if you can't take the heat...

I tried to set fire to my kitchen the other night. Not on purpose, of course. And actually, it was a joint effort - I couldn't have done it without my husband.

We like to cook dinner together, testing out recipes {although most of the time, I serve as his sous chef - I am the baker, after all} and enjoying the fruits of our labor. So it stands to reason that we'd like to start a kitchen fire together.

Here's the scene : I came home late from work and Mark had started our dinner - spaghetti and turkey meatballs. The sauce was simmering on the stove, but the pasta needed to be boiled. The pot was filled with water, so I turned the burner on and walked into the dining room to chat with Mark. A few minutes later, Mark asked me what was burning. I headed back into the kitchen and began shrieking, "It's a fire! It's a fire!"

The spoon Mark had used to stir the sauce had fallen out of the spoon holder and onto the back burner. It wouldn't have been a problem, except I had turned on the back burner, instead of the front burner where the pot was sitting.

Everything turned out fine {Mark calmly put the fire out while ran around like a crazy person, throwing windows open so as not set off the fire alarm/condo sprinklers}. But our spoon is a little worse for the wear.

Moral of the story : pay attention in the kitchen, whether you're working with knives or heat sources. Oh, and invest in a fire extinguisher.

mad world

Oh, Banana Republic. You make me swoon. Just check out these looks from the "Mad Men" capsule collection!

And for those of you who thought this post was going to be about the song "Mad World," here's my favorite rendition by Gary Jules {you may know it from Donnie Darko}.

home sweet home

Mark and I are in the process of buying our first home. We don't like to waste time, so before we were even officially married, we learned - they day of our rehearsal! - that the offer we submitted to the seller was accepted!

Since then, amidst a wedding, an unconventional honeymoon and then trying to get back into the swing of things, we've been meeting with our realtor, mortgage broker, architect, etc. etc. Not exactly the ease into wedded bliss we were hoping for.

So, I've started doing what I do best - planning! Thanks to Pinterest, I've been keeping track of my favorite looks for bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens. 

Here's some of the inspiration I've come across.

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a new burger joint

On Saturday, Mark and I were running errands and stopped by a new burger place to grab a bite to eat - Coal Burger. I've been looking forward to testing out the burgers here for some time and was not disappointed.

All the burgers are cooked in a coal-fire oven and are so flavorful. I ordered the green chile burger with jalepenos and Mark chose a Coal Burger. We split an order of fries and tried the chipotle BBQ dipping sauce {which is much tastier on the burger than on fries, in my opinion}.

One of my favorite parts of our dining experience was the sparkling soda fountain - no Coke or Pepsi products here! - featuring Boyland's products {you can also pick up bottles of Boyland's sodas at World Market}. I tried the natural diet cola and Mark mixed lemonade and black cherry for a delicious and refreshing beverage combo. I highly recommend either.

The restaurant concept, by the same folks that created Grimaldi's Pizzeria, is eco-minded and they use all-natural ingredients {they even offer grass-fed beef burger patties and a vegetarian patty option, and gluten-free buns, if you like}.

Right now, Coal Burger can only be found in Arizona {there are two locations, one in Scottsdale Quarter and one in Chandler at Casa Paloma} and one in Texas, but Mark and I spoke with the manager and they are planning to expand - and quickly! Keep your eyes peeled.

smitten kitten | naughty + nice

Are you shocked that my latest obsession is a collection of shoes? I didn't think so.

In any case, I'm loving these flats and heels from Sam Edelman. They are the perfect mix of masculine and feminine in one {or a few} chic shoe.

So kick up your heels, ladies! Just not too high or you'll poke your own bum.

Sugar and spice = very nice

Channeling Chanel

Animal print with bite



three books to get lost in this weekend

Over our honeymoon, I spent a lot of time basking in the sun and catching up on my reading. From funny to moving to fun, I loved each of these books.

aching arches

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Right before my wedding, I went to get my brows done. I left with with perfectly shaped brows for my big day, and soon after began to feel a burning sensation that I've become all-too familiar with - I was beginning to lift.

Lifting is when the delicate skin beneath your eyebrow is damaged. Many times it occurs when the wax is too hot, but for me, it's because my skin is so sensitive.

I've asked my friend Diana, an amazing esthetician from Dolce Salon and Spa, to share some great info on what lifting is and how to {hopefully} avoid having it happen to you.

beth: 

What does it truly mean when you're lifted?

diana: 

"Lifting" is the term used when wax has exfoliated layers of skin in addition to removing hair. Skin is left raw and appears red and shiny at the surface.

b: 

How long does it last?

d: 

It is as though you've scraped a few layers of skin off of your hand, or some similar circumstance, so the wound/burn heals as any other wound would; time varies per individual.

b: 

What can you do if it happens to you?

d: 

Be gentle with the area. Avoid exfoliation, excess heat, sun exposure. Apply Vitamin A&D ointment 3+ times daily until the wound has healed. Vitamin A&D is a petroleum- and lanolin-based ointment that has vitamins A and D in it. They help protect the skin and promote healing in minor burns.

b: 

What at-home remedies work well?

d: 

A&D ointment can be found at Walgreens and other drug stores.

b:

What can I tell my esthetician so that I can avoid being lifted?

d:

Discuss home care with your esthetician, be sure to inform them of:

any use of exfoliants (scrubs, alpha hydroxy acids)

leave-on resurfacing treatments such as Retin-A you've used

Accutane use - you must not have used it within six months of waxing

 sun exposure, which compromises the skin's integrity and increases the possibility of lifting

excessively dry skin

over-stimulated skin (impaired barrier function), which appears as rosacea-like symptoms and is caused by incorrect home care (overly aggressive/drying products)

any recent professional treatments such as microdermabrasion, dermaplanning and peels 

Thanks, Diana! If you live in or plan on visiting Phoenix, make an appointment to see Diana. Not only will she perfectly arch your brows, but she can relax you with a back facial, clear your pores with a customized facial and so much more.



a unique honeymoon adventure

After an amazing wedding spent with our closest friends and family {whether they were there in person or in spirit}, Mark and I jetted off to Kauai for our honeymoon : eight days filled with relaxing, hiking, exploring the island, snorkeling, enjoying each other's company, hospital stays...

Yes, hospital stays.

Who knew that our vows "In sickness and in health" would be tested just one day after we got married?

Poor Mark got a really bad infection that had to be knocked out with a series of heavy-duty antibiotics, so he spent the first few days of our honeymoon in a hospital room. The doctors and nurses were so lovely, and we were known around the hospital as "the honeymooners."

After he was released, he was given strict orders to rest, elevate his leg and continue his antibiotics. So our honeymoon didn't exactly start out as expected, but we had some wonderful times. Check back later this week to see what we ate, what we saw {unfortunately, no sightings of Jennifer Aniston and Justin Thereaux, who were there the same time we were} and what we did.

...and we're gonna get married...

This is it! The moment I've been waiting for! Mark and I are off to get hitched.

When I return, you can expect to find posts on all the wedding festivities, honeymoon shots {Kauai, here we come!}, DIY tutorials on some of the peices I created to make our wedding uniquely ours and much more.

Until then, lovelies.

from our amazing photographers : studio castillero