London chic

I really dig the London street style.

Kind of messy, yet preppy.  Rocker chic, if you will.
Very "I know my pants are tight and purple, this shirt has sequins,
and my Pumas are from 1992,
but that's how I like it. Deal."

I wish I was cool enough to pull of this edgy look.

When I try, I just look, well, less Rachel Bilson, and more Ashley Olson.

Must work on finessing this comfy style!

(sans any strangely shaved or technicolor 'do's.)

Here's a start:

~Photos via City Sage & hip hip gin gin~

Beach eats

There's nothing more fun in summer than drinking and dining al fresco.

Throw in a breezy beach scene?

I'm in heaven.
Don't even mind a little sand in my salad.

Breakfast in Torrey Pines, CA?

And dinner in Thailand?

Yes, please and thank you.

~Images via Sunsurfer~

Weeknight Italian

I have been dubbed Pasta Concoction Lady.

Here's one of my latest, simple weeknight combo's:

Take local white button mushrooms from the Farmers' Market,

any flavor of chicken sausage (chopped),

lots of baby spinach,

fresh basil and garlic...

Saute in a little olive oil...

Meanwhile, add a little tomato paste to your favorite jarred marinara

(a secret from Giada and my Italian in-laws - gives it that rich, meaty, slow-cooked taste)

Pour your veggie-sausage sauce

over your favorite ridged pasta, e.g. rigatoni or penne,

(cooked in well-salted boiling water)

and top with lots of fresh Parm and basil.

Serve with a glass (or two) of your house red.

(which I also use to de-glaze the saute pan...doing so ensures that you get all those tasty bits, adding extra flavor to your sauce.  PLUS, adding the same wine you're drinking to the sauce makes you seem like a wonderful sommelier by ensuring your pairing will be spot on.)

;)

Simple and delish!

Or in the words of many an Italian lady chef...

Mangia, que te fa bene!

My diaper is full...

I cannot get enough of the following Huggies commercial.

For one, that baby is ridiculously adorbs in that denim diap.

And for two, that Zoolander accent kills me.  

Having freshly come off a European vacay,

the huzz and I affectionately refer to Germans as "Donks", 

based on our simple minded (read: complete lack of knowledge)

of the German language.

We are each part Donk,

And this baby is a big time Donk.

I POO...in BLUE.

Love.

Parisian perfection

Always dreamed of living in the City of Light?

An extended visit to Paris (especially in the spring time)
has always been on my Bucket List.

With a recent deal on Jetsetter,

you could call Paris your home, if even for a short while,
with an adorable apartment rental!

Just imagine (and then wipe the drool off your chin)...
Setting up camp in your very own pied-à-terre,
lazy mornings (slipping into afternoons) at outdoor cafes, etc.

With this deal, you’d score more living space (and at a more affordable price)

than the traditional Parisian hotel room!

Not to mention all the convenient perks of a "home",

such as a fully equipped kitchen
(even though all I'd need is a wine opener and a cheese knife!),

washer and dryer, and free WiFi and phone calls to North America.

If I were able to "work from home", I would jump on this in a heartbeat!

(sigh)
Talk about bragging rights...

and renewing your Joie de Vivre!

~Images via Jetsetter & Sunsurfer~

Small bar

We may not currently have the space for a full-blown bar in our condo,

but how adorable are these little gems?

Can't decide which space-saving idea I love the most...

Well-styled bar carts:

Perfectly stocked bar shelves and trays:

Bars tucked inside vintage armoirs:

Or, this cute little tray on a vintage Louis V trunk:

Love love LOVE them all.

(now just need to convince the huzz!)

Cheers!

Daily dose of Anthro

My latest cravings from Anthropologie.

Drooling.

From the cropped jackets,

to the loose tunics and fun belts,

to the skirts and dresses of all varieties...

and let's not forget that amazing swing and those mason jars of red wine!

I want them all.

Even the horns.

~photos via anthropologie~

Back to reality

Home yesterday afternoon and it's back to the grind today.

Nothing like a little jet lag to start off the Summer Quarter!

(But it was soooooooo worth it.)

I'd be lying if I said I didn't dread the beginning of a new quarter of grad school.

Everything always seems so overwhelming.

BUT...I can't believe I have only 2 quarters left!
21 weeks until I am done-zo.

And when you put it that way,

I'm excited to get this show on the road! :)

P.S.
Trip deets to come soon!

Green rooms

In honor of the Emerald Isle,

Here are some of my favorite rooms with fun green accents.

