Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies are my absolute favorite.  

Something about them makes them drastically better than a standard chocolate chip.  

I adopted this recipe (here) from good ol' Betty Crocker.  

If you've never made an Oatmeal Chocolate chip cookie yourself, give it a shot!

Foyer

Personally, I think the entryway to a home is one of the most important places to showcase your style.

As the first spot a guest sees, it's often a snapshot representation of the whole house.

As evidenced here & here, my husband and I purchased an older home and made several updates to the space.

Throughout this process, there were several moments (when the amount of work felt overwhelming) that I wished we'd bought a house in a new development- one that was actually move-in ready.

However, an older home provided us an established neighborhood with lush landscaping.

 Unless we planned to build our house from the ground-up, it seemed newer developments had trouble competing with the charm of older neighborhoods.

In our foyer, we took a sledgehammer to the brick and ripped out the antiquated wood paneling and trim/baseboards. 

We replaced the brick with the wood-shaped tiles that run through much of our home, and opened up the room with a simple white column in place of the wood paneling.

After a fresh coat of paint, a new light fixture (my husband calls it a PF Chang's light), & a romantic art piece, the space is good as new! 

Obsessions

Super-sized Lizards in Key West- we just booked a trip for July!

Oh Starbucks, it's been months since I've had a Dark Cherry Mocha.  I do want one.  I really do!

Strawberries!  They are 3 cartons for $5 at the grocery store.  You can't beat that!

The bouquet of tulips sent to me by my husband.

Swan peddle-boats at Lake Eola- a truly romantic and fun way to exercise with your significant other.

Retro Flair

I'm loving the resurgence of 70's fashion.  It's like, totally psychedelic.

Of all the retro/vintage items pictured above, I'm most interested in finding a decent pair of bell-bottoms.

Jeans are notoriously difficult for me, but I'm definitely on the hunt!

1.) Alexander Wang Retro Sunglasses, $325.00

2.) Urban Outfitters Tea Lovers To Go Cup, $18.00

3.) Sass & Bide Simple Not Easy printed silk maxi dress, $495.00

4.) Urban Outfitters Diana Mini with Flash en Rose Edition Camera, $120.00

5.) Fred Flare Ocean Breeze Fedora, $34.00

6.) Rag & Bone Mid-Rise Flared Jeans, $180.00

7.) Fred Flare Cornflower Canvas Dolly Bag, $38.00

8.) David Yurman Pave Diamond Peace Sign Cable Collectibles Ring, $495.00

9.) Modcloth Library Science Heel, $107.99

10.) Jack & Friends Crosley 1950's Pink Pay Phone, $89.95

11.) Modcloth Parisian Patisserie Top, $92.99

Blueberry Crumb Cake

Of all the Food Network Goddesses, Ina Garten and Giada De Laurentiis are my favorites.

While I turn to Giada for entrees and appetizers, no one tops Ina Garten in the dessert department.  In my opinion, no one even comes close.

Her Blueberry Crumb Cake (recipe here) is slightly sweet with a crumbly strudel topping.

Fresh blueberries and lemon zest give the cake a burst of flavor.  

It's light enough to pass for breakfast, yet decadent enough for dessert.

Enjoy!

Coral Me Bad

Hello.  Please meet my new favorite dress.  

Besides being slightly wrinkled at the bottom (sorry), it's perfection.

I love the way it fits, the gathered segments of fabric, the asymmetrical neckline, and the vibrant color.

The shoes aren't half bad either. :)

Sheer Genius

Lately, I'm craving pieces that match the crisp & breezy coolness of Florida in the months before it becomes unbearably humid.

Trust me, once the real heat sets in, I'll live in tank tops, shorts, & flip-flops.

I'm savoring the sheer while I can!

1.) Sandro Jet lace-trimmed mini skirt, $255.00

2.) Isabel Marant Lincoln printed silk-georgette blouse, $605.00

3.) TopShop Sheer Bow Blouse by Wal G, $56.00

4.) Mara Hoffman Embroidered Story silk-chiffon kaftan, $310.00

5.) Norma Kamali Bill Embellished Bikini, $850.00

6.) TopShop Rust Sheer Sleeve Shift Dress, $100.00

7.) Miss Selfridge Petites Sheer Midi Skirt, $35.00 (converted from British pounds)

8.) TopShop Patsie Skirt by Motel, $116.00

9.) TopShop Burgundy Tubular Jumper by Boutique, $76.00