Tag and Coming Soon......

Time for a little housekeeping over here at 8 Hour Brunch.  Just a quick catch-up post...I'm back from my business trip and I had a wonderful and amazingly relaxing time.  

First, the lovely Appgal on her awesome blog Musings on the Mountain tagged me...Check out her blog, she does all kind of great clothing reviews and OOTD posts.  She is super cute!

......Here are the questions:

1) What is one of your guilty pleasures, whether it be a food, tv show, or musician? (go ahead...you can choose more than one!)

Celebrity Gossip websites (Perez Hilton, The D-Listed, The Skinny Website) -- pathetic I know;  HGTV ; Food Network and QVC....it helps me fall asleep.  I also like to {shrinks in embarrasment} read Regency Romance novels.....k...stop laughing NOW!

2) What is one outfit or piece of clothing that makes you feel confident and sassy?

A Body Conscious Strapless Dress and a Great pair of heels 

3) What is the most recent movie you saw in the theater? How was it?

Eat Pray Love with my Chick-Flick movie group....it was good...not as good as the book but i thought they did a great job.  It was a little long. 

4) Do you usually like to shop with friends or by yourself?

If I'm shopping for me, I prefer to shop alone.  However, I love to shop with other people if we are shopping for them.  I really missed my calling as a personal shopper. 

5) What animal best represents your personality and why? (i took this question directly from one of my students' journal entries :) )

Probably a cat.  I can be cute and fuzzy and loving.  But I am very independent and a little moody.  And I like my me time.  I also like to sleep:)

And in other news......I discovered this afternoon that I finally reached 75 Blogger Followers....THANK YOU EVERYBODY!!!

So, as promised, I'm going to have a 75 subscriber giveaway which also happens to be my blog's first giveaway.  I'm am still working on the prizes (I'm going to have 3) so check back here at the beginning of next week for the giveaway!

Have a great night!

xoxo,

J.

WOTD: Crazy Patterns, Classic Shapes....

I love a classic Jackie O shift dress.  They are a staple of my work wardrobe.  I have them in beige, gray, black, brown, and navy.  I usually shy away from crazy patterns.  A flamboyant blouse anchored by a neutral colored pencil skirt and cardigan, I can handle.  But, a Pucci print maxi dress, while beautiful, would have running in the other direction.  So I have a few rules for wearing wacky prints:  1.  neutral color palette 2. classic shape 3. minimal accessories

I picked this dress up at Lord and Taylor last summer.  (I don't know the designer and I just dropped it at the dry cleaners this AM so I can't check for you....sorry:)  This is very outside my normal comfort zone.  However, it meets my 3 wacky print rules so I thought I would give it a try.  I always get compliments when I wear it and it is now one of my favorite dresses to wear for work, because it makes me feel good!  It is a very heavy cotton pique and it is lined.  I love the structured shape!  I coupled it with minimal accessories, just my usual rings, my watch, and gold stud earrings.  I'm also wearing my new favorite shoes:  The JCrew Julienne Leather Heels in Bronzed Avocado.  I cannot give these shoes enough praise, they are so comfortable and a fabulous neutral that goes with so much of my wardrobe.  BUY THEM!

Dress:  Lord and Taylor

Shoes:  JCrew Julienne Leather Heels

On another note......

I'll be away for the next week......a bit of work and a bit of pleasure.

I'll be back with regular posts at the end of the week!

Have a great weekend everybody!!!

xoxo,

J.

It's all GREEK to me: Breakfast that is.....

I am a creature of habit and routine.  And part of my routine is to always have breakfast.  Some days it is a protein bar hastily grabbed on the way out the door, others it is an egg scramble with veggies.  But, lately, more often than not, my breakfast consists of Greek Yogurt + Piece of Fruit + Flax Seeds.

I love this combination, it goes great with berries, citrus, peaches, plums, basically any fruit you enjoy.  I usually use the plain 0% greek yogurt (whichever organic brand is on sale that week).  Sometimes I buy a large container and when they are on sale I buy the small individual cups (my local grocery has 10 for $10).  This is a nutritious, protein-packed, refreshing treat to have for breakfast, lunch, or a snack (just adjust the portion size accordingly).  

This is mind-numbingly easy, and anyone can do it!  Here are some pics, well because pics are fun:)

Chobani Honey Flavored Yogurt -- 130 calories, 15 g protein

1 Medium Organic Peach -- 31 calories

Flax Seed (1 Tbsp) -- 55 calories, 2 g protein

Add it all together and tada.....

This treat fills me up for the entire morning and I'm not even hungry until around 1 or 2.  (I have a mid-morning snack of 10-15 raw almonds).  This greek yogurt fruit combo does have a relatively high amount of carbs and sugar, but they are all naturally occurring from the dairy and fresh fruit.

What is your favorite breakfast item?  Please share!!

xoxo,

J.

WOTD: H&M Suiting....Matchy, Matchy!!!!!

