stationery giveaway!

Personalized stationary is a must have item. It's perfect for a quick "thank you" note, "thinking of you" card, or for when you just want to say "hello" to a friend. A stationery set would also make a wonderful gift. I'm loving all of the fun and bright options below - via the etsy shop When It Rains. 

I'm partnering with When It Rains to giveaway one personalized stationery set (10 cards and envelopes) of your choosing. Stationery can be customized using these colors and these fonts. I'm also giving away one of these awesomely sparkly thumb tack sets. You know you want them in your work space... I sure do! 

To enter just visit When It Rains and leave a comment below about their shop! 

I'll choose a winner on Thursday. You have until then to enter. 

xoxo

San Diego.

a few pictures from our recent trip to san diego. 

pretty flowers.
my first close up of the pacific ocean.
so many sun bathing seals {they look a bit dead but they were just soaking in the sun!} ..
thanks taylor for the perfect seal sighting spot.
its crazy how quickly it gets hot, I went from a t-shirt & a button down & a cardigan & a scarf at 9am ...
to dying of heat at 10am.
yt and I over looking the pacific.
he also took about 101 photos of a squirrel, they didn't make the cut.
the san diego zoo was amazing and HUGE!
we also got to meander through the city and enjoy a few delicious meals.
all in all, a wonderful couple of days on the west coast. 

such a beautiful city. 

have a happy weekend.

a [not so] new concept for friday posting...

instead of writing an entire post

I'm going to start to dedicate my friday post to

things from around the web

that i've stumbled upon &

that have me inspired

because maybe

they'll inspire you 

too! 

be happy.

Did everyone see the list of Oscar nominations? I'm going to try to watch as many nominees as possible before the big show. So far I've only seen The Help & Midnight in Paris.

I'll absolutely be making this pasta for dinner this week and this loaf on Sunday morning.

I absolutely love these DIY Valentine's Day decor ideas. The hearts cut from paint samples is my favorite.

I'm still on the fence about what color to get these shoes in - yellow or pink?

Has anyone ever used Rent the Runway? I'm considering trying it out and renting this gorgeous dress.

I love that the blog Green Wedding Shoes always asks their featured couples what songs they used in their ceremony. I'd love to do something a bit unique. Did any of you walk down the aisle to a non traditional song?

After reading this post and this one, Victoria got me thinking about a few purchases (50mm lens & photoshop elements). I can only finance one at a time and I'm leaning towards the new lens - bloggers who have both, what would your reco be?


Loved this Alt Summit recap - so many good lessons about blogging and life. 


many x's and o's to you. Happy Friday!

drink pink.

When it comes to cocktails, I'll be the first to admit that I usually stick to wine. Of course at a sporting event I'll have the occasional beer, and margaritas with Mexican food is one of my all time favorite combinations, but wine is what you'll likely find at my house and in my glass.

But sometimes... special occasions call for a special drink. One such occasion is Valentines Day. I cant think of anything better than sharing one of these perfectly pink drinks with your Valentine. They kind of scream "I love you"... or maybe it's just the alcohol talking :)

1. petal pusher 2. grapefruit margaritas 3. apple cider & cranberry cocktail 4. pomegranate & champagne cocktail 5. blueberry infused gin & tonic 6. skinny cranberry and vanilla cocktail 7. cranberry ginger fizz

p.s. the winner of the we love citrus $25 gift card has been chosen using random.org and is:
 morganleathers! - please contact me to claim your prize.
thanks to all for participating. xo

Primary Picks

I know that there's been lots of talk of neon, and pastels have been all the rage, but I couldn't help but do a quick roundup of Tory Burch's perfectly primary shoes, bags, and accessories. Those sunny yellow loafers would be simply stunning in any spring wardrobe. Don't ya think? There's something so great about the pureness of these colors. Bright, bold & beautiful. 

red: flat, bag, necklace

yellow: loafer, coin purse, scarf

blue: sandal, tote, cuff

In other news, I'm headed to San Diego tonight! First time there and first time in California!
Any recommendations on what to do, where to eat ... ??

