Merry Christmas!

{image from Mrs. Lilien}

Merry Christmas to all of my fabulous friends and family! I am a lucky girl today to have Beau and my whole family visiting us at our new house in Florida. We will be dipping our feet in the pool, drinking margaritas and eating tacos to celebrate the day! Have a wonderful day.

Merry Christmas!

xoxo~Becca

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

Pink. Pink trees, pink flamingos, pink sweets, pink pink pink. Happy Holidays!

A Happy New Year in Holland

Beau and I are in Holland visiting his family for the week. The picture below is of the beachhouse where beau's parents are and we are staying right next door. How cute is it, right?

Today we are off to Amsterdam to visit his friends from college and do a little exploring. I must arrive home with some little Dutch clogs for our backyard to plant flowers in.

Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar {happy new year in Dutch}! See you in 2011!

How funny, I did spellcheck on this post and everything came up highlighted, even the spellcheck in Dutch!

xoxo~ Becca

The State Department gets a Stylish Christmas!

I am a huge fan of David Stark. His creative work on events is absolutely amazing! I was quite surprised to see that the State Department dressed up quite stylish for the holidays and hired Mr. Stark, but I was not at all surprised to see how beautiful and chic he made it for Christmas! Enjoy the photos. See the rest at the WashingtonPost.Com.

Can I get the red and white striped carpet at our house? How about the gift box arch! LOVE!

xoxo~Rebecca

It's FRIDAY!

{image from Eddie Ross}

I have had a week full of holiday parties and am glad for a little festive weekend ahead! One more week until Santa comes, the family is here and we start packing for our New Years trip to Holland! Just a few little things I'll be up to this weekend! Happy Holidays!

{image from Martha Stewart}

I will be making some sparkly table decor for Christmas. The whole D'Amato family is coming to Florida to visit so I am making the house shine and be a little glitzy.

Red Velvet Souffle - Contemplating testing this recipe before Christmas Eve. From Southern Living. Check it out, it looks divine!

Lonny Mag - Have you checked out the most recent Lonny Mag! Click here for some last minute ideas.

High Gloss Magazine - omg. LOVE the girls behind this new online magazine. I will be entering all of their Holiday contests. Do the same...here.

I had my Stella & Dot party the other night and it was so much fun! I'm in love with these items. The necklace is to DIE for! I will be placing my order this weekend. If you are interested in anything go to Stella and Dot then click find a host and type in my name and shop away!

Have a great weekend shopping away, baking cookies and getting ready for the Holiday week ahead! xoxo~ Becca

A little cup of Cocoa!

Today I woke up to a chilly Florida morning, it was 40 degrees! I am contemplating making this hot cocoa I whipped up last week for a work event. I was a little hesitant about the powdered milk in the recipe, however it is 1. so easy and 2.... SO GOOD! Enjoy.

{image from Real Simple}

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Serves: 10-12 people

Ingredients:

For the basic peppermint hot chocolate:
3 cups nonfat dried milk
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 tsp peppermint extract
7 cups water
marshmallows and candy canes for garnish

For a “mocha”:
Pour the cooked hot chocolate over a shot of espresso or a half-cup of very strong coffee.

For an “adult drink”:
Omit the peppermint extract and pour the hot chocolate over a shot of Peppermint Schnapps.

Directions:

1.Use a 4 quart crock pot. Combine the dry ingredients into your crock pot and stir with a spoon. Squeeze in a half-cup of chocolate sauce, and add the peppermint extract. Add the water, a cup at a time, and stir well. The chocolate mixture will be bubbly and look powdery but it will cook together.
2.Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until completely hot. Serve with marshmallows and candy canes. If serving to guests, keep the pot on low with the lid off, and provide a ladle. If kept on warm, the hot chocolate will not stay warm enough.

xoxo~Becca

Monday Morning Blues No More

Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend! I spent my weekend shopping and baking up a storm. My sister rediscovered this video again and I had to share with you. Watch it and it will be a sure way to brighten up your Monday morning blues. This little girl has an imagination like no other and her story is adorable. She completely makes me smile. Could I wrap her up for Christmas???? :) Happy Monday

xoxo~ Becca

Wedding Wednesday

A wedding fit for a foodie! Gail Simmons from Top Chef was married a couple of years ago but I saw the photos recently while browsing Martha Weddings and just love everything about it!

