TGIF, y’all!
One of the reasons why I think it would have been fun to grow up in the south (besides epic BBQ, crawfish boils, and wearing pearls to tailgates) is so I could legitimately say y’all. It always sounds so charming coming from a Southerner. ;)
All I’ve got is heck, dang, and shoot. Wait, that’s perpetuating a horrible Midwestern hick stereotype. We are not hicks! We don’t all live on farms! Although we adore our farmers! I was so annoyed at the show Smash this year for always making fun of the main character Karen for being so small town, as she moved to New York from Iowa.
Anyways, total rant, sorry. It’s supposed to be wretchedly hot this weekend, and apparently the heat has already gone to my brain.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are, and please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!
FAVORITE THING EVER: The Big Yellow Bike. This is a local company that built a 16 person bike which you can pedal around downtown visiting different bars. SO. AWESOME.
Favorite sink: Key Lime Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting. As in, I want to sink my teeth into one (or five) of these babies! Love the fuchsia color of the icing with the bright colors of the cupcake wrappers, too. Very festive for summer!
Favorite floor. Rustic, cozy, and perfect for hiding crumbs!
Favorite wake up: Sugar Crusted Vanilla French Toast. What a decadent way to start a weekend, no?
Favorite awwww: Tired Allen. I feel ya’, buddy!
Favorite shortcut: Vinyl Backsplash. Because who has the time/ungodly amounts of patience needed to stencil a backsplash?!
Favorite bite: Hummus and Avocado Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes. Wow, these look so satisfying and delicious, and super easy too.
Favorite DIY: $1 Store Pot Holder Flat Iron Caddy. GENIUS. I usually cough borrow a hotel washcloth to wrap my hot flat iron in when I’m traveling!
Favorite twist: Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Treats. Awesome twist on the classic Rice Krispie Treat. Who doesn’t adore the unique chew of salted caramel?
Favorite tip: Chobani Conversion Chart. This is so great to keep on hand. I never knew I could use Greek yog to replace a portion of butter in recipes!
Favorite RRR: Candle Jars turned Storage Containers. This is an awesome way to turn empty or near empty candle jars into something that looks super chic and expensive.
Favorite app: Peach & Prosciutto Bruschetta. I was working on a freelance recipe using peaches the other day and was dying over how delicious and juicy they were. Love this salty-sweet combo!
Favorite place: The Blue Lagoon outside of Vang Vieng, Laos. I can feel that cool water on my skin already! (Totally jealous of this blogger, btw!)
Favorite devour: Baked Brown Sugar Chicken Wings. Oh. Heck. Yes.
Favorite photo: Morning Sun in Viddal, Norway in a Bubble. WOW.
Favorite before & after: DIY Ottoman. This is so cool. Heading to Craigslist, mmm, NOW!
Favorite must-have: Rain Gutter Drink Cooler. Borrowing my Dad’s saw this weekend. How freaking awesome is this?!
Favorite dinner: Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs and Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes. How ya’ gonna hate on anything with gravy in the recipe name? :)
Favorite duh: Cord Control. Place opposing pieces of velcro on appliances with long cords. This would have come in handy yesterday when I tripped over the long cord of a computer monitor I was carrying and nearly fell down the stairs!
Favorite party: Watermelon Keg. A fun feature at any summer party!
Favorite tip: Pillowcase Fan Duster. I’m going to go ahead and bust myself out by saying I haven’t turned the fan on in my office in about ohhh two years, simply because I don’t want to clean the fan. I know. So shameful. Totally using this tip to avoid having dust fly all over the room dusting the traditional way!
