Le Fin de l’ete

Hey guys,

so it has been ages since I’ve last posted. surprisingly, unlike most normal people, my summers are busier than my school years with work every single day. Now the summer is over, I’m back at school and moved into my new apartment 🙂 (pictures soon)

Classes start tomorrow, and since it’s been so long since I’ve blogged I thought I would do something a little different this time, let’s have a summer recap/best of.

here we go!

Les Plats du Jour: Summer recap

Best summer movie: The Help

Seriously, drop what you’re doing right now and go see this movie.  It’s fantastic. Hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time, and a very interesting take on a controversial issue. wish I had read the book first, but I’ve heard that it follows the story line pretty closely. Love it.

Best summer TV series: Suits

If you’re into law shows, this one is awesome.  A prestigious NY attorney hires an associate who never went to law school. Extremely witty and entertaining show.  It’s nice to finally have a show about the legal side of the justice system without all of the nightmare inducing murder and rape and whatnot in the other big shows. Seriously, those shows make me have nightmares. Sadly there are only two episodes left in this season, it airs thursday nights at 10 p.m. on USA network.

Best Summer Beauty Product: Sally Hansen nail strips in “Frock Star”

When I first heard about the SH nail strips, I thought they were ridiculous.  Leopard and fishnet print nails are not my thing, and I thought putting stickers on your nails was just as crazy.  However, the line has grown and now includes several really cool options including my personal favorite “Frock star,”  the sparkliest nail polish you will ever wear.  And the strips are made of real nail polish so they feel normal on your nails and they last for like two weeks. Super easy to apply and the box comes with extras, so they are not as expensive as the price tag makes them seem.

the only downside is they are kind of hard to remove, but to me that just reassures me that they are more durable.

Best Summer Snack: Pure Protein Chocolate peanut butter bars

ok I’m not usually the type of person that consumes a ton of “health” food.  You know, artificial stuff that’s meant to help you control your appetite and lose 30 pounds in two days. However, with that being said, these bars are amazing.

Now I don’t like the bars because I think they help me to lose weight all by themselves, but they taste amazing. Seriously, they are like candy bars. And they really do help me to stay fuller longer.  I’ll throw one in my bag at the beginning of the day and if I find myself getting hungry two hours before break time I just nom on this and I’m set until my next meal.  So good.

So if you have a busy schedule and not a lot of time to eat and you get crazy hungry like I do, buy these.

Best summer trend: Feather hair extensions

I had seen these on some of the kids at the park I work at and I thought they were the coolest idea ever.  Of course now that I’m back at school, it seems like every chick here has them.  For good reason too I guess, I just got mine the other day and not only am I IN LOVE with them, but they are so cheap! You can do them yourself or get the extensions put in for you at a salon, they are so easy to take care of (just treat them like your normal hair, they can get wet, shampooed, you can even curl them and straighten them!) and they last forever (about two months.)

Again I’m not really the type of person to hop on the bandwagon with these sort o things, but I think that the amount and type of feathers that you get can really make your own personal statement, no two feather do’s look the same, and that’s the beauty of it 🙂

As I was picking out my feathers and waiting to “get featherer” at the salon, a few older ladies started to ask me about them. “I guess those are the new rage these days huh?” one of them said.  And I replied affirmatively and explained that the reason I think they gained so much popularity so quickly is because for once there is a new trend that is affordable, unique, and temporary (unlike piercings or tattoos.) I’m sure in the next few years we will look back and laugh at ourselves, but at least we wont be scarred in the future.

For anyone looking to get feathered check out local salons where you can buy them cheap and even try doing them yourselves! there’s plenty of DIY tutorials out there for people looking to save the money.  I had mine done at a salon only because it was just as cheap there as it would have been for me to order the feathers and do it myself.

