Favorite Things





May you and yours have a fabulous Christmas and receive all of your favorite things!

Festive and Fabulous

Here are some super chic, holiday-themed items I wouldn't mind finding tucked under the Christmas tree...

Alkemie Elk Head Ring

 

ModCloth Holiday Parade Dress

Kate Spade Bow Clutch

Crane & Co. Journal

Plaid Ralph Lauren Slippers

Christmas All Over

I love Christmas time but I always find myself overwhelmed and under prepared!  I'm ignoring the fact that I have not bought one morsel of a Christmas present, card or stocking stuffer.  Instead I will decorate & hopefully get our tree, drink hot chocolate & watch my favorite Christmas movies!

White Christmas

 

 

 

A Christmas Story

 

 

 

From Cupcakes and Cashmere

 

My dream entryway

 

Rainy Day Inspiration

Empire Strikes Back

I am a bit obsessed with Boardwalk Empire.  What an amazing show about gangsters, bootleggers and other unsavory gentlemen...and the women who love them. And speaking of the women, I am in love with all of their costumes. There are so many gorgeous pieces available that are inspired by Boardwalk or the Jazz Age in general.  And thanks to Ebay and Etsy a TON of fabulous vintage jewelry! Here are some of my favorites.

Beaded Dress, Topshop $510

 T-Strap Heels, ModCloth $128

 

Cloche Hat, Forever 21 $10

Beaded Earrings, Etsy $60

 

Get Ur Bake On

This past weekend I made a variation of Martha's Banana Cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Icing.  Scrumdiddlyumptious perfection!

To make cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 ripe bananas), plus 1 whole banana, for garnish (optional
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To make frosting...I doubled the recipe because it wasn't enough for me ;)

1 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In separate bowl, mix together butter, bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Combine banana and flour mixture. Spoon batter into muffin cups. 

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan; cool completely on a wire rack.  Top with frosting.

Ring A Ding Ding.

Due to being consumed by all things wedding related, I am taking a blogging hiatus until mid-November.  The next posting you read will be written by a married woman :)

Girl Crush

Christina Hendricks at the Emmy's.  Perfection!

Clam Bake For Dummies.

Having just returned from my UBER-relaxing vacation to the Outer Banks, I definitely have seafood on the brain.  Part of me is dying to buy a ton of fresh crabs & clams, a gi-normous pot and host a good ol' fashioned clam bake!  But then I remember that I'm weird about having to kill creatures that are alive when you purchase them and...oh yeah I live in the city.  Here are some delicious summer recipes that are simple, quick and have a clam bake essence.

Buttery Crab Bake
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stick of butter, melted
2 pounds crab meat
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine all ingredients in small glass baking dish.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Can be served with dishes listed below and also fabulous with steak or pasta!

French Potato Salad
2-1/2 pounds fingerling or small new potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons vinegar - sherry or white
1 small shallot, minced
1/2 medium red or yellow onion, sliced
Salt & pepper to taste
  
Directions

1. You could boil the potatoes but that takes forever!  It's easier to microwave them in batches of up to 6, which takes about 15-17 minutes for larger potatoes.  Just make sure they are fully cooked through.
2. In large bowl, whisk together oil, mustard, vinegar, shallot & season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes and onion and toss to combine. Best serve at room temperature but can be stored refrigerated.

 Corn, Tomato & Avocado Salad 

1 large package frozen corn
6 roma tomatoes, cut into large chunks
2 ripe avacadoes, cut into large chunks
1 medium white or yellow onion, finley chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Thaw corn and combine with tomatoes, avocados and onions. 
2. Add olive oil, vinegar, and salt & pepper.  Serve immediately or chilled.

Hot As Hades

Oh good Lord.  It's hot as heck out there!  I love my sultry summer days, but sometimes it's just too much to bear.  Today is one of those days.  The only way to get through a scorcher without quarantining yourself indoors with the AC blasting is to wear as little as possible...without looking like a trollop or getting arrested for indecent exposure.

                                                     

Forever 21 dress, $20

Madewell shorts, $72

Modcloth romper, $45

Quiksilver dress, $45

Happy July 4th!  Hope everyone has a fab long weekend :)

I'm very excited for a day trip to the shore tomorrow.  And to make s'mores bars for a BBQ.  It doesn't take much to make me happy. 

Be safe and have fun!

Currently Coveting...

Ray LaMontagne's new album

 A kitchen chalk board

To buy a book about buying

Homemade Caramelized Vidalia Onion Dip

Beach Time!

Take A Bow.

I'm currently having a moment with bows...they are just too darn cute. Maybe it's the association bows have with all kinds of pretty pleasantries: gifts, invitations, babies headbands, fancy clothes etc. Every girl could use more bows in her life...this girl included!

Blu Bijoux Necklace $35

Forever 21 dress $20

Tibi Jardin heels $341

Topshop bikini $50

Dog Days Of Summer

Ok, so it's not even offically summer, let alone the "dog days" of summer.  But I couldn't resist sharing my favorite fashion-y photos of pooches.  Enjoy your weekend!

                                          Via the Sartorialist.

Via Cup of Joe.

Baby I'm A Fool

Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Melody Gardot concert at the legendary Keswick Theatre. Anyone who is not familiar with the Philadelphia native's music and inspirational story should watch this.

Gardot is more than just another sultry-smooth jazz singer.  She has the stage presence of a seasoned pro and is amazingly only twenty five.  She has the grace of a prima ballerina, yet walks with a cane.  And best of all, she had an amazing sense of style that could rival the chic-est Parisian in France.  Oh and her three-piece band was also INCREDIBLE!

This was one of my favorite songs of the evening :)

Good Vibrations

In honor of Mark Walberg's Birthday today, here's my favorite CK ads of yesteryear.

 

Lazy Hazy Crazy

The unofficial start of summer is here! I'm so excited for the countless events, excursions & fun times ahead. Especially the below...
The perfect sundress

Rita's Birthday Cake water ice

Flea markets

The shore - especially for Mack and Manco’s pizza and Johnson’s caramel corn

Lots of reading

New seasons of Mad Men & True Blood!!!

Margaritas on the rocks and Coronas with lime

Barbecues

My last summer as a twenty-something...ahh!

Laying on the beach at the Outer Banks