Strawberry Banana Smoothie

 

I'm usually a stickler for following recipes step-by-step, but some things are better left to be made ad-lib and smoothies easily fall into that category. In this case, I used whatever I had on hand-milk, frozen yogurt, strawberries and bananas. I love how much versatility smoothies offer when it comes to adding nutrients. Next time I may try making (and succumb to my recipe-following tendencies) something similar to this.

A Walk Through Wayland

While the bustling streets of College Hill cater to Providence's Brown and RISD students, Wayland square sits quietly just blocks down and tucked away from the city's spotlight. It is home to beautifully curated boutiques, independent book stores, old colonial houses and small eateries. This weekend I stopped by for some window shopping and a quick bite. I went here and here before heading to the pub, where my boyfriend and I caught some of the ncaa tournament.

a step into nostalgia

This weekend's passing shower brought upon a wave of nostalgia. As I slipped off my Tretorn rain boots and my rain soaked socks after a long morning of errands, I was immediately brought back to the pair of Tretorn shoes I had growing up. These were far from cute, yet somehow I felt very stylish in them. I specifically remember wearing them to tennis camp where I received not first, not second, but third runner up in the final tournament. I cried the whole way home. Funny how the littlest things can jog your memory...

this and that

This week felt like summer, not even spring. Sunny and 70's has pretty much been the norm. That being said, I....painted my toenails, was able to run outside and in shorts, packed away my winter jackets, rolled down my windows, broke out the sunglasses and sipped on sangria. Aside from working over forty hours, I'd say the week has been very good to me. Here are some other things that made me happy along the way:

 

my annual dose of cadury mini eggs, 

an easter addiction year in and year out

new nail polish, sephora picnic in the park

a lady friend i met on lunch break 

all saints way, a small alley in boston's north end

An Oxford Education

As far as wardrobe staples are concerned, a classic button down oxford is as essential as it gets. Whether worn by a woman or a man, this versatile shirt can be paired with the most dressy and the most casual of ensembles. Perfect with jeans, trousers or even over a bathing suit after a day at the beach.

The oxford cloth button-down shirt originated as a sport shirt. At the turn of the last century, polo players in England wore formal long-sleeved shirts made of oxford cotton (hence the name "oxford"), a breathable and durable basket-weave cloth. The collars were made with buttons to prevent them from flapping during polo matches. Tennis players soon began using this same fabric. The first button down collars were introduced by Brooks Brothers and used exclusively for sports shirts until the 1950s when they became mainstream in America.

Polo at Meadowbrook, 1938
(http://www.howardfrank.com/)

Tennis Players, 1910

(http://worldphotocollections.blogspot.com)

     I'm pictured above in a well loved    

     oxford. My cousin snapped

     this photo during a walk through    

     Matunuck, a small beach community.

Spring Pitas

Happy first day of Spring! What better way to kick off the season than with some fresh produce. I threw together this pita a few days ago, and it was surprisingly refreshing. Cucumbers, tomatoes, veggie hummus and bean sprouts made for an earthy and satiating bite on the run.

Close Your Eyes

I could tell you all about my mom’s obsession with James Taylor (and Carly Simon), and how I eventually acquired it, but that would require me to write a novel. I’m so happy to have come across this no frills studio session between two timeless creative forces. The footage is simple, yet full of feeling; it gives me the goose bumps. I also can't help but notice Carly’s effortless beauty from her whimsical hair down to her understated floral dress. And James Taylor is a hunk, of course. That goes without saying.

this and that: top of the morning

Happy (almost) St. Patrick's Day! I have the tendency to hype up this holiday, though I've toned it down in recent years since graduating from college. My week has been filled with all things Irish, some things intentional and others just a natural extension of my everyday life. Oxalis (otherwise known as "flowering shamrocks") can be found sitting on my windowsill any time of year and beer is usually in our fridge. However, soda bread is something I look forward to once a year and my Irish knit sweater, well, I barely wear it. I think it looks nicer on the hanger, although I do break it out around this time for good measure. Cheers to a fun and festive weekend!

