tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39823695593622988192024-02-02T01:15:00.345-05:00eat shop love.nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-51829472358170598822012-06-01T10:28:00.002-04:002012-06-01T10:29:11.927-04:00flashback friday: birthday countdown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Ichetucknee Springs, June 2011.</i></div>
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<i><b>Glasses:</b> Forever 21. <b>Bathing suit:</b> Handmade, my mom. <b>Shorts:</b> Almost Famous.</i></div>
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My birthday is eight (<i>eight!</i>) days away. And while I do have a pretty crappy track record with birthdays, it doesn't stop me from getting super excited and giddy with glee.<br />
This year I hope to keep things simple and fun. I usually start planning birthday festivities months in advance, but as I've gotten older (I'm so old!), I've realized how much I just want a simple night with great food, great company, and a great outfit.<br />
Last year, the husband decided we take a trip up north - north Florida, that is - to go tubing down a river and hang out in a natural spring.<br />
We got a small group of us together and made our way up.<br />
A speeding ticket, a late arrival, the middle of nowhere, and one disastrously epic car dilemma (it took us 6 hours and about $250 to get a wheel bearing off. <i>a wheel bearing!</i>), and it was definitely a trip to remember.<br />
And one that we probably won't do again..<br />
Happy Friday!<br />
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<i>Infamy.</i></div>
<br />nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-77736864109227423292012-05-24T12:16:00.001-04:002012-05-24T12:16:14.828-04:00currently loving: tastes of summersummer is upon us!<br />
my sweat informed me of that many weeks ago.<br />
it is (arguably) my favorite season. one that I fill with numerous beach trips, lots of grilling and outdoor eating, plenty of summer dresses and tons of fun, bright color.<br />
my birthday falls in summer and a fantastic trip awaits (in a month or so, anyway).<br />
bring it, summer. bring it.<br />
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<em><a href="http://yololasolas.com/">YOLO</a>'s espresso ice cream sandwich with white chocolate cinnamon sauce.</em></div>
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<em>Tangerine toenails and hot pink flip flops. </em></div>
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<em><strong>Color:</strong> </em><a href="http://newyorkcolor.com/"><em>New York Color</em></a><em> in</em> Sunny Side Up. <strong><em>Flip flops:</em></strong> <em>Old Navy.</em> </div>
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<em>Totally should have purchased this, but I was practicing self-control for once. </em></div>
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<em><strong>Dress:</strong> Target. <strong>Necklace:</strong> Key West Shell Warehouse. <strong>Bracelet:</strong> gifted, <a href="http://kameleonjewelry.com/">Kameleon</a>.</em></div>
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<em>Homemade granola and greek yogurt parfaits.</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOsKvq-kjOwRd8_xU7Bf4jtozKC-F4F9Ns8KziNQtfpwDBnxW0myebyGt6_DigvNKFpmvJ75o3Uwglqogl1VIdxA6CshBfQf6HQqNrhXSSYWl9LrGSdx_w_Iw2kkQKizLtAs8Q6Fu3DQ/s1600/blog8+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggOsKvq-kjOwRd8_xU7Bf4jtozKC-F4F9Ns8KziNQtfpwDBnxW0myebyGt6_DigvNKFpmvJ75o3Uwglqogl1VIdxA6CshBfQf6HQqNrhXSSYWl9LrGSdx_w_Iw2kkQKizLtAs8Q6Fu3DQ/s640/blog8+037.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<em>Mojito tuesdays! With plenty of fresh limes, mint, and a mint simple syrup.</em></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-63977996288383413862012-05-17T15:50:00.001-04:002012-06-01T10:29:47.826-04:00tres leches for mommy mom is a simple gal.<br />
she grew up in Argentina, practically raised on her grandfather's farm. breakfast, lunch, and dinner came straight from the earth. the cows were milked in the morning. if you wanted an apple, you picked it from the tree. <br />
a simple, but rich, life. <br />
she likes her fruits, her vegetables, her soy milk, her whole grains.<br />
but she also loves a gooey, creamy dessert.<br />
<em>(no chocolate for her.)</em><br />
tres leches cake is one of her favorites: vanilla cake soaked in a concoction of three different milks and slathered with whipped cream.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8N0CovRmJdIQ73u0ScvF8CixZy6Q9EG1wWTRDQN5ijFvOdTSTbtJg3byQEE9FOVNLbsoKAB8zk_2LnuzklZdp9Y_1GBWEMmyxn-Al-x8zgVJdDC77Xghyphenhyphen4fB9dx5WXDGXd6ICwbpeMlI/s1600/blog8+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8N0CovRmJdIQ73u0ScvF8CixZy6Q9EG1wWTRDQN5ijFvOdTSTbtJg3byQEE9FOVNLbsoKAB8zk_2LnuzklZdp9Y_1GBWEMmyxn-Al-x8zgVJdDC77Xghyphenhyphen4fB9dx5WXDGXd6ICwbpeMlI/s640/blog8+042.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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does it get any better than this?</div>
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a friend gave her her recipe, but it never quite worked out. the call for boxed cake mix should have been the red flag. after numerous attempts, she decided buying a slice at the grocery store was her best bet. </div>
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when I saw <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/tres-leche-cake-recipe/index.html">Alton Brown make the cake</a>, I knew it would be perfect. the man can do no wrong. </div>
so this past mother's day I made her the cake.<br />
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and she had a big cake all to herself. </div>
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sweet, moist, creamy, perfect.</div>
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the mix of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and half and half make for a winning combination.</div>
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and when you pour it over the cooled cake, you'll think you've made some horrible mistake. </div>
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<em>(so much liquid!)</em></div>
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but in about 5 minutes, you'll realize it was no mistake at all. it was<strong> just right. </strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypQIpiueJ1Wz23fL6qHMMEYx_VdbSY_VsE5bOKWTMuhdCo91ZEBn3PhQpxp78HBSUbl2dRh8L0pDC6sciaEm_6ru74uaF3To4ObxrytRCyqCE1cK3-kzeYVJKq9n_a6Wi-rbbExQhvq4/s1600/blog8+044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhypQIpiueJ1Wz23fL6qHMMEYx_VdbSY_VsE5bOKWTMuhdCo91ZEBn3PhQpxp78HBSUbl2dRh8L0pDC6sciaEm_6ru74uaF3To4ObxrytRCyqCE1cK3-kzeYVJKq9n_a6Wi-rbbExQhvq4/s640/blog8+044.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-16759557347516473352012-05-13T03:39:00.001-04:002012-06-01T10:29:11.924-04:00flashback sunday: happy mother's day<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">my grandma, my uncle, and my mom (in a handmade dress, of course), 1975, at my uncle's graduation. snazzy, huh?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">happy mother's day!</span>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-12859251697383124432012-04-24T12:16:00.002-04:002012-04-24T12:19:33.476-04:00color wave<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With every new season that arrives, it brings something to love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Spring lets the sun shine, the flowers bloom, and the plethora of colorful pieces to come charging out of the closet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8105.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="blog8105" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8105.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I've always been partial to pops of color. I used to paint each nail a different color, wear bright green eyeshadow with everything, and let my red pointy-toed flats or thrifted hot pink tennis skirt do the talking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8108.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="blog8108" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8108.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that bright colors are in more than ever, I can say that I'm just falling into the trend, but truth is: I've always been one for color. Now it's just ok to wear my bright yellow flip flops with my bright orange bag and my bright pink shorts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Though it's not like you ever really <i>need</i> an ok. I wear it cause it's fun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This skirt is tons of color and twirly fun, but to keep it fairly subdued and basic, I paired it with a black cami. Perfect for a spring day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8117.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="blog8117" border="0" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8117.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Necklace, Skirt, Purse:</b> Forever 21. <b>Flip Flops:</b> Old Navy. <b>Bracelet:</b> gifted, <a href="http://www.kameleonjewelry.com/">Kameleon</a></span></i></div>
