Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes

It brings you back.

2012-12-13T04:13:00.000-08:00

Hey there Loves, hope you are having a great day! Thanks to technology I was able to enjoy my morning coffee while watching the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief. I love the ability to DVR!

I will be honest when I say, some parts of the concert weren't easy to watch because as I sat in my flat in France, the television was showing devastating pictures of my hometown. I was born and raised in Staten Island, one of the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.

When Sandy hit I watched from afar, feeling so helpless as my family and friends suffered from its aftermath. It wasn't until two weeks later when I returned to New York for a short trip that I got to see with my own eyes what this natural disaster did to my home. It was overwhelmingly heartbreaking, I am a mush to begin with but when I saw parts of my community in ruins, it crippled me. There were numerous moments while I was driving in my car through my hometown that tears started streaming down my face as I saw houses destroyed and cars flattened from fallen trees. This has to be a dream? You never think that something of this magnitude could happen to your home, but it can and it did.

It's going to be a long time before our Staten Island and beloved Jersey Shore are back to normal and last night's concert definitely shed light on that. Hopefully the concert raised a ton of money and people will get the help they need.

The concert had quite the lineup, I looked over to Kyle and said,"These are all of my favorite artists!" Because with each song performed I was taken back to a particular memory and they all took place in Staten Island or the Jersey Shore. It's where we grew up, where we live during Kyle's offseason and where we plan on raising our family when Kyle's playing days are over.

Isn't Music Amazing? The power it has to bring you right back to a particular place and time in your life. Here are some of my favorite memories that come back when I heard some of the songs performed last night.

Bruce Springstein's Born to Run took me back to my days at University Basketball Camp, every summer from age 6 to 14. I looked forward to camp not only to play basketball but because every morning during warmups Bruce would be blasting and I loved it.

The Who's Teenage Wasteland takes me to the start of the very first half marathon I ever ran. It was in Brooklyn and this song came on as I was running along the boardwalk in Coney Island, at that moment I felt like a badass, I was running 13.1 miles and I didn't tell anyone I was doing it. I told my mother the morning of the race that I was going to Brooklyn to watch the race, when in fact I signed up for it. It is something I will never forget and hearing that song brings me right back.

Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer brings me back to my days running for St. John Villa Academy and being on the track. Like clockwork, halfway through our team workout one of the girls would scream out, "Oh, we're half way there!"and we'd follow by singing, "Oh, living on a prayer." It got us through the hard workouts every time.

Oh Kanye! I love your music, but as a current student at F.I.T. that kilt was a fashion don't! But your song Jesus Walks had me back in my silver Honda Civic when I first got my license and I drove around like a little punk, windows down, blasting College Dropout.

All of Billy Joel's songs take me to one of my favorite places in the world Long Beach Island, New Jersey. I hear his songs and I am right back in our summer rental, with my family, dancing around, singing his songs, enjoying a few beers and just being so happy to be together enjoying the simplicity that is Long Beach Island. I know one day we will all be back there, enjoying Billy's songs and that makes me smile.

Chris Martin (I Love You!) singing Viva la Vida, brings me back to Spring/Summer 2008 when I met Kyle and we were starting something new and unknown. Coldplay and that album hold such a special place in my heart, which is why we have chosen one of their songs as our wedding song.

Lastly is Paul McCartney, whose voice I grew up listening to. His songs, along with his songs with the Beatles take me back to so many different memories, that I'd be here all day writing. However, I will share one with you, hearing him sing Blackbird takes me to Sundays in Staten Island, waking up early getting in my car, driving up Forest Avenue to Starbucks, getting my coffee all while listening to Breakfast with the Beatles. It's something so simple, but it is something that I live for doing each weekend.

These are all beautiful memories to me and it's good to know that all I have to do is listen to a song and I can go back in time to those moments, they never leave you.

Season's Greetings.

2012-12-12T00:30:00.002-08:00

Ever since we got our golden retriever Wooden, I have been obsessed with taking pictures of him. He makes it very easy because a. he is so stinking cute and b. he is very cooperative. Wood loves being the center of attention, what a ham!

With each Holiday I have the habit of sending family members cards with Wooden sporting some sort of costume. Kyle always rolls his eyes and says, "Poor pup!" Especially after the costume I put on Wooden this past Halloween. I figured we should show everyone how much we love France, so I dressed him up as a Frenchy. I will admit, even though Wooden posed for me, he didn't look to happy.

So for our Christmas card this year, I decided to go a little more low key. A simple Christmas bow would have to do, both Wooden and Kyle seemed happy with the choice. But after snapping a few shots, something was indeed missing! Thank goodness I brought back some props from the United States, a nice pair a reindeer antlers for Wooden to rock.

I placed the antlers on his head and he just looked up at me. I laughed because he looked so miserable that it was actually cute. I only took a few photos before he took the antlers off himself. Thank you Wooden for being such a good sport, it is much appreciated! And a warning to my unborn children, wait until I get to dress you up!

Such a nobel shot. The winning shot for our Christmas Card.

HAHA, he reminds me of Max from The Grinch here.

He looks so happy here, don't you think?

Wooden in his Halloween Costume.

Notes: Be sure to check out IG now through Friday, enter for your chance to win any Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes Skreened Shop Tee! To see Giveaway details check me out @megmccarrick

The Holiday

2012-12-11T02:29:00.002-08:00

Happy Tuesday Beautiful People! Hope the start of your week went off without a hitch. It is a chilly day here in Limoges and I am throughly enjoying my coffee this morning. I am excited because today Kyle and I will do some Christmas shopping and we will pick out our Christmas tree. I am hoping we don't have any problems like "The Crash of 2011", I will keep my fingers crossed.

