.
‘Nothing. Oh, nothing. Just…’ She looked up at him. ‘I thought I’d finally got rid of you.’
‘I don’t think you can.’ he said”