to get ya cookin'

{ Ombre Wooden Spoons via Etsy }

Wouldn't these stylishly adorable cooking utensils be the perfect incentive to get back in the kitchen a bit more?

a sweet start to the day

Do you have a favorite coffee shop or weekend cafe that you look forward to visiting? For me, it's Aroma Espresso Bar. I don't know if it's any sort of secret, but they have the best chocolate croissants. I'm talking comparable/better than how the Parisians do. Yes, that good. They're baked fresh daily and flake away as you enjoy the gooey chocolate centre. And as an added bonus, their lattes are amazing too. Visits aren't an everyday occurrence but definitely a treat that I look forward to every once in a while - perfect start to a weekend morning as the weather starts to warm up.

wishlisted

Carrie started it all on SATC... and she's got me wanting a new necklace. I've been noticing personalize nameplate necklaces on people and while I had one a while ago, it's since rusted/tarnished to a point of no repair. I guess I will need to decide whether I want "Kimmy" or "Kimberly".

Are you a fan? Would you choose to have your full name or maybe a nickname?

just because

These Michael Kors hightop sneakers would be the perfect kicks to rock all summer long.

dinner party: ta-da!

Sorry for the delay in finishing up my dinner party posts! Easter activities kept the weekend busy and I've started a temp job this week - but none the less, Friday's wine & cheese party was a success. The girls came over and we caught up over vino and eats.  I kept the decorations simple using white and silver and lit the room with candles that sparkled off the glass. Fresh flowers are a welcome addition to any decor and really gave the table a fresh look. The food was simple but good, platters of cheese and accouterments that were enjoyed by all. I hope I have helped break down some tips to hosting a successful dinner party and inspired you to have friends over soon!

hoppy easter

Wishing you all a happy and healthy Easter weekend! xx

smoked salmon salad

I find smoked salmon is one of those foods that people either love or hate. If you're with me in that you love it, this salad is for you. Simple and delicious - it will definitely become a summer favorite. You can get a package of smoked salmon at the grocer for less than $10 that you can keep in the freezer until needed. I paired the salmon with easy, fresh ingredients and everything tasted so good together. The arugula has a peppery taste, the onion is crunchy and the avocado is perfectly creamy. 

How to make:

1 pkg smoked salmon

6 tbsp cream cheese 

1 avocado - sliced

1/2 red onion - sliced thinly

4 cups of arugula

sliced baguette

Spoon a little bit of cream cheese onto the end of a piece of smoked salmon and roll up. Slice onion and avacado, and dress the salad. Combine everything onto a plate. You can crisp the baguette to serve on the side.

Dressing: 

Combine juice of half a lemon, 1tsp of dijon mustard, 1tsp maple syrup, salt, pepper. 

Whisk in olive oil until desired consistency is achieved.

cameo stadium collection

I'm in love with about 99.9% of the Cameo Stadium collection - both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.... Still trying to figure out how the collections are named, but after seeing the jean skirt here, I had a feeling there'd be more greatness to come. The shapes and colors are fun while still being very wearable. Shop all the collections here.

spring pairings

I tend to wear a lot of black, white and grey but I have to admit I'm excited to add some pops of color into my daily attire as spring starts to blossom. Whether in a graphic t-shirt, a silky blouse or a bedazzled necklace - these sunshine filled days we've been enjoying are really inspiring me to switch things up.

I'm curious, what Spring trends will you be rocking with the warm weather just around the corner?

 

{ Joe Fresh shirt & necklace - both currently in stores}

{ Old Navy blouse + J Crew necklace }

{ Aritzia shirt + Forever21 & Aldo necklaces }

dinner party preparation

I'm somewhat of an organizational freak. Always wanting to schedule, make lists and make sure every last detail is in place. Regardless of my personal tendencies, when grocery shopping for a dinner party, I think lists can be very helpful. I'm a big fan of grocery shopping and know my local store very well, so I organized my list according to the way I shop the store (i.e. deli then bakery then produce then dry/canned goods). I also went to the store today in preparation for Friday - that way if they don't have anything I need, I have time to look elsewhere. I also like to remind myself to check the cupboards for things I might already have.

My goal in terms of food for the party is that I essentially want to make a table long version of the tastiest cheese platter ever. For me this includes cheese, crackers/bread, fruit, nuts, olives, pickles, pate, meat and sauce/tapenade/chutney, etc. Nothing too complicated, but I'm hoping that by keeping it simple we can really just enjoy some wine and cheese and girl talk.