 

I hope this summer recap got you up to speed on what I’ve been doing with my life the past few months…. not a whole lot. Now that I’m getting back into the school routine I should have more manageable free time to research and post more often 🙂 Keep the comments coming! And let me know if there is anything you think I should be looking into or writing about

 

 

à bientôt

 

 

 

L’Avion

Hey everyone! hope summer is treating you all well! I have been absolutely swamped with work, but I have to admit that I enjoy having so much to do.  I’m usually pretty bored when I have a lot of time off in the summer, so one day off every week is perfect for me, and it is usually spent running errands and shopping 😉

I’m gearing up to fly to Atlanta in less than two weeks.  I’m so excited! So far my only experience in A-town has been an 8 hour lay-over in the airport on the way back to Japan from Virginia (Back when I used to live there) and I spent most of that time sleeping.  I’ve also never really done much traveling on my own so I’m looking forward to the adventure.

And of course, best of all, visiting with the boyfriend and meeting the fam-squad. 🙂

I’ve got a couple of goodies for you tonight, not too much unfortunately but hopefully enough to get the gears turning.

Les Plats du Jour:

Song of the day: Jamie T – \”Sheila\” 

I’m not sure if it’s the accent or what but there’s something about Jamie T that I absolutely adore.  I rediscovered my love for him today when this song came on my ipod while on shuffle as I was driving home from work with the windows down and the warm summer breeze rolling in.  Although he hails from the rainy gray UK his tunes are incredibly lax, perfect for the beach or just strolling on a hot day.

TV series of the day: Black Adder

Hilarious!!! just watch it please. The whole series is on netflix instant watch.  If you’re into british comedy, love british history, and love Rowan atkinson (and hugh laurie) just trust me.

Basically the series is about the descendants Edmund Black Adder. Each season features a different character played by Atkinson, in a different time period.  It begins in the 1500s with Prince Edmund the lord Black Adder, then in the second season centers on another Lord Black Adder in the Elizabethan age, now I am on the third season which takes place around the time of the french revolution (and so on and so forth) Interesting concept, hilarious show.

Book of the day:

Wow, simply one of the best books I have ever read.  One of the few books that has been able to make me cry and laugh hysterically within 30 minutes of reading.

The story is narrated by one of the coolest dogs you will ever meet, Enzo, who has the soul of a human and believes that he will become a man in his next life.

It’s more than just a typical Marley and Me dog book. On the eve of his death Enzo recalls his life with his family; Denny, a semi-pro car racer, his wife eve, and their daughter Zoe and the struggles they overcome.

Guys you will like this book too, It sounds like a chick book, I promise it’s not.  Everyone should read it.

and speaking of dogs……

Photos of the day:

Man’s best friend has an artistic side 🙂

DIY website of the day:

I couldn’t choose just one tutorial from this site so I decided to share the whole thing.  My new favorite DIY blog, everything on here is incredibly easy to make, seriously they only take like three steps and the pictures are fabulous!

http://psimadethis.com

Recipe of the day:  Diet Soda Cake

I have to give credit to Gigi, the lovely woman from my work who brought in a dr. pepper flavored cake for one of my co-worker’s birthday. It was so good I had to ask her for the recipe.  you won’t believe how easy it is and it’s a weight watchers recipe!

• Take a chocolate cake mix (the box kind)
• mix in one can of diet dr. pepper (or diet coke/pepsi, you can also use regular non diet soda but of course that adds more calories, I promise the diet tastes delicious)
• bake according to the box instructions (don’t add the other ingredients! It’s just the mix and the soda!)
• Done! You can make a whipped cream type of frosting like the one shown to top it with, but it’s just as good on it’s own

I’m serious, its that easy! you can also use a white cake with sprite if you want, basically use the same color cake as the soda if that makes sense.

Hope you all enjoy! I’ll be back with more exciting updates soon!

