tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90142516212810432552024-03-13T22:32:48.010-04:00THE WORLD ACCORDING TO REELeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-86002818950157931922013-10-14T19:45:00.001-04:002013-10-14T19:45:51.903-04:00Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk SherbetI knew it'd been a long, long time since I posted... but I didn't realize it'd been 6 months. Yikes! So let's get right into it.<br />
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One of my favorite kitchen gadgets is definitely my ice cream maker, and usually I'm making <a href="http://theworldaccordingtoree.blogspot.com/2012/03/easiest-ice-cream-recipe-ever.html" target="_blank">this</a> recipe. But for some reason I never really branched out from that recipe because I always assumed that making homemade ice cream was a time consuming process. I didn't want to deal with cooking the eggs and cream, making sure it's tempered, etc. etc. Ain't nobody got time for that.<br />
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So I was really excited when I saw this recipe for Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet in Bon Appetit a few months back. It looked so quick and easy (and delicious)! I've since made it twice, and I have to say that it's now one of my favorite frozen treats. Not to mention that the smell of the strawberries and vanilla bean roasting together in the oven was the MOST heavenly smell to ever come out of my kitchen. Seriously! Someone should turn that into a candle scent.<br />
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<b><u>Roasted Strawberry-Buttermilk Sherbet</u></b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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<ul>
<li>4 cups strawberries (about 1lb), hulled, halved or quartered if large</li>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/2 vanilla bean, split length wise</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups buttermilk</li>
<li>1/3 cup sour cream</li>
<li>pinch of kosher salt</li>
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(Note: I used a full vanilla bean, as I LOVE the taste of vanilla. I recommend doing this)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ4njXl3ApWCbsQ2qWuKgm6QWRKf8uhSJficuKujYA_QiQKCWMRU0n0HR-84cHj_iX-i6Rtwi2beO_U1an8n7uJYo1UXB1ntpqUxUCr0ZUpFv7DmB6EuzJFw11IdSbH-Ya0wTJxR6se7E/s1600/R0000237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ4njXl3ApWCbsQ2qWuKgm6QWRKf8uhSJficuKujYA_QiQKCWMRU0n0HR-84cHj_iX-i6Rtwi2beO_U1an8n7uJYo1UXB1ntpqUxUCr0ZUpFv7DmB6EuzJFw11IdSbH-Ya0wTJxR6se7E/s640/R0000237.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Directions:</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 425°. Combine strawberries and sugar in a 13x9x2 inches baking pan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add pod; toss to combine. Roast berries, stirring occasionally, until juices are bubbling, 15–20 minutes. Let cool.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeFzmRg_vvHlNAyBkuWXd246qwFkKpjjb5Qzspo9A94mLj1RwEqrOw1wDG3N0vU0cql20Y1B1fXLY0yNyiRRpe_oCkQ9QyKhnwV0fkqF5VJ3egr4W2CbtE0nKEMwZHNPLHLBIkhEnmLoL/s1600/R0000239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYeFzmRg_vvHlNAyBkuWXd246qwFkKpjjb5Qzspo9A94mLj1RwEqrOw1wDG3N0vU0cql20Y1B1fXLY0yNyiRRpe_oCkQ9QyKhnwV0fkqF5VJ3egr4W2CbtE0nKEMwZHNPLHLBIkhEnmLoL/s640/R0000239.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Discard pod. Purée berries, buttermilk, sour cream, and salt in a blender until smooth. Process mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sherbet to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxNzqePdwEdJUW0224a47IexBFoPwWbufc2e7f6xYOVKzg_VgxzJOhUuP2zNVAw2ooaKVX1c9bPnvTHwxg2UAVhuhixHf6qHzrWGXwtruI0dhpJiMB4USU2SHvHI7D_VWY8Rq-OHV_vM4/s1600/R0000247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxNzqePdwEdJUW0224a47IexBFoPwWbufc2e7f6xYOVKzg_VgxzJOhUuP2zNVAw2ooaKVX1c9bPnvTHwxg2UAVhuhixHf6qHzrWGXwtruI0dhpJiMB4USU2SHvHI7D_VWY8Rq-OHV_vM4/s640/R0000247.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">DO AHEAD: Sherbet can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen. Let soften at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.</span></div>
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-1212434273752895492013-04-15T00:09:00.000-04:002013-04-15T00:09:36.697-04:00Favorite Beauty ProductsHi there! I'm apparently back to my old ways of posting once a month, whoops! In my defense I was recently in Paris, as well as Houston and Miami a few weeks back.<br />
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Anywho - something I've been meaning to write about recently is my list of favorite beauty products right now. As most of you know, I recently started working at Birchbox (check it out <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/" target="_blank">here</a>) and since then I feel as though my love of beauty products has skyrocketed! Below are my tried and true, go-to products that I really can't live without.<br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: inherit;">Benefit they're Real! Mascara</span></u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi402Ng1h1dKQlFJXS6ylLphTLskdyNJCiK1EjkirGKLIKzJwbvKIm6gJ9mOGNjTLKG4Osmb5rHO1yVWtv_lttKgZFj4XsQdW48duhIkTdfB8wVDIROsXHvkivXaPaUlYMOLHnBdXopYniA/s1600/benefit_theyrereal_900x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi402Ng1h1dKQlFJXS6ylLphTLskdyNJCiK1EjkirGKLIKzJwbvKIm6gJ9mOGNjTLKG4Osmb5rHO1yVWtv_lttKgZFj4XsQdW48duhIkTdfB8wVDIROsXHvkivXaPaUlYMOLHnBdXopYniA/s320/benefit_theyrereal_900x900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I used to be devoted to L'oreal Voluminous mascara.. until I tried this one. One of my biggest complaints about every single mascara I had tried previously was the smudging and flaking. I would get so frustrated at the small, black mascara pieces that would fall on my cheeks and under eyes throughout the day!<br />
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This one not only stays put no matter what, but it makes your lashes look AMAZING. Seriously, this is the best mascara in the entire world. No doubt.<br />
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Buy it <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/shop/benefit-theyre-real-mascara" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>NARS Orgasm Blush and Illuminator</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB2W9mHr9KdiHqiUzOWRM7-qcIE14wBhbd98ERVboF0-_ubwTxEDdh2aYMTnFl0u05mCaA658AEmM1n01TcbmSe4_ve9DNXyIi1p8oGoj691JU-qDYhjtcuVZNi74D4Q02OUl0uHf1__I/s1600/s248930-main-Lhero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrB2W9mHr9KdiHqiUzOWRM7-qcIE14wBhbd98ERVboF0-_ubwTxEDdh2aYMTnFl0u05mCaA658AEmM1n01TcbmSe4_ve9DNXyIi1p8oGoj691JU-qDYhjtcuVZNi74D4Q02OUl0uHf1__I/s200/s248930-main-Lhero.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yEfNzoydORKXuoYQlO9iSiLUnn9beX3dtoFaGfYYSdz0t_vX-kbf-6w082pE602oX5gLu3GrYCN0aslpMRPckcxgZNuuSqD5x63VexQSZHmFfo3BN2qb0gb10GCN41p76ylCvjEImgTg/s1600/s1307552-main-Lhero.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0yEfNzoydORKXuoYQlO9iSiLUnn9beX3dtoFaGfYYSdz0t_vX-kbf-6w082pE602oX5gLu3GrYCN0aslpMRPckcxgZNuuSqD5x63VexQSZHmFfo3BN2qb0gb10GCN41p76ylCvjEImgTg/s200/s1307552-main-Lhero.jpg" width="200" /></a> </div>
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I've been wearing NARS Orgasm blush since college, and then recently I tried the Illuminator and was hooked! Both work really great with any skin tone (I'm super, super fair) and give the perfect peachy-pink glow. </div>
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Buy them <a href="http://www.sephora.com/blush-P2855?skuId=248930" target="_blank">here</a> (blush) </div>
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and <a href="http://www.sephora.com/illuminator-P284301?skuId=1307552" target="_blank">here</a> (Illuminator)</div>
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<b><u>All things Oscar Blandi: Hair Lift Mousse, Dry Shampoo, Texture & Volume Spray</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN_m0j1PBv15ta-OUzRlHYleGmF36xVENcl1c1u06mG2w-Wi9DjMOOGPEddEnQqB9uAsobAB2skd81l1MoZ7XjINV75uBaF11X_FQlFVEP0-ch2AygNWOa4ywdfbdmMh3muujWEj9n3hi/s1600/oscarblandi_prontoinvisible_900x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN_m0j1PBv15ta-OUzRlHYleGmF36xVENcl1c1u06mG2w-Wi9DjMOOGPEddEnQqB9uAsobAB2skd81l1MoZ7XjINV75uBaF11X_FQlFVEP0-ch2AygNWOa4ywdfbdmMh3muujWEj9n3hi/s400/oscarblandi_prontoinvisible_900x900.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was a fan of Oscar Blandi's dry shampoo way before I started working at Birchbox, but now the texture spray and lifting mousse are necessary items in my styling routine as well!<br />
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I have very fine, limp hair (thanks mom and dad). So everyday I put the mousse in my hair while it's damp, and then after blow drying I spray my roots with the texture and volume spray for more lift. It makes all of the difference!<br />
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Buy them all <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/shop/search?p=1&q=oscar+blandi&s=all" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<b><u>AHAVA Dermud Hand Cream</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZW7voyPkULAAgjacKi65uk1b74hmh4OmgMsKlI2GeoNimVUBe9sH6tQ0kKpml4Qd3oNi2HbXyfOaItVUnEpvOkOKJN0DaPYs8HmmidgZ4WnMrU58Ao1LousrgotS2SpTQYqsdz6FF0gL4/s1600/ahava_dermudintensivehandcream_900x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZW7voyPkULAAgjacKi65uk1b74hmh4OmgMsKlI2GeoNimVUBe9sH6tQ0kKpml4Qd3oNi2HbXyfOaItVUnEpvOkOKJN0DaPYs8HmmidgZ4WnMrU58Ao1LousrgotS2SpTQYqsdz6FF0gL4/s320/ahava_dermudintensivehandcream_900x900.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was actually given this hand cream as a gift last winter, and I've been addicted to it every since. If you're anything like me, your hands take a serious beating in the colder months. They're super dry, itchy, flaky and can even crack and bleed in the uber cold months (ouch). </div>
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This hand cream is the ultimate salvation and the only thing I've found that actually prevents dry hands, as well as treating it. I don't just use mine in the winter though - it sits next to our bed and gets used constantly year round!</div>
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Buy it <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/shop/ahava-dermud-hand-cream" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<b><u>OPI Nail Lacquer: Skull and Glossbones</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5zKhRHgdAVUnHpzwkyLPdxvQsZ3SjTf2QzoMjUI-Gj-kHYx1yMyejJN0ccSL98AeLYJvwLu-DFQy1m73hP_6hlr7ytJdbN0zwB0sfL7znU1kvhEaKtotwIx7I7Acr5ILGrqD0Aaq1lLj/s1600/31kAYXqycyL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX5zKhRHgdAVUnHpzwkyLPdxvQsZ3SjTf2QzoMjUI-Gj-kHYx1yMyejJN0ccSL98AeLYJvwLu-DFQy1m73hP_6hlr7ytJdbN0zwB0sfL7znU1kvhEaKtotwIx7I7Acr5ILGrqD0Aaq1lLj/s1600/31kAYXqycyL.jpg" /></a></div>
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This light grey shade by OPI is actually part of the Pirates of the Caribbean collection, and it's possibly my all time favorite nail color. It's a very light grey mixed with a tiny bit of taupe and is the perfect neutral for all seasons.</div>
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I end up doing my own nails 90% of the time (although they usually need full manicures, but that's just too darn expensive on a regular basis), so this is one that's often on my fingers. I often receive numerous compliments every time I wear it!</div>
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Buy it <a href="http://www.amazon.com/OPI-Lacquer-Caribbean-Collection-Glossbones/dp/B004Y0RKE6" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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<b><u>Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15</u></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMp2mlrsUxDhBnbyBE2akrUIsOwu6ZcnDaCjGy1fFwSktLKqJFgBe0S5uelOCGol1xh9BIxxUhwDDCRQWQ4TWQksqeQagi3T4YTo1IczYbqQ545IVZAyUndmIL5d9m-niLFzL-IW5T2tP/s1600/13389372_120612143000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaMp2mlrsUxDhBnbyBE2akrUIsOwu6ZcnDaCjGy1fFwSktLKqJFgBe0S5uelOCGol1xh9BIxxUhwDDCRQWQ4TWQksqeQagi3T4YTo1IczYbqQ545IVZAyUndmIL5d9m-niLFzL-IW5T2tP/s320/13389372_120612143000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A few years back I was having some issues with acne, and it seemed like every specialty moisturizer, cream, cleanser, etc. was irritating my skin. My dermatologist suggested that I keep it simple when it comes to my cleanser and moisturizer, so I switched over to this one by Cetaphil as she recommended. </div>
