Fairy Tales

What is it about stories that make it so easy to escape from yourself, from life? Whether it's to another universe, another decade, or even another state, there is something about tales—tall or short—that makes getting through the day a little easier.


It's the same reason that as kids, we want our parents to tell us stories. The same reason we love Disney movies about princes and princesses, wealthy felines, or a boy who never grew up. We want a place that we can escape to, a place where we can put the real world on hold and transport ourselves to a place that we want to be real. Don't we all wish we could close our eyes and wake up in Hogwarts?? I know I do.


I came upon a sign today that had a quote by Einstein painted on it and it really spoke to me. Growing up, I always was deep in thought. I pondered why the clouds moved and why people acted the way they do. I still ponder the same things, only a little deeper. But because of this, I loved fairy tales. I loved hearing about these new elements that were born by pure creativity. These stories sparked my creativity at a young age and as I grew up, authors such as J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins stay with me today. 

Photo source: Etsy

What's your favorite fairy tale and why? I have too many to count. I'm currently reading Greek Myths and can't pull myself away. It's nice to escape. Especially when your wallet doesn't take a hit ;). 

May28th Watches Giveaway

Welcome back, readers! After taking a leave of absence from this blog to focus on work and a book I'm writing, I've decided that I've stayed away for far too long. But ta-da! I'm back! (Guess who's back...back again...Devon's back...tell a friend. Sorry, had to throw a lil' Slim Shady reference in). And I come bearing good news. No, not good...GREAT news. 


Ever heard of May28th watches? Well if not, you're about to have a new watch lust. Want a new May28th watch for free?? Then step right up! Because May28th watches and Pinterest are teaming together to give 3 random but lucky pinners a chance to win a watch of their choice starting on (you guessed it) May 28th, 2012.


The rules are simple:

1. Follow a May28th Pinterest board: http://pinterest.com/may28th
2. Go to the brand new May28th website: http://may28th.me
3. Pin your favorite May28th watches to any of your boards.
4. Make sure to include hashtag #happymay28th with your pin.
5. Pin as many watches as you like until May 30th.
6. The May28th team will pick up 3 winners randomly and send them the pinned watch of their choice!

Are you a visual learner? No problem. Here ya go:

(Photo source Moderne PR)

Even if you already have a watch or two or twenty—who cares?! It's a give-away, people. And if you're lucky enough (which I think you are...you all seem like very lucky people ;)) you will win a free May28th watch! May28th watches + Pinterest = an amazing duo like chocolate and peanut butter, Lois Lane and Superman, and cocktails and the beach. 

So, what time is it, you ask? Time for you to get a (free) watch. 

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: Chocolate Bar Chocolates

Nothing says Valentine's Day like chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. Welcome to Chocolate Bar, chocolates from New York that look as delicious as they taste. With flavors such as Salty Pretzel, Dark Salty Pretzel, Milk Nutty, Dark Espresso, Dark Chili, Mint Cookies & Cream, and Crispy Rice, you'd be V-Day scrooge not to indulge on this deal. The best part? They're only $29 for a set of seven with free shipping! (Thanks to Refinery 29) There's no excuse not to try out these super sweet looking treats or give some to your lover...if you can resist eating every last bite, that is.

Photos source: Refinery 29

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: Wantful

Although this isn't technically a gift, it is by far one of the coolest gift websites I've ever seen. All you need to do is tell a little information and answer questions about the person you are buying the gift for, and Wantful comes up with a whole list of options. So if you can't choose between a funny, cute or in between gift for this Valentine's Day, don't choose—let Wantful.


I experimented using my boyfriend as an example so you could get the idea.

Photos source: Wantful

 Let me know what you think! Does this take the fun out of picking your own gifts or is it a perfect way to break a buyer's block? 

