50 SHADES

Are you reading 50 Shades of Grey? If so, you'll totally appreciate this!

RED CARPET ARRIVALS AT THE MET

Tonight was New York's annual Met Gala- "the Superbowl of fashion," some have coined it. It's the perfect opportunity for Hollywood's biggest celebrities to take fashion risks. Here are some of my favorite looks from the night.  

How fun would it be to wear one of these fabulous dresses?

Such a Twiggy moment! Who else could pull off this 60's look? Chloe Sevigny in Miu Miu 

Ivanka Trump in Peter Pilatto. She's never looked better and I love the new bangs.

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce and Gabbana. While not a surprising choice, she still looks stunning.

This dress is so structural and striking! Carey Mulligan in Prada

Claire Danes in J. Mendel (love her retro hair) 

Kate Bosworth vamps it up in Prada. I think she always mixes up her look and gets it right each time.

Gwyneth is all legs in icy blue Prada. 

Always one of my favorites on the red carpet- Rooney Mara in Givenchy 

Cameron Diaz looking glam in Stella McCartney

A few looks that fell flat

Beyonce in Givenchy. I really want to love this, but I think it's so over-the-top that it's not even elegant.

This looks like a costume Effie Trinket would have worn- Elizabeth Banks in Mary Katrantzou

I love Valentino, but I can't stand how ghostly Lily Collins looks in this gown.

I think Kirsten Dunst instantly ages herself in this blah Rodarte pick.

GMD

Another GMD (aka Girl's Monthly Dinner) yesterday. To change it up a bit, instead of dinner, Lindsay and I hosted an afternoon high tea at her place. I was so impressed with the baking skills of each of my girlfriends. Tea with the girls, Chinese food for dinner, and a new episode of Mad Men, made for the perfect Sunday.

The spread

Mini smoked salmon tea sandwiches

Lemon poppyseed scones

Chocolate dipped strawberries

Jam filled butter cookies

Snowcap butter cookies

STRIKE A POSE

How many times have you seen a god-awful picture of yourself and wished you could have a re-take? Check out my latest Make It Better article for the correct way to pose. For those of you whom are parents, I've also included tips on taking family and child photos.

EAT, SEE, BAKE...

EAT

at Nellcote in Chicago's West Loop. Located in the former Marché space, Nellcote could be one of the most beautiful restaurants in Chicago. With a flour mill on site, you can imagine how good the pizza and pasta were. Everything was reasonably priced, the ambiance was stellar, and the food was delish. While the service was a bit off, I'll give them a break since we went during opening week. This would even be a fun place to grab drinks before heading to another spot on restaurant-filled Randolph Street.

Obsessed with these chairs and the touch of orange on the backs

Crudité and dip

Assortment of homemade breads

Pesto pizza with fresh mozzarella and roasted tomatoes

Crispy skate wing with braised radishes

Mashed potatoes w/ shaved black truffles

SEE
21 Jump Street. I thought this movie would be stupid, but it was absolutely hilarious. Co-written and starring Jonah Hill, I laughed out loud numerous times. The perfect movie for when you want something light.

BAKE
the most simple, hearty breakfast cookie. These have replaced my afternoon Luna bar. I've made these for the past few weeks and my co-workers and I are addicted. It's a one-bowl recipe and can be modified depending on what you like. Packed with peanut butter and bananas, the cookies are healthy, yummy, and make a perfect on-the-go breakfast or mid-day snack. I wish they looked a little prettier, but at least they taste great.

Breakfast Cookies (adapted from here)

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

½ cup mashed banana (about 1 large)

½ cup chunky natural peanut butter (I used Jif)

1/3 cup honey or agave nectar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup rolled oats

½ cup Gold Medal® whole wheat flour

¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Handful of dried apricots, chopped

½ c walnuts, chopped

½ c almonds, chopped or slivered

Optional: chia seeds or flax seed

1 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together banana, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. In a small bowl, combine oats, flour, milk powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Stir the oat mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in dried cranberries, apricots, nuts, and optional chia/flax seeds.

                        

2 
Using a ¼-cup measure, drop mounds of dough 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. With a thin metal or small plastic spatula dipped in water, flatten and spread each mound of dough to a 2¾-inch round, about ½ inch thick.

                        

3 
Bake, one sheet at a time, for 14 to 16 minutes or until browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months; thaw before serving.

A NEW REAL HOUSEWIVES CAST

While Lindsay Lohan can be quite a mess, I couldn't get enough of this clip from last night's SNL. Amazing!

OSCARS 2012

The best part of the Academy Awards is undoubtedly the fashion. Below are my picks for most glam!

Rooney Mara in Givenchy and Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton. Both flawless head to toe!

Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace and Brad Pitt in Tom Ford (although Angie needs to put on some lbs)

Shailene Woodley in Valentino Couture. The detail in this dress is beautiful.

Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab Haute Couture

Cameron Diaz in Gucci

SPRING FEVER

The other day I had the opportunity to attend Neiman Marcus Northbrooks's Spring Preview Fashion and Beauty Event. Models strutted their stuff in the upcoming season's hottest looks. A few trends you can expect to see this spring include yellow as the new neutral, floral prints, neon, chunky bangles, pattern, pastels, faded jeans, and anoraks. 

After the fashion show, I previewed the latest makeup and skincare being offered during this week's Beauty Event. From February 23rd to March 4th, when you spend $100 in cosmetics or fragrance, you'll receive an adorable tote filled with an assortment of fabulous samples. A few of my favorites offered in the gift tote include Tom Ford's newest fragrance Neroli Portofino and La Mer's Reparative Body Lotion. In addition to the tote, customers will receive a bonus gift from their preferred brand. This is the week to stock up on any makeup or perfume you need, because who doesn't love a gift with purchase?

FRIENDSHIP

I read this interesting article today and it got me thinking about friendship. 

What do you look for in a friend? What do you do when the relationship changes or dissolves? How do you "break-up" with a friend?

   

                    

DREAMBOAT

This is hilarious and oh SO true!

TREADMILL DANCING

Have you tried treadmill dancing? It makes walking on the treadmill a whole lot more fun. Just be careful and pay attention to what you're doing! It's a bit harder than you may think. Here's the video. 

Part 1

Part 2

CELEB FASHION

I found that the SAG awards were lackluster in the fashion department, although there were a few women who got it right. Lots of beautiful, vibrant red gowns as well as dresses with cut-outs. I also couldn't resist throwing in a few photos of fabulous celebrity fashion off the red carpet.

Kyra Sedgewick in Emilio Pucci

Michelle Williams in Valentino

Amber Heard in Zac Posen

Diane Kruger in Chanel

Obsessed with this dress! Cameron Diaz in Valentino.

THE EASIEST, BEST SALMON RECIPE

I'm back! I took a little break from blogging due to lack of motivation and a busy work schedule. After dinner last night though, I had to post this recipe.

Whenever I watch Barefoot Contessa, if my husband's in the room, he'll always crack a joke about her soft, breathy voice. "She's talking about food, not sex." While she may not be as excited as Guy Fierreti, her recipes come out great every single time. This is the easiest, most delicious salmon recipe. Paired with a simple salad and Gwyneth's healthy fried rice, it's a perfect weeknight dinner. I make it all the time and it never fails.

step 1

step 2

Yum!

Source: Panko-Crusted Salmon, Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?

Ingredients

⅔ cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons good olive oil

4 (6- to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on

2 tablespoons Dijon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix together the panko, parsley, lemon zest, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with the olive oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly coated. Set aside.

Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board. Generously brush the top of the fillets with mustard and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each salmon fillet. The mustard will help the panko adhere.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or large heavy, ovenproof pan. When the oil is very hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without turning, to brown the skin.

Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the salmon is almost cooked and the panko is browned. Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve the salmon hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.

2012 GOLDEN GLOBES RECAP

I seriously live for award shows. And the Golden Globes is always the best one. The fashion is spectacular, the show moves quickly, and I love the old Hollywood feel. So let's talk the best part- what everyone was wearing!

HITS
Claire Danes in J. Mendel. Does she ever mess it up? I think she looks fresh and fabulous every year.

Julianna Margulies in Naeem Khan. While the style of this dress is nothing new, the color is lovely and I adore the unexpected pop of color with her dazzling green earrings.

Nicole Kidman in Versace. I love that she takes fashion risks and this one works. Not many women could pull this off, but she looks beautiful and her figure is just insane.

Charlize Theron in Dior Couture. I know some people are not going to get this, but I think she looks stunning and so high fashion. I would have maybe ditched the headband, though.

MISSES
Amanda Peet in Marc Jacobs. Oh Amanda, you are so gorgeous but this dress does nothing for you.

Sarah Michelle Gellar in Monique Lhuillier. As my friend Ryan would say, this look is tragic.

Jessica Biel in Elie Saab. She is such a knockout and this dress is Helen Mirren's. What happened? 

 

Madonna in Reem Acra. Madonna is my favorite celebrity in the world but this dress, necklace, the whole thing, is just awful.

Piper Perabo. Two words. Hot mess.

Emma Stone in Lanvin. She usually dresses so well, but this color and style do not flatter her. The look is a bit goth and too harsh for a young girl.

Michelle Williams in Jason Wu. I typically adore everything she wears, but her dress ages her. Yet, she had the best speech (I know it's not fashion-related, but almost made me cry).

BEST JEWELS
Julianne Moore's emerald tassel earrings

Freida Pinto's gold Chopard necklace

 Julianna Marguiles' green statement earrings

CELEBS WHO DON'T AGE
Rob Lowe

Elle MacPherson in Zac Posen

REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE WEARING, JUST SO DAMN PRETTY


Kate Beckinsale in Roberto Cavalli

George Clooney

Salma Hayek in Gucci

AND FINALLY, CUTEST NAILS. Yes, nails.
Zooey Deschanel