In keeping up with Christmas traditions, Kyle and I watched one of our favorite Christmas flicks last night, The Holiday. I don't know why I love this movie but I can tell you that it did solidify my love for Kyle. Join me on this little trip down memory lane.

It was back in 2008, I was in South Bend visiting Kyle at University. We were in bed, I was asleep until Kyle was nudging me to wake up, I looked at him and then my phone, which read that it was 2:00a.m., was the apartment on fire or something. Why would he wake me up when I was dreaming of sugar plum fairies or something like that. Well to my surprise, Kyle woke me up to tell me that The Holiday was on television and he wanted me to watch it with him.

I looked at him a moment more and just smiled, what 21 year old guy, college student, star of an athlete loves The Holiday? Well it happened to be the guy laying next to me and that made me fall in love with him even more. I tried my hardest to stay up to watch with him, but soon fell back asleep.

A few weeks later on Christmas, my mother gave Kyle a gift, a copy of The Holiday on DVD so we could watch it whenever we wanted to. Now it has become a tradition not to watch in until after Thanksgiving, it has become one of my favorite things to do during the holiday season. I love to curl up next to my fiancé and watch a movie that takes me back to such a great memory.

Notes: Be sure to check me out on instagram @megmccarrick, today starts the Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes Skreened Shop T-Shirt Giveaway! Don't miss your chance to win the JTTC's Skreened Shop Tee of your Choice!

Christmassy Spirit.

2012-12-10T05:59:00.003-08:00

Hello Lovers, Happy Tuesday! Hope you are doing well, enjoying the Holiday Season with family and friends. I am currently in France, spending my first Christmas season abroad. I am a little sad that I won't be with Kyle's and my family, but it is really important to Kyle and I that we are together on Christmas.

With that said, my mission this December is to make our flat in Limoges feel just like home, making sure we keep up with some family holiday traditions. There are three boxes from the United States making their way to our place, filled with little things that will help us get into the Christmas Spirit. I have to say Limoges does do a great job of getting Kyle and I feeling Christmassy, their downtown is lit up like a winter wonderland, so beautiful.

While I was home in New York, I saved my Starbucks cups (Cleaning them of course.) and brought some back with me, along with a few pounds of their ground coffee. I thought it would make both Kyle and I feel like we weren't missing out on our beloved Starbucks, and the Christmas cups really make me smile.

As I always say, it really is the little things in life that can turn any ordinary day into an extraordinary day.

Enjoying our coffee.

It Feels good to be back to blogging, to be honest I needed a little break because my T-Shirt shop has really taken off, which is a good thing but it took me away from my daily posts. If you would like to check out my shop which bears the same name as here click the link JeansTeesTravelCakes Skreened Shop .

I also run a monthly T-Shirt Giveaway on Instagram! So if you would like the chance to win a sweet tee of your choice follow me on IG @megmccarrick. December's Giveaway starts tomorrow!

Have an amazing day!

November 6th.

2012-11-06T02:18:00.001-08:00

As I sit here in my apartment in France on this sixth day of November, I can't help but be nervous about what the seventh day of November will have waiting for me. Today is a big day for America an election that will indeed show which direction we as Americans want our great nation to go.

We all have our reasons why we cast our ballots for a particular person or party. It's our right as Americans to do so and I respect the opinions of my fellow citizens even if they are opposite of mine.

Kyle and I have been following this election very closely, and it seems that no matter how hard we try not to talk about politics it always finds its way into the conversation. We both lean to the side of the Democratic Party. Each having our own reasons why, Kyle's concerns mostly focus on healthcare and national security. As my concerns also include healthcare and national sercurity, my main concern is civil rights.

I believe that no matter your sex, your race, your creed or who you love should have any effect on what rights you should have as an American. I mean because aren't "all men created equal", sadly some don't believe that to be true. I fear that if President Obama isn't relected our progressive country will take a major step backwards. We've made so much progress in the last four years when it comes to these simple rights.

Over dinner one night I said to Kyle, "I can't imagine having a son or daughter denied their rights as an American simply because of who they love." It simply boggles my mind and no matter what you believe in, I think we all want our children to grow up treated equally.

I don't know if it was growing up in New York City, where my parents taught my siblings and I to open our minds to everything. I don't know if it was working in Manhattan for seven years, working with people of all races, friends that were gay, straight, bisexual, they were all the same to me, they are my friends. I never judged, I was taught as a Catholic to love thy neighbor. I don't know if it's been Kyle and I living all over Europe the last three years, seeing that no matter where you come from, everyone is just trying to get by. Maybe it's a combination of all three that makes me think the way I do and makes me feel so strongly when it comes to the topic of civil rights.

So today I chose Obama, maybe he will be victorious perhaps he won't. The outcome will never change my view. I believe in forward thinking, I believe in hope for my children who yet to exsist, that they will be allowed the same rights as their fellow Americans. I believe in helping people who are sturggling and that if I make a little more money then some, maybe I can give a little more back to my country to make it a great country, better than it already is.

I've seen over the past week in my hometown of Staten Island, which was devastated by hurricane Sandy, how everyone came together no matter what their differances are and helped each other. That's America, that's what we are about, helping people who need it. Strangers helping strangers, how beautiful! That's what it is all about.

Note: I just want to thank Kyle for putting up with me the last few months, especially while watching the debates. He had to calm me down on more than one occasion and he still wants to marry me. What a keeper!

Pinteresting Finds.

2012-11-05T01:48:00.004-08:00

It's been awhile since I posted an edition of Pinteresting Finds. As you know, I am a huge fan of Pinterest, I am always going on the site to get ideas for just about anything. I have to say that having Pinterest while living abroad has been a lifesaver, helping me discover great D.I.Y's, recipes and style tips.

