{whatever wednesday}

{Fashion Pronunciation Cheat Sheet}

{Favorite NYFW Street Style Look 1: Chiara Ferragni}

{Favorite NYFW Street Style Look 2:  Late Afternoon}

{Kate Spade's Kitschy and Japanese-inspired Handbags}

{Next Must Have?:  Alexander Wang Boots}

{Already musing for fall:  Alice + Olivia Fall 2014}

Favorite NYFW Looks

"Fashion is what you're offered four times a year by designers and style is what you choose."

Oscar de la Renta

Rodarte

Vera Wang

Ostwald Helgason

Badgley Mischka

Temperly London

Lela Rose

Tory Burch

Michael Kors

Diane von Furstenberg

Zac Posen

Photo Credits; Harpers Bazaar, ELLE, Fashionista, The Fashion Spot, WWD, Style.com

What's Cookin' Good Lookin'?

Black Bean Fiesta Veggie Burgers and Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

Lately, I've been trying to get in to cooking and baking more.  I'm really good at spending countless hours and minutes browsing recipes and drooling over pictures, but have a hard time deciding on what to make.  Overall, I'm a healthy eater, love spicy dishes, and am not a big meat eater, so figured this Black Bean Fiesta Veggie Burger with Spicy Slaw would be perfect for my first home-cooked vegetarian meal.

Black Bean Fiesta Burgers

makes 6 burgers

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups black beans, drained/canned (unsalted)
3 Tbsp fine bread crumbs
3/4 cup baked/mashed sweet potato
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro - including stems
1/3 cup diced white onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp chopped garlic
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp lime juice
1/2 jalapeno, diced/de-seeded
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast - or use more bread crumbs
a few dashes of chipotle powder or cayenne for extra heat

1 bag Broccoli Slaw

Special Spicy Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
2 tsp garlic hot sauce

6 whole wheat burger buns
6 round onion slices and 6 round tomato slices
optional: lime-juice spritzed avocado slices (not shown in burger photos - but recommended!)

Directions
1. Mix together slaw, mayo, and hot sauce and refrigerate.

2. Next up, prepare the burgers. Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor. You can also mash well by hand - but a fp is a tad faster. Next, hand-form burger patties with the mixture and place them on a lightly greased baking sheet. I like to roll my burgers in a touch of bread crumbs so that they have nice crisp edges.  (I mashed mine by hand)

3. Bake your burgers at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before assembling burgers. The last 5 minutes of cooking - add your burger buns to the oven to warm/toast them. (Toasted bunz-Very important)

4. Assemble those burgers! Warm bun, spread of special sauce, tomato, onion, optional avocado, burger, fiesta slaw and finally another slather of the special spicy sauce on the top bun.

{assemble}

{serve and enjoy. NOMZ}

Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

Now, now...like I said, I typically eat healthy, but I'm a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate.  I had been dying to try this recipe for weeks and got around to it.  Mine didn't turn out quite as pretty as the pictures, but whatever.

Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

Ingredients
16 oz fat free Cool Whip  (I accidentally bought the 8 oz size)
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (Since I had half the amount of Cool Whip, I altered to half a cup on PB)
16-20 reduced fat Oreos

Directions
1.  Line the bottom of a standard loaf pan with 8 Oreos.  (I broke some of mine apart to fit better)

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and Cool Whip.  Pour half the mixture over the Oreos.

3.  Line another 8 Oreos on top of the Cool Whip layer.  Pour remaining peanut butter and Cool Whip mixture on top.

4.  Top with crumbled Oreos, drizzle melted peanut butter, chocolate, and/or all three. (optional) 

5.  Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight.  Freeze it for easier cutting and a more ice-cream like texture.

{Clearly I did not do the freezing method.  Presentation?  Not there.  Taste?  Phenomenal}

It SHOULD have looked like this:

See the full recipes here:
Black Bean Fiesta Veggie Burgers
Peanut Butter Oreo Icebox Cake

Dear Diary.

This is the best post I've read in a while:
26, unmarried, and childless.

I've shared it and went the distance to text it to close single friends who are in the same boat.

I'm not married, I don't have children, I'm 27 and feel that "sad/worried/concerned" emotion when people ask me if I'm dating anyone and feel the need to reassure them that I'm fine...I'm not here to throw a pitty party.  I'm single and finally happy, have a dog, living life how I want to rather than consistently living to please others.  I'm going out, meeting people, enjoying myself, having fun, isn't that what your 20's are for? (after all, my sister swears I was born to be a socialite, it may have just taken me longer to accept the fact).

