25 Ways to Dress Up Your Deck

Jun 04, 2013

Summertime calls for spending time outside. If you’re lucky enough to have a fabulous deck, we have several ideas on how you can start decorating it. From wire dining sets, to a couple versions of the classic sling chair, and accessories like lights, lanterns, candles, and more you’ll never want to go inside again. And if you aren’t lucky enough to have a patio of your own, head to the park with one of these 20 picnic blankets you can buy or DIY. It’s time to spend the summer al fresco.

1. Curt Deck Chair ($420): A new take on the classic sling chair, oversized version just requires a sturdy wall before you start lounging around. (Look familiar? It was also one of our picks for our 30 Places to Take a Seat roundup.)

2. West Elm Bend Dining Table & Chairs ($400): Decorative wire chairs are a fixture of modern design, and these bright yellow ones are a totally affordable version of the classics.

3. Faux Bamboo Bar Carts (from $295): What deck would be complete without a well stocked bar? None that we know!

4. Frosted Bulb String Lights ($17): What deck or patio would be complete without a few strands of lights? Buy these basics, and then try one of our ideas for tricking them out.

5. Garden Oasis Retro Steel Clam Rocker ($60): Head back to your grandparents’ front porch (in your head anyway) with this retro glider. Just make sure you have some lemonade in a mason jar to enjoy with it.

6. Empire Fireplace Steel ($110): You don’t have to have a lot of space to enjoy a fire pit. All it takes is a small table or plant stand for this square steel bowl. Not your style? We have plenty of other portable fireplaces to choose from.

7. Shoreline Adirondack Chair & Ottoman ($167): Classic for sitting on the cape, this bright red Adirondack chair is anything but boring. The only danger is that you’ll never leave your deck again.

8. Polished Copper Bird Bath ($77): Make sure your feathered friends have a place to cool off during the sweltering summer days. If you don’t have a yard, you can also stake this birdbath in a potted plant.

9. Outdoor/Indoor Post Planters ($92): Make use of vertical space on a small deck with these brightly colored planters. They also work just as well inside. Find more planters in our avant gardening guide.

10. Happy Yellow Stripe Indoor/Outdoor Rug ($138): Bring the cheeriness of your indoor decor outside with this brightly striped rug.

11. Lucinda Orange Stacking Chair ($70): Prepare for unexpected guests by having a stash of these powder-coated iron chairs at the ready.

12. Del Mar Fish Umbrella ($119): Keep your deck bright but still shaded with this colorful umbrella perfect to cover a table or lounge chairs.

13. Colorblocked Basket Chair ($298): Far from your traditional woven basket chair, this colorful version from Anthropologie will seat guests in style.

14. Starlight Citronella Candles ($24 each): Keep pests from crashing your barbecue by sprinkling these candles around your deck or patio.

15. Ying Yang Lounging Chair: Talk about romantic, this chair lets you lounge with your sweetheart, even if you’re really opposites at heart. (Find a store for pricing and availability.)

16. Tripee Fire Pit: Our favorite new portable fire place. This is perfect for any patio, deck, or backyard. (Contact the manufacturer for availability.)

17. Kalamazoo Artisan Fire Outdoor Pizza Oven ($6,500): Pricey, yes. But the homemade pizza you’ll get from it will make it totally worth it.

18. Plant Orb ($125): Not your mother’s hanging planter this orb is handmade in Brooklyn, and will fit anything in your plant collection.

19. Stripe Canvas Hammock & Stand Set ($130): Yes, you need hammock on your deck. Is that even a question?

20. APPLARO Storage Bench ($70): Seating + garden supply storage = a win-win situation.

21. Vintage Library Ladder with Galvanized Shelf ($380): Plants aren’t the only thing you can store on this vintage-inspired ladder. We’re thinking it would make a good bar setup, too.

22. Harwich Lanterns ($19.50-$39.50): Make these lanterns even more porch-friendly by stocking them with citronella candles.

23. Patio Garden Kit by Scout Regalia ($105): Making a raised bed for your patio has never been easier than with this kit.

24. Time & Tide Clock ($98): Even if you’re far from the shore, you can make your deck feel coastal with this display.

25. Quel Objet Sling Chair ($150): The gold standard for outdoor lounging, this is what we’re coveting this summer.

What will you be buying for your deck this summer?

