Four Favorites Friday: 07.01.11

1. This skirt. Leanne at Elle Apparel even has the full tutorial on her site, found here.

2. This lovely hair clip. Brought to you by Emily from Fern & Flora.

3. This candy. Indulge a little, why don't ya? This stuff is good.

4. This book. My sisterhood & I went and saw Ann Brashares at the Tattered Cover on Monday night. She is wonderful, poised, and very intelligent. My nose has been stuck in this book! I grew up with the Travelling Pants books and it feels cozy being reacquainted with the girls (Carmen, Lena, Tibby, & Bee) I grew up with.

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Have a safe & happy 4th of July weekend!

Four Favorites Friday 06.24.11 Cleveland Edition

Have you ever been to the beautiful city of Cleveland? Planning on going? Here are some of my favorite gems from the Cleveland area.

1. Lucky's Cafe. Delicious food, friendly atmosphere, easy to miss, hard to find, but well worth the trip. They use all locally grown ingredients and have been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. G ordered waffles with caramel syrup and I got the Cuban sandwich with fresh potato chips.

2. The West Side Market. No trip to Cleveland is complete without a stop here. Fresh produce, meats, cheeses, pastas, pastries, etc. The market is a great way to buy locally & it's affordable.

3. On the Rise Artisan Breads & Pastries. This treasure is nestled into a lovely neighborhood. The smells alone are heaven, not to mention the breads and pastries! Throughout the week I enjoyed an almond croissant, a sticky bun, a "Jennifer's Cookie," and a french bread loaf.

4. The Cedar Lee movie theatre. Features the best independent films and offers the old time theatre feel. Saw The Tree of Life here (and if you've seen it, please tell me what you think) this time around. Quaint theater. Love it.

[all pictures taken by me]

Almond croissant, anyone?

Go Meat!

West Side Market yumminess!

Favorite from Chicago Midway: a water bottle fountain with a ticker that says how many plastic bottles have been saved!



Four Favorites Friday: 06.10.2011

It's Tie-dye Friday!

1. Check out this awesome tutorial by Sweet Verbena. A practical & affordable craft. We will be making these tonight!

2. Did you know you can dye buttons with Rit dye? Check it out!

3. This is the srunched/folding technique by My Byrd House. Love how it turns out!

4. This is just some eye candy from Pattie Wack to get you in the dyeing mood.

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Happy weekend! I'll be sure to post pictures of what we create next week. PS-In 24 hours I will be Ohio-bound! YES.

Four Favorites Friday: 04.08.2011

1. I'm currently reading this delightful novel for book club. Quite a nice change from the last book we read (Every Last One by Anna Quindlen). An old English man, a cup of tea or two, and all the fun British jargon. I'm in!

2. Fishtail braids! I love these. I'm still learning, but I think they add a little fun and elegance to any outfit. Here’s an easy tutorial (please note the sweet 80’s kid at the bottom). This beautiful blogger also shares my affection for these braids.

3. Date with my grandmas tonight to go see this movie! It features a Colorado girl as the star (yay) and tells the true story of surfer Bethany Hamilton. I'm positive that it's going to be great!

4. Caprese. It just makes my mouth water. The smell of fresh basil is intoxicating. It reminds me of spring and summer (& it's meatless). I will post a recipe next week for a caprese inspired dish! Souvlaki for the Soul has a great recipe for Caprese salad bruschetta if you've never tried it. The Fresh Fridge also has a good one. As Rachel Ray would say, "how good does that look?!"

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My grandma gave me her antique wrought iron bed & I had a lot of fun setting it up last night (pictures soon). Had a nice long chat with the Mr. ♥, watched the Orioles win, and slept fabulously.

Happy Friday, all!

Four Favorites Friday: 04.01.11

Happy April Fool's Day, folks!

Did anyone get a prank pulled on them? I have quite a few great April Fool's stories. One of the funniest pranks was a few years ago when my cousin put my sister's car up for sale on Craigslist. By the end of the work day, my sister had about 40 missed calls and voice messages expressing interest in her car! The same year my cousin used her friend as a contact for "free pregnancy bellies." You'd be surprised how many moms & high school abstinent programs called her wanting free bellies!

Anyway, here are some of my favorites of the week:

1. April in general. It's the seasonal shift where there's more daylight, more sunshine, and beautiful plants budding. I love the rain & I love tulips (possibly my favorite flower). It's a new month & in spring, a new beginning. Let's make it great.

