Red Blooms!

With the drop in temps I figured I better share the newest members to my shoe closet before it's too cold!  I found these pretty red lace up pumps on 6pm.com and couldn't pass them up.

I took these on their first spin to a bridal shower, accenting a chambray dress.  My darling friend Brittany was my incredibly patient photog so these shoes could shine (thanks B!)!

B and I with the bride to be!

Then they got a night on the town at a bachelorette party!  They got loads of compliments and had a great time dancing the night away.  We were having so much fun that I didn't get to snap a picture of their big night out but here's one from the party bus!  I paired them with a black one shoulder dress and chunky red necklace.

The bride to be's Nauti Crew on the party bus!

Now that it's too chilly to be by the pool I'm hoping to get more blog posts up as I'll be cooped up!  Lots of LFMs and recipes to come!

Cheers!
Steph

Patriotic Boozing: Red, White and Blue Jello Shots!

Let the 4th of July festivities begin!  I figured it was only fitting to share these patriotic jello shots with you before all the fun begins.  I shared these last year so it's a little bit of a repeat but these are too fun not to repeat!

Red, White & Blue Jello Shots
(Makes about 32 shots)

 Ingredients:
- 2 c. berry vodka ( I used 1 c. UV Blue Raspberry vodka for the blue and 1 c. Three Olives Berry for the red)
- 2 c. water
- 1 pkg. red raspberry jello
- 1 pkg. blue rasberry jello
- 1 pkg. Cool Whip
- 1/4 c. or less, vanilla vodka
- small shot cups (I like the ones with lids for easy transport and easy stacking)

Instructions:
- Make the blue raspberry jello first.  Boil 1 cup water then pour over jello powder.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool a little bit so when you add the vodka it doesn't steam off.  I'm entirely too impatient so I create an ice bath for my jello bowl to help cool it down faster.
- Pour in 1 cup vodka, stir until well combined then distribute into cups, about a third of the cup.  Place in refrigerator for at least a half hour or until firm.
- Take thawed Cool Whip and mix in vanilla vodka.  You want it to stay fluffy so just add a splash of vodka at a time and mix until desired strength.
- With a spoon, scoop spiked Cool Whip into cups, leveling it out on top of the blue layer.
- Put cups in the freezer to make sure the Cool Whip is solid, about a half hour.
- Make the red raspberry jello. Boil 1 cup water over the stove, remove then pour over jello powder.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool.
- Pour in 1 cup of vodka, stir until well combined.
- **This is an important step!!  Let the jello cool until it becomes thicker but not to the point of setting up.  Once it is cooled down, pour over the other two layers in cup.  If the jello is too warm it will cause the Cool Whip to melt around the edges and float up and ruin your patriotic creation.
- Put in the fridge until red layer is set up.
- Share and enjoy!

We've got a fun weekend with family and friends planned starting with Red, White and BOOM downtown!  What are your 4th of July plans?  Hope they are fun filled and very safe!

Cheers!
Steph

Seeing RED!

Happy weekend!  Unfortunately, I came down with a nasty little cough I picked up last weekend (so not ideal) so I was bed/couch bound for a few days.  BUT speaking of last weekend, it was downright fabulous!  We went to Miami because I had some Young Alumni Council meetings and we went to a show stopping event (more details on that below) plus we were with great friends at one of our favorite places in the world and so yeah it just makes my heart smile!  Here's a few pics from all the fun!

Ice Sculpture/Raw Bar at the Student Center Opening Gala

YAC friends all dressed up!

Breakfast splurge at Patterson's,
Eggs Benedict over Mac and Cheese (like woah!) with Loaded Homefries

Ok let's get serious about shoes now.  With awards show season as well as a super season of Courtney Loves Dallas on my regular TV watch list I couldn't help but splurge on some new shoes.  A girl needs a winter pick me up when its negative temps and dumping snow, right?!  Right.  Anyways, I had looked at these red suede Jessica Simpson pumps a few times but always talked myself out of them for one reason or another.  Their price dropped on 6pm.com and I recently found some outfit images on Pinterest that just downright inspired me so BOOM, they went in my shopping cart!

