Happy Birthday, Lilly Pulitzer!

It all started with a juice bar...Happy birthday to one of my favorite style icons, Lilly Pulitzer!

*Photo courtesy of The Pink Pelican Facebook page

Nutcracker Market!

Today is the official first day of the Nutcracker Market, the Houston Ballet's holiday shopping extravaganza that serves as one of their major fundraisers! It's the event that kicks off the holidays for me every year and, this year, Lulu at The Home You Make and I will be volunteering Friday morning and then enjoying the holiday shopping. As an added perk, volunteers get free parking and free tickets to the show. The Market runs through Sunday at Reliant Center, so please come out and support the Ballet!

*Photo courtesy of the Nutcracker Market's Facebook page

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Creations:

Houston Zoo Boo:

Dewberry Farm:

Trick or Treat!

Wordless Wednesday: It's a Brad, Brad World!

Happy Birthday, Rice University!

PHOTO UPDATE:
A few of my own shots from the Centennial Finale party.

This weekend marks my alma mater's Centennial Celebration (as well as Homecoming weekend)! I'm so excited to see friends from outside of Houston and Texas, visit my gorgeous campus (especially the remodel to my residential college, Baker) and finally cap it off with the Centennial Finale on Saturday night, which is being touted as the party of the century. 

Here are some of my fave photos from the Rice Centennial and Rice University Facebook pages (I should be adding my own after this weekend's festivities) that are really getting me in the mood to celebrate: 

Rice campus:

Inside the party tent of the century:

Rice stadium:

Happy Fall Y'all!

This weekend I'm making my annual pilgrimage to the pumpkin patch at Dewberry Farm and I couldn't be more excited! 

Here are some snaps from last year: 

Kate Spade Fall Presentation!

Meet the Creative Director for Kate Spade, Deborah Lloyd, and their Brand Stylist Brad Goreski (love him from his show on Bravo!) at the Houston Galleria Nordstrom's from 6-9pm next Thursday, September 27th. Call 832.201.2700 ext. 1239 to RSVP. 



*Photo courtesy of Nordstrom's Facebook

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure!

As a member of the Susan G. Komen Young Professionals Council for the Houston affiliate, I would love for you to join our Race for the Cure team in Houston on Saturday, October 6th! Below is our adorable invite with more info and here is a link to our Facebook invite.   

Happy FNO!

Happy Fashion's Night Out! Thanks to Vogue's Editor in Chief, Anna Wintour, today is the 4th Anniversary of Fashion's Night Out, a worldwide event intended to celebrate all things fashion while stimulating the economy (my kind of stimulus package!). I will be attending my Junior League's Opening Style Show, a runway show and seated dinner. What are your plans for the evening?




*Photo courtesy of Fashion's Night Out Facebook page*

Update to Pinkberry is Coming!

Back in June, I published a post that Pinkberry would grace Houston in July. After some delay, Pinkberry has announced that the grand opening for the Highland Village shop will be on Friday, September 7th from 6-10pm! Hooray! 

Wordless Wednesday: Happy Birthday BHLDN!

Houston Tidbits' Underground Luxury Event!

If you love vintage designer goods, goodie bags, and live in Houston, then you need to RSVP for Houston Tidbits' Underground Luxury event next Wednesday, August 22nd asap! Even if the merch is still a little pricey, Tidbits always knows how to throw a good party (ie. Tinsley Mortimer's book signing at Neiman's). For full details see their posting below. Will you be attending? 

*Image courtsey of Houston Tidbits*

Bachelorette Party Goodie Bags!

This past weekend I attended a bachelorette party out of town and wanted to do something special for the girls. Everybody loves a goodie bag, so I decided that was the way to go. 

Since we were headed out of town to Austin, I went with some fun items that would serve as "survival" bag and would travel well: Sofia champagne with attached straw, Starbucks instant coffee and lime refreshers, tin of mints, and a travel pack of Motrin. 

I started with these adorable, damask clear bags from Michaels and hot pink ribbon. 

All of the goodies!

Then assembled them standing up and tied the ribbon to the top. 

And there you have it, the finished product! 

Out of Office!

Once I get through my 1/2 day at work, I'll be heading to Austin for my friend's bachelorette party! I'm excited to celebrate this special weekend with her, as well as enjoy some quality outlet shopping, dining, cocktails, and a stop at Lilly Pulitzer at the Domain. 






*Photo courtesy of Matchbook Magazine*

Wordless Wednesday: Kick for a Cure!

Sugarbaby's 5th Anniversary Party Today!

If you've never been to Sugarbaby's Cupcake Boutique, the interior alone is worth the trip. It's a black, white, and pink Victorian damask dream with tasty cupcakes and Dean & Deluca coffee to boot. I've been going there since they first opened and today is their 5th anniversary. Join them for treats and giveaways from 12-3pm!

Wordless Wednesday: You're Invited to Party in Pink!

Early Wordless Wednesday: Neiman + Target = Happy Holidays!

                                                                                                          


                                                                                    Image Property of Target and Neiman Marcus.

PB&J Sandwich Sugar Cookies!

Taken from Amy Atlas' "Picnic in the Park" chapter from her new book, a friend and I decided to make these PB&J sandwich cookies for a 4th of July BBQ.  

First, we popped by Michaels and purchased gingham and striped tissue paper and double stick tape (I already had a healthy amount of ribbon at home). We went with patriotic theme but you can pick any color combo you want for these adorable cookies.

