this blog is moving!

The News:

Yes, coffee, light & sweet is moving! I'm really excited for the address change, as I've been planning this for months now.

The Low-Down:

So now that I'm on a self-hosted Wordpress platform, this means my blog will no longer be available to those of you who follow via Google Friend Connect. You know that little cluster with all the faces in the right sidebar? Gone! As some of you may recall, Google announced a few months back that they were discontinuing the use of this beloved feature on non-Blogger blogs.

For those that follow via RSS or Bloglovin', you should experience no interruption in service (I've got my fingers crossed).

The Solution:

Let's keep this simple. If you'd like to continue following, you can do so in a few ways:

Follow via reader/RSS Feed: In my opinion, this is the easiest and if you're following via Google Friend Connect, then this is the ideal option for you. Click here and then choose the reader you'll be using (Google, Bloglines, Yahoo, etc.). And you're pretty much done.

Subscribe via email: a fresh post delivered to your inbox (almost) every day? Sounds good to me. Go to the new site and type in your email in the subscription box.

Bloglovin': I'm going to assume that anyone who follows on Bloglovin' is already following. For those that aren't, it's another option to consider.

I'm on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram too.

The Final Word:

Pretty soon, anyone that comes to the blogspot address will be redirected to the new one. So if you're going to continue to follow along, be sure to update your settings using the suggestions above or any other way you prefer.

I'd love to stay connected with you, so I hope to see you at coffeelightandsweet.com. Posts at the new digs start next week!

my top 6 favorite moments of the weekend

In no particular order:

1. My parents tried my cooking for the first time…and liked it! Or so they said.
2. Walking to the park and finding myself in the middle of a lantern show and a bustling carnival.
3. Mister Softee ice cream cones with chocolate sprinkles…always.
4. Brunch at Fatty's, which has shot up to one of my top favorite spots for brunch. Any place that serves fried cheese wins in my book.
5. Coffee, mimosas, coffee, hazelnut lattes, coffee.
6. Not doing laundry.

friday fillers

• Brownie-stuffed chocolate chip cookies. Yes, yes, a million times yes.

• Blogs are all abuzz with the recent passing of Nora Ephron - and this one is no exception. Here are a few of of her best film moments and here is a cute mash-up of some memorable scenes from her movies.

• My "aaaw!" quota for the day.

• Suri Cruise is not only the most well-dressed kid, she's also the snarkiest.

• I'm bummed that I missed the annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, but I can live vicariously through these wacky photos.

• I'm sorry, but I can't get enough of looking at awkward family photos. These are GOLD.

 

luggage as decoration

Every day, I pass this antique store with the most charming merchandise - tin stools, library catalogs, beaten-up couches and other random treasures. Just recently, I saw a beautiful pair of vintage suitcases. The way the two were stacked on top of each other reminded me of an image I pinned a while back. In the photo, the old suitcases are used as a nightstand - I loved the idea of using them as a decorative piece. So I bought 'em!

I'm happy to have these, not only for the old-fashioned flair they give to the living room, but for using as a holder for random things that I'd like out keep out of sight (i.e., extra linens and things). I get really excited for dual purpose items.

secret single behavior

Or SSB, as Carrie Bradshaw put it.

It was the episode where Aidan moves in and Carrie reluctantly comes to terms with having someone else in her space. She felt she could no longer freely snack on her stacked saltines, while standing up in the kitchen and reading Vogue. She'd too embarassed having a man see her indulge in such a weird ritual.

Personally, I don't find that to be too bad. My boyfriend has seen me do much stranger things.

It got me thinking about my own SSB. What behaviors have I acquired over the years that I'd be a little embarrassed to have Bob see me do? Now that we're living together, we've gotten a pretty good idea of each other's quirks (that's a nice way of saying "annoying habits", by the way). But is there something else? Something unusual - like when Charlotte stared at her pores in the mirror for hours.

The thing is, Bob has some pretty bad habits himself, so I'm not really ashamed to do much in front of him. But here goes my list anyway:

1.) Sleep with tweezers under my pillow. Let me just say this: I do not do it anymore.  But my poor friend Jen once almost poked her eye out while she was sleeping in my bed once (good thing she had a sense of humor about it!). But when I was sleeping on my own, one side of the bed was usually covered in magazines, makeup tools, clothes, pens, you name it. I happily and comfortably always slept on the left side. There was room for both of us. As in me and my mess.

2.)  I practice my America's Next Top Model poses in front of the full-length mirror. Sometimes, I'll even put on heels for added effect. I've already perfected the hunch.

3.) When I'm cooking, I'll pretend I have my own show on the Food Network and walk my imaginary audience through the steps.  And combine the ingredients like so...you guys, this is going to come out so great! I'm a really cheesy host.

So...do you have SSB? Spill please!

i cleaned

 Like, really cleaned. And it is a BIG deal.

For weeks, I've been flitting about just lightly cleaning the house every two weeks or so. Oh you know, a little dusting here, a little vacuuming there. Nothing special.

But it's irked me. I've been cringing at the sight of dusty corners that the vacuum just can't reach and at the counter that just never seems to stay crumb-free for at least 5 minutes. I blame it on my laziness. Who wants to spend their free time cleaning? I have more important things to do. Like watching Pretty Little Liars.

Last Friday, I came home from work with a very ambitious plan. I'm going to tackle that tub, I'm going to attack that stove, I'm going to grab the greasy microwave by the horns and make it my bitch. This whole place is going to be cleaned so well that it will shine like a brand spankin' new convertible, damnit.

And I did. It was 10 p.m. and I was finally done. The tub was scrubbed, the floors were mopped (twice), things were in its rightful place. All was right with the world. I was tired, achy and hungry, but all that mattered was that it was DONE. And the new car shine! There was new car shine all over the place!

It's good to complete things. Makes me feel weightless and like I can take on the next big project: deep-cleaning the fridge.

Very very exciting things to come people...