These little cuties will be perfect with tights and a skirt or slacks and a sweater for the office then can be transitioned into evening attire with a cute dress or some skinnies and a great top.  The versatility is so there (aka it's soo justified to add yet another pair of shoes to my collection)!

Originally I was looking at going with a more muted, Bordeaux like red but in true Miami girl fashion I fell for the Lipstick Red hook, line and sinker.  To christen these lovely school spirited (sort of) shoes I wore them at the opening gala of the new student center at Miami!  It seems like just yesterday I was hearing the university advancement staff talk about this new fundraising endeavor we'd be embarking on and now its here, a full fledged building for future Miamians to enjoy!  (Sorry am I bragging about my alma mater?  Oh well, #loveandhonor)  What was unique about this particular fundraising campaign was it was very grassroots.  They provided the incentive of getting your name in the building for a fulfilled pledge so of course as graduating seniors Chris and I decided to take advantage. 

Chris and I next to our names in the building

I probably should have taken these little kicks for a spin before the gala to break them in because I ended up with some pretty sore feet by the end of the evening but #fashionispain sometimes.  There was another pair of shoes in my shopping cart from 6pm.com but I'll share those at a later date!

I finished my Suja Juice Cleanse this week so stay tuned for a review plus I've got a soup recipe to warm you up during these wintery blasts we're having!

Cheers, stay warm!
Steph

Red, White & Blue Jello Shots!

Happy Monday everyone!  With the beginning of pool party season and on the tails of Memorial Day festivities I thought it'd be fun to share these Red, White & Blue Jello Shots!  I made these for my brother's 21st birthday party (what says 'Murica better than patriotic spiked jello? Absolutely nothing).

Red, White & Blue Jello Shots
(Makes about 32 shots)

 Ingredients:
- 2 c. berry vodka ( I used 1 c. UV Blue Raspberry vodka for the blue and 1 c. Three Olives Berry for the red)
- 2 c. water
- 1 pkg. red raspberry jello
- 1 pkg. blue rasberry jello
- 1 pkg. Cool Whip
- 1/4 c. or less, vanilla vodka
- small shot cups (I like the ones with lids for easy transport and easy stacking)

Instructions:
- Make the blue raspberry jello first.  Boil 1 cup water then pour over jello powder.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool a little bit so when you add the vodka it doesn't steam off.  I'm entirely too impatient so I create an ice bath for my jello bowl to help cool it down faster.
- Pour in 1 cup vodka, stir until well combined then distribute into cups, about a third of the cup.  Place in refrigerator for at least a half hour or until firm.
- Take thawed Cool Whip and mix in vanilla vodka.  You want it to stay fluffy so just add a splash of vodka at a time and mix until desired strength.
- With a spoon, scoop spiked Cool Whip into cups, leveling it out on top of the blue layer.
- Put cups in the freezer to make sure the Cool Whip is solid, about a half hour.
- Make the red raspberry jello. Boil 1 cup water over the stove, remove then pour over jello powder.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool.
- Pour in 1 cup of vodka, stir until well combined.
- **This is an important step!!  Let the jello cool until it becomes thicker but not to the point of setting up.  Once it is cooled down, pour over the other two layers in cup.  If the jello is too warm it will cause the Cool Whip to melt around the edges and float up and ruin your patriotic creation.
- Put in the fridge until red layer is set up.
- Share and enjoy!

These were a hit with my brother and his friends!  They were a little more time consuming than regular jello shots but the fun result was worth it!    

We celebrated our Miami friends Elena and Zach's wedding this weekend!  It was so great to be around college friends and celebrate their love!  This week it's time to get back to business on wedding planning for Chris and I's big day next year!  But I've got some Local Foodie Moments to share so stay tuned!

Cheers!
Steph