Ahhh, summer. That season of abundant sunshine, meals prepared on the grill, and weekend evenings sitting outdoors watching the sun set. It’s simply my favorite…isn’t it yours? Lauren here, and with summer barbecue season kicking into high gear, I thought I’d drop in to show you how to dress the part. A backyard barbecue is inherently a casual affair—invite friends over, grill up some delicious food, play a few lawn games while you wait, and hang around outside until the sun goes down. But casual doesn’t mean short on style!

Casual does mean comfortable, which is why I lean toward sundresses or shorts paired with cute tops. You can’t go wrong with a goes-with-anything pair of white shorts, and I love the floral pattern of this boxy Madewell tee. Gosh, the last time I had a pair of white sandals, I must’ve been in preschool. In fact, that pair had straps across the toes and around the ankles just like my grown-up version! I love that these have a little block heel for some height, yet still strike that casual summer feel (and won’t get stuck in the grass).

Burgers and BBQ are great for backyard get-togethers, but I honestly start to get a little bit sick of those old standbys. That’s where grilled pizzas come in! From this Peach & Gorgonzola Chicken Pizza to the Smoked Chicken Pizza with Poblano Pepper Sauce we made this past weekend, I love getting creative with the toppings. Another favorite: pesto with shrimp, feta and pine nuts. Serve up a few options on cutting boards, and let guests try different slices. Another approach is to make personal-sized pizzas, and let each guest choose from various toppings.

This tee has a bonus—a peekaboo back to let in the breeze.

For dessert? Keep it simple and grill fresh peaches and plums, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and brown sugar, and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The perfect ending to a stress-free night!

Get the Look: Madewell top and shorts, Loeffler Randall sandals (on sale here and here!), Ray-Ban sunglasses

For a while now, I’ve wanted to kick my caffeine habit. I’m not guzzling coffee all day, but I’m definitely addicted to that morning cup. After hearing endless people say they’ve experienced better sleep by phasing out their morning coffee, I finally got the guts to give it a try. I started to ween myself off last Friday. I swapped out my coffee for a strong cup of chai tea. At around noon, I had a bit of a headache, so I had another cup of chai. That helped, but the headache kind of went all day until I caved and took some Advil before dinner. Yikes! Thankfully, Saturday was a bit better- only one cup of chai, and one Advil- and I experienced little to no headaches. On Sunday I knew I needed to cut the Advil, so I just had one cup of chai. I was thrilled when I made it through the day without any headaches!

So today is the big day people, I’m attempting no caffeine! My goal is to work through the headaches that will undoubtedly occur and then hopefully Tuesday will be a breeze… right? Please tell me that’s exactly what will happen! Any tips from those of you who have cut caffeine before? I’m finding drinking loads of water and exercise is pretty helpful.

In the midst of my chai craze I came across these sweet chai tea infused popovers courtesy of Adrianna’s gorgeous new book, Pancakes. Huge thanks to Adrianna for sending it to me! It’s chock full of the most incredible pancake (both sweet and savory) and breakfast goodie recipes- you definitely want a copy of this one on your shelf.

Here’s to a great week!

Chai Tea Popovers from Adrianna Adarm’e's Pancakes
Makes 12-16 popovers

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 3 chai tea bags
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs at room temp

Cook : with strawberries (What do you like to make? My mom always makes a huge batch of strawberry freezer jam every year. No complicated canning involved.)

Embrace : the year you’re currently in (This post by Bri was so beautifully written. I admire her so much, and it just got me thinking about how each decade has it’s quirks. I’m curious to know — what has your favorite year been so far?)

Find : a flea market treasure (I’m obsessed with big mirrors right now. I often find that flea markets test my patience though, so I don’t go as often as I’d like.)

What are your plans for Father’s Day? I need ideas — my dad is pretty impossible to plan for.

