Wednesday, March 9, 2011

honeymoon sneakpeek : )

craig and i have had honeymoon a.d.d.  first we were thinking napa valley & mexico beach.  (but then mexico got scary.)  then greece.  (but november is their off-season and a lot is closed.)  then ireland.  (but, after speaking with someone from ireland who said november is pretty much the worst month to visit, we decided against it)  then safari  (but that was way expensive...like $1000/day each.)  then charleston, sc & caribbean all-inclusive.  (but that seemed a little mundane for a honeymoon...) 

but, after much research, trials and tribulations, we've come to our decision.  finally.  and there's no turning back (not that we'd want to) because we've booked our flights and one of our hotels. 

so, where are we going?  what fabulous, far-off land is calling us?

here are some (photo) hints...

credit {here}
 
bridge at night
lobby of casa 1800, our hotel!

roof top deck at our hotel

our hotel : )
then on to location #2...

credit {here}
credit {here}
credit {here}


so, any guesses? 



do you give up?




we're going to be enjoying a fabulous 10+ days split between the charming (small) city of seville in southern spain and the exotic, ancient city of fez, morocco.  and we couldn't be happier or more excited!!!

if you've visited either place, we would love to hear your suggestions about what to see, do and try : )

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

banana muffin yumminess

banana muffins!
banana muffins/cake/bread are some of my all-time favorite things.  every year, i have a banana cake with homemade cream cheese icing for my birthday.  the recipe my mom uses was passed down from her mom and has been a family tradition for years.  this past weekend, i found myself with a few over-ripe bananas, so what did i do?  made banana muffins, of course!  i tweaked the family recipe just a bit - a tad less butter and sugar, a little extra banana - and added an oatmeal streusel topping.  fabulous!  seriously...this recipe will change your life...

ok, so here's what i did...

banana muffins

2¼ cups flour
1½ cups sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup shortening or softened butter
⅔ cup buttermilk (or 1½ tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar in ⅔ cup milk)
1¼ cups mashed bananas (about 3)
2 large eggs
dash of cinnamon & nutmeg

streusel topping

4 tbsp butter, chopped
1/2 cup quick oats
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar

amazingness...
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease 18 large muffin cups.

2. sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

3. put dry ingredients in a mixer and add butter, buttermilk and bananas.

4. beat for 2 minutes then add eggs.

filling muffin tin
5. beat for 2 more minutes then pour batter into 18 large muffin cups.

6. while muffins are baking, mix together streusel topping ingredients with back of fork until crumbly.  when muffins are lightly browned (after about 20 minutes of baking), top each muffin with a spoonful of the topping.

streusel topping
7.  bake muffins for another 10-15 minutes (so 30-35 minutes total) or until cake tester comes out clean.

7. allow muffins to cool completely before removing from tin.

8. enjoy with a cup of your favorite tea : )

banana muffin & chai

want to know something wonderfully fabulous? i calculated (and then recalculated because i didn't believe it...) the caloric value of each muffin (including the streusel topping), and they're only 220 calories each!!! how delightful is that?!



Monday, March 7, 2011

bellevue gets engaged

on saturday, craig and i attended bellevue gets engaged with our parents, my sister (the maid-of-honor) and my cousin (and bridesmaid).  craig and i were so excited to attend, since it was hosted at our wedding venue (hyatt at the bellevue in philadelphia).  it was completely fabulous - and completely unlike the other wedding expo craig and i attended a few months back.

champagne on ice @ xix's bar
the majority of the festivities were on the 19th floor - where our ceremony room (the cliveden room) and reception space (xix restaurant) are both located.  we started in the cliveden room, a.k.a. the cake room.  omg.  amazing.  there were several cake vendors all with gorgeous displays and lots and lots of sweets to sample.  yay!  we even got to try some cake from our cake maker - classic cake - which was a real treat.  along one wall, coffee, tea and hot chocolate were available for anyone who so desired with an array of toppings - whipped cream, dark chocolate shavings, white chocolate curls and more!  and gourmet truffles galore from teuscher chocolates were available for the taking : )

mini cake samples from classic cake
after the cake room, we ventured into the promenade space where we were greeted with tons of hors d'oeuvres, appetizers as well as champagne and cocktails.  wow.  the food was phenomenal - and it was all the more fun because they will be catering the food for our wedding.  one of our favorites was the mediterranean food station with gourmet cheeses, breads and this outrageous roasted tomato tapenade.  it was heaven.

