So do we win the award for tackiest Christmas tree??  Probably not, but consider this my official 2013 submission.

Believe it or not, that balloon was a joke gift to me from John for my birthday back in August....yes, as in 3 months ago. I can't believe that Patrick still looks so fresh and new! It's the balloon that just won't quit so we turned this champion of a starfish into the star for our very first Christmas tree because 1.) outfitting these twinkling (faux) firs aren't cheap and 2.) you have to admit, it's a little awesome. Paaaaaaaaaaaaaatrick!

Whether its for the holiday hostess with the mostess or for yourself (guilty as charged!), this holiday gift guides I curated for Citygram magazine is all about the place we love to live: our cozy, comfy homes. 

Austin Neighborhoods Print, $22 // Bud Vase in Linea Mid, $72 //Set of 4 Blue Espresso Cups, $60 // Aura Single Ring Chime, $165 // Fort Standard Bottle Openers, $60 // Le Feu De L'eau Water Cut Candles, $55 // Bacon tea towel, $16 // Turkish Bath Towel, $45

In between your holiday shopping sprees, be sure to download the free Citygram app on your iPhone and iPads. It's an essential interactive online read for any Austinite!

Alright, now for a holiday gift guide I made for Citygram geared towards the tiny humans that probably get the most excited this time of year: kids! 

Love You Night Light Neon, $24 // Hedgehog Wooden Walking Toy, $52 // Baby Moccasins - Sunrise, $60 // Wolfum Safari Frame, $39 // Stripe Shirt with Screenprinted Guitar, $26 // Glycerin Soap with Toy, $8 // Dandelion Flower Organic Bodysuit, $23 // Alphabet Kingdom Animal Pillow, $34 // Serape Baja Poncho, $84

In between your holiday shopping sprees, be sure to download the free Citygram app on your iPhone and iPads. It's an essential interactive online read for any Austinite!

Next up on my holiday gift guides series for Citygram magazine, we've got some seriously cool covetables for the gents. 


In between your holiday shopping sprees, be sure to download the free Citygram app on your iPhone and iPads. It's an essential interactive online read for any Austinite!

I curated some holiday gift guides for Citygram magazine, sourcing some inspiring gift ideas for her, him, home, and kiddies from a few of my favorite local shops and makers here in Austin. Here are some things I'm sure most ladies (myself included....ahem!) wouldn't mind sitting under the tree this year!


In between your holiday shopping sprees, be sure to download the free Citygram app on your iPhone and iPads. It's an essential interactive online read for any Austinite!

To celebrate my sis and her hubby's December birthdays, the fam got together for dinner. My mom cooked up an impressive spread of roast (lamb, fingerling potatoes, carrots and Brussels spouts). The rest of us brought cookies to do a holiday cookie exchange, because nothing says "Don't make me wear anything but stretchy pants during the holidays" like a good ol' fashioned cookie swap. While my cookies aren't anything as festive as the impressive reindeer cookies my sis and nieces whipped up, they each have an element of classic Christmas tastes. Here are three confections I brought to the table.

Double Chocolate and Mint Cookies

If I never had the inkling to make my own legit jewelry line, I certainly do now after going gaga over all the fab finding and beads I spotted at last weekend's Citywide Garage Sale. I mean, there were practically acres of beads, closures, and other stuff I don't even know the name for but want to put on a chain and call it a day.  Too bad this vendor didn't sell individual bead strings. I mean, I can't really think of a time when I will need 324983594395923054395 mini vintage seed beads, even if they are in the most amazing and perfect coral color. So, while I sit here and sulk over beads I don't have for necklaces I probably wouldn't even make until 4 years later,  here are some noteworthy pieces from ladies who sketch, solder, string and sell their own handmade jewelry. Bravo, ladies!
Hidden Vices "Emerald" Ring  //  Felt Like Paper Beaded Bracelets // Soft Gold Studio Birthstone Hexagon Necklace // Efratim Gold Half Moon Earrings // Manic Trout Atik Under Water Love Necklace // 

I picked up a variety pack of glitter ribbon from HomeGoods, figuring it was one of those purchases that would 'come in handy in the future.' Well, after sitting on a shelf looking all pretty and sparkly for a few months, the future is now. The project? An easy way to glam up the humble bobby pin so you can coif your hair into party perfection for the holidays.

