Thrift-store shopper. Lives in & loves South Minneapolis. Blonde. Picture taker. Road trip enthusiast. Likes making things. Proud WI native. Classic rock is my favorite. So are nachos.
As far as weekends go, this one definitely neared close to the heavenly end of the spectrum. After a stupidly busy couple of weeks, some days at the lake were just what I needed. I read this entire book. Fried some chicken. Baked a cake. Got a little sunburn. Hit some rummage sales and found cool stuff. Went for a paddle. Pondered weighty fabric decisions. Battled sweaty bangs. Hung out in a wildflower patch. Watched the fog roll in. All in the company of people (and dogs) I adore.
There’s something rejuvenating about breaking away from one’s routine, am I right? I hope your weekends were also abundant with rest, relaxation and all kinds of happy-making things.
I took today off work to run some errands and get organized for a long weekend up north. My goal is to spend loads of time there this summer/fall, so to make all the back-and-forth as easy as possible, I’m bringing some essentials to leave up there, allowing me to pack light week-in, week-out. Since it’s such an inspiring, beautiful place, of course I had to assemble a little craft kit, so if a rainy day hits, or I find myself up too early (or late), I’ll be able to work on some projects.
Here are a few crafts I’ve been eying that require a minimal number of supplies and that can rely on, or benefit from, the abundance of natural materials surrounding the cabin. The best part is most of them would be handy to keep up there!
Before I knew about the Monterey Pop Festival of 1967, the only impression I had of Monterey, California was a girl I shared a floor with freshman year of college who loved to brag about bjs she’d given to various frat daddies that particular week. We weren’t close by any means, except, of course, in proximity, which is why, one cold winter night happened to I wind up at the ER, watching as her stomach was pumped free of the enormous quantity of painkillers she had swallowed. The next day her mom flew into Boulder, and the day after that, we exchanged goodbye hugs as they returned together to Monterey.
Today, so many years later, when I hear “Monterey,” my brain doesn’t automatically go to this sad, faded memory, but instead to the Monterey Pop Festival, the unofficial start to the “summer of love,” inspiration for a little thing called Woodstock and an all-around significant event in ’60s music history. The three-day concert, held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds and planned in a mere seven weeks, boasted a lineup of stars including, but not limited to The Mamas and the Papas, The Byrds, Canned Heat, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Eric Burdon & the Animals, Simon & Garfunkel and a magnificent Otis Redding.
The concert was also filmed and turned into a full-length film called Monterey Pop, which is conveniently available to watch in its high-def glory on YouTube. Groovy right? I’ve been re-watch/listening to it at night this week, while I answer emails and work on freelance, and it’s just too good to keep to myself, especially considering that this week marks the 47th anniversary. If you haven’t seen it, I encourage you to sit for a while and soak it in. The festival-goers’ fashion alone makes it worthwhile to see, if, for whatever reason, ’60s rock isn’t your thing. If you want to skip around, track lists are beneath the video, though I strongly advise you to watch it all the way through, at least once. (Whatever you do, do not skip Jimi!)
The bonus footage, including some rad Byrds songs, two great Simon & Garfunkel tunes and Mama Cass being her hilario self, is also a must-see.
Last night, I met up with a couple lovely ladies over a dinner of snacks to talk through an event idea I’ve been noodling. Aiming to impress, I dusted off my as-yet unused Bundt pan with this bourbon-spiked baby in my sites. It’s from the fabulous book, Vintage Cakes, which I pinned here, where I store the brunt of my Bundt-obsession.
Despite the fact that I ran out of cake flour, this cake turned out splendidly. Served with fresh strawberries and a little cava on the side, it was a fitting finale to a productive evening.
Have you baked anything delicious lately? If so, lemme hear about it!
It’s been a busy, tiring, stormy Monday, but I had to stop in and share a few photos from yesterday’s Shooter Jennings show. On a whim, I took my “real” camera and here are a few snapshots from the day…minus any crops, filters or editing ’cause I’m plumb tired.
I’ve gotta admit, seeing Shooter perform his dad’s songs, on Father’s Day, which also happened to fall on Waylon’s birthday, which also happened to be a beautifully blustery, sunny summer day, was all-around pretty magical.
First and foremost, BIG HUGE THANKS to the sweetheart-ed souls who came out in the cold and rain to shop my garage sale. Drizzle aside, seeing familiar faces (and meeting some of you for the first time!) brought a whole bunch of sunshine to an overall cloudy day.
