An Immaculate Bathroom

I have held out on sharing what I loved most about our hotel this weekend: the all-white bathroom in the guest rooms.  I've been searching high and low for inspiration to apply to our own home and didn't know just what I wanted, so we held off on new bathrooms for this recent renovation.  But with linoleum floors, cheap cabinetry and aging fixtures, you better believe they will get their pretty facelifts as soon as I'm ready with a plan.  I just fell in love with the all white bathroom look this weekend, and I am confident that the look will be perfect for our bathrooms.  What do you think?

I love the addition of grey in the marble and bath tile.  houzz.com

David Jimenez's work in House Beautiful

A scenic bathroom designed by William Hodgens featured in House Beautiful.

If my morning started in one of these, I think I'd love getting up for work in the morning. 

Cheers!

Ana

{We're Obsessed!} Miami Loves

We leave Miami today to return to our two cities, and to work, but wanted to write a note about the fun things we've noticed here and have come to love:


1) The Miami Vice cocktail.  Half Pina Colada, half strawberry dauquiri, 100 percent awesome.

Photo: google.com

2) Cat eye sunglasses.  All the glamouri walking around have these sunglasses and they look so cool.  We decided we love them.

Ray Ban Sunglasses, Nordstrom.com

3) Ida and Harry Boutique:  Located in the Fontainebleau hotel, this boutique is a one stop destination for the newest and most unique in fashion.  Example: I have this pinboard of my latest lusts from the runways and this store carried all of them.  Including sold-out Valentino shoes that I couldn't find anywhere else.  Holla!

photo: fountainebleau.com shopping page

4) Beach weather:  We so lucked out.  The forecast was spotty, promosing isolated storms every single day.  Fortunately, we were only given gorgeous sun and spent our days on the beautiful beach of the hotel. 

5) Girl time!!!  It was fun!

Cheers!

Ana

{Good Grapes Destination} Miami Beach, FL

Sorry for the lack of blog posts this week!  We've been busy planning our ladies' weekend to Miami.  We are here celebrating Cristi's 25th birthday, which happens to be today.  Jackie celebrated her birthday Wednesday and getting together in Miami sounded like the perfect way to party!  I've always benefitted from their birthdays, since my parents feel bad leaving me out of the gifts.  We were showered with beautiful gifts from mom and dad yesterday and I feel especially spoiled!  Happy birthday to my awesome sisters!  I love you!



Photos: above, Pinterest; below, Hotels.com




The Foutainebleu Hotel, where we are staying



Cheers!

Ana

Wine Wednesday!

What a lovely trip to Asheville we had over the long weekend!  Even lovelier was finding out that our tour of the Biltmore Estate included a wine tasting at their famed winery.  OH. EM. GEE y'all, what a surprise it was to see at least 20 varietals all available for tasting and ALL incredibly delicious.  The estate has a wine club and I'm thinking that I may reward myself with membership after my house projects are completed.  We sampled the tasting included in the price of admission, and I was in love.  For a little bit more, visitors can taste their premium selections, which also include sparkling wines, and if what we tasted was so wonderful I can't imagine what the premium wines would taste like!  

I was split for favorites between the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Cardinal's Crest - two very different reds.  Their reds were just excellent.  We sampled seven!  We bought the Cardinal's Crest to enjoy with dinner that night because it was a lighter red, versatile, and easy to drink outside while reading up in the mountains.  It had strong notes of fruit and a very smooth finish.  I want to go back for more!

Enjoying wine at the cabin

 That's me, at the Biltmore

Dallas wine lovers can find Biltmore wines at Kroger, Central Market and Majestic Liquors.  DC area wine lovers can find the wines at Best Cellars, World Market, Giant, Harris Teeter and Total Wine.  Wine.com also offers the fine wines.  To find a retailer near you, click here.

Cheers!

Ana

Pecan Crusted Chicken

It's officially football season and that means football watching parties and food!  I've got the perfect recipe for the next time your friends invite you over and you don't want to show up empty handed.  These Pecan Crusted Chicken tenders are easy to make and a crowd pleaser. 

Stephanie Foley, Everyday with Rachael Ray

Ingredients:

1 cup pecans crumbs (I grind mine in the food processor or blender)

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1/4 cup honey mustard

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour pecans into a shallow baking dish (I use a Pyrex pie dish).  Stir in bread crumbs and basil.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Rub each chicken breast with honey mustard, then coat with pecan mixture.  Place on non-stick baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil (I use about 1 tablespoon).  Bake until juices run clear, about 15-20 minutes. 

This is a Rachael Ray Take 5 Recipe and I use chicken breast tenders instead of whole breasts.  Sometimes I get fancy and use this same method only on large cooked shrimp, baking until golden.

On another note, not much to report on the house because I've been away and not really getting it together domestically, but I did manage to set up Z's man cave bar in time for some good old game watching.

Sorry for the blur... still no camera!

More on the home improvements in upcoming posts, I promise.  You can check out my dining room transformation at Emerald Cidade, one of our favorite blogs!

Cheers!

Ana 

{Good Grapes Destination} Asheville, North Carolina

It has been a whirlwind summer and it's all winding down with what I hope is a relaxing weekend in the mountain home we've rented in the Appalachians.  We plan to spend our days in nearby Asheville, which I've only heard amazing things about over and over.  I am so looking forward to this trip.  It's my first solo getaway with Z since Italy in January... and we've been on planes to one destination or another more weekends than not this year!  Always for friends and family, so this time it's just about us.  I didn't do a ton of research, but I did ask a few friends for 'musts' while visiting, and we've selected a few venues we will absolutely check out.  The rest of the time will be spent reading, sitting, sleeping... you know, the things I'm supposed to have time to do in normal life. 

We're definitely touring the Biltmore Estate (where I hear they have a fabulous cellar!)

google images

We're stopping by Pisgah Brewery to enjoy a band Z loves - Del McCoury Band

Attend the North Carolina Apple Festival (ummm the breakfast alone makes me want to be there now!)

italianfood.net

We are popping in to dine at Tupelo Honey Cafe

So that's our weekend!  How will you spend yours?  

Cheers!

Ana

{Thrifty Thursday} Party Stemware

Pinterest

I laughed out loud reading yesterday's Michaela Noelle Designs' Loves me, Loves Me Not series post.  Courtney had me cracking up, and coincidentally, we both share a similar loathing of sipping bubbles (and vino too) from plastic, assembly-required stemware.  I know this is often a go-to for party hosts and hostesses, but they aren't necessarily a money saver and for me, they take so much away from the taste of wine.  Don't know about you, but I always prefer to drink out of shiny, breakable glass. 

If I set this standard for myself, I must for my guests as well and that's why I keep 'party' cases of glasses in my storage closet.  For $8 ($9.99 plus a 20% off BBB discount coupon), you can serve a dozen of your friends in actual glass stemware.  They also sell a set of a dozen beautiful 18.5 oz. red wine glasses ($16 after the coupon is applied) that are identical to my Crate and Barrel Viv red wine glasses.  The cheaper stemware mixes with my registry set so nicely at parties, I can't even tell the difference in my 'everyday casual' vs 'party cheap' until I am washing them by hand and can notice teeny discrepancies.  Next time you have a large party to host, stop by your local Bed Bath and Beyond, take your coupons (and they even honor expired ones), do your friends a favor, and serve them in glass stemware.  They will appreciate you!

Bday party and glasses everywhere!

 

Entertain Stemware, $9.99/12 and Red Wine Glasses, $19.99/12

Cheers!

Ana