Gather your bobby pins, hot glue gun, scissors, and glitter ribbon in whatever color you want (I chose gold and silver because I'm predictable like that).  I found the exact pack I bought on Etsy if you want a rainbow of colors to hoard/stare at/wear in your hair. The instructions are probably obvious and super easy...like I almost feel a little silly typing them out.

How to Make DIY Glittery Bobby Pins

1. Cut your ribbon strip slightly longer than the bobby pin.
2. Place a thin line of glue down the center of the ribbon. I used hot glue because I had a feeling I would superglue my fingers together. ;)
3. Lay the flat side of the bobby pin on the glue, being careful not to let the glue overflow so the prongs can't separate.
4. Gently press down to make sure that there's a secure bond. Let dry.
5. Style it up! Secure twists, buns, and braids with these glittery pieces of hair bling.

Can I just use this post to say how ridiculously happy I am to be able to walk outside in December in a blazer, scarf and pants and this to myself "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have put on so many layers....it's a little toasty out here"??? People aren't kidding around when they say, "God bless Texas." Oh, and I'm definitely rocking a technicolor glitter fade on those neutral nails if you look closely. Subtle gaudiness at its best. Viva la holiday shimmer and shine!

Oh, and that sassy little sparkly hair clip I'm wearing? Be on the lookout for a super simple DIY project tomorrow!

Jacket: Thrifted (similar) // Shirt: J.Crew (take an extra 30% off with code SALE30, you lucky ducks!) // Scarf: Gift from mom-in-law (similar) // Pants: Gap  // Boots: Petty by Sam Edelman (my most fave pair of boots ever) // Clutch: Marc Jacobs for Target (similar) // Jewelry: Vintage

I made a pit stop at Sephora last weekend to purchase this supposed manicure miracle, and ended up with a few extra goodies in my basket. Perhaps it's because I was feeling moody (code word for major PMS), but I tossed this super dramatic deep plum lipstick in 'Crush 23' into the basket. I was thinking it would be a fun way to change up my tried-and-true red and hot pink for fall. I tried it on at home, and was slightly mortified at the reflection staring back at me. I was going for a carefree '90s Drew Barrymore look, but instead got Morticia Addams. I blame it on the fact that I was already rocking a smoky eye and my extremely pale skin, thanks to the fact that I sit in a nearly windowless office for an absurd amount of time each day.

After a quick search on Pinterest, I made a few mental notes on how to, as Tim Gunn would say, make it work.
Case # 1: A natural eye is the way to go. A barely-there liner and mascara with curled lashes is more than enough to keep everything looking balanced. I can do a natural eye...+1. That brings me to my next pointer.

Case #2: Eyebrows are important. Groom them, pencil them in, do whatever you have to do to define them. Don't let them fade away into oblivion unless you want to be mistaken for a goth alien creature from the faraway land where models must come from. +1 point because I happen to have not one, but two, brow fillers. Let the painting commence.

Case #3: Dark lips happen to look amazing with dark skin. Crap. -1 point. You'd never guess I live in a climate with nearly year-round sunshine.

Case #4: But it can look good on fair-skinned blondes! +1 point for me.

Case #5: More like blondes (and brunettes) with bright blue eyes. -1 point for my dark hazel peepers.

So, while the odds aren't exactly stacked in my favor (a measley +1), I went for it anyways and I'm now rocking a super dark bordeaux lip. I'm pretty ok with it, though John kinda hates it. He requested "a lipstick color like the color I was born with." Baby steps. He'll get there...or be covered in dark plum kiss marks.

