sunshine

 Jacket: Kenar (old). Sweater: Cynthia Rowley via Marshalls. Jeans: Madewell. Heels: Zara (fall). Sunnies: Westward\\Leaning. Jewelry: vintage necklace; Michael Kors watch; David Yurman ring; Urban Outfitters rings; Madewell rings.

Apologies on my hiatus, but I am BACK, blogging world! It has been a crazy few months with too many work and personal trips to count, but the most memorable was a spur of the moment vacation to the Arizona desert for Christmas. My  grandma, the strongest woman I know, calls this sunny state home and with the temperatures in my home state currently sitting at -11 degrees without the wind chill, my day dreams have filled with remembered visions of this trip. The beautiful landscapes, cacti in every shape and color, the sunniest of skies that warm you to the very core and clean air, so crisp that you just can’t help but close your eyes and inhale the deepest breath of it. We participated in grandma’s weekly shuffleboard tournament, enjoyed cocktails at the Elks Lodge (she happens to be a notable member), played endless games of euchre and dined on multiple meals of Mexican food as they just happen to have some of my favorite taco joints on over in Casa Grande.

Photos by Debra Kraus.

twilight

 Sweater: H&M. Skirt: BCBG (old). Heels: Franco Sarto (recent). Belt: Madewell. Bag: vintage Chanel. Jewelry: Michael Kors watch; Madewell bangles; vintage Chanel bracelet; French Market necklace.

We shot these a few weeks ago as the sun was setting over the Detroit River and the Ambassador Bridge during those last few magical minutes before the sun sank below the horizon. On Sunday, I ran the Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank International Half Marathon and saw this same beautiful sky from a different perspective. In the early morning twilight hours as the sun was just barely making its appearance for the day, myself and thousands of other runners pounded the pavement step by step making the climb over the bridge up and over to cross in to Canada. The same color light lit the city on Sunday morning and the view from bridge was simply breathtaking. I wish I could have captured the moment in more permanent form to share instead of it being a memory, but unfortunately, the twenty pictures shot on my phone were blurred by my movements as I attempted to multitask photography and running simultaneously. Probably not the smartest thing to attempt considering my lack of coordination on two feet.

Photos by Pete Stevens.

glow in the dark

Trench: ASOS. Dress: Calvin Klein (old, last worn here). Heels: Forever 21 (old). Jewelry: Michael Kors watch; HM necklace.

This dress. The first thing I ever blogged and it will therefore forever remain in my closet. Made of a slinky material that flows over your body, it just feels oh so right. Belted, worn with a coat, different colored heels, it is one of those pieces that while it stands out, can be worn a million ways. It had been a while since I took this baby out for a spin, so on this particular October Saturday evening while traveling in Chicago, it was finally dusted off and worn like a shiny new penny.

Photos by Pete Stevens.

falling back into fall

 Leather Jacket: BCBG (old). Top: French Connection via Marshalls. Jeans: Gap. Oxfords: Dolce Vita. Sunnies: Madewell (recent). Jewelry: fabric necklace via La Jolie Rose; silver Lucy Dalton necklace via teddy in NYC; Michael Kors watch; David Yurman bracelet.

All that and a bag of gluten-free mini donuts. The definition of Autumn should absolutely include a trip to the cider mill, hearing the crunch of leaves beneath your shoes, the aroma of warm apple cider and cinnamon sugar donuts wafting through the air and the enjoyment of their sweet taste and you dunk that donut into your hot cider (see my how I dunk here). As such a definition exists in my world, this year the first day of fall was spent doing all of these things and it could not have been a better way to welcome the new (and my favorite) season!

Photos by Becca Scholtes

ole!

 Coat: Kenar (seen here). Dress: unknown. Heels: Zara. Sunnies: Westward\\Leaning. Jewelry: Kenneth Lane earrings; Madewell bangle. Lips: MAC “Ruby Woo”.

You were probably lured into this post under false pretenses. No, this is not a post about a travel adventure to Mexico. Ok, that was a slight fib. I did travel, just only about ten miles to the Southwest side of Detroit. There lies a place known locally as “Mexicantown.” Famous for its authentic fajitas, quesadillas, chimichangas, guacamole and just about any other Mexican food you can think of. They also happen to make a mean margarita. Point is, it is some of the best ethnic food around and excellent for a Saturday evening on the town.

Photos by Pete Stevens

moo

Sweater: ASOS. Jeans: J Brand. Boots: HM Paris Collection (recent). Necklace: French Market. Sunnies: Westward\\Leaning.

Tashmoo that is. Tashmoo Biergarten happens to be Detroit’s very own traveling pop-up European style beer garden. Saturday they popped up on Belle Isle. With crisp air, bright sunny skies and a German man wearing his brown suede authentic lederhosen, it was the ideal day to welcome autumn (a day early). Beers and cider from Michigan breweries fill eco-friendly cups to the brim while people and pets of all ages come together for conversation, to support a fun venture in the city and for a good game of corn hole. Correction, several games of corn hole. As October rolls around, Tashmoo tends to find itself in full swing with weekly events and I cannot wait for Saturdays and Sundays filled with friends and the Moo. How are you spending your weekend afternoons?

