Today is such a special day to celebrate not only our own moms, but all of the women who have played a positive and nurturing role in our lives. This year, D and I have quite a lot to celebrate and I’m feeling extra thankful for my mom, aunts, and mother-in-laws as they all continue to go above and beyond for us day after day. I hope you have a lovely day celebrating the moms in your lives.

Happy Friday, friends! After a few rainy days in NYC, my hope is that this weekend brings plenty of sun and warm weather for everyone… especially for those who plan to celebrate Mother’s Day al fresco surrounded by friends and family! Although I won’t be celebrating this holiday in the same city as my mom or in-laws, I am counting down for my upcoming family trip where we’ll have our own mini post-Mother’s Day celebration. In the meanwhile, I thought it would be fitting to share this salad with you, which would make the perfect accompaniment to any Mother’s Day brunch or dinner. This is one of those gorgeous salads that features just a few simple ingredients, yet strikes the most perfect combination of flavors. I adore the bursts of citrus paired with the peppery arugula and crunchy pistachios. If you don’t have all of these items on hand, get creative by swapping out grapefruit for the clementines or various nut mixtures… even adding a few slices of freshly grated parmesan cheese would be delicious. Keep reading for the recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to put together!

INGREDIENTS:

• Arugula
• Mixed greens
• Mixture of nuts (I used pistachios & sliced toasted almonds)
• Clementines or blood oranges
• Dressing (I typically drizzle a bit of EVOO and/or balsamic dressing)

No instructions needed … just mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

*Image by Katie

This upcoming weekend is Cinco de Mayo, which happens to be one of my favorite days of the year because it gives me another excuse to devour Mexican food… again. Seeing Cinco de Mayo falls on a Sunday, I’m sure restaurants will be jam-packed (especially if it’s nice out!) while everyone feasts on icy-cold margaritas, chips and guacamole! Don’t get me wrong, I adore trying new restaurants, but lately I’ve enjoyed whipping up tasty meals at home just as much as going out. So, for those who also appreciate low-key weekends, I figure why not celebrate with a simple Mexican-themed breakfast at home? This meal happens to be one of my go-to’s that I make almost every weekend and takes no more than 10 minutes! Scramble a few eggs (I always toss in veggies such as yellow pepper and spinach as well as shredded cheese), slice up an avocado, buy or make home-made salsa (load up on that fresh cilantro!), and wrap all ingredients in a flour tortilla or enjoy over whole wheat toast. Then, if you’re in the mood, pour yourself a celebratory pomegranate margarita!

Hi friends! I know – long time, no see! I’ve had quite a few personal things going on lately that frankly, have taken precedence over everything else in my life, but am thrilled that things have settled down a bit so that I can get back to the blogsphere! Over the past three weeks my parents came to visit, I’ve been working on a few exciting styling projects, and I’ve honestly had more BD celebrations than I can even keep track of… including my own! My husband and I both Aries, as well as my nieces, brother-in-law, dad, aunt, and tons of friends so there have been an abundance of BD parties (and just as important… sweet treats!) that I’ve been able to enjoy. That said, I’ve been baking up a storm lately and looking back, it seems most everything I’ve made has managed to involve chocolate in one way or another… not that I’ve heard any complaints from anyone. Anyhow, this chocolate mascarpone cake with berries has been on my to-try list for quite some time so I’m thinking of taking a stab at it this weekend as a ‘thank you’ for some friends who have gone above and beyond for me lately. Has anyone made anything similar or have other decadent recipes to share? If so, I’d love to hear as I don’t see there being an end to chocolate in my kitchen anytime soon.

*Image via Call Me Cupcake

Has anyone else been on a major smoothie kick? I know they’ve gained some serious traction in the last few years and while I used to only enjoy them here and there, lately I just can’t get enough. Full disclaimer: there’s a smoothie truck literally right outside my apartment so when I’m pressed for time, I swing by and grab one on my way out the door. But, I’ve also made a few at home and truthfully, find it much more fun to whip up my own and kick of my morning on a healthy note. Obviously the health benefits should be reason enough to make them daily, but I also love trying new combos of fruits and veggies. I’ve mostly used basic fruits like strawberries and blueberries (adding kale and celery is on my to-try list this week) so I’ve been browsing new recipes to try some not-so-common fruit as well. When I found Skinnytaste’s delicious Tropical Papaya Shake recipe, I immediately bookmarked it to make in the next few days. Hop over for the full recipe and let me know if you try it out or have other great suggestions for tasty smoothie ingredient combinations.

