Friday Favorites: Reads and Runs

Cheers to surviving another week! The college students are back in town, so James and I are escaping to my hometown for their first weekend back. We live on a street with several student rentals and watching them drink all day and night makes me feel so old! I can’t believe summer is coming to a close. It’s always a bittersweet feeling.

Between work and frequent weekend getaways, every week seems to be over more quickly than the previous one. We managed to fit plenty of fun and good eats into this one.

Evening Runs

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with running. I love it because it’s a challenge, but I hate it because it doesn’t come naturally to me. I’ve been trying to run three days per week this summer and I’ve found my best runs are in the evening, just as the sun is starting to set. The temperature drops to a somewhat tolerable level and the sunsets make all of the sweat worth the effort. I tend to get really into the habit of running for a couple of months before runs disappear from my routine completely, so I’m trying hard to keep this streak going!

Bravetart: Iconic American Desserts

Our cat Lucia is clearly just as excited about this cookbook as I am! I put a hold on Bravetart at our local library and got my hands on it the day after it came out. Stella is a baking wizard and I’ve always admired the passion and precision she puts into her recipes. Her cookbook has recipes for classics like yellow cake with chocolate frosting and recipes for homemade versions of grocery store favorites, like Lofthouse-style cookies. The banana pudding is at the top of my list!

Parmesan Truffle Smashed Potatoes

I whipped these up to serve as a side dish with dinner last night because I wanted something that tasted like a treat. They did not disappoint! Smashed potatoes are my favorite kind because you get the soft inside and a crunchy skin — the best of both worlds. I’ll have this recipe for you next week.

Creekbend Vineyard

finally made it out to Oliver Winery’s Ellettsville vineyard for Cork & Fork. The vineyard serves as the backdrop for live music that you can enjoy while sipping wine, munching on a picnic or grabbing a bite from a local food truck. The atmosphere is laid back and so much fun! We put a big blanket under the shade of a tree and had so much fun chatting all night while enjoying the gorgeous weather. I can’t wait to make a return trip!

What are you loving this week? Tell me in the comments!

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