Side note: these boots are killer. I mean killer in the literal sense as in order to get my hands on ANYTHING from the HM Paris Collection it took quick swiping skills of credit cards online. It reminded me of the scene from Confessions of a Shopaholic at the sample sale where women were literally mauling each other for the latest designer duds. Instead, it was online and quite possibly even more infuriating as shopping carts continuously were being poached. Too much time spent gathering all of your items led to a frustrating check out when only half the sizes you originally grabbed were actually available. Oh well! Managed to end up with these babies and I won’t be letting go for quite some time. If you need me at some point during the next month, I’ll be snuggling with these and showing them all of my attention. What can I say? I’m a girl in lust…

Photos by Pete Stevens

wedding season 5.0

Dress: Chicwish. Heels: BCBG. Jewelry: Leslie Danzis bracelet; Nordstrom Rack strand of pearls worn as bracelet; vintage earrings.

As the fifth wedding of the year arrived, it was nice to finally have one a closer to home or at the very least, in the same state.  It was one of those ideal summer evenings.  A warm breeze coming off the lake was strong enough to make the fabric of your dress flow without bringing a chill to the temperature. In celebration of the beautiful couple, the night was spent dining and sipping, laughing and making memories with friends, taking numerous photos in a booth stocked full of props and last but not least, dancing. Dancing until you could no longer feel your feet and the next day was spent nursing those swollen toes (absolutely worth it, by the way). One more wedding on the 2013 calendar and I couldn’t be looking forward to it more. Stayed tuned for that December Big Sky adventure!

Photos by Pete Stevens.

neon savage

Heels: Alice + Olivia (summer). Top: J.Crew. Skirt: Chicwish. Clutch: Mitzique. Jewelry: J.Crew; Madewell bangle.

Killer heels suitable for a killer city. On our last evening in New York, I stomped the pavement of this never sleeping city in the most vivid reptile heels that were perfectly juxtaposed against the soft tulle and eyelet fabrics of my upper half.

We found ourselves at a quaint Italian restaurant, Eolo, down in Chelsea. As we sipped on refreshing glasses of prosecco and noshed on the best gluten-free baguette and pasta I have ever had the pleasure of tasting, it was bittersweet to be leaving the city so soon.

Photos by Debra Kraus

a small bite of a big apple

 Top: American Apparel. Skirt: Weston Wear via Anthropologie (last seen here). Sandals: Steve Madden. Sunnies: Madewell. Bag: vintage Chanel. Jewelry: French Market necklace (old); Raymond Weil watch; Madewell bracelet; David Yurman bracelet.

Family aside, my first real love was and will forever be New York City. It is a city that awakens my spirit and the vibrant lives its residents carry on make me want to soak in every second of it. Every trip to New York is far too short, but we made time to catch a Broadway show, something we rarely do. While Times Square is the epitome of a tourist trap and a place I usually avoid, something about its bright lights shining on this big city makes it magical. We sipped cocktails from sippy cups, laughed until we cried and made our way to an 11:30 pm dinner reservation for incredible tapas. One of those perfect nights in the city that made me fall in love with the Big Apple all over again.

*Apologies on the blurred pictures. Too busy running around the streets of Manhattan to stop for the camera!

{in the kitch} manukasuzuka

Man-ooh-kah-sah-zoo-ka, phonetically spelled that is. To be honest, there really is no proper spelling for this chicken casserole dish and as such it is a common topic of discussion within my immediate family. As a child, chicken casserole just did not sound appetizing, but Manukasuzuka? There was not one crumb left on my plate. This dish is comfort food. When the weather is cold or you’re simply looking for a little food for the soul the Kraus’ turn to this. Easy to make and even easier to convert to gluten-free (recipe below), it is one our go to’s when nothing else seems appetizing. It is not the healthiest of recipes, but it most certainly is hearty. Hope you enjoy!

• 12 ounces Bionaturae® organic gluten-free fusilli pasta (or regular gluten fusilli if you prefer)
• 1/2 roasted chicken (diced)
• 1/2 yellow onion (chopped)
• 20 green grapes (halved)
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• Vegenaise (to taste – at least a few tablespoons)
• 1/8 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (I prefer Glutino)
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese plus additional for top layer
• salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook pasta in large oven safe pot. Leave it slightly al dente. Drain.
3. Chop onion, slice grapes in half, dice chicken.
4. Once pasta has been cooked and drained, combine with chicken, onion, grapes, almonds, vegenaise, bread crumbs, cheddar cheese, salt and pepper in the original pot.
5. Sprinkle additional cheese as needed for thin layer on top.
6. Bake until cheese has melted.
7. Let cool and enjoy!

If you are in the Metro Detroit area and interested in other gluten-free products and recipes, please join me this weekend at the Doubletree Hotel as the Celiac and Gluten Free Awareness Tour makes its way to Detroit. More information below.