The Five or Die: Shoes

Everyone has a favorite pair of shoes- I know I do!  But when it comes down to which pairs I honestly couldn’t live without, that list is tough.  These shoes are the ones that look fabulous, feel amazingly comfortable, and hold up through the test of time- and I get the most wear out of them.

 

must have shoes

Dolce Vita platform shoes: #1: These shoes look adorable and are very flattering- but most important- they are super comfortable.  I could wear them all day, everyday, and be fine. I LOVE comfortable and cute wedges. I have them in almost every color!

Dolce vita boots: #2: In the Fall and Winter I live in these knee-high leather boots.  I wear them with skinny jeans, dresses, and skirts with tops- and they always look good.  They have a little bit of a wedge to them to add some height, but are low enough for everyday wear.

Mel ballet shoes: #3: When I am going for 100% comfort, I adorn my black flats with a bow. They look great with any outfit- they can be styled for a classic look for work, or an edgier look for a night out.  They are my go-to shoe for overall comfort and ease.

Nelly Shoes high heel shoes: #4: A nude pump!  These aren’t the exact ones I have, but these are very similar.  Everyone needs a nude pump because these diverse shoes are great for any occasion, match many outfits, and really make everyone’s legs look long and amazing.

Lucky Brand flat shoes: #5: In the Spring and Summer you can find me by the pool, at a concert, or at the beach.  Enter the must-needed gladiator sandals.  I wear these for many occasions and they look cute, are comfortable, and hold up well even in wet situations.

Fall Fave: Baroque

This Fall there are certain things that I must have for my wardrobe- and baroque is one of them! While this type of design can look matronly if not styled correctly, it can also look young and vibrant if you do it right!  I think that dresses with a baroque design are awesome- as long as you pair them with youthful heels and jewelry.  Want to add just a touch to your fall wardrobe?  Go with a skirt, t-shirt, or some fun accessories.  Baroque has been popping up on runways and celebrities alike, and I enjoy this feminine, classic style.

 

baroque

Brunching in Richmond: Station 2

{My favorite menu item for brunch, lunch and dinner: home-made sweet potato tots. Soo good}

Station 2 has a lot to offer: local ingredients, local beers, crafty burgers and rich history.  All of the beef is from Buffalo Creek Beef, a Virginia Farm, and their greens come from Manakintowne Specialty Growers, also in VA. The sausages are made in-house, they have a huge selection of VA beers, and oh yeah- the food is amazing!  The building also has a lot to offer, as it was built in 1899 and was Richmond’s second city-owned fire house.  Local food and rich history makes for a fun dining experience.  I have tried a few of their burgers, and have also come for brunch.  Here are a few of my favorite brunch items!

{Waffle sliders: homemade sausage patty, scrambled eggs & cheese served between waffles with hash browns on the side}

{Station 2 waffle: a classic Belgian waffle with a crispy outside and light, buttery center. Simple & delicious}

Simple Twine Decor

{The twine decorative balls I made, hung with some glass terrariums}

Recently I moved to Richmond, VA- which means lots of opportunities for decorating!  My first task: add some style to my living room.  I felt like this large room needed something extra to bring it together, so I decided to make twine balls to hang from the windows.  They were so easy to make, and I am really pleased with how they turned out. Here’s how to make them:

Materials:

Glue

Twine

Balloons

Directions:

Blow up balloon and tie. Mix together equal parts glue and water.  Cut a long length of twine {depending on how large your balloon is}. Soak the twine in the water/glue mixture for 5-10 minutes.  Wrap twine around the balloon, trying to not leave large open gaps. Let it dry for 24 hours, rotating the balloon every few hours. Once it is dry, pop the balloon and remove. Easy!

{Equal parts glue and water, mixed together}

{Soaking the twin in the mixture}

{Twine wrapped around the balloons}

{Viola!}

Top 5 Dirtiest Foods

It’s impossible to eat 100% organic & clean all the time.  I know from experience- I have tried to do it and it’s very hard.  Instead of looking for all organic foods, I now look out for what ‘not to buy’ to guide me through my grocery shopping.  For those of you that are new to clean eating, this list of the top 5 dirtiest foods from Divas Can Cook will be a helpful starter guide for you.  Most surprising item on the list: peaches! To read the full article click HERE.

“1.) Peaches

contaminated peaches

I LOVE peaches and usually buy them from the grocery store so I wasn’t thrilled to hear about this one!  Peach skins are loaded with pesticides to keep them looking all pretty and stuff. The USDA says on average, a single peach can have as many as nine different pesticides. Buying organic is the best option, although they may not be as pretty and blemish free. I’m ok with that.

2.) Eggs

Eggs contaminated

I can’t remember what I read about eggs a few years ago that made me to start raising my own chickens.  The saying “healthy chickens lay healthy eggs” is so true. I can certainly tell the difference in the taste of  my free-ranged chicken eggs and the ones in the supermaket.  Chickens are severely mistreated in these huge “mills” and often pumped with a ton of hormones in order to crank out tons of eggs in a day. So not normal! If you can’t raise your own chickens or buy from a local organic hatchery, it’s worth it to pay a lil extra for organic eggs at the supermarket.  Make sure that the carton says free-ranged and organic.  Also be sure to inspect all the eggs in the carton to make sure there are no tiny cracks or leaks.

