Snacking

I’ve been traveling a lot lately and when I travel, I snack. Recently for long plane rides and traffic ridden bus travel, my go-to snack has been Chex Mix. What’s not to love about this delicious treat? It’s sweet and salty and let’s be honest, there’s something in that bag for everyone. I will fight anyone who tries to take all the bagel chips my bag! My cravings for Chex Mix has taken a toll on my wallet so I decided to search for a recipe in order to make my own. Here are four unique and mouthwatering Chex Mix recipes I found. Comment below and help me decide which one I should make for my Saturday brunch this weekend!Better Than Sex Chex Mix via Quick Dish

Lemon Chex Muddy Buddies via Little Bit Funky

Cake Batter Muddy Buddies via The Girl Who Ate Everything

Cinnamon Churro Chex Mix via Just Another Day in Paradise

Which one will it be? Let’s be honest, I’ll probably just make them all…

Plate Perfect

Never underestimate the power of a good table setting. I don’t know if it’s me itching to throw a party, but lately I’ve been scouring Pinterest for the perfect place setting. Here are 5 of my favorites.

Sophisticated Setting:

Given my obsession with bows and all things yellow I was of course immediately drawn to this one.

Rustic Setting:

The use of burlap is ingenious and an inexpensive way to add texture to your setting and the gold silverware really pops.

Modern Setting:

Oh Chevron, how I love thee! The modern pattern with simple gold accents make for the perfect combo!

Girly Setting:Anything with sparkels and baby pink and I’m pretty much sold. Someone get married stat so I can use this for your bridal shower!

Eclectic Setting:

Layers upon layers of mismatching plates with patterened vases. I’m clearly obsessed with gold silverware. I Just can’t get enough.

Okay now someone get married, engaged or have a birthday ASAP! I need to try one of these out pronto!

Purchase(s) of the Week

Once again I have been neglecting my purchase of the week posts so today I bring you not one, but three fantastic and recent purchases. Now that it’s been getting warmer outside, I’ve been waking up throwing on a basic cotton dress  and accessorizing like crazy. Here are three inexpensive and eye-catching accessories for the summer.

1. Turquoise H & M Bracelet:

For under $10 I knew I had to buy this bracelet the second I saw it. It is completely unique with a 70’s inspired look. People are shocked when I tell them I bought it at H&M.

2. Tinley Road Necklace:You know it’s summer when I’m covered in gold jewelry. I spotted this on Piperlime and it immediately caught my eye. The necklace as a whole is actually quite simple, but it’s diagonal lines makes it unique and funky.

3. Gold Hoop Earrings:

For years I’ve been unsure if I could rock hoop earrings which is why I wasn’t willing to spend a lot of money if they weren’t something I could commit to. I found these over-sized hoops at H&M and they (surprisingly) don’t irritate my ears. I ‘ve been wearing these bad boys while channeling my inner J.Lo all around the city.

4 New Things

With the new warm months comes fun new discoveries. Here are my four favorite things I’ve discovered this week.

1. Krav Maga (aka Israeli fighting) classes held in Central Park:

Besides the fact that tourists were taking photos of my ridiculous posing, it was beautiful to practice self-defense in Central Park. I learned two things: I would make a terrible Israeli soldier and that I should be looking into purchasing some sort of weaponry to protect myself.

2. Flagels!

How has it taken me three New York City years  to discover this delicious rendition of the bagel. I’m  completely tricking myself into thinking I’m eating less carbs when I’m most certainly not, but it’s still a fun and filling breakfast option.

3. Dog Parks:

I’m particularly a fan of the two dog parks at Carl Schurz Park on the Upper East Side. I may be the only one in the park without a dog, but  I have no shame. There’s no harm in looking.

4. Dinners on my patio:

This is my first Spring in this apartment and I discovered that 8pm is the perfect time to have dinner out on my patio. The sun is setting so there’s no need for sunglasses and the traffic has just calmed down enough so it’s not too loud. Take out from Chelsea Market and the NYC skyline. You can’t ask for much more.

Chair Chaos

The desk in my apartment is slightly shorter than the normal sized desk and as a result I’ve had trouble finding the perfect chair to fit. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that I’ve been using a plastic college folding chair for the past few months. My legs barely fit underneath and I’m constantly bumping my knees into the desk drawers.

Now begins the chair chaos.

In an effort to find the perfect chair for my oddly sized wooden desk, I’ve been scouring the internet for the perfect seat. My search, per ususal, has taken me down a different route looking at accent chairs that I A. can’t afford and that B. don’t fit with my desk.

