The Final Christmas Inspiration and a Happy New Year

If you guys are like me, you spent a lot of this Christmas season hoarding ideas for next year. I got some great ideas from my family and in NYC. So here are the last of the Christmas ideas to store away for next year... (excuse the quality, I took most on my iPhone)

My Dad's Mantel. It's gorgeous!

Paper Decorations From Magnolia Bakery

Paper flowers and ornaments from Kate's Paperie

From Kate Spade

From Serendipity 3

AND I wish you all a very happy and safe new year!

A Bakery, A Bag and A Really Big Tree

New York was fabulous and that phrase pretty much sums up our trip. This was our 6th trip to NYC since we've been married but our first trip at Christmas. I anticipated how insanely crowded the city would be so we avoided most touristy sites and stuck to our favorite parts of New York, mainly the Upper West Side, The Flatiron Area and Soho. We ate and shopped and just enjoyed the city.First things first. We arrived on Christmas night after leaving our family a little bit earlier that usual. On the flight in we had a perfect view of the city and the red and green Empire State Building. We checked in and immediately headed to the insanely packed Rockefeller Center and 5th Avenue. It was so Christmas-y exchanging "Merry Christmas" greetings with the doormen along our walk.

The tree was gorgeous.

We also loved the windows at Saks.

We also loved the snowflakes that flashed on 5th Avenue.

The next day was pretty rainy so we spent the early morning hours walking down Broadway on the Upper West Side. We headed over to Magnolia Bakery for a cupcake.

Then to the Met to escape the rain. They have an amazing collection dedicated to decorative arts so it is a design enthusiasts dream. They even framed wallpaper so you can focus on how gorgeous it really was. I also love modern art so that wing is my favorite.

Afterwards we headed over to Sarabeth's East, a restaurant I heard about in a guidebook for a really late lunch.

On Sunday, we immediately headed down to Soho for some shopping. Kate's Paperie had a gorgeous window display and I stocked up on stationery and a new agenda for the year. Chris of course hit up the Apple Store (as well as the one on the Upper West Side, which is excellent as well). We filled most of this day with shopping, an early dinner and went back to the room so Chris could watch a little football.

Monday we stuck around midtown. We went to Herald Square then down to the Flatiron Building. This is one of my favorite parts of New York especially when 5th avenue is a mob scene. Flatiron has excellent shopping without the crowds. I made a visit to the mothership, Kate Spade. The store is just as fabulous as Lonny Mag said it was. I got a new Kate, some earrings and a cosmetic bag.

Then we headed down to Union Square and had lunch at Union Square Cafe. I had Squash Tortelli cooked in Cranberry Sage Brown Butter Sauce. TO DIE FOR. Also, I had greenmarket apple cider and cider cinnamon doughnuts. I had never had a doughnut that melted in your mouth but now I have. Delish! We headed to Bryant Park which was decked out for Christmas.

We spent the rest of the day around midtown shopping. We went to Serendipity 3, which as corny as it is I absolutely adore. I love the atmosphere. Thanks to the lovely "bouncer" I like to call him we got in and the decorations were worth the wait.

We finished up our trip with some more shopping, strolling through Central Park and just enjoying the city.

(Including the amazing gingerbread houses at Le Parker Meridien)

We are already planning a trip back in early March for my b-day. Mainly because I want to see Laura Linney's new play, Time Stands Still, which opens on Tuesday of next week. I love NYC. I think about Gertrude Stein's quote that America is my country but Paris is my hometown. I feel like the South is my country but New York is my hometown.

If you love New York, you need to see it at Christmas.

I have gotten a few requests to create a NYC travel guide. I have already started working on it and I will hopefully have it ready for you guys ASAP.

New Years Eve

All from Kate Spade.

I'm Back

Well almost. I am at Reagan International Airport in DC as we speak waiting on my connecting flight home. Thanks to Google who bought the wifi for several major airports and will allow you to get online for free, I am able to post. NYC was fabulous. I am going to attempt to get myself together and have a trip recap by the end of the week. I have gotten so many amazing ideas for Christmas next year. There is eye candy galore forthcoming like this chandelier from Serendipity 3. I hope everyone had an amazing holiday!

PS- Kelly at Fabulous K is sponsoring this amazing giveaway. Stop over and enter.

Out Shopping

I love shopping after Christmas because the crowds are thin and I don't feel guilty for shopping for myself! Here's a cute outfit for those shopping days.

All from J.Crew

Bright White

After New Years I always get in this mood where I love white and pink and everything sweet and soft. I love this house featured on Young House Love. Gorgeous!

Golden Globes Fashion

I couldn't believe it when the Golden Globes Nominations came out. It doesn't seem like it's time for awards season. I love watching the red carpet for my favorite stars and their dresses. These are some of my favorites from the past.

Eva Mendes in Dior. This was my favorite from last year. She looks perfect!

Laura Linney from last year. This was my second favorite dress from last year. It was perfect for her coloring and I loved how it flowed.

Scarlett Johanssen. I know I just misspelled her name. On the whole I don't think she has the best sense of style. She usually will have weird hair or really off makeup but this was perfect in every way.

Jennifer Hudson. I have to admit I am not a fan of her as an actress. I tried to love DreamGirls and I couldn't. Nevertheless, she picked a great dress for her shape. She looked beautiful.

Jennifer Aniston. I love this dress. It's lovely and I love her hair!

Reese Witherspoon. I love this dress and how perfect it was for her petite frame.

Maggie Gyllenhaal last year. This is another one that at first glance I thought "Ugh!" but after looking at the dress and her hair and makeup I think it was spot on.

Kate Hudson in Valentino. When I decided to do this post, this was the first dress I thought of. I loved it then and I love it now.

Cate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen. I know lots of people hated this dress and I did at first glance but after looking at it. I really love it on her. I do believe she is one of maybe 3 people who could have pulled that off but I think she did so beautifully.

Kate Winslet last year. I love how simple and classic the dress was.

Funniest Thing I Have Seen in New York

I pity da fool that mashes my potatoes.... I pity da fool!

The Greens Potato Masher found at Mxyplyzyx. Hilarious!

Jess and Martha: Recipe #2 & #3, Yellow Cake with Easy Chocolate Buttercream

I have to admit that I have never made a yellow cake that didn't come out of a box. I have probably only made a handful of cakes period that didn't come out of a box.

Thanks to Martha that is no longer the case!

I made my second and third recipes in the Martha Stewart Cooking School

YELLOW BUTTER CAKE WITH EASY CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

I had to make a cake for a luncheon at work (the Lady Attorney Super Social Luncheon actually). It was a lunch for the female attorneys in my office at my boss' house. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to dive into these recipes.

I would say it is an easy recipe although I did make a mess and use every mixing bowl I had. This was for two reasons:

#1: I could not find cake flour but I found a recipe for cake flour substitute (all purpose flour and corn starch) and I cannot sift without making a mess.

#2: When making the frosting I accidentally turned my mixer on high. There was confectioner's sugar EVERYWHERE!

But several dish towels and a good bit of clean up later, the cake was finished.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas my dear friends.

I wish you all a lovely day.