Don't forget to enter THIS giveaway if you haven't! I'll be picking a winner tomorrow. 

GIVEAWAY!

I have a new obsession. 

It's we love citrus - a shop with so many goodies that I want them ALL. 

Seriously, everything. 

It all started with those bags of confetti. 

I first pictured them at our wedding. But now...

I'd also like them at every birthday, new years, anniversary, etc.

from this day forward. 

I also want the little gift boxes and twine for wrapping sweet treats,

the cloth heart bags to gift something small and special,

the grey striped straws to sip a refreshing cocktail from,

and everything else. 

Seriously, everything. 

And so you can get your hands on some of these goodies

I'm partnering with this wonderful shop for a 

You sure can buy a lot with $25!

To enter:

please follow simply irresistible & visit we love citrus 

leave a comment letting me know how you would use your $25 gift card 

For extra entries:

follow me on twitter 

follow we love citrus on twitter 

tweet about the giveaway! 

I'll announce a winner this Thursday (Jan 26th)

Good luck lovelies!!

I need you.

Yes, you.

Hello, Mr. Darby. 

I love the way you sparkle. 

I love your glittery exterior. 

I love the pure comfort

 that I'm confident you will provide. 

While before you seemed too good for me, 

with your $215 price tag. 

You're now more than 50% off, 

making you more beautiful then ever. 

See you soon, Mr. Darby. 

Now $99 at J.Crew! Happy Monday to me.
Update: J.Crew is running 40% off on all sale items so $60! Go get yours... 

as promised...

 Happy Monday Friends! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. 

Mine was quite nice. Our Friday night dinner plans were cancelled due to a bit of a snow storm here in Chicago. So instead, yt and I ventured to a new restaurant down the block that we had been wanting to try. We got drinks and burgers - the perfect comfort food on a snowy night. Saturday night I worked as an assistant wedding coordinator at a gorgeous wedding. Both the bride and the groom were bakers, which I thought was adorable. Sunday I went to a barre class nice and early (I'm hooked) and met some friends for a late lunch at Ralph Lauren. 

Then I finished up these bad boys...

HOMEMADE SAMOA COOKIES (AKA CARAMEL DELIGHTS).

these were the obvious favorite

So, before I get to the recipe a few things to note:

If you're just looking for a cookie to eat, I would track down a Girl Scout and order some cookies. BUT, if you're looking for a challenge in the kitchen and you also want a really delicious cookie, then continue on...

This isn't a hard cookie to make, but it does require some time and a bunch of steps. Patience is definitely needed. Also, the original recipe had a recipe for homemade caramel candies. If I was making homemade Samoas there's no way I was also going to cook caramel candies from scratch - c'mon now... let's not get crazy. But, if you're up for the challenge, I say go for it! 

adapted from: the little epicurian

15 cookies

Here's what you'll need...

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/8 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tablespoon whole milk

10 oz caramel candies 

2 tablespoons whole milk

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

4oz dark/bittersweet chocolate 

Here's what to do...

one: Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Add milk and mix until dough has formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

two: Preheat oven to 325 degrees (300 for dark pan or nonstick pan). Spread coconut onto a baking sheet evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring and rotating pan every 5 minutes. When coconut is golden in color, remove from oven and set aside. 

three: Roll out chilled dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles using 2 1/2 inch round cutter. Punch out an inner circle with a smaller cutter. Lay the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until firm and have a slight color to them. Let rest on cooling rack. 

four: Unwrap caramel candies and place in microwave safe bowl with two tablespoons of milk. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring caramel between each increment, until caramel is completely melted. Set aside about 1/2 cup and mix remaining caramel with coconut. 

five: Once shortbread cookies are cool, dip one side into reserved caramel sauce. Then spread coconut caramel mixture on top of cookies. Let cool on rack until caramel mixture has set. 

six: Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl. Once caramel is set, dip the bottom of the cookie into the melted chocolate (if this is too messy, use a small spoon to spread chocolate on bottom side). Let cool upside down on rack (caramel side down) until chocolate has hardened completely. 

seven: Once chocolate side is set, turn cookie right side up. Transfer remaining melted chocolate to a pipping bag (or a small baggie). Cut a small tip and drizzle chocolate over the tops of the cookies. Let set and then enjoy!

phew, that was a lot of typing. and a lot of baking. 

totally worth it --- if you don't have another means by which to get Samoas that is!

