“Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad.”

— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Softening Butter in Mere Moments

I feel like I'm always telling you what to do with butter. And I guess I will continue to do so.

Old Navy Has a (Free) Flip Flop Vending Machine

Old Navy has these flip flop vending machines all around the New York City this summer - why? Who knows. But it's a fantastic idea for women who get sick of wearing heels over the course of a long day and want some solace. You can follow them on Twitter to find the locations - all you have to do to get a free pair is to tweet at them. Fun idea. Even when this promotion is done, can someone please get started on having machines like this available near every club and bar in the city? 

Mindy Kaling's New Book "Why Not Me?"

I think you should know by now how excited I am by the fact that Mindy Kaling's new book is now officially IMMINENT! 

“So much has happened between the time I published my first book and now, The show; my mother passed away; so many of my friends have gotten married. I’m a godmother now, and a homeowner. There’s so much that has happened in that period of time that I wanted to write another book.”

— Mindy Kaling

A release date hasn't been announced yet, but I'll update this post as soon as I hear one. CANNOT WAIT.

e.l.f. Mineral Eyeshadow Primer

Did you know that e.l.f. stands for eyes lips face? Do you even care? Well, I did/do so that's why I passed it onto you. 

ANYWAY, in a world where you can spend upwards of $40 on a MERE PRIMER - I always applaud the day when someone turns me onto a product that's actually quite useful and not a billion dollars. 

If you ever wear eyeshadow, please buy this primer. Not only is it amazing, but it's three dollars. Three dollars and it lasts about six months with casual usage. And I, in no way, fully support all e.l.f. products (my favourites so far are this primer and their lip exfoliator), since their "blushes" are a little cake-y and scream fifth-grade-play to me. 

“This is super stingy, but save Amazon shipping boxes flat under your bed or on the floor of a closet so you don’t have to buy boxes for gifts at Christmas or for birthdays.”

— #lizadvice

Keeping Pets Cool in the Summer

Do you have any idea how important it is to make sure your pet doesn't sweat to death this summer? I don't want to lecture you here, but please take some kind of precautions here, people. A vet once told me that taking a dog for a walk on a crazy hot day is the equivalent of a human walking around barefoot on piping hot sidewalks - and expecting that to be normal. So the best times to walk them in the summer? When the sidewalks are coolest - mornings and evenings.

And maybe these products below are unnecessary, but I love that they exist. 

Self Cooling Pet Pad, available in different sizes on Amazon

Look at how cool that dog looks! I've bought this dog mat and it does actually stay pretty cool. The problem is trying to get a dog ON it. The box doesn't tell you how difficult that part is. Also, the fact that is looks like a pee pad doesn't help things along here.

The Frobo, keeps a water dish cold for an extended period

Now... will I buy the Frobo? I really want to. But I think I sort of have a problem with buying smaller-scale-luxurious items. So maybe I'll ask for one for Christmas.

Keep those bitches safe this summer, please!

Slow Cooker Jamaican Jerk Pork Chops

I just made this pork and rice dish and it tasted incredible. I'm always looking for other things to do to pork (since pulling it is the popular one) and this recipe is fantastic. I adapted it slightly from A Little Claireification based on my own preferences, so if there's anything in this that you'd alter even more - I have a feeling it'll still taste amazing. Especially over rice.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 pork chops (bone in or out, your choice)
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can black beans, drained

Instructions

1. Turn on your slow cooker and add the first eight ingredients.
2. Stir briefly just for a minute until the brown sugar is dissolved.
3. Add the pork chops, turning them once to coat both sides.
4. Add the onion, peppers, corn and black beans on top.
5. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.
6. Serve pork over rice or with a side of your choice.

Great

Hahahah.