Here are a few Pins that have been inspiring me as of late! What's your favorite section on Pinterest?

Infinity tattoo, I absolutely love! Board: Stuff I Love, Love, Love

Love the Boho Bun and it is so simple to do! Board: Beauty

A yummy super easy treat! Frozen Banana and Peanut Butter! Board: Foodie Fun

The sexiest thing a girl can wear; Jeans and a Fresh Tee! Board: Fashion Snapshots

I love quotes that make my heart melt and I love Johnny Cash. Board: Quotes I Dig

Must make these! Ferraro Roche Cupcakes, YUMMY! Board: Foodie Fun

Love this look, leather and chambray! Board: Fashion Snapshots

This photo reminds me of life in Limoges, lots of rain and plenty of coffee! Board: Stuff I Love, Love, Love

Catching Up

2012-10-29T01:31:00.001-07:00

Hello there, my beautiful Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes readers! I am mucho sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've been working really hard on my new little business, which I'll tell you more about in a little bit, and I'm also back in school, so papers and reading about Fashion forecasting has been consuming my life as of late. I guess being busy is a good thing but I've missed writing to you. So I've made a promise to myself to get back on the blog train and post, post, post! So with that said, this is what has been going on in my life lately.

I got PICKPOCKETED!

Kyle and I were enjoying a beautiful day in Limoges by going to the center of the city and having a drink outside. It was such a nice afternoon UNTIL two girls approached our café table, I have seen this before in Paris and immediately Kyle and I said no to whatever they were trying to offer us, we knew they were Gypsies and were trying to pickpocket. Well they succeeded, in the midst of us saying no to one of the girls, the other girl successfully stole my cell phone! Which I didn't realize until a minute later when they already disapeared into the crowded city streets. I looked at Kyle and said, "my cell phone is gone." Kyle went to look for them but no luck, tears welled up in my eyes.

When something is stolen from you especially a cell phone, you feel so vulnerable and on top of that we weren't home, we are in France, so I couldn't just go to the nearest AT&T store and tell them my predicament. But thank goodness for technology, the iphone was immediately erased from our computer and AT&T blocked any further use, so the phone was now junk, TAKE THAT THEIVES! My new phone is on its way from the States and should be here in a few days.

T-Shirts, T-Shirts, T-Shirts!

As I mentioned a few posts back, I opened my own little T-Shirt shop on Skreened and I am so proud to say it has really taken off. My first month of sales has really shocked me, who knew people loved cupcakes, coffee and wine as much as I do, so much so that they want to show the world by wearing it on a T-Shirt. Seeing my designs splashed all over Pinterest by strangers is very surreal and to know that people all over the United States and abroad will be wearing my creations is an awesome feeling.

Below are some of the Shop's Best Sellers, stop by the shop and let me know what you think. If you are to purchase a tee and have instagram make sure you post a picture in your new tee and hashtag #jeansteestravelcakes so I can put you up on the site!

The T-Shirt Shop's Hottest Seller Coffee, Cupcakes, Wine

Popular Tee over on the Wedding Shop

Merry Christmas ya filthy animal over at the Holiday Shop

Wine Makes Me Smile, this is a hit over on the Makes Me Smile Shop

Note:
Every month the T-Shirt Shop will run a tee giveaway on instagram, be sure to follow me @megmccarrick to stay up to date and have a chance of winning the T-Shirt of your choice.

Wedding Planning!

I keep asking Kyle if I should be more stressed out about our wedding. Everything is going so smoothly even as we plan from over here in France. I head to New York in two weeks where I will get some more stuff done. It's been so much fun planning and I am really lucky to have a guy who is into the planning part of it, so I never feel like I am doing it alone. I also have to thank Pinterest, I don't know what brides did before it, there are so many great ideas on the site, it really gets my creative juices flowing.

So that's my life in a nutshell right now, no complaints except for the pickpocketing but other then that life is good! Our approach heading into this year overseas has made all the difference, we are focusing more and more on the little things in life, which makes us appreaciate this opportunity more and more.

Back at it.

2012-10-09T03:20:00.004-07:00

It's been quite a few weeks since I went for a run and I believe I am suffering from withdrawels. I don't know what has kept me from running but it's time to get back at it. I've been researching different marathons I could run this upcoming year and after looking, I decided to register for the New Jersey Marathon. I've heard great things about this marathon, that it's a flat, fast course and you run along the Jersey Shore. (One of my favorite places on earth.)

So today after much time off, I will be lacing up my running shoes and hitting the pavement, hopefully I won't be to winded afterwards! It's never to late to set a goal and make a dream come true, you need to find things that you are passionate about because they make the other things you have to do in life worthwhile.

To help me get motivated for marathon training I've created some t-shirts that are available at the Skreened Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes Shop. These shirts give me that extra push I need to succeed.

Comfort Zone Sports Tank

T-Shirt Shop.

2012-10-08T00:45:00.003-07:00

As a student of fashion, I've always has a tiny dream to sell something that I've created. Now I am a realist and I know I am never going to be Karl Lagerfeld or Ralph Lauren, I simply don't have that kind of talent, not even 1% of that talent. So I decided to start small and what better way then T-shirts! Especially having a blog with the word "Tees" in it, it was only natural.

Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes teamed up with Skreened a cool online T-shirt company and officially has it's own little T-shirt shop. This shop is inspired by the phrase, "Live a little, be a risk taker, eat some cake." A phrase that I came up with in high school and delivered in my closing speech as school president, you can see I've always been a corny nerd. This T-shirt shop has Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes written all over it, in the literal sense where we actually sell logo tees and in the figurative sense, all the shirts are a little corny just like this blog.