{The place setting was amazing! I love that every place setting had a petite baguette wrapped in paper.}

{Gifts were linen tote bags and jars of locally grown pickles.}

{For a very farm fresh look the place cards had fresh farm flowers surrounding them.}

{Cocktail hour including seasonal veggies in farm baskets, I love this idea!}

{The bride and groom. Love wedding pics!}

{A specialty lemonade cocktail looked oh so pretty and I'm sure tasted amazing! I"m obsessed with the YUM wooden skewers!}

{And it wouldn't be a Top Chef wedding without Chef Tom Colichio in attendance, sigh.}

Amazing wedding! I loved it!

xoxo~Becca

It's Chilly

Beau and I were in DC for the weekend. It was chilly, windy but full of holiday spirit and we had a beautiful time! I have a lot of holiday items to post about soon but wanted to share one of my favorite recent holiday ads I saw while reading my magazines cover to cover on the plane....sigh...Tiffanys!

Stay Warm! Even in DC it is 50 degrees. I thought I would never actually say it was chilly in Florida, but it is and I love it! I wish it was snowing a bit like above, oh and maybe beau had a blue box under the cafe table for me....I can dream right!

xoxo~Becca

Happy Weekend!

I hope you are looking forward to a fun holiday weekend worth jumping for!

(Jumping on a bed with a pink ruffled skirt sort of one!)

{Image from Paper-Maiche}

Beau and I are off to DC this weekend to attend one of my best guy friends weddings. I can't wait to see them, I can't wait for some chilly weather to remind me the holidays are here! Enjoy your weekend. I hope you are decorating the house, making cookies and listening to carols. Here are a few links I thought I would share.

*FREE HOLIDAY MUSIC - If you haven't downloaded the free Target tunes, do so this weekend. They put together a great mix! Download here!

*CeciStyle - I'm LOVING her new issue with holiday sparkle! For those of you who live in NYC, check out her city holiday cards, so great! See it here.

* Tiny Prints - Gilt Groupe has a 50% Tinyprints.com holiday purchase today! If you are looking for holiday cards, check out their site. I love their personalized stationary.

*Every Day Chic - I love the sequins band aids on Lonny mag's blog. A must here.

*Giada at Home - I am putting together my menu for my Stella + Dot party and am dying to make these Ginger, Lemon & Lime Martinis and Sweet Basil Cheesecake she made recently on her show. Yum. Also, set your DVR for her holiday episode on Saturday at 1pm, love her!

*Martha Stewart Holiday - I will be ordering some sequin to make these adorable sparkle balls for the holidays. Check out how easy they are here.

*10 things I can't live without - I love reading bloggers ideas of what they can't live without. Read Coco+Kelley's post on La Dolce Vita's blog this week. Two of my favorite blogs out there!

Enjoy the weekend! I can't wait to share our fun weekend

in my old town of DC!

xoxo~Becca

It's a KATE SPADE Christmas

Every year Miss Kate has such fun holiday ads, they are only getting better! Way to go fabulous Kate Spade, you have us in the festive spirit!

{I'm inspired to make paper chains from the picture above!}

{Wow, so bright and happy! Nice hors d'oeuvres tray!}

{A cocktail inspired Iphone case sounds perfect to me!}

{Wrap me up in that skirt with that striped bow around it!}

{The photo above of from Kate's NYC store. sigh....love, need I say more!}

{How cute are these holiday invites!}

{This is from the new 2010 Holiday campaign. I am drooling over the shoes, the Glori!}

Happy Holidays to ALL! Kate and Andy were in Elle magazine with pictures from a recent holiday soiree they hosted, I'm sure she is quite the hostess.

xoxo~Becca

Wedding Wednesday ~ Paloma's Nest

I am so in love with this company, Paloma's Nest! They started as an Etsy store specializing in Ring Bearer Bowls and have grown to create so many beautiful items. Her beautiful handmade ceramic items are so lovely as an engagement gift or wedding gift.

