the boot

it's carnival time!

2012-01-30T03:58:00.000-05:00

It feels like every month there’s something to celebrate here, complete with specific food traditions and cultural activities. (Mmm, food traditions!)
This month it’s carnevale, and the streets are constantly packed with children dressed up, throwing confetti and spraying silly string, while we adults gorge on the delicious carnival desserts - zeppole, tortelli, tenerelli and chiacchiere!

You literally cannot ever be on a diet here, ever. Those cream-filled donut-y things are DANGEROUS and oh so good. And I love that the crunchy fried dough strips are called, "chiacchiere" which means, "little chats," because while you're chatting with your friends you keep eating them. :)

I hope you all had a lovely weekend! I finally saw The Iron Lady and loved it (who knew Margaret Thatcher was so awesome?!) And I had a Skype date with Jillian and Alison! We talked blogs, weddings and life and it was glorious. Have a great Monday! Ciao!

friday is fancy

2012-01-27T02:25:00.000-05:00

You may think it’s easy coming up with these super cute (if I do say so myself) outfits each week, but it’s not! That’s why today we’re switching it up a bit and my new friend Megan is going to be here sharing her fancyness. Don’t fret, you’ll still get to see a colorful Marissa creation on her blog - so scoot over there and check her out! Ok, take it away Megan!

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Happy Friday! I'm Megan at Lovely Happenings! It's so great to be over here at the boot (unfortunately, I'm not actually in Italy, but Portland, Oregon). I'm a Friday's Fancies regular over at {long distance loving} and I'm thrilled to be participating in the Blog Swap today. It's been fun checking out all of Marissa's adventures in Italy.

Let's get to the fun stuff.....Marissa and I decided we were in need of some cheery, spring fashion inspirations (it's just around the corner!) so without further ado, please check out my date night approved, spring outfit. Enjoy!

necklace/blouse/bracelet/clutch/earrings/heels/skirt/lipstick

Thank you to The Boot for having me here today! Ciao!
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Megan totally rocked this - can we discuss the skirt and that clutch? Yes and yes. What are you doing this weekend? I plan on some heavy duty girl time and Sunday Skype dates galore! See you Monday!

baked cheesy penne and spinach

2012-01-26T07:35:00.001-05:00

Remember when I told you about Saturday night and our dance party which led Manu and I to eat croissants at 3 a.m.? Well, I finally tracked down the so-bad-it’s-awesome music we were blasting and singing along to with our friends and it’s so Euro and amazing you simply have to stop what you’re doing this instant, stand in the middle of the room and dance to it. Go. I’ll wait.

I made this deliciously creamy, satisfying (and healthy!) baked penne while listening to said discoteca beats. You should do that, too. Because if it’s baked, and there’s cheese involved, I know you’ll like it. (The discoteca songs, on the other hand, maybe not so much.)

Baked Cheesy Penne and Spinach

1/4 pound penne

frozen spinach (I used half a bag)

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk

1/3 cup grated cheese (I used feta and grated Parmigiano)

salt

pepper

Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water and about halfway through, add the frozen spinach. Cook until the pasta is not quite done, and strain. Make the Beschamel sauce: heat butter until melted and add flour. Whisk in the milk and lower the heat, whisking until it becomes thick, about 5 minutes. Add in the grated cheese of your choice. Mix with the drained pasta and spinach and pour into a baking dish . Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 until bubbly and crisp. Serve immediately.

Just another experiment from my tiny Barletta test kitchen! Buon appetito! :)

great women series: jillian

2012-01-25T02:26:00.001-05:00

I’m all about girl power, and now especially blog girl power. This season of the great women series will feature not only friends of mine, new and old, but the blog girls who have now become such a big part of my life. Who better to kick off the new year of the series than the adorable Jillian from cornflake dreams, who I had the pleasure of meeting this summer. She is an absolute ray of sunshine and there is so much about her that I respect. See for yourself:

What inspires you (besides blogging)? other positive and confident people. i try to surround myself with optimistic people who make me want to be a better person and have a better attitude.

What would you do with an extra $500? honestly, i would probably go shopping for some new clothes - OR save it in my travel fund for another adventure.

You have an hour to kill, what do you do? depends on my mood.. usually i'll catch up on blogs, work on a post, watch a bad reality tv or cooking show... or get off my bootie and do some yoga or ride my bike!!

