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Last night, I flew out of cold burdened New York to warmer temperatures in Florida, and after the colder than normal weather this year, a weekend of warm weather and sun could not be more welcomed in my life. I have yet to invest in too many resort pieces this year but am looking forward to wearing the few I have this weekend. Among my favorites are these and I know they will quickly become a constant in my wardrobe once the weather warms up in New York. I wish you all a fabulous weekend and stay warm wherever you are!

The Super Bowl is quickly approaching and while I am not much of a football fan, I am looking forward to watching the commercials and eating delicious food. When it comes to appetizers, I often prefer to make more simple ones as I can spend less time focusing on the food and more time with friends and family. This year, I have found an appetizer so simple that all of its ingredients are listed in its name, sausage stuffed peppadews. They combine the spiciness and heat of hot Italian sausage and the sweetness of pickled piquante peppers to create an appetizer that is both addicting and bursting with flavor.

Dress: Nanette Lepore, Blazer: HM, Belt: Mango, Shoes: LK Bennett, Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren, Watches: Michelle

I love the way one accessory can change the feel of an outfit. Take this belt, without it, my outfit would be feminine and girly, but with it, it becomes a whole new outfit. It plays off the feminine and adds just the right amount of edge to balance the outfit out. No wonder it has been said accessories can make or break the outfit.  

As a child, I always found olive oil to be bitter and lacking flavor. It did not appeal to my taste buds that preferred more sugar and sweets than savory items. As I have grown older though and my savory palate has developed, olive oil has become one of my favorite condiments. Drizzled over ripe tomatoes with sea salt, a salad with fresh lemon juice, or as a dipping sauce for bread, the ways I consume it are endless. Thinking plain olive oil could not get much better, I decided to pair it with my favorite herb, rosemary. Using a simple technique found here, I combined two favorites to create a new favorite – rosemary infused olive oil. 

Sweatshirt: Jcrew, Shirt: Jcrew, Pants: Jcrew, Boots: Stuart Weitzman, Necklace: Jcrew, Purse: Zara, Watch: Michelle, Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren

The weather in NYC has been colder than usual this year, so to stay up beat, I have been layering in warm weather prints to get me through it. This gingham shirt has been one of my favorites during this extra cold winter, and given the weather outlook, I expect it to be a favorite for some time.

Happy Friday everyone! This week has been unbelievably long, so I could not be more excited for the weekend. I am planning to keep my weekend low key by catching up on sleep.  Do you have any special plans for the weekend?

Now, let’s talk about this gadget in the picture above. It looks a little funky, but it is one of my favorite tools. It is a belt hold puncher and is absolutely amazing. The head rotates so you can choose the perfect size hole to match your belt and is so simple to use. Just punch and go. Whether your belt is too small or too big now, you can add that extra hole to make it fit perfectly. Check out more of the gadget's details here. Have a great weekend!

Coat: HM, Sweater: Target, Pants: Seven For All Mankind, Shoes: Gap (similar), Necklace: Anthropologie, Gloves: Kate Spade, Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren

Scouting out different locations for my outfit posts is something I am constantly on the look out for in New York. From a cool door to an old looking building, I am always taking note of this city’s architectural wonders. So when one of my friends kindly offered for me to take photos on the roof of his apartment building, I graciously accepted the offer. With views of the park and the city’s skyline, it has to be one of my favorite backdrops.

The 3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli and its mini counterpart has been one of the It bags of the last year with its winged sides, pebbled leather, and gorgeous colors. At a high price for even the mini though, this It bag is not in most people’s budget. The Coach Bleecker Mini Riley with a similar crossbody look, array of colors, and buttery leather, comes in at over half the price without sacrificing quality. It may be more expensive than your normal budget option, but this purse will last you many stylish years to come.

Chocolate and peanut butter – a combination I can’t seem to resist when it comes to dessert. I made these chocolate-peanut butter whoopie pies recently, for a friend’s birthday, and like chocolate and peanut butter desserts I have made in the past (here and here), the flavors did not disappoint!

Top: Topshop, Skirt: Jcrew, Purse: Rebecca Minkoff, Shoes: 10 Crosby Derek Lam

Happy MLK Day everyone and I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Today, I bring you a little outfit inspiration with some of my favorite pieces of the moment. Crop tops have only grown in popularity over the last year and I have definitely come around to the trend (I wore one here). I love this one paired with this flirty high waisted skirt and these shoes and studded purse to have an outfit that's balanced, but still has a casual edge.

Downton Abbey is one of my favorite shows on television, so I was very excited when season four premiered (in the US) just over two weeks ago.  This season has been just as good as seasons past and has me wanting vintage style jewelry and accessories in the likes of Lady Mary and her sister Edith. I ended up coming across this Etsy shop, My Lavaliere, and it has been the remedy to my cravings. The shop features lots of stunning pieces and I can't to narrow it down to just a couple favorites!  Have a great weekend!

Coat: Topshop, Dress: Topshop, Clutch: Jcrew, Shoes: Kate Spade, Bracelet: Forever 21, Earrings: Club Monaco

Leopard has been a popular trend for a few seasons now and is often seen as an accent here or there. When you want to make a statement with this print though, there is no better way than with a leopard coat. It takes a casual outfit to the next level of sophistication and perfectly pairs with your dressier outfits.

P.S. This dress reminds me of a dress from last season that I missed the opportunity to buy. It was worn here by one of my favorite bloggers.

Around this time of year, my lips are always getting chapped due to the cold winter weather and lack of moisture in the air. Beside using lots of lip balm, I have found exfoliating my lips every couple days really helps them stay in the best shape. I made this simple lip scrub with a few ingredients I had in my pantry and can’t get enough of its amazing scent. I recommend using it during or after you shower and would apply a lip balm afterwards.



What you’ll need:
Coconut oil
Brown sugar
Almond extract



1. Using a two to one ratio of brown sugar to coconut oil, mix together the two ingredients in a bowl.
 
2. Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the mixture. You can add more or less of the almond extract (or swap it for vanilla extract, if you prefer) depending on how strong of a scent you prefer.

3. Once all mixed together, place in an air tight storage container (I got mine here). Enjoy!

When I was in high school, I developed an obsession for risotto and quickly learned a basic recipe by heart. It ended up becoming one of my go-to meals and I loved being creative by changing up the ingredients - asparagus, mushrooms, shrimp, etc. Feeling a little nostalgic for my risotto days, I came across this recipe and liked the idea of a tomato based risotto, versus the chicken stock base I was use to. The end result was an amazing risotto that was well balanced with tomato and sausage flavors.