Hmmmmm Brownies!!

Hey guys! So I loveeee baking, especially when things I make turn out tasty! I have been known to mix up a few ingredients (eggs are my arch nemesis...inside joke...hehe). I've tried chocolate chip cookies from scratch, but I haven't perfected the recipe yet. They always turn out either too dry, too soggy, too chocolatey (if that's a thing!). But anywho. So I found this recipe on Pinterest for home-made brownies, tried it for the first time today, and three words...Oh, My, God! They are the BEST brownies I have EVER had! They are gooey, fudgy, soft, and just delish! Yes there is a LOT of butter, but butter's good for you! (TOTALLY kidding, just trying to make myself feel better about this sugary, fatty, chocolatey concotion.) Ok so here's the recipe, hope you guys try it and like it!

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter (don't be shocked, I already told you it was a LOT of butter)
• 2 1/4 cups of sugar 
• 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Recipe:

--Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, butter a 9x13 baking dish
--In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
--Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. When the butter is completely melted, add the sugar slowly, and mix it in with the butter, stirring continuously.
--Take the saucepan off the heat, and slowly mix in the cocoa powder mix (or beat-in a stand mixer). Now add the eggs and the vanilla extract, beat until the mixture is smooth.
--Add the flour and the chocolate chips, mix well.
--Pour the batter in the baking dish. Cook for about 30 mins, or do the toothpick test (stick a toothpick in the center, it's done if the toothpick comes out almost clean).
--Cool before cutting up the brownies...now try to control yourself..ah what the hell...eat the whole pan :)

Recipe courtesy of bunsinmyoven.com

Winter/Spring must haves!

There are so many cute trends this season, it's hard to make a must-have's list. Everyone has their unique, individual style, so the list differs for everyone. Based on some of my previous posts, you guys can probably guess some of my must-have things. Lace dresses, something with leopard print, cute wedges etc. I'll try to stay away from things I've already blogged about, just for the sake of diversity. It's hard for me to stay away from something I like though...when I was nine-ten years old, I used to have this beautiful denim mini-dress that I wore pretty much every day. My mom would tell me to change and wear something else, but I loved the dress so much, I felt like wearing something else would be doing it injustice. So my mom got so frustrated, she took a pair of scissors and cut the dress right in the middle. Seventeen years later, I saw a very similar dress last fall at Bebe, for $120!! SOOO long story short, you may come across a few repeat outfits :)

Sighhhhhh

Ok so here the top ten must-have things for this season...in my humble opinion, of course :)

1.) Sequin skirt/sequin anything: Sequins make everything pretty. I like sequins in pretty much in any way, shape or form....skirts, dresses, blouses, shoes...I can't help it, shiny things make me happy :)

Gold sequin skirt...$27.00 Click here

Another gold skirt, from Express.

OMG! Tell me that's not one of the prettiest dresses ever! ASOS

I found a similar dress on a different website, it should be an older post. But this one is cheaper...since it's the "petite" version

2.) Something Lace: If you read my previous posts, you know how much I loveeee lace. I own several lace dresses, skirts, blouses...maybe more than one should...haha. But I can't help it, lace dresses just look so classy! (well, it has to be done right, bad quality lace can make you look trashy!) Add instant elegance to your outfit by adding pearls, especially to a light colored lace dress/blouse. Oh yeah, and speaking of pearls, every girl MUST have them! Even if you don't think you're girly, or your style is more edgy, you gotta have at least one thing pearl-y :)
Anywho, here are some pretty lace dresses...

Love, Love, Love. Couldn't save the front view on my computer, click the link to see it. Available in yellow and white. Urban Outfitters.

Love the color and the bottom! Urban Outfitters

Beautiful color again! Oasis Clothing

3.) Color Blocking: Finally! Indian clothes have had color blocking for a while now, and now we can rock it in dresses too! I love pairing pink with orange, or pink with purple. The awesome thing about color blocking is that you can pretty much get away with any color combination, since the whole point is to create a contrast. However, I don't like color blocking with jeans/pants, don't know why! It just doesn't look right to me. I would stick to skirts and dresses, but then again, I'm pretty open minded about these things :)

The first picture below is a beautiful Giambattista Valli dress. It's a bit pricey for me ($2340 at Bergdorf's)...but hey, if you can afford it, it's a gorgeous piece! I would wear nude pumps and maybe add a gold cuff.
The second dress is from Macy's, $46.99! Click here for the link.

4.) Contrast Panels: Kate Winslet wowed in the now-famous "Optical Illusion" Stella McCartney dress in Venice and Paris, respectively. The original will cost you about $1600...IF you can find one. Apparently there is wait-list for the dress! I found something sort-of similar on ASOS.com. The black contrast panels create an illusion of a slimmer waist. And I love the blue in the middle!

ASOS, click here.