2. Much Love, Illy's new bow! It's so lovely. I hope she sells these things! I know I'd buy one or four. I might try to replicate this over the weekend. Also her blog is so fantastic, along with her Etsy store. Go show her some love.

3. This recipe for meatballs. Not so meatless, but hey, I'll make them tomorrow! Stumbled on Celebrate Life With Us's blog this week after she was featured on Caroline's wonderful blog (more about that later) and I love it! Newest follower!

4. This detailed and fun pillow tutorial from The Pleated Poppy. I might just have to do this with one of the tea towels I bought in Paris.

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Go have some adventures!

Peace,

Nicole

Four Favorites Friday: 03.25.2011 Camping Edition

My friends & I are going camping (well, actually yurting) this weekend! I can't wait to spend some quality time with them & mother nature sans distractions. Hope you have a great weekend too!

1. The North Face sleeping bags. I can't articulate just how much I love sleeping bags [mummy bags]. Suffice to say I slept in one from 8th grade until I was a junior in college... True story. LOVE.

2. Jiffy Pop. Delicious & fun to make.

3. What would camping be without s'mores?! Our Best Bites puts a new spin on it & I very much like the idea of using a Resse's Peanut Butter Cup or a Rolo. Yum! You don't even need a campfire for this recipe.

4. Fun questions & discussions around the campfire. Table Topics sells "questions to start great conversations." Always sounds good to me!

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Four Favorites Friday: 03.18.11

Happy Friday all! Here are some great things to sum up the week.

1. This site. You can create random word collages by just typing or pasting a bunch of words. The more times a word appears, the larger it becomes in the collage. This might be fun to do for a loved one or something. It's completely free! If you don't like the design it creates, just click "randomize" for a different one.

2. This coffee press. I got it on sale for a mere $20 (originally $40, but on sale on the website). My tried and true method for making the best cup of coffee is Alton Brown's found here.

3. This recipe via The Hungry Birdie. Meatless, again. Can you imagine the delectable aroma as you cook this up? Garlic, mushrooms, and scallions--oh my!

4. The Mumford & Sons Pandora station. Try it!

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Happy weekend friends! I'm going to a craft fair tomorrow, but nothing else too exciting planned.

Four Favorites Friday: 03.11.2011

MEATLESS edition... not like the other favorites were overflowing with meatness, but it's the first Friday of Lent, which means no meat! You can read up more on this tradition & Lent here.

1. Thought we'd start of with a nice, comforting, albiet meatless recipe. Macaroni & Cheese. Doesn't that just look delightful?! What's your favorite thing to add to your Mac? I love adding mustard &/or Sriracha sauce (& fresh pepper, of course).

2. Michelle Au authors a hilarious blog full of real life & adventure. She has a book coming out that I am so excited about. If you know anyone (or if you yourself are) in medicine, her comics will make you laugh. Her book is called This Won't Hurt a Bit and if it's anything like her blog, it's sure to be great! You can preorder on Amazon & B&N (I don't suggest Border's... all the ones in my neck of the woods are going out of business).

3. Yogurtland. I do believe this falls under the "sweets" category, which I gave up for Lent, but I still thought I'd share this magical place with you. I went here last Sunday & got 13 ounces of yumminess. Red Velvet Cupcake Batter with Kit-Kat, gummy bears, Reese's, etc. So delicious. I love Pinkberry, but this place is so much more affordable. Only 30 cents per ounce! Not to mention I get a boost of self-esteem while being there. I mean their motto is "you rule." So true! Hopefully your state falls on the list of locations!

 4. I'm working on making Hunter (my pup) a dog bed using this idea I orginally found through Sew, Mama, Sew! It's a great way to use up some (many) scraps. I'll certainly post pictures when I'm all finished. I got 2 yds of Blizzard Fleece from Joann's for $8 using a coupon. Great deal!

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PS-I made those Oatmeal Cream Pies from last week & oh dear... they were absolutely scrumptious!

It's the WEEKEND!

Four Favorites Friday 03.04.2011

It's that beautiful time of the week again: FRIDAY.

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1. Girl Scout Cookie time! I bought five boxes & plan to devour them very slowly & in moderation... hopefully.

