TOMS

I purchased my first pair of Toms today!! It was between the sparkly silver version (which I ended up choosing!!!) or the patterned delights (second picture). I have to say that my fancy silver shoes make me feel a little Michael Jackson, but they are so fabulous and shiny that I don't mind! My friend went with, and ended up taking home, the sparkly gold version. To top it off, when I came back to work another one of the woman had the patterned ones (that I was debating) and I realize I may end up with two pairs of Toms eventually because those patterned ones are pretty delightful on!!!!!!!!

{ sparkly silver Toms }

{ seaport vegan classic Toms }

so, I got a snazzy new pair of shoes....and Toms can donate one more pair to a child in need. Pretty sweet trade if you ask me!

:: peace and love ::

weekend doings...

{ sleeping in on Sunday }
{ tried this cauliflower recipe.... }

{ and it was really, really tasty! }

{ relaxing on the deck...and getting a tan--err..sunburn }

so that was our weekend...mix in a little wedding makeup by moi on Saturday....and a lovely surprise 30th bday in Santa Barbara for a dear friend later that day...which lead us on a beautiful drive through los olivos and santa ynez !!! why do weekends always leave you wishing for the next one to be upon you!?! Happy Monday lovlies !

:: peace and love ::

musings..on wedding..what else.

{sparkly louboutins-erin hearts court}

ohhh my...

so many ponderings* going on over here.
1. invites in the making...i am SO excited, they are going to be so lovely....i can't wait to show you and to see the finished project myself.

2. I've got a plan for the seating 'cards'....hint: they aren't going to be cards--think margaritas...labels and mason jars !!!

3. do i need a reception dress--something shorter and sassier and easier to dance my heiny off in?

4. do i need a second pair of shoes (something glittery..sparkly...you know)?

5. bands...mine-rose gold, filigree, little white diamonds... his-tungsten (he wants something durable and 'manly'....) although there was a fantastically snazzy white gold and black sting ray skin ring (makes me a bit sad honestly)...but it really was amazing. I'm trying to convince him the sting ray ring is manly (which it is)...but somethings must be finagled a bit.

6. reception (and ceremony) decor....paper goods, paper goods, paper goods....i've got a few ideas, trouble is...settling on one.

well, that's good for now; i know it's not quite as interesting when I have nothing to show you!!!

:: peace and love ::

perfect bbq activity

croquet.....mmm hmm.
perfect for these warm days and afternoons we are having here on the cc. I'm thinking this set is esthetically pleasing and will do the job......i can't wait to play me some croquet, with a beer, warm breezy afternoon, good friends and food!! not to mention how much fun our wedding guests would have with their margaritas, chips and salsa playing a little game before we hit the dance floor!!!

:: peace and love ::

and of course...happy friday!
hello much needed weekend.

pesto portobello panini....yup, im obsessed.

{empty plate....it's not particularly visually appealing...but my stomach says its amazing!}

really stuck on this whole pesto...portobello thing...hence the consumption of pesto stuffed portobello's two nights in a row.....this time....we made it into a panini with goat cheese..orange tomatoes..butter lettuce and a little balsamic sprinkled in..

same preparation as the grilled pesto ports, but this time i broiled them in the oven for about 15 mins. toasted san luis sourdough (which...i might add is the most amazing bread in the world), goat cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, balsamic....other piece of bread....and hello, amazing!

it was with out a doubt the best little sando we've had in a while...and i have to say i did actually give myself a little pat on the back (not that anything in this panini is hard to create or difficult to put together)...but the sheer amazingness* of it is what gets me.

go ahead...give this a try for dinner tonight....i would prob eat this every single day if i didn't think that were a bit weird.

:: peace and love ::

a lovely weekend....and pesto stuffed portobello's

{pesto stuffed...parmesan topped...portobellos} ~ they were too good...and we were in too good of company for me to take my own pic.....this will suffice.

The weekend flew by...all of a sudden it's monday, and I'm excitedly awaiting next weekend because we are going wine tasting in Paso for a little bachelor/ette celebration (santa cruz didn't work out....shucks....because the dream inn looked fab).

with a good friend in town, we celebrated her birthday friday at giuseppe's (a little too hard one might say)...had a recovery day saturday (low key...with my honey, couch, and Californication dvds)....and threw a little bbq with more friends sunday after another lovely afternoon at dockside with beer and fish tacos. This is where the pesto stuffed portobellos come into play.

so so easy....and yes, i am still attempting to put pesto on just about everything!

we got large portobellos and pulled out the little stems...coated them with olive oil, salt and pepper and threw them face down on the grill for about 5 mins....turn over and fill inside with homemade pesto, top with parmesan and let cook for about another 5 or so mins. (voila!)....we also like to slice up squash, zucchini and asparagus, tossed with olive oil salt and pepper and charred on the grill....what a lovely bbq, with lovely friends. we then preceded to sneak into the madonna inn swimming pool (with such delightful weather, one must take full advantage of a warm night)....no harm in feeling like i'm 16 again right? and so the week continues : ) Happy Monday loves!!!