à bientôt

 

 

 

Le Maladie

Hey everyone! I know it’s been a bit since I last posted, and while I hate to be the type of person that has an excuse for everything I am not kidding when I say that I have been sick.  Nothing too serious just a cold, at first I thought it was allergies but since I haven’t been able to breath through my nose in about a week and I’ve been taking claritin I somehow don’t think that is the case anymore. Hopefully things will clear up soon.

I’ve also been working a lot and running back and forth to rehearsals for work, I’m a busy lass!

However I have had a lot of time to come up with some new item for the menu today so I hope that this will make up for the absence. Roll film!

Les Plats du Jour: 

Song of the day: Delta 5 -\”You\” 

I LOVE this band. I’m all about some 70 british indie rock, to me it sounds like a lot of the stuff we hear today.  In fact every time I play this album or something similar (Adam and the ants, Gang of Four, New Order…) around friends they ask me if it’s some new indie band! I really like the quirky vocals in this song, super fun to sing along to in the car, which I often do to wake myself up in the mornings on my way to work.

Movie of the day: 

This is a classic case of not judging a book (or in this case, mini series) by its cover. This series has been on my netflix suggestions for months and I never watched it because frankly I thought the poster image was really corny looking so I figured the show would be too.

However, as I was on one of my favorite websites, goodreads.com, looking for another book to read the book “The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follet came up again in my suggestions.  I decided to watch one episode of the series and give it a try.  I LOVED it and immediately requested a copy from the library.

I’m still waiting for that copy and I caved and ended up watching the whole series…. in one day. It’s THAT addicting. I’m a huge historical fiction buff, I just love going back in time and imagining what it would be like to live in the past.

The pot is super complex, lots of twists and unexpected turns. There is mystery, action, drama, suspense, romance, grit, intrigue, religion, you name it pretty much every theme is covered here. It’s awesome.  If you’re at all into historical fiction like the Tudors, or merlin, or anything like that just give this a try. I think you’ll get hooked. I can’t wait to read the book!

Book of the day: 

Summer is when I do the most reading but often times I find myself unsure of what to read next.  this was another suggestion on goodreads.com and so far its pretty good.  I’m not that far into it yet, but It’s a very simple read and sometimes it’s nice to not have to think so hard about a complicated plotline.

It’s hard for me to explain exactly what “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” is about.  All I can say is it’s a coming of age story of a girl living in the slums of Williamsburg (brooklyn, not va. confusing, I know) I was frustrated with that summary too, but there really is no other way to describe it, it’s just sort of a book about life, about everything.  It touches on a lot of different subjects like poverty and turn of the century segregation. So far i’m liking it, we’ll see where it takes me.

Video of the day: 

I saw this video a long time ago but i revisited it last night for a laugh.  Of course I was rolling on the floor laughing so hard.  It’s a great concept, everyone just sort of laughing together.  What is it about laughter that brings us so close together?

Recipe of the day: Barefoot contessa’s peach blueberry crumble

I WILL make these sometime this summer. Seriously for the last like 5 episodes i’ve watched of barefoot contessa Ina has done some kind of spin off on this recipe and it looks so delicious every time.  She uses different fruits in each one, like plums, or cranberries and peaches.  They are really quick and simple to make, perfect for summer entertaining.

http://www.barefootcontessa.com/recipes.aspx?RecipeID=58&S=0

Also! I have some exciting news! I finally found the perfect dresser and matching nightstand today! They are sitting in my garage right now and I cannot wait to get them in my apartment next year! My mom and I found them at a great consignment shop here in williamsburg, they were part of a set of about 4 or 5 pieces and I wish I could have bought them all but I don’t have enough room for two night stands, a dresser, and a chest of drawers  They are from a gorgeous antique italian made collection and the dresser comes with not one, but TWO matching mirrors that attach to it. Absolutely gorgeous.  I sound like an old lady right now rather than a 20 something, but this is seriously exciting. My first big girl furniture! Can’t wait to make it mine 🙂

à bientôt

Travaille

First day back at work today, honestly it didn’t feel like I had missed a day.  Apparently being a muppet is completely natural for me.

