Friday Five

Up, up and awayyyyy we all go into the weekend.  Hope it's a great one for all!

Your brain on fiction
A new definition of beauty

MODG explains her hippie-ness
A tongue-in-cheek guide to living cancer-free. Ha!
Curious about the emerging "sharing" movement?  This local guide will fill you in.

Photo: B for Bonnie

Oatmeal Cookie Brownies

A few weeks ago, Sally had the great fortune of enjoying one of Black Jet Baking Company's Oatmeal Bottom Brownies.  Since then, she's been dreaming of creating a version of her own.  Here's the rich, chewy, unforgettable bomb that she put together:

If you'd like to make your own, might we recommend this recipe for the oatmeal cookie crust and then just double this recipe for the brownie.  You're going to bake both in a 9x13 pan - the crust first, as the recipe suggests, and then the doubled brownie recipe on top.  As far as brownies go, the recipe really can't be beat.   Yes, you really do have to stir them for one full minute, but multi-tasking gals like ourselves appreciate the arm workout.  Any questions?  Let us know in the comments section below.

Happy baking!

Local beauty product love

We're both minimalists when it comes to our beauty routines (and by routines, we often refer to remembering whether or not we washed our faces before falling asleep on the couch).  But, we've stumbled across a few local beauty products that we simply had to share with you.  These babies actually make us look forward to lathering up, cleansing and/or exfoliating!

 

First up, Etta + Billie has been a favorite of ours for years and it's nice to see that others are taking notice (hello, Banana Republic and the Bold Italic).  Etta + Billie's soaps smell heavenly, the salts and scrubs exfoliate like woah and the owner may just be the coolest gal we know.  

 

Birdy Botanicals works to create organic skincare products that won't break the bank.  Not only that, but their products are 100% guaranteed which means they'll refund your moolah if you don't like a product.  Holler!  We want to try every product that they make as we've been so pleased with the three-in-one cleanser.  Bonus points for a fabulous customer service policy!

It's no surprise that By Nieves won SF Weekly's "Best Local Skincare Line" in 2010 - their Face Fix is the best facial scrub and mask we've used in years!  A little bit of this magic powder goes a long way in exfoliating (without ripping your face off) and giving your skin a nice clean glow.

If you're local, you can pick all of these products at the fabulous Park and Pond in North Beach, which sources all products from within 100 miles of the city!

All photos are from each shop, as linked in the images above.  In no way were we compensated for these reviews.

What toddlers think of discipline

We both have toddlers in our lives and have seen our share of complete meltdowns.  It's definitely hard to keep one's cool when dealing with a tantrum or simply watching a toddler navigate the waters of what they can and can't get away with. A recent post about discipline from a toddler's point of view really gave us a new perspective and some insight into a toddler's head.  How do you handle meltdowns with the toddlers in your life?

Mad Men Season 5

 

Soooo...did we all tune in for the 2-hour Mad Men Season Five premiere last night?  We are both very excited that this show is back and thought that the first episode was just as crazy, boozy, "zoobie zoobie zoo" and complex as we could have imagined.  How did you like the episode?

A few fun MM-related links for you on this glorious Monday:

We were underwhelmed at Banana Republic's second attempt at the Mad Men Collection...thoughts?
Holy Toledo, there's a Mad Men Choose Your Own Adventure game!

Tim Goodman gives us an overview of Season Five

The Fug Girls love themselves some Jon Hamm

Yep, there's a Mad Men Cocktail App 

What would Don Draper do?

Draping is still happening

Photo: Mad Men Logic

Friday Five

Spring is finally here!  We hope you all have an enjoyable weekend.

As we've mentioned before, we love ourselves a good Cherry Blossom.  This week marked the 100-year anniversary of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.

This looks like a delightful spring salad. 

Specky's brother and brother's husband will soon be visiting from London.  Here are some tips on how to be the perfect host for house guests.

We'll be glued to the television this Sunday night for the Mad Men season 5 premiere.  While we won't be throwing a themed party, we may partake in a fun cocktail or two.  Will you?

Lastly, let's hope Sally's beloved Indiana Hoosiers beat Kentucky tonight!

