I Heart Gwennie

I couldn't believe my lucky stars when I got my new Elle in the mail and found none other than GP on the cover! You all know how much I love me some Gwyneth. Her pictures are stunning. She really is my idol: she can sing, cook, act, has a great body, and is such a stylish mom. Here are a few pics from her beyond gorgeous spread in Elle.

She was also featured in Elle Decor this month sharing 12 things she can't live without.

A few things on her "can't live without list":
DeGourney Hand Painted Wallpaper

Darren Almond's Photography

Charles Edwards Star Lanterns- she hung these at different levels in her stairway and I love that idea.

Clothbound Penguin Classics

Antonio Lupi Baia Tub- she says she has this in the middle of her bedroom....interesting place for a bath tub.

Seasonal Flowers in a single variety arrangement like peonies, hydrangeas and white lilies

Apparently in addition to everything else she is a design buff too. She and Chris Martin with the help of his architect brother just renovated and turned two London townhouses into one. She said she did a skull and cross bone motif in her library. I would love to get a sneak peak and see what else she did inside! She is hoping to one day design a furniture and accessory line and coming this fall GOOP will have an app for iphones and ipads. I can't wait:)

Asparagus, Corn, and Mozzarella Salad

Since summer is almost over I thought I would share another great salad recipe to enjoy before the fall, while the produce is still so fresh. I have been on a real corn kick this summer. Now I know corn is not great for you and has really no nutritional value but I sure do love it. Nothing is better than fresh corn in a salad. I also love asparagus so this salad was a real winner in my book. It was super easy to make so delicious. The adddition of the of the fresh mozzarella and basil really made this salad insanely good. It would be great to serve at a dinner party or cookout because it looks so pretty. Enjoy!

ASPARAGUS, CORN AND MOZZARELLA SALAD
Ingredients
4 ears corn, husks removed
2 tbsp butter
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 cup mozzarella balls, cut in half
10 basil leaves, cut into a chiffonade
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions
1. Prepare your grill. (I sauteed my corn instead of grilling it)
2. Rub the ears of corn with butter and place over the flame, rotating every few minutes until the corn is lightly charred. Remove from the grill and let cool. Once cooled, cut off the kernels and place into a large bowl. Set aside.
3. Trim the asparagus and then cut it into 1 inch pieces. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and blanch the asparagus for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the asparagus and douse with cold water to stop the cooking. Add the asparagus to the bowl of corn.
4. To the bowl of corn and asparagus, add the mozzarella, basil, salt, pepper, balsamic and olive oil. Gently combine with a fork and serve. Can be served at room temperature or chilled.

You can print the recipe HERE

**The picture at the top is not mine. it is from What Gaby Cooks. I took lots of pictures of my salad but I am at my parents this week and their computer is not letting me upload pics! But this picture is probably prettier than mine.**

Obsessions

SIMON PEARCE

My mom recently bought some gorgeous Simon Pearce hurricanes and now I am obsessed with his line. He makes the most beautiful glassware you will ever see. Some of it is quite simple but it still stands out so much. I am hoping to acquire a few pieces one day. Check out his website to HERE to view the whole collection.

MICHEAL KORS IPAD CASE

My sister-in-law just got one these IPad cases and it is using it as a clutch. A genius idea and now I want one! They are bigger than a regular clutch so you have room to fit all your stuff in it, and we all know oversize clutches are in for fall. They retail for about $128 which I don't think is horrible for a cute purse.

PICKLED VEGETABLES

My parents had the most delicious jar of pickled vegetables while I was home. It was filled with cauliflower, red peppers, celery, carrots and peppers. It was so tasty I ate it everyday for a snack! If you love pickles you need to get some pickles veggies asap. I was no stranger to pickled veggies as we always eat pickled okra but this mix was so good. My rents bought theirs at Costco but I came across a great recipe on Smitten Kitchen HERE to make your own.

THE PERFECT WHITE BLOUSE

I am on the hunt for the perfect white blouse. I am not a huge fan of plain white button-up blouses, just because they don't look great on me and aren't my style. I tend to gravitate towards towards a looser, flowier look. Here are 3 I am considering. I think they will pair great with skinny jeans and colored jeans for the fall.
Blouses: Madison Marcus, Elizabeth and James, Elizabeth and James. All via Shopbop.

