Bellingham sky

   Last Sunday I drove down to Marysville to visit my mom. At about an hour south, it's the perfect amount of distance. Far enough away that I have privacy, but close enough to still visit regularly. On my way back to Bellingham, the sunset was so beautiful I had to try and snap a few shots. Not to worry, I didn't pay attention to where my camera was pointing, so all eyes (and one hand) were still on the road. Luckily I got a few decent shots.

Lake Padden

Yesterday, Tommy and I went for a stroll around Lake Padden.

WARNING: If you are afraid/super freaked out by spiders...you may not want to read on.

just a friendly reminder

via nowvember.

Calm before the storm

  School has begun and I can feel the imminent stress and exhaustion heading my way. But as of now, I am enjoying the calm before the storm. The weather was lovely today, which bummed me out because all I want to do is wear my boots and a pair of tights. But alas, I instead was forced to shave my legs and throw on this lightweight blouse and unicorn earrings. Oh well!

 

love my uni earrings!

 blouse: urban outfitters

belt: delias

skirt: thrifted

earrings: nordstrom

I want to do more outfit posts, but I am still getting used to my camera. Also, I am kinda embarrassed to ask people to take pictures of me. It just feels a bit awkward. Must master the tripod!

Cynthia Vardhan ceramics

I love the unusual shapes and delicate details of Cynthia Vardhan's ceramic work. Visit her etsy shop here.

Bread pudding with berries

  Bread pudding is one of my favorite things to make. It's super easy and best of all you can eat it for breakfast! I used croissants the first time I made it, because they are Tommy's favorite. While croissant bread pudding is arguably the best kind because of the bonus butter the croissants provide, I wanted to lighten it up just a little. This time I used stale french bread cut into cubes, and it turned out super delicious.

The recipe below is for croissant bread pudding specifically, but works equally well with french bread. I also added some frozen berries, and a splash of orange juice to brighten it up. Seriously, if you haven't made bread pudding, do so...now. 

Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3 extra-large whole eggs
• 8 extra-large egg yolks
• 5 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 croissants, preferably stale, sliced horizontally
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

  In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Set the custard mixture aside. Slice the croissants in half horizontally. In a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish, distribute the bottoms of the sliced croissants, then add the raisins, then the tops of the croissants (brown side up), being sure the raisins are between the layers of croissants or they will burn while baking. Pour the custard over the croissants and allow to soak for 10 minutes, pressing down gently.

  Place the pan in a larger one filled with 1-inch of hot water. Cover the larger pan with aluminum foil, tenting the foil so it doesn't touch the pudding. Cut a few holes in the foil to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40 to 45 more minutes or until the pudding puffs up and the custard is set. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

  Here is a picture of actual croissant bread pudding made from the recipe provided (with blueberries added). See the custard at the bottom of the pan? Aaaahh, yeaahh.

Pan Pacific

   This Wednesday, I had the opportunity to stay at the beautiful Pan Pacific Hotel in downtown Seattle. The stay wasn't all fun and games as I was in Seattle for training. For the past year I have been working at Macy's as a Clinique consultant, and let me tell you, Clinique really does spoil their consultants. I was put up in the hotel for the night, given some room service credit and was able to take advantage of the huge tub in my room.

I arrived at the Pan Pacific early Wednesday morning, and after a long day of training, I decided to head out and explore the area around the hotel.

 

I loved that the Pan Pacific had orchids throughout the hotel. And yes, I did stop taking pictures of myself because I heard somebody coming up on the elevator.

 Then it was back to my hotel room, for some pajamas and room service! 

Veggie burger...yuuumm!

Now I'm off to watch the Emmys! I hope Kate Winslet wins!

Mildred Pierce. Go read/watch it right now!

   

   Being a full time college student, I do a lot of reading. Unfortunately, the majority consists of text books and articles. This leaves summer as the perfect opportunity to read for pleasure. After reading Tina Fey's new book (not as funny as I was hoping it to be...) I began Mildred Pierce by James M. Cain. Such an amazing book! 

  After devouring the book, I watched the mini-series on HBO and was impressed by how the script stayed so true to the novel. Kate Winslet is pitch-perfect as Mildred, a single mother who decides to open up her own restaurant during the Great Depression to support her two daughters. Her eldest daughter Veda, played by Evan Rachel Wood, is seductively vicious even as a child. 

Evan Rachel Wood as Veda. New favorite hair color!

 Mildred is blinded by love to see Veda for who she truly is, and pays the price in the end. While at times the mini-series does seem to drag on, the story portrays Mildred as a strong and resourceful  woman in the 1930's whose adoration for her child becomes both irrational and heartbreaking. But enough of this melodrama!

Run away from the crazy Mildred!

  Another component of this mini-series that captivated me was the costume design. I love so many things about this era! Men, can you please wear suits all the time? And ladies, sometimes more is more. And by that I mean more fabric leaves more to the imagination, which is so sexy in an elegant way. The hair and makeup is perfection as well. Love a matte red lip! Oh, and I have to admit, I have a total girl crush on Evan Rachel Wood. She is just so beautiful!

                                   

                     

Christian Siriano Spring 2012

  I am a huge fun of Project Runway; I became hooked on the show way back when Wendy Pepper was terrorizing the other designers and Jay was everybody's favorite. So naturally I like to keep an eye out for what past winners (and losers) are up to these days.

One of my favorite winners has to be Christian Siriano. He was such a fun personality, and his clothes were amazing. I am happy that he has found success, and am loving his Spring 2012 collection! I especially gravitated towards the pieces with bright coral, orange and yellow. See the full collection Here.

Tommy's Birthday

Yesterday was Tommy's 22nd birthday, and unfortunately our plans to go kayaking were derailed by the cloudy weather. Instead we spent the day eating and drinking delicious things. Which was just fine by me! I also received my camera in the mail a few weeks ago (Canon Xsi), so it gave me a chance to play around with it. Still in the process of learning how it works, but I'm lovin' it so far.

I had never made cinnamon rolls before, but I wanted to make something special for breakfast. They turned our pretty yummy if I do say so myself. Here is the recipe I used. I let them rise overnight in the fridge, and used a little nutmeg in the filling to spice it up. Is there anything better than cream cheese frosting? Nothing comes to mind.

We gave our bellies some time to recuperate, and headed to The Temple Bar for some wine, cocktails and some goodies to nibble on. The Temple Bar is one of my favorites in Bellingham; the decor is charming, the food is fantastic and the drinks are spot-on (although pricey). 

Tommy and I later went to Bayou on the Bay for more drinks and dinner. Bayou is a great place for some quality Cajun food in a casual atmosphere. On this particular visit we were those people who asked for a different table. Twice. The first was right in the middle, and the second had the worst blaring light on it. We felt like Larry David. But it paid off because we got a table with this beautiful light.

 Happy birthday my love! Thank you for being born.