FAVORITES!

First, I've discovered my new favorite shop: The Pear Tree. Delicious! (Keetha, it's in the same city as your friends!) It's in a community called Vickery Village, which is the kind of neighborhood that seems to be the new "in" thing in metro-Atlanta. It's a cloistered, mixed-use establishment with homes, flats, shops, restaurants, its own gelateria, a courtyard/meeting spot, etc., all centrally-located for that "hometown" feel in the city. As you might imagine, this haven-like atmosphere is much sought-after in a city where even driving to the cleaners has become a mighty pain the arse.

Anyway, The Pear Tree was bursting with all the things I love, including my favorite, but hard-to-locate, Nouvelle candles. (I swear that they emit moods along with their scents! If you get the chance, try "Sanctuary" or "Mahogany and Tobacco.") I purchased the latter for my husband along with an "old-world-looking" map of Italy. I felt completely transported as soon as I walked through the door, and when its closing time came too soon, I still hadn't explored it adequately enough to do it justice. I felt like a scuba diver must when he stumbles upon sunken treasure just about the time he runs out of oxygen and has return to the surface.I'll definitely find my way back to it one of these days soon.

Next: My new favorite charity, as seen on Oprah. It's called Kiva, and it's a way for everyone, for as little as $25, to fund another's dreams. Here's how it works...you loan someone money to get their business up and running, and they pay you back, all the while keeping you updated on the internet with their progress. You can scroll through the many individuals in many different countries to pick where your money goes. The great thing about it is that once they've paid you back, you can either choose to cash out or re-invest the money in someone else's business idea. I'm interested to see just what my $25 can do in the world. I'd give up a dinner out and a movie any day of the week to help see someone's dreams come true!

And lastly: I was overjoyed this week to find a little purple package in my mailbox, battered by supposed postal service mishaps, but contents still pristine. The contents of this package will be posted tomorrow, when I have a Saturday morning-out and can devote the time it wholeheartedly deserves. Bis morgen (Until tomorrow), my lovlies!