Bake the Book: Raspberry Doughnuts with Vanilla Dipping Sauce | Serious Eats: Sweets. “It took her dozens of attempts to develop a method that, according to her, works every time.” This is something I’ll be learning very soon.

Lately I crave very tasty vegetable and grain salads from very pricey cafes. Can any cookbooks or blogs teach me to cook something similar? | Ask MetaFilter. I love the number of times 101 Cookbooks and Orangette are recommended here.

Spicy Black Bean Dip Recipe | Savory Sweet Life – Easy Recipes from an Everyday Home Cook.

How to Decipher the Beer List at Your Local Craft Beer Bar | Serious Eats: Drinks.

App Release: Unique Eats of the Northwest | The GastroGnome. The person who created this app just happens to be a friends of mine so I can say that this lady knows her restaurants. It covers Oregon, Washington and British Columbia and is perfect for food loving road trippers.

TIGSource » Preview: Hiversaires. A very pretty looking game that I’m looking forward to, for iOS.

What I’m Using Instead of Google Reader | Slog. He lands on a paid option called NewsBlur, I’ll have to check this out.

Podcast recommendations | Ask MetaFilter. Lots of great long, conversational podcast recommendations here.

swissmiss | iFontMaker. “iFontMaker is an iPad font editor allowing you to create typefaces with the iPad touch interface in a matter of minutes.” Neato.

15 DIY Gadgets You Can Make with Raspberry Pi | Brit + Co..

How to: Make an Easy and Secure iPad Wall Mount | Man Made DIY.

The Kitchen has a New Floor! | Manhattan Nest. Have an ugly floor but rent? Daniel but down rubber flooring cut to size and it looks great. Earlier done over at My Little Apartment. Both of these are giving me ideas for my bathroom floor that is horribly beige but I’m keeping in place because we might sell the house soon. Or not. We haven’t decided.

Surface Skins at Blik. Adhesive, durable skins for tabletops and furniture. I love and hope they make lots more designs. I wonder how my dining room table would look with the faux cow hide?

Plumbing Pipe Rack Tutorial – The Crafts Dept.

We got back from the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo yesterday and I’m all jittery with leftover excitement. I’d gone primarily to see Kirby Krackle (for those just tuning in my husband Scott plays bass in the band) when they opened for Weird Al. Look, I tried to play it cool but this was a big, exciting, “if only I could tell my 15-year-old self” type deal. And it was indeed amazing and fun and I’m so grateful I got to be there for it.

After we arrived in Calgary I was given I Guest Pass to the expo and a Backstage Pass to the concert, neither of which I was expecting. I resisted my urge to jump around and squeal.

The band got a peek at the arena the day before when things were still be setting up. Three thousand some seats. No pressure.

The afternoon of the show was load in, including piles of rented equipment. The behind the scenes halls of convention centers are very sexy, as you can see.

The theater was more dramatically lit than the day before.

Weird Al’s equipment had already been set up and I fell in love with this drum. Hello cutie.

First Weird Al’s band did a quick monitor level check, along with dramatic lighting. Either they have a band member that does a really great Weird Al singing imitation or they have a Weird Al voice modulator (for harmonies?) but at some point a Weird Al sounding voice (not a recording) was tested and I wanna know how they did it.

Next came Kirby Krackle’s sound check, still with some dramatic lighting. They had smoke machines running before we arrived and I tried to get video of how cool it looked being pumped into such a huge room while they ran through various lighting cues but I completely failed.

During sound check they went through and set the sound level for each band member’s instrument and microphone. During Scott’s turn Weird Al came over to greet the band. (You can see his elbow in the photo above, just behind Scott’s knee. I promise!) So Scott didn’t get to say hello, which was a bummer. I was on the wrong side of the stage to grab a good photo of the moment. But we hear from close and trusted sources that he was a nice guy.

My husband wielding his huge instrument. Hey there.

We did a panorama of the theater with Kyle and Scott appearing at both ends. It’s possibly funnier when you’re scrolling the picture on the iPhone.

The band’s green room was really posh. Ok, not really. It was the locker room for a hockey team. The away team. It smelled like the inside of rental hockey skates and was all cement and wooden benches. It was awesome, actually, because the band ran through an acoustic version of Grandma’s House and really made the echo-y surfaces work.

I make fun but I should also say that the expo took really great care. There was nothing that wasn’t provided backstage (including private space) and everybody was professional and great at their jobs and happy. Calgary you’re great.

I attempted to keep a low profile while blatantly abusing my backstage privileges. Behind the stage was a curtained off area that contained piles of costume changes and from the right angle you could spy Weird Al’s jacket for Eat It! I wonder how many versions of this have been made over the years? Or is this the same one? Is it real leather? Pleather? I was too timid to run up the ramp and touch it. Also, I’m very certain that I would have been stopped and then kicked out. Maybe.

This was innocently sitting stage right. I walked past it a dozen times before I realized that oh my god this is Weird Al Yankovic’s accordion!!! I wish there was some haze-and-halo filter I could have put on this photo. I didn’t touch the accordion. I should have. Just to say I did. Also because nobody was looking and I totally could have gotten away with it. (“I touched Weird Al’s accordion” sounds misleading though, no? Funny, yes.)

Kirby Krackle took the stage to a swell of cheering. Which was amazing and made me smile. I have shaky video of the moment that contains a loud off camera “thank you” (from a volunteer photographer that I’d just helped sorta kinda sneak into a semi-backstage photo vantage point) and a whispered “you’re welcome” as the camera wobbles. I regret nothing but maybe it’s time to invest in a good video recorder and some big headphones?

(Photo taken while sitting slightly backstage, the screens were projected from behind so I could see a clear but mirrored image.)

On either side of the stage were big screens that showed the live footage as it aired by flipon.tv. You can (for free!) view the entire Kirby Krackle performance. I am listening to the show while I type this. It sounded better in person, but then again it’s hard to capture the awesome. Right around 17:35 I believe you can catch a glimpse of Kyle’s younger brother sneaking onto stage to capture iPhone video from behind the drums.

At a few points Kyle (the bright blur in the middle of the photo) jumped down off stage to run through the seats. The first time he did it he nearly gave me a fit because I thought he was going to jump all the way down. Happily he knew better than I and used a row of big speakers as a giant step. I heard later that Kyle had been caught examining his route down during sound check and had been given a stern “no” by a stage manager. Rule breaker!

The lighting and sound guys were quick. During Ring Capacity they threw up green lights.

Shortly after I took this photo the band ended their set and as I was turning back a guy (who had no idea I was connected to the band) bounded past and said to me “that was great!” Indeed it was, mystery man.

Rock.

We watched most of the Weird Al concert from the arena seats that were behind the big screens. We’d situated ourselves in the shadows far back from the stage and early on a manager came over and indicated that we all needed to move closer to the stage. Turns out during Weird Al’s show all of the band members have a costume change for each song (the time is covered by Al TV clips, which are hilarious). From where we were sitting we possibly could have seen rushed clothing changes. They were a very good looking band but, yeah, I would have made sure we all moved too.

I live in Seattle so I had to include this picture of the wig that Weird Al wears during Smells Like Nirvana, his drummer was wears a wig of amazing dreadlocks. I’d seen the girls with pom-poms who are onstage during this song practicing backstage, they had a room with a window and as I passed by I thought one was waving frantically so I glanced over. It was awkward. I hope they don’t think I was peeking. Oops. In any case, Scott and I later saw them doing a full cheerleaders-with-pom-poms rehearsal in the hallway. I think they were dancers hired just for that show and if so they learned the routine the few hours before they went on. Bravo gals!

Rock stars.

Spring Cleaning – The Crafts Dept. Great list of places to take all those old craft supplies so that they will find a new home.

Grocery Bag Basket | Pintester. She includes some good clarification of the directions, and I wanna make this now.

The Perfect Gift: Gold Leaf Plaster Votives. These are gorgeous, and easier than you might thing. The post includes full directions.

Patent Pending, at Cooking Issues. A heat diffuser for a torch to cut down all the pesky troubles that come with using a blow torch in the kitchen. Smart.

We Prove It: Rested Batter Bakes Up Into Better Cookies | The Feed.

Sprinkle Bakes: Chocolate “Wax” Seals on Poured Fondant Honey Cupcakes.

Strawberry, Gin, Campari and Lime Slushito | Serious Eats.

Joy the Baker – Buttered Popcorn Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Secrets to Sheet Pan Pizza | The Feed.

