Splurge {vs} Save - #33 - Designer Birks...

{Left- Celine, Right- Steve Madden}

Designers started making Birkenstocks high fashion last year (post here) - Celine was the initiator.  This year- Celine is sticking to their guns, and now the lower priced retailers are taking notice.  Celine's will run you over $800 - while Steve Madden's come in at under $100.  What will you do - splurge or save?...

Thrifty Thursdays - #33 - Framed Wall Garden

{Available here}

When I saw this piece - I knew I had to have it.  It's so simple, yet a great way to bring a little bit of Spring indoors (while we wait for it to actually show up outside).  Pretty easy concept - I'm sure anyone who is even a little bit handy could make this...

You Send Me Swinging...

{Top- (old) Asos, Pants- (old) J. Crew, Shoes- Nine West, Earrings- J. Crew}

Swingy tops can border into moo moo territory, but with skinny ankle pants and heels - it's all good!

Wellness Wednesdays - #33 - Namaste

1. Mountain Begin by standing in Mountain pose, feet about hip width apart, hands either by your sides or in prayer position. Take several deep breaths.	2. Hands up On your next inhale, in one sweeping movement, raise your arms up overhead and gently arch back as far as feels comfortable and safe.	3. Head to knees   As you exhale, bend forward, bending the knees if necessary, and bring your hands to rest beside your feet.
4. Lunge Inhale and step the right leg back	5. Plank Exhale and step the left leg back into plank position. Hold the position and inhale.	6. Stick Exhale and lower yourself as if coming down from a pushup. Only your hands and feet should touch the floor.
7. Upward Dog Inhale and stretch forward and up, bending at the waist. Use your arms to lift your torso, but only bend back as far as feels comfortable and safe. Lift your legs up so that only the tops of your feet and your ahnds touch the floor. It's okay to keep your arms bent at the elbow.	8. Downward dog Exhale, lift from the hips and push back and up.	9. Lunge Inhale and step the right foot forward.
10. Head to knees Exhale, bring the left foot forward and step into head-to-knee position.	11. Hands up Inhale and rise slowly while keeping arms extended .	12. Mountain Exhale, and in a slow, sweeping motion, lower your arms to the sides. End by bringing your hands up into prayer position. Repeat the sequence, stepping with the left leg.

{Article via}

Surya Namaskar, the Sun Salutation, is a series of 12 postures performed in a single, graceful flow.  Each movement is coordinated with the breath.   Inhale as you extend or stretch, and exhale as you fold or contract.  The Sun Salutation builds strength and increases flexibility.  Different styles of yoga perform the Sun Saluation with their own variations, however the flow presented above covers core steps used in most styles.

For the series above, a single round consists of two complete sequences: one for the right side of the body and the other for the left.  On days when you think you have no time for yoga, try and do at least one or two rounds of the Sun Salutation. You'll feel the difference.

Namaste!

Red Red Wine-o

{Top- (old) Forever 21, Pants- J. Crew, Shoes- (old) Steve Madden, Necklace- (old) J. Crew}

In true Gemini fashion- I own this top and these pants in multiple flavors!  Nothing wrong with that!  

Tasty Tuesdays - #33 - Creamy Asparagus & Aged Cheddar Bake

{Recipe via}

Who said veggies aren't tasty?  This cheesy dish will change your mind and fill your tummy!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed of woody ends (about 20 spears)

• 2 Tbsp. butter

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• Scant 1 cup milk

• 1 egg yolk

• 1/4 tsp of dry, powdered mustard

• Dash of Worcestershire sauce

• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. salt

• Black pepper, to taste

• 1 1/2 cups grated aged, white cheddar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. with rack in center of oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick foil.
2. If your asparagus is thick, blanch the asparagus in a large pan of salted water for one minute, remove and refresh in ice water or microwave on a plate for about 90 seconds.  If your asparagus is thin, you’re probably good to go as is.  Divide the asparagus in half and lay on parchment on baking sheet with the cut ends touching in the middle.  Set aside.
3. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the flour and whisk, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden.  Remove the pan from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk to form a smooth sauce.  Return to the heat, stir and simmer for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
4. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolk, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and salt.  Taste and add more salt, as needed.  Season with freshly ground pepper.
5. Pour sauce over the middle of the asparagus.  Top with the grated cheddar cheese.
6. Bake at 400 ° F. for 8-10 minutes, then move rack to upper part of oven, switch your oven to broil and broil until the sauce is bubbly and golden.
7. Top with a bit more freshly ground pepper and serve immediately.

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 20 min

Number of servings (yield): 6

J. Crew, I Love You... - #33 - Fall Preview From NYFW

Aye aye aye - J. Crew previewed their Fall collection last week during New York Fashion Week.  I pretty much want one of everything (what else is new?).  Start saving now...

 

 

 

{Images via}

Top To Toe Target

{Top- (old) FEED for Target, Skirt- (old) Missoni for Target, Shoes- Calvin Klein, Bracelets- (old) J. Crew}

I'm in top to toe Target today!  I don't know about you, but I was a bit disappointed by Target's latest collaboration with Peter Pilotto.  FEED for Target and Missoni were much more my style!

Music Mondays - #33 - Music Sales in 2013

In case you haven’t noticed, there’s this thing called Spotify that everyone’s using these days.  Lately, there’s been a lot of grumbling in the music community about the impact of streaming services like Spotify — mainly being that artists are given a pretty insulting amount of compensation.  It’s so incredibly convenient though, and considering that fact, it’s free, how can you really blame anyone for taking advantage of it?

We really have come a long way since we were hand cranking those wax cylinders on our phonographs so that we could feast our ears on some vaguely musical hissing sound that came from a horn.  Streaming is a relatively new phenomenon, and it’s pretty hard to argue that any advance in technology has ever negatively impacted the progression of music in the big picture. 

So, maybe, there is hope.  But wait, is vinyl making a come back?  No, not really.  People are definitely buying a whole lot more records than they were seven years ago, but the vast majority of people still listen to music via digital format.  There are people who have invested exorbitant amounts of money in hi-fi equipment to supposedly prove that their records sound better than your iPod. 

Your run-of-the-mill Crosley turntable that you picked up from Urban Outfitters definitely doesn’t though.  So what gives?  Is this really just a result of hipsters being nostalgic for a time they didn’t even know?  Maybe, but my guess is that it’s a reaction against the lack of sentimentality that digital music has, and what fills that void better than owning the huge physical artifact that is the vinyl LP of the music you cherish?

 {via}

Bundled Up!

{Sweater- Loft, Tee- Gap, Jeans- (old) Kohl's, Shoes- (old) Steve Madden, Necklaces- (old) Marc Jacobs & Fossil}

Comfy and cozy today!  I'm all bundled up in this thick gorgeous sweater - feels like a big hug all day long!  TGIF - Happy Valentine's Day - and have a great weekend!