1. Cetaphil cleanser and moisturizer. Though I generally try to keep an all-natural skin care regimen, sometimes you need a booster. Cetaphil products are my back-up artillery. With changes in the weather, lots of outdoor exercise (meaning sweating) and changes in my diet due to traveling (for the wedding and on the weekends) my face was seeing the effects, and this is helping.

2. Twist bamboo dust cloths and euro sponges. Twist makes biodegradable cleaning products. I hate to dust so anything that makes it easier is great. And the euro sponges are sort of a cool hybrid of dish cloths and sponges. (Oh, and on the inside of the cardboard packaging are instructions to turn the cardboard strips into bird feeders. How cute is that?!)

3. Smitten Kitchen and this summer squash soup recipe. I blogged about planning to make the soup a couple of weeks ago, and it was even yummier than I had imagined. I’m tempted to cut back on the butter (it works out to be around a tablespoon per serving!), but it’s rich and super-delicious.

4. Hiking on the Cumberland Trail. The stretch that’s most accessible to me includes waterfalls and excellent views of the river. Plus, there’s a swimming hole that acts as a great “turn around” point. Hiking + swimming = very happy Catie.

5. Hampstead tea. So far, I’ve tried their “Lemon Valerian” and the “Lemon Ginger.” Everything from the packaging to the quality of the tea, to the fact that it’s biodynamic, organic and fair trade makes me very happy.

6. The Brideshead Revisited soundtrack. Beautifully haunting piano music. For that matter, I’m obsessed with the novel as well.

7. Bruschetta Caprese with basil from my garden, tomatoes from my CSA and bread from my favorite bakery.

8. Lauretana mineral water. I spotted some of these at World Market, on sale for seventy-four cents apiece. I loved the shape of the bottle, and intend to use them for vases. The cashier told me that the same company that designs for Ferrari, (formerly) owned by designer Andrea Pininfarina, designed these water bottles. I wonder if these will become collectors items? (Oh, and it tastes pretty good too!)

9. $1 dollar movies. There’s a theater in town that shows movies for a buck on Wednesday nights. During the summer I take full advantage of this. There are usually only one or two things that I’m interested in seeing at a time, but the selection rotates quickly, so there’s almost always something new to see on a Wednesday.

10. Cooking for the people I love. Having my own digs has inspired me to have people over more often. I’ve been trying lots of new recipes, and I like to have people to experiment on. So, if you’re a friend in the area, don’t be too surprised if I spontaneously call you up and tell you that dinner’s ready.

11. Live Strong. This cool website has a ton of functions: everything from helping you count calories, estimate a healthy BMI, set fitness goals, keep a daily journal and take challenges to help you save money, lower your stress, quit smoking, etc. It’s totally free to sign up (though there is some cost to become a “Gold Member” but that doesn’t interest me). I really enjoy charting what I’ve eaten (I’m a nerd) and seeing the break down in calories, and percentages of fat, protein and carbs. It helps me keep my diet balanced, and lets me keep track of my habits.

12. Banana Yoshimoto. Such a beautiful writer! Yoshimoto is a contemporary Japanese author, and her works a simple yet vivid and rich. Next on my to-read list of her works is Amrita. Special thanks to Natalie for putting Kitchen into my hands.