July 21st, 2011
J.Crew Top and Skirt, Marc by Marc Jacobs Sunglasses, Cupcakes and Cashmere for COACH Bag, Madewell Necklace, Prada Heels
I wore this out for a double date this past weekend for a casual dinner at our favorite sushi spot. The outfit had morphed throughout the day – starting with my chambray shirt tucked into paint-splattered shorts and canvas slip-ons. Instead of changing entirely, I dressed it up with a jeweled bib necklace, a flouncy skirt, and my favorite heels.
July 20th, 2011
I have an entire section dedicated to cookies I’ve baked for my blog, but I’ve never featured one of my absolute favorites: classic chocolate chip. For years I tried different recipes, hoping to find the ideal version – with a light crispness on the outside, a chewy middle, laced with just enough chocolate. I’ve had the best luck with this recipe – with only a couple minor modifications (I use Valrhona chocolate disks that I chop into pieces and sprinkle on some Maldon sea salt at the end for a slightly salty finish). The results are everything you’d hope for in a cookie and make for an easy dessert to whip up for any type of summer soiree.
July 19th, 2011
{Floating vase (tutorial here): perfect for kittens that love flowers}
Since I’ve shown glimpses of nearly all of the rooms in my place (like my closet, guest room, office and living room), I decided to snap a few photographs of my kitchen yesterday before preparing dinner. I spend an inordinate amount of time in there and wanted to create a space that I truly loved. It’s become the center of our place, both literally and figuratively – where guests come for a glass of wine and where my fiancé and I prepare meals while listening to music. I tried to take into account all the elements that would make for an aesthetically pleasing, yet functional, space and here are some of the things I’ve implemented since we moved in.
{View from the dining room}
{Anthropologie bowls make fruit more appealing}
{Knives kept on the wall save counter space and look industrial}
{A chalkboard that’s perfect for leaving notes}
{Hanging pans fill an empty space over the stove}
{Squeeze bottles filled with olive oil and grape seed oil + different salts}
{Ikea canisters that hold a variety of tools}
{An iPod dock for playing music while cooking or cleaning}
July 18th, 2011
Forever 21 Hat, Marc by Marc Jacobs Sunglasses, Zara Top, 7 for all Mankind Jeans, Jeffrey Campbell Wedges, Orly ‘Frisky’ Nailpolish
The best weekends are the ones that feel indulgent – filled with all of my favorite people, foods, and activities all wrapped up into a relaxing couple of days. We took advantage of the nearly empty city by trying out restaurants that normally require reservations (and a significant amount of time in the car) and decided that we much prefer L.A. when it allows for such spontaneity.
