What I'm Loving...

I love this easy to make couscous salad. Believe it or not, Paula Dean has a few recipes that don't call for 3 sticks of butter.

Tracie's Couscous Salad
Yield:  6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 box flavored couscous (garlic or Parmesan), cooked
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 to 3 limes, juiced

In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients with the olive oil and lime juice, to taste. (I also added honey to the recipe.)
Paula's Home Cooking

Remember him? Teddy and I went to a wedding reception in Philadelphia over Thanksgiving weekend. I loved the lights and paper lanterns in the courtyard outside the reception hall. Wishing I had taken more pictures.

The lovely ladies of Bud and Leo, Kelli and Lisa, will be guest posting tomorrow, yay! I love their recent 'Tis the Season of Twilight Wedding post... did you know Bella's gown is estimated at $35,000?

HANAair Review

HANAair Professional Hair Dryer $314.99 $194.99

Let's talk hair! I posted back in March that I couldn't live without my T3 hair dryer. I was sent this Hana for review by Misikko and have been using it the past few weeks. Love it!

My hair is medium-textured, color treated, slightly wavy and takes foreverrrrr to dry. Just about every stylist I have ever been to has said that drying my hair is no easy task. Since I color, blow dry, curl or straighten my strands just about everyday I'm particular on the tools I use otherwise I don't think I would have any hair left.

Usually I travel with a mini dryer from the drug store (a reminder now and then of how much better my tools at home are) but I lugged the HANAair when I visited Sara and asked her to give it a go. Shes uses another professional grade hair dryer and agreed that this was an awesome product. Together we concluded....

Pros

Cuts down drying time

Dries hair well without being super hot

Powerful! 2300 watts

Leaves hair smooth (must be those ions...)

Multiple settings

Extremely long cord

Cons

Heavy - my T3 is much lighter

$$$

Bottom line, not all blow dryers are created equally. The HANAair is $194.99 but worth the splurge if you regularly blow dry your hair. Call me crazy, but if you make the switch I highly doubt you will ever want to go back. If you are on the hunt for the best hair dryer and other quality styling tools check out Misikko!

Thanks to Misikko for the opportunity to review the HANAair and the lovely package they sent. I received the complimentary package including the HAHAair to compensate my time. My review provides 100% honest feedback. 

Blue and White

Time to bid farewell to the gourds until next fall...bring on the Christmas decorations!

The best thing to ever happen to a Keurig - Dunkin' Donuts French Vanilla K-Cups. 

One of the benefits of blogging... friends take note about things you wish were yours and make dreams come true. Amanda and Corinne gave me this blue and white bag from Anthropologie for my birthday last month. I've been wearing it with brown boots and oatmeal tops.

Sales Sales Sales

Did you have a successful shopping weekend? I snagged a few of Sephora's $10 deals during Black Friday Midnight Madness at the mall and may have politely bumped some shoppers out of the way to grab what I needed. I waited in line at Forever 21 for a ridiculously long time for these "suedette" over-the-knee boots that I could have bought any other day except they were the last pair. I've never bought shoes there before and couldn't pass these up for $35! I also found these Prada pumps at Marshalls Shoe Megashop in Westport the next day that I will consider a Black Friday weekend steal.

Thankfully mobile technology kept me occupied while I was in line. How on earth did my friend know what I was buying?

via Google Images

Anyway, I hate to say it but I'm not thrilled about Cyber Monday today. I need to put a hold on the shopping with the exception of a few gifts but it's so tempting. Blinders until after Christmas? Right, we'll see how that goes. I would be lying if I said I didn't poke around these sites with promotions:

Preppy Princess

11/28 20% off entire site with code PGM, additional discounts on many products

I absolutely love how it's Cyber Pink and Green Monday at Preppy Princess. Lilly Pulitzer, Jonathan Adler, Boatman Gellar, Scout, Sailcloth, Kiehl James Patrick... lots to choose from.

Cape Madras

11/28 50% off entire website

I really wish I could justify purchasing the Madras Lodge Yoga Ball for $120. It has to be the preppiest piece of workout equipment ever made. Sadly the yoga ball I have doesn't get much use anyway.

