Archive - August, 2010

gray for days.

August 30, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Fashion with 4 Comments

Simple can be stunning.

{I think I’ve mentioned this before, no?}

This all-gray ensemble worn by Dree Hemingway sums it up pretty perfectly. I love the idea of pairing a simple cotton tee with a drapey skirt in the same color – not to be outdone by a fabulous pair of neutral shoes. We all know by now that I usually find neutrals to be the chicest choice, and going all-out monochromatic only takes it one step further.

I’m sure many of us are familiar with this particular gray tee from American Apparel. I love the super soft fabric, and I have several of them in both the tee as shown and the v-neck style. This outfit really demonstrates how versatile a tee can be. She actually designed the skirt she’s wearing – I’m impressed – but I did find this version which looks incredibly similar. She also rocked the Loubies, of course, which I love – but you can always find great neutral pumps from sources like Aldo (my personal favorite) or Steve Madden for a much lower price tag.

As far as the bag goes, a black Balenciaga satchel works for any occasion, and she proves that point – but I wouldn’t mind seeing a pop of color here. I think an animal-print would be especially beautiful, and keeping the bag somewhat within the neutral category does solidify the theme she’s working right now.

I also love how she kept her jewelry totally minimal, as well as her hair and makeup. She looks like she could roll right out of bed looking like this – and I think that’s about as sexy as it gets.

What do you think, dolls? Does this type of look do it for you, or do you need a little more to get you going?

{image}

sugar, sugar.

August 25, 2010 in Healthy Eats with 3 Comments

Let’s talk sugar substitutes, shall we?

I know all you ladies are interested in this stuff. You may not, however, be especially happy to hear what I think about Splenda.

No bueno.

I just can’t get used to the idea of ingesting something that my body doesn’t know how to process. I am very much a person of common sense, and my brain tells me that a fake sugar with no calories doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Who really knows what the long-term effects might be?

Another reason why I’m not a fan of artificial sweeteners is that they may cause your body to crave more real sugar and carbs – meaning you’ll end up ingesting more calories than you had if you’d just used the regular packet of sugar.

Much of the time, I use regular sugar or honey. Sugar for baking, and honey for things like sweetening my daily dose of plain Greek yogurt. I don’t sweeten my coffee at all, but lately I’ve been drinking more and more tea. I love using honey in my tea, but if I’m drinking it more than once a day, this means I’m probably using a little too much honey – and I could probably stand to use a lower-calorie substitute.

With that said, I’m kinda feelin’ products made from the stevia plant. That’s right – plant. As in, it comes from nature. This, I can deal with.

You may be more familiar with the sweetener Truvia. I’ve used Truvia, and I liked it. But the product shown above, SteviaPlus by SweetLeaf, is what I’m currently obsessing over. It’s a natural supplement that combines the extract from the stevia leaf (about 300 times sweeter than sugar) with a hit of fiber. You can get it just about anywhere – I found it at my local grocery store.

SteviaPlus is about ten times sweeter than sugar with a glycemic index of zero, and does not affect blood sugar. If you read my review on the Perricone Prescription, you know that this is a big plus in my book. The addition of fiber means it also does all those great things fiber does for you, like improving regularity and cleansing the colon, all while nourishing the good bacteria in the intestines. I like.

Do YOU use Splenda or any other sugar substitutes? Or are you just an old-school sugar kinda gal?

the ultimate {crunchy} pork chop.

August 24, 2010 in Main Dishes, Recipe Arsenal with 4 Comments

I figure now’s as good a time as any to tell you about the most delicious pork chops ever to exist.

Seriously. That good.

We’re talking crunch. Not just your average crunch, though. There’s nothing average about this crunch. This is the kind of crunch that can only be achieved through homemade bread crumbs. But, not your average homemade breadcrumbs.

These are the kind of breadcrumbs you toast first. In the oven, on a baking sheet. With oil. And shallots. And garlic.

