Should I be embarrassed by the amount of joy I get from reading someecards?
Don’t answer that.
In other news, happy Friday, everyone! Got any fun plans for the weekend? We’re on what feels like the 27th weekend in a row of zip, zilch, nada on the calendar, except trolling Amazon Prime for soap dispensers. #sendhelp We’ve got a nutty couple of months coming up traveling for work and friends, so it’s been tough trying to fit in a much-needed, family-only getaway before summer hits. Every time we think we’ve got a free week, I remember something that wasn’t on the calendar, or March Madness game watching gets in the way.
March Madness: YOU’RE KILLING ME.
Anyway, wherever you are and whatever you do have a wonderful weekend and please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!
Favorite crunch: Fried Calamari. Ever since I got over my fear of deep frying (looking at you, Fried Goat Cheese Balls and Chicken Fingers with Everything Sauce,) I embrace the chance to try recipes at home that I’d usually have to go to a restaurant to enjoy. This pile of Fried Calamari not only has me craving the satisfying crunch you can only get from cooking something in piping hot oil, but the flavor of Fried Calamari drizzled with fresh lemon always makes me think of happy hour on a patio. Spring can’t get here soon enough!
Favorite clean slate: 100+ Things to Throw Away. YES to this list to help declutter our homes and lives of random little things that we overlook every single day. This is the best list of it’s kind that I’ve seen. Pick one number a day for the next 3-4 months and give your old, broken, and tired stuff the heave-ho.
Favorite fashion: Flutter Sleeve Top. I bought this top at J Crew last week and LOVE it. Lightweight but not sheer (are we almost done with the sheer fabric movement, clothing companies?!) and easy to dress up or down. I want one in every color!
Favorite fusion: Slow Cooker Carnitas Kimchi Fries. Can we talk about how Lauren from Climbing Grier Mountain always has the best, most interesting recipes?? Her double-decker Mexican/Korean fusion fries are calling my name. Loudly.
Favorite project. Sad news at Casa de IGE – we have to get rid of our pond this spring. ? It was what really sold us on the house when we bought it in 2013 but we’ve had several electricians over to look at the electrical (the pumps keep going out,) and they won’t touch it with a 10 foot pole since it was built by the previous homeowner vs a licensed electrician. Aside from that, the maintenance is insane, it attracts (big) wild animals, and the mosquito situation is pretty bad.
All that to say, we have a very large project ahead of us this spring and I REALLY want it to look something like this at the end. It’s got everything we could ever want! I’ll keep you posted on our progress!
Favorite skillet: Honey Garlic Shrimp Skillet. 5 ingredients, great reviews, and on the table in 10 minutes? On the menu for tonight.
Favorite find. My life summed up in a sweatshirt.
Favorite tutorial: Easy Topknot that Stays Put All Day. I will admit to knot (see what I did there? ?) even being able to sit through this short tutorial on how to make an easy topknot that stays put all day before racing up to my bathroom to try it for myself. I used a small claw vs a large one, and used just one ponytail holder instead of two, and it was a complete success! I am always insanely jealous of women who can effortlessly swoop their hair into a gorgeous, messy topknot, but now we can join the ranks, muwhahaha!
Favorite fake-out: Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) Ali’s description of how she nailed this homemade version of Thai Drunken Noodles had me searching for the ingredients to make it mere minutes later. I still need to get my hands on gluten-free oyster sauce, then it. is. ON!
Favorite decor. I’ve been looking for a dining room table with a bench on one side for literally 2+ years now, but never thought to look for a high-backed tufted bench instead of a backless one. Game changer! Love this pretty look.
Love the tote in any color :-) Making crockpot chicken and wild rice soup for the 99th time today…favorite!
Original or gray!
I absolutely love your blog!! I am a Family and Consumer Sciences teacher and constantly encourage my Food and Nutrition students to read your blog and use your recipes. Love the Original, absolutely timeless!
I love them all! I would get the grey or the blue!
I like the natural for spring!
I love the classic original vintage tote bag, but am loving the new blue color as well!
I’m loving the original Vintage Tote color.
The gray one for sure!
The gray is just gorgeous!
I’m digging on the OG tote. :)
LOVE the vintage tote, the color is awesome and would match with browns or black!
Great bags – I really love the light brown or natural!
I’m obsessed with that list!!
I would choose the blue. It’s so pretty!
That original is beautiful!
Love the vintage!
So many choices…they are all B-E-A-utiful!!
Would love that gorgeous bag in VINTAGE! Thank you for the chance
I love the original vintage tan tote. Thank you!
That shrimp recipe looks delicious! I may have to add that to the list. And I absolutely love those totes. The blue is definitely my favorite.
black
I LOVE your Friday Favorites!!
I love the original color and also the brown…and the gray…and. Well, I think I love all of them. It is such a gorgeous bag in any color.
I’d choose the original version. I love it!
I love the original or gray! Thank you.
Love those totes!
I’d choose the tote in gray!
Definitely black!!!!!!
The black!
I like the 1st bag…love the distressed look of the leather.
I need this in my life ;)
I would choose the original vintage tote bag…such a gorgeous bag!
I LOVE the medium brown one, beautiful!
I would choose the original! So cute!
The original Vintage Tote is perfect!
natural or grey!
Gray is so pretty!
I would choose the vintage tote bag in blue
So cute!! I think I’d choose the original vintage color!
All are beautiful(!), but I’d go with the vintage original. Good luck with the backyard! That is on my list too for areas to work on…
LOVE that original tote! GORGEOUS!! And love your Friday Favorites….always get excited when I see them posted! :)
The love the original tote!
I love the original color
The original tote is definitely my favorite!
Love Friday Favorites and would love the black tote?
These totes are so cool. I’ve narrowed my favorite color to three; the original, black and grey. But since I usually go black for everything, I think I need to think outside the box and go with the original color.
I would choose the original tote. Very cute!
The original vintage brown or maybe the blue!
This would be such a functional and cute mom-bag!
I would choose the original color. Love this bag!