Patriotic Party...God Bless American Style:

Dear Margaret,

I love your 4th of July pics (obvi bc I had picked some of the same ones haha)..I love this time of year where we get to dress in All American duds and the smells of outdoor barb-e-ques and firework smoke fill the neighborhoods! We are very blessed to live in such an amazing country! Here are some of my fave patriotic looks and delicious recipes!

xo,

Kara

1.) Gucci bag here
2.)Krispie Skewer Recipe here
3.) Inspiration pic from Pinterest; love everything
about this look!

Both bikini and cut out tee from Planet Blue

1.) Chanel look taken from Pinterest; um obsessed.
2.) Red, White, and Blue Sangria recipe here!! Genius.
3.) Precious matching shorts/crop top set from Planet Blue

1.) Inspiration: Brigitte Bardot looking white hot in her bikini.
2.) Gucci nautical suit from net-a-porter.. timeless.

1.) Precious Patterson J. Kincaid Star Blazer from Shopbop.com.. 
so cute with the pale pink jeans.
2.) "All American girl" styling inspiration pic taken from Pinterest
3.) Fresh American Flag berry and cheese platter recipe here.

1.) Classic American style inspiration pic taken from Pinterest. Can't go wrong
with this look! Or with a Birkin:)
2.) Current/Elliott faded denim star jacket from shopbop.com.
3.) Red, White, and Blue(cheese) pita pockets recipe here

1.) Carrie Underwood rockin a Haute Hippie flag tank..
available at: Pink Lagoon Boutique (call)
2.) Jamie Oliver's refreshing and healthy berry
 red, white, and blue "ice cream" made with yogurt.

1.) Stars and Stripes Equipment Star tie blouse..Relaxed and in spirit:)
2.) Amazing Isabel Marant peasant blouse and cool Rag and Bone cut offs- a subtle way to
express your patriotism. Available at net-a-porter.com
3.) Blue Life striped dress with stunning back detail.. the perfect cover up. At: Planet Blue

"American Beauty":

"Photographed by Vogue alumna Claiborne Swanson Frank, American Beauty features over 100 portraits of quintessentially American women such as Lily Aldridge, Solange Knowles, and Jenna Lyons—each of whom possesses an original blend of grit, grace, glamour, and gravitas that echo far beyond the pages of this oversize hardcover."

July 4th Spirit

Dear Kara,

That lotion sounds like miracle goodness, Ill have to order some.

Not sure if you have been shopping lately but I couldn't help but notice all the patriotic clothing. From Intermix to J.Crew, stores are sporting this season's stars, stripes, red, white, and blue everywhere. There are two cuts: Hippie Americano and the Capri Americano. I particularly love the Harley Davidson tank and the red and white striped shorts.

Enjoy!

XOXOXOXO
Margaret

 Pics 1-5 the clothing is from Planet Blue, http://shopplanetblue.com/
Pic 6 the clothing is from Nasty Gal, http://www.nastygal.com/whats-new/?gclid=CMLo-ene77ACFUFo4AodZDyxwA
Pic 7 is from J.Crew, http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp

Best Beauty Secret from Celeb Trainer Tracy Anderson:

Dear Margaret,


   What a cool weekend get away.. that's so nice that y'all get to escape the heat every weekend and bring the pups! Love the "hatch" pic shout out too:)


   While I was in L.A. last week for market, my mom and I did some shopping on the side at Fred Segal in Santa Monica.. I could get lost in there for hours:) Anyways, their beauty department is one of my favorites and to my delight, they had out testers for the product "Prtty Peaushun" (pronounced pretty potion), which I've been dying to try ever since reading about it in an article on celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson's "favorite products" list. She uses it in all of her photo shoots, videos, and interviews.. and recommends it to all of her clients. It's like a silky, shimmery, light-reflecting, camouflaging, bronzing, "insider's secret" skin lotion all in one-Brilliant. So I bought the "medium tint" pouch and am obsessed.. such a good product for the summer time when we wear shorts/bikinis/mini dresses etc. and are in the natural light-wolf:) Here's the descrption:

"The formula was originally created by top celebrity make up artist Bethany Karlyn for photo shoots but after years of requests from her clients such as Tracy Anderson, Nicole Richie, Cate Blanchett and Gwyneth Paltrow to name but a few, she launched the lotion.

Prtty Peaushun contains subtle light reflecting particles in a natural emollient base, which gives the skin a beautiful and flattering sheen. The effect can be likened to that of a light tinted moisturiser for the body as the lotion helps to cover minor imperfections and enhances definition. The formula is natural, fragrance free and contains no toxic nasties.

Natural ingredients such as avocado oil, grapefruit, jojoba and green tea extracts all work together to lift, firm and tighten the skin.

If that wasn’t enough, the lotion also helps to diminish the appearance of cellulite, stretch marks and varicose veins, leaving you with a slimmer and smoother silhouette.

Prtty Peushun is available in five shades from plain to deep dark. Shake the pouch thoroughly first before you apply, then allow to dry completely before getting dressed."

