They make me think happy thoughts

I am tickled pink! My dear friend, Jo-jo, who you all know as Joey of the very charming and delicious blog 80 breakfasts, (Jo-jo is my pet name for her) presented me with the The Thinking Blogger Award. I was taken by surprise to say the least and extremely flattered, considering the many exceptional blogs I know she reads. Despite having a multitude of choices to include in her list she picked lil of me, awww... thanks Jo, that really made my day . :)

If someone else had presented me with this award, Joey would definitely be on my own shortlist of bloggers who make me think. She inspires me everyday with her joie de vivre and she approaches life with a childlike wonder that I adore so much. But because the award came from her I will pay it forward to five other bloggers who make me think.

Those of you who know me personally or have read a handful of my blog entries would know that travel, food, photography and books are high on my totem pole of things I am passionate about. And though the blogs I read encompass a variety of subject matters, I tend to gravitate towards those whose authors share my passion. And if the blog combines two or more of those passions? Well then they've most definitely got themselves a new stalker!

So here they are, the five blogs I stalk because they inspire me and make me think:

Ariela of Baking and Books - From the first moment I stumbled upon Ari's site I felt we were kindred spirits. We both love baking, reading, breakfast, coffee and we both have a big dog we adore to pieces. Her posts are all at once informative, enjoyable, absorbing and addicting! Many times I catch myself thinking about what cookbook she'll be reviewing next, who interesting personality she'll be interviewing or what exciting and funny culinary adventure (and misadventure) story she'll have for us. Ari has also taught me a lot about Jewish culture and cuisine, and it is because of her I have added Israel to the list of places I must visit before I die.

Ilva of Lucullian Delights - If I were to choose one word to describe Ilva and her blog, it would be captivating. I am in awe of this woman's talent! She has this gift of seeing the beauty in everything even the most mundane which she captures so precisely and beautifully in her photographs. And if food porn is your thing, her recipes include images that are, simply put, eye candy. It just so happens that as I write this I am in the middle of a photography course and I draw a lot of my inspiration from her, so thank you, Ilva! :) Oh and another thing, she makes me seriously think about throwing caution to the wind and moving to Tuscany!

Mimi of French Kitchen in America - Mimi charmed me with the first sentence I read on her blog and she still continues to do so. Everything about her site makes me think of curling up in front of a fireplace with a soft warm blanket on my lap and my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of cocoa. She tells the most fascinating, thought-provoking and heart-warming stories about life, family, food and everything in between. To quote Mimi, her blog is not about food, "it's about tasting life." Can it get any better than that? Yes, because all that is peppered with glimpses of life in the gorgeous French countryside. :)

Carlos of Walk This Way - Yeah, Carlos is an old friend who I've known since I was in diapers so you may think this is a wee bit biased, but heck, the man makes me think! And what can this guy who practically slept through high school make me think about, you may ask? Well, for one, the city (and country) I live in. He has taught me to look beyond the grimy surface, to recognize the beauty that we thought was lost forever and to love the country I live in . His passion is infectious and those who meet him are changed forever. Carlos sums it all up perfectly with his philosophy: "I can't change the way Manila looks, but I can change the way you look at Manila."

Rama of Poch Ang Ina Mo - Rama is a 5 yr. old who will make you laugh and cry, charm your pants off and melt your heart. Her stories, as told by her mom Poch, will make you think you want a child of your own right this minute! (Yes, I said think because as much as I adore kids, I am quite happy and content to be surrounded by my nephews and nieces - who I love to pieces - at the moment) To see life through Rama's eyes is to learn to appreciate the simple joys, to be reminded of the thrill of discovery, and to realize that all is good in the world again.

So there you have it. Phew, that was no easy task as there are so many deserving blogs to choose from.

A heartfelt thanks to the five of you who make me think, you've enriched my life beyond measure. :) If you'd like to play along (again, for some of you), please write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.