Oh, and a tip I picked up by sloppily applying my tinted moisturizer today? Pop some concealer on your lips so the color reads truer.

Lulu & Georgia is a super rad e-boutique chock full of beautiful home decor, gifts and furniture. Any of you down to win a $100 shopping spree there? Oh, you do? Well, hey...then let's cross those fingers and hope it's your lucky day!

Something tells  me y'all won't have a tough time picking something out. I mean, you should have seen my desktop when I was making my 'love list' featured up above. It was a mess....but a pretty mess. I want it alllll. If you are an eager beaver and can't wait to get shopping, use code TRIPLE10 for 10% off your purchase (valid for today only!).

To win the prize, use that handy little Rafflecopter entry form to put your name into the virtual hat. I'll announce the winner on 11/27. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Just a few recipes I am craving and plan to cook up should I get the sudden crazy notion that I have some serious Martha Stewart kitchen skills and can cook a fresh and healthy meal, bake a pie from scratch, get it all plated at the right time, and not set off the fire alarm. More tastiness on Pinterest.

Woke up to the sunshine streaming in through the trees in our backyard....loving how green everything is right now because of all this rain!

Added a handful of houseplants recently to freshen up the casa, and I'm making an earnest attempt to develop a green thumb. Trying to get in the habit of watering on Saturday AM. I'm ultra-paranoid about over-watering though, because apparently I potted all my plants totally wrong and root rot is an imminent threat of death. I just can't seem to win the war against murdering plants.

Speaking of houseplants, remember that disastrous DIY I mentioned on Instagram? Consider this hot mess of a gold-leafed planter project an eventual redo. "Good" from far, far from good, you know? I mean, the bald spots and splotchy lines give it character, riiiiiight?

 I hopped in the shower, and while I was singing at the top of my lungs and scrub-a-dub-dubbin', my husband Jacques Pepin John whipped up the most impressive breakfast! I'm talking freshly sauteed spinach, mini heirloom tomatoes, freshly picked basil and a touch of parmesan tossed into perfectly scrambled eggs. It was really hard to actually eat this meal because my jaw was on the floor. Bravo, John!

On Sunday, I checked out Feliz while John was working the AIA tour. I went on a mini shopping spree and picked up a gorgeous Miranda Bennett scarf, a teeny tiny pair of baguette earrings by Erica Weiner via Olive Vintage, two Oui candles, and some birthday cards from Great Lakes Goods. So much amazing stuff in such a little space. I want it alllll.

 I love me some Uchi, so I gave James' version of their sweet chili Brussels sprouts recipe a try this weekend. Yep....she's right. These are friggin' delicious.

Later that afternoon, I met up with my mom and John so we could all hit a few homes on the architecture tour. My two cents? Shiflet Group Architects blew them all out of the water....with and without my little bias since that is where the hubs works, after all. ;)

I'm over at Citygram dishing on what I'm most excited to see at the second annual Feliz pop-up sale. New to the mag? It's an essential interactive online read for any Austinite, so hop to it and download the free app! Check out the latest issue to get links to all the lovelies you see above, and be sure to mark your calendars for November 3!

When I attended the first Feliz last year, I was blown away by all the talent contained in one little room. It was a handmade haven of home decor, accessories, paper goods and beyond - and from the looks of the incredible vendor line-up, this year's pop-up is not one to miss. Get a taste of current and new collections from local favorites like Miranda Bennett, Fail and Oh Laszlo, and explore other talented designers, like Great Lakes and Tiro Tiro, from all over the country. A prime spot for holiday shopping, you'll be sure to find a perfect gift to give...that you just might end up wanting to keep for yourself, so stock up! 

