nic nacks: April 2010

{ Not so Tasty Bite )

I have a feeling that when I get back from India in a week and a half, I won't think Tasty Bites are quite as tasty as I did today.

{ Equation of the day }

(5 immunization shots + 2 sore shoulders = $-288 ) > (no shots + $228 = Hepatitis A&B)

{ Just a reminder }

It's pictures like this rain-induced landslide in Taiwan that remind me that human beings are definitely not the ones in charge on this planet. Yowzah.

Photo courtesy of MSNBC.

It's just so beautiful.

Clay showed this to Katy and I the other day. It is the official music video for an Icelandic solo artist Ólafur Arnalds, song title being Ljósið. Mr. Arnalds has toured with Sigur Ros, so I thought this video was the perfect post to make before traveling to Colorado this week to see Sigur Ros' front man Jónsi perform on his US tour.

Nicki + Kates + Angela + Jónsi + 14 hours of driving + 48 hours of fun. That's what this week holds.

{ Vinegar = miracle worker }

When me and Katy first moved into the condo last year, I bought an eco-friendly soap thinking I was doing a good thing. But let me tell you, I was DEAD WRONG. Since then our dishes have come out of the dishwasher, without fail, with a gross white film on them. Disgusting. I'm sure it's sanitary, it's just totally unsightly and kind of embarrassing.

So...enough was enough. This week I pulled out the vinegar and de-grimed our dishes (in honor of our soap running out and Katy buying a newer, better kind of non-eco friendly soap that won't leave our dishes disgusting). Vinegar is heaven-sent. Who knew my mom was so right when she told me (months ago) that I needed to run my dishwasher with vinegar only to get rid of the grime. Smart smart mom.

I did it by hand this time though, then cleaned the dishes (also by hand) with soapy water. Totally worth the work. SO SO nice to have sparkly dishes again.

*NOTE: I know it's sort of ridiculous I didn't do this, say, right when the spots started showing up last summer. Ridiculous that I didn't just go spend $5 on new dishwasher soap to remedy the problem months ago. But. You know. Sometimes people are just illogical when it comes to spending an unnecessary $5 even when it will bring them SO MUCH HAPPINESS.

{ Miike Snow show }

Katy, Angela and I hit up the Miike Snow Concert at Urban Lounge in the SLC last week. Over all not too bad, but his music is a bit more dark feeling in person than on his album, which I didn't really like. That may have had something to do with the white masks they wore for the first part of the show though. Creepy. BUT! Horse is Not a Home and Silvia have WAY more impact and meaning when they are live. That's about it. All in all though, a good night out.

Miike Snow at the front.

We were on stage left next to this guy. Six people in the band in all.

{ Conversation from Monday's lunch }

Michelle: So, I saw on your blog that you're going to India! Fun!

Nicki: Ya! I'm super pumped!

Michelle: Cool. Do you need a Visa to go to Inida?

Nicki: Ummm...what? I need a Visa to go to India?

Michelle: Ya. I think you may need a Visa along with your passport to go to India.

Nicki: Wha?! ya no...I have no idea.

Michelle: oh ya...I'm not sure. But I think you might. I will look it up when I get back to work and let you know.

And so she did. And so it turns out all travelers going to Inida for any amount of time need a Visa. Talk about an oversight on my part. An expensive expensive oversight. Can you imagine? This sad Nicki Schmidt in the JFK airport, "A what? I need something other than my passport?!" Sad. But...thanks to Meesh...problem solved. Whew.

{ Matching going strong }

Here's what me and Mike and wearing today. Different hues, but still pretty good.

Mike: dark purpley-grey shirt, black knit sweater, dark denim jeans, tan suede shoes.
Nicki: light purpley-grey striped top, black cotton jacket, dark denim jeans, cream and tan canvas shoes.

Other matches leading to even more matches here and here.

{ Leave it to the Japanese... }

...to take the time for adorable detail even in their matchbooks. View larger image here.

Now, I know these matchbooks don't signfy that ALL matchbooks in Japan are adorable, but just the fact that these exist makes me happy. A while ago (and a myriad of times since then with various people) I was talking with my friend Nate about the worthwhile-ness of doing cool things just for the sake of doing cool things. I like that idea. I need more attention to detail like this in my life.

{ Traveling in May }

Guess where I purchased a plane ticket to yesterday... :)

{ Three things of happiness }

The following three things brought a bit more happiness into my life during the last three days.

#1: Finding small, chocolate spaceship candies with sprinkles at Target.

#2: A 78-point word in Words with Friends against Angela.

#3: Clay making my new favorite necklace into a beard at Easter dinner on Sunday.

{ Milk Toof adventures }

Loving this.

{ Wedding Invite Portfolio }

I was putting together my portfolio this week, and let me tell you what, pictures are freaking hard! Hats off to all the photographers I know; you guys are amazing. Here is a small selection of the invites section of the portfolio, including the afore-blog-mentioned James and Erin Letterpress invites (the yellow and Gray ones).

Now I just need to get the rest of the shots taken. Ugh.

James and Erin Letterpress invite. See photos below of the process.

Invites for my friend Jenne's (pronounced Jen's) little sister, Michelle. We used a bronze metallic ink -- so beautiful.

-------------

LETTERPRESSING

Angela (AKAed as QC while we were printing, for her killer job as quality control) grabbed some shots of letterpressing Erin and James' invites the other weekend. We printed at Rowley Press -- my friend Lee's well-lit, housed-in-a-beautiful-old-home shop in Provo. Super great.