Lunchtime Links for January 21st, 2020

• The Kitchn: Hotella Nutella review.
• Oh Sweet Basil: Dulce de Leche chocolate cheesecake bars. 
• Gimme Some Oven: Cashew tofu.
• Serious Eats: Light and fluffy pancakes.
• My Baking Addiction: Snickerdoodle blondies.

Lunchtime Links for August 7th, 2019

• Brown Eyed Baker: Soft pretzels.
• The Impulsive Buy: Krispy Kreme Reese's Lovers filled doughnuts. 
• Apartment Therapy: Travel, laundry, and packing tips.
• Creme de la Crumb: Pork Banh Mi bowls.
• The Kitchn: Turkey meatballs.

Lunchtime Links for May 21st, 2018

• The Kitchn: One-pot macaroni and cheese.
• SoraNews 24: Hello Kitty shinkansen (bullet train). 
• Serious Eats: Chocolate skillet cake. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Smothered honey lime chicken burritos.
• Kirbie's Cravings: 3 ingredient flourless Nutella brownie mug cake.

Hunter for Target Collection

I am always excited to see a Target collaboration announcement, and this one with Hunter was definitely one that I kept my eye on!  I've had my grey Hunter boots for a while now, and they're a great staple to have around on rainy days.  Luckily for me, Target did a special RedCard member sale of a few items from the Hunter for Target collection the weekend before the rest of the collection came out, and I was able to get this navy duffel bag!

 

It's a pretty big duffel that holds its shape well, and the material is thick and feels very durable.  I love the big rubber Hunter logo on the front, and the bright yellow interior is very fun!  I think this will be great for quick/weekend trips in the future, as there's a lot of room inside to pack everything I need. 

After purchasing this bag, I also got a pair of short cushion-lined rain boots and a navy backpack as well - I just couldn't resist haha.

 The items sold out very quickly online, but the last time I went to a Target I did see a lot of the clothes and other outdoor items still available, so keep an eye out if there's something you are interested in! 

Lunchtime Links for March 1st, 2017

• The Kitchn: Baked sweet potato fries.
• Paper and Stitch: Charleston, SC travel guide.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Brown butter banana chocolate chip bars.
• Serious Eats: Detroit-style pizza.
• Cookies and Cups: Brownie stuffed chocolate chip cookies.

Lunchtime Links for May 18th, 2015

• The First Year Blog: Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream.
• Just Bento: Ekiben (train station bento).
• Smitten Kitchen: Toasted marshmallow milkshake.
• Averie Cooks: Stovetop macaroni and cheese.
• Two Peas and Their Pod: Fettuccine Alfredo.

Shake Shack - Union Station, DC

Shake Shack's Union Station location opened on June 23rd, and of course I headed over with my friend R on opening day!

It took a few minutes to find it, mainly because I'm used to only walking from the metro to the Amtrak gates, and Shake Shack is located outside of that area.  You will definitely notice it once you are close, especially with the sign in the middle of the hallway that you can see in the photo below.

What I really love about new Shake Shack locations is that they have location-specific concretes that you can only get there.  While the Washington Monu-Mint concrete is also available at the Dupont Circle location, the Busy Bee and Beaux-arts Banana concretes are specifically made at this one.

Busy Bee: Vanilla custard, strawberry puree, and Baked & Wired Bee Sting bar with sliced almonds and honey.

Beaux-arts Banana: Vanilla custard, caramel sauce, banana and graham crackers from Pollystyle.

I got the Beaux-arts Banana concrete, and it was delicious! The big pieces of Pollystyle graham crackers were crunchy and went well with the rest of the creamy ingredients.  I loved that the dining area was upstairs, and provided a great view of the people and action going on below at the station.  If you're ever near or coming through Union Station in DC, I highly recommend stopping in for a burger or some custard! 

