The very last Buffet of 2009! Enjoy.
Top 10 Blogs of 2009
Lovely Jane of the wonderful Ill Seen, Ill Said blog recently picked her ten fave blogs of 2009, defined as the ones that she finds mind blowing and inspiring every day. Go look — it's a wonderful list, and I've been having a lovely time exploring the ones she's picked.
Why Are We Still Reading Dickens?
Judging from all the film and TV adaptations of his novels made and that continue to be made, Dickens still weaves his storytelling spell on us. Here's why.
Fakes and Hoaxes in Archeology
Did you know that pretty much every major museum in the world has fake artifacts? This is one thing I learned after reading the fascinating articles on the Archeology site, which explores why fakes get made — greed, pride, revenge, nationalism, pranks, and gullibility are the major reasons — and looks at eight famous examples, too. Via mental_floss.
Pride and Prejudice in Emoticons
Truly silly, but lots of fun for Austen fans. Via Twitter (sorry — can't remember whose tweet this was).
The Procrastination of Pleasure
A curious human trait that psychologists and behavioral economists have recently begun to explore seriously — our strange impulse to put off until tomorrow what could be enjoyed today.
Best Food Books of the Decade
The Guardian asked leading food writers to pick what they considered the best food books of the Noughties — here's what they chose.
New Year's Eve Decorating Ideas
As always Martha Stewart's site has great ideas for how to make your New Year's Eve party pretty and fun.
Miso Soup
After all the rich (but delicious!) holiday food I've been enjoying recently, I'm now in the mood for light and delicate dishes such as this simple miso soup from (never home)maker. It's what Nigella Lawson refers to as temple food — treating your body like a temple. Via Tastespotting.
(photo from the June 2009 issue of LivingEtc)