This New “Must-Try” Trader Joe’s Drink Is Based Off Their Best Dessert

The alcohol section at Trader Joe’s is about to quake in fear of me, because they just dropped a drink based on their very best dessert. And trust me, I can verify that – it’s a sweet treat I enjoy pretty much every single day. Now that I know it’s coming in a sippable form (and alcoholic, nonetheless!) I will need approximately 20 cans to stock up.

Scroll on to discover the new “must-try” Trader Joe’s alcoholic drink inspired by their best dessert around.

@traderjoesnew

Yep, I’m speechless. Trader Joe’s just put a Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter on their shelves, and it looks insane. Going off the design of the cans, it’s quite obviously based on the grocer’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – a treat I keep in my cupboard no matter what.

Trader Joe's

I’m not kidding when I say I eat this TJ’s dessert on the daily, either. The cups come in the perfect small size for snacking that I typically peel one open after lunch, and one after dinner for a perfectly-dosed treat. Other than that, I think these cups pair wonderfully with vanilla ice cream as a topping, or even chopped up and baked into cookies!

Back to the porter, though. Per photos shared by Trader Joe’s fan account, @traderjoesnew, the drink is an “imperial porter with peanut butter and natural flavors." The 16-ounce cans are sold in a 4-pack for $15, and each one measures 9.2% alcohol by volume. Whew! One drink will absolutely set you right.

Eva Bronzini / PEXELS

Similar to stouts, porters are famously known for their rich, malty flavor profile with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and caramel – so it’s only right that TJ’s whipped up this peanut butter cup-inspired bev.

@traderjoesnew

Some Trader Joe’s fans that caught @traderjoesnew’s post about the porter flavor weighed in on the new launch.

“Honestly these were really good,” one person said.

“I love sweets and dark beer; did these beers in my 20’s but in my 40’s there’s way too much going on in this,” another shopper commented. “My suggestion: share the pint with 2-3 others. It will be a boozy sweet bomb.”

Meredith Holser

Whatever your preference for alcohol is, if you can’t resist a sweet treat, I'd say Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter is totally worth a try.

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Can't Get Enough of 'The Pitt' On Max? Here Are 21 Medical Drama Shows To Stream This Weekend.

I might not have wanted to be a doctor growing up, but man oh man do I enjoy watching a medical drama. Something about the literal life-or-death stakes in the operating room makes the personal stakes feel even juicier, and thanks to shows like Doctor Odyssey and Grey's Anatomy, not to mention Max's standout The Pitt, it's never been a better time to be a medical drama fan. Stay tuned for Pulse, coming to Netflix April 3!

Here are 21 of the best medical shows to give you the chance to scrub in — and where to stream them.

Doctor Odyssey — On ABC/Hulu

Tina Thorpe/Disney

Max might live on a luxury cruise ship, but life is not a vacation (even if the crew really knows how to party). Working as the ship's doctor means constantly facing unexpected medical (and relational) issues. And while that already sounds complicated, being miles off shore doesn't help.

Doctor Odyssey stars Joshua Jackson, Philippa Soo, Sean Teale, Don Johnson, Callum Swan, Emma Churms, and Stuart Clark.

Grey's Anatomy — On ABC/Hulu

Anne Marie Fox/Disney

You'd think by now we'd know what to expect from a day at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, but Grey's Anatomy season 21 has PLENTY of surprises in store. I'm still reeling from Mika's sister undergoing cancer treatment and potential fertility-saving treatment.

Grey's Anatomy season 21 stars Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Kevin McKidd, and Camilla Luddington.

Transplant — On Peacock

CTV/NBC

This can't-miss show follows Syrian doctor Bashir "Bash" Hamed, who takes refuge in Canada during the Syrian Civil War and rebuilds his career at Toronto's York Memorial Hospital.

Transplant stars Hamza Haq, Laurence Leboeuf, Ayisha Issa, Jim Watson, and Sirena Gulamgaus.

Chicago Med — On NBC And Peacock

George Burns Jr./NBC

Dick Wolf's NBC medical drama provides the staff of Gaffney Medical with plenty of challenges — both inside the emergency department and out.

Chicago Med stars S. Epatha Merkerson, Oliver Platt, Marlyne Barrett, Jessy Schram, and Luke Mitchell.

Saving Hope — On Hulu

Ken Woroner/NBCUniversal

Dr. Alex Reid already has a lot on her mind as a doctor at Hope Zion. But when a car accident leaves her fiancé Dr. Charles Harris in a coma (while on the way to their wedding no less), Alex has to balance her patients with the hope that he'll make it out okay.

