make yourself

food for thought, courtesy of my aunt

midwestern sunset--pay close attention to the UDF sign, it really adds a special touch

cutest. wedding. ever.

adorbs

my too-small vintage dress. but at least it's the color of sunshine!

hanging out one glorious afternoon with my brother

exhausted. homework face.

beautious

Long week. I spent last weekend in Ann Arbor which totally felt like something out of an old movie. The character, charm, and romance of the city filled the air and cast a beautiful spell over what seemed like all of its visitors. Once Monday arrived, my procrastination finally caught up with me and I had two weeks of schoolwork to do in two days. I'm returning to college after an almost three year break, and it has been quite the struggle incorporating homework, tests, and readings into my life. One current motivator? Believe it or not, the new Nike slogan. "Make Yourself." Perfect right?

when fancy is free

It's safe to say I've been trying to master the "beach wave" on my thin, pin-straight hair every since my 15-year-old eyes first discovered Gisele Bundchen. Flash forward nine years and the struggle still remained. That is, until this past Wednesday. Only using a super lightweight mousse (Pantene Pro-V, $5.15) and my five-year-old curling iron, I think my stubborn, boring hair may have made a new friend (tutorial to come). I think the biggest, most important piece of wisdom I didn't understand is that you have to be messy. Beach hair, meet Ohio.

curried lentil soup

courtesy Molly Wizenburg



I love it when a recipe is not only simple but full of complex flavor and holds the rare talent of impressing a tough crowd. Enter Curried Lentil Soup. I ripped this recipe out of Bon Appetit magazine several months ago and have cherished it ever since. I made it only a few days after reading it, and it has remained a permanent fixture on my menus. The best part? I only had to drop in the market for an onion, garlic, and green onion. Six servings of this soup for $3.23 ain't bad. At all.

CURRIED LENTIL SOUP

Preperation: 35 minutes Total: 1 measley hour

Yields approximately 6 glorious servings

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, chopped, divided

2 tablespoons (or more) curry powder

1 cup French green lentils

4 1/4 cups (or more) water, divided

1 15-16-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is tanslucent, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add half of chopped garlic; stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 4 minutes longer. Add 2 tablespoons curry powder; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lentils and 4 cups water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree chickpeas, lemon juice, 1/4 cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and remaining garlic in processor.

Add chickpea puree and butter to lentil soup. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Add water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency. DO AHEAD Soup can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Rewarm before continuing. 

Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Bon Appefeast...

some things i dig

food truck burritos. and yes, i could've eaten the whole thing. 



my minnetonkas. i'm like, 1/16th native american. it's in my blood, right??



the inevitable photo of moroccan oil. if you have not yet jumped on the bandwagon, do so. now.

my three favorite boots products. magical and affordable.

one of the most amazing seats to a show i've ever had. maka'puu in hawaii.

tenth month

 Autumnal Entrance

 Pumpkins and Gloria Vanderbilt

 come to mama! super cheap  BDG jeans, burberry trench, ferragamo flats, and the most absolutely perfect white tee sent to me from my insanely stylish aunt <3

 instant connection

"can i haz?"

Happy October!! In celebration, I stopped by my Aunt and Uncle's home for a fix of pumpkin sights and pumpkin smells, football on the television, and altogether coziness. Their home has always been a place of happiness for me, and today I really needed it. After spending five-too-many dollars on a crappy bowl of Panera soup to "help me study," I was in a grumpy, $5-poorer mood.

My Ferragamo flats are a new obsession. I work part-time at a local consignment shop, and one of my lovely coworkers has been obsessed with Sir Salvatore since I've known her. These beauties were a $15 steal from our annual sidewalk sale. Love. Ciao!

hooray for CeraVe

photo: mine

I never thought anything could break the bond between Cetaphil and I. Cetaphil did such a great job catering to all of my skin's sensitivites, while remaining consistently effective at removing makeup and giving me an uber clean face. But then one magical day I met CeraVe. We were introduced by my friend who had just been introduced by her facialist. CeraVe had everything my relationship with Cetaphil was lacking, not to mention bringing more to the table like crazy soft skin and a glow of a finish. Goodbye Cetaphil, hello CeraVe. You, too, can get your hands on this amazing gem of a product. You're looking at an AM moisturizer, PM moisturizer, and daily facial cleanser that'll only cost ya around $20 and is available at about every pharmacy. I still have my skinsecurities, but CeraVe really is a dynamite product. Work it.

when fancy is free

 leaves beginning to change

how cute and cozy do these apartments look?!

 giving my best, "oh wow, you caught me admiring the weather" look

minnie mortimer dress and shop pashmina

 loafers in leaves

my spot at the park

My favorite, most special moments are not when I score a deal at a department store or click the "submit payment" button on my preffered e-commerce site; rather, the moments that are most special to me are when I make someone I love smile, or cook a meal that inspires me for days, or feel the sun capture my heart and warm my soul. These moments are my kind of fancy--the kind that's free. Amazing, genuine, decadent moments that remind us of how beautiful life is. I love style. I love shoes and clothes and organic chicken(it really is delicious), but I sat on that bench in the sun and experienced ten times the amount of happiness that those pair of wanna-be-Tod's-Talbots loafers gave me when I bought them (but don't they really look like Tod's?!). Moving on. I'm excited for this part of my blog. Because fancy should always be free. xo