Denim On Denim

denim on denim

Every time I double down on denim, I can’t help but think of Jay Leno. The thought of him in his Canadian tuxedo really made me question whether or not I was going to embrace the denim on denim trend all together, however, I kind of really love it. Jay Leno’s uniform? Not so much.

silver weave bib necklace

white denim and leopard loafers

white denim and chambray

flower powershirt Forever 21 (similar here) / jeans J Brand / bib necklace Bauble Bar / loafers Steve Madden

Until recently, I was all about mixing the dark and light blues; dark jeans on the bottom and a lighter chambray shirt. Now I’m all white on light and pretty soon, I want to try white on white.

B & I stopped at a farmer’s market in between errands yesterday and picked up the most gorgeous flowers. There’s something about fresh flowers (and white denim) that’s just so… spring.

Tip: This look features The J.Crew Roll, which I picked up here. I’m kind of sad I didn’t know about it sooner…

Have you fully embraced your own kind of Canadian tuxedo?

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Midweek Date Night

green dress and beaded clutch

the details

zucchini drops and mac and cheese

B and I had a little date last night to break up the week. I was coming from a meeting, so my attire was a bit more professional, but still very casual. I updated the look for nighttime with drop earrings from Towne & Reese and a beaded clutch (similar here). Good thing I ate a healthy breakfast so I could enjoy these mouth-watering zucchini drops and feta mac and cheese.

I also just downloaded the new A Beautiful Mess app last night. It’s kind of like Words Over Pixels meets Instagram meets Lifestyle Blogger. I’m obsessed. I highly recommend forking up the .99 for it.

What’s your favorite way to break up the week?

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Homemade Acai Berry Bowl

healthy acai berry bowl

When I lived in Tampa, I always used to go to this athletic store called Fit2Run not to buy clothes or to test out sneakers, but to order their out-of-this-world acai bowl. It only took me two years to make one on my own, but hey, better late than never. Right?

Acai berries are loaaaded with antioxidants. Loaded. This bowl is perfect for breakfast or even a mid-day snack. The granola and additional fruit will keep you full for hours.

I wish I could just give you a bite right now so you could taste how awesome this is, BUT, that’s not happening, so here’s the recipe instead…

Ingredients

2 Acai Berry Smoothie Packs (I used Sambazon - 4 packs come in 1 container)
2 bananas
4 strawberries (number is really optional depending on how many slices you want to put on top)
1/2 cup granola
honey (to drizzle)

Directions

1. Place acai berry packs and 1 banana into a blender. If you can, thaw the bricks out ahead of time so it’s easier to blend. If not, just add a little orange juice.
2. Place the berry blend into a bowl.
3. Garnish with granola and sliced strawberries and bananas.
4. Drizzle with honey and serve.

Ahhh-mazing.

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Cheetah Print + White Denim

White denim

White denim

Cheetah print blouse

Cheetah print blouse and white denimblouse Nordstrom / jeans J Brand / shoes Tildon / bag (similar Target)

There’s a new kind of cheetah print in town. It paired up with the perfect cutout to form one sexy little blouse. This top is definitely on the trendier side. You’re not going to be able to wear this one without people noticing. I don’t think that’s a bad thing though. Just be conscious to rotate it through your closet well-enough before wearing it again.

I’ve been searching for the perfect pair of white denim jeans to put in my closet. I must have tried on about 10 pairs before deciding to purchase this pair from J Brand. Something about white pants is so scary. They’re the perfect staple this spring and summer, but dirt is just waiting to find a home on them.

I already spilled red wine on them over the weekend. Talk about a total epic fail with a new pair of (white) pants. Luckily, I got it out using Zout. They should seriously sell bottles of the stuff next to white denim… what an easy sell!

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Inspirational Reads

happiness

Have you ever read someone else’s Facebook status and felt kind of… deflated? Almost as if your life doesn’t seem as cool as theirs? I’ve been there. I’m not proud of it, but I can’t deny that those feelings have crept into my world. This article really put those thoughts of self-doubt into perspective. Comparing yourself to others can be so evil. Toxic. I find a lot of comfort in self-awareness and taking off the glasses of false belief.

I was also inspired by Amy Taylor’s open letter to Mike Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch. In case you missed it, Mr. Abercrombie hates fat chicks. [Insert open mouth / blank stare here.]

Earlier this week, I shared some insight on how to navigate the decision-making process with your partner over on Amanda’s blog, Advice From a Twenty-Something. B and I make our decisions similar to how top executives run a company. We’re all about eliminating the friction and maximizing the profits (love!).

Did you guys come across any good reads this week?

