The weekend is here!

My dear readers, what do you have planned for the weekend? I'm off to Chicago tonight for two and a half days of food, fun and catching up with friends. Any tips for exciting adventures in the Windy City? The last time I was in Chicago, it was February (and negative degrees) so for trip #2, I have some exploring to do!

Before I go, take a peek at a few happy posts from around the web to get your weekend started right:

Pink Parasols as cocktail accessories.

DIY pillow shams from Design Sponge. (You should know I'm on the hunt for my own pillow shams — after reading this, maybe I should just make them myself?)

New (and artfully designed) roll-on cologne from Diptyque. I agree with Julie Earle-Levine, I want to try L'Eau.

Photographer Thomas Marlow's paint-happy engagement shoot. 

(Photo by Eric Tenin via ParisDailyPhoto.com)

Ode to popsicles

A Raspberry Basil Ice Pop from People's Pops.

Maybe it's because they make me feel like a kid again, but as August gets hotter and hotter, all I want is a bite of this cold, sugary treat. People's Pops has been my recent flavor of choice. With stands at the Brooklyn Flea, Chelsea Market, even the High Line, they are "popping" up everywhere my summer travels seem to take me.

Can't try the real thing? Edy's now offers a tasty alternative — Pomegranate  and Acai Blueberry Fruit Bars. Yum!

(Photo by Peyotetheatre via Flickr)

I forgot my phone

On Friday night, the unthinkable happened. I went out the door...and forgot my phone. You know what I missed? Nothing. No calls, no texts, no BBMs. Instead, I enjoyed a few technology-free hours and discovered something simple: bliss.

(Photo courtesy Leah Dieterich and thxthxthx.com)

Lovely Bride

The LovelyBride.com homepage.

Although I've never been a girl that spends hours fantasizing about the details of my own 'I do', for the first time, Lovely Bride kind of makes me want to. The site's design is sweet and the blog is filled with cute and inspirational ideas. Plus, the shop's owners think Cafe Cluny is 'lovely' too — another point on which I happen to agree. So, what do you think? Any brides/brides-to-be/wedding-lovers that adore this site too?

We made sushi!

We did it! We made sushi! And with the help of the iPhone app "Teach me Sushi," it was actually fairly easy to do. For next time, there are only a few things we'd change:

1) Make real edamame. It was my fault — I thought my local supermarket would carry it. Turns out you need to go to a specialty food store or local farmer's market to find it. Anyways, we had to go with the frozen kind, which steamed with sea salt, wasn't that bad.
2) Use a firmer grip on the Bamboo Sushi Roller. As you'll notice from the pics, some of the rolls don't form a complete seaweed circle. Practice makes perfect with that, but it's a good thing to keep in mind.
3) Buy more wine. Making sushi takes time. While one bottle should be enough to get you through, it's smart to have a second one on hand just in case you run out. Because when the sushi-making gets tough, the tough need more wine.

But overall, it was fun. And how did it taste? So good.

The weekend is here!

I wonder — will our sushi look as good as this?

Big weekend plans tonight! Matt and I are going to try making our own sushi. We're going with the basics: Spicy Tuna and California rolls. To add to our ambition, we're making edamame too.

Now, Matt already knows — when it comes to cooking skills, mine are limited to say the least. But we figure this is something that will be an adventure of sorts. And in the event of a massive screw up, I've got Sushi Hana on speed dial.

What about you? Has anyone ever made their own sushi before? Check back next week — I'll let you know how it goes!

(Not So) Mellow Yellow

Fashionista on the street in Milan.

While those of us in New York are doing what we can to survive the city's heat wave, this lady in yellow is keeping cool in Milan. I love the bright blue cardigan she pairs with her dress — she is my style inspiration for the next sunny day.

(Photo courtesy of The Sartorialist).