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Hello! Today is my birthday, and true to form, it’s the coldest weather of the year. (Can’t you just feel the cold in the photo above? No, I’m not bitter.) I’m hoping that we’ll bust out of the house today in search of some fruit salad (and lunch, too) from a new source, Chow to Go. Yes, there’s nothing like driving a half-hour plus for fruit salad, is there? You know that I’ll be checking out their pastry case, too. I really have to push myself to “get out”, because I easily fall back into the hunkering down mindset in January.

The upside is, when it’s cold like this, I can find lots of things inside to keep me busy. One of the things I read (and loved) over the weekend was Friday’s NYTimes’ “Winter Day Out in ….” series that featured Atlanta, Boston, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Chicago. I ripped it out to save for reference, and to give me that “push”. One of the featured Chicago spots is Hot Chocolate. I stopped in right after they opened a few years ago, and sampled their hot chocolate (spectacular!), but I’d really like to eat there, too. Soon, I hope. (I think for brunch or lunch. Their doughnuts are calling my name ….)

Friday’s This American Life episode, Matchmakers, was especially good. My favorite segment featured “Nubbins”. Catch it free on iTunes this week.

I also (finally) watched Sweet Land on Sunday. My cousin has been telling me to watch this since forever, and she was spot on. It was beautiful, romantic,  and sweet, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you should. Netflix is probably doing cartwheels since I’ve had this movie at home since October. It’s coming back, guys!

Enjoy your holiday Monday! And Happy Birthday to Laura (lauracrow.typepad.com), too! Cheers, much-younger-than-me-birthday-sharer!

Final reminder: Giveaway #2 is on thru Monday at 11:59. Details at the post below.