Friends with Blue Coats & Crack like snacks

It's always a good thing when you fly to have no issues and yesterday's flight was smooth as can be. The highlight was the lady ahead of me getting off the plane in Paris was Mila Kunis who turned around thinking I was her assistant asking me for her passport. She then had the look of disappointment before spotting her assistant was way behind me. I just smiled and moved out of the way, thankful I resisted the urge to ask where she got her coat (I was admiring it before I knew who was wearing it and almost did ask). Also I was desperate to get some tasty French coffee before catching our flight to Amsterdam. I tend to be a disappoint in the celebrity realm and it reminded me of the time I was working the US Open tennis in New York. After closing up our hospitality suite in Manhattan I took the extra car (limo) to the stadium. We had a suite at the stadium and used the VIP entrance which is also used by celebrities so when we pulled up all the photographers were ready and then it was just me. There was actually an audible disappointed groan from them. Good thing I think I am pretty awesome otherwise I might end up with a complex.

Anyway you can see the coat here, but I have yet to find it in an online shop although admittedly I have only been up for a few hours and am a little jet lagged so the brain may be a little slow to catch up. I did however manage to get out of the house to pick up my favorite snack in the Netherlands, cocktail wasabi noten. They are basically peanuts wrapped in a mini cracker like substances and are as addictive as crack. I also believe the walk to store was exercise enough to eat the whole bag. Everyone wins.

Sky High

Off we go again. We are headed out today to the Netherlands for the majority of the month of March. I have vowed not to get sick and/or have crappy skin because of the airplane. I totally have the sickness under control with everything I can (Emergen-C, Advil, AYR, etc.) and for the skin I am working a new hydrating toner. I discovered this one when I treated myself to a facial for my birthday at Massage Envy since it was a rockin' good deal and really who says no to a facial? They use Murad products which I have never really tried so I was excited to give it a go. During the facial Erin (the esthetician) was telling she was putting on a toner and I was struck by how lovely it smelled. She filled me in on the benefits of it for my skin and how it can really help me since I travel back and forth between to different environments. So I went home and did some research on it and went back the next day to purchase it. It is great stuff and I am looking forward to seeing how this adds to my already extensive travel skin care routine. Curious about the product? It's Murad Hydrating Skin Toner and by the look of the reviews on the site I am not the only one loving this product! Totally worth a try if you are looking for a hydrating boost to your routine.

So while I will totally miss the Ocean, I am looking forward to getting back to Europe. I have some very important little people to see. Goodbye warm Southern California we will return soon.

Loving me some Crew

It's official, I am addicted to J.Crew. It simply comes down to they happen to be killing it this season. In the good way. I didn't even fully realize I had a J.Crew problem until it was pointed out to me on Pinterest by someone who works for J.Crew (coincidence I think not). Of course I know said person and have known her since middle school, but upon reflection I think I may have spent way too much time on their site. I think I have this under control since I bought only a few key pieces (believe it or not I have restraint).  I do however have my fingers crossed that a few others will go on sale in my size (like MAJOR sale). I just can't spend money willy nilly when I still need to buy a Louboutin mattress ya know.

Here are some of the highlights of my Crew obsession.

They have this in several colors, but this is my favorite.

Love this and it will go with everything.

No. 2 Pencil Skirt in Ultra Eyelet. They also have this in sequins
and it's awesome, but waaaay out of my price range.

Love the color

I have no idea why I don't have these yet in this color.

So when my boyfriend wonders why we are sleeping on shoe and J.Crew shipping boxes no one will mention J.Crew OK?

All Images via J.Crew

Home Sweet Home

It's true we finally have found a place and will be residents in the beautiful Orange County, Southern California starting in April. Now comes the fun and the have to be done (so make it fun) shopping for some house necessities. I left a few of the bigger furniture items behind since they were on the older side and I was planning on getting new ones soon anyway. Why drag them 1200 miles down the coast only to get rid of it when you arrive? Makes no sense. We decided that when we found a place we would just purchase them down here. Well we found a place and now I am looking at mattresses. Who knew there were so many to choose from?! AND then the cost varies so wide and vast it doesn't even make sense. Do they shove Louboutin's in there to make it cost $3000? If so please make sure these are in there:

No? Well I will keep on looking then and welcome any suggestions for trying to pick out a mattress that will leave a little left over for a pair of boots...or just get me a place to lay my head. At this point I am ready to pick the one with the sheep on it, just because they are cute. Pretty sure that is not the right way to do it.

