Starbucks Secret Menu? :: Five on Friday

Did you know there’s a Starbucks secret menu?!  Well, technically it wasn’t actually put out by Starbucks, but basically it’s different drink combinations that you may or may not have thought of using Starbucks flavors.

I’m not sure if it’s commonplace to order an item exactly like it comes or to customize the heck out of it, but I have a few go-to drinks that I like to order that aren’t necessarily on the menu.  My personal sbux concoctions (if you can call them that)…

  1. Grande, Iced, 3-pump caramel, 3-pump cinnamon dolce, no whip, with cinnamon dolce sprinkles & caramel sauce on top (what I get most of the time)
  2. Tall, nonfat, Peppermint/Java Chip frappuccino
  3. Tall, nonfat, Hazelnut frappuccino with java chips (got this one recently from another blogger I follow on Instagram!)

Most of the secret menu items put my little recipes to shame though!  So, for today’s five on Friday I’m sharing the top 5 recipes from the secret menu that look the yummiest (to me!) and aren’t overly complicated.

Psst….Don’t miss the P.S. & the P.P.S at the end of the post for important info about ordering your secret menu drinks!

banana-split-frappuccino

Banana Split Frappuccino

  1. Start with a strawberries and creme Frappuccino
  2. Add Vanilla Bean powder
  3. Add Java Chips
  4. Add a whole Banana (note the extra cost)
  5. Top with whipped cream and mocha drizzle
  6. Top with caramel drizzle if desired

IMG_3120-Edit

Cotton Candy Frappuccino

  1. vanilla bean frappuccino
  2. raspberry syrup (1 pump for a tall, 1.5 pumps for a grande or 2 pumps for a venti)

banana-cream-pie-frappuccino1

Banana Cream Pie Frappuccino

  1. Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino
  2. a pump of vanilla syrup
  3. a pump of hazelnut syrup
  4. a whole banana
  5. whipped cream

fuzzy-peach

Fuzzy Peach Tea (for you non-coffee peeps)

  1. Passion Iced Tea made with half water and half orange mango purée w/light ice
  2. Peach syrup instead of the classic syrup

and last, but not least…the one I’m most excited about trying…

butterbeer-frappuccino

Butterbeer Frappuccino!

  1. *choose your size*
  2. caramel & toffee nut (yes, both syrups) cream frappuccino (whole milk)
  3. 1 pump of vanilla syrup (1 pump for tall, 1.5 pumps for grande, 2 pumps for venti)
  4. extra caramel sauce

Bonus recipe :: Banana Foster Frappuchino

photoI took a pic of this at a local Starbucks a few months ago.  Forgot about it until I was doing this post!

P.S. Don’t go trying to order these “secret” drinks by name or your barista will most likely look at you like you have two heads.  It’s not an official menu so most of the time they will have no idea what you’re talking about.  Order it by the recipe!
P.P.S. If you add banana to a frapp, just know that it will be extra $$$.

Any of you in blogland order a special Starbucks drink?  Even if you don’t have a cool name for it, please share!

on my mind :: Five on Friday

I’m loving nude shoes these days and am dying for some nude ballet flats.

Nude ballet flats

Tory Burch flat / Juicy Couture ballerina flat / Zara shoes / Valentino ballet flat / Dorothy Perkins flat shoes, $27 / Madewell ballet flat / Marc by Marc Jacobs ballerina flat / Tory Burch Eddie Logo Bow Flats | SHOPBOP / Antonio Melani Milena Studded Flats | Dillards.com

 
I’m still new to Polyvore, but I just found out that they have templates, photos, text and more to make your collage super cool!  I kept wondering how people made such pretty collages.  🙂

My Project Life 365 is still alive and well!  I missed one day so far (I think), one day I used a screen capture for my photo and some of my photos are WAY lame, but I’m still chugging along. Here’s my May round-up…

may2013

I need some inspiration to get me excited about eating healthy again.  I ran across this book recently…

rachel-bellers-eat-to-lose-eat-to-win-your-grab-n-go-action-plan-for-a-slimmer-healthier-you

It looks good from what I can tell online, but I want to get out to the bookstore soon and flip through it.  I’m a really picky eater so I like to browse and see if I can find a few recipes that I like immediately.  I hate buying a book and only finding 1-2 recipes that I’d actually make, so if I can’t find a few good ones while just browsing it, it’s likely not a good investment for me.

Anthropologie has some flippin’ adorable, i-don’t-need-them-but-desperately-want-them, glass drink ware for sale right now.  I am particularly fond of these little cuties…

glass bottles

I’ve been switching handbags a lot lately, but because I’m not super organized like this chick…I never have all the stuff I want/need.  I usually only grab my wallet/wristlet, my phone, a chapstick and my camera.  No bueno!  I really want to take the time and have a pretty organized back like this one.

organized-handbag-ariannabelleblog

Five Things Friday…

On my mind this week….

