Autumnal Fruit...

Jeans: Kohls
Sweater: Thrifted
Vest: Thrifted
Boots: Naughty Monkey
Bag: Steve Madden

A Little Prabal Love for VDay...

This was my first time at any of Target's designer openings, but I decided that Prabal Gurung was worth a little effort and I would brave some crowds.  It opened at 8 am on a Sunday morning and I was ready.

Matt came with me, because I made him.  My first thought was that it must not be at this location because there were only maybe 20-30 cars in the parking lot.  I was mentally preparing myself to be pissed that it wasn't here, but we walked in and it was right there with a big sign and there were probably 6 other women browsing the racks grabbing one of everything, but I truly couldn't believe that there were so few of us.

It was awesome!

I tried on everything I was interested in except the blazer - that did appear to have already been gone.  Also I perused the shoes and jewelry, but nothing seemed that special for the price.

The white party dress was what I came for, but I ended up leaving with the shirt dress here.  The party dress is obviously cute, but I thought the shirt dress was more versatile (with a skirt over it, jeans under it, belt, if i get fat, etc).  If I had more money, I would have also walked away with this tank, but I was happy and thankful just to have one of his magical creations, even if it is from Target!

Then They Came For Me...

I just finished this amazing book by Maziar Bahari.  Maziar was raised an Iranian and then emigrated to Canada and was living in London at the time he flew back to Iran to cover the 2009 elections.  Throughout his career, he had tried very hard to stay neutral and avoid the topics that would make him a target for the Iranian government.  Even in that neutrality, they still targeted him and arrested him for sedition and conspiracy.

This is his story

The book is beautifully written and shares the history of Iran and its various tyrants in a very understandable way and this is no small feat, as the complexities are many.

One passage at the end of the book that I thought was really poignant:

"So far the United States has been trying to stop Iran's nuclear program through financial and economic sanctions.  But Iranians have lived with sanctions since the beginning of the revolution, and shrewd Iranian officials know quite well how to use legal and financial loopholes in the international system to their own advantage...  The idea of an American or Israeli attack against Iran is, at the moment, a nightmare, but it could quickly turn into reality with disastrous results for both Iran and the rest of the world.  I can understand other countries' frustration with the lack of development in nuclear negotiations with Iran.  After all, many Iranian diplomats and officials are erratic thugs like Rosewater [his torturer throughout the book] (incidentally, some Iranian diplomats are former interrogators and torturers).  I also know that many American politicians seek reelection by displays of saber rattling with Iran.  But a military attack against Iran will militarize the regime further, and will encourage even nationalist pro-Western Iranians to side with the government against a foreign enemy.  My nightmare scenario of a violent crushing of all remnants of the democratic movement in Iran and a foreign military attack would also mean jeopardizing Western interests in the region for the foreseeable future." (p. 320-322)

The thing that struck me throughout the book is the Nationalist pride of Iranians for their country and their continued belief that it can be made better and turned around.  Even Maziar's 80-something mother refused to leave Iran after her son's arrest and then release.  

Iran's history is rich and of its people - many are kind and truly passionate about a new way...
2 Thumbs up

11 Dollar Dinner...

On Saturday we had planned on trying to get out of the house, but when it came right down to it, we didn't feel like going anywhere, so I ran over to the store to get a few things and was trying to think of a nice dinner that would be reasonably priced.  I remembered that I had a recipe I had torn out of my mom's Good Housekeeping magazine that she left when my parents stopped on their way to Florida.  It was a recipe for couscous encrusted salmon.  I felt like trying it out on halibut instead, since we have had salmon a few times recently.

I grabbed 2 nice fillets of halibut for $4.80, 2 small packs of portabella mushrooms for $5, and a nice big fresh baked roll for 60 cents.  I already had the couscous and the pesto.  

I fried up the 'shrooms in a little olive oil, parsley, seasoned salt and garlic powder.  I wrapped the roll in aluminum foil and put it in the oven while the fish cooked.

