EATLIVEWEARWANTLIFEREAD

2/27/2015

A HINT OF SPRING + LINKS...



Hi there!! Did you have a good week?? We had the threat of a snowstorm here - and it actually did snow. But it didn't stick where I am. But thanks to the threat, I worked from home in my pjs most of the week and got a lot done. That's always good right?? Another good thing is the release of Season 3 of House Of Cards today. I'm THRILLED! So if you need me, I will be curled up in bed in front of the TV most of the weekend. Perhaps I'll take a break or two for a few errands, a little nap, and a good dinner with a friend. :) Enjoy the links and have a great weekend!

That time when my Instagram photo appeared on Pottery Barn's Instagram feed...  #pinchmemoment

Just a good post with a lots of good information to use when you are traveling - and when you aren't.

I had this salad 3 times this week. The mix of the ingredients taste surprisingly well together...

The latest addition to my closet (in black).  Classic, super comfy, and perfect for work...

And these (in black) are on the way for spring/summer. Hoping they are comfy, too...

Something I would like to start doing... It has to be helpful.

Girl Scout cookies never looked so good...

Two things I plan to do this weekend...

Image via
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2/25/2015

INTERIORS: BATH-SIDE STYLE...

If you are a full-time designer or get to spend lots of time working on design, this post may not necessarily be news to you. But I'm loving a particular design concept lately and I wanted to share and get it down in one post. That particular concept is a "nightstand" of sorts by the bathtub. I've seen wooden stools, garden stools, and bar carts accompanying the bathtub and I like it! If I think back to my bathroom in my childhood home, a little stool by the bathtub to hold bath necessities or accessories was nonexistent. My bathroom was tiny and I remember sometimes using the top of a closed lid of the toilet as a holder of sorts for a towel and whatever else I needed for my bath. That's not the most sanitary thing, but you work with what you have ya know? I'm thankful that now I have my own master bath with enough room to accommodate this sort of concept. I purchased this stool to place by the bathtub (love it!). It holds a pretty glass jar of epsom salt (that stuff works people!), a candle, and a towel if I need one close by. It's simple, useful, and adds quite a bit of style - and that's just how I like it. Scroll down to see some cute options for your bath-side style!


Images 1/2/3/4/5
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2/23/2015

CHOCOLATE CHUNK BLONDIES...

Chocolate Chunk Blondies | Savor Home
How was the weekend?? My weekend was quite good - because I chose for it to be good. I could have ran all over the city running errands in an effort to shrink my to-do list, but sometimes choosing to put yourself at the top of your to-do list is best. I chose to go to Pilates, take a 2 hr nap (I had a few dreams, so you know it was a good nap!), read, cook (I made this stew - so good!), and bake. It was like I took a little vacation from life and I'm kinda sad that it's over. But on with life and on with a new week!

So about what I baked... I think I've mentioned a few times here that I have a new job. The people I work with are really sweet and have made me feel very welcome over the last few weeks, so I thought I would make a little treat for them today. I wanted to make something really good for that I was already familiar with, so I decided to make Ina Garten's Chocolate Chunk Blondies. I've made these tons of times for people and they get rave reviews every single time. Simply put, they taste like a really rich chocolate chip cookie that is the form of a bar. The chocolate chunks melt into the bar and add the perfect amount of richness. The walnuts (which are optional) add right amount of crunch and compliment the sweetness of the blondie. These blondies are so good and are honestly super easy to make. So if you want to impress someone with a sweet treat, or attempt to do so, this would be a mighty fine option in my book... :)

Chocolate Chunk Blondies | Savor Home
Chocolate Chunk Blondies | Savor Home
Chocolate Chunk Blondies | Savor Home
Chocolate Chunk Blondies | Savor Home
Here is what you need and what to do (makes 12 large blondies):

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 lbs semisweet chocolate chunks (about 1 1/2 11.5 oz bags of Nestle's chocolate chunks), chocolate chips work, too if that is what you have on hand
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13x9x2 baking pan by lining it with parchment paper. Cut the paper long enough so that some of it hangs over the sides of the pan. Use binder clips to clip the overhang of the parchment paper to the sides of the pan. Spray the paper and sides of the pan with cooking spray. All of these steps will make it so much easier for you lift the blondies out of the pan when they are done. The alternative is to simply butter and flour the pan...

2. Add the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the ingredients for 3 minutes - not a minute shorter! Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl down after each addition.

3. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer. Mix until everything is just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chunks and walnuts using a spatula.

4. This is the messy, but fun part! Pour the dough into the center of the prepared pan. Use your clean hands to spread the dough out evenly in the pan. This will be messy, but the goal is to make sure that the dough is even. The binder clips should be keeping the parchment paper in place at this point. Once you get the dough evened out, smooth the top with a spatula. This will look messy, but it will get prettier as it bakes!

