Dip Dyed and One Sided

Strapless anything is really hard for me. Having a smaller chest means you need to wear a strapless bra that stays up on its own (purchase it a size smaller than you normally would) and then hope the top doesn't creep down revealing said undergarments. If I am out with friends it is understood girl code to keep an eye on that type of activity and immediately inform your girl of such a wardrobe malfunction. Now I am in no way saying that my larger chested friends have it any easier. We all have our crosses to bear. That is why I was super excited to receive this top as a gift from a friend who saw it and thought I would love it. It is just the touch of girly I love with my favorite coral colors that gracefully holds its place with what I feel is Spanish inspired flair. I was touched by her gesture of friendship and of course tickled pink.

{Shoes are Payless, Bag, bracelet, and earrings are JCrew, Jeans are high waisted Blank Denim from ShopBop , Zara blazer, Sunnies are LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's, and the top is by True Freedom}

PS. Nails are "Geranium" by Essie and on my toes is OPI "Atomic Orange"

Maiden Voyage

{Alum Creek Lake}

I get just as stoked on summer activities as I do winter. Like snowboarding in the winter, I love kayaking in the summer. The hard part is finding the time. Then it can be challenging finding someone to go with. I have been bugging my friend to go since the weather broke this spring and if her father hadn't refused to allow us to use his suburban because he feared for our safety, I most likely would have been on the water in April. Once I am out there it is so relaxing it is hard to bring myself to come in. In the future I would like to put a skirt on my kayak (aka. "Miss Piggy") and venture into more treacherous waters but for now this location floats my boat. 

Coffee Talk

{Dublin Iced Coffee}

Coffee is that beverage people cannot get enough of. There are very few blogs or Instagram accounts that are not speckled with photos of their favorite place to pick up a cup of java or the car selfie holding a cup of what to some is pure liquid gold. I myself have succumb to this addiction though I have kept it to a three cup minimum per day. On a normal day. Depending on my level of lethargy I may need to follow up with a diet soda chaser. I adapted this recipe from one I saw in the June issue of Bon Appetit that they got from Soda & Swine in San Diego. Here I have for you the best infusion of the morning beverage of choice, and the evening cocktail...taking you from dawn until dusk in a single sip. 

{Here are the ingredients that I used}

You're going to combine 2 oz whiskey, 2 oz Guiness, 1/2 oz agave nectar, and 3 oz dark brewed coffee chilled.

Load your glass with ice.

Pour the mixture over ice and then add 1 oz of heavy cream and stir.

So good.

What I've Been Crushing On

{Edamame}

{Casual Sunday attire}

{This little guy paid us a visit..very cool}

{Early morning light}

{My next book}

California Dreamin

{Somewhere in Ohio}

I picture California much like many movies portray it to be. The perfect weather. Everybody lives on the beach. Everyone surfs. Breathtaking sunsets every day. Great boutiques that carry all the things no one here has ever heard of. People wear all the current trends in clothes and accessories and appear to do so with minimal effort or aforethought. Where so much great music is born. A relaxed atmosphere and lots and lots of incredible Mexican food. I am about the furthest away from that environment as is possible. Ohio does have its own beautiful landscapes. Right now I feel like I live in the heart of farm country. Although I live in a bigger city, if I drive in any direction for over an hour the mayhem of city life vanishes in a sea of simplicity. However I love the fashion I see coming out of California and I must say that over the last few years I have adopted many of those trends because being like everyone else is not in my way of thinking. I guess if the girl can't get to California, then California is just going to have to come to the girl. 