Also to clear something up, baby swans are not called signets, its actually spelled CYGNETS my bad.

ok lets get the list going here, its a lot of photos today

Les Plats du Jour

Song of the day: Judas- Lady Gaga 

Don’t judge me, this song has been stuck in my head all day. It’s super catchy! And one of the boondock saints plays Judas in the video! Also I was shocked to see a photo of gaga actually looking normal

Movie of the day: Alfie

I’ve seen bits and pieces of this movie before and I had an idea what the whole theme was but I decided to watch the whole thing on netflix the other day. It was much better than I expected! (although it could have been terrible and I still wouldn’t have cared given it’s Jude Law playing alfie)

Anyway the storyline is one that I and I think a lot of other people out there can relate to; the main character, Alfie, is essentially a swinger, player, womanizer, whatever you want to call him.  He has a problem with commitment and goes from woman to woman.  The problem is you can’t help but like the guy because he’s so darn charming and honest and in the end you kinda feel bad for him in a weird way.

With an all star cast and an awesome soundtrack, it’s a great movie (not exactly a family watch though)

Photos of the day: 

Hilarious and true

I got lucky with the old stumbleupon this week.

Amazing find of the day: I don’t even know what to call this, just look at it, PLEASE

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/29JD0J/www.sembeo.com/sound-matrix/

it’s awesome right?!! Prepare to be entertained for hours

Laugh of the day: If today’s celebrities lived in the renaissance

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1heqn6/funnypagenet.com/if-todays-celebrity-were-living-during-the-renaissance/

DIY of the day: 

really cute for decoration! Hang a few for a minimal look, or cover the whole ceiling! You can use them in other places as well, place them in a bowl for a centerpiece, they could even work as wedding decorations!

http://www.thehouseofsmiths.com/2010/02/hanging-roses-i-was-browsing-blogs.html

à bientôt

Ma Chambre

It’s been a loooooong day furniture shopping avec ma mere for furniture for my apartment next year. I’m so excited to be able to decorate a new room just the way I like it, but it’s a tough job! I’m searching for a bed and a dresser right now, I’ve got a couple of options for those but what seems to be eluding me are some bar stools for the kitchen, their either two short, or they don’t come in a set of four, which would be ideal.  Sigh, I have whole summer ahead of me to find them though.  On top of it all I’m soar all over from rehearsals and going back to work.  I like it though, lets me know I’m doing good work and getting in shape 🙂

And now on to the menu

Let Plats du Jour

Song of the day: Boston- Augustana 

Heard this song while in wendy’s last night, forgot how much I loved it! Especially the piano part at the beginning. it’s awesome

Movie of the day: Au Revoir Les Enfants

Another french movie I know. I can’t help it, sometime I feel like french directors are much better at expressing subtle emotions that americans.  This is more of a serious film about the holocaust.  Julien Quentin returns to his catholic boarding school and befriends a new boy who he later finds out is Jewish, hiding from the Gestapo.

I like to watch french films because usually about halfway through the movie I get to a point where I don’t really need the subtitles anymore, and it’s an awesome way to keep up my skills over the summer so I don’t forget everything.  Which makes me think I should start looking into reading french literature for more practice, I have a day off tomorrow…. so perhaps a trip to the library is in my future.

Photos of the day:

little FYI, baby swans are called signets

This reminds me of the movie “The Little Princess” one of my favorites when I was a kid, but that’s for another post. 🙂

Recipe of the day: Candied rose petals

I know it sounds weird, eating flowers but I have always loved anything rose flavored.  When I shared the recipe for the rose tea with you all last time I decided to search for other rose creations and I came up with this one.  The rose bushes in our backyard were getting overgrown and needed pruning. Waste not! 🙂

Generally the darker the color of the petals the better they will taste, but I used very light pink ones and they were great! You can eat them by themselves (I did) but they are more meant to put on top of cakes or ice cream as an edible garnish.

simple to make!

