Bright-Eyed and Ready to Go!

This past weekend consisted of delicious dinners out, a fun-filled football tailgate, a mimosa (at least for one of us!) brunch, shopping, a down home birthday luncheon, several movies, and even a little working out.  After two days and two nights of trying to cram in the part of life that doesn't fall under "work," even the best of us can wake up on Monday morning looking like this...

Eva is always gorgeous, but even the super gorge are not excluded from the puffy eye.  And who can blame us puffsters?  48 hours is not much time to re-charge and let loose, and trying to pack it all in can often mean trading zzz's for good times.  My solution?

{For puffy eyes to bright eyes, I mix a dab with creamy concealer}

Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Eye Cream.  For $45 you can trade an hour or two of bedtime for an hour or two of fun!  After all, sleep is the cousin of death, and if you're coming to work too rested than I probably don't want to spend my weekend with you anyways!  What did you do this weekend loves?  Happy Monday!
{image via}

Food Adventures: Weekend Brunch

Last weekend, a girlfriend came to town for a fabulous weekend in.  Yes, I said IN.  For those that know me, weekend and "in" do not usually go in the same sentence, but as pertains to most, things do get old.  So instead of pouring copious amounts of booze down our throats and dancing our asses off, we centered our weekend around eating as much as humanly possible.  We spent our civilized Friday night catching up over take-out tuna rolls and a few glasses of wine al fresco.  Feeling wonderful on Saturday morning due to our restraint the night before, we decided to throw together a fantastic (champers free, for once) brunch.  I love brunch!!   So with Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes (it was only fitting) as our soundtrack, we made sweet Banana Pancakes and savory Eggs Benedict!  What's your fave brunch menu, loves?

As far as the rest of our weekend in, the soundtrack somehow went from Banana Pancakes to SHOTS at the Irish bar down the street.  At least we tried. :)

{image via}

I love Men Part II

On my way to kickboxing this morning, I heard on the radio that today is National Men's Grooming Day.  Have you ever heard of such?  Shouldn't men, and all of us for that matter, groom everyday?  Next thing you know, there will be a National Take a Shower Day. A National Brush Your Teeth Day.  A National Breath Day.  Although this holiday is almost as pointless as Valentine's Day (Remember? I am NOT a fan) and sometimes I do like making up my own holidays, I thought I'd use it as an opportunity to share eye candy of very well groomed men in an old guest post I did back in Feb.!  It's called I Love Men.

When I say I love "men" this is not a general blessing that extends to everyone, so don't high five your buddies just yet! ;)

I'm not loving on all men or just any man (unless of course, your name starts with an A and ends with a -lan), I'm referring to the well-dressed MAN (note the capitals) oozing with personal style, charm, and confidence. I'm by no means an expert on menswear, and every girl has her personal faves, but I think it's safe to say all us ladies can agree on several things...
1. There is never a situation where trying too hard and Ed Hardy are acceptable.
2. Tattooing the car you drive down the side of your body is not going to make us want to ride in it more- so just don't.
3. Personal style is key. If I can't tell the difference between you and your "brothers" please go home and re-think your outfit in an original way. Thanks.
4. It takes a special guy to rock the skinny look and if it's not you there would be several grateful parties involved if you would just stick to the classics.
5. Unless your name is Kobe, Lebron, or Dwight Howard, basketball jerseys do not constitute as everyday sportswear.
6. No explanation needed.

I could go on, but they say a picture is worth a thousand words! Here is a sampling of these oh so stylish "Men" that I speak of...

 

It is fantastic when you put on a fun pair of sneakers with a would be basic ensemble. 

 

Pushed up sleeves may feel funny, but they sure don't look it. 

 

Matchy matchy is never good.  Love the pocket square without the cheesy matching tie.

Just another suit, you say?  Well Mr.Serious Suit has some flair of his own which leads me to think he can have a good time too.  Check out his stacked bracelets.

 

The modern Gatsby?

Grandpa's got major style too.

Happy National Men's Grooming Day! Hope you enjoyed round II!  

{To see the original post see here.}

{via The Sartorialist}

My Cup of Te: Poetry and Inspiring Photography

 {via}

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Fantastical Fashion and Fantasy Football?

