Recipe of the Week: Spiced Pumpkin Muffins!

When you are getting ready to go to a holiday party this season, and realize you spent your day on finding an outfit instead of actually baking something to bring...whip this recipe out. These Spiced Pumpkin Muffins are the easiest muffins to make. Seriously!

Your host will appreciate the homemade goods and your friends will love them b/c they taste like the holiday!

I added a spinkle of powdered sugar on them to make them look festive. Or you can smooth on some chocholate frosting to make it more of a dessert cupcake! Or you can just bring them as they are...which is fabulous!

SPICED PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1 box spice cake mix

1 can of pumpkin

1. Preheat 350*. Mix the 2 ingredence until well blended (about 2 mins).

2. Spray down or place cupcake papers in a cupcake pan.

3. Cook about 18-22 mins.

...see, soooo easy!

Flying Daisy's

Flying Daisy's is a new product line my friend Michelle just launched! It is a Boulder, CO company all about women's accessories with fun and trendy bags, jewelry, and more!

You can shop online at www.flyingdaisies.com

Or check it out on facebook www.facebook.com/flyingdaisies

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I'm so excited tomorrow is Halloween! I love this holiday because you get to dress up and be whatever you want...and you get to eat all the candy you want too :)

Of course Halloween and movie director Tim Burton go hand and hand. He is famous for some pretty crazy weird movies, like Edward Scissorhands, the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the upcoming Alice and Wonderland. I'm not gonna lie- this guy is insane! He is dark and crazy but he is also really creative!

And he directed one of my most favorite halloween movies...Sleepy Hollow!

In the October issue of Bazaar, Tim Burton was asked to help create a magical set full of fashion! Check it out...and maybe get some costume ideas too!

Fashion And Food

Finally a combo of the 2 things I love the most...fashion and food! Who would have thought that the 2 would go so well together!

CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America), which consists of 350 members of the most famous fashion and accessory designers, have gotten together to share their favorite recipes! From Isaac Mizrahi’s Mushroom Truffle Spaghetti, to Carolina Herrera and Derek Lam’s favorite recipes...this is for sure going on my christmas list!

Happy Weekend!

Meet Ralph! He is my little english bulldog!

Today Ralph and I are going to meet Maxamillion. Max is a 4 year old bulldog who is in the NC bulldog rescue, and needs a permenate home. We are hoping to become his new home! The rescue is a great place to look for dogs who need love and a chance at a new and better life.

I have no doubt that Ralph and Max will get a long and become best buddies.

If you don't have one yet, you should get one today!

http://www.rescuebulldogs.org/

PS- if you are really interested, be aware they do extensive background checks and there is an interview process. This needs to be done, so these dogs can be sure they are in a loving home and will never be abandoned again.

H&M is coming to Raleigh!

EEEE!

Holy crap- Raleigh's cooler than I thought! haha! The news is out and Crabtree Valley Mall is getting an H&M store. This is serious stuff! The awesomely low priced fashion store will be the first H&M in North Carolina! I can't wait til the opening!

Alien Shoes

On Tuesday Alexander McQueen presented his Spring 2010 collection in Paris. The 10-inch shoes that each model wore, were the talk of the show.

They are the most incredible shoes ever. They are strange and they look like lobster claws and under the sea alien creatures that are going to eat you. And a little futuristic too. What do you think...if you could managing walking in these shoes, without hurting yourself, would you get a pair?

Recipe of the Week: Fish Tacos

I found this recipe on www.RecipeGirl.com, which she notes is a weight watchers recipe!

FISH TACOS W/ CHIPOTLE CREAM

FISH:
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
¼ tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 lb white flaky fish fillet, like tilapia or halibut

CHIPOTLE CREAM:
½ cup plain nonfat yogurt
2 Tbs mayonnaise or sour cream (I used light sour cream)
2 tsp chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce (in the mexican isle)

TACOS:
Eight 6-inch corn tortillas
1½ cups shredded green cabbage or lettuce
½ cup corn kernels (thawed, if frozen)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the fish fillets and let marinate for 20 minutes.

2. Remove the fish from the marinade and grill on a preheated grill or nonstick grill pan over a medium-high heat until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Set the fish aside on a plate for 5 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise (or sour cream) and chipotle chiles.

4. Heat tortillas on grill or grill pan for 30 seconds on each side. Or warm in the microwave with wet napkins in between.

