Beachy Keen

With our summer sun...well...dwindling, I'm feeling inspired to mimic the summer sun in my kitchen! I love, love, love these blue frosted shark-fin and graham cracker crust & beach umbrella cupcakes. Maybe if I plan a beachy party, the sunny weather will follow...

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Puggle

I went to happy hour with my friend Anna last night, and was excited to learn she just adopted a baby puggle. If you haven't heard of this dog combo yet - it's a pug & beagle mix. So adorable! Her little furry friend, newly named "Maverick" - is ready to be picked up this Friday. Now I really, really, really want a dog...

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Summer Reading

I trusted several of my friends and decided to indulge in the rave reviewed book, "The History of Love," by Nicole Krauss. While I recognize that friend suggestions are often hit or miss, I can't put this book down! I'm a goodreads member, and always up for a stellar book recommendation, and have to say I haven't been disappointed with this read thus far.

Any other summer reading suggestions?

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Hodgepodge

Loving the hodgepodge of single stems in like colored, but distinctively unique vases. A look worth recreating if I had some more shelf space in my studio!

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An Air of Sophistication

It's amazing to me how wearing glasses just makes you feel smarter! I was fortunate to be born with 20/10 vision, and have never had to wear contacts or glasses...But in college, my friend Erin (also of stellar vision) & I thought it would be fun to sport some stylish specs in our large psychology lecture, giving us what we thought to be an air of poise and intelligence.

Granted these were glasses sans prescription, and our little charade came to a grinding halt when a guy friend point blank asked us if our glasses were real, to which we both sheepishly muttered, "um..no..." (Sigh) While short-lived, not gonna lie, until our bluff was called, we did feel slightly more sophisticated and intelligent taking those notes in Psych.

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Clutch Envy

My sister was sporting this adorable Trina Turk clutch at the wedding this weekend. Jealous! I was tempted to sneak it out of her suitcase before she flew back to New York City, but I think she might have noticed...

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Whiskey on Ice

This weekend I tried a very unusual ice cream flavor - Jack Daniels. Yes indeed, you heard me right. I believe the name was a bit more sophisticated than simply the name of the alcohol - more to the like of "Jack Daniels Chocolate Chunk" or something equally catchy. The flavor was surprisingly delicious, a little whiskey tang with a boost of sweet, velvety chocolate...not bad! Sure beats Guinness ice cream! Here's a recipe in case you're feeling adventurous and up to recreating this sweet treat at home.

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Sass

Loving the sassy summer Sartorialist looks. Note to self - to sass up an outfit, add a funky cowboy hat, some strappy heels, and you're good to go!

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Wedding Bliss

This weekend flew by! The amazing whirlwind of tears, laughter, dancing, and smiles that was Sarah & Nathan's wedding has unfortunately come to an end, but what a lovely event it was! Sarah and I have been best friends since the 7th grade, and it was truly an honor to stand beside her as she and Nathan exchanged vows to become husband and wife. From the night-before-the-wedding sleepover at the hotel, to getting ready for the ceremony, to the lavish, unbelievably fun reception, it was the perfect affair! Words cannot capture the wonderful time we had!

Cheers to Sarah & Nathan, and a lifetime of happiness together!

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Slacker

Sorry I have been a blog slacker my lovelies...this week has been chaotic - as one of my oldest and dearest friends Sarah is getting married tomorrow!! I've been a busy little bee, with working with my summer job, tutoring, trying to have a social life, and being a dutiful bridesmaid, helping out with last minute errands for the big day. Hoping to redeem myself next week (if you'll have me)...

Happy Friday!

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Survival Kit

Meet the bridesmaid's survival kit, perfect for the back-to-back bridesmaid like myself. Not only is the packaging flirty, feminine, and aesthetically pleasing, but this handy dandy kit includes a plethora of lest-I-forget wedding day staples. Contents include:

- Folding Hair Brush with Mirror
- Hair Spray
- Clear Elastics
- Bobby Pins
- Earring Backs
- Emery Board
- Clear Nail Polish
- Mending Kit
- Double-Sided Tape
- Stain Remover
- Static Remover
- Breath Freshener
- Deodorant Wipe
- Tampon
- Adhesive Bandages
- Pain Reliever
- Handkerchief
- Dancing Socks

Check out the other nifty survival kits also by Ms. & Mrs. My second favorite is the cheerleader's survival guide, perfect in the event of a cheer emergency...