                

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

I've never really liked blondies, but I made them anyway, because I had an excess of peanut butter cups that needed to be put to use. I think on some level I was hoping that by adding the peanut butter cups I would magically start to like blondies. Unfortunately, I still don't like them but the peanut butter cups did help to break up the blondie's extreme sweetness. If one good thing came from baking these, it is that I finally realized one very basic fact: The blondie is essentially the browie's albino cousin and the only major difference between the two is cocoa content. While brownies use varying amounts of cocoa and taste mostly chocolate, a blondie's flavor is from brown sugar. As a natural brunette, my inclination is to root for team brownie, but i'm sure this won't be my last batch of blondies. Maybe i'll find a recipe that changes my mind.

Color it Coral

                                                     
                                                                       Scarf: Birthday Gift! Shirt: J.Crew

Hidden in between orange and red is coral, a warm color that ranges from soft and peachy to strong and vibrant. As you can see, i've slowly acquired a lot of this shade and find that it's perfect for those times when fire engine red just won't do. Lately it's been my go to hue when i'm looking for a pop of color, especially with spring so close. It also doesn't hurt that coral is flattering on just about any complexion.

Essie Peach Daiquiri Nail Polish
Revlon Coralberry Lipstick

J.Crew Bubble Necklace

Overwhelmed by all these different shades? This visual might help.

Tones of Coral Color Comparison Chart:

• Coral Pink
• Light Coral
• Coral 
• Coral Red 
• Dark Coral

Maerz and Paul A Dictionary of Color New York:1930--McGraw Hill Page 193; Color Sample of Coral: Page 27 Plate 2 Color Sample J10

Noteworthy

Mechanics Hall, Worcester, MA

   A couple of months ago my boyfriend and I were offered tickets to an orchestra, the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra to be more specific. I'm not sure why i'm just getting around to posting this, anyway, I digress...While I am no classical music connoisseur, the brilliance born from string, brass, woodwind, and percussion is certainly not lost on me. I must admit I was initially drawn to the offer, because I had been looking for an excuse to dress up and attend an event at an old-world style venue. This took place at the elegant Mechanics Hall, and no sooner than I accepted the tickets, I had already picked out an outfit. It only made sense to wear the vintage black and white polka-dotted dress that had been sitting in my closet collecting dust (..impulse buy). I had no idea where I was going to wear it and was glad to finally put it to use. So there we sat, in a sea of white hair, waiting for the orchestra to begin. I glanced at the older woman to my left and couldn't help but think to myself, "this will be me someday. in a bulky fur coat. with obnoxious perfume. turning up my hearing aid." Sure my boyfriend and I were in the minority, but it's funny situations like these that I won't forget, and they are reminders to carve out time for activities that I usually wouldn't gravitate towards. At the very least I'll walk away with a chuckle and a story to tell...

this and that

vintage instamatic find- inspiration to take pictures the old fashioned way

Almost time to spring ahead, and I could not be more thrilled for an extra hour of daylight! I plan to take full advantage of this weekend before I lose that pesky hour of sleep. A few things i've been wanting to do- finally go for a run outside instead of on the treadmill, bake something for the Irish holiday soon upon us and download more tunes for my commute to work, i'm thinking some from lana del ray. Pictured is a little of this and a little of that from my week:

mom's colorful side dishes

fashion faux pas: mixing and silver and gold...and loving every minute of it

brick walkway + sunny afternoon

Block Party

 In fashion most old trends eventually become new again, and such is the case with color block. It re-emerged on the runways last spring and is still going strong. This bold colored style dates back to the 1960's in response to the curve hugging pastel dresses of the 50's. It's a fun way to experiment with colors that you wouldn't ordinarily think to wear together. The color blocking technique translates well into both daytime and evening looks, but avoid wearing too many different colors at once unless you are an aspiring clown. When in doubt pair a neutral with a bold and work from there. Definitely looking forward to wearing some vibrant colors this spring!

Pan-Seared Sirloin with Red Wine Demi-glace

"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook."

-Julia Child

While Julia Child's famous words aren't neccessarily my motto all of the time, lately i've been making a concerted effort to eat foods that I generally avoid, and steak would be one of those foods. I don't have anything against steak, i'd just rather eat another protein. I saw a cooking show a while back, and I watched as the chef made a demi-glace. I was surprised at how easy it looked, so I found this recipe and tried making it myself. Since I haven't quite mastered the art of cooking steak, I figured it was best left up to my boyfriend. I chimed in to help with the demi-glace and the side salad. The sirloin came out really tender and the demi-glace was nice and savory but not too salty. Turns out steak is tastier than I give it credit for.