I Love Lilly

We already know I love Lilly

Lilly Pulitzer

but that's ok.

They say you can never say "I Love You' too much.

if you haven't already,

you might want to find Lilly Pulitzer on Facebook.

Her website is lovely,

but she posts lots of fun photos on facebook:

new stores

adorable weddings

even Lilly themed bikes and jeeps and pianos.

Check it out :)

Atlantic-Pacific

I love hats. I wear hats.

I don't care if they are in or not ... 

I especially love hats at the beach. They are so chic and practical.

LOVE THEM.

which brings me to Atlantic-Pacific ... one of my FAVORITE blogs!!

She is adorable and consistently fashionable beyond belief.

Check it out :)

Romar Place 405

Just another day in paradise :)

If you ever decide you're jealous enough to actually come here

to the magical sugar white sands

Orange Beach Gulf Shores, Alabama ...

Romar Place 405 is an AMAZING place to stay:

4th floor = no blown in beach sand for all you OCD cleaners like myself,

design artistic owners = grade-A beach decor,

smaller building = fewer people to share beach space with,

corner style balcony, amazing view,

indoor pool, outdoor pool ...

its an all around great time.

RENT HERE ... 

or just get more info if you aren't in a spur-of-the-moment kinda mood.

UNTIL THEN ... be jealous :)

My Playlist: Beach Bum

I couldn't help myself ...

Turn It Up

Blackened Fish Recipe

So yesterday I mentioned to you all my favorite food

BLACKENED FISH

so today I thought I'd share with you the recipe.

This is one of those wonderful kind of meals where its short, simple and delicious:

My favorite fish to blacken are mahi mahi and salmon,

and my #1 spice pick is Joe & Dave's YaYa Spice

(it's what they use at the Original Oyster House).

You can buy some for less than $5 HERE.

ENJOY :)

RECIPES

Once You Go Black(ened) ... You Never Go Back

So one of my favorite things about the beach is seafood.

And having eaten gulf fresh since I can remember, I'm a little spoiled.

In Colorado and/or Arizona, I'm severely deprived.

Land-locked states + seafood = 75% chance of bad fish ...

and there's nothing worse than bad fish.

I have to give credit to one of my favorite restaurants back home,

Pappadeaux Seafood.

I can only testify to the Lone Tree, CO location ... but man is it good.

Ok enough about bussed/flown in fish ... I'm eating fresh this week! 

I introduce to you: my favorite Gulf Shores restaurant, since 1983

The Original Oyster House.

Forgive my phone-snapped pic, complete with a bite missing.

My personal favorite seafood is blackened fish.

Many people have never had fish this way ... if you're one of them, you HAVE to try it!

Gotta love the beach :)

My Favorite Place

in the world ...

yes, seriously.

I am currently in my favorite place in the whole wide world.

Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Isn't it amazing :)

I've discovered half of America doesn't even know AL has a beach.

So I am taking this opportunity to inspire your next vacation:

I introduce to you - Gulf Shores, AL:

yes, that little smidgeon of beach is HEAVEN.

THIS is where I love to stay.

I hope to read your name next in the guest book!!
Our home away from home is Romar Place 405 ... just incase :)

IKEA

Ok ... so just like everyone else, 

I love IKEA. 

and I especially love them now that I am re-doing my closet.

If you need more closet space, 

and you haven't heard about PAX systems ... consider me your savior. 

So usually, this is where I would post a picture of the PAX wardrobes,

or some other super trendy IKEA furniture;

but today, I'm changing it up.

Looking through online the gallery, I found THIS:

I'm wondering who in editing got fired ...

none of the other pictures include a model at all, 

let alone a creepy one hiding in the curtains. Mistake?? 

Lilly Pulitzer

If you aren't yet familiar with Lilly Pulitzer ...

this is my gift to you.

I LOVE her dresses. They are perfect.

So classic but still fun.

And the Lilly Pulitzer story is even better. Read it if you haven't.

Lilly Pulitzer.

Here are some of the swatches.

Now you're wondering how this could possibly be classic?

It is. I promise. They aren't cheap dresses, but they are wonderful.

If you're on the market for a summer wedding outfit,

or a garden party ensemble

or even just a Dimanche Dress ...

Pay Lilly a visit

Buckwheat Pancakes

So my mom is a health nut.

and I'm ... well ... I'm not.

