Halloween Memories

Since today is officially Halloween, I thought it would be appropriate to share some of my favorite memories from past years.  If you looked back at pictures and home videos of my sisters and I growing up, you'd think it was Halloween in our house everyday.  Most of my childhood memories revolve around tutus, a video camera, pretending to be someone, and being bossed around by my loving older sisters (that's what sisters do!). My aunt was known for supplying us with bags full of dress-up clothes and with a house full of girls (poor Dad) they were definitely put to good use! So naturally we always enjoyed Halloween and I still enjoy dressing up every year.  My mom made most of our costumes when we were little and as we got older she let us pick ourselves.  Our hometown was small which made it a great place for trick-or-treating and we could always count on seeing festive decorations.  Now that my sisters both have kids, it makes each holiday even better.  I can't wait until Greyson and Olivia are old enough to pick out their own costumes, but it is fun to help find costumes for them when they can't object to your choices! Our weekend was busy and very chilly, but full of fun, and I'm so glad my friend Tara was able to share it with us.  Enjoy your Halloween and I hope everyone had an awesome weekend!

Left: Tara and I this year as Wonder Woman & Quail Man
Right: Us again, sophomore year of college as a Phillies player & Barbie

Left: Olivia's first Halloween (not quite 2 months old) - too much milk instead of candy!
Right: Greyson's first Halloween as Tweedledee from Alice in Wonderland (not quite 1 and learning to walk) 
 

Left: Abbey (Lindsey's best friend), Lindsey, Elyse and I - doesn't look like we enjoyed this picture very much! I liked to cling to my mom - hence the crying bumble bee. I love that our moms made our costumes! The picture to the right is Elyse on one of her dress-up days, she was the performer of the family!

 

Left: Greyson & Olivia as Thing 1 and Thing 2 - not for Halloween, just for fun!

Right: Shayne and I at Halloween last year as Tiger & Elin Woods; post-divorce, obviously!

Top: Middle school or ninth grade? Either way we thought it would be "cool" to go as barbies.

Bottom: Alecia's makeover birthday party (a little over a week before Halloween) in elementary school

Signs of Fall

Friday is finally here! It's been a long week but I'm ready to celebrate Halloween this weekend with all of our friends in DC & VA.  What is everyone dressing up as? Our group theme is superheros so I'm Wonder Woman and Shayne is Captain America.  One of my good friends from PA is coming down today to spend the weekend with us, so I'm sure there will be a lot of shopping, wine, and good food.  Today I'm sharing with you the signs of Fall/Halloween lurking around our house. I wish this weather could stay longer but we're already starting to feel the cold creeping in - the weather is even calling for snow this weekend (sigh). Luckily, most of my fall decor can stick around until Thanksgiving and then before we all know it, it will be time to start thinking of Christmas. My fall inspired posts will continue until it's too cold and I can no longer trick myself into thinking winter is not here. I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and don't forget to check back in on Monday morning!

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

Fun Halloween labels for old bottles

Roasted Cayenne Pepper Pumpkin seeds made by Shayne

Floating leaves on the banister of our steps - made with artificial leaves and fishing wire

Table runner and sparkle pumpkin from Home Goods, Antique cake stand
Swan Creek soy candle in "Warm Vanilla Sugar"

WONDER WOMAN!

Green Living

Green is not usually my go-to color for anything but when we picked out paint colors for various rooms, we decided on green for our living room.  Some days I go back and forth about it, but it works for now. You might see an update to the paint color a while down the road! Despite all the lovely, fancy furniture stores in DC, we found everything we needed at Value City Furniture - including our elephant above the couch. This grey couch was sitting up front at the store and we kept circling back to it until we decided that was the one.  I love that each piece is seperate and you can move it around to make any shape you want. Since we live in a 1930's DC row home, a lot of our rooms are long and narrow so it was easiest to "make" a long couch along the wall and leave one piece seperate like a chair.  All of our ceilings are really high as well so I was so excited to finally get a big bookshelf! There is a TV in this living room, I just didn't take any pictures of that corner because it sits on a plain black corner stand - I'm hoping to upgrade in the spring to some kind of white stand, like this or this, but I need to find the right one first. We use the ottoman as our coffee table by adding small serving trays to hold drinks, and it's easy to move around based on where we sit (it's also safe for newly walking babies like my niece Olivia!) Another great feature of the house are the numerous archways into each room, which you can see from the first picture.  I'm already scheming a lot of Christmas decorating ideas for them! Like I mentioned in a previous post about our bedroom - each room is a work-in-progress so I'm sure things will change, but here's the start!

Before (the whole house was painted tan, some rooms still are)

Couch & Elephant Painting: Value City Furniture. Pillows, Bookshelf and lantern lamp: IKEA,

Rug: Shayne brought home from Afghanistan

Bookshelves don't have to be just for books! I have pictures, old teapots, candles and these mason jars with wine corks on different shelves.