Get it!

xoxo,

Kara

The pouch.. Buy it here

A glowing Tracy Anderson

 A sunkissed Gwenny

A flawless Nicole

Weekend away Mystic CT

Dear Kara,

Your Utah trip sounds amazing! I have never been to a place like that and I am sure I would love it.

Michael and I have vowed that every weekend this Summer we want to spend away.  (Summer heat in the city gets disgusting, especially with the dogs.) Most weekends we'll be at his family's home in Amagansett (A part of the Hamptons) but this weekend it was rented by one of Elvis Castello's band members. Instead we decided to take an adventure to Mystic, CT. The Mystic, as in one of the best movies ever, Mystic Pizza. I also learned that New England = the land of SAAB & Suburu cars. The traffic was horrendous so we didn't end up getting in till about ten pm on Friday night. Saturday we rented a children's bike caddy and took a lovely bike ride around the area with Moses and Delia in tow. The New England area was just beautiful and we had great weather. After our bike ride we took a walk down the nature trail that bordered our hotel, The Inn at Mystic. By the time we finished that excursion we were dying for a swim. We took a dip in the ocean and the dogs got their toes wet. They had already taken a full on swim in a pond earlier. That night we had lobster crepes, clam chowder and stuffed lobster at the hotel. All were delish! Here are some pics....the last one is one just for you!

XOXOXOXOXOX,
Margaret

The Inn at Mystic

The Inn at Mystic...The pond where the dogs took a swim

The view from our room

My bike set up, you can barely tell but the dogs are in there

The "children", Moses & Delia

Our nature walk after the long ride

There were flags everywhere, loved the patriotism (We sport a flag off our balcony)

This is where we swam, it was SO refreshing. (Then we headed to the hotel pool)

Such cute New England homes

Another New England home

The Real Deal!

:)

Red Mountain Resort Trip; Best Weight Loss Tip Discovered:

Dear Margaret,

     Those appetizers look amazing (minus the octopus:).. I love the way you impromptu wine and dine in NYC! I'm in need of a trip there soon:)

     Speaking of trips, I want to tell you about my Red Mountain Resort wellness trip to Utah with Jenny! I haven't felt this rested and at peace in a long time. Here is a typical day for us: 

    Wake up at 6 a.m. in order to hit up the healthy breakfast buffet before our daily hike. The buffet offered just about everything and in a nutritious manner.. there were buckwheat pancakes, steel cut oats, hard boiled eggs, millet toast, fresh fruit, coffee with organic soy milk, organic chicken sausage, tofu scrambles, etc etc.. a dream come true. And the best part about it was that it had the nutrition facts posted on the buffet menu. Love that.. so you know what you're getting into:) Then we would meet for our daily hike and be gone from 7-10ish.. just in time to be back for stretch class or yoga (there are various classes offered all throughout the day). The dining room is open between meals where they offer refreshing fruits, cold water, and Tazo passion fruit iced tea (it's 105 degrees there so def necessary). Then we would hit the pool and read/chat for a couple of hours before lunch (same buffet style with nutritional info, offering salad bar, daily soups, lean meats, etc). We would then return to the pool for water aerobics class or more reading...or, one day we scheduled a massage in the afternoon (much needed and deserved after all the exercise), where we steamed and lounged in the plush reclining chairs over looking the mountains before our treatments. Finally, we would get showered and ready for our sit down peaceful dinner where we would order from a menu of different entree specials (again, with nutritional info). In addition, you get salad bar, daily fresh soup, and choice of decadent dessert! Then we would go back to our rooms and hit the hay early so we would be refreshed for our next morning hike! You have got to come here! Now, for the best part of the trip....

    When we arrived, we received a schedule of all the offered events. I noticed there were a couple of seminars available by author and M.D. Michelle May (who just coincidentally happened to be there the same time as us) about her book, "Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat". So, being the health and nutrition nut that I am, I signed us right up for her guided lunch of "how to eat mindfully". Best $25 I've ever spent. In that hour, she changed the way I view food. Of course, we bought her book, which I highly recommend to anyone who has ever struggled with dieting, guilt, overeating, etc. She helps you change the way you think about food and how to live a mindful, balanced lifestyle. You can read the first chapter here to see if it's for you.  We even ended up on the same hike as her and of course were asking her a million questions haha. She's been on Dr. Oz show-how cool?! and lives here in Phoenix too! Here's a little more about her book:

"After twenty years of yo-yo dieting, physician Michelle May discovered a peaceful, joyful relationship with food. With down-to-earth language and uncommon sense, she offers a rare prescription for optimal health of the body, mind, heart, and spirit. Dr. May will help you:

·    Stop obsessing about food and start loving it ·    Resolve mindless and emotional eating ·    Rediscover when, what, and how much to eat without restrictive rules ·    Learn the truth about nutrition in clear and practical terms ·    Stop using exercise as punishment for eating ·    Experience the pleasure of eating the foods you love—without guilt or bingeing 

·    Develop powerful patterns of thinking to live the balanced, vibrant life you desire"    

    Anyways, it was the most amazing experience full of joy and learning and I'm feeling renewed, refreshed, and inspired. Here are some pics!

xoxo,

Kara

Me and Jenny 1st day hiking. Gorgeous mountains and vibrant sage bushes.

