Just another Manic Monday update: And manic it was. Although, I will say that I think this hot yoga thing is getting a smidge bit easier each week. I am definitely in need of one of those special sticky towels though to help soak up all of my sweat that I’m constantly dripping everywhere.

Last night I had a G.N.O. (Girls Night Out) with some of my friends from high school who still live in Des Moines and we picked Alba this time around. I had the gnocchi which was amazing – but really, how can you go wrong with little balls of dough? Coolest part about Alba? The doors suspended from the ceiling of the restaurant. Such a neat and unexpected touch.

Tonight after dinner I decided to go through my closet for a very good cause. I get e-newsletters from every store and company that I encounter and most I just delete, but this one, from the East Village Spa, caught my eye. They are currently (until this Friday at 6 p.m.) collecting gently used accessories (purses, jewelry, scarves, belts) to donate to the Young Women’s Resource Center’s Career Closet to help women in need to find career clothing. I have been meaning to de-clutter this specific area of my closet and drawers for some time now, so this is the perfect opportunity for me to do so.

And I've only scratched the surface!

Tomorrow we are going to a friends’ sweet corn feed – I know, only in Iowa – and we are supposed to bring a side dish. I have just the thing! I found this recipe in the Q Magazine of the Des Moines Register about a month ago and made it for a pool party and it was a HIT! Lo and behold the owner of the recipe is one of my new favorite blogs to follow. It’s called Iowa Girl Eats and it’s full a great simple recipes that anyone can whip up in their own homes. I highly suggest you check it out!