5. Flake the fish with a fork. Top each tortilla with 1 Tbsp. of the chipotle cream. Top with fish, cabbage, corn and cilantro; serve with lime wedges.

Servings: 4
Yield: Serv. Size: 2 tacos

Amount Per Serving
Cal 322; Total Fat 12.98g; Cholesterol 40.68mg; Sodium 336.25mg; Carbohydrates 23.79g;
Dietary Fiber 3.50g; Sugar 2.39g; Protein 28.16g

Over The Knee Boots

Are definitely the trend this season. I have already found a pair that I have fallen in love with....and would be willing to trade my entire wardrobe for :)

Lalala...

YEYYY for New York's Fashion Week! I was sucked in by style.com for the best updates. Seriously I didn't even mean to spend all day on that site! heee!

Anyways, I think this season is full of awesome clothes and here are my top 5 favorite fashion trends for the season:

1. Knee High Boots

Rodarte

2. Fur Vest

Alexandre Herchcovitch

3. Crazy Cuts

Alexander Wang

4. Fun Tights

Zac Posen

5. Crazy Big Shoulders

Zac Posen

Recipe of the Week: White Mac and Cheese

Ok so as I was reading over my last blog, which i do obsessively sometimes when I'm bored, I mentioned something about mac and cheese! Here is my favorite recipe, currently....

White Macaroni and Cheese

1 box whole-wheat elbow noodles ( i like to use shells, but you can use whatever you want)

1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped broccoli (or fresh)

1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided

3 TBSP flour

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1. Boil water and cook pasta for about 5 mins. Add frozen broccoli, for about 5 more mins. Stir until pasta and broccoli are tender.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large pot over med heat, just until simmering. In a small bowl whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add flour mixture to the simmering milk; return to a simmer and cook. Whisk constantly, for about 2-3 min, until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in cheddar and parmesan, until cheese is melted.

3. Drain pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce. Stir together, on med heat for 1 min.

This is a simple and easy recipe. And is pretty healthy compared to the rest of the macaroni and cheese recipes out there.

If you get around to trying this, let me know what you think!

White After Labor Day

It is southern etiquette to not wear white after Labor Day. Growing up, my mom, who is from California, always told me to wear what I want to wear. She obviously didn't care about the rule. But being from North Carolina, many of my friends still stick to this rule today.

The rule is: wearing white is considered to be out of season before Easter and after Labor Day. It is "kind-of like when you see a girl wearing white pants in mid October...you think to yourself.."What the hell is she thinking out in public like that?!?! "

There is logic to this old rule, but I think it needs to be a little updated. I find there are several exceptions, like the big ones are: holiday white pants/jeans, or a christmas white sweater...or white for a winter bride. And what if you live somewhere warm all year round? Are you not

suppose to be able to wear white? Yeah right!

I most definitely sneak wearing white after Labor Day...wheather it is a white blouse for work or a plain white t-shirt with jeans. I couldn't imagine not being able to wear a white t for months!

Anyways Rachel Bilson obviously doesn't care about the rule either, saying, "Forget the old rules. I love white all year round. It's cooler to wear it when your aren't suppose to."

Do you where white after Labor Day?

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!

Today is September 1st.

The month of September is basically like New Years in the fashion world. Every year in September places all over the world like to celebrate with "Fashion Week." Milan, Paris, and New York will all have scheduled shows for the most famous designers to show off their Summer 2010 Collections.

Also this month, magazines will be filled with their enormous September issue.

Vogue, of course being the best- aka the bible according to Anna Wintour, has gotten a lot of flack for being "the smallest September issue ever." I agree it does seem thinner and lighter than usual. They also have chosen to put the most unflattering picture of Charlize Theron ever.

This years September Issue seems just a little sad. Here are some interesting facts about the issue:

Sept. 09 vogue: 584 pages, 427 of those pages are ads

Sept. 08 vogue: 798 pages, 607 of those pages were ads

Sept. 07 vogue: 840 pages, 727 of those pages were ads

Conde Nast is feeling the hurt alright, but Vogue Publisher Tom Florio states, "we're a profitable book. not as profitable as we were in 2007, but very profitable."

