White Elephant

Top - J. Crew; Sweater - J. Crew; Jeans - Joe's via Anthro; Shoes - All Black via Anthro; Earrings - Anthro

Date: Thursday, December 30, 2010

OMG guys, it's New Years' Eve! I don't know about you, but this year has FLOWN by! So many things have happened, per usual, and I know that 2011 is sure to bring more surprises and fun. I hope you all have a wonderful New Year. Take this time to reflect on all of the blessings you received - some that you may not have seen as blessings - and look forward to what's to come!

So, the story behind this outfit goes like this...My family gets together every New Years' Eve Eve for a "White Elephant" gift exchange party. Basically, this is a time to re-wrap all the gifts you got from friends and exchange them with family members. You know the saying, one persons trash is another person's treasure. Well, that surely is the case with this party! I got some ornament place card holders - RANDOM! I think it will be fitting for my Christmas 2011, who knows, maybe I'll have people over and use them! Or maybe I'll re-wrap them to re-gift them next year. I had a blast with my family yesterday.

Unrelated great news: I have a tutorial video to post for this hairstyle, look for it in the New Year!

Another Christmas Gift

 

Top - Limited via Hand me down; Skirt - Anthro; Tights - Anthro; Shoes - Gift via Anthro; Necklace - Anthro

Date: Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Guess what guys? I made a Christmas Wish List and gave it to my mom, and I got most of the stuff on the list!!! I got three things, all from Anthro, two of which you will see soon. These shoes are one of the items. I plan to treat these shoes like regular brown booties. I think the leopard print adds flavor, but not so much that it interrupts the outfit. I don't plan to build my outfit around the print. I hope you all are enjoying your New Years' Eve Eve!

Good 'Ol Faithful

Dress - Target (2008); Cardigan - Anthro; Shoes - Anthro; Necklace - Anthro; Earrings - Anthro; Watch - Gift via Fossil; Tights - Urban

Date: Tuesday, December, 28, 2010

Everyone needs a good 'ol faithful go-to outfit. It's an outfit that looks good on you on a bad hair day, a bloated day, a don't know what to wear day, or a I just want to look decent without trying hard day. I've been home in VA since last Wednesday, and packing clothes for an entire week wasn't easy. Thus, I knew I needed to pack my good 'ol faithful to help me get through a day. So here it is - my good 'ol faithful. Good enough to get by for a casual office look, and the dress is comfy and roomy! This dress was $20 at Target and I'm pretty sure it will last forever. The material holds up well and it's machine washable. Additionally, bf got me the watch for Christmas, so I purposely packed a lot of gold-based outfits to allow me to wear my new watch.

Do you guys have a good 'ol faithful?

Deconstructed Falafel

This was my first time making falafel, but I don't think this patty is like normal falafel. I feel that falafel is also one of those "vegetarian foods" that everyone talks about, and I had never tried until yesterday! I can say that my first taste of real falafel at a Lebanese restaurant was not my favorite, but this falafel that I made was delicious! This deconstructed falafel was especially delish with varied flavors from grilled zucchini, mushrooms and fresh pickles. What a delight!

Deconstructed Falafel from the Top Chef Cookbook

Serves 4

Ingredients
FALAFEL BUN
1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsely
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 large egg
Vegetable oil for frying

VEGETABLES
4 teaspoons EVOO
1 portobello musroom cap, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced horizontally
8 pickle slices
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Directions
FOR THE FALAFEL BUN

1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, parsely, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste and puree until smooth. Remove 3 tablespoons of the hummus mixture, combine it with the lemon juice, and reserve for the sandwich. Add the flou, baking soda, and egg to the mixture in the food profcessor and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl and shape into  4 patties. Place the patties on a plate and let stand for 15 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 inch of oil over medium heat until hot. Add the patties and fry until cooked through, crisp, and nicely browned, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

FOR THE VEGETABLES
In a small skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the pan and place on a plate. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet, add the zucchini, and cook until lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the mushrooms. (Alternatively, cook over a medium-hot outdoor grill.)

TO SERVE
place a falafel patty on each serving plat. Top wiht the mushrooms, followed by the zucchini, reserved hummus, and pickles. Finish with the alfalfa sprouts and serve immediately.

Festive Week: Saving the best for last

Dress - Anthro (2009); Sweater - Anthro (2009); Tights - Hue; Booties - Urban; Earrings - Anthro

Date: Saturday, December 25, 2010

This is the last post for Festive Week. My Christmas was wonderful. I ate A LOT - someone even brought veggie breakfast sausages for me!!! It was also great to see family and friends. For today's post, decided to save the best for last and give a shout out to my parents: Monica and Dimitrius - don't worry guys, I call them mom and dad.

Well, this post could go on for days, because I have an awesome set of parents. We've had our ups and our downs, as all children have with parents. However, in the end, they have been a part of the guiding light to help me become the woman I am today. They raised me around a solid set of successful people, and I learned a lot from them too! They are wonderful examples to follow and they taught me to be respectful, honest, strong, and independent. I have some great parents, I wouldn't trade them for the world.

Festive Week: Merry Christmas!

Top - Anthro; Skirt - Anthro (sample); Tights - Hue; Earrings - Anthro; Shoes - Urban

Date: Friday, December 24, 2010

So this outfit was worn yesterday (Chrismas Eve), but it's being posted on Christmas Day so...Merry Christmas everyone! I'm sure most people aren't online today, and are instead, spending time with loved ones, eating great food, opening gifts and enjoying each others company.

Today I want to shout out everyone who follows/reads this blog. As I have talked about the people who mean a lot to me. I thought it would be nice to mention the wonderful outlet that this blog has provided me. I started the blog over a year ago, and I recently revamped it to discuss everything that I love, and it has been a joy to write posts, take pictures, read comments and participate in others blogs. I really do love this and am glad that others find joy in it too.

So today, I thank you - all of the people who read this! It means a lot to me, and it definitely helps me want to keep things going. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and God Bless you, your families, and loved ones!

Festive Week: From whence I came

 

Top - J. Crew (hand me down); Blazer - Anthro; Jeggings - Joe's; Shoes - Banana (hand me down); Earrings - Anthro; Watch - Gift (Fossil)

Date: Thursday, December 23, 2010

Ok guys, I fibbed a little, there were two items at Anthro that I LOVED and purchased because they were on sale, and they offered an extra % off. I couldn't help myself, but you'll see both items in today and tomorrow's fits, so I'm getting good use of them!

For today's post, I'm going to shout out my grandparents. I don't know how you guys feel about them, but I think they're AWESOME! I have three grandparents - one paternal grandparent, and two maternal grandparents. My paternal grandparent, Grandma Lula, doesn't take no stuff! She's Memphis-bred and Detroit-raised and manages to stay up on all of the urban trends. She taught me how to play a mean game of Bid Whist. It's a card game similar to Spades, but it has a lot more strategy. If you happen to be her partner, don't renig, even if you're family, she'll still call you out!

My two maternal grandparents are the cutest couple I've ever seen. They've been married for 55+ years and are just adorable. My grandaddy loves to tell stories from when he was active in the Civil Rights' Movement, and he is sharp. He has a blazer, slacks and hat on every time I see him. My maternal grandma loves to sing, she'll break out into song at any point in time. She has a melodic, operatic voice that makes all of her grandchildren laugh with joy when we hear her sing!

Grandparents carry a wealth of knowledge, and I would be lost without them. They tell me the best stories about my parents and they teach me a lot about where I came from. This one is a shout out to my grandparents. Love you guys!