Messy Jess C.: Friday Favorites

Hello my friends. Happy Friday! Hope you enjoy this week's favorites, along with some random stories mixed in as we head into the weekend. My hope is that after you read this you will have plenty of random knowledge to share at a dinner party, brunch, or fill time on an awkward first date - nothing gets the party started like bacon shortages. Enjoy! See you all next week.

This impacts my life in no way, but for all of you bacon lovers, you may want the heads up that apparently we are facing a bacon shortage. The crisis has already begun in Europe and is expected to be a world-wide issue by next year according to the UK's National Pig Association - yes, that's a real group.

Remember the days of Myspace? When you could rank your friends and post crazy pictures and playlists? Remember how excited you were when Facebook opened access to everybody even if you didn't have .edu email address because it was so much cooler? Well, it may be time to reconsider the decision to turn our backs on My Space completely. Check out the upcoming new Myspace below. Awesome.

The new Myspace from Myspace on Vimeo.

I am a political nerd. I live in DC and have worked in the political world since I graduated from college almost a decade ago, so I was one of the people who tuned in this past Wednesday for the first Presidential debate of the campaign season. These days most people, myself included, take for granted that these debates are televised (the ads, not so much), but until 52 years ago, that wasn't the case. September 26, 1960 was the first televised presidential debate, which changed the way we look at politics in the United States forever. If you are a political junkie like me you can check out the whole debate transcript and video here.

Stingray photobomb - 'nuf said.

I love the Flinstones, but I don't get why in current times this would be an item people actually want - a bike powered by foot. Introducing the Fliz.

I love most pumpkin products. I am not as big of a fan of beer, but this might change my mind. Check out the how-to tutorial for making a pumpkin keg here.

I love this idea of using a shadow box to display tickets rather than stashing them away in a box or using them as bookmarks.

A Japanese study found that looking at cute animals can make you more productive. Here are a few pictures to help your productivity level today.

It has been raining a lot lately, which always puts me in a funk. Some of these ideas from Daily Muse may help turn the next rainy day around though.

Speaking of rainy days, how perfect of a spot would this be to curl up in with a book on a rainy day, or any day for that matter?

My favorite recipes of the week...

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from Annie's Eats (for chocolate cream-filled pumpkin whoopie pies check out this recipe from Lauren Conrad)

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles from Betcha Can't Eat Just One.

Crispy Quinoa Sliders from How Sweet It Is

No-Bake Stuffed Cookie Dough Bites from Picky Palate

Turkey and Feta-Stuffed Peppers from Eat, Live, Run

Fresh Apple Cake from Iowa Girl Eats

My favorite styles this week...

Speaking of style, last night I went to see Stacy London, the co-host of TLC's What Not To Wear, discuss her new book, The Truth About Style, at Sixth and I synagogue (more to come on my experience next week). I had a great night. Stacy was hilarious and the book is great too. It's about so much more than fashion. I highly recommend you check it out for yourself.