a lovely library

It's cold and rainy in these parts, and this morning as I prepare for another busy day, I can't help but think how much I'd rather spend the day curled up in my pjs than traipse off to work.

I saw images of this library a while ago (it's in one of Diane Keaton's houses) and am longing to go lounge around there today. I could pour a second cup of coffee, pick something fabulous off the shelves (preferably using the cool ladder), and be content to just be quiet all day.


I love the use of the quotation around the edge of the ceiling - I think that detail totally makes this space. And although it's not quite as cool as the library from Beauty & the Beast, which I irrationally compare all libraries to, I would totally go knocking at Diane's door this morning if I happened to live in the neighborhood.

Maybe she would let me in if I brought along something yummy to share...monkey bread anyone?

*images via Hooked on Houses

monkeying around

So yesterday I saw this recipe online, and promptly started drooling.

I have a lovely friend from home (we'll call her P) who makes a similarly delicious version of monkey bread, and I could only think of her.

Well, that and how amazingly good this odd dish is.

Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? Is it an entire foodgroup?

(Twin tried to tell me that because it has dough in it, it must have wheat, which is a whole grain, and therefore the entire thing must be good for us...isn't she tricky?)

Anyway...back to the story. After trying to wipe the drool off my desk, I promptly emailed the recipe to Twin, telling her something dramatic like, "We MUST make this ASAP."

I made it all of another 4-5 hours, and then halfway through dinner decided that asap meant immediately following dinner. (You would never know that I have incredible self control in other aspects of my life, based on how I talk about eating.)

A quick trip to Target was required, since I don't regularly keep biscuit dough in my house, but apparently Target does not regularly keep buscuit dough either, as they had none. (I decided to improvise and used cresent roll dough instead, which worked out just fine.)

After a very easy prep process and about 40 minutes of baking, the most heavenly of smells filled our house. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one drooling at that point.

It. was. devine.

And maybe, just maybe, I ate it again for breakfast.

(photos via the Pioneer Woman)