chandelier in lobby of the hyatt
nicole miller bridal fashion show
another highlight?  the chambord vodka cocktails.  pale pink and garnished with a rock candy sugar stick.  very fun.  after our visit to the promenade, we headed over to xix (our reception room).  there were vendors from tiffany's, theknot.com and also williams sonoma.  and they had on display a special signature wedding cake - the xix cake.  designed exclusively for the xix restaurant.  it was gorgeous.  classically elegant with a subtle shimmer and pearl design.  just lovely.  (perhaps, we'll request they recreate it for our wedding in november...)

signature xix cake!
me & craig on xix's balcony
after we had our fill of food and drinks (and more food and drinks), we previewed some hyatt guest rooms, visited our after-party venue (tavern on broad), scoped out a potential rehearsal dinner restaurant and did some research about a potential day-after brunch spot.  then...we went to el vez for dinner. 

cheers!  margaritas at el vez
el vez is a mexican extravaganza!  the decor is over-the-top, and the food is delicious.  we had a blast enjoying lots of guacamole (you have to try the one with goat cheese!), a huge platter of nacho mamma and a (large) pitcher of margaritas.  it was the perfect conclusion to a wonderful day.  yay for wedding fun!

city hall at night


question: do you believe in luck? what is your lucky charm??



 
 
and a big congratulations to katherine from buckhead betty...on a budget for winning the fabulous spiral style earring giveaway!!!


Friday, March 4, 2011

well-designed living

me : )
as part of jess' design your life series, i wanted to do my own DIY design your life post.  her blog, makeunder my life, is about designing a (fabulous) life with intention, purpose and passion.  so, though i may not get it right all the time, i thought i'd like to share how i (attempt to) live a well-designed life...

1. stay strong.  when i first started exercising regularly 5 years ago, it felt like torture to drag myself out of bed (earlier than usual) to fit in a 15-20 minute workout.  but now, i'm so happy that i stuck with it.  in "pushing beyond the pain" i found that i really like moving my body.  i like feeling strong and fit and flexible.  it makes me walk with confidence and stand up a bit straighter.  now, believe me, i don't pop out of bed anxious and excited to workout everyday, but i always feel better for doing it.  and with small steps, i eventually (5 years later) have built up to 60 min, 5 days a week.  i encourage you all to find the beauty of connection through working (with) your body.  (my recommendation?  try yoga.  it's fabulous for both body & soul.)

picture credit {here}
2. everything in moderation...including moderation.  (i think mae west was the first to say that, so i can't take the credit.)  i eat healthy, wholesome foods at least 80% of the time.  the 20% is reserved for dinners out, drinks with friends and dessert.  i've finally learned that deprivation has no place in a healthy diet and that all things...yes, that's right all things, including chocolate and fried food and mac n' cheese and pancakes...can be enjoyed (from time to time).

picture credit {here}
3. happy hour is what life is all about.  ok, let me explain.  life is about the small moments.  not just the big ones.  take the time to enjoy and appreciate your life where you are right now.  don't wait for the weekend or for when your "to-do" list is done or for when you lose 10lbs, because there is always an errand to run or something else that "should" take priority.  make it a habit to give yourself a break and enjoy the here and now (with a $5 cosmo in hand : )

picture credit {here}
4. follow your bliss.  this point i cannot stress enough.  life really isn't just about finding a (tolerable) job in order to make money (though money does have its perks), it's about finding something you love to do.  the money will come.  trust me.  if you create a career around what you love, you'll be wonderful at it, and it will feel a lot less like work.  trust your gut, have faith in your abilities and craft a life around your true passions and what you're truly good at, and the right path will unfold before you.  it's magical.

5. learn to love yourself.  this is not always easy...especially for us girls.  but it's worth working toward.  if you learn to love and appreciate yourself, life gets much simpler, because you're working with yourself, instead of standing in your own way.  take it one step at a time.  treat yourself well.  feed yourself wholesome food...80% of the time.  and move your body a bit.  it'll thank you for it, and you'll begin to see the beauty that was always there.  (and don't beat yourself up when you enjoy a piece of cheesecake or one too many glasses of wine.  life isn't supposed to be so damn serious : )

picture credit {here}
well ladies, i believe that's enough wisdom rambling for one day.  and remember, design your life just for you.  no one else.




