festive prints

I'm in love with SS Print Shop. We got one of her prints from Chapters Indigo that hangs in our living room and I've only become more obsessed after browsing her online shop. I think these festive prints would be so adorable to hang during the holidays. The only problem is trying to decide which ones I love most. 

Gift Idea: I picked one up at Chapters that I've put away as a Christmas gift for a girlfriend. I picked up an Ikea frame to put it in and I think it'll be a lovely, heartfelt gift. 

You can buy the prints online here, or check our your local Chapters Indigo store for their selection! 

Update: I couldn't resist adding some winter romance to the bedroom with the "Baby Its Cold Outside" print :)

wanderlust wednesday

After traveling for close to six months last year, I'm so excited to have another adventure booked. D and I are headed to California in March. A friend is getting married in Santa Barbara and then we're headed to meet D's parents at a house they've rented in Palm Desert. We're still in the stages of figuring out logistics but today D mentioned that on the Sunday drive back to L.A to meet his parents we can take the scenic drive along the Malibu coast. One of the trips on my "before we have kids" list is to drive the California coast together, so even if we don't get to drive from north to south, this should be a great start. I'm hoping for a sunny day and maybe even a convertible rental car :)

{ images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 }

sweater with a bow

{ Leonie Silk Tie Merino Sweater - $129 }

This sweater from Club Monaco just shot to the top of my Christmas wishlist. A classic cut in the front, with a sweet girly detail in the back. The colors are so soft and beautiful and I can only imagine how cozy this sweater would be to cuddle up in on cold winter nights.

P.S. If you have someone that deserves spoiling this Christmas, check out Club Monaco's holiday gift guide for some great ideas!

christmas spirit

I held out long enough, we officially broke out the Christmas decorations yesterday. D and I picked up a few things at Ikea in the morning - they have a great selection of festive decor right now and as you could expect, its all very well priced. We combined our new things with what stuff we already had saved and our place is starting to look a lot like Christmas...  

 Having our own space to decorate has made it so much more exciting and I definitely want to go all out for the holidays. We plan on getting a small tree and there's a few DIYs that I have in mind... But more to come on that later. We snuggled up on the couch and enjoyed ending the weekend off relaxing in the candle light.

 

music monday

Hope you enjoyed your weekend. Here are a few songs to start your week off of the right foot...

All of Me by John Legend

Congo by Bear Mountain

Team by Lorde

You Make Me by Avicii

paired up

Picked up this leather and copper bead wrap bracelet at Club Monaco over the weekend and I loved the look paired with my MK watch today.


Sorry for the lack of posts this week. My most loved people are taking up all my attention during their short visits. I have a fun restaurant post coming up on Friday, so be sure to check back before the weekend. xx

foodie friday: la cubana

We're no longer the newbies in the neighborhood. La Cubana opened up about a month ago just up the street. We had tried to go right after opening but were too hungry to wait it out. Last Friday Drew and I walked up and managed to score two seats at the bar, overlooking the kitchen. At first, the temptation of getting to check out all the food was almost too much - everything looked so darn good. But we got to ask what everything was and we got to watch the two young, hip chefs work it out all night long. I've never been to Cuba so I don't know if the diner-esque feel is in any way reminiscent of a real Cuban restaurant - all I know is the staff was super friendly, the food was awesome and I'm pumped to have such a great joint just up the street.

{ The mojito was strong and flavorful. Not too sweet }

{ We started with habanero calamari that was drenched in a honey sauce that had a delicious sweet heat. The coconut shrimp were not what I expected - but some of the best I've ever had. The batter-less shrimp instead highlighted the other ingredients on the plate - showing special attention to the coconut flavor }

{ We both tried sandwiches for our mains. I got the fish sandwich- the piece of fish was perfectly grilled and seasoned and complimented with nicely with pinapple salsa and avocado smash. D tried the Pressed Cubano Sandwich which was gooey and filled with flavor from the cheese and sauces }

{ Any restaurant that offers key lime pie is a restaurant that I can get behind. The sweet little jar did not disappoint and I had to stop myself from licking it clean. D enjoyed some Cuban caffeine with a smooth espresso }

a little light reading

Incase you're in the mood for some blog reading this weekend, here are some links I enjoyed this week...

Don't say goodbye - going to have to try this during the holidays!

A fun DIY project - perfect for market shopping

I've already picked out some ideas for Xmas gifts from this list

My excitement is growing... a sneak peak before Isabel arrives on November 14

Next time I'm craving a sweet treat, I'm definitely making these

These designs have inspired me to get working on our 2014 holiday card - I'm thinking I might make them this year!

Lastly, another DIY that will help you have the most beautiful presents under the tree

have a wonderful weekend

Do you have anything fun planned for the weekend? My best friend is coming into town tonight and I can't wait to see her. She's a friend you can tell anything to and were almost constantly in hysterics when were together - and she hasn't seen our new place yet! My little sister is also arriving home from vacation in Australia tomorrow! I haven't seen her since February! Weekends don't get much better when all your favorite people are in one place :)

I hope your weekends are filled with people you love too! xx

coconut curry

Curry - one of those flavors that often produces mixed reactions when mentioned. I really couldn't say that I had a set opinion on it and while I'm not sure I'm a fan of intense curry flavors - I loved the sauce we tried for dinner earlier this week. It was a simple jarred sauce from the grocery store that you add to vegetables, chicken and rice. We followed the directions on the jar, added in a few extra vegetables and tried to add some nutritional value with brown rice. Dinner ended up being a warm, hearty meal with delicious bursts of flavor in each bite.