Still not convinced? Let me just tell you – something magic happens when you toast breadcrumbs before using them. After baking them into a deep golden brown loveliness, you toss them with Parmesan. And thyme. And parsley.

I know I’ve got you now.

I think the other key step in achieving the ultimate crunch is how they’re baked: on a wire rack placed over your baking sheet. This allows the underneath of the chop to feel the same love from the oven as the top.

If this still isn’t enough to entice you, maybe you should think about trying this wilted spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. All you do is fry up some bacon, cook some shallots in your bacon grease, and whisk in some balsamic at the end. Toss that up with your spinach and bacon, and all will be well.

Crunchy Baked Pork Chops

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, via Smitten Kitchen

This recipe was developed using natural pork, but enhanced pork (injected with a salt solution) will work as well. If using enhanced pork, eliminate the brining in step 1. The bread crumb mixture can be prepared through step 2 up to 3 days in advance. The breaded chops can be frozen for up to 1 week. They don’t need to be thawed before baking; simply increase the cooking time in step 5 to 35 to 40 minutes.

  • Table salt
  • 4 boneless center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
  • 4 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup plus 6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • Lemon wedges

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Dissolve 1/4 cup salt in 1 quart water in medium container or gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Submerge chops, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Rinse chops under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Meanwhile, pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about eight 1-second pulses (you should have about 3 1/2 cups crumbs). Transfer crumbs to rimmed baking sheet and add shallot, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss until crumbs are evenly coated with oil. Bake until deep golden brown and dry, about 15 minutes, stirring twice during baking time. (Do not turn off oven.) Cool to room temperature. Toss crumbs with Parmesan, thyme, and parsley.

Place 1/4 cup flour in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk egg whites and mustard until combined; add remaining 6 tablespoons flour and whisk until almost smooth, with pea-sized lumps remaining.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Season chops with pepper. Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Using tongs, coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of chop with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to chop. Transfer breaded chop to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 chops.

Bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 150 degrees, 17 to 25 minutes. Let rest on rack 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

 

rather rich corn muffins.

August 22, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Project Pastry Queen, Weekend Brunch with 6 Comments

As it turns out, I’m a fan of corn muffins.

I’ve never been a big cornbread person – it’s always seemed a little boring to me. When that basket is passed around on Thanksgiving Day, I’m usually fast to skip it over in favor of a perfectly soft dinner roll spread with butter. Cornbread feels heavy, and I’d rather be filling up on mac and cheese.

But these – these just may be in competition with my precious bread and butter. I may even be willing to compromise a few bites of mac and cheese for one of these corn muffins – and that’s a big statement.

There’s butter. And fresh corn. And heavy cream. A lot of it.

That’s right, they are “rather rich” – the recipe is that of Rebecca Rather, the Pastry Queen herself.

You don’t even need to spread butter on these perfectly lush little muffins, though you certainly can if you’re feeling particularly gluttonous {as I happened to be feeling this morning}. They are rich in every sense of the word, and biting into one tastes like pure buttercream corn heaven.

Yes, I believe that if there were such thing as frosting made from corn and muffins, this is what it would taste like. Creamy, rich, decadent, buttery – and there’s even a little crunch thanks to the sprinkling of cornmeal overtop.

And to top it all off, these are about the easiest and quickest muffins I’ve ever come across. There’s no sifting of ingredients, no mixing dry ingredients in with the wet in steps. You’re just dumping it all in the mixer bowl, and giving it a quick stir. They only take about 15 minutes to bake, so you can be done and done in all of about 30 minutes flat.

They’re also pretty versatile – we’ve been munching on them all morning, and I’m sure they’d be just sinful with a little spread of jam. The batter can sit in the refrigerator for up to three days, and as we’re having a couple over for dinner tonight, I’ve saved a good amount of batter so that I can drop it in a muffin pan upon their arrival.

Because everyone should be able to taste these golden corn nuggets fresh and hot from the oven.

For the recipe, be sure to check out Amanda’s post over at her blog, Fake Ginger.

Happy Sunday!

the most glam housewarming party. ever.