BLACK FRONT DOOR

After seeing Nancy's amazing transformation of her front door on Marcus Design, I am smitten. I am going to try and tackle this project this weekend and paint my front door black. I love that she painted the outside and inside black as well. I am also in love with her lion head knocker, I need one of these! Check out Nancy's project HERE

Happy Tuesday! xoxo

Weekend Happenings

This weekend I came home to Charlotte to attend a bridal shower and engagement party for one of my best friends, Lauren. We have known each other since Junior High and lived together for several years before I got married. I adore her and her finance Chris. I had the best time with all my girlfriends. This mama partied like a rock star. I thought I would share a few pictures and please excuse the quality of the pictures I only had my iPhone!

The bride to be Lauren is in the blue and Melissa one of my other best friends

My favorite ladies: Courtney, Melissa and Hope

You will know I have been overserved when I drink a beer. I am so not a beer drinker so this photo makes me laugh.

The happy couple and soon to be Mr. and Mrs!

I had to share this photo because Melissa's shoes hurt her feet so bad she changed into these random Vans. I laughed so hard looking at her wearing these with her cocktail dress.

In other news, my little man has officially learned to feed himself. This is him enjoying his new favorite breakfast of cereal.

My in-laws were nice enough to keep him overnight Saturday since my parents had plans so it was so nice to get out and enjoy myself. Sterling loves staying with his Mimi and Pop and they take such good care of him. They are so sweet and always send me pictures of him when they keep him. They sent me this picture of him sleeping while I was out, how cute is this?? Looks like I have a reader on my hands. Not sure why the picture is fuzzy it kept uploading like that, but it is still cute.

While I was home my mom treated me to this fabulous Joie blouse. I can't wait to wear it this fall. Now I just need my high waisted wide leg jeans to complete my fall look.

How were your weekends?

Recommendations

Ok ladies I need some recommendations on a few things.

1) EYE CREAM
Do ya'll have an eye cream you love? I absolutely love LaMer but I am looking for a less expensive version to alternate with. Currently I have been using Clinque Daily Eye Benefit. I like it ok but wish it was a little thicker.

2) BOOKS
I need a new book to read now that I finished The Help. I loved it and Firefly Lane which I read right before it. I want a great new book to read that is as good as those two were!

I appreciate any recommendations! Have a great weekend! I am off to Charlotte for an engagement party for a dear friend. I can't wait to see all my favorite ladies and my parents! xoxo

Seeing Spots

I am really loving the polka dot trend for fall. This look is my inspiration to add some polka dots into my life. I adore this outfit.

Many celebs have been seen sporting this look already.

Here are two fabulous options for fall. Kelly Wearstler Scarf and Marc Jacobs Dress both via netaporter. I really want the scarf I think it would go with everything!



I also love the idea of incorporating polka dots into a child's room or nursery. Here are some fabulous ways to add some spots.

I even love the idea of it as artwork in your home like this gorgeous painting by Jen Ramos at Made By Girl. She just recently started selling her artwork on her website Cocoa and Hearts. Her work is gorgeous and I can't wait to get a piece for my house!

So are you seeing spots too? Do you love this trend as much as I do?

Watermelon and Arugula Salad

In light of my not so healthy recipe last week, I thought I would share a delicious salad this week. I have been dying to make a watermelon salad. I have seen so many different variations but I knew I couldn't go wrong with Ina's version. I served this a few weekends ago and it was a huge hit. The pepperiness of the arugula, the sweetness of the watermelon and the saltiness of the Parmesan cheese are the perfect combination. Enjoy!

Watermelon, Arugula and Parmesan Salad

Ingredients
1/2 pound baby arugula leaves
2 pounds seedless watermelon, 3/4-inch-diced (3 pounds with the rind)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2-pound chunk Parmesan cheese

Directions
Place the arugula and watermelon in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing on the arugula to moisten. Toss well and place on 6 salad plates.

With a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan into large shards and sprinkle them on the arugula and watermelon. Sprinkle with salt and serve

**On another note I am having major issues with blogger. My left and ride side bars are all the way down at the bottom near my footer. Has anyone ever had this happen? and any idea how to fix it? Any tips would be appreciated! **