Thursday, March 29, 2012

On a cold day…

On a cold rainy day all I want to do is stay inside and watch tv and eat soup! Even though it’s almost April you would never be able to tell since it’s been a cool 40-50 degrees and except for a sunny weekend last week, sold rain. I have been obsessed with tortilla soup and feel like I have been getting it any time I can. So I decided to make some myself and it turned out so good I almost ate the whole pot of it that night! It was a simple recipe and used canned chicken which made me weary at first, but was actually brilliant. Most of the ingredients were from a can and made it even easier.
Here is the recipe I used from Campbell's. Although I substituted the Pace salsa for a Safeway brand chipotle salsa that made it slightly spicier, but so worth the smokey flavor! I also substituted the frozen corn for canned corn with peppers and threw in a can of black beans and topped with avocado slices at the end. All in all I think it was a delicious soup that I would probably start making weekly since it literally only took 30 minutes.  

Wear to go from here… well duh, to the kitchen. It’s almost dinner time!
*Megs

Monday, March 12, 2012

Oh Color

One of my favorite Spring trends is Color Blocking! (As I stated I was obsessed with last week) It is a fun trend where you can mix bright colors to get a sophisticated, but fun look that looks put together! You can even mix in some neutral pieces to break up the brightness of the outfit. Or you can go all out with the bright and the bold!!!

Here are some of the fun styles I have been admiring! I think Pink tones and Blue tones are my favorite. They are both such versatile colors!!

 Wear to go from here…a Sunday Brunch or a girls night out. You can go anywhere in your color block outfit!
*Megs

Friday, March 9, 2012

Slight Obsession

It’s been a long hiatus for me from here, but I have been living a crazy whirlwind version of my life and I can’t even believe it’s already MARCH!!! Where has the time gone? Before we know it we will be in 2013! But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

With all the craziness, and the non stop hustle and bustle of my life lately I am ready for things to calm down and get back to the things I enjoy and have not done in months. I have gained some slight obsessions for spring and can’t stop thinking about them. I think I need all of these things in my life…I just can’t take it anymore!!


Pink Pants!! Or any colored pants for that matter. And paired with a chambray shirt for a pretty look!
Single glitter nail…totally love this look with a little dash of sparkle without being a full blown disco party on your fingers.
Color Blocking! Enough said…love this spring trend. And I need this BCBG Maxazria dress, it’s so pretty and I love the pleats!
Maxi dresses. Something seems so sweet and romantic about this soft flowy look…I just can’t wait for warmer weather to bust out the spring dresses!!
Ombre Hair (not sure I am brave enough), but might be a way to get some blonde in my life?? I have a secret desire to be blonde, but olive skin prevents me from ever really doing it!

This just made me even more obsessed!!!

Wear to go from here… Off to the mall and hair salon!! Can't control myself any longer!

Happy Friday!
*Megs

Sunday, January 8, 2012

On to a New Year

Happy New Year! It's that time a year to start fresh and begin a new chapter in your life. Instead of making new years resolutions that will probably be broken in a few weeks I decided to instead make some goals for myself to accomplish this year. Hopefully I can stick to these goals and make 2012 the best it can be!
First, I would love to fill 2012 with better eating habits, and a healthier overall lifestyle. I did an ok job of that in 2011, but it's definitely something I struggle with and could always improve on. And dating a runner has kind of inspired me to get up off the couch, put down the pizza and start making some better health choices.  

Be braver in my fashion choices and not afraid to shine. I love fashion, but sometimes am too afraid to take risks and wear something that is fashion forward and a little flashy. My friends are laughing right now since they think I always take risks...but I do often  reserve myself.

Experiment with my cooking and making more fun and creative foods, while also improving on my baking.  I got some awesome Christmas gifts... a stockpot and cake decorating tools. (so EXCITED to use both!) They will for sure be very useful for this goal.

I also want to spend more time with the people who I care about and love and make my relationships stronger. Life is short and I want to make the most of it and spend as much time as possible with them. Especially the new relationship that developed in 2011. He is so incredible and kind, and I'm so excited to spend this year with him!

And hopefully in addition to all this I can find time to get away and get some R&R on a beachy vacation!! With a new promotion and lots of work I know 2012 will be a little more stressful.

