High/Low Fashion: {Python Blouse}

For my birthday I was given this Joe Fresh python blouse by my brother and sister-in-law. (They know about my animal print phase!)  I absolutely love it. It washes well and does not need ironing. It's a whopping $200.00 less than the high version!  Initially I wasn't that impressed with Joe, but now I will have to take a closer look. I think it's one of those stores that you need to check often to find that little jem.

                          LOW                                                                                  HIGH

$19.99

$229.00  

  I've noticed a lot of python this spring...

$860.00

$230.00

 (Both from Nordstroms)

$130.00  Nine West

$47.00   Aldo

Florida

Yesterday it snowed!!!!!! I am sick of winter so I am dedicating another post to all things Florida.

 I really like the Florida lifestyle. It is hard not to love the sunny beaches, old tanned people with face lifts, fruity drinks and flip flops adorned with rhinestone starfish. Everything about Florida is completely different then my experiences living in the north east. Most things "Florida" do not translate well to life in a big city. The pastel Lilly Pulitzer dress that is so adorable in Palm Beach is way too tropical for the city and the yellow vintage bamboo chairs are cool on the screened in porch overlooking the ocean, but look out of place on a condo terrace. (But I love them anyways)

                                                                             

Another thing I love about Florida is vintage/mid-century design; there is something so glamorous about this time period.

The designer Meg Braff does an amazing job of recreating vintage Palm Beach with a modern twist in her interiors.

                                               Look at all the colour in her closet!

Hope you enjoyed these sunny photos, I am off to turn up the heat it's freezing in here!!

Palm Beach Florida

I have been away for a little vacation in sunny Florida. We were spoiled rotten by my husband's company and had the chance to stay at The Ritz. Not only were we treated to all the hotel has to offer, but to make things even more amazing we were able to meet up with good friends from Connecticut and New Jersey who were also in the area. We had fantastic weather, amazing food and the company of lovely friends; a perfect combination in my book.

I couldn't get enough of the lobby at the Ritz. I have decided to call it "Serene Palm Beach". There were no harsh colours and no over the top beach themes. (no fabric with palm trees and coconuts, please!!) I wish you could smell it! -a subtle scent wafted throughout. I found out that it is a signature Ritz scent called Palm Beach Breeze. (Of course I had to buy a reed diffuser of it from the gift shop).

Here's a look at the hotel. The first 4 photos are from the Ritz web site and the others are my photos.

                                              Many s'mores were made around this fire!

The gorgeous lobby...

Easy Chicken and Rice Recipe

My oven is broken and I've been waiting for a part for nearly two weeks. It's been a little bit of a challenge coming up with dinner ideas that don't involve an oven and unfortunately it's been too cold to BBQ. This recipe is one I make now and then; it's super easy, versatile and doesn't need an oven.

Use two cups of any vegetable you like. I usually make it with peas and corn for the kids, this time I used zucchini and mushrooms.

Chicken and Rice

8 pieces of chicken, I used 4 thighs and two breasts cut in two

Oil 

1 Small onion, chopped

1 Clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

2 Cups total of vegetables (any combination of frozen peas, frozen corn, mushrooms, peppers, 

                                                      zucchini etc.)

1 Cup rice

1 Cup chicken stock

1 1/2 Cups canned chopped tomatoes

Heat oil in a large heavy pot. Add chicken and brown on all sides, remove and set aside. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 minutes, if using peppers, mushrooms or zucchini add them now and saute a further 3 minutes.

Add rice, stock, tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano. Bring to a boil.

Lower the heat, return the chicken pieces to the pot,  add peas and corn, if using, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked. 

Enjoy!

Small and Stylish

Have you seen this small house featured in the March Style at Home magazine? I love the fresh, modern take on a traditional city home.

Toronto is full of this style of house. They are usually made up of a front porch and then the living room, dining room and a small kitchen all in a row. Upstairs has either 2 or 3 bedrooms and a bathroom. Most homes this style are no more than 15 feet wide.

We use to live in one that had 3 bedrooms and was only 13 feet wide, basically an apartment with the bonus of a postage stamp yard. I loved that house; it was so petite it didn't take much to decorate and I could clean it from top to bottom in half an hour!

Cool turquoise mixed with warmer shades of yellow and touches of brass make the living room cozy.

 This is my favourite room. I like the eclectic mix of furniture; an antique table, painted chairs

 and a modern buffet. Love the over-dyed rug.

 

Interesting hardware on an Ikea wardrobe system.

April Showers

Happy April!