links links links – 6 February 2013

• Nowhere Fast’s idea of heaven: Over 50 insanely delicious chocolate & peanut butter recipes. Get in my belly, now!
• 50 life hacks to simplify your world from Twisted Sifter. Some of these you will know already but you will surely find a few new gems.
• You have probably heard of Spotify and you may even use it too. A competitor has now hit the market. Guvera Offers free music on mobile devices and desktops, something you need to pay for on Spotify.
• If you are one of the people that wishes everyday was October 19th, you probably already know that all new COMMUNITY begins airing this week. Check out the extended promo here.
• A new report shows that 61% of Facebook users have breaks of several weeks from the social media site. Have you ever deactivated your Facebook account? I never have, I would be too worried I would miss something exciting from Black Milk Clothing!
• More Facebook, this time from BuzzFeed: the first 25 people on Facebook, and where they are now.
• From fast food to fine dining: An Australian McDonalds is now trialling table service including plates and cutlery. Perfect for Valentines? I think not. A cool concept nonetheless.
• Speaking of Valentines Day, here are 10 recipes that will make the day that much sweeter, and DIY love origami. Cough cough, Mr Nowhere Fast!
• More love stuff: British MPs have voted in favour of legislation allowing same-sex marriage. It’s about time!
• Even more love stuff, this time doggy style: Triple J’s tribute to Tennessee dog Elton, and an anthem for same-sex attracted dogs around the world.
• You have probably seen the ‘Judgements’ picture by Rosea Posey floating around the internet. See what Hello Giggles has to say about it. Powerful stuff.
• An ad made for women, by women, featuring incredibly sexy men and breast cancer prevention. It reminds me of the male breast cancer ad that was targeted to men starring Chris O’Dowd (The IT Crowd, Bridesmaids). The last one is definitely NSFW. Funny, but serious. Give ’em a squeeze and save a life.
• Speaking of ads, here are 15 of the best commercials from Super Bowl 2013.
• Life advice from Lifehacker: why you need more margin in your life (and how to get it). Long but insightful.
• From Cracked, 33 Facts about Famous People You Won’t Believe Are True.
• Finally, your weekly source of cuteness, Cute Roulette, featuring the cutest animal videos on the web. Enjoy!

DIY Recipe: Peanut Butter and (fake!) Oreo Brownie Cakes

Peanut butter. Some see it as a pantry staple. Others see it as a way of life. Then there are those unfortunate sods who are allergic, and the drongos who have no appreciation for it (missing out!). Here at Nowhere Fast we are of the ‘way of life’ persuasion. If it has got peanut butter, we are trying it. When we saw a recipe for peanut butter and oreo brownie cakes, we just knew we had to be eating it, like five minutes ago. So we made it. It turned out nowhere near as pretty as the tutorial, but still as tasty as peanut butter and Oreos in a brownie can be.

So pretty

So, with no further adieu, Nowhere Fast presents: A DIY recipe by two people who make yummy, but not always pretty, food.

Ingredients:

• 1 box brownie mix (the original tutorial recommends 8×8 inch in size)
• Whatever your brownie mix says you need
• 24 Oreo cookies
• 1/2 cup creamy Peanut Butter

We decided to go with these products, and wing it (so to speak).

Supermarket brand fake Oreos,
Kraft Whipped Peanut Butter,
& White Wings Choc Chunk Brownie Mix.

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (or whatever heat your brownie mix says)

Step 2:
Line a 12 muffin baking tray with paper liners.

Step 3:
Prepare brownie mix. I can’t tell you how to do that. You have to read the box. I apologise that it won’t be as fun as reading Nowhere Fast.

Mmmmm.
Brownie Mix.

Step 4:
Spread 1 teaspoon (or 10 teaspoons. We won’t judge) on the Oreos/fake Oreos/inside of your mouth.

Fake Oreo slathered in PB.
I can’t believe we didn’t stop there and eat them all like that!

Step 5:
Stack one peanut butter covered cookie on top of another, and repeat until each cookie is stacked with another cookie.

That is my kind of stack.

Step 6:
Place each stack into a paper case in the muffin baking tray.

Step 7:
Spoon 2 tablespoons of brownie batter over each of the stacks and let it run down the sides of the cookies (and why not your mouth while you are at it?)

Brownie batter covered PB Oreo stacks

Step 8:
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until brownies are cooked through.

Step 9:
Cool and serve. You’re already pretty cool, just make sure the cakes are too, and enjoy!

Like I said earlier, these are nowhere near as pretty as the original recipe’s picture (which you can check out again here). They were most certainly tasty though! Next time I would perhaps use less brownie batter and I would use a thicker peanut butter, as well as proper Oreos.

Would you try these? Have you already made them? Got any (peanut butter!) recipes for us to check out? Leave a comment below.

Links Links Links

Welcome to the first installment of links links links! This is your weekly guide to all the funniest, cutest and interesting things we at Nowhere Fast are enjoying on the web. Some of these may be old, but we can promise you they are all good. Enjoy!