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It turned out that my derm was right: my skin cleared up shortly after I stopped irritating it so much, and this moisturizer became a part of my daily routine. It's very lightweight and I love that it's already got a little SPF in it (although I wear much more if I'm going to be in the sun for long). </div>
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Buy it <a href="http://www.target.com/p/cetaphil-daily-facial-moisturizer-spf-15-fragrance-free-4-fl-oz/-/A-13389372?ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001&AFID=Google_PLA_df&LNM=%7C13389372&CPNG=Health+Beauty&kpid=13389372&LID=PA&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=13389372" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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So these are some of my top choices when it comes to beauty and they will all stay in my regimen for as long as they're on the shelves.</div>
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Also: the more I write this post the more I realize I have so many more great products I'd love to share. I think breaking it down by type would be best- so be on the look out for more posts with amazing beauty products in the future!</div>
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Are there any beauty products that you'd love a recommendation on? If so, let me know in the comments below. Happy beautifying! </div>
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-41229063732034108412013-03-10T23:16:00.000-04:002013-03-10T23:16:38.599-04:00Going Gluten FreeThis post makes me kind of sad.. mainly because after tonight I will be going on a gluten free diet.<br />
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<i>Sigh.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHpIv33nj8-NMA9YOt2Cde2OLuR9NFUHj2i8AZWjzwl67MewbJt99h3O17r54ghD5l_1iaSEE8LmjhCKsn60JZMxrNc3Skzu4cM5SS6sB7s6tElODkPTTWMG9DJU9oF9yQPd_zoBubyHR/s1600/15855980-doodle-style-illustration-of-a-gluten-free-food-or-product-label-includes-no-wheat-or-grain-symbol-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHpIv33nj8-NMA9YOt2Cde2OLuR9NFUHj2i8AZWjzwl67MewbJt99h3O17r54ghD5l_1iaSEE8LmjhCKsn60JZMxrNc3Skzu4cM5SS6sB7s6tElODkPTTWMG9DJU9oF9yQPd_zoBubyHR/s320/15855980-doodle-style-illustration-of-a-gluten-free-food-or-product-label-includes-no-wheat-or-grain-symbol-a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Long story short, I've had stomach pains and problems for about as long as I can remember, and last year I decided to do something about it. Thankfully the results came back that I don't have Chron's or celiac disease, but my doctor mentioned that adopting a gluten free diet would be a good idea. Except I never actually heeded that advice, until now - after I've finally had enough of dealing with the symptoms!<br />
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This is going to be tough though, since so many of my favorite things have gluten in them (beer! pasta!), but it will be worth it. Also, since I know for a fact that I don't have celiac's (probably just a gluten intolerance I was told), then I know that if I really, really want that Corona - I can have it. We're also getting ready to go to Paris, and I'm sure a croissant and some baguette will be in order at least once.<br />
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But for the sake of my health and confidence I will be maintaining a gluten free diet the majority of the time. I've also decided to give up pork products - for really no other reason than they make me feel sick and I've lost the taste for them. I don't think I'd say no to the occasional piece of ham - but all other pork products I'm happy to say goodbye to.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9fFCpdTl_h5QhCY4CY-J0PV1FK0UvHDZYFbZF8Q1TDb37c-QCdTiEqHIc2N9OYjq3kolkXxi2O3FFJAFTL-D6DGKncJ3h7duPWrR5qHU9K5Ms3Xelhp67ry3K0rRxAg6wwRhAFWOinCp/s1600/6a010536b72a74970b016767a7a4b9970b-800wi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM9fFCpdTl_h5QhCY4CY-J0PV1FK0UvHDZYFbZF8Q1TDb37c-QCdTiEqHIc2N9OYjq3kolkXxi2O3FFJAFTL-D6DGKncJ3h7duPWrR5qHU9K5Ms3Xelhp67ry3K0rRxAg6wwRhAFWOinCp/s1600/6a010536b72a74970b016767a7a4b9970b-800wi.jpg" /></a></div>
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For anyone who currently eats gluten free, do you have any recommendations? I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed at this point at the number of things that are now no longer an option, so any tips and tricks (and recipes!) are more than welcome.<br />
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Here's hoping this finally fixes all of the frustrating problems I've been experiencing for years, and years, and years...Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-18016876306073268842013-02-11T00:19:00.000-05:002013-02-11T00:19:38.909-05:00Favorite Things From This WeekOh Sunday nights, how I loathe thee... I had planned to write about our San Juan trip today (a photo heavy post), but the day has slipped by. So instead, how about a few of my "favorite things" from this past week:<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.doritosgoat.com/" target="_blank">This Superbowl commercial</a> that I'm watching on repeat.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4d8ZDSyFS2g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Over the last couple of years I've actually been pretty disappointed in the Superbowl commercials, but this year was a little better. This Doritos commercial was by far my favorite of the bunch, and in my opinion the best part is the goat "scream" towards the end.. it cracks me up every time!<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/shop/makeup/eyes/benefit-theyre-real-mascara" target="_blank">This mascara</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMS0QvY1Jj9S23Izc9CkjAzwHK5OpDONZEemnhyphenhyphenjh8i7s4fsgAKdzRzBooaZhG1yZUBozwNiNHBo7mma0Mg3B47VcHNZOcnAJwTKtXiAjxACezju-BgxHvzLHoJd2VENBfQc3g26LcQPK/s1600/benefit_theyrereal_900x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMS0QvY1Jj9S23Izc9CkjAzwHK5OpDONZEemnhyphenhyphenjh8i7s4fsgAKdzRzBooaZhG1yZUBozwNiNHBo7mma0Mg3B47VcHNZOcnAJwTKtXiAjxACezju-BgxHvzLHoJd2VENBfQc3g26LcQPK/s400/benefit_theyrereal_900x900.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've never posted about beauty products before, but I'm seriously obsessed with this mascara from Benefit. It may be quite a bit more expensive than my usual drugstore choice (which is L'oreal's Voluminous - I highly recommend that as well), but it is worth every penny. Zero clumping, zero smudging, and amazing looking lashes means that I am a convert 100%. Buy it <a href="http://www.birchbox.com/shop/makeup/eyes/benefit-theyre-real-mascara" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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3. Blizzard drinks.<br />
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While this over-hyped blizzard was taking place, Vlady and I were enjoying a casual dinner at our favorite diner, <a href="http://www.goodstuffdiner.com/" target="_blank">Good Stuff</a>. It's actually become somewhat of a tradition for us to go here during "big" events: we came here before hurricane Irene struck, as it was the only place open. We also happened to be in the diner the day that Whitney Houston died, and we came here after we voted in 2012 to watch the election coverage. So it seemed fitting to be here during the blizzard as well - and I celebrated by sipping a drink that made me want to be on a beach.<br />
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4. And of course, what favorite things post would be complete without a picture of my all-time favorite:<br />
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(picture stolen from my sister)Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-10388914249880399882013-01-28T00:25:00.000-05:002013-01-28T00:25:25.033-05:00Outfit Post (Plus My Favorite Jewelry Designer)Hi guys! I received pretty good feedback from the last outfit post, so I figured I'd put up another one from recently. I wore the below to work one day a couple of weeks back - back before it got to be so freezing!<br />
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Seriously, this weather is insane. I've been wearing nothing but pants and layers upon layers for the past week... but back before it felt like it was -1 outside (not kidding) I was able to wear stuff like skirts and tights.<br />
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Is it spring yet??<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOXG1jGl0th0jYMAFYK-n6_6kuBsxq21HXt2qS53pGeTdPdzKY7GvLZvHxhZRJMp1Pxf-yHZUG2JEd8yZnR2pnIedHmKngMFjJ9czXIhnUo7OsJA1y7vK1lKD4WpXXuXMre_g6rqNDbL7/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOXG1jGl0th0jYMAFYK-n6_6kuBsxq21HXt2qS53pGeTdPdzKY7GvLZvHxhZRJMp1Pxf-yHZUG2JEd8yZnR2pnIedHmKngMFjJ9czXIhnUo7OsJA1y7vK1lKD4WpXXuXMre_g6rqNDbL7/s640/photo+(1).JPG" width="420" /></a></div>
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Sweater: Limited (<a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/caslon-boatneck-cashmere-sweater/3436070?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=TEAL&resultback=0" target="_blank">similar</a>)</div>
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Skirt: H&M (<a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=bottom_skirt&ProductID=2045001036&VariantID=" target="_blank">similar in coral</a>, <a href="http://www.zappos.com/gabriella-rocha-saddie-lace-skirt-ivory" target="_blank">similar</a>)</div>
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Necklace: <a href="http://www.amritasingh.com/jewelry/necklaces/easter-jocasta-necklace#.UQYHyEpOus0" target="_blank">Amrita Singh</a> </div>
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Tights: <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/dkny-super-opaque-control-top-tights/3181628?origin=keywordsearch&contextualcategoryid=0&fashionColor=&resultback=0" target="_blank">DKNY</a></div>
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Shoes: Qupid (<a href="http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/women/boots/ankle-boots/90855423-gili/91" target="_blank">practically identical</a> - and on sale!)</div>
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Also - I wanted to mention the designer of the necklace I am wearing here. Her name is Amrita Singh and she's an Indian designer who makes the most beautiful, colorful pieces! I've been buying her jewelry on Rue La La for a couple of years whenever it pops up, and I am in love with everything she does! Take a look at some of the other gorgeous pieces below - these are the epitome of statement necklaces. A link to her site is <a href="http://www.amritasingh.com/" target="_blank">here</a>, but her stuff isn't exactly cheap - which is why I recommend waiting for it to come up on discount sites like Rue La La and Gilt Groupe (although she's having an amazing sale on the site right now!).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2O1IkMU33X0JXpxToxx8n4yS-Os340K18TSXsGgO4L2DCHBluAapPfWnpuOc4-5h3KNGeIDdW-sVQni5NK64RZOGa292wYdrPCWAlG15hn21BSwIfFIOewCo1Ha2oz01tcxxOeQRmT9wl/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2O1IkMU33X0JXpxToxx8n4yS-Os340K18TSXsGgO4L2DCHBluAapPfWnpuOc4-5h3KNGeIDdW-sVQni5NK64RZOGa292wYdrPCWAlG15hn21BSwIfFIOewCo1Ha2oz01tcxxOeQRmT9wl/s400/photo.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amritasingh.com/jewelry/necklaces/easter-jocasta-necklace#.UQYHyEpOus0" target="_blank">Same necklace - many different colors!</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkvGlMF4NIBeHwbul5cZLUU0DPXKuKgxOi64qR-6b57ztyEKt1Z-m0RBKqSYoQwvpEKPla_7PQ8yygAgvQL-AVboKyERqGB7m1aVXw1x8Vy2BFrWBajSDTa6PAIbcMLVZ-Poew8cJ748a/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkvGlMF4NIBeHwbul5cZLUU0DPXKuKgxOi64qR-6b57ztyEKt1Z-m0RBKqSYoQwvpEKPla_7PQ8yygAgvQL-AVboKyERqGB7m1aVXw1x8Vy2BFrWBajSDTa6PAIbcMLVZ-Poew8cJ748a/s400/photo+(2).JPG" width="367" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amritasingh.com/jewelry/necklaces/wainscott-necklace#.UQYKt0pOus0" target="_blank">Same necklace - many different colors!</a></div>
Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-13544993300300622752013-01-13T21:33:00.000-05:002013-01-13T21:33:42.348-05:00I Actually Made Something From Pinterest!I am sure there are many folks out there who can relate to the following statement: I LOVE PINTEREST. I have spent many an hour pinning pictures of recipes, outfits and general pretty things, but I've never actually done anything with the pins. <div>
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Until today! I came across a recipe a while back for raw cookie dough bites, and after following the link to the recipe I decided to give them a try. These scrumptious little bites of heaven were super simple and quick to make (they literally took me 5 minutes). Plus - they're much healthier than regular cookies, so there's almost zero guilt! Even Vlady raved about how yummy they are, and he's not a huge sweets fan. </div>
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I will definitely be making these over and over, and it's made me want to give so many more of the Pinterest recipes a try!</div>
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<u><b>Raw Cookie Dough Bites</b></u></div>
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Yield: 12-16 bites (depending on how big you roll them)</div>
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<b>Ingredients:</b></div>
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2/3 cup raw almonds</div>
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2/3 cup raw walnuts</div>
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2/3 cup raw oat flakes</div>
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1/4 tsp ground cinnamon</div>
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1/8 tsp salt</div>
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1/4 cup raw agave nectar</div>
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2 tsp pure vanilla</div>
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3 tbsp cacao nibs or dark chocolate nibs</div>
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<b>Directions:</b></div>
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1. In a food processor, process the almonds, walnuts, oats, cinnamon and salt to a fine meal.</div>
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2. Add the agave nectar and vanilla and process to combine.</div>
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3. Next, add the cacao nibs or chocolate chips and pulse just to combine.</div>
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4. Roll the cookie dough into balls about 1 tbsp each (wet your hands if the dough is too sticky) and place them on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in the freezer for about an hour to firm up. Store the balls in a tightly covered container in the fridge.</div>
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Notes from me:</div>
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- This recipe was made for people who only eat raw food, which I do not, so I purchased regular agave nectar.</div>
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- Honey could be substituted for agave nectar, but I think the agave gives a slightly caramel flavor that really made the bites taste like cookie dough. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEh5sga1lMekFQGC3uYLqgw2pKXqH47JSfZwZpGcTIBEge9oi0xjCAWAvPH7kivXJki4qHNeY2lRQ3GXfap9M9hZlMBV0xduVZ3tjKE-vo0BiFNoLgPui7fqUwqbmud6V9ei9zCqb2fNaL/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEh5sga1lMekFQGC3uYLqgw2pKXqH47JSfZwZpGcTIBEge9oi0xjCAWAvPH7kivXJki4qHNeY2lRQ3GXfap9M9hZlMBV0xduVZ3tjKE-vo0BiFNoLgPui7fqUwqbmud6V9ei9zCqb2fNaL/s640/photo.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ingredients</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOH_AAvq5gVX745cwvU8q8s9dhsMNnID0yG92Y06gbDaf-i0fiYT59O3nNrpAqpM8O64mVNPrN2fzDasWuoeYom8TYg4YwGAi9NYKUFc7BEvmoyu4RVB8CeTuXAQflwKWcri_0eQp62hs/s1600/photo+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOH_AAvq5gVX745cwvU8q8s9dhsMNnID0yG92Y06gbDaf-i0fiYT59O3nNrpAqpM8O64mVNPrN2fzDasWuoeYom8TYg4YwGAi9NYKUFc7BEvmoyu4RVB8CeTuXAQflwKWcri_0eQp62hs/s640/photo+2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finished product in the food processor. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-Ky-vp2e3-zmu6gdMUMhS9MSM_ovbPgKahomnXQUTFhHlu3Luxt1LvGT8IJOjwI_AoOlYaRdphWmvi_boJFVPqqaSIlMSMwGTDE1ob2YptIAqgNYN9fK5mmVkd50-AKGuxFo2QMxRiwN/s1600/photo+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-Ky-vp2e3-zmu6gdMUMhS9MSM_ovbPgKahomnXQUTFhHlu3Luxt1LvGT8IJOjwI_AoOlYaRdphWmvi_boJFVPqqaSIlMSMwGTDE1ob2YptIAqgNYN9fK5mmVkd50-AKGuxFo2QMxRiwN/s640/photo+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummm!!!!</td></tr>
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One more thing: that cinnamon is the best I have ever tried (Vietnamese Saigon cinnamon), and I highly recommend the company that sells it. <a href="http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/" target="_blank">Savory Spice Shop</a> has stores all over the country (including in Raleigh) but they also have an online store that I regularly order many of my spices and seasonings from. They even send sample seasonings with every purchase! Check them out - you will not be disappointed.</div>
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-87651305922834967992013-01-07T22:08:00.000-05:002013-01-07T22:08:22.478-05:00Outfit PostI wouldn't normally do an outfit post, but I received a lot of compliments on my outfit today.. so I thought "why not share!". I snapped a quick picture when I got home with my phone, hence the not so great quality and darkness. I'd still love to get a nice camera one of these days.. But until then, what do y'all think?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhkfROHUA0wYerGRivtRf514YFvXYYjFU8Sf1jeXJWyFt-acjvUtGCx4rQOGzn0vfvGlV0HD_j_aqKV6EAk0oHRuEUUEYG4mBl8eYuOYr5VschiroTaGXZA4ajUHBZSgBS2mfzRb5ubJa/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJhkfROHUA0wYerGRivtRf514YFvXYYjFU8Sf1jeXJWyFt-acjvUtGCx4rQOGzn0vfvGlV0HD_j_aqKV6EAk0oHRuEUUEYG4mBl8eYuOYr5VschiroTaGXZA4ajUHBZSgBS2mfzRb5ubJa/s640/photo+(1).JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Blazer: <a href="http://fashionfinder.asos.com/womens-Awear/A-Wear-Stripe-Blazer-1787079" target="_blank">Similar</a></div>
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Tank top: <a href="http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=top_camis_tanks&ProductID=2021841296&VariantID=" target="_blank">Similar</a></div>
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Pants: <a href="http://www.loft.com/loft/product/product%3A286561/LOFT-cords-120312/Modern-Super-Skinny-Corduroys/286561?colorExplode=false&skuId=12333967&catid=catl000014&productPageType=fullPriceProducts&defaultColor=5257" target="_blank">Loft </a>(on major sale right now)</div>
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Boots: <a href="http://www.ninewest.com/Buckleup/10913057,default,pd.html?variantSizeClass=&variantColor=JJ8SDA5_1&cgid=4426131&prefn1=catalog-id&prefv1=ninewest-catalog" target="_blank">Similar</a></div>
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Necklace: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/112457567/sale-rose-gold-chunky-chain-necklace" target="_blank">IMaccessories</a> (on sale!)</div>
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Watch: <a href="http://www.fossil.com/en_US/shop/women/watch_styles/rose_watches/archival_mini_stainless_steel_watch_rose-es3167p.html?parent_category_rn=331106&departmentCategoryId=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=1000&pn=c&cm_vc=334089&imagePath=ES3167" target="_blank">Fossil</a> (Christmas gift!)</div>
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-36300537026056691142013-01-06T23:43:00.001-05:002013-01-06T23:43:51.596-05:00That time I accidentally stole somethingI have a confession to make: a couple of years back I stole a necklace. Thing is though, it was a complete accident!<br />
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I got to thinking about the whole incident today when I was going through jewelry to get rid of and was deciding whether or not to keep the necklace. The finish on the necklace was very tarnished, so I'm going to get rid of it, but how I acquired it was quite interesting.<br />
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Back when I lived in Raleigh I had gone in to a major chain store to buy a charm necklace for a coworker of mine for Christmas, after she had commented how much she liked one I was wearing. Inside the store the necklaces were displayed on the branches of a small, fake tree and the actual packaging was displayed below the tree. After not having found the necklace I was looking for already pre-packaged, I decided to grab one off the tree and put it in one of the empty packages beneath (there were lots). I was careful to open up the package to make sure it was empty, and it sure looked that way.<br />
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So I checked out of the store, went home and began to wrap the necklace. I decided I actually did not want to wrap the necklace in the stores packaging, and when I went to take it out I was shocked to find there were actually two necklaces in there! The original one was pushed behind some tape in a way that I couldn't see it just by looking in, but sure enough it was there... and I had stolen it.<br />
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Maybe taking it back to the store would have been the right thing.. but I thought of it more as a "buy one get one free" kind of deal.. right?<br />
<br />
No?<br />
<br />
Oh well. Now it will be heading on it's way to Goodwill (it's not in bad shape per se, it's just got more of a bronzed look than it used to.. not my favorite), and in case anyone is wondering, below is a picture of said stolen necklace:<br />
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The good news is that I've never stolen anything before that, or since! At least not that I know of...</div>
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-11125180383585975592013-01-05T13:18:00.000-05:002013-01-05T13:18:49.014-05:00Best EVER Buffalo Chicken DipHi guys! Long time no see!<br />
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I feel like all of my blogs now begin with "I've been busy and haven't blogged in two months..", so one of my new years resolutions is to post WAY more often. Other resolutions involve going to the gym often (of course), and cooking more. Ever since we moved to NYC I've slowly been cooking less, and less and less.. It was getting to the point where we were ordering in almost every night. Yikes! That probably has a lot to do with the extra pounds that have creeped on.<br />
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But I don't only want to cook more so that I can be healthy, I also want to cook more because I LOVE it. I've already cooked twice this week, so I'm off to a good start (one of those recipes to come).<br />
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So I figured why not go ahead and share one of my favorite low-fat recipes EVER. I make this dip for almost every party because it is always a favorite amongst our friends, and I know people will devour it. I originally took the recipe from my brother in-law, so I have to give him the credit for first getting me hooked on this. Enjoy!!<br />
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<u>Buffalo Chicken Dip</u><br />
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<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast<br />
1 cup low-fat ranch dressing<br />
1 cup Franks Original hot sauce<br />
1 8oz block (1/3 less fat) cream cheese<br />
1 package shredded sharp cheddar cheese<br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Boil chicken breasts on medium heat for 30-45 minutes, or until cooked through. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />
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While chicken is boiling, cut cold cream cheese into cubes and place into an 11"x8" baking dish that is lightly sprayed with Pam. Evenly sprinkle cheese on top of cubes.<br />
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Pour ranch and hot sauce on mixture and place in the oven, uncovered, for 7-10 minutes. Stir mixture and put back in the oven for another 7-10 minutes and stir until mixed well.<br />
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Shred chicken and mix into cheese mixture. Cover with foil and bake an additional 20-30 minutes.<br />
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*A note on shredding chicken: I prefer to shred the breasts using 2 forks, but I've read that throwing it in a mixer is much, much quicker. Perhaps I'll try that one of these days.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4tGFC26sbY1aR4X50bprLJYWxCM3D5wYbVNTfGtua_8dNFdLVK7KIOQ34qvRyqNW72sGM1-SoX7fOQiOqTq0ox14mrUe-j77zZyS_Y4pebxstP5ZENzLUKNr_qq8E1wj2-UB3MgImt7V/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4tGFC26sbY1aR4X50bprLJYWxCM3D5wYbVNTfGtua_8dNFdLVK7KIOQ34qvRyqNW72sGM1-SoX7fOQiOqTq0ox14mrUe-j77zZyS_Y4pebxstP5ZENzLUKNr_qq8E1wj2-UB3MgImt7V/s400/photo+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of the ingredients.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSpW7fC_gTNJ6D8Onm8HMrtC1krHYzbWFM_46rQ3N2FZXOJlCb0RZQxPUfsmEZDYlpDar8H8GO6O2ePJE31Wwtia5sP636cUjggYyhmssy1HJvhi6CpRiyTj0LWpIiieporDZTKb2ee4T/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSpW7fC_gTNJ6D8Onm8HMrtC1krHYzbWFM_46rQ3N2FZXOJlCb0RZQxPUfsmEZDYlpDar8H8GO6O2ePJE31Wwtia5sP636cUjggYyhmssy1HJvhi6CpRiyTj0LWpIiieporDZTKb2ee4T/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cream cheese in the greased pan.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jmDlxelYkBy4lsHXvLdUbzVkS4DiZHgQaH41yMtUPBhSiRmRT9KCPyAEEFtP4F57xoHwf0ZpeMFkoIItDZxX9a5DFgaOwvX7DqRXBCT4fgN6YK3POLar544NvbE10cSEJ12Lj2Pgv6SH/s1600/photo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jmDlxelYkBy4lsHXvLdUbzVkS4DiZHgQaH41yMtUPBhSiRmRT9KCPyAEEFtP4F57xoHwf0ZpeMFkoIItDZxX9a5DFgaOwvX7DqRXBCT4fgN6YK3POLar544NvbE10cSEJ12Lj2Pgv6SH/s400/photo+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the cheese added.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii13YIOkrR-nszJ_3z7ZRLBEkPRD2xu1qmog_aQSSKztCxOIoz02FyDNzoPAmP9j6synz2wHM3E1PZ0oAWok5yeJLO2ciUOQQGDqDuKxKSr9MEUQtaCE0AyUTbBMZfpCGLMvxgUmRHFjGN/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii13YIOkrR-nszJ_3z7ZRLBEkPRD2xu1qmog_aQSSKztCxOIoz02FyDNzoPAmP9j6synz2wHM3E1PZ0oAWok5yeJLO2ciUOQQGDqDuKxKSr9MEUQtaCE0AyUTbBMZfpCGLMvxgUmRHFjGN/s400/photo+(3).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Topped with the ranch and hot sauce (plus a few extra dabs of Franks - I love that stuff!).</td></tr>
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-55298988423922013272012-11-20T13:03:00.002-05:002012-11-20T13:03:53.582-05:00Lately and More Apartment PicturesWelp - it's been quite a while since my last post.. 2 months to be exact! Yikes!<br />
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What can I say, things have been busy and there were a few unexpected circumstances (just that hurricane that came through). October was a very busy month at work, and just as things began to slow a little we got struck by Sandy. Thankfully we were only without power for about 4.5 days, because I know many others that have been without power for over 4 weeks! Although we got through pretty well during the storm we have had issues with our Internet ever since, so that's made posting a little difficult as well.<br />
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All of that being said, I wanted to go ahead and put up some more pictures of our new apartment! These are just of the bedroom, and this is probably the room that changed the least when we moved from the studio. My favorite part of our whole apartment is my small vanity/desk that actually used to be our kitchen table. It's the one space that contains so many of my favorite things: my favorite framed quote, a picture of Tatum, and a tray of my favorite perfume and nail polish. I've also grown to love collecting vintage brooches, so I think the little display box that I found is so pretty!<br />
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One of the things that I was most excited about by having a larger bedroom: his and hers dressers! It's been so nice not to cram everything into one dresser... although I have taken over one full drawer of the "his" dresser. Vlady knows that sharing is caring, so thankfully he's nice enough to share his space with my stuff. :)<br />
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And on another note: these pictures are pretty terrible (they were taken with my iPhone). I think it's time for a real camera.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqPk0BjXS_3TjXJw65eMme4JydeFsdqWyBP3DJaeH9ovP0FMdAo5EWySJjIgYnRZWwPGnDJuWm3LFhd11ZR1q-usTYbV341rqYmSPY_ArJ7-tOK2Zbyx78rxFGlQHmorDA6iD0l6Y-3Bc/s1600/blogger-image-2104040254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqPk0BjXS_3TjXJw65eMme4JydeFsdqWyBP3DJaeH9ovP0FMdAo5EWySJjIgYnRZWwPGnDJuWm3LFhd11ZR1q-usTYbV341rqYmSPY_ArJ7-tOK2Zbyx78rxFGlQHmorDA6iD0l6Y-3Bc/s640/blogger-image-2104040254.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite spot: my vanity!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgiP0f2d0HEDMnymcm_UU8Tg4s11ZQjsA1ramNSNsgq-NyOBdZSm8thvA6D4OKHCWaSSZFtkZ7X83IAeFxAt7P1GCE06IGrwt8tsq3RCxPIm6-rFbXp0-n1WicA0x5obNRLhsTITAmcr3/s1600/blogger-image-377134005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEgiP0f2d0HEDMnymcm_UU8Tg4s11ZQjsA1ramNSNsgq-NyOBdZSm8thvA6D4OKHCWaSSZFtkZ7X83IAeFxAt7P1GCE06IGrwt8tsq3RCxPIm6-rFbXp0-n1WicA0x5obNRLhsTITAmcr3/s640/blogger-image-377134005.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hers" dresser</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHL7VrqHEfqMH8ObrWA5pBLXdcalD4Q9TWnq-F0sQhGcpn8iX_5CmbVSdHv_cNcaEA7cWu74KUOzA_XPop8r8YdAGAOddW7-zjvIhgvlxEPLlOID0Y03lEn4ujt2gGDPCVpYy0APaJ3j2/s1600/blogger-image--510562031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHL7VrqHEfqMH8ObrWA5pBLXdcalD4Q9TWnq-F0sQhGcpn8iX_5CmbVSdHv_cNcaEA7cWu74KUOzA_XPop8r8YdAGAOddW7-zjvIhgvlxEPLlOID0Y03lEn4ujt2gGDPCVpYy0APaJ3j2/s640/blogger-image--510562031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of my favorite things: picture of my niece, my vintage brooches, favorite perfume and nail polishes and the best smelling candle EVER.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDW3XNUBW2cw8ZNXbRI6s5cAqv3z_iU7H1A_brbA-fmZYWenSHaRLv0oNM017KPplL0esF_gt7oaESPh9ePevCql1kGgahGmbK6pHh8kHwczKCFJUe0rindtkAEWICDMheez0dX_ZVZtCr/s1600/blogger-image-552382298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDW3XNUBW2cw8ZNXbRI6s5cAqv3z_iU7H1A_brbA-fmZYWenSHaRLv0oNM017KPplL0esF_gt7oaESPh9ePevCql1kGgahGmbK6pHh8kHwczKCFJUe0rindtkAEWICDMheez0dX_ZVZtCr/s640/blogger-image-552382298.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking in from the door</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-pFXIhm-9OVHi-LXTk-RVFccOupQ44dBoNUvi2jPaYzsYBWV_-phHwc1EkT3khj9I16tlEIilr4Rb7RAA227phrvryy-wL4yZiEhyphenhyphenHKFnxRut8SEQqv3feG-vVn8MEkfJoX755IdaOqg/s1600/blogger-image-830448709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs-pFXIhm-9OVHi-LXTk-RVFccOupQ44dBoNUvi2jPaYzsYBWV_-phHwc1EkT3khj9I16tlEIilr4Rb7RAA227phrvryy-wL4yZiEhyphenhyphenHKFnxRut8SEQqv3feG-vVn8MEkfJoX755IdaOqg/s640/blogger-image-830448709.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking into the room from the window</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguH9vpyGaVnDCvVbNUGglpNlJiDDDYztNFxYKbyLOPbv5VBGew1S3J7PAZiJpbDLgSJ8HSXWfgEMI4JBWWkXFmhF-sbdVvwxOug_60h17TgA6kQ5XKV0FxbuwvyK36ssAXC7sJm6ovVHVa/s1600/blogger-image-1841091389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguH9vpyGaVnDCvVbNUGglpNlJiDDDYztNFxYKbyLOPbv5VBGew1S3J7PAZiJpbDLgSJ8HSXWfgEMI4JBWWkXFmhF-sbdVvwxOug_60h17TgA6kQ5XKV0FxbuwvyK36ssAXC7sJm6ovVHVa/s640/blogger-image-1841091389.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"His" dresser</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOz-kuJ0Q5JeVsP1bfJ_tz2bbgxmD3ovzW-PQoDRnHgZF11p0uAJEl9hajixQu6kGv4CTlKk62La-3SkYPZTGu4d_-s0haqpu80bnL2J4rl57zjSEn3UN1jB98fo9xUFsrDnFZ7x1WY_NH/s1600/blogger-image-2080558006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOz-kuJ0Q5JeVsP1bfJ_tz2bbgxmD3ovzW-PQoDRnHgZF11p0uAJEl9hajixQu6kGv4CTlKk62La-3SkYPZTGu4d_-s0haqpu80bnL2J4rl57zjSEn3UN1jB98fo9xUFsrDnFZ7x1WY_NH/s640/blogger-image-2080558006.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Favorite quote and cute owl</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVbLCyPkdr8o-A-jQIwIuLEP3piqyJRYQdIptix0gTAdR-Gvaa_y5AvqvUvJ52JuFTTrVq7BKqWRZUfZPnIgaw_IioDFFdT-oYIs8Ltp_0Ka5TEX24fxtDzJfzQE4_ZGMROqQK4pjPED2/s1600/blogger-image-1226152925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVbLCyPkdr8o-A-jQIwIuLEP3piqyJRYQdIptix0gTAdR-Gvaa_y5AvqvUvJ52JuFTTrVq7BKqWRZUfZPnIgaw_IioDFFdT-oYIs8Ltp_0Ka5TEX24fxtDzJfzQE4_ZGMROqQK4pjPED2/s640/blogger-image-1226152925.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot of the dressers</td></tr>
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-84960279828706046172012-09-20T20:12:00.000-04:002012-09-20T20:12:40.704-04:00One Fine DayI know that I still owe a couple more apartment pictures, but those haven't been snapped yet (I know, I know..), and I wanted to talk about what we did last Sunday instead. Maybe it's not quite as exciting, but it was one of my favorite days in a long time!<br />
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We started the morning by having one of our good friends come over to do a fitness/posture/muscle alignment assessment on us to help us determine what corrections we may need to make while working out. It was very informative, and I was actually sore the next day from one of the moves we had to do (Judy: don't judge). <br />
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By about 2:00pm we had not eaten and were STARVING; so naturally we went and got chicken and waffles. Not exactly the most healthy meal, but when you're about to eat your own arm off sometimes that can be over looked a tad (or a lot). Although the service in the restaurant was sub-par (at one point the waitress walked away in the middle of taking my order!), the food itself hit the spot perfectly. <br />
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After our late lunch we headed up to the Museum of Natural History to wander around and check out the new exhibit on bioluminescence called "Creatures of Light". I had been looking forward to this exhibit since it opened at the beginning of the year, and although we learned a lot and enjoyed it quite a bit I was a little disappointed at how small the whole thing was. We checked out some of the other parts of the museum as well before heading for a stroll through Central Park.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGl2TOWuo5cSDrfEjEi_g3RqY7t5xoxzbM00wHShoavRTH0T1nJM9-OkoSNA8z4I2C1-7VpMjGv8c4Qo-lCisLozXz-26GSed34HxT4dWCRZyEGJfi9IkrLF1ogTvvgluY1VMndKBiJ5nT/s1600/blogger-image-124166310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGl2TOWuo5cSDrfEjEi_g3RqY7t5xoxzbM00wHShoavRTH0T1nJM9-OkoSNA8z4I2C1-7VpMjGv8c4Qo-lCisLozXz-26GSed34HxT4dWCRZyEGJfi9IkrLF1ogTvvgluY1VMndKBiJ5nT/s640/blogger-image-124166310.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A 40x actual size portrayal of a bioluminescent mushroom in the "Creatures of Light" exhibit.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLqEZ7ufjnzwRgcSXdsAXNd_SmVXm1zafjL74_MrwDCzBJL8NFP2mRQeNXwssVDmE93TiR2oQH9JXfiR5RSr7CUrT-twX12jUF4D-lmX3NJ_5BPYtEPklpJMGtwEVQEal1epGTBg1anSP/s1600/blogger-image-1806855944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLqEZ7ufjnzwRgcSXdsAXNd_SmVXm1zafjL74_MrwDCzBJL8NFP2mRQeNXwssVDmE93TiR2oQH9JXfiR5RSr7CUrT-twX12jUF4D-lmX3NJ_5BPYtEPklpJMGtwEVQEal1epGTBg1anSP/s640/blogger-image-1806855944.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Angler fish display</td></tr>
