My Favorite Salad

I'm a salad person. The textures, the crunch, the thousands of different combinations...you can get so much from one simple dish.

My sister and I are obsessed with this Kale & Brussel Sprout Salad with Bacon (yes....bacon!) recipe. It's a weekly (who am I kidding, daily) staple in my house. I usually make a big batch of it for dinner and then have plenty of leftovers the next day for lunch. For dinner I usually grill up some chicken or salmon AND sometimes I add avocado which brings it to a whole new level.

The dressing is delicious and one you could put on pretty much any salad. 

For the Dressing:

• 2 tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbs dijon mustard
• 1 tsp shallot, finely minced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Salad:

• 1 pound brussel sprouts, finely shredded
• 2-3 cups thinly sliced kale
• 3-4 slices turkey bacon (or regular)
• 1/4 cup sliced and roasted almonds (good with walnuts, too!)
• 1/2 cup pecorino cheese (parmesan is good, too!)

Now What?

Combine the dressing ingredients and mix thoroughly. Mix the kale and brussel sprouts in a large bowl. Add in the almonds, cheese, and chopped bacon. Pour dressing on top and toss until all ingredients are combined.

All photos by me

I hope you enjoy!

Favorite Everyday Essentials

Today is all about my favorite everyday essentials I use to get ready. I'm pretty simple when it comes to a daily getting ready routine and these are some of my favorites.

I recently bought Dove's Dry Spray because I'd seen so many ads and people blogging about it that I had to try it for myself. I was a little unsure about it at first, but let me tell you, It's awesome! It really does dry immediately and lasts all day.

I love love love Rose Salve which can be used on lips, cuticles, elbows, knees, and chapped spots on your skin. It's light and is a sure fire way to cure dry and chapped skin. 

If you know me, you know that I have very fine and flat hair that get's dirty really easily. Enter Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo and Big Sexy Hair Powder Play. I love both these products which add volume to my otherwise boring hair. They are a bit on the pricier side but a little goes a long way. 

Rosy Lips Vaseline is another favorite of mine that I carry everywhere. It's tiny so very easy to throw in your purse or leave next to your bed. It softens your lips and adds a sheer tint for a little extra color!

What are some of your favorites? Comment below to share!

Spring Cleaning

I don't know about you, but I am totally loving the warmer weather we've been having. It is unusually warm here in DC, meaning spring is in the air!

I always try to kick off spring with a deep clean of my entire house and some solid organization. I've rounded up some of my must-have cleaning products that I always have on hand and added a few tips on how to make the most of your spring cleaning.

1. Baking Soda

Baking soda can be used for so much more than just baking! Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on a damp sponge or cloth and wipe surfaces of the kitchen, including sinks, countertops, refrigerator, the inside of the oven, and microwave. You can also deodorize and flush drains by pouring 1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Baking Soda down the drain while running warm tap water.

2. Sponge

For safe and effective bathroom cleaning, sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda lightly on a clean, damp sponge and scrub bathroom surfaces. Rinse thoroughly and wipe dry.

3. Vinegar

You might be surprised to know that vinegar is actually one of the best cleaning products that you probably always have on hand. Below are some ways you can use vinegar to help with your spring cleaning.

• Use vinegar to remove charcoal buildup to get your grill ready for some spring time grilling.
• Vinegar is great at killing germs! Use it on your bathroom sink and tub.
• Vinegar can help get rid of lime buildup. Make a paste of one teaspoon vinegar and two tablespoons salt to remove lime.

4. Rubber Gloves

Always use gloves when cleaning to protect your hands from the harshness of chemicals and germs.

5. Dish Soap

Did you know dish soap is a great way to clean patio furniture? Mix a few drops of dish soap in a bowl with warm water and wipe the patio furniture clean. Rinse with hose.

6. Hand Held Vacuum

I think that everyone should have one of these. They are great for vacuuming furniture, the stairs, your car, and hard to reach places.

7. Lemon

Lemon is great for cleaning. Freshen your garbage disposal by throwing in a few ice cubes, a handful of salt, and a few lemon peels. Lemon is also great for cleaning and deodorizing plastic containers. Simply rub half of a lemon and rinse with water.