• This is so freaky, but cool. Freaky cool. Portraits of strangers who look like twins part one and part two. I wonder if Nowhere Fast has a doppelganger out there?

• Speaking of freaky cool, woman who was constantly mistaken for someone else discovers her doppelganger is the identical twin she never knew she had. Woah.

• If you like reading celebrity gossip and blind items, Crazy Days and Nights is the site for you! We also recommend this juicy blind item (start from the earliest date first). You could get lost in all the posts and comments. You’re welcome.

• Bearcat bottoms smell like buttered popcorn and other things that smell nothing like you would expect from Cracked.

• Everything beauty by Zoe Foster. This lady knows what she is talking about. You can also buy her book, Amazing Face, here. You won’t regret it.

• A brilliant guide on how to find your perfect colours, by College Fashion. You should check out their whole blog. We have been following it for a few years and it is nothing short of awesome.

• More awesome. Lego recreates famous movie posters and Australia’s most famous moments in history, Lego style. What can’t Lego do?!

• If you were into reading as a child, you missed out if you weren’t reading Roald Dahl. Not only was he a brilliant author, he had a very interesting life that included being a war spy. Read about it here and check out his writing for adults here. Nowhere Fast loved Kiss Kiss.

• Many of you will probably have already seen this, but the Know Your Memes guide to Bad Luck Brian is really interesting. Plus you can look super intelligent when you tell all your friends about it. Or full of pointless trivia. Win win.

• A recipe for salted caramel sauce and a recipe for salted caramel chocolate chip cookies bars. Yumalicious.

• For those of you going on holiday soon, and in honour of my friend T who is going on a cruise in a few days time, here is how to pack 2 weeks of luggage into a carry on bag.

• A federal Australian election has been called for Saturday 14 September 2013. Here is everything you need to know so far. I learned that there is an electorate division in the state of Victoria called Batman. Too cool.

• Some words of wisdom from my hero. 11 Life Lessons from Liz Lemon thanks to BuzzFeed.

• This is truly moving. Teenage lesbian comes out to her parents – with a cake, from Mamamia.

• Cute! Shetland Ponies in Cardigans. Thank you, Scotland.

• How could we resist? The 50 Cutest Things That Ever Happened

• If you don’t already like us on Facebook, click here and change that now! (We’ll love you forever!) You can also follow us on Instagram at @nowherefast40

Seen anything we have missed? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

Triple J’s Hottest 100

Triple J’s Hottest 100

Australia day is a day for celebrating the wonderful country we are lucky to live in and the culture that we are proud to represent. However, it is not the only thing being celebrated on on this fine day. Australian radio station Triple J hosts their annual listener voted music countdown of the best songs from the year before, in this case 2012, and it is known as the Hottest 100. All around the world music lovers will be tuning in to hear what is deemed the best music of the year gone by. It is amazing.

Here is how it all goes down: You get to vote for up to 10 songs and then you choose what you think will be the number one song of the year and this does not have to be something you have voted for. The reason why you pick the number one song is to go in to the running to win the coveted Golden Ticket. No, it is not entry to Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, and whilst that would be pretty cool, the prize itself is much, much better. The winner of the Golden Ticket gets VIP access for them and a friend to every Triple J supported concert, festival and party for the next year. Last years winner enjoyed the likes of Radiohead, Mumford & Sons, Sigur Ros, The Kooks, and many more. I told you it was good!

Mmmm chocolate river

Voting this year was tough. It is tough every year, but this year it felt harder. Maybe it is because there was no real standout, universally loved song like Gotye and Kimbra’s track from 2011 Somebody That I Used to Know that took out the number one spot last year. Maybe it was because all the drinking I did at our Hottest 100 party last year killed the brain cells that would have reminded me how gosh darn hard it is to pick only 10 songs from the year to vote for. To give you an insight, my (not so) shortlist reached 100 songs and I could have easily added more. It got to the point where I had to give up on my shortlist and start ruthlessly culling songs like it ain’t no thang. There are so many songs I wish I could have included but I am pleased with my vote. These songs are 2012 to me, and I love them all.

So with no further adieu, in no particular order, here is my vote for Triple J’s Hottest 100 of 2012.

CARESS YOUR SOUL – STICKY FINGERS

FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS – TAME IMPALA

DON’T EVER WANT TO BE FOUND – THE RUBENS

SURVIVAL EXPERT – SOMETHING FOR KATE

GONNA MAKE IT – VYDAMO

LITTLE TALKS – OF MONSTERS AND MEN

SORRY – GYPSY & THE CAT

DRAW A CROWD – BEN FOLD FIVE

BAGUETTE? – TYLER TOUCHE

YOUNG & DUMB – CHANCE WATERS FEATURING BERTIE BLACKMAN

I love all of these songs, particularly Caress Your Soul which I was listening to on loop as I was writing this post (Go Sticky Fingers!) and I will be so happy for them when I hear them during the countdown. I think Macklemore & Lewis’ hit Thrift Shop will take out the gong this year, and so do the betting agencies and the Warmest 100. Great song, even better film clip but it just wasn’t good enough to get my vote.

