Valentine’s Day gifts always seem to be the most difficult, luckily Alex and I have decided to stick to a nice dinner and cards. I created a small Valentine’s Day gift guide above with the gifts I love to give. If you are a last minute shopper, you can never go wrong with fresh flowers and a nice card. Shop my Valentine’s Day gift guide by clicking the image or links above. I have also linked some of my favorite heart themed pieces below! xoxo
I have the hardest time finding great workwear staples. I usually dress casual to the office, but occasionally I needed pieces that can dress up more for client meetings. I finally pulled the trigger on this black wrap top and now I am ready to order it in every color.
I love the versatility of this black wrap top. It pairs well dressed down with jeans or dressed up with a straight skirt or black pants for work. This top fits true to size (wearing a small) and because it is a faux wrap there is no issue with gapping around the neckline. I was a little nervous about the fit of this top, but it is surprisingly comfortable and I love the longer sleeves for cold offices. I completed this look with my favorite Paige jeans, a simple black headband and pointed pumps. It also looks great with these slim black pants. Shop this look below or you can always shop my looks on the LiketoKnow.it shopping app! xoxo
During Christmas Alex and I went to visit family in Atlanta. I am honestly so uncomfortable on flights (mainly because of the germs) and have the hardest time finding a comfortable travel outfit that is not sloppy. Around the same time as our flight a few influencers posted about Summersalt’s new travel line. I was eager to give it a try for myself and this Summersalt set was absolutely perfect for a day of travel! This cashmere sweater fits true to size (wearing a small) and looks great styled multiple ways. I paired it with the matching cashmere wrap, which doubles as a blanket on the plane, and my favorite faux leather leggings. The sweater and wrap Summersalt set were both so comfortable and warm, I didn’t second guess my outfit once all day. The sweater and wrap are sold together as set in three colors and Summersalt has coordinating cashmere joggers as well. This Tory Burch tote was also perfect for the flight, because it fit everything I needed and was easy to stack on my carryon. Shop this Summersalt set and some of my favorite travel pieces below! xoxo
During our trip to Chicago, we ate dinner at Fig & Olive and I had the best scallop risotto with mushrooms and truffle. It was so good, that not only did I completely scrape the plate, but I order the same dish at Fig & Olive when visiting New York. After realizing how much effort goes into making delicious risotto, this dish has been reserved for special occasions or our next trip. If you do not enjoy cooking or spending time in the kitchen, this scallop risotto recipe is not for you. Seriously, you have to stir the risotto for about 30 minutes and it is a tedious process. Carnaroli rice is a little bit more difficult to find but works way better than sushi rice when making risotto. I usually find carnaroli and good scallops at Central Market or Whole Foods. If you do not like mushrooms or truffles, you can use the risotto recipe as a base and add vegetables and flavors of your liking. Enjoy! xoxo
Combine 1 tablespoon of salt and 10 cups of water in a medium pot, and bring to a simmer. Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a dutch oven and cook shallot until translucent and soften. Add 1/2 cup of water, stirring often, until water evaporates and shallot is completely tender. Add rice and stir well to coat with oil. Stir constantly until grains of rice are translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes, and they make a clattering sound when they hit the pot. (Coating the grains with oil helps the rice cook evenly so the outside does not become mushy before the center is tender.) Add wine, and bring to a simmer stirring occasionally until wine is evaporated.
Reduce heat to medium and add hot salted water for the second pot in 1 cup increments. Stir constantly and allow water to absorb fully before adding more. Cook until rice is al dente and surrounded by a creamy suspension, about 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add 5 tablespoons of butter, Parmesan cheese, truffle oil, and ground pepper, and stir until melted.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet on medium. Add chopped mushrooms and garlic, and cook, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Pour mushrooms over risotto and using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until just beginning to smoke. Season scallops generously with salt and pepper. Cook scallops on one side until a golden-brown crust forms on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and turn scallops over. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Plate scallops with risotto and serves warm.
Last spring I shared this sweater blazer in white and it was immediately added to my closet staples. I now own the same sweater blazer in grey, black and tan, and have my eye on the charcoal, navy and forest (whoops). This blazer fits a little large, so I recommend ordering a size down, I am wearing an XS and can still wear it over sweaters. The collar is also super cute styled down, I just prefer wearing the collar up with some outfits. I love layering this blazer over a variety of outfits including a simple turtleneck tucked into jeans like above. I paired the grey sweater blazer with a beige turtleneck (wearing a small), skinny Paige jeans (wearing a 24) and taupe Marc Fisher booties (wearing an 8). These Marc Fisher booties have also been added to my closet staples and I have my eye on the black leather version. Just like my favorite Marc Fisher pump, these booties fit true to size and are comfortable enough for a full day of walking. Shop this look below! xoxo
This past weekend our heater stopped working and I hardly took these boots or this cashmere wrap off for days! I am already a cold natured person and this weekend made me so grateful for our heater. I quickly realized how versatile and warm this cashmere wrap is, and fell in love. Alex picked it out and I am considering buying it in black and white as well. It is prefect paired over a simple sweater and jeans and would be amazing on a long flight. I paired it with my favorite Paige jeans (wearing a 24) and this classic black crewneck sweater (wearing a small) from the Everlane collection at Nordstrom. These knee high black boots also quickly became my favorite for a chilly day. The heel is such a comfortable height and they help combat cold wind. They fit true to size (wearing an 8) and also come in black leather and tan suede. I keep these boot shapers in them when I am not wearing them and they have held up their shape so well. Stay warm and shop this look below! xoxo