Short on time, we took the book's suggestion of using pre-made Pillsbury sugar cookie dough from the refrigerated section of the local grocery store (HEB Montrose Market!). We basically followed the can's instructions, except we flattened each roll and cut it using Amy's bread template. You have to purchase her book to access the template, but if you just cut out an uneven heart shape on the top and square up the remaining borders then you'll be fine. 

Once the cookies cooled, we spread peanut butter on one side and jelly on the other, thus making our sandwich. Easy peasy. 

Now on to the crafting, we folded a border around the top of the tissue and then flipped the sheet over. Placing the top of the cookie just slightly above the edge of the ribbon, we folded the other half over, then each side, using double stick tape where necessary. Essentially, wrap and trim the paper like you're wrapping a gift. We then cut out strands of ribbon long enough to wrap around the cookies and placed double stick tape underneath each end so it closed in the back. Done!

I know I was a bad blogger and should have taken step by step pictures, so if you have further questions, please let me know!

Wordless Wednesday: Happy 4th of July!

Amy Atlas Book Signing!

I had the pleasure of attending Amy Atlas' book tour stop at my local Williams-Sonoma in Highland Village on Friday. As soon as you entered the store, you were greeted by this adorable display taken straight from the pages of her new book Sweet Designs: Bake It, Craft It, Style It. Each page reads like an adorable how-to manual with "switch it" suggestions for ways to make certain items more adult or family friendly. 

Amy then wowed the crowd with an explanation on how to accomplish this lovely display, while giving helpful, time and sanity-saving tips along the way. She then took questions from the crowd and signed every copy of her book with a personal message. She was so incredibly sweet and took the time to have a personal conversation with every lady that went up to her. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to meet her and can't wait to dive into her book for new entertaining, crafting, and baking ideas!

For the remainder of her book tour dates, click on this post. 

Wordless Wednesday #2: Happy National Wear Your Lilly Day!

Wordless Wednesday: Turtle Time aka Ramona from RHONY!

                                          

                                        

Event Finds!

Planning a wedding or large corporate event? Event Finds is this neat little website that allows you to book event related necessities, such as a venue, band, catering, etc. for a fraction of the price. Karla Amador and Mary “Lou” Lomibao founded Event Finds after they noticed there was no place they could advertise un-booked or last minute specials to the masses. Amador and Lomibao, have also been “savvy savers” themselves and understood that both parties could benefit from a website like Event Finds.
  

As they describe on their website: " What makes us unique is we can help you no matter what kind of event you're planning: wedding, anniversary, baby shower, sweet sixteen, graduation, birthday, corporate or any other event you can think of. The site allows you to browse local vendors through "listings." Once you find what you are looking for, or something new you didn't know existed, all you have to do is contact them, mention our site and you'll be on your way to creating an unforgettable event!" 

Their current list of cities is small but growing: Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Northern & Southern California. It's too bad only our sister to the north is listed, but if you are an event related vendor in the Houston area, then please contact Lou Lomibao, Event Finds co-founder, at lou@eventfinds.com to get started. I'd love to see them expand in my fair city! 




*I was not paid to write this post*

Nothin' but a Good Time!

Last night I was able to see an advance screening of Rock Ages thanks to Gofobo! See last post to read more about their awesomeness. Based on the musical, it's your typical boy meets girl story while both are trying to make it in the big city. Although a little fluffier than I typically like my movies, the singing and dancing to rad 80s rock made it a fun ride. Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Tom Cruise also provided excellent comic relief from the sometimes hokey dialogue. If you want a fun summer movie that will have you tapping your feet to my beloved Journey, among other bands, then Rock of Ages is a solid pick. 

Freebie Friday: Gofobo!

I love going to the movies, but the price of tickets seems to be continuously on the rise. Want to feel like a quasi-celebrity and see movies for free in a private screening before they open to the public? Of course you do! All you have to do is sign up for free at Gofobo. They regularly send out invites to free screenings of top movies at your local theaters. For example, this morning I scored passes to see Rock of Ages on Monday. Sweet, right? 


Just be sure to reserve your passes close to when you receive their email, since they tend to go fast. You can also check their site for local screenings and, if it's "open", all you have to do is sign up. The only caveat is try to get their early because seats aren't guaranteed but, since you can reserve 2 tickets at a time, you can always kill time by hanging out with a friend or significant other. 


*I was not paid to write this*

Pinkberry is Coming!

While I'm surprised it's taken this long to hit Houston, I just found out Pinkberry will be opening inside the loop in late July! Sign up to be a Pinkberry Groupie, for your invite to their grand opening in Highland Village. That is all. 

Pink Champagne Cupcake Recipe!

I made these cupcakes for my friend's Stella & Dot launch party and they were a hit! I would recommend these for a bachelorette party, bridal shower, or girls-only launch party. In the kitchen I typically experiment with novice to advanced baking, so this recipe should be friendly for even the least experienced baker!

*Adapted from Betty Crocker 

Champagne Cupcakes:

1       Box moist white cake mix
1¼    Cups champagne (I added in about 1/4 more)
3       Egg whites
1/3    Cups oil
4 to 5 Drops of red food coloring

Champagne Frosting:

1/2

Cup butter or margarine, softened

4

Cups powdered sugar

1/4

Cup champagne (I used closer to a cup)

1

Teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

• 2. In large bowl, mix dry cake mix and champagne. Add oil, egg whites and food color. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
• 3. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• 4. In medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Frost cupcakes.