3.) Cantaloupe

contaminated cantaloupe

The FDA sampled domestically grown cantaloupe and found that 3.5 percent carried Salmonella and Shigella.  Shigella is passed from person to person. Always wash your hands after touching produce in the supermarket and always scrub your canteloupe really well.  7 percent of imported melons tested positive for both. Now ….I’m not one to trust the FDA too much, so when they give out a number for something I usually multiply a few times.

4.) Chicken

contaminated chicken

Ok so apparently Consumer Reports tested 484 raw broiler chicken (the kind found in the grocery stores) and found that 42 percent were infected with Camplybacter (I don’t know what the crap that is but I’m sure I don’t want to eat it ) and  12 percent with Salmenella entrerides. If you are buying from a supermarket, choose organic, free-ranged chickens. Chickens that are kept in close quarters allows for diseases to breed and grow. They do cost more, but worth it in my opinion. Also be careful to not cross-contaminate.  Here is how myself and other readers prep their raw chicken to prevent cross-contamination.

 

5.) Lettuce

contaminated lettuce

Contaminated lettuce made up 11 percent of reported food-poisoning outbreaks from 1990 to 2002. Salad accounted for 28 percent! Never trust the “triple washed”  saying on some packages. One mediocre home washing could be equivalent to their “triple washing” standards. So be sure to thoroughly wash all greens. Prepped bagged greens are no better than the  loose ones. Buy organic and local if possible and wash them at home.

 

- This information and these images are from DivasCanCook.com!

Richmond BBQ

Richmond residents are proud of their history- but even more proud of their BBQ!  This weekend I attended the Local Beer, BBQ and Bands event at the downtown Farmer’s Market, and I tried some amazing pork. There were so many local vendors and so many different dishes to try.  I wish I was able to taste them all! However- two of my favorite side dishes came from Alamo BBQ, which happens to be only a few blocks from where I live. Their jalapeño mac ‘n cheese has the perfect kick, and their ‘texas caviar’ was light and refreshing. As far as the pork- I think that Buzz N Neds is still the best, but that will come in a later post!

{Pulled pork with jalapeño mac ‘n cheese and texas caviar which is a southwest bean and corn salad. YUM!}

{During the festival they ran out of the most popular mac ‘n cheese! Luckily they were able to quickly make some more}

The Work Bag

With a new job comes a new need for the perfect ‘work bag.’ I have been looking for something stylish and functional- one that I can wear day-to-night that also fits my iPad and some other necessities for my busy day.  These are some of my favorites- I can’t wait to make my purchase!

ipad bag

3 Way Cafe

3 Way Cafe is a Norfolk, VA must eat!  Are you surprised that the mastermind chef behind this amazing sandwich shop is Chris Hill from the Bachelor Kitchen? This lunch spot takes basic sandwiches and puts them over the edge with fresh ingredients and unique combinations.  They essentially take something basic like a grilled cheese- and blow your mind by perfecting it. Some of my menu favorites include the ‘Figgy Piggy’ (herb roasted pork with fig glaze, baby spinach, gouda, roasted tomatoes, pesto aoili on sourdough) and the ‘El Pavo’ (turkey, leaf lettuce, roasted tomatoes, havarti, avocado, red pepper ranch).

As if there isn’t enough to love about the menu- I am also kind of obsessed with the Bachelor Kitchen, an archive of recipes and videos that teach single guys how to impress their ladies with delicious meals.  Check it out, guys!

Sweet Grilling

 

As I have said before, this is the season of the grill!  In my opinion, everything tastes better grilled on a hot summer day, so I am always exploring new recipes to test on the gold old grill.  Recently I made some grilled sweet potato fries with vanilla icing, and I don’t think i’ll ever have another summer dessert.  This light and refreshing treat is perfect for a summer day- and leaves you feeling guilt free!

The {Extremely Simple} Recipe

2 sweet potatoes

1/4 stick of unsalted butter (softened}

1 Cup powdered sugar

2 T vanilla extract

Instructions

Boil the sweet potatoes until thoroughly cooked.  Cut into wedges, and grill unto browned and crispy.  Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Dip into vanilla icing and enjoy them while they are hot!

DC Must Eat: Graffiato

{Saged & Confused: tito’s handmade vodka, cucumber juice, sage, lime}

Everyone in the DMV knows Mike Isabella from Top Chef, and we were thrilled when he opened Graffiato in China Town, DC.  I am kind of obsessed with this restaurant for one big reason: pepperoni sauce.  They have so many good dishes and great cocktails, but the pepperoni sauce is definitely the champion at Graffiato.  It’s simply pepperonis pureed into a sauce, served with some home-made bread. Amazing! I have tried almost everything on the menu, here are some of the other highlights.

{Broccolini with spicy pepper relish, walnut, and feta}

{A selection from the ham & cure}

{The food is amazing, but don’t underestimate their cocktails!}

{Beets with orange slices and goat cheese.  Heirloom tomatoes with melon and sabra}

{Blister in the sun: aperol, white peach puree, house-grenadine, prosecco}

 

 

 

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