music monday

the naked and famous - punching in a dream. very much enjoying the groovy tunes they're puttin out. their record is definitely on my list of cds (yes i still buy cds) to pick up next time i make my way to the music shop. enjoy!

Happy Halloween!

{have a wonderful weekend friends!(filled with LOTS of mini chocolate bars) }

adult playground

I saw this on a cup of jo this morning. how FUN does carston hollers:experience exhibit look!? i'm really hoping the exhibit is still there whenever i make my way to new york next!! you have to admit, slides are great.. and the slides at parks are just way too short, especially being almost six feet tall, i sit down and my legs are almost touching the ground! this slide looks perfectly proportioned for my lanky limbs : )

closet hoarder

my obsession with jackets continues with this most recent purchase. the pattern is what got me. soft, cozy wool with a collar that will protect me from the cold weather that has come upon toronto this week. and with esprit having a 40% off sale - it was meant to be!

as my coat collection has reached over twelve now i was trying to pin point what i look for in a jacket... this is what i've come up with.

1. color - i like being able to pair the same jacket with lots of different outfits, so i stick with neutral tones

2. texture - i like wearing a jacket that feels nice

3. fit - probably most important. i'm not a girl who wears everything form fitting, but if a jackets going to be oversized, it's gotta still be flattering

4. price - i understand splurging on a luxurious jacket that you've been lusting over in the latest vogue, but for me i'd rather have options... hence, my collection of reasonably priced coats!

so, how do you choose to stay warm?

tart deco

{ i chose essie's 'tart deco' for my lunchtime manicure today. completely love it}

check out all of essie's polish colors. i nearly always have my nails painted, so seeing the rainbow of choices pathetically excites me! if you were to have your own nailpolish what color would it be and what would you name it?

wanderlust wednesday

The Surf Lodge, Montauk, New York.

laid back vibes, seafood pulled right from the ocean and the best waves on the east coast. sounds like a summertime destination that could be easily enjoyed. maybe even the place to learn to surf?! (personal bucketlist item)

tasty tuesday

i'm dying to try these potato rings out. onion rings are one of my favorite fried foods and these look so yummy! i found the recipe on a blog i highlighted last week, spoon fork bacon, i highly recommend bookmarking as a recipe blog to keep up with! Also, if you beat me to trying out this recipe... please make sure i'm invited for the taste test. please.

Potato Rings with Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dipping Sauce
Makes 32-40

Ingredients:
3 large russet potatoes, cleaned peeled and chopped into large pieces
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), softened
½ caramelized yellow onions, chopped
3 tablespoons chives, thinly sliced
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
2 quarts vegetable oil
buttermilk ranch sauce:
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup low-fat buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, minced
1 tablespoon chives, thinly sliced
1 teaspoons dill, minced
½ teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water.
2. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, a20-25 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes into a colander and pour back into the pot.
4. Pour the cream and butter over the potatoes and mash with a potato masher until smooth (Add more cream 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed).
5. Fold in the caramelized onions and chives until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper and stir.
6. Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan, about ½ inch thick and place in the refrigerator until the mixture has cooled down and hardened, 4-6 hours.
7. While the potato mixture cools place both flours, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika into a shallow dish and stir together until fully combined. Set aside.
8. When the potato mixture has cooled, remove from the refrigerator and using 1-1 ½ inch circle cutters, cut out as many circles as possible (usually makes about 32-40).
9. Using a ½ inch circle cutter, cut out a ½ inch circle from every 1-1½ circle, creating a small donut shape.
10. Dip the potato rings into the flour mixture followed by the egg mixture and finally again in the flour mixture (make sure the rings are completely coated).
11. Place the coated rings onto a clean sheet pan, lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer and allow the rings to freeze completely, 4-6 hours.
12. Once the potato rings are frozen, preheat the oil, in a large pot, to 375°F.
13. While the oil heats up, place the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a mixing bowl and whisk together. Season with salt and pepper.
14. When the oil is hot, carefully drop a few of the rings into the oil and fry for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown.
15. Drain onto a large plate lined with paper towels and season with salt with pepper.
16. Repeat with the remaining potato rings and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

occupy wall street

this is a link to a vanity fair photo diary of the protests going on for occupy wall street in new york city right now. personally, i found this to be an interesting perspective on the protests. take a look here.

just because

{ i envy the person who gets to wake up to this beautiful bedside every morning }

music monday

rihanna's new tune - we found love . gotta say - video is a whack attack... but the song rocks.

USS - yo hello hooray .. cheery and wonderous. hope it makes you smile!

EmersonMade

I’m really diggin’ the clean lines, classic designs and sharp colors of EmersonMade. definite favorites are these rockin red pants and b&w blazer. lovelovelove. shop it here.

Bill Cunningham

You will find him bike riding through the streets of New York stopping only to photograph the most stylish manhattanites. You will find his photos scattered amongst the pages of the New York Times. He has made a career out of unexpected photographs of celebrities, socialites, and fashion personalities – and what a successful career it has been. I find it so intriguing the types and sorts that the fashion world embraces. I think this documentary will highlight Bill and his talent perfectly and I plan on enjoying it this weekend! SideFact: Apparently a lot of Bill’s photo’s have never been published..it sends my mind whirling to think about what brilliance has gone unseen!

Watch the Bill Cunningham New York trailer here!

