Sequins at Breakfast

Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken

May 21, 2015

Happy almost Memorial Day! While I’m assuming most of you have your heart set on celebrating the holiday with a backyard BBQ or a pool party if you’re one of the lucky ones but I’ll be relaxing on the beach and letting my crock pot do all the cooking for me.

When I think of the quintessential flavors of summer is one of the first to come to mind. This smokey yet slightly sweet sauce is one of my favorites and its seriously amazing on grilled chicken and I’m thinking it would be pretty delish on some ribs- I’m not a rib eater but If I was I’d def smother them in this sauce! My absolute favorite way to use this sauce is to pour it into a crockpot with chicken and let it slow cook its way to tender, shredded goodness. You guys, it’s so good, like the best thing ever!

Think Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken Tacos or Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato or if you’re my husband you’re thinking Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken Sliders…
And since the crock pot is doing all the work, all you have to think about are the sides. I mean, this Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken would be so good with bacon topped baked beans. Just sayin’… I think its pretty obvious what I’ll be feasting on this Memorial Day weekend!

Slow Cooked BBQ Chicken:

Ingredients:
– 2 cups Sweet and Savory BBQ Sauce + more to drizzle over the top
– 2 lbs chicken

Directions:
– Place chicken and BBQ sauce in a slow cooker and cook on medium for 5 hours or low for 7 hours. Shred chicken and mix well.
Enjoy!

Filed Under: Dinner, Food

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale

May 20, 2015

Earrings // Sunglasses // Dress // Watch // Tote // Espadrilles // Phone Case // Clutch // Hat

The Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale kicks off today and TONS and tons of pieces are being marked down with deals up to 40% off! I don’t know about you but I’ve been looking for pieces that scream summer; loose dresses, colorful prints, espadrilles, big hats…the list goes on and on, but I’m sure you get the idea. This dress is at the top of my wish list and the red floral pattern and asymmetrical hem are everything! Styled with these Tory Burch Espadrilles and this amazing striped tote, it would be the perfect summer outfit!
Shop my picks:

Filed Under: Fashion, springTagged With: half yearly sale, nordstrom sale, topshop sale, tory burch sale

Inspiriting Spaces: A Chic Pool

May 19, 2015

Memorial Day is this coming weekend and I have one thing on my mind: Summer. I’m looking forward to warm sunny days followed by breezy nights and can’t wait to do a little entertaining in the garden. While I am definitely more of a beach girl, I still appreciate (and hope to someday have) a gorgeous pool. I love the idea of relaxing pool side all weekend long or throwing a summer pool party. Either way- a chic pool is a must in my book. Adding a few key touches like a cabana stripe umbrella and palm frond pillows are sure to get your pool summer ready! Here are a few of my dream pools…

Images via 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5

Filed Under: Lifestyle, exteriorsTagged With: blue and white garden, entertaining, outdoor style, pool, pool party, summer

Multi-Color

May 18, 2015

Mara Hoffman Dress (similar) // Zara Gladiator Sandals // Stella McCartney Bag

I’ve been a long time fan of Mara Hoffman and her amazingly bright and uplifting prints. I can’t get enough of this silky slip dress in the most beautiful geometric print and when paired with these knee high lace up gladiators its the perfect outfit to ease from spring into summer. I’ve been wearing these sandals almost non-stop so you can expect to see a lot of them over the course of the summer…and for those of you who asked, they are a little stiff but once you break them in they become quite comfortable! Hope you had a great weekend!!

Filed Under: Fashion, springTagged With: h, hawaii blogger, hawaii fashion blog, hawaii style, mara hoffman dress, STELLA McCARTNEY, zara gladiators

Marinated Bean Power Salad

May 14, 2015

Happy Thursday, my friends! I have been meaning to share this recipe with you for ages and I’m not sure why I just now got around to photographing it. I mean, I make this salad, or a close variation to it, multiple times a week. I’m a total salad girl, I love ’em. Most days I eat a big hearty one for lunch and at least once a week my husband and I feast on something we call a “super salad”. It’s basically everything and anything we have on hand at the time all tossed in a delicious vinaigrette. You know, an everything but the kitchen sink sorta deal. This one combines a few of my most favorite salad toppings…roasted sweet potato, marinated beans and avocado. It’s packed with layers of flavor that you’d never believe you’d get from a salad. The beans are AMAZING by themselves but really shine in this dish. Marinated in a glug of olive oil, balsamic and apple cider vinegars and mixed with a shallot which gives it the perfect little bite. If you’re craving a little more protein, add a piece of grilled chicken or grilled salmon then top with the easiest creamy balsamic dressing…

