Fete Foods

Are you hosting a holiday get together and need some quick yet tasty morsels to serve to your swanky guests? Consider adding these to your menu. A super fast yet elegant baked brie and bacon cheese tartlets. Sounds yummy right?

I came across them while watching a Golden Girls marathon on the WeTV channel. Sidebar- Golden Girls cracks me up!

I tried out both recipes and with a lil' tweaking, I have two new fab party foods added to my repertoire! For the tarlet, I used Gruyere cheese and turkey bacon. (I'm dying to try it with Goat cheese, shrimp and prosciutto.) And opted for individual mini baby Baked Bries, served with delicious pears.




Videos from WeTV

See? Super fast and super easy!

Christmas List Must Have!!!

The must have gift amongst my bffs, is more a organized space for the designer duds they strong arm for at the City-wide sample sales. So being the dutiful friend I am, I've searched for a reasonable option to help with their mini crisis.


The "Organize-It" Adjustable Closet System. I've seen the closets of said friends and I think they all could benefit from this modular, no tools needed closet organizer.

Sure, it's not the celeb walk in sanctuary that we all dream about but it can be a neat, organized and color coordinated start.

I think it is especially cool for space challenged apartment dwellers and college students. Speaking of which, I shall pick one up for my college bound daughter.






Did I just hear a collective, wistful sigh?

It Beckons

"Donovan" Wing Chair

This chair is so gorgeous! It's a symphony in azure. Actually, the color is turquoise but I like the word "azure". If this chair was in my office, I would probably never leave. If it was available in a embossed croc, I would DIE!!! *faints at mere thought*

You see, I'm an avid lover of all things exotic skinned, real or embossed. The texture and dimension it gives to any given item, just elevates it a quite a few notches for me.

Case in point:




Neiman Marcus

Z Gallerie Largo Console



Linens and Things (I know, I thought they went out of business too!)

One little tidbit about this lamp... I first bookmarked it at another site for almost $150.00, then by happenstance stumbled onto Linens and Things and found the very same lamp for $58.00!!!

Wrapped with a Bow

Just a few things on my "Santa List"...



Vogue

Treasure? Are you reading this? I will take this Dolce and Gabbana floral bodysuit and pencil skirt along with the red Loubous. Photography with Mario Testino is purely optional. Rachel is STUNNING my eyes with this ensemb!


Sephora

Oh, and I would love to have this fab fragrance, KenzoAmour Florale. I just discovered it yesterday in Sephora. I think it's a contender for signature fragrance. Although a little light for winter, I've never been one to follow rules, so why start now? With these drab, blustery winter days, the scent transports me to a tropical locale.


Givenchy Nightingale

I would be tickled pink to have this bag under the tree too!!


Givenchy Wide Ankle Boots

I would love these under the tree too buuuuuut I already bought them. Couldn't wait until next week. I feel I could wear these with almost EVERYTHING!!! I feel so badass in them. Such fabulousness!!




Last, but not least, (I think) would be the Lipstick Jungle boxset. I just loved this show and occasionally watch episodes on Fancast.com but I would like to watch them without all the annoying "buffering".

What's on the top of your wish list?

Why Have A House When You Can Have An Estate

My Hubby has asked me to make gingerbread man cookies for Christmas. I have never made a gingerbread cookie before. As a matter of fact, the last cookie I made from scratch was peanut butter cookies in Home Economics class.... eons ago.


They were pretty tasty, from what I remember but I digress.

Fast-forward to yesterday, when we both had a sweet tooth, I reached for a tub of pre-made cookie dough goodness:



Fresh out the oven, soft, warm cookies with coffee ice cream (me), butter pecan ice cream (him)... we were totally delighted to welcome the associated sugar high, then coma.

So you see, I have not flex that baking from scratch muscle in a while but I'm willing to give it a try. So, I troll the 'Net for a good and easy recipe and my journey brings me to this sweet bit of fabulousity!


Personalized Gingerbread Estate

Isn't it the cutest thing!?!?

I Know, I Know

I haven't posted any more photos from the wedding. I don't know why, I guess with so much going on since August 30, I just haven't had the time to shift through them.

I'm STILL trying to decide on a favorites for a wall size canvas. Yeah, I know, maybe it's a bit much but I saw something similar as a window display at the mall and just fell in love with the idea. It was a black and white photo of a couple and was particularly striking. So instead of a photo collage on the wall or anything like that, I opt for the canvas, it's more inline with my decorating aesthetic.

At first, I thought I wanted to do a display similar to this:



But nah, it's not really our style. Pretty though!

I can't find the picture from the mall where I came across the idea but found this visual:



I just love it, especially since our living room doesn't really have a focus, aside from the flat screen. My thoughts are that an over sized canvas will bring balance to the room.

I do know that the photo has to be carefully chosen, probably cropped to reveal an interesting angle or point of view so it looks more like art instead of a big azz picture of us. Also may have a little photoshop thrown in for good measure.

I also liked this idea, of canvas tiles:



Cute right? I just love the interest it gives to an otherwise dead space.

Speaking of wedding photos, how 'bout I share a few?






My bouquet was sooooo heavy but it was beautiful.



I loved our invitations but not at first. I felt like I wanted something more grand looking but these turned out to be perfect.





I tried to have the "pucci" inspiration throughout the wedding but in punctuations.





See the young lady on the far left? That's my daughter. My photographers didn't believe me when I told them. Ha! The rest of the girls are my sisters and nieces.



We had the room draped to hide the iron wrought chandelier. I love the ethereal feel it gave to the ceremony.



Here comes the tears...

The newlyweds' smile and smirk!





The dessert "Library". All the desserts were handmade and color coordinated by my fab florist, Tammy. Actually she did everything, the decor, the flowers, the design.. she was amazing! I had a vague idea of what the room would look like besides the fact that I wanted long tables and NO tall flower arrangements. I was over the moon when I saw the room.







I know this photo is unfocused but I just love it.. it looks sensual yet romantic.



Our exit. I just loved the back of my reception dress, it had an Old Hollywood feel.

Photos by fab photographers Julie and my sister, Toya.