"expertly steamed milk poured over ristretto shots of espresso and finished with a Starbucks signature dot".  I love this drink because I usually order a triple grande so the taste to me is similar to that.  A latte with less milk.  I love that it is small so it's not so filling.

I've always thought of the bedroom as a quiet place -- keep the colors neutral, the lighting soft.  You want to encourage sleep, right?  Then after my husband moved a huge TV onto our bedroom dresser, I realized that my approach was all wrong.  We're going to be spending a lot of time in here.  Awake.

Buffalo Pierogie recipe perfect for your Super Bowl party via

In case it is not glaringly obvious, Lucy and I don't have sponsors.  So goes without saying that if we write about something its because we have an opinion that is not just our own, but strong enough that we want to share it on the internet.  Such is my strong love for Mrs. T's Pierogies, available on your local grocery store freezer aisle in the potato section.  I don't really go in the freezer section anymore since I stopped eating Hot Pockets (it took years to overcome this bad habit), but I make a trip just for Mrs. T's even though there is nothing else in there that could possibly tempt me.  Most of the time they are too expensive (like $4 for a box) but every once in a while Harris Teeter puts them on sale and I load up my cart like a crazy woman!  Hurry in because they are on sale this week :)

Pierogies are essentially potato-filled dumplings, and in far distance parts of the country (like Pennsylvania), they are an essential dietary component.  In the South, pierogies were an oddity in my personal upbringing until they magically appeared at our grocery freezer section.  They come in a variety of flavors and options for regular size or mini for use with different dishes.

 My Favorite Pierogie Meal: I still haven't gotten past the joy of easy cooking recipes, so my favorite way to do things is throw a frozen whole chicken in the crockpot with generous salt and pepper, and let that cook for a good 8 hours (or whenever I get home from work).  Then when I get home, I'll throw the frozen pierogies in a pan with butter and let them cook for around 10-15 minutes until they start to brown and crisp on the edges.  When they just begin to start showing signs of browning on one side, I add in fresh broccoli with a little salt and pepper (and more butter if needed) so that they both get done at the same time.  A perfect frozen foods meal that is actually healthy.

Don't have time for pan-searing? My husband will regularly just pop them in the microwave and eat them straight (this may be an act of desperation since I don't cook often?).  You can also simply boil them stove top.  Nothing beats that crispy crust when you take the time to pan sear them, in my opinion.

There is a whole world of pierogie friendly recipes that are even more adventurous, so I might look into trying:

Kung Pao Pierogie recipe via

Grilled Pierogies and Kilbasa recipe via

My source of current events consists of a healthy mixture of the Daily Show (RIP the Colbert Report which I strongly preferred), Grantland, and an embarrassing Today Show over breakfast routine.  So no wonder my source of information is skewed towards the absurd.  This week's morning show goodness consisted of a blogger's vow to stop wearing leggings in public because she thinks it makes it harder for men to keep their minds from wandering towards perversion.  My initial instinct: I have way more things to worry about than whether a man in the room is thinking proper thoughts.  I always dress what I consider to be conservatively, but I've never really thought of leggings as being racy.  But it does bring up a thought that I've heard in a few circles about leggings -- are they really work appropriate?   Not as much for a sexuality reason, but do they look professional enough to be taken seriously in the work place?

Shirt doesn't fully cover your front?  Make sure your leggings have all the trimmings of real pants.  via

Wearing knit leggings without any pockets/waistband?  Fully cover everything with an oversized sweater, tunic, or poncho.  via

Not only would I dress like this every day, I kind of just want to be whoever this girl is.  via

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I tried to think of something clever to title this, but let's just cut to the chase.  I stopped by Target last week, and in my typical wanderings (ie aimless but not wanting to miss any clearance gems) I spotted a surprise that made my heart stop.  Foo dogs.  At Target.  For $12.99.





I can't find where they are carrying these online, but definitely check your local store.  They were found in the new arrivals section for spring home.  They make excellent book ends, or just shelf sitters.  I haven't decided if I want to rearrange mine yet, but basically every piece of decor in my home is temporarily positioned anyway.  They can function independently, but are typically paired side by side (like below), because the idea would be that you have a male and female version.  Only males at my Target, but I doubt anyone is going to come around and judge me for making do.

Foo Dog decor via

Foo Dog variety via

How to tell male from female?  Foo dogs aren't really dogs at all, but lions meant to serve as guardians for your home.  The male version has its hand resting on a globe, meant to symbolize the world they are protecting.  The female version has a cub under her paw meant to show protection of the family.

Do you have a great pair of antique Foo dogs?  Or a great way you styled more inexpensive ones?  I would love to get more ideas for how to utilize these!