August 20, 2010 in Fantasy Friday, Theme Lover with 9 Comments

We all know I love my theme parties by now.

But this – this takes it to another level. What’s the theme you ask? It’s hard to put a name on this one. It’s glamour, meets casual. Black-tie attire, and ping-pong.

We’ll just call it fabulous. That works, doesn’t it?

It’s a housewarming party for a gentleman by the name of Kevin Sharkey, featured in Martha Stewart Living. I found it here, and I fell into a trance. I mean, a shower full of perfect orange Hermès boxes? That’s my kind of decorating. The tub filled with champagne bottles wasn’t too bad of an idea, either. I love how they brought a room to life – the bathroom, no less – that wouldn’t normally be included in the party.

How about a cake made entirely out of Oreo cookies, stacked on top of one another? With sparkler candles shooting out the top, no less. I think it may have been the old-fashioned milk bottles scattered about the table that really sold me here. And we can’t forget about the caviar.

I really don’t think it gets any better than men dressed in tuxedos playing a solid game of table tennis. I’m also a big fan of ladies in fabulous dresses making themselves just a little more comfortable. Shouldn’t we all drink our cocktails and eat our caviar sans shoes, sitting on the kitchen counter? This is living.

Please note how they’re keeping score: lipstick tallies on mirrored walls. But not just any lipstick. A tray of Chanel lipsticks, boys and girls. Does it get any more chic than this?

The woman pictured above and throughout many of the other images is actually the daughter of Martha Stewart. I’m jealous. Can you imagine being the daughter of Martha herself? On one hand, it seems like the most fabulous thing in the world – on the other…well, you know. Those are some big shoes to fill.

Throwing parties like this tells us she’s doing a pretty good job.

So, from my dreams to yours – here it is, dolls. My idea of perhaps the greatest housewarming party ever to exist. Super glamorous, yet still low-key. For me, this is what makes it so grand, so over-the-top special. Anyone can throw a stuffy party with a few {thousand} dollars – but this struck the perfect balance between opulence and good old-fashioned fun.

Understated elegance at its finest, my loves. Happy Friday!

artichoke + olive tapenade.

August 19, 2010 in Fabulously Simple, Starters with 6 Comments

If there’s one thing I could always use more of, it’s another quick appetizer I can pull out of my back pocket in a crunch.

In other words, something I can make from ingredients I have in my pantry. Like white bean dip. Hummus. Have I not posted on these things yet? Well, I should. Soon. These are important things.

Artichoke hearts, capers, olives, garlic, and olive oil. I always have these favorites on hand, no matter what. It’s all pureéd into a delicious tapenade, and although it’s not the prettiest of appetizers – I can assure you, it’s good. So good, that you may find yourself eating half the bowl before your guests even arrive.

If you want to make the crostini, you’ll need a baguette or a nice loaf of crusty bread to toast – which you may or may not have on hand. I usually keep a half-baguette in the freezer for emergency situations, but keep in mind that you then must remember to defrost it in time. And emergencies don’t usually involve extra time for defrosting, do they?

You can also serve this over crackers. Or with veggies. Or tossed with a bowl of pasta. I’m sure you have something in your kitchen that will work. If all else fails, you can always just grab a spoon. Not that I’ve ever done that, or anything.

Artichoke + Olive Crostini

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen + Mario Batali

3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 cup large green or black pitted olives {I used a mixture}
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 large slices of crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a food processor, process the garlic, olives, capers, artichoke hearts and olive oil to a coarse paste.

Lightly brush the bread slices with olive oil and toast on the oven rack for 6 minutes, or until crisp and browned. Spread the olive paste thickly over the toasts and serve.

{DO AHEAD: The tapenade can be refrigerated for 2 days – let it return to room temperature before serving}

the perricone prescription.

August 18, 2010 in Healthy Eats with 5 Comments

There’s a lot to be said for eating a healthy, anti-inflammatory diet. Disease prevention, weight loss and maintenance – but did you know it also works miracles on your skin?

