Salted Caramel Ice Cream

The weather has warmed here over this past week, so I've decided to embrace it with some homemade ice cream. Remember when we took that amazing trip to San Francisco a few months ago? Well we went to the most incredible ice cream place in the mission called Bi-Rite Creamery. I purchased their recipe book back then, but hadn't cracked it open since getting it due to the frosty temps outside. 

I've made it on two occasions over the past few weeks, for Easter [paired with brownies and chocolate sauce for an after brunch treat] and to bring to my friend Blair's house for the Cards game last saturday night.

It came out delicious both times, and is luxuriously creamy with the perfect balance of salty sweet. [just try not to look at the ratio of cream to milk.. but i opted for the 1% !!]

recipe after the jump!...

Farewell, Lilly.

The namesake of the brand, Ms. Lilly Pulitzer passed away yesterday at her home in Palm Beach. 

Famous for her tropical prints and her embrace of color combinations like flamingo pink and apple green, Lilly's bold color mixes and patterns have withstood fashion changes through years.

Functionality turned fashion is the key behind Lilly's success: she needed a print to hide the juice stains on her clothing after starting a juice stand in West Palm at the ripe age of 21.  Icon Jackie O embraced her well structured tailored knits and bright use of color, as do so many people today.
[sorority girls at Southern SEC colleges especially..]

Not a print, but solid coral! One of my fav lilly dresses that I wore to my Derby themed bridal shower last May.

Read her story on the Lilly P. website. We will miss you, Lilly.

Spring Cleaning: Don't forget your makeup bag!

The season change is always a difficult time for me. I've slowly adjusted over the past 3 years (now living in a place with actual season changes) to transition my wardrobe. But there's something about spring that just makes me want to purge.

I took advantage of not having J around this weekend and went. through. everything.
well, almost everything.  After cleaning out the fridge, the oven, my closet.. I realized I should probably tackle my make-up collection.

The gross reality is- make-up is a breeding ground for bacteria. If you rarely break-out and start to randomly, the culprit most likely lies in what you're putting on your face everyday (the make-up itself) or how you're applying it (when was the last time you washed that foundation brush or replaced your sponge, huh?)

It's important to clean your make-up brushes at least on a weekly basis. Warm water and a gentle antibacterial hand cleanser or dish soap will work - you don't have to buy fancy brush cleaner.

1. Run the brush under luke warm water, lather with the soap in a back and forth motion in the palm of your hand and rinse well. Be sure not to leave any soapy residue on your brushes.
[For my foundation and concealer brushes sometimes I do this twice.]
2. Gently squeeze the tips from the metal base down over the sink then pinch flat in a paper towel
3. Lay flat on a clean paper towel to dry (about 5-6 hours).

 If you use a foundation brush, build an extra minute into your morning routine to clean the brush post your daily glam sesh. 

The daily needs.

Guidelines for knowing when to pitch it:

Lipstick: 1 year
[extend this by cleaning it with alcohol after each use or using a clean lip brush to apply]

Mascara: 2 months
[if it starts to smell, it's definitely time to replace it]

Eyeshadow: 2 years

Powder (such as pressed powder, bronzer or blush): 2 years

Water Based Foundations (usually labeled as oil-free, matte, or mattyfying): 1 year

Oil Based Foundations (they have oil as their first or second ingredient): 1.5 years


I like to keep my daily needs in the bin on my dresser, and the less used essentials tucked away- but still easily accessible. You probably won't wear smokey shadow, liquid liner and false lashes on a Tuesday, but you don't want to be digging around come prepping for Saturday night on the town!

Other spring cleaning reminders you may not think about: replace your toothbrush lately? or the sponge in your kitchen sink??

Happy spring cleaning!

Egg-cellent Easter!

Hey, did you know Easter is this weekend?!

Well it sort of crept up on me this year. I manged to put together a fun little centerpiece on the dining room table, and fill a joint Easter basket with some of favorite goodies (it is our first married Easter)!

I'm planning on making some fun hard boiled eggs as well and was considering these varieties:

love these super fun gold-leaf eggs!

Playing up the Natural Egg beauty.

Considering the gold leaf may need to be ordered online, the latter will probably be what I go with! (Unless a trip to Michal's prevails!) This year we're planning on staying in Louisville and celebrating with J's mom for an Easter luncheon on Sunday. 

I'm looking forward to having some time on Saturday bake and perhaps do a little spring cleaning!

xox