Living a tasteful life

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Shopbop Spring Sale Picks

I told myself that I was going to refrain from making any clothing, shoes and accessory purchases this month. I picked a terrible time to make that decision given the Shopbop Spring Sale is happening now. If I could buy it all, I would! There are three days left to scoop up some new things for your closet, particularly some Spring essentials. Here are a few of my picks!


Shop my favorites below:


Spend $250+ Save 15%
Spend $500+ Save 20%
Spend $1000+ Save 25%
With Code: BIGEVENT16
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Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Life Lately: February | What Happens in Vegas

The month of February began with a quick trip to Vegas, and by quick I mean 15 hours quick. My co-worker and I headed out for a work trip, and our travel experience there was less than ideal, leaving us only a few hours to enjoy sin city. But, we managed to make the most of what little time we had. 
Our trip immediately got better when we were greeted with a limo outside the airport.  Thank you to the Paris Hotel, for the top-notch service.
An amazing dinner was arranged for us at Gordon Ramsay Steak House. We were a bit overwhelmed with the menu and beef selection, but we ended up making excellent choices.  Lemon zest, red onion, capers, white anchovy aïoli, cured egg yolks, and Yukon gold herb chips were the components of one of my favorite dishes that evening, the smoked beef tartare.

The rest of the meal consisted of a rich and delicious Cesar salad, a divine dry aged filet, along with sriracha roasted broccoli, a loaded Baked Potato with smoked gouda béchamel, sour cream, bacon, and chives, and a side of Brussels Sprouts with tasso ham, cider jus, and crispy shallots. No, this wasn't all for me. 

After dinner we rushed over to the MGM Grand to pick up our tickets to see David Copperfield. Unfortunately, there were no photos allowed.
The show was cheesy at times, but overall pretty good. He left the audience scratching their heads a few times and contemplating their belief in magic. 

Although we were completely exhausted from traveling and the time difference, we couldn't go back to our hotel without stopping to see the famous fountain performance outside of the Bellagio. I've been to Vegas three times now, and this was the first time I was able to catch it at the right time. The combination of the water, lights and Broadway music was quite mesmerizing. 
 
After the fountain show, we called it a night. And just like that, we were in a limo and on the way back to the airport for more adventures on the airplane.  
Until next time, Vegas!

The Charleston Blog Society hosted a fun event with a Valentine's Day Styled Shoot at The Gadsden House. Ladies, if you're looking for a venue for your wedding festivities, this place is stunning. Here are a few photos from the event. 
Shoot Photography + Styling:Gillian Ellis Photography|Venue:The Gadsden House|Rentals: Event Haus | Desserts:Swank Desserts| Paper Goods:The Silver Starfish|

The Mr. and I went to a friend's wedding in Murrells Inlet. 
How stunning is this bow tie from Wadmalaw Wild Ties that my husband wore?
We had a delicious Sunday brunch at Bisqit with some friends. There were so many things on the menu that I wanted to order. I decided to go with this mac daddy of a biscuit. 
Some friends and I hosted a baby shower for our best friend. Here is a photo of a few of the laides. More to come...
We celebrated Leap Year at the office with a few sweet treats from Swank Desserts. If you haven't had their Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches, you're really missing out!
Whit and I went to my parents house for a quick afternoon trip. It was so great to spend some quality time with my family and one of my childhood best friends. Oh, and I may or may not have gone on my first quail hunt. 

Here's to a new month full of sunshine, family, friends and food!




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Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Brussels Sprouts, Apple and Cheddar Pizza

If you know me at all, or have been following along for a while, you should be well aware by now that I have a deep love for pizza. Fortunately for me, my husband does too. There was a time where we would order pizza almost every Sunday. We have since then cut back a little on our pizza consumption, but still treat ourselves from time to time. 

We decided to make our own pizzas a few weekends ago and they turned out great. Whit kept with a traditional pepperoni and mozzarella. Mine was inspired by one that I always order from one of my favorite restaurants here in Charleston. If you live in Charleston and haven't had pizza from Indaco, you're missing out. They seriously have some of the best pizza in town, particularly their seasonal brussels sprout pizza. I decided to attempt it myself, and while it wasn't exactly the same, it was still pretty darn good. 