This book {or audiobook in my case} from Dr. Perricone centers around how diet influences the health of your skin. It tends to focus more on anti-aging, but following the principles of the book also applies to other skin issues, like breakouts. I’m in for both.

You won’t find any secrets or gimmicky ideas here – it’s all about eating a clean diet full of lean animal proteins, antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruits, and plenty of healthy fats. You likely already know most of the benefits of eating a diet like this, but if you’re anything like me, you’d be surprised to know how much what you put into your mouth impacts your skin.

Sure, the real diet recommended by Dr. Perricone would be pretty intense if you followed it exactly. When he lists all of the foods you shouldn’t eat, you may want to cry. But don’t. Because in my opinion, these lists should just be used to give you an idea of what happens in your body when you eat a given food. For the most part, the “bad foods” are high on the glycemic index, which causes spikes in insulin – resulting in inflammation. And inflammation is what goes on to cause all of the dis-eases in your body, wrinkles and breakouts included.

Carrots, for example, have a higher glycemic index than cookies. Strange, but true. Does this mean you should never eat carrots? No. For one, the fiber and nutrients in a carrot make it a better choice than a cookie. But it is interesting to know that eating a carrot may cause a spike in blood sugar, and may not be the best vegetable choice depending on how your body reacts to it.

And just like the consumption of excess sugars and saturated fats may result in weight gain and/or disease, there are going to be tangible effects on your skin. Look at it this way: Your body is a temple. What you put into it is going to effect your overall health and well-being. If eating garbage has a negative impact on other parts of your body, why wouldn’t it impact your skin? It is your largest organ, after all.

Dr. Perricone recommends trying his diet plan for three days to start. He says that you will see such direct results in your skin in even that short time period, that it should encourage you to go the full 28 days. Now, as we all know, I hate the word “diet” – because it refers to something that you usually won’t be able to keep up. In this case, I think the plan would be worth following as a way to help someone explore a healthier pattern of eating.  I never followed the exact diet – for me, it makes more sense to learn about the foods and how they may help or harm you, and take that knowledge with me to follow in moderation.

Here is an example of what one day of the eating plan looks like.

Breakfast
3 egg omelet and/or 4 – 6 oz grilled salmon
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal (not instant)
2” wedge of cantaloupe or 1/3 cup fresh berries
8 – 12 oz spring water

Lunch
4 – 6 oz grilled salmon
2 cups green salad (Romaine lettuce or other dark leafy greens with extra-virgin olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon)
1 kiwi fruit or cantaloupe and berries
8 – 12 oz spring water

Snack
1 apple
2 oz sliced turkey breast or 6 oz plain yogurt
Small handful of hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds

Dinner
4 – 6 oz grilled salmon
2 cups green salad
1/2 cup steamed veggies (asparagus, broccoli, spinach, etc. – no root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or beets)
Cantaloupe and berries
8 – 12 oz spring water

Before Bedtime Snack
1 pear or apple
2 oz sliced chicken or turkey breast or 6 oz plain yogurt
Small handful of hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds

I don’t think it’s too bad. I’m used to eating this way, for the most part – on the weekdays, at least. I can vouch for the fact that eating small meals like this throughout the day increases your energy levels, and definitely helps with weight management. There’s no question in my mind that if you did follow his plan for the full 28 days, you’d be losing some kind of weight. A promise of better skin and the likelihood of dropping a few pounds? It seems like a win-win to me. I can say that since I’ve read the book, I’ve started to make some different choices with the knowledge I’ve obtained, and I have seen an improvement in my skin.

