Where To Wear; Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Widely considered the last weekend of summer in the U.S., Labor Day is every red blooded American's excuse to get out and get in some sunshine before the colder months ahead.

So obviously the advance of Labor Day weekend has me dreaming of some beach time... I doubt I'll get any in with all the crazy busy lately (Plus, now that I live in Florida it feels less urgent.) but that doesnt stop me from dreaming of being the coolest and cheekiest (Not literally, Brazilian cuts? Not on my a** thankyouverymuch!) girl on the playa*.

Where to wear is the only remaining question? Daytona? Clearwater? I'm dreaming of Cocoa Beach methinks...

Glamorous sunglasses are a must, natch, and these Portofino Mirrored sunnies by Prism fit the bill quite nicely.

And how awesome is this Racel Comey Calabash Bikini? Very! It's both cute and sexy at the same time all while reminding me of my favorite animal print which happens to be...

ZEBRA!

Can we talk about this beach towel by Maslin for a second?!? Let's!

"This season Maslin is helping us get in touch with our inner animals—fitting for a company named after Australia’s first nudist beach. Each hide-shaped towel was inspired by glitzy 70s decor, and comes with a leather carry strap for beach hopping.

Reversible beach towel | Leather carry holster | 100% cotton."

It's probably the most adorable towel I've seen in my entire life! Need, must, want... Yes, please!

It's even cute rolled up!

If only its price tag wasn't as steep as it is cute... $225 is pretty high for a towel... Le sigh...

But say there was no budget... Get that sucker in leopard too for days when you're feeling less prey more predator.

Why not? You have no budget, remember? Plus, you'll be looking smoking in you're new beach ensemble with an instant conversation starter with all the hot surfer dudes to boot...

Me? I'm married and just daydreaming... But you? I see great things ahead for you my friend, great things...

Kisses,

K

*playa = beach en Español

(Photos and merchandise via Opening Ceremony.)

 

 

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Food Fun; Cooking with Heritage

Ready the buns and break out the cheese cause this kitchen's gone Polish with a German flair!

 

(The beer I used to drink cook.)

Remember when I said we were staying at my parents right now? (No? The husband and I are staying at my parents right now. With: my Parents, my Grandmother, my Youngest Brother, and his Wife.) So that means lots of people... Which means lots of food... Which means I need to get off my dupa (Polish word for a**) and help out.

Get ready for a great game day recipe! Football season is nearly upon us my dears.

Tonight I'm making kielbasa (and hotdogs for the kielbasa haters) my way:

 

I like to cook it low and slow all day in sauerkraut (I like the Boars head brand) and whatever good beer is in season. Today I chose Sam Adam's Latitude and basic Budweiser to round out the Latitude's "hoppiness.*"Then I add one red apple slice to cut the "intense-ness" of the sauerkraut, just like my Mom does and her Mom and Baba (Polish nickname for Grandma) before her. My sister-in-law also requested a few potatoes be added, so in they went, quartered. It cooks almost like a Polish version of a seafood boil. Just throw it all in the pot!

 

Next, bring it all to a boil: if cooking on the stove top, for about 20 minutes,

or high heat around 400 in an oven for a few hours,

or high on your slow cooker for a few hours (this is the option I chose today.)

(Use what's easiest for you, use what you have.)

 

Then once properly heated through switch everything over to low heat. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally throughout for a few more hours. Low and slow my friends, low and slow.

 

(My giant slow cooker brimming with tasty goodness in the making.)

I generally simmer mine for 6 hours total: 2 on high and the rest on low.

Lastly, serve it up on a potato roll with cheese if desired (I like to use provolone) and a squirt of your favorite spicy mustard. So good!

If you like German eats, you'll love this too!

It's a simple and delicious meal that is not labor intensive despite its low and slow-ness. Perfect for a game day now that football is so nye**!

Also, because sometimes it's really all just about the meat n' pataytas.

Kisses,

K

*Auto correct kept wanting to change this to "happiness." Coincidence? When it comes to beer, I think not...

**Old timer speak for near, gotta keep the vocab up peeps!

(Photos and recipe by Krista Carson.)

 

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Throwback Thursday: Summer Edition

School is back in session and that makes me feel nostalgic for the summer. Since I wasn't blogging this summer I decided Thursdays were a good day to take a little trip down memory lane...

