What I wore today: 05/20/2012 (Neon and Chevron are friends)

You may have noticed my enthusiasm about the neon trend that popped up last year (and has finally hit the midwest this year). You might also be aware of my chevron addiction. It was only a matter of time before the two collided, and I must say I like the result. 

The black and white pallet balances the neon in the same way a softer neutral does, and the mix of pattern and texture takes everything to another level. Often times, less is more. But sometimes, more can be more. And, after a week in hiking attire pulled from a suitcase, I was ready to jump back in with both feet.

What do you think? How would you style this neon skirt? 

Black and white chevron t-shirt - Missoni for Target (also seen here and here)

Textured neon skirt - Anthropologie

Black lace ballet flats - Payless? (Bought for a prom a zillion years ago)

Prada "Baroque" Sunglasses (also seen here, here, and here)

Chunky neon ring - DIY ( also seen here, tutorial here)

Lion bangle - Jewel Mint (also seen here)

Bronze cuff - The Outnet

Gold handbag - Target

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Our Smokey Mountain trip in Instagrams

I was in the Smokey Mountains with Ryan and his family for the last week, but I'll be back to outfit posts this week (and maybe even a new DIY). For now, here's a recap of our trip . . . Instagram style.

01. Owen playing the melodica; 02. How Owen descends the stairs; 03. Sugar and spice pancakes; 04. Owen loves pancakes; 05. So many kinds of pancakes; 06. Ryan and I on a ski lift; 07. A lookout point; 08. Ryan and I on top of a mountain; 09. Hiking to waterfalls; 10. Broiler s'mores; 11. Crazy buildings in Pigeon Forge; 12. Titanic museum; 13. Wildflowers; 14. The boys chasing chickens at Dixie Stampede; 15. Pretty fields; 16. Black bear sighting; 17. Owen in Ryan's hat; 18. An old cabin; 19. An old mill; 20. Cheerwine; 21. #fromwhereistand at Grotto Falls, 22. Ryan and I behind the falls; 23. Niko and Owen being carried up a mountain; 24. A pretty snail; 25. The Estonian wife carry (Google it); 26. All the kicked off shoes near the door of our cabin; 27. Moonshine

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Spring recipe: mint chutney

I'm spending this week in the Smokey Mountains with Ryan's family (as you surely noticed if you keep up with my Instagram feed), but I do want to tide you over with a quick recipe post.

Not long ago, Ryan and I heated up some frozen samosas for lunch, and I whipped up this makeshift mint chutney to serve with them. It's yummy. Fresh mint is such a wonderful thing to showcase in your meals all spring and summer long.

Ingredients:

Half a jalapeño

A bunch of fresh mint

Half a bunch of cilantro

Juice and zest of one lemon or two limes

Half a red onion

01. Roughly chop all ingredients and add to a food processor.

02. Blitz until smooth, and serve.

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What I wore today: 05/08/2012 (Daytime sequins)

Yesterday was a joyous day for my family! My sister-in-law gave birth to her first baby, a son called Barrett Oliver Brott, or "Bear" for short. You should have seen how happy my brother looked when I got to the hospital a couple hours later! I've never seen him glow like that. As for Bear, as you can see, he's pretty adorable. He has big feet (like my brother) and light brown hair. He's a winner for sure.

Also, my father is convinced he'll be a great marksman. 

After I saw Bear and his glowing parents, I had to run to work, which brings me to my outfit . . .

I don't want you to seethe with jealousy when I tell you this, so don't hate me, but this skirt (which originally sold for close to $300) got returned to the store last week, and it had been marked down to $9.95. Needless to say, it never even made it to the sale room. I snatched it up without even trying it on, and when I got home, I discovered it fit perfectly. Sheer joy!

My coworkers were saying things like, "Oh, those sequins. That would be nice for a holiday party," which is true, but, apart from the fact that I couldn't possibly wait half a year to wear the thing, the image I had in my mind was of toning it down for daytime with a plain white crew-neck tee.

If I have one major guideline for styling, it's about keeping balance. If I wear a short skirt, I pair it with flats; if I wear something loose on bottom, I wear something fitted on top; and if I wear something glamorous, I like to temper it with something easy and casual. The contrast shows each element off to its full potential. 

I added the necklace to perfect the balance, and because wearing a sparkly necklace with a t-shirt is another obsession of mine (and a very Parisian thing to do, P.S.)

What do you think of my styling? How else should I wear this skirt?

Wool and sequin skirt - Anthopologie
White tee - Ryan's dresser 
Silver flats - Target (last seen here and here)
Brass and glass necklace - J. Crew Factory


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Spring recipe: golden beet hummus

I love beets. Red or golden, I love everything about them. And, ever since I made a version of these latkes using grated beets, Ryan has been a big fan as well. 

Ryan also loves hummus. I mean, the man goes through so many tubs of hummus, that I realized I needed a food processor primarily so that I could make it from scratch like I used to do when I lived with my parents. You can save a lot of money by making your own hummus. That stuff is overpriced, let me tell you.

Not only is hummus cheaper when you make it at home, but it's crazy easy and crazy good. All you need is a food processor and some simple ingredients. I like to eat my hummus with corn chips because I'm a total freak, but you can serve it with pita, pita chips, crudités, or anything else yummy and nibbly.

One more note: The great thing about golden beets is that they don't stain everything they touch. The flavor is a bit more subtle that red beets, so I certainly wouldn't judge if you decided to substitute red ones here. I regularly cook and eat both varieties with relish! (That is, with joy, not with pickles.)

(Although pickled beets are also awesome.)

(Okay, on to the recipe...)

Ingredients:

One can chick peas, drained and rinsed

2 small golden beets, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon tahini (a sesame seed paste found in the Middle Eastern section of your grocery store)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice (and zest if you want) of one lemon

1 garlic clove, peeled

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 01. Put all ingredients in the food processor and blitz until smooth. You might want to use a grating attachment (if your food processor has one) to grate the beets. Alternatively, you can grate them by hand (messy with red beets) or even just dice them and expect to process for a bit longer to get everything smooth.

Step 02. Add more oil, lemon juice, or even some water if you want your hummus more liquidy. We like ours robust and thick, but, you should feel free to adjust yours to suit your preferences. You can, in fact, add more or less of any ingredient to alter the flavor and texture. Too sour? Use less lemon juice. Too bitter? Use less tahini. Too garlicky? Use less garlic. Okay, that one was obvious.

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