There is obviously a ton of information in this book, but here are a few more of the key points that resonated with me:

  • We all know I love my protein, but Dr. Perricone brings to light the importance of eating protein {especially animal protein} when it comes to defeating sagginess and wrinkles. Another point: Always eat your protein first. So, if you’re having egg whites and fruit, make sure to eat your eggs first. The reason is that taking in the protein first “blocks” the sugar in the fruit from spiking your blood sugar. This is why the French eat their salads after the main course. Smarties.
  • No coffee – it causes insulin to spike and thus triggers cortisol. Wah. I love my coffee, but this week I’ve been experimenting with switching to black tea in the mornings instead. I think no matter what I’d still enjoy my coffee on the weekends, but right now I’m open to the idea of cutting back during the week. We’ll see what happens.
  • Dr. Perricone recommends a lot of supplements, such as DMAE, Omega 3, Vitamin C Ester, etc. He sells them in packages but they’re pretty pricey – you can find the same substances elsewhere for cheaper. I’ve started taking a few of them, and I will likely write another post on supplements in general with the results I see.
  • Hydration is so important. If you’re even slightly dehydrated, this can lower your metabolism by 3% – causing a gain of a pound every 6 months. No, thank you. This was a no-brainer for me – I already drink tons of water – but I can’t stress it enough. It’s important.
  • When you are going to eat sugar, like chocolate for example {dark is best because of the antioxidants}, it’s best to balance it with a fat or protein – it will help stabilize your blood sugar. So, dark chocolate with almonds? Yes, please.
  • A lot of this book centers around the importance of eating healthy fats. Your skin {and the rest of your body} needs these to stay supple and functioning. Good sources: extra-virgin olive oil and fatty fish like salmon.
  • Salmon must be wild. Farm-raised salmon contains all kinds of toxins and has none of the same health benefits that wild salmon produces. Don’t be fooled by “Atlantic” salmon – this means it’s farm-raised, since salmon does not grow naturally in the Atlantic ocean. Look for Alaskan salmon – this insures it’s wild. There’s a lot more I want to say about salmon, in particular – so be on the lookout for another post on this.

Like I said, there is so much information in this book – I’m sure I’m leaving out a million things. If any of it interests you, I definitely recommend getting a copy. And if you have any questions about it, feel free to ask!

watermelon {vodka} lemonade.

August 15, 2010 in Cocktails, Project Pastry Queen with 6 Comments

When life hands you lemons, grab some vodka and make yourself some lemonade.

Add some puréed watermelon and it gets even better.

I can only partially take credit for this idea, because this recipe is the product of the second week of Project Pastry Queen. Which means we have not only Rebecca Rather of Pastry Queen fame to thank, but also Ashley of Delish for choosing this week’s recipe.

The reason I say I can take partial credit, is that I made some pretty substantial changes to the recipe. Read: I forgot to bring the one thing I needed when we left to spend this weekend with the fam. The cookbook.

It happens.

Like I said, you make lemonade. In this case, lemonade with puréed watermelon. And vodka.

The original recipe used a little more sugar, and much more water. I don’t like my drinks too sweet, so I may have done the same thing even if I had the recipe in front of me. Using less water made it extra tart, but I liked it this way because we were using vodka.

So basically, we replaced the extra water in the recipe with vodka. Do you see any harm in that? Me neither.

The other major change is that I puréed the watermelon, while the original recipe left the fruit diced in the pitcher. I loved the purée in the drink. I think that if I were to make it again, I’d add even more. I do love this drink because the diced fruit makes it almost like a fruity-vodka sangria. Tequila would be another great match for this.

If you’d like to see the recipe in its original form, be sure to check out Ashley’s post.

Watermelon Lemonade

Adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

  • 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice {for me, this was 8 lemons}
  • 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice {7 limes}
  • 2 1/2 cups diced watermelon
  • Mixed diced fruit of your choice {I used one apple, one pear, and handfuls of sliced strawberries and blueberries}
  • 1 orange, preferably organic, sliced into rounds
  • 1 lemon, preferably organic, sliced into rounds
  • 1 lime, preferably organic, sliced into rounds
  • About 2 cups good vodka – or, to taste

For the sugar syrup:

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and boil until dissolved. Make sure to allow it to cool before making the rest of the drink.

