Easy Weeknight Dinner

I love food and one of my favorite treats during the week is to go out to a great dinner. As much as I love dining out, my wallet doesn't always agree. If you're anything like me, cooking is the last thing you have energy for at the end of a long work day. I enjoy the process of cooking, but it can often seem like so much effort at the end of the day. Last week I made this simple polenta dish for dinner, and was pleasantly surprised by how easy and tasty it was. It turned out to be the perfect mid-week dinner: simple, easy and transitions from stove to table in 15 minutes.

All you need is:

1. polenta

2. your favorite pasta sauce

3. arugula

4. parmesan cheese

5. olive oil

6. cracked pepper

Slice polenta into thin medallions and cook in a frying pan with a touch of olive oil. Once cooked through, top with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese. Serve with arugula and cracked pepper for extra flavor. 

Bon appetite. 

D.I.Y. Terrarium

Last week I told you about my amazing trip to the not-to-be-missed Treasure Island Flea, which by the way is happening next Saturday and Sunday. While I was there I discovered the best deal on succulents I've found yet. I purchased all of the plants below for a total of $7. The best! I love these plants for two reasons: you don't have to have a green thumb to make them flourish and they make for great city plants, as there is no room for anything larger in my mini apartment! I have to admit that I salvaged this vase from the trash can at my office, but as soon as I saw it I instantly thought it would make a great terrarium. 

Here's how to make your own:

Step one: find an assortment of succulents in different heights and colors that will compliment each other.

step two: find a circular or round vase and fill the bottom with a layer of small stones that can be found at the nursery.

step three: fill the vase about 1/4 of the way full with soil and decide how you want to arrange your succulents in the terrarium.

step four: make holes in the soil with your finger and plant your succulents accordingly. There are many great examples online if you need a some new ideas.

Terrarium tip: be very careful to not overwater these plants. Succulents are perfectly happy with just a little bit of water and natural sunshine from a kitchen window or bright living room.

Happy planting!

Treasure Island Flea

When I first moved to San Francisco, I researched the best flea markets in town and marked them all on my weekend calendar. The Treasure Island Flea only happens once a month, so I was eager to finally make it a few weekends ago. I grabbed some friends and a cup of coffee and headed across the bridge for some Saturday scavenging. It was everything I hoped for and more. Prices are higher than the average flea market, but the assortment of amazing finds is incredible. My roommate and I wanted everything in sight and left with full trunk. It's really great for shabby chic finds, succulents and a tasty assortment of food trucks and live music. It makes for a great Saturday excursion and I can't wait to return next month.

How To: DIY Cork Board

I've been collecting corks for a crafty cork board project for what feels like ages. I finally found this great frame at the Santa Cruz Flea Market, and with a little bit of TLC, it turned out to be just the the finishing touch I was looking for. I love finding hidden gems that have so much potential with a fresh coat of paint. 

{original $10 flea market find}

{I popped off the canvas and sprayed the frame with a few coats of bright white paint. I'm also collecting frames for an additional wall project that I'll show you soon.}

{I used the original canvas as a backboard and glued each cork with hot glue, following the pattern above.}

{The final project, sitting happily on my desk and ready to be decorated.}

Crafty Christmas

If you're anything like me, Christmas gift making and shopping did not happen early this year. I love the idea of having everything finished weeks before, avoiding the crowded malls and having time to just enjoy the best parts of the season. Next year. Although I did have to venture to the mall a few times to get the gifts I needed, I much prefer getting crafty in the comfort of home and making my own gifts to give. This year, I thought it would be fun to try my hand at candle making. This week I spent a cozy Friday night in making candles, watching holiday movies and was even serenaded by live carolers at my doorstep. 

I found everything I needed for candle making at Michael's craft store. This project can get messy so it's important to cover your kitchen appropriately. Overall, the process was quite simple. Melt the wax, add color and scent and pour into the jars of your choice. I tend to take a glance at instructions, and then do it my own way, but this is one project where following the instructions carefully is one of the most important steps.

{prep glass with wicks}

{after the wax cooled, I added twine and gift tags for a finishing touch}

{my handmade Christmas cards: recycled Papaya cards, brown paper and twine}

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Table

Last year I hosted Thanksgiving at my house, where I had the pleasure of decorating my own table and doing some of the cooking alongside my best friends and family. But this year I spent most of my holiday relaxing by the fire, and can't take any credit for the cooking or the beautiful table my mom decorated below. I love spending the holidays in Carmel, one of the cutest and coziest towns in the world. I did indulge in a little Black Friday shopping, mostly from the comfort of home and in my pajamas. I spent all morning "window shopping" from my iPad and didn't venture outside until I already knew what I wanted. That way I avoided the chaos, and didn't overspend. 

