Taste ↣ Mixed Berry Smoothie

A fruity smoothie is one of my favorite choices whenever I'm craving something sweet.  I love that they are a great option anytime during the day.  I wanted to find a simple recipe that would be quick and easy to make.  So I started doing some searching online and actually ended up pulling some ingredients that I already had in my refrigerator and freezer. 






Ingredients:

1/2 cup apple juice
2 spoonfuls fruit sorbet
1 cup frozen berries










 



Directions:
1.  Pour all ingredients into blender.  
2.  Blend until desired consistency. 
3.  Pour and enjoy!

(makes about 12 oz.)

xo,

A

Lifestyle ↣ Tricks to Young and Glowing Skin

First of all… Can you tell we are related? Seriously though, I have always admired my mom's skincare routine. I remember when I was younger watching her apply each product every night and wondering if I would ever be like that one day and now I am. Yet, after seeing her faithful routines pay off I am so glad that I am. My mom is (uhh hope she doesn't mind me saying her age) slightly pass 50 now and her skin is absolutely amazing. It literally radiates. I would always ask questions about why and what she was putting on her face every night and she taught me a lot about proper skin care. My mother is a firm believer in natural products so she has a better idea of what is going on her skin. It seems that the natural stuff tends to be more expensive but I have learned over the years it is worth the investment. You don't have to spend an enormous amount of money on every single product but paying a little more for the better face wash and such is worth it for now and later in life.

First we will start with the absolutes:

↣ EVERY night wash your face!
No matter how tired you are or if you didn't even put make-up on that day. There is so much dirt and oils that build up on our skin every day and we don't even realize it. I can't tell you how many times Russell and I have accidentally fallen asleep on the couch and wake up at 3am to wander into bed yet I still turn on that bright bathroom light and wash my face. Just make it a habit and do it. I am going to go over the products I use later but one thing I absolutely adore and will probably use forever is my Clarisonic. It cleans every inch of my face and really gets down into the pores. However, it is expensive and if you're not ready to spend that kind of money just using a clean washcloth is also good. Anything besides your hands which obviously also have dirt and oil on them.

↣ Moisturize
No matter what skin type you have or if you struggle with acne or anything; you need to be moisturizing every day. Some people think that if they already have oily skin they don't need it or that moisturizing will make their acne worse but both of these are not true. If our skin is dry it will produce more oil which equals more skin issues. So moisturize with good lotions rather than having your skin produce more oils. Moisturizing will also help reduce and prevent future wrinkles.

↣ Eye Creams
The skin around our eyes is the most sensitive part on our face which means it will obviously be the first to suffer from unwanted wrinkles and puffiness. Always remove all eye make-up first GENTLY with eye make-up remover and then GENTLY apply eye cream with your ring finger (the ring finger tends to put the least amount of pressure- if you haven't gotten my drift, we should be gentle with this part of our face!)

↣ Sunscreen
I know this is one that we hear all the time yet rarely actually do. My mom has been insanely faithful to apply sunscreen every single day. Even the days that we are barely in the sun at all. Those UV rays still get to us even with just our short walks to and from the car. Apply sunscreen before your morning make-up. It is such a quick and easy step. I'm not sure why I am so lazy to do this but if it makes that big of a difference in the future, I think I can take a few extra minutes now.

Here are the skincare products I am using currently.  I include in my daily routine the absolutes but there are also a few extras that I will talk about.

1. Origins A Perfect World Age Defense Skin Guardian 

2. Vasanti BrightenUP Exfoliator 

3.. Origins A Perfect World Toner 

4. Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser

5. Clarisonic Mia 2 Facial Sonic Cleansing Brush

6. Origins High-Potency Night A- Mins Moisturizer 

7. Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Moisturizer with White Tea

8. Sephora Eye Makeup Remover: I like this one because it's cheap and it does the job but a better one I recommend is- Lancome Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover

9. Supergoop Anti-Aging City Sunscreen (SPF 30)

10. Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream

Morning Routine:

1. Wash your face with lukewarm water (you never want to use hot water - it can irritate and dry out the skin)
2. I exfoliate around 2-3 days a week
3. Day moisturizer
4. Sunscreen
The last two can be combined as a lot of moisturizers these days are smart enough to put sunscreen in their moisturizers but just make sure it has at least SPF 30 for your face!

Evening Routine: 

1. Using my Clarisonic and Clarions face wash, I make sure to wash off all of the make-up, dirt and oils from the day. I love the Clarisonic because it has a timer to make sure you are washing for long enough. Around:

20 Seconds on forehead, 20 Seconds on nose and chin, and 10 seconds on each cheek

2. Toner helps get the rest of the dirt off. I am always so shocked seeing how much make-up and dirt still comes off my face even after washing. Grosses me out and makes me very thankful for toner!

