link up

Yesssss it's the weekend. If you liked my summer jam from last week, you should watch Mr. Thicke himself performing the catchy tune on Ellen yesterday!

They said it, I believe it: this is the most relaxing song in the world. Please finish reading my post before playing, or else you'll pass out.

If Congress behaved like roommates: this had me dying. They've quoted some of my apartment's email chains for sure.

Go learn how to DIY the coolest chandelier ever.

Would you eat this wacky combo? I'm making one this weekend to give it a roll. Apparently it used to be a "thing", so maybe your parents or grandparents were known to indulge.

D was pretty pleased with this correlation: physical strength and political views.

Set these up in the crock pot this morning for the most delicious Friday night dinner. I'm so impressed with her recipes, not to mention her photography!

I want this so bad, in the walnut burl. Is it crazy to pay that much? #yes

mixology [hibiscus flower punch]

This is a funny story (to me). 

I traveled to El Salvador after my senior year of college as part of a solidarity and service trip with my undergrad's Center for Community Service and Justice. It was incredible, and worthy of another post (or week's worth). 

What I really want to share with you is that since that trip, I've had sealed bags of dried jamaica (hah-MY-kuh) stored with my tea. While in the country we tried an amazing chilled beverage made from the flower, so I bought a bunch, and have never gotten the energy or inspiration to make it again.

Then last week I get an email from PureWow, telling me that Hibiscus cocktails are great for Cinco de Mayo. Yeah, I bet they are, but I don't have any Hibiscus flowers.

Unless jamaica is the Latin American name for hibiscus.

Which it is.

Cocktail time!

Hibiscus Flower Punch

Recipe adapted from Chris Mortenson, La Condesa, Napa, Calif.

MAKES 10 COCKTAILS START TO FINISH: 35 MINUTES INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS 1½ ounces dried hibiscus flowers½ cup sugar, plus more to taste 3¾ cups tequila 1¾ cups rum 1¾ cups simple syrup Juice from 5 limes (about ¾ cup) Lime wheels, for garnish 1. In a large saucepan, bring 1½ cups of water to a boil. Place the hibiscus flowers in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Soak the flowers for 20 minutes, then pour the liquid through a strainer into a large pitcher. Add the sugar and stir until it’s dissolved. Add 3 cups cold water to the pitcher and adjust the sugar to taste.2. Add the tequila, rum, simple syrup and lime juice to the pitcher and stir to combine. Fill ten medium glasses halfway full with ice, then divide the punch among the glasses. Serve immediately, garnished with lime wheels.

Cheap Eats [super soup]

In the market for some summery soups? Soup is one of my favorite dishes. I love the consistency, you can pack a ton of flavor, they are often pretty simple to create something so elegant, and I feel light but satisfied, the perfect feeling during bikini season.

Ms. Martha has inspired me this year. A few of these are on the menu for this week, as D and I have decided to start meal planning again (fun, convenient, time-saver, money-saver, all around good idea). Here's what I have my eye on:

Chilled Cucumber, Basil and Mint Soup

Heck yeah. Sounds like a tzatziki in a soup, and would probably be a great starter to any Mediterranean meal. I would replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt to keep things healthy. It's no-cook, so save this for a day when it's too hot to turn on the oven.

Chilled Corn and Coconut Soup

D probs won't join me on this one, since he's not a coconut fan, but I love tropical flavors, particularly in the summer. I've never heard of mixing corn and coconut, so I'm sure it's a unique taste. All of these recipes that call for pureeing are going to be much easier with my Vitamix :)

Avocado Cucumber Soup with Shrimp 

I am DYING to try this one, and we got all the ingredients last night. This is on the list for our weekly meals for sure. You get a little heat from the jalapeno. Avocado is great in any form, and I love the color contrast of the bright coral shrimp and the creamy celadon. Yes, the design of the meal matters to me, particularly if it's a dinner party!

Traditional Gazpacho

What a classic. Everyone should have a Gazpacho recipe in their back pocket for the summer months. I ate this obsessively when I studied abroad in Spain, and really enjoyed a green tomato version as well, if you get tired of the traditional red. You can do so much with this as a base- add meat, seafood, add cream, add spice, and on and on. You could even turn it into Spicy BLT Soup (D would be in for that, he told our new roommate that bacon was his favorite food yesterday).

Creamy Celery Soup

This one interests me because I almost always have all of the ingredients on hand: celery, onion, potato, lemon juice, butter. Too simple. And anything that tastes creamy without using actual cream is a win in my book.

Cold Southwestern Corn and Shrimp Soup

Using frozen foods for the main ingredients makes this soup super quick and easy, and it's another no-cook recipe. D and I just bought a container of Philip's Jumbo-Lump Crab meat, so I may substitute that instead. We really don't have corn on hand all that often, but I think I'm going to pick some up for these recipes!

Any amazing no-cook meals out there I should add to my list?

discover [uber, sidecar, and the world of taxi apps]

If you live in a city, how do you get around?

Hopefully you're convenient to some form of public transportation, the cheap, convenient, environmentally-friendly way to do it. But sometimes, you need a work-around.

I have two favorites to share with you today, one well-known, one obscure but free (for now). 

