THOUGHTS....

QUALITY vs. QUANTITY Challenge

Hello! I have been in such a good mood the past few days, partly because I've overcome a few boulders that violently swept through my life the past few weeks (even months) and I rose above my obstacles. So yeah, I’m feeling really good right now. (It could also have to do with the fact that I’ve been consistently working out the past few months and I'm starting to feel like the healthy woman I used to be)

So, onto today’s post. There was "many a time or two" when I would shop to ease pain. Shop because I had money, shop because I needed it all. The older I get and the more confident I have become, I find the the less I need to shop for. As long as I have quality, abundance doesn't even take a back seat – abundance gets the boot! Quality in food, quality in relationships and friendships. But today's post, I'm talking about  quality in your closet.

I used to have this worry that if someone saw me in the same dress for an event, the sky would just fall. Ok, maybe I'm being a bit over dramatic but truthfully I felt like I had to wear something new to fit in with the “Jones's” or in today’s society… the Kardashian's.

I now recycle my wardrobe options and it pushes me to become creative with what I already own. click here for my previous post on how I do this

Here is the deal, I have a few dresses that I've had for ages and look great. I take care of these pieces and wear them differently each time. When the time comes up for an event, I don’t need to scramble and make a “trendy purchase” or put a dent on my bank account for a this event or that event. I go to my closet and without stress have the most perfect dresses to choose from. Dresses that look great on and and have been tailored for my shape. 

I'm talking about simplifying your wardrobe down to quality pieces.

What's stopping you from creating the wardrobe you want and actually dream about? Is it Fear? The fear of letting go, not having enough clothes? 

Go into your wardrobe and start shopping! Here is how to do this:

Invite your best friend over and make it a fun night. Blast music and sip on a cocktail (sip is the key word)

Empty your closet, shelves and drawers. One by one try every piece on. Label bags or boxes  “sell”, “keep”, “tailor” & “charity”.

If you are in doubt with your items and if your best friend is your size have her try on the “undecided pieces” to see if the item gets kept or given to charity, etc.

Once your bags/boxes have been filled, wipe your closet down. Vacuum the drawers and dust the shelves. Place scented satchels in the corners and start building your wardrobe with quality pieces from your “keep” pile. click here for how I organize my closet

Oh & most importantly read this statement below…. 

via the savvy life 

HOLY MOLY. Does that not make sense or what!?

You can create the wardrobe of your dreams. Keep to good quality pieces that can be interchanged and pieces that highlight your beautiful shape. Rid yourself of pieces that do not flatter and allow space for the good quality items.

The less you keep the more options you have and more outlets of creativity to come through. 

I hope this inspires you to go through your wardrobe and rid your clothing space of junk. I hope you take care of the quality pieces and allow more room for less. 

I'd love to know if you are taking this challenge on! If so, what steps worked for you in simplifying your wardrobe down to the quality pieces?

xo

Meems

click here for an earlier post to help with this process

THIS & THAT

Hope you all enjoyed the past weekend! We have been so busy entertaining and I've really been enjoying the whole process of it all. From preparations, to cooking and cleaning (yes, cleaning).

Our apartment is close to being finished and even though its not entirely done we are still able to host. 

Here are some random weekend shots....

My Caprese Salad

Sicilian Oranges - Drizzle a good o/o and a dash of salt and pepper for a refreshing appetizer.

My 1st poached egg over steak tomatoes and fresh basil! Look how nice my 1st attempt came out!

My new cheese plate from HomeGoods

& Me! Ive been working hard at the gym & eating healthy, finally its starting to show again:)
How was your weekend? Did you get outside and enjoy the spring weather?

xo
Meems

SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

NYC has had a few warm spring days and with warmer temperatures comes spring style, one of my absolute favorite seasons to dress! Its when I can start to break out more of my white pieces. I never believed in the whole "you cant wear white after labor day" rule. I've worn white jeans in the winter with a long boyfriend sweater and riding boots. I personally believe the look is chic not faux pas. Im such a rebel.

White exudes luxury. The color white is ultra feminine, sexy and chic. Wearing a beautiful white top, jean or dress can make you look instantly younger and refreshed.

For those that are not yet completely comfortable wearing a white ensemble, here are some visual inspirations to help you start incorporating the "couleur blanche" into your spring style.

How do you like to incorporate white into your spring wardrobe?

xo

Meems

EASTER COOKING & SHOPPING....

Via Inslee.net

Hello! I know I havew not been posting as much on the blog but just know that I have been missing you! Life has been very hectic and as the dust settles I  will be posting more.....

In the meantime, I wanted to share with you a few recipes I used this past Easter Weekend. I had the pleasure of hosting our 1st Easter Dinner in our new apartment and I couldn't have been more pleased with how the day turned out.

For starters, the weather was beautiful here in the city. The tree buds were out, the lilacs in bloom and the sun was shining. We kept our Easter decor neutral (like our home) with white chromatic flowers in glass vases. Our home was filled with the aroma of rosemary, thyme and lemon and sounds of laughter. It was truly a perfect day....

Here are the delicious recipes I made (with love obviously):

Appetizers:

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (with fresh crab meat)

Raw Shrimp with fresh lemon juice 

Veggie Lasagna

A Black board Cheese Platter with blocks of Parmigiana Romano, Italian Taleggio and Prosciutto from our local Italian Deli

Dinner:

4 hour Lamb - I have to be honest, I was intimidated with this recipe. For starters, we don't eat meat in our home so I have never had any practice. However, it turned out to be a super easy recipe to make and came out unbelievably tender  . & yes I had some :) My family was raving at the table how much they enjoyed it. A MEEMS Tip: I  added one whole chopped onion for extra flavor 

Lemon Fingerling Potatoes (I made 2.5lbs & added the juice of 2.5 lemons)

Roasted Baby Carrots

Dessert:

Hazelnut Coffee and Homemade Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Cookies

Braising  my American Boneless Leg of Lamb....

My 4 Hour Roasted Boneless Leg of Lamb

Here is the wine I chose for the Lamb to roast in....

The Olive Oil I used to cook with

Now lets rewind.....Friday night I made a run to Home Goods here in the city to pick up a few odds and ends. Is anyone else as obsessed with Home goods as I am? You can pick up some really great cooking essentials and non essentials at a fraction of the cost. Oh! & TJ Maxx? That place blew my mind. Why have I never entered one before? Their home goods section locked me in for  nearly an hour (or 2) of my life!

I made a run to both places hunting for the perfect dutch oven for my lamb dish. I've been on the hunt to find a Le Creuset or Staub Dutch Oven and haven't had any luck. However, I did find a great dutch oven that I used on Easter by a company called Lodge. I paid around $45 dollars for it and it worked like a gem. Sure I would love the other two but the Lodge worked just as well and did not  cost me an arm and a leg. Below is the beauty I came home with!

Also, while shopping I stumbled across one of my favorite products, Chilewhich. Chilewhich is a brand of chic, minimalist woven products that are both really good looking and easy to clean. However, it comes at a price. Fortunately, I found both a floor runner for our front door and placements for a mere (80% off)  fraction of the retail price. SCORE & SCORE!

Here are new Chilewhich purchases:

Runner

4 Chilewhich Placemats for the cost of one!

Well, there you have it. My Easter recipes and fabulous home purchases. I hope you enjoyed your Passover and Easter Celebrations. I'd love to hear what you cooked for your family?

Have a beautiful day!

xo

Meems