Sunday, November 30, 2014

Sunday Dinner: Grilled Salmon with Grilled Poblanos, Broccoli Rabe, and Green Beans

This is a very simple dish after a large Thanksgiving meal. Great for after a workout or if you practice clean eating.

Grilled Salmon: Season with your favorite spices and grilled for 7-10 minutes (or to your liking) - what I have found is that mixing some spicy seasoning with brown sugar really adds a great flavor to the salmon

Broccoli Rabe & Green Beans: Saute with garlic, salt and pepper for about 6 minutes

Poblano Pepper: Just place on grill for about 7-10 minutes for the charred flavor

Drizzle some fresh lemon juice and enjoy!


Sunday DIY: Collage Wall



A while ago I complete a collage wall for above my couch in my living room. You see so many glamorous versions but I wanted to share an inexpensive one with you all today. I know a lot of us in our 20s and 30s may not own a house and don't want to spend that much money on decor, so this decor idea may be for you!

1. Most of my frames are from Marshalls, Home Goods and Ikea. I have looked everywhere, and these places have the best deal! I think I spent about $60-$70 total for everything... which I think is a steal. Remember, if you like a frame but not the color, spray paint is your friend!!

2. My photos are actually google image photos! You would be surprised how many photos are online and now great they look printed on a color printer. The only image that I bought was my middle piece from art.com (40% off) It's an awkward size (12x12) and my printer didn't print large photos like that.

I arranged my photos on the floor to decide what would look the best. I tried to provide symmetry with the black and white photos mixed in with the color photos. Just mix the frames around and decide what looks best for you.




Saturday, November 29, 2014

12 Days of Christmas



Sorry for the lack of posts! I spent thanksgiving with my family and was placed into a food coma (and shopping coma) the past few days. My outfits weren't even photo ready because I lived in sweats all weekend. However, with all these new sales, I thought I would post some awesome holiday gift ideas! (again)

1. LL Bean Scotch Plaid Shirt: I post this EVERYWHERE, but it's literally so pretty on and the perfect red for holiday gatherings with family. Did I mention how incredibly warm it is? I love flannel but sometimes they are so thin that I am still cold! This is stylish and warm!

2. BP Trolley Ankle Boots: I just love rolling up my jeans with some ankle boots. I have a ton of uncomfortable ones but can wear these from Nordstrom for HOURS! They are stylish and comfortable. Obviously some of the styles and colors are sold out but that doesn't mean its not available at your local store and won't be restocked for the holidays!

3. Blanket Scarves: These are so in right now for the cold weather. Zara has a ton, as does other retailers. They recently had a 30% off for Black Friday but still have some remaining pieces on sale. It's just a great gift for a friend or even better stocking stuffer!

4. L'Occitane Hand Creams: I don't know about you but my hands are perpetually dry during the winter months. I got a ton of these for stocking stuffers last year and people love them! They come in great scents and don't make your hands feel dry after.

5. Tory Burch Robinson Cosmetic Case: If you need to buy a nice gift for a mother-in-law, girlfriend, etc... this cosmetic case is great! The patent black with gold zippers makes it appear so classy. I also think Tory Burch can be pricey, but this case runs about $55 and is actually affordable for the brand.

6. Sole Society Plaid/Tartan Loafers: How cute are these! I just bought myself a pair as the store is 30% off and the flats are actually included in the sale. I think these would look awesome with a pair of dark wash jeans and a chunky cable knit sweater. The print is also unique so you know people won't walk around town wearing it all the time.

7. Kate Spade Spiral Notebook: I love cute notebooks for work (especially anything with gold... so chic!) I think this is a great gift for a working girl for meetings, etc... it's actually also really cute to write down some recipes in.

8. Tory Burch Small Logo Studs: Amazing studs that are perfect for any woman/girl I literally wear mine everyday (if you couldn't tell). For the price, I think these are a darling gift for a friend or family memeber.

9. J Crew Factory Gingham PJ Set: Who doesn't love PJs? My favorite activity during the holidays is sitting in PJ's all day near a fireplace. So cozy! I posted the navy/red but there is also a navy/white which very warm.

10. Chloe Perfume: I am obsessed with this perfume. It is so clean and fresh. I can wear it for hours without getting one of those "perfume headaches".  This scent has been around forever and I think it rivals with Chanel and Dior in becoming a great signature, timeless scent.

11. Diptyque Baies Candle: This is the ultimate luxury candle. It's pricey but a great gift for someone who may be picky and like the finer things in life (and you don't necessarily have the budget to buy something too expensive). The mini one is about $30 and the large is $60. Places like beautybar.com gives you a discount for spending $75, so you can easily get these at a deal.

