Fashionably Affordable: Jason Wu for Target

The recent Target collaborations have lacked quality items that were hardly worth even the fraction of the designer price... but I'm hoping the Jason Wu collection doesn't disappoint, because the First Look from The Cut is super cute.

I love the ladylike looks. They remind me of Ms. Pillsbury from Glee! I bet we'll see her sporting some of these items in future episodes!

 

Images via NY Mag.

Jewelry Box: DIY Tom Binns colored crystals

This DIY, inspired by the neon Tom Binns crystal necklaces, has been floating around the interwebs for quite a while now, and I had all the tools to make it a go, but I never did it. Until the other night. This is not hard or time-consuming, but I just needed the motivation. I'm so glad I did it, though, because I'm loving the result!

I bought two of those tacky crystal necklaces from the dollar store a while back (maybe over the summer when this DIY was first making the blog rounds?) and then I attached the bottom to the top one by cutting the chain and attaching the hooks so that the drape looked nice and even.

Then I had to decide on which nail polish colors to use! (No way I was using Sharpies. That would have been too time-consuming. haha) I teetered between using a reds and oranges, but I ultimately decided on a pale green, dark green, and baby blue. (I'll update with color names this evening, sorry!) And then I just let my OCD-pattern-making brain go to town! Everything had to be symmetrical for me, of course, but I bet it would look great with the colors a bit lopsided, too!

 

I like how the pale blue blends in with the chambray shirt. The necklace also got a lot of play over a black t-shirt dress while dancing my tail feather off at Los Feliz on Saturday night. The contrast with the black was a nice touch.

Need more precise directions on how to paint each crystal? Be careful not to load up the nail polish brush with too much lacquer otherwise it will overwhelm the crystal and glob it up. I put a little dot on each crystal in the more opaque colors and let gravity pull it down the sides; but with the pale green, I did a couple of coats with a sparse brush.

Check out how these other bloggers worked their neon magic! Strange Fruit, The Hyperbalist, Little Pink Monster, Sugar Rock Catwalk, and Corvus Noir. (Also, I love the neon safety pins on this one: Crochet Clouds.)

Living in: Ashlyn's Storage

In typical New York fashion, my bedroom is teeny-tiny. In fact, it's about 98 square feet! And 7 of those square feet are an awkward corner area that was left over when a closet was created for my roommate's room.

Just to compare to my old bedroom on the Upper East Side: it was 160 square feet. Wawaweewa. (I'm trying to make that phrase happen.) So, I have a lot of stuff. How do we accumulate so much stuff in our lives? It's crazy. (Well, I'm someone who finds it very difficult to throw away or donate items, so I guess that's how.)

Anyway. With a space so small and so much stuff to fill it, you have to get creative with your storage options. Butler's rack to hang on the back of the door? Yes, please. Purse-hanging contraption? Best invention. And what's behind the curtain? Why, a zipped wardrobe and a nightstand!

And do you know what's sad? I've gone through my clothes three times since I've moved into this place and purged! It's nice to have only the things I like and wear... but I miss that floral-print blouse that I only wore once. And only because I was hungover and late. It was such a dynamic addition to my wardrobe! Well, I hope someone else is enjoying it...

P.S. That is an aromatherapy hippo on my bed! He smells of lavender and if you pop him in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, he heats up and smells even stronger. Very relaxing.

Blog to read: French Revolution

French cooking. One day you're the Barefoot Contessa; the next, you're burning down the kitchen trying to brown some butter... it's a rocky relationship full of ups and downs, highs and lows. Now, however, there's a blog for you! French Revolution gives us readers insights into French cuisine and breaks down seemingly difficult recipes into easy steps and ingredients. After all, someone who makes a cassoulet-style dish seem like a walk in the park has got to be doing something right!

Her most recent recipe for the Ultimate Raclette Grilled Cheese Sandwich looks divine, no?

Now I'll just have to find a way to adapt the recipe to suit my health needs... hmm...

Image via French Revolution.

Obsession: music on repeat

I'm the type of person who falls in love with a band or a song and listens to him/her/them/it nonstop. On repeat. It drives my friends and family crazy, but it makes me happy, so phooey to them.