DIY Alcoholic Dippin’ Dots: The Hangover of the Future. Via Delicious Days.

Grilling: Thai Chicken Satay | Serious Eats.

Assemble Shop and Studio: Those Girls: Smart Girls at the Party with Amy Poehler. Amy Poehler has a YouTube channel? How did I not know this?

defective yeti — Tabletop Day Seattle. Matthew lists all the great events going on here in Seattle. I’m sad that I’ll be out of town for this, Dawgsled Events is taking over the top floor of the Columbia Tower!

Temporary tattoos could make electronic telepathy and telekinesis possible at i09.

Help me decide if I should sell my Canon Rebel DSLR and buy a Sony RX100 | Ask MetaFilter.

Cool Tools – Pogo Connect. The best stylus for the iPad.

A Whole Lotta Nothing: Thoughts surrounding Google Reader’s demise. Includes reviews of other existing readers.

‘emitips’ – The Crafts Dept. You attach these by iron-on to the inside of finger tips to make your gloves touch screen compatible. Smart.

DIY Sprinkle Easter Eggs | Studio DIY. Very cute.

Modern Parents Messy Kids: Creative Play Easter Basket Idea: Water Bead Eggs. I love the glowy transparency she has going on here.

Unique Easter Gift Basket Ideas for Adults – Creature Comforts.

glitter pissing: creme egg showdown.

Homeopathie, at Design Mom. We have the same sort of tubes available at our food co-op and I’ve had success with those that I’ve tried so far.

The 82 Best Comedies Currently Streaming on Netflix | Splitsider. Great list.

Looking for “useful” sites such as Instructables, Lifehacker, CoolTools | Ask MetaFilter.

Show Caves – The Morning News. I love caves.

Estate Jewelry: Masonic Orbs and Legendary Peacock Chokers | The Hairpin. The Peacock Choker shown here first is stunning but it’s the unfolding Masonic ball that has really caught my attention. It goes from an orb to a cross of six pyramids. I want!

What are your top 5 websites and why? | Ask MetaFilter. Lots of great suggestions in here if you’re looking for new sites to read.

Sarah with an H: Frozen Yogurt Pops. Made using a cake pop pan, I like this idea a whole lot! Via Edible Crafts.

Miniature miracles: quick meals with a mug and a microwave – The Independent. Small but hearty microwave recipes for dinner and all made in mugs! Thanks go out to Busywork for sending the link my way!

Cookie Spoons DIY at Oh Happy Day.

The Best Way to Make Popcorn (Thanks, Mom) at The Popcorn Whisperer.

Fried snowballs (!?) and a brand-new feature on delicious:days » delicious:days. That’s it, I need a schneeballenform.

justJENN recipes – Weeping Angel cookies. Oooh, I like these.

Downton Abbey Cocktails: Mary | The Kitchn. This one for Mary sounds divine. See also cocktails for Edith and Sybil.

A pinata cake | a subtle revelry. This is so much fun!

Leather door pull how-to, Brick House. I have a nearby leather working shop and a need for one of these in my house.

mirrormirror: Five Great Things to Grow in Your Pacific Northwest Garden.

Slide Show | What to Eat at Honoré Artisan Bakery, Seattle | Serious Eats. The first recommendation here is the Kouign Amann and I cannot heap on enough extra recommendations that you try one here. So, so good.

Can vegans stomach the unpalatable truth about quinoa? | guardian.co.uk. “The quinoa trade is yet another troubling example of a damaging north-south exchange, with well-intentioned health and ethics-led consumers here unwittingly driving poverty there.” People in Bolivia and Peru where it is grown can no longer afford it, in Lima it is more expensive than chicken. Via Delicious Days.

Bon Appétempt: Nancy’s Chopped Salad.

Let’s build a massive meta McDonald’s in Times Square at Kottke. I love the comparisons between fast food and molecular gastronomy. I remember hearing that Ferran Adria admired McDonald’s for their ability to make the exact same burger over and over again.

5 Sauces that Spank Sriracha | The GastroGnome. See also: in this episode (185) of The Dinner Party they have a segment about siracha. Did you know? It’s made here in the US and it’s so popular it’s been faked!

Cucumber and Hummus Cupcakes at Creative Kid Snacks. So many things can be made to look like cupcakes, but these I will actually be making for myself soon.

Let’s All Make Emergency Engagement Rings | The Hairpin. How to craft an origami ring for that last minute need. (Note: video.)

DIY Brushed Text and Polka Dot Tea Towels and Tote – Home – Creature Comforts. The polka dot tote here is simple but oh so nice.

Designing For The Modern Web. Via Swiss Miss.

Cool Tools – Linx. “This inexpensive construction kit uses simple plastic hubs to connect grocery store drinking straws. You can assemble quite large — and featherweight — structures in crystalline and geodesic designs.” This will make a great present and activity for our niece and nephews next time we visit.

3D printed cookie rollers | Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. I’ve seen plenty of 3D printed cookie cutters but I’m falling in love with the rollers here. Love the comparison between creating ancient things with modern tools.

Bake The Book: Bouchon Bakery Marshmallow Eggs | Serious Eats: Sweets.

swissmiss | Heartshaped Straws. These are cute, and I really want them.

Valentine’s Day Candy Buttons · Edible Crafts. Love this idea!

Play Food « bakerella.com. These cookies are teenier than they seem at first and they are absolutely adorable.

swissmiss | Valentine’s Multi Tattly Pack.

oh meaghan: locket valentines for gal pals. Simple and so sweet!

Heart Balloons in a Closet at Oh Happy Day.

Candy Filled Straws « Sweet Simple Stuff. Very simple and sweet idea for a unique valentine. Via Edible Crafts.

Assemble Shop and Studio: Crafty Project: Junior High Love Note Folding.

How to boot cuffs from a sweater, at Petit Elefant. So simple and add a nice visual touch.

Current Crush: DIY Paper Diamonds and Gems – Creature Comforts. Links to so tutorials for awfully pretty paper gems.

Laura’s Loop: Reversible Stripes Scarf – the purl bee. I’m really taken by this reversible stripe pattern, I’m also taken by the fact that it lies completely flat.

Faye’s Super Soft Merino Chunky Cable Hat – the purl bee. Simple and very pretty.

Past & Present: Uten.Silo & DIY Wall Organizer | Design*Sponge.

Cool Tools – Belkin WeMo Switch. A simple device that you plug into the wall and it allows you to turn things on/off from your mobile device. This would have saved me so much worry when I was using my iron on a daily basis, I was always heading back inside to double check that it was off.

Iron Out Carpet Stains | Pintester. It actually works! You open the windows, spray Windex (or diluted ammonia) on the spot, put down a towel and use the steam setting on your iron to get all the gunk up. (Spot test first, of course, and beware scorching.)

The kitchen has been painted! | Door Sixteen. Here Anna used a gray paint from Valspar called Filtered Shade which we used in one of our bathrooms and love. This particular gray paint has also been recommended to me by Holly at Nothing But Bonfires.

Seeking movies to help me think about clothes. | Ask MetaFilter. A great list of movies I wouldn’t seek out but am intensely interested in.

Make-Yer-Own Oscar Pool Page 2013, at Defective Yeti.

Pamie » Hey, Pamie: “How Do I Not Give the Fuck Up When Other People Get What I Want?”.

Cool Tools – Human Dimension & Interior Space. A comprehensive set of measurements to help you design interiors, furniture and wearables for all people: “Good for architects, costume designers, gadget makers, interface designers, and interior decorators.”

Read Better: Five Steps to a More Balanced Media Diet | Media on GOOD. Via Juniper Moon Fiber Farm.

Sometimes when I am in a three-person conversation the other two people make lots of eye contact but I am excluded. Am I doing something wrong? | Ask MetaFilter. This happens to me all the time and I’d love to know what is going on.

What You’ll Need to Escape New York – NYTimes.com. Puts my bugout bag to shame.

Monday Music – “Sexy Sexy!” The 2013 Brooklyn Valentines Day Playlist at The Amber Show. See also The Makeout Playlist.

The Business Cards of Alt Summit 2013 – Creature Comforts. See also this roundup at Giverslog. It’s true, the business cards at Alt were amazing this year.

all buttoned up.: Printz. Three online photo printing services compared, with one clear winner.

Thermoworks Thermapen and Oven Thermometer – Cooking For Engineers. This links to a giveaway, and I wanted to note that this is their favorite.

