Five July Things

I stopped doing monthly favorites, because they were getting really repetitive… 

So I thought about other ways to do it,  and instead of picking something for each category (beauty, music,…) I'll just go with five random things that I loved each month – even if it's five pairs of shoes (we all know that could actually happen).

So here are my July Favorites:

"Crab (and dolphin) cakes" 

(made with this awesome little waffle maker) 

Coach Camo Crossbody Bag

This is a very new favorite (I bought it yesterday), but I had to include it. I feel like Coach is having a comeback.  I still think that the only bags that look good with a monogram print are very old Louis Vuitton bags, but aside from the gaudy monogram designs coach has some pretty cute bags right now …and I can't say no to camo.  

MTV Scream

A remake will never be as good as the original, but that doesn't make it bad by default – and Scream is pretty fun if you're in the mood for a campy summer show.

Frozen Blueberries

Totally a main food group.

Gloriana "Three"

It's simply not summer without Gloriana,  and their new album is even better than the first two.

That's it! 

Feel free to share some of your favorites below!

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Can't-Live-Without Colors

I used to have a huge nail polish addiction collection, but sometime last year I cleaned out my make-up drawer and narrowed everything down to the essentials. That doesn't mean that I got rid of all the "fun" colors, but I decided to refrain from buying nail polish unless it's to replace one of my favorites (I only caved once!).

… And turns out that the essentials are more than enough, so here are my six
"can't-live-without" colors:

OPI "Suzi Loves Cowboys": Chocolate brown had a moment last year, but I've been loving it ever since OPI's Texas collection came out in 2011. It's not a shade that works year round but it is perfect for summer and fall.  It's a great compromise between red and black, and looks so incredibly luxe with white or cream outfits. 

Essie "Wicked": You can't go wrong with a dark red, and "Wicked" is the best there is. The formula  is incredible, it looks flawless with just one coat, and really goes with everything.  

Essie "Sand Tropez": This one is my go-to toe-color, the sandy beige has a super clean finish, and looks great with my skin tone (unlike many other nudes), as well as any colored polish (so you don't have to worry about your toes clashing with your fingers).

Essie "Mademoiselle": I must be on my third bottle of this. It has the slightest pink hue, and makes your nails look their best. Hands down the best "clear" polish. 

Essie "Sew Psyched": I feel like this is "my color", as I never see it on anyone else.  Green can be hard to pull off, but this silvery army green is surprisingly versatile.  It also happens to have the smoothest application ever and sort of matches my eyes which is always a plus.

Chanel "Blue Satin": The holy grail of nail polish. I think that  high end nail polish is often overhyped, but I have yet to find a navy that looks as good as Chanel's "Blue Satin". It doesn't even have the best formula (Essie's "After School Boy Blazer" is a lot easier to apply), but the shine and dimension of this are out of this world and worth every cent.

What are your "can't-live-without" colors?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Tutti-Frutti

I'm usually not one to go for "cute" skin care products, but the South Korean brand TONYMOLY combines cute packaging with natural and organic products – and the result is fantastic:

Massage Peeling Cream

Hand Milk

Mini Lip Balm 

TONYMOLY means something along the lines  of "stylish packaging", and the brand definitely does not disappoint in that department.  Just imagine these arranged in a basket in your bathroom! 

…I'm gonna need the whole range.  

Available at Urban Outfitters, most of the products are under 20 Dollars ( great presents!) and if you're not into fruit, you can always try the condiment inspired  hair care line:

Hair Mask

…Just don't put this on a sandwich by accident.

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Affordable Investment Pieces

I love H&M, but I don't always love the quality – especially when it comes to their bags. The styles are always amazing, but I can't get myself to like fake leather, it just doesn't feel right.  So I was thrilled when more and more real leather items entered the store with the premium line.  And now it's not just bags:  

Suede Fringe Jacket  / Leopard  Sneaker / Bucket Bag / Silk Scarf  / Wool Hat

How amazing is that fringe jacket?  While the premium line is on the pricier side,  it's still reasonably priced for what it is, so if you want to invest in trendier pieces without really investing (as in emptying your bank account) H&M's premium line is definitely worth checking out.  

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Painted in the Stars

Even though I am usually not the superstitious type, I am a big fan of Astrology.  I don't believe everything I read in my horoscope - but there have been times when it has been strangely accurate. 

And this article from the Coveteur about nail polish astrology is definitely one of these times: 

Pictures via The Coveteur

Gemini's love baby blue but have no idea why. I don't know how accurate this is for others but for me it's spot on.  I've never been into pastels,  I usually love black and navy but I somehow always find myself reaching for baby blue when I'm not sure which color to choose (Essie's greyish  Cocktail Bling in the winter and their newest Saltwater Happy in the summer). It's a little thing, but it's fun to know that there is actually a reason behind my random love for this shade! 

Is it accurate for you? 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura 

Summer Soles

Nothing says casual summer style like some well worn boat shoes.  I am, however, not the biggest fan of Sperrys. They're fine and all, but none have lasted me as long as my trusty Lands' End ones (I'm also not crazy about all the "trendy" Sperry designs, a boat shoe should be classic in my opinion …but that's another story).

I never cared much for their other designs though. They just looked a little too functional and sporty for my taste, but as I was browsing their sale on a quest for new boat shoes I realized that they have to offer a lot more than just my beloved topsiders:

Slip Ons / Sandals 
 Leopard Slippers / Boat Shoes 
Balet Flats / Espadrilles

How amazing are those leopard slippers? 

I need a pair of each… 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters
Laura

Super Easy Eggplant Pizza

Even though pizza is always a good idea, eating it daily is not.  There is, however, an easy way to change that,  just leave out the dough! Yes that's right pizza without dough, and trust me it'll taste so great that you'll never want to go back (and it's a massive time saver, too – 'cause who has time to prepare all that dough?)

Since there is no traditional base, we are using eggplant as the bottom.  Just cut up a large eggplant into finger thick slices, preheat your oven to 220°C / 425°F and place  them on a backing sheet like this: 

Sprinkle them with salt, and bake them for about 15 minutes until they look like this: 

In the meantime  you can prepare your toppings,  and just like with regular pizza there are no limits.  I kept it classic, and used tomato sauce, ham, mozzarella, and olives. But if you want something healthier try a tomato, spinach and goat cheese combination  (I made that last week and it's amazing).

Arrange the toppings on the baked slices, and put your pizzas back into the oven - but this time turn the broiler on! Broil them for about 3 to 5 minutes (make sure to keep an eye on them while they are under the broiler, as they can burn super fast).  And voilà the best (and easiest) gluten free mini pizzas you will ever have: 

Tweet me pictures if you make them! 

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura

Look for Less: Hanna Marin

It's been a while since I did a "Seen On" post, mostly because I didn't have time to watch episodes live, and by the time I finally got around to it others had already beat me to the punch.  But I'm back on my TV schedule, and the Pretty Little Liars are back on their fashion A-Game (pun absolutely intended).  

In last night's episode it was Hanna's pineapple print skirt that stood out the most:

It's from MSGM (via Lane Crawford), and currently on sale...but that sale price is still a little too high for something that you probably won't be wearing more than twice, so here are some wallet friendly alternatives:  

1 & 2

Are you a fan of the pineapple trend?

Peace, Love, and Lobsters

Laura