things we love: grill baskets!

Have you ever used a grill basket? Someone gave us this one as a gift a while back, and we finally used it this past weekend. It was amazing!

The Husband has a tasty and incredibly easy kebab recipe (recipe after the jump), but we don't make it as often as we should since skewering everything takes some time and I don't like touching raw meat. Yes, I am a princess. The Husband reminds me of this every day. So we decided to bust out the grill basket and see what happens.

We love the basket because all we have to do was dump all the veggies and meat into the basket, stick on the grill, and let it cook. The basket has a very long handle so The Husband didn't get burned. It was also much easier to turn the basket and get everything flipped at once instead of turning each skewer and hoping you don't lose a mushroom in the process. That being said, we still lost some stuff. Next time, we will use it for cooking larger items, like corn or fish.

Check out The Husband's super lazy kebab recipe after the jump.

whimsy in carpinteria

Over the weekend, my best friend (and Man of Honor at my wedding) came up to SB for a long-overdue visit. We spent a lovely Saturday in Carpinteria, a town that makes SB look bustling and fast-paced. The beach is absolutely gorgeous and peaceful, and it was so amazing to lay in the warm sun and listen to the waves. Summer is coming!

(isn't The Husband handsome?)

We ended up wandering into Whimsy, one of the million antique / shabby-chic little shops on the main drag in Carp. It's a little bit expensive for my taste, but in retrospect things weren't terribly overpriced. Regardless, it's a great place to wander around and get decor or project inspiration!

I really wanted this giant metal star from an old barn:

And how cool is this arrow?

There were a ton of old photos for sale. I don't know how I would feel having a stranger's personal photos on display in my house, but they were certainly fun to look through. It was really neat to see old Model T-era cars and women in Victorian clothing.

(I really wanted this "O")

how to stop biting your nails

I'm 27 years old and I just stopped biting my nails in the past month. I know, I'm embarrassed that it went on this long, too. I've tried to stop biting my nails many times before, but it never lasted more than a day or so. The no-bite bitter nail formulas at the local drug store? They didn't even phase me. For some (weird) reason, the taste didn't bother me enough to deter me from biting. 

Until I found Bareille No Bite Pro Growth. 

This stuff is incredibly bitter and it really works. I tapped my fingernail on my lip absentmindedly and even that caused the bitter flavor to completely invade my mouth. This stuff does not mess around, and I highly recommend it for the most stubborn nail biters. The taste is so incredibly terrible that even raising my hand to my mouth would make me shudder in remembrance of the first (and only) time I tried to bite my nails with this stuff on.

After going two (TWO!) weeks without biting my nails, I rewarded myself with my first-ever manicure. The pretty nail polish helped me to continue not biting my nails. Once the polish started to chip, I started putting the Bareille stuff on again.

This is probably the most boring thing I have ever written, but I really can't express how grown up I feel now that I have abolished such a gross habit. My next goal: to figure out how to apply nail polish myself without the end result looking like I did it while completely hammered.

quick link: everlane clothing

I'm super cheap but try to make a token attempt at looking, if not fashionable, like I looked in a mirror for at least five seconds before leaving the house. Popular fashion and I are not getting along lately (seriously, why is it so hard to find a skirt that hits below the knee and a shirt that isn't see through or cropped? I miss modesty and feminine clothing), so I've fallen back into the jeans and t shirt uniform. 

And you guys, I've found the best t-shirts ever. For fifteen dollars. They're high quality cotton and the fit is impeccable. Everlane is seriously the best. I have a couple of their v-neck tees, and they're so flattering and comfortable. They have fifteen dollar tees for men as well. The Husband is getting a couple of them whether he wants to or not.

They also have pricier items, including cashmere sweaters and weekender bags. The best part is, when you sign up (for free), they immediately send you a code for getting free shipping and returns for your first order. This helps ensure you figure out what the perfect size is. In my opinion, they run true to size.

Go buy yourself a damn t-shirt. You won't regret it.