GABIFRESH: Totally InStyle. Congrats on Gabifresh who announced her plus-sized fashion column in InStyle!

Baguette Bag | The Urban Grocer. It’s perfect! A zip up bag to keep your fresh baguette warm on the way home from the bakery.

Links from the Food Universe, delicious:days. I’m looking right at her recommendation for the GIR Spatula here. I love spatulas that don’t need to be taken apart to be cleaned, and this one comes in so many great colors.

Not too serious, not too silly board games | Ask MetaFilter. I like the cooperative games like Pandemic, it’s the players against the game itself.

10 objects that prove 3D printing will change the world | Gadgets | Geek.com.

Drop the Needle on the 3-D Printed Record | Line Out. 3-D printed records don’t sound good yet but still, printed records! I want to send secret messages where the decoder is simply an old record player.

Glitch: The Text Adventure, and Other Fun with Playfic – Waxy.org.

Top 10 Ways to Speed Up and Beef Up Your Google Searches, at Lifehacker. Via Swissmiss.

What equipment can I use for a food photography setup in low light? | Ask MetaFilter.

WeeNudge | Teach your clients about the mysteries of the web, Wee Nudge. Via Swissmiss.

The Fiddle-Leaf Fig Tree | Making it Lovely.

15 Clever Solutions for Small Spaces | Brit + Co. I’m loving a few of the things on this list.

Cool Tools – Philips L-Prize Bulb. I’m so on the fence about these super expensive LED bulbs. The right lighting is very important during our deep, dark winters here.

DIY Industrial Furniture – The Crafts Dept.

What’s really smart for a smart house? | Ask MetaFilter. A good discussion of what home technology is worth it.

Something to try, Smoky Spruce Buttercrunch | Thoughts on Food and Life. A Buttercrunch made with smoked chocolate and spruce essential oil. I happen to have some of those smoked chocolate chips and they make for the best indoor s’mores of all time.

New Booze: Hophead Hop Vodka | Serious Eats: Drinks Hopped vodka? I wonder if it’s good, I looove hops..

Taste Test: Olo’s Chipotle Paste Vs. Canned Chipotle Chilies | Serious Eats. We don’t cook often enough to keep fresh ingredients around all the time, but I think I would make good use of the chipotle paste.

What are your best recipes for a savory breakfast casserole that can be prepared the night before and cooked in the morning? | Ask MetaFilter.

How to Identify Hops in Your Beer: The Three C’s | Serious Eats: Drinks, also see How to Identify Hops in Your Beer: Amarillo, Summit, Citra, Simcoe I wonder if there are any professional beer tasting courses that teach you how to identify components, I’d like to take that class.

Bon Appétempt: Gérard’s Mustard Tart. Oooooh!

25 Food Trends for 2013: bonappetit.com. The Paloma made with mezcal and the stovetop smoker are things on my radar. Via Shutterbean.

Julian Baggini – The art of coffee. A blind taste test of Nespresso vs. hand drawn espresso.

Eats // The best heart shaped donuts you’ll ever have. So very cute, at Sugar & Cloth.

The First Canon Lenses You Should Buy | The Wirecutter.

ThinkGeek :: Static Electricity Eliminator. A small battery-less gadget that attaches to your keychain and helps you dispel (or know when to) static electricity. I need this because during dry conditions I grow fearful of the pain that I associate with touching my car door. Via Ask Metafilter in a question regarding dry winter air and getting continuously shocked by pushing a cart at Costco.

outgrow.me, a marketplace for the successfully funded and produced Kickstarter campaigns. Via Swiss Miss.

MAKR. A shop full of simple leather, canvas and metal goods. I like all the bags and wallets but what I’m really drooling over is those hooks! Via Freshly Picked.

swissmiss | Maker’s Row. “Maker’s Row is a brand new site by 3 young, smart New Yorkers trying to demystify the process of manufacturing products in the US.” How insanely useful.

Cool Tools – Just Ride. A practical guide from a long time bike rider who offers straightforward advice to put the fun back into getting on a bicycle.

Best TV shows to keep you hooked? | Ask MetaFilter.

Twitter controlled Eggbotted LED Ornaments | Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. They light up when people use keywords on Twitter. I love everything about this project.

A tour of the International Space Station, at Kottke.

London’s best brewery tours – Time Out London. Via Busywork who has probably heard way too much about how much I’ve been liking beer lately!

Five Things to Do on Your Layover at: Chicago-O’Hare || Jaunted.

Things to do in ORD for 8 hours | Ask MetaFilter. There is a four story tall Brachiosaurus on concourse B!

The Urban Grocer’s Guide to Urban Eating, NYC | The Urban Grocer. Great online magazine to keep a link to, note that music plays.

How to work around $20/day hotel Internet in Central London | Ask MetaFilter. Looks like there are no-contract prepaid wireless dongles. I’m headed to the UK next year so this is good to know about.

Concealers: you asked, I answered – Girls of a Certain Age.

Five beauty products you only ever need to buy at the drugstore – Girls of a Certain Age.

Dry shampoo recommendations | Ask MetaFilter. I’ve also found that the Suave brand clogs after two uses.

How do you who go bare-legged in pumps do it without turning your feet into raw hamburger? | Ask MetaFilter. Ugh, me too. I cannot even tolerate flats without socks. The advice here includes lots of great product comparisons.

How To: Broken Glass Ornaments Into New Ornaments – Grathio Labs. Via The Hairpin.

3 Wreaths to Make for the Holidays, at Oh Happy Day.

How To: Make a DIY Modern Wooden Christmas Tree Set » Curbly.

Candy Cane Vodka – Shutterbean. So easy!

Kids Craft: Santa Beard Disguise | Say Yes to Hoboken. Adorable! Also see the Quick and Easy Festive Tabletop.

Ginger Syrup and Grandadine gifts at the Ugly Green Chair. With drink recipes.

#1reasonwhy | Slog. This went down while I was visiting family and I mostly missed it other than seeing the hastag in Twitter. Here is what was going on.

A Whole Lotta Nothing: Listening to podcasts piecemeal: huffduffer & Instacast.

How to See If Your Photos Are Being Used On Another Site | Kevin & Amanda. Via Shutterbean.

The 12 Best Family-Friendly PC Video Games | Babble.

Cool Tools – Sonos. “Audio over the internet isn’t new, but it really is barely tolerable if it’s not coming out of good speakers with power behind them.” I listen to a lot of podcasts and streaming radio and my Jambox is great so far but I’m looking at more options.

The Video Games Women Make | MetaFilter. Great information here.

Trend alert: small internet publications. Links to great things that are going on.

24 ways: Colour Accessibility. Designing for the color blind.

BY HAND Gift Guides: BUILD. A story that led By Hand magazine to Lee Valley via an offline friend and then validated by Ron Swanson. Lee Valley is catalog store that I’ve loved since high school (which was, ahem, pre-internet shopping era).

A beer/bicycling guide to Portland here, Hop in the Saddle. Via Foodie Gift Guide: Part Deux | The Urban Grocer

Munchkin Munchies: Peppermint Stick Platter. I love this, but I suspect the whole platter would melt quickly in our humidity. I would have to seal it with something food safe and right about there it sounds like too much work.

Cool Tools – Guide to Gift Guides 2012. Lots of tools and gadgets things in the practical to awesome spectrum.

Sprinkle Bakes: Cinnamon Cider Sticks. These are basically mulling candy for your cider, I’m completely in love with them.

Roasted Rosemary Almonds – Shutterbean.

Joining the Biscuit Club « Tea & Cookies. The secrets to the perfect biscuit.

Xmas Wishlist, Non-Pappy Edition | Mash Notes. Which bourbon to buy when you cannot find Pappy Van Winkle, via The Morning News.

Washington Wine Battle: Columbia Crest vs. Chateau Ste. Michelle | Serious Eats: Drinks.

Lara Ferroni » Gingerbread Meringues.

The Baking Steel | Serious Eats. “The Baking Steel makes some of the finest indoor-oven pies you’ll ever make. It’s a quarter-inch-thick, 15-pound steel plate that you place in your oven in lieu of a pizza stone. Because of its superior thermal qualities (higher volumetric heat capacity, as well as higher conductivity than stone), you can cook pizzas faster than you’d be able to with a regular stone.”

Studio Neat — It Will Be Exhilarating. An e-book on passion and business and prototypes. Via Scott Andrew (that would be the boy I’m married to).

xkcd: Two Years.

