Obsessions

I am shocked that August is almost over! Where has this year gone? It is going to be the Holidays before we know it- which makes me very happy because I love the Holidays. Here is what I am loving this week!

IKAT MONGRAMMED NAPKINS
I came across these napkins on the Horchow website and I am in love. I have a slight obsession with monograms and ikat so these are perfect for me!

CLARISONIC MIA
I am embarrased to admit but I got this Clarisonic for Christmas a year ago and I have just recently started using it. Why it took me so long to bust out I have no idea. I have been using it daily when I shower and I swear it makes such a difference in my skin. It is smoother and looks brighter. This thing is a miracle worker.

ATLANTIC PACIFIC BLOG
I am sure most of you are already familiar with this blog but I just found it and I am obsessed. Blair has the best style ever, I am so inspired by all the outfits she puts together. Most are mix of high and low end which I love. These are a few of my favorite looks I found on her blog while blog stalking her! Check out all her fabulous fashions HERE.

CHARLES KRUG SAUVIGNON BLANC
This wine is fabulous. I have recently really gotten into Sauvignon Blancs, I think they are a great summer wine. This wine is light and citrusy but not too fruity or sweet. It retails for about $13 so it is great buy!

TOMATO PIE
I have made this fabulous dish twice in the last week. I absolutely love it. Fresh tomatoes, basil and cheese- does it get any better? If you are not a Southerner you may have never even had tomato pie before, but I promise it is amazing! I have a great recipe to share tomorrow:)

Happy Tuesday! xoxo

Color Crush: Camel

I am having a very serious love affair with Camel right now. I think it is the perfect neutral. It looks great with other neutrals or paired with a pop of color. I am dying to add some Camel colored pieces to my wardrobe this fall.

Tibi, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Vince, Rachel Zoe, Rachel Zoe. VIA
I also love Camel for interiors mixed with a pop of color. It is such an easy color to decorate around.

VIA
My favorite Camel Accessory for the fall are these Christain Louboutin Camel Pumps and Peep-toes. One day I will own a pair of these!

Friday Musings

Thank you so much for all your recommendations last week. I picked up a sample of the Bobbi Brown eye cream that most of all ya'll recommended and so far I am loving it. I am also considering their eye gel. The make-up artist at the counter told me it was great for de-puffing eyes as it is made with pure cucumber.

I just started reading Sarah's Key and so far I love it. Ya'll gave me so many great book recommendations I can't wait to read them all.

You might remember a few weeks ago I blogged about a blouse I tried on at Marshalls in Charlotte and wish I bought. Well when I was home my mom and I actually found it again. What are the odds?? She is proudly hanging in my closet now! If you live in Charlotte you should definitely check out the Msrshalls at Cotswold they had some great clothes!

While I was home my mom and I tried a new restaurant called Luna's Living Kitchen, it is located in Atherton Mills. It is a vegan restaurant but it was amazing! We spilt a veggie burger and a wrap. They were both wrapped in collard green leaves instead of using bread and they both were so good. Their homemade hummus trio was also delish. You must try this place if you live in Charlotte.

I am so ready for Fall, especially Fall temperatures! These boots are top on my list of fall items I want to add to my wardrobe. I love them, the price tag not so much but maybe they will go on sale.

I am thinking about making this Taco Pizza or Mexican Lasagna this weekend. Has anyone made either? They both look so good, but I dolove me some Mexican food.

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

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