She's a "Mrs."!

My oldest sister was absolutely stunning, and it was a wonderful weekend in Scottsdale celebrating with family and friends.   

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Lawson!

xoxo

I  have to share some of my favorite Scottsdale spots with you from the weekend:

The Scottsdale Marriott at McDowell Mountains

The Herb Box {delicious breakfast!}

Armitage Bistro

 

These spots were great...almost made me feel like I could live in Arizona....almost ; )

Fall Field Trip ~ The Getty Villa

To kick off the Fall season, my husband and I took a trip up the coast to Pacific Palisades where we visited the Getty Villa.

The Getty Villa in Malibu is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria.  We loved exploring its beautiful grounds on a lazy, misty Sunday.  And we couldn't help but feel like we were right back in Europe!

Here are some shots from our day:

Enjoying a mocha, a latte, and some muffins before we start our day.

"Fall outfit" + boots + coffee + art & history = Happy Ashley

View of the Pacific Ocean!

 

The ampitheatre...do you see what I see?

One of the many beautiful courtyards

Beautiful!

Being silly in the gardens...this is sort of our tradition.

Mosaic tilework

Loving the Greek Key

White daisies...my favorite!

We ended the day with a lunch on the beach at Gladstones, Malibu.  Although a bit overpriced, the food is pretty good, and you can't beat the people-watching or the view.

If you are in the Southern California area, you MUST visit The Getty (and The Getty Villa)!  Admission is FREE!

Rustic Fall Bridal Shower & a Little Vegas!

My oldest sister is getting married in December!

She lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, and her wedding will be held at the beautiful Regale! At DC Ranch. 

My sis is coming out for a visit next week and we are going to throw her a beautiful rustic Fall Bridal Shower.  Here is some of the inspiration:

{Pinterest...how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.  You have made event planning so much easier!}

Stay tuned for photos from the shower!

Other than shower planning, I've been SUPER BUSY at work.  As some of you know,  I made the move from teaching to event planning at an awesome high school here in Orange County.  We are gearing up for our ELVIS Day (Elementary Visitation Day), in which about 1,000 kids (+parents and teachers) will be visiting our campus for a day.  TALK ABOUT CRAZINESS! I am already dreaming of Saturday morning where I will wake up....

Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas...I will see you soon!

{Sweet} San Clemente

My little hiatus is over, and I am starting to feel a little more inspired to blog {woo-hoo!}

I'm going to brag for a moment and say that I have the best husband ever.  For my 25th birthday in August, my husband planned a surprise day for me.  I HATE SURPRISES.  Literally.  I'm a control-freak, and I'm not afraid to admit it.  I hate going on for a whole week not knowing what surprise awaits me on the weekend.  What do I wear?  Should I bring a jacket?  Will these shoes be OK?  How long will be gone?...etc, etc, etc.  

So, after a little grumbling on my part, my husband let me open my gift and see what we were going to be doing for the weekend.  He had made a photo collage {impressive!} of photos of beautiful San Clemente, pictures of our beach cruisers, and the metro link.  I was thrilled! 

Here are some photos from our day...

 

In Old Towne Orange, ready to get on the train! 

 On our way!

 First stop:  La Galette Creperie.  An amazing crepe breakfast right on the coast!

No seaside breakfast is complete without a delicious mocha.  This one was awesome.

 

We strolled the pier and then lounged around the beach all day...I could think of far worse places to spend a day.

If you live in Southern California, I highly recommend using our public transportation system.  It's a luxury that we don't take advantage of enough!

The San Clemente stop on the Metrolink drops you off literally right on the sand (you can see the tracks in the picture!).  

After our day at the beach, we rode our bikes around the town, ate some delicious Mexican food, and stopped in many of the cute shops in Down Town San Clemente.  I'm already dying to go back!

I also got a white Fossil watch {which I love} - but spending this day with my husband was the best gift I could have ever received.  After our little rough patch, it was just what the doctor ordered.  And far more special than any material possession I could have been given.

One of the best days to date.

