Monday, September 08, 2008

some current favorites



Do you know this man?
(Adam Carter a.k.a Rupert Penry-Jones)

If you haven't watched MI-5, you really should. Marc and I have been working our way through this superb BBC series on Netflix, and just finished season 5. MI-5 is the UK's intelligence organization and this show is reminiscent of Alias, only -- I think -- more intelligent and with a more realistic feel. The actors are great, and it's one of those rare shows that seems to only get better over time. Every episode is like watching a good movie. Highly recommended.


There is a whole series of books about Martha, a dog who learns to speak when she's eating alphabet soup and the letters go up to her brain instead of down to her stomach. I adore these clever books. I discovered them at the library and checked them out many times when Lucas was a little boy, and I just got them last week to read to Eva. She loves them, too!

Eva picked up this little book while we were at the library. Judging by the cover, I would have conveniently left it in the stacks, had she not been so insistent. I noticed it was written by the same author as Bedtime For Frances, a favorite from my childhood, so I decided to give it a chance. We read it last night, and it's actually quite charming.

The little Brute family lives a dismal life, until...

"...one day Baby Brute found a little wandering lost good feeling in a field of daisies, and he caught it in his paw and put it in his tiny pocket."

Everything changed for him and for his family after that. The book's dedication is: "For Esmé, who carries little wandering good feelings in her tiny pocket." That image just made me smile.

I bought this peanut butter fudge ice cream at Target last week. Holy moly, this is good stuff. Very chocolatey ice cream with little slabs of peanut butter, and they don't skimp on the peanut butter. It reminds me of Umpqua chocolate peanut butter, for those of you Oregonians. But I might possibly like it even better (gasp!).

In checking their site for this photo, I discovered that they also have a sea salt pretzel caramel ice cream flavor. Be still, my heart.

24 comments:

Jill said...

I enjoy random posts like this with favorite things, this is totally the stuff that would get lost in the shuffle of normal life and would never get mentioned otherwise.

That ice cream sounds awesome!

Alison said...

Michelle! Those ice cream descriptions made me have crazy thoughts- like running out to the grocery store (it's midnight) and finding some peanut butter ice cream. I have some fudge pops so maybe I will dip one in some Jif...!

Are you watching Mad Men?!

Lucy said...

We LOVE MI-5 here. But, we haven't gotten through season four and I'm not sure I know that character. Is he new?

Alas, no Target where I call home. Archer Farms is merely a fond memory now. Thanks for the temptation, though:)

emily said...

We got that ice cream once too, and it was fantastic! After a while, it was almost too peanut-buttery for me, but on the whole it was delicious!

I want to read to book about the "good feelings." The Frances books are some of my favorite kids books, especially "Break and Jam for Frances."

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

Thank you for your recommendations, Michelle. I can't wait to act on them.

Natasha said...

Oh, The Little Brute Family! I had forgotten about that one - had it as a child and it was a favorite!! Thanks for sharing.

crystal said...

Pretzel caramel ice cream sounds like a Take 5 bar...my favorite! I can't wait to find the Martha Speaks books. Mimi will love them!

This post is like conversation you'd have w/ a girlfriend at lunch.

Amy said...

I'm thrilled to have so many recommendations from you, Michelle. I'm absolutely going to check out that show. And I grew up on Bedtime for Frances, so I'll have to seek out that book as well. I love the idea of "good feelings" placed in "tiny pockets". That could be a great FHE lesson for my boys.

April said...

I love your "take my word for it" posts...I'd take your word on anything. Impeccable taste. I intend to find those movies, I love both of those books and the ice cream is now on my Target list.

Liz said...

I will have to check out those books you mentioned. And that ice cream just sounds heavenly. I just don't know if it would still be frozen by the time I got home from Target (30 min drive).

wende said...

i will definitely try out the MI-5 show. we loved alias until it got so STUPID! what was up with the finale anyway, oh man, thad had to be he worst ending of any series ever! i digress...thanks for recommend, we'll be trying it.

and those books...so darling! i am a huge children's literature buff and was delighted to have some new material to check out!

you have such fantastic taste michelle!

Elizabeth said...

Yeah I just requested that from the library. We are always happy for another bbc show. Thanks!

Amie said...

"Be still, my heart." - made me laugh. I love these random posts... I feel like they are the posts that make me feel like I really know something about you.

Amy said...

Peanut butter chocolate ice cream is my absolute favorite!

I'm going to have to see if our sorry little library has those books when when we make our trip there tomorrow!

Thanks for the suggestions!

(Good grief-three exclamation marks. Am I being overly enthusiastic? I don't think so. ;) )

charlotte said...

I love the new blog banner! And peanut butter chocolate ice cream is delicious!

Robyn said...

I have heard of MI-5 but haven't seen it myself. Do you get it thru Netflix or what? It sounds good. I am going to check out The Fringe tonight- I saw it got good ratings. We'll see if JJ Abrams can drag us back into a great show! I hope so!

Lori said...

I tried watching MI-5 and didn't like it. I had a hard time with their accents I think.

Bond Girl 007 said...

I don't think we score big with peanut butter around here...I am the only one that really likes it, and usually use it to make mole! how about that! I love pbandj is that what you call them? but hardly ever make them...without grandma bread they are not very good!

Anonymous said...

That ice cream sounds awesome...I better stick to my non-grocery target over here.

I will check out that show for sure as we are in need of a new one!

patsy said...

just a few hours ago I had some of that ice cream!! wende brought me that very ice cream - it is so good
i love this random favorite list & I also loved bedtime for francis I remember listening to the audio tape of it. I love it

Denise said...

I have tried that very ice cream from Target and LOVE it! They really don't skimp on the peanut butter ribbons. I'll have to try the show you recommend--like I need one more show to watch. . . .

Laurie said...

Based on your recommendation we checked out Martha Speaks and, just as I thought, Jemma loved it. I also got a few other books by that author and they are great. Thanks!!

Amanda said...

Sea salt pretzel? My mouth is watering at 11:30 at night. Yum.

I didn't know that Martha Speaks was a book series...but my kids love the show on PBS. We'll check the library..thanks!

Posts like this are great. It's fun to remember phases in your life when you read certain books/ate certain things/watched certain shows. Nicely done.

Amy said...

I wandered over from Jill's link on smotherhood.

If you like PB & chocolate ice cream...go try the Haagen Dazs one. OMG, it is amazing...so, so good. Worth every calorie (and there are a lot!)

Did you see PBS Kids has Martha Speaks cartoons now since Labor Day? My kids love it.

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