Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I...

1. Received my first pair of Alice+Olivia shoes I ordered from Saks. Bows+Sparkle=Sold. I was a bit unsure when I initially saw them online but fell in love instantly when I saw these beauties in person. Love love love.
2. Made hot spinach dip using Martha Stewart's recipe for my friend's NYE potluck. Will post recipe soon.
3. Celebrated NYE with several of my good friends at a friend's place. Her bf cooked pork tenderloin (not pictured--ate too fast) using their sous vide machine and the meat was unbelievably tender and delicious. For those of you who are unfamliar with sous vide, it's basically a method of cooking food in a sealed plastic bag in a water bath for a long time (usually 72 hrs) at a precise temperature, which allows the food to cook evenly. You can only imagine how incredibly good a steak will turn out using this thing. I love how my friends enjoy food just as much as I do. Our love of food is one of the things that brings us together.
4. Drank a lot of wine at the party.
5. Finally watched The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. I've read the book and was not disappointed at how the movie turned out. So, so good. I have a major girl crush on Rooney Mara now. She had the ability to look fierce/tough with all her piercings, tattoos, and punk rock haircut yet exude femininity with her flawless skin and tiny physique. There's a quiet vulnerability in the character she portrays from the book and Mara executed that beautifully in the movie.
6. Painted my nails to fit the New Years holiday. Black and silver are the common colors I see in NYE party favors/decor so I used similar colors on my nails with a twist on the french manicure.

How was your weekend?

Weekend Snapshots

 

This weekend I...

1. Caught up on some of my favorite magazines.
2. Finally took the plunge and bought a tempur-pedic mattress. For the amount of money I paid for this mattress, I better be getting the BEST SLEEP OF MY LIFE. Like for reals.
3. Tried Taiwanese shaved ice (similar to Italian ice but with toppings) for the first time. I'm very particular with my shaved ice because Korean shaved ice is so freakin' good and the Taiwanese version wasn't too shabby.  I had it at Bob's Noodle 66 in Rockville, MD and chose taro, red beans, and black jelly for my toppings. It's also drizzled with condensed milk. Yum.
4. Bought a gold bracelet by Kenneth Jay Lane from Saks. It's my first piece from this designer and I just love how bold yet simple this bracelet is. I've been searching for more gold bracelets to add to my collection and I'm very satisfied with this purchase, especially because it actually fits my wrist. I also love the pouch it came in because it's perfect for packing when traveling.
5. Painted my nails in all glitter. I used Essie's "adore-a-ball" as a base and Opi's "Rainbow's in the S-Kylie" on top of that. Just trying to prep for the upcoming holiday ya know?
6. Bought a new planner for the new year. As much as I love technology I'm still old fashioned in that I still love writing things down. Writing things down helps me remember stuff and the dorky part of me just loves seeing things checked off my "to do" lists. I can't believe 2012 is just around the corner. I'm ready to embrace 2012 with open arms...I have a good feeling about next year.

How was your weekend?

Weekend Snapshots

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This weekend I...
1. Made some granola with peanuts and walnuts. I love snacking on homemade granola as is or adding that to Greek yogurt and than drizzling it with honey. YUM.
2. Bought two new nail polish colors. What's a weekend without nail polish HA! This time I wanted a bit of sparkle so I coated the matte shade with glitter and was satisfied with how it looked. Love me some sparkle. Opi colors used were "My empire, my rules" and "Follow me on Glitter."
3. Went to dinner at Nando's Peri Peri for the first time. It's a restaurant that specializes in Portuguese flame-grilled chicken and you can decide how spicy you want your chicken. I obviously ordered mine hot and the chicken was juicy and flavorful, but I was more impressed with their macho peas. It's basically a pea mash mixed with whole peas, parsley, mint, and chilli. Umm party in my mouth. 
4. Bought a pair of shoes by Pour La Victoire. I'm beginning to really like this shoe designers subtle eclectic style.
5. Went grocery shopping and came across these adorable coke bottles. 'Tis the season.
6. Bought some material for my first DIY project. I am NOT crafty by any means but I saw this easy holiday candle DIY project online that I wanted to try. Will post results later this week if it turns out well! If not, well assume it was a bust.

How was your weekend?