For some other Girl Scout cookie recipes click below:
Tagalongs: 1, 2
Thin Mints: 1, 2

an important question (kind of).

I was thinking the other day about Girl Scout cookies and how much I'd really love to eat some (and by some, I mean several boxes). I did something that only a real Girl Scout cookie lover would do and googled "how to order Girl Scout cookies online". Turns out - you can't. If you don't have access to a real live Girl Scout, you can't have any cookies. SO sad, I know. (And in my opinion this is a really stupid decision. These Girl Scouts are missing out on an entire market of the cookie selling business and could be racking up tons of dough. I mean think about it: a cookie that's only available seasonally and that everyone loves, is a high commodity...  but I digress)

After all this googling, reflecting on poor business decisions, and calling my mom to see if she knew any Girl Scouts who could hook me up, I had a fabulous idea ... I'll make myself some Girl Scout Cookies!

I found quite a few recipes for all of my favorites and they look fairly simple. 

I'm going to test out one of the above cookies in my kitchen and then report back so that you can all make your own Girl Scout cookies & impresses someone with your awesome baking skills. 

So the question is:

WHICH COOKIE SHOULD I BAKE?!

1. Samoas 

2. Tagalongs

3. Thin Mints

Leave a comment letting me know your preference.

If one of the above three isn't your favorite Girl Scout cookie - I would get your taste buds checked out immediately. Okay fine, maybe an argument can be made for the shortbreads, simple sugar and buttery goodness - but I draw the line there. Everyone knows these are the best options.

I'll tally up the answers this weekend and get to work!

crushing on caps

These fun flats are a trend I'm absolutely smitten with. The distinct toe (whether it's another shade, a bit of metallic, or a pop of color) is such a great way to bring some visual interest to an otherwise boring flat. 

While The Lavin pair (#2) are my absolutely favorite (they have another version with an orange toe that screams sorbet) they are WAY out of my budget. The Old Navy Pair however, is such a steal that you can likely afford to buy them in a few colors! That yellow toe is so bright and cheery, isn't it!?

1,2,3,4,5,6

What are your thoughts on this trend?

Will you be sporting a flashy toed flat this spring? 

Blushing.

I am absolutely loving this soft pink color. It is the perfect compliment to darker shades like black, navy, and slate - and it is so wonderfully feminine. Here are some items I'm eyeing. 

The scalloped edges of that clutch!? - to die for. 

one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight - nine - ten

I also have a huge huge obsession with blush pink peonies right now. I'm crossing my fingers that my Valentine brings me a beautiful bouquet of these on February 14th (a not so subtle hint to the one male who reads this blog!)

get your greens.

It's such a wonderful feeling when your body craves a healthy food. Of course my cravings for sweet and salty snacks are more prominent and often hard to ignore, but every once in a while I crave something that's actually good for me. This weekend I had the biggest craving for broccoli - odd, but I went with it. Here are two broccoli recipes from my kitchen.

one

Here's what you'll need...

1 store bought pizza dough

1 small head of broccoli (about 1 cup when chopped)

6-8 kalamata olives chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon white truffle oil 

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella 

1/2 cup fontina cheese 

Here's what to do...

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Roll out pizza dough onto pizza stone or baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and add minced garlic. Bake dough for 10 minutes or until slightly browned. 

Meanwhile, cook broccoli in microwave for 60 seconds (just enough to soften the broccoli). 

Remove dough from oven and top with cheeses, broccoli, and olives. Drizzle white truffle oil over pizza and sprinkle pepper over pizza. Bake for 10 additional minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is nicely browned. 

two

Here's what you'll need...

