the little things

- waking up in the morning & opening the windows
- couch potato-ing it with an episode of Friends/Boy Meets World/Modern Family/New Girl
- getting lost in a good book
- discovering cool songs/artists
- tea and deep conversations
- ice cream cake
- random thoughts about life and realizing how blessed I am
- putting music I enjoy on blast while driving/showering/getting ready (and play sing-along)
- feeling nostalgic by an old photo and then spending hours flipping through old photo albums
- freshly painted nails
- looking/reading blogs
- when I fill my gas tank to a little past full
- receiving random text messages from people I haven't talked to in decades
- changing into comfortable clothes after coming home from a long day at work
- when people leave me little/random notes at work
- playing piano
- playing dress-up when I'm supposed to be cleaning my room
- the evening breeze
- when people randomly share bible verses with me
- receiving postcards and packages from friends around the world
- etc.

Black & White

For those who know me, I collect perfume for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, despite the fact that I rarely ever actually wear the scents - I mostly collect them for the sophisticated packaging. Recently, the Elizabeth and James chic duo has caught my eye.

Sexiness in a Sample

After recently viewing Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's interview on Ellen, and Estée from essiebutton's excitement over Fleurdeforce's Elizabeth and James 'intoxicating scent', I was so curious to the point that I was ready to drive myself to Sephora just to get a whiff at the hype. Luckily, I found a sample of the perfume duo that came with my recent Sephora splurge.

I have to admit, as excited as I was, I was very skeptical and hesitant to expose myself to the scent, as I tend to find celebrity involved scents to lack classiness and smell rather cheap. Much to my surprise, both scents were delightfully pleasant. Mary-Kate and Ashley wanted their signature fragrance for their line to embody their partnership and the brand, and they did just that. Though both scents are as different as night and day, the timeless sophistication makes them undeniably connected.

Nirvana White was my first whiff, and the scent is definitely intoxicatingly gorgeous, definitely made for the spring/winter season. It has a very soft, subtle yet distinct floral scent that neither smells too elderly nor too girly. The beautiful blend of peony and lilly of the valley notes almost reminds me of one of my cult favorites, Chloé.

Nirvana Black is a different story. It has a very feminine and woody scent, which reminds me of a vintage, sexy film noir, and very Audrey Hepburn. It is definitely too sophisticated for me, but I can see myself dabbling with this scent when I'm older and going to a fancy night out.

Both liquid goodness' are housed in the chic-est of packaging would make a beautiful addition to my collection. Dressed in an edgy texture of the simplest of colors, the gold detailing on the sides definitely make a statement. Which one do you prefer? I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Earl Grey Cupcakes

I'm actually not too fond of earl grey tea, unless it's in the form of macarons or milkshakes. But when it comes to desserts, it’s always “red velvet this, red velvet that”. But hey, there are other flavors too! Following this foolproof recipe, Katherine, Kim, and I made Earl Grey Cupcakes. Pretty unconventional, huh? It’s not too sweet, yet bursting with flavor, and tastes like royalty. 

For the cupcake:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 Earl Grey tea bags*

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2/3 cup milk

*Instead of letting the earl grey tea bags seep, we decided to add it into the mix for an extra burst of flavor and some texture.  

For the frosting:

1 package cream cheese

Confectionary sugar*

1 tablespoon of Vanilla extract

*Confectionary sugar added until satisfaction

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