Juice your lemons and limes. Add to blender with watermelon sugar syrup and purée. Place your citrus rounds and diced fruit into a glass pitcher. Pour puréed mixture from the blender into the pitcher over the fruit. Stir well and chill until icy cold.

happy 100th.

August 14, 2010 in C'est La Vie, Celebrate with 9 Comments

Today marks my 100th post ever written.

Me and Dan in Elevator Abby's Wedding.JPG

Isn’t it exciting?

I wanted to do something special to celebrate. So, I’m drinking champagne. You should probably pour yourself a glass. Or five. I promise, this whole thing may become more interesting if you start drinking. Quickly.

Can anyone guess where we’re going right now? That’s right – 100 things. All about me. Things you’ve probably been losing sleep over.

Yep, today is your lucky day. Today, you finally get to learn about my affinity for list-making and what I wear to work. Exciting stuff. A bit self-indulgent? Maybe. Either way, I thought it would be a fun tribute in the name of 100, and a way for us to get to know each other a little better.

  1. A good cappucino is one of my favorite things in the world.
  2. I only watch reality TV. My one exception: Gossip Girl.
  3. I could live off cheese and crackers. Or, just cheese.
  4. My dream job is to hold my own private cooking/entertaining classes in my home. One day, I know I’ll get there.
  5. I’ve already met the man of my dreams. If you don’t already know that, click here.
  6. I love him so much and see him as such an extension of myself that as I write this, I keep wanting to tell you things about him instead of me.
  7. I have a borderline obscene online shopping addiction.
  8. I love wine and champagne. And sangria. And margaritas – but only homemade; hate sour mix. Mojitos – not too sweet. And good beer.
  9. My hair has been every color, texture, and length – except for red. Sometimes, I’m tempted to go there – but only if it were really, really long.
  10. I love the NFL. I live for football season. Mostly because of all the dips, drinks, and fun party foods I get to make. And, of course, all the good company that comes with it.
  11. I won my Fantasy Football league at the office last year. That’s right – first place, baby.
  12. I have really weird dreams, and I vividly remember almost all of them.
  13. I love nice things, but I think it’s equally important to be able to rough it. I love fishing and camping, if you can believe it.
  14. On that note, I’m slightly OCD about staying mani-pedi’d at all times.
  15. My eyes are hazel. I went most of my life, however, thinking they were brown.
  16. Dan’s family is everything I’ve ever wanted: the perfect family I never had. I am forever grateful to have them in my life.
  17. I love house music. And classic rock. And jazz.
  18. Growing up, I wanted to be a psychologist. I never went on to study it but I’m pretty damn good at playing therapist.
  19. I live for the beach. I’ve never lived more than five minutes away from one.
  20. One of my feet is a half-size bigger than the other. This makes buying shoes online a bit tricky. Somehow, I’m still addicted.
  21. I can wear leggings to work. And flip-flops. Boo yah.
  22. I grew up with my dad, and was very close with my grandmother. She was like a mother to me. She also spoiled me rotten, and I blame that for my crazy shopping habits.
  23. Sometimes I like to dance around wearing a tiara.
  24. I love Lucky Charms. In college, a boy once stole giant bags of them from the cafeteria and gave them to me. It was pretty awesome.
  25. I went to a gifted school growing up.
  26. Most dogs gross me out. Except for certain dogs that belong to my friends and the English bulldog, which some may consider the grossest dog of them all. I know, it makes a lot of sense.
  27. I have a best friend in the entire world, who is like a sister to me. I also have more real, quality relationships with friends than I’ve ever had in my life.
  28. I love all things globe or map related.
  29. I want to rent an RV and take a trip cross-country, with no plans. For like, months.
  30. I like to drive fast. I’m also very impatient. I see them as related.
  31. I love dressing up, but usually feel sexiest in a perfectly fitting t-shirt and jeans – and ridiculously high shoes, of course.
  32. I’m a Florida girl born and raised, but my family is from Cincinnati, and I love it there. If you’ve never had Skyline Chili, you’re missing out.
  33. I’m very close to my Aunt Sandy, who happens to be an amazing chef – she’s inspired me so much when it comes to all things cooking and food.
  34. Sometimes I can come off as harsh. I’m very intense, and I always say what’s on my mind.
  35. I’ll take day-drinking at the beach over a night out at the bar any day.
  36. I was in a traveling, competitive math club in the fifth grade at said gifted school. Nerd city.
  37. I am an extremely honest person. Almost, to a fault.
  38. I’ve always wanted to live in another country for a period in my life. Doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, but I guess you never know.
  39. I have a weird OCD about colors matching. I have changed my underwear after getting dressed because my nails were red and I put on a pink shirt. It’s pretty sick.
  40. I’ve lived in what I consider to be the three major cities of the US – Miami, New York, and LA. I’m not a big fan of LA, though I do love Manhattan Beach.
  41. I’ve always been a pretty confident person, and I think it’s very important in life to have a healthy self-esteem.  I don’t believe in being your own worst enemy.
  42. I avoid Splenda and all of those artificial sweeteners like the plague.
  43. If I were ever laid off, I think I’d get a job at Williams-Sonoma.
  44. Dan and I already have our kids’ names picked out. I’d tell you, but you might steal them.