4 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups half and half

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

2-3 cups of fresh broccoli, chopped 

1/2 cup carrot, shredded

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

8 oz grated sharp white cheddar

salt and pepper

Here's what to do...

In large pot, saute onion in 1 tablespoon of butter. Once onion is transparent, set aside. 

Cook melted butter and flour using a whisk over medium high heat (about 4-5 minutes). Stir constantly and add half and half and chicken stock. Simmer for 15 minutes. 

Add in the broccoli, carrots, and onion. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes. 

Add in salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Use immersion blender/blender to puree soup (leave some chunks of broccoli). 

Return to heat and add cheese. Stir in nutmeg and serve. 

Maybe next time I have a craving for broccoli I should just eat the broccoli...

but what's the fun in that!?

Bikram vs. Barre

Some regular readers of this blog may know that my usual form of exercise is running. I actually really enjoy running (many people are completely unable to understand this statement - but it's true!). With that being said, I find it really hard to get motivated for a run in freezing cold temperatures and with a snow covered ground. So hard in fact - that I barely run in the winter. Sure there are treadmills, but that gets old really quickly. I needed a new workout. 

Enter the Bikram Yoga Groupon. 

One of my friends texted me "Did you see the Bikram Yoga Groupon? We should totally get it and go together and we'll both sweat ourselves skinny." I still hate her a little. 

Basically the class went something like this:

after very clear instructions not to leave the room under any circumstances, I left about halfway through the class (to puke). I had to return to the class to collect my belongings and leave again, absolutely mortified. The majority of the time I spent in that room was me trying not to pass out, and I barely even attempted a yoga pose. Needless to say, I still have 19/20 classes left on that Groupon that will likely never be used.

Moving on... I needed a new workout.

Enter Barre Bee Fit (recommended by Lesley)

I attended my first Barre class this weekend and it was fabulous. The perfect combination of cardio and toning at a reasonable pace. I feel sore, a sure sign that I had a great workout. Yet, I never once felt like I was going to die, pass out, puke. I know where I'll be working out the rest of the winter - see ya later, yoga. 

Keep in mind, this is completely based on my personal opinion. 

I'm sure other people have had very different experiences. But here it goes - 

Bikram vs. Barre Bee Fit:

Have you been to either class? 

Do you have a preference?

a tiny appetizer.

Often times, less is more. 

When you have a get together where ten girls bring ten appetizers, this is one of those times. 

You want to taste everything (unless someone makes sour cream and onion dip and it's your weakness, and then you prefer to just hover over the bowl) without feeling awfully full. After searching for the perfect appetizer for such an occasion, I came across the below idea. It was a winner. 

(packaged in perfect serving size shot glasses)

Here's what you'll need...

You'll also need:

1/2 cup of each ingredient

12 shot glasses

2 bags of tortilla chips

cellophane bags with ties/ribbon

Here's what to do...

You can make your own ingredients (salsa, guacamole, queso dip) or you can buy the already made version from your grocery store. The only thing I made was the guacamole because I love homemade over store bought any day. 

For that you'll need: 2 avocados, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, salt and pepper to taste.

Layer each ingredient in the order seen above, starting with the refried beans. You can use a pipping bag (or a baggie with a hole) for precision. 

You can make up to 3 hours before serving and refrigerate. 

Serve with individual bags of tortilla chips - or one big bowl! 

this is the perfect appetizer for any super bowl party you may be attending in the near future. the men may not understand (usually for them, more is always more) but the women in attendance will surely be impressed!

exciting!

So ...

 you know when you have something really fun to look forward to...

so you spend a lot of time thinking about it...

and how awesome it's going to be...

and then it's over...

and it's kind of depressing?