Tracy Negoshian

11/28 Noon through Midnight (EST), up to 80% off plus free shipping with code CyberMonday11

I bought the Kaitlin Tunic in Lobster Stripe on Friday for $18.50 - originally $78. I expect the price to be the same. I already own in it the Seahorse pink pattern, so obviously would recommend that to you as well.

JoJo Loves You

11/28 20% off with code jojo11

These Hazel Tier Drop Bling Earrings would be a great gift and are just one of the many new designs on the site.

Last but definitely not least, See Chloe Shop is my go-to for the run down of sales at my favorite stores (Piperlime, Endless, etc.) and is updated throughout the day. Check Ebates before purchasing to see if you're eligible for cash back at the big retailers - $10 gift card for newbies. Happy shopping!

I found these codes via Facebook and email, please note they may change at any time. Check the retailer's website or social media pages for updates.

Gobble Gobble

via Lilly Pulitzer

Be grateful, give thanks and eat pie! xoxo

PS - Good luck to all the midnight shoppers. I'm devising my plan now.

BAM

On Saturday night I went to a late night dinner at Burgers and More by Emeril, one of the famed chef's three restaurants at Sands Resort and Casino in Bethlehem, PA. I created my own cheddar and jalapeno burger doused with hot sauce. Amazing!

I was starving but managed to pause for a minute to take a picture before digging in...

Initially I thought the little fry basket was "cute" but later concluded that I didn't care for the presentation. I don't need to be reminded why they taste so good.

Have you been to any of Emeril's restaurants? I recommend BAM followed by the slot machines...

Weekend Update

The best part of visiting Lehigh is staying with my college roommate Sara. She's now in graduate school and teaching in the area. In true Sara style she was dressed in all J. Crew with suede Steve Madden pumps. I miss having easy access to her closet.

Did you get the brown boots memo? You would think it was planned. My scarf is from the Missoni Target line... you may recall I got my order in just before the site crashed.

It doesn't seem right to drink any other beer when back on campus. I painted my nails gold with OPI Glitzerland NL Z19. It's one of the few colors I can actually paint myself because of its unique consistency. Perfect for games and holiday parties.

Parker, Sara's adorable dog, was not too pleased to be left out of the tailgating festivities. Back at Sara's he sniffed out gummy vitamins in my bag and ate all the contents of my pill box. She called the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately for a consultation. You might forget what you have in your bag so best to keep it secure away from any pets. Thankfully I didn't kill my best friend's dog.

Red Solo Cup

"This is stupid, but it's freakin' awesome. It's like you're almost embarrassed to say that you like it. And I love it."
- Toby Keith on his new song Red Solo Cup as told to CMT

Surprise, red solo cups in hand at the Lehigh-Lafayette tailgates!

Red solo cup, I fill you up

Let's have a party, let's have a party

I love you, red solo cup, I lift you up

Proceed to party, proceed to party

Friday's Fancies: Mix & Match

Kain Label Ivory and navy cropped top $305
Vintage Rolex $8,900
Tory Burch Selma Leather Ballet Flats $304

Mulberry Bayswater calf hair bag $3,150

To be honest I am not brave when it comes to mixing and matching, but I have been wearing striped shirts with my leopard ballet flats inspired by this recent post featuring Lauren Conrad. That counts for something, right? Now I would just like to trade up for this stripes and leopard mix.

This weekend I'm in Bethlehem, PA for the Lehigh vs. Lafayette football game. It's the most-played football rivalry in the country. I did not want to post this outfit because red is my enemy's color and the leopard just happens to be their mascot. So that print is actually banned from my wardrobe this weekend...

via Google Images

Back to Friday's Fancies...Olivia Palermo is the ultimate mix master. I always see spreads of her reworking pieces for new ensembles and wish my mind worked that way.

Head on over to Long Distance Loving for "perfectly mismatched" ensembles. Cheers!

In a Nutshell

I love fall motifs, but enough of the pumpkins let's give the acorns some attention. This post was inspired by these fall cookies over at Bake at 350. (I don't really bake but read blogs like I do...it's a future endeavor.)