Saving Hope stars Erica Durance, Michael Shanks, Erica Durance, Michael Shanks, Daniel Gillies, Huse Madhavji, Julia Taylor Ross, Kristopher Turner, Wendy Crewson, and Benjamin Ayres.

New Amsterdam — On Netflix And Peacock

NBC

Upholding tradition while also embracing the new is something we've all probably faced at one point or another, and that includes this medical drama. When Dr. Max Goodwin becomes the director at one of the oldest hospitals in the country, he's determined to change it for the better.

New Amsterdam stars Ryan Eggold, Freema Agyeman, and Janet Montgomery.

SkyMed — On Paramount+

Pief Weyman/Paramount+

Saving lives in a hospital? Incredible. Saving lives in a plane? Miraculous. This medical drama TV show follows the nurses and pilots flying air ambulances through Northern Canada, which is a concept I don't think I'll ever wrap my head around.

SkyMed stars Natasha Calis, Ace “Aason” Nadjiwon, Morgan Holmstrom, Praneet Akilla, Thomas Elms, Mercedes Morris, Kheon Clarke, and Braeden Clarke.

Dr. Death — On Peacock

Sophie Kohler/Peacock

Mandy Moore stars in this medical drama TV show, which follows a doctor who cares more about his ego than his patients — and causes more harm than good.

Dr. Death stars Joshua Jackson, Grace Gummer, Christian Slater, Alec Baldwin, AnnaSophia Robb, Édgar Ramírez, Mandy Moore, Ashley Madekwe, Gustaf Hammarsten, and Luke Kirby.

The Resident — On Netflix And Hulu

Fox

Gilmore Girls fans will want to tune into this one because Matt Czuchry (Logan) stars as the lead! And dang he looks good in scrubs. This medical drama follows the staff at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, treating their patients while also peeking past the curtain into the healthcare industry. But don't worry, there's plenty of relationship drama, too ;).

The Resident stars Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Manish Dayal, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Bruce Greenwood, Merrin Dungey, Melina Kanakaredes, Moran Atias, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Andrew McCarthy.

House — On AppleTV+, Hulu, Prime Video, And Peacock

Fox

The successful and unconventional Dr. House leads a team of diagnosticians at New Jersey's Princeton–Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in this loose take on Dr. Holmes.

House stars Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard, Jennifer Morrison, Jesse Spencer, Peter Jacobson, Kal Penn, Olivia Wilde, Amber Tamblyn, Odette Annable, and Charlyne Yi.

The Good Doctor — On Hulu

ABC

In this medical drama, Freddie Highmore stars as Shaun Murphy, the good doctor in question, an autistic surgical resident at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. While he creates a new life for himself San Jose, California, it doesn't take long for his life in Wyoming to catch up with him.

The Good Doctor stars Freddie Highmore, Christina Chang, Richard Schiff, Will Yun Lee, Fiona Gubelmann, Paige Spara, Noah Galvin, and Bria Samoné Henderson.

Call The Midwife — On Netflix

PBS/BBC

Take a trip to London (and the '50s and '60s) with this dramatic series revolving around the lives of nurse midwives in the East End.

Call The Midwife stars Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Bryony Hannah, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, Judy Parfitt, Cliff Parisi, Stephen McGann, Ben Caplan, Daniel Laurie, Emerald Fennell, Victoria Yeates, Jack Ashton, Linda Bassett, Charlotte Ritchie, Kate Lamb, Jennifer Kirby, Annabelle Apsion, and Leonie Elliott.

Brilliant Minds — On NBC, FuboTV, And Peacock

Rafy/NBC

One of NBC's newest medical dramas follows a neurologist and his group of interns as they explore our brains like we've never seen before as they deal with relationships, mental health, and life outside the hospital.

Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto, Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, and Teddy Sears.

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman — On Prime Video

CBS

If you're a fan of science AND history, then tune into this 90s TV show that has literally every kind of drama wrapped into one: family, relationship, and more. I promise the series, which follows Dr. Michaela Quinn as she moves from Boston to the West in the 1800s, is a super compelling watch.

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman stars Jane Seymour, Joe Lando, Chad Allen, Shawn Toovey, Orson Bean, Jessica Bowman, and Erika Flores.

The Night Shift — Rent On Amazon Prime

Cathy Kanavy/NBC

If you thought your average medical drama was crazy during the day, wait until you see The Night Shift, which follows the nightly staff — and patients — at San Antonio Memorial Hospital.