8. Scrubbing Brush

These are essential in making sure you get a deep clean. I use these brushes to clean the shower/tub to make sure I'm getting all of the grime out! I also use these to clean our couches. Spray upholstery cleaner on your couch/chair and let it sit for a few minutes. Take the brush and rub the cleaner into the couch. Remove cleaner with a damp cloth and voila! It looks brand new!

I hope you find these tips helpful. What are some of your must-have spring cleaning products?

Recipe: Whole 30 Chicken Chowder

A few months ago I bought the Whole 30 book not necessarily to do a full on 30 days of it, but more to learn about the diet and to check out the different recipes. I made my first recipe from the book last week and it turned out amazing! It's very simple and has tons of flavor. What I really liked about this recipe is that I had most of the ingredients already on hand (which always makes me more likely to make the recipe). This recipe can also be altered very easily to include other veggies you have on hand. The broth is SO good and packed with flavor.

Hello delicious coconut milk!

All photos by me.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 45 Minutes

What You Need:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 pound boneless chicken thighs
• 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, 1-inch cubed
• 1 head broccoli cut into 1-inch pieces (save stems)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño (optional)
• 1 15.6 ounce can coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• Food processor/blender
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Medium sized pot
• Slotted spoon

What You'll Do:

Preheat Oven to 350

Mix salt, cumin, paprika, cayenne in a small bowl. Season chicken thighs evenly with spice mixture. Place the chicken in baking pan and roast for 20 minutes (time varies based on oven). Remove chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.

While chicken is roasting, add the broth to a medium sized pot. Bring to boil and add sweet potatoes. Cook over high heat until sweet potatoes are fork tender; about 10 minutes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the broth with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Add the broccoli stems, garlic, and jalapeño to the broth. Reduce the heat to medium high and boil for 15 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and coconut milk, and continue to boil until the broccoli is very tender, about 5 minutes. remove the pot from heat.

Transfer the broth and vegetables from the pot to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Place the blended mixture back into the pot and add the cooked chicken, sweet potatoes, and cilantro. Return the pot to medium heat, stir well, and cook for 2-3 minutes to reheat the chicken and sweet potatoes. Serve immediately.

Garnish the chowder with the fresh lime juice and finely chopped red onion.

I ended up freezing the leftovers to reheat for a busy weekday dinner!

What are some of your favorite Whole30 meals?

MLL Careers: Why Starting You Career as an Assistant is a Good Thing

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We all graduate from college with dreams of landing the perfect job, which usually doesn’t include scheduling meetings and making Starbucks runs multiple times a day as an assistant. I’m here to tell you why that IS the best way to start your career and give you a real life example…ME!

Let me tell you about my dreams as I walked across the stage during college graduation…

I spent the summer before entering my senior year of college interning at a magazine in the Bay Area. This particular magazine focused on “living in the west” and was full of recipes, gardening tips, fun weekend getaway ideas, and more. I loved it and thought that this internship would help me land a job at a magazine in a big city with a fat paycheck. I could picture myself walking into a beautifully decorated office with big glass doors, carrying a brand new bag to hold my brand new laptop, wearing my brand new heels, and sipping on a latte. I’m sure you can guess that it didn’t really happen that way.

Now let me tell you about the reality of my career…

My first job was as an Office Coordinator for a small and well regarded attorney recruiting firm in DC. For three years I had this job. My daily duties included answering calls, receiving resumes and entering them into the database, ordering office supplies, and picking up lunch (occasionally). Was this glamorous? Not at all. Did I learn a lot? Absolutely. Not only did I pick up skills on how to work in an office environment, but I focused on being the best employee I could be. It’s not hard to order supplies and send out a meeting invite BUT it is hard to continuously show your boss that you can go above and beyond what is asked and expected of you with a smile on your face. When you can do this well, you gain trust from your employer. With trust comes more responsibility. With more responsibility comes more exposure to people, places, and more knowledge.

After three years at the recruiting firm, I felt it was time to move on to something more challenging. I became an Executive Assistant at a nonprofit that supports startup communities. Although it was a non-profit, it had a true startup feel to it, so it was pretty crazy. My boss was (and still is) an extremely busy guy who was the founding CTO of a little (ok, big) company you may have heard of called Priceline. As you can imagine, his schedule was hectic and chaotic requiring me to learn how to conquer his ever changing calendar. It also required me to anticipate things going awry and having an action plan to get things back in order. I regularly interacted with the offices of well-known entrepreneurs like Steve Case, Kevin Plank, and Reid Hoffman. The exposure I got from these types of people and knowledge was huge. Maybe I was just an Executive Assistant, but how many people do you know that have exchanged e-mails or even met people like this? Probably not a ton.