-grab a couple of roses and carefully pull of the petals making sure that they are not bruised and are bug free. Lay them on parchment paper on top of a cookie sheet

-Take one egg white and mix with one teaspoon of water

– using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides with the eggwash

-IMMEDIATELY sprinkle sugar on both sides of the petals

-Leave them out to sit for 24 hours and harden

voila! they are done!

à bientôt

Dentelle et de la lavande

“Lace and Lavender” the name of my favorite playlist on my ipod. I like to come up with interesting names for my playlists and this one is made to listen to on days like today.  There is a slight drizzling outside, the windows are open and I am sitting sipping tea and listening to the sounds of the rain falling off the house.  Breathing in the glorious smell of fresh flowers in the garden, made even stronger by the mist in the air.

Les Plats du Jour

Song of the day: Stokkseyri- Jonsi and Alex 

One of my favorite songs (of course on the playlist). I used to play this one in the dorm while I was working on homework.  One day my suite mate came in and told me she loved it whenever I played the song, that it sounded like rain. I couldn’t agree more.  I also was listening to this song on my ipod while walking at night through campus, I wasn’t in the best of moods and while I was walking it began to snow.  The combination of the magical weather and the song made one of those moments that you just never forget.  Every time I hear this song I think of that night and I feel at peace.

Movie of the day: Le Ballon Rouge

a very short film (only about 30 minutes) set in Montmarte, Paris in the 1950s the story follows a young boy who finds a red balloon (or maybe the ballon finds him…) and his adventures in Montmarte.  It’s a sweet story that reminds us of our childhood innocence and the simple joys of life. I think kids would really enjoy this movie, I’m 20-years-old and I loved it! It’s available on instant watch on netflix! 🙂

Recipe of the day: Frozen berries and white hot chocolate

I was watching my favorite cooking show, Barefoot Contessa, again today.  Ina made this fabulous and incredibly easy dessert for a dinner party with friends.  I couldn’t help but thinking how perfect this dish would be for a tea party with friends.  And since I happen to have a tea party coming up I might just make some myself along with a bag of my favorite tea for the hostess 🙂

It is seriously easy to make this and it looks so good! Our kitchen was just recently remodeled and the stove isnt working yet, otherwise I would be making this right now! It seriously took Ina about 2 minutes to make this.

here’s the recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/frozen-berries-with-hot-white-chocolate-recipe/index.html

DIY of the day: Newsprint nails

As an aspiring journalist, this manicure DIY is perfect for me! Maybe a little cheesy, but I think it looks pretty good! (way better than leopard print nails) All you need is your regular nail supplies: base coat/top coat, pale colored nail polish; newspaper and some alcohol (vodka works the best, although seeing as how I don’t have nay vodka lying around and I can’t exactly buy some I might try rubbing alcohol… i’ll let you know how that works, Im hoping it wont ruin the polish.

here’s the tutorial: http://www.moredesignplease.com/moredesignplease/2011/2/8/paper-pages-nail-design.html

Tea of the day: Breakfast rose

To my delight I have discovered a new tea shop just a few minutes away from my house called Discover Teas.  I’ve been there so many times now that I have become friends with the man who owns it! I was at the shop buying some tea for my mom for mother’s day when the owner let me take home a free sample of any tea I wanted.  I chose breakfast rose, which I had been dying to try.

I just made some today.  It is amazing! My absolute new favorite tea. It is essentially a mixture of a fine english breakfast tea and dried rose petals.

I love english and irish breakfast teas, but I usually take them with milk and quite a bit of sugar.  The roses in the breakfast rose tea give the tea a very light, fragrant almost sweet flavor that I only needed the tiniest bit of sugar.  I will definitely be back at Discover teas soon to purchase a larger supply of my new favorite. I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who enjoys black teas.

C’est tout pour la moment!

