Thursday, May 31, 2012

Friday Favorites

Wahoo, for another Friday, the beginning of the weekend and that it is the first day of June. I'm not one to rush through days but I'm not going to lie, I'm so excited that it's June because Kyle and my pups will be back in New York by the end of the month and that makes me one happy girl. We have so much to look forward to this summer.
Here are some things that I'm currently enjoying. Have an amazing weekend.




I love this pup! He definitely misses me.




Enjoying a delicious Iced Caramel Macchiato from Bucks after the Memorial Day Race.




Some fresh roses for my bedside table. I love this color.




Catching up on my reading.




Love this new App PicFx, it's so fun!




Sometimes ice cream makes everything better.




Miss this big ole' head! Woods-ba-Goods!




Week Four Results of the Body Rock Challenge.




Love this quote.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Summer Looks

I love Summer, it's definitely my favorite season, who doesn't love sun, sand, margaritas, sundresses, flip flops, I could go on and on. Summer is also my favorite season to dress, because nothing feels sexier then putting on a cute sundress and heading out for a day of fun.

Here are some of my go to summer looks, from casual to dressy. My secret is accessories, nothing brightens up an outfit better then a pair of hot shades and some jewelry. What are your go to looks for summer?



Look 1: Dress (Urban Outfitters, Pins and Needles), Watch (Michael Kors), Sunglasses (Ray Ban Aviators) and some summer reading.



Look 2: Dress (Lulus.com, Audrey 3+1), Watch (Michael Kors)



Look 3: Shirt (Urban Outfitters, BDG), Shorts (American Eagle), Watch (Michael Kors), Sunglasses (Ray Ban Aviators)





Look 4: Shirt (Marc by Marc Jacobs, Protect the Skin You're in), Shorts (American Eagle), Watch (Michael Kors), Sunglasses (Ray Ban Wayfarer)

Monday, May 28, 2012

Red, White and Brews.

Happy Tuesday Loves, hope you all enjoyed a nice three day weekend. My weekend was filled with BBQ's with Kyle's and my family, a race, some sun and some cocktails. It was so nice to catch up with family members who I haven't yet seen since arriving back in New York. It was also very nice to get my second race under my belt, while it wasn't my best showing, it feels so great to just be out there doing my thing.
Now it's back to business, Kyle and I are working on some things, which requires a lot of brainstorming and research but it is nothing this girl can't handle. I'm so excited for the things to come but also focusing on life's sweet things, like the iced caramel macchiato I am currently enjoying.
Have a great day, go out and conquer it! Here are some pictures from the weekend.








































Notes: Dress (Lulus.com, last year), Sunglasses (Ray Ban Jackie Ohh's), Watch (Michael Kors) A huge thanks to my hairstylist Melanie, who did an amazing job on my ombré color, I've gotten nothing but compliments.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Fat Bottom Fridays... I WANNA BE ON CUPCAKE WARS

hey everyone... happy friday!!!
wahoooo.... it's memorial day weekend...
i hope everyone enjoys some delicious bbq, some cold frosty drinks, family, sun and fun... but please don't forget why you get this 3 day weekend... take a moment to commemorate the memory of all the amazing men and women who have helped shape this beautiful country into what it is today...
all right... now... lets get down to business...
cupcake wars!!!
it's about time i had the courage to put my fat bottom out there for the whole world to see (well, not literally)... and you know what, i'm tired of sitting around just saying "what if??"... i know that baking is something i am really good at... i'm passionate about it, and it really just makes me happy... so... i finally got off my tush and did something about it... i submitted an audition take to food networks cupcake wars...
now, i don't know if anything will come of this... but atleast i know i did something to further my career... and i'm really proud of myself for that :)
ps... check out who makes a cameo...


Friday Favorites.

Hey there Loves, happy Friday! I can't believe I've already been in New York a week, I quickly got back into a nice routine. Even though as I've mentioned I'm happy to be home, I'm going to be even happier when my guy Kyle and pup Wooden are here with me. So until they are with me in New York, here are some things that are keeping a smile on my face.




Beautiful Flowers that I got from Trader Joe's for FREE! Who doesn't love flowers? I put them in a mason jar to give it a more rustic look.




Being able to spend quality time with my nephew, William Beckett. I feel like I've missed so much of his first year here, but I promised him I'll make up for lost time.




