friday fillers

• Brownie-stuffed chocolate chip cookies. Yes, yes, a million times yes.

• Blogs are all abuzz with the recent passing of Nora Ephron - and this one is no exception. Here are a few of of her best film moments and here is a cute mash-up of some memorable scenes from her movies.

• My "aaaw!" quota for the day.

• Suri Cruise is not only the most well-dressed kid, she's also the snarkiest.

• I'm bummed that I missed the annual Mermaid Parade in Coney Island, but I can live vicariously through these wacky photos.

• I'm sorry, but I can't get enough of looking at awkward family photos. These are GOLD.

 

friday fillers

• This is what happens when you cheat on a tattoo artist. [Update: this might be a fake story, as pointed out below in the comments!]

• Fellow bloggers, do you blog ahead or you more spontaneous? I'm a little bit of both.

• Things you may not have known about the dapper Cary Grant.

• Blueberry milk. Sounds weird. At first.

• Make your own gorgeously embellished bobby pins. It looks really easy!

• Would you ever wear a bralet? After seeing this post, I may consider it.

• If you click on no other links, at least click on this one. I promise, it's worth it.

friday fillers

• This is pretty fun optical illusion to try...and a great little time-waster (it can be tricky, but keep your eye on that cross!).

• Shirley Manson rocks. Loved her in the '90s. Love her now.

• How do we feel about tiny hats?

• This kid is super cute. And he's got great taste in music.

• What pick-up line would work on you? This one would work on me: "Oh hey, do you want to come back to my place and make s'mores and bacon and play Scrabble? I hope you don't mind dogs. Sparky is a rescued shih-tzu puppy and he loves to lick people's toes. Speaking of which, you have really pretty feet. Did you know that whenever I picture squirrels talking, it's always in an English accent?".

• Did you know today is free doughnut day (for U.S. residents only)?

...and I'm off to Paris! Wooo! Since I was way too disorganized this month to have posts prepared, it'll be quiet around these parts for about a week or so. But I shall return with plenty of photos from our travels (and maybe a few stories here and there?). In the meantime, I hope you have a happy weekend!

friday fillers

• What you NEED to know about the BSB/NKOTB reunion tour. And speaking of NKOTB, you need to see this (especially if Jordan was your fave).

• Best television finales. My fave is Buffy. Is it weird that I teared up just reading about it? Don't answer that.

• Is this kid exhausted or what? 

• Jenny Mollen's book report on Fifty Shades of Grey. Shameless, entertaining, hilarious read. Have at it.

• Ina Garten’s risotto cakes recipe was such a success. Only I quadrupled the amount of chives. Make that quintupled. Or...I just used a massive amount of chives.

• I need Sarah to be my life coach. Instead I downloaded her free ebook. LOVE.

Enjoy your weekend. And yay for those who don't have to work this Memorial Day (that's me!)...wooo!

friday fillers

• How to pick out a good baguette. And speaking of which, I'm dying to try the goods at this place.

• She looks too fabulous in polka dots.

• I loved these crash hot sweet potatoes so much that I made them twice this week!

• How to effectively survive a stressful work day (#14 is my favorite tip - makes the day a little easier for me).

• Why not invest in your dreams?

• Pasta tips from master chef, Mario Batali.

friday fillers

•  I don't care if it's almost summer, it's never too warm for hot chocolate.

• What if you don't know what your passion is?

• This made my my day (best wedding toast/marriage advice EVER!)

• Eat cheap, eat well.

• Guest post like it's your job.

• A list of happy things (just looking at the photos makes me happy - so colorful!).

friday fillers

• In case you missed it on Twitter, go check out my guest post over at Made to Travel. And don't forget to enter Jamillah's giveaway while you're there!

• It's okay to be introverted.

• Spring to summer sneakers under $55. If I could get my hands on those polka-dotted Madewells, I'd live in them everyday.

• Condiments made with real food - do they exist?.

• What a tidy way to hold hair elastics! Definitely trying this.

• A prettier, cheaper and more eco-friendly alternative to plastic baggies (perfect for bringing your lunch in...or a picnic in the park). 

friday fillers

• Apparently, I've been wearing bobby pins the wrong way this whole time.

• I just recently acquired a taste for Manhattan Specials (thanks to the bf for getting me into it). Here's 5 things to do with this delicious coffee soda drink.

• Why don't I look this fabulous in a plain gray tee?

• Make sure you're not eating when you read this.

• These dreamy photos are amazing - quality photography.

• Bob's mother passed this stovetop ribs recipe to me and ohmygoodness it was so good.

• A glowing sugar hand scrub and some other nifty uses for lemons.