 5.) Oxfords/Loafers: I'll put them in the same category, I don't know why they're almost the same to me. The glittery ones are mine, I got them at Nordstrom Rack for $40! They're probably my favorite shoes....and that's #1 out of a wholeeeeee lotta shoes ;) The second picture is from Lulu's, I like the girly touch with the sequins. I personally don't like plain Oxfords, I think they look a little manly. The sparkle takes away from the harsh look of the shoes. Also, check out these beige ones from Topshop for $30.

6.) Colored denim: My husband might think I look like a dancer from LMFAO, but I don't care! I love different colored skinny jeans! They're so versatile, you can wear them in any season, with pumps to go out, with wedges or flats to go shopping, with sandals for brunch, with flip-flops for sight seeing...you get the picture. Now it's the top half of the outfit that you should be picky about. Don't wear a neon top with bright colored pants. NO! Simple=Good. Like a plain white tee for a more casual look, or a plain chiffon/silk blouse if you're going out. Just keep it simple! 

                                                         Urban Outfitters

Forever 21

7.) Tuxedo/Boyfriend Blazers: Or any kind of blazer, for that matter. Blazers are just a must-have for any closet; when it comes to versatility, I think a blazer tops the list. It's one of those things that's always going to be in style, so might as well invest in a nice one. I like the different color options as well, like the purple and white ones below.

                                                      LK Bennet Tuxedo Jacket

Just Cavalli Tuxedo Jacket, Net-A-Porter.com

 Purple and Black Contrast Tuxedo Blazer, Oasis Clothing

8.) Florals: Yes I know it's winter, but that don't mean a thing if all you think about is spring! Hah I just made that up! But seriously, who cares if it's 20 degrees outside? Floral print dresses look sooo pretty, and they add such a nice feminine touch. Add a skinny belt to the waist, or pair with a pretty necklace!

Oasis Clothing

H&M...in-store only

I'm hyper-ventilating, that's how gorgeous this dress is! Someone buy me one NOW! hehe...jk! Here's the link if anyone's interested

9.) Pastels: Speaking of florals, pastels seem to be making a come back as well. I remember in the nineties, pastels were extremely popular. Pastel colors are so pleasant to look at, I feel like no one would ever be in a bad mood if they wore something like a pretty floral blouse with a pastel skirt. Haha...if only! But yeah, that's a great idea, pairing pastels with florals; especially if you have pastel colored denim! You should try it.. :)

Pretty ring! Dorothy Perkins, $15!

Express

Lilac Dorothy Perkins Dress

J Brand Pastel jeans, Bloomingdales

Pastel Color-Block shoes, ASOS

10.) ACCESSORIES!!! So technically, I know accessories aren't really a "trend", but they are definitely a "must-have", for any season. You can turn up the style factor exponentially on any outfit, just by picking the right accessories! Whether it's a statement necklace, or a wrist cuff, or a sexy belt...you can add great style to something as simple as white-tee and jeans. 

                                                                               Anthropologie

Marc Jacobs

Kate Spade Bib Necklace

ASOS

So those were my top 10 styles for this season. It's so hard to pick your favorite when there are SO many cute things around...I didn't even get into animal print, horizontal stripes, wedges, knee-high boots, trench coats, cross-body bags etc etc...I'll save all that for another post :) Until then, TOODLES!

It's been a while eh!

Omg I totally miss blogging! It's been almost a week since I blogged, and boy have I missed it! I told you, blogging can be addicting!

So what's been going on? Hmm...let me tell you about the recent developments in my life...:)

1.) I got a new laptop!! It's the Dell XPS, it's so cute! It kinda looks like a Mac, but since my husband is so anti-Apple products, Dell XPS is the closest I'll get to owning a Mac. And I'm happy with that! It's pwetty!

2.) I watched an Indian movie with my longtime crush/love Hritik Roshan. He's sooooo good looking, like it's not even funny. And apparently he's the nicest person ever. I wish he was a little arrogant or something, so it would be easier not to like him. Sigh. Same thing for Tom Brady...why can't these men be a little cocky? Speaking of Tom Brady, apparently, Gisele sent out an email to her friends and family asking them to pray for him on Sunday. It's a cheesy email, and it was featured on the front page of the NY Post. I don't know how I feel about that. I mean she's seriously irritating, but is it THAT bad to ask your family for some nice thoughts and prayers? Superbowl kinda sorta IS a big deal!
Anyways here are some pictures of Hritik Roshan for your pleasure. I know...YOU'RE WELCOME!

3.) I know this is old news, but can you believe Heidi Klum and Seal are getting a divorce!!?? They were so in love! So the annual, vow renewals were just a hoax?  Apparently, it was because Seal had anger issues. How can someone who wrote/sang "Kiss from a Rose" have anger issues!

4.) Kristin Cavallari is pregnant?? One of my friends said this a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn't agree more. There really should be a screening process for people who wanna have kids. You're creating and bringing another human being into this world, so unless you're completely selfless and ready to provide that child with the utmost care, love and attention, please do the world a favor and stop. Maybe she's ready...but that's like saying Kim Kardashian is ready to date a non-athlete for the sole purpose of love. Not buyin it.


