Friday Distractions -- Random Links & Recipes Bookmarked

Ready for the weekend? To help you pass your Friday here are the highlights of what distracted me this week online, what I bookmarked that I hope to one day eat, and a picture.     

Oh gosh. I need to try these. 

"Batman taught me there will always be evil in this world.  Our choice is only how and if we confront it.  If James Holmes imagines himself The Joker then there will just have to be more of us who imagine ourselves as Batman.  It’s true these stories inspire people, but it is our choice as to how we are inspired." Don’t Blame Batman for the Colorado Shootings

Tamar Adler's A Recipe is Not Always the Place to Begin: The hows, whys, and joys of cooking from what you already have on hand (via Heidi at 101 Cookbooks)

Virginians! Cheer on the16 Olympians native to your state. I'm especially interested in Kellie Wells, Quanitra Hollingsworth (a VCU Basketball alum! now in Turkey) and Gabrielle Douglas (I always love the gymnastics. Duh.).

Where Did All The Watermelon Seeds Go? I agree that all truly ripe watermelon is tasty, regardless of seeds. My test for ripeness? Knock and find a hollow sounding watermelon.

Recipes Bookmarked
Peach Salad with Sweet Mint Pesto at Gilt Taste
Spanakopita Casserole at Clean Eating
Sun-dried Tomato Cheezy Kale Chips at Oh She Glows

Virginia Beach, VA, July 2012

#shamelesspopfan

Friday Distractions -- Random Links & Recipes Bookmarked

Ready for the weekend? To help you pass your Friday here are the highlights of what distracted me this week online, what I bookmarked that I hope to one day eat, and a picture.   

I too am sad for those in Aurora, CO. I hope those injured survive and that those surviving their loved ones and those related to the gunman can find peace and comfort as time passes. New York City's Mayor Bloomberg had some frank words to say about gun control and the incident as well as the need for presidential candidates to be less general. (via Leslie) 

Yeah, Ladies! The Forgotten Fighters: Richmond's lost spies, belles and heroes from the Civil War.

Though I shouldn't have been, I was surprised that some of the Greek yogurt available is made with food science not the traditional methodology. "To duplicate the Greek yogurt, they started with regular yogurt, then added different versions of starch, obtained from corn or tapioca..." (from High-Tech Shortcut To Greek Yogurt Leaves Purists Fuming) I'm not sure where I stand on this...Other than I'm trying to stick to unsweetened yogurt and add my own sweetener since there is SO much added sugar in most flavored yogurts.

Embrace Them Thighs. Something we all should do - Crossfit participants or not. I'm working on it.

Wait. Daiquiri's weren't/aren't always a frozen, super sweet beverage? I had no idea. This version, the original, sounds like delicious alcoholic limeade. (via NY Times Diner's Journal).

Recipes Bookmarked
Party-Pan Pizza at David Lebovitz
Sunchoke and Cashew Stir-fry at 101 Cookbooks
Watermelon Sorbet or Granita at NY Times' Recipes for Health


Beautiful music and dance via Paul

Friday Distractions -- Random Links & Recipes Bookmarked

Ready for the weekend? To help you pass your Friday here are the highlights of what distracted me this week online, what I bookmarked that I hope to one day eat, and a picture.  

"To be clear, having more goldfish (or more gold) doesn’t decrease our happiness — those first few crackers may provide a genuine burst of delight. But rather than focusing on how much we’ve got in our bowl, we should think more carefully about what we do with what we’ve got — which might mean indulging less, and may even mean giving others the opportunity to indulge instead" from Don't Indulge. Be Happy. (via Marie)

Fashion News 1928. 2:15 is likely my favorite, though the last one is pretty great too! You can't beat an airplane as a photo prop.

"The care and love that went into that pie has become emblematic of how I approach life, and people in particular. It is the touch that says, 'I took the time to do it to the best of my ability because you matter to me.' It is the antithesis of the quick-fix solutions that have become so fashionable in today's world where it is all about volume and speed." A Second Helping Of Pie Week: How Pumpkin Pie Turned My Life Around 

"What did you do with the hair?" "I hid it under the radiator." Five-Year-Old Gives Her Sister Terrible Haircut Because It Was 'Really Itching Her Hips' (via Carielle)

The Chap Olympiad looks amazing. My favorite event from the looks of things would be a toss up between Umbrella Jousting and Ironing Board Surfing. (via Elliot)

Recipes Bookmarked
Broiled Fish with Summer Grape Tomato Sauce at Skinny Taste
Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup at Food and Wine
Vanilla Malt Cupcakes at The Cupcake Project

Mermaid, Norfolk, VA, July 2012

Hope your weekend is a Great Escape!

Friday Distractions -- Random Links & Recipes Bookmarked

Ready for the weekend? To help you pass your Friday here are the highlights of what distracted me this week online, what I bookmarked that I hope to one day eat, and a picture. 

So I meant to post this ages ago and now it isn't timely but RIP Ray Bradbury. Here's a great Ray Bradbury quote and an amusing prediction related to his passing at the Onion (via Chad). Also, RIP, Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally is one of my favorites) and Andy Griffith.

"Johanna Quaas, 86, isn't taking old age lying down. Instead, she's taking it spinning, jumping and twirling -- on the parallel bars, no less." I recommend the parallel bars video over the floor routine if you watch one.

It is all about perspective.

"Yet I think there’s something going on here beyond microsavings and entrepreneurship. Esther Duflo, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and co-author of an exceptionally good book called 'Poor Economics,' argues that outside interventions sometimes work partly when they give poor people hope." from Doughnuts Defeating Poverty

Can This Photograph of a Himalayan Glacier Persuade People That Climate Change Is Happening? I better get to Patagonia soon.

Recipes Bookmarked
Frozen Blackberry Souffle
Ricotta-Honey Gelato with Orange 
German Chocolate Pudding
(All from the LA Times!)
Marshmallow Ice Cream at Baking Bites
Summer Pear Cocktail at Vital Juice

The Sky Just Before the Tornado! Mechanicsville, Virginia, June 2012