There are a wide variety of T-shirts in the shop, for women, men, kids and baby, along with some cool tote bags. We have classic logo tees, humor, sports and college geared tees. All the items on the site are American Apparel based, I feel that it's important as an American to support American made products, so I'm proud to say all the tees and totes from the shop are made in the USA! New tees are up on the site weekly and if you have a special request, we can always make to order.

Check it out, by clicking the box below! I want to thank you ahead of time for taking the time to visit the shop and we would love your feedback.

Here are our current top sellers from the shop, it's good to know what people love in this world.

Classic Logo Tee

Coffee, Cupcakes, Wine Tee

Dream Team Tee

Future Hipster Onesie

Namaste Tote

Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes T-Shirt Shop

fat bottom fridays... perfecting homemade pizza

2012-10-05T06:28:00.004-07:00

now i don't know about you guys, but fridays in my house is movie and pizza night... it's something that i think me and my boys look forward to... its a chance to start the weekday wind-down...

being a New Yorker i was always spoiled by amazingly delicious pizza... every New Yorker says it's one thing that makes the pizza, the artisan breads and the bagels stand way above the rest... the water... it has some sort of magical bread making property :)

so whats a Mainer to do... i guess, try my hardest to make some really good homemade pizza-pies to fulfill those cravings...

so... i have been working with different kind of dough: simple 5 minute doughs (blaahhhh, they are tough and dull)... and dough's that need to rise 24 hours (i'm too impatient)... and then there is the standard 2 hour yeast doughs, now these are more my speed...

here is the recipe i have been using lately, it's not perfect but it's pretty darn good and easy to make...

basic pizza dough (makes a single pizza)
prep: 10 minutes rise: 2 hours
ingredients:
1 cup warm water (about 110)
2 1/4 tsp (or one package) of active dry yeast
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
*sometimes i add a little garlic powder, maybe a little dried oregano to the dough

directions:
1. place water in a bowl and add the yeast (let it bloom for 5 minutes)
2. in a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour, the salt, and the sugar... make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and the olive oil... with the dough hook attachment stir the dough until it comes together, adding in as much of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, until the dough forms a ball
3. place the dough in lightly oiled bowl (turning over so the dough is coated with olive oil), and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until 2 hours
4. punch down the dough, place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out into desired diameter and begin to assemble your pizza

one of the things i like to do, is right before i put the pizza in the oven, i brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt and maybe a bit of grated parmesan cheese... this makes an amazing almost breadstick like crust... my boys love it...
speaking of my boys, they are strictly plain cheese pizza guys... but i love anything on pizza... fresh spinach, red wine sauteed mushrooms and onions, zucchini... lots of fresh mozzarella cheese... or creamy melty goat cheese... the sky is the limit... and the pizza dough is the canvas

here are some of my culinary masterpieces... enjoy :)

until next week...mangia! mangia!

and don't forget to check me out over at fat bottom for more deliciousness :)

fat bottom friday... a fantastic flashback :)

2012-09-28T05:53:00.002-07:00

hey everyone... how you doing? well, today i'm bringing you a pretty little melt-in-your mouth treat... vanilla macarons with strawberry mousse and chocolate ganache... mmmm... sweeeeet! these lovely ladies are as much as a feast for the eyes as they are for my tummy... bit sized pieces of heaven :)

like usual, i used my go-to macaron recipe that comes from the fantastic dessert queen, "tartelette"... her desserts and treats are just simply amazing, she's an artist... one day, maybe i'll be at that caliber... fingers crossed... :)

after the macaron shells were baked to perfection (look at those cute little feet and their little round tops... adorable!), it was time to fill them...so, i then made a simple dark, bittersweet chocolate ganache and a creamy strawberry mousse...

i never get tired of these sweet treats... they are a little time consuming, but you know what.. in the end, it's so worth it... enjoy :)

happy baking everyone!

Friday Favorites.

2012-09-28T04:04:00.002-07:00

Hey there Loves, happy Friday! I can't believe this is the last week of September, it really blew by. I am looking forward to October, I love the crisp Fall air, it's perfect for running. Speaking of running, I decided that I will be running the New Jersey Marathon in May, I am itching to get another marathon under my belt and this one is really close to home so it's a win/win. And speaking of home aka New York, this week I booked a flight home and will be joining my family in November for Thanksgiving. Because of my Visa situation I can't stay in France for over 90 days at a time, so this trip home is a must. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and being able to get some wedding stuff done while I'm there.

It's been a pretty productive week, school has me busy and since I am going to run the NJ Marathon I began working out, building a base so I have a good marathon platform. I hope you had a great week as well, do something special for yourself this weekend, you deserve it! Here are some of my favorite things and moments from this last week in September.

I got to see Kyle back in action, I love watching this man play!

Enjoying a rainy day inside with Kyle, those are the best kind of days.

Wooden greeting another English Golden on his daily walk around the neighborhood.

This may be one of my favorite pictures of all time, celebrating Wooden's First Birthday. He had his own Pup Cake.

These guys complete me.

First attempt at making cupcakes from scratch, I used the classic vanilla Magnolia recipe.

Just a Dog.

2012-09-26T03:19:00.001-07:00

Happy Wednesday Loves! It's a very special day in the McAlarney-McCarrick household, our puppy Wooden is celebrating his first birthday! I know some of you may think, "Is she serious? He's just a dog!" But to Kyle and I Wooden is so much more and this is a day to celebrate what Wood has done for us, he turned us into a family.