We considered making our own dough, but I wanted to ensure that we had an edible dinner, so we opted to buy it from the grocery store instead. We each bought our own bag of dough and chose our own individual toppings. 


The dough was easier to work with than I thought it would be. I used the whole bag because I like a thicker crust. You could definitely make two pizzas out of it though. I brushed it with a garlic and olive oil mixture and topped it with several yummy toppings. 

 Here is Whit's traditional pizza, which turned out great as well. 

This Indaco inspired pizza was exactly what I was going for. Salty pancetta, accompanied by the slight sweetness from the apples, and garlicky goodness in the fluffy crust, along with a few other ingredients, created pure pizza perfection. 

Brussels Sprout, Apple and White Cheddar Pizza
Ingredients
1 ball of fresh pizza dough
½ cup of Brussels sprouts
1 packaged of diced pancetta
1 gala apple
½ cup of grated aged white cheddar cheese
1/3 cup of parmesan
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
Honey
Olive Oil

 Instructions
1.       Pre-heat the oven to 400 °F.
2.      Warm a skillet over medium heat and fry the pancetta until crispy. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to soak up some of the grease.
3.       Prepare the Brussels sprouts by removing the ends and discarding. Using the same pan, saute the Brussels sprouts until soft.
4.      Slice the apple into a few very thin slices.
5.      Roll the pizza dough out onto a pizza pan.
6.      In a small bowl, add a few 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and mix well.
7.      Spread the olive oil mixture all over the dough.
8.      Sprinkle a layer of Parmesan cheese.
9.      Top with Brussels sprouts, pancetta and apple slices.
10.   Grate the sharp cheddar cheese all over the top.
11.    Bake until the crust is golden.
12.   Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey and add some extra cheese. 


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Friday, February 26, 2016

Off-The-Shoulder Tops and Dresses

I don't know about you, but I'm dying to buy a few new pieces for Spring. The temperatures here in Charleston have been nice lately, giving me a little Spring fever. I've been seeing these off-the-shoulder tops everywhere, and have decided that I need one. Here is a snapshot of some of my favorites. Scroll down below to view more. 



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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Wadmalaw Wild Ties | A Closer Look



Having grown up in the country, my outlook on wildlife may differ from that of others. My brother and my husband are both avid hunters, frequently bringing dinner to the table. To some, the idea of eating wild game is off-putting. However, I've grown to love it. I've also come to see the beauty in these animals, a beauty I may never have appreciated had I not grown up around hunters. 

Bird feathers are absolutely beautiful and even more so when a good use is found for them.  I was so thrilled when I came across Wadmalaw Wild Ties. A combination of wildlife and men's fashion, I knew this would be right up my husband's alley. 

Wadmalaw Wild Ties creates some of the most stunning bow ties. Their ties are custom ordered and made by hand, from responsibly sourced feathers, including turkey, pheasant, guinea, partridge and duck. They come on an adjustable bow tie base, for a universal fit. Not only do they make the perfect gift for guys, they are also great groomsmen gifts. Imagine how sharp a wedding party would look with a few of these around the guys' necks. My husband browsed through previously-made ties and chose one to serve as inspiration to have his custom-made. This is the good-looking tie that he ended up with.


We both found the colors in this tie to be very eye-catching, even more so when the sunlight hits it. My husband received so many compliments when he wore this to a wedding we went to recently.
The tie just screams "southern gentleman." It was beautifully packaged as well, presented in a ribbon-tied brown box, secured with a piece of burlap, and printed with a compass on the inside. 
You can place a custom order for a tie, or choose from a current on-hand selection available for sale. You can also provide feathers from your own bird if you wish. The owner, Felicia, was so great to work with, and was eager to create our vision. For a look at her current ties available for sale, visit her Etsy store or the Wadmalaw Wild Ties Facebook page. Felicia has recently added a line of equestrian-inspired jewelry made from up-cycled leather, as well as horse bridle and halter pieces.

I'm a huge fan of supporting local businesses, and what better way than having my handsome husband sport one of these one-of-a kind feather bow ties. Thank you Felicia for the stunning hand-crafted tie!