Another week come and gone and here we are at Friday again. Brandon and I had a conversation this week about slowing down time-like we actively pondered what we could do to make time pass more slowly. It’s this year especially that has felt so incredibly fast, don’t you think? Alas we weren’t able to scrounge up any earth shattering solutions. The conversation only made us realize how important it is to make time for the things we really want to see and do this year, and to not keep shoving them to the “I’ll get to that” list. First step towards that? Making a day trip this weekend to visit good friends who just moved outside the city! I’m excited. But before we get to that- here’s a snapshot of my week, with a few qs for you guys- I need your feedback!

• Have you guys been the the Gap recently? They are kiiillling it this season. Killing it. I had to restrain myself when I stopped in this week. I picked up these boyfriend jeans, these perfect white jeans, and this scarf. Let me just say I was all ready to splurge on the Current Elliot boyfriend jeans but decided to try to Gap ones on a whim and loved them.
• Drank kombucha for the first time ever and was pretty into it. Well I had a Synergy Cosmic Cranberry- does that count? My main question for those of you who drink kombucha frequently, do you really notice the health benefits?
• I’ve been feeling a little uninspired at the gym so I downloaded Jillian Michael’s Ripped in 30 from Amazon. It’s so intense, but the workouts are only 25 minutes long- making them completely doable. If you’re looking for a good at home workout DVD, I totally recommend it.
• Have I told you all how absolutely obsessed I am with Scandal? I’ve actually grown attached to the name Olivia because of the main character- to the point of thinking it would be really nice for a future child. Aaand I’ve gone crazy.
• All this rain has actually made soup in June desirable. Made this traditional tortilla soup from Jeanine Donofrio last night. Overdid it on the jalapeños a little bit (yikes!), but still so satisfying.
• I’ve been a die hard fan of tan towels for years now but recently starting using Bare Minerals Faux Tan Body and am completely hooked. This is by far the best self tanner I’ve ever used! If you’re looking for one for the season, Bare Minerals is the way to go.
• A body product I’m in need of and need your opinion- a spray to create beachy waves. Is Bumble and Bumble really the best? Any good drugstore brands? Would love your tips!

And that’s all from me. Hope you all had a great week. Thanks so much for reading, commenting, and just plain being here. I heart you all! Now here’s to an easy breezy weekend…. xx

Image by Jamie Beck of Lake Tahoe

On the heels of my post yesterday about getting outdoors city style, today’s post is all about a sweet summer activity taking place in one of my favorite parks in the city! There’s nothing as classic as Central Park, but when I don’t have a lot of time for a long stroll- my heart really goes out to Bryant. I love how vibrant this park is- flanked by cafés and filled with tons of lawn chairs- it’s the perfect spot for eating lunch or just hanging outdoors in the summer. I actually had two work meetings here yesterday because it was just that nice out! That and I had to get my hands on one of the sweet treats Magnum Ice Cream was churning out at their new shop in Bryant Park. When I received the invite to sample their custom bars first hand, it was pretty much an instant yes. Here’s how it works: you order a “naked” bar so to speak and make your choice of three toppings. They have everything from sea salt flakes (be still my heart!), to goji berries, toasted coconut, and pretzels. Then you choose your dip- dark or milk chocolate ganache. Once it’s dipped they sprinkle on the toppings, do a final drizzle, and you’re presented with your personalized ice cream bar. I know, it really is that good. I devoured mine.

See all the fun pics below, and let me know if you make it to the Magnum shop this summer!

My bar- milk chocolate dipped with sea salt flake, peanut butter cookie crumble, and pretzel pieces- YUM!!

The creator of the personalized ice cream experience working her magic! She’s mixing up my bar in this pic…

Another bar- this one topped with poppy seeds, goji barries, and toasted coconut- isn’t it gorgeous?

Huge thanks to Magnum for having me! Please note this post is not sponsored, I simply wanted to share a fun and delicious summer activity in NYC with all my readers.