Wooden has helped each of us in our own special way, for me he has really helped me calm down. I used to get anxiety being over here in Europe while Kyle was on road trips playing ball, being in our apartment all by myself, so far away from everyone made me feel uneasy. But once Wooden came into our lives that all changed, he is the perfect companion and to be honest I probably spoil him to much because he never leaves my side. He has really helped me smile more and worry less.

Wooden has brought so much love into our lives, and we're so lucky to have him by our side every day.

Happy, Happy Birthday Wooden, Woods-ba-Goods, Wooden-ba-Gooden, Woods, Woodson and never (Woody)! Kyle and I love you so much and thank you for being the best puppy on this side of the Atlantic.

Just a Dog

From time to time people tell me, "Lighten up. It's just a dog." or "That's a lot of money for just a dog."

They don't understand the distance traveled, time spent or costs involved for "Just a dog".

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "Just a dog."

Many hours have passed with my only company being "Just a dog".

And not once have I felt slighted.

Some of my saddest moments were brought about by "Just a dog".

In those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "Just a dog" provided comfort and purpose to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "Just a dog", you will probably understand phrases like "Just a friend" or "Just a sunrise" or "Just a promise".

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.

Because of "Just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks, and look longingly into the future.

For me and people like me, it's not "Just a dog".

It's an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past,

and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and

the worries of the day.

I hope that someday people can understand it's not "Just a dog."

It's the thing that gives me humanity and keep me from being "Just a man" or "Just a woman".

So the next time you hear the phrase "Just a dog", Smile because they "Just don't understand"..

-Unknown Author

Look beyond the surface.

2012-09-24T03:09:00.000-07:00

There are moments in your life when someone does something for you that is so touching and heartfelt that it makes you stop and think, wow this world can truly be an amazing place, if you just look a little deeper. One of these moments happened to me yesterday evening.

I was at Kyle's basketball game and after the match was over Kyle came out of the locker room carrying a package. When I went over to greet him he said, "This is for you, from Sambou's wife, Charafa." Sambou is another player on his team and his wife wasn't at the game. I was excited to see what was inside, Charafa is an amazing cook, she basically fed Kyle while I was still in New York, making him meals and making sure he was taken care of. Just from that you can see that Charafa is a very kind, thoughtful person.

Once we got situated in the car I began to open the package, on top was a letter, a letter that has changed my life for the better. Charafa is Muslim and wrote how sad she thinks it is that Muslims hate Americans and vice versa. She went on to say that maybe if both parties looked a little deeper and got to know someone who was either Muslim or American that their views and hate would change. She mentioned how much she has enjoyed getting to know me and that she looks forward to another season together. At this point, tears were welling up in my eyes, when I continued to read, that because of what was going on in the world as of late, her goal this week was to bake American cookies. In the package were the cookies she baked, she asked that Kyle and I try them and let her know how she could improve them.

The amazing cookies Charafa made.

I looked over to Kyle and I shook my head, I read him the letter and after we just looked at each other. I knew he was thinking exactly what I was thinking, we immediately felt awful for anytime in our lives that we've made ignorant assumptions because of the way someone has looked or what religion they follow. Charafa was right, maybe if you just get to know someone of an opposite race, creed or color that your opinions might change. I know mine have.

Last year I had the privilege of joining Charafa and some of the other WAGs (Wives and Girlfriends of Athletes) for dinner at Charafa's house. I was a little intimidated before I entered the house, here I was an American girl, who didn't speak French joining a group of French women for dinner. That intimidation quickly disappeared when I entered the house and everyone welcomed me, even though I didn't know everything they were talking about, it was just like a dinner party with my girlfriends back home, gossiping, talking about celebrities, weddings, family. Which made me realize that even though from the outside our cultures seem so different, that when you take a closer look it is more similar then you think.

I've come to the conclusion and as cliche as it sounds, you can't judge a book by it's cover, you must look deeper, I think you'll surprise yourself on what you might learn.

I am going to leave you with a quote that gives me goosebumps every time I watch this movie. I know I have shared this quote before but there is obviously a reason for that. It's from the movie, Love Actually, it's delivered by Hugh Grant who plays the Prime Minister of England. It's one of those quotes that makes you think, as I hope this post has.

Quote:

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around.
-Love Actually

By the way, Charafa's cookies were absolutely amazing, they made Kyle and I feel like we had a piece of home with us. I tell everyone that she needs to be on Top Chef!

fat bottom friday... how about some oatmeal bites

2012-09-21T09:17:00.001-07:00

i have a confession to make...

i don't really eat all that healthy... i like julia childs philosophies on eating, like "fat gives things flavor" or "the only time to eat diet food is while waiting for the steak to cook"...

my breakfast is usually an entire pot of coffee... lunch... well, i usually try and have something, like a sandwich, a salad or some leftovers with a redbull... and then dinner... well, that all depends on if the hubby is home or not... when the hubs is gone, i let my boys dictate the menu for the most part, except i pick the veggie they will be having, no if's, and's or but's about it... i fix their plates and my dinner is usually what they don't finish... then once they go to bed, i settle down with a glass of wine, then by 9:30 i'm starving and i raid the fridge... my late night choices are sometimes hummus and pita chips, chips and guacamole, or a hunk of bread and brie with some cucumbers... other times i'm making things like ramen noodles or cramming 3 brownies in my face... i try not to have junk food in the house... the hubs doesn't eat it, and i don't want it tempting me... the only real junk food is the stuff i bake... but i bake it all from scratch, so i know that i'm using good ingredients with no preservatives and chemicals... right now i have cupcakes, homemade ice cream and banana bread lurking about my kitchen... not to mention what i am about to share with you today...