Well, I have A LOT of really fun somethings coming up 

and before they are all over and done with 

I want to relish in the excitement that is my life right now

 for soon it will be over! 

thanks for sharing in the excitement with me :)

january

a trip to San Diego & my FIRST TIME in California - hooray!

february

valentine's day - which marks 1 year of being engaged (perhaps I'll share that story... it's a good one)

my birthday - the big 25. mid twenties? wtf... where did you come from?

a weekend with my mom, grandma, and sister, filled with wedding and birthday awesomeness 

(hair and makeup trial, dress fittings, eating at my favorite restaurants, and obviously some shopping)

march

match day - yt finds out where he's placed for residency and in turn where we live for the next 5 years ... life changing stuff right there! 

bridal shower in NY - reminder: need a dress for this 

april

possible apartment hunting depending on match day - please see above

bachelorette party in Chicago!! paaartayy. 

may

wedding

honeymoon

possible moving

possible hunt for new job

appointment at doctor to get anxiety meds & treat nervous breakdown (optional)

june

breathe.

just kidding...
get a puppy.

yep, it's going to be awesome.

Also, happy Friday everyone.
For many it was the first full week back to work ... cheers to that being over!
Hope you all have a fabulous weekend.
xoxo

make this.

the only point of today's post is to try to persuade everyone who reads it to make this salad

because its really good

and really easy 

so instead of rambling on for any longer than is necessary

here's how you turn

these ingredients

into this phenomenal salad. 

here's what you'll need...

here's what to do...

boil asparagus for 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water

mix asparagus with the remaining base ingredients 

whisk together dressing ingredients until combined and pour over base

toss to combine

it's that easy. 

I fell in love..

with that Marc by Marc Jacobs snakeskin polka dot bag below. 

Since it wasn't in the current budget I did what any girl would do...

I wore it around the store contemplating what else in life I could sacrifice to make it mine...

food, 

shelter, 

cable?

I placed it back on the display, told it that one day I would be back for it, and we parted ways.

I've been thinking about it every day since. 

I also discovered a new found love for polka dots.

scarf, bracelet, nylon tote, leather belt, ipad case, iphone case, leather bag, wallet

1 (splurge!), 2 (save!), 3, 4, 5, 6

Lighter Cooking

I'm really bad at dieting, but with a wedding in a bit over four months, it's something I need to work on. I don't want to go crazy and lose a ton of weight, but who doesn't want to look & feel their best on their wedding day!?! I hate dieting because I love food, and putting restrictions on what I can eat just seems stupid. With that being said, I'm a firm believer of portion control and attempting lighter versions of my favorite foods. While sometimes the full fat/calorie version is obviously tastier, other times the lighter version wins with better taste and less of the bad stuff. These three recipes are perfect examples. Thank you Cooking Light. 

1. When I saw this recipe in the most recent issue of Cooking Light I knew it was a must bake. I have a strong love for both coffee and chocolate, so this muffin was right up my alley. I won't feel guilty eating this delicious muffin with my morning cup of coffee this week. 

2. I forgot the shredded cheese in this pic - but don't worry it was there! A loaded baked potato in liquid form is basically the gist of this soup. The use of lower fat milk in this recipe did not alter the taste at all - it was simply delicious and oh so comforting. Here's the recipe. 

3. This recipe for truffle mac and cheese is far better than any full fat version I've tried. I don't know what it is, but the sauce is so creamy! I added in a bit of cubed chicken pieces and sliced tomatoes on top, but I think this dish would be just as wonderful without these add ins. 

What are your favorite lighter recipes?
p.s. sorry for the awful photos via iphone. 

Nice and Bright.

After seeing this post on Six Twelve Place,  this post on Look Linger Love, and this post on Atlantic Pacific  I was completely inspired. January can be a bleary and gray time - especially in Chicago. The festivities of December are behind us, the decorations have been packed and stored, and what's really left to look forward to but a few months of snow before Spring arrives?

I cannot think of a better way to brighten things up than with a touch of neon. Sure these colors are a bit much for a winter wardrobe, but in small doses it totally works. I've got my eye on so many of these items.

AND

1, 2 (sold out), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

1,2,3,4,5,6

AND SOME

Even J.Crew's Spring preview is JAM packed with these bright colors.
I have BOTH the pink and yellow Sperrys in my shopping cart - which color do you like best?

shop all of J.Crew's spring must haves here.

are you craving some color in your winter wardrobe?