J.Crew Acorn Fireball Bracelet $38 // Necklace $48 // Earrings $25

greenbaboondesigns 10 Acorn Cap Candles $10

Tiffany & Co. Jean Schlumberger Acorn earrings $1,650

via

“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rebecca Minkoff Holiday Monograms

The Rebecca Minkoff sample sale is going on in NYC now and sadly I can't attend... sample sales kind of scare me anyway. I was hoping to find out some information on the next online sale... but rather learned about this tidbit. Monograms for a limited time hand painted by Jenni of I SPY DIY.

Rebecca Minkoff Black M.A.C. with Monogram $320

I can't tell you how many times I have had the M.A.C. clutch in my shopping cart on various flash sale sites... but didn't pull the trigger. I can't decide on a color and there is also the M.A.C. vs. Mini M.A.C. dilemma. Now this whole monogram thing isn't helping (only available in black). Decisions, decisions!

For those in the NYC area here is the sample sale info!

Big Thanks

Time is flying...Halloween merchandise is lingering on the clearance shelves and Santa has been at the mall for almost 2 weeks. I can't believe it's been a month since my birthday. My friends and family gave me such beautiful, thoughtful gifts including these Lennox "Elephants of the Nile" from Danielle. I finally buckled down last night to write my overdue thank-you notes.

I found these cards recently on a Target spree. When it comes to thank-you correspondence a traditionalist would stay away from any card with "Thank You" printed in favor of a monogram or name but these days I personally don't think it matters. Do you think that "rule" is outdated?

One of my favorite etiquette authorities is Miss Janice - here is her Thank-You Notes thread with some tips!

New York City Blogger Blitz

via Instagram

Sunday night I went to a blogger meet-up hosted by {av} of {long distance loving} at The Barrel Room at City Winery. It was an amazing experience!

It was an stylish group of bloggers to say the least and among them a few familiar faces. The first was Michelle of Try, Take Chances, Make Mistakes. We met at Grand Central and traveled down to SoHo together - seriously you would think we were old friends chatting on the subway! (I actually went to high school with her cousins - spotted in one of her posts this summer. Crazy small world.)

Left to Right: With Love From, Kat // Moi // {long distance loving} // A Day in the Life and Mind // Try, Take Chances, Make Mistakes // the Urban Slant

Posing with the lovely hostess! Jaclyn of A Day in the Life and Mind put together a cute recap and kindly let me borrow this photo. Sheena of Shanelè posted the full list of attendees with her weekend update - start blog hopping!

Bloggers, spot your city? Check out the Blitz details here!

Insane

I got an email from my friend Lindsay (you may recall her wedding in New Orleans) with the subject line "Insane" linking to these monogram cases. Over 3,500 Swarovski Crystals... will only run you $450. Bling bling.

Violent Lips Temporary Lip Tattoos Pink Glitteratti $15

On the topic of insane sparkle... I also just learned about these lip tattoos. Maybe next Halloween?

vineyard vines Friends & Family

Jenelle Kappe Photography via 

Just in case you didn't get the memo... vineyard vines Friends and Family 25% off (Code: brrehq)  runs through 11/14. How adorable is this picture posted on their Facebook page! I had to snag it. Have a great weekend and good luck keeping up with all the sales.

Vineyard Vines Flags and Stars Silk Tie $75

Freedom isn't free. Patriotic vineyard vines pick in honor of Veterans Day. Thanks to all the men and women that serve our country!

Pea Pod sale!

You all need to head over to Pea Pod Paper & Gifts for their relaunch - 25% off through 11/13 midnight PST. Includes monogrammed iPhone cases. Love mine!

I could go on a shopping spree...

Lipstick Shades Monogrammed iPad Case $65 $48.75

First I need the iPad... then I would like one of these.

Boatman Gellar Chinoiserie Navy Ice Bucket with Tongs $55 $41.25

I think this pattern is great because it can be used year round. Plus I am partial to blue and white.

Boatman Gellar Chevron Wine Tags 8-24/$24-48 $18-$36

It's the Holiday Season! I love that these are not too "Christmassy" yet still festive.

Happy Shopping!