I'm not usually a fan of matte nail polish, but Chanel's black velvet is an exception. It goes on smooth and really does have a rich, velvety finish. It's the perfect polish for October (duh, Halloween) and I'm even thinking of using gold glitter as an accent nail later in the month.
I made these cookies using this recipe and you seriously can't even tell that they're low fat. I think the secret might be using good quality vanilla and dark chocolate chunks instead of chips. I can't wait to try more recipes from the site!
I just discovered seasonal Clif bars at Whole Foods in the best flavor ever: pumpkin pie spice! They're perfect to nibble on between meals and are packed with protein and nutrients.
On one of my last nights at home, we had a big crab feast at my house, complete with grilled pizzas, blueberry cobbler, key lime pie, and, of course, Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. It was a fun way to catch up with David & Tiane and Lauren & Ryan (and their adorable baby, Jackson). I hope this becomes an annual tradition! For more pictures check out Tiane's blog.
I obviously can't get enough of the accent nail trend. In this case, I paired two Chanel shades: the sparkly Graphite and the hot pink Pulsion, which complement each other really well. I feel like I'm getting better at giving myself a manicure, too! Got any tips? Nail polish remover pens seem to make the job a lot easier.
My last true week of summer vacation in August was spent at home with family and friends. Even though it was a whirlwind trip, I feel like I was able to squeeze in lots of fun, including trying a new restaurant and hitting all of my favorite shopping destinations. I spent an afternoon in Georgetown and made a trip to the Maine Avenue seafood markets for crabs. My mom, sisters, and I went out for a fun night of Mediterranean tapas at Cava and my cousin Leslie squeezed a pound of key limes that we turned into pie. We stocked up and hunkered down with wine and movies while hurricane Irene pounded the coast. I had some relaxing downtime at the pool and enjoyed a big family dinner out. All in all, it was the perfect way to cap off an exciting summer. I can't wait to get home again, hopefully for a Redskins game in early December!
P.S. I finally got around to playing with Picasa to create a collage. So fun!
These decorative branches from Trader Joe's had the tiniest pumpkins growing on them--and they were real! The actual pumpkins were soft like a tomato (I had to squeeze one), but resembled the familiar orange squash. Anyone ever seen anything like these? I want to do some fall decorating with them!
I made this quick creamy avocado pasta for dinner tonight. The sauce was the perfect complement to whole wheat linguine and the addition of grilled lemon-pepper shrimp took it to the next level. Just another reason why Pinterest is so handy!
...but they can be in third place in their fantasy league after two weeks!
The perfect day for apple picking at Barden's Orchard.
Oversized heirloom tomato.
Crates of miniature gourds.
Sugary apple cider donuts made the perfect post-picking treat.
Reaching for the perfect apple!
Clusters of the honey crisp variety.
Sunday NFL special: lemon-pepper grilled wings.
Hot deep-dish apple pie straight from the oven.
(recipe here)
This weekend was the first one that really felt like fall, which led to a trip to a local orchard for apple picking and the first Starbucks pumpkin misto of the season. I love everything about fall: changing leaves, football, layering clothes, tall boots, Halloween, heartier meals, and crisp temperatures. It means the holidays are coming, which always gets me excited! What are your favorite things to do in the fall?
I first saw these amazing necklaces popping up on Pinterest and then featured this past week on Cheetah is the New Black. It seems like I acted right in time by purchasing one of my own because now they're all on back order. My neon orange necklace arrived this weekend and I can't wait to use it to dress up basic tees or on its own as a statement piece. Half the fun of ordering on Etsy is the great packaging that accompanies the items. I hope Elizabeth adds bracelets to her shop soon!
Today marked our third annual apple-picking trip to Barden's Family Orchard in northern Rhode Island. It was a perfect fall day, and early enough in the season that it wasn't too crowded. We picked a peck of apples and a white pumpkin, and shared homemade cider doughnuts. I love our little traditions like these-they're so much fun to look forward to!
I've been doing some fall recipe research in magazines and favorite cookbooks. The crisp weather puts me in the mood for chili, soups, chowder, and all things pumpkin. What types of recipes do you like to make in the fall?
It's finally here. Today went from the upper seventies down to the low sixties and it's even supposed to dip into the forties overnight! The time has come to break out the fall boots and layers and I'm actually pretty excited about it. Off to sushi date night-my favorite!
I, like so many other women, ventured out to my local Target bright and early this morning to claim some of the highly anticipated Missoni pieces. I have to say, I was surprised that there weren't more people lined up. It seems like everyone just counted on being able to buy online, which resulted in the website crashing for most of the day (and even now as I type this). My sister went out to our Target in Northern Viginia, and the shelves were bare only a few minuted after the doors opened. I think a lot of people just grabbed handfuls of things to resell on eBay.
