Good Reads

Fall 2014 Edition

There's nothing like curling up with a good book once the weather starts to cool. I always seem to gravitate towards mystery novels once Autumn hits and maybe that's due to the mystery that starts to fill the air with the days getting shorter, nights getting longer, and Halloween right around the corner. I love to snuggle under a blanket with a nice cup of tea and loose myself into an imaginary world. Without further ado, here is my Fall 2014 reading list.

1. Girl Three by Tracy March. This was recommended to me by my relative and with good reason. It's a murder mystery set in Washington D.C. with political agendas, romance, betrayal, and the unraveling of secrets. Seems like a page turner to me and one that I cannot wait to read. The author wrote the book in a condo that was owned by my relatives and one that I had to pleasure of actually staying in. Pretty cool if you ask me.

2. The Night Circus by Eric Morgenstern. A spell casting novel about a circus that magically appears out of thin air and brings with it all of the excitement and unique experiences a circus can offer. Behind the scenes, within the circus, a competition of imagination and will is going on, one that could destroy the circus, performers, and patron alike.

3. How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, Sophie Mas. A how to book by four French women on everything from how they dress, entertain, have fun, and attempt to behave themselves. I don't know about you, but anything Parisian gets my vote!

4. The Devil in the White City: A Saga of Magic and Murder at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson. A true story of how the Chicago Worlds Fair came to be and all that went on around it. An intertwining story of a serial murderer who used the 1893 fair to lure his victims to their death.

5. Station Eleven by Emily St. Jon Mandel. A spellbinding story about a group of nomad actors, a Hollywood star and his soon to be savior, set in the eerie days of civilizations collapse, roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

6. The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. The story of a New York boy who survives a car accident that kills his mother. Tormented by her death, he clings to a painting that reminds him of her, and one that ultimately draws him into the underworld of art. As an adult, he owns an antique store, finds himself to be alienated and in love, and at the center of a dangerous circle.

What are some books you're currently reading or ones you're looking forward to?

All You Need is Love

Our 3rd Wedding Anniversary

“Love is the emblem of eternity, it confounds all notion of time, effaces all memory of a beginning, all fear of an end”

— Germaine De Stael

When I awoke on the morning of our anniversary, I was greeted by a lovely bag on our dinning room table. Now, the 3rd anniversaries symbol is leather and Justin did quite good if you ask me. His gift to me was two leather handbags wrapped in the cutest polka dot paper with a card nestled on top.

I'm quite in love with these purses because of the great detailing they have. I'm a sucker for a structured top handle bag and the little gold bow accent gives the purse the perfect finishing touch.

When Justin arrived home he gave me these beautiful roses and told me the meaning he thought of behind the three colors. Going from white, to pink, and finally red, the colors represent the deepening of our love over the years. How romantic! I was also surprised by the little snack he got for me. Cinnamon sugar covered almonds. An absolute favorite of mine to snack on.

I really could not have asked for a better anniversary. Between our time in the Finger Lakes to our little celebration at home, everything was perfect and I feel completely lucky to have someone so special and loving as my husband.

Chelsea always likes to get in on the action!

Good Eats

Italian Wedding Soup

Since both my parents and I share wedding anniversaries so close to one another, theirs is September 22nd and mine September 24th, I decided to make Italian Wedding Soup in honor of the celebrations. This was also the soup served at our reception dinner. A favorite with everyone and sure to be a smash at your next dinner, here is the classic recipe. Bon appetit!

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
  

• 1 lb lean ground beef
  

• 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
  

• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  

• 2 tbsp olive oil
  

• 1 pkg mirepoix
  

• 2 cartons chicken stock
  

• 1/3 fresh chopped escarole
  

• 1/2 cup acini di pepe pasta
  

• Salt and pepper to taste
  

• Parmesan Cheese
  

Directions:

1. Beat egg slightly in medium bowl; add ground beef, parsley, and bread crumbs. Mix well with clean hands. I also added some cheese into the mix. Form into small meatballs, using about 1tsp ground beef mixture for each.
2. Brown meatballs on all sides in olive oil in a pan on medium, about 5 min. Remove meatballs; drain off all but 1 tbsp pan drippings.
3. Add mirepoix; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, 6-8 min, until veggies are soft, but not browned.
4. Add meatballs and stock; bring to a boil on high. Lower heat to medium and simmer for 5 min. Ass escarole; return to simmer on medium-high. Add pasta; let simmer about 5 min until pasta is tender.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish each serving with grated cheese.