2. This nail polish. It's Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure & it works fabulously. I like putting a top coat over it, but this nail polish has lasted me an entire week without chips. I think that's pretty impressive. I have about six different colors in this nail polish & acquired this one on my most recent trip to Target where I saw even more hues. Next on my list is So Much Fawn & Gilty Pleasure.  Need to spice up your nails? Steph's Closet has some great ideas!

3. The Colgate Wisp. Although they aren't best friends with the environment, these are so handy. I used them on the plane to and from Paris. They're great for traveling, guest bathrooms, or to stick in your purse for a quick brush after a dinner date or something. I found these on Woot & managed to get 96 for $14.99 with shipping! Gotta love the Woot!

4. Oh my goodness. I started drooling (literally) when I saw this post at Bakingdom. Truly scrumptious. I must try this recipe. Who didn't love oatmeal cream pies as kids?!

One lesson I learned this week: Never, never, never give up.

Have a great weekend! I'm headed to AZ for a wedding. Any fun plans?

Friday Favorites: Paris edition.

It's been about a month since sis & I have returned to the States, but the memories of Paris are still vibrant and vivid in my mind. Here are some pictures that help capture the wonderful times we had (just a few more than four...).

 

 

As I've mentioned, we stayed with one of my friends who is studying over there, so it felt like we were living the life of a local. I loved PJ's quaint apartment; it was a perfect fit for one, yet comfortably housed three. The shower was like a phone booth.

The food. Everything was so fresh & delicious. Here is a picture from our first lunch in Paris. We started with an appetizer of hardboiled eggs with fresh mayonnaise and french bread, followed by the main course. For me, the main dish was warm apples, ham, and goat cheese in a cream sauce with a side salad. Tres great! Not to mention the crêpes by the Eiffel Tower. Hot & steamy on a cold stroll through the city. Simply heavenly! PJ there had a waffle instead of a crêpe, equally as delicious. And the other salad with--what's that? oh yeah--goat cheese.

The café. Coffee in America has been corrupted by conglomerate chains that want your pretty penny more than to give you a drink that tastes delicious and wakes your snoozing joints (in my humble opinion, of course). Not so in France. While the little espresso costs about as much as a blended U.S. coffee beverage, it was well worth every Euro cent! Smooth, rich, aromatic. All the things that coffee should be. No burnt flavor there! & it was a drink-in experience, no cardboard sleeves or to-go cups in sight. Served with the cutest little spoon & a few cubes of sugar. Loved it so much that I haven't had a cup of the "American" stuff since Paris.

The Eiffel at night. Who knew it sparkled?! Spoiler alert, it sparkles. Every hour on the hour for about five minutes. I think the tower lit up just accentuates its intricate architecture. It's not too shabby in the day either...

This lovely English bookstore that's right by Notre Dame.

The churches. Notre Dame has an amazing facade. The chapel of the Miraculous Medal is small and intimate, and one of the coolest churches I've ever been to for Mass. St. Catherine of Laboré's body is there uncorrupted!

The Arc de Triomphe, of course. So much bigger than I imagined.

The Catacombs. What a unique experience.

Rue du Bac is where it's at. The coolest boutiques I stumbled upon were all on this road (not to mention the Miraculous Medal chapel & La Grande Epicerie de Paris). My coveted Parisian kitchen towel is from a shop on this street. Along the way on Rue du Bac, I also bought some delightful olives, a delicate and femenine bracelet, and some stationery. Basically, all of my spending money was spent on this street alone.

 

Cheers!

Four Favorites Friday: 02.18.11

1. Add this comfy floor cushion to my “to-craft” list! Great tutorial found here: via Living with Punks I love the blue & orange color combination she chose! & I'm new to using piping, but this looks completely doable!

2. Teavanna. I’ve only had the Youthberry Wild Orange Blossom tea blend, but let me tell you, it is out of control! The aroma alone teeters on the edge of heaven. The way to steep the tea makes it that much more fun. I cannot believe I haven’t known about this! *Crawls out from under rock* If you’re a tea fanatic, treat yourself to some of this tea. It is a bit pricey, but entirely worth it & packed with antioxidants!

3. Anthropologie has a new wedding line called BHLDN (short for Beholden) that they launched on Valentine’s Day. I’m not currently engaged to be married or even close, for that matter, but a girl can certainly swoon over the lovely dresses & accessories. So beautiful! Robin egg blue pumps? I’m in!