I like his positive attitude in this crazy economy! Hopefully those 584 pages will show it is all about quality, not quantity :)

Raleigh Denim

Raleigh Denim was created by husband and wife, Victor and Sarah Lytvinenko, of Raleigh, NC. They have created a small team of hard workers who do it all, from start to finish, under 1 roof! And this fabulous brand also uses locally produced materials to create all their handmade jeans.

The Raleigh Denim now has their homemade jeans available at Barney's in the New York and Los Angeles stores. Which is completely awesome. And for us locals, they can also be found atStitch, Holly Aiken's shop and studio in downtown Raleigh (corner of Wilmington and Hargett streets).

This is an amazing and inspiring story. Something fun to watch out for when you get your pair... "we've signed the inside pocket and hand stamped the # of your pair on the leather patch." eee!

ASH SURRY JEANS $285

UNION JEANS $275

STROKES TROUSER $260

Vampy Is So In

Vampires are popping up everywhere you look! Starting with Twlight, and now to the Vampire tv shows, fashion has gone vampy. The look is in, and these designers have definitely made it work!

Fendi 2009 Ad Campaigns:

Hussein Chalayan FW09 collection:

Gossip Girl Fashion

Gossip Girl and fashion go together like mac and cheese! I love Gossip Girl and think it is a great show to watch for the latest fashions. This season, Gossip Girl will have stylish cameo appearances by Tory Burch and Gorgina Chapman. The 2 designers will be appearing on the Oct. 5th episode...I know I will be watching!

xoxo messy lulu

Recipe of the Week: CRAB CAKES

I had never made crab cakes before because...frying things scares me. I dedicate this recipe to my brother b/c he loves them and since you can bake these, I'm not afraid to make them anymore! Yey!

ps- The Lemon Parsley Slaw is a must!

ps again- The recipe I used says these are low calorie, low carb and low fat (YEYYY!)

Crabcakes and Lemon Parsley Slaw

Prep:15 mins Cook:20 mins

1 lb crabmeat (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 TBSP. low fat mayonnaise

1 egg

1 TBSP. chives

1 TBSP. dijon mustard

1 teasp. seasoning

cooking spray

lemon wedges

Lemon Parsley Slaw

1. Preheat oven to 450*. Place pan in oven for 10 mins to heat.
2. Drain crab meat.
3. Combine 1/4 breadcrumbs, mayo, and next 4 ingred. Gently add crab neat to mixture using hands to toss. Shape unto 6 patties. Dredge patties in remaining 1/4 c breadcrumbs.
4. Coat crab cakes with cooking spray. Remove hot pan from oven, coat pan with cooking spray.
5. Place crab cakes on hit pan. Bake 450 for 10 mins; turn cakes over and bake 10 more mins. Or until lightly browned. Serve with lemon wedges and lemon slaw.

Per crab cakes and 3/4c slaw: cals 187; fat 8.4g; protein 18.9g; carb 9.2g; fiber 1.9g; chol 137mg; iron 1.5mg; sodium 1037mg

Lemon Parsley Slaw

Prep:4 mins

2 teasp. grated lemon rind

1 teasp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 teasp. dijon mustard

1/2 teasp. salt

2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil

6 cups thinly sliced cabbage

lots of parsley

1. Whisk together first 4 ingrde in a large bowl: gradually whisk in olive oil.

2. Add slaw and parsley, tossing gently.

Per 3/4 cup slaw: calories 63; fat 4.8g; protein 1g; carb 4.2g; fiber 1.7g; chol 0mg; iron .6 mg; sodium 218mg

Charlotte North Carolina Fashion Week!

Charlotte, NC will be holding the 2nd annual Charlotte North Carolina Fashion Week (CNCFW) September 10-12. It will be a weekend full of fashion, from new designers to boutique stores around the area, held in the Mint Museum of Art.

I was given the chance to get involved with this event and am very excited about it! I think this type of event will help expose fashion that we have right here, in North Carolina. It is also a chance for local fashion designers to show off their work without having to live in New York or LA.

If you are interested in getting tickets for the show or for more information go to www.charlottencfashionweek.com

The Ugly Truth

My movie review for The Ugly Truth, actually has a lot more to do with the wardrobe, than the movie. Haha, shocker!

Ok so I went to see The Ugly Truth the other night with my bff B. We actually both decided we liked the movie way more than we thought we would.

Katherine Heigl plays a morning show producer. And besides going through 80% of the movie with terrible hair, she actually always has a great outfit on. Most of the scenes when she is at work, she was wearing something that I would want to wear.