So what do you think of Triple J’s Hottest 100? Did you vote this year? Who do you think will take out the top spot? Will you be going to a Hottest 100 party? Leave us a comment and tell us all about it.

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!

Christmas Haul

Well folks, that time of year has been and gone. You know what I am talking about, Christmas! I am one lucky lady because I got spolit rotten – not that I am complaining. No. I’m here to share with you all some of what I was lucky enough to receive and where you can find some of these products for yourself.

Black Milk – Owl Swimsuit

Black Milk Clothing

This beautiful swimsuit from Black Milk was at the top of my Christmas wishlist, so I was ecstatic to receive it. As with other Black Milk pieces it is very comfortable and extremely stretchy, and the neutral colouring on top of the black makes it easy to style. I will most likely wear this as a bodysuit with denim shorts or maxi skirts more than as a swimsuit, but that doesn’t mean this baby won’t get to see the river and the beach with me. Who doesn’t love wardrobe versatility?

I like to think it is this guy on my swimsuit – Harry Potter Wikia

Now the bad news. Unfortunately this piece is sold out and is no longer being made by Black Milk Clothing. However, I recommend trying eBay if you are interested in snapping up this gorgeous swimsuit for yourself (you know you want to). Other Black Milk pieces you might be interested in include the Pegasus, Tiger or Moonwalker swims. We Are Handsome also make beautiful owl swimsuits but they are also no longer being made. The next best thing I can suggest is checking out Modcloth’s vast selection of owls goods (no owl swimwear though). Between Black Milk and Modcloth there is no wonder why my bank account can be heard crying in the distance.

Black Milk – Flamingos Swimsuit

Black Milk Clothing

Another Christmas present, another beautiful Black Milk piece. This swimsuit is very girly with pink and purple, which is something I would generally avoid. I usually wear darker colours or whites, but I just simply adore it and I look forward to branching out style wise with it. Again, I will wear this more often as a bodysuit than as a swimsuit (resolution #86,740: go swimming more often). I have denim shorts that look great with it but I am currently keeping my eyes peeled for lavender and light pink skater skirts as well.

The Flamingos swimsuit is still available from Black Milk so you should get it while you can!

Black Milk – Sheena Swimsuit

Black Milk Clothing

The Sheena swim by Black Milk is seriously too cool. Apparently she was the first female comic character to get her own comic book in 1942. Yep. She is that cool.

I fell in love with it when it was first released but my ninja skills let me down and it was out of stock before you could say ‘BUT I NEED IT!’ Thankfully it was restocked and mine for Christmas. It looks great with denim shorts and black skirts, but I need to go to my local op-shop and get some jeans that I can hack up and dye black (expect a tutorial when I do this!)

The Sheena swim is still available from Black Milk Clothing. Get it before the Queen of the Jungle goes back to the jungle that is the Black Milk Museum.

Black Milk – Peggy Bundy 7/8 Leggings

Black Milk Clothing

You either love leopard print or you hate it. I think it is fabulous! The Peggy Bundy 7/8’s Leggings by Black Milk are inspired by you guessed it, Peggy Bundy.

Reowwwww – Tumblr

However, while they are inspired by Mrs. Bundy, I am thinking I will style these in a rockabilly way with wire headscarfs and knotted shirts, or edgy with Ksubi or Unif muscle tees and Vans.

These leggings are still available at Black Milk, but only in XS. I recommend checking eBay, Polyvore, asos, Milanoo or Only Leggings. Other Black Milk leggings you may like include Beer, Call of Napoleon, Cross of St Peter, Day of the Dead, Mucha Black, and Spartans Lace.

Peter Alexander – Humming Bird Floral Gown

Peter Alexander

The Humming Bird floral gown by Peter Alexander was another item I was lusting over for Christmas. As soon as I saw it on the PA website I knew I had to have it because it reminded me of a beautiful robe worn by Tiffany in the Australian show Winners & Losers (if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend you do!) Unfortunately Tiffany’s robe was custom made from designer material. Completely unrealistic for me, but I still loved it.

Stunning – Winners & Losers

The Peter Alexander version is sold out online, but you can check your local PA store. Similar robes can be found at Cotton On Body, Deshabille, Natori, MaySilk, and Plum Pretty Sugar.

What did you get for Christmas? How would you style these pieces? Found something I should have included? Any ideas for what you would like to see next? Leave a comment below or send an email to nowherefast40@gmail.com

Welcome to Nowhere Fast

Hi and welcome to Nowhere Fast, a lifestyle blog from Australia.

This blog was started so I no longer have to hand write recipes and diy instructions for my friends. Not really. It is actually because I realised there are nowhere near enough kittens and puppies on the internet, and I need to do my part to rectify this! Maybe also because I love sharing my ideas with people, so lets get the ball rolling.

Nowhere Fast is your source to everything life, style, diy, music, food, and anything and everything in between.

I hope you enjoy the blog and if you have any ideas, tips or suggestions for what you would like to see at Nowhere Fast, you can email them to nowherefast40@gmail.com or leave me a comment.