Tuning In

"Spit Back In My Mouth" by Kaki King:

Fall Into the GAP

GAP jeans in the past were always ok - you had to make sure to avoid the ones that could potentially make you look like you were a mom. Then slowly but surely their denim began to make improvements here and there in style and fit. But with the relaunch of their 1969 Premium Denim line, their jean styles and fits are amazing, which is awesome because you get the designer look and feel without the designer price tag. YIPPY!

Today I peaked in the store just to see if they had anything good on sale, boring work shirts in particular. I came across a rack of denim and I found my size in a PETITE peeping out of the unkempt craziness, which quickly caught my attention. Pump the breaks! Petite? What a rarity. I grabbed it, tried it on and it hugged in all the right places and cut off just at the right spot on my legs. It was a worn-in/semi-distressed look, which I love. AWESOME. But wait, there's more, I got it for *drumroll* $12.97! go me! go me!

I recommend the "Real Straight" jean and the "Cropped Always Skinny" <--but not the one that's too cropped; it should stop right above the ankle. The straight jeans are versatile because you can roll it up a little to get the "boyfriend' look or you can unroll it to wear it long with heels. The skinny jeans rock because you can actually get your foot through the other end! It doesn't suffocate your ankles like a lot of super skinny jeans can- even for a small-ankled gal like me. These are very soft, relaxed and comfortable. They really remind me of the Paige cropped jean (a la Hayden Panettierre ) and the new "Outpost Destroy Crop Skinny" by Current/Elliott , but of course at about 1/15 of the price.

I can't wait to wear these casually for summer and dress 'em up a bit for Fall. Boyfriend blazers, long wrap-around scarves, v-neck sweaters, striped tees, crisp button-downs. The possibilities are endless!

The McNuggetini

No, the title isn't what came out of my stomach on my 21st birthday, it's actually the culinary concoction of two Angelino's, Alie and Georgia. This boozy recipe comes just short of epicurious extraordinaire but surpasses all of the snore-bore cooking channels on YouTube with its wit and humor.



Also, check out Alie Ward's website, curiosity.com. I looove the paintings. I mean, they literally speak for themselves:

"Righteous vs. Righteous"


"Fake vs. Real"

"Problem/Solution"

Vino

Now that my interest in wine has been growing, I found myself wanting to learn more about it. Two-buck-chuck, your existence in college is now merely a distant memory...

I've been asking questions about different regions of vineyards, the barrels used to ferment the grapes, what goes into harvesting good grapes, etc. It's all so fun! I found this website called winespectator.com that can answer a lot of vino-related questions. For example, I wanted to know what "sulfites" in wine were. I found the glossary filled with vocabulary words that would make a wine-noob's head spin. According to winespectator.com, "Winemakers all over the world use sulfur dioxide to clean equipment, kill unwanted organisms on the grapes and protect wines from spoilage. A tiny amount remains in the bottle and U.S. label laws require a statement to announce its presence. People extremely sensitive to sulfites should avoid wine."

http://www.winespectator.com/glossary



*Vintage "Napa Valley" painting by Kerne Erickson

Tuning In:

"Sing Sing" by Ultra Orange & Emmanuelle

Hipster Pup

It seems as if everyone is turning into a little hipster these days. So why not turn your pooch into one? S/he is going to get 1,000X more attention than s/he already does, I'm sure. Men, here is your chance. Potentially better than a baby.

Here is an example of my little niece-pup, CoCo. You rock that scarf, CoCo! You can pull it off better than half the teenyboppers out there in Los Feliz! :P

S T R lllllllllll P E S

So, I'm currently working on an art project that I'm really excited about (I'll put up pictures of the finished product) and although I already had an idea planned out of what I wanted to do, I decided to google-image this specific pattern.

All I can say is, "I want"! In my imaginary house (which I will one day own) I'm going to have a room full of stripes.
The more simple the colors and layout the bolder it is! How fun!

I found these great examples above on jonathanklunk.com.

Absolutely Guilt Free Ice Cream Exists? Why, Yes! Yes it Does

"A moment on your lips, forever on your hips..." PSH! WHATEVER, I'm gonna eat this all I waaant! AND It's going to make me healthier than I was before!
You can make homemade ice cream from one ingredient AND it has all of the creamy dreaminess without eater's remorse.

Click the link below (from thekitchn.com)to see what this magical ingredient is.
PS you might have had it at breakfast this morning or used it in Sex.Ed.



*photo courtesy of thekitchn.com

Just like Eating a Cloud

Look what I found on one of my favorite websites, thekitchn.com

It's super easy it's almost too delicious to be true.
You basically put a marshmallow (store bought is fine) on top of a cupcake and bake it for a little bit in the oven, take it out, push it down, and all of this gooey marshmallow goodness oozes out...OMG drool.

I don't know why the link isn't working, but you can search it on thekitchn.com. The article is called "Sweet and Easy: Melted Marshmallow Topping".

*Photo courtesy of thekitchn.com

Summer breeeeze makes me feel...summery!

There is something about the summer season that makes you feel more relaxed than any other season. Although, IamcurrentlyunemployedanddesperatelytryingtofigureoutwhatIwantdowithmylife, I can still enjoy summer's simple pleasures. Ie, the air as it cools from the afternoon heat, sticky fingers from drippy popsicles, turning over your pillow to the cool side, falling asleep with your windows open. The list goes on...but another thing I looove about summer is the outdoor decor. The decorations escape from the dining and living rooms into the backyard, porch, and patio. I found these amazing lighting decorations from marthastewart.com that would make even Mr. Claus himself want to call everyone over for a summer's eve soiree.

Cooking for beginners (and I MEAN beginners...)

I don't know if it was my recent experience living in an ACTUAL house this past summer (hey...I was in a sorority for the past 3 years) or if it's my inner housewife just screaming to let loose, but I've been looking at cooking in a whole new light.

Lately, I've been making quite the mess in the kitchen because I've been so into food! One of the best parts about being your own chef is that you know what's going INTO your food. Aaand, if you don't like it you can always change it! Does anyone else feel a sense of zen when they cook? Even when there are a billion other things going on around you?

Okay, so I always knew I was a bad cook (my mom got mad at me once for not letting the water boil before I put in pasta) but I didn't know I was missing out on all the OTHER basics of cooking. I know, you're thinking, "how can you get more basic than boiling water?" Who can blame me? I lived in dorms for the first half of college and then a sorority house with a house chef...good grief. As for as I was concerned, the microwave was the new stove top. Anyways, I found this amazzzing Youtube channel called "CHOW". It lets you in on insider secrets like "how to cut an onion without crying" shhh! or how to open a beer bottle with paper, yes, paper! Here is one of several different videos. Homage to the Beastie Boys --> Check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out:

The New Way to a Man's Heart?

Look-y what I found on TIME.com today:



"Meat-Infused Booze": I think Stein's initial aftertaste expression says it all...

P.S. Pancetta is like the Italian bacon, but it's not smoked like some other meats.

Hmmm...What do you think? Would you give it a "shot"?