When I was in sunny CA two weeks ago, my sister Alyssa made the most delicious dinner! It was a variation on a recipe from Lemonade, a great lunch chain on the west coast that defines it’s cuisine as Southern California comfort food. One word: Yum. 🙂

In their cookbook, they have a recipe for Avocado, Cherry Tomato, Pine Nut and Lime Vinaigrette. It’s delicious—but to make it a bit more hearty, my sister serves the vinaigrette over quinoa veggie burgers from Trader Joe’s. She also added a slice of extra sharp cheddar cheese and sautéed mushrooms. I’m planning on making this my new go-to dinner for the nights I have no energy/time to cook. The best part: the vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to a week. 

Of course, during my week out there, Alyssa didn’t want to deprive me of the real deal so we stopped into Lemonade on my second to last day. Totally wish this place would open in New York!

How cute is this pink and purple and black and white Madewell scarf for fall? I’m in love! It looks so cozy, too. This past weekend, we had warm late season temps, but I know that chilly days are coming. They would be so much more manageable if I knew I could wrap myself in something pretty like this! 

What is your go-to cold weather gear? 

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When I was in California last week to see my sister, I had the chance to see the Hollywood Costume exhibit currently on display at the LACMA. Seriously, if you’re in the LA area, go now. There are 150 movie costumes on display from so many favorite films: Pretty Woman, Indiana Jones, Mary Poppins and more. But as I wandered through the pitch black exhibit (very similar to a movie theater experience), my heart stopped when I discovered the banana yellow jacket from the film Dick Tracy.

Here’s the thing: Dick Tracy was a movie that I L-O-V-E-D as a kid. The funny thing is I never wanted to see it. I was 8 years old and my cousins were in town from Maine. So, what did we do? We went to the movies! I have no idea why, but I was so mad that my cousins got to pick the film. “It’s a boooy movie!” I whined to my parents. “Your cousins are guests!” my parents pushed back. “They get to choose the film.” I sobbed—in the dramatic way that only 8 year olds can do—the whole car ride there, then begrudgingly got popcorn and took my seat in the theater. No joke: As soon as the opening credits rolled, I was hooked. I raved about the movie the whole car ride home. In the weeks that followed, I bought the poster, the Madonna soundtrack (remember, she was one of the co-stars?), the trading cards. I even remember marking my calendar waiting for the film to come out on VHS. When it did, my parents drove me to the Disney Store to buy it. “How much?” I asked the sales lady. “It costs $90.” I was crushed.

To see that costume 12 inches from my face was unreal—and it was even cooler to see it with my sister who cheerfully indulged my obsession as a kid, making music videos with me to the Madonna soundtrack and watching the film on repeat for months (yes, the price eventually went down low enough for me to buy it).

The exhibit’s on display through March. Will you go?

PS: A full recap of my trip coming next week!

(Images via the LA Times, Couture in the Suburbs, and Red Hot Society)

Happy Friday, my darling readers! I’m off on vacation for the next week to visit my little sister. Yay! We’re planning a mini-detour from Laguna Beach to check out Palm Springs. I’ve never been and we’ve been eyeing the Saguaro as a place to stay. So colorful and fun, right? Wishing you a wonderful and relaxing weekend (and week) ahead. Here, to get it started right, a few happy posts from around the web:

Sad news about Squibb Bridge!

The right way to cuff sleeves.

OMG, this cover! 

My favorite Halloween classic, re-issued. 

Hilarious tee.

A cool exhibit I can’t wait to check out.

Treat yo’self.

Swooning at this calligraphy workshop.

Love the modern take on French girl stripes (scroll down). 

Note to self: Learn how to knit.

(Image via My Modern Met)

In my Brooklyn apartment, there’s a narrow indented corner in our living room. I moved into this place almost two years ago, but I still haven’t figured out how to use the space—until now. I discovered this honeycomb mirror idea on Pinterest and love it. How cool would it be to create my own hexagon arrangement? Plus, mirrors are always a great way to make a room feel larger, a trick that’s ideal in a New York-sized apartment. 🙂 Here, a couple more examples of this fun idea…

This pattern is lots of fun—and I love how the honeycombs are placed right next to a full size mirror. Double the reflection!

The play on metallics is great in this pic. The copper and silver look beautiful together and add an elegant and modern touch to this all-white room.

OK, so what do you think? Have you ever experimented with a honeycomb mirror design?

PS: Where to buy cheap honeycomb mirrors. Hint: It’s the store that has it all.

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