"Come, You Masters of War"

Last summer, it was suggested to me that I should read, among many other titles, War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges, a long-time war correspondent, in preparation for my new job. (It might seem a strange instruction, but it makes sense in the context of what I do.) At first, I demurred. I am what you might call a pacifist and, at the time, did not believe in warfare--which is to say, of course, that I realized it exists but I did not agree with the reasoning behind it in most cases.

Hedges has not changed my mind entirely. I still oppose armed conflict unless there are absolutely, positively no other options available. But War Is a Force is, for me, what some people would call a game-changer: that one piece of the puzzle that turned everything around: suddenly, the reasons why we do this to ourselves were much clearer.

Having survived his share of action as a reporter, Hedges has had a great deal more opportunity to study the causes and effects of warfare at first hand than most. His straightforward thesis, given in the introduction, is that 

The enduring attraction of war is this: Even with its destruction and carnage it can give us what we long for in life. It can give us purpose, meaning, a reason for living. Only when we are in the midst of conflict does the shallowness and vapidness of much of our lives become apparent. [...W]ar is an enticing elixir. It gives us resolve, a cause. It allows us to be noble. (3)

He goes on to give examples of how those things end up manifesting themselves in the course of war.

Hedges also delves into the mythology, history, and causes of warfare and what happens when we do not learn our lessons from wars. And like any good reporter, he is not here to judge us, whether we agree or disagree with the idea of armed conflict, participate or remain unblemished. What he strives to do, instead, is share what he and others have experienced in an effort to explain why it is that we enter into combat and how fighting becomes necessary, not always as a political statement but often as a cultural one. He examines the life of the solider and of the society that endures--and perhaps encourages--war. Journalists are not exempt: 

Most reporters sent to cover a war don't really want to go near the fighting. [...]But even those of us who do go out are guilty of distortion. For we not only believe the myth of war and feed recklessly off of the drug but also embrace the cause. We may do it with more skepticism. We certainly expose more lies and misconceptions. But we believe. We all believe. When you stop believing you stop going to war. (143)

Even so, I think that with this book, Hedges has proven how invaluable the war correspondent's words can be, both during and after the fighting.

I cannot recommend Hedges' work highly enough. Political rhetoric is (mostly) avoided, and it will help to open eyes of readers on both sides of the line: pacifists and (for lack of a better word) combatants. It sure moved me, and I feel confident that it will do the same for you.

Buy through Better World Books for $7.75.

-Cate-

Juicy Little Touches

My kitchen is really incredibly small. Actually, I think that my bedroom closet is larger. And it consists of a single built-in unit of white enamel. No joke. But I have to say, it's not that bad. The tight space forces me to be conservative in my movements and ambitions. But it could use a little bit of color. 

A friend of mine gave me a shadowbox for Christmas, a street scene of a wine shop. It's cute, and I like it, but it's not nearly bold enough. I want more decoration. And I troll through websites looking for things that might do the job.

Enter the Don't Cry Over Spilt Pears dishtowels from ModCloth. The bright green graphic representations of my second favorite fruit (apples being the first) bring a smile to my face every time. I wish that I could have an apron made out of this same print! That, my friends, would be pear-adise. (All right, it's a cheesy joke. But sometimes, that's exactly the right kind.)

Buy through ModCloth for $6.99 each.

-Cate-

Leaping for Joy

Every Tuesday on this blog, I write about accessories. I try to make sure that my covetousness covers all sorts of accessories--umbrellas, key rings, headbands, and so on. Usually when searching for accessories to discuss, however, I find myself drawn to jewelry. This week, I decided very specifically that I was going to write about a brooch. The problem is, many of the brooches I find scream grandmother or kindergarten teacher. I am neither of those things. So I popped on over to Portero, thinking that they might have some vintage piece that would appeal to me. Sure enough, they did: the Jewel of Ocean Frog Brooch.

Although I rarely actually wear whimsical pieces, I do love to look at them. And the Frog Brooch is nothing if not whimsical. Two little frogs smiling like buddhas? Check. Clutching their bellies like they have been laughing? Check. Legs splayed out as if they are about to fall over from laughing? Check. Plus, it's beautiful. It is constructed of platinum and yellow gold, with pearls for torsos, emeralds for eyes, and diamonds for faces and legs. 

Word from Portero is that the retail value of this piece is a whopping $28,000. The good news is that it's selling for about a third of that. However, I don't know too many people--anybody, really--who have that kind of cash. But I sincerely hope that these little froggies find a good home; they deserve to be out in the world!