4. This website allows you to make all sorts of clothing collages. Piece together outfits, wish lists, and/or burn some time. I decided to do a Nike collage filled with workout-inspired clothes and accessories. It’s nice motivation to hit the pavement again. It’s not too late to keep up those New Year’s Resolutions to be fit! Collage by me.

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Four Favorites of the Week: St. Valentine's Day Edition

As we all know, Valentine's Day is coming quick! This Monday! Here are some of the best things I've found that all have one thing in common: LOVE.

1. The Way to Love is Anthony de Mello's last meditation compiled into this short and powerful little book. The main message is that in order to love, we must give up our attachment and understand that happiness is attainable through oneself. de Mello combines a variety of philosophies that make this book truly unique.

2. This recipe sounds delicious! To make them even more fitting for the Valentine's Day occassion, try using a heart cookie cutter or making letters that spell a message. You could also use pre-made sugar cookie dough if you're in a time crunch. Raspberry cream cheese frosting? YUM!

3. Remember my paint swatch post? Well, this is a great (not to mention affordable) idea for making quick Valentine's cards that uses swatches too. This would be fun for little kids!

4. Hugh MacLeod runs a blog titled Gaping Void and he draws cartoons that are so deep and profound. This is one of my favorites, but he has numerous love-themed cartoons in his gallery that you can buy as prints. I think this would make a great gift (not to mention great wall decor) for your honey. 

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One lesson I learned this week: don't take love for granted.

Have a very happy Valentine's Day & don't forget to tell the ones who mean the most to you that you love them!

Four Favorites Friday: Superbowl Edition

Here are some of the most delicious recipes I found that are sure to feed all the football-philes that will be grubbing this Sunday!

1. Our Best Bite's pizza rolls.
2. Gina Marie's Kitchen's hot corn dip.
3. On the healthier side of things, The Cilantropist's homemade hummus
4. The Girl Who Ate Everything's ham & cheese sliders.

Links to the recipes found below the pictures.

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We all know who I'll be rooting for! *cough* GREEN BAY! *cough* Sidenote: when I was little I used to think they were called the "Green Day Packers," so my cousin has an embarrassing video of me singing a cheery tune rooting for "Green Day." At least I didn't make these mistakes! Anyway, eat up & enjoy!

One lesson I learned this week: the truth will set you free; free indeed.

Four Favorites Friday

Here are my four favorite finds of the week:

1. Extra's Strawberry Shortcake gum. I've seen this on The Biggest Loser, and I was skeptical. After eating my weight in Muddy Buddies this weekend, I decided a 5 calorie stick of gum wouldn't hurt--even if it didn't curb my sweet tooth. Thing is, it actually helps!

2. This amazing recipe for egg's Benedict. If I'm not successful... well I'm in Paris staying with a chef who's training at Le Cordon Bleu. Ooooh PJ! Feel like cooking?

3. The Le Pliage bag from Longchamp. I've seen these bags around & always thought one would look cute hanging off my shoulder; only now do I know what brand they are. I wasn't pleased when I saw the price, but a nurse I work with told me they're about 1/3 the price in Paris. Hopefully! I'll let you know. The tote is in graphite, and the folded up tote is taupe.

4. This pretty pillow is on my to-do list. I'm hoping to make two of these for my bed after returning from Paris. So feminine, simple & lovely.



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One lesson I learned this week: Don't be shy; people are quite interesting if you open up the dialogue.

Four Favorites Friday

Four Favorites of the week Friday:

1. This recipe for fried goat cheese. So rich, so gorgeous, and teetering on sinful. I will make this recipe tonight. I will put it on top of a salad & dig in.

2. Working out with Beto. I've only done this in the comfort of my own living room. Not quite sure how I would fare at a live Zumba class. Ha!

3. Pushing Daisies. This lovely show was only on for 22 episodes before it got the boot. I love it & I know that it had a huge fan base. I ♥ Netflix because they have both seasons on instant stream & no commercials! (Only two episodes until I’m done watching the series… tres triste).

4. Savory Spice Shop. I bought some vanilla beans along with some delicious spices from this lovely place. I'm hoping to make my own vanilla extract using this idea. I'm excited!

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One lesson I learned this week: don't hesitate going to the doctor when you feel sick.