By Katrice
By Katrice
By Katrice
"It" being jeans. I'm lucky to have the option to be casual for work as I'm usually hunkered down researching upcoming issues and writing in between conferences and other events that the magazine hosts. I wasn't always the biggest fan of jeans until the last two to three years when I purchased the perfect pair of Levi's. Finding jeans that fit like you want your jeans to fit changes everything. A friend once told me that's all he wore was Levi's. I understand that now though I've lost weight and can't even enjoy the three pairs I used to keep in regular rotation. It's a good problem to have.
- xx
[Cardi, Forever21 | Blouse, Marshall's | Jeans, Target | Heels, JustFab | Watch, Michael Kors | Bracelets - Guess, Forever 21 and gifted]
"It" being jeans. I'm lucky to have the option to be casual for work as I'm usually hunkered down researching upcoming issues and writing in between conferences and other events that the magazine hosts. I wasn't always the biggest fan of jeans until the last two to three years when I purchased the perfect pair of Levi's. Finding jeans that fit like you want your jeans to fit changes everything. A friend once told me that's all he wore was Levi's. I understand that now though I've lost weight and can't even enjoy the three pairs I used to keep in regular rotation. It's a good problem to have.
- xx
[Cardi, Forever21 | Blouse, Marshall's | Jeans, Target | Heels, JustFab | Watch, Michael Kors | Bracelets - Guess, Forever 21 and gifted]
By Katrice
I love good food and I'm fascinated by people who've mastered not only making it but preparing it so it looks like something you just have to try. I follow quite a few food bloggers on Tumblr and Instagram for ideas and all around inspiration because their posts are a good way to instantly brighten my day. So, I decided to share some of my favorites with you. I think you'll love them too.
- xx
Nickole Swensen of Be Well. Be Happy. is a health and wellness expert, vegan foodie and recipe creator who uses her blog to show readers how to live a happier and healthier life with delicious foods.
If you could be anywhere in the world eating at this moment, where would you be?
I love good food and I'm fascinated by people who've mastered not only making it but preparing it so it looks like something you just have to try. I follow quite a few food bloggers on Tumblr and Instagram for ideas and all around inspiration because their posts are a good way to instantly brighten my day. So, I decided to share some of my favorites with you. I think you'll love them too.
- xx
If you could be anywhere in the world eating at this moment, where would you be?
I absolutely love Colorado! My family and I went there a few years ago, and fell in love with the food and the outdoors. If I could be eating anywhere in the world right now, I would be enjoying a picnic and a green juice after a long hike in Estes Park.
Mocha Chia Seed Pudding
Savory Popovers
Who is your food muse?
Ina Garten! I was always fascinated by her ability to make cooking and entertaining seem effortless. I love that she prepares dishes that aren't complicated but still manage to be show stoppers.
Caribbean Fried Chicken
5 lbs chicken (I cut a whole chicken into 10 pieces)
Coat chicken in flour, making sure to shake off any excess then quickly dip egg in mixture. Allow the excess egg mixture to drip off chicken before adding back to the flour. Shake off excess. Repeat with each piece of chicken.
Mocha Chia Seed Pudding
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup coffee
1 ½ cup coffee
1 cup vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons agave or raw honey
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ cup chia seeds
1 tablespoon cacao nibs (optional)
1
tablespoon goji berries (optional)
Instructions:
1. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together coffee, milk, agave/honey, cocoa powder, and chia seeds. Whisk until combined.
2. Refrigerate mixture for 30 minutes.
3. Stir again and refrigerate for 30 more minutes or until it gets to a pudding consistency.
4. Serve cold and top with optional cacao nibs and goji berries.
1. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together coffee, milk, agave/honey, cocoa powder, and chia seeds. Whisk until combined.
2. Refrigerate mixture for 30 minutes.
3. Stir again and refrigerate for 30 more minutes or until it gets to a pudding consistency.
4. Serve cold and top with optional cacao nibs and goji berries.
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| Nickole Swensen |
Candace Boyd Wylie of FoodLoveTog is a homecook who loves making family recipes that have been passed down for generations and creating new ones to add to her repertoire.
Who/what inspired your foray into cooking?
My foray into cooking started at young age. To start, I can tell you that I am a lover of food. The sights, the aromas, the result, I'm all about it. I can remember watching my parents and grandparents cook and I wanted to be involved. I cooked my first egg around the age of 6 (My dad will proudly tell this story to any and everyone who will listen). Cooking has always been my thing. I stayed in the kitchen with my mom and grandmother growing up, picking up tidbits here and there. As I got older, I kept learning, watching, experimenting and trying new things. Cooking brings me such joy.
