LYLAB.

Love ya!

Also: http://shtickyfoot.tumblr.com/post/2979317069/colin-firth-remember-your-roots.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Leading Ladies of the Night (according to R)

Mila.

Cate.

Gwyneth.

peaceloveangchat.

R

Annie's Looks.

Which was your fav?

I'm going with this one:

Ha.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Foodies.

KS is my foodie buddy. We don't like to call ourselves foodies, but let's be honest, when we get together for dinner, we are. Girl & the Goat, Lillie's Q, Big Star, Sunda, The Publican. . .and adding to the list tonight Maude's Liquor Bar. . .yep, let's face it. We love good food.

Maude's was awesome tonight. Loved the vibe - dark, French-ish, with a definite trendy feel, but not overly so. Plus, they played 2 or 3 Arcade Fire songs while we were there. . .so I was sold.

We started out with the French Onion Fondue - basically the soup - without the broth and with crusty gooey gruyere cheese on top.

Yum. Next up was the Pomme Frites with garlic aioli, the sausage, and the blackened brussel sprouts. I loved everything (and we devoured it all), but I bet you can guess what was my fav!

Ding ding ding! BRUSSEL SPROUTS !

Definitely making the trip back to this West Loop joint.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Can it please be spring?!

For several reasons, I'd like the weather to change. But, for now, I am SO ready to shed these dark nail colors (KP asked if I was going "goth" when I had Smokin' Hot on my nails the other day. . .) and paint my fingers and toes in any of these awesome hues.

Cute as a Button. (Thanks WPP!)

Secret Story.

Forget Me Nots.

Turquiose & Caicos.

Tart Deco.

Yes, please!

peaceloveandspring.

R

Interns

I made the BEST soup last night. I found it on Cupcakes and Cashmere (which linked to Chez Megane). Subconsciously I may have chosen to make it because two nights ago I had a dream that C and I were Emily's (of CandC) interns. . .no joke. . .weird. Regardless, it was awesome and I now have soup stocked up in my fridge for the week!

White Bean, Kale and Sausage Soup.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 gloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
freshly ground black pepper
Generous 2/3 of one large bunch kale, washed
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, rinsed and drained
¾ (16 oz) package smoked sausage, kielbasa, or Italian sausage links, sliced
6-8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the sausage slices and sauté until nicely browned. If using uncooked sausage in casings, sauté until fully cooked. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pan. Cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Tear the kale into bite size pieces and set aside. Deglaze the pan by pouring in a small amount of broth and scraping the bottom of the pot. Pour in the rest of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf and pepper. Once the broth is simmering, stir in the kale, cover, and simmer 10 minutes until the kale is wilted completely. Stir in the white beans and cook 5 more minutes until heated through. Serve with some crusty bread and grated parmesan. Serves 8.

I love kaleeeee!

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Who Knew?

HLR and I were walking around National Harbor on Sunday and she takes me here:

There is a Peeps store in Maryland. Full of Peeps stuff, including Peeps art. I don't really like Peeps, so HLR thought this little trip was extra appropriate.

(That masterpiece is $50 if you were wondering.)

And a whole wall of Mike&Ikes.

WeirdTTT.

peaceloveandpeeps.

R

HLR, is that you?

Spotted: HLR in 20-30 years. Leopard pants, Zebra(ish) jacket. Pushing a stroller.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Yikes.

I woke up on Saturday morning to this:

WTF?? I literally had NO idea what happened to my foot on Friday night. I soon realized it was a popped blister, but I seriously freaked out when I looked down and saw this (wouldn't you??). Of course, HHS's first comment / question was, "Did you get blood in my bed?!!?!?!?" No, HHS, the blood was already crusted.

Ew, sorry that is a really gross picture.

I kinda felt like C or C-Mac that morning. They always seem to wake up with bruises and injuries and cannot for the life of them explain where they came from.

peaceloveandblood.

R

Apparently I like pasta?

I have never been the biggest pasta fan, but after this weekend, it seems that my taste buds have changed! Not sure that's for the better, but. . .

When we got home from our night out on Saturday night, HHS made us a delicious bowl of whole wheat pasta with olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesean cheese. Don't know if it was the beer talking, but it was the best late night food I had eaten in a long time! Hah, thanks HHS. . .