The OC

Hopefully today is the last day looking at houses. The last one I thought we were going to get turned out to not be the right one so we continued looking. I think the one I am going to see today is the perfect solution for us, but have yet to see it in person. So I am headed out to Newport Beach to see if this place is everything it promised online. If you have never been to Newport Beach it is so pretty and there is way more to it than what you see on TV. Not everyone there has a McMansion (although a lot of them do), fancy cars (ditto) and designer wardrobe (well yeah). There are lots of fun things to do and pretty sights to see, not to mention my favorite mall Fashion Island. So keep your fingers crossed for us and hopefully today will be the day that we secure a house in Southern California. Yay! Hopefully we won't live next to these people. I hear they are DRAMA QUEENS.

Sealed with a kiss

I may have been gone for a few days last week, but that was because I was busy celebrating my birthday, my dad's birthday and just hanging out with the BF. I did however make cookies in an attempt to make up for it. I of course was inspired via Pinterest, which is where I repin all my best ideas, but I made the cookies from this recipe (using creamy not chunky peanut butter) and then followed these additional instructions. I happened to find the kisses 50% off because they had red and pink foil for Valentines day. Me being the sucker that I am for chocolate bought these and several other types of chocolate on sale and now have no idea what to do with it all. I am pretty sure Pinterest will have the answer should I choose to actually look and not consume them all in one sitting. We will how that goes.

Happy Presidents Day!

Sugar makes it all good!

Yes those are Eggies in the background.

Tasty!

Song about rainbows

When I was younger I watched The Muppet Show religiously, unless I got into trouble and couldn't watch TV as a punishment (which let's face it, happened a lot). TV was a privilege in that household and not something we watched all the time so you had to choose wisely. I had Kermit dolls, Ms. Piggy envy and loved Gonzo to a point that when it was taken off the air (I believe it was on PBS at the time) I got pissed. So pissed that with the help of my step dad I called the station to complain. I was 4 and apparently a bit of a bad ass, although I may have only gotten out about half of what I wanted to say before making him finish the conversation. Telling a grown up (that you don't know and have never seen) that life as you know it is shattered because they pulled a frog, pig and whatever Gonzo is off the air is a little scary. I am surprised that they didn't ask me for money or at the very least ask me to be on the next telethon to beg for Kermit back. I am sure that would have raked in lots of dollars for them. Anyway this really doesn't have much to do with anything, but I did come across the photo below on Pinterest which made me think about the great Muppet Show disaster of '81. Perhaps this is where the seed of defiance was planted in my little brain. Food for thought anyway.

That's just how he rolls. Source via Pinterest

Roses are red, but so is blood

Eat all the chocolate you want, cover yourself in roses or just watch zombie movies all night. Guess what I am doing?

It's true I would. Happy Valentines Day and Happy Birthday dad!

Valentines Day Whatever

You may think this week is about Valentines day, but you would be wrong. This is the official start of my birthday week and Valentines day always tries to steal my thunder. I have been super busy the last few weeks (when not sending zombie Valentines cards) sending my boyfriend helpful birthday gift tips. I am sure he loves these daily items almost as much as I do (read not at all). I have also utilized Pinterest to help me remember all the crazy things I think I want.  My favorite category is the Wish List of Semi Useful Things. Random stuff for sure, but at least it's fun. Here are a few of my favorite items that I have on my birthday list, fully expecting to not receive them. Oh but a girl can wish!

I will have these boots on way or the other. I love the color and the buckles. Everything. Gift card? Piperlime

I have been wanting a new lens for the last few months and this is the chosen one. Canon

I would then of course need a stylish camera bag. OpenSky

And of course some hot pink shoes.  J.Crew

Have a great Monday!