Dance, Dance

Do one thing everyday that makes you smile

“Dance like no one is watching; sing like no one is listening; work like you don’t need the money; and love like you’ve never been hurt.”

Dancing always brings a smile to my face. The feeling of moving to a song I love simply makes me laugh with happiness. The rush of endorphins from jumping, twirling, side stepping (like a mini exercise routine) also adds to my overall happiness at the end of the song. My challenge to you is to do one thing everyday that makes you happy. You'll thank me for it later on. Anything from being outdoors, exercising, sleeping more, hiking, dancing, singing, watching a movie, reading a book, taking a photograph, whatever you heart desires, will have a positive outcome on your daily life. Studies show that when we do an activity we enjoy, it produces an overall effect of positive and enjoyable experiences for us elsewhere in our lives as in the workplace. Why not take some time then to make ourselves happy?

A Feather in Your Cap

Hat's Off to You

If there's one thing I love it's vintage, especially a good vintage hat. As you've seen with Summer, I had some various hats to choose from. Now that Fall has arrived, it's time to switch from straw to velvet, and let's take a moment to look at that fantastic feather! This dress from Modcloth has an amazing beaded bib neckline, quite glamorous, and the prettiest shade of green to compliment the Fall and Winter months. The sparkly purple shoes from DSW keep the glamor going; a great color to pair with green, wine, yellow, and orange. The vintage clutch also has some exquisite bead work on it with a pattern reminding me of a peacock. The egg shaped bracelet I'm wearing is a replica of Jackie Kennedy's. The colors on it remind me so much of Fall. I must say, this outfit made me feel as if I were in the 1940s and I loved every single moment of it.

A look at the back of the hat reveals a lovely little bow.

Hues of Harvest

Color Course

I've been snuggling up in some cozy sweaters lately and this cropped one fits perfectly into the new season. It should be mentioned that it tucks quite nicely into any skirt. No extra fabric to bunch up and look messy. The wine colored faux leather skirt adds some nice texture to any outfit and brings a sense of fun and youthfulness. As mentioned before, the leopard shoes blend in perfectly to match the color pallet of cream, wine, pink, red, and mustard yellow. The idea here is to add some texture and color into your Fall wardrobe. I love a simple black dress or outfit, but try to incorporate other rich colors once the weather turns cooler.  The shoes, skirt, and sweater are from LC Lauren Conrad.

This purse, from Carolton's in Rehoboth Beach, is the quint essential Fall hand bag. Perfect with its mustard yellow color, brown and black trim, and medium size so as not to over whelm, but big enough to carry necessary items in.

Travel Log

3 Year Wedding Anniversary to the Finger Lakes

Today marks my three year wedding anniversary and what better way to celebrate than by looking back at some wonderful memories from our trip to the finger lakes a couple weeks ago. Justin and I decided to take our anniversary trip a little early this year and it turned out to be spectacular. The finger lakes have beautiful sweeping landscapes to gaze upon, which comprises of what Justin and I do while visiting. We love to simply drive around and relax while taking in all of the scenery around us. Of course we do visit our favorite winery Bully Hill and stock up on Ravot 51, our favorite wine that has pineapples in it and quite a sweet flavor. Other than that we love to have little picnics around the lakes, do some antique shopping, and try the local cuisine. The golden rod was flourishing and added an Autumn feel to the gorgeous views. Let's not forget the fabulous waterfalls the finger lake region has to offer as well. This year we got to see a new one for us, Ithaca Falls, pictured last. Also, you'll see I made a new little friend while having our picnic. All in all we had a wonderful time with so many memories filled with love. I feel so luck to be married to my best friend.