Getting my gym legs (gym equivalent of sea legs ;)) back.  The gym was full of boys (blech!) on Tuesday.  They hog all the free weight benches and when I do scoot in to get a bench, I sorta feel like they’re judging me for taking up one of their precious benches to use my measly baby weights.  It didn’t help that it’s been a couple of months since I was in last and I was sort of floundering in my workout anyway.  Oh well, I managed to get a good workout in regardless and was pretty happy that I could still do 3 sets of push-ups even though my pectorals and lats are STILL super sore three days later!

2013-05-31_0001

___________________________________________

I have to admit something…I’m becoming a bit of a mango addict.  I love them!  The past two summers I maybe had 2-3 the whole summer.  Now, I’m eating 2-3 a week!  I’m slightly obsessed with them lately.

mango

___________________________________________

I got these adorable jog pants at Forever 21 last week and I cannot find a shirt that goes with them to save my life.  I keep buying shirts that I think will work, bring them home and try them on with the pants and then get annoyed b/c they don’t look good.  I’m starting to wonder if I made a mistake buying the pants in the first place.  They were only $22 so it’s not a huge deal if they go unworn, but I really loved them when I tried them on in the dressing room.  :o/

Screen Shot 2013-05-30 at 8.32.37 PM

___________________________________________

Sperrys!  I’ve been a shoe buying maniac lately so I’m trying to reign it in, but I have been lusting over these Sperry boat shoes since I tried them on the other day.  I’m trying very hard to talk myself out of buying them!

sperrys

I love the leopard print, but look at how cute this anchor pair is!  OMG.  I think I might need these instead.

sperry_anchors

___________________________________________

I have been looking everywhere for a chambray shirt that I like.  I found this one at H&M and I was telling my hubs about it, who then asked what chambray was and I had to admit that I didn’t know the difference between chambray & denim.  *hangs head*  So, what’s a girl to do?  Turn to my friend Google, of course.  She’s always there for me.

denimCome to find out, there IS a difference between the two.  I kinda thought the terms were interchangeable.

ME <——— fashion noob

But, I’m in the know now so I now know that the shirt I found was “denim”, not chambray.  For a second I thought about taking it back, but after doing a little digging I found out that people use them interchangeably in outfits so I’m keeping it.  I’ll still be on the hunt for a good chambray one though!

*btw, yellow pants over there…$15 at H&M right now.  They had a mint color too, but they didn’t have my size.  :'(

Five Things…

TGIF!  Only 3 weeks until my kiddos get out of school and I think I’m more excited than they are.  It’s so close I can taste it…shorts & flip flops, fresh fruit on a hot summer day, the smell of coconut lotion, spur of the moment bowling excursions, and best of all, no homework & no schedule!

Sum..sum..summertime here we come!

I’m so pumped about Sara Bareilles new album coming out this summer (July 16th)!  I love her songs and I’ve already been playing her single “Brave” over and over again.  If you haven’t heard it, you need to go buy it now.

Seriously…I’ll wait…

“Show me how big your brave is…say what you wanna say and let it all fall out…honestly…I wanna see you be brave”

brave

She has this cool download on her website where you can post how you’re going to be brave.  That’s mine above.  Now show me yours!

_________________________________

Sequins & Glitter?  Yes please.  I’m attending my daughters vocal banquet on Sunday and I can’t wait to wear my new pink sequin pencil skirt that I got from the Limited on an insane sale ($12.50..oh yeah!).  Today I bought pink glitter polish to complete my outfit.  I’m going to paint it over the polish that’s currently on my toes to make them sparkle a little and it’s going to be the polish on my ring finger with Essie Mint Candy Apple on the rest of my fingers. Woot!

glitter polish_________________________________

I am in love with Shannon Botakis’ work.  I have no idea where I would put one, but eventually she will have the perfect one for sale and I WILL have it for my house.  My favorites are “Sailing Away” and several of her new pieces seen here, specifically the first four and “How I Wish You Were Here”.

Screen Shot 2013-05-17 at 9.16.48 PM

_________________________________

I have been on a huge shoe bender lately and just when I think I’ve got all my bases covered, I find another shoe I NEED.  No, really, I NEED it.  I have this amazeballs maxi dress that is just a smidge too long so it needs to be paired with a low wedge sandal, which of course, I don’t own.  I like this one and I adore this Chinese Laundry one, but I want more of a 2 in heel so they won’t work.  I ordered these from Target today.  The heel is the right height and they weren’t too expensive…Score!

Screen Shot 2013-05-17 at 9.11.29 PM

_________________________________

Ugh…the VS annual swim sale catalog came today.  Please tell me I’m not the only one that isn’t ready for the swimsuit part of the summer?!  Nuff said.