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: Twistbands

I'm back and I come bearing gifts! I'm so sorry for being MIA for a while, "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans" :). Anyway, Valentine's Day is coming up! Although it's not necessarily a huge holiday like Christmas, per se, I really believe that it's nice to have a day where you remind your loved ones just how much you love them. And because of this, I'm going to post a Valentine's gift, greeting, anything every day until February 14th. These gifts can be for your friends, family, significant other—you name it. I hope you enjoy!


I saw this gem on Refinery 29 and instantly wanted to buy it for all my girlfriends back East. They're so cute and look adorable on your wrist unlike many other grungy looking hair ties. And perfect for V-Day (are you sold yet??) They come in packs and different colors from Metallic to Neon. And because Refinery 29 is so amazing, they're offering a deal! Check it out.

Photos source: Refinery 29

I'd love to hear what you think along with any fun-loving (pun intended) ideas you have for Valentine's Day gifts!

Fashion Fridays...Forever 21 Static Leopard Print Dress

Welcome back, everyone!! And Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2012. How was everyone's festivities? I welcomed the New Year with a bottle of wine, a belly full of Vietnamese food, watching the OC with my loving boyfriend. I really can't complain :).

I have to admit, however, I am kind of sad the holidays are over. I love the excitement of Christmas, and although it's a bit depressing when it comes and goes so quick, at least we have New Year's to look forward to! Well, after that's over, there's just an empty vast space of no sunlight and droning days.....

Enough of the seasonal depression! It's all about the little things, right? Finding little perks that make you smile, laugh and scream with excitement. One of my favorite post-holiday past times is shopping with my giftcards and money that I got for Christmas. And because I don't want to spend all of it at one place or at one time, I head to Forever 21; the haven of affordable, chic clothes.

The past few weeks I've had leopard print on my mind. I've come across way too many cute leopard print booties, loafers and clothes to rid it of my brain. I don't usually gravitate towards animal prints, but there's something about understated leopard print that makes me want to run to the nearest store and invest in a shirt, dress, shoes, whatever else. 

Photo source: Forever 21

Photo source: Forever 21

I love this leopard printed dress for a couple reasons. 1) It's hot. No denying that. 2) It's extremely versatile. Wear it with black tights and black boots and head on over to your office. Put your hair in a big bun, switch the boots for black pumps and statement black earrings and you're ready for a night on the prowl (meow). These extremely convincing reasons are enough for me. How bout you? Does leopard print make you purr? Or is it too flashy for your taste? 

Fashion Fridays...Haute Goat Clothing

I am super excited to share this with everyone! My friend and co-worker at DivineCaroline is pretty awesome, for more reasons than one. But her clothing site, hautegoatclothing.com, is just more proof that she's got it goin' on. Her shirts, which are hand crafted and printed using silk-screen, contain clever sayings and play on words. My favorite is the peanut butter and jelly fish. But I also love the subtletee ... absolutely fantastic.  Another great thing about these shirts ... they're only $30!! You can get a hand-crafted, one of a kind, kick-ass t-shirt for only thirty dollars...say what?? Pretty amazing, I know. (And I know her!!!) 

Photo source: hautegoatclothing.com

Photo source: hautegoatclothing.com

What do you think? Artistically perfect or not so much? 

Munch Through Monday...Sausage Squares

I have come to love breakfast as I've gotten older. When I was younger, I was pretty content with a bowl of Lucky Charms and chocolate milk. Even in college, yogurt or a shake would suffice. But recently, I find myself wanting to indulge in breakfast a little bit more. There's something about a hearty, warm, comforting breakfast that makes the day seem a whole lot brighter. This recipe screams hearty, warm and comforting. And it's super easy. If you don't like sausage, try chicken or turkey. Any type of meat with the combination of pastry, cheese, and cream cheese is sure to be mouth-watering.   

Photo source: Aggieland Mommy Cooks 

Sausage Squares
Recipe source: Aggieland Mommy Cooks

Ingredients:
2 pk crescent rolls
1-2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz cream cheese
1 lb. ground maple sausage

Directions:

1. Brown meat. Meanwhile, layer 1 pk crescents on bottom of 13x9 baking dish.
2. Drain sausage. In a med. bowl combine sausage & cream cheese. Spread over crescent rolls.
3. Sprinkle cheese over top.
4. Cover with remaining crescent rolls.
5. Bake according to rolls directions.

