Cloud Mobile

I simply love these cloud mobiles.

View from a taxi

Pictures of familiar scenes from New York always give me a little heart squeeze.

{via From Me To You}

Coney Island Photo Shoot

How fun is this Coney Island photo shoot!?

Bald Tattoo

Way to have a sense of humor dude.

Be Brave

And all the way home

Caroling Garlands

I know it's jumping the gun a little to start talking about Christmas decorating, but this idea is just too cute, clever, cheap and genius not to share!

Husband - Consider this fair warning that we'll be cutting out lots of letters this holiday season.

Book + Purse = Awesome

It was bound to happen (pardon the pun) but Kate Spade has finally done it... turned books into accessories! She has three book clutches out currently: The Importance of Being Earnest, The Great Gatsby, and Great Expectations.

If only they weren't $325 each. Hmm. I wonder if I could make one??

Skid into the grave

Boot Season!

There was a 20 degree drop in temperature this week as compared to last week. It's almost boot season!!! Well, at least it would be boot season, if I didn't live in Southern California where flip flop season lasts year round... But still.. These are at the top of my list.

Southern Peach Cobbler

My mother-in-law has a peach tree which is apparently overflowing. Hence the large bag of peaches that she deposited with me on Friday night, hence my search for the best peach cobbler recipe on Saturday, hence my making of the best peach cobbler ever on Sunday. Delish.

Try it, you'll thank me.

Southern Peach Cobbler

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. In a large bowl combine:

• 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1/4 brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Pour into a 8x8 baking dish (2 Qt), and bake for 10 mins.

3. Meanwhile, put some water on to boil and then in a large bowl, stir together:

• 1 c flour
• 1/4 c white sugar
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

4. With a pastry cutter, cut in 6 Tbs of butter, chilled and cut into smaller pieces.
5. When the mixture resembles coarse meal, pour in 1/4 c boiling water and stir until combined.
6. Drop spoonful over the peach mixture and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (3 Tbs white sugar/1 tsp cinnamon) then return to the oven for 20-30 mins, until the top looks golden brown.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Try not to eat the whole pan by yourself in one sitting.

Too many sunsets I haven't seen...

There's too many things that I haven't done yet
Too many sunsets
I haven't seen
You can't waste the day wishing it'd slow down
You would've thought by now
I'd have learned something

I made up my mind when I was a young girl
I've been given this one world
I won't worry it away
But now and again i lose sight of the good life
I get stuck in a low light
But then Love comes in
How far do i have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
How far do i have to go to get to you
Many the miles
But send me the miles and i'll be happy to follow you Love

I do what I can wherever I end up
To keep giving my good love
And spreading it around
Cause I've had my fair share of take care and goodbyes
I've learned how to cry
And I'm better for that

Sing how far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
How far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Send me the miles and I'll be happy to
Follow you Love

Red letter day and I'm in a blue mood
Wishing that blue would just carry me away
I've been talking to God don't know
If it's helping or not
But surely something has got to got to got to give
Cause I can't keep waiting to live

How far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
How far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
But send me the miles and I'll be happy to yeah
How far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
How far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
Been talking to God don't know if it's helping or not
Many the miles
Many the miles
How far do I have to go to get to you
Many the miles
Many the miles
Oh send me the miles and I'll be happy to
Follow you Love

There's too many things I haven't done yet
Too many sunsets I haven't seen

Let's hear it for New York

Grew up in a town that is famous as the place of movie scenes

Noise was always loud, there are sirens all around and the streets are mean
If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere, that's what they say
Seeing my face in lights or my name on marquees found down on Broadway

Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York!
On the avenue, there ain't never a curfew, ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot, on the corner selling rock, preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab, takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Some will sleep tonight with a hunger far more than an empty fridge

I'm gonna make it by any means, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These street will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New York!

One hand in the air for the big city,
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Now you're in New York!

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These street will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Hear it for New York!

Denim Italiano

{via The Sartorialist}

Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

Three little birds, sat on my window.

And they told me I don't need to worry.
Summer came like cinnamon
So sweet,
Little girls double-dutch on the concrete.

Maybe sometimes, we've got it wrong, but it's alright
The more things seem to change, the more they stay the same
Oh, don't you hesitate.
Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.

Blue as the sky, sunburnt and lonely,
Sipping tea in the bar by the roadside,
(just relax, just relax)
Don't you let those other boys fool you,
Got to love that afro hair do.

Maybe sometimes, we feel afraid, but it's alright
The more you stay the same, the more they seem to change.
Don't you think it's strange?

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

You're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow.

'Twas more than I could take, pity for pity's sake
Some nights kept me awake, I thought that I was stronger
When you gonna realise, that you don't even have to try any longer?
Do what you want to.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

Girl, put your records on, tell me your favourite song
You go ahead, let your hair down
Sapphire and faded jeans, I hope you get your dreams,
Just go ahead, let your hair down.

Oh, you're gonna find yourself somewhere, somehow

Nostalgic for street music

*sigh*

I'm remembering this day and wishing I could spend the afternoon here:

Refuge (When It's Cold Outside) by John Legend

I pray for better days to come
I pray that I would see the sun
Cuz life is so burdensome
When everyday's a rainy one

But suddenly there's no more clouds
I believe without a doubt
That heaven sent an angel down
And then she turned my life around
You know and I know
Friends come and friends go
Storms rise and winds blow
But one thing I know for sure

When it's cold outside
There's no need to worry cuz
I'm so warm inside
You give me peace
When the storm's outside
Cuz we're in love I know
It'll be alright
Alright it's alright

Oooh...