Is there a talent you wish you had? i wish i could speak any language... that would make travel easier (and perhaps more interesting!) i am working on my french and my fiance is trying to teach me a few words in farsi.

What do you like most about yourself? i consider myself a pretty genuine person- i am down to earth and i try not to take myself too seriously.

How cute is she? She even included a photo from our "blate" (blog date) with {av}! Thank you so much Jillian for being such an inspirational blog friend, and now real life friend!

bread and chocolate with olive oil

2012-01-24T02:18:00.001-05:00

Today I'm guest posting over at Erica's blog for her guilty pleasures week. Mine is this sinfully delicious recipe, go check it out!

And in the meantime, I will be trying to keep my sanity, since we've been having a water problem here (i.e., we have none) and though the issue may or may not be resolved today, I'm gaining a whole new respect for those in the world who haven't got running water!

croissant factory

2012-01-23T02:35:00.000-05:00

It was Saturday night, 3 a.m. Manu and I had eaten dinner at our friends' place and then gone out dancing to some bad progressive house, laughing all the while and making up moves with his friends. Soon it was was time to go, so we said our ciaos and took off in the silver Opel. We were winding down the country road to head back into the city when Manu turned to me and said, "Let's get breakfast."

Music to my ears.

And then he took me to a late-night croissant factory. A secret weapon known to only those awake at 3:30 a.m.

The smell was enough to knock you out, and the silence jarring - the sheer number of croissants acted like snow that absorbs all sound. Nutella filled, apricot jam filled, cream filled, plain and salty, cherry and cream filled...it was hard to choose at first which one I wanted.

If I look slightly diabolical it's only because I'm trying to savor every last crumb and lick every ounce of fresh apricot jam from the belly of my croissant. We wanted to chat with the only baker, but he was busy with a pastry bag, injecting Nutella into a tray of croissants. We watched him, ate our warm croissants and paid him 80 cents for each one.

Then who knows, maybe it was the sugar, or the pure magic of the croissant factory, but when we got home we sat outside on our front stoop for an hour, giggling and reminiscing about the year we fell in love.

friday is fancy

2012-01-20T03:04:00.000-05:00

If you look over my notes from my trip to Paris, you’ll see that they’re just lists of what everyone was wearing. (That and lists of everything I ate.) They go a little something like this:

-red pants. yes.

-tights and shorts are cool apparently.

-cute sundresses with a belt. never underestimate a good belt!

-moccassin flats

-black tights, navy/polka dot skirt, chartreuse blazer

-tucking in a t-shirt makes a difference.

-black blazer, black tee, black capris, brown leather bag = it works!

-grey skinny jeans, blue button down, wedges, bag, bun.

I could have sat there at Bar de la Croix Rouge jotting down people’s outfits for day’s on end drinking that minty Perrier drink everyone gets at aperitif time. So here’s a round up of what my notes tell me are essential Parisan girl style.

[10 Crosby blazer, Madewell perfect leather belt, Etoile Isabel Marant linen t-shirt, Romwe leopard flats, J Brand skinny jeans, Longchamp large handbag]

I'm so excited for a weekend with nothing to do - now I can sew the button on my coat that popped off, organize my kitchen cabinets and still have time to grab a martini with my fellow expat Erica on Saturday night!

What do you have planned, my dear friends?

living in italy: the front door

2012-01-19T02:35:00.001-05:00

My street is narrow and paved with cobblestones dating back to who knows when. It's got a cobbler, a leather maker, a tailor, an aesthetician, a hair salon, a photographer's studio and a carpenter's workshop. Everyone knows everyone and ladies chit chat with each other from their balconies. Children play in the street and their moms yell down to them to come up because lunch is ready. (Yes, like the commercials depict.)

When I open the front door to leave the apartment on most mornings, the men of the street (the cobbler, the photographer, the tailor and the leather maker) are all standing there, discussing the day's news and having heated political discussions. They always tip their proverbial hats to me to say, buon giorno, as I step down the tiny step from our door to the street, breathe in the air and start my day.

Well. Yesterday the story didn't go that way because the front door wouldn't open. I pushed and pushed, tried the lock with my key from the inside, kicked it, turned the knob, but no dice. My men of the street heard the commotion and yelled in,

"What's the matter? Are you stuck?"

"Um, yes," I said, embarrassed.

Then, they laughed. Loudly and with gusto.

I blushed from inside the door and laughed too? But not?