Not all the time at least.

I want my pancakes!! And she's all

"no, no ... eat this green tasteless smoothie"

GRRRRRRRR.

She finally caved this morning ... kinda.

We made Buckwheat Pancakes.

Initially I thought we'd be a disgrace to pancakes,

but to my surprise they were completely delicious.

We added coconut flour for some extra protein,

but you can also just use 3/4 c buckwheat and 3/4 c whole-wheat.

Try them out :)

RECIPES

Happy Birthday

To Me :)

yes, yes, yesterday was my birthday

and I am oh so happy.

I have attempted to make you all jealous with some of the gifts I received

(above)

just kidding ... I'm excited, that's all.

FRIENDS is my all time favorite TV show

I have seen every episode almost enough times to recite the script

pathetic ... but true.

I can not believe it took this long for me to own all 10 seasons.

but now I do, and I am ecstatic!

And that beautiful ring?? 

Thanks Mom :)

I have a good brother too ... he knows how to shop.

yes, they do exist.

He got me hammered bracelets like these.

I don't know where he got them, but I know you can find them HERE.

The icing on the cake of my birthday

literally ...

was my all time favorite:

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake

from The Cheesecake Factory.

Floral Fantasy

Design Bloc. Chez Moi. I'm home and it's summer which means lots of outdoor parties!! I love this crazy floral chair put with simple pieces.

Happy Mothers Day

So I know Mothers Day was yesterday ...

but my mom and I spent all of yesterday on a lovely drive home from ASU.

Arizona to Colorado is 14 hours of scenic ay?

yeah, not so much ...

We had to stop to snap this shot - it was 99 degrees in the middle of a desert?

Anyways, I feel I owe a post to my wonderful mother even if it is a day late.

I also have to fill you all in on the magical journey we had.

This is her ... on the Utah state line ... say hi:

Yeah ... she always acts like this. 

No, no, no ... this should just tell you how boring the drive is.

(ps. that truck driver honked ... my mom is hot, we know)

This is a real picture of us. We are at the 4-corners

(Arizona, Colorado, Utah, NewMexico)

you wouldn't know that though, because the idiot who took our picture 

didn't even get the 4-corners in it? (we're standing on it, I swear)

Ok, enough boring road trip ... 

this is my mom and I ... being completely normal

I love her :)

Wise Words

QUOTES

Philip Treacy

It seems like everything at the moment is about hats. 

The royal wedding. 

The blown out turban. 

The upcoming Kentucky Derby.

Now its Cinco de Mayo, and I'm seeing sombreros everywhere!

He may not make sombreros but Philip Treacy must be having a field day right now.

I'm not always a huge fan of his hats (if you can even call them that - more like art, or sculptures, or sometimes a straight hit and miss ... sorry Phil)

but I picked some samples I did like from his site Philip Treacy.

It's no surprise I like the classic black and whites,

but I also love these feathers! They kind of match the ones in my hair :)

Chocolate & Coconut Snowballs

Finals are the worst ... but I can not wait to get out of this dorm and back home to my full sized kitchen. I could really go for some of these. I'm so over midnight pizza. 

From my usual favorite: They Draw and Cook

If anyone was wondering, no I do not own their $13.43 cookbook and yes, I would love that
(my birthday is in exactly one week cough, cough) :) 

Someone please make these and message me into jealousy! 

RECIPES

Black and White Bedding

Anyone who knows me knows I'm obsessed with all things black and white. Anyone who reads this blog also knows I've been on a great bedding hunt now for months; my new apartment has to be PERFECT :) I have finally found my match!! Winston Thomas has made my life happy :)

A Day To Remember

The news of the world tonight is all about Osama Bin Laden being killed. As proud as I am to be an American, it makes me sad to see so much hate go out to any part of the world. Awfully hypocritical. If the "enemy" is killed, do the unconstitutional policies put down these last 10 years die as well? A girl can dream ... Here is a propaganda piece I did in high school which I am very proud of; I don't think there's ever been a more relative time to bring this back out.

Also, with all the social media on this historic event, I had to throw in my two favorite facebook statuses I have seen.

Peace and Love everyone :)

Black and White Beautiful

Chez-Moi. Design Bloc. This beautiful outdoor haven is just taunting me with summer. One more week of school then its home sweet home 5280 (Colorado) for the summer :)