Wear to go from here... I don't know where to start. Do I hit the kitchen or the gym, maybe the grocery store or the mall. So man options... go thing I have 357 days left!
*Megs

**Also bloggin more and not taking month long hiatis is also a secondary goal!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Stylish Snow Bunny

This year I am finally going on a ski trip! And it’s going to be at Whistler!! I used to ski and snowboard all the time as a kid. But fast forward 10 years, I’m pretty sure I am going to be terrible now. I’m still on the fence about actually going skiing, so we will see how I feel once I am up there. Might just be fun to play around in the snow and see the sights!

But since it’s been so long since I've been in actual snow I no longer have any well fitting and stylish snow clothes. Thus requiring me to go SHOPPING! Here is the ideal outfit I came up with that assures I will be warm and dry on the slopes! And of course includes sequin Ugg boots...I can't go anywhere without a little sparkle!!!

Now feeling more confident… all I need is some rental gear.

(from the left, clockwise)
North Face Freedom LRBC Insulated Pants $159.00
DAKINE Audrey Visor Beanie $30.00
Collection XIIX Basket Weave Loop Scarf $34.00
UGG® Australia 'Classic Sparkles' Boot $169.95
North Face 'Metropolis' Gloves $60.00

I can already tell this is going to be an expensive vacation!

Wear to go from here… The North Face store, then REI, then Nordstrom
…anything I’m forgetting?
*Megs

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Tech-ie Delight

This year there has been an array of tech products coming out that are both fun and very functional. I personally can’t live without my iphone and ipad and am a die-hard apple fan! And come from a tech-ie family! Both my parents and siblings have those products too, so it’s been hard to find some other things that might be nice to get them. Although browsing online I found some awesome stuff for under $200 that will definitely delight the tech-ie in your life on Christmas morning!
Wear to go from here… hmmm, just need to decide who gets what!!
*Megs

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Countdown to Christmas

I can’t believe that it’s the first day of December. Where has this year gone? I swear we were planning summer vacations, bachelorette parties and wedding details just a few weeks ago. Now it’s onto Christmas decorating, baking cookies, attending holiday parties and creating shopping lists.
This is by far my favorite holiday with all the festive decorations that make everything sparkle and shine, and generally seem to put people in a good mood!
I'm so excited to dive into the season and just have fun this year. I have gifting craft days planned, a ski trip to Whistler and hoping to make lots of fun holiday dishes (since the thanksgiving sweet potatoes where a hit! I'm feeling more confident.)

Here is to a great December and holiday season!
Wear to go from here…out to start decorating, cooking and hitting up the stores!
*Megs

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thankful in 2011

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Tomorrow is the big day and I am so excited to totally indulge myself with all the great food to be expected by my family. Unfortunately my Food Challenge didn't go as good as planned. Just got way to busy with weekend trips and busy work days. But my selected dish for tomorrow is sweet potatoes...so it's GO-TIME! Must get to the store quickly today after work and hit the kitchen! Hopefully it's a success...not the un-wanted dish on the table that's left over after dinner.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving I wanted to mention 5 things that I am thankful for this year! It's been a pretty great 2011 and I feel there is lots to be thankful for.
  1. My family and friends who I am so close too and have got to spend some very special days with them this year that made me so excited and happy to be there for them!
  2. A little doggie who was brought home in January and makes up the other half of my "family"!
  3. A job that I love with people who make my day more joyful!
  4. A nice clean and warm (well most of the time) apartment that makes me excited to be at home!
  5. The life experiences I have had this year that have made me stronger and taught me a lot about myself and who I am and what I want to strive to be!  
What are you thankful for?

Wear to go from here... hitting I5 at 3pm to head south for the holiday! WAHOOOOO!!!! 
*Megs 

Friday, November 18, 2011

Back to Basic

I am in dire need of a new basic black dress boot. I have practically worn through mine and they are looking quite shabby these days! I am really interested in a wedge boot since they tend to be slightly more comfortable and are a good style that goes with everything. I’ve been on the hunt for a few weeks now and haven’t found that perfect pair yet! But with payday and an wide open weekend I am on a shopping mission!

But here are some contenders I have found that I want to check out!
Not sure if I will want to spurge for the Pour La Victoire… but just in case they are amazing, I’m keeping an open mind. Giving Christmas gifts are over rated right! Hehe!!

Wear to go from here... off the the mall!
*Megs

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Holiday Food Challenge #2 - complete!

