raise a glass.

when i spotted these cute, preppy tumblers at target the other day, i knew they would be perfect for sipping ice-cold beverages on the 4th of july... and beyond.

available here.  (also available in singles in store.)

delicioso.

i spent a week in colorado earlier this month where i managed to consume more than my fair share of delectable food, but one item stands out: the farro salad at montagna at the little nell (a side dish of all things!)

this salad was so good, i started sifting through the little grains of wheat mid-meal to determine all the components of the recipe... then i took notes on my i phone so i wouldn't forget any of the key fixings.  luckily, a quick google search revealed the recipe was documented.  ryan hardy of the little nell shares the recipe on the culture website.

as the chef notes, changing seasons = adaptations to the recipe.  when i tasted this salad, it contained a hearty amount of golden raisins (and i highly recommend you add these... they imparted a great chewy, sweet taste contrasting the other ingredients.  i would also recommend rehydrating the raisins by boiling them in water briefly before making the addition... as i suspect the chef at the little nell did the same thing.)

i'm making this salad for my 4th of july soiree, so i will provide any other amendments to the recipe post-holiday.  enjoy!

Farro Salad:
1 cup farro
1 1/2 cups organic apple juice
1 1/2 cups water, more as necessary
Salad:
40 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and sliced into half-moons
1 cup arugula, stemmed
1 bunch mint, leaves only
1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
1/4 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, halved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Pecorino shavings

THE FARRO: Combine the farro, apple juice, and water in a three- to four-quart saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Cook the farro, adding water as necessary, until the grain is tender and there is very little liquid left, about 45 minutes. Strain off the remaining liquid and cool the farro by spreading it on a baking sheet.

THE SALAD: In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, arugula, mint, parsley, pistachios, and olive oil. Stir in the cooled farro. Squeeze the lemon over the top of the salad and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving platter, and top with Pecorino shavings.

recipe and photo courtesy of ryan hardy via culture.

nest.

among other things, today was spent getting my guest room ready for a 4th of july sleepover i'm hosting next weekend... i found this pillow (on sale) at target today.  it's part of the calypso st. bart for target line and i love it!

this or that.

this:

($13.50 forever 21)

that:

($95.00 c&c california) 

this:

 ($13.50 forever 21)

that:

($275.00 alice and olivia)

act fast.

i can't remember when or where i first learned of stephanie johnson, but i know i've had a link to her website saved in my inbox for quite some time.

today, i received an email notifying me of the stephanie johnson friends and family sale!  june 23rd through june 27th you will receive 40% off your purchase by entering the promo code "sjfriends" at check out.

i think the mini pouch would make a great addition to any purse (a catchall for lipgloss, bobby pins, and all the other baubles that collect at the bottom of your bag.)  the jumbo zip cosmetic bag would make a great makeup tote for trips.

i love the los cabos, java pink, and all the mumbai and bollywood collections.

 

oh la la.

i'm a big fan of lela rose.  however, her classic sheaths are typically out of my price range.  not so on rue la la.  submit your email address and a password and you have full access to a bevy of frocks fit for brunch, wedding showers, or other business casual events.
   

draw me a picture.

i would be happy with any of these annechovie prints hanging in my abode... 

 

which one is your favorite?

business in the front.

i just returned from the first official social event of dr. magoo's medical career: a residents' dinner.  it was a great evening... the only thing that was slightly amiss was my wardrobe selection. 

having spent the last 4 years working in an office where uggs, jeggings, tube tops, and sky-high louboutins are fair game, my wardrobe has a deficit in the "casual professional" department.

i think any of these dresses would make a nice choice the next time around...

available at j. crew

available at reiss

 available at dvf

needles and pins.

my mother-in-law loves to needlepoint.  on long flights and car rides, on a quiet afternoon: there's something appealing and soothing about the past time.  

recently, i've found a few things that make me want to take up the hobby.

if you feel less inclined to needlepoint, check out jonathan alder for these adorable sunglass cases:

smitten.

feast your eyes on this:

i found this beautiful monogrammed jewel box over at the pursuit of style.  who wouldn't want one of these?  the pink and coral colors look even more beautiful with the bright turquoise baubles spilling out of the box.

after perusing the leontine website, i can safely say there are very few things i wouldn't want to receive.  

here are some of my favorite finds... 

napkins.

shams and bedding...  come on.

towels, get serious.

the travel cases are the best.

and of course the jewel box that drew me to the site in the first place.

(all pictures courtesy of leontine linens)

which item is your favorite?

pouchette.

i was reading the new issue of harper's on the way home from vail when i noticed an article about petite pouches.

i love a pouch, but what i really love are the vibrant stripes: hot pink and navy with the contrasting camel coat.  so chic.

photo courtesy of bridget fleming/sean cunningham

lilly who?

i'm typically not a huge fan of lilly, but after spotting an ad in matchbook, i had to find the dress that was featured.  isn't this dress so pretty?

for a similar look, try ann taylor loft (who knew?)

i wore this dress to dinner a couple nights before my wedding (i embraced the bridal theme.)  i received so many compliments.... one of my girlfriends couldn't believe i snagged it for $60.  (rumor has it, the brand has frequent 40% off promotions.)

signed. sealed. delivered.

i started running dangerously low on boddington thank you notes, so i picked up a pack of crane engraved notecards the last time i was at peabody papers.

aren't they sweet?

i'm back... fo realsies.

it's been almost 3 months since my last posting! a lot has happened in 3 months...

1. i had a lovely wedding shower thrown by my wonderful sister-in-law.

2. i planned all last-minute wedding details (transcontinental style.)

3. i got married!

i'm itching to see the rest of the professional pictures... from what i've seen so far, i'm impressed!

now that the wedding is over, i can share all my top secret wedding details:

• my kick ass day-of-wedding paper resource: baumbirdy. sarah was so easy to work with and the i loved the quality of the paper (coupled with the reasonable prices.) i first learned of baumbirdy from martha. the nella pocket program (seen below) was featured on martha's website. once i scoped out the etsy shop, i decided to simplify things by having sarah do my programs, menus, place cards, and seating chart.

even though wedding planning did consume a large portion of my time, it didn't occupy every second.... here are a couple discoveries:

1. pure barre.

after attending my first class i committed to a 1-month unlimited membership. if there's a studio near you, go. now. you will experience an addictive burn that will keep you coming back. if you're anything like me, you will feel stronger within a couple weeks... and your lululemon wardrobe will increase exponentially.

2. immersion blenders.

simple and inexpensive, this has become a favorite kitchen tool. i was hitting the green monsters hard prior to the wedding, and this little gadget makes it so easy (you can make it in a large cup, so cleanup is nothin.)

3. j. crew minnie pants.

they've updated these pants a bit since i purchased them (mine have a zipper with a hook-and-eye in the back) but the classic shape is still there. i was wearing these constantly on my trip (until an unfortunate accident involving abby and a carton of organic milk.) they are the perfect pants for travel and everyday.