Denim upgrade

I was about to buy a new pair of Gap Long and Lean jeans to replace a pair that wore out, when I saw this post warning women off Gap jeans. The blogger, who I think does fashion consulting for a living, tried on every single Gap fit and style, and posted pictures comparing them to her recommended brands. I'm convinced! (Especially since I remember how much I loved my Lucky jeans, which were my only pair of high-end jeans ever, but which now have a big hole in the knee and give me major muffin top.)  But now I need to go try on a million pairs until I find a brand and style that fits my post-baby-#2 body... my most hated shopping task. Prepare to see some phone pictures of my butt. (Wearing jeans.)

Butt butt butt

Via Metafilter.

Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of 2012

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore made this list!  Now I'm even more excited to read it.  Most of the books on the list look pretty good.  I recently read and enjoyed The Dog Stars, so am inclined to give the list some credibility.

Oven Steaks

Have you ever tried this oven-to-pan method of making steak?  I've tried it twice and gotten fantastic results both times -- the meat stays so juicy and tender.  I wonder if it would also work with pork chops (bringing the internal temperature higher, of course).

Color palette

Emily Henderson on choosing a color palette, via Apartment Therapy. I am terrible at this kind of thing, and found it really helpful that she included picture examples, both good and bad. (Especially the bad ones helped -- it's hard for me to look at a nice room and figure out why I like it.)

Elf on the Shelf

I have never heard of this before.  Is it really that big of a phenomenon?

Also, I can't think of a better way to give a kid nightmares than to put a creepy elf doll on a shelf, tell him the elf is watching him all the time, and put it in a different place every day so the kid knows it has moved in the night.

Experience Gifts

I love the idea of gifting experiences, especially for the many people for whom it's hard to choose "stuff" (because they're picky, or always buy the things they want for themselves, or don't like material possessions, or whatever).

Comics by Madeleine Flores

I like this whole Tumblr by Madeleine Flores.

Google Art Project

Google Art Project.