Halloweekend

Happy Halloween weekend everyone!

{ via Pinterest }

Old Elizabeth Arden Ad

{ via Fall Elizabeth }

October

{ image }

Fall Recipe: Grandmother's Soft Gingerbread Cake

Came across this recipe today and totally going to try it this weekend .... maybe with some splenda too? I'll let you know how it goes when I tweak the recipe to be low-carb. 

{ Image and Recipe via Daily Candy }

Grandmother’s Soft Gingerbread Cake

Serves twelve to sixteen

Ingredients

For the cake

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1¼ tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 c. sugar

1 c. dark molasses

1 c. vegetable oil

3 lg. eggs 

1 c. boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and lightly flour a 9-inch-round springform baking pan.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon.

3. In a mixing bowl with electric beaters (or by hand with a whisk), beat together the sugar, molasses, oil, and eggs until well blended and smooth, 1-2 minutes.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until blended, scraping the bowl once or twice.

5. Add the boiling water and beat just until smooth. The batter should be thin. Don’t overmix or the cake will be tough.

6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and place on a baking sheet to catch drips.

7. Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 50-55 minutes.

8. Let cool on a rack for at least 15 minutes before removing the pan sides.

For the whipped cream

1 c. heavy cream

2 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Freshly grated nutmeg

1. In a mixing bowl with electric beaters (or by hand with a whisk), whip together the cream, sugar, and vanilla till soft peaks form.

2. Cut the cake into wedges. Transfer to dessert plates and put a dollop of whipped cream and a few sprinkles of nutmeg on top.

Bodie and Fou

I found this wonderful online catalog from the online concept store Bodie and Fou. This beautiful   Europe boutique believes in "design, fashion, inspiration .... une facon de voir la vie (a way of life)".

Life is Full of Beauty. Notice It.

I couldn't believe it when I came across this Ashley Smith quotation! The first few words are the exact same as my tagline. Word for word .... including punctuation. I had never seen it before (I promise!). Meant to be a guess ....

{ via Pinterest, yup that Jennifer Anniston! }

Life is full of beauty. Notice it.

Notice the bumble bee, the small child,

and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind.

Live your life to the fullest potential, 

and fight for your dreams.

~ Ashley Smith

Fall = Tweed

Created by Kim Tas

1.) Robbi & Nikki, Tweed-Trim Cropped Jacket 

2.) Plastic Island, Paradise Tweed Jacket

3.) Chooka, Teeny Tweed 

4.) DKNY, Ruffle Trim Tweed Coat

5.) Ralph Lauren, Harris Tweed Tote

6.) J. Crew, No. 2 Pencil Skirt

7.)Tibi, Tweed Dress

8.) J. Crew, Cafe Capri in Harvest Tweed

HOW TO WEAR IT:

Spotlight: Tara Sloggett

I came across Tara Sloggett's website today and was blown away. She's a decor and lifestyle stylist with clients such as Ikea, Real Simple, Fresh Living, Womans Weekly, and House Beautiful. Below our some of my favorites from her Home, Decor, Lifestyle, Kids, Food, and Still Life sections.

{ would love to be there right now }

{ i may do this in my bedroom! }

{ beautiful picnic! }

{ combination of pink and that blue is amazing }

{ white with pops of color }

A "Lilly" Kind of Day

Lovely weekend with some old friends that came to visit. It's been a long day with a lot of work, but we had a really nice Upper East Side morning. The day included getting a manicure (it was really necessary) and brunch at Le Pain Quotidien. We also had to stop in the Lilly Pulitzer flagship store because my friend is the rep at her college. However, I was so pleasantly surprised! I was never a huge fan of Lilly, but I realized I (or they) must have changed. Totally inspired.

{ snapped some photos of mood boards in the store }

{ prints }

{ typically not a huge fan of mommy and toddler matching, but this is adorable! }

{ saw these pink pants today and fell in love }

{ images via Lilly's blog: A Colorful Blog }

Leopard Love

Leopard Love by kimmie524 featuring a leopard handbag

Not quite sure where my obsession with leopard comes from, but I love it done in the right way (a.k.a., a non-trashy way). I particularly like TOMS new shoes design!