Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Foodie Files

If...hypothetically speaking...I wasn't feeling great, I suppose I would...theoretically...want to make something I knew I couldn't mess up for this week's Foodie Files.  Because...from a purely conjectural standpoint...sometimes you just need to do something you know is going to work.  You know what I mean?  This morning I tackled a simple but delicious breakfast of skillet fried potatoes and eggs.  It was good and it was easy, which I'm pretty sure is just what the doctor prescribed for me today.  The recipe below would feed two people with my appetite or one person with my brother's appetite so adjust your portions accordingly.    

Ingredients:
1 Russet potato
2 eggs
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
3 slices of turkey bacon
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Coat the bottom of a large skillet with extra virgin olive oil and set heat to medium.  Give the potato skin a good scrub, then cut into "cubes".


Toss the potato cubes into your skillet and season with salt and pepper.  Let cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring and turning occasionally.  When the potatoes soften and lightly brown, turn off heat completely.  Let the skillet remain on the burner.


Microwave cook three pieces of turkey bacon and break into pieces.  Toss mozzarella cheese and bacon into your skillet and stir until the residual heat melt the cheese.  Plate in a shallow bowl.


In a separate pan, cook eggs to your taste.  The meal works best if you leave the yolk at least a little runny.  Place your egg on top of the potatoes, garnish with a touch of cheese and you're all set.  Easy breezy but yummy, too.  

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Mirror, Mirror

Well, Miami...I hope you're happy.  You got to me and you got to me good.  From the moment I stepped off the plane this morning I've been craving sun, missing my friends and pondering the deep and meaningful joys of Cuban food.  I put together this Art-Deco inspired ensemble that would fit right in on Lincoln Road...perhaps I'll attempt a similar outfit when I go back this June for the Rendezvous Conference (which you should probably come to, by the way).


1. Silk-Chiffon T-Shirt, Kelly Bergin $140  2. New Favorite Cami, Gap $14.50  3. Geometric Jacquard Bandage Mini Skirt, Herve' Leger $1,150  4. Deco Opaque Drop Earrings, ASOS $17.93  5. Gladiator Bracelet, Forever 21 $11.80  6. Red Suede Cork Platform Wedges, Giuseppe Zanotti $397.99

Guest Post: Brooke & Breanna from Style Sorbet

We are honored to be guests on such a fabulous blog! A little bit about us: we love clothes, shoes, and shopping, but mostly we love living with style. Obviously that includes more than just apparel. Our unique style largely comes from what we listen to, read and watch.  With that said, we thought it would be fun to share a few of our favorite things for inspiration.

Movie with style:


We’ll give you 3 reasons to love this classic film:

1) Deborah Kerr wears the most gorgeous dresses. We love that everything accents her waist with a perfectly placed belt. She is stunning but beyond that, every word she speaks or move she makes is done with such grace.

2) Cary Grant is the original McDreamy. Chivalrous, charming and handsome enough to make any girl swoon.

3) The love story is epic. Long before the days of “Sleepless In Seattle”, women found themselves weeping in theaters as they watched this relationship develop. Get the tissues. Get the chocolates.  And get ready.

Quote worthy: “Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories.”

Book with style:


We heard about this book last year and were hooked by the title. How many “Hilton hoochies” are getting the world’s attention while “aspiring Audreys” wait in the wings? The book includes quizzes, recipes, social tips and even some Friends quotes, which, if you are anything like us, is enough to win you over. We think it’s even a great gift for girls who would like to be known for their class, dignity, and intelligence, rather than their infamous behavior.

Quote worthy: “Self-respect is one of the greatest assets a girl can possess, and yet it’s one of the biggest things we’re lacking these days. Oh, the shame that’s been documented by reality TV crews all over the world!”

Album with style:


Very few albums can be listened to start to finish without skipping tracks. This is one that passes the test with flying colors. No trace of a sophomore slump here! Some tracks, like “Rumor Has It” have cheeky lyrics and an up-tempo groove. Others, like “Turning Tables” and “Someone Like You” have haunting melodies and lyrics that show she’s no stranger to heartbreak. We love the old school soul in each one.

Quote worthy: “Regrets and mistakes, they’re memories made. Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?”