*Image via Skinny Taste

Happy Easter, my little peeps! I’m getting ready to head out the door to the Upper West Side for a leisurely afternoon filled with scrumptious brunch items and catching up with friends. I hope your day provides an abundance of sweetness as well. And yes, you should have those few extra pieces of chocolate today.
(PS- how adorable are these chocolate confetti eggs?! You can follow the steps to make your own at home.)

*Image via Brit + Co.

Happy Friday, friends! Although it’s still chilly, the sun is out and it feels like spring. You may have noticed, I took a short break from posting the past few days. Lots of exciting things going on, but beyond that (and to be completely honest) I just needed a few days to recharge my batteries. Anyone else taken a short hiatus and felt completely rejuvenated? The best part of all – many new creative ideas popped in my mind while I was focusing on something completely different so I have loads of fresh inspiration to share! A few highlights of the week: I had the pleasure of attending an event at the charming Algonquin Hotel where Tim Laird, America’s CEO (Chief “Entertaining” Officer, that is) hosted a presentation on the history of cocktails, entertaining tips, and a taste test of delicious foods and drinks featured in his cookbook. D’s family was also in NYC last week (yes, our pizza party was a blast!) and it was great to indulge in many family celebrations.

Continuing along with celebrations – it’s Easter! What are your plans? I’ll spend the day with friends (remember the ones who threw the fab V-Day party? I’m sure their Easter Brunch will be nothing shy of amazing) enjoying tasty food and a bit of festive egg dying. I hope you have a lovely Easter weekend filled with far too much candy.

Here are a few inspirational things I’ve seen around the web to kick off your weekend:

• So clever! A DIY egg dying project involving nail polish is the perfect way to kick off Easter!
• It’s time to put on your Easter (Egg) Party Hat!
• Last Sunday, I enjoyed the most delicious Lobster Popovers at Blue Water Grill and I’m already dreaming up ideas to recreate them at home. Anyone else ever make these?
• If you tend toward black and white, minimalist styles like myself, these modern eggs will be right up your alley.
• I’m counting down to make this Nutella Stuffed French Toast when my parents visit in a few weeks.
• For those who adore Kristin Chenoweth, I got to see her taping Live with Kelly and Michael at ABC Studios. Somehow, she manages to be even more adorable in person.
• This frittata may be the perfect main course for your Easter Brunch.

*Image via Camille Styles

A few weeks ago, I realized I haven’t wandered through the South Street Seaport since the storm hit Manhattan. D & I bundled up and decided to explore, hoping that some of the tasty restaurants and coffee shops along the cobble-stone clad Front Street would be up and running in time for summer. I was shocked to see how many are still unopened, but fortunately a few are back in business. I’ve heard rave reviews about Cowgirl Seahorse, but hadn’t had the chance to try it so we decided to stop in and support this local spot. Housed on one of the most charming corners of the Seaport, this inviting restaurant was the perfect place for a leisurely lunch. We felt an immediate surge of energy thanks to the lively music and fun quirky decor. We sampled the chicken nachos (can’t remember the last time I’ve had nachos and let’s just say, I’m already planning my next trip back), the tacos, and of course couldn’t resist a margarita…because, you know, we’re all about supporting the locals as much as we can. If you’re in the area, Cowgirl Seahorse is definitely worth checking out. Continue reading for more images from our delicious meal and let me know if you’ve ever been as I’ve heard their $2 Taco Tuesdays are a can’t-miss!

*Images by Katie; last image via Cowgirl Seahorse

I hope you’re having a lucky St. Patty’s Day! Are you decked out in leprechaun gear? Earlier this week, I shared a few of my favorite St. Patrick’s inspirations that I found around the web and today, I’m sharing one of my own. Well, I should say, one of my mom’s ideas as she is the genius who came up with the idea of adding a splash of beer to the cupcakes in honor of St. Pat’s. We remembered seeing a tasty cupcake recipe a while back, tracked it down, made a few tweaks and these Lucky Beer Cupcakes were the result. This recipe includes stout beer in both the cupcake and the icing (see, it really is your lucky day!) – perfect if you want to surprise your favorite shamrocks with a sweet treat! Adding a dash of green food coloring to the icing will give you something green to nibble on today, that is if you didn’t already enjoy some green beer! Continue reading for the recipe…

LUCKY BEER CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 12 tablespoons (1 & 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup porter or stout beer (Breckenridge Brewery’s vanilla porter works perfectly!) poured and settled before you measure
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 & 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 & 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Icing:

• 1 stick softened butter
• 3 to 4 cups of confectioners sugar
• 1/8 cup of beer (same brand as the cake)
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• green food coloring
• Chocolate covered pretzels (You can make your own by dipping pretzels in a bowl of melted chocolate, then cooling on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Or, go hassle-free & buy a bag of Snyders that are dipped in delicious Hershey’s.)

