Fab Finds

I named this blog Stuff I Spend My Money On not because I’m a shopaholic, debt-ridden 20something, but because I think you’ll dig the stuff I buy.

Here’s what I found today:

$6 for the set at target.

I found these adorable little ceramic owls in the discount department at Target and had to have them for our new apartment (someday.) Not sure if I’ll end up putting anything in them, but I figure they’ll at the very least make cute bookends.

on sale for $10 at target.

I hopped on the fedora band wagon a while ago, but I thought this one was a little twist on my basic straw/black band style. This is a light grey version of the classic and I can’t wait to pair it with my basic black maxi dress for a weekend at the vineyard.

on sale for $10 at old navy.

I really can’t own enough pairs of wedges — and for $10, I couldn’t walk away.

buy 3 get 3 free at bath and body works.

My mom and I made what was supposed to be a quick stop in Bath & Body Works and ended up leaving with 6 of these 8 oz. bottles of body mist and two amazing smelling handsoaps. Sensual Amber was my favorite — a late summer night kind of smell.

under $5 each at target.

Summer is in full swing and a daily leave-in conditioner is a must. Andddd I love all aussie products.

Just for a little taste of how we kicked off our shopping experience….

thanks, old navy.

Kahlua – Minus the Alcohol

i mean, how could i say no to that face?

I started last week with a lovely night with the boyfriend and our new obsession: the outdoor fire-pit. Around 9PM we were graced from the woods with the presence of the tiniest of creatures and the newest member of our family, Kahlua. Full of fleas, ear mites and missing any fat whatsoever, we took her into Tim’s bathroom where she camped out for a couple of days before a much-needed trip to the vet.

after her flea dip

A week, a couple of shots, a nice flea dip, and some delicious Fancy Feast Kitten later, she’s leaping from furniture, purring up a storm at the sound of my voice and starting to put on a little weight. Oh– and terrorizing/lovingly getting to know our beloved Chowder and of course, Hammie.

chowder tolerating her cuteness

Never thought I’d be a cat person, but I’m slowly turning into the not-TOO-crazy cat lady. Ah well, at least I’m not at Animal Hoarder level. Yet.

Welcome Home, Lua!

my youngest cousin reading to her

“i love Netflix!”

my favorite furry little ones

Celebrating the Little Things

Today is mine and my boyfriend’s 5 1/2 year anniversary.

5 1/2 years of graduating from high school, applying to colleges, moving to a new city, two 21st birthdays, sorority rush, a million projects, one (almost 2!) college graduations, and some amazing Thai food later, we’re as happy as we’ve ever been.

As I’m about to start a new chapter of my life — moving back to Maryland, becoming a real person and finding a big-kid job — and I’ve been looking back a lot over the past few years and I can’t imagine doing any of it without him. He makes me a better person and keeps my crazy in check.

I’m a lucky girl to have such a great boyfriend

happy anniversary, Tim!

Celebrating the Day AFTER Valentine’s Day

Every year, right around February 10th, a sense of panic consumes my boyfriend. After over five years of dating he still gets confused about what to do around holidays, birthdays and anniversaries… somehow it’s a shock that I turn another year older every mid January (did I mention his birthday is two days after mine?)

To make things slightly less stressful, I proposed we celebrate what I consider truly the most romantic day of the year – February 15th.

Have you ever seen those people picking through 70% off heart-shaped boxes of truffles, sparkly red glitter headgear and the few boxes of conversation hearts hanging out in the corner of CVS’ shelving? Yeah — those are my people.

Anyone who would choose to dine at a ridiculously crowded restaurant with an insane prefix menu and buy a dozen red roses the morning of the 14th is crazy. The 15th is the new 14th. Go with it.

For my frugal efforts, I was awarded with 24 gorgeous pink roses (which apparently they were almost paying people to take,) adorable heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and the most hilariously round plush little woodland creature ever created.

Dinner (made by moi) consisted of bruschetta, penne alla vodka, salad and a sweet bottle of chianti.

BRUSCHETTA

Place fresh-cut baked with drizzled olive oil on a cookie sheet and place in the broiler for about 1 minute.

Take out and place fresh mozzarella slices onto the bread and place back in the broiler for another 2 minutes or so (check every so often so you aren’t burning the bread!)

 Cut two small tomatoes into fourths and blend in a food processor (or chop if you’re not lazy like I am) until small enough for a salsa-like mix. then, do the same with fresh basil, adding a bit of olive oil to the mix. Add the two blends together with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix and place onto melted cheese/bread from the broiler. EASY, delicious appetizer in less than 20 minutes.