I love my Starbucks Baristas on Forest and Bard! They always manage to make my day a little sweeter.




Being in New York I got right back to sign making. Here's the latest sign, Kyle requested this quote by John Wooden. (That's who our puppy is named after.)




I couldn't wait for my hairstylist to add some more ombré into my locks, I'm obsessed!




Kyle sends me daily pictures of our pup, they melt my heart. (Wooden thinks he can walk himself.)




I've really been on my workout game. Making it count!




Will got to watch his first race this past weekend, I lived having him there to cheer me on. Thanks William!




Enjoying some afternoon bubbly.




My favorite of all, my Kyle! I miss you so much babe. (I love this shot, he is so focused.)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Gains and Losses.

There are Pro's and Con's wherever you live and while I was beyond excited to get back to New York City living, there are plenty of things I'll miss about living in France. However, there are also plenty of things I'm looking forward to enjoying while I'm home in New York.


What I'll miss is France:




Loaves upon loaves of fresh bakery bread, especially croissants
Sunday morning trips to the Farmer's Market
Traditional French breakfast
Amazing bottles of wine for only 3-4€
French Pastries
Confit de Canard (Duck)
The quietness of Limoges
Authentic Italian Food (Donna Sarah)
Weekend trips to Paris and Bordeaux


What I'm looking forward to in New York:




STARBUCKS (You all knew that was definitely going to be first on the list.)
Afternoons at Barnes and Noble
Early morning runs in Clove Lakes Park
Fashion Magazines in English
Sunday's with my Family
Shopping Malls (Menlo Park, Short Hills, Roosevelt Field I need you in my life!)
Watching shows the actual day they are on.
Going to the movies
Speaking in English on a daily basis
Driving
Our Apartment
BBQ's
CVS Pharmacy (I could go broke there)
Having New York City at my fingertips
Endless noise

Monday, May 21, 2012

Catching Up.

Hey there Loves, Happy Monday! I hope you had an awesome weekend, now it's time to tackle the new week, set some goals for yourself and go for it. It's a rainy morning here in New York City but that didn't stop me from getting in my car at 6am and getting my Starbucks fix, please don't judge me, I'm making up for lost time. I have to say I used to despise jet lag when returning to New York but now I kind of like the fact that it allows me to wake up super early, I feel like I really get a full day.




These last few days I've spent catching up with family and friends. It's great to see everyone and it's so crazy how quickly you get back to your routine, it feels like I've already been home a month and it's only been three days. I can tell you however, that while I'm enjoying my time home, it's going to be twenty times better when I head to airport in a few weeks to pick up my two guys, my boyfriend Kyle and our dog Wooden. Until then, I will keep myself busy, I have a bunch of races coming up, so having these goals keeps my mind from constantly going into "I miss you" mode which is hard on both Kyle and I.

Speaking of races, I ran my first race since last September yesterday and it was such a great feeling. I was recently sidelined from running because I was having some kidney trouble but now that I am well I am back at it. Even though I am not where I want to be running and race wise, it just feels so good to be doing the thing I love so much. I was actually surprised when I found out I came in 8th place overall and 2nd for my age group in the 3.1 mile race, I know with dedicated training I can only get better from here on out and making sure I stay very hydrated (Silly Kidneys!).

So it's good to be back in the New York Groove, I'm looking forward to enjoying the summer with the people I love. I think it's going to be a great one.

Notes:
My amazing sister/baker Becky has submitted her application to be on Cupcake Wars! I am sure she will be picked just by the judges looking at her delicious blog. Congrats Becky, I am so proud of you for chasing your dreams!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Fat Bottom Friday... a fresh fruit tart

happy friday everyone... what a gorgeous day we are having here in Maine... just absolutely gorgeous weather... so, because its so beautiful out, and the hubby is off today, i'm going to make this post short and sweet... emphasis on the "sweet"...
one of the best things about this time of year is all of the amazingly fresh, sweet, crisp, and beautiful fruits and veggies that are starting to becoming available... from sweet tender corn, peppers and tomatoes, to plump and juicy blueberries and strawberries... and it's only the beginning... in a few weeks, i can't wait to see what my local farmers market has to offer :)

and with this warmer weather comes the desire for simpler, lighter and fresher desserts... you know, desserts pilled high with sweet billowy creams... mmm... the types that go perfectly with a cold, crisp glass of white wine... man, it's 9:15am and i'm so in the mood for dessert... so... here's a delicious treat... a fresh fruit tart... made a with flaky, buttery pie crust, topped with a simple sweet pudding cream, and bright and ripe strawberries, raspberries and blueberries...