In the scene above (the picture kind of sucks, but it is the only one I could find, ps- see what i mean about her hair- ugh!) she has a supercute double belt, around a grey vest.

So it really stuck out to me when her male co-worker makes fun of her work clothes by saying, "you’re all about comfort and efficiency!"

It seems a bit harsh to be judging her work attire like that. I think the wardrobe department nailed a great, fashionable work look. If you have seen the movie, let me know what you think about it!

Kate Spade's Not Just A Purse!

Kate Spade has become famous for her cute and preppy purses! She has also been known for accessories, shoes, her own line of stationary, and plates too. But now Kate Spade is bringing us even more! Clothing and jewelry! Kate simply states, "it's clothing as accessories - easy but never basic. things that don't require a fitting room! things you throw on and it's not, ooh, does it fit? but, oh my god, i have to have this!" I like her thinking!

Kate Spade in Charlotte launched the line Aug 11th

Raleigh's Cameron Village's Beanie + Cecil (and the Wilmington location) will be carrying the line this Friday, Aug 28th

Katie Holmes Has A Clothing Line

According to WWD, Katie Holmes and her stylist, Jeanne Yang are teaming up to create a high-end line, to be sold at Maxfield in LA, this fall. The line, called Holmes and Yang, will be targeted for women and children.

Yang designed Katie's dress for the Tropical Thunder premiere last year. Hmmm...What do you all think?

I Heart Chuck Bass

Here is a picture of Chuck and Blair, characters from my favorite show Gossip Girl. The very vampire-y picture will be in an upcoming issue of Elle Magazine. I love Chuck and I love Leighton Meester's dress too!

Recipe of the Week: BLACK LENTIL AND COUSCOUS SALAD

I found this awesome recipe from Cooking Light. It is a light, meat free kind of meal. Actually this is the first time I have ever eaten black lentils. YUM! This dish was easy to make and I will definitely be making it again! I liked it because I felt healthy eating it and most veggie dished I make have tons of cheese in it. This one didn't! Ps-I left out the raisins b/c i don't like them.

I'm also sending this to my bff blogger friend at http://carving-tree.blogspot.com/ Check out her site- it is awesome!

1/2 cup dried black lentils

5 cups water, divided

3/4 cup uncooked couscous

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

1/3 cup finely chopped cucumber

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 TBSP chopped fresh mint

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil

1. Rinse lentils with cold water; drain. Place lentils and 4 cups of water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 mins. or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain.

2. Bring remaining 1 cup water to a boil in a med saucepan; gradually stir in couscous and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Remove from Heat; cover and let stand 5 mins. Fluff with fork. Combine lentils, couscous, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Yield: 6 servings (1 cup each)

calories 175; fat 4.8g, protein 4.5g; carb 28.8g, fiber 2.8g, chol 0mg; iron 1mg; sodium 322mg,

This recipe can also be found online at: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1842312

Slaying the Dragon

The Joy of Cooking is one of the most famous cookbooks in America. As fun as cooking can be, sometimes it is a daunting task...especially when you get home from work at 7, and still have to run to the grocery store!

This is the cover of the edition in 1931. Haha- it is an illustration of a woman 'slaying the dragon of kitchen drudgery'! How perfect and fabulous! I love it! It has inspired me to do a recipe of the week... Bon Appetit!

Grey is the new Black

At least as far as nailpolish goes. I have been searching since Christmas 08(!) for a fabulous grey nailpolish. I am happy to report I finally found it! Sally Hansen's Gunmetal 22! It is the perfect color I had been looking for, not too shiney, and it's under $6! I found it at Harris Teeter (my local grocery store) but I am sure you would be able to find it at any CVS or Walgreens. Yes, it is fabulous!

Rachel Roy, Where Are You?

Rachel Roy has created the Rachel Rachel Roy collection to hit macy's stores this fall. This line includes everything: apparel, footwear, handbags and jewelry. The affordable line will retail from $59-$250.

I went to Macy's today very excited to see the colletion, only to find out that no one had any idea what, or who, I was talking about :( ...so maybe I jumped the gun and was a little too early?!

Everything looks so cute! Macy's I will be back in September for the faux fur vest...and the gold mini skirt...and the black mini dress...and the necklaces...hee!