A quick little history for us, Justin and I took our "mini moon" to the finger lakes the weekend after we were married. I had started a new job and was not able to take any time off. We still wanted to go somewhere to celebrate so we chose a small weekend trip to the finger lakes. We eventually took our big honeymoon trip six months later to Florida, but have always had a special place in our hearts for this New York region. We also took our one year anniversary to the finger lakes and now our three year as well.

This is from our mini moon in 2011

Celebrating our one year anniversary in 2012

Happy Autumn

My favorite season is finally upon us. The crisp cool air, pumpkin flavors, cozy sweaters, colorful leaves, all make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. To celebrate the new season I've compiled some of my favorite fall photographs I've taken.

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Pointelle Polish

Lovely Leopard

As the crisp cooler air arrives its imperative to start dressing appropriately. Fall usually has some cooler days mixed in with some warmed ones. To keep warm and cool try picking out an outfit that is made from pointelle fabric. Its a little heavier to provide some warmth, but also the open stitching allows for air flow. Another Fall must and one of my favorites, leopard anything. This luxurious neutral animal print pairs well with so many various color combinations and looks lovely to boot. The dress and pointed flats are from LC Lauren Conrad, the clutch from Target, pearl necklace and earrings from my mom. 

Alternatively, for a different look with the same dress, keep your hair down in waves, add leopard heels instead of flats, and trade out the pearls for some diamonds. A new look with some simple swaps of accessories.

Fancy Floral

Dark Floral for Fall

This elegant outfit lets you bring fresh floral into Fall by darkening them up a bit. Add on a lace blazer, belted to keep your figure from hiding, some snazzy gold shoes, and you're set for a night out or a polished work friendly ensemble. The dress is from modcloth and the blazer from LC Lauren Conrad.

Comfortably Cozy

Fabulous faux fur and cognac boots

This outfit combines so many of my favorite Fall fashions. A light weight creamy white sweater, jeans, tall cognac boots, and a fabulous faux fur vest. Every part of this outfit has essential Fall items to keep you stylish, chic, and comfortably cozy. I wear these boots all the time throughout the Fall and Winter months. Nothing better to keep those tootsies warm while looking well put together. The cognac color compliments all other colors and goes with basically anything your heart desires. The faux fur vest, which I recently purchased on my vacation to Rehoboth Beach, keeps you feeling snug as a bug when those temperatures start to dip.

Oatmeal Pumpkin Creme Pies

Fun Fall Flavor

Once Fall hits I go into pumpkin spice over drive. Everything from baking, cooking, drinking, and household items seems to be inspired by sweet cinnamon spice and pumpkin. I made these little delicacies for one of my dinner parties and they were an absolute smash! What really makes them incredible is the cream cheese filling. My goodness, tantalizingly creamy and smooth with autumn spices to boot. I even had some left over filling that I'm storing in the fridge right now to use as the icing on some cupcakes I'm going to make for Fall.

Ingredients:

Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 and 2/3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (or 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice)
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (to thicken, as needed)
• salt, to taste

Directions:

Step 1

1. In a large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream the softened butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Slowly stir in the baking soda, cinnamon, oats, and flour. Mix together until just combined. Do not over mix.

Step 1

2. Chill the dough for at least one hour in the fridge. Cookies will be very flat if the dough is not cold.

Step 2 Oatmeal Pumpkin Creme Pies

Step 3

3. Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Roll 2 teaspoons of dough into a ball and place onto prepared sheet. Bake for 9 minutes and let cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack.

Step 4

4. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the pumpkin frosting. Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, butter, pumpkin, and spices on medium speed until creamy. Add 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar depending how sweet you’d like it. If frosting is much too thin, add in the flour to thicken it. I actually used about 1/2 cup flour to thicken it up to where I liked it. Add salt to cut the sweetness, if you prefer.

Step 4

Step 5 Oatmeal Pumpkin Creme Pies

Oatmeal Pumpkin Creme Pies

5. Spread a generous amount of frosting on the underside of a cooled cookie and sandwich another cookie on top. Cookies stay fresh for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Pretty in Polka Dots

1950s chic

Can anyone say I Love Lucy?? As soon as I saw this dress it reminded me of the lovable red head who always seemed to get her zany self into a sneaky scheme. That by the way is my favorite show. I watch it constantly, almost every day. The classic fit and flare design with pretty polka dots looks straight out of the 1950s. The cream belt cinches in the waist, perfect for creating a nice figure. To complete the outfit are cream colored heels. The dress comes from Modcloth, an essential store for anyone looking for classic designs or vintage flair.

