Lake Muskoka

LOCATION: ONTARIO, CANADA • OCTOBER 24TH, 2016

Outfit Details:
Anthropologie Dress (sold out) , Elizabeth & James Sunglasses, Sam Edelman Sandals, Boater Hat

Back in early August, we took a trip to Canada with Danny's family. It was wonderful getting to spend so much quality time with my husband and his family. A lot of his family live in Canada and London and they love to convene on Lake Muskoka. With the long distance, it's not very often that we get to see them, much less spend over a week with them. Coming from a small family, I find these mini family reunions extra special.

One particularly sunny afternoon, we took a boat over to Port Carling to do a little shopping and get ice-cream. Mooskoka's is the place to go if you are looking for an afternoon treat. With my love of maple syrup, I had to go for the maple walnut paired with a scoop of strawberry on top! I might have gotten ice cream all over my hand. Oops.

Seriously, how cute is the popsicle print on this dress?!?! It was love at first site. Throughout the year, I'm always on the lookout of a dress with a fun print that fits the season. The print really changes the feel of an otherwise basic white dress. 

Does your family have a favorite vacation spot? I would love to hear about it!

XO,
Tiffany

Tale As Old As Time

LOCATION: BALTIMORE • OCTOBER 17TH, 2016

Outfit Details:
Maje Jacket, Caslon Dress, Via Spiga Heels,  NARS Audacious Lipstick in "Rita", Madewell Bag

Who hasn't dreamt of dancing through the library in Beauty & the Beast? One of the most breath-taking libraries in the world is located right in the heart of Baltimore. With the weather starting to cool off, I layered a leather jacket over a simple t-shirt dress. 

The George Peabody Library is home to over 300,000 volumes at Mount Vernon Place. I have such a fondness of this square that I have already have highlighted it many times (here and here). The cast-iron architecture rises over 60 feet from the floor with incredible drama and detailing. Come spend an afternoon studying or reading your favorite novel!

One of the easiest outfits for the fall is throwing a structure jacket over a basic dress. I wore this light-weight cotton dress all summer; it's comfy and softness made it great for running errands in. A swipe of lipstick adds a pop of color and you have an instantly chic look for day or night. 

Leather & Florals

LOCATION: LOS ANGELES • AUGUST 15TH, 2016

Outfit Details:
Maje Jacket, J.Crew Dress, Via Spiga Heels,  NARS Lipstick in "Dolce Vita", Jaeger Bag (similar here)

A few months ago, we spend a weekend in L.A. to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. While the trip was waaay too short, we made the most of it seeing family and exploring a little of this vibrant city. My grandmother (we call her Popo) has always had a love of sweets so I wanted to shower her with french macaroons. What better place to get them than Bottega Louie right in the heart of downtown LA?

From the moment I stepped through the doors, I felt instantly transported back to Paris. The architecture and marble surfaces feel just like walking into a Parisian cafe. I love the gold detailing in the wood!  Since Danny and I were meeting our family for brunch, we only ordered coffee and beignets with raspberry & chocolate sauce. The fresh raspberry sauce was to die for!!! Seriously, if you get nothing else, go for the beignets! 

All of the colors! I can't get enough of how vibrant the colors are! My Popo's favorite color is purple, so I had to get one of those!

It was so nice to see family this weekend. My family is pretty spread out, so we don't spend a lot of time together. Danny and I are already making plans to visit again. What is your favorite place in L.A? Where should we go next time!

XO,
Tiffany

Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies

LOCATION: BALTIMORE • JULY 22ND, 2016

These is nothing more satisfying than making delicious food for people and then saying "SURPRISE! It's ALSO healthy!" This recipe makes me so happy! It's EASY, completely fool-proof, and just happens to be gluten-free and vegan. As someone who usually raises an eyebrow to gluten-free, trust me when I say you won't even miss the butter!  

ALMOND BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES
Makes 12-15 cookies

Ingredients
3 large very ripe bananas
1 cup almond butter
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey (I like to use half maple syrup and half honey)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 & 1/3 cups quick oats (old fashioned oats work too, but you'll need to increase the cook time)
1/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine bananas, almond butter, and maple syrup/honey in a large bowl.
Add salt and cinnamon, then stir in oatmeal.
Fold chocolate chips into mix.
Spoon about 2 Tbsp of dough for each cookie onto the baking sheet. Flatten the cookies to the desired thickness since they will not spread. Bake for 25 minutes or until bottom is golden. Let cool and enjoy!

Notes
- I used super ripe bananas that were almost to the point of turning brown. However, I would not recommend frozen bananas.
-Using old fashioned oats gives the cookies more texture. I have also used half-and-half. You can make your own quick oats from old-fashioned oats by pulsing them a few times in a blender.
-You can make your own almond butter using a food processor. 1 & 1/2 cups of raw almonds = 1 cup of almond butter.

There are so many ways you can switch it up this recipe. Trying adding things you have on hand like crasins, slivered almonds, agave, or peanut butter. Go ahead, have fun with it!

I'd love to hear what changes you made!

*adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Blueberry Picking in Maryland

LOCATION: PARKVILLE • JULY 10TH, 2016

Outfit Details:
Banana Republic Dress, Sam Edelman Sandals,  NARS Audacious Lipstick in "Rita", Madewell Tote, Tory Burch x Fitbit Bracelet

It's amazing how many pick-your-own farms are near Baltimore. Danny and I started off Fourth of July Weekend with a trip to Weber's Peachberry Farm. This farm produces a huge variety of fruits and vegetables over the year. They have u-pick berries, peaches, apples, and pumpkins depending on the time of year. If you're ever in town around a growing season, you have to try it! Upon arrival, they hand you a bucket or a basket and point you towards to rows and rows of fruit. I have a soft spot for blueberry bushes since my family had planted a few in the backyard growing up. My brothers and I spent summers picking berries off of them in the hot North Carolina sun. 

I am a sucker when it comes to stripes and this crisp blue-and-white poplin dress was no different. The fit-and-flare silhouette is one of my favorite styles; I believe that it is universally flattering and easy to wear. I added a few swipes of my favorite red lipstick for the perfect Fourth-of-July look.

A huge motivator for going berry picking before July 4th was to try out Ina Garten's famous flag cake! I've been dying to make this cake every since I saw it plastered all over Taylor Swift's Instagram last year (I'm a HUGE fan - guilty as charged!) My girlfriends and I decorated it as the guests were arriving and the cake was a complete hit at our July 4th party. The recipe is quite simple to make, although I highly recommend a stand-mixer. The cake itself is soft and fluffy with the cream cheese icing adding the perfect amount of tartness to balance the sweetness of the cake. As you can see, it was almost too pretty...Almost!

Sorry for the hiatus guys. Danny and I went away for vacation and I apologize for falling off the map. I'm still working on balancing blogging vs. unplugging from technology and being present with those around me. I'd love to hear about how you balance social media and family. Thanks so much for stopping by!

XO,
Tiffany