As luck would have it, today the skies are blue and the sun’s shining down. Which is A-OK with me, because I’m going to see Shooter Jennings and Waymore’s Outlaws play outside tonight, and I’m pretty sure I’d cry if I had to spend another minute in the rain. While I’m not a fan of Shooter’s original music, I am looking forward to seeing his backing band, comprised of Richie Albright, Waylon’s original drummer and right-hand man since 1964, FAME studio session bassist, Jerry Bridges, who played with Waylon starting in the “Dukes of Hazzard” days and steel guitar legend Fred Newell. I’m extra-excited because it’s the first outdoor concert I’ve been to you yet this year, I have the perfect dress to wear and…have I mentioned that’s it’s not raining?
Whatever you’re up to this Sunday, enjoy yourselves! Rain or shine, summer weekends are gifts to be treasured.
Today it’s my pleasure to fill you in on a rummage sale I’m personally very excited about…because it’s mine! My basement and garage have been filled to the brim with all kinds of (mostly vintage) goodness and it’s time to send it all off to other good homes.
I’m parting with a TON of sweet stuff, including clothes, sized XS-XL, furniture, framed art work, craft supplies, electronics, Pyrex, holiday decorations and books, in addition to approximately one billion other things for your home and garden. From soaker hoses to needlepoint, there’s definitely a little bit of everything up for grabs and it is all PRICED TO GO! Sneak peeks will be hitting Twitter and Instagram later today, but in the meantime, here’s the Craigslist ad that outlines what’s for sale, location details and sale hours.
Should you be in the mood to make a morning of it, tomorrow also happens to be the 12th annual SENA neighborhood rummage sales, which are 150+ strong and right in the neighborhood next door. SENA sales are running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and you can pick up a guide at Angry Catfish, the Midtown Farmers Market or Keen Eye Coffee. If shopping makes you hungry, I just heard that Tiny Diner‘s finally open, which is just up the road from me, but there’s also yummy brunch to be had at Blackbird, Five Watt Coffee, Pepito’s (hello, brunch buffet) and Colossal Cafe, and all are mere minutes from my house.
♥ News of Rifle Paper Co.’s wallpaper line caught my eye, especially since I’m kicking around the idea of doing my bathroom. That Peonies pattern in mint is calling my name!
♥ This lovely essay by my friend Kara about her family’s farm had me all kinds of choked up…not that that stopped me from reading it through twice in a row.
♥ Didn’t know I could love Betty White any more, but then I go and see this little tidbit. So cute!
I have this terrible tendency to want to eat pizza every day of my life. No joke. But seeing as I ordered my beloved jalapeño-pineapple ‘za from Jakeeno’s last night, for the sake of my wallet (and my waist), I figured tonight, I should switch it up. So I pinned these Pizzucchini c/o Dashing Dish and went on my way.
I loved how these babies came together super fast. Like one episode of “Orange is the New Black” and dinner was done. I felt so good about eating an entire zucchini for dinner, I almost forgot to miss the crust.
Definitely a recipe to remember this summer, especially if you’re a fan of both zukes and ‘za.
I love days when blog-topics literally fall into my lap. Like this morning, when my co-worker Erin mentioned she was going to a “fancy” neighborhood garage sale on Saturday. Considering the source, a woman whose collection of vintage St. John is utterly mind-blowing and never looks anything less than 100-percent pulled-together, I knew had to get the scoop and share it here. If anyone gets the actual true definition of “fancy,” it’s her!
“The King of all garage sales. Tomorrow (Sat.) from 8-1:00. Near 50th and France. HWY 100 to 50th Street Go East to Wooddale. Look for the Green signs. There are other sales going on in the Country Club Neighborhood….here are a few of the addresses participating:
4511 Wooddale Ave
4524 Arden Ave
4503 Wooddale Ave
4525 Drexel
4208 Sunnyside Road
4508 Bruce
4514 Wooddale
4501 Casco”
So there you have it! Not a lot of details, but definitely a whole lot of promise, given the zip code. If you’re unfamiliar with Edina, don’t be deterred if you get a little shade thrown your way by its residents.
There’s something rejuvenating about breaking away from one’s routine, am I right? I hope your weekends were also abundant with rest, relaxation and all kinds of happy-making things.
high plains thrifter 