12. Essie Nail polish: Ultimate stocking stuffer! I get mine off of Amazon because it ends up costing me only $6 which is actually cheaper than most stores.

Well, that is all I have for you all! Happy Shopping! Don't go as crazy as I did this Thanksgiving weekend...but let's be real...who doesn't love deals!!




Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Holiday Shopping - Tricks

So I am sure everyone has either begun or almost finished with holiday shopping. For those who have not yet, time to get on the ball!

I start shopping for the holiday around the summertime and keep an eye out on constant deals and sales. The worst thing is having to pay full price, so noting the trends of sales pertaining to your favorite brand is very useful.

Here are some tricks I use for online shopping (I stress online, because for those who work for a living, it's just easier to shop online):

1. Stalk retailer websites: For items you are interested in (and know they wont sell out), try to visit the website everyday before the holidays to get a feel on how low an item can go. Once you note that, you can then ascertain whether or not a "sale" is actually worth your time

2. Surprise Sales: Kate Spade and Tory Burch are notorious for private/surprise sales. Kate Spade actually has one right now! Make sure you follow these brands via Facebook and join their Mailing List. It's almost foolish to purchase these brands full price, because there is always a sale around the corner

3. Friend and Family: Many department stores and retailers participate in a friends & family event where you can get up to 25% off your order. I know Bloomingdale's, Saks and Shopbop have a few throughout the year. Make sure you sign up on that mailing list as well.

4. Never buy anything full price: Do your research! If there is a particular item you want; Google it! Chances are, that same item may be cheaper elsewhere (with free shipping and less sales tax). That is usually why I am so against impulse purchases. Why pay anything full price when it'll go on sale anyways?

5. Tiny and Petite? Try kids clothing! For a lot of designer brands, I end up buying kid sizes. It's so much cheaper and fits the same. You can do this for clothing and shoes! So if you are a size XXS or XS/ size 5 or 6 in women's shoes.... look at kid brands. I know people who are notorious in purchasing the girls Uggs and Hunter boots.

Well I hope this is helpful to all you holiday shoppers!




Friday, November 21, 2014

What Farah Wore 11.21.14



Romper Zara: Printed Romper (shorts here)

For some reason the romper is sold out. The print very popular and reminiscent of an older DVF print. The shorts will work too! Keep checking though, this may re-stock (as it did for me)

Tights Spanx: High Waisted Tights
Sweater J Crew Factory: Crew Neck
Earrings Tory Burch: Circle Logo Earrings

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Grilled Brussel Sprouts


I am obsessed with these brussels sprouts stalk from Trader Joe's. For $2.99, you get so much!! I used the recipe below, but if you want something sweeter add some maple syrup to the mix. It's fab!

Recipe

1/2 stalk of brussels sprouts (purchased at Trader Joe's)
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs of salt
1 tbs of pepper

Directions: Sprinkle sprouts with all the ingredients and place on the grill for 15 minutes flipping occasionally.

Farah's Holiday Gift Ideas


I'm sure everyone, like myself, has been trolling around the Internet and stores to find the perfect gifts for the holidays. I just wanted to share some of my favorite gift ideas that would be great for men and women.

Fresh: Sugar Lip balm and Treatment Kit ($18) - The lip balm itself is like $21, so this kit if a perfect gift for a friend or loved one. I love how easily this balm glide along the lip. It also has a natural pink/red tint to it (and we all know how much I love a great red lip). I even wear it over my matte lipsticks to give my lips the moisture it needs. For $28, you can get a kit with three lip balms. Excellent stocking stuffer idea!

Art of Shaving: 4 Element Starter Kit ($25) - Great gift idea for a boyfriend or dad. I just bought three of these today to give away. Art of Shaving is a fantastic brand (and expensive), so this kit is such a steal!

J Crew Factory: Statement Necklace (Varies) - I love statement necklaces and own plenty but I hate cheap statement necklaces. The J Crew Factory website has excellent quality necklaces that vary from ($20-$45). Sales happen practically ever day so you have to keep looking to get the best deal, but I personally haven't spent more than $40 on one (even those that retail for $70). These are great gift ideas especially for the holidays (I mean, who doesn't like wearing statement necklaces to holiday gathering?) My other recommendation is Bauble Bar (but sometimes they can get pricier than J Crew and it's the same quality)

Fall and Winter Scarves (Varies) - I am addicted to scarves! But they also make the perfect gift! The poncho-type and blanket scarves are getting really popular throughout the blog world and I find them so warm and inviting. This Zara Scarf - Can be worn like a scarf or a poncho and cinched with a belt, With a $49.90 price tag, I think it's a great versatile piece to any wardrobe. We all know how I feel about this blanket scarf from Amazon. For $15, it's incredibly soft and gives the volume around your neck. So cute with rolled denim and ankle boots.