Warning: after enjoying the aforementioned movie, book and music, you may find yourself craving some old school fashion. We suggest getting on board with the revived cat eye sunglasses trend. Here’s our pick: Tory Burch Cat Eye Sunglasses.
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Though I've not had the pleasure of meeting Breanna, I've known the ever-stylish Brooke since our good 'ol Lee University days.  Brooke's perfectly put together ensembles always stood out in the sea of pajama pants and sweats that is college life, so when I found out she and her sister started a blog I just had to ask them to guest post.  You can check out the beautiful Bryant sisters' blog, Style Sorbet, at www.stylesorbet.blogspot.com and follow them on Twitter @StyleSorbet.  These girls are just starting out, but I'm pretty confident they've got some fabulousness up their sleeve.  Thanks for the fantastic post, ladies!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Sugarcane

Tapas restaurants aren't made for everyone, but they're most certainly made for me.  My enjoyment of a meal...any meal...grows exponentially with each additional course, so the concept of a restaurant where you order many small plates of food is a little piece of heaven for me.  This past Sunday night my BFF DawnChere took me to Sugarcane, a killer Tapas restaurant that blew my mind one goat cheese croquette at a time.  If you're ever in Miami it's a must visit!  I wanted to take pictures of all our food but got distracted by the deliciousness of said food about halfway through our meal, so I only snapped a few.  Our menu of choice was:


Crispy Leg of Duck Confit and Waffles with Mustard Maple Syrup
Bacon Wrapped Dates with Linguica and Manchego
Goat Cheese Croquettes with Membrillo Marmalade
Brussel Sprouts with Orange and Sweet Soy
Shellfish Seviche with Avocado, Tomato and Nori Crisps
Shrimp Tempura, Yellowtail JalapeƱo & Crunchy Tuna Sushi Rolls


I could neither identify nor pronounce the majority of the things we ate, nor was I terribly excited about how some of them sounded (let's be honest...duck and waffles?  That's scary.) but oh my word was it delicious.  Every.  Single.  Bite.  Don't be too surprised if I give one or two items a try in the Foodie Files to come.  The potential for disaster is high, but it's worth a shot.  :)


Pictures via Miami Examiner, Alissa Ponchione & my Iphone


P.S.- The atmosphere is reason enough to pay Sugarcane a visit.  Let me just throw a few descriptors out at you...you do with them what you will.  South American Colonial Spanish-Style Architecture.  Vintage accessories and salvaged wood floors.  Hand-painted Moroccan Tiles.  Vintage wallpapers and antique mirrors.  Told you...amazing.
Monday, April 4, 2011

Bienvenidos a Miami

Hey Miami...I'm baaaaack!  At least until Wednesday morning, at which point I'll be heading back to Nashville.  But that's not what I want to talk about right now.  In fact, I don't want to talk about anything at the moment because the sun is requesting my full attention and I'd like to oblige.   Hope you enjoy this Miami-inspired post whilst I scope out the real deal.  Vitamin D, here I come!


1. Le Vernis Nail Color, Chanel $25  2. Pins and Needles Straw Floppy Hat, Urban Outfitters $29  3. Michael Kors 'Miami' Aviator Sunglasses, Nordstrom $95  4. Flowers in a Vase, Romero Britto $695  5. Color-Block Silk-Chiffon Gown, Alberta Ferretti $1,820  6. High-Rise Skinny Jeans, Ralph Lauren Black Label $400  7. Cuban Coffee Mug, Absolute Cigars $20.95  8. Sergennti Strapless Silk Dress, Tibi $345  9. Platform Stilettos, Nordstrom $109

Design Musings

Friday, April 1, 2011

'arry Potta!

I love reading...a lot...I guess that puts me at about a nerd level 6.  Add to that the fact that I'd rather tour a museum than-oh-pretty much anywhere and I guess that bumps me up to an 8.  Embarrassingly enough, I also enjoy a good Harry Potter movie.  I think we can safely say that puts me at a solid level 10.  Today we're headed to the epicenter of the Harry Potter nerds...Universal Studios' Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  I'll be tweeting all kinds of fun pictures so make sure you check those out- you can follow us at @designmuseblog.  In the meantime, I put together a good 'ol Harry Potter themed post.  Expecto Patronum! :)

From a design standpoint, Harry Potter doesn't have a ton to offer unless you're into the whole gothic look.  I, for one, am not.  Even more unfortunately, the only design element I really love was a result of magic soooo...it's not looking good for me in terms of achieving it.  


The closest I could get was this gorgeous piece from Bocci Lighting.  It's got a bit of the floating candle vibe, right?


Here's a few other wizard-friendly pieces I came across...but don't be fooled, they're good for muggles too.   


1. Batter Wand, Chestnut Tree Creation $15  2. Snake Ring, Elizabeth and James  3. Paloma Dress, Topshop $84  4. Owl Letter Holder, Urban Outfitters $24  5. Harry Potter Glasses, Hamaki-Ho