We'll be getting some much-needed rain over the weekend, so I'm not sure  if that means it's a stay-at-home kind of weekend or go-out-and-brave-the weather kind of weekend. We'll see. Otherwise, have a great one!

friday fillers

• Downton Abbey name generator. You can just call me Lady Eugenie, Baroness of Throcking. Don't I sound like a haughty aristocrat from an old romance novel?

• I'd really like to try this trick for peeling garlic in less than 10 seconds. It's normally such a tedious task.

• Organizing solutions for your kitchen (perfect for small kitchens).

• Topshop debuts a Clueless lipstick. As if!

• Dial a D-list celebrity for $10 - $20 per minute. I can't believe this actually exists! Anyone care to chat with Dina Lohan? Or Tila Tequila?

• Are you planning on taking a vacation this year? Check out some of the great travel deals here. I actually just booked a trip through this site and got an amazing deal! I'll tell you all about it next week...

For now, a very happy weekend to you.

Or Happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor.

friday fillers

• Unusual ways to make extra money.

• The scent of rosemary can make you smarter?

• A blogger's dream: fun things you can do with (and for) your blog that doesn't require writing a post (I spent an hour just clicking through everything!).

• Bob wrote an article for Humor Times for the Faux News section, that pokes a bit of fun at hipsters. It's amusing and clever...just like him.

• This is the recipe that turned me on to lentils.

• I'm looking to this site as somewhat of a guide for my next trip.

weekend plans

{This was shot in the Creative Little Garden}

I'm in a very good mood today. This is the first weekend in quite a while when I'll actually have time to organize and do weekendy things without having to rush or keep a strict timetable. And some of us,
including myself, have the extra day off for President's Day, woohoo! I might even take advantage of the extra day to get started on some Downton Abbey-watching. Oh, the possibilities...

So I'll leave you with some links to flip through today. There were quite a few things I came across this week that were worth sharing:

~  DIY paper flowers. Pretty, unique and they won't wilt!

~ I've had chocolate on the brain (thanks to chocolate week on the Cooking Channel),
so it seems appropriate to share sexy salted hot fudge with you. And the best hot chocolate. And milk chocolate pudding with cream and raspberry sauce. You're welcome.

~ I've been turning to this blog for organizational and general home ideas for teeny tiny apartments.

~  Brooklyn Fare's statement packaging is unpretentious, straightforward and part smart-ass. I'm liking the little jab at Starbucks.

~  How to organize your fridge.

~ Can we just take a step back in time and admire the beauty that is '90s fashion?

Enjoy! And a happy weekend to you!

friday!

{This was taken by the bf near Union Square on some scaffolding some years ago}

Oh by the way, I thought you might enjoy these few links:

• Amazing tips on how to reduce waste and save yourself some grocery money. And if you have more time, peruse the kitchen tips - good stuff here.

• Is your blog in need of a facelift? Enter here for a blog makeover. You could win!

• The floral pants debate...yay or nay? 

• I really want to try homemade stain remover. It seems so easy, yet effective.

• Organize your life using tools online (I'm going to give the Ta-Da List and the Evernote app a try).

Have a great weekend! I'm hoping it doesn't go by too quickly.

friday!

"But now in September the garden has cooled, and with it my possessiveness. The sun warms my back instead of beating on my head … The harvest has dwindled, and I have grown apart from the intense midsummer relationship that brought it on." – Robert Finch

• Top 100 blogs for the frugal gourmet. The cheap foodie in me celebrates. 

• The confessions of a "bad" teacher working in a south Bronx school. This was heart-warming, heart-breaking, hilarious and poignant all rolled into one well-written article. If you have a few minutes to spare, I highly recommend you read this.

• Yumi's vegetable cheat sheet is super helpful. And something I need to put on my fridge.

• Watch these kids react to planking. Funny stuff.

• An easy how-to on making your own laundry detergent. A cheaper and more environmentally safe alternative to the store-bought stuff.

• Happy weekend to you! See you on the other side..

-jillian m.

friday!

"Ponder well on this point: the pleasant hours of our life are all connected by a more or less tangible link, with some memory of the table". - Charles Pierre Monselet

 

• Things that make me go "aw, how cute"? Watching senior citizens learn how to work today's technology.

• A Willy Wonka dream come true! Now if they could make a chocolate river and everlasting gobstoppers , I'd die happy.

• "No one can resist my Schweddy balls...ice cream!"

• 26 stars who surprisingly turned down major roles. I was shocked that Sarah Michelle Gellar had to turn down roles for Cher in Clueless and Juliet in Baz Luhrman's Romeo + Juliet. But she rocked it as Buffy, so I guess it all turned out for the best.

• The ultimate guide to brown-bagging it (no more soggy bread!).

• Have a happy weekend!

-jillian m.

friday!