5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Saying Yes — genuineMIX. Things to answer to sort out whether you actually want to take on a new project. I’m working my way through these right now.

Add a brake light switch to a bicycle brake lever, at Instructables.

Eye Candy: 20 DIY Ideas for Happy Holiday Party Decor » Curbly | DIY Design Community.

The Whisky Advent Calendar Whisky – Master of Malt. Oh yes, it exists. Via Sprizee on Twitter.

The Beer Advent Calendar · Edible Crafts. Beer! Advent! Candar!

Creativebug – Free Holiday Video Workshops. Creativebug, who offer subscriptions to view hundreds of instructional craft videos made by really great people, offer some lovely free video workshops. I’m charmed by that Burlap Bunting Advent Calendar.

Roundup: 14 Modern DIY Advent Calendars and Holiday Countdown Projects » Curbly | DIY Design Community.

Mini Christmas Cookies for an Advent Calendar · Edible Craft.

Bubble and Sweet: Lollipop and Candy Christmas Tree Cake tutorial. This is adorable. Via Edible Crafts.

Pumpkin-Inside Pound Cake · Edible Crafts.

Dinner Tonight: Michael Ruhlman’s Warm Arugula Salad with Bacon and Poached Eggs | Serious Eats.

Bon Appétempt: Organic and Chic’s Goldies or The Shiniest Dessert Ever. Shiny Twinkie like things!

Marx Foods Readies to Open First Retail Store – Voracious. They sell really fancy foods, I’m looking forward to being able to visit the retail location here in Seattle.

Crunchy Bloody Mary – Recipe File – Cooking For Engineers. Gotta try this very soon.

He’s So Unusual | The Hairpin. Jane Marie interviews her uncle Patrick, who was Cyndi Lauper’s makeup person through all the crazy 80s years.

Our First Issue, By Hand Magazine. It’s here it’s here! I love everything inside, but most especially the pattern for the lattice cowl.

Talking with Maria Bamford About Stand-up, Her New Special, and Her Role in ‘Arrested Development’ | Splitsider.

Where can I get some American Chestnut seeds or seedlings? | Ask MetaFilter.

3D Printing Photo Booth Makes Tiny Replicas Instead Of Pictures – PSFK. Wow! Via Girls of a Certain Age.

Video: Excellent Footage Of Williamsburg Captured During Hurricane Sandy: Gothamist. The power station explosion is around 3:10. Interesting and scary.

Cool Tools – Rivet Spacer. “A rivet spacer was originally designed for evenly spacing rivets on aircraft, but it can be used for evenly spacing anything, from buttons on a sweater, to finish nails on those infernal Ikea drawers you are trying to put together nicely.”

11 Turkey-Shaped Foods That Aren’t Turkey at Buzzfeed. I’m fascinated and grossed out. See also: the turkey shaped jello mold contest.

quick. easy. perfect. thanksgiving recipes | Mighty Girl. Bourbon brined turkey!?

Turkey Tips From Alton Brown: Don’t Baste Or Stuff : NPR. He stuffs the bird after it’s been cooked, then maaaaybe uses a kitchen torch to make the bits that show a little toasty.

The Food Lab’s Top Nine Tips For Perfect Apple Pie | Serious Eats.

How to Transform Leftover Cranberry Sauce into a Cocktail – Videos – CHOW.

Faceted Vase DIY + Free Template, at Oh Happy Day.

How To: Make Washi Tape Magnets » Curbly.

Technique – Wheat Paste – How Did You Make This?.

swissmiss | Touchscreen Glove Kit. Have you tried any gloves meant for touch screens and found them, er, lacking? Me too, I’m ready to DIY this solution.

Seattle Magazine | Our Favorite Hidden Restaurant Patios.

David Sedaris and the Lit Crawl That Wasn’t a Lit Crawl | Slog. I am out of town for the David Sedaris reading in Port Angeles that is linked to here and, well, darn. You should go.

New Food Truck Pod: Come on Seattle, Don’t Screw This Up – Voracious. We have a food truck pod! Weekly calendar can be found at their website: 2nd & Pike. Might I suggest checking out the Off The Rez truck if you happen to come across it? It’s my favorite.

BevMo is opening a store in Northgate! And if you happen to be free on Friday morning and finding yourself in need of some booze you might also get a gift bag (first 500 people get one).

Klein Bottle Openers | Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.

General Store & Community Market | MARKET | west elm. I’m digging West Elm’s curated marketplace.

ThinkGeek :: Portal Cookie Cutters. I want these!

Introducing Mark and Graham at Apartment 34. Erin invites us to see Williams-Sonoma’s latest shop, that will fill your life with awesome monogrammed goods.

My New Hygge and West Wallpaper is HERE!, Lisa Congdon. I am absolutely loving this wallpaper and eyeing my house to see if it might fit somewhere.

Get Cabiria High End Plus Size Into Stores by Cabiria Style — Kickstarter. This campaign looks worth backing, I even fell for the very first dress they show on their Kickstarter page. I love that one of the extras is a coloring book.

These are the books currently stacked up in my living room waiting for me to give them some more attention. Looks like I’m in for a lot of time in the kitchen! I’m putting two at the top here because they have events coming up soon (like, today soon):

The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perlman, Smitten Kitchen. This book is as beautiful as you are thinking it might be. Deb is here in Seattle right now! She’s at the Book Larder tonight, the main event is sold out but signing is open to the public later in the evening. Tomorrow, the 8th, she’s at the University Bookstore at 10 a.m.

Real Snacks: Make Your Favorite Childhood Treats Without All the Junk This book is by Lara Ferroni, Cook and Eat, whom I had the pleasure of meeting when she lived here in Seattle (we miss you!). She has recipes for all our familiar favorites and each recipe includes instructions for gluten-free and vegan versions as well. Lara will be at the Book Larder here in Seattle on Nov. 13th.

Ok, now from the top down:

Bake It in a Cupcake: 50 Treats with a Surprise Inside by Megan Seling, Bake It in a Cake. You gotta make the pumpkin pie cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. I mean, come on. Megan Seling also happens to be a music and food editor at Seattle’s weekly paper The Stranger.

Beer Craft: A Simple Guide to Making Great Beer by William Bostwick and Jessi Rymill. They go through all the information you need to brew whatever type of beer you’d like using your stovetop, and the graphical layout of the book makes everything very easy to take in.

The America’s Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook. Canning, pickling, making cheese, preserving meats (and yes, bacon), homemade snacks and brewing beer all with the how and why information that will allow you to make variations. I love this book.

Tim Gunn’s Fashion Bible: The Fascinating History of Everything in Your Closet with Ada Calhoun. The history of what we wear and why we wear it, with tips on how to look your absolute best. The tone is conversational and filled with anecdotes. I wish this had been around when I was starting to study costume design in college.

Food in Jars: Preserving in Small Batches Year-Round by Marisa McClellan. From jams and pickles to syrups, granolas and nut butters. Even chocolate cakes, vanilla extract and information on freezing in jars. The book includes stories from her childhood and the tone is very friendly.

Improv Sewing: A Freeform Approach to Creative Techniques; 101 Fast, Fun, and Fearless Projects: Dresses, Tunics, Scarves, Skirts, Accessories, Pillows, Curtains, and More by Nicole Blum and Debra Immergut. The projects in this book are lovely and not too intimidating. They include basic garment shapes and dozens of ways to adapt them as well as decorative and functional items for your house and yourself.

Cook’s Illustrated The Science of Good Cooking. Detailed information on the practical science behind food and cooking, including lots of recipes. This book is dense, packed with solutions to common cooking troubles and will become my go-to for when I have a question about why a recipe has me doing something that I need to understand.

Nation’s First DIY Distillery Opens in Tacoma – Voracious.

We Prove It: Fat Makes Eggs Tender | The Feed.

How to Make Caramelized Onion Jam | The Feed.

The Food Lab’s Complete Guide to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving, 2012 Edition | Serious Eats.

Pumpkin Graham Bread | Not Without Salt. Oh yum.

Spider Pinata DIY at Oh Happy Day. That is one meaty looking spider.

Easy Last-Minute Costume Ideas For Adults | Celebrations with Design Mom. This video has a few simple ideas that are low-commitment but still fun.

Pumpktris, A Playable LED Lit Game of Tetris Inside of a Pumpkin, at Laughing Squid.

