{Image from Anthology Magazine via Oh Joy!}

Happy weekend, friends! Did you have a nice week? Michael and I went on a Tuesday night date which was definitely the highlight of week! We had dinner at Skinflint (highly recommend) and then saw Les Mis. I’ve been singing Can you hear the people sing all week. I am really not a movie girl – maybe we see three movies in the theatre a year? And you practically have to drag me there. But I’m realizing Oscar season is the time to see movies – they’re so good!

This weekend, we’re lying low and trying to avoid the monsoon+hurricane+blizzard that has descended on Dublin. We haven’t seen the sun in more than four days so we’re hoping for a little brighter weather tomorrow and maybe even a beach walk if it stops raining!

Here are some lovely links for your weekend! I hope it’s relaxing!

Imen’s Irish farmer cheese tart looks delicious.

My friend Anne is teaching a class on designing maps!

A map of spots for Irish whiskey tasting – we’ll have to stop at one on our next trips outside the city!

How about some turf jewellery?

I like the idea of having Friday date nights making dinner together – an idea to save for when we have a kitchen that fits more than one person!

Did you know there are guys (and gals) who paint huge murals on the walls of buildings across America? I had no idea! I guess I thought all the images on buildings were just big printed images glued up there, which some of them are. But I had no idea there are people who get up there and paint them for a living! You can read more about the history of them on Storyboard. This video makes the job seem incredibly bad ass. If I wasn’t so afraid of heights, I’d say I missed my calling. So darn cool.

Storyboard is great source for what’s being termed the return of  “slow blogging” or “long form blogging.” It’s essentially an intentional turn in the blog world to move away from short little product-based posts that don’t really tell you much, to longer, more in depth article-style writing. This post from Erin of Design for Mankind is a great explanation, and her posts since have been interesting and thoughtful and thought-provoking.

You can find lots of slow blogging on From China Village – check out my Styled in Ireland posts or my posts about design and craft in Dublin over on Poppytalk.

This Spanish tart is moist and a little dense. We’ve been eating it as a treat with coffee every day this week! It has nice almond and lemon flavors that aren’t too strong, and it’s gluten free!

Tarta de Santiago – Santiago Almond Tart

Adapted from Food Fiesta, find the original recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup ground almonds
• 1 cup caster sugar (I used granulated sugar)
• 5 large eggs
• Zest of half a lemon
• half teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
• 1 tablespoon butter for greasing tin

Instructions

Preheat oven to 175C

Place ground almonds in a bowl with the sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon, blend with a fork. Add eggs one by one, mixing to blend with a wooden spoon. (I know, right? So easy!)

Grease a 10 inch springform pan and pour the mixture evenly into the tin and bake at 175C for 40 minutes, until toasted golden.

Pop out of the springform pan. Let cool and then dust with icing sugar. Enjoy!

{Illustration from illustrator Matt Lyon}

We’re heading to Rome for a weekend at the end of the month, which, as it turns out, is very soon! Where did this month go?

It’ll be a quick trip, but a start at least. Have you been? Where should we go? What should we eat? I’d love your tips.

We’re starting with this Apartment Therapy guide and this Design*Sponge guide.

*If you’re visiting Dublin, you can check out my Design*Sponge guide to Dublin here!

{Feeding the swans in Stephen’s Green last week – those are some big babies!}

Happy Friday, friends! How was your week? Mine was a little slow because somehow I’m still jet-lagged, going to bed at 1am and waking up at 9. It’s just so dark any earlier so it’s impossible to get out of bed. I’m usually such a morning person, so this is a little painful. That said, I’ve been cranking away on a ton of work late into the night and will hopefully have some great posts for you next week as well as some exciting news soon!

This weekend, Michael is off to England with the Irish National Select team, so I’ll be spending a peaceful 36 hours by myself. I foresee a few long walks with my camera and even longer cups of coffee while I brainstorm for a few projects.

I hope you have a happy weekend! Here are some lovely articles you might like to get lost in over your coffee cups this weekend. Enjoy!

A beautiful account of a morning writing routine.

A porthole for the sick.