On Sunday night we all went to HLR's family's house outside of DC for the most delicious dinner and absolutely hilarious night. We literally sat at the table from 7 p.m. until almost midnight. LOVE MY FRIENDS ! Ha.

So, back to the dinner. HLR and I helped her mom with Jamie Oliver's Proper Bloke's Sausage Fusilli. (An HLR family favorite!)

We tripled the recipe (there were 8 of us, so that was completely necessary. . .not.), and if we had stayed at the table any longer (or had a bottle or two more of wine), I think we would have polished off the tripled recipe. . .eek! The dish was easy, and perfectly paired with a simple side salad.

Ingredients:

• 2 heaped teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 dried red chilies, crumbled
• olive oil
• 600g good-quality coarse Italian or Cumberland sausages
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• a wineglass of white wine
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 500g good-quality fusilli or penne
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a couple of knobs of butter
• a handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Directions (remember these are in Jamie's words. . .):

Bash up the fennel seeds and chilies in a pestle and mortar or flavor Shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins and put into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to color and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chilies and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.

Stir in your oregano, then pour in the white wine and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with your sausagemeat. Coat the pasta in all the lovely flavors then add the butter, Parmesan, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

peaceloveandfamilydinner.

R

Packing for the District

I really hate packing. Really, really, really hate it. I have issues. I either bring too much (according to my parents, that happens on all trips. . .), or I get to my destination and I open my suitcase and realize I don't want to wear anything I packed! Worst.

Of course, I am having major issue packing for my DC trip this weekend.

Whatevs! Just can't wait to get there! ! !

peaceloveandDCweekend.

R

TayTay in Chi-Citay

Taylor Swift is coming to Chicago in August. Must.Get.Tickets.

Def going on the birthday wish list. . .

peaceloveandtaylor.

R

T-Minus 24 Hours

One day from now I will be on my final leg of my journey, flying from Dallas to Salt Lake City, with the final destination of Park City, Utah.

And a mere 18 hours from that, I will be swooshing (not to be confused with smushing) down the slopes of glorious Deer Valley. The best part? 10-12 inches of fresh powder is falling between now and tomorrow night! Holler. The ski gods must know I'm coming!

peaceloveandsnow.

C

Legitimate Fear.

For Valentine's Day, P told me he was going to send me an Edible Arrangement to my office. I told him I would cry. (Tears of embarrassment.)

Fortunately, he was joking (of course), though the entire day yesterday I was nervous I was going to get a call from the Receptionist saying that I had a special delivery. . .I cringed every time my phone rang.

WELL, P just picture texted me this:

Which obviously made me super nervous. I'm scared he flagged down the truck and asked them to make a pit stop at my office. . .!! I'll keep you posted. . .

peaceloveandcheesyfruit.

R

Bonnaroo-bound?

I wouldn't say I'm the Bonnaroo-type (camping out and doing druuugs? Not so much), but after looking at this lineup, I am contemplating booking a ticket to Chattanooga ASAP!

Arcade Fire, Black Keys, Lil Wayne, Mumford & Sons, Girl Talk, Florence and the Machine, Ray Lamontagne, Old Crow Medicine Show. . .sign me up!

I think I know at least one person (besides C of course) who would join me on this little jaunt. . .Hippie C-Mac!

peaceloveandgchat.

R

PANTONE !

Not all of you may have the same obsession with fonts, cute colors, etc., but I thought I'd share this with you. . .

Pantone Cookies!

So cute.

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Thanks, Mom & Dad!

What a perfect Valentine's Day present !

Can't wait to pick out my next recipe and go to townnn at Whole Foods. . .

peaceloveandwholefoods.

R

HHS' status(es)

Today was a nice day in DC, apparently. I know this through HHS' gchat statuses.

Legitimately, these are them:

HHS's new status message - 63 and sunny in DC today! 10:38 AM

HHS's new status message - 65 and sunny in DC today! 11:01 AM

HHS's new status message - 66 and sunny in DC today! 11:05 AM

HHS's new status message - 70 and sunny in DC today!!!!! 1:58 PM

Gotta LOVEIT!

peaceloveandgchat.

R

Happy Heart Day!

Klip sent me a lovely ecard this morning, but it was a bit too inappropriate for me to voluntarily post the blog. Feel free to scope out the rest of the Valentine themed cards on someecards, and you will likely get the gist.