Secret Horror – The Morning News. Six horror movies you might not know about but are worth watching.

skulls at Design Crush. A post by yours truly.

Design Crush » Curious Vase. Three vases nestled inside each other, you have to break one to see what shape the next one is. Love it.

The True Spy Story Behind Argo – By Nate Jones | Foreign Policy. I read the Antonio J. Mendez book which tells the true story of the mission.

From the mailbag: flickering LEDs in series | Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories.

Technique – Finish Strings of Beads with Bead Tips – Luxe DIY.

Flower Party Blowers at Oh Happy Day.

Mighty Thirst, Halloween: Killer Bloody Mary | Mighty Girl. Adore the garnish.

10 Caramel Apples You Should Consider Making | Hitting Refresh with Laura Mayes.

Bake It in a Cake • Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.

A Salem-Lover’s Tourism Guide | The Hairpin.

Sprizee :: A simple girl replete with complications: Roadtrip to Zillah. A teepee with an air conditioner on a working ranch, my kind of place! Sprizee is becoming my personal travel recommendation source.

Kinder Eggs and Codeine Cough Syrup: Contraband across the Canadian border | Ask MetaFilter. What to buy while in Canada.

On the Road: Good Beer & Food on the Las Vegas Strip.

A R D O R: DIY MINI SURPRISE BALL PUMPKIN. Via Say Yes to Hoboken.

Halloween Food: Piggy Coffins! | The GastroGnome.

Skull Votives | Freshly Picked. I love the glittery interiors of these, and I love that they are a pretty easy and impressive DIY.

Guide me home shoes « Variations on normal by Dominic Wilcox. These are amazing, go have a look.

Luminata « Tea & Cookies. I’ve been meaning to get to one of these for a while, so glad Tea was able to document this one so well (I was out of town).

Barbican’s Rain Room at Kottke. An art installation that tracks your movements so it rains all around you but you stay dry as you pass through the room.

What is your homebrew sanitization process? | Ask MetaFilter.

3 Female Craft Brewers to Watch | Serious Eats: Drinks.

DIY Friday: Make an Altoids Mini-BBQ. Perfect For S’Mores! | Gadget Lab | Wired.com.

A video pronunciation guide to Scotch, at Kottke.

Chocolate Butterflies with Wax Paper and Books · Edible Crafts.

Three Apartment Makeovers | Making it Lovely. I like all these quick makeovers, excellent job Nicole!

Radar Sconces from Schoolhouse Electric. | Door Sixteen. Many colors.

Cool Tools – Tool Rental Know-How. Some neighborhoods in Seattle have tool lending libraries.

Cool Tools – OLFA Auto-Lock Utility Knife. A simple, safe and inexpensive utility knife.

Cool Tools – Strapworks.com. Recommendation for a store that carries all sorts of fasteners and buckles.

Laura’s Loop: Cashmere Cuff – the purl bee. These are chunky grown up friendship bracelets.

DIY Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers | Say Yes to Hoboken.

Sally J Shim – Talking Hands Tattoos. Pretty brilliant temporary tattoos.

swissmiss | String Art Necklace.

New at Purl Soho: Utility Canvas! – the purl bee. I love the Utility Canvas bags, and they come in a bunch more colors than last time I checked in on them.

The Seattle Dog: An Oral History – Seattle Weekly.

Fresh Hop Beers are Here: Where to Get Your Fresh Hop Fix This Year, Seattle Beer News. I will actually be in town for a few of these events, yes!

Campfire Cook | Living Blogs | Martha Stewart. Making damper, “a simple bread that Australian bushmen made when they spent nights out under the stars.” I want to make this sometime soon!

Hand-blended organic teas, delivered monthly | Bird’s Eye Tea. A little birdie told me that Maria from Curio Confections has been baking small bites to include with the monthly tea shipments. I adore everything Maria makes!

The Pizza Lab: The Baking Steel Delivers | Slice Pizza Blog. We have a new winner in the “what to use to cook pizza at home” wars and it is available to us because of Kickstarter, neat.

Home made tendskin recipe at Makeup Talk. Via Ask Metafilter.

Sarah’s 5 Minute Makeup Routine! – The Sarah James Show – Episode 5 – YouTube. She likes my favorite mascara too!

The girl we all wanna be – Girls of a Certain Age. Kim France on Andrea Linett’s new fashion memoir: “Anyone who came of age in the late 70s and early 80s—or whose universes were in any way altered by The Brooke Book, Fiorucci, Bow Wow Wow, Sun-In or Leif Garret —will be utterly charmed.”

Cider Summit Returns to Seattle on September 8. Awesome stuff needs to stop happening in September because I want to go to all of it.

Save the Liege Waffles at The Belgian Waffle Co. – Voracious. I am so angry that I was not told about this waffle truck earlier.

Bake It in a Cake • Seattle! I am very happy to announce my official cookbook release party! Yay! I’ve been looking forward to this book for a while.

Seattle Modern Home Tour. An upcoming day of getting to peek inside fabulous homes, the tour is self-guided so you aren’t tied to a group schedule, nice.

Dinner in White « Tea & Cookies. I so dearly want to be a part of this someday.

Where to Eat With Kids Near the Burke-Gilman Trail – Seattle – Voracious.

Turn Ho-Hum Color into WOW! with Photoshop. How to use LAB, and how to save it as an Action. One of the most useful Photoshop tutorials I’ve seen in years.

Cool Tools – Presentation Zen. From Kevin Kelly: “Among the many guides offering design advice, this one is the best. Watch some of the most popular TED talks online (including mine) and you’ll see this advice in action.”

5 Blog Photography Tips | Say Yes to Hoboken. Good tips for those just starting out.

Super Matrix Wall by Hyundai, so very very Portal 2. I love the reactions from the kids watching, via Waxy.

The Colors You Can Create with a Basic Box of Food Coloring · Edible Crafts | CraftGossip.com. Great guide.

FLOATING HOT DOG CART! | Slog. I must find a way to get a boat just so I can get a hot dog this way.

Salad Matrix and 101 Simple Salads at the NY Times, via Ask Metafilter.

The Egg-Yolk Trick | The Hairpin. I don’t see myself needing to do this anytime soon but it’s pretty neat.( (Video.)

Hash Brown Waffles « Tea & Cookies. You’ve seen this idea on Pinterest right? Here is how to make it.

My Doomed Attempt To Make Jjajangmyeon At Home | The Awl.

Neon Green Relish: A Taste Test – Gapers Block Drive-Thru | Chicago.

Playtest. Matthew Baldwin’s board game review site. Awesome.

Evolution of the uneven bars in women’s gymnastics, at Kottke. I have been missing the more graceful moves of the past during this Olympics.

Happy Mail How-To | giverslog. Giverslog has a whole series of posts about sticking postage on items (sans box) and sending them off in the mail, she includes a very helpful guide. I’m particularly taken with the plastic eggs, how amazing would it be to find them in your mailbox?

Any good recommendations for an online learning program that covers all of web development? HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL. | Ask MetaFilter.

Cool Tools – Planet Waves Tune Up. An accurate guitar tuner app.

Seeking free windows software programs (any programs!) that are as good or better than their for-cost counterparts. | Ask MetaFilter. The Lifehacker Pack recommended in that thread looks particularly great.

Alt Design Summit – Blog – Weekend Links, Photoshop. Lots of great tutorials for bloggers listed here.

Women and Video Games: Robin Hunicke | The Hairpin.

Inward Facing Girl – Clip Art Resources (For Blogs!).

Help me buy a nice 32-42in TV by answering a few questions about my price range, TV options, etc. | Ask MetaFilter.

Super Long Taper Candles DIY at Oh Happy Day.

Etsy Jackpot: Geometric Land Source! At Dismount Creative.

DIY how to make balloon fringe tassels, The Alison Show.

Where to Drink Beer Outside in Manhattan | Serious Eats: Drinks.

Ten Consignment Shops Every Sample Sale Junkie Should Know – Racked NY. Via Girls of a Certain Age.

5 Tips for Backpacking with Kids | Say Yes to Hoboken. This applies to everybody: “1. Get out of the campgrounds. Trust me. Isn’t the point to get away from people when you camp? They’re very difficult to get a reservation if you’re in a popular area. Like, impossible. Drive just outside any national park and you’re probably in a national forest, wilderness area, multi-use area. You can do what they call ‘dispersed camping’ anywhere around there.”

Need input on the most awesome, strange, memorable places to stay on our road-trip between Seattle to Portland, and then down the coast to San Fran. | Ask MetaFilter.

