Good News: Mr. Wonderful's Scholarship!

Dear Lovely Readers,

I am sooo excited to announce that Mr. Wonderful is the recipient of a scholarship for this year as he continues to embark on college at the tender age of 37!

He applied for a national scholarship particularly for returning adults, and we just learned he was selected!!!

It has been quite a road, and this turn of events is one for which we are more than grateful, this wonderful man just continues to blaze some amazing trails!

I told him this is just the beginning of many more good things to come. :)

Thanks for all your fabulous encouragement along the way...it seems that I was just blogging about his minor bumps in applying as an adult, (try getting your high school transcripts from the dark ages before computers...they arrived many moons and stares into the mailbox later, a copy of the original with handwritten grades!)

and suddenly he already has several classes and a 4.0, the scholarship on top of our benefits... watch out world! My Mr. Wonderful is coming to get you!

And now, back to my regularly scheduled bubble bath and shiraz...

image credit

Weekend Brunch Essential...

Pure and Utter Deliciousness!

Crabmeat Scramble [serves 2] from Taste of Home Cooking for 2 magazine January pg. 37
4 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbs grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 can lump crab meat drained
2 tbs sliced green onion
2 tbs butter

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, cheese, pepper, and salt; set aside.
In a large skillet, sautee the crabmeat and onion in butter until crab is lightly browned and onion is tender. Add egg mixture, cook and stir over medium heat until eggs are completely set.

Discovered many months back on Misadventures of a Newlywed site... sooooo fabulous... I cannot recommend this any more than to say, make it ASAP and enjoy! Mr. Wonderful really liked it...you will too!! Actually, avocado would be good on the side, since we were talking avocado this week ;)

I Heart Hearts

isn't this the cutest? i can't get enough hearts...

update: hallelujah, I found the link: here.

Lovely Finds: Feathers for Your Nest

knack 6 at flickr

Branch Table, Reality by Harry Allen

Natasha Peacock pillow by Blissliving Home

Flow table by Umbra

In & Out Table Bobby Berk home

My Favorite Avocado Recipe

All right, friends, here is my FAVORITE avocado recipe, hope you enjoy!

It's called Goan Avocado Salad, and somewhere along the way I have stopped the salad part and serve it as a chunky dip now. :) Both are fabulous.

4 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1⁄2" pieces
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 plum tomato, cored and chopped-more if you love them
3 tbsp. finely sliced cilantro leaves
3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1–2 tsp. ground cumin
1⁄2 tsp. sugar
1⁄8 tsp. cayenne
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE CHIPS:
2 8"–9" naan breads
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. For the salad: Put avocados, onions, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, oil, cumin, sugar, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste into a medium bowl and stir well. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface of salad and refrigerate for 2–3 hours.

2. For the chips: Preheat oven to 350˚. Using a rolling pin (ha! I do not have a rolling pin in this little beach apartment), roll each naan to a 1/8" thickness. Cut each bread into 12 triangles. Put triangles into large bowl, drizzle with oil, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss well. Arrange triangles in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning chips over and rotating baking sheet halfway through. Set aside to cool.

3. Garnish avocado salad with sliced cilantro, if you like, and serve with naan chips.

You can serve over greens if you want the salad, or enjoy with any chips you prefer. Hope you love it as much as everyone I ever make it for does!

If you have an amazing tried and true suggestion(s), let me know. :)

Wonderful Wedges...time for new shoes!

Lovely People 'Scorpio' Sandal... don't these shoes appeal to the girlie girl in us all?
Pink Studio 'Leo' Wedge....this one is calling my name! Love the design!

Celine Contrast Wedge Sandal



Star Ling 'Arroyo' Wedge Sandal
Eric Michael 'Del Ray' Espadrille

Isn't it sweet? I may need a pair in silver and black, too! It would be so cute with all the vintage dresses or skirts I love out there...

Do you have a favorite shoe for fall? Any heads up for us on styles to keep an eye out for??? Any recommendations for the age old dilemma of stylish AND comfortable? Why oh why does it seem they have to be mutually exclusive? :)

"That's Criminal," my dentist said...

I've been a little worried about a little boy I love.

On his visit recently, we gave him his first plum. We gave him his first peach. We gave him his first mango, and he lives in South Florida, where they grow like apples. His little sister is crazy about the blueberries we give her. We told him there were pits inside the peach and plum, and he could eat the skin...He loved them.