Full of Sugar

I may have mentioned earlier that my mom has been crafting up baby shoes. I may even have posted a few pictures about it and now you can view, share and buy all on your own. Sugar Cookie Baby Shoes is officially live and available on Etsy. I dare you to look at these cuties and not rack your brain for someone you know who is having a baby. I have already ordered some and may need to place another order since people are having babies all over the place. Even though it's my mothers product I really do think they are a unique and the perfect baby shower, baby arrival or just because baby gift. No two shoes are alike and each is handmade and adorned with buttons, bows or ribbons. You are guaranteed to not have brought the same item as anyone else and that my friend makes you stand out from the crowd. Maybe we should have awards given out for best gift given at showers. I know it would sure make them a lot more awesome to go to. Not that I am saying I didn't enjoy your shower or future shower or whatever. Because I totally did, but if there are gifts involved for me let's just say it ups the awesome factor. Oh and if you have a taco station that works too. Just saying. Here's some pictures and be sure to check out her store for more.

Happy Friday!

Put a heart on it

The other day I was looking through the Internet with the intent of finding some crafty bloggers for some fun house decorating tips (just getting a jump on things), but ended up with food porn. Lots of it. If you look at my Pinterest from that time it's nothing except desserts. Delicious, heart stopping, gooey, sugar filled, butter covered, sinfully decadent treats. While on this food bender I found a stupefyingly easy 2 ingredient strawberry fudge recipe that just begged to be tried. Unlike the original recipe I didn't add the little hearts because the store didn't have any and I didn't feel like going to 8 different stores to get some crappy tasting sugar hearts. I kept it simple and let it go naked. No fancy shapes for me, just pure fudge goodness.  It took a total of 35 minutes (including the 30 minutes in the fridge) and makes for a super quick yummy dessert to share with friends, co-workers and neighbors. Plus I didn't personally add any butter in it so it must be low in calories right? It's pretty darn tasty and so simple everyone will think it took much longer! And if you want you can put a heart on it.

Wu for You

In case you haven't heard Jason Wu is the latest collaborator with Target. While his collection debut did not crash the site, I think it is an incredibly wearable, cute and most importantly affordable. When the Missoni debacle happened I really thought to myself why in the world is everyone freaking out. There are some cute items, but I am not going to fight people in the store to get it. With the Jason Wu collection there are a few items that I might get a little grabby over. Like this dress for example. How cute would it be with flats and a cardi?

And this yellow is a great pop of color for any outfit. You can tone it down by using a jacket or cardigan with it or wear it on it's own with a pair of jeans. Perfect.

And this trench. I love it!

It's definitely worth a glance if you happen to be in the Target area or just want a few inexpensive fun pieces for Spring. If clothes aren't your thing there are accessories too. Everyone needs a kitty bag, right?

Cool Factor

I think we finally have narrowed down the house hunt to two and are just waiting to see if people like us. Well actually it's a little more along the lines of if we are not killers, house destroyers and can pay the bills. I think we will be OK, but still keeping my fingers crossed. The next step will then be figuring out how to fill the house. I had a one bedroom condo, he has bits and pieces of stuff, but not a complete room and together we can fill only half of the house. Maybe. I see some major DIY projects in the future since we are keeping a sharp eye on the budget.  So that means I am starting my search for the crafty of the craftiest bloggers out there. If you have any suggestions please let me know!

In something completely random I saw this yesterday on someones car and practically dislocated my shoulder trying to get to my camera.

Ron Paul supporters have been called many things, but cool has not been one of them. Ha!

They might be Giants or Something

I am not even going to try and pretend that I watched the Super Bowl. I didn't attend a party, didn't turn it on, didn't watch Madonna lip sync and definitely didn't see any touchdowns. It's on purpose and no food will tempt me to be bored out of my mind. The only reason I know who won or anything about the halftime show is due to twitter. Hopefully the people I follow got it right so I don't look like a total idiot with my title and the Madonna information. Anyway, I went shopping instead. If you have never left the house (or the house where the party is at) you are sadly missing out on the best time to get your shop on. The malls, Target and grocery store are void of people and making shopping during the Super Bowel the best time ever. I only wish that I was still in the Phoenix, AZ area so I could go have shopped at the Last Chance Nordstrom store in relative peace. Oh well at least I was able to get these babies on my way out of AZ on Friday (for $69...no joke).

They can be found here at Nordstrom if you like them, but they are a little more that $69. Next time you are in Phoenix I highly suggest going to Last Chance, but only if you are will to do a little sifting. I gave myself a time limit otherwise I would have had a lot more explaining to do. These are simply a birthday gift to myself...12 days early.

Simple Pleasures

This week has been filled with good things and a few not so good, but I am so lucky to be spending this time with my grandparents and great Uncle Jean. Yesterday we all needed a little pick me up after a particularly trying day on Wednesday and I wanted to make a little sweet comfort in the kitchen. I started going through the cupboards and came across a package of chocolate chips. Perfect. Sometimes I feel like everything I make needs to be made with at least 24 ingredients, infused with some exotic liquid or sprinkled with salt found off the coast of El Salvador and smoked with orchids. It was nice to simply put together a few ordinary ingredients and fill the house up with the amazing smell of chocolate chips cookies. I used the standard Betty Crocker recipe I know by heart and churned out 4 dozen cookies to fill the cookie jar and then some! Everyone here is telling me I am spoiling them, but I keep trying to convince them that it's nice just to relax and enjoy retirement with them. Even if it is only for one week.

Spoonful by spoonful

Fresh from the oven it's hard to resist

On the YA Tip. Again.

I wrote a little bit about why reading young adult books doesn't make you stupid here. Then I just read just this week on the Curvy Girl Guide about other awesome YA reads that I had not had the pleasure of pursing. After reading through her recommendations I immediately ordered (it's on paperback and wicked cheap to buy the actual book instead of downloading) The Forest of Hands and Feet , because duh zombies are involved. Then I downloaded Daughter of Smoke and Bone onto my iPad because I was super jonesing for a good book. I proceeded stayed up all night reading the darn thing because it was so good. I tried to put it down and go to sleep, but I had to know what was going to happen next. I kept thinking just one more chapter and then all of a sudden (3am) I finished it.  Loved it. I am getting down her list pretty quickly. Actually to the point that tonight I am not allowed to start a new book so that I can get a full nights beauty sleep. I must say so far everything I read has been entertaining and captivating as promised. I can't wait for The Forest of Hands and Feet to arrive for my Zombie loving approval. The girl with the dragon whatever? Snore.

It completely unrelated news this is my new friend Ernie. He currently hangs out on a shelf here in Arizona and is one of the ridiculous decorations that came with the house. I kinda love him.

The Wanderer

After running around the last few days I decided to give the grandparents a break and ventured out on my own in the greater Mesa, AZ area. I had noticed in our previous outings that there was all kinds of metal art by the roads and other unusual things that definitely needed a closer look. Somehow I had forgotten that the southwest is full of roadside stands, forgotten buildings and treasure trove of thrift stores. While I kept my wallet in check (so very hard to do) a gentleman with a hook for an arm tried to convince me to purchase the metal horse below for a steal at $1350 (if you notice it has $1600 on it). I politely declined his generous offer and instead tried to get him to pose with the horse. He declined. After moving on from ‘Hook’ I nearly took out a pedestrian trying to pull into what has got to be one of the last DQ stands in America. Inside and out this, fully open and operational, place is stuck in a time warp and had to be photographed to be believed. I had no idea these still existed, but it was fun to find. After I had completed my exploring I arrived back at the house just in time to catch the spectacular sunset. The colors in the sky were just amazing, vibrant and beautiful. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Love this pig. She is the mascot of a BBQ joint.

$1600 yeah right.

No tables, but 2 people working.

Pinks, purples and yellows. Pretty.