(photo via thesartorialist)

just because

{my favorite}

Wanderlust

As D and I start to plan our worldly adventure, I find myself more easily sidetracked by mentions and stories of traveling, taking notes in my head of things to keep in mind while planning. Another blogger was speaking of their stay at the Hospes Maricel in Mallorca, Spain. I know my head is in the clouds, and that this particular destination won’t be included on our backpacking trip; but hey, maybe one day! There are so many wonderfully beautiful places on this earth of ours, and finding little gems like this just makes me even more excited! Oh, and I think this is one of the prettiest pools I’ve ever seen; the natural, minimalist style of landscaping nears perfection.

just because

"Do you think I'm wonderful? she asked him one day as they leaned against the trunk of a petrified maple. No, he said. Why? Because so many girls are wonderful. I imagine hundreds of men have called their loves wonderful today, and it's only noon. You couldn't be something that hundreds of others are."

-- Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything is Illuminated

( i saw this on a cup of joe, and thought it was much to sweet not to share)

girl crush.

beyonce knowles. hotness from head to toe (and possibly the prettiest pregnant lady ever). musician, actress - successful in all endeavors. married to a stud. you go girl. i'm loving two of the songs of her new album, take a listen.

1.) 1+1

2.) love on top

shout out to my homies

i wanted to share some of the blogs that i love to read and follow. the creativity is inspiring and the stories of wonderous adventure allows me to escape reality on a daily basis.(click on the blog name to explore for yourself!)

the-wisemen… a group of very cool dudes (two of whom happen to be friends).. started this website.. highlighting music, fashion, celebrity, media-and much more.. one part that i enjoy is seeing these topics exhibited from the male perspective… I can honestly say I look forward to seeing what they have to check out on a daily basis

Cupcakes and Cashmere… Emily lives in L.A and blogs for a living and it’s easy to see why she’s been so successful. The posts are always perfectly thought out and so visually appealing. Whether showcasing her newest fashion find or a recipe she’s tried out recently, her blog is always a delight to read.

NOWMANIFEST … any and all of the nowmanifest blogs are fabooosh.. my go-to daily read is rumi’s fashiontoast. Always awesome pictures and rumi has a whimsical sense of humor that I quite enjoy.

Always With Butter… not a daily read but I definitely enjoy checking up on what delicious recipes have been posted. her photos always make my mouth water!

A Cup of Joe… I think this blog takes the cake! Joanna is a new mom who lives in nyc. There’s somewhat of a new york flare to her style of writing and she always adds a certain sass to her posts. I find this blog so enjoyably entertaining. (one of my favorite posts-new york being one of my favorite cities, was her recent, guide to new york city which guided you to the best restaurants, hotels and activities in the big apple)

ok... this is a late addition but it's necessary... spoon fork bacon... the blogger is hilarious! and the recipes look delicious. definitely trying the potato rings as soon as possible! yum!

music monday

this week's "must listen to" list...

the first two singles of coldplay's new album -mylo xyloto. paradise & every tear drop is a waterfall

joy formiddable - whirring

bombay bicycle club - shuffle

new tunes are the best! hope you enjoy!

dream sequins

the glittery sparkle of a sequin skirt is a perfect addition to one's fall wardrobe. paired with a chunky knit, pretty much the ideal date night outfit! price points range, but i think the detail warrants a bit of a splurge! here's some samples of the stlyes i like most... the victoria's secret one would already be mine if i were able to try it on!(from top to bottom & priciest to cheapest: haute hippie via shopbop, zara , victoria's secret)

bedroom essential

candles. legitimately essential. keeps a room smelly fresh & dreamy. flickering candlelight is about as romantic as it gets, and romance in the bedroom is always a good thing. i love the look of these candles (white is my favorite color for just about everything) and the scents seem very natural and clean. the price point is a bit higher but i've found that by spending a little more money you get a candle with a more balanced scent. i'm officially on the hunt!

just because

louis vuitton spring/summer 2012

Isn't this such a cool idea for a show?! I think the clothes are still presented beautifully and the whole feel is so creative and whimsical. Marc really pulled out the stops on this one.

my week with marilyn

I’ve always been fascinated with the glamour of old Hollywood and I'm pretty excited to see the new film, “My Week with Marilyn”. Michelle Williams plays Marilyn, bearing an amazing resemblance (not a bad doppelganger is you ask me!). Can’t wait to embrace some old time glitz. Watch the trailer here.

when tommy met anna

i am currently infatuated with tommy tons exhibition, "when tommy met anna".

it consists of his photos of vogue japan's editor at large, anna dello russo. she's got crazy hot style and wears (and rocks!) the nuttiest outfits!

definately something fun to look at.. tommy ton shoots for style.com and you can check out a sneak peek of the exhibition here.

acne fall 2011

i think i'm in love... the simplicity, clean lines, neutral colors. so lush. love it, buy it, here.

naked & famous

having a music moment... the naked and famous - young blood. in my loop of "songs on repeat". take a listen here.

late-night music break

obsessed. florence + the machine - shake it out. her voice is magical, style is bangin - love everything about this! listen, enjoy, sing along... repeat. do it-here.

motorcycle boots

motorcycle boots are definitely on trend right now and i'm really diggin the look. i think i've decided on a pair of 12R Engineer Frye boots... just trying to decide whether to go black or brown... the boots seem practical for the snow and cold weather.. and for how hard i seem to wear shoes, these seem as though they'll last a while.. little bit of an investment with the price point but worth it! what type of footwear gets you through the winter?

dots & stripes

via thesartorialist.com

military jacket

fall trend, closet staple... with the cool weather beginning to set in, my military jacket has become my daily go-to. the green seems to match with almost anything and the cinched waist is very flattering. this is definitely a trend I suggest cashing in on!

something pretty

saw these gold shorts (+ knit top+ oversized purse) on the sartorialist today and have been swooning over them ever since. enjoy!