Dear Tammy…

Please make these cupcakes sometime!

XO,

Anna

*image via prettyfoods

Wedges + Booties = Hot Fall Shoes

I love the idea of wedge booties!  They have the sophistication of booties but with the comfort of wedges.  I fell in love with a pair I saw at Forever21 in Las Vegas and was very disappointed when I found out they did not have my size in stock.  Well, every day since I’ve been back from my trip I’d check the Forever21 site to see if my shoes will ever become available.  I guess my persistence paid off because they are!!!  I got so excited I ordered both the grey and the black and at around $25 a pair, how could I not?  Here are pics of the booties and also some others that are worth taking a look at.

Wedge Booties (Forever21)

At Once Booties (Chinese Laundry@Zappos)

Tilden Booties (Dolce Vita@Bloomingdales)

also available in black

Remedial Booties (Nine West@Zappos)

also available in other colors

I am now eagerly waiting the arrival of these booties and making a list of all the cute outfits I’ll wear them with!

XO,

Anna

*images via- Forever21, Zappos &Bloomingdale’s

Cozy

The air is getting crisper so my hubby decided to take me on a little shopping spree for some fresh fall pieces.  This cardigan is one of the items we picked up at Aritzia.  It’s sooo warm and cozy.

Cardigan (Talula@Aritzia)

Floral Leggings also worn here (Talula@Aritzia)

Black Tunic/Dress (Wilfred@Aritzia)

Booties, also worn here (Report@Nordstrom)

Belt (Forever21)

I love that I can add new life to my old clothes by adding just one new item.  Looking forward to wearing the other stuff we picked up! : )

XO,

Anna

Bridesmaid Gifts

I love accessorizing but I rarely love giving jewelry as gifts unless I happen to find something sooo awesome I must share it.  I have always wanted to give my bridesmaids gifts they would love and use often, so what better gift to give than wellies since we live in the rainy city of Seattle!  I decided to go with Hunters, the original wellies because of their classic look, practicality and they come in all the colors of the rainbow plus some.  Each girl got a different color that matched their personalities and I couldn’t have picked anything better because on our wedding day it POURED!  Guess I made the right decision!

Hunter Original Tall Boots (Zappos)

 

For all you brides out there trying to figure out what to get your girls, try thinking outside the box.  Besides, how many pearl sets do bridesmaids need?  I think one’s enough, but wellies?  I’d love to collect them all!!

XO,

Anna

 

 

Caprese & Baked Spaghetti

I am pretty lazy when it comes to cooking dinner sometimes so I prefer to make things that are quick and easy without sacrificing taste!  A perfect meal any time of the year is baked spaghetti and Caprese salad.  You only need a handful of ingredients and it usually takes less than half an hour from start to finish.

To make Caprese Salad

1 brick or block of fresh mozarella

3-4 tomatoes (I prefer tomatoes on the vine or roma)

fresh basil

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

salt & pepper (optional)

Slice of the tomatoes and arrange on plate.

Slice mozarella and place on top of tomatoes.

Throw fresh basil leaves on top.

Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar and oil.

Dash of fresh ground pepper and sea salt on top!

 

To make baked spaghetti

1 pound of spaghetti noodles

1 or 2 jars of pasta sauce (I prefer Presto or Barilla Mushroom & Garlicsauce)

A dozen fully cooked meatballs (I use Jennie O homestyle frozen meatballs)

Fresh mozarella (I just use the leftover cheese from the Caprese salad)

Parmesan cheese

I cook the spaghetti noodles to al dente, try to undercook the noodles a little bit instead of overcooking them because they will go in the oven for further baking.

I heat up the meatballs beforehand to prevent any excess water or juices to leak into the spaghetti and cause it to go soggy.

Once everything is cooked or heated pour sauce all over noodles and meatballs, make sure you cover everything.

I then break the mozarella into little pieces and toss them on the top of the spaghetti and sprinkle parmesan on top.

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese on top is melted.

Bon Apetit!

 

Hope this gives you a good idea of how to make this simple meal.  You can always add other things to the recipes to make it your own.  Sometimes I like to add pesto to my spaghetti sauce (something I learned from my friend Rom), it gives the sauce a little extra texture and is especially delicious in baked spaghetti.  Let me know if you have any questions about the recipes or anything yummy to add!

XO,

Anna