Eye Candy of The Week

{brights make everything better}

 Happy Friday! Defintely looking forward to relaxing a bit this weekend. A trip to the zoo may be a possibility. We'll see. Hope your weekend is wonderful!

{luggage tags with my personality}

{wooooork!}

{cupcakes served in teacups, um hi cutest thing ever!}

images via Karla's Closet, Honestly WTF, NY Mag, Cupcakes Take The Cake

My First Food Video: Chopped Greek Salad w/Artichoke Hearts & Cannellini Beans

Hooray for my first food video!  This is a take on the traditional Greek salad.  The addition of cannellini beans and artichoke hearts makes it extra special.  When served along side some pita bread this makes for the perfect summertime meal.  Click here for the original recipe sans artichokes.

A humongous thanks to the hubster for filming and editing.  Love you, you are AMAZING!  You can check out his blog here.

Undercover

{Club Monaco}I realize the summer is half way over ; /, but now is the best time to get a great looking cover-up for half the price you would have paid at the begining of the season. Here are a few options that will take you from pool side to an afternoon lunch date in style...

 {Converse One Star - Target}

{Milly}

{Cynthia Vincent}

{Cynthia Vincent}

For further info on all items featured click here.

Scenes From The Weekend

Another weekend has come and gone in a flash.  I can't really complain though because I got to spend time with a bunch of my family at the beach on Saturday...

{Enjoyed some deep fried Oreos on the boardwalk}

{Had a delicious diner breakfast after church on Sunday with my family; & laughed like crazy people}

{Got to spend some quality time with my niece}

{Bought fresh flowers while on a Trader Joe's run; love how they bring life to our apartment}

Have a great week everyone!

Eye Candy of The Week

Knock, knock...Who's there...THE LONGEST WEEK EVER!!!
Seriously, this week just dragged and dragged for me. Thank goodness its Friday! This weekend I plan on visiting the beach for the first time since last summer. My pastey white legs are thanking me. Tonight the hubs and I have a hot date planned which may very well turn into going swimming at my mom's pool since it is ridiculously hot out. Stay cool everyone!

{Images via Honestly WTF, Sea of Shoes, Because I'm Addicted}

Random Accents

{Skurar Plant Pot - Ikea - For only $6 you transform any house plant with this dainty planter}

Whenever I feel a room in our apartment needs a little pick me up I always look for new accent pieces. You don't need to redecorate an entire room to change it up a bit. The smallest of accessories can make a big impact.  Here are a few accessories to help rejuvenate your home...

{Scroll Chalkboard Decal - JC Penney - Great for shopping reminders}

{Color Pencil and Brass Holder Set - Jayson Home & Garden - Decorative and functional all at the same time.}

{Vaseline Cake Stand - Fishes Eddy - Displaying freshly baked goods on this stand will become a conversation piece.}

{Monogrammed Recipe Cards and Box by Dabney Lee - Bloomingdale's - These personalized recipe cards will look pretty on your counter top.}

{Windsor Love Seat - Anthropologie has done it again with this gorgeous ombre bench.}

For further info on all items featured click here.

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty

As one of my birthday presents, Chris took me to go see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the MET. It was AMAZING. I always knew Alexander McQueen was in a league of his own when it came to design, but to actually get to see his work in the flesh was a completely different experience. His vision, attention to detail, and just overall craftsmanship was on another level. As soon as you enter the exhibit you can help but feel a bit melancholic. There was a definite feel of sadness in the air. You are not allowed to take any picture of the exhibit, but that didn't stop Christian from pulling out his iPhone. These are a few shots he snuck in. If you are in the NYC area I highly recommend checking out the McQueen exhibit, but hurry since the last day is August 7th.

Food Porn of The Week: Coconut Quinoa Granola

Ahh, where do I begin with this delightful concoction? I've been wanting to make homemade granola for a while now as I've never attempted it before. When I saw a recipe for coconut quinoa granola I was sold. I've made quinoa a few times before and it never really did anything for me. With this recipe you don't even need to cook the quinoa before hand. I didn't follow the original recipe exactly. I worked with what I had at home and the end result was a delicious combination of flavors and textures that were perfect served on top of nonfat Greek yogurt. I have been having that everyday for breakfast for the past week and have yet to get tired of it. Click here for the original recipe and see my variations below:

2 cups whole rolled oats (couldn't find buckwheat), 2 T ground flax seeds (didn't have chia seeds), 1/4 cup raw cashews (instead of walnuts), no raisins, 1/2 cup raw agave nectar (instead of maple syrup)

 

The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival

 This weekend I accompanied my husband to the Brooklyn Hip Hop festival. It was an awesome way to spend a Saturday. Here are a few pics I took...

{Black Star & Wu Kitty onesies for our niece & nephew}

Fiesta, Fiesta

This past weekend we celebrated my big 3-0 by having a Mexican fiesta. Our backyard was transformed into Cantina Santiago. Authentic papel picado banners and handmade paper flowers from Mexico were hanging throughout the yard. Of course no Mexican fiesta would be complete without a piñata, a game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and margaritas. This is definitely the best birthday I've ever had. It was especially wonderful to celebrate a new year with such great friends and close family.