  45. I read Us Weekly religiously.
  46. Everyone thinks I have some kind of an accent when they meet me. It’s some kind of a cross between Midwest {possibly the Cincinnati influence} and New York. Though I’m sure Dan’s super-strong NY accent has rubbed off on me, it’s been this way since before I met him. I think it’s because I’m loud.
  47. The only other continent I’ve been to is Europe. I loved Italy, France, and Greece the most.
  48. I’ve never been athletic – never played any sports growing up. I was way too into my Barbies.
  49. I took French for eight years growing up. I’m pretty rusty, but I can still get myself around in France.
  50. I did makeup professionally in college.
  51. I workout in phases. Either I’m exercising like a crazy person, or not at all.
  52. I can be a bit intolerant. And I tend to get frustrated easily. Especially with incompetence.
  53. Even though I live in Florida, I need to have a fireplace in my first home. Or at least a firepit in the backyard.
  54. I adore Paris: the food, the culture, the language, the architecture…everything.
  55. I can eat a ridiculous amount of food in one sitting. If there’s chocolate involved, I can eat anyone under the table.
  56. I will also challenge any guy in a wing-eating contest. Extra hot.
  57. I’m originally from Sarasota/Venice. It’s on the west coast of Florida, about an hour south of Tampa. If you’ve never been to Siesta Key, you may want to consider putting it on your to-do list. Prettiest beaches around.
  58. I prefer to stay home than to go out, almost always. Extra points if it’s raining – I love the rain.
  59. I’m not religious. At all. But I do consider myself spiritual. Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth is like my bible.
  60. I love rollercoasters.
  61. If there’s something on the menu involving truffle, I’m ordering it.
  62. I’m currently learning to play tennis. I suck, but I absolutely love playing.
  63. My favorite flower is the gardenia. It reminds me of my grandma – she had a bush of them in front of her house, and the scent always takes me right back there.
  64. I love cruises. Royal Caribbean, all the way. And it’s got to be one of the newer ships. Preferably, the Oasis.
  65. I’m obsessed with cotton candy, and anything cotton candy flavored.
  66. I’ve been through a lot in my life – no storybook childhood here. I wouldn’t change any of it for the world, and I’m extremely proud of the person I’ve become because of it all.
  67. I’m a list-maker. And I love to buy pretty notebooks.
  68. I love to wine and dine outdoors. The outdoor area is one of the most important areas of my future home. After the kitchen, of course.
  69. I personally would never have a traditional, by-the-book wedding, but I still love to look at the magazines and watch the shows.
  70. I love to cook and bake equally. Most people prefer one or the other, but I can’t possibly choose.
  71. I was always great at English, and all of my teachers always told me I’d be a writer.
  72. I then went on to get a business degree.
  73. Liver is pretty much the only food I’ve met that I didn’t like.
  74. I have two beautiful half-sisters, who I didn’t grow up with. They’ve taught me a lot about life and what’s important - and they’ve also brought some pretty amazing children into this world.
  75. I’m a member of the cool-kids Blackberry club. BBM for life.
  76. One of my favorite things to do is to peruse crazy beautiful dream kitchens online.
  77. I also love to read cookbooks.
  78. I hate to watch a movie I haven’t seen when it’s not from the very beginning.
  79. I eat blueberries like candy.
  80. I’m into astrology. I once had my charts done by a woman who came highly recommended, and it was crazy how much she knew about me and my life. Contact me if you’re in South Florida and want her info.
  81. I love picnics and I really want to go on one. Are you listening, baby?
  82. I truly appreciate and respect intelligence in a person.
  83. I could never be a vegetarian. I love steak far too much – I don’t think life gets much better than a perfectly-cooked filet.
  84. I love to read. If you’ve read either the Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and you don’t like them, I may not like you. Just sayin’.
  85. A sense of humor is extremely sexy, and it’s important to be able to make fun of yourself.
  86. I have terrible hand-eye coordination.
  87. I’m pretty sure breakfast is my favorite meal. Particularly if there’s eggs benedict.
  88. Getting old doesn’t freak me out. Not yet, at least.
  89. I listen to audiobooks on my iPod on my drive to and from work. Nerdy? Probably. I don’t care – I love it.
  90. I love New York City, and I would love to have a second home there one day. But wouldn’t we all?
  91. I was terrible at history.
  92. I’m not interested when people pity themselves or blame their problems on someone else or something that’s happened to them. I believe that no matter what, you control your own destiny.
  93. Anything miniature is my favorite.
  94. I’m into maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but I would never go on a “diet” or deprive myself. I love butter way too much. Everything in moderation.
  95. I believe a positive attitude is everything in life. There are some things you cannot change – the only thing you have control over is how you react.
  96. I can’t wait to have kids. There’s nothing I want more in this world than to be a mother.
  97. I must have a boat later in life. This is a requirement, and Daniel has already been made aware.
  98. I truly appreciate the little things in life. A new nail polish color or a favorite flavor at the local frozen yogurt shop makes my week.
  99. I don’t believe in playing the lottery.
  100. I have a freakish obsession with penguins.