He is eight, entering third grade next week. He has been raised on a lot of candy and soda...but he knows we don't allow soda when he is with us.

I was at my dentist last week, telling him how I was worried about the soda and lack of fruit, etc. the adults in his life give this kid. "Who are these people?" he asked. "How are you related to this kid?"

"They're a little... well....dysfunctional."

"That's not dysfunctional," he immediately said. "That's CRIMINAL."

"It's all chemicals, and nothing...Fucking soda," he said, disgusted. It wasn't just the dentist in him talking, but the human, who wanted my nephew, who he has never met, (and everyone) to have the good stuff. The real stuff.

Later we had a chat with our little friend and told him to think about what the school gave him to drink..."chocolate milk, strawberry milk, milk."

"They don't give you soda, right?"
"No," he said.
"Because it's not good for you, and they wouldn't be allowed to do that."

He had to go lie down for a while after taking that in...paradigm shifts are exhausting.

I have turned into an "annoying" adult. It's because I LOVE this kid and I am concerned about his well being and future.

Some niceties from Sur La Table

How lovely is this pink rubber covered toaster? No more fingerprints!

Cute eye rescue!

Here's a bright way to pour your beverages...

and a little something sweet: French sugar sticks...ooh la la

I have really loved Mr. Wonderful's introducing me to the French Press

And how cute is this espresso machine???

This one would be a nice one for the office

and for your happy hour...lovely little vino glasses

and last but not least, dessert! You can use your chocolate breaking fork
to do some serious deconstruction...

What would make your life a little sweeter?

images from sur la table

dancing in the rain in your swimsuit

right now my 8 year old nephew and 37 year old husband are outside in the rain here in South Beach; when my nephew asked if he could put his suit on and go out in the rain, we said, WHY NOT?

we just finished a morning of no tv, etc, and talking about the importance of using your own imagination...

so now my hubby has donned his cowboy hat...(hello Colorado state of mind) and he and the neph are exploring the gently rain soaked world.... it is a soft musical rain...

life is good... my heart is happy... they said they just saw "the biggest puddle on the planet!"

to see an 8 year old enjoy walking around barefoot in the rain, and stick his head under a gutter of rain water, because he could, because his aunt said, okay, and start asking questions about the world out there, hanging out with his uncle and lizards and tropical life and bugs, puddles to splash...

we are happy to be making such memories for him (and us...)

Happy Hour Bliss: Cocktail Picks

Watermelon Martini:

lime wedge squeeze
4 watermelon chunks
1 and a half measure of vodka
half measure of passion fruit liqueur
dash of cranberry juice
watermelon for garnish

shake over ice and pour into chilled glass
From 501 must taste cocktails

Duke: 2-3 mint leaves
2 oz gin
1/4 oz. lime juice
splash of agave syrup
top with Prosecco

shake over ice cubes and pour into martini glass

Sugar Hill:
1 1/2 oz. of Brazilian Rum
1/2 oz. of cointreau
1/2 oz. of apricot brandy
a splash of sugar syrup
1/4 oz. of lime juice

shake over ice cubes and pour into martini glass

source: Mojo NYC 185 ST. Nicholas Ave.

Patron Pomegranate (or Pineapple):
1 oz. Patron Silver
1/4 oz. Patron Citronge
Fresh Pomegranate Juice (or Pineapple Juice)
Lime squeeze

Pour Patrons over ice. Fill with juice and finish with lime squeeze.


Please Share your own tried and true Favorite!!! I need ideas... thanks... Miss Bliss

soak in summery tropics--Miami summer on campus

Orange Blossoms
Roots and more roots
tropical skies through canopies of leaves
a tropical friend...
trying to escape the lens
hanging on for dear life
campus oasis
firecrackers!
texture everywhere
architecture and skies
a good spot to enjoy some shade
green, green, and more green
an old art classroom building
such majestic and fairytale-like trees
palm lined walk
peacocks or fronds?
luscious!
so manicured... and a weathered sculpture
manatee waters
snake crossing!

more to come...how is your summer treating you?

How to "Get Lit"; Lamp Party, Part Two!

Jonathan Adler Ceramic Giraffe Sconce

Lamp Party: Robert Abbey Triple Gourd Table Lamp, Uttermost Azure Table Lamp, Uttermost Caruso Scallop and Table Lamps, Pacific Coast Beach Chair and Umbrella Lamp, Pacific Coast Malibu Beach Lamp, National Geographic Philodendron Lamp

Which is your favorite???

Don't miss the first lamp party: