Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Princesses Rule.

{opi}

I think the name alone says it all.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Rich Red.


{Estee Lauder's Rich Red}

I'm usually not so daring when it comes to my lip color, but I'm finding myself falling more and more in love with this bold shade each time I wear it.

Monday, August 29, 2011

3 Things.




The deadlines are stacking up and my health is quickly taking a turn - I'm sick; not a winning combo. While my body aches all over and I sort out the details as to how I'm going to get though this week, here are a few items that I sought comfort in this weekend.

1. The view from the Crow's Nest.

2. Living in my dad's US Navy issue sweatshirt from Officer's Candidate School in 1974 - I feel like it somehow takes care of me.

3. My favorite comfort breakfast from Cafe Palomar, the Veggie Scramble

Friday, August 26, 2011

A Little Bit of Everything.






{Jacket, plaid shirt & striped top-H&M, Shorts-Levi’s, Shoes-Elie Tahari, Purse-Rebecca Minkoff, Sunglasses-DVF, Jewelry-JCrew, Bebe, College of the Desert Street Fair, borrowed from Mom}

Sometimes when I can't decide what to wear, I just wear it all. What can I say? It's just the Portuguese in me.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Classic with a Twist.


Just like your regular old grilled cheese. Only better.

Ingredients:

  • bread (white, wheat, sour dough)
  • cheese (Manchego fontina, Gruyère), thinly sliced
  • fruit chutney (such as cranberry, fig, or mango)
  • butter

Directions:

Make a sandwich with the bread, cheese, and chutney. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook sandwich until bread is golden and the cheese is melted, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cut sandwich into quarters before serving (cools faster, enjoy sooner)

Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

My {Not So} Little Secret.








After last night's yoga class I can see the Zen is out of the bag so I might as well share the love too. Every Tuesday 6:16pm there is yoga instruction* at Grace Cathedral. For those of you who happen to be in San Francisco on a Tuesday evening try Yoga on the Labyrinth - the whole experience is quite something in itself.

Can you imagine meditating any where more beautiful?

*Donations to Grace Cathedral accepted as payment for the class.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Nantucket Mist.

{opi}

My foolish attempt to replace the real thing. Beautiful color, but so not the same thing.

Monday, August 22, 2011

3 Things.







Things are starting to get busy, busy with upcoming deadlines and not looking like things are going to let up anytime soon. But before I barricade myself in this work, I made a trip home to bid farewell to a close childhood friend who is moving to Seattle in the name of love. After an evening spent reminiscing over past memories, creating tons of new ones and sharing more laughs that I can count {we think we are really funny} I know that distance will never replace the friendship we’ve shared more than half our lives. Her friendship has been the closest I imagine to what having a sister is like. I wish her all of the best in her adventure ahead and hope that all of her dreams come true. Always a good time, that one.

1. The Grapevine - a great little wine bar in Willow Glen. Great change of scenery on a lovely Saturday evening while sampling a cheese plate and indulging on gourmet grilled cheese {wine included, of course}

2. Louie V. The Pomeranian. Yes, those are sunglasses on the dog. My, oh my!

3. An even greater love for One Republic’s Good Life. Perhaps time for an outfit inspired post..?

Thursday, August 18, 2011

All Grown Up.



{Vena Cava dress, Miu Miu heels, College of the Desert Street Fair, CC Skye, & vintage bracelets}

As I mentioned earlier this week, I had great fun playing dress up while helping Mom with Project Closet.  While piling on almost every bangle she owns, and slipping in and out her designer shoes, what better time for an impromptu photo shoot with my new Vena Cava dress - the long flowing sheer skirt was just perfect with all the accessories I'd been "borrowing" throughout the morning.  After all these years, it's funny to find myself right back in my favorite place to play - Mom's closet.  And, I ventured away from my usual lipstick color to try a pure red!  I think it's just what this outfit needed! 


Guilty Pleasures.


There is nothing like a plate full of crispy potato skins, filled with melty cheddar cheese and topped with bacon bits, sour cream and green onions. The first time I had these I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I long for the days when I could eat potato skins with wild abandon! I could eat a whole plate back then (and drink a pitcher of beer along with it) and be none the worse. Sigh.

