Sparkling Eyes from the Runway

Make-up from Dior's haute couture collection 2012 show. via The NYTimes

A little creative advice from Ira Glass

Ira Glass is the wonderful host of This American Life and a major heart throb for geeky NPR fans. His advice on creativity is inspiring. To hear Ira talk a little more about creativity, view the video interview here. Special thanks to my sister for finding this:

Traditional Daquiri

At most bars and restaurants, a daquiri is a green sugary concoction with whip cream and a crazy straw. But a true daquiri is a simple drink with just three ingredients—sugar, lime, and rum.

A few years ago, my sister introduced me to the Nicaraguan rum Flor de Caña, and I've been obsessed with it ever since. I never thought I liked rum until discovering Flor de Caña, and I can assure you that it tastes nothing like Bacardi. Flor de Caña can be found in both gold and white and you can find it aged from 4-21 years. After several tastings, my sister and I can strongly recommend the 7 year in gold. It's perfectly smooth and a great price. Flor de Caña can be hard to find, so if you spot any of the varieties, pick one up.

Traditional Daquiri Recipe

2 ounces rum

1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice (emphasis on fresh-squeezed)

1/2 ounce simple syrup (simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, with the sugar dissolved)

Combine ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice, and strain into a glass.

Enjoy!

Fabian Ciraolo Illustrations

A few fantastic pop illustrations by Fabian Ciraolo. If only Frida Khalo really was a hipster. The unibrow would definitely become the new mustache.

a happy place

I love this magical image by Kansas City collage artist Colleen Burner. I'm hoping my weekend will be this peaceful & relaxing.

The Best Cookie Recipe Ever: Pecan Sandies

We got a surprise package of pecans from the farm last week. I wasn't sure what to make with them, until I found this pecan sandies recipe. The pecans are toasted, chopped, and mixed into the dough. The cookies are incredibly flavorful and it's impossible to eat just one.

I used a circular cookie cutter and didn't sprinkle with raw sugar.

Pecan Sandies from Smitten Kitchen

Makes just shy of 12 dozen, one-inch square cookies

1 cup pecans

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons turbinado (raw) sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts out in one layer on a baking sheet and bake them, stirring occasionally, until they are well browned, 10 to 13 minutes (they will smell toasted and nutty). Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.

In a food processor, grind the nuts with 1/4 cup of the flour. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla and beat well. Sift together the remaining 1 3/4 cups of flour, the salt, and the baking powder, and add it to the dough, mixing until just combined. Stir in the nut mixture. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper to 3/16 inch thick (a rectangle approximately 10 x 14 inches). Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-inch squares, then cut the squares on a diagonal into triangles (I skipped the last cut into triangles). Sprinkle the cookies with the turbinado sugar. Place them 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets (do not reroll the scraps). Prick the cookies with a fork and bake until pale golden all over, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

KEEP CALM AND PET BUSTER

A ton of things are happening right now, but thankfully Buster is here keeping me sane.

You can create your very own KEEP CALM and WHATEVER YOU WANT poster here.