anyways, being that my sister is a advocate for healthy living and eating, i thought i would change it up a bit and post something that isn't covered in butter cream and bacon... but just as delicious... not to mention easy to make, and it's not a bad snackin' option for both me and the boys...

oatmeal chocolate chip bites

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups quick or old fashioned oats

1/2 cup rice krispies

2 tablespoon flax seed

1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup dried blueberries, or craisins

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 all natural peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions:

1. preheat the oven to 350, mix all ingredients except for the chocolate chips together really well... i started with a spoon then i got in their with my hands... make sure everything is blended together

2. if your mixture seems dry after mixing add a little more peanut butter or honey (i kinda just eyeballed it)... add a little at a time until the mixture starts to come together... then stir in the chocolate chips

3. add the granola mixture to a mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with non stick baking spray, and press the granola into the molds using your hand or the back of a spoon... press mixture firmly, compacting it as well as you can

4. bake for 12-13 minutes

5. remove from oven and let sit in pan for about 30 minutes to 1 hour... remove them from the pan

6. enjoy... enjoy... enjoy!!

have a wonderful weekend everyone... until next time... happy and somewhat healthy baking!!

Friday Favorites.

2012-09-14T00:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Loves, this week sure did go fast and life is getting pretty normal here in France. All of our moving boxes arrived, there were tears shed over some items that didn't travel so well but all in all it was successful. It's nice to have some of our home in New York here with us in France. Next week I'll be showing you how we've made our apartment here a home, where we can live comfortably for the next eight months. Until then here are a few things that made me smile this week.

Have a great weekend! Bonne fin de semaine! (I start my French lessons this Tuesday, wahoo.)

Without a Starbucks here in Limoges I've become very creative when I am lusting for my usual Caramel Macchiato.

Finally had the time to finish our wedding website. Every time I see that picture of Wooden my heart melts.

Enjoy a rainy morning with a cup of coffee, while admiring my new manicure. (Nail Polish: Thakoon for NARS Pink: Anardana and Essie Sparkle: Set in Stones)

Our sweet baker from across the street saw Kyle and I walking Wooden and came out to give us a complimentary loaf of brioche bread. Such a kind gesture.

Catching up on New York Fashion Week by reading WWD and enjoying my morning coffee of course.

Now that I look back on these Friday Favorites, I definitely see a theme...COFFEE! Coffee is definitely something I can't live without, it makes me so darn happy.

Summer Love.

2012-09-12T03:08:00.001-07:00

Now that we have fallen into Fall, I thought I'd dive back into Summer for a second and share with you my favorite moments of my favorite season. I have to say that this was a stellar summer and one that I will never forget.

Summer.

Enjoying the view in Aruba.

Kyle giving me an engagement ring in Central Park.

Enjoying a brew at the Frying Pan in Manhattan

Lobster in Maine.

My cousin Jamie, my sister Becky and I in Aruba.

Sammy and I.

Lyndsay and I having a moment at my nephew's Birthday Party.

Dinner at the Standard in Manhattan.

Wooden enjoying his time in New York.

Kyle and I in Aruba.

My city.

Kyle about to enjoy some meatballs at the Meatball Shop.

My sister Becky and I at Marginal Way in Maine.

Kyle and I at Le Club in Long Branch for a Birthday Getaway.

My siblings, Kyle and I.

My nephews and brother enjoying the surf in Maine.

My cousins and I celebrating my Nana's 85th Birthday.

My nephew Ben and I enjoying a local fair in Maine.

My cousins and I enjoying a beach day.

My sisters and I outside the Standard in NYC.

Kyle and I at the Frying Pan in Manhattan.

Lyndsay and I taking in the sun.

Celebrating Kyle's Birthday at the Bungalow.

Kyle and I celebrating his Championship win.

Family time at the bar.

Kyle and I at the Beach Boys concert.

Kyle and I having fun in the sand in Aruba.

What were your favorite summer memories?

Long ago, far away...Remember.

2012-09-11T03:21:00.000-07:00

This is the first time that I am not in New York for this day and I am finding it very hard to hold back the tears. I could go on forever about why I love my New York but today I am going to keep it short. All I would ask you to do today is to remember, wherever you are in the world, take a moment and remember a moment we would all like to forget.

I love you New York and I am missing you now more than ever, I hope you can feel that love from 3654 miles away.

Here is a song from the late Harry Nilsson, this song always reminds me of my city and I think it's a fitting song for a day like today.

Remember.

Sorry for the weird pictures in the video, it was the only one I could find.

A New Year Abroad.

2012-09-10T03:14:00.001-07:00

Kyle and I have started another year living abroad, we are living in France for another year while Kyle plays basketball with Limoges CSP. We feel it's very important to take advantage of the opportunity we've been given living overseas, so this year we made a list of goals we'd like to accomplish while living in France. These are little goals that will open our minds to new things, helping us step out of our comfort zone and add memories to this chapter of our lives.

Goals

Become more proficient when it comes to the French language. Kyle definitely has a leg up on me with this goal, he studied French in high school as well as college. I have the tendency to smile and nod while not knowing what is said to me, this year I promise to become a better student of the language.
Go for a walk every night. This has become a huge part of our routine. After dinner each night, we put on the dog's leash and go for a walk around the neighborhood. It is one of my favorite things to do and it is one of the more simple things as well.
Read more.
Stress less.
Run more.
Learn how to make great meatballs. This one is a little silly, but I come from a family of great cooks and I prefer to go out to eat or call for takeout rather then cooking myself. So it is my goal to master some form of cooking, I went with meatballs because lets face it who doesn't love a good meatball.

My first attempt at making meatballs was a home run.