SALAD

For the salad (I apparently didn’t take a photo of this) I used mixed greens, one peeled and sliced cucumber, slices of an asian pear and  croutons along with my boyfriend’s mother’s homemade salad dressing recipe:

2 tbs apple cider vinegar

1 tbs dijon mustard

1 tbs shallots

5 tbs olive oil

pinch of salt & pepper

whisk or use a food processor to mix and viola! amazing salad dressing

 PENNE ALLA VODKA

I first had this dish when I was in Florence and completely fell in love with it. A spicy mix of savory and heat make this pasta dish a must for any italian cuisine lover. I’ll admit this recipe takes a bit of time, but with some patience, it will come out delicious! *I used whole grain pasta* 

 

I hope everyone had a fabulous *post* Valentine’s Day!

Vintage Bar Set

These things are true: I love everything vintage. I love flea markets. I love hosting. And I love drinking.

So, when I made my way down to the Welfleet Flea Market in Cape Cod a couple weeks ago, I naturally gravitated towards the tables full of old sea-glass bottles, serving trays straight out of the 1960s and almost everything a girl could want to put together a vintage bar set.

I came across this amazing, hand-made bottle opener on a table full of old war memorabilia, mostly from Vietnam. The 60-something-year-old vendor told me he had been collecting one-of-a-kind bottle openers for years and this one belonged to a set of animals once upon a time.

This fully functional ice-crusher is a fabulous addition to our growing collection and is great for making frappes (crushed ice, out-of-freezer glass, and whiskey), says the guy who sold it to me.

I actually found this piece in Provincetown, MA at Drinkx, an adorably eclectic shop dedicated to all things drinking. I realize it’s not technically vintage, but the bright orange/white color combo and the pattern said Darren from Bewitched’s after-work drink to me. You can find it here.

I’m still working on putting the pieces together — I’m in need of a really interesting drink tray, quartz-glass shot glasses, an ice bucket (my mom says her mother’s has my name on it ) fun stirrers and coasters, and of course, the actual cart to put it all on. Any suggestions?

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Raspberry Wine Spritzer

After a long day, a warm summer night deserved something special.

Raspberry Wine Spritzers

Pour three-fourths of your glass with white or red wine ( I used a chardonnay here )

Fill the rest with Sprite

Drop fresh or frozen raspberries into the glass

Enjoy!

Home is Where…

After a long semester of ridiculous classes, way too many extra curricular activities and a busy social scene I was able to take a week of rest and relaxation at home in Maryland.

I had a great time lounging in the cool, summer grass in my front yard, eating my mom’s home cooking and debating politics with my dad.

Even though I loved it all, there were a few things I had to stop and tag as a favorite:

DC <3

My parents and I took a twilight bus tour of some of the DC monument and sites. We were the only locals on the tour — ah well, it was great to see the city in the early summer.

Woodside Deli's AMAZING Chicken Noodle Soup

If you’re ever in Maryland, GO to Woodside Deli. All around, their food is great, but you haven’t had real chicken noodle soup until you’ve had theirs. This soup just tastes like home.

Puppy Love <3

And of course I missed my dog, Hammie. After the initial silent treatment for leaving him to go back to Boston yet again, he warmed back up to me and spent a sweet night cuddling up to me. Nothing better than an animal’s love, right?

Missing

I’m not so much missing being in Europe right now, but some certain things that came long with it.

Pastries and Sweets from Angelina's Bakery in Paris

I’m missing the handmade treats that kept me smiling for hours

The Berlin Wall

I’m missing the overwhelming history I’d fall upon everywhere I went

Marrakech, Morocco

I miss all the new, exciting adventures I’ll never forget

Leprechaun Museum. Dublin, Ireland.

I miss being silly, just because.

Cat Sanctuary. Roma, Italia.

I miss the ridiculousness of having Roman ruins inhabited by hundreds of cats down the street

Figure from the Four Rivers Fountain. Piazza Navona, Roma, Italia.

Being surrounded be works from the most incredible and amazing artists to ever live

Rome Zoo. Roma, Italia.

And most of all — I miss spending every day with my amazing friends

Need a Little VDay Inspiration?

I created this for one of my classes, but thought it would be fun to post it for you guys too. I’ve included links at the bottom of the page to all the extras.

Click on the post to enlarge OR click HERE!

Happy almost Valentine’s Day!

Top Picked Romantic Movies

Mini Chocolate Cupcakes

Super Fudgy Brownies – use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make them extra sweet!

Handmade Quilled VDay Cards

Photos and Recipes courtesy of MarthaStewart.com and Food.com