April Showers... Bring May Flowers

My grandma's garden is such a joyous place and I love spending time there. I have spent many up close and personal hours there while helping her plant, but my favorite view of the garden is from my grandparent's deck with a glass of vino in hand.

Enjoy :)

Home Decor: It's Finished!

It's official! The closet is finished and filled! I'm thrilled with the end result!

Caprese

This is a delicious, easy salad to make. You can make it as an appetizer, salad or as a side dish. This evening, we made it as a side dish to accompany our dinner.

Dressing: (Best to make it early and let it sit for a couple hours)

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

S & P

Mix all ingredients together. Blend. (You can alter the recipe to match your taste i.e. less vinegar, more garlic, etc).

Salad:

2 vine-ripe tomatoes

8 oz. fresh mozzarella

5 basil leaves

Thinly slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and layer on a serving platter (or on a plate in this instance).

Chiffonade the basil (Roll the basil leaves and thinly slice). Sprinkle the basil over the tomato and mozzarella.
Lightly drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Finished product: we served our caprese salad with twice-baked potatoes and a grilled pork chop.

Bon Appetit!

Ready for Rainy Days?

(DSW Knit Cut Rain Boot - 49.95)

(American Apparel Nylon Taffeta Rain Parka - $85)

*I love this jacket because of it's convenience, quality and cuteness, I get compliments all the time!*

(Vera Bradley Umbrella - $28)

After experiencing rainy days this past week, I have come to realize how much I love my rain gear. It keeps me warm and dry, it did not break my piggy bank and it is easy to pair with everyday outfits!

Not ready to make a huge splurge on rain boots? Here are a few rain boots that are super reasonable, stylish and cozy!

(DSW Nomad Hurricane Rain Boot - 39.95)

(DSW Weatherproof Duck Shoe - 54.95)

(DSW Sperry Waterproof Duck Boot - 54.95)

Lunch + Art = A Fabulous Afternoon

This past Saturday afternoon the women in my family had an early mother's day celebration at Cafe Sebastienne at the Kemper Museum. It was absolutely delightful. We feasted on flavorful bread, asparagus soup, ham and goat cheese sandwiches, couscous salad and we could not resist splitting the sinful flour-less chocolate cake :)

We ate lunch in the intimate and sunny courtyard. Afterwards, we enjoyed the galleries and of course, we ended up in the gift shop, which was perfect for a last minute Mother's Day gift!

Next time you visit the Kemper Museum make sure to stop by Cafe Sebastienne. It makes for a great afternoon get away; whether it be a hot date or a lunch out with the girls, it is a KC must!

Home Decor: Closet

TGIF!

Today marks the day that my closet is finally completed! I love the result! The work was completed by Matt Good Construction, a family friend. Check out the photos below:

I rarely go into Pier1, but I was out and about the other day, and found the perfect chair for my vanity! I love the print!

The vanity! Sorry it's a little blurry :)

The built-ins

Enjoy the weekend!!

The Incredible Edible Egg

For lunch today I cooked myself a very simple meal of toast and eggs and as I was cooking I thought of the sentiment, 'If you can cook an egg then you can cook.' For all of you who think you can't cook and want to try out eggs as your first cooked meal here a few tips for eggs and toast:

- Always use fresh (organic if possible) ingredients. For this meal the eggs are organic brown eggs from The Merc, the jam is homemade from the Minturn Market in Minturn, Colorado and the toast is fresh-baked from Wheatfields.

- As you are beating your eggs and preparing your ingredients put your pan on the stove (medium heat) to heat up the pan before you pour in the eggs.

- Add a little milk, pepper, and Lawry's season salt into the egg mix before you pour into the pan.

- Always add a bit of your favorite cheese to the eggs as they are cooking to add some extra flavor and texture.

- Most importantly, don't overcook the eggs. Once they are no longer juicy in the pan they should be done, you never want 'golden brown' eggs.


I hope these tips are helpful, enjoy your eggs and toast!