Become a master of distinguishing artisan cheeses. We are in France a land full of amazing cheeses, what better place to learn.
Be able to differentiate different types of wine. Again, we are in France where the wine is plentiful,very inexpensive, meaning it's a great place to learn.

Our first cheese tasting, we started simple with gruyere, maasdam and parmesan. All three equally delicious.

What are some goals that you've set for yourself this year?

a sweet sunday treat by fat bottom

2012-09-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

hey there everybody... i hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful weekend... i know i typically treat you all to something sweet on fridays (which i've kinda slacked on recently... sorry) but i've been a little on the busy side... but now the dust has seemed to have settled, and i think i am back to a bit of a schedule and routine... but enough of that... here's a delicious recipe i just have to share with you all... amazing... homemade... creamy... cake batter ice cream... and bonus homemade waffles...

i don't know why i don't make ice cream more often... honestly... it's not as hard as you would think, and the possibilities, oh! the possibilities... but anyway... enjoy the post and enjoy what is left of your weekend...

cake batter ice cream (recipe taken from annie's eats):
ingredients:
2 cups heavy cream, divided
½ cup yellow cake mix
½ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1½ cups whole milk
*pieces of cake, pound cake, or any mix in's you are craving...

directions:
1.in a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the heavy cream with the yellow cake mix, sugar, and salt 2. heat over medium heat until warmed through... meanwhile, place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth
3. combine the remaining cream, vanilla, and whole milk in a large mixing bowl with a fine mesh sieve set over the top
4. when the mixture in the saucepan is warm, slowly pour a small amount into the bowl with the egg yolks to temper them, whisking constantly
5. continue pouring the cream mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously until completely combined, then return the mixture to the saucepan over medium heat
6. continue heating, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and reads 170-175˚F on an instant-read thermometer
7. immediately pour the custard mixture through the mesh sieve into the bowl with the remaining cream and milk and mix to blend
*at this point i mixed in about 3 slices of broken up pound cake... mmmm...
8. cover and chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, and once the mixture is chilled through, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions

for the waffles (recipe taken from joy of baking):
ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
4 tbsp. of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp. of milk
1/3 cup of all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. of salt

directions:
1. in a medium sized bowl mix the eggs and the sugar until frothy... then whisk in the melted, cooled butter, milk and vanilla extract
2. add the flour and the salt, and whisk the batter until smooth... the batter should be thin, so add more milk to thin it out if need be...
3. what we did next was heat up our waffle iron, and brushed it lightly with oil, and added about 1/4 cup of the batter to the iron... they cooked up in no time... and man... they were crunchy, sweet, almost with a caramelized flavor... they went perfectly with the ice cream!!

well... until next week... fat bottom out...

Friday Favorites.

2012-09-07T01:56:00.000-07:00

My first week back in France is almost complete. I can't tell you how weird it is to be back in our old apartment in Limoges, it feels as if we never left, which makes me realize how quickly time goes. We are still waiting for the many packages we sent over here that will enhance our time living abroad, we did however, receive our most precious delivery yesterday, our dog Wooden. He arrived safely after a long day of travel and with him being here now our family feels complete.

So cheers to our second year in France and our third year abroad, may it be a safe and healthy one! I'm leaving you with a few of my favorite things from this past week and wish you a happy weekend.

Fresh manicure and my last Starbucks Caramel Macchiato until we take a trip up to Paris.

France bound to see my fiance.

Waking up over the Atlantic.

Happy to be together again, cheers!

Reunited with my Wooden-ba-Gooden.

A Date to Remember.

2012-09-05T02:55:00.000-07:00

Since Kyle and I are having a quick engagement and will be in France for most of the year we don't have time to have an engagement party. Not a big deal, instead we thought to get creative with our Save the Date that we would be sending to our guests.

Now, as you know I am a huge fan of Pinterest, I think it is a great place to go to get your creative juices flowing. I stumbled upon a bunch of great ideas but one thing was very important to both Kyle and I, Wooden our 11 months golden retriever must be the focal point of our Save the Date.

So with help from my brother Brendan, who is great behind the camera and some D.I.Y fun, what we created makes me smile every time I walk past the card that sits on desk here in France.

The winning shot. This is the shot we picked as our Save the Date.

Wooden loved wearing the DIY sign I made with our date on it.

Resting between shots. Doggie modeling is rough.

Kyle being silly with our Save the Date Sign.

Note: This isn't a wedding blog but I will post from time to time about my upcoming nuptials. My word of advice is have fun and stress less, trust the process.

Dress: Lulus.com

So Long Summer and a Welcome Back.

2012-09-04T04:29:00.002-07:00

Hello there my beautiful Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes readers! It has been quite awhile since you have heard from me, my apologies are most sincere. I just had one of the most amazing summers of my life and even though I didn't post daily, I will be sure to share some of my favorite summer moments with you in the upcoming weeks. I hope you all had an amazing summer and that you took some time for yourself, whether is was taking the time to read a great book, to conquering a goal, to going on a vacation that you really needed, just know that you deserved it!

Here is a quick recap of my summer, so that when you read a new post you won't say, "When the heck did that happen?"

I came home from my year abroad in France this past May, I got the chance of a lifetime when a dance studio gave me studio time to teach yoga, that is when Yoga by Meg was born. My guy Kyle and his team took home the French Pro B Championship. My pup Wooden made his journey from France to the United States, one of the more nerve racking days of my life. Kyle then made his way home from France, we celebrate and celebrate and celebrate some more, the beginning of summer, Kyle's Championship win, and his Birthday.