Being a good Executive Assistant, Admin, Office Coordinator - whatever your job title may be – is hard. Really, really hard. Your days fly by, you have no idea what to expect when you get up in the morning, and one small error can mean a whole meeting falling to pieces. Bottom line: establish a good relationship with your boss and become his or her trusted confidant. Think about different career paths by getting involved in various projects within your company. Be the girl that everyone wants to know and use that gatekeeping power wisely. The experience a person gains from this type of job truly does open a ton of doors and creates a unique experience that enables you to learn a ton which might just land you that dream job.

Friday 5 - 3/4/2016

I've seen a lot of bloggers have a recurring weekly post that has similar content (i.e. Weekly Weakness, Friday Favorites, etc.) so I thought I'd hop on that bandwagon and start one of my own. Every Friday I'll be posting a "Friday 5" post where I discuss 5 awesome things from the week that either happened to me, I saw, read about, etc. I hope you enjoy!

Happy Weekend!

1. My husband and I finally began planning our summer trip to Washington & Oregon - yay for vacations!

2. Simple Yoga Stretches to Help Undo the Damage of Sitting All Day, um yes please!

3. This video of a dog carrying her babies - #idie

4. 10 Morning Practices to Create a Positive, Purposeful Day. I want to start implementing all of these!

5. ShopBop's spring sale is still ON! It ends tomorrow so grab some goodies before it's too late!

Monogrammed Favorites from Mark & Graham

It's no secret I love monograms and will find a way to monogram pretty much anything. From kitchen towels, to key chains, to doormats....I love it all. I recently stumbled upon Mark & Graham which has some of the cutest monogrammed stuff I've ever seen.

Below are some of my favorite monogrammed items from Mark & Graham, what are some of your favorites?

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven 

5 Productivity Tips from me to you

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I can’t tell you how many times in my almost 8 year career I've sat down at my computer in the morning and been completely overwhelmed at my inbox, my to do list, and my random sitcky notes of thoughts and reminders scattered on my desk. 

This forced me to figure out how to be extremely organized so I could get everything done in an efficient and timely manner. I've come up with some great tips and found some even better tools to help make this easier and I’m sharing them with you!

1. Morning Routine. Each morning take 45 mins to an hour planning out your day. I know this isn't possible to do every morning, but don’t dive into your emails right away. Browse some of your favorite blogs, enjoy a cup of coffee, etc. I think this is really important because it gets you settled into your day and gives you a chance to prioritize the things you need to get done.

2. Working from home. A great thing about a lot of companies these days is that they are more flexible in terms of where you get your work done. For a lot of companies, startups especially, a common mentality is “as long as you’re getting your work done, it doesn't matter where you’re doing it.” Working from home can be super beneficial—less distractions and a quiet place to think and take calls. However, it can also be detrimental to your productivity. My tips on WFH (working from home) that I ALWAYS follow:

• Get up at your usual time, get out of your PJ’s, shower, and look presentable. This is KEY in being productive during the days you work from home. You look and feel more productive therefore you will be more productive.
• If you regularly work from home, set up a “work area” so you can be separated from your living area. Buy a desk, chair, and some other cute office supplies for your desk. This will make you excited to work and it’s more productive than sitting on the couch.
• Don’t work with the TV on. I am totally guilty of this (love the daytime sitcoms and talk shows), but it can be really distracting when you are trying to work. Instead, turn some music on—it’s a much better noise filler than some talk show.
• Take a lunch break! It’s hard enough stepping away from your desk for a lunch break at work, let alone walking away from your laptop at home. Get out, take a quick walk, run an errand.

3. Take Notes. How many times have you sat down to have a conversation with someone, not taken notes, and went back to recall what they said and not remember. I’ve done this a lot…more than I’d like to admit. Enter EVERNOTE. Before you keep reading this…sign up now…seriously. Evernote is the best tool for taking notes. It’s super easy and very user friendly. It allows you to create notebooks which makes it super easy to sort and categorize all your notes. iPhone and iPad apps are wonderful and easy to use as well. You can also share notes and notebooks between co workers. This is a great feature that I utilize a lot.

