| FAVORITE FRIDAY LINKS: |

one: i've been loving j.crew & j.crew factory's gift guides this year. stumped on what to get loved ones? check out their gift guides and all your problems will be solved. source, j.crew factory

two: i love a fun DIY, especially around the holidays. i've made festive wreaths for halloween and thanksgiving but next on my list a december inspired wreath.  source, country living

three: i saw this reindeer inspired cookies on bradley means' pinterest board and i must make them. bhg also shared festive cookies that are always a hit during cookie exchanges. source, bhg & mush and co.

four: i love celebrating christmakuh. i've been looking for a cute menorah and this one definitely fits the build. btw, it's a diy! source, martha stewart

five: i look forward to cupcake and cashmere's gift guides every year.  i love everything on her gift under $100. source, c&c

six: every year i want to check out christmas lights (and somehow don't). this year i found this handy list to find ones all over san diego, score! source, san diego family

| FAV LINKS THIS WEEK: |

• cupcakes and cashmere explored how to make a cheap bottle of wine taste amazing; i love the tricks and plan on taking full advantage of the tips.
• womens health magazine gives 5 tips to help make your makeup brushes last a bit longer: i am so bad at taking care of my brushes so this article excites and motivates me to take better care of them.
• glamour explores blake lively's best braids (ps: how cute is she prego?)
• i am cookbook obsessed so when domaine recently put together the best new cookbook list my amazon cart got a whole lot of love.
• do you like nail art?  i am really getting into is- i loved glamour uk 100+ nail art ideas 
• in style explores fall styles you can wear to work (or for fun)

| EASY BAKED BRIE: |

 Lately I've been doing a whole lot of cooking and baking with new recipes.  a few days ago my parents invited us all over for dinner: my mom was making a stew; my sister was bringing corn bread so i settled for an appetizer.  I wanted to bring something different than my go-to trader joe's cheese and rosemary crackers.  I scoured the net- enter: baked brie. it's a really easy recipe for something that looks like it took a bit of work.  the cool thing about this recipe is you can doctor it to your liking but in my case this baked brie was a hit, i look forward to trying this similar recipe soon perhaps for football sunday, a fall party or thanksgiving!

happy october 1st!  where has this year gone?  i love october for so many reasons: i love fall; it's a great excuse to get out of the southern californian heat and drive up to the mountains to see some season change or fly across the country to new england.  i love disneyland and how they decorate everything halloween- i love halloween.  i love buying cinnamon and pumpkin scented everything.  i love baking fun fall-like dishes.  i love lazy football sundays and crockpot cooking.  And of course, most importantly, i love that jeff and i get to celebrate our wedding anniversary.  

currently on my october to-do list:

go apple picking (source) // bake pumpkin donuts (source) // go off the grid, yosemite camping (source) // make a yummy harvest trail mix (source) // head east for fall = our anniversary // get crafty (source)

| cooking class at casa gola |

one of my favorite memories of our 30 day vacation was taking a cooking class at casa gola.  our translator showed up at our villa in the morning and lead us through the hills above bevagna where we met Luciana, the owner of casa gola and her assistant Aurora.  We get a tour of Luciana's second home: she has this home for full days of cooking and growing olives, tomatoes and loads of other veggies.  After the tour we sit down for fresh coffee, figs (still looking for them around san diego) and fresh anisette biscotti to get our palate prepped for a full day of tasting and cooking.  Luciana and Aurora both speak minimal english however they were so warm and welcoming.  my family and i played sous chefs for the day; chopping, tasting, drinking and enjoying this unbelievable ambiance.   We stopped for breaks to sip wine, snack on fresh breads, more figs and other tasty snacks.  We prepared a traditional stale bread salad, fresh veggie frittata, stuffed zucchini's, meatballs, pasta with fresh pesto and marinara sauce and custard.  after a very filling early dinner we enjoyed coffee and chatting with the ladies before signing their guest book and saying goodbye to such memorable women and experience.

being domesticated...

-Some of my fav go-to cookbooks-

- Mixed Greens, Spinach, Avocado, Cherry Tomato, 

Red Bell Pepper, Beets & Feta. nom nom nom.-

 -Roasted sweet potatoes to compliment 

my mom's delicious homemade chili-

-Easiest App ever: mushrooms, breadcrumbs, 

cheese, garlic. boom.-

here's a lil secret...

i love to cook and bake.  I consider myself a pretty health conscious eater; my diet consists of fruits, veggies, & whole grains.  I have never been a 'sweets' person but I love baking for family and friends.  I will share fun recipes I come across per request of my cousin Jaymie!

veggie kabobs, marinated with pepper, salt, spike, and chile oil 

Whole grain pasta served with goat cheese and sauteed broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes.  Veggies sauteed with garlic and olive oil. 

Organic brown rice with baked brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower  & onions.  Veggies brushed with fresh garlic, pepper, and olive oil. 

home made red velvet cupcakes, for my friend Whitney's bridal shower my mom and I hosted. Cream cheese frosting, and garnished with fresh sliced strawberries,

"better than sex" cupcakes.  Home made german chocolate with carmel and chocolate.  infused with condensed milk, chocolate and carmel spread on top, and topped with cool whip.  Garnished with crushed heath bar.  Probably an inappropriate name for cupcakes when I made them for my dad's birthday!