Just Play the Part

The End of November

2011-11-30T19:53:00.001-08:00

blouse - Volcom Corpo Class; hammer pants - F21; flats - steve madden; shades - D&G; jewelry - michael kors, by boe, la[t]da, street vendor in mexico, made by my bro!

Even though it is the end of November, it is gorgeous in Southern California! Today in particular.

soaking up the sun

But really, it is kind of fall here! Hence I'm rocking pants and a long sleeved shirt.

Adios, Movember (don't forget to donate)!

BESOS

Versace for H&M

2011-11-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Are you going to shop the collection this Saturday? Think it'll be more or less insane than the Missoni for Target debut? Or will you be too tired after watching Twilight??

Below are a few of the items from the Women's collection I'm crushing on:

Peep the full collection here!

BESOS,

Natalie

Winter Wonderland

2011-11-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

If this party is any indication of how wonderful my winter is going to be, I might need to reconsider my summer-year-round ideals! Check out the hot cocoa to-go. Simple, adorable, and gives me a huge craving for hot cocoa! And given the weather coming up this weekend it looks like everyone in the US can give in to h.c. Oh, you didn't know about my undying love for the Weather Channel? Well, now you know. Bundle up!

BESOS

Arizona Photo Diary

2011-11-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

Yummy mint chocolate ice cream from Sugar Bowl!

Posting up on a wagon wheel bench in Old Town.

Pasta with green beans, chanterelles mushrooms, bacon, and creme fraiche at FnB - divine!

Scored a copy of the Daily Wildcat!!

Me and Ric at Homecoming

Go ZonaZoo

Hiking in Sabino Canyon with the birthday boy!

Celebrating Ric's birthday at the Meet Rack!!

Ric and I had such an awesome weekend celebrating his birthday in Arizona! We met up with great friends, ate delicious food, watched ~~a few~~ games, and relaxed. Oh, and celebrated his general amazing-ness! I am so so lucky to have him in my life and look forward to celebrating a million more birthdays with him. Love you, Ric.

BESOS

Old Town Scottsdale

2011-11-09T02:23:00.000-08:00

Ric and I spent a few days in Arizona to celebrate his birthday and we had such an amazing time. Here are a few quick after-dinner photos from Friday night in Old Town Scottsdale.

dress - F21; jacket and collar - zara; purse - target; suede booties - steve madden

I'm really loving these booties right now! I feel like they help to "winter up" this dress, oh, and they are extremely comfortable.

Happy Hump Day!

BESOS

Natalie

BOO!!

2011-10-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

When Ray says he's carving pumpkins, he means business!

BESOS

2011-10-28T16:13:00.001-07:00

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Trick or Treat!!

2011-10-28T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is my first blog post and I think the timing couldn't be more appropriate - Halloween, my favorite holiday.

Fudge Candy Corn
Adapted from Something Swanky

Ingredients:
36oz white chocolate chips, roughly 3 bags of white chocolate chips
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
Food coloring: yellow, red

so promising

Directions:
1. Line a 9x9 baking dish with wax paper (so that you can get the fudge out).
2. In a large saucepan, combine white chips and condensed milk over low heat until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat. **CAUTION: you must watch the heating process very closely and stir constaintly, chocolate can burn easily and even the smallest amount of burnt chocolate will ruin the taste of the entire batch.**
3. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into the baking dish and bang it into the freezer for 15 minutes or until the top has hardened.
4. Return the saucepan to the heat until it is melted and smooth again.
5. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into a mixing bowl and stir in yellow and red food coloring to achieve the orange color of your dreams (I used considerably more yellow than red in my batch, the red food coloring packs a powerful punch!) and then spread it on top of the white layer. Return to freezer for 15 minutes.

so smooth

6. Return the saucepan to the heat until it is melted and smooth again. Stir in yellow food coloring. Spread it on top of the orange layer.
7. Freeze for 15 minutes and then chill for several hours (preferably overnight) in the fridge.
8. Remove from fridge and cut into vertical slices.

so sharp!

9. Triangle and serve!

chop, chop

Notes: Don't feel badly about eating a lot of this fudge because you will definitely get an arm workout before it is over - there is a lot of stirring and once "chilled," the fudge is tres hard. I even got a bluster, which looks much worse than this photo might suggest.

People will bleed for fashion. I bleed for Halloween.

Let me know how the fudge recipe works for you!

I hope you have a spoooooky Halloween! My boyfriend and I will be watching my favorite movie and handing out candy! Nothing too rowdy tonight, we are still resting after a great weekend visiting costume-clad friends in LA.

BESOS,

Natalie