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Monday, March 26, 2012

Spring Fashion Love

Alice + Olivia
Spring 2012 Ready to Wear

I love this ready to wear collection!  Alice + Olivia always has such a fun and flirty aesthetic.  It's youthful yet still sophisticated.  This particular collection also has a nice 60's mod sort of feel to it.






Love , love, love!


Photos from here.  Click to see the rest of the collection!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sunday Dinner 3.25.12

Sorry it's been a while!

Lobster Mac and Cheese

Oh yes I did.  This dish is the ultimate example of "so bad, yet so good."  It is rich and cheesy and luxurious and delicious.  So.  Freakin.  Delicious.

I got the recipe from here. It is actually surprisingly simple to make.  The hardest part is getting the lobster meat out of the tail.

Here's what you need:

2 tbs butter
2 tbs flour
1 cup of half and half
1 cup each of sharp cheddar and gruyere cheeses, shredded
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp of ground mustard
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 lb of pasta
1/2 lb of lobster meat




Note about the lobster- you can get this pre cooked at some fish markets or frozen at many grocery stores. I just got a 4 oz lobster tail and cooked it myself.  Getting it cooked it probably simpler.  Also, I could have done with two tails.  By the time the meat was out of the shell, there was not much left.

If necessary, cook your lobster.  Fill a pot with water, add a generous amount of salt, and bring to a boil.  Drop the lobster in and cook 1 minute for every ounce (I had 4 oz so I cooked it for 4 minutes.)

Cook pasta to your liking.

Melt butter in double boiler.  (I don't have one so I just used a pan.)

 Stir in flour.
 Stir in half and half and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes

 Slowly add handfuls of shredded cheese and mix until it is all melted.

  Add seasonings.  Adjust if necessary.

 In a large bowl, mix together cooked pasta and cheese mixture.  Add the lobster meat.
 Put mac and cheese in an oven safe dish.  You can use one large dish or smaller ramekins.  If you're feeling fancy, you can put some bread crumbs on top.  Bake at 350 for about 15 minuts, until the top begins to get golden brown.


Seriously, this is so good.  Go make this immediately.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Lush Life - The Green Bubbleroon


Bubbleroons are some of Lush's newest products.  They are bubble bars that are supposed to look like macaroons, emphasis on the supposed to, because they totally don't, but anyway...  Each half is about an inch tall.  You break them in half and use them separately and they all have a layer of moisturizing coconut oil in between.  There are currently three scent options.  I got The Green.




According to the Lush site, The Green bubbleroon smells like sweet orange and lime.  When I smell it, it isn't all that citrus-y, but there is a definite slight sweetness about it.  It smells grassy, but not in the way the Grass shower gel smells (I don't like that scent.)  It's really natural and earthy smelling and light.  I really like it.  It's relaxing and happy.

If you have never used a bubble bar, basically the way they work is you crumble them under the faucet while the water is running and they make bubbles.  This bubbleroon created a lot of frothy bubbles, but they unfortunately didn't last as long as some of the other bubble bars.  The water was turned a light green.  And it definitely smelled amazing.  The water also felt silky from the coconut oil.

Overall, I liked this product, but it is not something I can't live without.  The scent was the best part about it.  I will purchase this again when I want a bath with this scent, but there are other bubble bars that I would rather have for the lasting power of the bubbles.

Have you used a bubbleroon yet?

Bubbleroon photo via google images

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Lovelies






I love this! Does anyone know the original source for this illustration?


Sweetest of dreams.

photos via weheartit

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Lush Life - Rub Rub Rub


Rub Rub Rub is a multi use shower scrub that cleanses and exfoliates and can even be used as a shampoo.  It has the "tropical scent of mimosa blossoms" with lemon juice and sweet orange oil.  Side note, I didn't know there was a plant called mimosa... Champagne and OJ flower?  Anyway, I find this scent to be super light, which may be something you prefer.  What I am able to smell is citrus-y and almost a little bit menthol-y.  If you know Lush scents, this is supposed to smell like Sakura bath bomb.


I bought this for exfoliating purposes rather than cleansing purposes.  It is a gentle exfoliator, but I don't know if I would recommend using it as an every day cleanser.  I like to use this a few times a week followed up with the Almond and Coconut Smoothie.  I don't like that one much on its own as a cleanser, but  paired together they work really well.  My skin feels so smooth afterwards.  Even without using the Shower Smoothie my skin feels so much softer after using Rub Rub Rub.  It looks brighter, too.  It is definitely not as exfoliating as something like Ocean Salt or Buffy (my number one favorite Lush product!) but it is nice to use every two or three days to strip away some dead skin and leave a fresh new layer.