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Now, the main reason I even suggested we go to the museum and park that day was because the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Slightly cool, no humidity and lots of sunshine made for a perfect day to be outside. We sat by one of the lakes and watched the boats paddle by for a while, and then we walked in the direction of the Boathouse to grab a drink and watch the sun go down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlHkS44OsdpfOT1xfLi5I6yHpea_bwPrU2HeZJ4ZSfvk0PK-gskVyi_Fm9NrXXBKq2rdPgHt_KFOA8bYNrbK41Gt-0HHZBpj5FTtTa__OsdEwlLG3kWmP-xJ9RRKTBUiVIKPLPlI8QKMI/s1600/blogger-image--1922079888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMlHkS44OsdpfOT1xfLi5I6yHpea_bwPrU2HeZJ4ZSfvk0PK-gskVyi_Fm9NrXXBKq2rdPgHt_KFOA8bYNrbK41Gt-0HHZBpj5FTtTa__OsdEwlLG3kWmP-xJ9RRKTBUiVIKPLPlI8QKMI/s640/blogger-image--1922079888.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching boats in Central Park</td></tr>
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After our rest stop and cocktails at the bar we decided we were hungry again (which I didn't think was possible after the late lunch we had), and I made a last minute reservation at a restaurant called Jo Jo on the Upper East Side. I had heard good things about it, and the reviews on Yelp were good.. plus it's a Jean-Georges spot so that was enticing as well. <br />
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Oh my word was it ever delicious! We split 4 appetizers and I had a dessert, and I think it just might be one of my favorite meals ever. To start we had the tuna roll which was rare tuna wrapped in crispy pastry with a wasabi sauce, edamame and ginger. We also had the cheese ravioli with very, very fresh crushed tomatoes and Parmesan and a crab meat salad with mango and cumin crisps. After that we were still hungry and decided to get the crispy salmon "sushi" roll with a soy spread. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwi2SexfoZ-rWOb5JQ2ImAOQnDm9o4mOY3dbnQleeyrJ-IH8kw5b8QBK8Opl_KPna7-yN-z3LoW8e4gric6spUtKc_l2SmSh6izftOj3H33mNgSzzRIkTQjCGBzG4E2-QA5cHzG3_9X_y/s1600/blogger-image--795220277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYwi2SexfoZ-rWOb5JQ2ImAOQnDm9o4mOY3dbnQleeyrJ-IH8kw5b8QBK8Opl_KPna7-yN-z3LoW8e4gric6spUtKc_l2SmSh6izftOj3H33mNgSzzRIkTQjCGBzG4E2-QA5cHzG3_9X_y/s640/blogger-image--795220277.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuna roll at Jo Jo</td></tr>
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All of the ingredients were minimal and simple, but everything was so fresh and delicious that I was in heaven the whole time. Especially once the dessert came along. I know that <a href="http://theworldaccordingtoree.blogspot.com/2011/08/best-dessert-ever.html" target="_blank">I've talked before</a> about what I thought was the best dessert ever, but I believe that has been trumped. The dessert I had at Jo Jo was a passion fruit pavlova that had a passion fruit filling, was topped with passion fruit seeds, and sat on a bed of fresh whipped cream. I died. I also asked the hostess if this was a seasonal dessert or one they had all the time, and she (thankfully!) told me that it is Jean-Georges favorite dessert and they have it year round.<br />
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Jean-Georges has good taste, I see.<br />
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So that was our fun day, and I enjoyed getting to have so much fun and experience so many new things with Vlady! Looks like this weekend will be beautiful as well, perhaps I shall have another fine day again. <br />
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-6640917379809404122012-09-11T10:31:00.001-04:002012-09-11T10:31:08.065-04:00New Apartment: After - Living/Dining RoomI feel bad. I promised to post these pictures about 3 weeks ago.. Oops! Well I'm happy to finally share some "after" pictures of our place, and I'm going to start out with my favorite room in the house: the living room.<br />
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Our living room is a combined living and dining space, and after having lived in a 1 room studio for a year I was so excited to finally have enough room to entertain. Our last place had a 2 seater table and the couch, so we sometimes had to sit on the floor to eat when we had guests! Now we have the 4-seater table plus some ottomans to provide extra seating, as well as more than enough standing space.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FHBk0K9w9FIgmKLAL-MYNtkdLSjgeduezpLlD3aUm783cvS6notRRZ8VQu3J9REb5-AUjrTTOyMPuoh8RI0OjFkNCBjhC8kryP4Qp05vLVKL7_BEQJFf6FkOxxqkPtRU5b8IuQiz7cgv/s1600/blogger-image-761987325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FHBk0K9w9FIgmKLAL-MYNtkdLSjgeduezpLlD3aUm783cvS6notRRZ8VQu3J9REb5-AUjrTTOyMPuoh8RI0OjFkNCBjhC8kryP4Qp05vLVKL7_BEQJFf6FkOxxqkPtRU5b8IuQiz7cgv/s640/blogger-image-761987325.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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(<a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99875139/" target="_blank">Sofa</a>, <a href="http://www.target.com/p/fieldcrest-luxury-embroidered-pillow-blue/-/A-13993242" target="_blank">Pillows</a>)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSL1t6sPGWTf6t4lZjB3mul92ZjNPq8mFu-PpkAoYCol6b-hRVIbwcXPYo_XtSwHov6vomgDpXsNTCyttRK54cAExXPpMvG79sCdhb3ZPif1_V3xA0CYRMRa0oum9ja85uJgznyL7F4WW/s1600/blogger-image-1336286505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSL1t6sPGWTf6t4lZjB3mul92ZjNPq8mFu-PpkAoYCol6b-hRVIbwcXPYo_XtSwHov6vomgDpXsNTCyttRK54cAExXPpMvG79sCdhb3ZPif1_V3xA0CYRMRa0oum9ja85uJgznyL7F4WW/s640/blogger-image-1336286505.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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My favorite part about the "dining room" space: the artwork! We found the <a href="http://www.elementem.com/" target="_blank">vendor</a> in Union Square, and while we admired their work we never really found any that we loved enough to buy. That is until we went to their website and found this series with the wine glasses and bottle! It's hard to tell, but the color of the glasses and bottle are actually a bright citrine, and we loved that with the other citrine accents in the room. </div>
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(<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Casual-Dining-Table-Chairs-Finish/dp/B0054H42RQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1341111934&sr=8-2&keywords=5pc+casual++dining+table+set+black+finish" target="_blank">Dining Set</a>, <a href="http://www.elementem.com/collections/all-products/products/bottle-of-white" target="_blank">Pictures</a>)</div>
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That's our "bar". The plan is to keep the wine fully stocked at all times! (Also, I'm beginning to realize that my iPhone doesn't take as good of pictures as I'd like. This one is slightly tilted also, which is human error..)</div>
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(<a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/wooden-ombre-vases-c687/?pkey=cvases-planters" target="_blank">Vases</a>)</div>
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Looking into the living/dining space from the entry way.</div>
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(<a href="http://www.target.com/p/carson-3-piece-occasional-set-coffee-2-end-tables-ebony/-/A-13897613" target="_blank">Coffee table/end table set</a>)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4muVjdQBdPzt0hpWBx174Sh7G7TOBQjZC8MhhdxVEH6vGbfwTJ3V4lktczoeM06PUh0OJl_8Un_xb6ttaw1ULkF0X8sRoeZfeOsdYbN5UdH6mYDt739okuXgDmVCBbVc5nzSnkhyhFHQ/s1600/blogger-image-85972570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hea="true" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4muVjdQBdPzt0hpWBx174Sh7G7TOBQjZC8MhhdxVEH6vGbfwTJ3V4lktczoeM06PUh0OJl_8Un_xb6ttaw1ULkF0X8sRoeZfeOsdYbN5UdH6mYDt739okuXgDmVCBbVc5nzSnkhyhFHQ/s640/blogger-image-85972570.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You can tell where the cat's been on the couch! We love that <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40186096/" target="_blank">print</a> of the city from Ikea. </div>
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We have two of these, flanking the TV. There was a long discussion about what to do with that space (leaning bookshelves, floating bookshelves..), but I love the end result! </div>
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(<a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/wall-mounted-bookcase-w508/?pkey=cconsoles-media-storage-cabinets" target="_blank">bookshelf</a>, <a href="http://www.westelm.com/products/rocking-birds-c951/?pkey=cdecorative-objects" target="_blank">bird</a>, <a href="http://www.wayfair.com/Skyline-Furniture-Upholstered-Storage-Bench-848-6225ST-SKY2559.html" target="_blank">ottoman</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Encircle-Wine-Bottle-Cork/dp/B0037YD4O0" target="_blank">wine cork cage</a>)</div>
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The other book shelf and ottoman.</div>
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View from the "dining room" looking into the living room.</div>
Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-29860183170250093802012-08-28T22:46:00.000-04:002012-08-28T22:46:42.145-04:00Slutty BrowniesYou read that title correctly: slutty brownies.<br />
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Now I know that I promised an "after" post of our apartment as my next entry, but I'm going to be honest about why that isn't happening today. Although our place was in tip-top shape for our housewarming party, and while this would have been a prime time to snap some photos, I was too busy getting ready and making slutty brownies to take any.<br />
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Seeing as how the party was on Saturday and it is now a Tuesday the only other excuse I have is: I've been sucked into the Hunger Games trilogy. No seriously, that's the second reason I haven't taken pictures of our decorated place yet... because I can't put down those books! I also had to watch the first movie.. so..<br />
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Anyways, back to slutty brownies. Although I still can't get over the name of the recipe, I did in fact make a batch for the housewarming party after a friend recommended them over plain ol' brownies. They're called "slutty" brownies because they're "super easy, and more than a little bit filthy".. he he. Or at least that's what <a href="http://www.thelondoner.me/2011/06/slutty-brownies.html" target="_blank">this</a> blog says, which is where I was directed to retrieve the recipe (also: if you're looking for photos of the brownies, check out that girls post.. because I didn't take any. Oops).<br />
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Although these brownies are not my typical recipe (re: they are not good for you in any way, shape or form), they were simply to die for! There was not a single piece left after Saturday night, and I'm secretly grateful for that because that means no temptations sitting on my kitchen counter!<br />
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This recipe literally takes 45 minutes (including baking time) to make, so the easiness factor was a huge draw for me. I might make it my new mission to make this recipe in a reduced fat version. Could it be possible? Perhaps if I make my own batters instead of using mixes..<br />
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Hmmm..<br />
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<i>Slutty Brownies</i><br />
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<b><u>Ingredients</u></b><br />
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<ul>
<li>1 box of chocolate chip cookie mix (and the ingredients the mix calls for: ex, oil, eggs, water, etc)</li>
<li>1 box of brownie mix
(and the ingredients the mix calls for: ex, oil, eggs, water, etc)</li>
<li>16-20 Oreos (double stuffed, preferably)</li>
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That's it!</div>
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<u><b>Directions</b></u></div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray, or line the edges with parchment paper (I didn't have any parchment paper on hand, and a good coat of Pam worked just fine). Follow the directions on the cookie mix box, mix cookie dough batter. </div>