<br />nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-68275836078112241722012-04-18T14:17:00.002-04:002012-06-01T10:29:47.828-04:00a cheeseburger<span >To be honest, if I had to pick one favorite food it would have to be a cheeseburger. A greasy, gooey, cheesy cheeseburger.</span><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And I don't mean a big, fat patty on a big bun. Although, that's ok, too.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I'm more of a fan of the thin patty charred perfectly on a flattop so you get the crispy outside and a juicy inside. And a big slab of cheese to melt all over it.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >It's my kind of meal, what can I say?</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Well, I can say that I have been living off of these cheeseburgers for a couple of weeks now.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8087.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8087.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Bacon turkey burgers. Is there anything else in the world?</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Unlike those who prefer to season the outside of the patty, I'm a firm believer in seasoning the meat and mixing it up. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >A big sprinkle of salt, a decent sprinkle of pepper, and a dash or so of garlic powder. A good char on a grill and a slab of cheddar (though I also had some manchego laying around and that was all sorts of delicious). </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I also like to cook my bacon on the grill, too. Lay a piece of tin foil down and use that as a skillet almost. The bacon crisps up beautifully.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >All other rules remain: flip only once, don't press down. Oh, but cook it all the way through.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >This is not the place for a medium burger.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >The result is one tasty, juicy, <i>healthier </i>option. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8086.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8086.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i>Gouda and Cheddar Cheeses.</i></span></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-32277673160375999702012-04-12T14:07:00.004-04:002012-06-01T10:29:47.823-04:00for the -aholic in all of us<div style="text-align: left;"><span >I am a serious chocolate-peanut butter-aholic.</span></div><div style="text-align: left; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And because I am a serious chocolate-peanut butter-aholic, I absolutely could not pass up this little gem when I came across it at Target last week. </span></div><div style="text-align: center; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8091.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8091.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><span style="font-style: normal; ">It's been hanging around ever since, sort of mocking me with its "I'm so awesome, what exactly </span><i>are</i> you going to do with me??" grin.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I contemplated something simple to really highlight those chocolate and peanut butter flavors: maybe a simple cookie or cupcake or even a blondie.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >And then I decided why not just make it a chocolate and peanut butter <i>explosion</i>??</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8093.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8093.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I went with <a href="http://ieatshoplove.blogspot.com/2009/04/homecoming-sweets.html">this recipe</a> that I've been making for who knows how long (substituting the chips for the peanut butter cups).</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >It's funny, brownies were always the one thing I made <b>terribly</b>. And then one day that brownie recipe came along and I was no longer the terrible brownie maker.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><span style="font-style: normal; ">But once I added peanut butter to the mix it went way beyond no longer being the terrible brownie maker. They were</span><i> deee-licious</i>.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8092.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8092.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><i>Dusted with a little flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >You could very easily make basic brownies, but honestly, once I made the peanut butter ones, I haven't (except for rare occasions) gone back. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >They are just too good.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And they are the perfect treat for the chocolate-peanut butter-aholic in all of us.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8094.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8094.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i>Sometimes, all you need is a fork.</i></span></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-80108289116941547832012-04-05T15:31:00.002-04:002012-04-05T15:59:02.412-04:00springtime lunch<span style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; "><span >I can't pinpoint the time I started making this chicken salad, but I remember vaguely getting the idea after watching <a href="www.barefootcontessa.com">Ina Garten</a> make a dish with chicken and grapes.</span></span><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >I wanted to combine the idea of chicken salad with the idea of potato salad with the idea of egg salad. Get the idea?</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8080.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >I've been making this salad for quite a while now and I really, truly love it. Sometimes I forget how good it is, take a bite, and think "wow, this is fantastic."</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >True story.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >And it's like most of my cooking: guess amounts, throw stuff in, taste, repeat.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >The main component, and the most important, is the chicken. In the times I've made this, I've tried roasting, grilling, even pan-frying. The absolute best bet is poaching.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >And if you're like me, you just cringed.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >The only memories I have of poached chicken are rubbery, dry, tasteless ones.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >The idea is to not boil the crap out of it; the idea is to impart flavor and simmer gently.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >When you create a poaching liquid, think about flavor. I throw in chunks of carrots, celery, onions. I crush garlic cloves and peppercorns. I add some bay leaves and thyme leaves. Even some parsley stems. And instead of just plain water, I add in some chicken stock.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Simmer the chicken in the liquid gently for about 15 minutes, cool it and shred it and you've got chicken that stays moist and delicious and is the perfect component for chicken salad.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Everything else? well they're just star supporting actors. The hard-boiled egg adds interesting taste, the basil adds that fresh, herby background, and the grapes add the perfect sweet surprise.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Happy spring lunch.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><b><span >Chicken Salad</span></b></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><span >Use good quality mayonnaise. Miracle Whip is not acceptable. </span></i></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><span >The poaching is recommended, but optional. You could even purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred. </span></i></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8081.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8081.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><span ><b>Poaching Liquid:</b></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >3 cups total water and chicken stock</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >4 garlic cloves, crushed</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1 carrot, cut into chunks</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1 celery stalk, cut into chunks</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1/4 onion, sliced</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1 bay leaf</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >bunch parsley and thyme stems</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >salt, peppercorns</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >slice of lemon or lemon peel</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1 lb chicken breast</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >2 medium carrots, shredded</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1 c grapes, halved</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >2 T (or so) basil, chiffonade</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >handful parsley, chopped</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1 hard-boiled egg, diced</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >juice of 1/2 lemon</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1/2 c mayonnaise</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >salt, pepper</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >1/4 c almonds, optional</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><span >1. Add the poaching liquid ingredients to a shallow pan and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add in the chicken. If the liquid does not quite cover the chicken, add some more until it does. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 100%; ">2. Poach gently (</span><b style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 100%; ">do not boil</b><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 100%; ">), uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes. Remove from the liquid, cool and shred.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >3. In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken, carrots, grapes, herbs, egg, and lemon juice. Mix well. Add in mayonnaise and mix to coat and combine. Taste for seasonings. Add almonds if desired.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >4. Serve atop spinach or baby arugula or a soft, toasty bun for a light lunch.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Makes 4 servings. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8082.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8082.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-75133158799806412432012-04-04T11:26:00.003-04:002012-04-04T11:37:16.279-04:00springtime wardobe<div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8068.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8068.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><span style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div><span style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></span></div>One of my favorite things about the arrival of spring is the abundance of spring dresses and being able to wear them all.</span><div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I love taking a cold shower and slipping into a breezy, frilly spring dress.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8054.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8054.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I wore this out to a fun lunch on the beach last week. Paired with some sparkly sandals and a messy bun, it was beachy springtime chic.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And oh-so-comfortable.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8067.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span ><b>Dress:</b> Forever 21. <b>Sandals:</b> Rampage / DSW. <b>Rings:</b> Key West Shell Warehouse. </span></i></div></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-12597643304338977022012-03-29T12:12:00.003-04:002012-03-29T12:30:19.444-04:00currently loving: grant achatz<a href="http://alineaathome.typepad.com/.a/6a00e555081a1988340147e2d86d6e970b-800wi" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 260px; height: 395px;" src="http://alineaathome.typepad.com/.a/6a00e555081a1988340147e2d86d6e970b-800wi" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; ">Just like Anthony Bourdain’s</span><i style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; "> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kitchen-confidential-anthony-bourdain/1100832607">Kitchen Confidential</a></i><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; "> became a legendary must-read for all line cooks everywhere, Grant Achatz’s </span><i style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; "><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/life-on-the-line-grant-achatz/1102120004?ean=9781592406012&itm=1&usri=life+on+the+line+a+chefs+story">Life, on the line</a></i><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: georgia; "> is an absolute must-read for anyone who works with - or even remotely gives a crap about - food.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>While I’ve known of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Achatz">Achatz</a> for a little bit (he does, after all, own <a href="http://www.blogger.com/alinea-restaurant.com">the best restaurant</a> in the freakin country. No big deal or anything), this is a whole new level of interest and admiration. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>The story is remarkable, fascinating, and heartbreaking. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>‘Workaholic’ is nothing but an insult to a man who is at home in a kitchen, who would rather be nowhere else, who wants nothing more than to create beautiful works of edible art everyday - and make people happy in the process.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>And the book gives me something I’ve wanted for so long: a real, fantastic glimpse into the kitchens I’ve dreamed of: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/frenchlaundry.com">The French Laundry</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/charlietrotters.com">Charlie Trotter’s</a>, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/elbulli.com">elBulli</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>This is a book to read. And one to read for anybody who’s ever lost the passion, love, and dedication for their craft.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>I am inspired. I haven’t felt this inspired in a long time. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span>This book is, simply put, <b>the most important book that any cook can read right now</b>.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-weight: normal; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8073.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8073.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><br /></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-81566815946832937092012-03-26T12:32:00.002-04:002012-03-26T13:07:28.062-04:00weekend picture show<div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8040.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8040.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i style="font-size: 100%; "><span >Spring in bloom.</span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span ><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8025.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8025.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><i><span >Which means spring dresses are here! From Forever 21. </span></i></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8041.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8041.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span >Followed by some fantastic Dippin' Dots. Best treat ever. In chocolate.</span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8011.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8011.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span ><a href="sterlingconfections.com">Sterling Confections</a> Truffle Bar. Kind of a disappointment.</span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8043.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8043.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><i><span ><a href="lulusbaitshack.com">Lulu's Bait Shack</a>. Rum Runner, Pina Colada.</span></i></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8042.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8042.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span >Ft. Lauderdale Beach.</span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8045.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8045.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span >Mini Vanilla Cupcakes! Finally.</span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8047.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8047.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span >Goodbye Sir David Patino. And good luck.</span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8079.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8079.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span >Mom's fantastic empanadas. True family recipe. Delicious treat.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span ><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span >Photos 1,3,5,6,7,8 via Instagram @taliahomegirl.</span></i></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-80092785818404043762012-03-21T14:55:00.002-04:002012-03-21T14:58:51.704-04:00hello spring!<div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8039.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8039.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><br /></span></div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">heat and beaches and tans and patio lunches and this wonderfully bright turquoise tank that I found at Forever 21 for under $5.</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">hello spring!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog8006.