A go-to meal for me to make is something that can saved and still be delicious days later, and eggplant parmesan is one of my favorite go-tos.  It is ultimate comfort food because of its warm roasted tomatoes, gooey cheese, and well, it's fried, so... 'nuff said about that.  I made this for myself and have slowly been eating off of it this entire week, and I don't even mind eating the leftovers.  That's saying something because I am not really one to eat leftovers.  I made it off of a recipe my mom taught me when I was in high school, but I am not sure where she got it from.  It's wonderful though.  

This is not a formal recipe:
Ingredients
1 Eggplant
1/2 Jar of Tomato Sauce (I used a Vodka sauce)
Italian Bread Crumbs
Oil for Frying
1 Egg
1 tbsp. water
Mozzarella Cheese
Basil
Tomatoes (that's just a bonus for me, but it's really good)
Preheated Oven 350 degrees

Instructions
1. Slice eggplant in 1/8"-1/4" round slices and heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high.
2. Set out a plate of bread crumbs, and in a bowl mix together the egg and water.
3. Coat the eggplant first in the egg wash and then in the bread crumbs, then put them in the skillet for  about 2 minutes on each side or until browned and crispy.
4. Pour a layer of sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish. 
5. Then layer the eggplant rounds, mozzarella, and a little bit of sauce in towers with the bigger rounds on the bottom.  At the top of the tower add sauce and then cheese on the very top.  Then add some slices of tomatoes in the dish and they will get nice and roasted.  
6. Place the dish in the oven for about 30 minutes,

That's it.  Easy.  I realize that these may not be very detailed instructions, so if you have any questions please ask me!

For two weeks out of the year my brother and I are the same age, which was very confusing to me as a child.  I thought I was older because my birthday was first in the year, but after several (hundred) times of people explaining it to me... I finally got it.  Being so close in age with my brother has always given us a special bond and almost our own special language with each other that no one else seems to understand.  He has always been someone I could talk to about anything and never worry about having him understand where I am coming from because he is my Irish twin and had been there too.  I have so many happy childhood memories with him, but many more as we have gotten older.  I went to visit him this weekend for his birthday and to take our annual "We're both [insert age here]" picture.  

I was having a major Instagram moment over the weekend because somehow that app makes me feel like my life and my pictures are more interesting.  The picture above is Lua sticking her head out of the window basking in the sun and feeling the wind in her hair.  

My first stop in Tyler was a famous old bar-be-que spot that has been around for a very long time. I did stray off my normal pulled pork sandwich order and went for a slightly more adventurous option, the pulled pork taco.  It added lime, cheese, and guacamole to an already spectacular combination and it resulted in awesomeness.  Everyone else had sandwiches and they looked amazing, but I was very happy with my choice. 

And of course the "We're both 26" photo.  

It has been such a busy week getting back into the swing of things and adjusting to my new age (26), but it has been a good one.  I got to introduce one of my best friends to my favorite neighborhood dinner/coffee spot that is now in her neighborhood too.  I truly felt like a helped some of the students who stopped by my office hours.  And not only that, but this weekend I am going to see Little Brother for his upcoming birthday! I can't wait to see him and enjoy all the things I have heard him talk about over his past year in Tyler.  Hope y'alls weekend is as fun as mine! 

Some things:
This mac&cheese looks delicious
Pictures of Paris, the usual stuff and unique details
I love these up-cycled shoes and I am not even one for sneaks
Storm troopers with their families, who would've thought?
A take on this could make a great note for a loved one
Cool iPhone cases; my favorite
Make your own pencils

We have been having a few days of rain here in Austin, and that really limits my wardrobe because I hate wearing pants in the rain since they tend to get a little bit wet.  Since I only have one class on Thursday this semester I feel I can push my dress code a little bit.  Technically I am not supposed to wear shorts to class, but I did anyway.  I think that when you dress them up with tights and heels they can be almost as dressy as a skirt or trousers.  I paired my shorts with a great shrunken jacket, pearls, comfy booties, and a bright green top to pull me out of my cloudy day funk... it worked. Since it was so rainy I took the pictures in my new home studio which I am still getting used to, and Beans obviously feels right at home in front of the camera.  I could not get her off the blankets for long, so I eventually just gave up.  I look forward to doing more indoor shoots in the future with my lights and actually styling the background a bit, but it was a fun first attempt. 

I hate to admit that I love Valentine's day, but the truth is I do.  I am filled with memories of my childhood classrooms with decorated shoeboxes that were stuffed with paper hearts from friends and even just classmates.  It was a day to make other people feel special, whether you said that through chocolate or sweethearts.  I know that over the years Valentine's day has changed, and there have been times that I was single watching Bridget Jones Diary and singing "All by Myself" and times when I had a boyfriend, but during both of those times I always had my friends and my family and a shoebox of Valentine's.  My friends and I always exchange Valentine's sometimes silly and sometimes sentimental, when we lived together we would sit around the table making them for hours before giving them out to each other and to our other friends.  I did a little looking around and found some of Valentine's that I wouldn't mind signing my name to. 