In my opinion: These are so delicious I could eat the entire dish! Make them-OFTEN!

Do you prefer a healthy and light breakfast? Or is your guilty pleasure (like mine) diving into some rich and tasty breakfast foods?

Swarovski Elements Let it Sparkle Campaign: Tweet to Win Swarovski Jewelry!!

Photo source: Swarovski.com 

I'm SO sorry I haven't been able to post all week ('tis the holiday season for things to be super busy!!)

But, have I saved THE best for last...

Swarovski Elements is holding an extremely exciting campaign! For their Let it Sparkle Campaign, they are asking everyone and anyone in our merry world to send a holiday greeting tweet with the hash-tag #letitsparkle. If you don't have a twitter account, no worries! You can also text your holiday greeting with the word SPARKLE to 877877. Big celebs such as Jessica Alba, Versace, Armani, and Roberto Cavalli have already tweeted so they can partake in this amazing offer.

When you've tweeted, you'll be entered to win jewelry from Swarovski Crystallized!! Swarovski Elements will choose 3 of their favorite tweets every Friday for the whole month of December and those three lucky people will win a beautifully sparkly Swarovski piece of jewelry. 

But it doesn't stop there...the greetings that come in will be displayed on a custom sign on Rodeo Drive for all to see! Either on the street in LA or via a live stream camera that will be showing until January 10, 2012 on Swarovski Elements Facebook page! You'll almost be as famous as Santa ;)

And for Swarovski fans located in Los Angeles, Swarovski has a free app with GoldRun that you can download, play with the products in the Let it Sparkle collection, and win a free gift with purchase at participating retailers!

So whether you want to give Mr. Claus's popularity a run for his money this holiday season by having your name up on Rodeo Drive, or would love to add a bit of sparkle to your holiday season with free Swarovski crystals...(and what girl doesn't. Hint, hint guys too!), all you have to do is tweet your holiday greeting NOW with #letitsparkle or send a quick text!! 

And you're in luck...because today is Friday! So three lucky girls or guys will be picked today to win a piece of jewelry. Good luck!! This deal is sweeter than any sugar plums that can be found dancing around in your head. 

Photo source: Swarovski Facebook Page

Fashion Fridays...Forever 21 Sequin Stripes Dress

You gotta love Forever 21's dress collection—not only do they have so many dresses to choose from, but it feels as though they can read our minds and know exactly what we're looking for right now: holiday party dresses.


I love this dress for a night out on the town or for a cocktail night with the girls, but it's also perfect for the holidays. Sequins, glitter, anything that sparkles screams "festive fun". And the empire waist makes it much easier to eat and drink the whole night long (pah...that makes it for me.) My favorite part? How the dress hangs a few inches longer than the slip underneath, showing off your gorgeous gams. 

Photo source: Forever 21

Photo source: Forever 21

What party look are you going for this holiday season?

Water Marble Nail Polish

I know the name is a bit confusing, but this nail trend is super hot, and extremely easy! And lucky for us, the awesome blog, Hey, Nice Nails! takes you through a guided tutorial on how to get these marbled, magic fingers in your own home.

Photo source: Hey, Nice Nails!

Supplies:
Orange stick or toothpick, shot glass or cup (the smaller the circumference, the less polish you end up wasting), room temp. water, nail polish, tape (optional, but it helps with the clean up)

I like to begin by prepping my nails with base coat and one coat of polish. Here I used China Glaze Innocence for a nice neutral base.

Steps:
1. Fill your cup with some warm or room temperature water. If the water is too cold, the nail polish will seize up. 

2. Choose the polishes you want to work with; keep in mind the opacity of the polish you are using, if its too sheer, it might not look right. 

