{things i learned} my week through instagram
1. today's accessories #alexanderwang #roccoduffel #alexandani #blogger #style #ootd #selfie
2. lunch date @avocenyc #diningout #newyorkcity
3. bread service + drained ricotta #yum #italian
4. salumi board #diedandgonetoheaven #italian #food
5. lobster + ceci salad #lunch #italian #yum
6. worth a second look- it's that incredible #phenomenal #lobster #salad
7. goat sausage ragu over cavatelli #yum #italian #lunch
8. walnut torta with fresh caramel and cinnamon gelato #decadent #chocolate #alwaysorderdessert
9. limoncello house-made marshmallows #sweetending #lunchdate
10. our view for lunch #columbuscircle #nyc #newyork #rainyday
11. pretty petals #nofilter #morning #spring #nyc
12. already getting ready for the met gala #beexcited #uppereastside #fashion #nyc
14. margaritas! #drinks #cheers #fiesta #cincodemayo
15. chips and guacamole #yum #imayneedtogoonadiet #cincodemayo
16. mexican spiced pots de crème #dessert #chocoholic #cincodemayo
{things i learned} my week through instagram
1. a champagne bottle full of 'baci' #yesplease #bestpresentever #chocoholic #sweettooth
2. it's a beautiful day for a long walk #sunny #spring #pretty #magnolia #flowers #instadaily
4. thai shrimp coconut curry #dinnertonight #homemade #diedandgonetoheaven #food #yum
5. mini pastries #cute #food #italian #dessert #partytime
{things i made} chocolate chocolate-chip muffins
I love desserts–I mean I really, really love them. But I really, really hate it when something tasty leaves you feeling yucky. You know that general sense of heaviness/greasiness you can get after a regretful indulgence? It's never (ever) worth it for me. Muffins can be one of those tricky treats that seem harmless but actual pack a buttery, sugary punch. That's why I reach to this recipe whenever I'm looking to make a quick, light, and portable chocolaty snack. They're easy to assemble and–warning–even easier to eat for breakfast, dessert, and any time in between.
P.S. I'm so excited by everyone's response the Skinny Jeans giveaway. There are still a few more days to enter, so be sure to do so by clicking here!
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1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup semisweet chocolate-chips, divided
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.
2. Combine 1 cup water and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add oil mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in 3/4 cup chips.
3. Place 12 muffin-cup liners in muffin cups, and coat liners with cooking spray. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chips evenly over batter. Bake for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in pan on a wire rack.
{things i learned} you never know what you’re going to get
[pretty patterns at play on the upper west side]
['small gestures' gift box from la maison du chocolat paris]
[cozy corner: dried flowers + a framed hand-cut silhouette]
[newest knickknack: a terracotta disk with 'vittoria,' the winged goddess of victory]
[celebrating a friend's birthday with my favorite glazed chocolate tart, recipe here]
When I was younger, I made the very serious but completely nonsensical promise to myself that the adult version of me would always have a box of individually pieced chocolate at home. Back then there was no problem big or small that couldn't be reconsidered (or solved) after taking a moment to indulge in one or two bites with their mystery fillings. I'm always surprised by how true this holds up today: though I've upgraded from drug store boxes to ones from the unbelievably delicious boutique Mason du Chocolate, I'm always just as excited to sneak a treat. Hope you have a great weekend!
Enter my GIVEAWAY to win a $50 gift certificate to Ettika Jewelry here!
{things i learned} my week through instagram
1. so in love with my new @ettikabracelets #armparty #bloggerlove #gold
2. heart garland #toocute #holiday #thinkpink #valentinesday
3. cupcake! #valentinesday #toocute #sweettooth
4. filet mignon carpaccio #appetizers #diedandgonetoheaven #yummy
6. #dessert #chocoholic #imayneedtogoonadiet
7. flowers, chocolates, + something sparkly = the perfect valentine's day #happygirl
9. still kind of obsessed with this@papyrus_online card #valentinesday #toocute #hedgehogs #ilovelove
10. at the dentist for a cleaning #healthysmile
11. la liz in 'cat on a hot tin roof' #icon #gorgeous #idtotallywearthatdress #sundayfunday
12. #chocoholic #boxofchocolates #yummy
For more, follow me here:
INSTAGRAM @thebeautifulthngs
{things i learned} will you be my valentine
[festive chocolate-covered strawberries]
[my collection of red bangles: Leather Triangle Cuff, House of Harlow 1960 (in Red/Gold, was $67, available here]; Sting Ray Leather Cuff Bangle 1" in Red, D'Haute Collection (was $600, available here); Cabochon Stone Bangle, House of Harlow 1960 (in Gold/Red was $180, available here)]
[my favorite candy: perugina's 'baci']
['love' block twoseome ring by Erica Anenberg (in Gold, $130, available here) + opi's 'so many clowns, so little time']
[a very accurate hershey's chocolate display]
Valentine's Day is just like any other day–except it's not. Even when I was single I enjoyed taking time during the holiday to celebrate the love in my life. Of course I never need much convincing: I look for any excuse to dress up (how vibrant are those bangles?), exchange presents, and overindulge in some chocolates (I could never have enough). I can't wait until I get to spend time with my valentine for a date-night dinner tonight–and hopefully you get to do the same with yours.