I love plaid and tartan and this tartan scarf from Forever 21 and this plaid scarf from Zara are just perfect fall and winter staples. With all the mixed colors, it matches with all outfits. Lastly, leopard and fur. I can not get enough! This fur wrap around from Zara just looks SO warm, especially when you live up North or around the Midwest. It's also so chic that it looks great dressed up or down. Rounding out my list is this leopard infinity scarf. I still really like infinity scarves even though they were very popular and sometimes overdone the past few years. I find them really easy to wear and gives that volume that you can't always get with regular scarves.

Uncommon Gifts (for Men) - This website is so unique and has great gift ideas for men! Anything ranging from liquor ice cubes, a mini ping pong table set, to a personalized whisket barrel! I feel like shopping for guys can get difficult (at least for me it is), so finding something that is unique and uncommon (no pun intended ;) ), is fantastic!


Thursday, November 13, 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Farah's Faves: Beauty Products


I love great beauty products. The best thing is that you can get great products anywhere and it doesn't always have to cost you an arm and a leg. I wanted to take some time today to share some of my favorite products.

1. Dry Shampoo - Batiste Dry Shampoo - I am slowly trying to buy more European/British products since they lack some of the chemicals that are approved in America. This is by far my favorite dry shampoo. I usually buy the Blush, but they have types for all hair colors and scents. Being a brunette, having greasy hair is very common (so jealous of my blonde readers). I have tried a bunch of dry shampoos varying in prices. The Batiste Dry Shampoo is pretty inexpensive and runs about $10.

2. Face Cream - Fresh LOTUS Youth Preserve Face Cream - I have perpetually dry skin, especially with the winter months slowly approaching. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I love how it smells like cucumbers and just leaves me face locked with tons of moisture. It's $42 but well worth the splurge!

3. Nail Polish - Sinful Colors - I have strictly bought OPI and Essie nail polishes for years until I found Sinful Colors. I kind of turned my nose to it at first thinking that something so inexpensive would be an inferior product. Kind of like those polishes that need 15 coats for the color to show. However, I bought two off the wall colors from there once and fell in love. With two coats you can get that great color you paid for and its 1/10th of the price of the "designer" polish brand. It costs on average $1.99 and can be found at any Target or Drugstore.

4. Lipstick - I had a post about my favorite lipstick and I will have to stress that all girls need a staple red lipstick in their lives. I have recently started mixing dark and bright red lipsticks to get that perfect shade I want. Make sure to use a lip liner (see below). My favorite ones are the YSL Le Rouge and MAC Diva.

5. LiplinerRimmel Exaggerate - A lot of lip liners are so rough when you put it on. Since I spend so much on lipstick, I really try to find a good, inexpensive lip liner. The Rimmel one glides on so easily and last for a really long time under lipstick. At $5.99, its a steal.

6. Mascara - DiorShow and BadLash Gal - I know a lot of people recommend not spending a lot on mascara since it needs to be replaced every six months, but I can't get enough of Dior Show and Bad Lash Gal. Both give you great length and volume. I already have semi long lashes, but even my friend who don't swear that these give him that long falsie look they have been striving to attain. I have switched to different mascaras often but always come back to these. It's at $25 and $19, respectfully.

7. Beauty Blender - I'm obsessed with my Beauty Blender. A few months ago, I finally learned how to "kinda" contour my face (still have a long ways to go). The Beauty Blender is a great trick for those who don't know how to maneuver a brush to blend well. Put it under warm water, watch it expand and dab on your face to get makeup to spread evenly. Best $20 I have spent. I also recommend the cleaner with it. Other cleansers don't work as well this one does. However, if anyone knows of other ways to clean the beauty blender, let me know!

Monday, November 10, 2014

Gruyere and Gouda Mac & Cheese (Jalapeno & Bacon)



I had a hankering for mac and cheese today and decided to make a variation of this recipe from "The Owl with the Goblet"

I'd imagine most people like their mac and cheese really creamy so I would follow the recipe. If you want something healthier, I would use less butter and just a splash of heavy cream/milk. I ended up using panko bread crumbs on top but you can really use whatever you want!


As for the cheese, I bought gruyere and smoked gouda. I probably should have bought more because it wasn't as creamy as I would have liked but it was still really good. Obviously it's not a healthy meal but everyone needs cheat day!

I ended up adding spinach to my dish. Spinach is great because it really doesn't have any flavor but its healthy and adds a great green color to the dish.



What Farah Wore 11.9.14 and 11.10.14