Friday Favorites from Simply Recipes, Saving Room for Dessert, Whole Food Bellies, A Spicy Perspective and More

Good morning! How was your week? Are you ready for the weekend? I hope that you were not in the path of “snowmageden”, it looked crazy and cold. As I said yesterday we have finally had a few days of sun and it has been so nice. Although I love winter this year the incessant rain and grey days were really starting to get me down. I was beginning to think I might need one of those lights for people that suffer from SAD. 

Interesting Food

In honor of St.Patrick’s day I thought I would share a few Irish recipes that I enjoy.

Image Simply Recipes

Hearty Irish Beef Stew from Simply Recipes.

Image from Whole Food Bellies

Have you ever eaten Colcannon? If not you should try it, the potatoes and cabbage are so comforting. This recipe from Whole Food Bellies look delicious. 

Beer Cheese Soup

Beer Cheese Soup from A Spicy Perspective, yum!

Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple Cake from Saving Room For Dessert, easy and delicious!

Bailey’s Hot Chocolate

If you would like some something chocolate to celebrate St.Patrick’s day I posted my 10 favorite recipes HERE. 

Interesting Articles

Unread Books Make You Smarter

26 Things You Should Do For Yourself at Least Once a Year

Famous Authors Are Writing Novels for a Time Capsule Library That We Will Never See

How Women Photographers Access A World Hidden From Men

Just discovered The Pineapple and Cherry Bombe, blogs, podcasts and more about women and food. 

Interesting Movies

 Exodus 1947

Interesting Books

Witness

If you do not know who Ruth Gruber is than take a minute to learn more about her. I promise that you will not be disappointed as she was an extraordinary woman. 

Life at the Dakota

When Singer sewing machine tycoon Edward Clark built a luxury apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in the late 1800s, it was derisively dubbed “the Dakota” for being as far from the center of the downtown action as its namesake territory on the nation’s western frontier. Despite its remote location, the quirky German Renaissance–style castle, with its intricate façade, peculiar interior design, and gargoyle guardians peering down on Central Park, was an immediate hit, particularly among the city’s well-heeled intellectuals and artists.

Over the next century it would become home to an eclectic cast of celebrity residents—including Boris Karloff, Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, singer Roberta Flack (the Dakota’s first African-American resident), and John Lennon and Yoko Ono—who were charmed by its labyrinthine interior and secret passageways, its mysterious past, and its ghosts. Stephen Birmingham, author of the New York society classic “Our Crowd”, has written an engrossing history of the first hundred years of one of the most storied residential addresses in Manhattan and the legendary lives lived within its walls.

By the way if you have Kindle Unlimited you can read this book for free. 

The Penguin Lesson

In 1975, twenty-three-year-old Englishman Tom Michell follows his wanderlust to Argentina, where he becomes assistant master at a prestigious boarding school. But Michell’s adventures really begin when, on a weekend in Uruguay, he rescues a penguin covered in oil from an ocean spill, cleans the bird up, and attempts to return him to the sea. The penguin refuses to leave his rescuer’s side. “That was the moment at which he became my penguin, and whatever the future held, we’d face it together,” says Michell in this charming memoir.

Michell names the penguin Juan Salvador (“John Saved”), but Juan Salvador, as it turns out, is the one who saves Michell.

After Michell smuggles the bird back to Argentina and into his campus apartment, word spreads about the young Englishman’s unusual roommate. Juan Salvador is suddenly the center of attention—as mascot of the rugby team, confidant to the dorm housekeeper, co-host of Michell’s parties, and an unprecedented swimming coach to a shy boy. Even through the collapse of the Perónist government and amid the country’s economic and political strife, Juan Salvador brings joy to everyone around him—especially Michell, who considers the affectionate animal a compadre and kindred spirit.

Witty and heartwarming, The Penguin Lessons is a classic in the making, a story that is both absurd and wonderful, exactly like Juan Salvador.

Down to Earth by one of my favorite bloggers and designers. 

Down to Earth picks up right where Lauren Liess’s critically acclaimed Habitat left off. While Habitat walked readers through the decorating process step-by-step, Liess’s latest title takes a step beyond the basics and invites readers to incorporate the main components of her familiar design aesthetic: nature, easy living, and approachability. With evocative photos and substantive design advice, Down to Earthfocuses on creating a lifestyle that inspires creativity and functionality. 

Throughout the book, Liess shows readers how to incorporate six guiding principles in six unique homes: a new farmhouse, a classic American historical home, a lakeside contemporary house, a modern villa, a turn- of-the-century American Foursquare, and a cedar and glass house on a bluff. While each home has a different architectural style, fingerprints of Liess’s down-to-earth style are evident throughout.

Interesting Finds

I love the color green so I thought I would share a few green finds in honor os St. Patrick’s day.

Parrot Sandals 

I think these sandals would be great this summer!

Green Tote Marks and Graham

I have purse this color for summer. 

Green Sandals

Green Palm Leaf Skirt

What are your plans this weekend? Will you be out enjoying a little spring weather or huddled inside escaping a late winter storm? Whatever you do I hope that you slow down, enjoy a good book, maybe a movie but most especially time with family and friends. 

As always, please share your recipes, movies, books and finds in the comments. I love to explore the comments and discover new things. 

Have a great weekend.