What do you think? Do you have any special Valentine's Day plans?
To enter to WIN my LATEST GIVEAWAY–an item of your choice from FashFoward Boutique– click here!
{things i made} brownies and blondies with heart cut-outs
I like many different kinds of desserts but when one doesn't list chocolate among its ingredients I can't help but feel a bit let down. This holds doubly–okay even more than that–true on Valentine's Day, which is why I made a batch of these brownie/blondie hybrids for tomorrow. I of course reach for the more chocolatey of the two, but I'm overall memorized by the sweet neatness of their cut-out black and white hearts. In an (appropriate) effort to be healthy for our actual tickers, both recipes use olive oil instead of butter–but don't worry, they're still decadently rich (you can trust me, I'm an expert).
To enter to WIN my LATEST GIVEAWAY–an item of your choice from FashFoward Boutique– click here!
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For brownies:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8×8 pan. In a large bowl, combine melted chocolate and olive oil. Whisk in eggs, sugars and vanilla until combined.
2. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spread in prepared pan. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1″ away from the edge comes out clean. Let cool completely before cutting into squares.
For blondies:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butterscotch chips (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk oil and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla.
2. Add flour and salt; mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Fold in chips if using. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
3. Bake until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack, and let cool completely before cutting into squares.
To finish:
Using a heart shape cookie cutter to remove center of squares. Reassemble, reversing colors.
{things i made} coconut cookies
I've made coconut macaroons a few times before–they're pretty simple and practically fool-proof–but although they're tasty, something about them always seemed too candy-like to pass for a cookie (think a "Mounds" or "Almond Joy" bar). These not-too-sweet treats on the other hand don't suffer from any identity problems: chewy and full of flavor, shredded coconut is mixed with flour to ensure that the end result feels, looks, and tastes like a cookie. I highly recommend the chocolate drizzle–it really complements all the other ingredients.
ENTER MY LATEST GIVEAWAY for a statement ring HERE!
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2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
scant 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, for rolling
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place coconut in a food processor along with cinnamon, salt and baking powder; process until finely ground. Add flour and process again.
3. Combine wet ingredients and sugar, beat well.
4. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix (do not overmix: dough should be slightly crumbly). Shape the dough into 1/2 inch balls and roll balls to coat with coconut.
5. Bake about 10 minutes on a lightly greased cookie sheet (do not brown).
6. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle cookies with melted chocolate if desired.
{things i learned} lunch at bouchon bakery
A few weeks ago I had a spectacular lunch with my boyfriend at one of my favorite spots in the city to grab a quick but spectacular meal–the cafe at Bouchon Bakery. From their crusty bread to their quiche du jour, the food is always flavorful, fresh, and seasonally unique. If you follow my Instagram you'll probably have noticed my love for all things chocolate so what really takes the cake at Bouchon–literally–is their Guanaja chocolate soufflé. Not too sweet and
served with a sinfully rich crème anglaise it's well worth the wait it takes to bake after you order it. Thankfully you can't get any calories from these photos, but if you get the chance and are nearby one of the chain's five locations (click here for a list) be sure to stop in for a taste yourself.
ENTER MY LATEST GIVEAWAY for a druzy ring HERE!
{things i learned} when daylight’s fading
[fresh picked blueberries]
[gerber daisy floating centerpieces]
[my purple rain boots (Original Hunter Wellington Rain Boot in Aubergine, Hunter Boots - $135, available here)]
[a seed pod from a faded flower]
[a batch of these sea salt chocolate chip cookies ready for the oven]
I'm not yet fully in fall mode, but tomorrow marks the official end of summer and the beginning of autumn. I've already unearthed my rain boots from my closet (I must say I did not miss them), switched to favoring deeper colors like the oranges and reds of changing leaves (captured perfectly by those beautifully simple floating flowers), and started manically baking like I need the heat from the oven to stay warm (on some nights I do). I'll miss summer–it was a good one–but I'm ready for the changes a new season brings.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to fall?
{latest instagram}