à bientôt

L’internet

Wow guys! I am so sorry it has been so long since the last post.  I was so busy with exams and moving out of the dorm and when I finally got home and unpacked I didn’t have any wireless internet and my ethernet chord was lost somewhere among all the boxes. But I found it! Now I can finally post all of these images and ideas I’ve had saved to my desktop for over a week now!

here we go

Les Plats du Jour:

Song of the day: Avril 14th – Aphex Twin

Wish I had though to choose this song on April 14th. Oh well, c’est la vie. I love this song. Actually I love the entire Marie Antoinette soundtrack.  I really wanted to share opus 23 by dustin o’halloran which is my favorite song on the soundtrack however I can’t seem to find the full song in the right key on the internet anywhere so go and sample on itunes if you like.

Movie of the day: The Young Victoria

Love Love LOVE this movie. I’ve watched it maybe 5 times on netflix and I finally bought it on sale the other day and just finished watching it tonight with my mom.  She loved it too, which says a lot! My mom is a very tough movie critic.

It is such a sweet story with all of the historical intrigue and eye candy that I adore (and I’m not just talking about Rupert Friend!) The costumes and the scenery just everything about the film is a feast for the eyes, second only to Marie antoinette (another one of my all time favorites, what can I say? I love princess movies!)

Photos of the day:

More like photos of the week I guess. here they are!

the view from inside a hot air balloon. I hope the photographer wasn’t in there too long!

Any art fans in here? How cool is this?! I’m very impressed. I wonder if it was staged. hmm…

Here’s one for laughs.  Already sent this to all of my sesame friends.  Slightly inappropriate but I don’t think anyone can deny that this is pretty funny. Although if oscar was actually made of grass, I doubt he would be quite so grouchy. 🙂

DIYs of the day:

That’s right, I have not one but TWO DIY projects for you today 🙂

These can be used in so many different ways! Make a ring, a necklace, bracelet, hair clip, broach. So many possibilities and really easy to make!

instructions here: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/6SFWVh/thecraftingchicks.com/2011/03/rick-rack-rosettes.html

Doesn’t this blanket look so cozy? It’s hard to see in the picture but there are actually little flecks of shimmer in the yarn used to knit it! that’s right I said knit. I used to knit scarves like crazy, and while I was never able to master more complicated knitting designs like hats or sweaters I can certainly manage a blanket! I love this idea for a christmas gift for a friend, maybe a project for the apartment this year? 🙂

warning: The specific yarn used for this blanket is rather pricey and it requires seven skenes of it (I know I’m not willing to dish out that chunk of change) I would definitely suggest browsing your craft store for cheaper alternatives.

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/1ijL9m/purlbee.squarespace.com/bulky-knitt-pixie-dust-blanket/

Topic of the day: Osama….

Once again I’m a little late so it’s more like topic of the week, but bear with me. I was amused by a lot of the things I was hearing from my college peers on the night of his death but now that everyone has had time to gather more information and process their thought I want to know what people think of this? Obviously it’s a great thing that we finally got him, but I’m curious to what extent people are celebrating or even discussing it.  Are you guys throwing parties? Brushing the topic aside?

I have had several friends say that they are dissapointed in the general reaction from most americans, that of jubilance and riotous excitement because they believe it is wrong to celebrate a death, no matter whose death it is.

I’m not sure if I agree with this argument but I can definitely see that side of it and respect their opinions.  Now i’m not breaking out the party hats any time soon, but with a brother deployed in Afghanistan any progress is music to my ears. So naturally I am celebrating this great achievement.

Keep in mind that it is not just America that has been threatened by Osama, He has been the face of terror for people all over the world, including muslims in his own country. Therefore I do wholeheartedly believe that it IS wrong to group all muslims together among the radical terrorist groups.