I am heading out St. Lucia early tomorrow morning! I'll be gone for about a week. I'm so very excited for this much-needed trip, but I'm also stoked to get back to blogging. For weeks, I haven't been been blogging to the standard I hold myself to. But once I return (hopefully refreshed and rarin' to go), I have some cool topics that I hope to share with you. 



Until then...

• Apart from Amy's great sense of style, I am completely and utterly obsessed with her wedges! I really feel like I need a pair, but I would have no idea how to rock them. What would you wear with these stunners?

• The most romantic food moments in film. What would you add to this list?

• A delightful travel blog that I came across recently. These ladies look like so much fun!

• For the busy ladies (and gents): how to find time to read blogs.

• Five things you didn't know about Keanu Reeves. Not many people would take a giant pay cut just to have Pacino on board for The Devil's Advocate!

• I will probably never bake any of the cakes or desserts that Heather posts, but I can't help but admire these works of art. Because that's just what it is. Beautiful, decadent, inspiring art.

• Happy weekend to you! Hope to find you here when I get back! 

-jillian m.


p.s. This picture was taken by my very talented bf.

friday!

"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read" - Abraham Lincoln

• 13 things to know about farmer's markets.

• Fail! Baby portrait tattoos gone horribly, horribly wrong. Awkward.

• I love this genius beauty trick for adding some quick, gorgeous oomph to your eyes. Great for the ladies on the go!

• Dear Professional Blogger, how do you make money?

• My dream boy, Joseph Gordon Levitt turns a pop tune into a comedic rock song that makes me want to throw my hands up in the air and dance! Love this guy (sigh). And I've decided that I really need to see him perform live. Not only to see him play, but to meet him and convince him to marry me.

• Happy weekend to you (and to all my fellow east coasters, be safe)!

-jillian m.

friday!

 Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first - Ernestine Ulmer

• An awesome guest post from Belinda on the most unique items that are sure to put you in a good mood and make your life that much easier. Adore and want everything on this list!

• ABC is coming out with Celebrity Wife Swap and the first episode has Flavor Flav's and Dee Snider's ladies doing the switch-up. I predict dramaaaa!

• A truly fascinating article about intuition and how to develop it.

• Fashion magazines, don't go! Take a look at the best and worst-selling fashion mags.

• The giant height differences between celeb couples (the first one is a doozy!). I get a kick out of this because I'm 5'1 and my boyfriend is over 6'. People are always saying we look funny together (but I find our height difference endearing).

• I've been M.I.A. on the blogosphere this week, but I'm hoping to catch up on your blogs this weekend. Can't wait! And a very happy weekend to you!

-jillian m.

friday!

 “To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.” - Jane Austen

• And this is why I love Matt Damon. 

• A cute and simple idea for a daytime date. You might want to print this out and leave it lying around so your guy can "accidentally" happen upon it.

• I'm super excited that America's Next Top Model is coming back for another season featuring past contestants (!).  Meet the cast here. And there is no shortage of troublemakers and divas in this one (I'm looking at you, Camille).

• Ever wanted to know what it takes to be on MTV's The Real World? Take a peek at the contract and wonder why anyone would want to sign onto the show after reading this.

• Have you heard of Google Goggles yet? It's an image recognition application that you can download on your Android device or iPhone 4 for free. Meaning, take a picture and Goggles will search for information on the photographed object (includes landmarks, artwork, text, etc.). The app is still in its early stages so more improvements to come.  But still...GENIUS!

• A very happy weekend to you!

-jillian m.

friday!

  

• Dear Thigh Fat, Help the needy? Sincerely, Boobs (My new favorite time-sucking website).

• Are you an obsessive phone checker?  Me? I have my moments. Having a smartphone doesn't help.

• How do you feel about the No Kids Allowed movement?  Not being a parent myself, I don't have a strong opinion on it, though I can definitely empathize with both sides.

• I want to see this movie! What can I say? I'm a sucker for predictable romantic comedies. And Chris Evans (swoon!).

• Tim Gunn shares his fashion tips and spills the juicy beans on what goes on behind the scenes at Project Runway.  Did you watch the premiere last night? I missed it. Does this season look promising?

• Happy weekend to you!

-jillian m.

friday!

• Real and insightful advice into what it takes to move abroad (specifically, Italy).  Though life isn't anything like the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, it doesn't make me want to live la dolce vita any less!

• How do you feel about female urinals? Is this what we have to look forward to?

• Just discovered this blog that I think everyone should bookmark!  If you're looking to improve your writing, blogging and/or business, then this one's for you. I downloaded the free e-book and found the advice to be quite invaluable.  (Thank you to Jamillah for retweeting this on Twitter!).

• The summer's answer to Mexican hot chocolate.  Drool.

•  Happy weekend to you!  I'm starting mine early.  I took today off to head to the beach!  And after a hellish Thursday, this could not have come any sooner.  I'm so happy I could cry!

-jillian m.