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Teach This

You want to know what I teach my students? This seemingly obvious statement takes me back to the wise words of Thumper the rabbit in the Disney movie Bambi, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." Truer words were never uttered - at least in elementary school.

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Travel Envy (Again)

Wishing I had travel plans to look forward to this summer...or this fall...or this winter...

This road in Mendoza, Argentina is calling my name. Maybe I can click my heels and magically appear there...here's hoping.

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Back to the Hills

Christmas come early! The Hills Season 4 trailer is out! Get excited - LC and the girls are in for a new crew of cute boys, private jets to Vegas, and of course, backstabbing...oh, drama, drama, drama!

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Vanilla Cone

Check out this runway ready hat. Kind of reminds me of an swirly vanilla ice cream cone. Kind of like a Jackie O-turtleneck-poncho-camouflage-wrap, all in one.

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Motorcycle Chic

Okay, probably my most vain post yet...but I am very excited about my latest solo picture. This past weekend I attended the Air Show at McChord Air Force base, and got my picture taken on this sweet motorcycle.

Have I ever actually ridden a motorcycle? Um..NO! But I felt cool regardless. Then, to match my excitement, motorcycle chic turns up on The Sartorialist, only adding to my ever-so-wannabe tough yet stylish snapshot. Haha...humor me okay?

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Sliding Along

Mmm veggie sliders! I'm a fan of the traditional all-American beef version, but I am very intrigued by this vegetarian recipe. Guess I'll have to have an impromptu barbeque and try them out on my friends!

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My, My, How Can I Resist You?

TOTALLY CHEESY, tacky, and silly...LOVED it! My friend Bri & I were in hysterics half the movie because the characters literally just burst into song at the most random moments. Not only that, goofy back-up pips literally pop out of nooks and crannies to harmonize. It is great! Added bonus - Pierce Brosnan's voice is absolutely terrible, but immensely entertaining. Mad props to former Mean Girl Amanda Seyfried - she did awesome, as did Meryl. All in all - a supremely entertaining chick flick - guys might want to sit this one out...

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Sweet Summer Treat

These Popsicles are the embodiment of a quintessential summer day! With mini chocolate chips substituted for watermelon seeds, these pops are sure to be a hit with friends - certainly a sweet summer treat.

Watermelon Slice Pops

Makes 4 pops

Mini chocolate chips act as sweet watermelon seeds in these fun treats. Remember to wait until the mixture is partially frozen to stir the chips in, so they don't all collect at the bottom of the pops.

• 5 cups watermelon cubes (from a 3-pound seedless watermelon)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup organic lemonade concentrate or 1/4 cup lemon simple syrup (see recipe below)
• 8 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

1. In a blender or food processor, puree the watermelon cubes and lemonade concentrate until smooth. Pour the puree into 4 large Popsicle molds or 8-ounce plastic cups.
2. Freeze for 1 hour or until the mixture is slushy. Using a wooden Popsicle stick, stir about 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips into each pop.
3. Insert the sticks, then freeze the pops for at least 6 hours or until they're solid.
4. To unmold the pop: Run warm water over the bottom three-quarters of the mold. Let it stand for 10 seconds, then gently pull out the pop. Serve immediately or wrap each pop individually in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.

The Popsicles will keep, wrapped and frozen, for at least one week.

Simple Syrup with Lemon

Makes about 1/2 cup
The simple syrup makes a sweeter, smoother-tasting pop. However, the lemon flavor does not come through as strongly.
You'll have leftover syrup; use it to sweeten homemade lemonade (or more grown-up drinks).

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 wide strips lemon peel (about 2 inches in length)

1. In a heavy, small saucepan over medium heat, stir the water and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the lemon peel. Increase the heat; let everything simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the liquid into a small bowl and chill about1 hour, or until it's cool. Discard the peel.