Before we moved from Seattle I finally had a chance to eat at this Mexican restaurant called The Boathouse down on Lake Washington by the University of Washington campus that everyone was always talking about. The sun was shining and the place was packed!

It wasn't the more authentic Mexican that I'm typically used to but nevertheless it was a tasty American take. Everything from the tortillas and chips to the salsa was housemade.

I ordered a chicken burrito and chose some tasty chipotle salsa then the Husband and I stalked a table.

Once seated, we sat back and enjoyed the kind of breezy view you only get with a Seattle summer.

Kisses,

K

(Photos by Krista Carson at the Boathouse in Seattle, WA.)

 

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Quotable Notes: Character Content

 “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 

50 years ago, today. 

Kisses,

K

Wanderlust Wednesday

Today I woke up dreaming of far off places... Since I can't just pick up and leave right now I decided to add some travel themed details to my outfit instead:

I love this shirt that I picked up on the Paciffic Coast of Mexico. The cheery embroidery and lightweight textured fabric are a perfect fit for Florida's long end of summer days.

A mala (prayer beads) from India and my necklace of travel charms I made that I take everywhere.

My travel charm necklace consists of a salvaged/ re-worked by me vintage chain and pearl extender, a vintage heart lock clasp from the Husband, a July birthday necklace bar (each of its four sides describes a facet of that months personality) with a ruby briolette, a vintage locket also from the Husband, and a St. Christopher Patron Saint of Travelers medallion from the San Juan Capistrano Monastery in California.

I love to curate little collections of cool vintage charms and put them together in an unexpected way and these ones always feel like a talisman of sorts for me. So they go everywhere I go.

I also layered on a necklace made with some apatite (the vibtrantly aqua blue stone pictured above) that I found on the San Juan Islands in Washington.

What do you like to buy when you travel and do you have any special pieces that you won't leave home without?

Mostly I come home with accessories that I plan to hand down to family someday (I'm a sucker for an heirloom) and I always travel with my curated charm necklace that I created.

Kisses,

K

(Photos by Krista Carson, shirt from Mexican Market, Sandalwood mala from an Indian Market, all other jewelry by Krista Carson.)

 

 

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What I Ate; Bentos

On a recent trip to visit my sister up in Gainesville, FL she took the husband and I to eat at this super fun small sushi chain called Bentos. It's was über delicious!

My sister and her beau. (I just realized I didn't take any pics of the Husband and myself...)

Honey dew melon milk tea with lychee geleé and strawberry milk tee with mango geleé. They make them in this nifty machine that completely seals the top off!

Geleé shot.

You just pop the straw through the seal and voilá!

The milk teas were very sweet but tasty. More of a dessert item though.

I ordered the Udon noodle bowl with fried tofu. It was so. very. good... Mmm...

The husband ordered a sweet and spicy panko battered chicken that was also super delicious. Plus, his came in a Japanese bento box (thus the restaurant's name) which was super fun!

My sister and her beau both ordered similar items to my husband's and both loved theirs.

Then we ordered a bento box of sushi for the table. Their take on a California roll was sooo good! We also had a spicy Cedar Plank roll made with salmon and a Spicy Shrimp with fish and unagi sauce roll.

It was all so delicious I can't wait to go back next time I visit her!

Do you sushi, what's your favorite?

Kisses,

K

(Photos by Krista Carson, food at Bentos in Gainesville, FL.)

 

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Friendship and Succulents

Today I find myself really missing my beautiful friend who made me this beautiful basket of succulents.

 

We've both been going through some hard times lately and I miss how our laughter would fill the room. It always cheered me up.

Even though we didn't get to see each other often as we'd have liked when I lived in Seattle (chronic illness can be a bisnitch) just knowing she was a drive away was comforting.

Now that I live across the continent from her I'm feeling the withdrawal. So I'm watering my birthday succulent and smiling while sending her a shout out. Lady, I miss you! Darn these stupid time zones and miles... I'm sending you love, laughter, and smiles on the internets instead.

 

Kisses,

K

 

P.S.

When are you starting your blog so I can keep up with your fabulousness more easily? You can't hide your kind of light under bushel, you've got to share that sh**!

(Photo by Krista Carson.)

 

 

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Knit-wit

Making lots of progress on my knitting project.

 

I'm in the zone people! The soft and cozy zone...

 

Kisses,

 

K

 

(Photo by Krista Carson)

 

 

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Feels Like Home To Me

I'm always on the hunt for cool, quirky, and fun furniture and accessories to get for our (currently nonexistent*) house.