"What should I do?" I asked them.

"Not go anywhere!" said the cobbler, as they all erupted into giggles.

I was starting to believe that I really wasn't going anywhere, and grabbed my phone to call the clients who were waiting for me, when I heard the carpenter interject,

"I'll get her out. Miss? Stay there, I'm going to get my tools."

The others began to discuss the situation as fervently as they approach their regular topics of taxes, morals and neighborhood gossip. I waited and listened and remembered, "Crap! I don't even have anything in the house to eat!"

Finally the carpenter arrived and started banging away. At this point it became a joke: How many Italian men does it take to open a front door to rescue a nice American girl? Apparently seven.

The banging and discussions came to a screeching halt when the screws slipped out and the door came crashing down in a cloud of dust. Immediately after, applause and cheering and pats on my back. "You made it! You're out!" they said, adorably.

Just your average morning on Mariano Sante street in Barletta.

[there's our door last year. now it has a nice, fresh coat of varnish, thanks to the carpenter.]

rad.

2012-01-18T02:35:00.000-05:00

I'm inundated with work this week, so I've decided to let the photos do the talking. Here are a few "rad" pins to get your creative and daydreamy juices flowing on this cold, gray Wednesday morning. :)

["I think I love you!..."]

[I adore Color Me Katie.]

[If you go to Rome, don't miss the Galleria Borghese and all the incredible Bernini sculpture. Yes, that's marble.]

[I want a surfing adventure with girlfriends, stat!]

[I LOVE Nigella Lawson. Her funny food musings and photos of her experiments on her website make me want to cook so bad.]

What rad things/ideas/books/films/pins get you through the winter blues?

all images via

this guy

2012-01-17T02:46:00.003-05:00

Last night while giving the chili a stir and quietly singing a Cristin Cali song to myself, this guy came up behind me and said, “Look.”

I laughed so hard my sides hurt when we tried to capture his two-euro-eyes on film, because I realized he just couldn't hold them there without making that face. What a trip, that Manu.

hair school 3: side braided bun

2012-01-16T05:31:00.001-05:00

There’s nothing like a good two-hour Skype date with a friend to give you a burst of girlspiration. Brittany gets my brain thinking about important things like,

-how I’m going to bring the art of Brunch to Barletta

-Kate Middleton’s wedding makeup (“She did it herself, you know, to keep it real.”)

-a new thing called beauty balm that’s a tinted moisturizer, SPF protection and serum all in one

I think Brittany needs to have a blog, not me. She’s all up in the trends! And speaking of which, I think braids are more in now than they were in the 60s, so let’s all take a moment to try out this new ‘do that I l-o-v-e.

1) Make a side part and bring your hair all to one side. (I like the right.)

2) Take three small pieces nearest to the part and start a French braid going down the side of your head towards your ear. (Or basically, as you braid, keep adding a little more hair to each of the three sections so the braid “adheres” to your head.)

3) Once you get down to just below your ear, gather the rest of your hair and make one long side braid.

4) Twist the braid as you want it and pin into place.

[top: Ann Taylor Loft, necklace: Modem, makeup: Fresh Faces Minerals]

What do you think? Will you try this out? And in case you missed it, here's a side braided scarf which is sure to impress. Have a lovely, chilly Monday!

friday is fancy

2012-01-13T02:23:00.005-05:00

I don’t have a current color crush, because I don’t discriminate. I just have a crush on color, period. If you handed me the elements of the following outfit, I would wear the heck out of it, anytime, anywhere. It’s Marissa in a nutshell! Oh, yellow swatch and cobalt jeans, how I lust after you!

[J Brand cobalt jeans, DVF sweater, Siren shoes deco heels, Swatch limetta watch, Peacocks hair flower]

But then again, you already knew that I was addicted to color. From this, and this, and especially this!

Have a great weekend!

crispy cauliflower

2012-01-12T06:58:00.000-05:00

You know when it’s just not your day in the kitchen? Like when you burn the garlic and then a muffin tin falls on your foot from the highest shelf and then you try to make these really easy couscous cakes but there aren’t any eggs left so they turn into one giant, floppy, oily mess? Yeah. I love those days.