If you’ve made it all the way down here, I am nothing short of impressed. I won’t be mad if you only skimmed your way to the end - I don’t blame you. I wish I had $100 to give you, but I don’t. If you want, you could tell me some super-fun facts about yourself. But they have to be super-fun. No favorite colors, please.

{C’mon – I know you want to play. It’s no secret that everyone loves to talk about themselves}

In all seriousness, thank you all for reading. Thank you for reading today, and everyday. I hope you do feel like you know me a little better now, and I really would love to know more about you! So c’mon, tell me something. Make it something fun.

the perfect {dinner} party invite.

August 11, 2010 in Dinner Party Worthy, Home Chic Home with 3 Comments

I’m a sucker for anything personalized, and these adorable custom-made rubber house stamps are no exception.

The concept: you send a photograph of your house to Holly, she draws it and then magically fashions her perfect little drawing into a stamp. That’s right – a stamp. Like, the kind you stick in an ink pad. How fun is that? I love when things look hand-written and these stamps would give anything that old-school, almost rustic vibe.

I love the idea for dinner party invites, or any party you’re hosting at your home, really. Imagine how perfect these would be for a housewarming party. Or even stationery. You could use them to send your new address to friends and family when you move. That sounds like a very adult thing to do, doesn’t it?

I love these as a gift for anyone with a beautiful {or new} home they love, but you could also potentially think outside the house. For instance, you could have an image drawn of your wedding site and use the stamp to make your own invites. The options are really endless, and I’m sure all you craftier-than-thou folk out there could think of plenty more uses for something like this.

For a little over $100 per stamp, you can’t go wrong.

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