Antique Irons for bookends

View from the dining room. Love the big windows! Curtains & Hardware are from Bed, Bath & Beyond and the round end table is an old cable spool from a factory in my hometown where my grandfather worked.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

I usually prefer to make my own tomato sauce with pasta, like in this recipe, but at my last grocery store trip I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a display of Patsy's sauces.  If you're from New York, or like to visit the city, you've probably heard of this Italian gem.  Being a spicy food lover, I had to pick up a jar of their Fra Diavolo sauce and make one of my favorite dishes: Shrimp Fra Diavolo.  I sauteed onions and garlic for extra flavor and threw in some extra red pepper flakes to up the spice! My guidelines for this dish can be found here. Tossed with whole wheat pasta, the end result was very tasty. We're hoping to head back to the city the weekend after my birthday and Patsy's will definitely be on my list.

 After I cook the shrimp, I lay them on a paper towel to soak up any grease from the olive oil

 Top with basil!

Prepped Up

Cardigans are probably the most frequently reoccurring item in my closet and they're easy to pair with everything! Sunday's weather was chilly yet comfortable since the sun was shining all day (hence the sun blurbs over my face and Shayne's still learning how to use my camera). I keep a few white collared shirts - from the boys section at Target - on hand for outfits like this. I knew we'd be spending some time walking around so I opted for flat boots too.  Preppy outfits never go out of style and you can always take the "straight-edge" out with accessories by adding a belt, layered jewelry, a different hairstyle, or not so preppy shoes. I chose to add this leather bow belt, a fedora, big sunglasses, and my new vintage clutch I found at a flea market.

Fedora and white collared shirt from Target, Eddie Bauer cardigan, Gap Jeans, H&M Belt, Vintage clutch, Nine West watch, Target bracelet, Gifted diamond stud earrings, Gifted Steve Madden boots

This clutch also has a gold chain strap that can be easily tucked inside.

I love the gold zipper detail and the worn leather look on the boots

Senart's Oyster & Chop House

On Friday I mentioned that we were taking my parents here to eat brunch, so we got up on Sunday morning before they left and headed down to Eastern Market.  Not only was the weather beautiful, but the neighborhood is always picturesque, and who doesn't love a view of the Capitol the entire drive downtown?  Our friends who live in the neighborhood introduced us to Senart's not long after it reopened; check out the short story of the family history on their website! We usually go at night because of the long list of cocktails, great steaks, and of course the oysters, but we wanted to try something different. We had never been here for brunch before and I regret not going sooner.  You can still order off the full raw bar menu, and the brunch choices were hard to choose from because they all sounded equally delicious.  We ordered a dozen oysters (from British Columbia; we just learned we prefer West Coast oysters), brunch, and a round of bloody marys. Needless to say we came hungry and left happy!

 Bloody Marys!

  One dozen oysters with cocktail sauce and raspberry mignonette

 Nail Polish: OPI "Cajun Shrimp" and Sally Hansen "Fearless Fog"

I chose the "Eastern Shore Morning" - Pan roasted eggs, fried oysters, Gruyere, Roasted Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs and Creme Fraiche. And I swear everything tastes better when they serve it to you in the skillet!

This is Shayne's "Yes, I'll take another picture but where are my oysters?!" face. 

Target fedora and white collared shirt, Eddie Bauer cardigan, H&M tan leather bow belt.

Happy Friday

Happy Friday Everyone! I thought I'd part for the weekend by sharing with you some of my recent favorite things! What does everyone have planned for the weekend?  My parents are coming to DC, so we'll be busy sightseeing and eating at delicious places, like here for brunch.  My mom is also bringing some of my hidden treasures down that I picked out from our house growing up.  Two old mirrors that were my grandmother's and an antique desk/table that was in my mom's first apartment. It will serve as my new vanity in the office once I find the right mirror to go with it.  Lindsey, my oldest sister, and I will be spending today at fabric stores searching for some new material so I can reupholster two antique chairs my mom gave me.  I also want to look for some quilted white material to make stockings for my boyfriend and I - we have a banister going up the steps that will be perfect to hang them from once Christmas rolls around. Per his request, we're doing a white and silver tree theme so I thought I'd carry it throughout the whole house. All projects will be documented and I will be sure to share them with you all! Have a great weekend and come back for Monday's post!

 Some of my favorite products: L'oreal Elnett Satin Strong Hold Hairspray, Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep, Burberry Classic perfume, Tarte "Exposed" blush, Jemma Kid tinted moisturizer and Mary Kay bronzing stick

A beautiful day in Georgetown

Some Fall favorite shoes: (from front) Gifted Steve Madden Inragee boots, Rebels ankle motorcycle boots, Aldo nude pumps, Madden Girl platform ankle booties (shown in black online, Gifted Libby Edelman pointy black flats

 I first bought this wine just because I liked the brand name - Cupcake Vineyards - but now it's a favorite.  I picked up a bottle of their "Red Velvet" red wine today at the store, and this picture shows their Riesling.

