Welcome to Friday Favorites…things that caught my eye and made me want to share with everyone!

• If you’re here from the Smithical Snippet – here is the infographic I was telling you about. The Basics of the Blue Zones in One Awesome Photo.
• I read this book in bits and pieces over the past week and just devoured the ending this morning as I tried to wake up after being on a family trip this week in D.C.  It’s not a new release, but a signed copy for sale (for $1!) at the library caught my eye and I bought it on a whim.  It was delightful.  The author, Will Schwalbe, works in books and publishing and chronicles the last months of his mother’s life through the lens of the books that they read and discussed together in oncologist’s waiting rooms and over chemo appointments.  It was so lovely, and I loved the books that he brought to my conscious.  Of course, my to-read list has grown exponentially now, but I have a feeling it will change from reading all the latest releases to some great books from 30-60 years ago.  Get this book if you want a lovely, inspiring book of a great woman, her motherhood and life and works with refugees, and her death, which she describes as “living while she died.”  Lots of underlines in my copy and I’ve chosen it for an online book club that I’m in.  I’m excited to talk about it so if you read it, let me know! (Hey! Support my podcast and get a free 30-day trial. Use your free credit to listen to this book! www.audibletrial.com/smithical)
• I also found out that Will Schwalbe has a brand-spanking new podcast about books that change your life.  It’s three episodes in and it’s well -produced, really interesting, and….about books!  It’s called But That’s Another Story.
• As I mentioned in today’s Snippet, my family spent a full day and evening in DC this past week.  We hit the city hard Wednesday morning and got to be on the stairs of the Capitol, walked through the National Gallery of Art, then to the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial (it was the 50th anniversary of his death, and being there was surreal, especially under gathering storm clouds), sept some time in the Lincoln Memorial, walked to the Washington Memorial and then to the White House, and then bussed/walked to the Folger Shakespeare Library.