First off, Uber. I would truly be surprised if anyone had not heard of them before, so I'll keep it brief: Uber is a car service run from an intuitive and free app that lets you hail a ride, pay for it, and rate the service, all from the phone. It's an on-demand service, which means you can expect to pay more at peak times, like New Year's Eve, but I use it weekly and have never paid more than the base fare. You can select a taxi, a black car, or a black SUV, which elevates the price, respectively. It's perfect for work, as they email you your receipt (including all ride stats and a map of the route). They're even international! This is a great option for DC, where the majority of cabs don't accept credit cards (slated to change in August, yippee!).

The other, that fewer seem to be familiar with, is SideCar. I have a soft-spot for them, since they are offering free services (straight up free people) in cities where they are unable to operate yet due to legal battles with the cab companies. One of those cities is Philly, where I just spent a lovely weekend with my sister M taking free rides. Win! (psst: Boston, NY, and DC ride free)

SideCar connects people who need rides with local drivers who are available. You put in your start and end address, and SideCar offers up willing drivers in the area and a "suggested donation". Based on their car, picture, and ratings, you can select a driver and hop in. You don't have to pay, but the driver can rate you right back, so you're better off not being a dick. This is a cheaper option than Uber for sure, but don't expect the full-on classy experience, either.

Have you tried either? Would you?

link it up

It's a light link up for you all today, full of fun and funny things. I need to laugh or else I'll cry: my girl K is moving out (all the way to Chicago!), and this is her last weekend. We are all so sad that our family is breaking up, but we have wonderful plans to celebrate before we part ways.

This is SUCH a good summer jam. Loving it.

Got a good chuckle out of this.

Twitter accounts are so creative these days. For the pop-culture and philosophically minded among us, you should pay this a visit.

Remember when I posted this a few weeks ago on a link up:

And finally, this hit me emotionally. Two people describe the same person to a forensic sketch artist, and here's what happened.

Well, this is the best parody EVER.

mixology [grapefruit, rosemary & gin cocktail]

It isn't Friday yet? Let's get a head start regardless. 

This baby is delicious, and I drank it exclusively for two months this winter. It's similar to a Greyhound (vodka and grapefruit) or a Salty Dog (gin or vodka, grapefruit, and salt rim), but I made it sweet and added some herbs. I like gin with any herbal flavor. Or on it's own. I <3 gin.

Following Martha Stewart's sage advice, I made rosemary sugar for the rim, which I think really added something. Then, 2 shots of good quality gin, splash of campari, and the juice of one grapefruit (around 4 oz) and you're in business. If you're a wimp, top with some seltzer water. Garnish and enjoy!

Cheap Eats [mashed sweet potatoes]

My dear friend J (miss youuu) hosts the most amazing seasonal dinner parties ever. I should say that the highlight is breaking bread with friends, but I'd be lying. The highlight is the food. Kidding.

This recipe is from the fall feast, rather than the spring edition, but I think it transitions well and the ingredients are just as appropriate. Better Homes and Gardens has the breakdown for these goat cheese mashed sweet potatoes with pistachio topping. Although the recipe includes butter and cream, which should certainly be included when you're cooking an indulgent meal for loved ones, I think you could leave them out and just mash up the sweet potatoes with a little skim milk and the goat cheese.

I also think the orange and green color scheme is rockin for spring. Go make this!

pinned [rustic cool kitchen]

My favorite roommate (don't tell the others, especially not D) just moved out last week. While I am sad that he's gone, that has been overshadowed by the dramatic drop in available glassware in the house. There's no time or energy to mourn when you're thirsty!

I had my eye on this set of smokey glassware from Target, but D surprised me by being ok with the idea of using mason jars. So practical, utilitarian, rustic but still cool. Love the lids, great for travel, feel like Laura Ingalls Wilder when you sip your sweet tea from one on a summer day.

Since I'm now going to be drinking from these:

I'll need a kitchen to match (if you give a mouse a cookie...). Keep in mind I'm moving sometime in the next few months as D heads to B school, so I may actually be able to create some elements of these.

Here is my inspiration thus far. Can't you see mason jars and a pitcher of lemonade relaxing on the counter?

via Design*Sponge

via The Design Files

via Apartment34

via Design*Sponge

Few things to make here too...that coat rack made with a piece of driftwood is too easy, and the lights in the last image? Pretty much fool proof. Le sigh.

link it up

Who is ready for the weekend! By the time this post goes live, I'll be relaxing (or working, but only a half-day!) in Philly with my sister. She happened to have turned 21 last week, so I'm sure this will be the most lively of my visits to her college. Yippee.

All of my presents will now be decorated with these (which is good, since I haven't given D his birthday gift yet. From March. Oops).

Have been making variations of this all week. YUM.

Like BBQ? Live in DC? Then you'll love this. (DC friends, let's do this soon)

Very inspired by the minimalist philosophy of this man. I gotta clean house.

Life, you're so difficult! First world (middle class) problems had me laughing. The images really make it.

Enjoy some sun this weekend.

P.S. IT'S MAY!

TED talks

Everybody knows what TED talks are, right? Mini-life philosophy chats from some of the world's most influential artists, philanthropists, academics, businessmen, etc? If you don't, go catch up here.

Anyway, I thought I'd share a few of my favorites here. They're probably everyone's favorites, so if you've seen them already, leave some more obscure suggestions in the comments.

Brene Brown: The Power of Vulnerability

Amanda Palmer: The Art of Asking

And my all-time favorite:

Sarah Kay: If I Should Have a Daughter

Interesting that I have all women here. I need some diversity.

Huff Post has a "best-of" compilation along a few dividing lines.

Here's a good question: if you were forced to do a TED talk, what would it be on?