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog8006.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><b>tank</b>: forever 21.<b> jeans</b>: old navy. <b>wedges</b>: italian shoemakers / dsw.</i></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-19224208170805941502012-03-14T14:14:00.005-04:002012-03-14T14:57:16.060-04:00therapy<div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog7085.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog7085.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-family: georgia; "><br /></span></div><div><span ><span>In between the boredom of dressing myself and the baking disasters (</span><i>banana bread brownies, anyone?</i><span>), came this little gem.</span></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Thursday night and I was craving something chocolatey, gooey, delicious (<i>what else is new?</i>). </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >It was a tough week, it was going to be an even tougher weekend, and I was in need of therapy.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >I picked out a recipe for chocolate cookies that I had recently found in a cookbook and looked at it: <i>over</i> <i>one pound</i> of chocolate?! </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><span >I have a feeling this is going to be good.</span></i></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >I'll admit I was nervous. A lot of chocolate was about to be sacrificed for my fat ass, but I was ready.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog7077.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog7077.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >The result was kind of fantastic: a warm brownie in cookie form. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >Gooey, chocolatey, really, really delicious; the kind of cookie I was aiming for when I made the <a href="http://ieatshoplove.blogspot.com/2012/02/work-in-progress.html">chocolate peanut butter ones</a>. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span >They're oddly delicate with a crackly top. They're not the prettiest girl at the cookie exchange, but the one everybody wants. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >And at the end of the day it's safe to say <b>chocolate really is the best form of therapy.</b> </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><b><span >Pure Chocolate Chunk Cookies</span></b></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><span >A couple of notes: I'm wary of making any cookie without salt. I did it once, it was terrible, never again. The original recipe doesn't call for any salt, but I added 1/4 t in. Also, these cookies are really tasty cold from the fridge. They retain their brownie-like chewiness and they're fantastic slathered with peanut butter (my breakfast the next morning). Oh, and I left out the 1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate. </span></i></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><i>Adapted from Fran Bigelow's </i><b><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pure-chocolate-fran-bigelow/1006173118?ean=9780767916585&itm=2&usri=pure+chocolate">Pure Chocolate</a>.</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog7088.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog7088.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog7089.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog7089.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >12 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >1 1/2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >1 stick + 2 T butter, room temperature</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >3/4 c + 2 T brown sugar</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >2/3 c granulated sugar</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >1 1/2 t vanilla</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >3 eggs</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >1 3/4 c cake flour, sifted then measured</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >1/4 t salt</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >8 oz bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >1. Preheat oven to 325F. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >2. In a double boiler, melt the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates over low heat. Also, you can melt the chocolates in the microwave in 30 second increments. Once melted, set aside.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >3. In a mixer, beat together butter, sugars, and vanilla until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time until each is fully incorporated. Scrape down the bowl.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >4. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine. </span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >5. Fold in the flour and salt until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Chill for one hour.</span></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >6. Using a scoop or spoon, spoon a good hunk of cold batter onto lined cookie sheets. Space them a couple of inches apart because they will spread a good bit while baking. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cracked and slightly puffed. Cool completely. Or, you know, devour while still warm and gooey with a glass of ice cold milk.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog7101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog7101.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog7103.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog7103.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-80207755510150877102012-03-13T17:31:00.002-04:002012-03-13T17:40:22.305-04:00socal dreamin'<div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7055.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7055.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div><span style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></span></div>So I've been uninspired and bored lately.</span><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I don't even want to mention how many times I've worn this shirt-and-shorts combo already, but it's just a no-brainer, effortless kind of outfit.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Usually paired with a cami underneath, the shirt just puts me in serious west coast mood. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >The palm trees, the waves, the color yellow...I don't know.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And while I am an east coast girl through and through, I really need to make it a mission to get to the other coast.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Maybe next year. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >As for the shorts, they used to be my favorite pair of jeans and then time got to them and ripped them open like a present on Christmas morning. So I took a pair of scissors and made myself some super comfortable shorts. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I love denim reincarnation.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7056.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7056.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><i><span ><b>Shirt: </b>American Eagle / TJMaxx. <b>Shorts:</b> Levi's. </span></i></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-42368707525545054122012-03-09T13:18:00.002-05:002012-06-01T10:29:11.926-04:00flashback friday: missing<span ><span style="font-size: 100%;">I have been rather uninspired lately.</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">And also irritated and the loss of a box of clothes that seems to have been misplaced in the move. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=IMG_4368.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/IMG_4368.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif; ">Boothbay Harbor, Maine, July 2007.</i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">When I was younger I had a Barbie that wore this fantastic hot pink one-shoulder dress, similar to this shirt. </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Every time I wore the shirt I thought of that.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">And, really, doesn't it just scream springtime?!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Well, it was in that box. And it's missing.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Which makes me rather upset.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I need a wardrobe update.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=IMG_4282.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/IMG_4282.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span ><i>Shirt: Forever 21.</i></span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Happy weekend everyone!<br /><div><br /></div></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-61938271403422420092012-02-24T14:53:00.003-05:002012-06-01T10:29:11.929-04:00flashback friday: beach babe<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=beachbaby2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/beachbaby2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span >March 1987.