on tonight's menu: four cheese baked skillet rigatoni

...Cause three cheeses isn't enough ;)

This recipe looks amazing and I plan to make it tonight! Yum! I found the recipe on the food blog, "How Sweet It Is" by the oh-so talented Jessica!

Do you guys have a favorite food blog? I'm trying to find some new inspiration. Here are my favorites:
How Sweet It Is
Joy The Baker 
Food Gawker
Chasing Delicious
Lottie + Doof
Luxirare
Not Without Salt
With Butter... Always
Steamy Kitchen

Setting the Mood for Romance

A bedroom should be your retreat. A little space tucked away from the world where you can relax, unwind and, if you're lucky, cuddle up with someone you love. 

Of course it should be comfy and cozy, but I also think there should be an element of romance. A bedroom should be a little sexy, right? Gotta set the mood! 

I wanted to put together a mood board for the bedroom in my new place. Am I missing anything? Do you have a "must-have" in your bedroom?

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Musical Spotlight: Lana Del Rey

I still can't quite shake Lana Del Rey. My boyfriend introduced her to me a few months back shortly before her performance on SNL and I instantly fell in love. Her voice is epic and so unique. To quote another favorite and similar artists, Fiona Apple, her voice is "slow like honey."

And her name is pretty sweet too, even though it's just a stage name. In a recent Vogue interview, she discussed her stage name, saying, "I wanted a name I could shape the music towards... I was going to Miami quite a lot at the time, speaking a lot of Spanish with my friends from Cuba – Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside. It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue." She also refers to herslef as a gangster Nancy Sinatra, which I thought was the perfect description.

And she's also an artist beyond the musical aspect. She’s been making videos since she was seventeen. According to an amazing interview you can watch HERE, she started by collecting vintage video footage from different archives and setting moving pictures to classical music. Pretty cool, huh?

Lana directed and edited the music video for "Video Games," which is moving musical collage of her vintage video collection. The video was very well received my critics and me :)

I found these beautiful photos on her website and wanted to share... she's such a beauty!



Memorial Day Weekend

Summer's coming... have you noticed? The days are longer and the weather is warmer. I've always considered Memorial Day Weekend as the kick-off to Summertime. The 3 day holiday lends to lovely weekend getaways and outdoor dinners and drinks with friends and family. 

This Memorial Day marks two years for my boyfriend and I and we are going to celebrate by trying to recreate our first date. A day soaking up the sun (and some cocktails) at a rooftop pool in downtown San Diego and then dinner and drinks wherever we stumble.

I am really looking forward to everything! Do you guys have any special plans?

I wanted to put together some fun outfits for the different things that I would love to do on Memorial Day Weekend... a day at the horse races, a day at the beach and a day at a backyard barbecue.  

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Designer Spotlight: Emily Mughannam of EM Design

I was recently introduced to the work of Emily Mughannam of EM Design via MadebyGirl and I am offically in Lurrrve. Her style is fun, fresh and eclectic! Her mixes of neon and pastel hues are divine, especially in the "Teen Only Hang Out Room." I am especially loving the neon shelving, luminescent lighting, shag white carpet and bar cart.

I don't know about you, but I would hang out here whether or not I was a teen! But hey, age ain't nothing but a number... right High Hefner?

  

Check out "Teen Only Hang Out Room" here:

Other designs by Emily:

Emily also has a blog called Lucite + Lavender, which is chalk-FULL of inspiration. Check it out HERE

Chef Spotlight: Jessica from How Sweet It Is

Wow. wowza. whoa.

I pinned a delicious looking foodie photo on Pinterest and decided to dig a little deeper to find out where it came from. Boy, am I happy I did! I discovered "How Sweet It Is," a food blog by the beautiful and talented Jessica! 

I can BARELY wait to try out some of her recipes. They ALL look amazing. Oh, and get this- she is completely self-taught! What a talent!

portobello and leek carbonara.

roasted tomato caprese grilled cheese.

grilled coconut lime tilapia tacos with kiwi salsa.

day after thanksgiving breakfast hash with cheddar mashed potato pancakes.

30 minute crispy salmon with creamy basil noodles.

crab cake sliders with pineapple kiwi salsa.

roasted garlic + caramelized veggie tostadas.

bacon, egg + asparagus personal pizzas.

stuffed fontina portobello skillet.

Striped Curtains

My friend at work introduced me to the idea of striped curtains. I'd never really considered them until she said she was going to dye some for the windows in her room. Again, thank you Pinterest DIY ideas! 

I've decided that black and white curtains are especially chic looking.  

Aren't these rooms with striped curtains photos fabulous!? 

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Fierce Fireplaces

I can only hope that the house that my boyfriend and I buy has a fireplace. I just adore how cozy they can make a home feel. When it's raining or gloomy outside, there's nothing like lighting a fire and curling up with a good book.

In addition to warming the home in the winter, Pinterest has opened my eyes to the different ways that you can style your fireplace in warmer months. Book storage? Hot pink paint? Yessss!

Here are some different fireplaces to set your inner interior designer hearts ablaze!