The Perfect Mac&Cheese

I am on a hunt for the perfect mac&cheese recipe.  I have tried 25+ recipes over the past year and not a single one has been anything to rave about.  They have all somehow turned out to be bland instead of cheesy, creamy, and flavorful.  If you have an amazing mac&cheese recipe, please send it my way!  In the meantime,  I'll be trying S'MAC in the East Village.  S'MAC offers a variety of mac&cheese served in cute, little, individual skillets.  I will definitely be ordering the "Alpine" with gruyere and bacon, the "Parisienne" with brie, figs, mushrooms and rosemary, and the classic "4 Cheese" with cheddar, muenster, gruyere and pecorino.

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Opportunity

I feel like I need to hang this somewhere in my room.  The most relevant part to me is "...In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."  It reminds me of this Winston Churchill quote; "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

pvedesign.blogspot.com

Spotlight: Ashley Whittaker

I had been pinning Ashley Whittaker's rooms on my "Rooms to Love" Pinterest board without even knowing she was the designer behind them.  I finally realized she was the designer after browsing her website last weekend.  Her portfolio is so impressive - I had a hard time narrowing it down to just these photos.

ashleywhittakerdesign.com

Nails

Some of my must have colors at the moment.  Doesn't that orange Deborah Lippmann color remind you of summer?  It is the dreamiest shade of coral.

nailstah.com,cilucia.blogspot.com, weheartit.com

From left to right: OPI "Skull and Glossbones" OPI "You Don't Know Jacques" Deborah Lippmann "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"

This or That: Zara vs. Gucci

My latest must have is a simple, ankle strap sandal.  They are so flattering - they make your legs look long and feet look pretty.  I found this pair at Zara for $89.90!  How similar do they look to the Gucci heels?  I might have to order another pair because I already know I will be wearing them a lot.

Video: Kelly Wearstler's Flagship store

Kelly Wearstler's flagship boutique on Melrose is modern and glamorous.  The 2,800 square foot space holds her ready-to-wear clothing collection and signature home accessories.  I'm thinking I may have to take a trip to LA soon, stay at one of my favorite hotels; The Avalon (interiors designed by Kelly) and see the beautiful store in person!

SATC

"...But the most exciting, challenging, and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself.  And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."
-Carrie Bradshaw, Sex and the City

hautemamasfaves.tumblr.com

Poppy Red

My favorite color of the moment is poppy red.  This gorgeous reddish-orange color is so versatile.  You can wear it year round with white jeans in the summer and black high waisted pants in the winter.  I have been wearing this poppy Parker dress to death - now I just need to find the perfect shade of poppy lipstick to go with it.

phosphenesandspectrums.tumblr.com

Tory Burch's Southampton Home

I have no words, it's so perfect.

vogue.com

TGIF

I am so relieved that this week is over - Coterie was fun, but exhausting.  I've been such a homebody lately, coming straight home everyday after work.  I think I've been subconsciously saving my energy for Tommy.  He moves here tomorrow and I could not be more excited!

A Beach Wedding

What do you think of a low key beach wedding?  It sounds kind of nice to me - very joie de vivre.  You could wear a beautiful, sweetheart gown that was so comfortable you'd dance in it all night.  The decor would be simple and chic with bundles of hydrangeas, hurricane lamps, white candles, and shells on each table.  And the background would be the ocean, sigh.

ivyandaster.com, pinkpreppylillylover.blogspot.com, stylemepretty.com, prettystuff-tumblr.com

The Perfect Hostess

In my opinion...

Spotlight: Bunny Williams

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting iconic interior designer Bunny Williams.  I've admired Bunny since I was little.  I always noticed her work in my mom's design books that I'd pour over after school.  Bunny is best known for her traditional style of decorating; using antiques, blue ginger jars, and english sofas to achieve this look. The first picture is the cover of her book which features her Connecticut farmhouse.  The other pictures are from an East Hampton home she decorated.  New York Times writer Annie Tritt describes Bunny's style saying, "She designs rooms in which dogs are welcome on the furniture, where there is always a place to put your feet up and your drink down.  It's a lifestyle that should look and feel old-fashioned - yet manages not to."

lauracaseyinteriors.com, bunnywilliams.com

OP

OP continues to outdo herself.  Her sense of style has only gotten better, if that was even possible.  I love how she is always wearing something unexpected.  She is a total pro at mixing something classic, like a Birkin bag, with something trendy like a pair of Topshop heels.  I can't wait to see more of her outfits from London Fashion Week, I'm sure they will be absolutely ahh-mazing (as always!)

meek-n-mild.com, shoplesnouvelles.com, carolinesmode.com, pinkis4gangstas.tumblr.com, elle.com

Shiny Hair

My advice is to use a different shampoo than your normal one at least once a week, condition three times a week (I swear by this Frederic Fekkai one), let your hair air dry as often as possible, rinse with cold water at the end of your shower, and eat healthy (protein makes your hair both shiny and strong).

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Recap

Obsessed with the decor at the Gramercy Park hotel

Wore my "Lady Peep" heels out on the town this weekend

New York Fashion Week - Reem Acra

Beautiful hydrangeas at the Joie store on Madison Avenue

Warm hand towels from my favorite Japanese restaurant; Blue Ribbon Sushi 

OPI "Get in the Expresso Lane"

Vintage wallpaper at the Summit on the Lower East Side

A trip to the Guggenheim; the perfect Sunday afternoon activity

12 Recipes

I enjoy cooking, but by the time I get home from work I rarely have the time or energy to whip up a delicious meal.  One of my favorite food blogs, The Kitchn, came up with this great list of 12 recipes everyone should know by heart.  They are all quick, easy comfort foods that even the pickiest person will like.

6bittersweets.com

Video: How Bloggers are Changing Fashion

It's exciting to see how influential fashion bloggers have become in today's industry.  Check out this clip from Net-A-Porter TV.

Smile.

"Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important."  -Janet Lane, author

29.media.tumblr.com

Must Have Bags

Which one are you coveting the most?

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