Marinated Bean Power Salad:

Ingredients:
Marinated Beans
– 1 cup can Canelienne beans, drained
– 2 tablespoons minced shallot
– 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
– 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Salad
– 1 handful of Kale, roughly chopped
– 1 carrot, julienned or shaved into ribbons
– 1 sweet potato, cubed
– 1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
– 1/2 avocado
– 2 tablespoons almonds, roughly chopped
– 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
– 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Simple Balsamic Dressing
– 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
– 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
– 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
– salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Marinated Beans
– Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and let beans marinade for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Salad
– In a small bowl combine red cabbage with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, add a pinch of salt and pepper, mix well and set aside
– Toss sweet potato cubes in olive oil and roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, flipping half way through
Dressing
– Blend ingredients together or whisk, adjust seasoning to taste
Assemble the salad: plate all ingredients and top with almonds and hemp seeds. Drizzle dressing over the top and enjoy!

Filed Under: Food, LunchTagged With: buddah bowl, chicken salad, kale, marinated beans, power salad, salad, salmon salad, super salad, sweet potato

Denim Vest

May 13, 2015

Gap Denim Vest // Rory Beca Romper (similar) // Dolce Vita Gladiators // Oliver Peoples Sunglasses // Embellished Clutch (similar) // Alex and Ani Bracelets and Necklace

As my style continues to evolve to accommodate the island lifestyle, I’ve been finding that my day to day outfits are far more casual and laid back than they were while I was living in San Diego. I’m usually running around town in a sun dress or denim cutoffs but to keep things interesting (and to continue to make getting dressed fun) I’ve been looking for light pieces that I can layer without adding any extra bulk or warmth. The kimono has been a favorite, last seen here, and this denim vest has proved to be a very versatile piece. I love the ease that it adds to an outfit and this cropped style is super flattering. Paired over a simple romper and dressed up with some fun Alex and Ani jewels!
What are some of your favorite layering pieces?

Filed Under: Fashion, springTagged With: demin vest, dolce vita fray, embellished clutch, hawaii style, romper, what to wear in hawaii

Solemates Cobbler’s Couture

May 12, 2015

I, like a lot of you I’m sure, appreciate a beautiful shoe and consider a great pair of shoes a good closet investment. I’ve splurged on a few shoes that are total classics, which I’ll have for years to come, so taking good care of them is an absolute must. Elements like rain, snow, dirt, etc can really wreak havoc on leather and suede shoes and I’ll be totally honest, up until recently I wasn’t doing much to protect my shoes. Earlier this month Solemates sent me a few products from their new Cobbler’s Couture collection to try and I have to tell you guys…these products are a shoe life saver!

We get a lot of rain here in Hawaii so I was happy to find out that the Solemates Protect spray would protect my leather shoes against water (as well as snow and salt!). I’m planning to do a little double duty with this spray and use it to protect few of my better leather handbags.
The Freshen spray (which smells SO good) is one of my favorite products. It’s super easy to use and a little spritz inside your shoes will leave them smelling totally fresh. I’ll let ya in on a little secret…after I sprayed all my shoes, I headed straight for my husbands closet and gave his shoes a little spritz too!
The Blister Blocker has been amazing and has made breaking in new shoes a lot less painful!

I’ve used the shoe buffer to clean up my scuffed rain boots as well as a few leather boots- the best part about this shoe buff…it works with all shoe colors!
And finally…the Solemates High Heeler. This little gem will keep your stilettos in perfect condition. It simply slides on the base of your stiletto and makes walking on grass, cobblestones, brick, etc a total breeze. This will definitely come in handy at future weddings and will keep me from doing that awkward tip-toe walk across the grass, I know you know what I’m talking about!!

Have you guys tried any of the Solemates products? Whats your fav?!

This post was sponsored by Solemates, a product I love and trust. All photos, writing and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: BeautyTagged With: product review, solemates cobbler's couture, solemates review