Behold the perfect party dress...

Like every girl, I’ve always loved Anthropologie, and their dress selection usually has everything I could ever want.

But when they opened BHLDN they took it to a whole new level when it comes to the perfect dress for every occasion.  I can’t get over the tiny details, the tiers of fabric, the simple, elegant color palette…

With the holidays approaching the need for a great party dress rises exponentially and I love the idea of dresses inspired by my favorite desserts. Buttercream lace, chocolate silk, ribbons of swirly icing…

Which is your favorite?

Dessert photos via Pinterest

Dress photos via BHLDN

Holiday To-Dos

My mom sent me a text message over the weekend asking for my Christmas wish list. I can hardly believe that this year is almost over already. It seems unbelievable. But I can't say that I'm disappointed. 

Not that 2011 was a bad year- it was amazing actually- but I look forward to the holiday season all year long. It's my favorite time. 

My mom's text message got me thinking not only about the things on my Christmas wish list, but about everything that I want to do between now and New Year's Eve. 

And the list is long, so I better get started. As it turns out we bought a pumpkin this past weekend that we're going to carve this week. 

Here are a few of the other things I'm going to do before the year is over... 

Carve a pretty pumpkin

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Eat lots of Halloween Candy

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Discover and perfect my own signature Thanksgiving recipe

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Make my Christmas wish list... and buy for everyone on mine

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Find the perfect holiday party dress

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Host a cookie baking party

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Find the perfect Christmas tree

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What's on your holiday to-do list?

What my iPhone saw this week and a few weekend to-dos

I am so relieved this week is finally over. I’m not sure what it was about it, but it seemed to drag on forever and I’m really looking forward to the weekend. After three days the sun has finally decided to show its face. It’s a perfect crisp fall day. I hope it stays like this all weekend.

Jered is out of town but luckily I have a little friend to keep me company while he is away. Our friends dropped their Cocker Spaniel Benny off last night and he’ll be our furry little houseguest for the next week while they’re in Hawaii. I wonder if he likes JCrew, hanging out with girlfriends, eating donuts and catching up on shows that I missed over the week because that’s what’s on the agenda for the weekend… I guess we’ll see.

Happy Weekend!

xo

Prepping for the Movember bake sale next week at work and trying out a lemon bar recipe

image via Pinterest

Have you seen JCrew's most recent catalog? Omg. I'll be there. Trying it all on this weekend.

image via JCrew.com

 

 

Grabbing dinner with girlfriends at Lincoln Square's new spot, Due Lire

image via DueLire.com

Taking Benny to the Doughnut Vault

image via

Wishful Wednesday: I wish I could eat cupcakes every single day

I'm a sucker for a good cupcake. No matter what size and no matter what flavor (within reason), I can't say no. 


My favorite cupcakes in the city are from a bakery in Lincoln Park called Sweet Mandy B's. Their cupcakes are simple when compared to all the different varieties of cupcakes that one can find these days, but they're perfect in their simplicity. They don't need bacon bits or sprinkles or crazy flavor varieties to be special. They just are. 


This past weekend, I tried out a recipe I found online that claimed to be THE Sweet Mandy B's cupcake recipe. I'm proud to report that the the icing tasted eerily similar to the real thing. The cake was a bit off, but not in a bad way, just in a way that's slightly different from the original. 

While I didn't hit the nail on the head, it was, after all, only my first try. And I have to say that I have found my go-to cupcake recipe for the next time I'm called upon to whip up a batch of buttercream goodness. Whether they taste exactly like SMB's or not.