The Friday 5 🖐️: Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad, The Coziest Wrap & a Fun 80s Throwback
🌸 A little refresh, a little nostalgia, and a whole lot of spring energy.
This week’s Friday 5 has a bit of everything—from a new pasta salad, a deep discount for my readers this weekend, spring refresh tips & my current favorite playlist. If you’re feeling like it’s time to refresh & reset, this is your sign to do it.
And a big thanks to everyone who voted last week to keep the “What’s Inside” section!
With that, let’s get into it…
What’s Inside:
✅ A lemony pasta salad that screams spring
✅ The perfect Mother’s Day gift (on sale!)
✅ A reminder to clean that thing you haven’t cleaned in months
✅ 5 tips that save time & energy
✅ A feel-good playlist of 80s I have on repeat
1. Eating: Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad 🍋
This Lemon Orzo Salad is light, bright, and perfect for warmer weather. It’s got orzo pasta, crisp veggies, and a zippy lemon dressing that pulls it all together.
I love it for meal prep, gatherings, or an easy side with grilled chicken or salmon. Bonus: it holds up beautifully in the fridge for a few days.
2. Loving: Cozy Earth Flash Sale 🌸
This weekend only Cozy Earth is offering my readers 45% off!
If you’re going to splurge anywhere, make it on sheets and towels (you use them every day!).
You already know I love Cozy Earth—their towels are truly the best. Right now, they’re giving my newsletter readers a 45% off flash sale—perfect timing if you want to treat your mom, friend, sister, or yourself to something ultra-soft and elevated for a spring refresh. I live in their pajamas this time of year, and we only use their towels and sheets at our house.
→ Use code ‘CE-ELIZABETHRIDER’ for a 45% discount if you shop this weekend.
Tip: I’ve had a fantastic partnership with Cozy Earth for a few years now, so if you’re new-ish here, you should know that they give content creators like me deals for our readers that are not available on their website (yes, it’s an even better deal!). They only come around a few times per year, so use it this weekend if you want it. :)
3. Washing: My Makeup Bag 🧼
PSA: Your makeup & toiletry bag probably needs a wash.
Make it easy and just throw it in the wash! It’s one of those little things that gets neglected but makes such a difference. I toss mine in the washing machine every few months (more often if I’ve been traveling), and it’s such a great spring cleaning refresh.
→ How to clean your makeup bag in 3 steps
4. Writing: 5 Tips for Better Content Creation
If you’re in the content game—whether you’re a coach, creator, aspiring entrepreneur, or small business owner—this one’s for you. After 15+ years of writing online, I’ve distilled what actually works into 5 smart, doable tips to help you create content more consistently without burning out. These are the strategies I use myself, and they truly make a difference.
→ Read: 5 Tips for Better Content Creation from an OG Blogger
5. Listening: To The “Ladies of the Eighties” Playlist 🎤
This might be the best algorithm win ever. I asked Alexa to “play something fun,” and she queued up Ladies of the Eighties—Whitney Houston, Madonna, Pat Benatar, Tina Turner. It’s joyful, energetic, and puts me in the best mood.
I’m sure you can find a version on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you stream. I’ve been putting it on before dinner and leaving it on through the evening—it’s a real mood booster.
Happy May!
Elizabeth
💌 What’s The Friday 5?
The Friday 5 is your weekly roundup of smart, practical finds—from healthy recipes to wellness tips to the little things that actually make a difference.
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