Regardless, Happy Happy Valentine's Day!

peaceloveandxoxo.

C

Orange you glad

Orange used to be my absolute favorite color. This was my computer in 9th & 10th grade:


No joke. I was obsessed with anything and everything orange.

It seems that the color is making a comeback - and I love it!

Tory Burch Nylon Tory Tote.


Milly Hayley Belted Stretch Cotton-Twill Dress.



Michael Kors Silicone Watch.



Herve Leger Geometric Jacquard Bandage Dress.



Tibi Zebra Ikat Strapless Dress.


Tory Burch Patent Eddie Ballet Flat.



peaceloveandorange.

R

MOROCCANOIL

I have a pretty simple beauty regime, but always dread blow drying and straightening my hair. It takes far too long than it should, and frankly, I get bored. Well, I bought MoroccanOil yesterday and am officially obsessed.


Not only did it help shorten my straightening time, but my hair was smoother, shinier and overall just looked BETTER last night. Ha. Also, I normally feel pretty crusty waking up after a night out, but this morning I don't have an intense urge to take a shower because my hair looks ok! (That might sound gross, don't worry, I WILL shower, but just sayin.)

Anywho, this definitely makes me want to try the brand's other products. . .the shampoo and conditioner are definitely on the list.

peaceloveandmoroccanoil.

R

saxin

Shout out to P and KP who danced like Sax Guy all night last night. . .



peaceloveandsaxguy.

R

One-Legged Woman!

Talbots. . .no.

peaceloveandphotoshop.

R

Who knew kale could be so delicious?

Last night I made a delish dinner (if I do say so myself. . .) for P. I made Cooking Light's Falafel with Avocado Spread and kale chips with a yogurt dipping sauce.

I love falafel but was a little intimidated to make it. Turns out, it's super easy! Check out the recipe below. We opted out of using the pita, and instead ate it sans bread.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pita half)

Ingredients

Patties:

• 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/4 cup finely crushed baked tortilla chips (about 3/4 ounce)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

Spread:

• 1/4 cup mashed peeled avocado
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Remaining ingredients:
• 2 (6-inch) pitas, each cut in half crosswise
• 4 thin red onion slices, separated into rings
• Microgreens

Preparation

To prepare patties, place pinto beans in a medium bowl; partially mash with a fork. Add cheese and next 5 ingredients (through egg white); stir until well combined. Shape bean mixture into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until patties are browned and thoroughly heated.

To prepare spread, combine avocado and next 5 ingredients (through salt), stirring well. Place 1 patty in each pita half. Spread about 2 tablespoons avocado spread over patty in each pita half; top with onions and greens.

The kale chips were unreal. So crispy. My mom suggested I try making them, and I'm so glad she did! Definitely adding this leafy green into my veggie rotation. I told HLR that I was planning on making kale chips and she forwarded me the recipe for her mom's yogurt dipping sauce. It was the perfect accompaniment to the kale AND the falafel - I will maybe use this yogurt sauce instead of the avocado spread next time I made the falaf. Here's the yogurt sauce recipe - so easy:

Lemon-Yogurt Dip

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a bowl, toss the kale with all but 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and half of the garlic. Spread the kale on 2 baking sheets and roast in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 15 minutes, until crisp; shift the pans from top to bottom halfway through. Season the kale with salt and pepper and transfer to a large platter.

In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with the lemon zest and juice and the remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the roasted kale.

This was definitely a super healthy (and vegetarian!) dinner, but 100% P-approved!

peaceloveandkale.

R

Redemption

Ok, so I failed to mention the items in the launch of the Lilly spring line. But for a good reason. Almost everything was heinous. One dress looked like a halloween costume.

But not to worry. Lilly P has redeemed herself. There are some beyond adorable things that appeared on the website today. I can see my bank account slowly turning to the red as I scroll through.

A few highlights:

I love the orange/pink combo in the Eve Dress

But it's even cuter in the Nadia Dress (I could totes see R wearing this)...

And we all know how I love one-shouldered dresses (The Teresa Dress printed and eyelet)

And Maxi dresses (Viola Dress in Eyelet and The Tiernan Maxi Dress)

So many great options and so many high prices. All I'm seeing are dollar signs. See ya later bonus.

peaceloveand$$$.

C