It’s the time of year where I start to dream of frozen drinks, swimming pools and lemonade stands. It’s also the time of year where I officially welcome ice cream back into my regular diet.
(who am I kidding, I eat the delicious treat year round)

So with this sunny-day-dreaming inspiration, an ice cream social was formed.

:: ideas ::

Build-your-own sundae bar and supply all the essentials- chocolate sauce, caramel, sprinkles, nuts, mixed berries, candy pieces- And make sure to get a variety of yummy ice cream flavors, like Talenti.      
(side note- if you haven’t tried this amazing gelato, please drop everything and run to the store.)


Bake your favorite cookies and make your own ice cream sandwiches. Once you fill the cookies with ice cream, roll the sides around in your favorite topping. I assure you this will be a crowd favorite!


Provide old fashioned soda pop with fun and quirky straws, but please, promise me that you’ll use the straws. we want this party to be fun, do we not?


Lastly, keep the party going all the way down to the serving pieces. Try these mini latte bowls from Anthropologie and pair it with the cutest wooden spoons from Sucre.


And if, after you read this, you are left wanting more, check out Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones for great recipes and inspiration. 

Move over ice cream truck, there’s a new party in town. Cheers to the perfect, backyard soiree.

:: i scream. you scream. we all scream for ice cream ::

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! I hope you’ve had a nice long weekend, doing exactly what you wanted to do.

To end it off right, I wanted to provide you with a little eye and ear candy.

First up- a few amazing designs that I spotted over on Apartment34.

Alvin Diec is an incredibly, talented graphic designer. I drool over his work… especially his band posters.

:: favorites ::

Summer is {almost officially} upon us. With the holiday weekend ahead, I foresee suntans, hot grills and and patio drinks. Here’s a great refreshing cocktail to help you ring in the the dog-days-of-summer:

recipe

 :: have a safe and happy weekend ::

Often times a bride chooses to wear a white dress the night before at the rehearsal dinner. It’s definitely not a mandatory but I think there are so many amazing LWD out there these days so why not take advantage? 

dress | necklace | earrings | shoes

the other night I jazzed up an ordinary ravioli dish. you might be thinking how can anyone really make pre-made ravioli different? Well, thanks to my mama, I did… and here’s how you can too:

Don’t boil it…Sauté it! 

:: what you need ::
1 package of fresh packaged ravioli {find this in refrigerated section}
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic {minced}
Veggie or Chicken Broth
add-ins of your choice {mushrooms, spinach, shredded chicken for meat-lovers}

:: how to make it ::

Start by heating the oil on the stove. Once it’s warm, throw in the garlic. When that looks ready, toss in the ravioli and stir it until just starting to brown. When it looks “toasted”, pour veggie broth {or chicken broth} until it just covers the ravioli in the pan. Cover and let cook for 10-12 minutes.

Once it’s cooked, add in whatever you’d like! I decided to do shiitake mushrooms. I threw them in with the pasta during the last 2-3 minutes so they would soften and develop a yummy flavor. I also roasted asparagus and tossed everything together before serving. The broth makes a great “sauce” and the ravioli is SO tender.

I might never boil in plain-ole-water again!

This is how I feel today. It’s the weekend and I’ve had an awesome work week. Fridays just seem that much better when you’ve rocked the work days. So do a little dance, jump around, have a drink and celebrate. We’ve made it through another week.

are you planning a spring {or early summer} wedding? one word for you. peonies. there’s just something about this flower, whether by itself or mixed in, that screams :: elegant, romantic, beautiful. how could you not want that for your big day?

one | two | three

Sunny, summer days are upon us which means one thing… swimsuit season. Typically, I admire the jcrew swimwear from afar {sigh} but end up purchasing my beach attire at the ever-so-lovely target. However, this season, I have a new love. Move over everyone else, I’m drooling over anthropologie’s swim collection. Colors, pattern, and various styles… Anthro can do no wrong. 

I will take one of each, please. 

all via anthropologie

I’ve been a little absent from the blog this week but I couldn’t let Friday pass without wishing every mom a wonderful mother’s day! This mother’s day is extra special because I actually get to spend it with my mama!! She’s gets in tomorrow and I can’t wait to see her. I might be {a little} biased but my mom is the best. She is always there to listen, encourage and challenge me. I know that when I call, she’ll answer- except for Fridays, when she’s playing bridge with the girls, but I’ll let that slide. I seriously lucked out when it comes to moms and I hope she knows how thankful I am for her every single day.

wedding day :: september 2011

so, happy mother’s day to all! I hope you get to do exactly what you want.

we rarely get a full-on-rainy day here {the 300+ sunny days a year is no joke} so when we do, I like to take advantage of it. Most people like to curl up and watch movies, and while I love that, baking always seems way more fun. So in the midst of my crazy Monday, I squeezed in time to make these yummy cookies :: Peanut Butter-Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip.

warning:: this dough is dangerously good

too pretty to eat. ha, yeah right.

Is it just me or do you always get a tummy ache when you make cookies? I have no self-control. I eat the raw dough as I bake and, of course, eat at least one when they come out of the oven. You’d think I’d learn by now. Oh well.