Stylish.Classy.Creative: July 2014

Thursday, July 24, 2014

The Popover

When shopping, I'm always looking for pieces that can be worn in a variety of ways and that can transition easily from season to season.

Now that I'm working "9-5" I'm especially loving pieces that can transition past the workday.

My new favorite piece: the popover.

Part blouse, part shirt, all versatile.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Popovers are perfect for a variety of occasions. Slip on a well-pressed version with slacks and heels and you've got an easy but polished ensemble for work. Throw on a slightly wrinkled one as a cover up for the beach. They work great with leggings, jeans, or shorts for a more casual look, and can be layered under sweaters to transition into fall and winter. You really can't go wrong.

Stash up on a few in a variety of colors and prints and you're on your way to countless outfit combos!

How do you wear the popover?

Stay Stylish. Stay Classy. Be Creative.

Emily

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

A Weekend in KC

This past weekend, my friend (who also happens to be my roommate for the summer!) Natasha and I took a trip to Kansas City to see our friends Kelsie and Lauren. We hopped in the car after we got off work Saturday and made the hour and forty-five minute drive down I-70 West. So close to Columbia, yet it seemed like worlds away. It was a great weekend getaway.

We spent Friday evening at Kelsie's house. She lives about 30 minutes outside the city. We enjoyed a delicious dinner on her deck, which had a beautiful view. We spent lots of time laughing, reminiscing, and catching up. We also made puppy chow!

Kelsie's gorgeous view!

On Saturday, we woke up and ate breakfast at Kelsie's and headed into the city. Lauren lives in the Southern part of the city, a few blocks from the Plaza shopping area and just a little bit East of the state line. We dropped our bags at Lauren's place and then headed over to the Plaza to do a little shopping. It's a gorgeous area, and it also helped that the weather was perfect! We popped in and out of stores, and stopped to take pictures. We had to make a pit stop at Kaldi's to get some coffee because Kelsie was barely alive.

The Plaza

Pit stop at Kaldi's

A picture in front of one of the many fountains in KC.

After our coffee break we browsed in a few more stores (including J.Crew, where I decided my next purchase has to be the Downtown Field Jacket in navy) and then decided we were hungry. We headed to a grocery store near the UMKC campus and picked up a few things for a picnic: baguette, swiss cheese, turkey, pasta salad, and cookies. Lauren took us to the Nelson-Atkins museum of Art and we enjoyed our picnic outside in the sculpture garden and walked around afterwards.

A shuttlecock sculpture at the Nelson

Pulling a Blair and Serena on the steps of the Nelson

After we left the Nelson, we went to TJ Maxx and did some thrifting at Goodwill. Kelsie scored a jean jacket and an 80s Columbia pullover, and Lauren found the cutest Mudpie dress!

Kelso rocking her Columbia

After thrifting, it was nearly 6:00. We headed north to downtown to eat at La Bodega, a Spanish tapas restaurant. The atmosphere was great and the food was delicious. I ordered the Spanish short ribs.

Spanish short ribs

Great food, great friends!

We paid the bill and hopped in Lauren's car to head to the Liberty Memorial, a WWI memorial overlooking Downtown KC. Sunset was coming, and it was a marvelous way to see a stunning view of the city. I would be interested in coming back and going to the actual museum.

Taking it in

Mizzou girls in the city

Roomies for the summer!

(I'm wearing J.Crew critter shorts from forever ago, an Old Navy perfect tee, and a J.Crew Jackie cardigan)

After the Liberty Memorial, we walked down the hill to take a look inside Union Station, and then went to nearby park to look at the city from another angle. Our night ended with a quick dip in a fountain along Ward Parkway (KC is the City of Fountains, after all!) (Thanks, Lo!)

A fun ending to an eventful day!

On Sunday, we woke up and enjoyed a delicious pancake breakfast (Thanks, Mrs. Taylor!) and walked to Lauren's parish a few blocks away for Mass. We left the city around 11:15 to drop Kelsie off at her house and head back to CoMo.

I had a great weekend in KC visiting Kelsie and Lauren. I hope to come back soon!

Just a little less than a month until all of our friends are reunited at the Zou!

Have you been to KC?

Stay Stylish. Stay Classy. Be Creative.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Cooking with Kale

Moving into my first apartment at the beginning of this summer was an adjustment. From having to cook my own meals, to cleaning the apartment once a week, it's been interesting. I miss living right down the hall from all my best friends, but it's been nice to have a little more room to spread out compared to the dorms.

It's been a challenge to keep things interesting when it comes to cooking meals. I definitely eat quesadillas about 50% of the time because they are super easy to make. I've made an effort to branch out and try a few new recipes, though, and it's easier now that summer is in full swing and there is lots of fresh produce available.

I've explored the Farmer's Markets that Columbia has to offer, and in the process have discovered my new favorite green: kale. I'd had it once or twice before, but I really went crazy this time and bought two bunches of it because it was on a super sale at Lucky's Market (an awesome place, by the way.)

So, what's a girl to do with two bunches of kale?

Use it in a bunch of new recipes!

1. Kale, Strawberry, and Avocado Salad

I made this delicious salad to bring to a friend's house for dinner and it was a hit! Strawberries and avocados are two of my favorites, and the almonds add a great texture. Instead of making the poppyseed dressing, I used Brianna's Rich Poppyseed Dressing that I had on hand.

2. Roasted Yam and Kale Salad

Since I had a sweet potato I needed to get rid of, as well as some garlic and onion, I tried out this dish. I didn't have any thyme on hand so I left that out. The roasted potatoes mix oh-so-well with the wilted kale. I added a little bit of feta on top for an extra touch.

3. Kale Hummus

After making the previous two recipes, I still had kale in my fridge. My roommate and I whipped up some of this hummus one Friday night. It's perfect on wheat thins and veggies. (Note: do not attempt to make this in a blender. We don't have a food processor at our apartment, so we went the blender route, and we had quite the time making the hummus!) If you don't have tahini on hand, some almond butter will do.

4. Kale Chips

These are a classic use for Kale, and oh-so-easy to make. I first tried these about a year ago at the home of a family friend. If you have some olive oil and sea salt on hand, you're all set! They make a great side dish or snack.

5. Yellow Squash and Kale Pizza

I had some squash from the farmer's market, so I decided to make this pizza. I used the Flatout pizza crust and it worked great! I also added a little bit of yellow pepper, pepperoni, and feta cheese to add flavor.

Do you like kale? What are your favorite ways to eat it?

Stay Stylish. Stay Classy. Be Creative.

Emily

Monday, July 7, 2014

Fourth: Fashion and Family

I hope everyone had a wonderful Fourth of July weekend spent with family and friends!

I'm so glad I was able to come home for a few days and spend the holiday with my family. We celebrated at the lake, as we always do, with plenty of swimming, food, and family. We had about 20 family members at my house, from both my mom and dad's side, and it was great to see everyone. It's not often all of us are together in one place!

The weather was absolutely gorgeous! The lake was still a little cold, but we swam anyway. We took a boat ride as well, played bags, and spent plenty of time on the deck just chatting and catching up. We ended the night watching the fireworks show from our boat.

The Fourth wouldn't be complete with out a red, white, and blue outfit, so naturally I put together an ensemble. Check it out below!