MY MUST HAVES

So we all have a closet jammed with clothes we settled for or bought completely on a whim...Well I've decided that from now I will only buy items that I LOVE LOVE LOVE. So here are some of my closet and makeup bag essentials that are a must have and most definitely a must keep!

1. Smith's Rosebud Lip Salve in Minted Rose

2. Tie up shirts (Top Shop)

3. Striped shirt (Saint James Meridien II)

4. Black sweater (The Row Norton)

5. Nars blush

6. Red nail polish (Essie - Really Red)

7. Tbar flats

8. Brown belt with a gold buckle (Hermes, mine is a vintage brown belt)

9. Camel cardigan (J. Crew)

10. Basic black skirt (Top Shop)

x Nancy

BANANA MUFFINS

I had half a dozen incredibly ripe bananas sitting in my fruit bowl, and instead of throwing away perfectly edibly bananas, I adapted from a banana muffin recipe and made these super easy and super delicious treats...

MUFFIN RECIPE

• 125g Butter
• ¾ Cup of Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 3 Ripe Bananas Mashed
• 2 Cups of Self Raising Flour
• ¼ Cup of Milk
• 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon (or to taste)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170 Degrees Celsius.
2. Melt the butter and sugar together.
3. Once melted, take off the the heat and add the mashed bananas and the egg and stir together.
4. Add this mixture, the milk and the flour together and lightly stir.
5. Line your muffin tin/if making a cake, line your cake tin with baking paper.
6. Spoon the mixture into your tin.
7. Bake in the oven for approx 30 minutes, check after 20 minutes.
8. Stick a skewer in the thickest part of the muffin, if the skewer comes out clean, the muffins are ready.
9. Let the muffins cool.
10. Enjoy!

Note: I have my banana muffins with Earl Grey Tea :)

x Nancy

Where in the World - USA

How do I spend my summer? I hop on a plane for 20 hours across the world to go spend a month in a winter wonderland, 5 cities in the dead of winter in the USA. Seattle, Boston, New York, Washington DC and LA. As an Australian, there isn't much sense to my bizarre fascination with the US. Really, culturally we're almost two peas in a pod. Nonetheless, I do have a fascination with the US and everytime I visit I fall more and more in love.
New York City really is a city that never sleeps and I love love love it there. I mean dig a hole and bury me on Fifth Avenue. I have no shame in admitting I'm a brand junkie and being on Fifth Avenue where glass paned store after store displays what I believe to be the finest art; well that is just the cherry on the top of a magnificent trip.

Brooklyn Bridge, New York




 

The view of New York from the Empire State Building, the prettiest concrete jungle

 


Joseph the Snowman, on the sidewalk outside our hotel on Broadway




Times Square, New York





Central Park, New York; 
There is something so hauntingly beautiful about seeing Central Park in the dead of winter, covered in snow

 

Iceskating at Wollman Rink, Central Park



Chestnut the squirrel, Central Park




Lilac the horse outside the Plaza Hotel, New York





Statue of Liberty, New York



Space Needle, Seattle

Dried flower arrangements at Pike Place Market, Seattle

Rocks at Pike Place Market, Seattle

Trinity Church, Boston

FOOD


Although America is not known for their fine cuisine and gourmet delicacies, there were a few treats that I wouldn't mind putting in my pocket and saving for later. For someone who doesn't have a sweet tooth, I soon grew one as I was constantly taunted and teased by the rows of delectable desserts.
In a country where excess is just the tip of the iceberg, their cupcakes were to DIE for. I'm no cupcake connoisseur, but you'll never find me saying no to a moist decadent chocolate cake slathered in creamy, rich cookies and cream frosting. Yum! ►

Yogen Fruz, Green Tea with Strawberries...so GOOD!

Crumbs Bakery, the best cupcakes I've ever had...

Crumbs Cookies and Cream Cupcake

The Four Seasons Hotel Dessert Buffet



Cherry Cheesecake, Carnegie Deli



Sandwich from Panera, my sister and I LOVED eating at Panera

Cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery

Cakes from Magnolia Bakery

Cakes from Magnolia Bakery




x Nancy

TREATS

We thought it would be perfect to start off our day with some baking!

So, we're going to keep this post short and sweet -

Below you'll find an oh so lovely recipe for cupcakes and scones accompanied by pictures!

(anyone and we mean ANYONE will be able to make these)

Enjoy!

