Pumpkins & Stripes

If I had to create a list of my favorite things, pumpkins and stripes would be somewhere near the top.

Stripe shirts, while not always the most flattering choice, represent so many good things in my eyes. Childhood. Nautical vibes. Americana style. And always, comfortable-chic.

(Wearing Denim & Supply by Ralph Lauren skinny jeans, Gap blue & white striped tee, Giani Bernini booties, Moa Moa faux leather jacket, No-name scallop leather bag, Forever21 bib necklace, and a Macy's gold chain-link bracelet)

Pumpkins on the other hand are representative of my favorite holiday. I love horror movies, fall weather, fall smells—holiday candles, fall food favorites, first rains—and hanging out by the fire. My favorite days and nights are those surrounding Halloween, spent with Dan in our living room, watching Michael Myers going at it again. Doesn't that sound nice? Haha!

So, I hope everyone is enjoying some of their favorite things as of late. I think it is always important to add a little bit of what you love into everyday.

Dan's "Smokin'" Pumpkin, And My Cat

Til next time.

mad about plaid

I am loving plaid lately. I have always loved it on Dan, and men in general, but I have recently really been digging the whole "lumberjack chic" vibe that plaid lends. 

Plaid is a versatile pattern, plus, a plaid shirt is one of the most effortless pieces to style. 

In this picture I am wearing this H&M plaid shirt, Gap skinny jeans, a faux leather jacket by Moa Moa, these Giani Bernini booties (my absolute favorites!), a no-name leather scalloped fringe bag, and an oxblood/maroon knit beenie from H&M. 

And because I still love, and find it totally acceptable, to wear white jeans after labor day and in the fall, I paired my plaid with white skinnies from American Eagle. 

Plaid is one of those things that just feels so right for this time of year. Cozy and comfy, but it still imparts pattern and color. 

How do you wear your plaid? I'd love to know! 

Til next time.

tis the season for soup

Image Courtesy of recipe.com

I rarely repeat recipes. This could be because I tend to question the time and effort put in for minimal or less than exciting food results, or it could simply be that I don't own a recipe box which leads to me misplacing any and all paper recipes that pass through my kitchen. 

Whatever the case may be, it's unlikely that I will cook something multiple times. However, an exception has been made, and it has been made with this soup. 

This Tortellini Florentine soup is perfect for cold fall days, and since yesterday was one of the coldest days we have experienced this fall, I decided to make it again (second time in a week!). 

You'll Need:

1  9-oz pkg. of fresh cheese tortellini

2 or 3  14-oz cans of chicken broth

1  10-oz container of refrigerated light Alfredo sauce

2 cups of roasted chicken

1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes strips (oil packed, then drained)

3 cups of fresh baby spinach

1-oz Parmesan cheese to top

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to make and many of the ingredients needed can be bought already prepared, such as a rotisserie chicken from the deli. 

After making this two times, I have some tips. 

1. Buy extra chicken broth. You may need it either the night you prepare the soup, or the day after to give it more, well...broth!
2. Under cook the tortellini. As you will see in the recipe, you must pre-cook the tortellini. I suggest cooking it for about 5-minutes which leaves it feeling slightly underdone. You will be happy you did after it goes back into the soup. 
3. Salt the soup at the end. I would only add salt after every last ingredient has been incorporated as some of the ingredients are salty on their own, which brings up the sodium level quite a bit. 

So, if you are also not a lover of labor intensive kitchen sessions, then this soup is for you. It's a satisfying and delicious dish for anytime of year, but it's especially perfect for fall. 

Til next time. 

Five Favorites : Part One

In the fall, I become especially attached to certain items. This happens less with any other season, and most certainly, it happens more than it did during the summer in which I could not attach myself to anything due to the heat.

So, I have come up with a few things that I love right now that make the season even sweeter. And because I have far more than five things, I believe this post will be one of several.

1. The Body Shop Shea Body Butter & The Body Shop Shea Shower Cream

These body products are my absolute favorite for any season. Highly moisturizing, they smell fresh and warm all at the same time, and they last forever. You really can't go without products like these for the colder months.

2. Versace Crystal Noir

This particular scent has a history and a very sweet story attached for me. Dan bought Crystal Noir in Germany for me when we first started dating. I thought it was so elegant, so special, that I could not wear it on a daily basis. This has led me to often forgetting about this scent, but during the fall and winter, this perfume seems to fit the bill.

