Birthday List

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25488115@N06/6792340734/

With August being my birthday month, you better believe I've had my birthday list prepared since July. Some think that's a little crazy, but I love birthdays- not just my own, but everyone's. I actually love any reason to have a party and birthdays just happen to be prime opportunities. This year, I plan on celebrating with friends and family by going to dinner at the original Garozzo's downtown and then out afterward.

Here is what is on my list this year:

1. Vince Camuto, Emperor Blue blazer
2. Blue/chartreuse make-up bag by Baggu
3. Marseille 4 1/2 qt. Covered Rectangular Casserole from Le Creuset
4. Classic, black Tory Burch flats
5. Kate Spade, black-stud earrings
6. Williams-Sonoma Professional Multi-chopper

For the Love of Leather

Leather can go one of three ways: cheap, biker, or chic. For a couple years now I’ve been on the hunt for leather shorts or pants that do not look cheap, but still don’t break the bank. This season, my love for leather has expanded to tops and jackets as well. Wearing leather (outside of accessories) gives you a certain confidence and edge that makes you feel like you can take on the world- kind of like the sassy feeling that goes along with wearing animal print.

Leather peplum top from Zara. Two of my favorite trends right now.

The perfect cropped leather pants from J Brand via ShopBop. I love the zipper detail on the sides.

Chic leather biker jacket from H&M.

The subtle leather detail on this Aryn K. top (sold by Piperlime) adds some edge.

Back to School

It’s that time of year when kids start to go back to school and I begin to wonder why I ever graduated college. Not only did I love my time at KU, I also loved buying new school supplies. My love for notebooks and pens and folders stems from the organization they bring to my life.

There’s also something to be said about the smell of a new, clean notebook and the way it looks when you write in it for the first time- you get to physically see the start of a new beginning. In contrast, I like the way a notebook looks and feels after every page has been used; it’s rewarding to flip through the pages and see everything you’ve accomplished.

To stop myself from getting seriously depressed about being a few years removed from college and the lack of need for school supply shopping, I found some pretty cool, useful school supplies that can be transitioned to the real-world.

The best planner ever: Time.Mine. You can purchase here, or at your local Barnes and Noble.

Bright notebook for meeting notes will add color to your day. Found at Anthropologie.

Cute notepad, from Urban Outfitters, to write quick notes.

Unique brush holder, from Anthropologie. This is way better than the coffee mug I use.

Simple, classic wall calendar, from Vetted. I like that it’s easy to read and I won’t feel bad flipping the page to the next month because I like the picture on the previous month.

Gem push pins which will give sparkle to any boring document you post on your cork board. Found at this Etsy store.

Stuffed Peppers

Before going in the oven.

One of my favorite quotes is from Virginia Woolf, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." I thoroughly enjoy dining, which is different than eating. To me, dining includes the company, conversation, and the experience of either going to a restaurant or preparing a meal at home. One of my favorite meals to make is stuffed peppers and it just so happens to be my boyfriend's favorite meal to eat!

I loosely follow this recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen. My tweaks are:

1. Instead of brown rice, I use Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice.
2. I add a can of finely diced tomatoes that includes oregano and basil (drain can before adding to mixture).
3. I don't add any additional spices (outside of salt and pepper) because between the rice seasoning packet and canned tomatoes, there is already enough flavor for all of the stuffing.
4. Because I don't have a baking dish big enough, I use two smaller dishes and pack the excess stuffing around the peppers.

Typically, we use green peppers, but we have been switching it up lately to add some variety. Here are pictures of our dinner last night:

Red is my favorite so far.

Sautéing turkey sausage and veggies.

Stuffing all mixed together.

Finished product.

Fall in Love with Fall Sweaters

I haven't been into any fall fashion yet, mainly because the thought of wearing a sweater the past few days instantly made me sweat. However, with the unusually cool temperature today and the ending of the Summer Olympics, I finally dove into fall trends. I love sweaters and figured they'd be an easy place to start. Here are a few of my favorites:

Dream Crewneck Sweater, J. Crew

I love this J Crew sweater because it’s classic, yet carries the teal-color-trend into the fall. You can easily pair this with a myriad of denim and shoes; it would look sleek with grey jeans (like these ones from GAP) and black flats or a colored jean, if you’re up for it (like these from Joe’s Jeans) with a nude pump.

Candy dot pullover, Madewell

This sweater from Madewell is on trend with the textured dots. The embellishment gives what would otherwise be a standard sweater some spunk without going crazy. You can wear this top with a skirt as shown, or pair with dark jeans for a dressy feel or light jeans for a more casual look.

Alpaca Oversized Basketweave Crew Sweater by Enza Costa

If I could, I would live in oversized sweaters. They are basically like acceptable snuggies. I like this option from Enza Costa because of the neutral color. As shown in the picture, you can wear it with colored jeans (like the Joe’s option mentioned above), but it would also pair nicely with light jeans and tall boots for a more relaxed look.

Embellished shoulder pullover, by THML Clothing 

This might be one of my favorite sweaters this season; the embellishment on the shoulders instantly adds flare and dresses up the top. This THML sweater comes in two color options: cobalt and charcoal. I love each option equally, but think the charcoal color can be worn more often and with more pant/shoe options than the cobalt.

Key West - Three Things

Walking into the KW airport from the tarmac.

Key West was one of the best vacations I've been on ever. I'm not sure if it was the stressful weeks leading up to the vacation that made it so great, or the fact that we ate the best food, saw incredible sea-life, and met some amazing people. When I started writing this post, it quickly became over two pages long. After convincing myself you all don't need to know every detail about the trip, I picked my three favorite things to share with you.

Our first meal in Key West.

Our first night in Key West, we dropped off our luggage and went down to Duval for dinner and drinks. We spotted Martin’s and the menu they had posted outside lured us right in. We ordered off the tapas menu and had the most amazing scallops, lamb, and crab cakes. To end the meal, we ordered the chocolate truffle torte and toasted to our first real vacation together with champagne.

View of the ocean right over the edge of our sail boat.

Friday, we went sailing, snorkeling, and kayaking about six miles off the coast of KW. We chose to do the day trip with Danger Charters based off a recommendation from a friend. If we do one thing next time we go back, it will definitely be this.

Sarahbeth's restaurant, located on Simonton St.

Sarahbeth’s might have the best breakfast ever. I ordered the goat cheese and spinach omelet and was legitimately sad when it was all gone. The restaurant is located in an old church, but when you walk inside you don’t get a creepy feeling. It’s very bright and open and the wait staff is fun and welcoming.

View from the plane leaving the island.

We were sad to leave the island and are already looking forward to future trips! If you have plans to go to Key West, I'd love to tell you more about our trip- just leave a comment and I'll give you lots of tips!

Snow in August

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s hot here in KC. To beat the heat this past weekend, I only participated in activities that were indoors. I finally saw The Dark Knight Rises, (maybe my new favorite movie), entertained friends and made this stuffed peppers recipe (post coming next week), and ended the weekend with frozen cocktails at Snow & Co. 

My boyfriend and I both tried Sunshine Boulevard, which tastes just like Summer Brew, only frozen. The bar puts off a laid-back vibe with its low-to-the-ground, oversize seating, local art, and friendly staff. Snow & Co. was the perfect way to end the weekend and cool-off for what is sure to be a hectic week.