CUPCAKES
(makes 12 small cupcakes)
Ingredients
60g softened butter
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
3/4 cup self raising flour sifted
1/2 cup buttermilk/milk
pure icing sugar to serve/ready made frosting


Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and line the *patty pan with small cupcake cases
*(use a 12 hole, 2 tablespoon capacity, flat based patty pan)
Cream butter and sugar until pale and creamy using an electric mixer then add the vanilla and egg
Beat until it is well combined
Fold in half of the sifted flour, then half the quantity of milk and repeat with the remaining flour and milk
Make sure the batter is smooth
Next, fill each of the patty liners 3/4 full and smooth the surface
Bake for 15-20 mins or insert a skewer into the centre and if it comes out clean it's ready
Leave it to cool for 10 mins
 To finish, decorate the cupcakes with frosting, icing, dragées, or whatever you wish


DONE!

Playlist :

The City - Patrick Wolf  

If She Wants Me - Belle and Sebastian

Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush

Chasing Pavements - Adele

Elephant Gun - Beirut

You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes

Feeling Good - My Brightest Diamond

Dreams - The Cranberries

SCONES

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour sifted

1/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup thick cream

1/2 cup lemonade

2 tablespoons milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C and line the baking tray with baking paper or otherwise grease the tray

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl followed by the cream and lemonade and MIX

- This will then form a soft dough

Take the dough and knead until mixture is combined

*Make sure that your workbench is covered in flour to stop the dough from sticking

After pressing the dough until it's about 2cm in thickness, cut out shapes with a cutter

(We've used heart shape cookie cutters instead of the conventional round cutters)

Place them on the baking tray and brush the tops of each piece with milk

Bake for approx 10-15 mins or until golden
Serve with jam, whipped cream and a nice cup of tea

DONE!

x x x

Emma & Nancy & Emily

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS

They may not be raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woollen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings

But these are a few of my favourite things...

MEET BOSTON

Named after one of my favourite cities in the world, this is my dog Boston. For those true dog lovers, your pet really is one of your best friends. Boston enjoys catching flies, peanut butter toast and sleeping under the bed.

BREAKFAST

Sunny weekend mornings or even lazy week days, there is nothing better than catching up with friends over an indulgent breakfast. Pancakes, French toast, omelettes, bacon and eggs; breakfast is undoubtedly the MOST underrated and overjoyed meal of the day.
My favourite places to go to breakfast is Zanetti in Ivanhoe (132 Upper Heidelberg Road,
Ivanhoe) or when the city calls, Degraves.

TINTED MOISTURISER

Despite a red satin box overflowing with make-up, Benefit's You Rebel Tinted Moisturiser in Lite is still undoubtedly one of my favourite products. In my opinion, the versatility and quality of this product is yet to be matched by any other brand. Rosy smell, SPF 15 and old school tube of paint packaging, this tinted moisturiser works great as either your primer that goes under your foundation or replace the foundation altogether for a light smooth coverage.
Benefit products are available in most Myer stores.
This tinted moisturiser retails at $55 from Myer.

RAIN BOOTS

Splish, Splash, Splosh! Rain boots not only keep your feet nice and dry when you miss those muddy winter puddles, they can also be a very stylish and very adorable accessory. There are a range of ones that you can get that not only double as water proof wear but possibly the must have shoes for a chic winter.

My fave ones are my Hunter boots (mine are the Original Gloss Short Wellington Boots in Black, Hunter has a myriad of really cute colours). I only paid around ₤55 or AUS $90 for my pair. If I were to buy mine from Melbourne, the only place I found them was from the boutique Cactus Jam in QV for around $140 so I think I definitely got myself a bargain.

Other Rain boots that are on my wishlist...

Vivienne Westwood and Melissa West End Rain Boots

Burberry Rain Boots

x Nancy

What's In My Bag - Nancy

I. Wallet

II. Phone

III. Keys
IV. Day Planner
V. Hair Tie

VI. Jurlique Jasmine Hand Cream
VII. Nivea Fruity Shine Lip Balm
VIII. Ray Bans
IX. Chewing Gum
X. Muesli Bar
XI. iPod

x Nancy

NUMBER ONE

hello

exclamation

hi, howdy, hey, ciao, aloha, bonjour.

"Just as someday, if you have something to offer, someone will learn something from you. It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement."
- J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

x x x

Emily & Nancy & Emma