3. I like to begin with the lightest color. Load up the brush and let a big drop of polish fall into the water. Continue with the other colors until you have a fewconcentric circles of polish in the water. 

4. Using the toothpick or orange stick, drag through the polish from the edge toward the middle. Continue to drag the stick through the polish until you find a design that you think looks pretty.

5. Optional: tape around the edge of the nail to protect your finger from becoming covered with nail polish. Scotch tape works perfectly for this. 

6. Holding your finger horizontally, dip your fingernail into the glass, making sure it is completely submerged. 

7. Use the toothpick/orange stick to trace around your finger, gathering up all theunused nail polish in the glass. 

8. Lift your finger out of the glass, and let dry before taking the tape off.

9. Continue with your other nails until you have a full set of beautifully watermarbled nails.

10. Slick on your favorite top coat and Voila! All done!

Most importantly, have fun! As with any type of nail art, practice makes perfect, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time. 

Do you adore this trend as much as I do??

Munch Through Monday...Broccoli and White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

With the cold weather approaching (or settling in), it's always nice to have a big, warm bowl of yummy comfort food for dinner. For some, that's mashed potatoes, for other's, it may be pasta. For me ... well ... it's both. But, this pasta dish just about does it for me: with white cheddar and broccoli (two of my favorites!) along with perfect macaroni, I'm ready to snuggle up on the couch, pop in Forrest Gump and chow down on this warm, delicious food.

Photo source: Pinterest

Broccoli and White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
Recipe Source: The Craving Chronicals
Ingredients
3 cups frozen baby broccoli florets

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/3 cups milk
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
salt to taste

DirectionsMicrowave broccoli florets in a large, microwave safe bowl according to package instructions until tender (usually 4-5 minutes). Drain off any water and set aside.

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add elbow macaroni. Boil according to directions until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to form a paste (roux). Cook 1-2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste. Slowly pour in milk, whisking briskly to remove lumps. Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly, until milk mixture thickens. Remove from heat and whisk in shredded cheese. Add salt to taste.

Add drained macaroni back to pot. Pour cheese sauce over macaroni, add broccoli, and stir to combine. Devour.

Munch Through Monday ... Pull Apart Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bread

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a recipe that is oh-so-delicious, but not oh-so-nutritious. Why you ask? Because food is supposed to taste good!! There are many healthy recipes that are delicious and it's super important to eat healthy ... but you're also allowed to indulge on mouth-watering, greasy, cheesy foods as well, sometimes. It's all about eating in moderation, right??


This recipe has four words in the title that already guarantee it's goodness: Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bread. 'Nuff said, I'm sold. And if you are too, read on to score a recipe for this addicting snack. 

Photo source: Pinterest

Pull Apart Cheddar Bacon Ranch Bread
Recipe source: Plain Chicken
Ingredients
1 unsliced loaf of (round is preferable) sourdough bread
8-12 oz cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz bag Oscar Mayer Real Bacon bits
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp Ranch dressing mix

Directions
Using a sharp bread knife cut the bread going both directions. Do not cut through the bottom crust. Place slices of cheese in between cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits on bread, making sure to get in between cuts. Mix together butter and Ranch dressing mix. Pour over bread. Wrap in foil the entire loaf in foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Unwrap. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Fashion Fridays...The Perfect New Years Eve Dress

While perusing Pinterest this week, I was delighted to find a plethora of adorable outfits. Anything from cute, warm and comfy winter wear to a gorgeous work getup.  One dress in particular, however, caught my eye; mainly because I immediately identified it as the perfect New Years Eve dress. I know that New Years Eve is pretty far away, but it's never too early to be thinking about a sexy dress and about looking hot for the New Year. You want to seal the deal on that New Years Eve kiss, don't you? ;)

Photo source: Shop Bop

What do you think? Perfectly understated or too plain Jane for ringing in the New Year?

