Fresh, ripe fruit plays an important part in any healthy diet, but it can be frustrating when your juicy apples get brown and bruised just days after purchasing them. If you'd like to select the ripest, freshest produce at the grocery store, check out these four tips!

1. Feel the weight. Fruits like melons, oranges, and lemons feel heavier when they’re ripe with juice, so pick them up before choosing which ones to buy. The fruit should feel heavy for its size if it’s truly ripe.
2. Test the texture. The above fruit should also feel firm to the touch, but not so firm that they feel dry and hard inside. Give them a gentle squeeze to check for bruising, as well.
3. Use your sense of smell. Fruits like berries, grapes, and nectarines begin to smell sour or rotten when they’re past their prime, so be sure to give them a good whiff before purchasing. Most fruits will give off a light, sweet scent when they’re ready to consume.
4. Inspect the whole surface. If all else fails, use your best judgment by simply inspecting the fruit. Turn over a melon or apple to check for bruising or discoloration, take a quick peek through a bag of grapes or oranges to see if any are mushy or rotten, and consider the color of the fruit’s skin, as this can often tell if it is too ripe.

How to Select Fresh, Ripe Produce [Lifehacker]
How to Pick Fruits & Veggies [Good Housekeeping]
Raw Produce: Selecting and Serving it Safely [FDA]
Choosing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables [Family Circle]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Harsha K R

Garbo's Restaurant is the bricks-and-mortar extension of Heidi Garbo's popular local food truck. Like the original food truck, Garbo's Restaurant specializes in fresh, buttery lobster rolls served either "Maine style" or "Connecticut style" and accompanied by fries or clam chowder, but this Austin restaurant also offers an expanded seafood menu.

Yelp reviewers recommend trying the smoked fish dip, served with crackers or grilled French bread, as well as the crispy clam fritters accompanied by a gribiche sauce for dipping. Main dishes include whole gulf shrimp simmered in a spicy herb and lemon broth, as well as beer battered fish and ships served with house-made ketchup and tartar sauce. Don't forget a bowl of creamy, New England clam chowder, topped with scallions and served with traditional oyster crackers to round out your meal.

Don't worry if seafood's just not your thing, either, because the restaurant also serves a popular Texas wagyu burger accompanied by fries and a pickle.

Garbo's Restaurant
14735 Bratton Lane
Austin, TX 78728
(512) 350-9814
www.garboslobsteratx.com/restaurant
www.yelp.com/biz/garbos-restaurant-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/intenteffect

You might think that it’s impossible to replicate the relaxing oasis of a spa bathroom in your home, but with a few simple tips from pros, you’ll be on your way to a day of pampering in no time. Here are just a few ways to transform your bathroom into a relaxing retreat.

1. Invest in candles. There are few better (or easier) ways to create a spa feeling than by adding mood-enhancing candles. Place them on the back of the toilet, on the sink, or even on the edges of the tub.
2. Switch out the lighting. Try a bulb with lower wattage to create a peaceful, relaxing ambiance in your bathroom.
3. Add some spa essentials. Fill an attractive basket with fancy lotions, soaps, and bath salts and place it within arm’s length of your bathtub.
4. Purchase spa-quality towels. Make the upgrade to plush, luxurious towels. Choose towels in soft, muted colors or even stark white to impart that spa-like look. Instead of folding your towels, roll them into cylinders and store them in a basket by the foot of your shower.
5. Keep the counters clean. Clutter works against the minimalist look that you’re going for, so store your essential products in a cabinet or corral them with a stylish tray.

Budget Makeover: At-Home Spa [the nest]
Give Your Bathroom a Makeover [She Knows]
What Decorating Ideas Make a Bathroom Feel Like a Retreat? [Modern Mom]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Alexis Fam Photography