4. Email Organization. Don't let your inbox take control of your life. Become an email ninja with the tools below:

• Revive your inbox: This is a 21 day program that is designed to reduce the amount of email you receive and helps you learn how to deal with the emails that actually do matter.
• Boomerang:Boomerang is a personal favorite of mine. It helps you take control of when you send and receive emails. You can write an email now and schedule it to be sent automatically at the perfect time. Just write the message as you normally would, then click the Send Later button.

5. To Do Lists. We all have them, but are they actually helping us get stuff done? I’ve officially left the pen and paper method of creating to do lists because I’ll leave them in my apartment, at my office, or lose them altogether. Wunderlist is a free online to do list that has completely changed my life…seriously! Some of my favorite features are below.

• It’s free
• All of your to do’s are in one spot (work, personal, shopping lists, etc)
• You can set due dates, reminders, files, and notes to each to-do
• You can star to-do’s so you can arrange what is most important
• You can share to do lists with others
• You can sync it to your iPhone and iPad

There you have it…five tips that I have to help you make the most of your days. I hope they help!

A Blog for dog lovers

You will quickly learn that I am obsessed with my dog and practically all dogs, to be honest. If I see a dog I have to stop and say hello.

My husband and I got our golden, Emma just about a year ago. She is the most precious girl ever and we are so lucky to have her as part of our family.

I stumbled upon a really cute blog yesterday while I was doing my nightly perusing through Pinterest (pssssst follow me here) called Pretty Fluffy which is a blog all about life, style, and pet friendly living.

What really drew me to this site was their shopping section (surprise, surprise). As a dog lover I will definitely be buying one of their prints....how cute are they? Pretty Fluffy also has a ton of awesome DIY tutorials with everything from DIY leashes, doggy snacks, and doggy travel blankets.

I hope you have fun checking out this site!

An afternoon in Charleston

Guys, I can't tell you enough how much I love this city. I had a great Saturday shopping, eating, more shopping, and more eating.

I landed in Charleston around 11am on Saturday. My mom and I did some shopping then had lunch at Husk. AH-MA-ZING. The best burger I've ever had. We completed the day with dinner at The Obstinate Daughter - hands down some of the best food I've ever had.

Love the pink walls in Charleston! 

Shop the look:

Sweater | Blanket Scarf (similar) | Jeans (similar) | Shoes | Bag | Watch | Sunglasses

I just love the colors and the architecture in Charleston.

Mom and I at dinner.

Stay tuned for a recap on Sunday's activities including a delicious homemade Oscar dinner.

xx

a weekend in Charleston

I'm so excited to be heading to Charleston today to visit my mom and my friend, Sarah! Some good food, shopping, and relaxation is exactly what I need right now.

Make sure to follow me on instagram to follow along on my trip.

Recipe: Zoodle Spaghetti

I don't know about you, but I've totally hopped on the zoodle bandwagon. I've never been a huge fan of pasta so this is a great alternative for me.

What you'll need:

• Spiralizer, click here to purchase.
• Zucchini, one per person.
• Protein of choice (ground beef, chicken, turkey, etc.)
• Pasta sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• Parsley (garnish)

Once your zucchini is spiralized put in a microwavable bowl, add some salt and pepper, and heat for 1 minute (do this right before you want to serve). 

Cook up your protein and pasta sauce and voila! You have a healthy and filling meal in under 20 minutes. My husband is not a huge fan of zucchini so I just make pasta for him and we are both happy campers. Tonight we paired it with a simple salad of avocado, tomatoes, salt, pepper, EVOO, and vinegar. I've linked to a few more zoodle recipes that are on my "to make" list.

What's your favorite way to make them?

Other Zoodle Recipes to Try:

• Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles
• Apple and Cabbage Slaw
• Sweet Potato Latkes
• Shrimp Scampi

All photos by me

my inspiration

For years I've wanted to start a blog. Not knowing really where to begin, what content I wanted to create, and being uncertain if I had the time to commit, it has taken me a few years to finally decide to go for it. I read TONS and TONS of blogs, all of which are really inspiring to me. I find it so amazing that people can create a brand for themselves, learn the ins and outs of marketing themselves and their brand (read: growth hacker marketing), and actually make a profit from their blogs. All of that is eons away for me (if at all), but that is my ultimate end result. I know that it will take a lot of time and effort on my part, but I really do feel like this is my passion and that I have the determination to make something happen.

