Wednesday
Monday
Happy Love Day!
"A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults."
Charles Kingsley
"Where there is love, there is God also."
Leo Tolstoy
"Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition."
Alexander Smith
"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."
Allan K. Chalmers
Tuesday
I live for Music
Monday
The Feline's have Arrived. MEOW!
My favorite designers for the cat-eye include Tom Ford (worn by Olivia Palmero below and seen in the JCrew catalog), Diane Von Furstenburg &Michael Kors. Meooowww!!!
Saturday
Friday
Flirty Feathers
Wednesday
Ah-Mazing Crab Stuffed Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh summer herbs (such as basil, tarragon or chives)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Pinch pepper
2 chopped cloves garlic
Pinch salt
8 ounces lump crab meat
1/3 cup chopped celery
4 pitted avocado halves
Directions:
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh summer herbs (such as basil, tarragon or chives), 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and a pinch pepper. Using the flat side of a knife, smash 2 chopped cloves garlic with a pinch salt; whisk the paste into the mayonnaise mixture. Stir in 8 ounces lump crabmeat and 1/3 cup chopped celery. Divide the crab salad among 4 pitted avocado halves.
* I used low fat mayo in place of the regular to make it healthier:)
Tuesday
Stop This Train
This song pretty much sums it up perfectly "Stop This Train"
Monday
Monday's Motivation
Tuesday
Valentine's Ideas for Him
For Men:
Purchased Gifts
- Has you hunny ever mentioned his interest in learning to play an instrument? Why not buy him some music lessons from a local studio. If you live in California, California Music Studios is a great website you can use to look up music teachers in your local area.
- Tickets to a band you both enjoy or a sporting event to watch his favorite team. Ticketmaster is the best website to purchase tickets to a concert or game!
- A watch is a great present. Nixon watched happen to be my favorite watches for men, they last forever and have great styles. The Player is the type of Nixon watch that I bought Ryan years ago and he loves it!
- For those willing to dish out a bit more money you cant go wrong with something from Apple . The iPad happens to be my favorite of all the Apple products. You can purchase a refurbished iPad for $429 and get a personalized message engraved on the back to make it extra special.
- A Flip Video is an awesome present. You can bring the small camera on your special outings together to capture the moment. It's simple to plug into the computer and fun to put together your own personal movies. There are a variety of different designs you can chose from or you can chose to upload a personal picture to use for the front design of the Flip.
- Create a picture book at inkubook where you can choose from a variety of different styles and sizes. Personalize the book with messages throughout the book.
Homemade Gifts:
- Create a small scrapbook with pictures taken throughout your relationship. Mix in some stories and meaningful quotes about your time together. A scrapbook is fun to look back on and remember all the great times you've shared together.
- "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach." Instead of going out to eat why not get all the ingredients to make his favorite meal and spend the evening cooking together. This is something fun you can do and is alot more romantic that going out to a crowded expensive restaurant.
- The most important part of Valentine's Day is spending time together and having fun. Therefore, do not even feel obligated to get something. Why not spend your time creating a homemade card with a special message inside. A letter from the heart is more meaningful that anything.
- A basket full of his favorite things. Put together some of his favorite treats, DVD's, books, magazines, movie tickets and anything else that he enjoys. This will show how much you pay attention to the things he loves.
Monday
Chipolte Burrito Bowl at home!
Cilantro Lime Rice:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 lime
½ tsp salt (kosher or sea salt)
1 cup basmati rice (Trader Joes has a great brown basmati rice
11/2 cups water
Sautee the rice in oil until almost translucent
Add water, bring to a boil.
As soon as the water begins to boil, turn the heat down low.
Simmer, covered for 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
Turn off heat.LEAVE IT COVERED for 30 minutes. Remove lid, let some of the steam out. Mix salt and juice of lime together until salt is dissolved.
Pour it over rice, fluff with a fork.
Sprinkle in cilantro, and toss well to evenly coat with cilantro and lime mixture. DELICIOUS:)
Chicken marinade:
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons oregano (fresh or dried)
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
1 red onion, quartered
1/8 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lbs chicken breast (boneless, skinless)
puncture chicken with a fork and pour marinde on top. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Grilled Peppers:
3 bell peppers (whatever color you prefer)
1/2 purple onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Slice peppers and onions in thin strips. Sautee peppers, garlic and onions in olive oil for approximately 5 minutes or until tender.
To make a burrito bowl put approx. 1/2 cup of basmati rice in a shallow bowl, place a spoonful of grilled peppres and chicken on top. Add corn salsa and chopped lettuce for added texture and flavor. Enjoy!
Friday
Wednesday
Best of Beauty!
Hair
To improve hair and nail strength, luster and length try taking a Biotin supplement. Biotin is a water-soluble B-Complex Vitamin. Biotin is naturally produced by our bodies however, increasing the dose we naturally create stimulates the creation and growth of hair and new skin cells, making them healthier and more abundant.There are no adverse reactions from taking this supplement and often doctors recommend taking approximately 3 doses of 1000 mcg per day.
This product can be found at Walgreen's, Target, Costco and Amazon Nails
As mentioned above, Biotin is used not only for hair strength but also for nail strength. In addition, Nailtiques Nail Protein polish is my favorite nail product which works to bond the nail layers creating a healthier, stronger nail.
This product can be found at many beauty and drug stores including CVS Priti Polish is a line of organic beauty products specializing in hands and feet. I LOVE their polish as it is gentle, glossy, chip resistant and carries the most amazing colors. I also enjoy their soy polish remover. These products have been featured in all kinds of magazines lately and are especially well received amongst fashion designers during New York fashion week. Most models were sporting Priti Polish down the runway! The products are 100% Biodegradable, non-toxic and non-carcinogenic.
These products can be found at select stores , their website or on Amazon
Lips
AmorePacific is my favorite lip moisturizer. For those who have dry cracked lips this lip balm replenishes and binds hydration to the lips for up to 8 hours.
This product can be found at Sephora
Philosophy Kiss Me Exfoliating Scrub is a gentle scrub for dry, flaky lips leaving the lips softer and smoother! I use this scrub a couple times a week to add hydration for an easier application of lipstick.
This product can be found at Sephora and at Philosophy website.
I have tried a variety of facial cleansers from Philosophy, Clinique, Proactive, Bobbi Brown, etc and I have found nothing better than Clean and Clear Morning Burst Cleanser. It smells fantastic and it is a gentle cleanser than cleanses without drying out the skin. Alot of the other cleansers that Ive used either leave my skin flaky and dry or a bit too moisturized leading to break out.
You can find this product at any drug store.Dr. Patricia Wexler's dermatology line at Bath & Body Works is amazing! I have been using the skin brightening daily moisturizer with SPF 30 for several years now and I have noticed a huge change in my skin. I have less breakouts and my skin feels soft and hydrated but not overly moisturized or greasy. The SPF is especially important!Body
I've been using the same body scrub for the past 5 years. St. Ives Apricot Body Scrub, is effective in sloughing off dead skin leaving it soft and smoother and you cant beat the price! St. Ives Oatmeal & Shea Butter body soap is also one of my favorites.
These products can be found at any drug store and most grocery stores.