Feature Friday

On September 30, 1868, the first volume of Little Women is published.

On September 30, 1927, Babe Ruth hits the 60th homer of the 1927 season.

On September 30, 1955, James Dean died in a car crash.

 AND NOW, on September 30, 2011, it's FEATURE FRIDAY with The Claus Team. You're welcome for that history lesson!

Octo-Beer Feast

One of the newest (and fastest moving) trends in the "food world" is the emergence of food trucks.  That's right--eating food from a truck is suddenly very cool.  If you think eating from a truck would involve hot dogs and other tired street fare, THINK AGAIN.  Today's food trucks offer a wide variety of gourmet delicacies, environmentally conscious eats, and yes, even upgraded comfort food.  You can find anything from grass-fed organic bison burgers to wild truffle risotto to all sorts of Asian fusion cuisine.  There's also a smorgasbord of desserts to choose from--think homemade organic ice cream, gourmet cupcakes or traditional Afghan baklava.  The options you can find at food trucks are seemingly endless.

Thrift It With Your BEST SHOT

Shopping at thrift stores, or "thrifting", has risen to an artform for some people.  Some folks make it look downright easy to walk into the local Goodwill and walk out with a brand new Coach purse (tags still attached!), a positively adorable vintage cake stand, or a piece of art to hang over the fireplace that looks like it was custom made for THAT space. 

HOWEVER, for many of us, it's just not that easy.  We walk into a thrift store, and are immediately overwhelmed by the stink of mothballs and mildew AND amount of crap that's crammed into such a small space.  It's enough to make anyone turn on their heels and head back out again.  BUT WAIT!  There are great treasures to be found in your local thrift store, and many of these treasures can be used to update and refresh your home.  REALLY!  Check out Apartment Therapy's guide to taking common thrift store finds and turning them into DIY projects. 

Old dishes?  You can use them to create a piece of clustered arwork on a boring wall!
Outdated sweaters and linens?  Funky pieces of fabric can make great pillows or chair covers!
Ugly lamps?  Give 'em a wipedown, a coat of spray paint and a new shade, and you just saved yourself some moola!

Check out the guide above, and hit your local thrift store this weekend, because updating your home is ALWAYS a good thing!