When Life Hands you Lemons

When life hands your lemons, make Limoncello, of course. That’s what my husband and I did last night. We picked up some organic lemons from Whole Foods and used the recipe we got when were in Positano, Italy. The recipe is very easy, calling for Everclear alcohol, lemons, cane sugar, and water.  However, the Amalfi lemons are what makes Italian Limoncello so delicious.  In 8 days, we will see how these Whole Foods lemons compare!

I hate to waste food so when I had all these leftover “naked” lemons, I wanted to make something creative.  First, I made low-calorie strawberry lemonade. Recipe is below and I must say, it is so refreshing.

I also decided to make lemon juice ice cubes!  I have never tried them but thought they would be great for ice water or for cocktails.  I had these cute star ice trays so I took a turkey baster and filled up the cubes with leftover lemon juice.

image{peeling the lemon grinds was the hardest part so I left that for the hubby}

positano{picture from Positano, Italy where they have the absolute best Limoncello}

image

image{strawberry Lemonade:  1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 6 lemons), 4 tablspoons Truvia,  5 cups water, 5 strawberries}

{directions: Mix lemon juice, water, and Truvia to taste.  By adding fresh cut strawberries and letting site for a few months, the natural flavor of the strawberries will start to soak in!}

image{brilliant idea- Lemon Juice ice cubs for refreshing beverages!}

Fresh Watermelon Margaritas

Happy Monday and Happy Cinco de Mayo! I love a classic, fresh margarita and am usually a plain Jane when it comes to margaritas. I usually opt for an all-natural margarita with no sour mix and tons of limes with my favorite tequila, Clase Azul. However, this fresh watermelon variation is the only variation of a margarita I love because it’s is so refreshing and not too sweet. Enjoy!

watermelonRitas

Nasty Gal Hand Harness

Sometimes, camera photos will have to do because I really wanted to share this gorgeous accessory with all of you!  My husband gifted this amazing hand harness and I am absolutely in love with it.  He found it on Nasty Gal and it’s the perfect unique accessory that gets tons of attention.  I wore it with my new Banana Republic cargo jacket that I scored at the outlets on clearance. At first, since it’s not a piece I normally wear, I thought it would be comfortable, but since I had it fitted, it was very wear-able.

Also, if you are an eyebrow-obsessed person like me, you may notice I am trying to grow in my eyebrows– yes I have Cara Delevinge eyebrow-envy (don’t we all?)  I am using a Lauren Mercier brow pencil that helps me through that awkward growing stage.

Have you tried a hand-harness yet?

handharness2

handharness

haircut

Foodie Photography

Food is one of the loves of my life.  When I travel, it’s a given that I love to people watch the fashion, but I always love to try and photograph the food as well. Below are some of my favorite foodie photos from Italy and also some dishes I made on my own inspired by Italy.  My absolute favorite dish from Italy, which was in Roma, was the spaghetti Carbonara.  I ate it too fast to even get a picture of it. But hey, when in Rome! 🙂

What is the best food you’ve had while traveling?

DSC_0730
{Homemade pizza class in Tuscany}

DSC_1033
{To die for tortellini in Rome}

DSC_1118
{Melt-in-your-mouth ravioli in Florence}

DSC_1119{Hearty Bolognese in Tuscany}

DSC_0515{Anti-pasta platter made by yours truly}

 

The Kimono

 

Kimonos have been in trend for a few years now but this spring and summer, there are even more styles that are easy to wear.  You don’t have to be indie-style to pull one off, either.  They are the perfect casual accessory and flattering on just about everyone.  Move over, cardigan, the Kimono is light as a feather and as edgy as Lorde.

The most fascinating thing about Kimonos is their history, which is a traditional Japanese garment. Kimono means “thing to wear” in Japanese and both men and women have worn them for centuries in Japan for special occasions and as statement pieces.

 

celebritiesKimonos{printed Kimonos are the stars’ street style}

floral Kimono{It’s a steal! In love with this floral Kimono that’s only $13 on sale at  Ark here.}

KimonosUnder50{Beautiful printed styles all under $50 at Ark}

Have you hopped on the Kimono trend yet? If so, how do you style it?