LSL {The Lovely List} - Keep Calm & Carry On

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You know these posters. They are everywhere. These Keep Calm and Carry On ones. They are iconic with their simple text and sweet saying. I first gravitated to them when I saw a stack of these posters in a tea shop in SF and fell instantly in love with the bright turquoise reassuring poster. And at only $20 I quickly scooped it up. I have had it framed and in my room since late 2008.


At the time of seeing these sweet posters, I was going through a rather difficult period. I had just learned that I needed to have major surgery on my ankle. It started with going to a referral appointment by myself, thinking it would just be a routine check up. That my ankle had been hurting an extra lot those last couple of months, but that there wasn't much they could do for me. Well, as it turns out, what I thought would be a simple 20-minute office visit turned into a 3-hour one that included two different doctors offices (including a trek thru a parking lot to rush over to another office), three separate x-rays, and a CT scan all hastily and very abruptly thrown in there. There was drawing of pictures by residents of what would be happening during surgery, all types of medical jargon I did not understand, kurt and insensitive surgeons lining up around me to give their "two-sense" on my situation. There was forecasting of surgery timing, hospital stays, and recovery years. (YEARS!) Learning this all of this, all at once, and all by myself was definitely an overload on what I thought would be a simple appointment. I left thinking my life as I knew it, was over. I was feeling so overwhelmed and scared with a mind full of questions that I didn't have the answers to. How am I ever going to walk again? How am I ever going to dance again? 


Now looking back on this day, I know that I was completely overreacting. (I should have bought the poster "freak out and call your mom" cause that's definitely what I did) Of course everything would be fine. My friends and family would be there and continue to be there to support me. Three years out of that surgery and I can walk, dance, and limp around with the best of them. But, in that moment the only thing that kept going through my head amid all the chaos was, just "keep calm and carry on." I knew I just had to keep going. 


Now, you are probably wondering what the reason was for bringing up that moment in time and these specific posters. Well, I saw this very lovely video, posted by a friend, about the history of the Keep Calm and Carry On posters and it triggered that memory. I hope you enjoy this video and history much as I did!

via Youtube

xo,
L

LSL {Foodie Friday} - Snack Time

If you know me well, you know I like to eat. And even more than that, you know I like to snack. (Okay love to snack) I always have bags of almonds or some granola bars in my purse or in the car at all times and, definitely a box of crackers on hand at work. Doesn't everyone? But my all-time favorite snack, sometimes I even opt to make it a meal, (and my lovely roommate can attest to this) is toast topped with chunky avocado with a little salt and pepper. I could eat that for every meal, as my last meal, and hell, could even use a slice of that toast right now to hold me over until lunch. 

This Foodie Friday I thought I would spice up my favorite snack time meal and add hummus and one roasted tomato to the mix, and make it a slice of extra fancy toast. Enter the lovely Miss Lisa, from With Style and Grace's, 'Hummus and Avocado Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes.' She posted this recipe to Eat Live Run's website and I have been drooling about it ever since I discovered it.

Hummus and Avocado Toasts with Roasted Tomatoes

{via Eat Live Run by With Style & Grace}

Makes 6 – 8 party bites

Ingredients:

6-8 slices of bread

1/2 cup hummus

1 avocado – halved, pitted and peeled

4 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Arrange the tomatoes on your baking sheet, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, until the tomatoes are beginning to caramelize.

While the tomatoes roast, toast your bread. Using a cookie cutter or circular object, cut out 1-2 circles per toast, depending on how big the piece of bread is.

Spread 1/2-1 tablespoon of hummus on each circular toast.

In a bowl or plate, mash avocado with a fork, leaving large chunks.

Layer the mashed avocado over hummus, season with salt + pepper, and then top with a roasted [or fresh] tomato.

Serve immediately.

What's your favorite easy snack time meal? Does it involve toast or avocado? Is anyone else as obsessed with avocados as I am? I am so thankful to be a Californian, avocados all year!


Bon Appetit and Happy Weekend!
xo,
L

Promising in Peplum

Peplum is "a short overskirt that is usually attached to a fitted jacket, blouse or dress." (thankyouwiki) And if you are anything like me, you have noticed this look has blown up all over the blog-o-sphere lately. I know the peplum style has been around for a while, but it seems to be coming back with even more gusto than before. I remember a specific peplum-style jacket I bought myself with my babysitting money back in high school, I wore the hell out of it. I don't remember it being a particularly flattering look since it hit at my generous-sized hip area and not at my smaller, more flattering, waist area, but I sure didn't seem to care. 

I'm glad this look coming back into fashion and think my favorite, my most wish-I-could-wear-it-myself, look is the peplum style dresses. They just scream such a 1950's lady-like, retro, Audrey Hepburn vibe. If only I wasn't blessed with those my damn hips and thighs, I would be all over this. But, even though I believe the dress/skirt style is not for moi, the peplum-style can look great in short jackets and shirt styles too.

Check out these lovelies for yourself...

 

 

And now for my favorite part, let's go shopping...all pictures are linked to their stores, below

 

 Yes please, to the J.Crew floral shirt. Thankyouverymuch.

 

 

 

And a holy hell, I need that white jacket!

 

What do you think of the peplum look? Fan? Not a fan? Anything in particular you need on that shopping list? (cough...that white jacket...cough) Did you have any wonderful "looks" that you rocked in high school that might not have been so fashionable then...or now? 