You’re wondering, “What does that have to do with cauliflower?” Well, because if it wasn’t for cauliflower, Manu and I wouldn’t have had dinner last night. Yes, friends, the most unexciting of vegetables instantly became the most delicious vegetable we have ever eaten. And we totally forgot about the couscous cakes in no time! The little white florets got all crispy-crunchy in the oven and the addition of a spritz of lemon juice brightened them up without destroying their smooth, wintry flavor. I was never a cauliflower eater, but now, my world has changed.

Crispy Cauliflower

Chop cauliflower into florets and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. (Crushed red pepper optional if you like a little spice.) Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Stir every now and then so as not to burn the florets!

It was my culinary destiny to discover this gorgeous cauliflower, and you know what it taught me? To look on the bright side even when disaster strikes. Because the muffin tin on my foot, the burnt garlic and the ruined couscous cakes were a small price to pay in order to find this new treasure!

What foods or vegetables did you never eat before and now love?

m&m: the venue

2012-01-11T02:56:00.000-05:00

The love song within a foreign film that is my life is coming to its climax; Manu and I will be husband and wife in a little over a year. (I know, I’m still pinching myself too.)

It’s only been about two weeks since we’ve been engaged and already we’ve had super highs and super lows. The lows being that I’ll always be a person split between two countries that I love so much. Last night during a lesson with one of my adult students, Nietta, she said, without any prompt:

“Marissa, now you’re young and full of optimism, but even you know that your life will not be easy in the future. If you remember the love you and Manu have for each other, that will be what gets you through the hard times.”

She’s so sage.

The super highs have definitely outweighed the lows, one being that we’ve already found our venue! (The people who know me are like, “When have you ever been so organized?”) And I say to them, friends, I have an Italian and an American wedding to plan, I need to be on my game! The venue we found (the first one we even saw, actually) is a perfect blend of rustic southern Italian charm; think olive groves, palm trees and white stone.

Today we have to go talk to the priest to finalize the date and I swear, I have never been so excited to go into a church in all my life.

(Thanks again everyone for your well-wishes and adorable comments - Kate/Mom and I always talk about how nice they are and how lucky I am to have found such sweet readers!)

tidbits

2012-01-10T02:55:00.000-05:00

I'm always experimenting with updos even though I should really find the patience to let my curls loose sometimes. This was one experiment that turned out quite well, if I do say so myself: the french braided side bun. A tutorial is in the works!

Next, you must know that 41 degrees might as well be Siberia here, seeing as how the good people of Barletta are used to their mild 60 degree winters and steamy 104 degree summers. Everyone is wrapped up tight in their fur coats (the old ladies) and hats and scarves and mittens and floor-length puffy jackets. The poor children can scarcely move they're bundled up so tight (think the little brother in A Christmas Story), and anyone on a daily basis might tell you to, "Cover up! Or you'll get sick!"

That being said, the cold weather has been making for a really beautiful sky.

Last, but certainly not least, is the gloriously AMAZING holiday package that my dearest darling Britt sent me from the states. When I opened it I yelped, "CHEEZ-ITS!" Manu referred to them as "those really good salty things," and he now adores them even more than "bretzels."

P.S. The cleanse I mentioned is going very well in that I only had one hershey's kiss-sized piece of chocolate yesterday! (Baby steps, people.)

moda monday

2012-01-09T04:02:00.002-05:00

It’s saldi time in Italy (sales), and the stores are practically giving away their winter items (30-70% off!) to make room for the spring collections. Basically this is the only time I shop, and I have to say, this year I found something that I l o v e. Of course it came from Modem, my girl Chicchetta’s shop, that I could spend hours hanging out in.

[I love that detachable flower coin purse!]

In other news, the holiday season is finally over here, and I'm ready to rid myself of the toxins (panettone, sausages, lasagna, chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate) that constitute holiday eating. Though I could never actually do a cleanse and get through the day without fainting, I'm going to try my hardest to incorporate as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible into my diet, and to eliminate sugar. I found some great recipes here, and if you want to take the challenge with me, let me know on the facebook page how it's going!

This week I'll be starting the m&m wedding series (girl scream!) so come by on Wednesday for the first installment!

friday is fancy

2012-01-06T04:43:00.000-05:00

I can feel it, 2012 is truly starting off on a good foot. I think it's because I've grown up a lot this past year. My life, slowly but surely, is settling into place, and I’m settling into myself. I'm a woman now. (Seductive voice.)

Fashion-wise, this year I'm going to embrace color (surprise, surprise), casual elegance, take some risks and try to find some classic pieces that will stay in my closet forever.