Now peace is so hard to find
We're terrorized and victimized
But that's when I close my eyes
And think of you to ease my mind

You take me to another place
There's no more war (no more war)
Just love and grace
Baby you restore my faith
I know the struggle's not in vain
You know and I know
Through all the battles
Baghdad to Israel
There's one thing I know for sure
When it's cold outside
There's no need to worry cuz
I'm so warm inside
You give me peace
When the storm's outside
Cuz we're in love I know
It'll be alright
Alright it's alright

Alright it's alright
Alright it's alright
Alright it's alright

Oh...

When it's cold outside
There's no need to worry cuz
I'm so warm inside
You give me peace
When the storm's outside
Cuz we're in love I know
It'll be alright
Alright it's alright

Oh it's gonna be alright

Ooh...

Cuz you give me peace
In the middle of the storm
When it's cold you're keeping me warm
It's alright
It's alright
I'm never gonna leave
You give me what I need

It's alright, alright

Cupcake Tree

Ruffles and Rosettes in Houndstooth

Somebody please give me a good reason to buy/wear this jacket!

And the skirt too, for that matter. (Or this one.)

Jimmy Choo Fall 2010

Jimmy, you've out done yourself.

Quinze...

Fei...

No name...

Private...

Wooden Menagerie

At $35 a pop, these little guys are a bit over priced for a knick knack. But they sure are darn cute...

Mockingjay

Excuse me while I read the 3rd book in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Game Series.

Back in a day or two.

La Pieta

Cameron Moll Sale

Cameron Moll, who created the Temple Letterpress that hangs in our bedroom, is having an end of summer sale. Everything 25% off.

All I'm saying is, this black colosseum print would look great in my living room amidst the black and white European city photographs.

Love Graffiti

Important

{via Paper Tissue}

Tree Porch

I will live in a forest JUST so I can have a porch like this.

{via Paper Tissue}

For IKF

Eat Pray Love

The husband was in the lab until late last night so I took the opportunity to shield him from having to see Eat Pray Love (aren't I a good wifey?)

I enjoyed the book and it was fun to see Julia Roberts in the role. She was charming. She is always charming. I found that James Franco was completely unappealing. He just looked greasy and half asleep the entire time. Javier Bardem, on the other hand, was mesmerizing. And the whole movie made me want to travel really bad.

Baroque Bookshelves

Love these.

A gorgeous outdoor table set up

Genius lighting idea...

Mmmmm, Nutella....

Mario Cupcakes

We play a good game of Mario at our place. I want to have a Mario Kart Party and make these...

... And I'm a Mormon.

My roommate from New York, Sarah, writes a wonderful blog called Sarahnaded. In it she shares funny, touching, beautiful, and often insightful  thoughts and stories about her life as a nanny and student and girlfriend in New York City. Her blog is very well written and I highly recommend it. Just be warned that you will most likely fall in love with this girl and her frank, open honesty in three posts or less.

She recently posted this series of videos that had me glued, wide-eyed to the computer screen.

Like all of them we are doing our best to pursue our passions and to be a better person everyday. Being dedicated to a belief system doesn't turn you into an automaton, in fact, I find that it enriches the unique and wonderful talents and attributes that are already there.

People used to ask me all of the time, "Are you Mormon?," in an almost accusatory tone that I never understood. I always responded, "I am a lot of things, and yes, Mormon is one of them."

I am a blogger, a cupcake baker, a scuba diver, a world traveler, a business professional and a wife. My name is Sara Frost and I'm a Mormon.

Alex Boye...


Josh...


Jeff Decker...


Chris Carlson...

French Toast Muffins

I've been iching for an excuse to try these muffins and this morning was it.

They turned out fabulous! Like, can't-stop-eating-them-and-our-whole-house-smells-like-syrup delicious. I doubled the recipe to be sure I had enough for my entire Toastmasters Club, and a double recipe made 2 dozen regular muffins and one dozen mini muffins.

You simply must try this recipe.

French Toast Muffins

French Toast Topping

- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 egg,slightly beaten
- 6 slices cinnamon bread, crusts trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Muffins
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 375°F

2. Combine all French toast topping ingredients in medium bowl; set aside,.

3. Combine 1 cup milk, melted butter, 1 egg and maple flavoring in another medium bowl. Combine all remaining muffin ingredients in large bowl. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture just until mixed.

4. Spoon batter into greased 12-cup muffin pan. Spoon French toast topping evenly over batter; press down slightly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Immediately brush muffins with maple-flavored syrup. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle over glazed muffins. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Serve warm.

Jane Austen's Fight Club

Llama Face

Yesterday was a weird day. One of those days where everything just feels off. Being a bit out of sorts, I found myself near a Cost Plus World Market with a few minutes to kill and determined to wander around seeking a feeling of normalcy.

That is when I discovered this soft fuzzy llama that fits into the palm of my hand.

It was love. I was smitten. So the little llama came home with me and now keeps me company sitting next to my computer on my desk.

Of course every time I look at him I think of this clip:

Autumn

Something clicked today and I'm ready for fall, eagerly anticipating September. Fall has always had a fresh feeling for me. The air gets crisp, and I have strong memories of running around on fresh cut grass at soccer practice through the late afternoon and into the evening.

I want to go to the pumpking patch and make stew for dinner. Bring on the autumn! I'm ready.

An American Classic