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Monday, February 22, 2016

Smoothie Bowls

Maybe it's the health benefits or maybe it's just the colorful aesthetic, but either way,  I'm intrigued by these smoothie bowls I keep seeing everywhere. They inspire me to create my own, however ordering one at a cafe seems much simpler. When I do decide to create one at home, here are a few recipes I'm bookmarking to give a try. 
Lindsay Hunt / Alice Mongkongllite / Via BuzzFeed

Serves 1

Recipe by Lindsay Hunt

INGREDIENTS
1 cup frozen strawberries
½ cup yogurt
¼ cup milk
1 Tbsp. maple syrup, plus additional for drizzling
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup cornflakes
5 strawberries, sliced
¼ cup blueberries
2 Tbsp. almonds
1 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds
1 tsp chia seeds

PREPARATION
Blend the strawberries, yogurt, 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup, and the vanilla until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and top with the cornflakes, strawberries, blueberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and a drizzle of yogurt.

Lindsay Hunt / Alice Mongkongllite / Via BuzzFeed

Serves 1

Recipe by Lindsay Hunt

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups frozen mixed berries (such as strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)
¼ cup pomegranate juice
¼ cup plain yogurt, plus additional for drizzling
½ cup blueberries
½ peach, sliced
2 Tbsp. dried mulberries
2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds

PREPARATION
Blend the frozen berries, pomegranate juice, and ¼ cup of the yogurt until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and top with the blueberries, peach, mulberries, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of yogurt.
Lindsay Hunt / Alice Mongkongllite / Via BuzzFeed
Serves 1

Recipe by Lindsay Hunt

INGREDIENTS
1 cup almond milk
1 large banana, sliced
1 cup ice
2 Tbsp. peanut butter 
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. cocoa nibs
2 Tbsp. granola
2 Tbsp. chopped peanuts

PREPARATION

Blend the almond milk, ½ the banana, ice, peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and top with the cocoa nibs, granola, chopped peanuts, and remaining ½ banana.
Photo: @daniellejacobs

Directions: Blend one cup frozen mango chunks, one banana, one cup almond milk, one tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp maca powder. Top with mint leaves, flaxseeds, and pepitas.

Fit Foodie Finds: Lee Hersh
Author: Lee Hersh

Ingredients
1 frozen banana, small
½ cup non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt*
⅔ cup apple sauce, unsweetened
¼ cup rolled oats**
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
optional: handful of fresh spinach or kale

Instructions
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth.

Serve with lots of fixings on top!



What are some of your favorite breakfast bowl recipes?
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Thursday, February 18, 2016

8 Accessories

Sharing a few accessories today that I'm currently loving and a few I'm coveting. On another note, sorry for the lack of posts lately. Between being out of town and preparing for a baby shower I'm hosting at my home this weekend, computer time has fallen by the wayside.


1. These Vince Camuto beauties are my new favorite addition to my shoe collection. I wore them to a wedding last weekend and, surprisingly my feet didn't hurt. And, they are on major sale right now! Scoop them up while you can!

2. I love the modern, glam look of this pave hinged bangle. It would work perfectly with a LBD. 

3. These  tassel earrings were a super last minute purchase and I'm so glad that I found them. I literally bought them just a few hours before a wedding I attended. I wasn't happy with my current options so I stopped in Target for something cute and cheap. These fit the bill! Btw, this photo does not do them justice.  

4. I have a thing for collar necklaces, and this one is an attention grabber. Dress is down with a simple white blouse, or dress it up with a flowing long gown. 

5. I came so close to getting one of these crossover rings and now I'm wishing I had. I love the uniqueness of the design. It can be worn with just about anything. 

6. This Tory Burch zip wallet was given to me for Christmas and I'm in love! The glossy saffiano leather is so sleek. My favorite part is the wraparound zipper. It's definitely an investment piece, and well worth it.  

7. Another bib necklace for you. This sea glass inspired accessory would look great with a colorful summer maxi. 

8. You can't go wrong with a simple gold bangle. This one is just begging to be someone's arm candy, stacked along side a few others. How cute is the interior engraving?



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