Munch Through Tuesday...Nutella Pudding

You really can't go wrong with Nutella. It's tasty, healthy, you can pair it with pretty much anything—you can even have it for breakfast on toast! Hazlenut and chocolate goodness for breakfast ... need I say more? So when I came upon this recipe for Nutella Pudding, you can see why I immediately pressed print and hung the recipe up on my wall as a reminder that I must try it. In college, a nearby coffee shop had Nutella hot chocolate and it was extremely hard not to down a large cup everyday before class. I can only imagine this will be just as good, if not better. What do you think? Yay or nay to Nutella?

Photo source: Minimally Invasive

Nutella Pudding
Recipe source: Food52
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts
2 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half
1 vanilla bean
6 extra-large egg yolks
3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
1 large pinch salt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons butter


Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Let cool. When cool, put in a clean towel and rub vigorously to remove skins (you can also just use your fingers). It's okay if some skin is left on -- you're going to strain later.

2. Chop the cooled hazelnuts to a coarse crumb in a food processor.

3. Make the hazelnut-infused cream: Put the milk and half and half in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add both the bean and seeds to the milk. Add the hazelnuts and heat to scalding over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.

4. In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow.
5. In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

6. Strain the milk-hazelnut mixture into the egg yolk mixture, half a cup at a time, whisking after each addition until you've added about a cup and a half. Then strain and whisk in the rest of the milk. Return to the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.

7. Strain the thickened custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate-butter mixture.

8. Optional, but highly recommended: Scrape the entire pudding into a blender or food processor and process for about 30 seconds, until silky-smooth. I learned this from Dorie Greenspan's pudding recipes, and it really gives the pudding a wonderful lightness.

9. Spoon the pudding into small ramekins or dessert cups, cover with plastic wrap and chill, overnight if possible. DO NOT eat it unchilled—right after you make it the flavors will not have blended and will taste a little off.

Music Musings...

I love music. I really, really do. It always has my back, never lies or sneaks, always trusts me, can make me happy when I'm sad or sad when I need a good cry, keeps me company on long walks, helps me stay motivated during runs ... I don't know what I would do without music. At work, I listen to Spotify whenever I can and today I've been listening to Foster the People on repeat. I love their indie sound and today I came upon one song in particular I love. It's called, "I Would Do Anything For You" and it just makes me so happy (it also makes me want to see Brian and give him a big smooch). So for all you hopeless romantics out there, check this song out. I promise it'll be love at first listen.

 

 Video source: YouTube

What do you think? Share with me ... let's talk music.

Munch Through Tuesday...Healthy Sweet Potato Skins

Hi Everyone! Yesterday I was sick and therefore not truly in the mood to talk about yummy food. Not to worry! I'm back today with another awesome recipe. A healthy recipe, nonetheless!

I absolutely love sweet potatoes and there's something about fall, crisp weather that makes them that much more enjoyable. I found this recipe for Sweet Potato Skins on Pinch of Yum, a new website I found that I absolutely adore. This recipe is just as yummy but much healthier than normal potato skins that pack on sour cream, bacon and chives (too much of a good thing ain't always so good). So munch away! This is one recipe you won't need to feel guilty about indulging in. 

Photo source:  Pinch of Yum

Healthy Sweet Potato Skins

Recipe source: Pinch of Yum

Ingredients:
2 medium or large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, minced
1 bag fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 ounces light cream cheese
1 cup chickpeas
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Bake sweet potatoes at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender.
2. Cut sweet potatoes in half and let cool for 5-10 minutes. While sweet potatoes are cooling, saute the shallots with the butter over medium heat until translucent. Add fresh spinach and heat for 2-3 minutes, until spinach has cooked down. Set aside.
3. Scrape the sweet potato out of the peel, leaving a thin layer inside with the peel so that it can stand up on its own. Mash the sweet potato with the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in chickpeas, spinach, and salt and pepper.
4. Coat potato skins with a drizzle of oil and bake for about 5 minutes to get a crispier outside. Remove from oven and fill each skin with the sweet potato mixture and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake again for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through.