Monday, June 29, 2009

Summer Frocks!



Every summer I make a promise to myself that I will wear more cute, summery dresses but I rarely follow through because I feel like I stick out, wearing a dress in a sea of shorts and t-shirts. This summer however, I have been inspired by the plethora of gorgeous dress that are everywhere and I have started to wear some from my small but slowly growing collection of frocks. I recently discovered one of my new favorite design teams, Thread Social, and their girly yet sophisticated pieces. Don't these dresses (and other one-shoulder dresses that are a bit more affordable) seem perfect for a warm summer night with friends?


1.Thread Social, $510-575
2. Alloy, $19.99
3. T-Bags, $185
4. Charlotte Russe, $24.99
5. Delias, $19.99
6. Topshop, $110

Seeing these adorable dresses with nude pumps though really makes me want to buy some heels... these are only $30 at Victoria's Secret... hmm....







Sunday, June 28, 2009

Wishing I was there...

Whether it is a result of my not wanting to do homework or of being sick of living in the Midwest (or more likely a combination of the two), I am terribly missing the ocean. I was lucky enough to be able to experience Belize and Hawaii in the past couple months, so to illustrate my point, here is some unBelizeable beauty:

{Altun Ha - ancient Mayan ruins}

{sunset over the gorgeous house next door - imagine the rooftop parties!}

{family time - grandma walking the kids to school}

{Caye Caulker - just a short boat ride from Belize City, home of the
2nd largest barrier reef in the world}

{hanging out on the Cayes}

{amazing sailboat cruise to go snorkeling}

{bliss}

P.S.: coming up soon, some pictures from our trip to Hawaii :)

Thought of the Day: "We can do no great things... only small things with great love." -Mother Teresa
Listening to: Bob Marley

Strawberry Souffles



I am living at home this summer to take four courses at a local college which means that while I might not be living it up as a college kid, I do have free reign in a bigger kitchen than my apartment’s and I have unlimited ingredients – always a huge plus. For the past week, I have had the whole house to myself too because my parents and little brother are traveling (all without me since I have class), so I have been trying some different recipes that probably would be flops with the rest of my family (I tend to be a bit more adventurous). So, when I found this recipe on this blog written by two girls who share my obsession for Martha Stewart, I was inspired to buy some of the super-cheap strawberries that have been on sale for the past week and give it a try.


[Forewarning about this and future culinary experiments: I love to try new healthy and quirky recipes. I find the process more rewarding than the product, which is why many things turn out rather strange.]



Strawberry Soufflés

Adapted from Closet Cooking via We are not Martha

Makes: 2 soufflés


½ cup strawberry puree (15ish strawberries, depending on the size; I’ll explain the pureeing)

1 tsp. sugar (adjust amount depending on how sweet your berries are)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg white, room temperature


1. Preheat oven to 350° and lightly coat 2 ramekins with cooking spray.

2. Wash and hull strawberries. Puree strawberries, sugar, and vanilla in a food processer until smooth. Set aside.

3. Place egg white in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form (don't under-beat because they will fall!).

4. Carefully fold the strawberry puree into the egg whites with a rubber spatula.

5. Fill ramekins with the mixture and bake for approximately 15 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned.and a toothpick comes out clean.


Nutritional Info (per serving): 40 calories; 0g fat; 1g fiber; 5g sugars; 2g protein


My thoughts: These were easy, beautiful, and delicious (although they slightly tasted like Special K Red Berries - in a good way). My only problem was that the top browned a little too quickly resulting in a not quite done middle; next time I might play around with the baking times and temps. I was happily surprised that they didn’t fall though. What better way to get over half of your vitamin C for the day?


Thought of the day: “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” -Unknown

Listening to: "Miss Halfway", Anya Marina