Friday I'm in Love

Here's what tickled my fancy this week:

Teddy: In His Own Words

This HBO documentary about Senator Ted Kennedy hits all the right notes, and reminds us of why his moniker "Lion of the Senate" is an accurate one. Kennedy's lifelong fight for healthcare and his stalwart defensive of progressive ideals is often forgotten by those who only follow the tabloid-ism of politics. Here, controversy isn't glazed over, but given just the right treatment: as blips in a life of public service marked by unimaginable tragedy and a will to soldier on.

The Modified Full Skirt

I've been hoping for a return to A-line skirts for ages, as the popular flounced skirts of recent history make me look like an unfortunate 1950s teenager. Finally, there's a new skirt shape in stores that I love, a hybrid of the full and A-line looks: flounced just enough to be flirty and fun, but still close to the waist up top for a flattering fit. My favorite thing about these skirts? They're perfect for work and play, depending on how you dress them up or down. And um, POCKETS. I've been jumping on new pieces since I haven't purchased skirts in ages. My new faves are this Anthropologie skirt (Anthro has been the worst about carrying only flounced-all-to-hell skirts the past couple of years, so hooooray!) and this BR number.

Great Writing

I've been reading Cornbread Nation 1, the first anthology on Southern food writing from the Southern Foodways Alliance (a fantastic organization, by the way). Each chapter is such a gem: my favorite so far uses the tale of competing barbecue sauces from two rival brothers in South Carolina as a metaphor for modern race relations in the South. It's exactly what food writing can and should be. And good news for me - there are three more editions after this one! For another kind of reading, check out this terrific piece of satire, "Bush Frequent Presence at Shopping Mall," where the former president is imagined as a restless retiree annoying food service and retail employees. Hilarious. Good writing cures all for me - even during a workweek from hell like this one. (Hat tip to The Squawker for the original link.)