Friday Favorites~a weekly series where we share our favorite books, decor, fashion finds, recipes, podcasts, articles and more.
FRIDAY FAVORITES NO. 636
Good morning friends! How was your week? The weather was crazy this week, I am no weatherman but we had more rain in two days than it seemed like we have had in months. Now the rain is gone and the heat is on its way. It’s going to be 90 this weekend and in other parts of the country it’s going to be over 100! It’s too early for that.
What are your plans for the weekend? Are you experiencing a heat wave? Will you be out enjoying it? Tonight we are headed to the beach club for dinner as for the rest of the weekend our plans are up in the air.
I have lots to share this week so let’s get to it.
FOOD
It’s no secret that I prefer to bake then cook. But when I do cook it is either a super complicated meal or something easy like a bowl dinner. This week I will be making Sloppy Joe Sweet Potato Bowls. Add this to your summer dinner menu, it is quick, easy and delicious.
Doesn’t this Lemon Garlic Steak Salad look delicious? It’s is filled with steak, corn, arugula, cucumbers, and goat cheese. You could use leftover grilled steak as well.
A 30 minute pasta dish is right up my alley. This one is charred broccoli, briny olives, lemon, scallions and chives.
Last but not least, Roasted Strawberry Crumble Bars! Speaking of, you may like to know how to store and clean strawberries.
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
What is Chelsea in Bloom? Everything you need to know about London’s free flower festival
Where to find the world’s most gorgeous lavender fields
Explore an Incredible 108-Gigapixel Scan of Johannes Vermeer’s Most Famous Painting
6 Podcasts That Will Deepen Your Mind
Ferrero launches a Nutella spread with peanuts to fuel US growth
Pandora Taylor combines colour and pattern to bring life to a house in south London
Sit, stay and be a good boy: 21 rules for dogs and their humans
Rita Konig’s design for Deborah Needleman’s upstate New York cottage
What the Voyage of a Single Container Ship Reveals About the World Economy
BOOKS~ ON MY LIST AND MY BEDSIDE TABLE
Jane Birkin was synonymous with chic. Her effortless style and artistic legacy have been immortalized through her music and film career. And, of course, she was the inspiration behind one of the world’s most coveted bags, the Hermès Birkin. But who was the real woman behind the it girl?
Now, New York Times bestselling author Marisa Meltzer sheds new light on Birkin’s enigmatic life and explores her profound influence on generations in a rigorously reported biography unlike any other.
It Girl paints a vivid portrait of Birkin and her profound legacy, from her early years in 1960s London to her rise as a beloved celebrity in France, detailing personal challenges, her relationships with creative powerhouses, and the duality of her public and private selves. Based on interviews and deep archival research, Meltzer reveals the nuances of Birkin’s character: her famously tempestuous romantic relationships, life with her three famous daughters, and the creative energy that drove her. It Girl tells the story of her indelible impact on femininity and style, and how what we think of as French girl style grew from her. Far from being just a muse, Birkin is at last given her well-deserved due.
Promise Me Sunshine
Lenny’s a bit of a mess at the moment. Ever since cancer stole away her best friend, she has been completely lost. She’s avoiding her concerned parents, the apartment she shared with her best friend, and the ever-laminated “live again” list of things she’s promised to do to survive her grief. But maybe if she acts like she has it all together, no one will notice she’s falling apart.
The only gigs she can handle right now are temporary babysitting jobs, and she just landed a great one, helping overworked, single mom Reese and her precocious daughter, Ainsley. The only catch: Ainsley’s uncle, Miles, always seems to be around, and is kind of. . . a walking version of the grumpy cat meme. Worse – he seems to be able to see right through her.
Surprisingly, Miles knows a lot about grief and he offers Lenny a proposition. He’ll help her complete everything on her “live again” list if she’ll help him connect with Ainsley and overcome his complicated relationship with Reese. Lenny doubts anything can fill the void her best friend has left behind, but between late night ferry rides, midnight ramen, and a well-placed shoulder whenever she needs it, Miles just won’t stop showing up for her. Turns out, sometimes your life has to end to find your new beginning.
Fun for the Whole Family
The four Endicott siblings—Gemma, Connor, Roddy, and Jude—were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country.
Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years . . . until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. They’re each at a crossroads: Gemma, who put her own ambitions aside to raise the others, now isn’t sure if she wants to be a mother herself; Connor, a celebrated novelist, is floundering after his recent divorce and suffering from an epic case of writer’s block; and Roddy, at the tail end of a professional soccer career, is dangerously close to losing his future husband for the chance at one last season.
Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together—but appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets . . . each of which could change everything.
MORE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
If you have already read these books or missed something I have featured before on the blog check out My Bookshop on Amazon.
SHOPPING~OUTFIT OF THE DAY
Matched sets are everywhere this season, linen, cotton, plain patterns, there is something for everyone.This black and white matched set from J Crew is one of my favorite finds lately. The nice thing about matched sets is that you can wear the blouse with the pants, with jeans, a skirt or shorts. And the pants can be worn with the matching blouse, a t-shirt- a white linen blouse or a colorful one as well. Dress it up or down with your favorite accessories.
Outfit Details~Click the Photos Below
UNTIL TOMORROW
I hope you enjoyed the recipes, links and books I discovered this week on Friday Favorites. Have you read any good books this week? Listened to an interesting podcast or made something delicious? If so please share!
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Don’t forget that Kim, Juliet and I will be back tomorrow on Weekend Meanderings!
If you have missed a Friday Favorites post you can find them all here.
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On My Radar
Fascinating and very sad article about Rita Hayworth. Alzheimers is such a devastating diagnosis. Thank you for pulling all the interesting topics together for us. Found a couple of good book suggestions too. Just need some downtime to sit outside and enjoy some reading time. Wish I had half your energy! Have a relaxing weekend!
Deanna, I thought the Rita Hayworth article was so interesting. My brother-in-law has Alzheimers and it is heartbreaking to watch the changes.
I hope that you find time to read a book and relax this weekend.
Have a great day!