The Night Shift stars Eoin Macken, Jill Flint, Ken Leung, Brendan Fehr, Robert Bailey, Jr., Jeananne Goossen, JR Lemon, Freddy Rodriguez, Daniella Alonso, Scott Wolf, Tanaya Beatty, and Luke Macfarlane.

A Gifted Man — On AppleTV+

Craig Blankenhorn/CBS

Surgeon Michael is self-absorbed, cold, and materialistic — but things start to change when the ghost of his late wife begins visiting him.

A Gifted Man stars Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle, Margo Martindale, Liam Aiken, Julie Benz, Pablo Schreiber, Rachelle Lefevre, and Afton Williamson.

ER — On Hulu And Max

NBC

If you've ever been to the ER, then you know how chaotic it can be. And seeing both the professional and personal issues play out in this medical drama? Just as wild as you'd think.

ER stars Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Sherry Stringfield, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, Gloria Reuben, Laura Innes, Maria Bello, Alex Kingston, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Goran Višnjić, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Ming-Na Wen, and Maura Tierney.

Body of Proof — On Hulu

Nicole Wilder/ABC

Think of Body of Proof like Gilmore Girls in a different font. Because while balancing her career as a medical examiner with the rest of her life, Dr. Megan Hunt is also trying to reconnect with her daughter.

Body of Proof stars Dana Delany, Jeri Ryan, John Carroll Lynch, Nicholas Bishop, Sonja Sohn, Geoffrey Arend, Windell Middlebrooks, Mary Mouser, Mark Valley, and Elyes Gabel.

Good Sam — On AppleTV+

CBS

One Tree Hill's Sophia Bush leads this medical drama about Dr. Sam Griffith, who becomes Lakeshore Sentinel's top surgeon when her boss (and dad) falls into a coma. Naturally, that means she's in charge when he wakes up.

Good Sam stars Jason Isaacs, Sophia Bush, Skye P. Marshall, Michael Stahl-David, Omar Maskati, Wendy Crewson, Edwin Hodge, and Davi Santos.

Private Practice — On Hulu

ABC

Anyone who's missing Bridgerton should totally tune into this medical drama (and Grey's Anatomy spinoff) from Shonda Rhimes! Addison Montgomery is a neonatal surgeon who swaps Seattle Grace Hospital for a public clinic in LA (and a love triangle for a fresh start).

Private Practice stars Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, Audra McDonald, Paul Adelstein, KaDee Strickland, Chris Lowell, Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman, Brian Benben, Caterina Scorsone, Benjamin Bratt, and Griffin Gluck.

Trust Me — On The Roku Channel

BBC

Trust is one of the most important parts of a doctor-patient relationship. But what happens when that trust disintegrates? This medical drama finds out.

Trust Me stars Jodie Whittaker, Emun Elliott, Sharon Small, Blake Harrison, Alfred Enoch, Katie Clarkson-Hill, John Hannah, and Ashley Jensen.

Let us know your favorite medical drama on Facebook!

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5 Shopping Mistakes To Avoid At Aldi

Aldiis obviously beloved for itsbudget-friendly grocery finds, but even the most seasoned Aldi fans can fail to make the most of their shopping trips there. The grocer is packed with hidden gems and major savings, and you may not realize a few simple missteps can keep you from getting the most bang for your buck. Before your next grocery run, make sure you're not making these common Aldi shopping mistakes!

Below, see the top 5 mistakes to avoid making when you shop at Aldi.

Sora Shimazaki / PEXELS

1. Not bringing a quarter.

Aldi requires a $0.25 deposit for their shopping carts, which you get back when you return it. Forgetting a quarter when you go shopping at Aldi can be inconvenient if you don't have a spare!

Thirdman / PEXELS

2. Not bringing reusable bags.

Aldi typically charges for plastic or paper bags, so bringing your own reusable bags can easily save you some money and the extra hassle!

Aldi

3. Not exploring the entire store.

Aldi sometimes hides popular or seasonal items in unexpected places throughout their stores, so it's worth checking out all of the aisles, especially if you’re searching for a unique find.

Reddit

4. Not trying Aldi-exclusive brands.

Aldi's exclusive brands often offer quality at a lower price, so it's worth trying them out. Though, beware of some of the items that Aldi shoppers say aren’t worth it.

Some of the Aldi brand names to look out for include Simply Nature, LiveGfree, Earth Grown, Clancy's, and Specially Selected.