No, this isn't where I figured I would be in my life.  When I was 7, 21 sounded old to me.  As a little girl playing with Barbies, I pictured I would have the scenic, flawless grey house, red shutters with the white picket fence in Kirkwood, married at 22, children by 25 and living "happily ever after."

That didn't pan out according to plan and I can honestly say I'm thankful it didn't.  I'm glad I didn't end up with the guy I dated at 16, at 18, at 21, at 26.  Not that I wasn't happy with them, at the time, I was.  Like every relationship, you have the highs and lows, which leads you to question your happiness and whether the lows are really worth fighting for and whether the fights are worth the battles.  I still haven't met the one worth fighting for and vice versa, and that's okay.  I appreciate the heartbreak, the chaotic roller coasters, the losing myself only to find myself, and the amazing family and friends that have put up with me through thick and thin.

"sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together"

Some days, you question why things didn't work out, why you're here, what the reason is and then you have to remind yourself that you may never know why and while searching for the reasons, you're never going to find them.  Yes, some days are harder than others but on those days, all you can do is stop, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are lucky, lucky for being here, being alive and well and that things could always be worse.  I'm sure one day (or can only hope) that I'll figure out my place, find that one that truly matters, thinks I'm the world and live that happily ever after fantasy life.  If not, I've accepted the fact that I'll adopt an Asian and Russian baby, have dogs, and be the best friend mom that I learned the best from.

{whatever wednesday}

{Cocktail Choice:  Black Dog Flip from Taste Bar}

{Best Instagram Followed this week:  dog_dada}

Barista chihuahua?  I mean, who wouldn't love viewing pictures of this sweet, long-haired pup on the daily?

{Honorable mention: dozerandluna}

{Most fashionable family photo of the week:  The Beckham brood at Fashion Week}

{Workout must have:  "I don't Sweat, I Sparkle" Slouchy Oversized Sweatshirt}

{Inspirational Words}

Pay attention to the little things, because when you really miss "the good old days," you miss the little things the most, like just laughing with someone special.

Bitter-Sweet

Valentine's Day.  
You either love to love it or you love to hate it...Either way, it's still about love.  I categorize myself as the bah-humbug love-to-hate type when it comes to this overrated Hallmark holiday...a bit bitter, I realize.  Don't get me wrong, hearts are my favorite shape, I enjoy the candy, sparkles, and clever little notes.  I simply feel if you truly love somebody, that should be expressed daily in some form, big or small, whether it's a simple "you look beautiful today," peonies and a favorite pizza on a random day in April, or a date night at that new restaurant in town.  Valentine's Day is just a silly excuse for people to get dressed all fancy, go to an over-priced dinner at a crowded restaurant, eat messy chocolate colored strawberries (while attempting to remain attractive while doing so), and pay an arm and a leg for a dozen roses to be delivered (after all, the flowers will just perish in less that a week anyways).

Regardless of your view of the holiday, you're bound to do something.  Here are some wardrobe ideas for the fancy dinner, night out with the girls, or movie and popcorn at home.

{Darling:  Pretty in Pink}

Darling:  If your "perfect" Valentine's Day would be catching a rock concert after dinner, the first look is definitely for you.  I mean, who wouldn't adore a sassy pucker printed midriff top and black leather skater skirt pairing?

{Dearest: Lady in Red}

Dearest:  La-la-la-Love.  We all know red is the color of the season, so why not dress like the she-devil?  Any of these looks will make that stud-muffin feel lucky to have you on his arm.

{Honey: Cozy Valentine}

Honey:  This would be my go-to look considering my ideal Valentine's Day would be spent at home with that special someone, a bottle of my preferred poison (vodka), a gourmet cupcake (with sprinkles, duh), an intense Wii session...or all the above with a group of close friends and Cards Against Humanity.  

{Damsel:  Bombshell Vixen}

Damsel:  Splendid for dinner, drinks, and dancing with the ladies.  Red and black will always be the sexiest colors (it's a proven fact) and guarantee for that head-turning, jaw-dropping wow factor that will cause the guys to stare.

{Bitter-Sweet}

Still not overly enthused with February 14th?  I couldn't contain my giggles when I stumbled across this gem of a sweater...It just spoke to me, literally.  Want it? Need it?
Buy it here: Go F*** Yourself Sweater 

So long, and Happy Valentine's Day, darling

Find all the other looks here:  missallierae on Polyvore

Be Mine Gift Guide

Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I put together a little Valentine's wishlist full of a variety of goodies that any girl would adore.  Whether you are spoiling yourself, shopping for a loved one, or dropping hints to the "clueless" male in your life, here's some some ideas that I hope help inspire you to make someone feel loved on Valentine's Day.

Gift Guide by missallierae

Gift Guide by missallierae