Savory Popovers
Yields 6 Prep Time 15 min | Total Time 45 min
2 Eggs (room temperature)
1 Cup Flour
1 & 1/4 Cup Milk (warmed)
2 Tablespoons Shredded Cheese
1 Heaping Tablespoon of Diced Chives
1/4 cup cooked, diced Bacon
Pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon of butter (melted)
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees Oven must be hot.
2. Beat 2 eggs lightly and set aside
3. Combine remaining ingredients by whisking together lightly
4. Drop a portion of melted butter into the bottom of each cup of popover or muffin pan
5. Ladle batter into each cup, filling 3/4ths of the way full
6. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes
7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes (No peeking while baking. The heat
makes these POP!)
8. Remove from pan and serve immediately.
*Notes: Consider serving these popover with warm syrup and butter. The ultimate in sweet and savory.
 |
| Candace Boyd Wylie |
Jehan Powell is a food lover who lives to cook, bake,
eat and explore new foods. Her blog Jehan Can Cook centers
around cuisine from Guyana and the Caribbean to broaden the spectrum
of authentic recipes online.
Who is your food muse?
Caribbean Fried Chicken
5 lbs chicken (I cut a whole chicken into 10 pieces)
2 tbsp green seasoning
1 ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp black pepper
2 cup flour
1 cup of milk
2 eggs
Oil
Instructions:
Place cleaned chicken in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix green seasoning, Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and 1 tsp oil; mix well then rub over chicken pieces making sure it is well covered. Set aside.
Place flour in a large plate, and then add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper and mix to combine. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs and milk.
Coat chicken in flour, making sure to shake off any excess then quickly dip egg in mixture. Allow the excess egg mixture to drip off chicken before adding back to the flour. Shake off excess. Repeat with each piece of chicken.
Place a heavy bottom pan over high heat with 2 inches deep canola oil. Once oil is hot, lower the heat to medium low. Now carefully add chicken pieces into oil and fry for 10 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from heat and place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain the excess oil.
 |
| Jehan Powell |
By Katrice
I don't leave the house without a splash of perfume. Since I was a girl peeking around the corner to see my grandmother adding that finishing touch, I've been in love with the idea of a scent trail. For her, it was White Shoulders and later on White Linen. For me, anything with citrus and woodsy notes. So, when Scentbird reached out to me about trying a scent (a choice of 350 fragrances to fall in love with), it was an easy sell.
To start, a scent quiz to determine my taste. I'll admit I was a little skeptical about allowing it to determine a perfume for me without me being able to smell it in advance. But a quick read through how it works helped me to trust the process. The Scentbird introduction: We designed Scentbird for the pickiest girl- or boy- to let you date luxury perfumes before marrying them.
Picky? Yep, they have me covered.
After taking the survey, which was a series of questions and photos about locales that I would likely gravitate to, the result was a trial of CH by Carolina Herrera. It arrived and it was absolutely me. One scent and they got me.
Love the idea of a fresh new fragrance to try every month? Get access to a 30-day supply of hundreds of top designer fragrances, including Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Cartier, Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs delivered to your door for just $14.95/month.
I think you'll love it.
If you were bound to just one word to illustrate Fairmont Grand Del Mar, no doubt, the charge would seem impossible. You would most certainly need a word that could not be topped when one thought of the best of … well, everything.
Set within Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, the luxe 249-room resort hotel aspires to conjure the elegance and comfort of an old-world Mediterranean estate within its enviable Southern California locale. Designed in the extraordinary style of visionary architect Addison Mizner, who drew his inspiration from Spain’s palaces, France’s sun-washed coastal retreats and Florence’s decorative arts — it delivers.
From first impression, the overture of lush fairways, pillared palms, and coastal canyon Pacific breeze, you understand why, for many, a love affair begins at first sight. The triple Five-Star Fairmont Grand Del Mar is rated No. 1 among San Diego’s 273 hotels believably because every traveler can find their place within its confines. There’s simply so much more to the Tuscan-esque getaway. The well-traveled from young singles to retirees and families come to lounge poolside (family and adult-only options available). It’s not uncommon to see pro golfers pass on carts headed to the private 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course where resort guests also have at their fingertips one-on-one lessons with PGA-certified instructors.
The extended hallways of Grand guestrooms, highlight the sense of space as even a standard guest room (starting at $495 per night) feels like you’ve been upgraded. Marble bathrooms, sumptuous linens and flat-screen LCD TVs in each elegant haven offer all the comforts of home and more. Even greater opulence awaits in its plush suites — each more than 1,000 square feet of relaxed elegance. All 31 suites feature separate bedrooms and inviting parlors.