Kyle comes back to our apartment early one morning and gives me a Starbucks with the words, "Will You Marry Me?"written on it, I say YES! We're engaged, we have a six week window to plan a wedding for next summer because Kyle signed to play another season in France. We book a venue, we go on an amazing vacation with my sister and brother-in-law, along with my cousin and her boyfriend to Aruba, it was a blast. After vacation, I register for online classes with the Fashion Institute of Technology. We do some more wedding planning, take some day trips into Manhattan and days down at the beach. Kyle heads back to France.

I spend my last few weeks in New York with my family, I take a road trip up to Maine to visit my sister and her family. I get a offer to be a blogger for FabFitFun.com, a dream come true which I gladly except. I pack up my life for the next year and ship it off to France.

And here I am!

I am sitting back in my apartment from last year in Limoges, sipping my coffee, wishing my pup was by my feet, he won't be here until Thursday. It is crazy to see how quickly time goes and how many amazing memories were made in the three months that we call summer. Now it is time for new memories to be made, a very exciting year lies ahead for Kyle and I, for next July we will be married. I will cherish this next year as an engaged couple and I truly feel blessed with how our journey has unfolded.

So follow me on my latest chapter, I'll be sure to entertain you.

Friday Favorites.

2012-07-20T05:41:00.003-07:00

It has been another whirlwind week and I have to say it's been amazing! I had no idea that by mid summer that Kyle and I would be planning a wedding but it has been such an awesome process so far. You may be thinking, you just got engaged and you're already wedding planning! We've started the planning because we would love to get married next summer 2013 and with Kyle's career being overseas we want to get as much done this summer as possible. So with that said, we've already seen a venue and are going on two more tours this weekend. It's such an amazing time and I promise to share some details with you without turning Jeans and Tees and Travel and Cakes into a wedding blog.

Have a great weekend, do something for yourself because you deserve it!

Fresh Manicure and a Starbucks, have to be two of my favorite things!

I love our Baristas at Starbucks, we were given these fun cups after our engagement.

Wooden aka Falcor the Luck Dragon.

Cooling off during the Heat Wave with a Tiki Tea at the Damora Pool Club.

He just might be one of the happiest puppies in the world, he sleeps smiling.

Enjoying a rainy day with the newest issue of The Knot and a Starbucks.

A Simple Sundress for a 100 Degree Day.

It's You and Me Kid, You and Me.

A Proposal worth a Million Bucks.

2012-07-12T06:21:00.001-07:00

After last week which was full of fun and tons running around I was looking forward to getting back to my normal routine, which consists of blogging, coffee drinking, running and teaching yoga. Kyle however, insisted that on Monday morning we head into Manhattan for the day. Now I would never pass up a trip to my favorite place in the world but to be honest I was tired.

Early Monday morning Kyle woke up and went into our living room, usually our pup wakes us up at the crack of dawn but Kyle was even up before him. Ten minutes later he came back into our bedroom and told me he was running out to get us a Starbucks. I wasn't moving, it was 6:15am, the first time I got to sleep in in a while, he'd be going to Starbucks by himself this time. He left the apartment and now I was up! So much for a lazy morning, I headed into the living room with my pup by my side and turned on the morning news. About fifteen minutes later Kyle arrived back at our apartment and didn't even look at me, he just hurried into the kitchen. What gives? First he wakes me up early and now he's depriving me of my much needed Starbucks, haha.

Kyle emerged from the kitchen with two Starbucks in hand but he was acting a little fidgety, something was up. He sat on the couch next to me and began stuttering, something that I've never seen before, I was now scared, what the heck was going on? Then the words came out and my chest tightened, this has to be a dream, I must still be sleeping! Kyle said, "Remember when I told you I was meeting James (his friend) for lunch last week?" I said, "yea." I was very suspect of what was to follow, I honestly thought Kyle was going to tell me he was cheating on me, well that's not quite what came out of his mouth. He followed by saying,"Well, I didn't meet him for lunch, I actually was at David Yurman picking out a ring." He said it so calmly, like it's something you do everyday, I almost passed out. He preceded to tell me, "That's why we are going into Manhattan today, I picked out some rings and I want you to pick one out because I love you so much and I want to marry you." At this point I was most likely hyper ventilating.

Then it was the moment every girl dreams of, Kyle got on his knee and handed me my Starbucks Caramel Macchiato but written on the cup where my name usually was were the words, WILL YOU MARRY ME? I was crying by this point and said, YES! I think I said yes about a thousand times, and because I sometimes have a potty mouth, I am pretty sure I cursed once or twice in disbelief. It was the greatest moment of my life, being in our apartment, with Kyle, our dog by our side and a coffee in hand, we were now engaged!

The infamous Starbucks Cup. <3

We then headed into Manhattan and it was so magical. When we arrived at David Yurman they directed us to the Bridal floor and a lovely woman named Natalie was there waiting for us. She brought out the rings that Kyle picked out and at that moment I felt like I was in heaven, I couldn't believe this was happening, it was so amazing. I tried on the rings but I knew the minute I put on a particular one that that was it, it's never coming off. Well I did take it off for Natalie to wrap it up in a signature David Yurman box because Kyle wanted to take me Central Park to actually propose to me with a ring.

After leaving David Yurman, we walked over to the Central Park Duck Pond, where we found a quiet spot and Kyle again got down on his knee. This is when I lost it, I was crying the happiest tears to ever come out of my eyes. We earned this moment, we've been through so much together, we deserved it and at that moment I didn't care that I felt selfish, I was never going to let this guy go and by him giving me a ring he was saying the same thing. We walked hand in hand out of Central Park and I couldn't stop staring at my hand, I've never seen something so beautiful and sparkly. I realized at that very moment that we started a new chapter of our lives and this might be the best one yet.

Couldn't wait to get it on my finger after trying it on.

After the proposal at the Central Park Duck Pond.

My dream ring.