The baubles for this outfit include a pearl and multi-color stone necklace, a purple stone ring and pearl earrings accented in gold all belonging to my mother. My usual tennis bracelet and and rings round out the bunch.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

An Olive Garden Copycat Recipe

One of my favorite chain restaurants to dine at is Olive Garden. My husband absolutely adores their Zuppa Toscana soup and always orders it every time we go. While browsing around pinterest, I found this copy cat recipe and knew I had to try it. Needless to say, Justin loved it and the left overs did not last long. A fun fact, I used the kale from our garden in the soup and try to use everything from our garden that I possibly can in my recipes! Now, the taste of the soup is without a doubt creamy and literally has you craving more with the sweet Italian sausage and potato bites that seem to just crumble in your mouth. This would not be for the health conscious person necessarily, but it's fun to diverge every now and then and try something on the creamier side. It's more of a hearty soup perfect for Fall in my opinion.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cups kale
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in sausage and kale about 5 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve immediately, garnished with bacon.

Wine Tasting

Summer to Fall

This was such a fun photo shoot to do. My idea came from the old saying of never wearing white after Labor Day. It's one of those rules that some stick to religiously and others say rules are meant to be broken. I never liked the rule per say. Yes, bright whites do look best in the summer sun, but who says you cannot take your bright summer whites and transform them into Fall appropriate pieces? There came there inspiration to take my LC Lauren Conrad white lace dress and carry it from a Summer style into a Fall. A few key accessory changes and the look was updated. As for that old rule about Labor Day, I saw wear your whites year round. A creamier winter white looks absolutely divine during the colder months and ever so chic.

1. The first look is the bright Summer white with red shoes, a gold bag, and a pink stone necklace.
2. My update for Fall look one incorporates an LC Lauren Conrad wine colored blazer. Next, a brown bow bag, a red rhine stone necklace and purple sparkly heels.
3. The update for Fall look two incorporates the same wine colored blazer, only this time I added leopard heels from LC's line and a leopard purse from Mark. Leopard is one of those neutral prints I adore. My favorite of all the animal prints. 

Here we have some of the accessories used from the photo shoot.

A close up of the two necklaces worn. The pink summer style is a replica of Jackie Kennedy's and the red rhine stone heart is from my mother's collection. The pearl earrings in the title photo were used in all the shots. They are also from my mom.

One of the Boys

Menswear inspired fashion is everywhere and quite a classic at that. Kathrine Hepburn started the idea of women being able to wear what men wear and gasp, back in the 1930s that simply meant wearing pants or trousers. While my style is feminine and romantic, a great way to add some menswear inspiration is through accessories, or adding one detail like the blue button down shirt I have on. For this outfit I wanted to keep the proportions at 50/50. My buckle stacked heels, briefcase style bag, and blue button down shirt are inspired by the boys while my pleated floral skirt, pearl necklace, and pearl earrings are quint essentially feminine. I like the balance between the two styles and think it makes a refreshing outfit with lovely classic pieces.

Twisted Sister

Braids really are one of the go-to's to be kept in any girls repertoire of hair styles. This braided style only takes about five minutes and is great for those days when you simply cannot do anything with your hair. I personally like to keep my hair down, but feel I need to change it up every now and then. As mentioned before, buns are another go-to, but so is a simple braided style. All you have to do to achieve this is to section the hair into two sides at the back of the neck as if making pig tails. Take the one section, braid it, then form the braid into an S shape at the back of the neck and pin. Repeat on the other side, spray hair with hairspray, and you're done!

