You guys: I’ve spent the entire summer trying to get my Savannah plant (a gift from my mom after our trip to the South) to bloom. June went by. July went by. Nothing. Then, I learned about this awesome trick to prevent over-watering: Stick your finger one inch below the surface to find out if the dirt really is dried out.

Here’s the thing: A lot of times, it’s not. The dirt on the surface dries out super quick, but that doesn’t mean your plant is out of moisture. When you dig beneath the surface, that’s where you’ll discover your plant’s actual water levels.

As it turns out, I was over-watering for most of the summer. Now, my plant is in full bloom and I can’t stop snapping pics of it’s pretty pink.

Do you have a green thumb? Any tricks to share?

Happy Friday, my darling readers! What do you have planned for the next couple of days off? I’m going to watch a screening of To Catch a Thief with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant — a classic! Here, to get your weekend started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

A deleted Friends scene.

Love this super summery book cover.

Have you tried rosé sangria?

This stunning West Village home.

And omg, this house.

Long live short TV seasons.

This wedding dance.

A shark keychain I have to have.

This sweet pizza looks delicious.

Back to school jitters.

New emojis!

(Image via Boden)

A lot of nights, after a long day of work, all I want to do is throw dinner together quick, but it’s hard to find something that’s fast to prepare, filling and tasty, too (especially when your cooking ability is limited, like it is with me). Anyways, I’ve been leaning a lot on quinoa lately and found an awesome recipe for a tabbouleh-based dish.

The quinoa is supplemented with loads of the usual veggies: Chick peas, cucumbers, red onions, grape tomatoes and more. But the real flavor punch comes from the lemon juice, mint, parsley and…cinnamon. Yep, it’s shockingly delicious and the whole recipe takes all of 15 minutes to make.

Sure, there’s nothing new about quinoa, but I’m loving this fresh and summery dish.

Any new recipes you’ve tried and loved lately?

(Image via In the Kitchen)

In the middle of last week’s heat wave, Matt and I decided it would be a perfect time for a day trip to Governor’s Island. We’ve gone almost every summer and love it — plus, if you bring bikes, it’s a built-in pass to the front of the ferry line. (Never a bad thing.) Our plans were perfect, except for one teeny tiny problem: That New York City heat.

OK, so lessons learned:

1) Best to get out to Governor’s Island before noon, when it gets crazy packed. Also, best to make sure your bikes are in tip top shape before planning to bop out to the island. (After a quick trip to our local bike shop and a few spritzes of WD-40, we were fine, but oh-so-sweaty and late to the ferry as a result of the delay.)

2) BYOB sunscreen if your destination is Hammock Grove. A lovely spot — except for the fact that it gets full sun. Our plan was to relax there all afternoon and read, but after 20 minutes or so of lounging, we had to move on or risk frying like a lobster in the close-to-100-degree heat.

3) Always have an exit strategy. We had a lovely time eating lunch at the Food Trucks (which didn’t used to be an option on the island), checking out the current art installations and riding around, but when we decided we wanted to get off the island, we raced to catch the next boat. We made it — with about 30 seconds to spare — but it would have been smarter to plan ahead.

Have you ventured out to Governor’s Island this summer? What did you think?

Happy Friday, my darling readers! What do you have planned for the next couple of days off? My sister is in town and it’s her birthday. I can’t wait to celebrate with her and hang out. Wishing you a wonderful weekend ahead. Here, to get it started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

This trailer. I can’t wait.

I’m kind of digging this post-wedding tee.

The best baguettes in Paris.

A very brave way to watch Jaws.

For the love of Carrie Bradshaw…and SJP.

Internship horror stories.

Jane the Virgin season 2 can’t come soon enough.

Love these DIY pattern bowls.

What a pretty (and retro-looking) shirt dress.

5 cheese plate tips, perfect for entertaining.

(Image via Post Grad & Pearls)