Image via

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Salmon Teriyaki Bowl

Salmon Teriyaki Bowl

Salmon Teriyaki Bowl

It has been Salmon Teriyaki Bowl City up in our diets. This dish literally tastes like a sushi roll, which is probably why I’ve been making it so often. (Huuge sushi fan right here). It’s seriously so easy to make, so don’t let my 10 steps scare you…

Ingredients

(Makes two bowls)

6 oz. salmon filet
1 ripe avocado
2 cups cooked rice (I used Uncle Ben’s Boil-in-Bag white rice, which is quite possibly one of the best inventions.)
Teriyaki marinade
Garlic powder
Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Prepare 2 cups cooked rice. (I have issues when it comes to cooking rice, so I opt for the easy route: Uncle Ben’s Boil-in-Bag.)

3. Place the fresh salmon on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Coat it with garlic powder and teriyaki marinade.

4. Place the baking sheet in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Salmon should be moist and flake easily when done.

5. Divy up the cooked rice into two bowls.

6. Slice the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit.

7. Make a crosshatch pattern (on both halves) with your knife lengthwise and then widthwise, spaced about a 1/2 inch apart. This video provides a great visual of how to do that.

8. Spoon the avocado “cubes” into each bowl. I recommend using half of an avocado for each bowl.

9. Place pieces of cooked salmon on top of the avocado.

10. Garnish with extra teriyaki marinade and sesame seeds.

Voila! Sushi in a bowl… kind of.

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Quilted Silk

Quilt print dress

Wishbone charm necklace

Vintage leaf cuff bracelet

Quilted silk dressdress Nordstrom / earrings + leaf cuff Sweet & Spark / necklace Dogeared / bag Louis Vuitton / shoes (similar here)

I’m wearing a quilt. Kind of. It’s actually a silk dress that cinches at the waist with a side-tie drawstring. The dress didn’t initially catch my eye on the hanger, but I decided to try it on because I was looking for a casual, sleeved dress for spring.

They are perfect for hot days and cooler nights, which is exactly what the Bay Area has been experiencing recently. The quilt print gives this dress dimension and the silk fabric gives it a sophisticated finish.

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You’re Invited: Blog Brunch SF

Blog Brunch SF

Hi guys! Blog Brunch will be held on Sunday, May 19th this month. We’re heading back to Palomino SF because the sights (& bites) were awesome.

There is plenty of outdoor patio seating (pooches welcome!) as well as a large community bar area if there is rain. We had over 10 bloggers come out last month and it.was.a.blast. There’s no real agenda; just some blog talk & mimosa sipping.

Please RSVP in the comments section or on Twitter. Cheers!

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Feminine Lace

feminine lace

feminine lace dress

the details

lace + fedora

nude sandals

fedoradress Nordstrom / necklaces Sweet & Spark / hat Nordstrom / wristlet Dooney & Bourke

Me and lace go together like peas and carrots peanut butter and jelly. I love it. I usually pair it with something a bit tougher like leather because the combination of both extremes is one of my favorite looks.

Leather felt a little too intense for our trip to the park yesterday, so I decided to incorporate some vintage spark into my look instead. These delicate chain necklaces go with just about everything and are the perfect staple for layering.

Although it was a bit gray out, I hardly noticed with all the beautiful blooms around us. Sometimes, you just have to stop and smell the roses.

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Relationship Talk: Perspective

perspective

I had a great conversation with a fellow blogger last night about perspective, which inspired this post about relationships. Prior to starting Vanilla Extract last August, I was the girl behind The Lease Agreement. I wrote a lot about relationships and even drafted actual agreements for you to print out and present to your man. Simply put, The Lease Agreement was about thinking of your relationship in terms of a lease to keep him (and yes, you!) on your toes so you can fall in love, not in line.

When you’re in a relationship, you’re bound to get in a tiff (or 5). That’s life. You’re not perfect and neither is he. When those tiffs (as I like to call them) happen, it can be hard to convey how you feel and to get the other person to really hear you. A lot of the times, we become emotional and power through the tears by playing the blame game, or even worse, backing up an argument with empty words. It leaves both parties frustrated. Mad. Resentful.

Perspective is the relationship game-changer. Once you master it, you and your beloved will begin to resent less and appreciate more.

In order to communicate more effectively in a fight, you need to tell him how HE sees it from his perspective and vice versa. This is not easy because you might not want to see it from his perspective, which is probably why you’re in the tiff in the first place. You really begin to understand his point of view when the words come out of your mouth. Just try it.

It weighs heavier than just saying, “Well I see it from your perspective, but…” Do you really see it from his perspective? Does he see it from yours? Once you begin to verbalize each other’s perspectives, you can learn from it and grow together. Then, you become tiff-less.

(image via Kariz-Matik)

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