Here are a few of my current chair obsessions

1. Anthropologie Painted Bias Chair

2. Jonathan Adler Chippendale Arm Chair

3. Ghost Chair 

4. DIY Shades of Blue Ombre Chair

5. Leather Butterfly Chair

Alas, I still have not found the perfect chair for my desk, but at least I’ve found five new accent chairs for my future house.

Purchase Of The Week

I know I’ve written about nail polish in the past, but after purchasing Mattese Elite Nail Art I just had to post about polish one more time.

 

 

Mattese Elite’s super thin brush allows you to create perfectly thin manicured lines. I’ve never been able to draw a straight line let alone paint one on my figer, but this nail polish is a miracle worker.

 

I no longer need to awkwardly tape up my nails in order to attempt a homemade french manicure. You could go with a plain color, but I think the gold is a fun way to jump into the summer months. At only $5.99 this is a must buy!

Purchase of the Week

I’m sorry to say that I’ve been slacking on my Purchase of the Week posts lately. It’s partly because I’ve been trying to conserve funds, but mainly because I’ve been waiting to share some really great items. So for this Saturday I have not one, but three fantastic fashionable purchases for you.
I’m always on the look out for a great pair of sandals. I spotted these DV by Dolce Vita Archer sandals online. They had fantastic reviews and although I got them in black, they offer them in a  variety of colors. They’re the perfect gladiator sandal for the summer. Their classic style is contrasted by gold accents for added flair. They’re comfortable for my long NYC walks and best of all, they go with everything.

 

I’d personally rather run a marathon then deal with the hassel of finding a new pair of jeans. I recently realized I had no ankle or cropped jeans for the Spring and Summer months. My boss tipped me off on DL 1961 4 Way Stretch Ankle Jeans. I cannot say enough positive things about these pants. The 4 way stretch sucks everything in nice and tight. The length hits perfectly right at the ankle and the leg is skinny enough that I can still wear them with boots in the colder months. I could literally buy these jeans in every color and never get sick of them. They’re amazing.

 

I rarely pay for manicures, but always have painted nails. I don’t know if it’s all the colors that come with Spring, but lately I’ve been changing my nail polish every few days. I know I’ve written about Essie before, which you can find here, but my most recent obsession is Essie’s Turquoise & Caicos. This time I’ve paired it with Essie’s Set in Stones luxeffects polish. The sea-like turquoise is lovely to look at as I type away on my work computer. It has made my work day much more pleasant.

Pants 3 Ways

I’ve never met a person who doesn’t appreciate a good pair of high-waisted pants. I spotted mine on Kourtney Kardashian while scanning through a magazine. Seeing as I have a similar curve to that of the Kardashian “Klan” I knew I had to hunt them down. I ended up finding her Alice + Olivia bell bottoms online. The pant gods were on my side- they were on sale and in my size. These pants have become a staple in my wardrobe. Spring or Fall with boots or with wedges, you can find me rocking these pants. I may not look as cool as Miss Kardashian, but I try.

 

Here are 3 (out of many) ways I wear my pants:

Buttoned up Sailor Stripes: My favorite Spring outfit- colorful, bright, and playful.

{Forever 21 Striped Shirt, Banana Republic Necklace, Trina Turk Ring, J.Crew bangles, and DSW Clutch}

Relaxed and 70’s inspired: For weekend days around the city.

                   

{Urban Outfitters Top, Anthropologie Jewelry, and Steve Madden bag}

Clean Cut and Classy: My go-to work and after work dinner/drinks outfit.

{American Apparel Blouse, Anthropolgie Necklace, C Wonder Sunglasses, and Trina Turk Clutch}

And Just becuase I don’t take myself to seriously…..

PURCHASE OF THE WEEK

Essie’s A Cut Above Shattered Pink Diamond Glitz.

 After a birthday dinner out I found myself in the nail polish aisle at the 24 hour Duane Reede below my building. Glittered nail polish is not something I’d normally pick out, but after a few margaritas I decided to go for something new. I was in the market for a nice soft spring color, but the pink girly glitter was too good to pass up.

Glitter definitely has its place in fashion and for me it’s just on one finger. Despite the fact that my glittered finger feels like I’m mimicking Michael Jackson’s one handed glitter glove, I think it’s a fun way to jump into Spring.

PURCHASE OF THE WEEK

Laura Mercier Undercover Pot

I have to give credit to my coworkers for tipping me off on this little jem. I had been debating whether or not to buy it for weeks, but after a few Sunday mimosas I found myself in line at Sephora with Undercover Pot in hand. Whoops.

This little treasure is worth every penny. Laura Mercier has combined three different concealers into one travel friendly package. On the left there is the Secret Camouflage for scars and blemishes. On the right you have the Secret Concealer to help with those dark Monday morning circles. To top it all off there is translucent setting powder to keep everything in place.

Just as I did not regret my mimosas, you will not regret this purchase.