it's my darlin'

Here are a few beauties I have seen this week that made me consider using my kitchen cupboards as shoe storage.

This creative bride wasn't afraid to stray from the norm:

Heroines came out back in 2007 so this is by no means news but I recently revisited Bettina Rheims' raw yet stunning book of photography.  She depicts a few the "perfect" celebrities we are all familiar with in a light that comes off as uncompromisingly harsh but with more examination begins to redefine your idea of beauty.  I highly recommend keeping an eye out for Heroines when browsing the bookstores.  It is an excellent addition to any coffee table (or random book and magazine stack if your apartment has any resemblance to mine).

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In honor of beautiful and uncensored women:  Cocorosie "Werewolf"

It won't be out until March but I am already so excited for the McQ line. Here are a couple of lookbook images that I have come across.

Anthropologie has a ton of fun new items to check out. Also a large number of pieces are now part of the January sale.

Michelle Obama chose old Hollywood glamour last night when she stepped out in a dress designed by NY designer Jason Wu.  Miss O couldn't have made a more perfect choice for the evening.  She was absolutely stunning.

Jason Wu was contacted prior to the inauguration to design a gown but it wasn't until he saw the dress on TV while watching the ball and eating pizza with his friends that he found out what he had designed it for.  This Parsons grad has only been designing his eponymous line since 2006 and can already add this now historic dress to his accomplishments.  I am so excited for this talented deigner. 

One of Jason Wu's favorite muses is the fabulous Amanda Lepore.  I thought this was such a fun picture of him.

... and what a day.  I am so excited to see what is to come.

I have been experimenting with creative ways to keep fun treats in our kitchen while staying within the boundaries of the heart healthy diet ordered by Don's cardiologist. I made these vegan chocolate chip cookies from a recipe in this month's Vegetarian Times Magazine. They were in a segment titled "Feed your Heart" containing recipes to get more heart healthy ingredients into your diet. These cookies have a walnut puree rather than butter and the recipe calls for any kind of vegan chocolate but I used vegan 75% Dark Swiss Chocolate from Trader Joe's. The cookies were wonderful! I loved the oat flour in place of the white flour and the rolled oats add a nice texture and solid base for this gooey cookie. Unfortunately it ended up being difficult to keep them too heart healthy because we found it completely impossible to eat just one.

2 cups walnuts

3 tbs canola oil

1 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup oat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 cups rolled oats

3 3.5 oz bars vegan chocolate (I recommend dark)

Preheat oven to 350

Blend walnuts in food processor 30 sec then add canola oil and blend 2-3 min more scraping down the sides of the food processor occasionally (texture should end up like that of a natural peanut butter). Transfer to bowl.

Whisk together brown sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring mixture to boil. Pour brown sugar mixture over ground walnut butter. And vanilla extract and stir until no lumps remain.

Whisk together oat flour , baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in separate bowl. Stir oat flour mixture into walnut mixture. Cool 10 minutes. Fold in oats then chocolate pieces.

Shape cookie dough into 2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on sprayed (or covered in parchment paper) baking sheets. Flatten cookies with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in water. Bake 8-10 min (I found that mine only took about 7... maybe 8) or until cookies begin to brown and the tops look dry. Cool 3 min on baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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These cookies were made to the sounds of Animal Collective's new album "Merriweather Post Pavilion". I kept skipping back to track 2 "My Girls". I was dancing all around the kitchen.

These might just be that perfectly perfect pair of men's fit denim that I have been on the lookout for.  These jeans by Golden Goose are a classic wash that I haven't seen since the old Levi jeans I snatched out of my dad's closet back in high school.  They became so threadbare at the knees that they were eventually turned into cutoff shorts and then later retired to the trash when a hole on the backside made them unfit for pretty much any situation.  

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And speaking of great jeans, could this cutie possibly carry out the high-wasted trouser style any better.  This is such a tricky cut but this gal makes it look easy peasy in her up past the belly button denim.  (Image from WhyRed).

Last night I watched "The Ballad Of Jack and Rose". Everytime I watch this movie I get it in my head that I want to pick up and move to a beautiful secluded area and start a self sustaining life on a farm. Unfortunately the movie doesn't stay joyful for long but that first 30 minutes always gets me day dreaming of the simple life. And might I note that Camilla Belle and Daniel Day Lewis are both stunning in this film.

I came across Tec Petaja's photography by following his wife Chelsea's Oh, My Deer! blog (which, by the way, is such a fun site to wander around on).  These two are an incredibly talented and artistic couple.  Through a link on Chelsea's blog I was introduced to Tec's two photography websites as well as his blog.  Tec's work captures each beautiful moment so perfectly. 

And I must mention Chelsea's Lovely Handmades.  She combines vibrant colors and delicate details to create feminine headpieces.  Had I found Chelsea's blog with enough time prior to my wedding I would have sent her my antique silk flower to work her magic on.  Her pieces are timeless.