</span></i></div><span style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%;" ><div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div>Today's heat is unbearable. The end.</span></span><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I'm pretty sure my trip to the dog park will result in a sun tan (or burn). </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >So let's take it way back today and check me out frolicking on the beaches of Argentina. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Can you say total beach babe? </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And also, so strong! Holding up that umbrella and everything. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Happy Friday!</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Even if the weather on your side isn't beach weather just yet, it will be soon enough.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=beachbaby.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/beachbaby.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><i><span>Bikini: handmade by my momma!</span></i></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-51019211175558230642012-02-23T11:34:00.004-05:002012-02-23T11:55:26.689-05:00warm weather basics<div><div style="text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7027.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7027.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><i>Purely coincidental, almost every part of the outfit is <b>Forever 21</b>. <b>Flip flops:</b> Guess / DSW. <b>Rings:</b> Key West Shell Warehouse. <b>Bracelet</b>: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/kameleonjewelry.com">Kameleon</a>, gifted. </i></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><i>Doggy optional.</i></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%;"><div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div>This weather has been giving me whiplash.</span></span><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Some mornings are breezy and cool but once the afternoon sun hits, the temperature shoots up to the 80s and I'm left in a puddle of sweat.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">Short of going out in your bathing suit or staying in and laying out by the A/C, it's hard to get comfortable.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I find a basic cami, my favorite high-waisted shorts, a pair of flip flops, and a fun, bright bag help.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7026.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">I bought this purse back in December. I saw it, I fell in love, I needed to have it.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">It was my inner desire for summer and sun jumping out and n<span style="font-size: 100%; ">ow that the wea</span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">ther is hot and humid and kind of gross, it's the perfect time to wear it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7037.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7037.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7031.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7031.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-30851839715291212262012-02-21T10:03:00.003-05:002012-02-23T11:57:53.708-05:00my belated valentine<div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7005.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><br /></div><span style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-style: normal; "><br /></span></div><span >Sure you could wait to make these </span></span><span ><i style="font-style: normal; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">next</i><span><span style="font-size: 100%; "> Valentine's Day, but really, if you ask me, it's<i> always</i> a good time for heart-shaped coconut cakes, dunked in raspberry ganache, and coated in M&Ms and Reese's peanut butter cups.</span></span></span><div style="font-style: normal; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog7013.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog7013.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-1035540360696507342012-02-17T13:39:00.003-05:002012-02-17T13:59:12.767-05:00flashback friday: barbie, who are you wearing?<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=barbie.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/barbie.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span >"Just Married". Trying to keep the Ken and Barbie union legit.</span></i></div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;" ><div><span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span></div>When I was about 7 or 8, my mom would pick me up from school and take me back to her workshop where we would stay til the evening, or until the work was done.</span></span><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Almost always finding ways to entertain myself, one fateful day I decided to pick up some of her fabric scraps, sit down at a sewing machine, and make clothes. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span >And I'm not talking about clothes for <i style="font-weight: normal; ">myself</i>, but for my <i style="font-weight: normal; ">Barbies</i>. The best models,<b> duh</b>.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=barbie2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/barbie2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span >Just hanging out on a fire hydrant. No big deal.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I like to think I was way ahead of my time. Of course I wasn't, but I had some really interesting ideas. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><span style="font-style: normal; ">I would make them pose and take pictures for my, you know, </span><i>fashion portfolio.</i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><br /></i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=barbie3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/barbie3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: center; "><span><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><span ><i>Apparently this was a wedding-themed shoot.</i></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><span ><br /></span></i></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span ><span style="font-style: normal; ">While nothing ever came of that (and my mom was rather saddened by the fact that I chose culinary school), I do find inspiration every now and then and cut up some old denim, transform some old shirts, or even make pillows (I spent an entire summer making countless pillows just for the hell of it. </span><i>And they were great!</i>).</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >But I digress.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Back to Barbie fashion. It was fun and it's nice to look back at the creativity I had flowing at 7. </span></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-50913762476286292642012-02-16T14:27:00.022-05:002012-02-16T15:11:39.656-05:00currently loving: fall 2012<div style="text-align: left;">And now my humble look at New York Fashion Week.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; ">Which included so many fantastic pieces, so many incredible collections, so many great things that I absolutely cannot do it justice with one measly post.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Nor will I<i> really </i>be able to cover all of those great things.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Instead I'll share some of my favorites.</span></div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">A small, small select few in a big, big ocean of fall fashion.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">These Fall 2012 collections were nothing I expected, but everything <span style="font-size: 100%; ">I loved: romantic, beautiful, elegant, rich in dark color, and above all, </span><i style="font-size: 100%; ">confident</i><span style="font-size: 100%; ">. Is there a better word to descri</span><span style="font-size: 100%; ">be a pantsuit??</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><i style="font-size: 100%; ">Except for maybe<b> fierce</b>.</i></div><div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Speaking of, I need to get my hands on one. ASAP.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Always breathtaking and inspiring </span><b>Marchesa.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQ_8nf9lwSHYOAD86dAP9hy7pZFlAJyTTiBpXZxd9Ulk1-Ag3pzrL1ditz6lL2p6cbaiq9SFgPi0mnEMMmdFXftPcFN6i-P9eakQq5i0xqyt621xeShYWd1yutvmSn5BXG3GImpSBcaA/s400/marchesa2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709826031408898498" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VSQmtIkUM3AEbXu7sKWuUD6e9dV22YcySoDWm-6WaYO9cJxHp7jesKi_DVDusdTaImwZLMCzCjHB6wT1drXXpTAm8GiAaLEPQwOZLQJy-1Mwh2wULsln_5hjLG9IRu1J6w0fo7DipvU/s1600/marchesa4.jpg" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VSQmtIkUM3AEbXu7sKWuUD6e9dV22YcySoDWm-6WaYO9cJxHp7jesKi_DVDusdTaImwZLMCzCjHB6wT1drXXpTAm8GiAaLEPQwOZLQJy-1Mwh2wULsln_5hjLG9IRu1J6w0fo7DipvU/s400/marchesa4.