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Spread cookie dough evenly on the bottom of the pan (hands work best for that one) until it covers the bottom. Top with as many Oreos as you can fit (I fit 20). </div>
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Follow the directions on the brownie mix box and pour over the Oreos. Bake for 30-40 minutes until done (note: when inserting a toothpick to check if it's done, it might come out looking underdone..but the melted chocolate chips and Oreos will do that). </div>
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Let cool until just barely warm, cut into even pieces and serve. Watch as they are devoured!</div>
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<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-74755683545798288252012-08-23T16:46:00.000-04:002012-08-23T16:46:43.511-04:00New Apartment- BeforeAs I alluded to in <a href="http://theworldaccordingtoree.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-build-dresser.html" target="_blank">this</a> post, it's taken us quite a while to get settled in to our new place. We are finally (officially) set-up, and we're having some folks over this weekend to celebrate! Below are the "before" pictures of the space.. basically, this is what our apartment looks like completely empty. I will post the "after" pictures of how we've decorated this weekend. <br />
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This is the first apartment that I've lived in since college that has felt the most like "home". I put "home" in parenthesis because my mom likes to remind me that my real home is in fact down south, with my family. I have to agree with her, but to me this apartment feels way more comfortable and home-like than our studio ever did.<br />
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Maybe it's because it is a true 1-bedroom and I don't feel like I'm living in a hotel (as I sometimes did with our one room studio). Or maybe it's because we've really put in the time and effort to make this place exaclty how we want it. Either way, I'm very happy with our decision to move into this apartment, and I can't wait to show the finished product!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVn4exJXWNg6MWmLzZ5_s8MNTZu8-IpZeyDL01B52g0V7JOltOBQQoQw1_EbUpp3j0NQYhVNOvrWd57UcDn9fHhgnoXKkghysDva9KxOTC7yB8HpxrXGN1eT-hddldXYye2oruDeFfqVNW/s640/blogger-image-1129862282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVn4exJXWNg6MWmLzZ5_s8MNTZu8-IpZeyDL01B52g0V7JOltOBQQoQw1_EbUpp3j0NQYhVNOvrWd57UcDn9fHhgnoXKkghysDva9KxOTC7yB8HpxrXGN1eT-hddldXYye2oruDeFfqVNW/s640/blogger-image-1129862282.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bedroom, looking in from the door</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bedroom (and closet) looking down towards the living room</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living Room view from the front hallway</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Living room view looking towards the bedroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Bathroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Kitchen, one side</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Kitchen, the other side</td></tr>
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Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-43815432574522723212012-08-16T16:06:00.001-04:002012-08-16T16:06:26.042-04:00LatelyI feel like this summer has flown by. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was enjoying my Memorial Day? How is it already just a few short weeks until the end of summer?<div>
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Yikes!</div>
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The main reason time has been slipping by so quickly though is due to the fact that I've been traveling a lot. Quite a bit more than usual, actually. We spent some time at the beach, both in the Hamptons and in Cape Cod, and we celebrated Tatum's first birthday in Raleigh at the end of July. Also, we both had our own birthdays at the beginning of July and extended the celebrations out through the end of the month!</div>
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On top of all of the traveling we also moved into a larger apartment, and I began a new role at work. I'm feeling the urge to slow down for a little while.. it's time to catch my breath!</div>
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All of that being said, the last few months have been really great and full of memories that will last me a lifetime. So I guess I shouldn't be complaining too much :) </div>
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Below are a few snapshots from our summer:</div>
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My birthday celebration</div>
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Tatum's First Birthday! Best "Smash Cake" ever :)</div>
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<i>Photo courtesy of my dad</i></div>
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My sister reading one of Tatum's cards to her</div>
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Hanging with my girl!</div>
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A lighthouse in Cap Cod</div>
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Truro Vineyard in Cape Cod</div>
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I guess that it's only fitting that I will be spending my last weekend of the summer (Labor day weekend) traveling back home again! I'm OK with summer coming to a close though.. Fall is my favorite season, by far, so bring on the pretty leaves, comfy clothes, pumpkin flavored anything, and football!</div>
Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-20046968920236518092012-08-12T23:44:00.000-04:002012-08-13T10:13:22.659-04:00How to Build a DresserWe moved in to our new apartment on June 30, and here it is August 12 and we're still not completely settled in. This is to be expected when you move from a teeny little studio apartment to a one bedroom (lots of furniture to buy!), but there are some things that should not take quite so long.<br />
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Like building a dresser.<br />
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However, if you would like to follow the Leah and Vlad rules to assembling a dresser, please keep reading:<br />
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Step 1: Purchase dresser relatively soon after you move in (even take it home in boxes on the same day as purchasing, if possible)<br />
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Step 2: Remark on how you're too tired to build the dresser on the day you get it, but promise to assemble it that week<br />
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Step 3: Repeat step 2<br />
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Step 4: Repeat step 3<br />
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Step 5: Turn boxes that dresser comes in into clothes drying space, seeing as how they have become a useful piece of furniture (see example below). Bright pink pajama shorts with hearts optional.<br />
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Step 6: Finally decide to tackle the challenge and assemble the dresser<br />
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Step 7: Get all the way done, but save the very last drawer to be completed<br />
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Step 8: Repeat second half of step 2<br />
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Step 9: Finally finish building last drawer and start using the dresser (example below)<br />
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Step 10: Repeat with all other un-built furnitureLeahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-61658664016484504882012-07-25T10:46:00.001-04:002012-07-25T10:46:19.491-04:00Goat Cheese and Smoked Oyster PuffsI don't know about you guys, but every time I get invited to a gathering where I will be bringing food I like to make a new recipe. This is actually not a great idea, considering that if it turns out to be inedible then your guests are the guinea pigs in your cooking experiment gone wrong. Nonetheless, I always find myself scouring through cookbooks to find something new to try for each event.<br />
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A while ago we went to a house warming party for some friends, and I decided to make some Smoked Oyster and Goat Cheese Pastries as my contribution. The recipe calls for very few ingredients and it sounded quick and simple, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Everything turned out pretty good, although I'd make a few changes when I make them again (and I will make them again).<br />
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First, these really need to be small and bite - sized. I cut a couple of mine about 1-1.5" thick, and it was just too big (keep in mind: these are long pieces). Second, I would probably use a <i>teeny</i> bit more goat cheese. When assembling these, I used every last crumble that I had, and I think it could have used a little more. Lastly, I tasted these when they were warm out of the oven and again at room temp (the recipe suggests serving at room temp), and I enjoyed them a lot more when they were warm.<br />
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I never would have thought that goat cheese and smoked oysters would work together (they do!), but if you're looking for a tasty, quick, simple and inexpensive appetizer to make for your next gathering I suggest you give this one a go!<br />
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<b><u>Smoked Oysters and Goat Cheese Pastries</u></b><br />
<i>Serves 12</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>4oz soft, fresh goat cheese, crumbled</li>
<li>1 sheet ready made puff pastry dough</li>
<li>6-oz can of smoked oysters</li>
<li>1 egg, beaten</li>
<li>Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</li>
</ul>
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<b>Directions</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut rectangle of dough in half lengthwise. Put half the crumbled goat cheese down the middle of one piece of dough. Arrange half the oysters in a row on top of the goat cheese. Brush the beaten egg along both the long sides, fold the dough over the oysters, and gently press the edges together to seal. Repeat with the other piece of dough and remaining cheese and oysters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lightly brush both puff pastry packages with beaten egg, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cut both packages into 1-inch slices, then transfer to a buttered baking tray. Bake for 12 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Let cool to room temperature before serving.</span></div>
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<i>Please excuse the poor quality of the pictures.. my iPhone sometimes doesn't do the best job!</i></div>
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</div>Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-20159515535323695582012-07-16T10:25:00.000-04:002012-07-16T10:25:34.012-04:00Things That I Learned This WeekendThis past weekend was actually pretty uneventful. It mainly consisted of running errands (getting stuff for the apartment), putting together furniture for the living room, hitting up the farmers market and going out for date night. Pretty normal, indeed.<br />
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That being said, I learned a couple of interesting things that I would like to share:<br />
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1) There are great restaurants out there that don't cost an arm and a leg.<br />
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Ok, this is actually something I've been realizing for a few weeks now, but Saturday solidified that. On our date night we went out to <a href="http://www.cafecondesa.com/">Cafe Condesa</a>, a cute and quaint little restaurant in the West Village. We decided to go here based on our normal last minute restaurant finding criteria: highest star rating possible, close proximity, upcoming available table. This time we settled on Cafe Condesa, and I am so happy that we did!<br />