Once Upon a Pedestal: Polka Dot Cake from Bake Pop Pan. Adorable! A great use for the cake sphere pans.

The Amazing Incredible Broccoli Surprise Sauce « Tea & Cookies.

How can I make my homemade frappes less watery? And more like Starbuck’s frappes? What’s their secret?! | Ask MetaFilter. The answers include a few great tips and an almost recipe for the frappe.

Where to Enjoy Eating This Summer – The Stranger. I shall strive to eat at all of these places, a huge number of them are in my part of town so I have no excuse.

Wet cherries in Washington state are dried by helicopter. Wow. At Edible Geography.

New Beer: Russian River Row 2, Hill 56 | Serious Eats: Drinks. A beer I hope to find here in Seattle. And soon.

banamak.org – Sometimes mamma knows best – Four alliums and a zucchini frittata – kuku kadu. I love zucchini and have recently come to regret not having the sort of yard that grows them. Zucchini 4 evar.

Taste Test: Is There Good Pinot Noir Under $15? | Serious Eats: Drinks. No Oregon Pinots were in the list, are they all over the $15 price tag? There are also great suggestions in the comments.

Whole Bean Vanilla Cookies Recipe – 101 Cookbooks.

I want more happy, well-designed blogs like 101 Cookbooks or Enjoying the Small Things so that I can pretend for short periods of time that the world is a delightful place. | Ask MetaFilter. The question asker calls it “empathy-happiness porn” which I think is wonderful. A great collection of sites and, eep, Not Martha is included. (Aw, thanks!)

London 2012 Olympic cauldron by Thomas Heatherwick. How it was made and just how splendid it is. Via The Morning News.

Levis at JC Penny – just cheap, or crap? | Ask MetaFilter. I didn’t know this but I’m not surprised: “TJ Maxx totally sells cheaply made just for them clothes under designer names that are carried in major dept stores (my cousin works designing a lot of this stuff).”

Bicycle Frame Handle by Walnut Studiolo — Kickstarter. A handle that sits low enough on the frame to make carrying a bicycle much easier. The time for this has passed but I’m keeping an eye on their site for when they become available. Via Swissmiss.

a n h – m i n h . c o m: Semi-Annual Post. She outlines her trips to Dublin and London, lots of places to keep in mind here.

The Arts Factory, Las Vegas | The Everywhereist. A place to seek out the next time I’m in Las Vegas.

Nostalgia in Astoria: Antique Stores and The Goonies | The Everywhereist. Please look closely at the car with the Perot ’92 sticker.

Cruising Seattle on an Electric Boat « Tea & Cookies.

Sleep Better: Separate Covers for Blanket-Hog Partners – GOOD. I think we will adopt this side-by-side blanket arrangement for the colder months, Scott keeps letting all the cold air rush under the covers!

Cool Tools – Nest Learning Thermostat. I recently found myself giving this thermostat some serious consideration.

Design Crush » Light ‘n Go Bonfire Log.

A CUP OF JO: Have an inspiring weekend. Lots of great links to stuff by and about Nora Ephron.

I’m looking for some other good, contemporary, fictional radio shows. Do those exist nowadays? How do I find the good ones? | Ask MetaFilter.

The Art of Manliness | Men’s Interests and Lifestyle. I like to peek at this site. Via Ask Metafilter.

Washington Outdoor Women. Summer camp for adults with classes like Situational Survival Skills and Starting a Hunting Dog. I so want to do this. Via Naomi Bishop on Twitter.

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Lure Of The Open Road : NPR. The list of road movies they discuss in this episode are all great, and this is a reminder to myself to add all of them to my Netflix queue.

Make your own epic-scale water weenie! | Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories. Neato.

What should I read for laughs? I like to read books that are so funny that I laugh out loud. | Ask MetaFilter. Simon Rich! For books see also: Please help me find decently-written, really gripping books to read this summer in my hammock.

The PAX 10. Ten indie games chosen as the best of the year by industry experts.

Ar Vag, Portable Rowboat by Thibault Penven | wootwootworld.org. As a person with a very small house but surrounded by water I would really, really like to be able to buy this. Via Swissmiss.

mir.aculo.us JavaScript with Thomas Fuchs » Flowchart: how to retinafy your website. Make your site retina display friendly. Via Swiss Miss.

I’m currently building a WordPress theme for a project and I’m feeling a little out of my depth. What is a good starting point for doing theme work? | Ask MetaFilter.

Technology – Howard Rheingold – What the WELL’s Rise and Fall Tell Us About Online Community – The Atlantic. It was a thriving online community in the ’80s, I didn’t know it went back that far. Via Waxy links.

DIY Um maxi colar de camiseta | SuperZiper. Turn a t-shirt into a big necklace. The instructions are in Spanish (big oops) Portuguese but the photos are so good you won’t need them.

Vintage Marquee DIY from Oh Happy Day. Some cardboard and spray paint and you’re all set, I like this a lot.

The Ravenna Girls » Blog Archive » Security Envelope Sparklers. So simple! So cute!

Once Upon a Pedestal: Flowers from Wafer Paper and Frosting Sheets. A familiar looking dahlia made from edible paper.

Pintester | Fucking up Pinterest pins so you don’t have to. This is a genius site, she tests out all the oh-so-easy looking things on Pinterest and tells us how it went. I particularly adore what she found out about the miracle mask.

diy project: mesh screen beach bag | Design*Sponge.

The Top 10 Resources for DIY + Craft Supplies at Stripes + Sequins. Via Dismount Creative.

Where to Eat (and Drink) Outside This Season – The Stranger. Outdoor dining for Seattle, I’ll keep this list close.

What can a guy do in Port Angeles, WA on an average summer day? | Ask MetaFilter. We’ve been trying to get out to bike the Discovery Bay Trail recommended here, and now I have a good restaurant to pair with the trip.

A Whole Lotta Nothing: My trip to Italy. Fantastic suggestions on resources.

What to See and Do in Seattle, Washington | Travel + Leisure.

A Sun of Thread: 84 Miles of String Suspended at MIA by HOT TEA | Colossal. I love that you are meant to lie down and look up at this.

Nomiku: bring sous vide into your kitchen. by Lisa Q. Fetterman — Kickstarter. A Kickstarter campaign for a lightweight portable sous vide machine, nice! Via Serious Eats.

So This Exists: The BBQ Pulled Pork Cupcake at Bourbon Steak in Washington, DC | Serious Eats.

Why You Should Spiral-Cut Your Wiener – CHOW Tip. I love that this is both whimsical looking and very practical. (Video.) Via Swiss Miss.

Susan Spicer’s Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast with Vinegar, Mustard, and Tarragon | Serious Eats. This might replace a similar dish we make but that one includes cream and we never have that in the house.

This cherry’s got moves | Hogwash. A gluten, soy, egg and dairy-free cherry tart. It might not be vegetarian but, hot damn woman!, way to work your way around food allergies.

4th of July Foods! – Shutterbean. Fabulous round up of recipes to bring with you to your various gatherings.

Bikini Kill: DIY Wax Recipes for Hippie Hair Removal – GOOD.

Finding the right bra size and best fit | MetaFilter. So much information here.

The Beauty Department: Homemade Lip Stain.

Design Crush » NYX. This is the second recommendation I’ve seen from a friend for the NYX lipstick pencil, I’ll have to go try them out for myself soon.

Snacks that are low in calories AND pack a ginormous flavor punch? | Ask MetaFilter.

The Serious Eats Guide to Gin | Serious Eats: Drinks. “Mother’s milk, mother’s ruin.” Call it what you like, I love gin.

Nut and Seed Energy Bars | Hogwash.

broccoli parmesan fritters | smitten kitchen.

Bacon Sundaes Coming to Burger King’s Limited-Time Summer Menu | A Hamburger Today. Wow.

Cool Tools: How to Find Free and Cheap Ebooks.

A Whole Lotta Nothing: Great iOS software: Pillboxie. Gentle, effective reminders to take your pills.

Cool Tools: Grip Tape iPhone Backing.

My Photography Setup | Say Yes to Hoboken.

Don’t Fear the Internet, video introductions and instruction on building for the web. Via Swiss Miss.

Turkey Melon | David Lebovitz. Wowsers.

How to Read a Homebrew Recipe | Serious Eats: Drinks.

How-To: Cupcakewurst @Craftzine.com blog. How interesting!