Buy through Portero for $9,656.00.

-Cate-

The Kids Will Make Themselves All Right

When I was in middle school, one of my favorite movies was Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I was introduced to it by my brother, and my then-best friend and I would spend all day reciting lines from it. Our favorite: "Not that I condone fascism. Or any -ism, for that matter. -Isms, in my opinion, are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism; he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon: 'I don't believe in Beatles; I just believe in me.' Good point there. After all, he was the Walrus. I could be the Walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people."

And didn't we all feel that way a little bit when we were teenagers? Like we could rule the world if only we had our own set of wheels? Of course, Ferris' solution is to borrow his BFF Cameron's dad's sweet ride. And in doing so, he goes a long way toward curing what ails not only himself but, most especially, Cameron. Although Cameron is very resistant to Ferris' high jinks, they ultimately help him come to terms with his life as it stands. Ferris' carpe diem attitude also helps his sister, Jeannie, relax a little bit. In the course of the day, she skips school, gets arrested, falls in love a little bit, subverts a great deal of authority, and even finds a way to connect with her (previously hated) brother.

This film is a classic example of teenagers asserting their independence and finding themselves in the midst of upheaval while surrounded by authority figures who may be gunning for punishment  (the principal) or so clueless that they can't see what is really going on (the parents). And I think we could all stand to take a day off every once in awhile. Maybe that way, we could save the Ferris Bueller living inside all of us.

Buy through Family Video for $10.99.

-Cate-

All Tied Up

All right, I will admit it: I really wanted to write about another big handbag today. But apparently the Fendi Black Zucchino Shopper with Pink Patent Trim does not exist on the Internet. I didn't even know that it was possible for something not to exist on the Internet until I went searching for this bag, which I saw in the flesh at Saks Fifth Avenue last week (unlike so many of the things about which I write, and in fact, if it hadn't been for the assistance of a very nice Fendi sales associate, I wouldn't have found out the name of that particular bag). Since I can't share that particular one with you, I've decided to go to the opposite extreme and write about a small bag, breaking my four-week tote streak.

As you might suspect (seeing as how I regularly write about handbags), I'm a pretty big fan of PurseBlog, and the ladies there seem to love The Knot clutch from Bottega Veneta. Most of The Knot clutches I could take or leave; they don't move me either way. But one does: the satin version in a very beautiful purple. Perhaps it's because I'm drawn to darker colors and jewel tones, and the combination of that particular color satin with a black knot on top is totally my style. Maybe it's that I'm ready for a sleek, sophisticated clutch, having been carrying totes around for so long. Either way, I can't have it because it's too pricey and too impractical for my lifestyle. But that doesn't stop me from admiring it and wishing I was the kind of girl who had a use for it.

Buy through Net-A-Porter for $826.00.

-Cate-

PS You may recall my post about The Art of the Russian Matryoshka. I have since learned, thanks to a post on Lily Lemontree, that the April issue of Harper's Bazaar featured Demi Moore on the cover and her spread inside included a photo of her standing with a group of giant matryoshkas. The slide show is available here; the photo in question is number 5 in the series. Enjoy!

Chucks

You may recall that I recently wrote about baby Chucks. Cute though those shoes may be, they simply do not stack up to the originals: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star High-Tops. Ever since I discovered these in high school (like so many other people), I have worn them, loved them, and maybe even destroyed them a little bit.

As it stands, I am currently the proud owner of 8 pairs: black (2), navy blue, red, mint green, forest green, dark gray corduroy, and my much-loved flaming Chucks (not my picture). My goal is to have an entire rainbow someday; in order to make that happen, I will need yellow, orange, and purple, and perhaps pink and white for good measure. Or I could always pick up another special pair--I know a girl who has a pair with metallic stars, and I've seen plaid versions, as well as many other options.

I usually find myself wearing the blue or the black. My trusty (ex) intern Maureen seemed to favor the classic black ones, as well. Which Chucks do you like the most?

Buy the classic Chucks through Converse for $45.00.

-Cate-

The Sound of Heartbreak

One of the reasons I decided to compile a list of my Top 100 Songs, which I've mentioned several times before, is that I wanted to be able to easily access all of those songs for burning mixes to take with me in the car and give to my parents. I never even thought that it would someday come in handy for my blog, because I never suspected that I might write a blog. But it has been indispensable, and I find myself turning to it again this week.