[La Garconne sheer shirt, Desire Clothing suede booties, MTWTFSS silver bangle, Butter LONDON nail lacquer, jeggings, Smallable dot scarf]

This weekend is a three-day (yahoo!) and I can't wait to use it to its fullest. Sunday we're going to visit our first venue and next week I'll fill you in on the details. Unless you don't want to hear about my Italian wedding stuff...? Buon weekend amici!

a confession

2012-01-05T02:31:00.000-05:00

I like to think that I have an eclectic taste in music. I was probably the only middle schooler with a passion for Miles Davis, Serge Gainsbourg and The Specials. But I also totally bought TLC’s CrazySexyCool when it came out and wore out my Hootie and the Blowfish tape. I pretty much adored anything and everything my musical family threw at me. In college I was all about the broody, introspective lyricists and even while studying abroad my tastes were rocked by the new world beats I was discovering.

So you’ll be shocked when you read what I am about to tell you.

Being an expat has made me like, love even, really bad music. I love it simply because it’s American, simply because I heard it in my youth, simply because it’s in English.

I know that’s subjective and all, but trust me, when you find yourself in the car blasting Nickelback, you realize that you’ve hit a low point.

Being an expat takes everything you thought you were and jumbles it up in a shake n’ bake of cultural confusion until you find yourself yelling at some random guy in a bar because he says he doesn’t like Beyoncé. And it’s not even like you adore her, you like her, but just because she’s American you feel like you have to protect her. (Getting in that fight was another low point. Not as low as the Nickelback thing, but still, pretty low.)

[circa 2008, as a pre-expat.]

So hit me with all the “bad,” super pop, mainstream, synthesized, produced hits that are big in America right now, so that I can make a cd of them and blast them in the car. Because the other day the Ketchup Song came on, and I listened to the whole thing. The whole thing, people! I thank you in advance, and hope that you won’t judge me for the Nickelback. (Even I am still judging me for that!)

roasted salty sweet chick peas

2012-01-03T14:24:00.001-05:00

What could be better than a snack item that is actually good for you? (Don’t answer that. Because though fibrous and healthy things are delightful, what I really want are Cheez-Its. But pretend I didn’t say that.) Chick peas, people! They’re the new thing! Roast them up and they get all crispety-crunchety. You can put them on salad, eat them with friends over beers, snack on them while you watch period films - the possibilities are so tempting!

Roasted Salty Sweet Chick Peas
1 can pre-cooked chick peas
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pepper (red, white, black, it's up to you!)
1/4 tsp salt
sprinkling granulated sugar

Give the chick peas a good rinse and put in a bowl. Spoon the oil on top and then the honey (Use the same tablespoon and the honey just slides right off - a cooking tip that I love!) Sprinkle on the rest of the spices and pour onto a baking sheet covered with wax paper. (It helps them crunch up more). Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until shriveled looking.

Modifications: Maybe you're not a salty-sweet kind of person? Substitute the sugar and honey for a tad more salt and spice. Or if you want all sweet, omit the salt and add more cinnamon and sugar!

Today the sun is shining and I'm feeling ready to attack the day! Have fun snacking on your chick peas, I know I will in between English lessons and Zumba class.

One more thing, I made some changes to the recipe catalog. Hopefully this format will make finding some new recipes easier for you. Ciao!

a girly night in

2012-01-03T03:00:00.000-05:00

When Manu goes to play soccer with his friends, it takes hours. First, they’re always late picking up everyone, then by the time they get to the field it’s past their playing time, then they have to fight a little bit over the teams, then they have to take breaks to discuss positioning, then they have to be all goofy and play tricks on each other in the locker room, then they have to get ice cream after, and then they have to take their time coming home.

(I made the mistake of going with him on one of these soccer jaunts, if you haven’t noticed.)

I like to cancel out all that manliness by curling up on the couch with tea and partaking in the most female of all DVD-watching: the BBC 1995 version of Pride & Prejudice. Five and a half hours of intrigue! And bonnets!

via, via

Not only that, friends, but when Manu finally did come home (three hours later) he was eating dinner downstairs and watching the Sex & The City movie on TV. (From one girlfave to another, right?) And at one point he yelled up to me, "She's making the wedding too big I think!" Ha!