Here we are on the cusp of two events that create cult-like followings among the masses- New York Fashion Week and the beginning of regular season Football.  If you're like me, I can't wait to indulge in both. Fantastical Fall fashion dreamt up by the fashion gods materializing on the runways right before your eyes and a crisp Fall day armed with best friends, all the fixin's of a fabulous tailgate, and rootin' for your fave team!  Does it get any better?  Italian Vogue managed to capture the best of both world's with its April 2010 editorial...

 My money is on those killer platforms

What guy wouldn't want to dog pile under that fabulous gown?

 Score in both arenas.

 Helmet optional?

Sacked.

I know two things that are going to kick ass this year- my Fall fashion wardrobe AND my fantasy football team.  Bring on the fashion and football!! What are you looking forward to this Fall?
{via Fashionising}

The Hamptons Link

Remember the fabulous Jill Rosenwald ceramic vases I just diiied over last April?  Well they were recently featured in the latest issue of House Beautiful in fabulous fresh colors!  Upon seeing them anew, eye-candy once more, I was prompted to re-visit J.R.'s website to scope out the new swag and discovered this classy little baby...

...a monogram "caviar tray" in her signature Hampton Links pattern.  We all know that I'd rather slather caviar on my face then eat it, so if I were to make this monogram mine, I'd double it as my signature bar tray for my go-to cocktails or ever-present champagne flutes!  What would you serve up loves? 

Food Adventures: Skinny Bitch and some Roasted Eggplant

3 weeks and counting and Skinny Bitch has still managed to scare the living, or rather dead, meat out of my house, out of my mind, out of my hand, and most importantly out of my mouth.  They call it "The Dead, Rotting Decomposing Flesh Diet" (vom.) because essentially that's what we're putting into our mouths- ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN DEAD FOR POSSIBLY WEEKS.
I know. I know. But take it from a girl who has always loved a good steak and southern pork BBQ.  Case in point, me, busted stuffing dead cow in my mouth at my brother's going away party last year.  Attractive, right?

The co-authors, who also go on about being vegan, aren't near as crazy as you may think.  Facts are facts, and sadly enough, animals don't go from frolicking carefree on vast green meadows to neatly packaged at your local grocery store.  There's an in-between that has caused this meatless trauma and if you don't want to know what that in-between is, stop reading here. 
"I've seen live animals shackled, hoisted, stuck, and skinned.  I've seen hogs that are supposed to be lying down on the bleeding conveyor get up after they've been stuck.  I've seen them in the scalding tubs (meant to burn their skin off) trying to swim."
 "I've drug cows till their bones start breaking, while they were still alive.  Bringing them around the corner and they get stuck up in the doorway, just pull them till their hide be ripped, till the blood just drip on the steel and concrete.  Breaking their legs...And the cow be crying with its tongue stuck out.  They pull him till his neck just pop."
"If you get a hog in a chute that's had the shit prodded out of him and has a heart attack or refuses to move, you take a meat hook and hook it into his bunghole.  You're dragging these hogs alive, and a lot of times the meat hook rips out of the bunghole.  I've seen hams-thighs-completely ripped open."
Who's ready for some Eggplant?! 

So, not the best segue into my latest food adventure, but you are what you eat, and I'd rather be an organic eggplant or a cute as a button cherry tomato than a rotting, dead animal.  Especially a dead animal that used to be a poor little baby that was separated from its family then beaten, tortured, and ultimately slaughtered.  With that said...
Garlic and Herb Roasted Eggplant with Cherry Tomatoes!

{Image: My Own, Recipe via}

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant (or 2-3 small ones), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• About 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• About 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with enough of the olive oil to thoroughly coat. Place the eggplant onto a baking sheet and put into the preheated oven.
In the same bowl, toss the whole garlic cloves with a few drops of oil. After the eggplant has been roasting for about 20 minutes, add the garlic cloves into the mix. Continue to roast until both are tender, about 20 minutes.
When the eggplant is tender, give it a stir and add in the tomatoes. Continue to roast for about 10 more minutes, or until the eggplant begins to caramelize and the tomatoes soften. Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside to cool.
When they are cool enough to handle, remove the garlic cloves and chop into small pieces (the texture will be almost puree-like).
Place the roasted garlic, eggplant and tomatoes and any juices that came out while roasting into a bowl (if you use the same bowl you used for prepping the vegetables, you get the benefit of the remaining olive oil and have fewer dishes to do).
Add the parsley, dill and just enough vinegar to coat. Mix and serve while still warm. Enjoy!