These terrifying groups in the middle east (Taliban/Al Qaeda) are comparable to the KKK or extremist radical christian groups (westboro baptist church-their official website is godhatesfags.com just FYI) in America.  We all know that not all americans, not even all christians are dare I say it, CRAZY, like the people in these groups are however they produce a negative image which pushes outsiders to group all of us together under their negative image.  The same thing has happened in the middle east.  I encourage everyone to re examine their thoughts on people of islamic faith.  Don’t make the same mistakes that have been made regarding us.

That said, I DO appreciate the fact that Obama gave Bin Laden a proper memorial service in accordance with Islamic law (It is my understanding that the only reason he was not buried according to tradition is because no country wanted to take the body.) It is however, unfortunate that the Taliban have declared Bin Laden to be a martyr of the islamic faith, although I kind of expected that.

Thoughts?

à bientôt

Le mariage

So I was one of the few college students to set an alarm and wake up at 5:00 a.m. to watch the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.  I am SO glad I did.  It was absolutely magical, the abbey was beautiful, her dress breathtaking, the energy of the crowds was electric.  I am so glad that I was able to witness this once in a lifetime epic event live and share in the excitement with everyone else.

It’s frustrating to me when people make fun of me for caring about this.  this is absolutely a historical event and the entire world is watching.  It’s so refreshing to have all eyes on the news watching a joyful event for once.  With all of the sadness, corruption, and destruction that is always watched and featured on the news it brightens the day to wake up and witness such a happy and beautiful event.  I understand that not everyone cares as much about the royal family or even the UK like I do, but is there something wrong with being interested?

All judgement aside, it was absolutely worth it to sacrifice a few hours of sleep to witness the wedding live.  It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.

for today’s menu I am going to dedicate it to all things British and all things royal wedding. If you are not a fan then you should probably stop reading now. Just a little warning 🙂

For those of you who didn’t see it live you can watch the replay of the wedding at 8p.m. on TLC tonight.

Les Plats du Jour:

Song of the day: Vega4 \”Life is Beautiful\” 

I absolutely love this song.  you might recognize it from the Disney African Cats movie commercial.  This song is such a lovely reminder of how beautiful and miraculous our world is.  I got a similar feeling from watching the wedding this morning.  there is beauty and happiness in this chaotic world.

Video of the day: 

Sorry I had to choose a longer video, but it is the best shot of my favorite part of the wedding.  When Kate steps out onto the balcony and said “oh wow!” It was such a sweet moment.  Can you imagine having all of those people watching your wedding? Their balcony kiss was worlds away from Charles and Diana’s awkward kiss 30 years earlier.  Already a much healthier relationship.

Photos of the day:

the much-anticipated mystery dress. I AM IN LOVE. Until recently I never really had anyone that I considered to be my personal style icon, but Kate has become that for me.  I like to think i have similar tastes in fashion with her.  I try to dress in simple classic pieces with just a touch of personal flair, and I love how Kate captures the same idea in her day-to-day fashions.

Her wedding dress was no exception.  She managed to beautifully merge tradition and modern design in this beautiful ivory satin Alexander McQueen dress.  The lace was all hand-made and I loved her veil.  I’m usually not a fan of veils at all, especially blusher veils, I don’t want my face to be covered for my wedding, but I thought it looked lovely and complemented the dress perfectly.  Also I was so happy that Kate decided to wear a dress with sleeves.  It was very appropriate for the venue yet still her style.

Not to be outdone was her sister Pippa’s dress.  Stunning! So sleek and modern.  Perfectly tailored and timeless.

DIY of the day: Wedding lace headband

I love this idea for a headband made of refurbished lace from a wedding dress. It’s a nice way to re-use the fabric from a dress you will probably never wear again. However, if you don’t want to cut up your dress (or if you don’t have one yet) you can always buy one from a thrift store for hardly any money at all.

Here’s the tutorial

http://www.maryjanesandgaloshes.com/2010/06/i-do-re-done-headband-tutorial.html

Recipe of the day: Vanilla milk tea

What’s a royal wedding without a cup of tea? This is my absolute favorite way to drink tea. Prepare to have your life changed.