Travel Log

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

The Pine and Brine

To say I'm a little nostalgic about Rehoboth Beach would be putting it mildly. My family has been vacationing here for over 20 years. I have so many wonderful memories that I cherish deeply. The quaint little town is only 1 mile long by 1 mile wide and has the nickname "pine and brine" due to the forestry area at the Grear and Silver lakes with the ocean only 1 block away. It has the best of both worlds. Plentiful are the amount of restaurants and shops carrying anything your heart desires. I truly have always considered Rehoboth a home away from home. My dad and I got up every morning at 5:45 am to capture the sunrise so you'll see plenty of beautifully inspiring images. We always took a photo together with the wonderful sky as the backdrop. Below is a gallery of our most recent trip during the first week of September. The weather was scorching and the bath water temperature of the ocean felt great. You'll see classic beach images, both lakes and their surroundings, our favorite restaurants we visited, sunrise photos, nighttime images, and a tour of the Dogfish Head brewery located in Milton, Delaware.

Travel Log

Washington D.C.

What an absolutely fabulous time Justin and I had in Washington D.C. over the Labor Day weekend. My relatives own a condo in the newly built City Center complex, which they were gracious enough to let us use for our trip. My main goal for this D.C. adventure was to explore Georgetown and see the various places where J.F.K. had lived, went to church, and grabbed a bite to eat. The weather was spectacular, only adding to the excitement of being in the city. Below are some photos documenting the trip.

• The first one shows the view of the city center complex from the roof top
  
• Next Justin and I relaxing on the balcony listening to the city below us.
• Now in Georgetown, the first JFK house we saw was 3260 N Street, the yellow home, where JFK rented and ran for Senate, also meeting Jackie while living here.
• The most famous of all the JFK Georgetown houses, 3307 N Street, the red brick with green shutters, where Jackie and he lived from 1957-61, most importantly during the 1960 presidential election.
• Holy Trinity Church where the Kennedy's often worshiped throughout their stay in Georgetown
• The inside of Martin's Tavern. The rumble booth where JFK would sit every Sunday morning for his brunch while reading the newspaper. The next photos show the proposal booth where supposedly Jack proposed to Jackie, though reports differ on that story. Perhaps he presented the ring to her here.
• The yellow house with the blue shutters, 3271 P Street, where wedding plans were made after John proposed to Jackie.
• The grey house with the black door, 2808 P Street, where JFK developed his presidential campaign after releasing his book Profiles in Courage.
• Next are some various rooftop photos at sunset at City Center.
• The following day on Saturday, Justin and I met up with our good friends Mike and Joe, and explored parts of the city. We went to Ford's Theater, where I had always wanted to visit, and saw some historical scenes of where Lincoln was assassinated. The bed photo, located across the street in the Peterson house, is where Lincoln actually died.
• We saw this breathtaking church, St. Patrick's Parish, on our walk around town.
• Our new leader, Mr. Justin.
• After bidding Mike and Joe goodbye, we met up with Justin's aunt Mona in DuPont Circle. Here are rooftop photos from her condo. Visible are parts of DuPont Circle, D.C., and Virginia.
• Enjoying a glass of wine on the balcony on our last night in the city.
• Finally, on our last day before heading to my relatives for lunch, Justin and I took a moment to have a photo of us together.

Roasted Cod and Mushroom Raggot

Go Fish

Looking for a healthy mean in a hurry? Look no further, this dinner comes together in about 30 minutes and has the health boost from the cod, mushrooms, and sweet potatoes. It's low in calories and loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants. This is a great meal to make anytime throughout the year and one I'm sure you'll be coming back to time and time again.

Ingredients:

• 2 lg sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 in chunks
• 2 tbsp evoo
• 2 lg shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 pkgs sliced mushrooms
• 4 skinless cod fillets
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees
• Combine the sweet potatoes, half the shallots, and 1tbsp of evoo in a small bowl. Top with salt and peeper. Transfer to a greased baking pan. Arrange in a single layer on the side of the pan. Roast for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining tbsp oil on medium-high heat. Add remaining shallots and cook 2-3 minutes or until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and 2 tbsp water; cook 8 minutes or until liquid evaporates; stirring occasionally.
• Arrange cod on the other side of roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast alongside potatoes 8 to 10 minutes or until the fish is just opaque throughout.
• Stir parsley, wine, and salt and pepper in mushroom mixture. Cook 1 minute or until wine has reduced by half.
• Divide potatoes and cod among serving plates. Spoon mushroom raggot over cod.