Last night, my roommate, Jessy, my BFF, Molly, and I decided to forgo the usual Thursday night plan of happy hour, and instead take a cookie decorating class.

The end result? 500 less calories, one sugar high, and a probable new hobby.

I MEAN SERIOUSLY, ART YOU CAN EAT? SIGN ME UP.

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If you’re in the DC area, I highly recommend taking a class with Larry Calvert. After skimming through the September issue of Washingtonian, which featured 26 classes in the region, I decided cookie decorating was calling my name.

I reached out to Larry, and he let me know the dates of his upcoming classes. We opted for last night’s, which was $45 and lasted from 6:30-8:30pm. Not only were all the supplies included, we left with six beautifully decorated cookies and a wealth of knowledge that instilled the confidence in me to try royal icing and the decorating techniques at home on my own.

Not only that, the class was fun, Larry was an amazing teacher, and the instructions were easy to follow, but still allowed ample room for creativity. It was such a relaxed environment and we were encouraged to not take ourselves too seriously—after all, they’re just cookies.

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So, last night’s class should give you some indication of how my Friday is going (#sugarhigh). In case you also are distracted on this Friday ahead of a holiday week, here’s my weekly round up of links I’m loving—

•  These easy, three-ingredient smoothies are healthy, delish, and simple. Not to mention, I love the idea of freezing all your ingredients in a bag to forgo ice.
• This Rebecca Minkoff Tote has my name written all over it.
• Why Kim Kardashian is the World’s Best Marketer.
• A thought-provoking piece on how technology is changing childhood.

And in case you want to beat the Black Friday rush, check out a few of my favorite things:

• Gifts Under $25
• Gifts Under $50
• Gifts Under $100
• Gifts Over $100