I may have missed a week or two, but I think it was worth the wait…

1. Love Does.

If you haven’t heard of Bob Goff, you need to look him up. The man lives life with a passion like no one else and loves his family and complete strangers with the same overwhelming care and energy - at least this is what I hear. Bob is on my list of people I hope to sit down and chat with over a cup a coffee one day. I am so intrigued by his amazing ability to love and invest in so many people day after day.

Recently, I got a deeper look into Bob’s life and outlook on faith, love, and living life to the fullest when I received my pre-release copy of his book Love Does. I flew through the pages of this book, only stopping at the end of each chapter to think a little deeper about what I had just read. The book is a collection of stories from Bob’s life that help illustrate his ideas about faith and the lessons we can learn from both the little and big experiences or relationships that we come across throughout the years. I caught myself laughing, crying, smiling, and definitely thinking from chapter to chapter. 

Don’t miss this book. It’s got something for everyone and will leave you thinking about the relationships and opportunities you face every day. Bob does a great job illustrating the idea that you can “Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World” and that love is an action that changes things in a big way.

Thanks for this book, Bob. Hopefully one day I can thank you in person over a cup of coffee and some conversation.

2. Puddles and Photos.

Sometimes you just have to take a look around you from a different angle. London-native Gavin Hammond does this pretty darn well, venturing around with his lomo camera and capturing city shots off of reflections in puddles. His impressive black and white photos take full advantage of the rainy days in London.

3. birdAve Shoppe.

I ordered these prints from birdAve Shoppe a few weeks ago to add to my collection for my Ohio and Nashville wall in my house. I came across these while looking for a Miami print on Etsy, and decided I had to get one for each city I’ve lived in. I couldn’t be happier with them, and the ordering and delivery process was a breeze. I would definitely recommend checking out their online shop for gifts or even just to treat yourself to something new for your wall.

4. Bobbie’s Dairy Dip.

Every town needs a local ice cream stand. You know, the one that you stand in line for much longer than you ever expected with a wide variety of characters on summer evenings just so you can get a dipped cone or that perfect milkshake. When I moved to Nashville, I was concerned because I wasn’t finding one of these hometown must-haves.

No need to worry, though. I recently made the first of many visits to Nashville’s very own Bobbie’s Dairy Dip, and man does it live up to all expectations. Not only that, but the vintage signs, lights, and classic food menu all add to the greatness of the usual ice cream stand. 

My other favorite thing about Bobbie’s? The fact that you’ll feel like you’ve been taken out of Nashville and placed right in the heart of a small, classic American town - for you FNL fans, think Dillon, TX (check this place out and tell me that the whiskey store across the street doesn’t resemble the Landing Strip).

All this to say, if you’re in Nashville and haven’t been to Bobbie’s - you need to take a drive down Charlotte and get yourself a delicious summer treat. 

5. This Is Oregon.

If this video from This Is Oregon doesn’t make you want to get outside and explore, I’m pretty sure nothing will.

Pretty cool, huh? Now get outside. 

I’m changing it up this week. I’m replacing the typical Friday Five with one single suggestion. This is something that I feel deserves all 5 spots on the usual list.

If you’re on Twitter or Facebook, chances are good that you’ve seen something about the film Blue Like Jazz that hit select theaters last weekend. If you already know about Don and the book, I’m probably a little late with this suggestion, and that’s ok. This is for the rest of you. Take some time this weekend to find a theater playing Blue Like Jazz and check it out. My only other suggestion - take someone with you. You’re going to want to talk about this film when the credits roll. 

The great thing is, you don’t have to just take my word on this. Watch this video and you’ll get an idea about what makes this such an important story for everyone to take the time to see.

{This Is My Story - Trailer from Rhetorik Creative} - Watch the full version here.

#ThisIsMyStory. I’m grateful for Don Miller and and the beauty of a story that allows you to think, draw your own conclusions, and experience the truth and love driving a story that is relatable and honest.

1. Derek.

If you haven’t seen this video, find some time to take a break and watch the entire story. I’ve always been a strong believer of the power and true magic of music, but Derek’s story takes that belief to a whole new level. A man who has what seems to be an endless list of limiting disabilities, including the inability to distinguish his right hand from his left or simply recall how old he is, has an incredible ability to recall, recognize, create, and transform music on the piano. Music is the one thing that is certain for him and it is an incredible miracle to watch him play. 

The other beautiful thing about Derek’s story is his passion and love for people. Meeting and talking with others with an outstretched hand brings him an undeniable joy and he is entirely comfortable in a group of new people even though he is unable to see the faces in front of him. I admire his unconditional love that he shares with strangers and friends alike.

I’m going to stop here and let the video and Derek’s music say the rest. Be ready to walk away with a new outlook on things.