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709826713357877570" style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzJSNmOalX9u5aUt7KODY9GPCmZdkugNb2lyYmZ5pn2RIreVg8qOlQlVSgdMw3ER4r1OduI-MqfBDKuOK5hAZp48AoK_GkzZrXvzOPrK9NqMINL5GbVDhZm5sLInELwEG7oNcF1C1qo4/s400/marchesa6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709827187909984754" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZSgjrIOQhIWi6ag-_n-du6umHUijgMvi2xouYWsSAGbyzq67RVUibmEGcDz3WkJqQyWJJDHkZDXyPvJKjY7D4yBQPK6CJdo6wF1OJw-1UxAfoloUKJjoqEX5NQaS7k7xSlOWWKlqTag/s400/marchesa3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709826998610131378" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAAcnSLmt40pA6e7VKRTmuH68DUDKwP1s3QkWCdI7wxvY7Vtl3Kje0nOPun9YO8cVgfrs9gc-klmjLDNLMqDPGfk7H-6Ieb1btr45ftlP-BCfxhuCmfaXLvFRYSS4J159_lLku3VYEZU/s400/marchesa7.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709827495067724290" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /><div style="text-align: center;"><span><b><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/style.com">via</a></i></b></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; ">Equally beautifully<b> J. Mendel. </b><i>The gloves, the furs, the shapes!</i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><i><br /></i></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL_AaOqSxmbpg0orA4x0OsvHI22LJUjAS9R2qajEmucdWFl-2eERbCrQQ5E90iOyN2fVw5QzjGEy1NPsmvFWAARzzs9GoAAPneYyXPpYZrtmJ8bFNyFYCAFQ1B3LbfRSCGQMpSTDpNVjE/s400/jmendel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709824563895019634" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><b><i><span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/fabsugar.au">via</a></span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center; "><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>3.1 Phillip Lim</b>, for the chic and bad ass working girl</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi5n4aM9kKC4-AFhBadIQ2nIl90lWfoddy7FHh_bhVKhvNEDF4ICVRiqU52EglOKdicpOROysDiho6KwHSkiAVcpOdFLNBIWT9Wrnm7Zx7e6VJpebbKto8rXqoZpdSI-Qx2LT0VqLS4c/s400/3.1+lim.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709825249503439202" style="text-align: center; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-size: medium; "><b><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/fabsugar.au"><span>via</span></a></i></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Sachin + Babi, </b>leather and legs</div><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdN-nvuqW9UCsXs2NQ0x0zGJnOUn-x9IUf6HnYxEjLBXXK2OEputrlvjyZk-0huU4bYv242LSNJLHopTGSoYjMnkhWYssnRU5JBMvhpxiCljvepdPnEWYWVaa7kwPeoWdS5eklOJI6Vc/s400/sachbabi.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709823667863574258" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCf9Z6LLGquYVm6FV_MmYzukSrNK1QGYdQsxE1iXswCGOXLfgmggsynU1u1a0Dc2BMwKPpjlwTKT5-4HsGkenXhV7AF8Jv4VIXhLqLw3H0P5vfbx5dkpzCsgF_Ce2rNTaxZNv6xlrHZY/s400/sachbabi2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709823838351128818" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: georgia; "><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/nymag.com">via</a></i></b></div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b><br /></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Elie Tahari</b> for the real woman, fo real.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin9DpfGndgYb4zefEa7lG6tfzSm_yzGT67QBziWVbwnhslyKLYlLLcwdkf5s5GmKh4lbVNiLtldhdFPRnDZ2Iw-QOqYTM6_qZ4g3KSrkMZ575c8deBBv0z6YiJzjwOg8HmAvQH__gtIXc/s400/Elie-Tahari-Runway-Fall-2012.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709822162995625874" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-align: left; font-size: medium; "></div></div><div><b><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/fabsugar.au">via</a></i></b></div><div><b><br /></b></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Naeem Khan</b> shines.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6zBgG3Qr-tabIxUgOuJfZv0BqfxCMNqcMrGsJTwCJTTzqNQxOWBoz5mskQg9bOMO94OoUpN8DG8L1rO811oxyXR9wTAiQgJIeH5GPx89Jn4AJSaJczETOCX_hU5dUM_FPPIY9hFF7bA/s400/Naeem-Khan-Fall-2012.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709819966845364562" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /><b style="text-align: center; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/fabsugar.au">via</a></i></b></div></b></div><div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Donna Karan</b> and her brilliant top hats FTW.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><div style="text-align: center; "></div><div><span><u><br /></u></span></div></div></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxg7fKd-HK-qk-MSt1g20RJAUOjAqP8CAJSk1d4jvsTQv9Sh6O7-ohsja1AUqk2Z9mG2BwGimOWQfuo2cvL_Y_wBQa6uet6fHlFytkHMZURNftZ8GGVr8N39vsH0JQg7jxesf5r99fSyg/s400/dkny.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709820401104854322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px; " /><div style="text-align: center; "></div></div><div style="text-align: center; font-size: medium; "><b><i><span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/fabsugar.au">via</a></span></i></b></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; "></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><b>Jill Stuart,</b> sheer and beautiful.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; "><div style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; text-align: center; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBEaRJiDfoZcDVTUQkgMA3LJ52oHhyphenhyphenG98teXln0iDmrYv3JKAzCM4EVuILgnzGufe0kPTxrIq2SPc10wPaZmDXMeh5eAvcDORuzuBVnny7s_Hi0STCZHpvybeEaJ8w6Rsczy2VygG09Sw/s400/JillStuart_MsBzNY_Fall2012_col10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5709820757308540754" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); text-decoration: underline; display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 281px; " /></div><div style="text-align: center; "><b><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/belle-monde.com"><span>via</span></a></i></b></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; ">For more <i>(see also: better, more detailed, bigger)</i> coverage:<a href="http://www.blogger.com/nymag.com"> NY Mag </a>and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/style.com">Style.com</a>.</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Happy eye candy!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal; font-weight: normal; "><i><br /></i></div></div></div></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-18739004157728571572012-02-10T14:44:00.005-05:002012-02-10T15:08:16.926-05:00flashback friday: be mine, creatively<div style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=vdaygoodiebags.jpg" target="_blank"><span ><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/vdaygoodiebags.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span >circa 2006 and quite blurry.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i><span >ceramic heart and glitter heart found at dollar stores; valentine made from felt and ribbon; filled with chocolates and a cupcake; wrapped in cellophane.</span></i></div><span ><span style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div><span style="font-style: normal; "><br /></span></div>I used to really love Valentine's day. Not to say that I don't now, but it was always so </span><i style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; ">fun</i><span><span style="font-size: 100%;">. </span></span></span><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >While my girlfriends were moping about being single on such a cookie-cutter Hallmark holiday, I was celebrating friendships with homemade goodies. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Every year I made a new homemade valentine card and paired it with a sweet treat like heart-shaped cookies, pink cupcakes, or even loads of chocolate bars. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >The idea was simple: here's a little something I made to say "I love you". </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >And what better way to show that than with something made from the heart?</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >It's been years since I've made Valentine's day goodie bags, to be honest, but I did implement a $5 gift rule for my husband and I. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Though, he kind of hates the rule and he always breaks it. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >But regardless, the creativity is there. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >I really don't like red roses and even in high school, I hated the girls that crowded up the already-crowded hallways with enormous teddy bears and an unnecessary amount of red heart balloons. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >So I like to be a little out of the box on Valentine's day.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >So should you.