Example, you say? Florence + The Machine's latest album Ceremonials, specifically "Shake It Out." I actually love every single song, though, but that one makes me exponentially more happy. The whole album is great to listen to when getting up in the morning; when slaving away in front of the computer at work (don't forget the earbuds!); when doing some writing or reading at home; and even when getting ready to go out to the bars or  to a party. I've done all these activities while listening to this album and it's been perfect every time. Ol' Flo has yet to let me down!

Image via PopCrush.

What else am I listening to? Good question. I made a mix for a co-worker based on Rolling Stone's 50 best singles of 2011. I call it "The Best of Rolling Stone's Best of 2011" just to be confusing. ;) Here's disc 1, if you'd like to make it yourself:

1. Ni**as in Paris by Jay-Z and Kanye West
2. These Days by Foo Fighters
3. Lotus Flower by Radiohead
4. Six Foot, Seven Foot by Lil Wayne feat. Cory Gunz
5. Don't Carry It All by The Decemberists
6. Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People
7. Dedication to my Ex (Miss That) by Lloyd feat. Andre 3000 and Lil Wayne
8. Circuital by My Morning Jacket
9. Get It Daddy by Sleeper Agent
10. You by TV On The Radio
11. Lorelai by Fleet Foxes
12. I Might by Wilco
13. Little Black Submarines by The Black Keys
14. Welcome to the Jungle by Jay-Z and Kanye West
15. Weekend by Smith Westerns
16. Youth Knows No Pain by Lykke Li
17. Million Dollar Bill by Dawes
18. Ric Flair by Killer Mike
19. Bizness by Tune-Yards

Unfortunately, only 19 songs fit on a disc? Otherwise, I would have made a CD with 42 songs! But part 2 is coming to him at the beginning of the next month (he won an auction where I make a mix CD every month for 6 months). Maybe I'll share before then... but, shh! Don't tell him!

Jewelry Box How To: chain, chain, chains

I love to layer on bracelets, rings, earrings, and, most especially, necklaces (as evidenced here). Sometimes the chains get all tangled up, though! So, what to do? You can certainly drop the knotted bits of gold and silver off at the local jeweler. If you have a rapport with the store, they'll probably untangle it for free, but why not break out your tweezers and do it yourself?

That's right, you can untangle the nastiest of knots with tweezers in each hand. Be sure you have good light to illuminate the path of tangle and have lots of patience!

I had been ignoring this particular knot for some time... try, some years. But the other night, I decided to buckle down and get my necklace back!

This knot built up over time in part thanks to the very fine, thin chain of the necklace and in part thanks to the petite Cartier trinity charm (used to be on a knotted leather bracelet, but the leather kicked it ages ago). The chain wrapped all over each ring. It was a mess. A mess, I tell you! Wait, you can see for yourself!

My tweezers at the ready.

Ahhh, isn't this much better? I can seriously breathe easier, now. It took me 45 minutes, but well worth it.

I love to switch up my charms, as well, so check out the amazing chains by Phoebe Coleman: the clasp is a thin bar that easily fits through practically all your pendants! I'm so impressed with this innovation.

In the Kitchen: homemade tomato soup

Happy New Year! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays.

With the new year comes resolutions to exercise more, be more positive, eat healthier, etc. I started on my "be healthier" kick back in October and my doctor is seriously pleased with my results. She told me I have the hardest part ahead of me, though, as our goal is so close in sight. And... I'm starting to get sick of my plain-jane diet.

I have to admit that I've been frustrated by the lack of food blogs devoted to making yummy foods into healthy options. I have previously posted a recipe or two on here, so I'm getting back into my In The Kitchen posts. My idea is to adapt tempting recipes to suit my health needs (for example, use broth instead of olive oil and raw stevia instead of sugar) and, hopefully, the new result will also be delicious.

Let's kick-start the new year into high gear, shall we?!