Pho Ga (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup) from Pho 14 in Columbia Heights - my favorite meal of all time! I've been here so often the past 6 months, the employees know me by name now.

Gushing for Grey

We've been living in our new house since the end of January and even though everyone kept telling us, "don't rush" , "it's such a long process to get everything the way you want it", I was determined to throw all of our ideas at it, and it would be ready before I knew it!  Guess I should've listened to everyone's advice.  We're still adding pieces to every room and painting, and I'm constantly going to antique and home stores, and raiding my mother's attic, to find little pieces to put here and there.  For now, I'm sharing our bedroom with you.  My boyfriend and I easily agreed on all of our color schemes (which is pretty easy with him since I wasn't set on painting anything pink) and I really loved the way the grey turned out.  It's a great neutral color and easy to pair with different bedding and decor if you get bored of seeing the same thing.  After I saw how good it looked, I bought two Vera Wang bedding sets from Kohl's (with coupons!) - one in a burnt red/orange (pillow cases on bed now) and the other in a deep purple.  After moving what feels like a million times, I was so excited to set up our platform bed (from Overstock).  The dark espresso leather matched the grey, and I found two leather ottomans, in the same color, with storage and tray tops at Kohl's to use as night stands.  We fell in love with this bed because it has storage underneath - perfect to put all your winter/summer clothes away when the seasons change.  The pictures above our bed were taken by me on our trip to London last year and my trip to Italy in high school.  I'm sure I'll continue to add things to this room too but I thought I'd share our progress so far.

Since the weather has gotten cooler at night, I put the down comforter on our bed and sleep with the windows open. I bought our window panels from target which you can see here, but in a silver color.

    Antique Milk Glass dishes my grandmother gave me are perfect for jewelry storage

Probably my favorite piece in our room - an over sized mirror leaning against the wall is ideal for getting ready

 

Volupsa Crisp Champagne candle has a delicious scent and comes in a beautiful box & jar. Gifted from one of my best friends Joel for our housewarming.

Glamicure

The multicolored nail trend has been popping up everywhere - especially on blogs, and magazines. So I've been trying my hand (no pun intended) at different designs and colors, but so far seem to be stuck in changing the color of just one finger - I opt for my ring finger. After receiving a lot of compliments, I stuck with a solid color and glitter. I prefer to do my own nails as opposed to getting them done - in case I don't like the color scheme, or the polish chips in which case it's easy to touch up if you carry the color you're wearing in your bag. And for the obvious reason: it's a penny saver! Below are two examples where I chose the same concept but different colors. In the last picture, I added some stripes to my thumbs as well. I tend to wear a lot of dark colors as it gets colder and to work, so I like to use black or navy polishes (unless I have a lot of meetings then I go neutral). Bright colors are always fun if you have a special occasion coming up or if you just want to brighten your mood. I mostly stick to Sally Hansen, OPI, or Essie nail polishes because they last the longest. I especially like the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri if you're in a rush to get somewhere. I found the four pack of silver glitters in the craft section at Walmart for 99 cents, and my sister found the glitter polish with fine brushes at a dollar store in Maryland!

              Sally Hansen "Clear'd for Takeoff" topcoat, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri "Night Flight"

 For the glitter finger, I paint all the other nails and then cover the bare one in top coat and dip it into the glitter! The glitter will stay on after but I prefer to cover it with top coat to make it last longer.

 Nicole by OPI "My Lifesaver", L.A Colors Art Deco nail art

    I added the glitter stripes on my thumb after the base color dried and finished with top coat.

Pumpkin Muffins

Yesterday in my opening post, I hinted at my slight obsession for anything pumpkin flavored.  Coffee, cake, drinks, or a classic pumpkin pie are always favorites in the fall.  My sister Lindsey and I quickly discovered this year that finding canned pumpkin in our area (Maryland & DC) was nearly impossible.  Apparently everyone loves the season as much as us.  I would've opted for using a real pumpkin but the prices in the city are expensive compared to what I paid weeks later at the pumpkin patch in Pennsylvania.  Canned pumpkin is also much easier to keep on hand.  Eventually, after much searching, my local Harris Teeter was stocked up so I bought a few cans.  I took no chances in getting left out again!  My first baking project was healthy pumpkin muffins with cream cheese icing (which probably took away the healthy part, but they were delicious nonetheless).  Following this recipe here, I substituted 1/4 cup of vanilla egg protein and 1/4 cup of oatmeal for 1/2 of the whole wheat flour the recipe called for.  I had a run-in with a bad batch of red velvet cupcakes the day before so I decided to use the cream cheese icing I got from this recipe (the cupcakes were too oily).   The results were amazing and next time I will double the recipe or bake the batter in a bread pan and go without the icing to make a breakfast loaf.

100 % pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!!)

 

To create the "swirly icing" effect place your icing in a Ziploc bag and cut the corner off

Finished product!