People often tell me that "You're your mother's daughter." Aside from the fact that she doesn't like coconut (blasphemy), we are alarmingly similar. So similar, in fact, that I didn't write a single thing down when she was schooling me in the ways of making the world's best French onion soup. You see, dear mom keeps all her recipes locked up in the ol' noggin and freestyles as she goes. Actually, I take that back...I wouldn't call her onion soup recipe 'freestyling'. Instead, she uses years of experience (her specially trained nose knew exactly when the onions had the first hint of caramelization) to make sure the recipe is adjusted just so. So, now I'm recording this recipe so I have it forever and share it with my friends and family, just as my mom does and her mom does. The measurements aren't an exact science, which may really irritate some of you and give you extreme anxiety. Take a Xanax, drink some wine and chill....because it'll all turn out magical in the end. Alright, here goes.

Olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pot
Onions (preferably vidalia), one big bag
Sugar, 1-3 wooden spoonfuls
Dry white wine (good quality), 2 bottles
Low-sodium beef stock, 2 boxes
Crusty bread, one loaf
Jarlsberg cheese, the more the merrier
Stock pot (you need the big one...I thought my pasta pot would work, but no way once you slice up all those onions)
Food processor, optional but very smart to use


1. Look at the clock. Do you have 7 hours to cook some soup? Then by all means, commence reading this epic recipe. If not, sorry....do not pass go. You can't rush this process, and if you speed through it, your French onion soup will be mediocre at best, slimy mush at worst.

2. Coat the bottom of your pot in olive oil, and turn up the heat to medium high. Start slicing the onions with the slicer blade on your food processor, and toss the sliced onions into the pot as the food processor cup fills.

3. After each batch goes in, sprinkle in the sugar and stir to coat. When I say sprinkle, I mean dump in a wooden spoonful. We did about three large wooden spoonfuls of sugar for this batch, since I bought the wrong onions at Costco (regular yellow instead of vidalia...total amateur move on my part). Mom explained that she normally only uses about one wooden spoonful when using vidalia onions, but these needed some sweetening to take the acidic onion taste down and help with the eventual caramelization process.

This was when the onions just started caramelizing, and got their first one or two stirs.

3. Now, this is the part where I was goofing up. Once you have stirred in the sugar and the onions start cooking down, don't touch them. At all. When do we stir them, you ask? This is the tricky part where my mom's hound-like nose came into play. She smelled the faintest scent of caramelization, and knew to stir. For novices like you and me with useless noses, I'd give it about 20-30 minutes. Once you see the faintest bit of caramelization, turn the heat down to just a pinch below medium and give it a quick mix.

This was about half-way through the caramelization process

4. Keep stirring every 20-40 minutes or so until most of the liquid is dissolved and you have a nice, even, dark color. You want to give the onions ample time on the bottom of the pot to develop that color and sweet flavor, so try and feel it out for when you should stir based on their progress. It's important not to rush this process - don't turn up the heat to speed it up. Just let time and heat do it's thing. When you stir, be sure to scrape up any bits that get stuck onto the pot bottom. There's some super flavors in that.

After adding the wine

5.When all the liquid is gone, your onions are getting some deep color, and they need to be stirred pretty often to prevent burning, then it's time to bring in the wine. We poured in two bottles of white, and scraped up any remaining bits from the bottom. We then added our low-sodium beef broth.

6. Bring your soup to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover, and let cook for a few hours (our went for another 3 hours). The ideal goal is to get the liquid to reduce by almost half, so all those flavors intensify and blend together. Uncover in the last hour of cooking.

7. When ready to serve, slice up some pieces of crusty bread and Jarlsberg cheese. Place under the broiler, watching them carefully so the bread and cheese don't burn. When the cheese gets melted and bubbly, it's take to take them out. Place immediately in the soup using tongs (be careful not to drop it...the hot splash of soup will hurt!) and let it soak up that fantastic broth. Conversely, you can dish the soup into bowls that are oven-safe, put the bread and cheese in them, and place that directly under the broiler.

8.  Enjoy!

Note: My grandmother and mom both agree that it's best to wait a day to eat the soup, but you don't have to. Just make sure you have leftovers, because the day after is even better.