The bouquet discs with sweet wedding sayings I think are so beautiful tied

around a wedding bouquet.

How about this sweet bowl for the new step in your life, wedding, big birthday?

They make these adorable bags that would be perfect to give a little present in.

There site has a new feature of Holiday decor! I am so in love with these baby's first Christmas ornaments. Beau's brother just had a baby girl, maybe she needs one:)

Little Love Bird dishes around your house, I think they are a must for everybody!

xoxo~Becca

Stella + Dot

Recently I fell in love with a necklace and found out was from a company called Stella + Dot. As I browsed through the website I realized that the company offered at home parties. I thought it was the perfect reason to invite a bunch of girls I have met over for cocktails, holidays and shopping. I can't wait to have my Stella + Dot party! What better a reason to get together after work then a little shopping, sipping bubbles and meeting girlfriends.

Check out their website. They have everything from glamorous big necklaces to leather cuffs like the ones below. I would like to get a few of them and stack them on top of one another just like in the picture.

When you sign up for an at home part the "stylist" brings over lots and lots of her items and sets up a little shop in your house. I'll be adding martinis and cookies right next to the jewels.

This metal necklace with flowers is OH so what I'm drooling over. Hhhhmmm, maybe Santa will bring it to me at the party.

They offer so many cuff bracelets. I have seen them in many magazines and never knew that this was the company behind the one with the big blue flower, love. What great gifts for Christmas, Bridesmaids, your wedding?

Enjoy doing a little Holiday Shopping at Stella + Dot!

xoxo~Becca

Christmas on Las Olas

Tomorrow night I am heading downtown Fort Lauderdale to a little holiday cheer filled event, "Christmas on Las Olas". Las Olas boulevard is only a few minutes from our house and is lined with cute shops and nice restaurants. Being that this is my first year away from chilly winter weather I am REALLY looking forward to the night to get me in the Holiday Spirit! Even though the street is lined with Palm Trees, tomorrow they will be covered with Christmas Lights and maybe we will be drinking hot chocolate.

They actually bring in snow machines, in the past Starbucks had a Snow Mountain, there is an ice skating rink, choirs singing carols, Santa is around (good I need to give him my list!). I can't wait! If you are in the area stop by from 5pm to 10pm on Las Olas Boulevard.

Thanksgiving for Two

This year it was just Beau and I for Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving for two. It definitely was not the same without a loud house full of family, but that being said, it was still so nice. This was mine and Beau's first Thanksgiving Day in Florida, I decided to still make it a big one. A nice relaxing day at home with a big Thanksgiving Day feast! It was pretty difficult cutting the recipes into smaller servings, however, I still made a 10 pound turkey for two!

The day started with a Breakfast Feast.

Fresh Coffee with these adorable napkins made by fabulous sister Charity at Chartreuse.

I made these baked eggs I had read about here. You use sliced bread, bacon and eggs. Such a cute way to serve all of the yummy components in one.

Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice! I've been eating these all week from a box in our office, so fresh and citrus season in Florida is just starting, yay!

For dinner it was simple table setting for two.

My glittered pumpkins I made earlier in the week added a little bling to the table, mixed with modern candlesticks by my dad, bundles of wheat and a few antique votives.

A little Beaujolais Nouveau to accompany the meal was perfect.

The day was topped off with a short Skype session to my parents and my 86 year old Gramie who was amazed at it. It was almost like we were together, but not...I'm looking forward to Christmas! But I have to say, it was a really nice day. I am thankful! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and all that we have to be thankful for!

xoxo~Becca