Why doesn't anyone pass out candied bacon for Trick or Treat?

…oh, you weren’t talking about bacon? Well, then it’s time to change the subject. Sometimes, when I think of bacon, I think of  Alex Guarnaschelli. (Take note of me calling her Alex, instead of Alexandra as if I am one of her very best friends.)  It’s all because of her Candied Bacon recipe – so yummy. Obviously, other TV chefs have done masterful things with bacon, but somehow when Alex (check me again) prepares bacon — or anything — it’s as if she’s giving you the confidence and the okay to indulge.

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Unleash the beast inside your pumpkin.

If you’re still using everyday cutlery to whittle works of art from mere gourds, then you need to step up your game. Forget the namby-pamby carving kits they sell in craft stores – those are for seasonal suckas. The gang on DIY Network recommends power tools, of course. Not saying you’ll end up with the museum-worthy jack-o-lanterns found in this Extreme Halloween Pumpkin Carving photo gallery, but you might surprise yourself.

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Dress up your mac n' cheese and take it to dinner.

I’ve been wondering where to put my bacon since outdoor burger season ended a few weeks ago. Misplaced bacon can be a truly unfortunate thing. The other day on an especially cold and damp day I was scanning the comfort food index on FoodNetwork.com and came across this happy marriage: Dressed-Up Bacon Mac and Cheese from Food Network Magazine. If this isn’t a solution, I don’t know what is. I liked this recipe instantly, mostly because…

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Everyday was Halloween for Brittany.

I’m not going to sit here and quote Pink for no reason.  As a matter of fact, I’ve got two reasons: 1) I’ve got my rock moves. 2) I will be channeling the pop-rock diva this year for Halloween (à la her trapeze performance at the VMA’s). Why so elaborate you wonder?

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I'm green with envy over the Green Home's earth-friendley laundry room.

I’m not even kidding when I say I was literally just daydreaming about The Laundry Room of My Dreams, when I heard CNN’s Keira Knightly (like a voice from above) talking about the possibility of a federal Cash for Clean Laundry program. Okay, it’s not called that. But word on the street is that there is a new program in the works that might work like the Cash for Clunkers deal, but for appliances. You wouldn’t have to turn in your offensive, earth-destroying, old refrigerator. (You could just move it to the basement or the garage like my parents.) Sit tight though – state governments will decide how much you get and they don’t have to turn in their proposals to the feds until Oct. 15. Keep checking in at www.energy.gov. Do you realize that this could bring me one step closer to 4.0 cubic feet of front-loading happiness? What’s your next big appliance purchase going to be?

You can make a Slatted Room Divider in one day.

In my mind, they are two separate rooms and clearly the one with the room dining room table…is the dining room. But when I have people over—it never fails—they end up eating in the living room. I understand their confusion. After all, it is technically one big room, but one room with two jobs. I want a room divider that I can make myself…on a Saturday…that I can also remove when I want the two rooms to appear as one. I like HGTV’s Slatted Room Divider that I found in their gallery of ideas for room dividers. I’m trying to be creative before I give in and order a shoji screen online. Do you have a room divider? Does it work?

Weekend projects from HGTV

Sometimes all it takes is a little fancy to make you feel better about yourself or your surroundings. You know what I mean, a little lip shimmer, a pair of white gloves, a British accent…stuff like that. Same holds true for your place, you know.  Look at the pendant light in your kitchen. Now picture it suspended from a fancy ceiling medallion? See what I’m sayin’? Here are 19 other weekend projects to help you class up a room, all for under $100.

Schlitterbahn Waterpark makes FineLiving.com's list of the 8 best wet and wild retreats.

In general, water parks remind me of teenagers with matching t-shirts and water-borne disease. This has never stopped me from going mind you – just a few little red flags in the back of my mind. As I pull together my list of cheap thrills for the summer I keep coming back to the idea of a road trip to the nearest water park. America has some doozies and they’re good for all ages. Plus, you can usually pay for the water park seperately, and that’s definitely a bonus. I can tolerate about one amusement park a year. What’s your favorite?