It's Valentine's Day!

photo and quick recipe via cupcakeproject

Hello there! I'm sorry I've been missing in action:/ I have been off on big and little adventures and just returning to reality but did not want to miss the opportunity to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!! Do you have any Valentine's plans? The Mister made reservations at one of my favorite restaurants so we'll be heading out in just a bit. Before I go though, I wanted to share this recipe I found via cupcake project for the cupcakes in the photo above! You can make just two of these in your microwave!!!! In less than 10 minutes! Why not whip up a quick little dessert?! Have you ever "baked" in your microwave? Please let me know if you try this out, I'd love to know how they turn out!

Hope you spend your evening in great company! 

Love, 

Lilly

This Week: Picnics on my mind

photo by me:)

The week is almost over! yay!! So, how was your Valentine's Day? I had the most lovely evening at home with my husband. We had filet mignon and lobster with those yummy french fries I mentioned last week, it was an AMAZING meal! He bought a bottle of Veuve Clicquot (my favorite) and after a few glasses I got a little lazy and those brownies I had planned on making seemed a little complicated so I looked up a yellow cake recipe and whipped it up with some strawberry frosting...delicious! My Valentine gave me gifts he selected using my Valentine's Day Gift Guide for the Girly Girl...sooo sweet that he thinks I'm a girly girl and reads my blog:) I am so looking forward to the weekend! I have all-day plans for Saturday with one of my best friends. I think I'll make a little breakfast and then we plan on wandering around, taking photos and hanging out, having more meals, snacks, coffee, etc. and see where the day takes us! And Sunday we are planning a stroll around the park and a little picnic with our friends and their lovely little girl. I am loving picnics lately! It's so nice to lounge around on a lovely patch of grass, snacking and sipping while chit chatting and spending time with friends. I am looking for recipes that pack well and taste yummy at room temperature, please share any picnic recipes you love:) So this week...

1. Our friends were on the radio! They got together with fellow advocates of eating fresh and eating local and made a Valentine's dinner together with all fresh, local ingredients...listen to the show here!
2. I need a picnic basket and blanket but have not found THE ones, am loving all of this picnic gear
3. Speaking of Veuve Clicquot, The Widow Clicquot is coming up on my list of books to read.
4. I discovered a new online shop! It's called LAMA (Latin America in the Modern Age), I love it!
5. Finally watched The Romantics, I had been dying to see it since I read the book. It was fine...perhaps redundant because I've read the book.
6. Watched Giada make this Grilled Cheese with Spinach and Pancetta...mmmm can't wait to make/try it!
7. I also watched It's Kind of a Funny Story...cute.
8. Read the British Edition of Adore Magazine...oh how I would love to visit London again... and the latest issue of Lonny!
9. So happy that Arcade Fire won a Grammy for Album of the Year!!
10. Here's the easy yellow cake recipe I made!

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Sports & Wellness Enthusiast

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Sports & Wellness Enthusiast by lillyphunq featuring a cotton hosiery

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Designer

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Designer by lillyphunq featuring ballet flat shoes

This Week: French Fries and Romance

photo by me:)

So, have you finalized your Valentine's Day plans? I am still undecided on what to do, am leaning towards a fancy shmancy home cooked meal (with the help of recipes from foodnetwork, of course:). The thought of spending Monday night in a crowded restaurant just doesn't seem too appealing to me, do you agree? Some of the recipes I've browsed through are for couples to make together, which sounds even better, doesn't it?! So I'm on a huge french fry kick (again!) and I need to stop!! Would it be unromantic if I make french fries as part of my fancy shmancy meal? How about if I dress them up (see one dreamy recipe below)? I will be posting the rest of my Valentine's Day Gift Guides asap since I know time is running out, it's just been so busy busy around here:) So this week...

1. If you're thinking of staying in and cooking something nice for Valentine's Day too,  visit Epicurious and use their Romantic Menu Planner. You take a quiz and after you answer all of the questions they generate a custom menu that is pefect for your valentine!
2. Here's the recipe to that dreamy Baked Meyer Lemon Fries recipe I mentioned! Let me know if you try it:)
3. A few of my favorite bloggers were invited to a sneak peak of Anthropologie's new wedding line BHLDN (pronounced Beholden)!! They are officially launching the line on Valentine's Day! If only they had a wedding line when I was looking for my wedding dress!
4. I think this locket is so pretty and perfectly simple.
5. I bought this book, will start reading as soon as I'm done with Steve Martin's An Object of Beauty.
6. Am thinking I'll definitely make these Brownie Heart Cupcakes for our Valentine's dinner.
7. I want to go see Cedar Rapids, I'm hoping it's hilarious!
8. My wonderful dog, Mystic Dick Tracy turned 8 (56 in dog years)! Happy Birthday, Tracy!! To celebrate...Frosty Paws Ice Cream, of course:)
9. Looking forward to the Miami International Film Festival! Hoping I catch atleast one film this year:)
10. Wishing I was attending Food Network's South Beach Food & Wine Festival! Are any of you attending?