Instructions:

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin cups with liners. | 2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.  Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa until smooth. | 3. Stir in the beer and set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. | 4. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sour cream until smooth. | 5. Add in the cooled chocolate mixture and beat until combined. | 6. Add the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and beat on medium speed until combined. | 7. Divide the batter into the cups, about 2/3 full. | 8. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. | 9. Cool in pans for 5 minutes and place on wire cooling racks to cool completely.

Icing:

1. Cream butter. | 2. Add 2 cups of confectioners sugar, beer, milk, and vanilla extract, and butter. Cream together on a medium speed until smooth & creamy, about 3-5 minutes. | 3. Add remaining confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well. | 4. Add in food coloring. | 5. Top cupcakes with chocolate pretzel chips.

*Makes 24 cupcakes

*Recipe adapted from Bake at 350*

As I mentioned back in January, I’m writing an interior styling series for GalTime. Basically, I share budget-friendly tips and tricks for updating the various rooms in your home, focusing on one new room each month. So far, I’ve covered the kitchen and the master bedroom… and this week, I shared tips for redesigning the family room! And, I was lucky enough to have Jody McCullum, home styling expert for West Elm, share some her expert ideas as well for when she works with clients here in NYC. Now, I’ll be the first to admit my family room looks nothing look like the one above (oh how I wish it did!) but I’ve learned that grabbing just a few new ideas here and there can really transform your current living situation into an even more comfortable and zen-like space. Plus, with spring cleaning on the horizon, now is a great time to start thinking about freshening up your home so hop on over to gather a few new ideas that you could easily make in your family room. Do you have any other simple tips to share for redesigning a space?

*Image

*Studio DIY’s pots of gold would make perfect (and budget-friendly!) party favors.

*I know that Freutcake’s dessert wouldn’t last in my house very long.

*How great are Sarah Hearts DIY cups?

*I adore Studio DIY’s simple & classic cake with a perfect touch of whimsy. This would make a great centerpiece on a St. Patty’s Dessert Buffet!

*I tend toward understated elegance so Lulu the Baker’s table nails it in my opinion. The perfect combo of gold and emerald is a subtle nod to St. Patty’s Day without being over the top.

*Martha Stewart’s Stout and ice cream float would be the perfect addition to any party!

*I can’t begin to tell you how much Freutcake’s brownies are right up my Dad’s alley. We have identical palates when it comes to certain beer and chocolate so if we lived in the same city, I’d love to enjoy these with him while toasting the Irish.

*First “cheers” image via Green Wedding Shoes.

I’m sure you’ve noticed around the web that SXSW is going on this week! And, for those of you in Austin – I’m jealous & can’t wait to read up on all of your experiences. SXSW got me to thinking about Austin and I realized that I never shared pictures from my recent trip! Travel is a huge part of my life and I always gather so much inspiration from every trip; I love being able to infuse the new food, entertaining, or cultural ideas into my parties and events. So, it’s become a tradition that every Super Bowl Weekend our friends gather in a new part of the country and this year we all flew to Austin. It was my first time visiting and I adored every minute we spent in this cool and friendly laid-back city. Although we planned to hit up a million local restaurants and shops (I’ve heard rave reviews about Fresa’s so it’s a must-try the next time!) we ended up having such a great time at the house that we spent a majority of our time there relaxing in the comfort of home… after all, it’s mostly about the people you’re with anyhow, right? If you have suggestions for other can’t-miss spots to check out the next time I’m there, I’d love to hear so feel free to leave a comment below.

This definitely made me miss having so much open space compared to our Manhattan apartment.

D’s matching t-shirt situation was not planned… it just proves that if you’re from Ohio but moved away, you probably also buy some of the world’s best shirts from Homage.

Taking a spin in the golf cart.

Couldn’t miss stopping in to have some delicious BBQ at IronWorks.