pink clouds

[B.P. Canvas Bag.  Lily White Top.  F21 Shorts.  Boutique 9 Sandals.  Vintage/Assorted Bangle Bracelets.  Nordstrom Ring.  Urban Outfitters Necklace.]

Ever since I laid eyes on the pink, lace-up shorts from Isabel Marant's SS11 collection, I knew I had to try to replicate the look.  Luckily, it wasn't very hard to find a more affordable pair of cute, pink cut-offs (I had already splurged on my True Religion Bobby Shorts, so I had to restrain myself!).  They're a fun take on the classic American look, and I'll certainly be rocking them all summer.

xx

A

p.s. I'm so sorry for the sporadic posting.  My boyfriend Dan and I are in the process of moving to Sanford, Florida, so house hunting, packing, job searching, paperwork, scheduling utilities to be turned on, reserving moving trucks and all the other joys that come with moving to a new city are currently taking all up my spare time.  My head is spinning just thinking about my To Do List.  Hopefully once we settle in I'll have a slew of new posts coming your way, though!

brigitte bardot

Perfect Summer inspiration: Brigitte Bardot in the sixties.. With a deer.  So much to love.

xx

A

::destination unknown::

Summer is officially here, and, for most, that means traveling and chasing the surf and sun.  If you're one of the lucky ones who will be jetting off to some exotic, tropical hideaway this year, then unique prints and textures are perfect to have in your suitcase; especially when you can take a few items and mix and match them to create several different outfits.  Also, don't forget to lather on the sunscreen, apply a natural-looking faux tan, and pick a fun color for your toes! Here are some of my picks:

ALLSAINTS Bleach Breton Uma Dress

Juicy Couture Green & Crown Thread Duo Necklace

Philosophy 'Shelter' SPF 30 Sunblock

Michael Stars Origami Fedora

OPI Mexico Collection, OPI My Chihauhua Bites!

Ray-Ban Classic Aviators

Ecote Baja Backpack

Vix Eriko Bandeau Bikini

Mossimo Palila Beaded Flat Sandals

Low Luv By Erin Wasson Metal Triple Crystal

Women's Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel

Roxy Sand And Sea Beach Towel

xx

A

strawberry < chicken <> gorgonzola > salad

After a long week/weekend consisting of far too much eating out, endless happy hours and traveling, I decided to make a light dinner that turned out to be incredibly satisfying.  The sweetness of the strawberries was a great contrast to the bite of the gorgonzola cheese, and the homemade tupelo honey and balsamic dressing was the perfect flavor combination to marry all of the ingredients together.  

Sautéed Chicken

Heat olive oil in a pan to medium high heat.

Take 3 or 4 thin, boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cutlets), and season with salt and pepper (but feel free to get creative - I used a bit of truffle salt).

Cook chicken for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip them, and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes (or until they are no longer pink inside).

Let rest for about 5 minutes, then slice the pieces diagonally.

Tupelo Honey & Balsamic Vinegar Dressing

(Side note: I don't really measure when I make my dressings - I just taste test until I get it right)

Mix together:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

2 Teaspoons Tupelo Honey (any honey will do, though)

2 Teaspoons Mayonnaise

1 Teaspoon Whole Grain Mustard

1 Teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar

A dash of salt and pepper

Just make sure you have the right ratios of sweet and tangy!

Toss Spring Mix salad with a few tablespoons of the dressing and crumbled gorgonzola, then top it off with fresh, chopped strawberries and the sautéed chicken.  And, Voilà! You have a fresh, healthy dish.  Enjoy!

xx

A

Wayúu Tayá Foundation

As you've probably noticed, the tribal look is pretty big right now.  The bright colors and geometric designs give off a really cool vibe that's perfect for days at the beach, music festivals, or traveling.  However, instead of purchasing a "tribal-inspired" bag from some big name brand, take a look at the beautiful Mochila bags handmade by the women of the indigenous Wayuú Tribe.  All profits go back to the Tribe through the The Wayúu Tayá Foundation.  They are truly stunning bags, but it makes it so much sweeter to know you'll be supporting a beautiful people who need our help.  