Favorite dessert: Cannoli Dip. Come to Mama!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Ryan @ Spicy Richmond 06.08.2012
Love that DIY ottoman tutorial. Also, who has time to dust a fan? Surely not I.
jen 06.08.2012
never really thought about “y’all” being a south only thing..probably b/c i’m from texas so it just flies out of mouth without much thought. we have seen those pub crawl bikes (like the one if your first picture) downtown several times and it is hilarious to watch! it moves so slow but the people on their never stop yelling. they had to actually get out and push it at one point b/c they couldn’t get it up a hill. maybe a good way to work off the alcohol calories? :)
Kayla 06.08.2012
There’s a “pedal tavern” in Milwaukee that people can rent for private gatherings or join on weekends for a bar crawl through one of the old wards downtown. It seems so fun, and it’s on my bucket list for sure!
Stacy 06.08.2012
Love your blog, I am originally from Iowa, now in DC area. That dog video totally made me cry, but now I can cheer up with the caramel rice krispie treat recipe!
Maggie 06.08.2012
Such fun ideas! I discovered your blog a few months ago and just love – you do a great job!
Angie 06.08.2012
I grew up in the South and still live here. Y’all is a GREAT word that should be used as much as possible.
Also, another good one here is “Bless their hearts”. It basically means you can say what you want about somebody even if it’s bad as long as you “Bless their heart” before or even after you say the mean thing. LOL
Trisha 06.08.2012
My mom is putting together a (Milwaukee Brewers themed) picnic table with a built-in gutter cooler right now!
clare @ fittingitallin 06.08.2012
I’m a midwestern girl (STL) that just moved to Dallas and I LOVE saying y’all! I can’t get with the “fixin’ to” business though.
Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables 06.08.2012
that tired little pup is adrobs…and that cannoli cream dip?!?! YUM.
Alysha @Shesontherun 06.08.2012
Those 16-person bikes are all over Milwaukee (sadly, I’ve never been on one). PS, that dog is so flipping cute!
Jessie 06.08.2012
We have the pedal bikes, too! In Milwaukee the company is called Pedal Taverns – I really want to do it but unfortunately I’d only be able to be a passenger because I’m too short to reach the pedals!
Deb B. 06.08.2012
Love, love, love your Friday Favorites! Seriously got a cold water and sat down to just enjoy. So far….highlight of the day. Great blog!
Jessica 06.08.2012
i saw y’all all the time and I ALWAYS get crap for it!! :) I say, keep “y’allin'” all you want :) love, a fellow iowa girl
Shannon 06.08.2012
I’m from Texas, say y’all, eat bbq, LOVE crawfish boils, and have dressed up to a tailgate or two :)! I am not, however, one of those “dumb blonde hick Texan” stereotypes you see on tv. So I feel your pain with the Smash stereotype! I love the stuff you come up with on FF… it’s just about lunch time and my frozen dinner is now lacking in comparison to all the amazing looking stuff you posted! I have made many of your recipes and every time I do my family is like “this is the best ever”! So thank you for your awesome recipes, keep ’em comin’, and have a great weekend!
Walton Skelley 06.08.2012
Hey y’all!! I am from Alabama and I promise, we get just as much flack for saying y’all as you do for saying heck!! haha…
I love your blog–love the recipies. I have a half marathon tomorrow…so, I think I will try that spaghetti recipe tonight. Thanks!!
Lindsay 06.08.2012
PedalPub! In the Twin Cities, you can drink ON the pub which makes for the most fun. I’m doing it again next month.
Heather {ModernMealsforTwo} 06.08.2012
The tired allen picture is hilarious. I saw it on your FB page, but I’m still cracking up!
Libby A. 06.08.2012
I am a such big fan of all your favorite things especially your amazing recipes and obsession with Quinoa. Keep up the great work! MPLS!
Beth W. 06.08.2012
I’ve done the Pedal Pub in Minneapolis (same as your Big Yellow Bike picture). Sooo much fun!!!
LisaL 06.08.2012
Oh my – you posted some of the most fab recipes today! Can’t wait to make the chicken AND the salted caramel RK bars! Hopefully the weekend won’t be as hot as they are saying here in the upper midwest. Ick!