No Cook Antipasti

This past weekend we hosted a few friends over for some wine and antipasti. This was a perfect menu for me because cooking in my kitchen during the summertime is very dangerous. I think if I turn the oven on for more than 20 minutes, my kitchen shelves will begin to melt. We live in a traditional older Uptown duplex, and with only one window air conditioner, cooking in my kitchen becomes an activity similar to sitting in a sauna. I tend to make the most of fresh food, and take advantage of our specialty foods in the nearby grocery stores. Hosting an antipasti party allowed me to assemble, rather than cook, and the results were delicious. This weekend allowed me to participate in the best parts of the summer; eating fresh, natural, and simple food.

Caprese on a stick

Sun dried tomato and parmesan cheese

Antipasti platter

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Seasonal Changes

As most of the country begins their slow decent into the autumn season, Minnesota tends to jump in full force the moment we have one day less than 70 degrees. The leaves are turning beautiful colors of orange, yellow and red, and the chilly weather is making it tough to leave my house in the morning without a jacket and scarf. I welcome the change of seasons and have already made updates to my wardrobe and living spaces. Here are some quick tips on how you can make some easy changes to embrace the autumn season. 1. Stock up on baking items. Do an inventory of your spices, baking ingredients, and tools to see what you need. I just picked up some new cookie sheets from Kitchen Window as my old ones needed to be donated. Baking is much more fun when I know that I already have everything I need, and then I can make my pumpkin bread during the week. 2. Switch your bedding. This is something that a friend of mine showed me, and I am determined to do it this year. Current

Luck be a lady...

In case you haven't already heard, it's out with the old and in with the new at Mall of America. Not that I didn't love Bloomingdales, but it's time Minnesota caught up with the rest of the world, and get some great retail stores in the supposed "Mall of America." I am excited and downright giddy to announce that MOA will now have four new stores in replace of the Bloomingdales location: Zara, Topshop, Madewell, and Tory Burch. To say I am happier than a bird with a french fry, is an understatement. My trips to MOA are going to dramatically increase to the point where I should look into a reserving a spot in the parking lot. To prepare properly for this special occasion, I have been online window shopping again, and picked out some items I will hope to find in the new stores. Here are some of my favorites. This Topshop dress will be perfect at weddings this summer. A Madewell llama necklace . Need I say more? I like the idea of a T

White Denim

Francesca's Collection White Denim Pants , Mossimo Supply Co Denim Shirt, Toms Shoes Like many creative people, I tend to go through color phases. I like to compare myself to Jackson Pollock when he was going through his "Blue" phase. Currently, I am having a White Moment (notice how I capitalized it to make it a proper noun). My White Moment consist of buying clothes, accessories, and decor in shades of white. Lucky we don't have any pets, but I do live with an artist, so sometimes this can be tricky. During a shopping excursion where I was on a hunt for white denim, I came across this pair at Francesca's Collection . They suited my 5'3 frame well, and had the right amount of stretch for comfort. Paired with a classic blue denim top, the combination was perfect for a weeknight evening stroll.

Lady Nine

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