Is everyone staying cozy and warm this weekend? It seems like around this time every year, I start to dream of sunshine, bare feet, and outdoor dinner parties… which is why these lovely photos by Alana Paterson of a cold-weather picnic are especially appealing today (click through the entire inspiring spread over on the Snowpeak site.) I love this vision of bundling up and heading out into nature with a group of friends and lots of hot drinks to beat the cold. What are all of you up to today? We’ll be hitting up Elizabeth Street Café for almond croissants and Vietnamese coffee, then running errands and getting some little projects done around the house. I’m also planning to recipe test a few Valentine’s treats for to share on the blog later this month, which is pretty much my idea of a perfect weekend. Oh, and catching tonight’s episode of Downton Abbey, of course! (are you guys watching? what did you think of last week’s kickoff to the season?) Hope you’re all having a lovely beginning to 2015 so far, and keep reading for my favorite links from around the web this week!2 of 3