So I finally got around to my 2nd Holiday Food Challenge this week. And since I have committed to a dairy free November (Hopefully I can stay strong the entire month...cheese is my biggest weakness!!) I thought I would try some recipes that use alternative ingredients to dairy. For my first attempt at being dairyless I tried Creamy Vegan Mashed Potatoes. The secret to the creaminess was Vegenaise which made me super skeptical, but it turned out so good it might be the way I always make them!

I made them at the new boy's (yes there is a new bf!) house and was so focused on talking to him and being so hungry I totally forgot to snap any pictures, but really they looked just like regular old mashed potatoes so you were not missing much.

Here are the ingredients... Recipe link above!
8 -10 potatoes
1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/2-1 1/2 cup plain soy milk
1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 -3 tablespoons italian seasoning
1 -2 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 -2 teaspoon onion powder
1 -2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper

So if you are not oppose to soy milk and vegenaise you will really enjoy this because it was AMAZING!! And was super easy. After boling the potatoes for 30 minutes the rest literilly took about 10 minutes.

Wear to go from here... onto Holiday Food Challenge #3!
Gotta get going, only have 2 more weeks and so many recipes to try!
*Megs

Make it Glitter & Shine

The upcoming holidays always puts me in a festive mood! So naturally I think of any way to add sparkle to myself… and today I am obsessed with sparkle and glitter nails! There are so many ways to do it and so many options of colors and techniques I will never run out of ideas. Just browsing some of my favorite blogs I got a few ideas to start with.
From top left clockwise:
Mimi and Meg - Red Nails with Sparkle Gold
Cupcakes & Cashmere - Pink, Orange & Silver
Nail Nerd - Blue with Multi Sparkle
The Beauty Department - Gold Metallic & Sparkle
Cupcakes & Cashmere - Aqua Sparkle

With the next too weekend free before my "weekend marathon of getaways" (I have a trip planned every weekend from Thanksgiving to New Years…YIKES!) I can test some of these out and also start some of home and cooking projects I have been procrastination on.
Wear to go from here… the beauty store for some festive sparkle nail colors!   
*Megs

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Holiday Food Challenge #1 - complete!

Ok so my first week's Holiday Food Challenge finally got made this weekend. (Sorry for the delay, my week got busy) I must say it didn't turn out as amazing as I had hoped, but that's why I am doing the trial run...to make sure my dish is not only delicious, but knocks the socks off my family at our thanksgiving dinner! 

I think where I went wrong was I may have cooked the sauce a little too much on too high of heat that it became more of a jelly than a liquid sauce. And I think I would need to double the sauce recipe to cover the amount of yams that the recipe calls for. 

Again a learning experience... and glad to get more practice in my new found hobby! So here are some pics of my trial run! At least the yams were a pretty orange that was great to photograph.



Wear to go from here... back the kitchen for Food Challenge #2! Stay tuned!
*Megs 

Monday, October 31, 2011

That's the Halloween spirit

In the spirit of Halloween I just wanted to share a quick pic of my costume! I was a Jersey Girl for Halloween this year! My inspiration was the style network show Jerseylicious (not Jersey Shore, just so we are clear) But after about 10 people asking me if I was Snookie, I just gave in and said yes. It was just too complicated to explain my inspiration of Jersey than just say "Yes I am Snookie!" I totally get it...I had the bump and a short dress, so I just rolled with it, but i'd like to think the prettier the version of course!!

What do you think? I loved it and would totally rock it again. 
As for Claire, she was a little pumpkin! And boy did she look adorable. I know, I know...I am totally that girl. (crazy dog lady in case you were wondering) But it was pretty hard to pass by the pet costume aisle at Target and not stop to check it out. And at $6 it was a no brainer!
Happy Halloween everyone!!

Wear to go from here... off to New Jersey, I think I would fit in great! 
*Megs

Friday, October 28, 2011

Big, Bold & Bright Statement

Statement Necks are a BIG part of the accessory trends right now! I love how it can take a plain tee or dress and class it up! Or it can just add some fun color and depth to your outfit. The bigger and bolder the jewels are, the more fun and flashy it is. Add some feathers and you are ready to go!
And we all know I am not afraid to be a little fashion forward... even if it gets me pretty awkward glances when I step up to the bus stop in the morning!

I love the Charm & Chain website to search all the latest trends and styles in jewelry and at all different price points you are bound to find something that fits into your budget! Here are some I am loving right now!