Sustenance? Indeed. Six venues — among them Addison, Amaya, the Clubhouse Grill and Club M -- offer a collection of dining options. With an extensive wine program, seasonal menus, Afternoon Tea, cooking classes with the executive culinary team, and events for oenophiles, epicureans and connoisseurs alike, there’s no shortage of enticing culinary offerings. Do make it a point to indulge in the brilliance that is Addison. Southern California's only Five-Star/Five-Diamond restaurant, Addison, features the contemporary French cuisine of acclaimed Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef William Bradley. For me, nine courses from the summer menu which included my first foray with Mussels — curried with kombu, cauliflower and broccoli, and a mocktail with each course. Outstanding.
The bottom line of it all, however, is that everything tangible about your stay at Fairmont Grand Del Mar seems a wonderfully curated accessory to superior service. True story: My evening turn-down service included the tidying up of my room, punctuated with organizing my strewn makeup and bringing in a drying rack for my bathing suit.
There just isn’t anything ordinary about Fairmont Grand Del Mar.
If, however, you need more, there is more to be had.
The Spa at The Grand Del Mar is one of only 27 Five-Star spas in the country and features a comprehensive menu of treatments, such as cleansing facials and therapeutic massages, as well as a custom organic product line. But never mind the spa experiences you’ve had prior to its Renaissance treatment. This replenishing, signature 90-minute body ritual begins with a warm body wrap of mineral-rich mud and aromatic oils while resting in a relaxing free-floating bed. An invigorating rosemary-infused Swiss shower follows, along with a tension-relieving touch therapy applied with rhythmic rocking motions, bringing gentle movement into the joints and encouraging flexibility.
The Grand Del Mar resort's backyard is the spectacular natural scenery of the stunning 4,100-acre Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, a naturalist's haven and an outdoor enthusiast's playground. Every Saturday morning, resort guests are invited to join in a complimentary hike through the Preserve to discover streaming creeks and breathtaking landscapes.
One may not be able to wrap up the breadth of the Southern California retreat with brevity, but there is one word that comes to mind when nuances of my stay arise; Rich.
Set within Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, the luxe 249-room resort hotel aspires to conjure the elegance and comfort of an old-world Mediterranean estate within its enviable Southern California locale. Designed in the extraordinary style of visionary architect Addison Mizner, who drew his inspiration from Spain’s palaces, France’s sun-washed coastal retreats and Florence’s decorative arts — it delivers.
From first impression, the overture of lush fairways, pillared palms, and coastal canyon Pacific breeze, you understand why, for many, a love affair begins at first sight. The triple Five-Star Fairmont Grand Del Mar is rated No. 1 among San Diego’s 273 hotels believably because every traveler can find their place within its confines. There’s simply so much more to the Tuscan-esque getaway. The well-traveled from young singles to retirees and families come to lounge poolside (family and adult-only options available). It’s not uncommon to see pro golfers pass on carts headed to the private 18-hole Tom Fazio-designed championship golf course where resort guests also have at their fingertips one-on-one lessons with PGA-certified instructors.
The extended hallways of Grand guestrooms, highlight the sense of space as even a standard guest room (starting at $495 per night) feels like you’ve been upgraded. Marble bathrooms, sumptuous linens and flat-screen LCD TVs in each elegant haven offer all the comforts of home and more. Even greater opulence awaits in its plush suites — each more than 1,000 square feet of relaxed elegance. All 31 suites feature separate bedrooms and inviting parlors.
Sustenance? Indeed. Six venues — among them Addison, Amaya, the Clubhouse Grill and Club M -- offer a collection of dining options. With an extensive wine program, seasonal menus, Afternoon Tea, cooking classes with the executive culinary team, and events for oenophiles, epicureans and connoisseurs alike, there’s no shortage of enticing culinary offerings. Do make it a point to indulge in the brilliance that is Addison. Southern California's only Five-Star/Five-Diamond restaurant, Addison, features the contemporary French cuisine of acclaimed Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef William Bradley. For me, nine courses from the summer menu which included my first foray with Mussels — curried with kombu, cauliflower and broccoli, and a mocktail with each course. Outstanding.
The bottom line of it all, however, is that everything tangible about your stay at Fairmont Grand Del Mar seems a wonderfully curated accessory to superior service. True story: My evening turn-down service included the tidying up of my room, punctuated with organizing my strewn makeup and bringing in a drying rack for my bathing suit.