]]> http://www.channelingcontessa.com/2013/06/13/a-sweet-custom-treat-in-bryant-park/feed/ 12 http://www.channelingcontessa.com/2013/06/12/summer-outdoors-in-the-city/ http://www.channelingcontessa.com/2013/06/12/summer-outdoors-in-the-city/#comments Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:31:40 +0000 Clara http://www.channelingcontessa.com/?p=8048 Sunnies/ Top (on sale!) /Shorts In between all the rain, we’ve been spending as much time as humanely possible on our patio. There are a whole host of things that drive me bonkers about our apartment, but our dueling patios (one at the front of the apartment, one at the back), totally make up for it! Plus, since [...]]]>

Sunnies/ Top (on sale!) /Shorts

In between all the rain, we’ve been spending as much time as humanely possible on our patio. There are a whole host of things that drive me bonkers about our apartment, but our dueling patios (one at the front of the apartment, one at the back), totally make up for it! Plus, since we live in the city, it’s such a nice way to spend time outdoors while still being near all the comforts of our own home. This past weekend we spent hours out there with friends, sipping gin and tonics and snacking on crostini before heading out for dinner. We’re planning to move a new apartment in September when our lease is up… but man, those patios! They really get me.

Do you live in a city? How are you spending time outdoors this summer? Aside from our patio, we also take frequent walks to the Williamsburg waterfront- one of the best parts of our neighborhood!

chambray tank / necklace / maxi skirt /  bag  metallic sandals / (as seen on Grace’s blog)

I’m always surprised how much my mood is linked to the weather. Days like yesterday, where I woke up to pouring rain, and had to turn the lights on in the middle of the day, leave me motived to do almost nothing. Luckily, I didn’t really have to venture out, but on cloudy days when I do, I’m often left questioning what to wear.

This outfit uses moody grays as inspiration, but is still entirely spring-appropriate. Variations on a color keep the outfit from being monochromatic, or overly drab. Spring, hurry back?

Here we go Monday! I’m feeling extra chipper this morning, thanks in part to all your sweet comments on Friday’s post. I always get so nervous after hitting publish on posts of that sort, but then feel such relief, when you all chime in and tell me I’m not alone in x,y,z etc. So a huge heartfelt thanks for that.

I’m happy to report my health is in tip top shape and my stress levels have decreased significantly after a very restful weekend. Now that I’ve got my energy back I’m really focused on getting my health (and body), back on track. Part of my stress and anxiety that I described on Friday is entirely separate from my work and has to do with my body. Quite candidly it’s just felt off. This happens from time to time, and unconsciously my body always sort of seems to work itself out. But this time around? Not so much. Perhaps that has to do with my age creeping closer and closer to 30 (does your metabolism really slow that much??), but I’m realizing getting my body back to where I want it is going to take some dedicated work. When in this mode I’m all about constant exercise (intervals and strength training), and novel hearty salads. Thankfully, Gwyneth’s new book It’s All Good landed in my mailbox last week and is brimming with recipes that are right in line with my healthy efforts. And if this salad is anything like the rest of my book, when then omg this is all I will be cooking from all summer. The chickpeas, the dressing, the bite from the scallions and peppers. Make this and make it now!

Here’s to an extra fabulous week!

Spanish Chopped Salad adapted from It’s All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow
Serves 4

• 14 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or regular)
• sea salt
• 1 large head butter lettuce
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 5 oz olive oil packed tuna (oil drained off)
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
• 5 pickled red peppers (or 2 jarred roasted red peppers)

Make the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon good quality honey
• 3 T sherry vinegar
• 1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425° and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Place the chickpeas on the prepared pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the paprika and a large pinch of sea salt. Use your hands to move the chickpeas around and get them evenly coated. Roast, stirring now and then, until they’re dark brown, dried, and crunch- about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Make the dressing: Whisk together all ingredients and set aside.

Meanwhile, tear the lettuce into bite size pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Pour half the dressing over the lettuce and toss together. Top salad with scallions, peppers, parsley, chickpeas, and flaked tuna. Pour remaining dressing over salad and serve immediately.