5. Remove the binder clips (if using) and bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (i.e. no uncooked dough). These are really dry if they cook too long, so make sure you don't over-bake them! Once they are done, let them cool in the pan. Once they are cool, lift the blondie out of pan using the parchment paper and cut it into bars.

6. These are best if served slightly warm with a side of vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate sauce, but they are good at room temp, too! Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Images by me
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2/20/2015

A PRETTY ENTRY + LINKS...



Alright friends. I'm COLD! That's all that comes to mind right now. All I want to do crank up the heat, stay in bed, bundle up under the covers, and have a gallon of hot tea off to the side! Geez! So what's up for the weekend? Aside from getting a long overdue manicure, I plan to put off things that need to be done so that I can have a weekend of doing absolutely nothing! Nothing as in staying home, doing a little online accessory shopping for the bedroom, reading, taking a nap or two, Net-Flixing, and making something warm and good to eat while I watch the Oscars. That. Is. It. After a few busy weeks and weekends, I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to that! Have a great weekend and stay warm if you are in the states!

If you've got a cheese grater, tweezers, scissors, and/or sandpaper, then you can create versions of this popular look- at home. Love it.

Like I said, it's cold, which means this looks extra good to me...

And these always look good to me! Love this recipe...

A surprising but not so surprising cause of acne...

A great gift for a spring bride...

And a pretty way to welcome a new baby...

Where I got my NYFW street style fix...

Blue & navy... Loving this look!

Image via Markalunas Architecture Group
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2/18/2015

I'M READING...


So this year, I made a goal to read more. The funny things is that I make that goal every year, and every year I fail miserably at it. But this year, I am sticking to it!!! I have more time at home in the evenings now and I've made the decision to sort of pull back from blogging a bit at night so that I can really focus more on reading. Reading gets my mind off of myself and all of the 1000 things I need to do. Plus I sleep like a baby every time I nix the TV and/or Internet surfing in exchange for an hour of reading before bed. And you know how much I love good sleep...

So the book I'm reading now is by Gayle Forman, an author who might be familiar to you if you are an avid reader. But she's new to me and I'm quite smitten by her writing. I'm reading "If I Stay," which is about a lovely girl named Mia. Mia endures a horrible car accident with her family - one of those cute, laid-back, happy, and really supportive families that everyone wishes they had. Mia barely survives the accident and ends up in a coma. She spends just one day outside of herself deciding if she will stay or if she will go. She spends that one day explaining her life in a such a way that certainly could make one hope that she makes the decision to stay in spite of the many reasons one would want to go. The plot itself is not a new concept, but the book is written in a way that makes it incredibly interesting and different. I'm midway through and am dying to see how it goes. The book was also made into a movie that was released last year (which I will see after I finish the book). AND there is a sequel called, "Where She Went," so my next book is already lined up!

Have you read the book or seen the movie?? If so, what did you think??

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2/16/2015

LATELY...

{Valentine's Day tulips... }

Hi there! I hope you had a great weekend! Over the last few days I took a much needed long nap, had really great home-cooked V-day dinner with great girlfriends, ate the BEST brunch here before going to see the beautiful dancing of Alvin Ailey, and ran lots of normal errands and errands in anticipation of this "wintry mix" we are supposed to be getting here in Atlanta. Those words freak people out around here, so we will see how these next few days play out! 

Anyway, here are a few pics of some happenings around here lately via Instagram. Flowers have been involved (of course), the master bedroom is SO close to being done (yay!) and I've already moved on to my updating my home office. Things are looking up on the home front! Have a great Monday! 

{I've got new lamps!! The master makeover is coming along! Almost done! }

{A new 40mm lens that takes the most amazing photos...}

{A newly decorated little corner of my home office - where I'm at right now as I write this post! }

All photos via Instagram (@savorhome)
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2/13/2015

PINK + CHOCOLATE + LINKS...



Happy almost weekend! I'm ready for it - as always! This week has been a week of work, mixed with appointments, late weeknight dinners (went here for the first time and LOVED it!), and weekday errands, so I am quite spent and am welcoming the weekend with open arms. What are your V-day plans? I'm going to see Alvin Ailey and am doing a fun dinner with a few girlfriends where I'll probably be serving up some of these- so it's gonna be good! Have a great weekend and enjoy the links!

If you are a serious foodie (like me), share this with your significant other... I agree with everything- especially #7.

A kitchen makeover that makes me want to pack my bags for a trip to the country...

And this makes me want to buy a few gallons of high gloss paint. Insanely pretty...

A decadent photo shoot... Looks so good...

This is too cute to only use around Valentine's Day...

Lasagna just for two... Love this idea!

A really long list of positivity...