My 5th Blogiversary + Shake Shack - Union Station, DC Opening

This past Saturday was my 5th blog birthday, woohoo!!  It's been a fun and delicious five years, that's for sure.  Thank you to everyone that has come by and checked out my blog!

What better way to celebrate my 5th blog anniversary than another Shake Shack location in DC!! This one is schedule to open today at Union Station, which is fantastic for all the people that commute and travel to/from there.

Of course I am excited to have another Shake Shack nearby, mainly for the location-specific concrete flavors.  I love that they both incorporate local businesses (Baked & Wired and Pollystyle).Here are some of the details (courtesy of Popville):

Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) is proud to announce that it will open its fourth Shake Shack® location in our nation’s capital this Monday, June 23 at 10:30AM inside historic Union Station, one of the largest and busiest transportation hubs in the U.S.

Shake Shack is a critically acclaimed, modern day “roadside” burger stand known for its 100% all-natural Angus beef burgers, delicious flat-top dogs, fresh-made frozen custard, hand-cut fresh fries, craft beer and wine, and more. A fun and lively community gathering place with widespread appeal, Shake Shack has earned a cult-like following in DC and across the globe.

Like its DC predecessors on F Street, in Dupont Circle, and at Nationals Park, Union Station’s menu has all the Shake Shack classics, from delicious 100% all-natural Angus beef ShackBurgers® and griddled-crisp flat-top dogs to our exclusive Brooklyn Brewery ShackMeister® Ale. The Shack will have two location-specific frozen custard concretes that feature local bakers: Busy Bee (vanilla custard, strawberry puree and Baked & Wired Bee Sting bar with sliced almonds and honey); and Beaux-Arts Banana (vanilla custard, caramel sauce, banana and graham crackers from Pollystyle). The Dupont Circle Shack’s popular Washington Monu-Mint (chocolate custard, minted marshmallow sauce and chocolate truffle cookie dough) will also be available at Union Station.

Lunchtime Links for August 28th, 2013

• Cookies & Cups: Devil's food Snickers cheesecake cupcakes. 
• Oh Sweet Basil: Baked Mozzarella bites. 
• Kirbie's Cravings: 5 minute Chinese buns. 
• Table for Two: San Francisco visit. 
• The Budget Babe: Vinegar for longer lasting manicures. 

Lunchtime Links for July 13th, 2012

• The Kitchn: Cappuccino-chip frappe.
• How Sweet It Is: Fudgesicle granitas. 
• Cupcakes for Breakfast: Mini shortbread cookies with Nutella and peanut butter.
• Bakerella: Beach ball cake pop. 
• Buzzfeed: How to dress for the airport by Lady Gaga.

Denver- bound!

Hi everyone! I am off to visit my friend E in Denver for a long weekend starting today!  I have only been to Denver once for work, so I am excited to check out the sights and food of the city outside of the confines of a conference room, haha. 

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Lunchtime Links for June 29th, 2011

• The Kitchn: Flight-friendly meals.
• Serious Eats: Doughnut shops in San Francisco.
• In Good Taste: Seven layer magic bars.
• Tiffany's: Suite at the St. Regis in NYC.
• Real Housewives of NJ: Recap from TVGasm.

Lady Gaga + Pittsburgh!

This weekend I'll be heading out to Pittsburgh for a fun weekend of friends, food, and of course, LADY GAGA LIVE!!! WOO! 

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and play "Born This Way" a few times to get into the spirit ;o)

Hello Kitty Toothbrush Holder

How cute is this?  I picked up this Hello Kitty toothbrush holder at the Container Store recently, using a $5 gift card that I got from filling out one of their online surveys.  The holder itself is a little bulky, but I love that it has suction cups on the back so you can hang your toothbrush on any mirror/tile surface.  That way, you have a place to store your toothbrush if you are staying at someone's place, without having to take up counter/sink space.  Plus, hello, it's Hello Kitty wearing a frog costume, why would I not get this?!  This would make a great stocking stuffer/small gift for anyone that likes Hello Kitty :o)