Oh, and did I forget to mention that I might have been a slight tom-boy all for most of HS and, in addition, also thought of myself as a super soccer star (even though I only made it to the JV team...whatever!) so I mostly only wore that Adidas brand. Yeah, that with my peplum-style jacket, probably not my finest look. 

xo,

L

*Credit -  Photos: 1/2, 3, 4/5, 6/7

           Shopping: 1/2, 3/4/5, 6/7, 8/9, 10/11, 12/13

LSL {Foodie Friday} - Cheapy Pasta Primavera

So yeah, I do a lot of pasta posts, I know! But how can you not like a good, warm bowl of pasta, add a little cheese or some marinara, and you are good as golden. 

I have been working a bit more than usual lately and that means little to no lunches, home late, and definitely no Safeway runs over easy (and cheap) take-out. Well last night I thought it would be good to come home and see if I could make something out of the very few food items in my house. It turns out when ridiculously hungry and add a tiny bit of an imaginative mind one can create a really delicious meal.  Now, this is no Rachel Ray, 'look all the random spices I just happen to have on hand,' no this is I have some frozen vegetables, some pasta, a little cheese, some mustard, hot sauce and go. Well, I ditched the mustard and created myself a rather delicious and probably nutritious meal. Enter LSL's Cheapy Pasta Primavera.

Taken by moi
Excuse my very grainy, slightly yellow-ish iPhone pic

I made this with just me in mind, but you can surely modify it to serve more, however, not sure if you would want to subject too many people to it though. ;)

LSL's Cheapy Pasta Primavera

Ingredients-

1 - 2 cups wheat or rice pasta

1 package of Green Giant's 'Antioxidant Blend' veggies (steams in a bag kind)

Parmesan cheese

Slap Ya Mama cajun seasoning

Directions

Once water is boiling, add pasta and cook for what the time states.

At about 4 1/2 minutes to go with the pasta, pop those bad boy veggies in the microwave and heat.

Strain noodles and rinse, add veggies to pasta, then cheese and if you like it spicy like I do, slap ya mama seasoning. Salt and pepper if desired and viola! 

Pour a glass of wine, serve and enjoy.

I know I'm not reinventing the wheel with finding items in my home and throwing it together and making a dinner. I think our mothers are the masters at that. And I by no means think this is creative...but if you know me and my cooking "skills" you'll know this is pretty darn good. 

Do you have any easy throw together meals that are your staples? Any cheapy recipes I should be enjoying, like tomorrow night? I figure this meal costs about $6, so that's more money to spend on more important things like wine and dessert. 

Bon Appetit and Happy Weekend!

xo,

L

February Photo Challenge - Completed

If you remember this post, you will know that I had decided to challenge myself to a photo-a-day for the whole month of February. This challenge, created by Fat Mum Slim, was a lot of fun. And, if I could baby-step my way into my monthly challenges, a photo-a-day one was great to start out with and get my feet a little wet. It felt a bit like homework, in the good sense, I knew I had to be responsible to take a picture of something everyday and it became an interesting way to test myself to think out of the box for my photographs.  


Here is my completed challenge, all 29 days of it...

1. Your view- where I sit five days out of my week, mostly staring at the computer // 2. Words- a particularly powerful paragraph out of 'The Happiness Project,' that I am currently reading // 3. Hands- just finished painting my nails // 4. Strangers- sitting at Starbucks with the wonderful Liz Lovi doing some collab work // 5. 10am- make-up time, me lazily getting ready for the day // 6. Dinner- out with Miss S for some sushi // 7. Button- my favorite white coat with black buttons // 8. Sun- middle of the day sunshine // 9. Front door- the outside door to my work // 10. Self-portrait- me right before bed time // 11. Makes you happy- I found mint dark chocolate M&M's, need I say more? // 12. Inside your closet- my very overstuffed clothes // 13. Blue- I remember we had very little sun that day, so as soon as the rain stopped and the clouds opened up I ran outside and snapped up some pretty pictures // 14. Heart- Happy Valentine's Day, these hearts were from a present I was giving out // 15. Phone- you can barely see my leopard phone case in this picture, but the flash did something cool with the mirror // 16. Something new- got a snazzy new blazer with fun buttons // 17. Time- anxiously waiting to leave for a weekend trip to Tahoe // 18. Drink- celebrating a weekend away with cocktails, duh // 19. Something that you hate to do- well, turns out I hate walking on slippery, icy, cold snow. Must be something to do with my fragile ankle ;) // 20. Handwriting- lyrics to one of my favorite songs at the moment, "After the Storm" by Mumford & Sons // 21. Favorite photo of me- this is way back in 1984/85 of my brother and I. I love how cute we were but also my fabulous outfit: pink leotard WITH silver sequins, pink tutu, white tights, white turtleneck, then all accessorized with a while lace bow. haha // 22. Where I work- looks a lot like picture #1 but this is my messy work space // 23. Your shoes- this was an exciting day, the day I found out I can wear two shoes without my brace // 24. Inside your bathroom closet- my perfumes // 25. Green- my terrarium is still alive (even though I accidentally watered it with Febreeze fabric softener instead of a water bottle. My defense is that they were both blue spray bottles, it could happen to anyone.) // 26. Night- a very dark, cold and windy night this picture was // 27. Something you ate- my nightly staple, a dark chocolate Dove candy // 28. Money- my favorite kind of "money" - gift cards // 29. Something that I'm listening to- Wye Oak was introduced to me from a friend and I put them into my Pandora rotation and I really like them. // 29 1/2. February Challenge list is my 'add one for good luck.'


So, if you are interested in trying this challenge for yourself, Fat Mum Slim has created a March one as well. Get your cameras or phones ready to start taking some pictures, then post to either Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #Marchphotoaday and have some fun. I would love to know if you have done the February challenge or if you decide to participate in the March one, you can always email me photos (looksolovelyblog@gmail.com) or friend me on Instagram (Miss_Lovelylsl). I would love to see your progress.


Happy challenging!
xo,
L