Summer Food Inspirations

I have to admit I am a Food Network and Cooking Channel junkie. I have always loved to cook. I have early memories of climbing on top of the kitchen counter while my mom was sleeping and I would make myself eggs for breakfast at the age of 5. I was just a little chef and my mom would always want to kill me when she would see I was cooking again without supervision, ahhh well.

So I was browsing around for some delicious recipes and found some recipes for refreshing things like this Lemon-Ginger Iced Tea with Berry cubes. Yummm.

Find the recipe for this yummy summertime drink at Food Network's website. Click Here.












For those who prefer Lemonade over Iced Tea, there is a yummy Blackberry Lemonade recipe as well.

And for something a bit more icy there is a Mango Strawberry Snow Cone. I love Mango!!

 These I will definitely have to make tomorrow! Tonight I will be going to the store for the limes and mint. =)

Union Square Farmers Market

Yesterday was a nice day, not too hot, not too cool. Okay well for the average person it was not too hot but for some reason I am a very hot blooded creature because I am hot in 50 degree weather! lol But it wasn't too bad yesterday, even for me. I don't know how I am going to manage in the heat of Panama though. I am leaving soon for Central America and the heat and humidity is going to kill me, but everyone says I will get used to it. Let's hope they are right. And let's also hope that I can shed some pounds! =)

I decided to go to the Farmers Market in Union Square (14th Street). I actually decided to invite my mom to come along. Usually we are at each others throats but it wasn't too bad lol. So we got there and I looked at some amazing artwork and handmade tie-dye dresses and great produce and already prepared foods.

First, I purchased an amazing piece of artwork for $30 to bring to Panama with me. This vendor/artist creates pieces of art on Cigarettes, Cigars, and Matchbooks. I bought an amazing piece that the artist explained was a sad Russian boy who lives in a small village (that is depicted above the sketch of the boy). The artist, who is from Georgia(the country), was friendly and warm and explained all of the themes of his pieces in great depth. The piece I bought, is pictured below.

You can check out more of his work at SketchesonMatches.

The market had other great things to offer such as these amazing juices in various blends. My mom got Fuji Apple and I got Apple Rhubarb! Both DELICIOUS! Mom's was a bit sweeter and mine had a bit more tartness due to the Rhubarb. Yummm...I love Strawberry Rhubarb pie so I thought this juice would just be delicious! And it was!

 Then Mom and I took some Pics. I tried to teach her how to use my Camera but the touchscreen proved difficult for her lol. Here are some funny shots she caught of me reaching for the camera and me laughing.

That is me, being the usual goofy self! Anyways sorry for the personal pic overload! I also took some pictures of these comical sculptures in the park.

 Mama dukes and I ended up following Broadway to SoHo. We went to Baked by Melissa for some overpriced cupcakes that are the size of a quarter which makes up the novelty of these baked goods. A dollar a piece, not very recession friendly =/ but I bought 6 for $5.50.

From the Top Left Clockwise the Flavors are Chocolate Chip Banana Pancake, Tie-dye Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Red Velvet, and Cinnamon. The Pancake one was a bit dry, the Vanilla was moist and yummy, the cookies and cream was a bit too sweet, the peanut butter and jelly wasn't bad but not a favorite. Red velvet was a bit dry, and not one of my favorite flavors anyways. And the cinnamon was yummy but the cream cheese frosting was a bit too cream cheesy if that makes sense? LoL Last summer I went all throughout New York City tasting every cupcake shop's cupcakes in multiple flavors. From Baked by Melissa, Magnolia, Crumbs to Sugar Sweet Sunshine.

Overall it was a good day in the city! I need to carry my camera around more often on my little outings!

Domino Effect...

The Domino Effect.... For those of you who are fans of the late Domino Magazine such as myself, GREAT NEWS! You can now get some photos and excerpts made available by Brides Magazine. If you go to Brides.com and browse around you can find some great photos and articles from Domino.

I can't express how sad I was when the magazine came to an end. I felt it was the one interior design magazine that focused on multiple aesthetics. Not just traditional, or contemporary, or modern but it also offered eclectic homes for our viewing pleasure.

And how about this amazing mirrored fireplace below!??

So far there are only a few things posted on Brides.com from Domino, but hopefully they add more. Check it out!