</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >A couple of ideas to help:</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Cupcakes and Cashmere's <a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/conversation-heart-cookies-2/">Conversation Heart Cookies</a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >A Beautiful Mess' <a href="http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/02/best-friend-wall-art-weekend-project.html">Wall Art</a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >The Foodie Physician's <a href="http://www.thefoodiephysician.com/2012/02/dining-with-doc-romantic-valentines-day.html">Stay-at-home Romantic Meal</a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Bakerella's <a href="http://www.bakerella.com/valentines-day-cake-pops/">Cake Pops</a></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span ><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span >Lots of love and <span style="font-size: 100%; ">creative energy your way!</span></span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; " >And for the single ladies moping around on this "holiday", remember:</span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; " ><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center; "><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog6102.jpg" target="_blank"><span ><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog6102.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></span></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; font-style: normal; "><br /></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-76400291984899995272012-02-09T11:48:00.003-05:002012-02-23T11:57:53.709-05:00a work in progress<div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog6092.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog6092.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>There really is nothing like chocolate and peanut butter. The quintessential combination of salty and sweet is perfection. Seriously.</span></div><div><span>So I set out to make a cookie to emulate that perfection.</span></div><div><span>It’s Tuesday night and we want some cookies. The husband mentions peanut butter. I peruse through my newly-organized (and super fantastic!) recipe binder and stumble upon a recipe for chocolate peanut butter cookies. Not <i>chocolate chip</i> peanut butter, mind you, but <i>chocolate</i> peanut butter. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog6097.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog6097.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>The recipe - which I don’t know where I got - seemed a bit off to me, so I tweaked it. I added some things, I took away some things, I rearranged some things.</span></div><div><span>The final result is still a work in progress. While I wanted a fudgy, gooey cookie, I ended up with a cakey, fluffy product. </span></div><div><span>Still, it was a tasty cookie. With layers of buttery goodness and tasty crumbs. </span></div><div><span>While I will continue to work on it, this may kill the chocolate peanut butter craving just the same. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies</b></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>½ c butter, softened</span></div><div><span>½ c peanut butter</span></div><div><span>1/3 c granulated sugar</span></div><div><span>1/3 c brown sugar</span></div><div><span>1 egg</span></div><div><span>1 c all purpose flour</span></div><div><span>1/3 c cocoa powder</span></div><div><span>½ t baking soda</span></div><div><span>¼ t salt</span></div><div><span>½ c chocolate chips</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cookie tray with parchment paper, foil, or a silicone mat.</span></div><div><span>2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the butters and sugars until light and fluffy, scraping down occasionally to incorporate fully.</span></div><div><span>3. Add in the egg and mix until combined.</span></div><div><span>4. In a separate bowl sift together the dry ingredients. Add them to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Add in the chocolate chips.</span></div><div><span>5. Place by tablespoon-fuls on the cookie sheets a couple of inches apart. These cookies won’t really spread, but puff, so don’t worry about leaving too much space between. If you want a flatter cookie, you can press them down before baking. </span></div><div><span>6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, keeping a close eye. It’s hard to gauge when they are done because they’re chocolate, so I usually look at and touch the tops of them. If they look done and don’t feel gooey (but still leave an indent), they’re done. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=blog6100.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/blog6100.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Enjoy with a glass of ice cold milk. These cookies are also, surprisingly, really tasty (perhaps tastier) when cold from the fridge. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-27156726900524425062012-02-02T10:21:00.003-05:002012-02-23T11:57:53.709-05:00game day cheese fest<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/?action=view&current=superbowl022.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/superbowl022.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div>When the husband and I moved into our apartment, we decided to throw a Superbowl get together. It was fun (almost a little <i>too</i> fun), but in terms of food, there were some hits and misses.<div>And the end of the day, the best food for a game day should be fun finger food. Calories be darned, the stuff should be <i>tasty</i>. </div><div>The pigs-in-blankets were big hits, of course, but so were the spinach and cheese dip and cheese football.</div><div>Too much cheese? Depends on who you ask. I'm a bit of a cheese-o-holic. </div><div>This cheese ball I actually make every year for Christmas time as well. (You can see the little snowman hands and feet spreaders). </div><div>Whatever works for you this Sunday, these cheesy recipes will make delicious additions. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cheese Football</b></div><div><i><span >Adapted from <a href="kraftfoods.com">Kraftfoods.com</a></span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened</div><div>8 0z sharp cheddar cheese, shredded</div><div>4 strips bacon, diced and cooked until crisp</div><div>dash pepper</div><div>1-2 stalks green onion, minced</div><div>1 c chopped walnuts</div><div>pimento strips or green onions</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Mix cheeses, bacon, pepper, and minced onion in a bowl until thoroughly combined. </div><div>2. With your hands, shape into a football shape. Refrigerate for an hour or more. This is great to make in advance. </div><div>3. Roll football in nuts to coat. Add pimento or green onion strips for football lacing. Serve with crackers.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Spinach and Three Cheese Dip</b></div><div><i><span >Adapted from The Sun-Sentinel and (now-defunct) Dan Marino's Fine Food and Spirits. The original recipe does call for Tabasco, but I always leave it out. And while it does call for frozen spinach, fresh is just as great. The recipe also says to sprinkle the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses on top and then bake. I usually throw half in with the dip to melt in and sprinkle the remaining on top. More flavor, I think. Optional garnishes include: sour cream, diced red onion, and bacon. </span></i></div><div><i><span ><br /></span></i></div><div><span >1 1/2 T butter</span></div><div><span >3 T flour</span></div><div><span >1 1/2 c half and half</span></div><div><span >1/4 t salt</span></div><div><span >1 T Tabasco sauce (optional)</span></div><div><span >1/2 c + 2 T parmesan cheese</span></div><div><span >1 (10) oz box frozen spinach, well drained</span></div><div><span >4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese</span></div><div><span >4 oz shredded cheddar cheese</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><span >1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter on medium heat. Add in the flour and cook for a minute or so, constantly stirring. </span></div><div><span >2. Add in half and half, constantly whisking to ensure no lumps. Add in salt and Tabasco, if using. Bring to a boil until thickened. Bring down to a simmer. </span></div><div><span >3. Slowly whisk in parmesan cheese. Add in spinach and 2 oz each mozzarella and cheddar cheeses. At this point you can pour it into an oven safe dish and refrigerate. </span></div><div><span >4. When ready, preheat oven to 450F. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and cheddar cheeses on top and bake until golden and bubbly. Serve with crackers, chips, or toasty bread chunks. </span></div><div><br /></div><div>Let's go anybody but Tom Brady!</div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-68916086026048067992012-02-01T15:01:00.002-05:002012-02-01T15:37:28.483-05:00rites of passage<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog6083.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog6083.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div>So for <a href="http://ieatshoplove.blogspot.com/2012/01/katie-is-21.html">Katie's birthday</a>, we headed down to the Keys. Key West, to be exact.<div>And at a 3 1/2 hour trip, it's a perfect weekend getaway. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog6078.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog6078.