Ingredients:
  • 6 small to medium sized potatoes, rinsed clean
  • 8 oz of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 8 slices of smoked, thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
  • 6 tbsp sour cream
  • 2 tbsp of chopped chives
  • Pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke the top of each potato with a fork and place on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Once cooked, remove from the baking sheet, and place on a plate to let cool for about 15 minutes. In the meantime, add sour cream to a small bowl with half of the chives, mix, and let this sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cook your bacon for about 15-20 minutes and crumble it down when done.Once your potatoes are cooled, use a sharp bread knife and cut lengthwise in half. With a small spoon, carefully scoop out about 70 % of the potato. Next, melt butter in the microwave. Get your broiler heated to high. Brush the butter on the inside and outside of each potato skin and place them back on the baking sheet. Place them under the broiler for 8-10 minutes until the insides get a bit crispy from the melted butter. Remove, and place generous amounts of cheddar cheese into each skin, topping with bacon pieces. Place these back under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes until the cheese is nice and bubbly. Carefully remove from the oven. Add sour cream and chives to each potato skin.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Screw You.




Some of my favorite hardware-inspired bracelets I've been wearing nonstop.

Gold. Silver. Bring it all on.

{Sorry about the name of this post, Dad}

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

We'll Always Have Paris.

{opi}

I dream of one day being able to say this. And mean it.

Monday, August 15, 2011

3 Things.



With Ziggy away for the weekend, I found myself with the freedom to hop on the train on Saturday and head to Palo Alto to meet mom for a little retail therapy at Stanford Shopping Center. We enjoyed the warm summer day walking from shop to shop, bought some fresh produce, and topped off the day with wine and potato skins at Max's Cafe {I have to say, it was yum!}
 
A leisurely & sunny Sunday  morning was spent at Starbucks perusing all my favorite magazines, marking up inspiring finds, wants, needs, etc.  The afternoon was spent on the reorganization/purging of my mom's closet, which led to a trip down memory lane with lots of laughs!  I even scored some pieces to add to my closet. Mostly, my weekend was nice and relaxing.  And, although I did miss the little guy, here are a few things that I especially enjoyed. 
1.  Shucking fresh white corn right there at Sigona's Farmer's Market, at Stanford Shopping Center.  (Make sure to ask about the wine/cheese gift if you spend more than $30)
 
2.  Spending some time with my college cat, Bianca.  After several moves to pet unfriendly locations, she has a permanent home with my mom.
 
3.  Playing dress up while working on mom's Closet Project.  I uncovered some MomJeans that she's still proud of and won't give away.  And, there may be pictures to come. 

Friday, August 12, 2011

Tahoe Blues.

{shirt-John Varvatos for Converse, shorts-Levi's, shoes-Tahari, hat-SF Italian Festival, bracelets-CC Skye (similar) & Mali

Counting down the days until I can bike ride to the Beacon for one of their Rum Runners {a local favorite} and enjoy the good life.





Thursday, August 11, 2011

Simple Delight.


Pretty much anything wrapped in Prosciutto is the best thing ever. Don't you think?


Ingredients:
9 ripe fresh figs cut in half lengthwise
12 thin slices Prosciutto
1 cup crumbled fresh blue cheese {I recommend, Point Reyes}
2 tablespoons honey for drizzling

Directions:
Cut 9 slices of the Prosciutto lengthwise in half.  Loosely wrap each fig half with a strip of Prosciutto. Cut the remaining Prosciutto into thin strips and then cut the strips into 2 inch pieces.  In a small pan, sauté the strips until they are crisp.  Drain and reserve.  Place blue cheese crumbles and fried Prosciutto strips on each fig. Drizzle the honey over and serve.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Casual Luxury.

{Tahari loafers}

And my love for the menswear-inspired trend continues, along with my over-obsession with shoes (see here, here, here and here). This is my last pair for a while. Maybe. 

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Glitter & Glory.



Every girl needs a little sparkle in her life – especially when it fosters fond memories.