2. Jessie Parker.

The first thing I noticed about Jessie Parker was how genuine she is. Not long after meeting her, I was introduced to her music. That same genuineness is front and center  in her voice. There is a simplistic beauty about it that will stop you in your tracks. Jessie’s new Mountain Spine - EP  perfectly highlights her vocals and will stay with you long after the songs end. And there’s her lyrics which have a transparency about them thanks to her poetic songwriting that will catch your attention and leave you thinking. Take a listen and hear for yourself. And be sure to keep an eye out for more from her. Big things are ahead for this lady!

{Can’t get enough of this song.}

Thanks for sharing your music with us, Jessie.

3. #whatshouldwecallme

I’m pretty speechless about this one, which might have something to do with the fact that I’m currently laughing out loud at this. Just go take a look…

4. Cinemagr.am

If you’re an Instagramer (n.), this app might just be your new addiction. For me this one is more about browsing than posting, but either way you are likely to spend quite a bit of time checking out the Harry Potter-esque images. Here’s my first that I took of my brother last night at Fido… Pretty weird, huh?

{Created with cinemagr.am}

I also just realized that #whatshouldwecallme is basically a bunch of Cinemagr.ams gone wrong…

5. Play ball!

It’s that time again. Time for the crack/ping of the bat, hot dogs, Cracker Jacks, a night at the park, and all the simple things about baseball. Whether you enjoy it for the sport or just the all-American summer tradition, there’s something special about baseball season. For me, it’s about family. I’ve grown up with the sport - whether sitting on (or under playing in the dirt) the bleachers as a little girl watching my big brother pitch, going to Toledo Mud Hens games, or watching the Cleveland Indians with my grandpa who never missed a broadcasted game, baseball has been a regular part of every spring and summer.

Take a night and go to a game - major, minor, or even little league - and it’s bound to be a memorable night.

{Go Tribe!}

1. Cause A Scene Music Blog.

Nashville’s music scene can be overwhelming at times, for musicians and fans alike. As fans, we’re constantly taking in new sounds and learning about an up-and-coming band or the newest singer/songwriters. At the same time, one of the coolest things about Nashville is the accessibility to all of the talent, and the fact that, as fans, we can help support new talent that we love.

Recently, Larry Kloess decided to help local (and some not so local) musicians and began working on a way “to champion the artists that make us come alive and believe in the transcending quality of music.” Larry created Cause A Scene Music Blog to help expose those artists and bands who are on the verge of something big but somewhere just below the radar. In addition to the blog, he has organized an exciting series of house shows that allow these artists to play for an intimate audience of Nashvillians who are anxious for new sounds. Larry is on to something big and has come up with a great new way of bringing musicians and the people waiting for their new favorite bands together. 

 You can check Cause A Scene out more on the blog and on Facebook.

2. Loft Resumes.

So this week I helped one of my best friends back in Ohio with a project. She was working on her resume for a job interview with a non-profit. It may sound boring to most, but I love this kind of project. Maybe that’s why I was a technical communication major, or at least now I can tell myself that my love for wording, conciseness, user-centered language and design are normal. The added bonus to this project was that it was for a non-profit where a little extra flare in terms of design would actually go somewhere with the potential viewer. I’ve heard my friend say more than once this week, “Molly, I don’t know why you like this stuff…”

So, after finishing the review on her resume, I was pretty excited to come across this site while reading through my daily collection of blogs - Loft Resumes. Seriously? People are getting paid to do this?? Gosh. Sign me up!

I’ve gotta say, this company is doing it right. For those who can afford to present a more non-traditional resume, this is awesome. Beautiful, clean, and effective design that knocks down any preconceived idea that a resume has to be black and white and follow a standard template. 

Nice work, Loft Resumes. 

3. The Garden Brunch Cafe.

Welp, I’ve found another spot to add to my “best-dang-brunch-in-Nashville” list - and this time I have my brother and sister-in-law/their friends Scott and Susy to thank. If you’re in Nashville and are looking for a place to eat Friday, Saturday, or Sunday between 9am and 2pm, this is your place. Phew. 

I got to try the Cafe out a few weekends ago for my birthday brunch and I’ve been craving it everyday since. I’m a sucker for any privately-owned cafe, and this one is doing it right. The restaurant is in an old, remodeled house near Germantown that immediately makes you feel right at home, and then you get your food. Holy deliciousness. 

I ordered the Fiesta Omlette (turkey sausage, green peppers, cheddar, onions, and jalapeno peppers) with cheese grits. Yup, I went all southern for this one. And let me tell you - for someone who usually doesn’t like the southern staple, these were the perfect addition to the meal. 