P.S. Huge birthday shout out to Kate (aka Mom), my number one blog reader (and proofreader)!

resolute

2012-01-02T03:15:00.001-05:00

After two weeks of constant eating, toasting, procrastinating and general lazing about, I feel more than ready to grab 2012 by its pigtails and show it who’s boss. I wrote out my resolutions last night and they are so not frivolous at all (see last year’s resolutions) and I’m beginning to realize that this is the year that I Have Become An Adult.

(Brittany, Kate and others are thinking, “It’s about time!”)

[a brand new planner, a stack of post-its at the ready and a fun winter mug to keep me happy and organized!]

1) Plan more get-togethers: Speaking of Miss Britt, she had a great resolution that she told me about yesterday during our Skype date; to plan more get-togethers and little events with friends, cook more and instead of waiting for the night’s plans to come, plan them first! I am going to do it too, starting this week, and I already have a great idea for a girls night theme!

2) Save more money: Let’s face it, I have two weddings to plan and a house to renovate. This is resolution number ONE.

3) Read 10 new books. And more, if possible!

4) Continue to eat well, exercise often and stay healthy from within.

5) Attack each day with zeal, zest and vigor!

In Italian, resolutions are called, "good propositions." Do you have any good propositions that you've made for yourself? Spill! I want to hear your goals, desires, ambitions - anything - that you want for 2012!

P.S. An enormous thank you for all of your well-wishes on our engagement! I am still floating on a cloud about the whole thing and can't wait to tell you all about it soon!

friday is fancy

2011-12-30T02:58:00.001-05:00

A fresh start. Clean slate. New beginning.

The cliches abound, but I really love getting into the New Year's spirit. I've written out my resolutions in the past tense in the hopes that I actually do them, and we're raring to go for a crazy-Barlettano-fireworks-blazing-eating-till-5am soireè. And if I'm going to ring in the new year right, I want to be decked out in happy colors to show 2012 my spirit. (Plus, I can't wait to kiss my fiancè at midnight! Haha!)

[Topshop heart cutout dress, Marc Jacobs star earrings, Kiss Me ring, Pink tights, Steve Madden suede pumps]

I want to wish you all a very special and joyous New Year. Your support of the boot over this past year was so humbling and very dear to me! A million thanks, and I'll see you in 2012! Yahoo!

date night in bari

2011-12-29T02:53:00.001-05:00

Sometimes you just need to get out of town after the holidays to decompress. Manu and I were dying for some quality time alone to chit chat about plans, and so we jumped in the car spur of the moment and made our way to the capital of Puglia, Bari.

Bari has such a tropical feel to it, with all the palms in the middle of the avenues, but amongst the 18th century architecture in the shopping district, it feels very characteristically southern Italian.

The old center is made up of winding tunnels and off-white cobblestones and yellow streetlamps - very similar to Barletta - but with little shrines to San Nicola everywhere, Bari’s patron saint.

And the best part? (Besides buying a few books in English at the giant Feltrinelli store...ahh, books in English!) The best part was the SUSHI! I had my eyes closed the whole time, it was so good.

It's back to reality this morning as we both have to work, but date night in Bari will be lingering in my mind all day! Have you been on any fun day trips this holiday season?

best of the boot

2011-12-28T06:02:00.000-05:00

Wow. A lot has happened this year. (See yesterday.) Mostly great things that I need to thank the positive forces that work around me for, but also things that have made me stop in my tracks and think, "I should really start to think about Health Insurance."

The blog has been more fun this year than you can even imagine; when I go to bed at night I think about how I can't wait to wake up in the morning and write a post over coffee and NPR podcasts. (Nerd alert!) So I've compiled a little "Best Of 2011" for you to peruse.

Best Food Posts: cupcakes for two and homemade pretzels.

Best Manu post: a good idea

Best Summer post: summer list review

Best Holiday post: apple-o-lantern

Best Friday's Fancies: Margot Tenenbaum inspired outfit

Best outfit post that Kate didn't like: moda monday

Best Trip of the Year: Paris

Most Read: winter beauty and quarterlife crisis

Best of Italian life: a little story for you

If 2012 is anything like this year, friends, then I can rest assured that I'm going to have some very busy mornings writing out blog posts. :)

our long distance loving

2011-12-27T08:07:00.002-05:00

Today Manu and I are special guests over at {av}'s blog long distance loving! Go read all about how we deal with our yearly separations and how we've kept the love alive despite the ocean that separates us!

p.s. And I guess this is a fitting time to tell you that Manu proposed on Christmas day! :)