Meet me in St. Louis!

"Got any big trips planned for this Summer?"

That is the question my husband and I have been answering over and over again lately.  It's true...we traveled to Greece and London back in 2007 after we got engaged.  We jetted off to Cancun, Mexico for our honeymoon in 2008.  And last Summer we had our  European Extravaganza, visiting the amazing countries of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.  

But...ya can't go to Europe EVERY Summer though, right?  {WE WISH!}

This Summer we're happy to stay close to home...well, at least in the Continental US. 

First stop this Summer:  St. Louis!



With all the traveling that we've done together, this will actually be our first time flying within the US!  Traveling together is always fun, and we're looking forward to spending time with my husband's side of the family out in St. Louis.

We'll definitely visit the Arch ~ and go to a Cardinal Game {my husband planned our trip around their home schedule...let's hope they start winning}. 

We've gotten plenty of tips from friends and family, and we have a prety jam-packed week planned.  Have any of you been to St. Louis?  In your opinion, what are the must-see sites?



{Tutorial} North Woods Inn Red Cabbage Salad

North Woods Inn is a place I have been going to since I was a kid.  Its Frontier Land-esque ambience and  "throw your peanut shells on the floor" atmosphere make dining here a real treat.  And the food...let's just say these guys put Claim Jumper's portions to shame.

With every lumberjack sized meal, you also get cheesy garlic bread and two salads:  a green salad with buttermilk blue cheese dressing and a red cabbage salad.  Usually I can never decide which one I like better, so I alternate bites.  They're both so good!

I was doing some internet browsing and came across an article about how red cabbage is a super food.  I thought, "I've GOT to figure out how to make that salad!"  With a little googling, I believe I have found a pretty darn good replica.

INGREDIENTS

One head red cabbage

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp red wine vinegar {I used more than the original recipe calls for - I like it tart}

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1 tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp onion powder

1.  Get yourself organized!

2.  Shred half the cabbage finely and the other half coarsely {definitely doesn't have to be perfect}

3.  Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl.

4.  Whisk together vegetable oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, black pepper, and onion powder.

5.  Toss

6.  Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or zip-loc bag {careful...red cabbage may stain your nice serving bowls!}

7.  ENJOY!

*This salad was great 24 hours after making it, but it gets better and better each day it sits*

Now if only I could figure out how to make that cheesy garlic bread.....

; )



Love Me Some BRUXIE!

Allow me to introduce you to one of my new FAVORITE places to grab a bite to eat...BRUXIE!

WHAT IS BRUXIE?

Bruxie is a new take on the authentic Belgium Waffle. The "Bruxie" is unlike any waffle offered: the Bruxie is light, crisp, yeasty and not sweet. It's street food that's perfect for breakfast, lunch, mid day snack as well as a dessert or late night treat.

{Bruxie.com}

I like to sum it up in one word:  DELICIOUS

Here's the Bruxie Burger ~ pretty tasty.  I like the Bruxie Sandwich with Fried Chicken even better.

Such a cool little place on a corner in Old Town Orange ~ right across the street from Chapeman College.

Mmm...this was the first sandwich I ever tried.  It stole my heart and I was hooked ever since.

On Saturday my husband and I stopped in for breakfast {we had only been there for lunch before}.  This right here...CHANGED MY LIFE.  Don't let its simplicity fool you...or maybe that's what makes it so great.  You can't beat the sharp cheddar taste and applewood smoked bacon crunch.  Drizzle a little agave syrup over the top and it's out of this world!

I have yet to try a dessert waffle ~ I'm always just a little too stuffed after eating {especially if I get the fries}, but here are the next items on my radar:

Yes...that's PB&J 



Mmm...mmm...mmm!

I realize that this just might be my 10th post about the Orange Circle...but it's just that cool!  The antique shops, 1950's vibe, and unique cafes make it a must-see if you're ever in the Orange County area {pretty close to Disneyland and Angel's Stadium}.  And Bruxie is DEFINITELY a must~try.

Happy Monday!