Monday, August 8, 2011

3 Things.






This past weekend I got away from the city and headed up to South Lake Tahoe. Between boating around Emerald Bay, delicious dinners and more laughs than I can remember - I spent time truly relaxing in great company. Seriously. I haven’t embraced a level of this relaxation comparable to this since my summers in Spain. Getting away from the noise and fast paced life of the City was exactly what was needed. And more importantly, time to reflect and recognize all of the wonderful people in my life. I’m so blessed.

Ziggy also came back with a sweet new list of nicknames – Ziggs, Ziggalicious, Ziggarino, Ziggeriffic and the list goes on….

1. Any excuse to wear a fedora

2. Evening outdoor dinner parties – Really, I can’t think of any better way to eat

3. My favorite men’s button down by John Varvatos for Converse {which can also be referred to as my Friday-Saturday-Sunday shirt}

Friday, August 5, 2011

Day to Night.

{dress-H&M, blouse & necklace-JCrew, handbag-Marc Jacobs, watch-Gucci, bracelets-CC Skye & street fair, shoes-Dolce Vita, sunglasses-DVF

I'm pretty picky when it comes to leopard. Don't get me wrong, I love this timeless trend but I'm very particular about introducing this pattern into my style. Leopard print and blond hair can be a tricky combo that can take your look from sophisticated to cheap in 2 seconds flat. I choose accessory pieces that are high in quality (like this clutch), but made a bold move with the purchase of this H&M leopard maxi dress. To tone down this too sexy for work look, I threw on a shimmery, light pink JCrew Henley with some chunky gold jewelry and sparkles around my neck. For a little dressier night time look, trade the blouse for a soft wrap, perfect for the City's cool evenings.


 




Thursday, August 4, 2011

That's Just Peachy.


With a weekend trip to Tahoe only a day away, finding and easy, breezy summertime recipes is at the top of my list. What I find particularly alluring are summer desserts that lend a smack of flavor and luxury, yet are simple to make. Really, this should be the only kind of dessert, don’t you think? 

Try Wine Drenched Peaches - the ultimate in casual indulgence - I recently came across the recipe in a recent issue of Glamour magazine. Simply soak peeled, ripe peaches overnight in Moscato or Rosé and serve to happy, sun-warmed guests.
Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Touches of Neon.




touch of neon.


I'm obsessed with neon and beyond thrilled these bright hues are on trend and all the rage. Granted if we were back in the 90s, I would have recklessly piled on all things neon at once. Since then I’ve learned it’s all about balance - you can wear as much neon as you want as long as it's diffused with twice the amount of neutrals.

Who am I kidding? I would still mix and match them all.

1. Herve Leger rayon dress, $634
2. Black top, $36
3. Splendid scoop neck top, $81
4. J Brand low rise short shorts, $235
5. Tory Burch flat shoes, €199
6. Marni metallic flat, $204
7. Zara neon shoes, $100
8. Neon jewelry, $120
9. Marc by marc jacobs jewelry, $175
10. Karen Walker yellow jewelry, £18
11. Tom Binns clear crystal jewelry, $1,900
12. Erickson Beamon neon jewelry, $480
13. ruebeauté! neon nail polish, $3.99

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Wild Side.


Fun, edgy twist on the classic French manicure.

Monday, August 1, 2011

3 Things.



The fact alone that I fell asleep during Fashion Police on Friday night should be an indicator as to just how tired I was. I just haven't been sleeping all that great lately. Actually, I'm fine once I fall asleep it's the falling part that has been difficult. On to a Saturday that didn't end up quite according to plan, I decided to take it for the sign it was and just spend the rest of the weekend relaxing at home with Ziggy. Now I feel much better taking this busy week head on. Here are a few key items that played a role in getting me there.


1. Fine Foods at Home is back after a 3 week hiatus (actually, trip across the Atlantic).
My first full week back on schedule with this delicious food and my mind, body and soul already feels healthier and more energized.

2. Jade Spa - a local spa only 2 months old {still working out the kinks}. Perfect place for a Friday spa evening after a long week at work.

3. The sweetest gold knot ring found on Overstock.com