Best interviews of 2012.

An urban rooftop farm in Dublin!

Helping America’s cities innovate with tech geeks.

My latest Snapshot of a Marriage on Snippet & Ink. This couple is so cute.

On the heels of last week’s post putting 2012 to bed, I’ve made my plans for 2013! I have a soft spot for a clean slate and a list of goals. I’m just that kind of girl.

Looking back on last year’s list, I’m maybe 2 and a half for 5. I don’t think that’s so bad, as resolutions go. We compost really well now (it’s cut down our garbage and the smelliness so much!) and I cut out about 99% of the premade sauces we used to use. For at least a little while, we managed to cut out the technology one night each week, and I certainly know more about my DSLR than I did at the start of 2012. I think I’ve come out ahead. So how about some new ones for 2013!

Read more books / I’ve always been a reader, but when my Kindle broke this year, I somehow just stopped reading books and it’s not a nice feeling at all. This year, more books. Suggestions welcome.

Volunteer / For the last few years, I feel like I’ve taken and taken and taken. Support, help and encouragement. I needed it, maybe a little like training wheels. This year, I’m playing around with a few ideas for ways I can use my skills to give back.

Vitamins / Take a vitamin. Every day. Blech, the thought of it does not excite me.

Spruce! Inside and Out / Last year, we weren’t sure how long we’d be staying in this house so we didn’t do much but maintain the status quo around the house. This year, it looks like we’ll be here at least for the duration of 2013, so I’m excited to do some sprucing! Michael and I are planning some painting inside and I’m plotting some gardening outside.

Draw, Paint, Carve, Build / I’m excited to dig out my pencils and paints and create just for the fun of it. I think it will be very relaxing.

And now your turn. Any really daring resolutions?

One last 2012 post before we really dive into 2013. I thought I’d share a few of my favorite posts this year – both here on From China Village and my posts and writing elsewhere. It was a busy year!

Styled in Ireland

I was really thrilled with my new Styled in Ireland series. It was fun to shoot and gave me a great opportunity to share the work of such talented Irish artists!

Summer / Match Day / Afternoon Tea / Picnic / Chilly Weather / Wedding Guest

One Day in Dublin

The One Day in Dublin series was perhaps the most selfish series of 2012. Of course, I think it’s great info for locals and visitors, but it’s also downright fun to spend the afternoon with my favorite people trying out cozy cafes and browsing in sweet stores.

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / Evening / Quick Visit

Tea Week

To celebrate living in Ireland for four years, I had a whole week focusing on tea!

Tea Week / Tea Treats / Homemade Tea Treats / Afternoon Tea Explained / Desktop Wallpaper / Tea Party Printable

Snapshots of a Marriage

My Snapshots of a Marriage posts over on Snippet & Ink are some of my favorite writing. They test me to analyze and summarize, pulling out the pieces that will give readers goosebumps. And of course, I love learning about relationships and what makes different couples tick.

Joe and Catharine / Adam and Paulina / David and Tina / John and Leslie / Betsey and Andy / Mandi and Phil / Iggy and Kristin / Danielle and Greg / Erin and Ben / Mike and Megan /

One Fab Day

I never thought I’d be in the wedding business, but I’ve been posting DIY wedding projects on One Fab Day, an Irish wedding blog. Most of them are transferrable to parties as well!

Craft Supplies / Craft Resources / Easy Garland / Painted Votive / Christmas Wreath / Boutonniere / Photobooth Backdrop

Poppytalk

Starting in January, I started writing Dispatches from Dublin about design and craft in this fair city for the Canadian blog Poppytalk. It’s put me in touch with some incredibly talented people!

You can check out all of my Dispatches here!

Odds and Ends

I wrote about Dublin’s Design Loft Market for the Etsy Blog.

I wrote about Irish businesses using Twitter for the Irish Times.

I wrote about our wedding on Brooklyn Bride.

Phew! I’m not sure that quite covers the year, but those are certainly some highlights to keep you busy for a while! And with that, 2012 is finally put to bed. Tomorrow, on to 2013 with a couple resolutions!