buttery pie dough recipe:
makes enough dough for one double-, or two single-crust pies.
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces, 16 tablespoons or 1 cup) unsalted butter, very cold

directions:
1. fill a measuring cup with 1 cup of water, and drop in a few ice cubes; set it aside
2. in a large/wide bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt
3. cube 2 sticks (8 ounces or 1 cup) of very cold unsalted butter into 1/2-inch pieces
4. sprinkle the butter cubes over the flour and begin working them in with the pastry blender, try and work the butter through evenly, until the butter pieces are the size of tiny peas...
5. drizzle about 1/2 cup of the ice-cold water over the butter and flour mixture
6. using a rubber or silicon spatula, gather the dough together... you might need an additional 1/4 cup of cold water to bring it together, but add it a tablespoon as a time
7. once you’re pulling large clumps with the spatula, take it out and get ready to get your hands dirty... bring all the clumps together into one mound, kneading them together
8.  divide the dough in half, and place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a disk... let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, but preferably longer, before rolling it out
9. now for baking the tart dough... preheat the oven to 400, and lightly prick the bottom of the tart dough with a fork... this will help stop the dough from puffing up while baking... place the tart pan on a large baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes... after the 5 minutes are up, lower the oven temp to 350, and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until you've reached the desired golden hue you'd like... *i actually under baked this tart... it was still delicious, but it wasn't as flaky... so, do yourself a favor, try and stick to the time :)


now... for the pudding cream.. i cheated... usually i take my time and make pastry cream... but i felt a little lazy, and i decided to break my rules of always making things from scratch... this cream is a simple, yummy substitute when you're in a pinch... here's what i do...

i take about a cup of heavy whipping cream, and sweeten it lightly with a little sugar, and i whip it until it has reached medium stiff peaks... i set that aside while i prepare the pudding... take 1 box of instant vanilla pudding, and mix that with another cup of heavy cream,you can just use a silicon spatula for this... now it will get thick really quick, but once it is evenly mixed, start to gently fold in the whipped cream... don't over do it, because the whipped cream adds a nice airy texture... once it is all folded in, place in the fridge for about 20 minutes...


now... get off the computer and go enjoy this beautiful day... have a wonderful weekend...

and remember... live life sweetly :)

Friday Favorites and Saying Goodbye.

Happy Friday Loves, I hope you have an amazing weekend! I'm writing to you from my apartment in New York, it's crazy to think that just yesterday I was in my apartment in France, time is a funny thing, it moves so quickly. I'm not going to lie, I'm excited to be back in New York, there are some things I've really missed.

This morning I woke up early, due to my jet lag, so I laced up my new Nike trainers and went for an early morning run, which is one of most favorite things to do. I love watching the world wake up around me while I hit the pavement.

After my run I had to go say goodbye to someone very close to me. I went to see Cobi, my dog and best friend since I was 8 who passed away while I was in France. It was so weird coming into my parents house last night and him not greeting me at the front door or trying to get a piece of pizza crust as I sat with my family and caught up. It was a hard moment for me, but we had some words and I promised that I would visit him all the time when I needed some love from my oldest friend. He was such a great dog and holds such a special place in my heart. I really hate goodbyes.

Here are a few of my favorite things from this past week. Enjoy and I'll be seeing you.






Kyle's regular season ended on Wednesday and I was so honored to be a part of such an amazing season. Kyle I love you, you continue to amaze me every single day. Kick as this Sunday in the French Cup, I'll be cheering from New York.




I am going to miss this guy for the next few weeks! Thank goodness that Wooden likes to Skype.




I am obsessed with accessories, it's definitely one of my biggest weaknesses.




My guys, enjoying a nap. Aren't they the cutest...haha!




All checked in, next stop New York City. I have such a love/hate relationship with traveling.




Picked up some goodies in the airport. I love Laduree Macarons.




You know I was the first person in Starbucks this morning. I've been deprived of Caramel Macchiatos for two months!
 
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