Don’t you just love a big cup of coffee from a coffee shop? I do.

I also love all of these things that I came across this week:

• Nachos, nachos, and more nachos.
• This chocolate chili splatter paint cake is unreal.
• Because you should always know how to make banana bread.
• Have you watched Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt? It’s super silly. Plus, it’s created by Tiny Fey, so you know it’s gotta be good.
• Do these things describe anyone else? Just me?

Have a good one!

JD

Yesterday I left my condo at 4:30am to catch a flight to Toronto. Yikes, early. This coffee was definitely necessary. French Meadow is my favorite place to grab food at MSP.

I’ve been working with the Canada side of General Mills since February, so I’m in town visiting my warehouses and the General Mills team. It’s so exciting (and extremely helpful) to finally put faces with names and voices!

Exciting like these things:

• Take a look at all of these beautiful cakes: raspberry pistachio cake with lemon glaze, chamomile cake with honey frosting, pina colada cake, and rhubarb+strawberry and chocolate+nutella vertical roll cakes.
• How to create the perfect margarita bar. Yes, please. These kiwi margaritas and these chili lime mango margaritas would be good additions as well.
• 5 simple tips for throwing a dinner party after work, because we should all be throwing more dinner parties.
• I just started reading Once A Runner and love it so far.
• How to properly perform a burpee – embrace your glutes and core!

I’m going to visit a Tim Horton’s before I leave!

xojd

PS – Happy last day of April!!

On Sunday my friend Justine and I went this demo at Cooks of Crocus Hill because Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery was visiting. She made some recipes from her new cookbook, Baking With Less Sugar, while we sat, listened, drank coffee, and ate some tasty treats. I would absolutely love to go back for another demo or class! It was such a fun morning.

Fun like these things:

• So many amazing vegetarian taco recipes: mango peanut tempeh tacos, baked tofu tacos with chipotle tahini sauce, lentil sweet potato and goat cheese tacos, & sweet potato pecan tacos.
• This salted caramel brownie brown ale is a combination of two of my favorite things: ice cream + beer.
• How many of these “30 things to cook before you’re 30” have you conquered (whether you are 30 or not)? It’s my goal to master all of these in the next two years. This should be attainable.
• This watercolor phrase art seems like a good reason to play with watercolors again. It’s been a few years.
• Anyone else super into this song right now?

Welp, have a good one.

Jenna

I have at least a hundred pictures of the river and Mill City area, but it’s just so gorgeous that I’m compelled to take more. My sister-in-law and I were walking to dinner on Tuesday night and I interrupted her so that I could take that picture. I’m so rude. But I just couldn’t help it. Then I took this usie… or can I call it a “sisie” since we’re sisters?

Anyways, she eventually finished her story and we had a wonderful time catching up over dinner on the patio at Spoonriver. It was so great, just like all of these things:

• Two focaccia breads that I’m drooling over: herb and tomato focaccia and herbed focaccia & pimento romesco.
• Homemade pizza is the best, but here are 5 ways to make it better.
• These linen and leather pouches are adorable. I think I need a craft day.
• This song/video gives me goosebumps: Run Run Run. Best of luck to all the Boston runners out there!! You are all amazing. I wish I could be in the crowd to watch (like last year!), but I’ll be rooting from a distance. And really, Boston or not marathoners are a special group of dedicated, motivated, crazy people <3
• Speaking of marathons, I would love to do any of these beautiful destination marathons. Who’s with me?!?!?

Jeez, can you tell what is calling out to me this week: carbs and running. And then there is that little bit of crafting in between. I guess not too out of the ordinary. Hope you got your taxes done yesterday!

xoxoxx Jenna

When you fly into the Fort Wayne, IN there is a lady at that welcomes you at the gate and then gives you cookie! Is that not the coolest thing?! It was so nice and made me feel really excited to be in Fort Wayne. I was there Monday-Wednesday for work visiting one of our Customer Service Facilities. I learned a ton – it was a great trip.

Know what else is great?! These things:

• This veggie grilled cheese bar looks amazing. I have grilled cheese like once a year, which is an absolute shame because there are things like roasted cauliflower grilled cheese and avocado & asparagus grilled cheese in the world.
• Loved reading this article about band.do’s Jen Gotch. Such a fun brand and an inspiring read.
• This lady is about to run her 30^th Boston Marathon, despite having a brain tumor. Some people are just so incredible.
• I just started reading The Light Between Oceans. It’s a good book, but I’m waiting for something bad to happen.
• Let’s peek into the lives of six different chef’s by watching Chef’s Table, a new documentary series on Netflix.

Almost Friday!

Jenna

I have great news: patio season has officially begun! I took my little brother out for happy hour at Lago’s Tacos to celebrate the 60-degree weather. Amazing. Then last night it was 70 (!!!) and I made my way to another patio. It got cut a little bit short because of the rain and lightning. But still, patio! I just want to be outside every second of the day – running, drinking, sitting, walking, it doesn’t matter. Just give me that warmth and sunshine.

In other great news: these links are pretty cool.

• Speaking of drinking outside, make sure to check out the 10 best Minnesota porch beers.
• So many scone recipes: Blackberry Coconut, Tart Cherry Graham, Meyer Lemon Coconut, Orange Chocolate Chip.
• Quiche is brunch staple (a life staple!), so make sure you know the right ratio to make the perfect quiche.
• Great tips from some outstanding females.
• So many April Fool’s jokes. I love them. And then there was this, this, this, this, and this.

AND! Make sure to read this post about City Running Tours. And then sign up for one. It’s fun, I promise.

I hope you make it to a patio ASAP, especially before it dips back to the 40s.

<3Jenna