July Weekend

This weekend my girlfriends and I saw Magic Mike - and all I can say is...WOW Channing Tatum can dance!  Damn...  We had limey margarita and delish Mexican food before hand at this cantina with a view.  Also happening this weekend, one of my closest friends was induced to have her first baby!   We're all anxiously awaiting a text or email to announce little baby G's arrival, so excited!!

In the meantime, here's a few links that caught my eye from around the web this week...

+ DIY herb sugar...must try this!

+ Seattle summer bucket list, I'm totally stealing some ideas from this!

+ Honoring Nora Ephron, her 10 best movie lines

+ Scuba suit for your iphone?  Um..yeah!

+ Bookends for everyone

+ Best playground ever - can we go play? 

+ Indulging in all seasonal summer fruit, nectarine pancakes, yes please!

+ Ever wanted to be a mermaid?  Here's your chance.

+ Enjoy porch sitting? Vacation here (this hotel has 100 rocking chairs for watching the sunset)

+ Summer lemonade stand anyone?

+ Cool look: ombre nails

image/ksny

Weeknight Baking: Rainier Cherry Crumble

It's Rainier cherry season around Seattle, and the bounty is plentiful at every market, farmers market, and fruit stand in sight.  Hence, it was the perfect time to try out this recipe, and I'm AMAZED how easy it is to make this rainier cherry crumble.  The most labor-intensive part was pitting the cherries.  I'm tucking the steps to make a crumble topping away in my memory bank to use with every other kind of season fruit throughout the year.  

It was delicious right out of the oven, and even better - it made an excellent breakfast this morning as well. :)

image/cookinglight

The Ever-Modern Kitchen

While I don't have an ounce of counter space left in our kitchen, I'm always intrigued by the latest and greatest kitchen tools.  Lately, these gadgets have caught my eye...

The Egg Skelter

Keeps your eggs in order, a convenient way to keep your eggs sorted by freshness.

The Food Pod

Boils, blanches, steams, and drains.  Use it for everything from broccoli to artichokes to eggs.

The Lily pad lid

The green alternative to saran wrap, forms a tight seal on any smooth surface.

Kuhn Rikon avocado tool

Cuts, pits, and scoops avocados, all in one.

What kitchen tools/gadgets have caught your eye lately?

Pen Pal

I love getting mail.  Somehow, receiving an email is just not quite the same as a good old-fashioned, stamped letter delivered to your home.  I'm looking forward to participating in the pen-pal project, organized by the lovely Elizabeth of E Tells Tales.  

Elizabeth matched everyone participating according to age, similar interests, and a few answered questions, and voila - I have a pen pal!  I've had a few pen pals in my day, but not since I was a kid, so I'm excited about a new correspondence with a blogger from afar.  I'm responsible for writing the first letter and we'll see how it goes from here!

image/kristeng

Ireland Bound

Suitcases are packed, passports ready to go...tomorrow we are off to Ireland!!  So excited to spend quality time with my husband, drink a few pints, and explore this lush land together.  

I'll report back soon!

Kalimotxo

Have you ever had a Kalimotxo?  I had never even heard of this beverage until I spied it on pinterest.  At first glance it sounds a little...well...unusual, red wine + coke, I mean I never would've thought to put those two together.  But the more I think about it, I'm intrigued...  My logic: Coca cola seems to do wonders in recipes, so why not pair it with another beverage.

Have you ever made/had a kalimotxo before?

image/spoonforkbacon

Summer Vacation Begins Now!

SCHOOL'S....OUT...FOR...SUMMER!

Hooray!  Amidst a handful of tears, and a whole lot of hugs, our 2011-2012 school year ended today.   It was a fun day, despite ringing in summer vacation with record breaking rainfall instead sun...womp, womp, womp.  

But what's most exciting is....Ireland in T-minus 5 days! Woohoo!

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