I found this recipe in a book on Victorian tea parties that my mom gave  me.  the original recipe calls for a quarter cup of milk heated in a sauce pan and then infused with half a scoop of vanilla bean.

However I think my way is much easier and just as tasty.

• Take a quarter cup of milk (or less if you don’t plan on making a full pot of tea, however you can always keep the leftover milk in the fridge)
• add two tablespoons of pure vanilla extract
• heat in the microwave for about 45 seconds
• pour into a separate creamer cup and let cool while your tea steeps.  (this recipe works the best with a simple english or irish breakfast tea)
• Pour some of the milk into a tea-cup and THEN add the tea.  The vanilla flavor will smell and taste wonderful in the tea.

Add sugar to your taste and enjoy!

That’s all the wedding gossip I have for now.  Congratulations to William and Kate! The new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, may they live happily ever after.

à bientôt

Des Examens

First of all let me apologize for not posting in so long. I went home this weekend for easter and I was having some trouble connecting to the internet. I hope you all had a wonderful easter!

Next I have to warn you that I’m going to be a little M.I.A. these next few weeks since finals are coming up and I’m in the process of moving out and studying and trying not to kill myself with all the stress.  you know what I’m talking about.

No more excuses though, time for the menu!

Les Plats du Jour

Song of the day: “The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room” -Flight of the Conchords

for those who need a laugh this week, Flight of the Conchords provide the perfect solution.  My absolute favorite show ever, tears where shed the day it came to an end, but I still delight in the hilarity of their tunes.  this is one of my favorites.  close friends of mine will hear my quoting FOC all the time (It’s probably pretty annoying) and this song is one I frequently reference. enjoy!

Photo of the day:

saw this photo a while ago on a friend’s facebook page and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. That is a STAGE being held in the water by a giant skeleton.  those are real life size people, performing on this stage! SO COOL

mind=blown

Note of the day: 

I love passive aggressive notes.  I just love being confronted through sticky notes with backhanded comments.  this made me chuckle

Creation of the day: Awesome sand sculptures

try making these at the beach this summer!

Personality test of the day?

I actually don’t know what this is, I stumbled on it and gave it a go, got some very perceptive results. warning: it will bother your eyes

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/3X4MO9/www.hypnoid.com/psytest2.html

Movie of the day: Slumdog Millionaire

One of my favorite movies. This is the film that got me interested in international affairs, recovery, and stabilization.  this and Hotel Rwanda.  Planning on watching it with the boyfriend tonight since he hasn’t seen it yet and I keep forgetting to bring it over.

DIY of the day:

Another one from taylor at mary janes and galoshes! here is the tutorial

http://www.maryjanesandgaloshes.com/2011/04/diy-fabric-bracelets.html

That’s all for now!

à bientôt

La glace

The weekend has come early for me once again! I love it when my thursday classes get cancelled. As a treat to myself and in order to sooth my sore throat I’m headed to Kline’s tonight for some delicious ice cream! cant wait 🙂

Also my mani/pedi yesterday was AMAZING! it was also extremely amusing.  I couldn’t stop thinking of Anjela Johnson’s nail salon comedy skit and I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing when the woman doing my nails pointed to me and my boyfriend and said “ohhh!! boyfriend girlfriend??” In the oh so stereotypical asian manner. priceless. for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, watch the video and laugh.

Les Plats du Jour

Song of the day: \”New Soul\”-Yael Naim 

DIY of the day: 

an awesome way to carry your sweatshirt and your laptop!

Photos of the day:

These parents get creative with their daughter during nap time. These photos are too cute!

super funny and precious.

Time waster of the day: other than my favorite, stumbleupon, I have now stumbled upon the most addicting and time wasting website ever

It’s basically the virtual version of which would you rather?

http://faveone.com

That’s all for now!

à bientôt