Here's a bit more about the foundation:

"We are a 501(c)3 non governmental, nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to help improve the lives of Latin-American indigenous communities while maintaining and respecting their traditions, culture and beliefs.  Wayúu Tayá Foundation was founded by Wayúu model and actress, Patricia Velásquez.  Since its creation, Wayúu Tayá has concentrated its efforts in assisting the Wayúu, an indigenous group of over 450,000 people, located in the Guajira Peninsula of northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela."

p.s. Sorry for the hiatus!  I was road trippin' all around the South East with my boyfriend and two other friends to see Phish.  It was amazingly fun, and such a cool experience.  Can't wait to do it again!

xx

A

photos via google image search.

day trippin: mazzaro's italian market

They boast quite the collection of small Italian automobiles.. I took a liking to this psychedelic Fiat.

 He had about enough of the pictures, and was dying to get his hands on some Italian goodies.

Sausage

Lots o' cheese.

Italian pastries galore.

I went for the pistachio gelato, and Dan chose a massive Éclair Mmmm.

[vintage dress and belt, Boutique 9 sandals, Ray-Ban Sunglasses]

If you live in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, you must take a day and wander around Mazzaro Italian Market.  It's full of all sorts of delicious meats, cheeses, herbs, olives, and other Italian delicacies to take home.  Also, if you want to eat in (which I highly recommend), there's a little counter where you can order all sorts of pastas, salads, and sandwiches.  I love the tomato, basil and mozzarella tower, and Dan swears by their signature balsamic and caramelized onion burger.  My favorite part of Mazzaros, however, is the wine tasting room (they have a HUGE selection), and, of course, their pastry case.  They have gelato in all the classic flavors like chocolate and tiramasu, but also have seasonal choices.  Their pistachio flavor was to die for.  And if you still have some time to kill, there's also loads of vintage shopping, thrifting, used bookstores and art galleries all around if you want to check those out after lunch - it certainly makes for a lovely day.  Ciao bella!

xx

A

wonders of the world

A little Friday inspiration.  Beauty is all around us.  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xx

A

photos via where's my other shoe, bleed gold, tumblr, stumble upon, google image search, alison scarpulla

old school style: diy friendship bracelets

When I was a little girl, I would spend hours upon hours making multicolored friendship bracelets for myself, my friends, and anyone else who wanted them.  I would layer them all over my wrists and ankles, and thought they were pretty much the coolest thing ever.  When they popped up again wrapped around the wrists of prominent fashionistas, I was immediately reminded of my childhood, and set out to make some right away.  

Now that I'm older, and obviously have a better sense of what hues look good together, searching for new color combinations is so fun; I'm especially into neon brights paired with cool neutrals and Missoni inspired palettes right now.   They're also super easy to make, and absolutely perfect for Summer.  As an added bonus, if you're like me and love to rock a few accessories with your swim wear, you certainly don't have to worry about these guys getting wet or loosing them in the ocean.  Now, I'm off to the store to get some supplies.. Happy crafting!

xx

A

Photos via Oracle Fox and Honestly WTF.  DIY instructions via Honestly WTF.

les gazelles

About a year or so ago, my lovely mamacita gave me the book Gypset Style by Julia Chaplin.  It contains so many gorgeous photos of famous gypsetters (a hybrid of gypsy and jet-set) and exotic locations.  

The part that stood out the most to me, however, was the story of the Mignot sisters.  Originally from France, they packed up their family and became nomads - living everywhere from Bora Bora to Ils Saint-Louis before settling in Sayulita, Mexico.  There, they live a beautiful life surfing, sailing around in their old, wooden boat, and running their boutique, Les Gazelles, where they sell - amongst other things - their trademark black pearl jewelry.

  Their motto is "Le vie est belle" (life is beautiful), and by the looks of these photos, they embody that saying perfectly.  We should all take note from the Mignot family, and strive to be a little more free-spirited and carefree.

xx

A

photos via les gazelles, gypset, oracle fox.