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games movie opens tomorrow and we both plan to see it soon.  We're feeling a little nervous and excited about the whole thing...excited, because we both really loved the books, and nervous, because movies based on books can be so disappointing.  Did you get into the series?  Or was it all a little too pre-teen for ya? We've heard that a few of you are going to the midnight showing tonight...enjoy!

March book recommendations

 

The Life You Can Save is a powerful call to end world poverty.  If you've ever wondered how philanthropic you can really be, if you should give money to international non-profits or if you really need that pair of shoes, we recommend picking up this book immediately.  Please let us know if you read - we'd love to hear your thoughts!

Epilogue is a memoir that begins after the death of Ms. Roiphe's husband.  A beautiful, sad, sometimes humorous, but always genuine, book that hooked us on page one and encouraged us to appreciate all of our loved ones even more.

Ali Wentworth is smart, funny and married to George Stephanopoulos...need we say more?

Shopping for a house

The process of buying a house is crazy. Specky just recently had an offer on a house out in the burbs accepted.  The whole thing happened so fast - it was the first house she and her husband bid on - and even though it's the biggest purchase they'll EVER make, there was no time to drag feet.  Seriously, Specky spent more time thinking about what pair of skinny jeans to purchase than she did about whether or not to buy this particular house.  That's the game though.  There's no time for hesitation or over-thinking when it comes to buying a home.  Quick decisions are mandatory.  Does anyone else find this odd?  

Navigating the temp job of stay-at-home mom

Specky has been on maternity leave for over a month now.  She has completely thrown herself into her temp job of "stay-at-home mom" and will be periodically sharing stories and quips about her experiences. So to begin, here are some highlights of Specky's typical day:

1:00 am: Feed baby

6:00 am: Feed baby again (yes! four hours of sleep in a row these days)

7:15 am: Awake to two-year old son barreling through bedroom door yelling for mommy and sister to wake up

(insert several feedings - for Specky and baby - and upward of 10 diaper changes here)

2:00 pm: Realize that she hasn't yet brushed teeth

3:30 pm: Finally brush teeth

Photo: someecards

Friday Five

 

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day so don't forget to wear your green.  What is it about this day that makes a beer (even a green one!) sound so good?

We couldn't be more excited to finally see asparagus at the farmer's market.  We'll be grilling it for sure!

In anticipation of Mad Men's fifth season premiere on March 25th, a new fad has emerged

Here's a fascinating piece on cookbook ghostwriters - who knew?!

Accidental twins (we've totally done this)

Have a fabulous, jolly green weekend!

Photo: Sally's personal stash

Challenge: No celebrity gossip for one month UPDATE

 Sally survived one month without celebrity gossip!  Here are the top, most ridiculous headlines she didn't click on over the past month:

"Another Bombshell from Snooki"

"Kim Kardashian Bravely Wears Leggings as Pants"

"16 and Pregnant Star Arrested for Shoplifting Pregnancy Test"

"Hear Pippa Middleton Speak for the First Time on Camera!"
"Kanye, Kim almost an item"

No, we're not making these up.  Truth be told, Sally found it kind of...refreshing to be removed from the world of baby bump speculation, "who wore it best" posts and photos of stars without makeup.  Instead, she took Lisa Bloom's advice and read more important news articles, books and chatted with friends when she would have otherwise zoned out with some gossip.  The challenge was such a success, she may just keep it up...

3.14 - National Pi/Pie Day!

 Did you know that today, 3.14, is National Pi Day?  Food nerds have interpreted this to be National PIE Day and we couldn't be happier for the excuse to enjoy some pie today (like we really needed one)!  Here are some delicious pie-related links for your viewing pleasure:

Minny's Chocolate Pie (sans the secret ingredient reserved for Hilly Holbrook)
Salted Caramel Apple Pie is a step up from the standard American favorite
This pie dough recipe does not disappoint
Chocolate Oatmeal Pie sounds intriguing

Nerd out and make a pi-shaped pie!

March etsy finds

Aaaaand our favorite etsy listings this month are...

Remind that newborn in your life that only other babies cry with this letterpress print

A sassy herringbone case for your iPad

Reusable gift wrap.  Genius!

