Oh, What a Weekend!

We are all looking forward to our fun-filled weekend -

• Celebrating a great friend's birthday
• Going to Lake Lotawana for our fellow Dinnerclub member's engagement celebration
• Then we all get to enjoy the sweet sounds of Michael Buble :)

Have a fabulous weekend!

Date Night in Nice

On my recent trip to Europe my favorite moments were when I was on a date night, eating and enjoying a glass of wine (or two, or three...). For our first date night in Nice, France my boyfriend and I went to a great restaurant in the Cours Saleya square called La Favola (coulnd't find their website but you can google the name of the restaurant for an exact address). It was nestled along a long line of restaurants with an amazing night-time shopping market in front (I spent way too much money in this spot). The area is bustling with people and has a very fun atmosphere during the day and night. Along with the great environment, the food was delectable. We shared a massive bowl of seafood pasta, a wonderful beef carpaccio and had a mouth-watering fruit tiramisu and chocolate tort for desert. All-in-all it was a great night and to top if off we had a very friendly waiter who even gave us two empty wine bottles to take home. If you ever find yourself in Nice, France I would highly recommend this spot and this area for both day and night.

p.s. After all of the warnings that we received about the French not being friendly to American tourists I was pleased to find that this was not the case. I found that a big smile and being extra polite went a long way.

Happy Dad's Day

We would like to wish a very happy Father's Day to our Dads. We are all so blessed to have such wonderful men in our life and thank you for all that you do for us. We love you!

Fish and Chips in London Town

As we all know, London is not typically know for their cuisine. Yet they do have a few staple dishes that, if done well, can be quite delicious. When I was in London a few weeks ago I had to have a fish and chips meal and lucked out when I ordered them at All Bar One. Judging from the menu and atmosphere I had a feeling my meal would be well prepared and I was correct. Although it may not be the most appealing meal to look at it I ate almost every bite. The cod was tempura fried which made for a non-greasy crust and the mushy peas had mint in them which made them very flavorful and refreshing against the cod and french fries. The fries weren't real unique but they tasted very similar to good 'ol Mcdonald's fries (which I love) so I was very pleased with them.

I have many more meals to share with you from my trip, look for them in the near future!

Easy, Breezy, Perfect Summer Dresses

(Shore Bet Dress)

(Hang out Dress)

(Sunset Dress)

(Bo Tank Dress )

(Maxi Dress)

(Pocket T-shirt Dress)

In the summer, I love wearing clothes that are comfortable, airy and versatile. Finding a cute and comfortable dress can sometimes be a challenge. Recently, I have found perfect summer dresses from two great summer collections: Alternative Apparel and Roxy. Above are some of my favorites and the best part is, these dresses are very generously priced and easy to style!

Happy shopping!

Recipe: Guacamole!

Let me begin by saying...I LOVE Mexican food. I could eat chips and salsa for every meal! When I am feeling extra feisty, I will whip up some guacamole.

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados

1 small tomato

1/2 small white onion

2 cloves minced garlic

lime juice

salt

Start by slicing all of the avocados in half. Remove the pit, and spoon out of the skin. Place the peeled avocados in a bowl.

Finely chop the tomato, onion, and garlic. Add to the avocados.

My mom swears by this all-natural sea salt. Any type of salt will work great though. Just season to taste.

Mash the mixture together (we use a potato masher, but a fork works too). Squeeze a little lime juice over the top and enjoy!

Disclaimer: This batch of guacamole was actually whipped up by mom and sister. So, I can't take credit for how delicious it looks, but we all use the same recipe.

DIY - Hanging Lanterns

Recently, I have been noticing the cutest hanging candle lanterns and usually, the cuter they appear…the pricier the cost. I decided I could make some for much cheaper and much cuter!

Supplies needed:

Small to medium empty mason jar

Colored wire (found in any jewelry section of your local craft store)

Scissors

Beads

These are so easy and fun to make. I love working with wire, because you can twist it every which way and it is so easy to securely attach to other wire as well.

First, cut a piece of wire and wrap multiple times around the top of the mason jar. Then, cut two more pieces of wire (these pieces will eventually be attached to the wire at the top of the jar.) Cut the wire however long you would like for the lantern to hang and I like to twist two different colors of wire together to add more color.

Next, join the two wires by twisting and add beads as desired. Finally attach your twisted wire by intertwining it to the wire you initially wrapped around the top of the jar.

Hang and enjoy J

Saturday Fun!

This Saturday was a day full of family adventures. We began bright and early at The Farmhouse. The food was absolutely delicious and the atmosphere was quite relaxing! It is located in the City Market in Downtown KC.

They serve French-press coffee. It's delicious!

Biscuits and Gravy :)

BELT: All-around hit!

After breakfast, we made our way down to the Farmer's Market. There are always interesting people and great produce/flowers. It's a great place to people watch and pick up a few local ingredients. We picked up a jalapeno pepper plant to grow in our veggie garden.

After the farmer's market, the sisters were inspired to plant. They bought some basil, cilantro, rosemary, and some beautiful flowers.

Finished product!

Finally, a great way to end a great day! The Bad Dadz concert at the Prairie Village Art Fair! The Bad Dadz are a local cover band (and our Dad happens to be the star)!

All this leads to one GREAT Saturday!

Tasty Treat!

Last Sunday, the parents were out of town, so the sister and I took on the task of making dinner. We were eating with the brother and the fiance, so it had to be tasty! While at the grocery store, we found some blueberries and strawberries that looked delicious, so we bought them not knowing what we would make. We were flipping through one of the Barefoot Contessa cookbooks, and decided to make cobbler. We followed the Peach and Raspberry Crisp recipe and just substituted blueberries and strawberries. The boys thought it was a strange combination, but let me tell you, they may have gone back for seconds, thirds and even fourths. It was delicious and easy!

Backyard Potluck Dinner

To me, nothing beats a night with good friends in a casual setting. On Thursday, a few of us decided last minute to get together for dinner at a friend's house. They have a beautiful home overlooking a pond, so why not eat out back? Last minute planning, combined with creative friends makes for a delicious dinner. Perfection.

Menu:

Salad with Lemon-Dijon Vinaigrette

Garlic Baguette

Shrimp Salad

White Wine

Dressing for the Shrimp: It was delicious!! (Even when following a recipe, be aware of the amount of salt, it's always easier to add more)
Salad: Mixed greens with romaine. For the dressing we just used equal parts lemon juice and evoo, about a tablespoon of dijon mustard, 3 cloves of garlic(minced) and lemon zest. Easy and delicious!
Baguette with garlic: we just sliced the baguette, rubbed it with evoo and a head of garlic with the top cut-off. Yummy!


Perfect Setting.
Delicious Angel Food Cake Cupcakes for dessert!! So yummy and light. Perfect ending to a great meal!

P.S. We went to the The Farmhouse for breakfast this morning, followed by a walk through the Farmer's Market in downtown KC. Post coming soon.