And with the fish:
Preheat oven to 450
Heat 1 cup water in 1-qt saucepan to boiling on high.  Remove from heat, stir in 3/4 c. couscous, 1/4 c. refrigerated pesto, 1/4 tsp red wine vinegar and 1/8 tsp pepper.  Cover, let stand 5 min.
Place 4 fillets (it called for 4, I only had 2, so I just had leftover couscous) ~6 oz each on foil-lined cookie sheet.  Season with 1/4 tsp salt.  
Mound 1/2 c. couscous mixture on top of each fillet, pressing into even layer.
Bake in upper third of oven 12 to 15 min. or until fish is flaky.
Serves 4.

*As I was watching it cook, I was concerned it might be a little dry, so in the last maybe 8 minutes, I added 1/2 can of diced tomatoes and it was a nice bit of juiciness in the end.

It was scrumptous!!

Winter White...

Well, the blizzard of '13 missed us here in Philadelphia and I have to admit I was pretty disappointed.  I know many of you that were doused with the snow, but to this Vermonter, I felt like I was wildly missing out.  To have the frigid cold and not have the snow doesn't quite seem just.

We got some things done this weekend around the house and enjoyed some typical laziness as well.  On Sunday, I was in a bit of a cooking frenzy - we invited our besties over for brunch and while I was whipping up homemade apple pancakes (thanks to my sister!), asparagus and fruit smoothies, I was also making a yummy beef stew for dinner.  I love having some good homemade food especially when it leaves me with leftovers.

I also went out this morning to Target for the opening of Prabal Gurung (photos soon) and I was pleasantly surprised that I'm only one of 10 people in my region to know or care about it.  So I was able to try on everything in the collection I was interested in.  This is a benefit of not living in NYC or LA!

Have a wonderful Monday everyone...

Pants: Kohls
Top: Marshalls
Jacket: Thrifted Kenneth Cole
Shoes: Elle by Kohls
Necklace: Burlington Coat Factory
Earrings: Thrifted
Bracelets: Thrifted
Fur Neck: Forever 21

Grace, Trust and Hot Pink...

I’ve had a hard time figuring out what I really want this blog to be.  I know I’m not alone in bloggerland, but I wonder - is it a fashion blog, a lifestyle blog, a house blog?  I guess it is a combination but it feels weird still not tightening up my genre. 

I think a lot – about a lot of different things but for some reason when I start to blog I’m either too shy to share, not yet comfortable with everyone knowning my business, or simply can’t think of anything interesting to say.  In my head I’m the most hilarious person I know and I have a pile of fabulous attributes but it’s actually kinda tough to get those to translate to a blog.  While I love fashion and house stuff (probably way too much!),  I want to share stuff that matters but at the same time I realize that at least for me, blogs are for fun – they aren’t necessarily the forum to share all the details of my current struggles, fears and failures.  Some things need to be walked through before I start getting feedback.

I think I’ve just decided that this blog will be what it is for however long it is.  I talked about grace on my New Years’ post here, and it is what I’m trying to learn. 

I am throwing myself wholeheartedly into experiencing grace and learning to trust. 

I am battling the unknown. 

In general I crave change – I can’t wait to mix it up.  Buying a house was probably my most terrifying moment because, duh, if I wanted to move to Ghana on a Wednesday, I wouldn’t have that option anymore!  I want to be free to shift and change and grow.  But lately change hasn’t been as friendly with me.  Not knowing the future is really stressing me out and I’m trying to embrace it, to not squirm away from the teaching hand of God, but to give in to his tenderness and willingness to teach me something different and scary like trust.

My life motto has really always been about living abundant life – to have a full life experiencing triumphs and failures, joys and devastations, to take the bad with the good, to not wish it past, but to let it shape me – knowing how much stronger and better and more vulnerable these experiences make us.  It’s easy to have that as your motto when your world is rocking, it’s tougher on the other end, but I shout it just the same – I choose abundant life!

And that includes fabulous outfits…

Skirt: Limited
Top: Express
Jacket: J C Penney
Shoes: Thrifted
Scarf: Dress Barn
Earrings: Burlington Coat Factory