For those of you who have never encountered DirtyVegas, I feel a little sorry for you. Their self-titled debut was pretty fantastic. "Days Go By" blew me out of the water, but when I sat down to listen to the album in its entirety, I absolutely fell in love with "Simple Things, Part 2." Based on Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2," it is a fantastic combination of acoustic loops and electronic flourishes, an aural odyssey.

This is a tale of love gone wrong, and it echoes the sentiments of millions of people across the centuries: "Thought I was something more, / But I'm a fool instead." Also, much more fatalistically, DirtyVegas has ripped a lyric from the Pink Floyd song they love--maybe the most famous line, in fact: "All in all, you're just another brick in the wall." Makes me wonder if that's all love is. But even with such a dark mood hanging over it, "Simple Things, Part 2" is a beautiful work of art, and I highly recommend it.

Buy through Amazon for $0.99.

-Cate-

What Do You Eat When You're at the Top of the World?

In this age of celebrity, we are constantly updated on which pouty-faced ingenue is taking her shirt off on a certain social networking site, which Kardashian sister is involved in which shenanigans, which actor is verbally or physically abusing his daughter/wife/coworkers, and so on. My response to all of this is, who the hell cares? Your acting like a five-year-old does not affect the world on a larger scale. There are people I would much rather hear about. For example, historical figures whose lives remain somewhat mysterious to today's average American.

Hence the reason why I love the White House Cookbook. It gives us insight into what was on the table at (arguably) the most famous home in the world during the first half of our nation's history--in other words, it gives us a bit of personal information about our founding Fathers and Mothers without going overboard. The authors have also teamed up with doctors to modernize the featured recipes, the better to help those of us who strive to eat healthily. Such a cookbook not only makes my mouth water, but also puts me in a patriotic mood. I can eat what Abraham Lincoln ate? This is fantastic!

Buy through Victorian Trading Company for $18.95.

-Cate-

Chop, Chop

Sushi is a wonderful thing. No, seriously. It's delicious. And it's not bad for you like so many popular foods. (While there is, of course, a risk of foodborne illness due to the raw nature of some of the ingredients, the vast majority of sushi restaurants are extremely careful about the way they prepare such items.) And while I love going out for a nice meal at a sushi bar, it is not always possible for me to do so, especially ever since my sushi buddy moved away. Sometimes, I am forced to eat my avocado rolls in the comfort of my own home. But, you know, eating sushi with a fork just isn't at all glamorous or even particularly practical.

Last summer, I had an awful lot of free time on my hands. So one day, I decided to go around town looking for packages of single-use chopsticks, like the kind you get at a Chinese restaurant, so I could have a better at-home sushi experience. No dice. I went to five or six stores; no one had them, not even  the ever-trustworthy Gordon Food Service down the road. That's when I started searching online. And I found this totally fantastic website called Mrs. Lin's Kitchen. Mrs. Lin, whoever she is, sells some pretty cool things. Among other items, you can find Asian tea sets, home decor, and--drumroll--a very fine selection of chopsticks. 

I bought a pair for myself, a very pretty rosewood set that has since been damaged (totally my fault) and can't for the life of me find on the website. If I am lucky, I will be able to repair them. If not, I will have to choose a new set. But with so many options, I feel confident that I can find another pair to suit my tastes.

Check out Mrs. Lin's selection of chopsticks and tell me which ones are your favorites!

-Cate-

PS I recently had a birthday, and thought I should give my small but dedicated readership an update on some previous posts, given some of my presents!

1) About two weeks ago, I discussed the iPod Nano from Apple. My brother, sister-in-law, aunt, and grandmother were awesome enough to chip in together to get me the pink one, and it is super-cute and fun!

2) In my second post ever, I bemoaned the discontinuation of my Corelle pattern, Scandia White. When my mother heard about this, she immediately snapped into Action Mom mode and found two of the serving pieces for me! Although I'm still upset that I don't have the Scandia White salt and pepper shakers, I am terribly thrilled to have these new dishes!

A First Best Friend

Last week, I wrote about But No Elephants, one of my favorite childhood books, something I had been thinking about because of my sister-in-law's pregnancy. But since that particular title is not suited to newborns or very young children, I thought that perhaps a parent might decide to start the baby's life out right with a sort of introduction to elephants with the cashmere elephant from Ralph Lauren.

One can only imagine how soft and utterly huggable this creature must be. It is made of cable-knit cashmere and comes in four colors--gray, white, pink, and blue--to suit either sex and any decor. Of course, like all good things cashmere, it is not inexpensive. However, for the spoiled and much-loved newborn, it is definitely the right choice.

Buy through Ralph Lauren for $125.00.

-Cate-