I wish my brain was more photographically inclined. While I do have visual tendencies, those are more geared towards graphic design and photo manipulation; when it comes to real life I don’t usually frame my field of vision into something aesthetically pleasing. But I’m trying.
You may notice that these are definitely not instagram photos; I don’t have an iPhone (which I don’t mind!) so these are shot with the Retro Camera app. I love the “hipsteroku” camera filter!

No 'Haven' on my TV leads to making pancakes.

Cocoa choco-chip cookie cake. So tasty!
Started last weekend cooking and baking. As mentioned, I’ve been missing Haven and to make up for it I made pancakes, which one of my favorite characters loves. My love for television and characters knows no bounds, as this is certainly not the first time I’ve done this. ;) In any case, this recipe is the only one I use, with no modifications, save for a dash of cinnamon.
The alliterative dish on the other hand is modified from the Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. Substituting the all-purpose flour for wheat flour and using 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to coat the chocolate chips will create a denser consistency and a richer flavor as well. Recommend using a stand mixer for the most part and then a really (really really!) sturdy wooden spoon and a strong arm to stir everything together. I stopped using the mixer because I didn’t want to break the attachments!

Outdoor seating areas on my campus can be pretty.

Same can apply to the shrubbery.
Domesticity aside, the weather this week went from rainy to windy with less than two days of sun and then back to gloom. When it’s not cold and/or damp, this is a nice quiet spot on campus to get some reading done. Hmm… I must have not been reading something terribly engaging, as I took a long enough break to shoot these. ;)

Northstar's "Pollyanna" on vinyl is just an fantastic as I could have ever dreamt.

The lyric sheet is beautiful and the paper feels so nice too! lol
While I was writing last week’s Sunday Sounds I found out that the album was on vinyl and promptly ordered it right away. Though my ears aren’t as acutely attuned to consider myself a true audiophile, conceptual placebo or not, there’s something about hearing this on vinyl that makes me so happy. I also want to mention that the lyric sheet is a lot less orange than the camera filter has made it.

Radiant Moisturizing Lipstick in Poppy.

Radiant Moisturizing Lipstick in Park Avenue.
Finally, I took advantage of the 2-for-1 discount Radiant Cosmetics had for Valentine’s Day and my order arrived yesterday! I don’t really wear much makeup to begin with, but I’ve been itching to get more grown up and girly. Ever since I read Elsie and Emma’s post about this brand I fell in love with the fact that Radiant makes an effort to bring social awareness to their business. Not only do they provide information and links to resources on the issue of human trafficking but they also donate a portion of their proceeds to a non-profit. The lipsticks themselves are really well pigmented and indeed moisturizing! My pictures don’t really do the colors justice, but the ‘Poppy’ is beautifully bright and while I was worried ‘Park Avenue’ might be too dark, it’s really gorgeous and rich; it’s my favorite amongst the two. And no, it’s not just because it almost-sorta matches my nails, which, if you’re wondering, is Essie’s “Size Matters”.
What have been your favorite memories of the week? I hope everyone had a great Valentine’s Day!
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