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The food was amazing! I would even go as far to say that it was just as good, or even better, than some of the much nicer places we've been to ::Gotham Bar and Grill::. Is it deserving of a Michelin star anytime soon? Nah. However, the mouthwatering steak and avocado and the chicken enchiladas for $18 and $15 (respectively) will certainly make us repeat customers.<br />
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2) I don't know how to cook Swiss Chard very well.<br />
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After being super excited about the gorgeous produce I picked up at the farmers market (and for such a good price!), I made a dinner that consisted entirely of items from my shopping trip:<br />
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Pheasant Sausage Patties<br />
Sauteed Zucchini and Yellow Squash with Ricotta and Fresh Basil<br />
Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes<br />
Sauteed Swiss Chard with Garlic<br />
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The zucchini and potatoes were very good, the sausage was pretty good, and the chard was.. well.. not. I treated it like I was cooking spinach, thinking that it would come out the same; but unfortunately it came out overly bitter and not tasty. Next time I may read through a few recipes to get some better ideas or tips, but in the meantime I have a whole lot of sauteed chard in my fridge that I'm not sure what to do with.<br />
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3) If I could be any of the "Avengers", I would be Iron Man.<br />
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Minus the ego, of course.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-8785591895447817022012-07-06T10:09:00.001-04:002012-07-06T11:33:54.101-04:00Another Year Older......Another year wiser?? Sure, we'll say that.<br />
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On Tuesday I celebrated the 5th anniversary of my 21st birthday, and I have many people to thank for making it such a wonderful day! I received many sweet cards and messages, enjoyed an amazing meal with Vlad, and ended the night in the way all good birthdays should end: drinking champagne with a group of great people :)<br />
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For dinner Vlady took me to <a href="http://veritas-nyc.com/index.htm">Veritas</a>, and although it was surprisingly empty, everything was quite excellent. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of anything other than the dessert.. I was too famished to whip out the camera for a photo op, so mostly everything was inhaled before a flash could have gone off. It happens.<br />
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My meal consisted of 2.5 appetizers (one being split with my lovely guest) plus dessert, and I have to say that I think that's the way to do it. I have always much preferred tapas style dining where you get numerous small plates over consuming one large entree. Variety is the spice of life, so why not try as many dishes as possible in one sitting?<br />
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The first course that we split was the crab salad, and not only was it delicious, but they were kind enough to evenly portion it out onto two plates (rather than setting one plate in the middle of the table for us to share). That earned major points in my book. The description of the crab salad says: lemon jam, black olives and arugula.. but that doesn't quite do it justice. It contained lots of sweet lump crab meat, over a small tapenade of black olives and a light topping of the peppery arugula. The lemon jam was on the side, but I ate every bite of it, and the whole thing came with a black olive-filo wrapping that they artfully split in two and made into an architectural piece on our plates. Highly recommended: this dish was summer perfection.<br />
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My second course was the baby spinach salad, and the description simply read: pancetta, point reyes blue cheese deviled eggs. When I ordered the dish the server mentioned that it was her favorite thing on the menu, so although the description was not in fact descriptive, I felt as though I had probably made a good decision. I was right. The spinach was lightly dressed with a mustard vinaigrette, and on the side were two deviled eggs split in half with a large pancetta wheel in each half. The eggs were filled with creamy blue cheesy yumminess that I could have eaten all night. Seriously, they were the best deviled eggs EVER. That combined with the crispy pancetta and dressed spinach was enough for me to realize why the server loved this dish so much. It was light, but so, so decadent!<br />
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For my third course I chose the sea scallop with foie gras, simply described only as that. This is the one dish that I'm bummed I didn't get a picture of, because the presentation was so elegant. It was one large sea scallop, split in half, with the seared foie gras in the middle, and a slice of roasted potato stacked in between as well. The whole thing was placed in the center of a large, white bowl and topped with a pan jus and some micro greens. No knife was required, and it really just melted in my mouth.. and while the whole thing was only about 4-5 bites, they were some pretty amazing bites indeed.<br />
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Dessert was kept simple (since my meal had been so rich up until then), and I had a scoop of basil sorbet and chocolate sorbet. These did not disappoint. The basil sorbet tasted exactly like fresh picked basil, with just the tiniest hint of sweetness, and the chocolate was also only slightly sweet but very rich in cacao (and topped with some crumbled cacao nibs). Oh, and they wrote a lovely message on the plate (see below):<br />
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So as you can tell, it was a lovely birthday full of great food! I would highly recommend Veritas as a special occasion restaurant; the food and service were both excellent.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-10784091994296379142012-06-26T17:27:00.000-04:002012-06-26T17:27:30.526-04:00Current ObsessionAs someone who loves to bake (although that has been HUGELY hindered by my pint-sized kitchen), I am a little embarrassed to say that I've never owned a rolling pin. When it came to a recipe that required one (like pies or anything with a crust), I honestly just said, "well, I won't be making this." I've thought many, many times about how useful it would be to buy one, but just never got around to it.<br />
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Until I found this:<br />
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I admit that I partly bought this rolling pin because I love to look at it, but I also bought it because I figured it was finally time to get one. Last weekend I offered to make a couple of appetizers for a friends house warming party, and one of the recipes I made (to come soon!) required a little dough flattening. So, it was time.. and now I want this sitting out in my kitchen at all times. I LOVE it! Something tells me Vlady doesn't feel the same, but that's OK.. that just means no pies for him ;)<br />
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Want one for yourself? Go <a href="http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-kitchen/23448251.jsp">here</a>, or they're available in Anthropologie stores as well.<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-74147373918980278062012-06-11T21:32:00.001-04:002012-06-13T09:38:57.319-04:00Update: I FailedI'd like to start this post out on a happy note, so therefore I want to mention how excited I am to write a post about our trip to Costa Rica! As soon as I get all of the pictures I will describe the whole thing, and let's just say it was an amazing vacation!<br />
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Ok, so you're happy for me now, right? Just remember that feeling.. because I failed at the "<a href="http://theworldaccordingtoree.blogspot.com/2012/02/confessions-of-shopaholic.html">no shopping for 6 months</a>" thing. *Sigh*<br />
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I lasted about 4.5 months, so although I made it a fairly long time (for me at least), I did not make it the full 6 months. Here's why:<br />
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The months of March, April and May at work were difficult (to put it lightly). I worked very, very long hours and was constantly having to deal with tough situations, and it really wore me out. As things were getting more hectic, I was getting more unhappy and there weren't many things that could make me feel better. One Friday, after a particularly hellish week, I realized that the ONLY thing I wanted right then was to buy something. Just saying that makes me feel like a shopping addict, but hey.. it worked.<br />
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I have bought a couple of things since then, and although I expected to feel guilty, I really was thinking, "I just worked an 80 hour week.. I EARNED this".<br />
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So there you have it, I failed. Now, lets revert back to good news: we have finally found a true one bedroom (that we love and is in our building)! This means that I will be going on another shopping hiatus to save money that will go towards getting the new place just the way we want it! I'm not saying I'm going cold turkey again, but I will instead have a small monthly clothes budget. I think that makes a little more sense for me.<br />
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Now for some more fun.. want to see what I got? Here are a couple of things:<br />
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Colorful jeans:<br />
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Pretty Dresses:<br />
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Feminine tops:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hg52OLt-qiVIPTgvcT0jPcpngA-lXANH2TZd3kse0BFYZMM02AYgh_thdrKZiZFTVmfivY3yuVDE8XTdyKVI6iv2q-J2aXQsNv5iZB1Vnvxgy5NBKMwIbgBzIiT2T9QcfoQayZvAz7zR/s1600/anthro+top.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hg52OLt-qiVIPTgvcT0jPcpngA-lXANH2TZd3kse0BFYZMM02AYgh_thdrKZiZFTVmfivY3yuVDE8XTdyKVI6iv2q-J2aXQsNv5iZB1Vnvxgy5NBKMwIbgBzIiT2T9QcfoQayZvAz7zR/s400/anthro+top.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Fun jewelry:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JX_lWWQzdDe5_AMEu-1jy2S-7tAzfiAOL565B1FhYqSMNsrxz7TD0MklpCkTac0-hXtU3qaTicrg6jea9QMOS00EMQecTIrTv8bDZnyvtkTJjNpb8FyBALucMX88ZALDky1vd4-ckVFj/s1600/anth+necklace.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JX_lWWQzdDe5_AMEu-1jy2S-7tAzfiAOL565B1FhYqSMNsrxz7TD0MklpCkTac0-hXtU3qaTicrg6jea9QMOS00EMQecTIrTv8bDZnyvtkTJjNpb8FyBALucMX88ZALDky1vd4-ckVFj/s400/anth+necklace.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6gjfSlf4JZMEvnljZnZvIVVV0pBfRAIaPYCrtmczT6DWNM-hbpUYBeW7xFl0OG0FJfcpK32RZipAA_eBqe95lw4OtXXEhnDszfvz95IjETIeHDfHD_4ldsTv_9D0jho4HplFUk5SY5ph/s1600/anthro+bracelet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6gjfSlf4JZMEvnljZnZvIVVV0pBfRAIaPYCrtmczT6DWNM-hbpUYBeW7xFl0OG0FJfcpK32RZipAA_eBqe95lw4OtXXEhnDszfvz95IjETIeHDfHD_4ldsTv_9D0jho4HplFUk5SY5ph/s400/anthro+bracelet.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div>
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So yeah, I failed.. but hey, I'm happy.. and to me that's what's important.Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-37888487315732282762012-05-21T12:01:00.002-04:002012-05-21T12:01:35.775-04:00The Reason I Became a Certified MinisterSo yeah, I meant to post about this a while ago.. but like I said, work has been extremely busy and I haven't had much (any) free time!<br />
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Many people have heard this story already, but I know that there are also many people who have no idea why I decided to become a certified minister. Let's start at the beginning..<br />