This used to be sold in a bottle like the other shower gels, but recently they changed it to the tub packaging because apparently it was too thick and the salt would clog up the cap.  I like the tub but I know the new packaging bothers some people.

Because this has sea salt and citrus it can be drying so you will want to moisturize afterwards.  This is a good alternative to Ocean Salt because they have very similar qualities and ingredients, but Rub Rub Rub is less abrasive and also about half the price!  Overall, I definitely recommend this product and will certainly repurchase.

Have you tried Rub Rub Rub yet?

Images of Rub Rub Rub via google images

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Autumn Afternoon

Autumn Afternoon

Is it pathetic that I am sort of excited for fall.  I mean I'm excited for summer of course, but fall is my favorite season.  It felt like the perfect autumn day the other day and I got very excited.  So there ya go, a casual fall outfit to get you all excited as well.

Bonnaroo Playlist II

Round 2

1. New Slang - The Shins
2. Little Boy - Temper Trap
3. Voices - Phantogram
4. The Girl - City and Colour
5. Coming Through - The War on Drugs
6. Try - ALO
7. Old Number 7 - The Devil Makes Three
8. Coyote - The Lonely Forest
9. Feather - Little Dragon
10. The Wolves - Ben Howard

This is awesome because I am already learning about a bunch of new bands I hadn't heard of before I saw them on the lineup.  Thumbs up for new music!

Gaby

Monday, March 12, 2012

Sunday Dinner 3.11.12

This Sunday dinner post is a little different because, for whatever reason, my pictures are nowhere to be found.  I uploaded them from my camera to my computer and now they are off in technology land somewhere.  And I deleted them off the camera.  Sorry about that!

Anyway, I made "chickenless" parmesan crusted chicken.  I don't eat meat, but if you do then you can definitely use real chicken.  I adapted from this recipe.  Instead of chicken, I used the Quorn Naked Chik'n Cutlet.  I also added about half a teaspoon of crushed red pepper for a little kick. 

That was pretty much it!  They were actually pretty good and I will most likely be making them again.  

Again, sorry about this post.  Technology does not like me very much (if you couldn't tell from that header which I have been editing for hours on end to no avail.)

Gaby

PS If you are wondering, the Quorn brand products are not vegan, but I'm sure you could find a vegan alternative.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Style Decade - 70's

Style Decade - 70's



Makeup Update! 3.11.12

Woohoo! It's been, what, a week? I have already used up three things! Okay, okay, two are mascaras that went bad.  But it still counts! I went to Target to pick up a couple of things and spent at least 10 minutes trying to pick out a replacement mascara.  It was exciting to buy makeup.  And, yes, I am pathetic.  The other thing I used up was a chapstick.

So here is my deal with mascara.  I don't buy high end mascara.  I think it is a complete waste of money.  Drug store brands are just as good and a fraction of the price.  My lashes are fairly long naturally, so mascara is the last type of makeup I would want to splurge on.  I also tend to not buy the same type of mascara twice.  There are so many out there and I want to try them all!  The being said, the first mascara I "used up" is one that I have bought at least four times because I love it!



It's the Revlon Grow Luscious mascara.  This is a lengthening mascara, and it really works.  I don't know why there is not a lot of hype about this mascara because I love it.  The wand is huge, the formula is a really good consistency, and it doesn't clump.  It's amazing.  It's also great on the lower lashes.  I will probably end up buying this many more times despite my no repeats rule.



The other mascara I used is the L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black mascara.  I feel like this one does get a  bit of hype, and I am going to have to disagree.  This isn't the worst mascara I've ever used, but I definitely don't love it.  The color is truly dark black, so they aren't lying about that.  (In case you don't know carbon black is supposedly the blackest black, so companies tend to play that up in marketing.)  This is obviously a volumizing mascara, which also is true, it does volumize.  However, I find the formula to be too wet for my taste, and it can get clumpy.  The brush is average shape and size.  Overall, it's not a favorite, but if you love it, more power to you!  I do really love the matte black and gold packaging though!



The last thing I used up, which I actually did use up the full product, is a lip balm/chapstick by Savannah Bee Company in Mint Julep.  (I also have Earl Grey.)  If you don't know, Savannah Bee Company is a company mostly known for their honey, but they also sell natural, organic body products.  I love this chapstick.  It's minty and moisturizes well.  I would definitely repurchase this if I found them at a retailer but I won't order them online.  (I originally got mine at a trade show type of thing where different vendors come and sell their products.)

Photos via google images