With notes of gardenia and amber, it is a warm, sensual scent, while still maintaining a light, airy quality. I love it, and have found myself dancing through a spritz of it most days as of late. 

3. Socks. Any socks. So long as they are warm and cozy.

While it may seem weird to put socks on this list, it actually surprises me, as I am not a socks person. I am a barefoot, cuddle up on the couch person, but lately, a thick pair of knit socks just feels nice. My feet have never been so happy!

4. Starbucks Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Mix

Image Courtesy of starbucksstore.com

Ok, here is a blast from the past. Do you remember that hot cocoa mix—I think it was by Nestle—that came with the mini dehydrated marshmallows? Well, I loved it. It was absolutely awful hot chocolate, but those marshmallows felt like such a treat. 

Now Starbucks does hot cocoa mix with marshmallows, but it far surpasses what Nestle use to do. I think that this hot cocoa is best enjoyed with the knit socks from above. They kind of go hand-in-hand. 

—

These are just a few of my favorites right now. This list is constantly changing, so I will definitely be doing more posts like this in the days or weeks to come.

What are your favorites? I'd love to know. Especially if they go along with this wonderful season.

Til next time.

What I Bought

Do you like my cheesy spiderwebs? 

Sorry for the lack of posts...there is no excuse.

I have never been a fan of the term "haul." It sounds greedy and and unpleasant, so instead I will be terming shopping posts "What I Bought." Now that we're clear about that, let me show you some new things!

With Fall being officially here—although you wouldn't know it from the insane heat we've been having in California—I decided to buy some outfit basics. These items can act as the base for any outfit, and can be mixed and matched accordingly. 

The common thread (get it? Ha...) to these clothing items is that they were mostly on the cheap.

Hello Forever21, Target, and Macy's!

I am a jeans/pants girl through and through. Occasionally during the fall I will wear a dress or a skirt with a pair of opaque tights, but the majority of my time is spent in jeans or pants. So I decided to add to my collection by buying two pairs (you may see three...post to follow on those trousers) at Forever21.

Hunter Green Skinny Trouser and Distressed Skinny Jeans

Both of these pairs are by a brand within F21 called "Life in Progress." I tried on several pairs by this brand and really liked all of them. They fit well, are extremely comfortable, and true to F21 style, quite cheap—$27.80 for each. 

Of course, the F21 website does not have either pair up for purchase, but I will do an OOTD with both of these soon. 

Woven Blouse in Cocoa

I can never have too many sheer, relaxed fit blouses. They can be casual or dressed up, and they always look more sophisticated than a simple t-shirt. This blouse was $17.80, and I believe it came in several colors in addition to the taupe. Not much else to say other than it is comfortable and goes with everything. It will definitely be making an appearance in a future blog post.

Woven High-Low Blouse in Black

This blouse is slightly more interesting than the previous one. The buttons are gold, which is great for fall and adds an elegant detail. The high-low style is great for legging style pants. 

One of my favorite details to this blouse is that the back hem is split, almost like the tails on a tux. For $19.80, I consider this blouse a solid investment, as it is a unique interpretation of a staple piece. 

Mossimo Camis

So boring...but these camis are cheap—$8 a piece—and very comfortable. The built in "shelf" bra as it is called is not too supportive; a plus in my eyes as I always wear a bra with camis anyway. They are thin enough to be breathable, thick enough to do the job...I dig 'em. 

Born Arletta Oxfords

I have long coveted the look of oxfords. Taylor Swift and SF hipsters wear them so darn well! I have also longed for comfortable shoes, but that never seems to be a priority when I shoe-shop. 

I came across these several weeks ago when I was passing through Macy's. Trying them on, my feet felt like they had died and gone to heaven. The price, even with my countless coupons and the fact that they were already on sale, was slightly discouraging. I was leaning toward giving them up when this woman approached me and asked where I got my shoes in an excited and frantic tone. I knew then that I had to have them. Flattery gets me every time. 

I believe they came to about $70 after the coupons (yes, they are expensive) but they are oh-so comfortable and perfect for the season. Did I mention the laces are velvet ribbon? I die. 

That about does this blog post. Far too long. I need to curtail the rambling. 

I intend... I will be doing a post using these pieces. I will also be doing a post with more fall-ish things, as I can already think of two items that were left out of this post... oh well!

Til next time.