Wear to go from here… to get ready to make a statement! On your neck at least!!
*Megs

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Over the Top?

I absolutely love Ugg boots, and I know they are slightly ridicules and some even consider ugly, but they are some of the most comfortable shoes EVER! And in the winter months are always so warm and cozy. Unless it’s a downpour they are even slightly weatherproof to the elements.

So when I came across these sparkly sequin Over the Knee Bailey Button Sparkles Boots it was love at first sight! Too over the top?? Too impractical?? Probably, but who cares they were boots that were made for me!

Wear to go from here… out in the cold, so I can wear my new boots!!
*Megs

Friday, October 21, 2011

Feeling Purple

Daydreaming again of decorating, and this time I am feeling some purple would be a nice change! I know, I know... red is my go-to signature color and what I always gravitate to, but there is something that feels so calm and serene about soft lilacs and muted mulberry. Here are some inspirations for my current purple obsession!
*Photos from Elle Decor & HomeDit*

They all feel so cozy and girly...I think I would feel right at home if this was my house!

Wear to go from here... Bed, Bath & Beyond? Feeling a decorating bug again!
*Megs  

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Holiday Food Challenge #1

One of the best things about the holidays is ALL THE FOOD!!
And we all know how much I love food! But of course family is the best thing... but I'm talking about the food right now. Even though I am not the best cook, I have dreams of someday having people over to my house for a big thanksgiving celebration with my amazing food, pretty dishes and a fancy decorated table! (I must think I am Martha Stewart in this dream.)

I think I definitely need more practice in the kitchen (...and of course a bigger place for said party!) so why not start now! So I am challenging myself to try at least one "fancy holiday" dish a week before thanksgiving so that a) I can practice my cooking skills, b) find an amazing dish that will knock the socks of my family this year's thanksgiving dinner (I was asked to bring rolls & beverages last year), and c) because I always like a challenge! Who wants to come over for dinner??

My first recipe is Candied Sweet Potatoes. One of my favorites, it's like candy for dinner! I found this recipe from Betty Crocker and I am ready to try and report back with my results!
Even the picture is making me hungry just looking at it!
Wear to go from here... the grocery store!
*Megs

Monday, October 17, 2011

Weekend Review

This weekend turned out to be a beautiful fall weekend with crisp cool air and lots of sun peaking through the clouds. It was wonderful to bundle up with scarves and boots and not have to think about rain-proof dressing! I love Fall and can't get enough of it!!!

Although personally it was not the best weekend... (my family had a health scare and I got a horrible migraine at a soccer game and wanted to die!)

Here are five things that made me smile this weekend!
1. Snuggle time with Claire!
2. Having a clean house! (well...didn't quite make it to my bedroom)
3. Getting a text from my aunt, from her new iPhone 4S! 
4. Pulling out my favorite grey OTK boots!
5. Spending time with a new guy just relaxing and watching netflixs!

Wear to go from here... back to work! Man the weekend went by WAY to fast!
*Megs 

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Peacock Effect

I can't stop obsessing over Rachel Zoe clothes!! She is my favorite stylist and now that she is doing her own clothing line I am SO EXCITED!!!! I have big dreams of working as her assistant and styling photo shoots and red carpet events! (Maybe someday!) But in the meantime I'll just ooh and awe over her amazing clothes! 

I saw this dress in a magazine a few weeks back and then on my boss yesterday and I am in love! The peacock pattern is so fun and flirty, then combined with the silky fabric and ruffles it's the perfect wear to work dress with some tights and pumps. But could also transition to a cocktail party with bare legs and some stappy heels! Basically just a must have dress!
*Photo from Nordstrom.com Rachel Zoe Peacock Dress*

Wear to go from here... adding to my shopping list, and searching my couch cushions for some spare change! This list is getting long.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

DVF Sparkle

Diane Von Furstenberg is one of those iconic designers that always have beautiful and timeless clothes. If I could fill my entire closet with DVF wrap dresses, capes and jersey tunics I totally would!

To add to my sparkle obsession I am DY-ING over this bright blue Judith Dress from the her Fall 2011 line!! But with a $1,600 price tag, it will probably never be mine… but a girl can dream! I would totally rock this with some silver strappy high heels and some fun statement earrings for a night out on the town!
Wear to go from here… to figure out how to get a black-tie event invite and money to get this dress! (Brainstorming starts now!)
*Megs