Seasons (Page 9)

The other day I had a craving for something sweet, so I reached out to one of my favorite foodie gurus, Lili from Enjoying Life Everyday. I asked her to curate a breakfast recipe for me because I knew she would send something incredible. And she did—pumpkin spice waffles with caramelized almonds and homemade whipped cream. As soon as I got the recipe, I went to the market, purchased the ingredients and began making them. FYI—they’re d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! Using pumpkin puree gives it a distinct autumn flavor. The addition of almonds adds a nice crunchy texture with a hint of sweetness, while the easy to makeRead More →

Hosting a party should be an enjoyable affair and you shouldn’t spend a ton of time stressing over the small stuff. Years ago, when I threw my first party I prepared for weeks and spent way too much money. To say I went overboard, that would be an understatement. Since then, I’ve adopted a party planning strategy with specific tasks that help me plan efficiently. It doesn’t matter if I’m hosting a fall soiree or a get together in the middle of the summer, there’s a certain way I go about doing things, and I’ll make a few adjustments depending on the occasion. These areRead More →

I have nothing against snacking on “fun size” candy bars but when it comes to Halloween, I search for something more decadent. My go-to candy brands are Sugarfina and Dylan’s Candy Bar, but for the month of October I try to sample gourmet sweets from a variety of brands. One of my favorites is indulging in chocolates and sugary snacks that are imported from other countries. There’s just something about knowing that they were handcrafted in Holland like these lollipops, or created in Spain like these gummies. Here are my 15 must try gourmet Halloween treats that will satisfy any sweet tooth.  1. A samplerRead More →

Now that summer is over, I have a few rituals that help get me ready for the upcoming season. Growing up on the East Coast, the day after Labor Day signaled the official start to fall (even though the calendar says it doesn’t begin until the end of September). It was a season met with foliage joyrides to the Berkshires, pumpkin picking at local farms, haunted houses and hayrides. It was also time to bring out the sweet smelling candles of apple and pumpkin spice. Here in L.A. I keep a lot of the same autumn traditions I had while I was growing up andRead More →

I would describe my vacation style as having a laid back California flair mixed with bohemian vibes. The truth is, it appears to be a lot more effortless than it actually is, and a lot of planning goes into it—especially when I’m traveling. Recently, I talked about my packing tips, and I mentioned why I photograph each outfit before I place it in my suitcase. Doing this helps me determine what to bring (and what I need to purchase before I take off). During my latest trip, when I was deciding what to wear each day, I reached for my phone and scrolled through theRead More →

I couldn’t have asked for a better end to the summer. Billy and I took our much anticipated trip to the East Coast. We spent a week and a half in Massachusetts prior to our 10 day vacation in Westbrook, Connecticut (the same seaside town I grew up going to every year). While we were in CT, my parents and I took a day trip to Block Island and explored the picturesque seaside town. This past week, I’ve been looking at my photos and reliving the memories of this amazing vacation that I documented on my InstaStories. From the moment I left this quaint beachRead More →

A Sunday favorite of mine is shopping for fresh produce at a local farmers’ market. Then I’ll head home and cook up a savory dish for me and Billy to enjoy while we watch our favorite Sunday night TV shows (for me, it’s the series finale of The Affair). With summer coming to an end I’ve been taking advantage of the fruits and veggies that won’t be available for much longer. As fall approaches, I’m trying to make as many summer salads and cold pasta dishes that I can. Before I know it, I’ll be researching autumn inspired recipes that call for pumpkin spice, cinnamon,Read More →

A few weeks ago I came across an Instagram account (@SchoolLunchBox) that’s dedicated to the art of bento boxes. It features colorful mouth-watering displays of fruits and veggies, and lunchtime snacks. Scrolling through instantly made me hungry. So much so, I went out and purchased a bento box of my own and began looking for unique recipes on Pinterest. Because I’m going on vacation, I thought about how this could be the perfect beach time snack. I found 20 easy to curate bento boxes that are mainly vegetarian or vegan, with the exception of a few for those who eat meat.  Most of these boxesRead More →

At the start of the summer, I visited Arizona and now I’m getting ready to head to my childhood home in New England. I’ll be staying in Massachusetts and then vacationing at the beach in Connecticut. (You can read about my summers at the CT shore here.) Aside from spending time with Billy and my family, I’m looking forward to visiting the places I frequented while I was growing up. There are so many, but here are a few that are on my itinerary: a boat ride to Block Island, shopping in Olde Mistick Village, having Sunday brunch at Water’s Edge Beach Resort and SpaRead More →

Every summer throughout my childhood, my family and I would head to a small town on the Connecticut shoreline. The tradition of spending the summertime in Westbrook, CT began with my great grandfather in 1948 and has continued for seven generations. In fact, my first stay in this beachside town, I was six months old. This ritual of packing up the car and heading to the shore continued until I was in my late teens when the cottage we stayed at was no longer available. Not wanting to give up vacationing in the same town that holds a ton of special memories, we switched toRead More →