Friday Favorites~a weekly series where we share our favorite books, decor, fashion finds, recipes, podcasts, articles and more.
Friday Favorites No. 643
Good morning friends and a Happy 4th of July to you!
It has been a L-O-N-G, HOT WEEK! We have not had air conditioning this week, and have been waiting for a part to arrive. Although a hotel would have been nice there is a tournament in town and no rooms available for us and 3 dogs. Thankfully the part arrived yesterday and we are cooled off and ready for the weekend.
Last night we watched the local fireworks. I can remember my grandmother and mother taking me and my siblings every year to the fireworks in Milwaukee. The scent of cotton candy takes me right back to that quilted blanket perched on the hillside overlooking Lake Michigan. Sadly this year they changed the fireworks to a drone show. Don’t get me wrong I love a drone show but I would prefer fireworks.
This morning we are meeting my brother and family and my sister and brother in law at the village 4th of July parade. There will be dogs and various other animals, floats, lots of kids, and fun. After that, a visit to the farmers market, the bookshop and then a few hours at the pool followed by a bbq.
What are your plans for the 4th of July? Whatever you are doing, be safe and have fun.
FOOD
As much as I love a good burger I love all of the dips and sides at barbecues and parties. I will be serving his Mexican corn dip made with corn, greek yogurt, jalapeño and lots of spices.
Creamy goat cheese topped with sweet peaches and juicy tomatoes and cream goat cheese. All the flavors of summer in one dip. Add this to your appetizer list.
Chunks of shrimp tossed with mayo and lemon in a butter toasted bun is my husbands’ idea of the perfect lunch.
No weekend celebration is complete without a sweet treat. This brownie recipe is one of my favorites!
And this one for Trisha Yearwood brownies.
LINKS TO READ+WATCH+LISTEN
The Big 5 personality traits linked to lifelong singlehood
Are Super Gyms the Future of Health Care?
An early Victorian townhouse in north London sympathetically brought to life
The world’s longest train journey is epic — but nobody’s ever taken it
3 Things My Aunt Did That Made Saying Goodbye a Little Easier
A Chat with A J Pearce on her Latest Novel
Is cheese giving you nightmares?
Why learning how to apologize can save your relationships.
Discipline is overrated, here’s what people are doing instead.
BOOKS~ ON MY LIST AND MY BEDSIDE TABLE
Sunny Side Up
Sunny Greene is thirty-five, recently divorced, facing the looming prospect of going solo to her little brother’s wedding, and currently trying to find anything plus-sized in the Bergdorf Goodman swimsuit department that doesn’t make her want to cry. It’s not going well. But isn’t rock bottom the perfect place to start a climb?
She decides it’s now or never. Sunny has her PR empire, her gorgeous Chelsea apartment, her two dogs, and her loyal best friends. Maybe it’s time to just love her body and accept herself for who she is. With a new commitment to confidence, her journey begins. Who says a plus-sized divorcee can’t put herself first, feel beautiful, and date up a storm?
Of course things are never straightforward in the dating world. Is fate knocking at her door with Dennis, the charming and down-to-earth mailman, or should she be with Ted, the business tycoon who seems ready to make her size-inclusive swimsuit brand a reality? And what should she do about her ex, who shows up unexpectedly, eager to reconnect?
With the same candor and confidence her followers love, Sturino presents her debut novel and brings us Sunny Greene, a Carrie Bradshaw for the next generation. Readers will fall in love with Sunny and root for her journey through the trials and triumphs of dating, friendship, and finding yourself.
The Fourth Daughter
In Taiwan, the bond between grandmother and granddaughter opens up a healing world for them both in an inspiring family saga about the comfort of food, untold histories, and indomitable mother love.
Chef Liv Kuo’s star is on the rise…until a traumatic incident leaves her emotionally unable to venture outside her Manhattan apartment. But an unexpected reason to break free comes from Ah-Ma, Liv’s beloved grandmother in Taiwan. Ah-Ma needs Liv’s help in finding her fourth daughter, taken from her when the girl was an infant. After all these years, it seems impossible. It’s also a mystery: Ah-Ma’s fourth daughter is an aunt Liv never even knew existed.
After landing in Taiwan, Liv hears the heartbreaking story of her grandmother’s plight in a country once under martial law, of choices made for her, and of the hopeful search for a lost girl that has endured for more than sixty years. Like the enriching food and traditions that bind Liv and Ah-Ma, their journey for answers brings them together.
And it’s a quest that turns up both a precious old cookbook and a tale of fatal betrayal that shakes everything Liv believed about her family—revelations that could also give her the courage to face the trauma she left behind.
The Women of Arlington Hall
1947: Adventurous Radcliffe graduate Catherine “Cat” Killeen cancels her wedding and upends a future that no longer suits her. At the behest of her professor and hungry for a challenge, Cat arrives in Virginia to work on a confidential military project. A student in cryptoanalysis, Cat is already ahead of the game—to assist in rooting out Soviet spies who have infiltrated the US.
Joining the “government girls” of Arlington Hall, Cat gains the respect of her superiors and the friendship of her peers. Then, on a night out in DC, Cat runs into Jonathan Dardis, her arrogant and privileged Harvard rival and newly minted agent for the FBI. What Cat and Jonathan share is a competitive drive and an attraction that’s becoming just as spirited. They’re also united in the same critical goal for America. Together, they’re diving deep into the shadows of espionage.
The stakes of the codebreaking operation grow ever higher, and Cat’s relationship with Jonathan opens her heart. Amid dangerous intrigue and grave secrecy, Cat is ready for every risk—no matter how personal the stakes get.
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
Linen is the fabric of summer in my opinion. This white linen dress is perfect for the hot days we have been having lately, it is casual but could also be dressy if you added different accessories. I paired it with a blue and white sweater in honor of the holiday, it will keep you warm when the sun goes down. Add your favorite sandals, sneakers or flats and a bag and voila, you are ready for whatever adventure awaits you.
Outfit Details~Click the Photos Below
Most everything in this outfit is on sale, except the bag and the perfume.
Looking for more outfit inspiration? Check my LTK!
UNTIL TOMORROW
I hope you enjoyed the recipes, links and books I discovered this week on Friday Favorites.
Before you go:
Share one of your favorite 4th of July memories!
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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~Summer
I am making the corn dip! It sounds like a great dip to make with ingredients you have on hand!
Happy 4th of July Cindy! Enjoy the corn dip!
Happy Fourth of July! Sounds like you have a great day planned. Thanks for all your book recommendations. They always sound so good. I think we have very similar taste in books. Always find your posts filled with the best ideas.
Deanna, I hope that you had a wonderful 4th of July celebration.
Feel free to share any books that you think we would like. I love book recommendations!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Elizabeth