An Edible Cookbook at Design Mom. The pages of the cookbook are the fresh pasta layers in this lasagna, how lovely!

Game of Thrones Cake Pops at Not Your Momma’s Cookie. Warning: spoilers if you have not finished the first book or the first season of the tv show. Though, it was the best way for a spoiler to be delivered.

Home Slice: ‘Pizza Within a Pizza’ | Slice Pizza Blog. Toppings baked into the crust found in a recipe book from 1978, this lady was way ahead of her time.

Joy the Baker – Strawberry Ice. “You know that scene in Bridesmaids when Kristen Wiig is going to the Parisian wedding shower, with the giant cookie, and she’s super pissed at how amazing the Strawberry Lemonade is? This is that. Exactly.”

Meatloaf (Minus 460 Calories and 30 Grams of Fat) | The Feed.

Party Punch: Hibiscus Rum Cooler | Serious Eats: Drinks.

Maintaining a Kitchen Aid Mixer | Artisan Bread Baking. The nitty gritty of getting the insides clean, this ain’t pretty. Via Juniper Moon Fiber Farm blog.

seven spoons – Sugar Buns. These look so delicious. Via Liz Stanley on Pinterest.

DIY Project: How to Make the Golden Nuggets Candy from the Gold Rush BBQ | TikkiDo.com. These are simple and really amazing.

Imbibe Unfiltered: Homemade Rhubarb Bitters.

OnTheWay ― A better way to get there. Help for planning road trips. Via 101 Cookbooks.

Favorite Places as a London Local? | Ask MetaFilter.

XOXO Festival by Andy Baio — Kickstarter. Holy all things that are awesome, if I wasn’t in Seattle for the Dewit Design Camp that weekend (Sept. 15/16) I’d be in Portland for the XOXO Festival. Though, if I were going to the festival I’d be whining about missing the Dewit Design Camp. This too many awesome things is a good problem to have.

The Overthinking Person’s Drinking Game « Thought Catalog. It’s like they can see right into the inside my head. Via The Morning News.

Which PNW badges do you have? | Loobylu. I have so many of these! Wait, does “spotting a bear” include reading the fictional Twitter account of a real bear wandering through my neighborhood?

Don’t buy this stuff right now | The Wirecutter. This is a note for Scott who has been longing for a larger television.

A Wearable Planter by wearableplanter on Etsy. I love the little ones that mount on bicycles!

Bike Season at Oh Happy Day. If I didn’t already have a bike I love I’d probably be making an excuse to head to San Francisco to check out these made by Public Bikes.

Help me avoid a fitting room meltdown. | Ask MetaFilter. Oh boy do I need the advice in this thread. I have been known to have fitting room meltdown during a session with a personal stylist at Nordstrom, so I know I have it bad.

Toothy The Tooth Ferry Pillow & Illustrated Story Book. I’m still a bit tooth focused around here.

How-To: Use Sewable LED Sequins @Craftzine.com blog.

DIY: Constellation Jar at Design Mom. (A warning: I have cut my finger quite badly when cutting apart the aluminum from disposable baking sheets like this.)

8-bit popup cards | Mini-eco. Via Laughing Squid.

How to Paint Leather Coasters | Freshly Picked.

DIY: Handmade Clay Pots | Say Yes to Hoboken.

How To Make a Statement Necklace | Making it Lovely.

How To: Make Your Own Paper Pencils » Curbly | DIY Design Community.

swissmiss | Ideapaint CLEAR. Paint that lets you turn any surface into a whiteboard.

How-To: Cityscape Stenciled Canvas Wall Art @Craftzine.com blog.

Paint-Dipped and Lovely – Curated by Summer Robertson | kirtsy. A collection on Kirtsy.

Slow and Steady but Mostly Just Slow. « Manhattan Nest. I love what Daniel has done to his apartment, but I’m also bookmarking this to note that that Enje shades are back at Ikea!

Dewit Design Camp: NOLA Recap – Blog – AB Chao. These pictures from the NOLA camp make me so very excited for the one coming up here in Seattle!

Hold On Tight, An Adjustable Bookshelf Concept seen at Laughing Squid. I want one of these for my cookbooks.

Where are all the cool lady podcasts? | Ask MetaFilter.

What jokes do you know that absolutely depend on telling a good story? | Ask MetaFilter.

What Are The Best Audiobooks For A Road Trip? | The Awl. I’ll second the recommendation for the His Dark Materials books, usually a full cast recording is awful but this one works. So much so that I was distraught when one of the young male voices was different in the second book.

The 8-bit animated episode of Community on Hulu and a handy retro reference guide to the episode. Via Waxy links.

Looking for exploration/immersive puzzle games | Ask MetaFilter.

Assessing the “Where Should I Eat?” Apps – Voracious.

swissmiss | Subtle Patterns Free tilable textured patterns for web designers.

New words for internet friends | helenjane.com. My favorite is “misinterpridgnation”.

Old-timer web designer looking to get back up to speed with HTML5 | Ask MetaFilter.

Game/tech blogs | Ask MetaFilter. A good list of sites that will advise you.

The truth about caramelized onions and How to cook onions: Why recipe writers lie and lie about how long they take to caramelize. – Slate Magazine. Via The Morning News.

Sprinkle Bakes: Deep Dish Berry Pie Tart.

Imbibe Unfiltered: Drink of the Week: Strawberry-Basil-Gin Lemonade.

Expert Advice: Non-Alcoholic Cocktails | The Kitchn.

Vintage Millinery Cupcake Toppers · Edible Crafts.

hula seventy: there. If I were a better photographer these are the pictures I would have taken during our stay at the Palm Springs Ace earlier this year. Via Shutterbean.

Rue Montorgueil-Les Halles | David Lebovitz. Restaurant supply stores in Paris.

100 Favorite Dishes: Meatloaf Sandwich at Bakeman’s – Seattle Restaurants and Dining – Voracious.

flora and flying – You cannot make this stuff up: Paris for beginners -Part 1.

Flushmount Lighting Fixtures | Making it Lovely. “This is my least favorite category of ceiling lighting, but often in our homes, flushmounts are the only option that will work.” As a lady with 8 foot ceilings I highly appreciate this list.

The Brick House, paint dipped cord wrapped table legs. Simple and lovely.

Propagating Rosemary at Juniper Moon Fiber Farm.

Meet the Mini-Marthas! Suddenly, Hipster Homemakers Are Cleaning Up | The New York Observer.

How to Make a DIY Terrarium | Making it Lovely.

make grow gather – Posts – diy confetti napkins.

Cupcake Liner Mason Jar Tops · Edible Crafts | CraftGossip.com. A very simply idea makes a handy punch-through top for straws.

I’m searching for the creamiest, smoothest plain yogurt. | Ask MetaFilter. And I and always seeking the most French-like yogurt.

Yummy gluten free quinoa salad at Petite Elefant.

Sweet! How to Make a Chocolate iPhone – Hello Brit – Food. This is adorable, and I even have an old case I can use for this project.

pasta with garlicky broccoli rabe | smitten kitchen. This pasta with healthy green thing style of cooking is one of my long time go-tos.

Mini Furniture Waffle Iron · Edible Crafts.

Dinner for Two: Hot Hot Hot Chipotle Steak Tacos | Serious Eats.

Pretzel Ice Cream Cones! by The Cone Guys. Via Love From the Oven

mirrormirror: Vancouver in Five and mirrormirror: My Hidden New York

boston city guide | Design*Sponge.

Black*Eiffel: Travel log : Portland, Oregon. Lovely spots!

make grow gather – Posts – jem fabric store in nyc.

Offbeat Guide to Seattle Favorite Spots | A Chow Life | Foodie recipes and stories from a Seattle kitchen. Great list of spots!

Airplane Lavatory Self-Portraits in the Flemish Style. These are awesome. Via The Hairpin.

Lively Ivy » Blog Archive » Leggo my Lego. This reflects how I view the new Legos for girls as well.

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM. Aaaaaaah, a collection of good news. Via swissmiss.

Banksy on advertisers – we are all angry. Eff yes.

The Subversive Charm of Day Drinking – NYTimes.com. I linking to this for the Bartender Rock 101 list at the bottom, but the recipe for The Jessica drink looks awfully nice. Via The Hairpin.

The Best Generic Beauty Products You Should Know About – Makeup, Skin Care & Hair – MSN Lifestyle. I’m looking specifically at the Umberto Beverly Hills Volumizer Thickening Spray from Target that they recommend here.