Good morning ladies:

Quick WOTD post, H&M dress and jacket combo.  I love this suit.  In fact I think I have another post wearing this exact outfit.  This suit consists of a dress and matching jacket.  The dress has buttons down the back, belt loops and a full skirt.  The jacket is kind of cropped with one button.  I wear this dress with a navy or black solid colored jacket as well.  This suit will also transition nicely into fall with opaque black tights, black heels, and a coordinating scarf/necklace.  The material is a relatively heavy viscose blend....very typical of H&M suiting.  This entire suit cost me $73.00....a great deal for so many pieces that can be worn so differently.

Today it is styled with a patent leather skinny belt from JCrew, and nude pointy kitten heel pumps from Nine West.  I'm also wearing a gold necklace which you cannot see in the picture.  It is easy and professional for a day of meetings with customers!

xoxo,

J.

Kitchen Sink Pasta: Caprese

Good morning Ladies:

I thought I would do something a little bit different and do a cooking/recipe post.  This one is quick and easy which during the work week is vital in our household.  Every few weeks I make what I call my "Kitchen Sink Pasta", basically everything goes in it except the kitchen sink.  I grab whatever veggies, meats, cheeses, or other ingredients are left in the fridge at the end of the week and I put them together into a pasta....sometimes it is fabulous, sometimes it is an epic fail.  This time was fabulous....I give you Caprese pasta.

Here is what I had:

- 1/2 medium onion

- basil

- loads of tomatoes (both cherry and heirloom)

- mozzarella cheese

- small bit of pancetta

- garlic

- box of whole-what pasta (any kind)
-olive oil

And here is how I made my pasta:

-in a small pan, cook diced pancetta until crispy, add diced onion, cook until translucent, add garlic, sautee lightly.  add salt and pepper to taste.

-transfer to large non-stick skillet with a little bit of olive oil in the bottom (I use a slotted spoon to get it out so that I can discard the pancetta grease).  add chopped tomatoes.  bring to a simmer.  add salt and pepper to taste.  cook 5-7 minutes.

-add pasta to boiling water, cook, drain, set aside.

-add pasta to tomato mixture and blend together.  add mozzarella chunks and torn basil.  Toss and serve.

So easy and so good!!!

tomato mixture

whole wheat pasta drained

mozzarella chunks and basil

finished product.  super fast, easy, and YUM!!!

I bought an amazing pair of ballet flats at the Gap.  So look for a review on those coming later today or tomorrow!!

xoxo,

J.

WOTD: Navy, White and Color all over

Quick Work Outfit of the Day post...sorry for the photo quality.  I was in a mad rush this AM and only had time to snap with my iPhone.

I love white pants in the summer.  I have had this pair for a million years and I just love them.  Shopping for white pants is not an easy matter....they are always too tight or thin or loose.  But when you find the right pair you want them to last FOREVER!!!  But, the nature of white pants is that they attract dirt....and even if you meticulously wash them or dry clean them, they always start to look dingy.  These are probably in their last season....so sad.  I've been on the search for a new pair all summer and no luck yet.  These are a thicker weight acetate blend and they are lined....they are dress pants and need to be dry cleaned.  When I bought them 4 years ago, they came with a matching blazer....which became a casualty of a red wine spill at happy hour about 2 years ago.  But, the pants stayed a fixture in my summer work wardrobe.  I wear them with different suiting jackets...usually black or my personal favorite navy!  I love navy and white together..so nautical, classic, and the quintessential summer color combo for me.  This jacket is from an Ann Taylor dress suit...just classic navy cotton stretch twill.  I tied the look together with this voluminous bright shirt from Ann Taylor Loft.  This is a very thin (but not see through) cotton and is great for hot summer days when I am in and out of accounts all day.  I topped the outfit off with my newest JCrew shoe acquisition -- the Julienne Leather Heels in bronzed avocado.....They are so comfortable!!!

Jacket:  Ann Taylor 2007 or 2008

Pants:  Ann Taylor Loft

Top:  Ann Taylor Loft Spring 2010

Shoes:  JCrew Julienne High Heels

How are you dealing with this heat?  What are your summer fashion staples?  How do you wear your white pants?

xoxo,

J.

Yes Please: Elie Tahari A/W 2010

Dear Fashion Fairy God Mother:

Please please please deliver this entire outfit to my closet.....I promise that I will wear every single piece to death this entire fall/winter season.

Hugs, J.

But seriously, isn't this look to die for.  It is so classic and on trend at the same time.  (I would prefer the jacket in a faux fur though.....I don't rock real fur!!  Just a personal preference.)  I love the grayish blue tone of the skirt and the gray tights contrasted against the brown suede boots.  And I love the orangey rust colored silk blouse.  The "oversized" or "reimagined" silk blouse is on many of the fall must have lists I've seen online and in many of my magazines!!!  I'm loving this look.  

What are some of your fall wish list items?  I'd love to know.

xoxo,

J.