I hope you had a relaxing and yummy holiday too!

Three Creative Things To Do This Weekend

Print: My friend recently printed out her Instagram photos and I loved the idea. I'd always wanted to but never got around to figuring out how. I used the free app PostalPix and did the entire process from my iPhone. I chose the smallest (and cheapest) size option, and love the result; it's like Polaroids all over again. Now I just have to decide where to display them.

Write: I feel like lately I have so much going on in my head that if I don't write it down I end up forgetting too many good ideas. I've been carrying around this great little journal that was given to me at one of the companies I visited in Paris. I keep it in my purse, accompanied by a few colorful pens, and whenever there's something I need to do, or something I don't want to forget I put it in my little brown book. I feel so much more organized!

Paint: This "S" was given to me by my friend and I just love it. I decided to spray paint it gold to add a little bit of sparkle to my room. I love spray paint, especially in gold, because it's such a great way to spice up something that would be too ordinary without it.

I hope this brought you some creative inspiration for the day. Happy Friday!

End of Summer Lobster Dinner

I subscribe to Gwyneth Paltrow's weekly blog Goop, which comes to my inbox every Thursday. Last week this delicious recipe for lobster rolls was featured, and I thought it would make for a great end of summer treat. Of course lobster isn't something that I indulge in regularly, and I've never cooked it at home, so it was really a fun and yummy meal to make. I used fresh sourdough bread instead of hot dog buns as the recipe called for, and I definitely think it added so much more flavor. Paired with a fresh green salad and a glass of white wine, it was truly a delicious end of summer meal. 

{fresh, organic ingredients - except for the lobster which was a bit of a challenge to hunt down}

Bon appetite!

How To Make a Homemade Face Mask

I love the idea of making your own beauty products at home, but I've never taken a class or read a book about the process. Fortunately my good friend Leilani is a natural beauty expert, so we spent a day learning about at home beauty, where she taught me how to make my own face mask, and the benefits of each ingredient. 

{French clay / raw honey / organic sour cream / turmeric}

Our anti-oxidizing honey face mask is simple to make and only requires four ingredients which you most likely already have in your cupboard. 

You Will Need: 

1. Two tablespoons sour cream - the lactic acid in the cream is a natural exfoliate, and also boosts the production of collagen. 

2. One tablespoon raw honey - raw honey is enzyme-rich and acts as a natural moisturizer. The honey decreases pore size and is full of antioxidants.

3. One tablespoon French clay - French deeply cleanses the pores. 

4. One teaspoon turmeric - the anti-inflammatory properties in antioxidant rich turmeric helps heal acne as well as soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

{makes enough for two masks}

After measuring your ingredients, mix them together in a small bowl until they are well blended and pasty. Be careful because turmeric stains, so make sure to save your favorite outfit for after making your face mask.

Spread thickly and evenly on clean, makeup-free skin. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse off thoroughly. 

Enjoy your beautifully glowing and moisturized skin!

Cream Cheese Brownie Cupcakes

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel that cupcakes became trendier than ever this year. I love cupcakes because they are that perfect amount of sweetness, without having to indulge in a whole cake. This weekend I took one of my favorite brownie recipes and adapted it for cupcakes. 

I love the Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix from Trader Joe's. It's the easiest thing you'll ever make, all you need to do is add some fat free vanilla yogurt and you're done. I wasn't sure if the recipe would work in cupcake form, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. I reduced the baking time by five minutes to ensure a traditional brownie texture. They tasted great and were much lighter and chewier than regular cupcakes. I topped them off with a simple cream cheese frosting and a swirl of caramel. 

Yum.

The Little Things

This week the littlest details are making me the happiest. I feel that a clean home, a fresh bouquet of flowers, a yummy candle and some sunshine, are the things that at the end of the day, make me feel at home. So I thought I'd share a few of the small details I've added here and there that make me happy. 

{a new center piece for our table that I found at Urban Outfitters}

{something sparkly that I picked up at Forever 21 while visiting my mom last week}

{lots of candles to make my room smell nice, Voluspa are some of my favorite}

{instead of using an artificial smelling bathroom freshener, I used a gardenia candle for a nice aroma}

{my flourishing succulent garden a.k.a. the only happy plants in my yard}