Textured walls and a patterned, fabric headboard = 

Perfection in a guest bedroom!

Digging the green dining & accent chairs:

Cute green-patterned shades in this his/hers office space:

And finally, cupboards with painted interiors.

It makes that white china pop!

Moral of the story:

A punch of bright, citrusy green can really liven up a space!

(Disclaimer: The other photo was collected for my own home inspiration files and I do not know its source of origin.

If you know, please inform me & I will correctly cite!)

The Dubliners

On our last day in Ireland,
we're hoping to explore what we've missed in the city,
do our final shopping,
and hopefully eat at this highly recommended, up-and-coming place -
The Pig's Ear

And finally, one last stroll along the Liffey
after one more night of fantastic live music!

I figured I'd share in the spirited Irish storytelling and singing

that we've, no doubt, been exposed to over the past 10 days.

:)

And if live Irish music does not make you happy

and grateful for living,

you must be beyond all hope.

 

(Even though Father Christmas looks a little glazed over drunk here,

and God love The Pogues, but seriously, it's time he hit up the dentist,

these gents can really jam.)

Time to quit spending "all me money on whiskey and beer",

and head back to the US of A in the morning.

:(

Dublin, Round 2

Dublin for 2 more nights!

Our final hoorah!

Why must vacations come to an end?!

:(

Over the next 2 days, we will be staying downtown,

near Trinity College & Temple Bar:

Hoping to do a couple of "tours" (if you know what I mean!):

Not to mention some SHOPPING!

(My Claddagh collection needs some updating

and Alex has his heart set on some tweed.)

Galway girl

"...So I took her hand, and I gave it a twirl,

And I lost my heart to a Galway Girl..."

If you didn't know this song before,

you probably definitely listened to it a few times

after watching the heart-wrenching P.S. I Love You movie.

It seems a fitting start to this post because today

we are driving from Doolin to Galway,
"the cultural heart of Ireland",

which is just south of where the Walsh family hails from - County Mayo!

We are staying for one night at the Galway Bay Hotel:

It's right along the beach (yes, there are beaches in Ireland)

on Salthill Promenade

overlooking the scenic Galway Bay.

Galway was recently named one of the world's "eight sexiest cities."
I can't fathom why this would be?
They do speak some Gaelic here, though that is not too sexy-sounding.
Sexy = speaking English in an Irish accent.
They should stick with that.  Example: Colin Farrell.
To me, the Gaelic dialect kinda sounds like a Middle Eastern language,
but spoken in a Midwestern accent.
I don't know much Gaelic, but I do know how to say "Cheers!"


sláinte!


I will be popular in the pubs.
What more could you possibly want or need to know? ;)

Hoping to do a little shopping in town...in addition to enjoying the bay views!

Aran Islands

While in Doolin,

we hope to take a ferry to the rocky Aran Islands.

And supposedly, the little downtown pub scene in Doolin is not to be missed.

Live traditional Irish music at its best - until the wee hours!!

The reviews on this place alone make me want to move here indefinitely.
O'Connors has quite the reputation!

Can't wait to clap my hands and tap my feet,

knock the black 'n' tans back,
and "drink the night away!"

Hey, whatcha "Doolin"?

For the next two nights,

we will be living it up in Doolin, County Clare,

along the beautiful rocky western coast!

We will definitely be biking or driving to the famous

Cliffs of Moher:

My husband will probably make me hold his hand

and not get closer than 30 feet from the edge.

But a sunset here is guaranteed to be FABULOUS.

I read a fair amount of Trip Advisor reviews

that stated if they were to do Ireland all over,

they would spend all of their time here.

So, pending any sheep incidents on the country roads, here we are!
...staying in a highly recommended little B&B.
Can't wait to have a cute little Irish Ma & Pa make me breakfast!

Over in Killarney

Bring on the greenest of the green!

After successfully driving from Dublin

(Lord, help us!)
we will be checking into the Loch Lein Country House
in Killarney, located within the famously beautiful Ring of Kerry.

Thank you, Trip Advisor!

This stop got substituted in for Dingle, rather last minute.

While I would still LOVE to visit sweet, little, seaside Dingle,

I realized that we'd be seeing enough coastal Ireland in Doolin and Galway.

So off to Killarney it is!
In all its prime mountain green gloriousness.

Gap of Dunloe

National State Park and Lakes

And now, when we listen to "Christmas in Killarney"
(a "must" on all my holiday playlists)
We can say to each other, "Oh, we've been there."

Happy Toe-Tapping!

"It's nice, you know, to kiss your beau..."

;)