Five gold hoops on a pretty chain

Get ready for the return of Mad Men with these highball glasses

Happy Shopping!

All photos from etsy shops as linked in the images above

Friends with Kids

Have you seen previews for Friends with Kids?

Adam Scott is Specky's fave, Jon Hamm is Sally's fave and Maya Rudolph + Kristen Wiig = both of our dreams come true, again.  We've loved Jennifer Westfeldt since Kissing Jessica Stein and Chris O'Dowd was the adorable cop/love interest in Bridesmaids.

The film opened last Friday night and we're itching to see it!

Friday Five

Holy bazongas, the weekend is almost here!

We are obsessed with Downton Abbey. It was indeed only a matter of time until this happened.

It's that time of year again - remember to 'spring forward' and set your clocks ahead on Sunday.  Ever wonder why we do this?  It's finally explained in simple terms.

Looking forward to checking out the Arthur Tress exhibit. SF in the 60's? Yes, please!
Check out these fashionable SF mommas.
What a fabulous spring outfit!

Colored Denim

Colored denim has been all the rage for the past few months and we are starting to dip our feet in the pool of this trend.  It's a fun way to spruce up an outfit and keep your same ol' jeans out of rotation.  Sally has this bright red pair from Gap and has to admit that they put a little spring in her step with every wear.  Specky is looking forward to scooping up a pair or two on a post-birth-of-her-second-child shopping trip. Here are a few of our favorite looks:

 

We're not sure we're ready to shell out quite as much as we would for a standard denim jean but these sure are fun.  Have you rocked any colored denim lately?

Photos: Bloomies and JCrew

A catchy Sesame Street tune

We dare you to try and keep this song out of your head!

Is it that obvious that Specky has been home on maternity leave and spending loads of time with her toddler?

Hey girlllll, whatcha doin'?!

Do you watch New Girl?  We both highly recommend this show if you're into quirky humor and/or happen to have a girl crush on the adorable Zooey Deschanel.  This is one of our favorite episodes so far (so uncomfortable!) and if you think that someone in your life is a little too Schmidt-like, have them take this quiz just for giggles.

Tune in tonight and good luck not getting the opening jingle stuck in your head!

March *children's* book recommendations

 

The Snail and the Whale is a wonderful book about a snail who is ready to venture out into the world and learns that even though she is small she can make a huge difference.  

The Napping House is a silly book about stacking too many things in one old bed.  It rhymes and is beautifully illustrated.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? keeps the kiddos involved and is fun for reader and listener.  Simple and delightful. A classic!

Friday Five

In earth-shattering news, we're renaming our "Happy Friday" posts to a catchier "Friday Five" in honor of 5 snazzy links we'll share with you each week.  Buckle up!

Currently coveting this polka-dotted anorak
What a fun cardboard castle for the kiddos!
It may be a little chilly out but we're dying to try The Ice Cream Bar
We haven't visited Catalog Living in a while. It's clear we've been missing out.
These paint-dipped jars make us want to hoard some jars and give this project a whirl

Birthday Cookies

With 14 nieces and nephews between the two of us, we often run out of gift ideas and worry about getting the little ones things they already have.  Plus, parents often don't want a lot of extra stuff cluttering up the house.  A cute, easy, inexpensive gift idea that we've executed with great success is personalized cookies.  Alphabet cookies cutters are easy to come by (check these out) and you can simple roll out some sugar cookie dough and cut out however many cookies as the years the child is turning.  If you'd rather not go the rolled cookie route, just make your favorite batch and, again, bake as many cookies as years the child is turning - and maybe an extra for good luck!  Kids are excited by the idea that something was made just for them with their initial, favorite color and/or a decorated gift bag.

For example, one of Sally's nephews who recently turned 7, loves anything green and has a first initial of "M"* received these babies, along with a Star Wars toy:

As adults, we can't help but think of how fun it would be to receive a batch of handmade, personalized treats every year on our special days!

*which is, apparently, a very popular initial and, due to a time crunch, had to be sufficed by a "W" cookie cutter turned upside down (shhhh)