Delicious Party Recipe

Last week I posted about having some friends coming over for a summer party and how you could change your home decor for this event. So I thought it would be great to also share a few food ideas to entertain your friends while they're visiting. I found some great dishes and will share one recipe with you at the end of this post.

Picture via WeHeartIt

Picture from Roland Persson

Picture via WeHeartIt

Picture from Linda Lundgren

Everything looks just so delicious! I'm sure you can impress your friends with any of those appetizers. Here is the recipe for one of my favorite Italian dishes, the Carpaccio. (Recipe and Picture by Kevin D. Weeks)

What you need:

- 1 lb. steak (tenderloin is best); partially frozen
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup baby arugula leaves
- 1 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano (or other hard Italian cheese)

Preparation:

1. Whisk together mustard, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper.
2. Slice the steak as thin as possible (this is much easier if it's partially frozen or use an electric knife).
3. Arrange arugula on two plates, top with beef slices, and lightly season with a good sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
4. Garnish with shavings of Parmigiano, then sprinkle lightly with vinaigrette.

I hope you enjoy this fabulous recipe and have fun with your friends! Remember to come back to see a great drink recipe you can use for your get together!

Random Pictures and Follow Friday

It's almost weekend and can't wait for it to begin! My husband has been away for his first week of his Master's degree, so I have been busy keeping my dog Pancho active among other things. Anyways, here are a few pictures that I like and that I want to share with you. At the end of the post is another week for Social Parade, a great way to get to know other blogs and find great articles to read.

Picture via Weheartit

Picture via Weheartit

Picture via Weheartit

Picture via Weheartit

Picture via Weheartit 

As usual, don't forget to comment so that I know you stopped by! Have a nice weekend everyone!!!

Summer Decor

Summertime is great to invite some friends for a few cocktails at home. So if you decide to host a get together you  sure want to change your home decor a little bit, to show it's summer! Also it's nice to change things a little bit around so it doesn't look always the same. With just a few minimum changes you can create a whole new look to your home.

Living Room Picture

Just by adding a few flower arrangements and candles you will get more coziness into your living room. Notice also how most of the items in the room are white? It makes it look brighter and cleaner, but also colder, so by adding the flowers and candles you will bring back more warmth to the look.

Living Room Picture

Another great suggestion is to add a few summer themed pillows, like in the picture above. They also added a piece of a similar fabric on one of the seats. It looks great with the woven puff and rug.

Centerpiece from here

Now look at this amazing centerpiece! You can do it yourself by searching for some cheap tiles and using them as a platform. Then add a few flowers or floating candles into the bowls and your done! If you have a hard time finding the tiles, you could always make them yourself. Buy some plain white or beige tiles and also get some decals and glue them on. And speaking from decals, check out this living room with a huge wall decal....

Vinyl Wall Deco on sale here

Amazing isn't it? You can find all sorts of patterns and sizes and you can make a big change by adding them to your home.

Picture here

And of course, never forget the bathroom. Add a few scented candles and a splash so that it smells like summer. Also get some light color towels and you could add a starfish to this whole outfit and make them feel like they're on the beach. There are just so many ideas! Just take a few moments and look on the internet and I'm sure you will find lots of ideas. Also feel free to share your findings or ideas so that other can see them!

Feeling Sexy?

A few days ago I read a post on another blog about vintage lingerie. Of course you can imagine how much the lingerie fashion has changed. Long shorts and nothing sexy. So I went online to see what the handmade artists had to offer for sexy lingerie. A few were a little too sexy, but there's plenty of variety for every taste. Check them out!

Picture by TuTuCuteTure

Photo by ToadLillie

Photo by CremeFresh

Photo by LoveBabyGrand 

Photo by BellaPrincessBridal 

So, when was the last time you bought something sexy for you? Remember that if you feel great with what you're wearing you will reflect self confidence and people will notice. Have a nice weekend!

Social Parade Friday

TGIF!!! Get to read a lot of new blogs with the Friday Social Parade. Just click here to see the rules and participate. It's a fun way to find more great blogs to read. Enjoy!

Remember to leave a comment so that I know you stopped by and can go check out your blog :)

Glamorous Shoes

I don't know if I told you before, but I love shoes! I just have this weakness for bags and shoes. I used to have so many of them, but when I moved from Spain to the US I gave half of them away and lately I have been buying less, since here in the Bay Area it's always cold (at least for me) and I can't wear sandals that often. But anyways, I was browsing for some new shops and found this amazing store that just opened a couple of weeks ago. They have this gorgeous glamorous shoes and I just fell in love with their shop. Look for yourself!

Black Rhinestone Heels by DesignerAddicted

Cinderella Glass Pumps by DesignerAddicted 

Ruby Red Satin Heels by DesignerAddicted

Sapphire Cinderella Shoes by DesignerAddicted

Rhinestone Party Heels by DesignerAddicted  

Aren't they gorgeous? They are all custom made. So you order them and they will make them especially for you. As usual Happy Shopping!

Summer Skin Protection: 5 EasyTips

Part of looking beautiful is not only what you wear, but also how your skin looks. So I looked for a few tips on how to protect your skin during this summer season to look as pretty as always :)

1. Drink plenty of water and avoid excessive alcohol. I know, beach time translates many times also to alcohol time, but the fact is that alcoholic beverages tend to dehydrate the skin. So be nice to your skin and limit your alcohol consumption and instead drink lots of water.

Image by eyesore9 through Flickr

2. Always use Sunscreen. It's very important that you apply your sunscreen 20 minutes before exposing to the sun. Also, if you stay for a long time in the sun remember to re-apply it often. Make sure your sunscreen has a protection of at least 15 SPF and don't use expired products.

Picture and Product by Rainwaterbotanicals on Etsy

3. Use Sunglasses and a Hat. Not all the sunglasses protect your eyes, so make sure you check the label when you buy them to make sure they will protect you. Dark glasses aren't enough, they need to have a special coating, so look for the ANSI label. Also the hat will protect your face, neck and hair from getting damaged and it will add a fancy look to your outfit.

Picture and Vintage Sunglasses by MotherMidnight on Etsy

4. Exfoliate regularly. Your skin will get damaged more easily with the sun, sweat and ocean or swimming pool. So it's very recommended that you exfoliate a few times a week to take off the dead skin. You will find plenty of exfoliating products, some exclusively for summer time.

Photo and Soap by Soapdeli on Etsy

5. Moisturize your Skin and Lips. It's not enough by protecting your skin before and while being in the sun, but also after you exposed to it. Even if you think that you don't need it, your skin will need it. You can switch to a lighter version and use eye serum instead of a heavy cream. And don't forget your lips. Always make sure that it has at least 15 SPF protection. It will keep your lips nice looking and also prevent cancer.

Photo and Lotion by SpaTherapy on Etsy

Ok, Ladies. I hope you find these tips interesting. It will only take a few minutes to do this and will prevent further problems for your skin. And now it's time to keep enjoying the summer!!!