Image via
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2/11/2015

INTERIORS: STUDIO MCGEE

It's no secret that I love crisp, clean, and bright design, so I was naturally drawn to Shea McGee's Instragram account when I found it a while back. My love for her Instagram photos drew me to her website where I found her blog - a place where she shares her beautiful work, design processes, and really great design tips. I also love Shea's story of how she entered the design business. It's inspirational and proof that pursuing your passion and hard work pays off! She started her business in the spare bedroom of her home and now she is running her extremely successful design firm in that studio you see there above. How beautiful is that?? That lighting!! Her work is so pretty and I just had to share some of it here with you. Be sure to check out her site to see more!


Images via Studio McGee
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2/09/2015

COCKTAIL: A CLASSIC COSMOPOLITAN

Classic Cosmopolitan | Savor Home
I hope you had a good weekend! It's a Monday and the Monday before Valentine's Day, so I thought I would start the week off with a little cocktail... :) I was perusing Facebook last week when I saw this Cosmo recipe that Ina Garten posted on her page. I've loved Cosmopolitans since the Sex & The City days (who hasn't??) and I always like to try different variations of them. This classic version is made with lemon juice (instead of lime juice) and Cointreau obviously, which is an orange-flavored liqueur that is sweet and so very good. I keep a bottle of it on my bar cart and I sometimes just take the top off of it for a quick sniff. That might be strange, but that's how good it smells to me...

This Cosmo is sweet, sour, and the right amount of strong all in one. The Cointreau and cranberry juice marry to create the perfect amount of sweetness. The hint of orange in the background is so good! Fresh lemon juice adds just the right amount of sour, and the vodka makes it good and stiff! I used 7 oz of vodka (for 4 cocktails), but I suggest you experiment with the amount you add so that it's right for you, your girlfriends, or your significant other in the event you serve this up for Valentine's Day!

Classic Cosmopolitan | Savor Home


Classic Cosmopolitan | Savor Home

Here is what you need and what to do (makes 4 cocktails):

4 oz fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
4 ounces Cointreau liqueur
7 ounces Cranberry juice cocktail
7 ounces good vodka (I used Grey Goose)

Add all of the ingredients to a small pitcher and stir. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. Once you are ready to serve, add the mixture and a handful of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake the cocktail for 30 seconds and strain into a frosted martini glass. Serve cold!

Enjoy!

Images by me

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2/06/2015

A TABLE FOR TWO + LINKS...


Hi there! Happy Friday! This week has been busy, which means it flew by, which is always good! So - side topic - I just finished watching yesterday's episode of Scandal and my nerves are quite shot! I've loved the show since the beginning, but I can't help to feel a little different about how this season is starting off. I'm not so sure I like it! I sort of wish we could go back to how is was in the beginning when two people were falling in love and Olivia and her peeps were "helping" people. I want to feel like I don't need blood pressure medicine every time I watch it. Anyone else feel the same way? Anyway, I'm off to enjoy a weekend of relaxation, errands, good food - ya know - the usual. Have a good weekend!

Chicken Parmesan Soup - made in the slow cooker. It just has to be good!

Every woman should know how to be efficient... Loved this.

It's so much fun to learn more about this lovely couple...

My kind of bedroom... The girl is so talented I tell ya!

Currently on my desktop. Perfect for love day...

This is going to be one lucky baby. Pretty...

What a lovely feed...

Photo by Fantastic Frank via Dustjacket Attic

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2/04/2015

THE BEST OF THE BAKED EGG...


Eggs. I absolutely love them. I could and do often eat them for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner. I like them scrambled, boiled, fried, and poached. I like them with or without cheese and simply seasoned with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sometimes I sprinkle them with whatever type of fresh herb I have in the fridge. Like I said- I love them. But until recently, I've never really baked them. I don't know why, but I now know I've been missing out! Baked eggs often create a one pot meal (gotta love a one pot meal!) that is comforting, creamy, and fitting for any meal. I recently made this baked egg dish (the one you see directly below) for dinner one night and fell in love! It was easy to make, looked amazing, and tasted even better!  I'm now on the hunt for more recipes and here are a few I found... Are you a baked egg lover??







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2/02/2015

A MONDAY MANTRA...


"LIFE IS LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY. USE THE NEGATIVES TO DEVELOP." -UNKNOWN

Hi there! I hope you had a good weekend. My weekend was great. I spent it in good company, had a wonderful dinner here, and ended it by making these AMAZING tacos for my Super Bowl dinner. So very good...

I thought I would do a little something different today and start the week off with a little mantra for your Monday. Monday's have a "negative" connotation to them, so I found that quote above to be fitting for the day  - and just in general. So if today doesn't turn out to be everything you want it to be, or if things just aren't going your way at the moment, know that the negative moments will pass and that they can serve as your pedestal for a positive future... Gosh I can certainly attest to that! Can you? #mondaymantra

Image by me (this week's flowers)
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