This first set is from one of my favorite paper companies Rifle, and while I love their personalized portrait calling cards and stationary, the price tag can be a little steep so these Valentine's are better option for those with beer budgets.  Clockwise from top left: Anatomy of Love, Foxy, Postcard, Balloon.

Etsy is a great place for finding unique things because they are all handmade and special. I can spend hours browsing and enjoying other people's creative minds 
1. I like you                                                     7. Chocolate
2. You're gross                                               8. Mad Love
3. Science                                                       9. Very Fine
4. Natural Selection                                       10. Giraffe
5. Tiny Envelopes                                          11. Vintage Set
6. Math                                                          12. Simple

Have you ever been to one of those restaurants where they serve those little cheesy breads that aren't really like any bread you have had before?  I have, and I have never been able to get my fill of them but I never knew what they were called.  Lucky for me, before Christmas, I was on a liquor run for some things for my aunt who wanted to make Wassail and Sugar Plums (she has been giving new life to traditional Christmas foods that you hear talked about, but never have tried) when I stumbled across a freshly baked package of these at the door of the liquor store.  I must stress that in Houston the liquor store you go to is Spec's and you go there for just this reason, it's not just liquor, it's cheese, olives, and other delicious finer foods you might have at parties, but also at big one downtown there is a little baked goods stand.  The important part of this trip to Spec's was the fact that I now knew what these little bites of magic were called. Pao de Queijo.  So, after finding a few recipes online, some of which included ingredients I had never heard of, I ended up going with this one from the New York Times because they haven't steered me wrong yet.

Overall, I would say they were a hit at the Christmas party and they were very easy to make.  The only thing that I would say to be careful of is that the tapioca flour gets very sticky and I even added a little extra milk to the second batch just to make them a little bit more fluffy.  It worked like a charm.  

This weekend I attended a wedding shower for my best friend who is getting married in April.  It was a lovely shower, but it is hard when you are someone's best friend, and someone like me who hates getting things off a list that require no creative thought.  I know the value of registries for the people who are getting the gifts to stock their homes with the most beautiful things that they actually want, but I wanted to do something a little more personal for my best friend.  She and I are both borderline obsessed with giraffes and she loves art, so I thought the best thing I could do would be to paint her something that went in with her decor but also reminded her of me.  Much to my relief, I think that she loved it because she kept showing it around to everyone at the shower.  I had never been so nervous painting for anyone before because I know that she is particular and that she always tends to like photos over paintings, but seeing she and her future husband plan where to put it made it all worth it in the end.  

This canvas was 30"X40" and when doing something that big it is always difficult for me to get the scale right, so I sketched out a rough draft of what I was going to do.  I wanted to leave the background very plain, almost as if the giraffe had shown up at a portrait studio to have his picture taken.  One thing I noticed while painting this giraffe is that he really is a crazy looking animal.  Hope you enjoy it!

I have been looking for the perfect thing to wear for my birthday (tomorrow!), but have not been able to find something I wanted to wear that I could afford and also love.  I decided to let myself dream of the perfect outfit and what I would wear if I could just dream it into existence.  For my birthday I am going to go to dinner with a few close friends, and then probably grab a drink afterwards or head back to my house for an all night Dance Central marathon.  So taking my plans into consideration I wanted to wear something beautiful with a statement piece and beautiful shoes.  I know that I won't be wearing this exact outfit, but it is nice inspiration.  What do you like to wear on your birthday?

1. Vanessa Bruno Coat- one of my favorite colors tp 
2. Helmut Lang Dress - no one does effortlessly perfect draping better
3. Layered Gold Necklace - delicate and unique
4. Jimmy Choo Private Heels- that I have wanted forever
5. Gold Bangles - classic

As a third year law student, I know that I have to start preparing my wardrobe (even more than I have already) for my career.  I often times find work clothes to be a bit dull and lacking of personality, but these Edelweiss by Sarah dresses definitely break the mold.  They are conservative enough to be great for work, chic enough to wear to dinner later, and a great price on top of it all.  I love the use of neutrals that make them easy to wear any day and even easier to accessorize.  The only problem I have is that I can't decide which one I like best!  

One other thing that I must share, even though these "Hey Girl" Ryan Goslings have gotten out of control:  Ryan Gosling helps me through.  Hey, it's whatever it takes, right?

I love shiny things, that's a given.  Most people think of things like sequins and immediately think night or party, but who says they can't be a day to night piece?  I decided to take this question head on with my favorite jacket that I have lovingly nicknamed my "Maw Maw Jacket" because it reminds me of my grandma.  It is shiny, glamourous, comfortable, and ALWAYS makes a bold statement. I think that by pairing the jacket with a plain gray t and some skinny military trousers, it tones down the sequins to a more acceptable look for daytime.  I know that while I was shopping at Neiman's I received several compliments on my outfit and I take that as the highest of compliments. Do you ever wear sequins in the daytime? How do you do it?