What's Happening.

I love the Fourth of July. It's always been one of my favorite holidays. I'm big on dressing for the occasion and going all out--themed outfit, food, decorations, I love it all. Here are some of the fun things I did for the Fourth this year:

Shoes I painted--I bought white "Keds" from Forever 21 for $6--with a little tape and paint this is how they turned out!

America.

 "I thank God for my life, for the stars & stripes. 

May freedom forever fly. Let it ring"Zac Brown Band.

Hope everyone has a fun & safe Fourth of July!

Buccos.

I went to the Pittsburgh Pirates game on Saturday--they played the Detroit Tigers and won! Unfortunately they lost the final game in the series, but you really can't ask for too much when it comes to the Pirates. One of my favorite movies is "For Love of the Game" with Kevin Costner--he plays Billy Chapel, the starting pitcher for the Tigers. I liked to imagine that it was him out on the field pitching. I'm weird, I know.

Not to be biased, but our stadiums really are the best. Both PNC Park and our football stadium, Heinz Field are pretty new--and always fun to be at or around. The North Shore quickly became one of my favorite parts of the city.

 

Get Away.

I have been dying for a little get-away lately. Between work, weddings and all the other little things in life that take up time, I feel like I've had zero time to just relax--no worrying, no phone, no responsibility. I have a little mini-weekend planned towards the end of July, and a camping trip in between. Both cannot come soon enough! I'm sick of missing summer!

Picture-Perfect Wedding.

My cousin Lauren got married on Friday! I spent most of my weekend doing wedding things and I didn’t mind one bit. She married her wonderful husband at the Succop Conservancy in Butler, PA—a bit north of Pittsburgh.

It was honestly the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever seen or been a part of. It was so romantic, classic and magical, exactly what a wedding should be. The bridesmaids got ready in the old house on the land and the ceremony was right outside the front door. Guests enjoyed a cocktail hour after the ceremony before heading over to the pavilion for the reception.

Our bridesmaid’s dresses were a dark lilac and had different details of lace on each one. Lauren’s gown was strapless and looked as if it was vintage—but it wasn’t! She looked absolutely stunning.

The wedding was perfect! Congratulations again to Lauren and Tyler (who are currently in Punta Cana enjoying their honeymoon). Thank you for letting me be a part of your special day!

Thanks to Pinterest.

Cousins at the rehearsal dinner. Bride's in the middle!

With the flower girl, Avery.

My baby cousin, Avery! She was a dancing machine.

Red Barn Photography.

Groom with his groomsmen & women. Red Barn Photography.

Cousins! Red Barn Photography.

First kiss as husband and wife! Red Barn Photography.

Red Barn Photography.

Red Barn Photography.

The girls! Red Barn Photography.

Exactly what a bride should look like. Red Barn Photography.

All pictures are mine unless otherwise noted. Jen from Red Barn Photography was there to capture all the beautiful moments!

Six Shoes

...every woman should own.

I used to be the biggest shoe shopper ever. Shoes are just like your oldest friend—they’ll always be there. You’ll likely have the same shoe size for most of your adult life, and you don’t have to worry about looking too fat unlike that dress you’ve loved, tried on and suddenly didn’t love it anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love my shoes. The shoe shopping sprees just died down a little bit. With my job, I’m always on the move and outside a lot—so lately all I seem to look for is a good pair of stylish flats or cute boots.

There are however six shoes that I think every woman should own. Here they are in no particular order:

• Wedges
• Main reasons—they’re comfortable and easy to walk in. Almost always look awesome dressed up or down.

• Rain Boots.
• When I was younger, I’d be so embarrassed to put my rain boots on. I thought they were stupid and make me look like a boy. Now, girls can actually pull them off and look stylish! Plus, who really wants to walk outside in heels, flats, or flip flops on a rainy day. 

• Nude Pumps.
• Simple. These go with everything. They’re classy and timeless.

• Ballet Flats.
• Like I said, flats seem to be the only shoe I look for. Perfect for work when you’re on the go. And small enough I can keep in my bag if I decide to wear heels and need to walk somewhere quick.

         

• Dressy Flip Flop
• So much better than the plain rubber flip flops and can be just as cheap and comfortable.

 

• Riding Boots.
• My go to in the winter. I have a brown and black pair and wear them with jeans and dresses.

Recipes IV.

Ready for the final recipe I've been dying to try?

Beet Tart with Goat Cheese

(makes one 9x9 tart)

Ingredients:

• 6 large beets, peeled
• Olive oil
• 8 - 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 sheet of puff pastry (enough to make a 10x10-inch square)
• Goat cheese
• Blue cheese
• Frisee
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

How:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets: line one with foil and the other with parchment paper.
• Slice the peeled beets into thick slices, about 1/2-inch thick. Lightly coat the sliced beets with olive oil, and toss with fresh thyme leaves and a bit of salt and pepper.
• Lay the beet slices out on the foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Meanwhile, roll out the puff pastry into a 10 x 10-inch square, or a comparably sized rectangle. Transfer to the baking sheet lined with parchment.
• Arrange the beet slices on the puff pastry, leaving about an inch or two along each side. Roll the puff pastry edges up to create a free-form crust, pinching the corners.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 25-30 more minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the beets are fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool briefly.
• Mix the goat cheese and blue cheese together with a fork, and crumble over the beet tart.
• Toss the frisee with lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of salt to coat, and serve over the tart

Can you tell I love goat cheese? For the first three recipes, visit here.

Recipe from:  http://www.sacramentostreet.com