so long july

summer goes by so quickly.

it's been nice to take advantage of it while it's still here. eating outside, watching late sunsets, having lighter summer meals. i think i'm in the minority when i say that fall isn't my favorite season. i don't hate it really. i just prefer these warmer days.

so here's to the last day of july. 

i know part of september is technically summer still, but i always feel like the spirit of summer truly lives in june, july and august.

eating outside on the back porch

strolling through logan circle

a fun summer meal at etto | their meyer lemon soda was to die for

friday finds VI

more cool stuff for less than fifty bucks comin atcha today!

earrings | flats | vase | lights | notebook | purse

those pendant lights are a steal at only $9.99. how cool would they look in your house or apartment?

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it's the last weekend in july already. make it a good one!

pinterest wins

i've found that finding recipes through pinterest is pretty hit or miss.

there have been a few dishes i've tried that haven't ended up as favorites, but today i wanted to focus on the winners.

below are three categories: super easy, super yummy, and super desserts.

the first three can be prepared so quickly, they're perfect for nights when you don't feel like doing much of anything. these second (duh), are just really delicious meals. they take a bit more effort, but i've had great success with all of them. the last group are some of the best desserts i've found through pinterest. the sugar cookie bars (middle) are my new favorites. they're ridiculous.

above all else, these are all incredibly satisfying meals. they'll leave you with a smile on your face every time. and i wanted to pass on some of those good vibes to you today.

easy: 1 | 2 | 3
yummy: 1 | 2 | 3
desserts: 1 | 2 | 3

enjoy! and have fun in the kitchen. 

scrambled

 if we have them in the house, eggs are usually on the menu for a weekend breakfast.

when i was a kid, i was somewhat loyal to scrambled eggs when asked how i'd liked mine cooked. whenever i'd go visit my grandparents, they'd make these fried eggs with the runny yolks and i started liking those also. as an adult, i tried my hand at poaching and that became my favorite method for a while.

scrambled eggs were still good (and definitely the quickest), but they were always a little blah to me. not bad, but not the star of the plate by any measure.

then, i discovered tyler florence's method for cooking eggs (also endorsed by ruth reichl although hers are a little too buttery for me) and it's become my favorite once again. the eggs are neither runny nor well cooked. they almost take on a mousse-like texture that's perfect for spreading on buttered toast.

here's what you need to do.

just remember to cook on your stove's absolute lowest setting. i've eaten these plain a lot, but lately, i've been adding spinach and dusting with parmesan and a lot of red pepper for a take on eggs florentine.

try this method out sometime. it's a unique texture that's just delicious.

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p.s. if i can pause for a vanity break, the hand pictured is my husband's not mine. ;)

potw: oops

we've all forgotten a birthday at some point.

here's some cute cards to make up for it. 

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

and i don't mind if someone forgets my birthday. it's always kinda nice to get some bday love after it's officially passed.

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looking for more letterpress goods? check out my press of the week series here. a new potw is posted (almost) every monday. but you can always find the latest by following me on twitter.

liar liar

everyone tells little white lies.

a new-to-me site, daily dishonesty, has compiled some of the best and most hilariously relatable ones out there.

the illustrations are also pretty incredible.

check it out. it's a great time waster for friday.

recent recap

a mango nectarine 

eating outside at boundary stone

so excited about this patio set. the chairs rock back and forth!

slowly getting the nursery together

well, plans changed. last night, i was planning to go check out etto, but they're closed mondays. oops. that's what i get for not checking their website first. oh well. we had a great meal at boundary stone instead. i always enjoy their food.

i'm getting a slow start to blogging this week. no real reason, but i guess this heat has got me feeling lazy.

happy tuesday!

friday finds V

on this gloomy, humid dc friday, here are six things i'm loving. all are less than fifty bucks, and i especially love the size of those earrings. i like my post earrings to be on the larger side and these fit the bill nicely.

shorts | wooden herb labels | necklace | earrings (also available here) | planter | passport cover

hope your weekend is refreshing. 

i'm trying out this place after months of saying "i really need to go".

get excited

in the summer, probably more than any other season, i like to try new places to eat in the city. which isn't hard considering the crazy pace that places seem to be opening these days.

i've done these five-item lists for the winter and spring. here's my summer one.

img sources: one | two | three | four | five

1. arcuri. i work in glover park and i get pretty tired of the same old options for lunch and happy hour. i'm excited about a nearby pizza place, especially a restaurant that's open for lunch. so many things on wisconsin don't open until five. it also doesn't hurt that they specialize in limoncello.

2. red hen. whenever i go to boundary stone, i end up walking by this place. i've heard great reviews of the food and service so i'll have to check it out soon. 

3. cream cycle. these guys get bonus points for the clever name and for being among the first to hop on the gourmet ice cream sandwich trend.

4. beuchert's saloon. a restaurant with a farm-to-table concept is always something i'm excited about. plus, i hear they make nearly everything in house, from the charcuterie to the pasta and breads. that's almost always a sign of a winning meal.

5. mockingbird hill. a place specializing in sherry and ham? if nothing else, my curiosity is piqued. 

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have you been to any of these spots? any other places you're dying to try? 

potw: baby time

since i have baby on the brain (we found out it's a boy btw!), i thought i'd feature some adorable shower invitations today.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

there's a ton of cute options out there.

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looking for more letterpress goods? check out my press of the week series here. a new potw is posted (almost) every monday. but you can always find the latest by following me on twitter.

success and adios

cooking sausage gravy and biscuits from scratch is something that's long been on my cooking bucket list. it's one of my favorite breakfasts to order when dining out, and i've had it range from insanely good to a pile of glue.

this is the recipe i used for the biscuits and here's what i followed for the gravy (although i used a combination of half and half and skim milk).* i have to say that they turned out awesome. and although anything even slightly resembling a roux has usually terrified me in the kitchen, this one was really easy.

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that was a definite success, but we also tried to grill calzones this weekend and...let's just say that we need to refine that technique before i'd call it a success. or edible.

so there were some hits and misses for sure in recent days. 

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in other news, i'm off to asheville today to visit my best friend from college and her husband and two little girls. i can't wait!

hope you all have a great fourth!

*the link doesn't seem to be working at the moment, but it was a pound of breakfast sausage (we used pork), two tablespoons of flour and two cups of milk.