There just isn’t anything ordinary about Fairmont Grand Del Mar.
If, however, you need more, there is more to be had.
The Spa at The Grand Del Mar is one of only 27 Five-Star spas in the country and features a comprehensive menu of treatments, such as cleansing facials and therapeutic massages, as well as a custom organic product line. But never mind the spa experiences you’ve had prior to its Renaissance treatment. This replenishing, signature 90-minute body ritual begins with a warm body wrap of mineral-rich mud and aromatic oils while resting in a relaxing free-floating bed. An invigorating rosemary-infused Swiss shower follows, along with a tension-relieving touch therapy applied with rhythmic rocking motions, bringing gentle movement into the joints and encouraging flexibility.
One may not be able to wrap up the breadth of the Southern California retreat with brevity, but there is one word that comes to mind when nuances of my stay arise; Rich.
By Katrice
By Katrice
I'm so late talking about one of my best Influenster freebies, but better late than never. Not too long ago, I received a sample of Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes and took up the Neutrogena 3-day #wipeforwater challenge where I cleansed my face with just a towelette at the end of each day and no water. On it's website, the beauty brand describes of the ultra-soft wipes as clinically proven to completely remove dirt, oil and makeup, targeting even the most stubborn long-wearing and waterproof makeup. So, my expectations were great since I recently began using a full-coverage foundation and always find it challenging to remove all of my mascara.
Verdict: The towelettes, which have an extremely fresh crisp green apple scent, did pretty well. I was tempted a few times to use my cleanser and water afterward because I was paranoid about having a breakout from not completely removing the products and residue on my face. I didn't notice any extreme irritation to my skin while using them without water, but I did feel much better when I could go back to using them as a first step in my nightly cleansing routine. Considering that I use makeup removing wipes on a daily basis, I'd buy these.
I'm so late talking about one of my best Influenster freebies, but better late than never. Not too long ago, I received a sample of Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes and took up the Neutrogena 3-day #wipeforwater challenge where I cleansed my face with just a towelette at the end of each day and no water. On it's website, the beauty brand describes of the ultra-soft wipes as clinically proven to completely remove dirt, oil and makeup, targeting even the most stubborn long-wearing and waterproof makeup. So, my expectations were great since I recently began using a full-coverage foundation and always find it challenging to remove all of my mascara.
Verdict: The towelettes, which have an extremely fresh crisp green apple scent, did pretty well. I was tempted a few times to use my cleanser and water afterward because I was paranoid about having a breakout from not completely removing the products and residue on my face. I didn't notice any extreme irritation to my skin while using them without water, but I did feel much better when I could go back to using them as a first step in my nightly cleansing routine. Considering that I use makeup removing wipes on a daily basis, I'd buy these.
By Katrice
I bought these silk tapered slacks at Abercrombie about a month ago and they were too big when I bought them. I intended to exchange them for a smaller size at another store but never got around to it. I love the way they look and feel, even with a little bagginess so to camouflage the fit I threw on this tailored blazer. I'll have them tailored later. But on that note, my family's wellness challenge (which we've done for the second consecutive year from January to May) is winding up with our family reunion Memorial Day Weekend. However, I will be continuing with the eating parameters and my more fit lifestyle as it has improved me so much — including the fit of my clothes. I am immensely encouraged to stay with my daily walks, aerobics and strength training because I feel better and I'm loving the way my body has transformed.
Blazer, Target | Tee, Old Navy | Slacks, Abercrombie & Fitch | Shoes, Go Jane
I bought these silk tapered slacks at Abercrombie about a month ago and they were too big when I bought them. I intended to exchange them for a smaller size at another store but never got around to it. I love the way they look and feel, even with a little bagginess so to camouflage the fit I threw on this tailored blazer. I'll have them tailored later. But on that note, my family's wellness challenge (which we've done for the second consecutive year from January to May) is winding up with our family reunion Memorial Day Weekend. However, I will be continuing with the eating parameters and my more fit lifestyle as it has improved me so much — including the fit of my clothes. I am immensely encouraged to stay with my daily walks, aerobics and strength training because I feel better and I'm loving the way my body has transformed.
Lose track of time in a good way.
By Katrice L. Mines
When I imagined a long weekend in Nantucket, I envisaged
days gazing out to an oceanfront bathed in sails, legendary seafood and crisp
air. I arrived to more than I could imagine. Flying in through unnerving rain and
heavy fog that delayed our departure from Boston for hours, I was hardly
prepared for the sight that would emerge out of the storm like salvation as we
neared the quaint island; nothing but marine hues of blue and green below.