Plus I always lurve anything science-y. Rocks, barometers, Da Vinci thermometers... They just look awesome and are functionally cool to boot. J'adore!

So when I came across this radiometer on the Canoe website (a cool store in Portland, OR) I knew it was one for my dream home archives. Yes, please!

" The radiometer is an instructive object which demonstrates the scientific theory of converting natural light into energy. Powered only by light itself, it will spin slowly in low light conditions, furiously in direct sunlight or well-lit rooms up to 2,000 revolutions per minute. It remains unresponsive to fluorescent light. Science lesson aside, this blown glass radiometer functions as an engaging and sculptural object in its own right. Made in Germany."

Just think of the fun we could have watching it spin and spin while maniacally laughing about the wealth of natural sunlight in the state of Florida after living with a dearth of it in Seattle for so long!

Aaaah, good times people, good times...

Crazy aside though, it's just a super cool objet d'art that I'd really enjoy having around. Do you like incorporating a little science into your home?

Kisses,

K

*The Husband and I are still on the hunt for a house to rent near his new job in the tiny Florida town we'll be calling home for a while. Nothing right or with the right timing has materialized yet... don't ask... sigh...

(Photo and radiometer via Canoe.)

 

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"I'll Tell You a Tale of the Bottomless Blue..."

 

"... And it's hey to starboard, heave-ho. Look out, lad, a mermaid be waiting for you in mysterious fathoms below..."

So... While at Disney World the other day (I have a Florida resident pass now!) I may have stumbled upon the most "galore"-ious of "who's its and whats it's."

 

Man-made...

 

 

Seagull named and Mermaid approved...

 

 

Why it's a Dinglehopper of my very own!

 

 

My age you ask? Hasn't anyone ever told you that age is just a number?

And yes, my hair looks fabulous.

 

 

Kisses,

 

K

(Little Mermaid sign and painting copyright Disney, All photos taken by Krista Carson. Giant seashell from my Mom's house, Nail-polish Essie's "There's No Place Like Chrome.")

 

 

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Oh Happy Day!

Today I would like to wish my parents the happiest of anniversaries and congratulate them on 26 years!

Thanks so much for getting married and being such a great source for inspiration on married life!

Your tender love, laughter, and care for each other continues to provide one of the best templates for a life well loved that I've seen!

I'm so grateful to have you as my guides and parents, here's to another year of fabulous you!

Kisses,

K(J)

(Card made using Martha Stewart's Craftstudio)

 

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Feeling Pampered!

It's gift with purchase time at Estēe Lauder in Lord & Taylor!

I just got mine in the mail yesterday and I'm feeling so pampered!

 

 

I ordered the Advanced Night Repair serum for the first time ever. (I'd recently tried a sample and fell in love. My über fussy, over-sensitive, bad skin loves the stuff!) And of course, with that I got my GWP*.

Along with the typical makeup bag I received three well rated anti-aging creams to try. (Now that I'm 30! I need to get on top of that stuff!)

A pretty fall colored lipstick and lip pencil.

And my perennial favorite, a sample mascara/ lipgloss hybrid combo also known as "A Wink and a Kiss!" Love, love, love! In my purse you go, you cheeky darling you!

I'm pretty excited to get all prettied up with my new loot!

Kisses,

K

*Gift With Purchase

(Photo by Krista Carson)

 

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What Dorothy Should Have Wore...

Did you know that in the Wizard of Oz books by Frank L. Baum Dorothy actually wore silver shoes?

It's true, and while I'm no stranger to rubies (it's a July baby's birthstone and this girl's a Cancer after all) I still love me some silver.

 

So when I saw these Sam Edelman silver heels last year I fell hard. I think biblio-Dorothy would've too.

 

The mirror silver leather finish?

 

 

The Gatsby Flapper-esque shape?

 

 

The intricate cutouts?

J'adore!

Cut to a shoe sale last week and well... Looks like we're not in Kansas anymore...

 

These babies arrived all shiny and new in the mail today just for me!

Methinks, they needs must be accompanied by Essie's "There's No Place Like Chrome" on my toes, yes?

Now where to wear...

 

Kisses,

 

K

(Not so great photos of soo great shoes by Krista Carson, shoes by Sam Edelman and purchased at Lord & Taylor online.)

 

 

 

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