I wasn't overly impressed with many of the items in person, but did snag a cute fall sweater in their signature print and some bobby pins and notecards. I would have liked to have gotten one of the throws, but I didn't see any. They didn't have any bikes (that I know of) at my location, either. Part of the fun is getting out early and having the thrilling experience, though, right?! Did you shop the Missoni collection? What were you able to get your hands on?
I love board games, which probably has something to do with my competitive streak. If it were up to me, I would own a closet full of board games instead of a TV. But, since it's not totally up to me, I do have a TV, which has been tuned into football all day. Luckily, M offered to play Monopoly (probably because the Patriots' game isn't until tomorrow night). I got out to an early lead, but after a couple hours (and many house and hotel purchases), I went bankrupt and forfeited. It was still a lot of fun, though, and I wish we had game days more often. Do you have a favorite board game?
Scattegories and Taboo are my other favorites.
yellow + red cherry tomatoes from the farmer's market
It's taken me all summer, but I think I finally found the perfect recipes for a salad filled with fresh, local ingredients and dressed with a simple avocado-cilantro vinaigrette. I used a combination of two salad recipes (here and here) and loaded it with ripe cherry tomatoes, buttery avocado, grilled corn, cucumber, scallions, and lime juice. The result was so full of flavor I had to stop myself from eating the whole bowl!
I'm not ready for summer to be over quite yet, so I'm milking the last few nice days and snacking on these amazing smashing s'mores from Trader Joe's. They're basically bite-sized smores: marshmallows with a graham cracker base and covered in chocolate. They're pretty perfect when warmed up in the microwave for a few seconds. No campfire needed! I first spotted them here and finally happened upon them at my local TJ's this afternoon. Hope you have a fun weekend. I'm off to enjoy take-out sushi and Sex and the City reruns with the girls!
You will absolutely love these popsicles! They've been my favorite after-dinner treat since I first tried them last week. I love that they have a creamy texture, like frozen yogurt or ice cream, but they're relatively guilt-free (like a popsicle). It's the best of both worlds!
Is it too early to start my Christmas wish list? I already have quite a few pages in the Bloomies' catalogue marked. Hot items I'm craving for fall: oversized cashmere sweaters, riding boots, and silky blouses.
One of the best things about fall (aside from the arrival of the pumpkin spice latte) is the return of football, and more importantly, fantasy football! I love preparing for the draft (our league's is tonight!), competing against the boys on Sundays, and tracking the stats. For the past couple of years I've been at the top of the leader board for most of the season, only to ultimately fall out of first place. This year, I'm hoping to stay on top of the waiver wires and come in first place overall! Are you involved in any type of fantasy team?
Saturday morning Pinkberry date.
Homemade french toast muffins with cinnamon and sugar.
Ready for fall with gingham + arm party + Essie's chinchilly.
Delicious Mediterranean slate from Armsby Abbey.
Summer's last BLT with farmers market heirloom tomatoes.
Sparkly ring finger inspired by this photo.
Rhode Island themed onesies for our friends' new baby boy.
Look at the cheeks on baby Brandon!
I can't believe Labor Day has come and gone. It feels like I was just celebrating my cousin's wedding over 4th of July. I spent the long weekend with lots of grilling, fun times with friends, soaking up the sun, and getting back to some of my regular routines (now that summer is winding down).
What did you do?
Today was spent enjoying specialty cocktails, craft beers, and local eats with friends at Armsby Abbey, an amazing and unique restaurant in Worcester. I enjoyed the ripest and most delicious heirloom tomato salad with fresh basil, baguette croutons, and parmesan. I love places that really take advantage of fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Leslie getting ready to feast on sushi at Haruki.
Shared sushi-the Mexican roll with cilantro and fresh jalapeño.
Multicolored party.
George's at Salty Brine state beach.
Leslie in the surf.
Pre-dinner beach stroll.
Rocking the gingham and chambray.
Corona and seafood make the perfect pair.
Leslie + me out on George's deck.
Sunday morning Pinkberry run. Watermelon, please!
Neon nail polish at American Apparel. Their fall pencil skirts are perfect.
Souvenir shopping at Craftland.
Amazing grilled pizza with spinach + feta at Bob & Timmy's on Federal Hill.
As I said before, my cousin was in town for the weekend in mid-August. She goes to school and lives in Paris, but spends summers in the states. This was her third year visiting Providence and we had so much fun! It's great to have visitors, because we do lots of things that we wouldn't typically get around to doing.
Some highlights of our weekend:
sushi date at haruki. hope street farmers market. pb&j pinkberry. matching bracelets. clamcakes + chowder on the beach. live music out on the restaurant deck. putting our feet in the ocean. grilling up a breakfast pizza. silly photo shoots. iced coffee runs. shopping on westminster street. bob & timmy's grilled pizza. and most important = carrying on a fun summer tradition!
Can't wait to see you next summer, Les!
