Friday faves.

It's a hot Friday afternoon here and as soon as I'm off work I plan on soaking in as much of that late summer heat as possible! First things first though - it's time for another round of lovely inspiration.

This eccentric kitchen makes me miss my bold turquoise walls.

 Pretty curtains, pretty view.

Overalls + stripes. Staples in my fall wardrobe.

More stripes. Also totally loving this fall look. 

Adorable hanging rug. Great wall decor idea!

Just because it's almost fall that doesn't mean we still can't enjoy an ice cream cone or two, right? If you're feeling extra ambitious you should try this recipe for homemade Kaffir Lime Mango Ice Cream. It looks pretty delicious to me.

Have a good weekend lovelies. xo

Wild stallions & A Giveaway from ShoeMint! (CLOSED)

Today we're excited to show off our new shoes that we received from ShoeMint this month! We both chose ones that are different from what we usually wear, but go with pretty much our entire wardrobes. If you haven't heard of ShoeMint before, it is a free, members-only website, with personalized style recommendations, tips and trend reports. They offer really stylish and high quality shoes at the affordable price of $79.98 a pair! The shoes are made of real leather and suede and they offer new styles monthly. They also offer free shipping and returns. We are loving our new kicks!

Stef's outfit details: 

Hat - Le Chateau // Striped top - Forever 21 // Skirt - Bangkok street market // Shoes: c/o ShoeMint

Erin's outfit details: 

Jean jacket - Vintage // Dress - Topshop // Sunglasses - Bangkok street market // Shoes: c/o ShoeMint.

The lovely people over at ShoeMint are offering one of our lucky readers one pair of shoes of their choice!

All you need to do to enter the giveaway is wander on over to ShoeMint, sign up with them (don't worry it's completely free and there is no obligation to buy), and then leave us a comment below with which your favorite shoes are!

Please note that this giveaway is open to the US and Canada only.

Not only is ShoeMint giving you guys the chance to win one of their amazing pairs of shoes, but they are also offering a 20% off discount on your first purchase!

Happy shoe-hunting, and best of luck!

XO

 A BIG CONGRATS TO CINDY AITON, YOU ARE THE WINNER! YAY! WE WILL BE CONTACTING YOU SHORTLY WITH THE DETAILS. :) THANKS EVERYONE!

Aussie Chili Burgers.

I recently bought the cookbook "What Katie Ate" and it is easily one of my favorites. It is packed full of interesting recipes and the photography is absolutely stunning. Not only is it a treat for the taste buds but it is also a treat for the eyes too. A few weekends ago I had some friends over for a backyard barbecue and I figured this was a good opportunity to try out a new recipe for homemade burgers and I decided to go with Katie's recipe for Aussie Chili Burgers because the recipe looked way too delicious to pass up.

YOU WILL NEED:

- 2 lbs lean ground beef

- 1 large onion, finely chopped

- 1 tsp dried chili flakes

- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- 1 tsp hot mustard

- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

- salt & pepper

(In Katie's words...)

Into a large bowl add all of the above ingredients and using clean hands combine thoroughly. Form into 6-8 hamburger patties. I like to use a 4 inch round food mould to shape each one - I press the meat into the mould and press down firmly to form uniform sized burgers then remove the ring and place burgers on a plate lined with kitchen towel, wrap with cling wrap and chill until required. When ready sear on a hot griddle pan then fry until browned and cooked through. 

Serve on a toasted crusty bread bun along with lettuce, fresh tomato slices, beetroot relish, ketchup, fried onions and finally top with a fried egg.

I have made these burgers several times now because they were such a hit. The first time I made the recipe exactly as described in the cookbook and it was absolutely delicious. The second time around I didn't have all of the same topping ingredients on hand so I decided to improvise with what I had in my fridge so I topped my burger with caramelized onions, goat cheese, arugula and a bit of fig jam and they were very scrumptious too! (those are the ones pictured above) This makes for a fantastic burger patty that pairs well with a variety of different toppings.

Enjoy!  xo, Stef

Recipe found here at www.whatkatieate.com

Summer lovin'.

 This summer has definitely been less busy than last summer. I have been able to spend a lot more time at home which I am super thankful for. It's hard to believe that we moved into our new place only three months ago, so I have really been enjoying settling in and nesting. Usually I am the first person to suggest getting out of town and going on a trip, but this summer I have been more than happy to stay put. Here is a peek at what my summer has looked like:

 

Several years ago my father-in-law got a beat-up vintage boat from 1957 from his friend for free, however it wasn't nearly as pretty as it looks today. For the past three years he has been working on restoring it back to it's original glory and finally this summer it was ready for the water! Woo hoo! I absolutely love the turquoise color he painted the sides... obviously the love of turquoise runs in the family! ;) We have already taken the boat out on the river a few times and we always have a total blast. It's great to be able to see your city from a different perspective like that.

 

 Also on the topic of water, we have really been enjoying spending lots of time in our backyard in our new hot tub. It's the perfect way to relax at the end of a long day with a glass of wine and also a great way to start the day with a fresh cup of coffee.

 

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of seeing Paul McCartney perform live! Gah! Someone pinch me! I went with my mama and my brother and his lovely girlfriend and needless to say the show was nothing short of incredible. It was such an unbelievable feeling see one of the members of The Beatles in person. That is something that I never thought would happen... but I am certainly glad that it did!

I have also been trying out a few new things in the kitchen lately and been having a lot of fun doing it! Last week I spent the day with my sister-in-law and mother-in-law making homemade ravioli, and let me tell you they were delicious! This was my first time making pasta and once I got the hang of it, I discovered that it wasn't as intimidating as I originally thought! We made four different kinds: portobello mushroom and Parmesan, spinach and ricotta, butternut squash, and a Mediterranean mushroom. Mmm... I am getting hungry just thinking about this. (Oh, and of course I have also been enjoying trying plenty of new cheeses and wines. That's what sitting on a patio is for, right?!)

 

 I have also been making it a priority to spend as much time as possible with my friends, even though it can be tricky to line up all of our busy schedules. Long chats, barbecues, and bonfires are some of my favorite summer moments. 

Oh, and of course I have also spent plenty of time relaxing in my hammock. I had picked this hammock up last time we were in Thailand and now that we built our deck I finally found the perfect spot to hang it. Nothing beats reading a good book in a hammock on a warm summer afternoon.

 What about you, how has your summer been? What are some of your highlights? Hope it has been wonderful!

XO, Stef