:: peace and love ::

plover pretty !

just a little bedroom inspiration....such pretty prints over at plover oraganics : ) Happy Thursday!!

:: peace and love ::

winner.....!

and the winner....almost by default....of my little glove giveaway is Kathleen from JeremyandKathleen !!! YAYAYA....send me an email to katie.hotaling@yahoo.com to give me your address and they will be on their way : ) Thanks for participating, those brown sugar cupcakes sound amazing....and they are something i haven't tried yet!!!
Happy Monday

:: peace and love ::

Happy Blog B-day (belated)....

{ pic from here }

I just realized earlier today that it is a belated (feb) birthday for my blog...happy 2 year anniversary Wonderland, Ca... I have a lot of fun either sharing things from my life or posting inspiring or favorites from the net here...

i really hope you enjoy it as well, the blog world is such an inspirational and wonderful place. I have gained knowledge and ideas from being able to take a peek into other people's little worlds.

thank you for popping in!! : )

:: peace and love ::

fully obsessed

and wishing i could do this (not only to my own table at home....) but to all the tables at our wedding...no need for table cloths...right? ha.
found--here. originally seen at Green Wedding Shoes blog.

:: peace and love ::

it's a GIVEAWAY !!!!!

pretty little citron-fingerless gloves

really fun zipper detail runs down the sides of both gloves ** disclosure--these gloves do have a malfunction near the thumb hole. a few pairs at urban had this....i loved the color and zippers too much to care, so bought them anyway.

Yes yes my FIRST EVER giveaway!

as I said--these fingerless zipper gloves are from Urban Outfitters....i bought them bc i was instantly sold on their fingerless quality..the zippers and (that color) is one of my favorites!!!

i didn't even try them on in the store...but once i got home realized that they are perfectly snug---but--they don't really fit over my engagement ring, so the choice was either to take the ring off just to wear the gloves (then having to remember where i put it...) no thank you.

return them....maybe....but they are so fun i have just been staring at them on my dresser wondering what to do with them.... so i decided I would offer them to you : )

Here is the proposition--i will be baking my own cupcakes for the wedding (freezing them about a week before) and then having someone else frost them day of.

If you love these gloves as much as I do, please leave in the comments or email me (katie.hotaling@yahoo.com) your favorite cupcake recipe--or just the name of and where to find the recipe of your favorite cupcakes!!!! Also, even if you email me a recipe--leave me a comment here with the name of the cupcake!!

I can't wait to hear every one's favorites...i will be picking a winner over the weekend and posting the winner MONDAY...

thanks everyone!

:: peace and love ::

potato-pear-gorgonzola pizza

little pizza all put together.
pretty yellow world market mat

chimay-blue label and amber.

sunday--after doing numerous loads of laundry and generally having a lovely-relaxing and productive day...wes decided he wanted a home made pizza. we were seriously obsessed with my pesto pear creation a couple weeks ago....but we didn't have any basil and had reached a point of laziness where we were no longer willing to run out to the store (i did admit laziness...).

i decided to mix that pizza up just a bit--

here's what you need--

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves of garlic-chopped

parmesan (about 1/2 cup)

salt and pepper to taste

trader joes whole wheat pizza dough

1 bag mozzarella (i use about 1/2 the bag on a large pizza)

gorgonzola (handful sprinkled on top)

pear

1 russet (we had russet--you could use any potato you would like)

walnuts (chopped and bagged from TJ's)

directions--

super super easy--one of the reasons we love home made pizza. Roll out the dough (wes' job...he's just so much better at it than me ;-), i used a food processor to combine olive oil, garlic and parmo...blend until well combined. i spread this mixture all over my dough (instead of pesto)...sprinkled mozzarella over the top followed by v. thin slices of potato (one right next to the other) so you will always get a bite of potato; layer thin slices of pear over that and sprinkle gorgonzola and your walnuts over the top.

i cook it for about 20 minutes on 450. yum yum.... we never end up snapping a pic once it's done...probably because it's so delightful that it gets cut into and devoured before one can even reach a camera...

i will say i love the thin slices of potato on the pizza...i love the crunch of the walnuts and the flavor of gorgonzola is amazing. I have an idea for our next one....but really, you can't beat that pesto (i would choose pesto over anything else)...this was delightfully delicious though!!! enjoy.

:: peace and love ::