The syrup will keep for a week, covered in the refrigerator.
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Happy Friday

Light it up this weekend! Have a good one!

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Maggie in Gotham City

Have to admit, I was surprised at the Batman director's decision to select Maggie Gyllenhaal to reprise Katie Holmes' role of "Rachel" in the Batman series. While I'm definitely a fan of the offbeat, indie film star, I certainly did not expect this blockbuster breakout. With all the press surrounding this long awaited final performance of Heath Ledger, the older Gyllenhaal is basking in the spotlight this month. In the August issue of Marie Claire, Maggie dishes about life, motherhood, and life after Ledger.

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Summer Beverage

Never thought I'd pair egg whites + cocktails, but I guess there's a first for everything. My friend Nayely who is half Mexican-half Peruvian, turned me onto the staple Peruvian drink - pisco sour. Don't be deterred by the whipped egg white foam top, this citrusy libation is crisp, tart, and surprisingly refreshing on a hot summer day. Try your own!

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Scrapbookin'

I'm loving the latest gallery pages from the Scarlet Lime summer kits. I am obsessed with taking pictures, and while I consider myself to be a scrapbook enthusiast - morphing my snapshots into scrapbook album pages is typically a whole day event - requiring time boxed out on my calendar.

The aftermath of a successful scrapbooking day usually results in my apartment looking like an aggressive tornado of colored paper, glue sticks, buttons, and ribbon tore through. I've definitely got my eye on that August kit, I need to take advantage of school being out for summer and be productive in preserving my memories!

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Mamma Mia!

Guess what comes out in theaters tomorrow!! Seriously...SO EXCITED! I have had ABBA ringing in my head for days!

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Subway Chic

Sadly, I've realized that my wishing Seattle had a subway system is a lost cause. After our monorail fiasco, a subway in the Emerald City will likely materialize when pigs fly. I love the convenience of this mode of transport - when visiting friends in NYC it made for an effortless connection between destination A & B...and no designated drivers necessary.

In the mean time, I guess I can indulge in subway inspired accessories. Fancy a clutch of the London underground? Green designer Ecoist features a collection of clutches and household items that can only be described as subway chic.
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Girls Who Gossip

Front and center - yet again, my fave GG's, Leighton Meester and Blake Lively hamming it up on the latest edition of Nylon. The XOXO girls gush about their faux rivalry, eccentric fashion, and spout oh-so-intellectual quotes about their endeavors.

“Serena is more thrown together and effortless and doesn’t really care, and is just like, has this sexiness to her without trying, and Blair is really uptight and conservative and put together and everything has to be perfect, you know Chuck is kind of cocky and he’s just like, I don’t know, a prick." - Leighton, on Gossip Girl style.

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Yes/No

Opposites Attract. Good.
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Crash & Burn

This weekend my friends and I took advantage of the glorious Seattle weather (cloudless skies and high 80's/low 90's) and went on out the boat for some quality wakeboarding. Wakeboarding for those of you who aren't familiar is essentially being pulled on a snowboard like contraption behind a boat. The water was intensely choppy due to the fact that every time there's sun in Seattle, everyone takes full advantage - scrambling to secure a spot in it's wake. As such, the boats on the lake were plentiful (to say the least).

Our wakeboarding adventure turned was fabulous - sans my unbelievable crash and burn. This faceplant was legendary, I don't think I've ever fallen so hard in my life! Let me give you a visual to sum up the crashing and burning that was had.

WHAT TO DO...This is what a wakeboarder should look like...WHAT NOT TO DO...This is about what I looked like (I imagine)Try at your own risk!

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New Arrivals

Guess who decided to show up this weekend? Newest additions to the ever-burgeoning Jolie-Pitt clan - twins Knox Leon & Vivienne Marcheline. Think Angelina Jolie has a thing for the "X" factor? MaddoX, PaX, and KnoX? Interesting...

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Salty & Sweet

Chocolate + Sea Salt? What? That was my initial reaction to hearing this pairing. The verdict: yum! I had the delicious privilege of receiving a Frans Chocolates gift box of dark and milk chocolate Gray Salt Caramels. Yes, I know... sounds completely bizarre and weird, but definitely worth a try!

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