Other suggestions - Banana Foster Pancakes (above), Spinach Omlette, and their Eggs Benedict looked pretty amazing. I think it’s safe to say, you probably can’t go wrong with the Garden Brunch Cafe, unless you don’t go at all. 

4. Connect F1

As Williamses, my brother, Seth, and I have grown up with a dad and uncles who LOVE Formula One racing. It has never seemed abnormal for Dad to wake up super early (sometimes in the middle of the night) on a Saturday or Sunday morning to watch a live race that is happening on the other side of the world. Schumacher, Button, and Vettel are just a few of the names commonly overheard in day-to-day discussions, and we even have a cousin whose middle name is Senna after the famous F1 driver. 

So, needless to say, it is no surprise that Seth recently decided to have some fun and create a one-stop-shop for connections to all F1 drivers - ConnectF1.com. Seth has been busy sharing the site with some of the top names in F1 and multiple F1 publications and has received some pretty great feedback. If you’re an F1 fan, or know anyone who is, go ahead and share it/post it/tweet it - you know the drill.

5. Get pumped up.

I’m especially thankful for my friend Jess this week because of this video she captured at the Y last week… 

Nothing like a little fist pumping and rocking out during your early morning work out. After much discussion and consideration, she decided that You Spin Me Round was the most plausible jam to be playing in his headphones - what do you think?

Happy Friday, y’all!

No, I haven’t forgotten. This Friday Five is well overdue, I know. I decided to wait on posting this until I actually had a list of things worthy of a spot on the Friday Five that I really wanted share with people rather than simply throwing together a list for the sake of sticking to a routine. So, here it is - and I think it’s safe to say it’s back to stay. 

1. Whiskey Wit {Kwesi Kankam}.

Between my constant addiction to browsing all sorts of music and my move to Nashville, I am very rarely without a new artist or band to add to my daily soundtracks. Recently, though, I was excited to come across a pretty amazing new sound from an old friend from high school. Kwesi Kankam has an impressively unique sound and has created something special in his recently released Ran Away From Me EP.  It’s cool to see someone who was known in my Ohio hometown as a star athlete (but who also was usually known to have a guitar with him) go on to develop such an impressive sound in this collection of songs. Congrats, Kwesi! Maybe we’ll see you here in Nashville soon.

2. Food52.

As if I didn’t have enough recipe/cooking sites to follow already… Food52 is one of my new favorites (thanks to Charlotte Turtle via Lauren Mechetner). Not only is the site packed with hundreds of mouth-watering recipes, but there are videos, polls, contests, and other fun stuff to make the whole experience interactive. It plays up the socializing and sharing that people love about food and cooking and has created an online space that people can be a part of a sort of community. I’m thinking this site might get me to take the dive and start sharing some of my favorite recipes… 

3. RedBall Project.

Have you seen this? Kurt Perschke, an artist who works in sculpture, video, collage and public space decided to start a project that would travel around the world and get people thinking outside the limitations of their everyday surroundings.

I thought his outlook on the project was pretty cool: 

Through the RedBall Project I utilize my opportunity as an artist to be a catalyst for new encounters within the everyday. Through the magnetic, playful, and charismatic nature of the RedBall the work is able to access the imagination embedded in all of us. On the surface, the experience seems to be about the ball itself as an object, but the true power of the project is what it can create for those who experience it. It opens a doorway to imagine what if? As RedBall travels around the world people approach me on the street with excited suggestions about where to put it in their city. In that moment the person is not a spectator but a participant in the act of imagination. I have witnessed it across continents, diverse age spans, cultures, and languages, always issuing an invitation. That invitation to engage, to collectively imagine, is the true essence of the RedBall Project. The larger arc of the project is how each city responds to that invitation and, over time, what the developing story reveals about our individual and cultural imagination.

I think the project should probably make its way to Nashville…

4. Beaver Brook.

I want to go here. Now. 

5. The Headlight Sessions.

I’m pretty excited to share this project. Matt Hoffman, a friend from Cincinnati, has been working for a local Toyota dealership as an internet product specialist. A few months ago, he had an idea that he felt could really give the dealership an edge over their competition in the city. After pitching the idea and receiving the green light, he began to assemble a team to make his idea come to life.   

On Wednesday Matt officially released the first video in The Headlight Sessions. These videos truly are something awesome. Be sure to check it out, share it, and be on the lookout for more - whether you’re in Cincinnati or not. This is an awesome opportunity, not only for Performance Toyota and Scion in little ol’ Fairfield, Ohio, but for Matt. He’s taken on a challenge to make a traditional job something that allows himself to grow and use his talents and passion to benefit the company. I’m excited to see where this goes and how quickly it catches on - locally for the dealership and hopefully beyond.

Thanks for sharing, Matt!