Homemade Tomato Soup with Turkey Meatballs and Parmesan Crisps
Serves 4-6. Adapted from French Revolution's tortellini soup recipe and Mario Batali's recipe for marinara sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1 32-ounce box of low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 white or yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 medium carrot, finely shredded
• 2 28-ounce cans of tomatoes, crushed (good quality San Marzano tomatoes from Italy is preferable, I hand crushed mine!)
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated low-fat Parmesan cheese for the soup and 1 tablespoon for each crisp
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Chopped fresh basil (optional)
• Frozen turkey meatballs (recommended: Trader Joe's delicious option in the frozen aisle, 12 in a package) (also, optional)

Instructions:
We start by making a marinara sauce. Pour enough of the vegetable or chicken broth into a sauce pan with the onions and garlic to cover the bottom. Cook over medium heat until tender (about 10 minutes). You will need to add some more broth in the pan as it cooks down. Add the thyme, carrot, and a touch more of broth; cook for 5 minutes. Now, add the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat so the sauce is just bubbling. Stir occasionally for about 30 minutes. Season with a pinch of kosher salt. (P.S. Making the crisps? Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Now that's a good-looking sauce! You can refrigerate this versatile sauce for up to a week or freeze if for 6 months! Pour it on some grilled chicken or use it as a dipping sauce for shrimp. I guess you can put it over spaghetti, too, but that's not on the diet! Anyway, we're not done with this soup, yet.

It's time to pour the sauce into a large pot with the remaining broth. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Add in the turkey meatballs (about 12 will suffice) and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Let bubble for about 15 minutes then season the soup with any of the aforementioned optional items, as well as pepper to taste. And there we have it. A hearty and homemade tomato soup that is perfect for these cold shots we've been getting!

Yum. But what about the crisps? Oh, yes. While we were letting the sauce simmer, we were preheating the oven, right? Good. On a pan, lay out some parchment paper. Spoon out a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese onto the paper in a flat little mound. Spoon out as many tablespoons as you can fit onto the cookie sheet, keeping each spoonful about an inch or two apart. Bake for about 5 minutes, until they are crispy and golden brown. Let cool. These would make a great snack, too!

Country Celebrations

Nothing like spending the holidays in a remote country setting. Just you, maybe some friends or family, no neighbors for miles. I love spending the summer on a lake in the Adirondacks and I know it would be just as gorgeous this time of year.

It's such a casual setting, but since it's the holidays, you want to at least throw on a little something-something to show your guests you tried. ;) A silk top paired with your worn-in cargo pants and a pair of heeled hiking boots ought to do the trick.

And this last outfit is perfect for tramping in the woods to collect firewood and check out the constellations. You will be dumbstruck by the number of stars you can see without the city's light pollution.

I leave for Colorado on Wednesday, so I will try to touch base with you next week and while I'm there. If I don't, because you know how I can be, have a Happy Christmas and Merry Hanukkah, my friends. I hope all your wishes come true and you spend wonderful holidays with your loved ones. May you have dreams of sugar plums, et cetera!

These sets were created with polyvore. Check out the details here! 

Urban Holiday

While I may be leaving the Big Apple for the Christmas festivities, I know a lot of people come flocking to NYC to see the city lights and decorations. Dressing the part is easy as long as you account for the chill and wind factor - so layer, layer, layer!

Snuggle up in layers of turtle necks, a sweater, a sleeveless dress, and a poncho. Be sure to wear heat-tech tights, too!

The clash of the mustard plaid trousers somehow works with the texture of the sequined top. I wish I had this outfit to wear for Christmas or New Year's Eve!

These sets were created with polyvore. Check out the details here! 

South of the Border Christmas

If you're celebrating the holidays in a warm locale, you might lose some of the winter spirit that comes with cold weather, frostbitten noses, and hot chocolate. Try maintaining your Christmas cheer by hitting the beach bar and the local lobster shack in head-to-toe seasonal colors.

Monochrome never looked this good! And, PS, bows aren't just relegated to the gifts under your Christmas (palm) tree.

So, don't let anyone call you a Grinch!

Check back next week for a country Christmas and an urban holiday. Have a great weekend!

These sets were created with polyvore. Check out the details here!