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>7 mile bridge. En route to Key West.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Sure there are countless must-do lists for Key West:</div><div><i>Mallory Square, Sunset Celebration on the Pier, Southernmost Point, Sloppy Joe's, Ernest Hemingway's house, Truman's house, blahblahblah...</i></div><div>But we were only able to stay one day. And in the times I've been there, I've comprised my very own quirky to-do list: A small list of things the husband and I make it a point to do every time we visit. </div><div>Yes, you really <i>should</i> do all of the above, but if you've got limited time like we did, and you've already done all of the above, these are just as fun.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Scootin' on my Scooter</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog6080.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog6080.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012031.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012031.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>It's an island. And as an island, it's kind of a pain in the ass to have to get in your car to go somewhere or walk a couple of miles. The most popular rentals include bicycles and electric cars, but the most fun is, by far, the scooter. Some places require a ridiculous deposit, but some don't. Ask a concierge.</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012067.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012067.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Shell Warehouse at Mallory Square</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012071.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012071.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012073.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012073.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>I've been coming to this place for as long as I can remember. The first piece I bought was a really great yellow shell necklace that I wore almost every day. when it broke on a trip to Maine, I knew I had to go back for a new one.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012072.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012072.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Every trip I make it a point to purchase something. This past weekend I bought a couple of really cute shell rings I've been wearing like crazy. The place is kind of touristy, sure, but it's got a fantastic selection of shells and kitschy shell items for great prices. I love.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog6091.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog6091.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Chocolate Covered Key Lime Pie on a Stick</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012075.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012075.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=blog6087.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/blog6087.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>So the keys are known for their key limes. It's no wonder you can find key lime pie everywhere. <i>And I do mean everywhere. </i>But the best is the frozen chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick. The more predominant place in Key West now is the Key Lime Pie Factory. While the husband got the original, I opted for raspberry flavored instead. This stuff is to die for. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Relax. Have some fruit. In your drink.</b></div><div>Island time. Relaxed attitude. Fruity drinks galore. And lots of them.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012050.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012050.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Blue Mojito at the Blue Mojito Bar at the Hyatt Key West (where we got married!:)</i></div><div><br /></div><div>And so much more we could have done with more time...</div><div><br /></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3982369559362298819.post-39909839139085317932012-01-31T09:00:00.002-05:002012-02-23T11:57:53.709-05:00katie is 21<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>A girl always needs a good birthday cupcake: slathered with butter cream and sprinkles, covered in pink and pretty.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012003.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012003.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> </div><div><br /></div><div>But sometimes that just won’t do.</div><div>Especially when the said girl is turning 21.</div><div>So I whipped up a batch of cookie dough cupcakes, dipped them in silky chocolate ganache, dotted them with star-shaped sprinkles (a little sprinkles never hurt), and then adorned them with…well…</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012009.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012009.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sure, I considered sticking the booze IN the cupcakes, but why do that when you can just raid the liquor store and stick them on top??</div><div>And maybe your favorite isn’t even on here. Maybe you’re a Johnny Walker kind of guy or a Jack kind of gal (<i>-raises hand-</i>), but can you really turn down some Jose and sweet and tasty raspberry vodka?</div><div>Didn’t think so.</div><div>And, yes, they were a hit.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012010.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012010.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/?action=view&current=keywest2012012.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v414/polkadotblondie/eat%20shop%20love/keywest2012012.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Cookie Dough Cupcakes</b></div><div><i><span >The idea is to have a yummy chocolate chip cookie baked right in the middle. And it does work. I have used both store bought dough and homemade and, quite frankly, I’m more partial to the homemade. They’ve just got a better taste overall. But if you’re in a pinch, store bought cookie dough is fine. So is boxed cake mix. I know, I know, but it’s just so foolproof. If using boxed cakemix, switching out the vegetable oil for butter and the water for milk really helps in flavor and texture. And one very important thing to remember about these cupcakes is to NOT over-bake them. Over-baked they become dry and the middle not as cookie-like as you’d like. These cupcakes are best at room temperature, but if you do decide to place them in the fridge, let them come to room temperature before eating.</span></i> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Vanilla Cupcakes</b></div><div><span >½ c butter, softened</span></div><div><span >1 c sugar</span></div><div><span >2 eggs</span></div><div><span >1 ½ c all-purpose flour</span></div><div><span >½ t salt</span></div><div><span >1 t baking powder</span></div><div><span >½ c milk</span></div><div><span >1 t vanilla extract</span></div><div><span ><br /></span></div><div><b><span >12 (heaping) teaspoons chocolate chip cookie dough (either homemade or store bought)</span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Chocolate Ganache</b></div><div><span >6 oz cream</span></div><div><span >4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span >Whipped cream, optional</span></div><div><span >Sprinkles, optional</span></div><div><span >Liquor, optional (but, really…)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span >1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners</span></div><div><span >2. In a mixer (or large bowl), mix butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.</span></div><div><span >3. Add in eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each one.</span></div><div><span >4. Combine dry ingredients in a separate, small bowl. Add 1/3 of the dry mix.</span></div><div><span >5. Once the dry mix is incorporated, add in half of the milk. Repeat with the dry mix, the milk, and finish with the dry mix again. Add in the vanilla and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix at this point or you will have a tough cupcake. </span></div><div><span >6. Scoop batter into cupcake liners, filling ¾ of the way full. Place one heaping teaspoon of dough in the middle and press down slightly. Top off with a spoonful of batter to cover up the cookie dough. </span></div><div><span >7. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, keeping a close eye. Once they have a golden brown color on top, they have been over baked. </span></div><div><span >8. Once done, let cool completely on a cooling rack. </span></div><div><span >9. For ganache: Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. While heating up, place chocolate in a medium bowl. Once you notice little bubbles along the edges, take cream off of stove and pour over chocolate mixture. Let sit about 20 seconds then whisk to melt and combine.</span></div><div><span >10. Dip cupcakes, one by one, into the vat of ganache. Decorate with whipped cream, sprinkles, or liquor bottles, if preferred. </span></div><div><br /></div><div>Makes 12. </div><div><br /></div>nataliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09092338997707070764noreply@blogger.com0