Happy Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Hope everyone's day includes a little guacamole and a cold margarita!
In honor of the day I'm sharing my favorite Mexican inspired embroidered clothes. 
I love the bright colors and relaxed style of the dresses. Perfect for summer!

Mexicana Embroidered Shift, Top Shop $76

Blue Daisy Embroidered Top, Shop Bop $45

Bella Embroidery Dress, Juicy Couture $139

Etsy has a lot of great vintage pieces. I love this color green!

Cactus Green Embroidered Tunic, Etsy $57

And I have to share with you my guacamole recipe. Well its not actually mine, I got if from one of my favorite restaurants in NY, Rosa Mexicano, but I've adapted it over the years to make it just right. You must try! It's super easy and delicious!





Ingredients:
1 White Onion (finely chopped)
Cilantro (finely chopped)
1 jalapeño pepper (finely chopped)
3 Hass avocados
2 tomatoes (finely chopped)
salt
pepper
lime juice


I use a molcajete (that you can get at Williams Sonoma and its well worth it) but you can also just use a stainless steel cooking bowl.


First you make the chile paste by grinding 1 tablespoon of onion, 1 tablespoon of cilantro, and 1 tablespoon or jalapeno and a little salt. 


Next cut the avocados and remove the pit. Make 3 crosswise cuts and 3 lengthwise cuts to dice the avocado. Scoop the diced avocado into the molcajete and then add 3 tablespoons of tomato, 1 more tablespoon of cilantro and 1 more tablespoon of onion. Mix everything together and add a pinch of salt and pepper and a squeeze or two of lime to taste and tada you have the most delicious fresh guacamole! 

Royal Wedding Craziness

Unless you've been living on the rock you know that tomorrow Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married in the wedding of the decade!! I'll be up at 6am to watch before work and then I'm heading to Royal Wedding Watching Party after work. I know that many of my friends and coworkers are excited about the wedding, but I'm still amazed at the hype/publicity surrounding the nuptials. From T-Mobile's hilariously choreographed Royal Wedding Spoof...




to Pappa Johns's Kate and Will Pizza it seems like everyone is getting in on the big day.

A recent report said there were over 400,000 eBay auctions related to Royal wedding souvenirs and paraphernalia! So what are all these people selling?

Here is some of my favorite wacky Will and Kate paraphernalia I've seen...


Royal Wedding Refrigerator ( I wonder how many of these they have sold??)

Royal Bedding, Premier Inn



Will and Kate Tea Bags, Pylones



Limited Edition William and Catherine Pez Dispensers



Crown Jewels Condoms


And some of my favorite more tasteful souvenirs...


Royal Wedding Cookie Assortment, Eleni's



Kate Loves Willy Tea Towel 

Royal Wedding Pillow, Jan Constantine



Royal Wedding Mug, Jan Constantine



Processional Map, House that Lars Built 



Kate's Ring Tote, House that Lars Built

Can't wait to till tomorrow!! Cherrio!

Monkeying Around

I blame it on my favorite childhood stuffed animal, Mr. Monkey, but I absolutely LOVE anything having to do with monkeys! I especially love playful chinoiserie monkeys that have human characteristics. Iomoi's dressed up monkeys just crack me up! I have this set of coasters that I just adore!

Glass Coasters, Iomoi 


Here are some of my other favorite monkey finds...

Monkey Desk Accessory, Iomoi
(I'd love this for my desk..hint hint any family reading this)

Monkey Votive Holder, Z Gallerie

Monkey Wine Holder, Z Gallerie
(Who doesn't love anything with wine?)

Circus Monkey Lamps, Well Appointed House

Monkey Chandelier, Sisal Lighting (kinda reminds be of the monkey scones at the Greenbrier)



Three Wise Monkey Prints, Etsy



Vintage Monkey Candlestick, eBay

Etsy Finds: Bamboo Chippendale Chair Prints

I've been searching high and low for more Bamboo Chippendale Chairs to complete my dining room set.
I have not had much luck yet, but I did comes across some great prints of the chairs' classically
chic siloutte during one of my latest Etsy searches.


Bamboo Chair on Chevron, Parker and James

Chippendale Armchair with Bird, Walrus Studio

(Walrus Studio is the sister shop of Parker & James. I think the birds add a great whimsical touch!)

Palm Beach Chair Print, Annechovie
Anne Hartwell is uber-talented and has several other chair silhouettes to choose from too!




Lattice Chair Silhouette, Annechovie ( I love all four colors together!)


PS- If anyone finds/knows of four armless Bamboo Chippendale chairs please let me know! I will be forever grateful!!

Crazy About Chevron

One of my favorite patterns is Chevron, aka Zig-Zag or Herringbone. I just can't get enough of it!

Anthropologie's Decorator Glossary defines Chevron as "a familiar but decidedly modern decorative pattern, in which concentric rows of triangular shaped lines are stacked and repeated to infinity".

Not surprisingly, Chevron can be found in one of my all time favorite Jonathan Adler rooms.
(I want my dining room to look like this one day! Just need a few more bamboo chairs.)

So I've compiled my top 25 LOVE list of all things Chevron!

Chevron for the home


Black Zig Zag Lamp, Emilia Ceramica| Chevron Ironing Board Cover, Etsy

Zig Zag Throw, Jonathan Adler | Chevron Shower Curtain, Etsy

Chevron for the floor and more



Zig Zag Jaipuri Rug, Calypso St. Barth | Chevron Pillow, Etsy
Rubie Square Pillow, Rubie Green | Zig Zag Rug, West Elm

Chevron for the kitchen


Mikasa Chevron Mugs, Macy's | Chevron Mini Cake Stand, Aedriel

Chevron Vase, Etsy | Chevron Lucite Tray, Etsy

Chevron for the desk


Chevron Tags, Etsy | Chevron Calling Cards. Etsy

Chevron Note Cards, Get Papered | Chevron Calling Card, MadeByGirl



Chevron for the Mac

Chevron iPhone Case, Etsy | Chevron Laptop Decal, Etsy



Chevron on the go


Virginia Johnson Sack, Beklina | Chevron Pouch, Etsy | Alexis Clutch in Yellow Chevron, Us Trendy



And last but not least, Chevron for Haymarket Designs


Chevron Picture Frame in Cloudy | Chevron Wastebasket in Sunshine
Chevron Wastebasket in Midnight | Chevron Tray in Seafoam

Faux Bamboo Obsession

I'm begining to accept the fact that I have an slight obsession with anything and everything faux bamboo. From jewerly to home decor I'm in love with all things bamboo-esque...hence my recent purchase of Chippendale Bamboo Chairs.

Here is my current LOVE list of bamboo things...

Faux Bamboo Silverware from Neiman Marcus

Faux Bamboo Metal Napkin Rings on Etsy

Folding Bamboo Wine Rack from Overstock

Silver Bamboo Frames from Z Gallerie

Kenneth Jay Lane Bamboo Earrings

Gucci Gold Bamboo Bracelet (a mere $2690!)

Bamboo Tower Chandelier from Shades of Light

Bamboo Tray Table from Target (on sale for $103!)

Faux Bamboo Pagoda Mirror

Faux Bamboo Magazine Rack (wouldn't it look great painted a bright lacquer?)

Bamboo Luggage Rack that Young House Love Found for $12