Hi there! Hope you have some fun weekend plans? I’m headed off to see Cirque du Soleil later today, and am super excited! It’s been on my wish list for quite a while. Here are a few things I’m dreaming of at the moment.

Try: a twist on a classic (These PB & J cookies seem like such a fun variation on an a timeless snack. They’d be perfect for graduation parties, or to celebrate the start of summer. The recipes comes from How Sweet Eats — a current blog crush!)

Find: a comfy spot to relax (I’ve wanted a hammock for as long as I can remember. I’d love to spend an afternoon here.)

Play: with stripes (Sigh. Does Gwyneth have any flaws? I love her shirt/ skirt combo here. Stripes never fail to catch my eye.)

PS. I highly suggest reading this article. There will be laughing involved.

Afternoon, friends! It’s been a slower than usual morning over here thanks to a head cold that kept me in bed this morning. That, and I have to be completely honest, I wasn’t sure how to write this week’s “life lately” post. Funnily enough I started planning this week’s post in my head a few days back. It was going to be all “This week was awesome!”. I really felt like  after a crazy few weeks/ months, I was finally getting my life back on track. I was sleeping well, hitting the gym regularly, whipping up tons of homemade food- life was good. And then, I got sick. Again. While I may not have made it known here, this is the third time I’ve been sick in the past five weeks. As someone who used to never get sick, this pattern is incredibly frustrating. I’m talking to the point of tears frustrating.

I’ve wanted to write about these personal ups and downs for a while now. I was incredibly inspired when Kendi was so eloquently honest about the true state of things in her life a few weeks back. And yet, I still didn’t know where to start. I teeter between wanting this blog, this space, to always be a positive thing- and then wanting to open up and be really honest, in hopes that maybe someone else is going through the same things I am and can gain some comfort from knowing they’re not alone. But then there’s the whole issue of putting a label on what I’m going through. Is it all stress? Probably. Do I know how to deal with this stress? Apparently not so well these days. As often as I tell myself that once I hit x date or point, I’ll be able to relax or feel better- that day never seems to come. It’s been a long few months of feeling consistently worn out and filled with a fair amount of anxiety.

Part of me is already itching to delete this entire post because I fear it sounds like I’m complaining, when really, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I have a wonderful life. A really wonderful life. The last thing I want to be doing is complaining to you, or worse yet, making my readers feel sorry for me. I have much to be thankful for! And yet, I’m in a tough place. It’s sort of a hidden buried tough place. If we met for coffee today I’d be super chipper and excited to see you. I’d talk about all the great projects I have going on and plans I have for the summer. I wouldn’t talk about the constant voice buzzing in my head (mostly when I’m trying to sleep), that can’t stop thinking about work. Part of it is good- I’m excited about the work, therefore I can’t stop thinking about it. But part of it is also stress. Is such and such client happy? Will I have enough work to fill out the year? Is this investment I’m making in x,y,z worth it? Those little demons are constant and they’re making life hard.

Kendi couldn’t have been more right when she said “Writing a blog is a weird thing.” You put so much of your life out there, and then at times- so little of it. While this blog is a part of my business, it’s my priority to always keep this space authentic. So this post today is simply a step in that direction. Even just capturing my thoughts is in some way calming. I’m undoubtedly facing a rough patch in life, but somehow putting it out there makes it less scary- more manageable. The best thing I can do to alleviate my stress levels right now is to be easier on myself. To let go of the fact I haven’t gotten as much work done this week because I’m been sick- and that is ok. To let go of the fact that I’m struggling to jump start certain personal projects because I’m so worn out from the past few months. It will all be ok. It will all get done. Slower is ok. It’s really really ok.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for listening. Candidly I feel like I’ve just babbled at you, but I can tell (selfishly) it’s already helped me. And hopefully, it’s helped some of you, too. To know that we have to let ourselves slow down sometimes in order to recover and prepare for greater things. And that feeling guilty about it will get us nowhere. So here’s to a restful weekend. xx

Image Source