I'm still working on my blog plan (content, design, social media strategy, gaining a following, etc.) so thanks for bearing with me as I start to develop this blog.

I wanted to link to a few of my favorite bloggers who have really inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and take on this challenge. Thanks for all of your wonderful content and for being an inspiration. 

Poor Little It Girl - DC based fashion, beauty, and travel blogger who is oh so fun to follow on instagram. Her outfits and styles are usually very affordable and she's great at putting pieces together that you might not think would work.

Sequins & Stripes - Chicago based blogger who has impeccable taste. She is a new mom and might have the cutest family I've ever seen.

My Style Vita - Atlanta based blogger who has tons of great content ranging from interior decorating, wellness, food, and fashion.

Cupcakes & Cashmere - The first blog that got me hooked 7 years ago. She is perfection.

xx

Trendy Tuesday: Winter Whites

My favorite pair of pants are my white jeans, hands down, BUT that has been an unacceptable color in the winter months until now.  The winter white trend is one that I’m loving. Add in a white chunky sweater, some statement earrings, and nude heels and you're ready to go. Below are some of my favorite winter white looks. What one is your favorite?

Image Source: Pinterest

Recipe: Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

You'll learn quickly that I LOVE to cook. I often feel like I'm in a cooking rut so I've decided to branch out from my "usuals." What typically draws me to a recipe is one that is healthy, won't take a ton of time, and something that I could alter if I wanted.

Part of my new years resolutions (surprise, surprise) was to be more conscious about what my husband and I eat. We are typically pretty healthy, but on busy weeknights it's so easy to get something to-go on the way home or order take-out.

Yesterday, I made a delicious Quinoa Enchilada Casserole. I'm not always a huge fan of quinoa unless it has lots of flavors within the dish and this one didn't disappoint! What I like about this dish is it's easy to make ahead and put in the fridge and then pop in the oven when you're ready to eat. I also like this dish because it's easy to add anything additional you might want like protein or some other favorite veggies.

Click here for the recipe.

A sunday morning in the mosaic district

My husband and I spent the morning in the Mosaic District in Northern Virginia. Let me back up a bit by saying that we just moved to NOVA from Maryland for my husband's job. We LOVE it and have made it our goal to try check out new areas around us on the weekends.

The Mosaic District is a hip, trendy area not far from where we live. I got a delicious and pretty coffee from Mom & Pop Coffee Shop and then we got some breakfast from Ted's Bulletin. Move over Founding Farmers, Ted's Bulletin might be my new favorite breakfast place! Not only do I love the interior and the 50's vibe, but they make their own pop tarts. Nothing can beat that right?

Below are a few pictures from our morning at the Mosaic District.

xx

Photos by Me

Here we go

First, I’d like to say thank you for clicking the link to my blog and for also staying on this website long enough to read my FIRST blog post. I promise I will try to entertain.
I have always loved anything having to do with technology, website design, and social media. When I was in high school I became obsessed with learning HTML, so I taught myself the basics and built my own site. I think it was titled something like “Sparklie Angel” (true story). I don’t even remember what was on this website of mine, but I remember spending hours and hours trying to make my page right and becoming so satisfied when I finally figured out how to code it correctly.
Ever since then, I’ve loved blogs. I read all sorts of blogs. You might even call me obsessed. I have 4-5 favorite fashion and lifestyle blogs that I read every day and spend more time than I'd like to admit following these bloggers on instagram and snapchat.
Over the past few months I’ve been doing more and more reading and finding more and more blogs that I love which has led me to the decision to start my own blog. I’ve done a bit of planning and brainstorming. I’m sure things will continue to evolve as I write more, but for now my main focus will be on; fashion, cooking, and decorating. These are three of my favorite things so why not write about them?
I hope that you continue to check out my blog. I probably won’t be posting new content daily until I start getting a hang of things. I always appreciate feedback (positive or negative) and if there is anything in particular you’d like me to write about I am all ears.
Thanks again for stopping by as a start this new journey. xx