Thursday, March 3, 2011

craig cooks crab cakes

Photobucket

i am the cook at our house, and i enjoy it.  cooking is one of my all-time favorite things, but believe me, i enjoy a night off too.  so, my lovely fiance is not only going to relieve me in the kitchen (once in a while) but has also agreed to let me blog about it!  (he wants ultimate recognition for his contribution : )

so, what did craig cook for us?  crab cakes!  and they were so delicious.  i honestly think he has been deliberately making me believe he can't cook in order to escape cooking duties : )  i mean, just look at the amazingness he cooked up!  it does not look like the work of a cooking novice by any means...


crab cakes

1 lb fresh lump crab meat
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp mustard
lemon
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
1 tsp curry
1 egg
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
canola oil
salt & pepper


1. in a medium bowl combine mayo, mustard and squeeze of lemon.
2. add crabmeat, dill, curry and season with salt and pepper, stirring gently.
3. add beaten egg and 1/2 cup bread crumbs, again stirring gently to combine.


4. place remaining bread crumbs in shallow bowl.
5. in a skillet, heat 1/4 inch oil.  (oil is sufficiently heated when a drop of water makes oil sizzle.)
6. while oil heats, shape crab mixture in balls and roll in bread crumbs to coat.  once coated, press flat into cake shape.
7. place cakes in oil and cook until they are browned (3 or so minutes per side).  *keep a close eye - oil cooks quickly and spritzes.  (...craig learned the hard way when he was "attacked" by the oil...)
8. remove cakes from oil and drain on paper towel.



serve with tartar sauce or yogurt dill sauce (that's what we had) and fresh lemon.  and enjoy (of course) with your cocktail of choice!


for someone who "doesn't cook", craig made some of the best crab cakes i've enjoyed in quite a while!  well done, babe.  very well done.



and don't forget to enter for a chance to win these lovely earrings!!!  you have until monday, march 7th to enter the spiral style giveaway : )

click {here} to enter



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

spiral style & giveaway

today is a very exciting day for lifestyle maven.  not only do i have a splendid giveaway for you, but i'm so very pleased to introduce my very first sponsor

heart bracelet
a big welcome to deborah of spiral style who creates the most lovely jewelry.  her creations are elegant and oh-so-chic!  (see her wonderful rotating ad to the right?!)  she has kindly offered to giveaway a pair of beautifully handcrafted earrings to one lucky lifestyle maven reader!  yay!

these could be yours!!!
read on to learn a bit more about deborah & spiral style and then be sure to enter for a chance to win!

1. when did you first start designing jewelry?
When I moved to Michigan from Pennsylvania in 1991, I took a jewelry making class at our local art center.  I loved it so much I enrolled at the local university and completed studies receiving a BFA with a concentration in metals (quite a change from my previous occupation of nursing).  I went full-circle and taught at the same art center where I took my first class and began to sell my jewelry at their gallery shop.  I no longer teach but they continue to carry my work in the shop.

2. what is your favorite piece to wear?
 I always wear earrings but I think my favorite piece to wear is a set of my bangles.  They are also my biggest sellers.

3. what inspires you when creating new pieces?
 I take inspiration from current fashion for sure.  Sometimes just playing around with the metal will inspire a design.  Mostly I think I look at classic jewelry designs and try to make them modern.

be sure to visit her etsy shop {here} and read her blog {here}.  don't you just LOVE her creations?!

awesome necklace
so...are you ready to win?  here's how to bolster your odds : )

1 point - be a follower of lifestyle maven
1 point - follow lifestyle maven on twitter
1 point - like lifestyle maven on facebook
1 point - tweet about this giveaway
2 points - add the lifestyle maven button to your blog

please leave a separate comment for each entry.  (if you grab a button, please leave two comments.)

the winner will be chosen at random on monday, march 7th : )

Lifestyle Maven


 
 interested in becoming a sponsor maven?  email me at cailenascher {at} gmail {dot} com for details : )

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

march madness : )

march 2011 is brought to you by guinness (in honor of st. patty & craig) and the color green

check out all the wonderful things march will bring to lifestyle maven.  and if you're still catching up on your february reading, check out all the amazingness that went down {here}.

a big welcome to spiral style & jewelry giveaway
craig cooks?!
march 13 – daylight savings
drink o’ the month
pub crawl – pouring the perfect pint (beer wimp like me? – my faves)
oh so delicious…irish soda bread
march 17 – st. patrick’s day
what’s your lucky charm?
wine o’ the month
march 20 – first day of spring
signs of spring – dad’s photos
gettin’ lucky – thoughts on luck
go-green
blog of note – blog swap : )


so, lovelies...do you believe in luck?  what is your lucky charm?



loving lifestyle maven?  grab a button to go!








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