Me on the right, 2007

Every year during carnival season, I wonder (more than usual) why I ever left New Orleans. The city is really so different than any other place in the country. Once you fall in love, you start a life-long affair with the place. Who couldn’t love a city that shuts down for a party?

So, although it’s just another Tuesday in Fayetteville, I’m wishing everyone a happy mardi gras! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Mardi Gras 2006

Loving these holidayphotos from the Neiman Marcus Holiday Book. via DJA

Counting one’s blessings is always a healthy and humbling thing to do. This year I’m thankful for a handsome new husband, a healthy and expanded family, sweet friends, puppies, yummy food, free time and so much more. I always think of Thanksgiving as a passage into six weeks of holidays and it’s lovely to be on the front end.

A happy girl is a pretty girl, don’t you agree?

Halloween is one of my all-time favorite occasions. I LOVE to dress up in costume. I’m the kind of girl that wears wigs to a concert and noodles, so you can imagine…Luckily, my new husband shares my affinity for playing dress-up and allows himself to be “convinced” to participate.

At our rehearsal dinner, my mom made an extremely lovely video montage of us and we were dressed up in costume in so many of the pictures.

I began to embrace it as our equity. Here are some costumes from years past.

2008 Marlboro Man & Hula Girl

2009 Cavepeople

2010 Little Red & the Big Bad Wolf

This year we are being Zorro & some version of CZJ from Mask of Zorro. What about you?

Positano was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever imagined. The cliffside villas, the clear water, the pebble beach. Everyone was incredibly friendly and I brushed up on my college Italian. It felt like we were in the middle of a postcard and it almost makes me sad to look at the pictures because it was such a lovely time. We ate gobs of pizza and gelati. We sat in the sun and slept in late. We walked the narrow streets – Positano centers around one beach and our hotel (Buca di Bacco) was on it. There are roads that take you all the way down but 200 yards from the beach they become too narrow for cars. We had to walk the rest of the way down and have our bags portered.

Our room opened up onto a balcony and we had two chairs so we could sit and people-watch.

Our hotel. The yellow building with two rows of windows was ours.

The view from our room

The narrow streets

Journaling

Loving on my brand new hubby

Laughing the night away…

“Lunch usually involves a glass a wine, one or two desserts that everyone shares, no need for an appetizer but stuffing your face full of half the bread on the table is kind of totally ok. Finish with a coffee and twelve cigarettes, saying that no, it’s no good, but so much fun.” Garance Dore on lunch

 It reminds me of our honeymoon already!

images via pinterest

As if I wasn’t already dying to go to the beach…now I want to go wearing giant rock necklaces and tribal crop tops.

Sara von Schrenk photographed by Markus Zeigler for Elle Mexico July 2011 via Zac

White Clutch – ASOS, Red Grill - Amazon, Red Dress – Modcloth, Blue Party Dress – Modcloth, Striped Platform – Modcloth, Red Fedora – ASOS, Blue Belt - ASOS, Feather Earrings – ASOS, White Wedge – Modcloth, Nars Red Lipstick – Sephora,  Sunglasses – Forever21, White Shorts – Bloomingdales,  White One Piece - Net -A- Porter,  Blue Dress – Rebecca Minkoff,

I love this editorial. It looks like a honeymoon, which sounds lovely right about now. The soft palette and gorgeous swimwear has me ready to jet to Acapulco (where this was shot) right now.

Shot in Acapulco. Photographer: Pasquale Abbattista, Stylist: Kathrin Seidel, Models; Sophie Holmes & Lucien Thomkins for Elle Germany May 2011 via DJA

Supposedly this is the best margarita ever…I think I’ll try it tonight.

Recipe courtesy of ReadyMade

2 oz. 100% agave silver (blanco) – Recommended: El Tesoro, Sauza Hornitos, or El Milagro (which brings an amazing vanilla-ness to the party)
1 ounce Cointreau – you can use Gran Marnier if you happen to have some, but stear clear of Triple Sec
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/4 – 1/2 oz. agave nectar (optional)
Kosher salt

1. Begin by squeezing the lime juice with a juicer or citrus reamer. Use the spent lime half to rim a 4-5 oz. martini glass or a rocks glass, and dip into the salt. (If you like them less salty, only rim half of the glass.) Place in the freezer or fill with ice cubes and water to chill.

2. Pour the lime juice into a shaker, and add the orange liqueur and tequila, and the agave nectar (if that’s what you’re using). Fill the shaker with ice, and shake until your hands get cold, then shake some more. It’s essential that it’s very well mixed and diluted just so with the melted ice, and that comes from shaking. Don’t skimp here; you’re hard work will be rewarded.

3. Retrieve your glass, and fill with ice if using a rocks glass. Strain your shaken cocktail into the glass, and enjoy!