We arrived to Nantucket Memorial Airport, likely the most
charming terminal you'll ever encounter, and the visual welcome was an
appropriate preclude to the rest of the island where understated refinement is
its signature.
Some businesses were still open, others had shuttered for
the season though many would reopen for special holiday events as the year
wound to a close.
And suddenly the White Elephant, one of only a few historic Nantucket hotels, appeared pressed back alongside neighboring residences. Situated aptly on the waterfront, it was just minutes from the boutiques, art galleries, restaurants and museums I had glimpsed on my way through town. From the front, you feel as if you’ll be cozied in bed and breakfast-style accommodations, but there is more to this landmark of 66 chic, light-filled guest rooms, suites, and garden cottages than meets the eye. A quick stroll up the walkway from the welcome area opened up to a massive lawn of plush green grass and an enamoring harbor view. From here, it seems that everything is in optimal reach – from Nantucket’s lovely beaches to Brant Point Lighthouse and anywhere else you’d want to be on the island. From here, it could be conceivable, as well, to stay put – moving between chic but comfortable accommodations to Brant Point Grill, the hotel’s library and Nantucket spa – just beyond its welcome center.
But, Nantucket beckons you and knowing that virtually
everything is within walking distance draws you out.
One of your first stops, if you know a bit about the
island’s history (and even if you don’t), will be the Nantucket Whaling Museum.
Opened in 1929 and restored in 2005, the museum features a restored 1847 candle
factory, exhibition space, a rooftop observation deck overlooking Nantucket harbor
and the sperm whale skeleton as well as the captivatingly retold true story of
the Nantucket-based whaleship, the Essex.
Its silver screen adaptation – “In the Heart of the Sea” – illuminated the island when it hit
theaters in March. The film, directed by Ron Howard and starring Chris
Helmsworth, recounts the story of the Essex – crewed by Captain George Pollard
Jr., first mate Owen Chase, second mate Matthew Joy, and cabin boy Thomas
Nickerson. During its 1820 voyage, the ship was sunk after being rammed by an
enormous and enraged bull sperm whale, ultimately leaving its crew shipwrecked
at sea for 90 days more than 1,000 miles from land. After the attack, the crew
sailed for South America with just eight of the 20 sailors who set out on the
voyage surviving. The museum offers a 90-minute In the Heart of the Sea Walking
Tour, focusing on the survivors and their lives on Nantucket in later years;
fascinating lore.
 |
| Clockwise: Interior room at The White Elephant; TOPPER’s Lobster Roll; The Rev. Arthur Cooper and his family, fugitive slaves, were hidden in the attic of Anna Gardner’s parents’ house when bounty hunters came to the island in 1820; Southern Fried Chicken courtesy of The Boarding House. |
Round any corner in the town center and you’ll be on the
doorstep of something good to eat. But before even venturing out, the day after
I arrived, breakfast at Brant Point Grill ruined me for the first meal of the day
anywhere else on the island. Quite possibly the best French toast to ever touch
my palate, the Grill’s Vanilla Bean and Challah French Toast, topped with
spiced caramelized apples and butterscotch sauce was like a special occasion in
and of itself. A standard was set and my high expectations were met from one
end of the island to the other. TOPPER’s at The Wauwinet, a luxury hotel on the
northeast corner of Nantucket, is home to a lobster roll so delectably piled
that you just have to dive in; a theme that carried over to my last dinner. If
last impressions are as important as firsts, The Boarding House is an
appropriate finale. In the heart of Nantucket’s historic downtown, the dimly
lit cellar dining room was an unassuming backdrop for southern fried chicken,
braised collard greens, broccoli slaw, and macaroni and cheese, but it tied
things up nicely.
By Katrice
By Katrice
Top note: Crisp granny smith apple, bergamot and lemon.
Middle note: Vibrant geranium, warm cinnamon and rose.
Base note: Hearty patchouli, cedar, musk and relaxing amber. Perfection.
I was working on my Valentine's Day gift guide last week and asked a friend his go-to cologne and he replied Aventus by Creed Boutique — adamant that it's the only scent he wears. Today, my deluxe sample box of their women's colognes arrived. And I'm obsessed. Seriously; All perfumes are not created equally. My favorite, so far, Vertiver Geranium is decadently crisp.
Top note: Crisp granny smith apple, bergamot and lemon.
Middle note: Vibrant geranium, warm cinnamon and rose.
Base note: Hearty patchouli, cedar, musk and relaxing amber. Perfection.
