Rob and I are catching a flight to California this afternoon and I am beyond excited about the entire trip. We're spending Saturday through Monday in San Francisco before driving up to Sonoma for a few days, where I'll be working on a huge La Crema project with my friend Courtney of Sweet C's Designs. We've been dreaming about this since January, so seeing it start coming to life is just beyond incredible.

I'll be here and there on the blog next week, so if you want to follow along, please feel free to check out what I'm up to on Instagram--I'm sure I'll be overgramming the next eight days like nobody's business. See you on the West Coast!

Happy Friday, everyone! It's been crazy week over here as I've been trying to get as organized as possible for our trip to California, but I wanted to share some links that I've been holding on to with you before I go!

To Read: 

• What 10 Years Taught Me. Sam has such a wonderful way with words.
• A fascinating piece on what the use of one simple word can do to our credibility, especially in the workplace. Now I catch myself using it all the time and am trying to find better ways to communicate in emails.
• Barbecue is an American Tradition--of Enslaved Africans and Native Americans--an interesting piece about a southern staple.
• Beautiful thoughts on what it means (or doesn't mean) to change your name after you get married.
• My friend Julie of fitBallet wrote an eBook and it's fantastic. It's full of tips and workouts and meal plans, but also some really beautiful words--the first few introductory pages gave me passion eyes. It has been truly amazing to watch a friend take an idea and turn it into something real, something successful, and something that actually helps people. If you'd like a copy, you can take 10% off with the code FRECKLEDITALIAN; or you can enter to win one below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To See/Watch: 

• I just got around to watching Cake and it was totally beautiful.
• Conan interviews some of the cast of Game of Thrones. I love seeing these actors as regular people.
• Emilia Clarke's valley girl accent is too good. (Sorry, I guess I was in a GoT mood!)
• A fun infographic by Gym and Fitness.

Wishlist:

• Always on the hunt for another jumpsuit.
• This looks like the perfect tee.
• Love these glasses so much.

What are you guys up to this weekend? I hope you had a great week!

Photo: Another favorite from V.A. Photography's secret garden at Tuckahoe Plantation this spring.

Last year, I came up with a delicious cafe miel popsicle recipe and I thought of them this year when Lavazza sent me some of their Gran Selezione roast and asked me to come up with a cold beverage to celebrate summer. So I pulled out the blender and used almost the exact same ingredients--coffee, coconut cream, and honey--to make a Paleo coconut frappé. 

Whoever said "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" was on to something.

Paleo Coconut Café Frappé

Ingredients (serves 2) 

• 12 ounces of coffee--I used Lavazza Gran Selezione
• 1 can of full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish

Instructions 

1. The night before you make this, take a little over half of the coffee and freeze it in an ice cube tray.
2. In a blender, combine coffee ice cubes, the creamy part of the can of coconut milk (about four or five tablespoons), honey, and the liquid coffee.
3. Pour into a chilled glass, top with cocoa powder, and enjoy!

This post is brought to you in partnership with Lavazza.