Dressed Up, Zipped Up

So I love ShopNastyGal.com but when I saw this dress I almost cried. I had seen it in a TJmaxx for $20 but they didn't have my size and I was soo bummed. Then I saw it at the mall in some little shop in the window, and they were sold out too! Now its on ShopNastyGal but I don't know if I want to spend $58 after seeing it for $20. Ahh I'll probably end up buying it because I love it. I love the back of it too.

I love the crocheted look of this black dress below:

Sorry For The Delay!

So I was tagged by the lovely Kaelah Beauregarde of Little Chief Honeybee to answer a few questions! Here are her 8 Questions:

1. If you could have a tea party and invite any 4 people, who would you invite and why? 
Okay the first would have to be Sandra Bullock. I think she seems humble and like a genuine person. I am a fan of her work, even prior to the Blindside. 
The second person would have to be Katy Perry because I think she would be fun to shop with. Her style is really fun and I like her vintage inspired pieces.
The third person I'd invite is Anthony Bourdain because I'd like to talk about food and great places to eat. And I figure it would be appropriate discussion over tea and crumpets, right? lol
Fourth person would have to be Justin Nozuka, because I love his music and I have a little crush on him =).

2. What is one city you'd love to explore? I'd have to say I'd love to explore Tokyo. I have always wanted to go to Japan and I think it would have a lot of new and exciting things to explore culturally. 

3. Describe your perfect day!: A perfect day for me is usually a day that includes a coffee from Starbucks and walking through NYC. Whether its dining on great food, window shopping or just people watching. I feel most alive in that city. Its weird but I love it.

4. What are some of your guilty pleasures? (Music, food, movies, etc)
Food= Sushi, Imported italian salamis and cheeses, capers, Asian noodle soups. (random I know)
Music= I love all types of music. Not much country though. But I love Dashboard confessional :x lol Bjork, and is it ridiculous that I have the Twilight soundtrack in my car? lol Ahh Well
Movies= I love indie films. I love the sundance channel. One of my fave movies is Girlfight with Michelle Rodriguez. I believe it was one of her first movies. 

 5. What is your astrological sign and do you think you fit the description? I am a Pisces. And the description usually states that I am a procrastinator, a dreamer, as well as creative. I think all apply. I am always drawing, sketching, painting, cooking, crafting and writing. I am the biggest dreamer! I think that one day I will have accomplished at least half of the hundreds of things I wish to do, as long as the procrastinating doesn't get in the way too much! 

6. When do you feel your prettiest? When I have a bit of a tan, and my hair is down and its curled a bit. I like the beachy waves that my hair sometime gets. That is if it feels like being cooperative! And with a cute summer dress of course!

7. Do you keep a written journal or diary? Not soo much. Its more of a moleskine planner that I jot down ideas that wake me in the middle of the night! =)

8. What is your main life goal? To open up a restaurant with my father. I'd love to have a family business that I could leave to my children.

THE END!    

Wait Not The End Yet!...

My 8 Questions are :
1.) If you could live in any person's shoes for a day, who would it be?
2.) If you could live anywhere in the world, no financial limits, where would it be?
3.) If you could donate a million dollars to any charity, which one would you choose?
4.) What is your favorite comfort food?
5.) What is your earliest childhood memory?
6.) If you could change your name to anything, what would it be?
7.) If you could start life over, would you?
8.) If you could be famous for one thing, what would you want to be famous for?

I tag:
Kaitlynn
Forever Curiouser
CupcakeTrash
Windshield Diaries
And anyone else who wants to answer them, Just leave a link to your answers!




 

Once upon a wedding...

So although I am not getting married anytime soon (if ever)! I love to look online at wedding ideas and wedding favors and such. I love the blog OnceWed. They have amazing weddings and photos. I love a lot of the vintage inspired weddings but among all those great weddings I found one that was very pop-artish.


This wedding has bright yellow and pink! This wedding is whimsical and fun and just looks like it was a blast to plan and coordinate. Check out a few of the pics below!

I love the color combinations! 

Check out the comic strip invites below!

I love the hello kitty ring. I am not sure if this was her wedding ring but Hey if those are all diamonds, Why not?!

One Flies Over the Cuckoo Nest

I am going Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs! No But really I am going Cuckoo for these Bright Cuckoo Clocks I came across on Apartment Therapy!

These clocks are bright, fun and playful! They remind me of the bright colored sugar skulls that we see for the Day of the Dead. They are made by a German artist Stefan Strumbel.

You can check out more of his work at his website HERE.