5.) Speaking of Kim Kardashian, I heard she is interested in Tim Tebow?!? I think he would rather marry a goat than her. But that's just what I think. Funny thing...whenever we get any magazines at work, I always draw a mustache and devil ears on Kim Kartrashian. So when patients read the magazines, they're like "what theeee"....hehe...is that mean?


6.) Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield make the cutest couple ever!

7.) What's going on with the Republican party? The two front-runners at the moment, are Newt Gingrich (who apparently wants to employ children from low-income families as janitors (read article here), and Mitt Romney, who earned like $20 million in investments last year. This election year is shaping up to be one hell of a battle for the Republicans.


8.) Went to the library, asked the librarian if she recommended any good books. She was a young woman, maybe in her late twenties. She was wearing a lonnnng, baggy cardigan with cats printed all over it, paired with a long skirt. She had long, red hair all the way down to her waist, and she was wearing big glasses. Now I'm not the type to make fun of ANYONE based on their appearance...I think that's one of the most horrible and judgmental things you can do. I'm just giving you guys a visual perspective. So anyway, she got really excited and started asking me questions about what I like, if I liked politics, biographies, history etc. After about 20 minutes, she said she knew JUST the right book for me, and I would love her for it. She went into the back, and came out with...wait for it....a book called..."Dewey the Librarian Cat". She said she loved cats, and she wished she had a librarian cat, which she would obviously name "Dewey". And she wrote down my name and phone number  to "alert" me as soon as the sequel comes out. How does expressing an interest in World War II lead to THAT recommendation? And I freaking HATE cats! But I didn't have the heart to tell her that...haha...to each their own I guess?


9.) What's up with people saying "adorbs"? It's so stupid! I've seen it at least 30 times on different blogs this week..."OMG, those shoes are SO adorbs!"...NO...please stop.


10.) SUPERBOWL IS ONLY 2 DAYS AWAY!! I can't can't can't wait! I'm so sick of everyone "predicting" a Giants win. Like that stupid camel in NJ. My question is...why is there a camel in NJ?!? My brother and I made our dog Max pick between two chips labeled "Pats" and "Giants", and he picked the Patriots! I love you Maxie! That's him right there...Isn't he handsome?  :)

Ok those are all the random thoughts in my head right now. I wish I had some crazy-patient stories to share, but haven't had any in a while. Just had this one guy who said he was possessed for a while by his dad's ghost. You know, the normal stuff...haha. Work has been pretty busy but boring, which can be a good thing sometimes. But I did find some good sales and some freebies, so without further ado, let's get the party started!

FREE! FREE! FREE!

1.) Papa John's: This is for the coin toss on Sunday...if it comes up "heads" first, all Papa John's rewards members get a free large pizza and a free 2L bottle of Pepsi Max! You have to sign up before 6pm on Sunday though. That's a pretty sweet deal!

2.) Chick-fil-A: The Fair Oaks location is giving away free food next week, from 3-5pm, Monday-Friday. Here's the schedule.

Monday: Free waffle fries
Tuesday: Free soup
Wednesday: Free small milkshake
Thursday: Free chicken nuggets
Friday: Free original or spicy chicken sandwich

3.) Ticketmaster: Has buy one, get one free tickets to many events in the DC area, including Disney on Ice. Check it out!

4.) Krispy Kreme: Buy a dozen doughnuts, get a dozen free. Oooooh they're soooo good!


SALES

1.) Lord and Taylor: Extra 25% off of already-reduced clearance items, some are upto 80% off! You can either use coupon code "FINAL", or print coupon here.  This L K Bennet lace dress is $125.13 after all the discounts. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but the original price is $445!! I totally see Kate Middleton wearing this!

2.) The Limited: 40% off already reduced items. No coupon code needed, discount is reflected in the final price. Some tops start at like four bucks! It's definitely worth checking out.

This high waist metallic pencil skirt is $8.99!! Click here

This dress is $17.99, originally $98!! Click here

3.) 6pm.com: As always, 6pm.com has great sales on many designer brands. Check out the Joan and David pumps below, on sale for $79.99. Aren't they gorgeous? I had bought the exact same ones for my best friend, and they were $110 at Nordstrom Rack. So you can imagine how good of a deal this is! They also have a good collection of Reeboks, but since I have absolutely zero knowledge of running shoes, I couldn't tell you if the deals are to-die-for. They all look the same to me...BUT, most of them are $29.99. I'm guessing that's a good price.

4.) J Crew: Extra 30% off sale items with coupon code "LOVEIT". I don't really shop at J Crew much, but they have good work clothes. Like this cute turtle neck, comes out to $34.99 after the discount.

Alright folks, that's all for now! Keep checking the blog for new recipes, outfit ideas and more...hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and as always, GO PATS!!