Hiking with Dr. May. Such an honor. Can purchase her book here: 

Jenny getting ready for yoga.. how cute are these blankets they
had for us to prop up on... so boho:)

They had a gift shop too with amazing books like this one;
My delicious vegetarian stuffed poblano pepper served on a polenta cake for dinner;
Milled flax seed offered at breakfast to sprinkle on oatmeal, cereal, and/or yogurt;
Every night we ended dinner with Tazo 'calm' tea and a dried ginger/papaya digestif

These cushiony Thorlo Experia hiking socks we bought at the gift
shop made all the difference; more hiking/view pics. 

Here's a sample of our dinner menu one night:)

Sophisticated Apps...

Dear Kara,

Your trip sounds like an awesome time. I love all the Holiday stuff and especially the tributes to McQueen. That new ombre/dip dye brand looks like all must haves.

So last night Michael and another couple went to a spur of the moment dinner at Salinas. None of us had been and we didn't realize what we were in for. The Spanish restaurant is Michelin rated and has been in tons of magazines and reviews. Needless to say everything was amazing! I got some great appetizer ideas....These I can easily see myself trying at home when hosting a dinner party.

-Lamb Meatballs served over a pickled cucumber, drizzled in tomato sauce with Manchego cheese, scallions finely chopped and a mini crispbread on top. I love the idea of using lamb instead of your classic blend. I also love the introduction of the cucumber slice and crispbread, both added dimension.

-The ever classic Jamon Serrano and Manchego Cheese. First of all Manchego cheese is my favorite cheese. It is a hard cheese and on the lighter side, comparable to Parmesan in calories/fat, and is wonderful paired with Jamon. This app is easy to prepare and always a hit. It is one of my favorites to serve when having guests.

-Octopus finely cut served over a poached potato slice and caramelized onions. I love how the octopus is cut because most of the time it is cut in thicker pieces. This octopus was cooked to perfection and wasn't the least bit chewy. (Kara I know you aren't a fan but I think you would have liked this one) This is something I haven't tried at home but I would like to start practicing...

-Crispy Quail wrapped in bacon with pan seared apple, green onion and mushrooms in a balsamic reduction. These little suckers were like the chicken wings sophisticated friend. They were amazing and full of flavor. I am told surprisingly not that hard to make.

Lamb Meatballs 

Jamon Serrano & Manchego Cheese

Octopus (We ordered a second round it was so good)

Bacon Wrapped Quail

L.A. Market Preview for "Holiday" Deliveries:

Dear Margaret,

    I love that Documentary (Fat, Sick, and nearly Dead).. the guy loses tons of pounds and many of his illnesses vanish.. definitely goes to show how proper nutrition can heal our bodies and nourish our overall wellness while habitual eating of processed foods slowly poisons our bodies (can you tell I'm passionate about the issue haha). Anyways... I just got back from a week long trip: first part at La market, second part in Utah at Red Mountain Resort wellness spa. Such different trips but both so much fun. I'll catch you up on Utah next post, until then here is my update for Los Angeles market for Holiday:

    Charley (lil bro) came with us so we went a day early and hung out in Malibu with my amazing God Mother. We ate lunch by the beach, admired the water, shopped at Cross Creek (Kitson, Planet blue, Intermix, Maxfields, etc etc), enjoyed a fresh pressed greens juice at Pressed Juicery, checked out her incredible new ocean view home, and got back to Manhattan beach just in time for sunset cocktails and dinner... Not a bad day!

    The next three days we spent in downtown LA at the apparel marts. This is what we saw for this coming Holiday 2012: 

Sequins (this time with prints, which was nice), fur and faux fur jackets and scarves with cool embellishments like leather trimming, leather trimmed everything, silky and printed holiday blazers, cross jewelry, deep jewel colored furs, skull printed sweaters, dresses, and blouses (I will forever love my skulls), textured/embellished blouses, metallic shorts with chunky knits, snakeskin skinnies, and still a lot of: Aztec, neons, animal prints, and lace. Here are some of our favorites...all will be available at c.jane and/or pink lagoon boutiques during holiday deliveries! 

xoxo,

Kara

 Charley and I in Malibu, the cutest Pendleton 
towels at Kitson, and Pressed Juicery juice truck.

Chunky Joie sweater and fun Chan Luu jewels

Amazing Aztec overnight bags, leather
cross-bodies, and Tai skinny cross bracelets.

Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent showroom (my fave),
gorgeous bright embroidered and leather embellished duds.

My fave line we picked up at Findings showroom:
Raquel Allegra. Her dip dyed fabrics are so luscious
and the distressed draping is perfectly placed. The
ultimate way to comfortably dress effortlessly chic.

Oversized leopard sweater, faux fur blush bomber with
 embellished blouse, and silky floral print holiday blazer.

Fur scarf/shawl combo with leather fringe accents, champagne
satin embellished evening shoe, slouchy suede boots (just like my
Isabel Marants:), fun oversize skull tee- long live McQueen!

Sequin floral ruffle dress, amazing teal fur bomber, beautiful
Cynthia Dugan artsy necklaces, Hermosa Beach at dusk:)