{Dress I paid 10 dollars for at Kohl's last summer. Hat  JCrew. Sunnies Target. Bag Ne Ne California. Shoes - Prabal Gurung. Lips are MAC "Myth" here. Necklace is Child of Wild  here}

PS. Nails are "Geranium" by Essie and Rimmel "Barmy Blue"

"Dani California" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Zui hau de (best)

{Chinese chicken salad with quinoa - pronounced "keen wa" apparently.}

Chinese food is a special treat. The culture itself evokes images of reverence and humility. The architecture is bold and artistic. The interior design is ornate and intricate. The food is varied and provides something for every palate. Usually reserved for birthdays or other celebratory events...I have been known to, on occasion, grab some takeout on a very busy evening or a particularly taxing work week. The problem for me is the morning after. I tend to feel bloated and swollen and filled with regret. I was on my own little mission to find a recipe to satisfy that craving without the gluttonous guilt. Even after falling off the proverbial "wagon" this past week, I still find this recipe to be more my preference and will be in full rotation on my current monthly menu.

Xiangshou' !! (enjoy)

Here are some of the ingredients you will need plus garlic, onion and almonds. I did not use soy sauce but worcestershire sauce instead and drizzled it over the entire mixture two times then mixed it in. 

Poach the 4 breasts of chicken. Cover chicken with water by one inch and boil over high heat, reduce and then simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and let it stand until cooked completely (12 min or more depending on the size). I had never done this before but it turns out perfect.

Whisk together 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp agave syrup and 1 tsp minced garlic. Cook quinoa as directed on the box.

Chop up 1/2 a red onion, combine that with 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 a cup celery and toss.

Add quinoa and chicken. Toss again. Dig in guilt free.

Pencil Me In

{These are my top three picks with the gold being my favorite}

Women most often use brown or black eyeliner. It's easy, it is the standard. I think during high school and college pigmented mascara and eye shadows were all the rage. I haven't done that since, but I have always stood fast to my routine when applying eye makeup. I tend to only accent the top lashes and lids with the ever so regular black combination. Lately I have been trying some new ideas in an effort to step up my game a bit. Saying that I want to go back to high school or my college makeup days would be like saying I want to turn back time. I do not. I want to move forward and keep my look fresh and new. Going through the same old tired makeup routine for me was beginning to wear me out. I needed a change. So I began experimenting with other colors and combinations and here is the result. Eye opening. 

{On my right eye is Maybelline Master Drama in "Vibrant Violet" and on my left is MaryKay in "Tahitian Gold"}

This combination was really fun because I wanted to be able to use the blue eye shadow stick I love so much but in a more subtle fashion for every day.

{On my right eye is a combination of  Flower Liquid Eyeliner in black (the applicator makes the perfect winged effect) with Rimmel Scandaleyes in "Blamed Blue". On the the left eye is a very rich "Midnight Blue" by Cover Girl Perfect Point Plus}

I don't think the gold is available from MaryKay anymore but this version I will be giving to all my girlfriends as gifts!! 

PS. Lips are MAC "Hue" and mascara is Maybelline "The Falsies". If anyone knows a trick to keeping       the water line from vanishing I'd love your secret!!

Sugar Rush

{Everything here is made fresh from scratch. Nothing frozen.}

Road trips can turn into mini adventures. How many times have we all ventured out and come across something new and exciting?? Maybe it was an outlet mall no one else has ever heard of, or possibly a diner nestled in some small obscure neighborhood in the middle of nowhere that has the best desert or burger we have ever had the pleasure of partaking in, yet once we get home we fail to recollect it's exact locale? When we took a pit stop on Sunday I looked across the lot and saw an oasis of sorts. I get a rush when I find something new that I think nobody else has heard of. Hidden on Derr Road in the heart of Springfield is a bakery that has been keepin it real since 1937. All I had to do was step one sneaker inside this establishment and just the SMELL alone made me a believer. I walked out that day with two dozen cupcakes (for a soccer team not just myself) and I cannot wait to take another trip there to get my hands on their cookies that are the size of desert plates. We can call it my very own sugar "cleanse". 

{Perfectly not too sweet frosting}

What I've Been Crushing On

{The BEST margaritas and veggie burritos at La Casita}

{The prettiest blooms}

{Warm weather}

{My new clutches from nenecalifornia.com}

{I love eating peanuts this way at a baseball game}