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Earlier this year my sister and I were talking about what we could do for my mom and dad for their 30th wedding anniversary. The thought of renewing their vows had been tossed around for a while, but we just never knew exactly how to pull it off. When we started to make a little more progress (we chose a date, and a location) we began talking about who would officiate the ceremony. Assuming we would only need a justice of the peace we looked into the cost for just a quick ceremony.. only to find out that would set us back about $300-$400! That amount was out of the question; the whole ceremony was supposed to be small, intimate and inexpensive.<br />
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So after we realized the cost I jokingly said "Dude, why don't we just do it ourselves?". Note: I JOKINGLY said that.. and yes, I actually said "Dude". My sister on the other hand decided that this actually was a really good idea, and the next thing I know she's telling me that she's gone online and registered us both as certified ministers in the State of North Carolina.<br />
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Now, I know that a lot of people think that this whole online certification thing is a scam. Yes, we had to pay a small fee.. No, we didn't have to take any sort of test... But I promise that it is a legitimate certification, and it has its' limitations: we can only perform non-religious ceremonies, and we can only perform 3 a year (and only in certain states). The certificates even came with tags for "Minister Only" parking! Below is a picture of my certificate, I'm considering having it framed:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaSuj9EELvZ2uj9e6-Rml5ozJ3Cnm0p89Xjz3SX4LZs2s4tH531ZdVIWoJG7EE8FI2XZyfOboqmL2zbjLS_qQ6XdsqjiDnh4dSEJJMVtLaAADgJwL_hsBNiCX0YqlvEV4Sq4BsECUn6T0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaSuj9EELvZ2uj9e6-Rml5ozJ3Cnm0p89Xjz3SX4LZs2s4tH531ZdVIWoJG7EE8FI2XZyfOboqmL2zbjLS_qQ6XdsqjiDnh4dSEJJMVtLaAADgJwL_hsBNiCX0YqlvEV4Sq4BsECUn6T0/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now comes the other big part of the ceremony: it was a huge surprise to my parents! My stealthy sister and I were able to plan the entire thing without them having any clue what was going on!<br />
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My sister asked everyone to come to a restaurant where we had obtained a private room for brunch one Sunday, but my parents thought they were only meeting my sister and her husband (and the baby, of course). Surprise number one came when they arrived and saw all of the other guests who had joined for brunch that day. Surprise number two came when I walked in from around the corner (I had been hiding in the bathroom!). The look on my dad's face was priceless, and that was the moment that I knew they truly had no clue that I had come to visit!<br />
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They both assumed that I just came down to celebrate their anniversary week, but then surprise number three came when my sister and I announced that we were actually all there to renew their vows.. right then, right there, officiated by myself and my sister! They were floored and totally shocked; not just at all of the events that took place, but also at how stealthy and deceiving my sister and I had been to pull everything off. Clearly we were raised well.<br />
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My partner in crime and I at the restaurant</div>
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The vow renewal was a short and sweet ceremony that didn't leave a dry eye in the house, and it was a truly special moment for all of us to share as a family. Oh, and my sister and I got to say "By the powers vested in us by the state of North Carolina..", which was kind of awesome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvd1SfON6hi4vm3HgCfNLLPV9T47RlGE26W80f18LkmQSiNrMx6Gt4Qn5WTAR7jnBoQLq_pbdXL2E-RzbPbV5vdlP_Gw5u-fm7WE0a7-eoThrBV3mUJeuT0E2PuHUTOLRr_ZN3nH2HP6b/s1600/ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHvd1SfON6hi4vm3HgCfNLLPV9T47RlGE26W80f18LkmQSiNrMx6Gt4Qn5WTAR7jnBoQLq_pbdXL2E-RzbPbV5vdlP_Gw5u-fm7WE0a7-eoThrBV3mUJeuT0E2PuHUTOLRr_ZN3nH2HP6b/s640/ceremony.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Performing the ceremony </div>
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One happy family!</div>
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I can't say that I will put my ministry certification to use two more times this year, but if anyone is ever in a pickle and needs to find a certified minister to perform a non-religious ceremony in the state of North Carolina, I just might be your girl! :)<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-62350292247406369192012-05-01T22:29:00.001-04:002012-05-01T22:29:51.105-04:00I'm a bad blogger...I'm a really bad blogger, I know. It's been a really, <i>really</i> long time since my last post... and that makes me a bad blogger.<br />
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I have a good excuse though! Not the kind of excuse that you get from lame guys who "just aren't that into you" (example: "I was out of town in a place that doesn't have cell phones or phones of any kind, other wise I would have called").. My excuse is that I just started a new role at my company, while still doing a lot of my former job, and I'm working many, many long hours.<br />
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See? Totally legit excuse.<br />
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I do have a few posts in the works though, like:<br />
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- the reason behind why I became a certified minister<br />
- the most disappointing restaurant experience of the year (thus far)<br />
and<br />
- how I'm doing on the no-shopping thing (hint: no free time = no shopping)<br />
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Stay tuned!<br />
<br />Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-44056039228309857522012-03-28T10:51:00.000-04:002012-03-28T10:51:18.060-04:00'Ino Cafe and the Truffled Egg ToastAs I mentioned in my last post, I was sick a few weekends ago with a bad infection of the ears, nose and throat. It was not fun, and I really didn't get out of bed for about 48 hours. My diet over the course of those 48 hours consisted of Gatorade, cough drops, and a plain bagel that I was craving so bad one night that I just HAD to order one (I was still too sick to go out and pick it up myself). <br />
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But thankfully I was feeling more like myself come that Sunday, and I was ready to eat some real food, so we decided brunch was a good idea. Vlady found <a href="http://www.cafeino.com/">'Ino Cafe</a> on Yelp, and it was a nice day for a stroll, so that's where we went. The restaurant is teeny teeny tiny with about 20 seats in the whole place, including the bar. It's got that rustic, homey charm that so many places these days are trying to achieve, and it was nice to not be in a large, crowded and noisy restaurant. <br />
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The menu was a decent size, and consisted mainly of paninis, but we were there for mimosas and brunch food! Vlady ordered the yogurt and homemade granola for himself, I ordered the ricotta and orange bruscetta, and we ordered a serving of truffled egg toast (which was recommended by the Yelpers) for the two of us. Vlady's yogurt and granola was surprisingly good, which was impressive for a dish that normally can be pretty bland! The yogurt was sweet and actually flavorful, and the granola was just as it should be: crunchy and full of nutty flavors. <br />
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My bruschetta with ricotta, orange peel and honey was pretty good, although I may not order it again after tasting how delicious some of their other dishes are. The ricotta and orange were just slightly sweet, but perhaps a little too bitter for my taste (it could also have been a strange aftermath taste from all of the cough drops I'd been eating over the past two days).<br />
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Now, for the good stuff: the truffled egg toast. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2juOkuqmbDOCAK5IxL5raMCcQDnuIoJTiS_CCpkUGUxMxBQQLM7di4G2G3u07n8l_t-BEuooA4hSYCltC0NaRDsB9tEDB_gUCVqosnhmcugSvkH0Y4ZoNO0nP6hrApblEcM_SmSVk6Xyg/s1600/truffled+egg+toast" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2juOkuqmbDOCAK5IxL5raMCcQDnuIoJTiS_CCpkUGUxMxBQQLM7di4G2G3u07n8l_t-BEuooA4hSYCltC0NaRDsB9tEDB_gUCVqosnhmcugSvkH0Y4ZoNO0nP6hrApblEcM_SmSVk6Xyg/s400/truffled+egg+toast" width="400" /></a></div>Oh.My.Word. It was so good. They took some delicious, buttery bread and basically made a 'toad in the hole' (or egg in the hole, or egg in the basket, or whatever you want to call it). The egg was over easy, so the yolk was nice and runny, and then they topped that with melted cheese that I would guess was provolone. I honestly don't know where the truffle flavor came from, whether it was an oil, or a salt, etc. When a dish is that good though, I don't really care because it WORKED. <br />
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The truffled egg toast was so good that we actually ordered another because splitting one between the two of us just wasn't enough. I'm already thinking of how I can recreate this dish with the truffle sea salt that I have at home (and make it a lower fat version), and I know that Vlady would gladly be the guinea pig for my efforts. <br />
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All in all, I would highly recommend 'Ino Cafe for everything that they offered, but mainly for that truffled egg toast.. it is not to be missed!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014251621281043255.post-23312048704727932012-03-18T13:44:00.000-04:002012-03-18T13:44:41.387-04:00At Home SickPardon the brief post, but I've been sick since Friday and don't have the energy or thought power to write much. In fact, I've hardly gotten out of bed since Friday morning, but the good news is that I'm getting better.<br />
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In the meantime, here are a couple of things that kept me happy while on bedrest:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">My collection of pastel nail polishes and new magazines to read</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRkLnGoFngOZXLggHliBGnqr-yF90R4rPA7NeWIifGDbKTqTuKokEPUbyX-GelLmKJrIhCtLerZgjixEQo0eR4BkBf-1bem0HYfX03CJ13qYrcH3alAcFSqMJG2-aRBxyLKDNk2qwmZzV/s1600/nail+polish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRkLnGoFngOZXLggHliBGnqr-yF90R4rPA7NeWIifGDbKTqTuKokEPUbyX-GelLmKJrIhCtLerZgjixEQo0eR4BkBf-1bem0HYfX03CJ13qYrcH3alAcFSqMJG2-aRBxyLKDNk2qwmZzV/s400/nail+polish.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The best coffee ever. Seriously, if you have a Keurig you should try this stuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn36Xz3UXktWHt0EYxrUaCN1ebg1NtqALeMYWAofPK0D8HNEBSSXxM6Pgb3Ls7IBIgbnrjHYSSaGdh-5gA8efS7xu2BZ3NcYtRcAzoFfd249Hf09s4IJRKQaV-tuv-wvsCgdj-YwT4WpBd/s1600/coffee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn36Xz3UXktWHt0EYxrUaCN1ebg1NtqALeMYWAofPK0D8HNEBSSXxM6Pgb3Ls7IBIgbnrjHYSSaGdh-5gA8efS7xu2BZ3NcYtRcAzoFfd249Hf09s4IJRKQaV-tuv-wvsCgdj-YwT4WpBd/s400/coffee.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And of course, Kaia, who rarely left my lap while I was resting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9BEdqQFjEuHwCsDET6dpcpKP6ZyKPaihkPJkm9X54kwB0QTg-UWKfLbVB5nmZI7WETz_dhyphenhyphen3s3bho8mhbwVcWHYKasuZ2SP8IvZ-aEQqkoOXguCAYur0YHAXiojFImumyj0vglq_ExZu/s1600/kaia.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn9BEdqQFjEuHwCsDET6dpcpKP6ZyKPaihkPJkm9X54kwB0QTg-UWKfLbVB5nmZI7WETz_dhyphenhyphen3s3bho8mhbwVcWHYKasuZ2SP8IvZ-aEQqkoOXguCAYur0YHAXiojFImumyj0vglq_ExZu/s400/kaia.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Time to get better!Leahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343050461016919696noreply@blogger.com0