3. Age Defense Skin Guardian.   Prevention = brillant 

4. Night Moisturizer

5. Eye Cream

Try using this routine for a few weeks and see if you notice a difference. Hopefully beautiful, healthy, and glowing skin that will keep your skin staying forever young! Thanks Mama D!
With Love,
E

Taste ↣ Spicy Mango Fish Tacos

I wasn't a huge fish taco fan until Russell and I went to Seattle this year. We were walking around Pike Place Market and of course stopped by the fish market for fish tacos. That's when it happened. I was hooked. They are fresh, light, healthy, and not to mention seriously delicious. We got them again last week at an amazing Latin American restaurant and that is when I decided I need to take on the challenge of making my own. And I am so happy to announce that it was a success. These are so good. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

Tilapia

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Fresh Lime Juice

2 Tsp Honey

1 1/2 Tbsp Chili Powder 

(depending on how much spice you want)

1/4 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Salt and Pepper

For Slaw:

2 Cups Shredded Cabbage

1 Cup of Fresh Chopped Cilantro

1/4 Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt

(or sour cream if you want)

Fresh Lime Juice

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1 Mango, Diced

1 Avocado, Diced

Whole Wheat Tortillas

(or corn tortillas if you 

like that taste more)

Directions

1. Place tilapia in ziplock bag and add in olive oil, lime juice, honey, chili powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Close bag and massage seasonings into fish. Let marinade in the fridge for about 20 minutes. 

2. Prepare Slaw: In a bowl, combine cabbage, cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Place in refrigerator. 

3. Remove fish from marinade. Cook on skillet on Med-High heat until fish is properly browned on both sides. Remove and keep warm. 

4. Place a little olive oil in the skillet and cook tortillas for about 10-20 seconds on each side. 

5. Add slaw mixture evenly into tortillas. Place tilapia on top of slaw. Then add the diced mango and avocado for the final touch.  

My favorite thing to do is to take a recipe and change a few things to make it my own. Try this one and leave a comment letting me know if you try anything differently. Get creative and enjoy!

With Love,

E

Explore ↣ Paris, Frace

Oh Paris. This post is going to be a long one and hard to narrow down my favorites. If you haven't noticed yet I am a tad obsessed with this city and everything in this beautiful and perfect place. I spent a summer there in college and went back last summer for my honeymoon. I really believe there is no where like this city in the world. However, I have heard of people going here for a few days, rushing around to the tourist spots, eating from touristy, overpriced vendors, and not enjoying their time. In my opinion Paris is all about slowing down and taking in the beauty of it all. The beauty of the sites, the food, and just their culture in general. Obviously there are main tourist spots you have to go to if you are visiting and I am going to write a list of what I believer are the must dos. Check out these must-see spots but then the rest of your time in Paris, go to a cafe, grab a book, a cafe creme and take in the parisian culture!

Do:

• Eiffel Tour

 This is an obvious one. However, there are two ways to truly enjoy this main hotspot.
↣ Expensive option: Dinner at the top of the Eiffel at Le Jules Verne. This is one that comes with a high price but if you are willing to spend the money it is a once in a lifetime opportunity and will be worth it. Tip- make sure to book a reservation well in advance!
↣ Cheaper but still good option: Go to a local monoprix (there are a million of these stores everywhere) grab fresh bread, cheese, wine, fruit, and a blanket and enjoy a picnic on the Champ de Mars (park in front of the Eiffel Tour.) Get there right before sunset as the Eiffel will sparkle every hour  on the hour after sunset and it's truly beautiful. Tip- be careful of pickpockets! This is obviously a tourist spot so make sure to keep your belongings close to you.

I also recommend strolling by here during the day. The Eiffel looks totally different during the day and the neighborhoods around there are gorgeous and worth just walking through imagining a life where you could afford these.

• Notre Dame

I believe Notre Dame has the best views in Paris. You have the view of the seine, the neighborhoods, and the Eiffel Tour. Notre Dame is exquisite on the outside and inside but I am telling you it's worth the wait to go up to the top! Some of my favorite pictures of Paris come from this view. I also love getting up close to the gargoyles and of course the famous bells. There is also a park behind Notre Dame that is a perfect place to sit and enjoy the view of the church (plus the park has free wi-fi). If you like entertainment, almost every night there are entertainers around Notre Dame. I've seen plays, men doing fire tricks, or my favorite rollerblading stunters (i'm telling you they are amazing.)  
↣ Notre Dame is also a central location to some of my favorite areas. To the right of Notre Dame (if you are looking at the front of the church) goes into the Latin Quarter which is a fun place for tourist merchandise, food and drinks. This area is definitely busy at night. To the left of Notre Dame you have the quieter cafes along the river which seem to be more locals than tourists. Directly behind Notre Dame is one of my favorite neighborhoods. It's filled with beautiful apartments and local shops and boutiques. 

 

Park behind Notre Dame

Neighborhood behind Notre Dame

• The Louvre

The Louvre is famous for its pyramid as well as being the holding place for the Mona Lisa and many other famous pieces of art. Yet, it is the other aspects of why I love this place so much. The building is absolutely stunning. Just look up at all the details on the walls, windows, and roofs. It's incredible. Random note: I love walking into the outside center square of the Louvre. The Louvre is crazy with tourist but for some reason when you walk into this square it all gets really quite. I use to go and sit in that area for a while when I stayed the summer there. Just something really peaceful about it. I also adore the Tuileries Gardens in front of the Louvre. You can walk in these gardens from the Louvre, through the Concorde, and eventually end up on the Champs- Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. Perfect way to hit a few of the Paris attractions and do some shopping along the way. The Louvre is also an amazing museum and worth going to if you have any appreciation for art!