What are your favorite eyeshadow/makeup tutorials? | Ask MetaFilter. The answers here hit all of my favorites and all the ones recommended by friends.

The Audrey Hepburn Makeover | The Hairpin. This makeover cues my eyebrow envy. I saw a very eyebrow-y Greek preteen with her whole Greek family last week, she was striking but seemed very awkward and I immediately made up a whole story where she grows very tall in the next year and ends up as a famous model by age 19 and eventually succumbs to drugs only to hit rehab and be a Bond girl in her mid-twenties. I may have been overthinking it.

Fallen Princess: Andrea Linett Book Alert!. Oooh, my favorite Sassy editor tells me about another Sassy writer’s upcoming book. I hug the internet while at the same time wishing it would make more money for everybody.

Are Crest White Strips worth it? | Ask MetaFilter. I refuse to give up coffee and red wine, so teeth whitening will be a part of what I do.

how to manicure at home – Petit Elefant. I’m so bad about keeping my cuticles oiled up, but Allison gives me hope that I will be able to do justice to an at home manicure.

My 12-year-old wants to get her ears pierced, and I’m wondering about the pros and cons of having it done at a doctor’s office versus at the mall. | Ask MetaFilter. I had my uneven ears pierced unevenly at a mall when I was 11 and the result is a 1/4-inch difference. After having my ears re-pierced at a body piercing shop a few years ago I agree with the majority of this thread and would recommend a piercing place many times over a mall place, edgy shop appearance and all.

Spa Week is next week, April 16th to 20th. I never thought I’d be a spa person but getting a massage (that I paid for) at Camp Mighty last year and having a half massage/half moisturizing treatment at Penterra Spa in Kirkland (WA) this week (which was soooooo good and, full disclosure, complimentary) I think I’m gonna have to admit I’m a convert. During Spa Week you can get $50 treatments which is a nice bargain. If you’re on the fence I encourage you to try it while the price is good. Which is next week so get on that!

The best artichoke dip recipe | helenjane.com.

A Fresh Look at Food Coloring – FineCooking.com. How to color food from edible sources. Via The Kitchn.

What’s In Your Well? – Voracious. Solid spirits for mixed drinks, good information to keep around because booze is very expensive here in Washington state.

The Easiest Poached Egg Recipe « i am a food blog. Slow poached in the shell. Via Tracy over at Pinterest.

Kale and Quinoa Cakes — Joy the Baker.

Sprinkle Bakes: Like Porcelain, Royal Icing Nests.

Behind the Scenes at Martha Stewart @Craftzine.com blog. Thanks Meg for the inside looks!

// Between the lines //: Leather and gold bag :: the DIY instructions. Really great instructions, via Dismount Creative.

Thanks to Cakies, I made a flower crown | helenjane.com. So adorable!

By Hand: a lifestyle magazine for people who make and do by Susan Gibbs and Jeannie Bloch — Kickstarter. Darnnit! I’m late to this party, so a belated huge high five to By Hand magazine for holding such a successful campaign, cannot wait to read the magazine!

The Farmer’s Nest: How to Make Liquid Hand Soap from a bar of soap {DIY}.

Three Practically Perfect Days in Seattle « Tea & Cookies. Everything I love in Seattle is here in Tea’s post.

How to Blend in at the Pub | From China Village.

The Sylvia Beach Hotel « Tea & Cookies. This hotel sounds incredibly delightful, thanks for introducing us to it Tea!

A CUP OF JO: Travel fantasy: Rainbow hotel. We passed this hotel, The Saguaro, when we were in Palm Springs and it looks even more colorful on the inside. I did not realize it was created by the same people who do the Ace hotels.

7 Must-Try Sweets at Chelsea Market, NYC | Serious Eats.

Traveling Sicily – Thoughts & Tips » delicious:days.

Because We Love Kale: 15 Kale Recipes | Serious Eats.

Orangette: This is important. Yeasted buckwheat waffles, I am a long time fan of buckwheat pancakes so this waffle is next on my list of weekend breakfast experiments.

When a rooster comes along… | Jim Drohman. A very detailed set of instructions with photos for making coq au vin from a chef here in Seattle.

Lucy Knisley – All Kindsa Stuff!. An illustrated recipe fro her Mom’s Crack Cookies.

Pigeon Toe » Porcelain Popsicle Sticks. So nice! Via 101 Cookbooks.

Brussels Sprouts & Bacon Pizza › shutterbean. Well hello there lovely.

Mastering the Sweet Life: Jessie Moore Oleson – Our Finds. Yay Jessie!

not your mama’s coleslaw | smitten kitchen. For some reason I’ve been craving cole slaw lately.

Sprinkle Bakes: Spring Flower Lollipops. Edible flowers inside a lollipop, so amazing.

Easy Party Appetizer: Roasted Edamame with Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper | The Kitchn.

Parmesan and Herb Cheese Straws — Joy the Baker. These are so pretty!

the apple Pi. I’m late to this one but it’s worth a look – the apple is cut into number shapes using cookie cutters. Amazing.

Shaping Up Homemade Oreos | The Feed.

How to Write a Resume, Part One: Practices to Avoid | The Hairpin.

Transom » Jesse Thorn. Make Your Thing: 12 Point Program for Absolutely, Positively 1000% No-Fail Guaranteed Success. Via Waxy.

venomous porridge – The biscuit story from So Long, and Thanks for All…. My teenage years would have been much worse if it hadn’t been for Douglas Adams.

IUDs, or A Detailed Guide to Long-Term Sperm Scarecrows | The Hairpin.

H.P. Lovecraft, Author, Is Dead – The Morning News.

Hungry Happenings: Pot of Gold Caramel Apples. Wow! Via Edible Crafts.

Reware Vintage | Homemade Shamrock Shakes. Via The Morning News.

Gold Surprise Rainbow Cupcakes, great idea! Via Recipe Girl on Pinterest.

An avocado pie for St. Patrick’s Day | How About Orange. Yum.

Recipes for St. Patrick’s Day | Serious Eats.

Birthday Installation: Yarn Trail at Oh Happy Day. This would work really nicely for St. Patrick’s day as well, so fun.

Big Stitch Knit Rug – the purl bee. So pretty and inviting looking. I wish my feet (and my wallet) liked alpaca yarn more.

Ombre Star Garland | Say Yes to Hoboken. This is really lovely! And making those stars can be addictive, I find it relaxing the way knitting can be.

Whit’s Knits: Big Cuddly Bunny – the purl bee. Also the Big Snowy Owl. I really want to make these for myself.

ciao samin: Home Ec: How to Shop for Olive Oil.

The Wine Scout: If Anyone Orders Merlot… | The Hairpin. Merlots are coming back into fashion, they have three great suggestions under $15. (Also, yay Washington state.)

Booze Bites: Irish Car Bomb Jell-O Shots. Via Recipe Girl on Twitter.

Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head, and extreme beer : The New Yorker. Via Give Me Something To Read.

Does anyone have a tried and true recipe for the kind of pepperoni balls you get in Erie, PA? | Ask MetaFilter. The answer is yes, the thread links to recipes from Erie residents over at Chowhound. Gotta try these.

Hidden gems at the market | Ask MetaFilter. A question about what unassuming products are overlooked but work really well. I adore that the Queen Helene mint clay mask is mentioned, it’s one of the first products I ever talked about on this site. I used to use it back in high school.

Pretty me up, on the cheap! – drugstore makeup treasures | Ask MetaFilter. Great suggestions in here.

The Mascara Championships: Part One | Nothing But Bonfires. Yay! My go-to drugstore mascara, Cover Girl LashBlast, is #3!

DIY: Easy Skin Toner at Design Mom. Oh my gosh, so easy! So cheap! I’m going to try this.

stylist with “curly scissors” in Southern New Jersey | Ask MetaFilter. Answers include lots of recommendations for a Deva Curl trained stylist.

How to make lip scrub at home at Petite Elefant.

Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, National Treasure, The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec and even Tomb Raider and Sahara. I love all these movies. Recommend me more of the same, please! | Ask MetaFilter.

Oscar SEO at GirlHacker’s Random Log. GirlHacker has pulled together all of her old Oscar gift basket posts. I love getting a peek at what is in those.

Now Open on Capitol Hill: Regent Cafe & Bakery | Slog. Apparently the original branch of this bakery here in the PNW inspired the cake in Portal. The cake is not a lie!!