 

•  Palais Garnier/ The Opera 

The Opera is obviously famous for being the setting of "The Phantom of the Opera" (which I adore.) However, the actual opera house is beyond words. The main hallway is completely covered in gold and chandeliers. The actual theater is a magnificent piece of artwork. And there are small rooms throughout that are so beautiful to walk through. I have been here many times and would go back every week if I could. 

 

Explore ↣ Paris Favorite

Paris Favorite- Marie Antoinette's Garden

Versailles Palace (Marie Antoinette's Garden)

Versailles is a litte farther away from the city but absolutely go! The palace is incredible and the gardens are truly amazing. This is at least a half day event so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to roam through this little piece of heaven. I highly recommended renting bikes for at least part of it to be able to see more of the gardens. There is so much to see! Every time I go I find more new areas. There is also a cafe and ice cream shop in the gardens. Beautiful flowers and ice cream; what more could you ask for?

↣ The Versailles Palace and gardens are stunning but the true gem here is Marie Antoinette's Garden. It's not advertised and a lot of people go to the gardens never even knowing it exists. Ask where it is and go go go! You feel like you are being transported back in time to a little french village along with a farm full of cute animals. Do you think they would notice if I tried to move in?

Taste ↣ Tomato and Thyme Quiche

 

I am seeing that I do a lot of recipes with tomatoes but I can't help it. I go to the farmers market saturday morning and there are these beautiful, bright red tomatoes looking at me every week. I have to buy them. Yet this time instead of roasting them into a soup I decided on one of my favorite meals- quiche. However, I really wasn't expecting it to turn out this good. These are AMAZING or as my husband said "the most flavorful quiche I have ever had." I try out a lot of recipes but only a few make it into our family cookbook. Lets just say this one will be in the cookbook. 

Hope you enjoy!

Fashion ↣ Sneak Peak of My Closet

For my first official "style" post I thought it would be a great idea to give you all a sneak peak of my closet! Now let's be real, I don't have an insane closet full of designer shoes and handbags. I would say I definitely represent the "average" twenty-something female when it comes to what's inside my closet. No, I don't own any Louboutin's or a Louis Vuitton handbag (Michael...are you reading?) But I do have some really great pieces that I consider to be on the more affordable end of things. So, I’ve seen the Closet Confidential Tag roaming around the Internet for a while now and stop to read one any chance I get! I mean, it's not often that you get to poke through someone else’s closet! Don’t lie, ya’ll are just as nosy as I am! So, without further ado let's take a look through some of the pieces in my closet! 

1. What is the oldest item in your wardrobe/closet? 

       The oldest item in my closet is my Columbia Dental sweatshirt. I was born in upstate New York and lived there until the fifth grade. I remember my parents purchased this sweatshirt for me in about the fourth grade at a sports apparel store called Champions. At the time, it was obviously way to big for me but ever since it has become my favorite sweatshirt! Come on, everyone owns that one old sweatshirt with the paint stains (in my case) that they just can't seem to throw away, right? 

Columbia Dental Sweatshirt (old), American Eagle shorts (here)

2   2. What is the newest item?

     The newest item in my closet is actually this kimono from Abercrombie and Fitch. Don't laugh at me...I know I am not 16 anymore but I was on the hunt for the perfect kimono and once I saw this one online I just couldn't resist! It's so feminine and I love the colors and the fringe! It looks really cute with shorts but will also transition well into the fall with jeans and some boots!

Abercrombie & Fitch Kimono (here), American Eagle shorts (old), American Eagle tank top (old), Stella and Dot Necklace, (here) 

Gracie says hi!

    3. What is the most expensive item?

      Other than my wedding dress, the most expensive item in my closet was actually also a part of my wedding! It's my rehearsal dinner dress from Lily Pulitzer! Growing up in Florida, Lily Pulitzer has always been one of my favorite designers so, it seemed only fitting that we wear her stuff for the wedding! My bridesmaids wore Lily, my mom wore Lily, my bridal shower dress was Lily, so it only seemed fitting that my rehearsal dinner dress be Lily as well! I knew I wanted to wear something white and as soon as I saw this dress I knew it had to be mine. It was a little painful on the bank account but you only get married once! 

Lily Pulitzer dress (old) 

6 4. What is the cheapest/most affordable item (that you wear/use a lot)?  

      My answer to this question actually surprised me. I could have answered something like my spaghetti strap camisoles from Target but that's just boring so I took a look through my closet and decided it was this maxi skirt from J.Crew! I got it on sale early this summer and paid $15! I seriously haven't put it down since. I love to pair it with more casual t-shirts or glam it up with a nice top and some jewels! It's on sale on the website right now for $50, but check and see if they have it in your store first because it might be further reduced like mine was!

Southwest Apparel top (here), J.Crew Maxi Skirt (here)