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!XO

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Girly Girl

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Girly Girl by lillyphunq featuring flower handbags

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Romantic Vixen

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Romantic Vixen by lillyphunq featuring leopard print handbags

Great Valentine's Day Gifts For Him

Great Valentine's Day Gifts For Him by lillyphunq on Polyvore.com

Lovely Valentine's Day Gifts For the Baker

Lovely Valentine's Day Gifts For the Baker by lillyphunq featuring heart jewelry

This Week: L-O-V-E



(photo of my husband and me by my husband and me, see no. 10)

The weekend is almost here!!! We started the week off with a lovely Sunday dinner at our friends' house, where we enjoyed the most amazing short ribs, mashed potatoes and chard ever, followed by some relaxing by the firepit. Since then it's been busy, but that is a good thing, so I won't complain:) So far, February is looking good! As I mentioned in my previous post, I am putting together several Valentine's Day Gift Guides and after spending time working on them I am sooo in the Valentine's Day spirit! I want to bake things, make things, buy things, plan things though I doubt I will get to all of them. Are any of you getting excited about Valentine's Day too? What are your plans? Since it falls on a Monday...let's hope my enthusiasm makes it through to the evening of February 14th! Hope your weekends are wonderful:) So this week...

1. I am hoping to be able to attend another Symphony Wallcast concert at the Miami Beach Soundscape! We attended last Friday and it was so wonderful! Next time, we hope to pack a picnic and go with friends:)

2. I met a new client who collects bugs (dead ones)! And wants me to use them to develop the color palette, etc., isn't that cool?!

3. Caught a rerun of Martha Stewart's show and watched  Chef Shea Gallante of Ciano make Burrata with Broccoli Rabe Pesto and Fig-Onion jam and Lobster Mushroom Ragu with Celery Root Puree...needless to say I was drooling! Perhaps a home-cooked gourmet meal is not a bad idea for Valentine's Day. Please let me know if you try out these recipes!

4. I fell in love with this alphabet I saw on Bloesem by designer Nathalie Nahas! Perfect for a nursery or my living room:)

5. Speaking of nurseries, this photo (via pinterest via No Worries) makes me even more exited about having children some day!! Aren't they adorable?!

6. Mondo Beyondo has a Winter Dream Lab going on. I signed up for Dream Lab last summer and though I didn't totally love it (am cynical and did not fully participate except reading the daily emails) it is definitely a positive place to "go" if you're seeking positivity and inspiration.

7. Am not very crafty but would love to plan a lovely Crafternoon Party! 

8. Speaking of valentines, how cute/cool are these cards?

9. Trying to decide on what I'll be baking for Valentine's Day, there are sooo many options!

10. Entered the photo above in a contest! You can vote for our photo (no pressure:) by "liking" Trendy Workshop on Facebook and then "liking" our photo in the Concours St. Valentin album. Oh and while you're on Facebook, please "like" Lilly Pond(ering) Blog too (if you haven't already)!

Lovely Valentine's Day Gifts For Her

Lovely Valentine's Day Gifts for Her by lillyphunq featuring blue gloves

(click on the photos and you'll be lead to the link to buy!)

Valentine's Day is around the corner!! Are you fans of this "holiday"? I know it's not the most important occasion but I can't help it, I love it! Are you making special plans? Do tell! When I was single I would bake goodies for my co-workers and give valentines to my friends, now I have a nice dinner with my husband (who only celebrates Valentine's Day to make me happy:) it's actually our first Valentine's Day as a married couple!! I happen to love selecting gifts, it's something I thoroughly enjoy, there are so many lovely little gifts (and bigger more elaborate ones) to give!! So I'm putting together a series of Valentine's Day Gift Guides and will publish them all between now and then. This first guide is pretty general, consisting of gifts almost every girl would like! The rest are gift guides for a specific type of her (you'll see) and there will be a gift guide for him, of course. XO

This Week: Seeking Inspiration and Motivation

(photo from etsy via pinterest)

Ugh! What a week!! I will not bore you with the details...long story short, it was a LONG one:( Do any of you have any tricks or sure-fire ways to get inspired and motivated quickly? I had two bowls of neopolitan ice cream today...it kind of helped:) Hope you have a lovely weekend!! So this week...

1. I want one of these soooo bad!!!
2. Would love to find some of these pineberries to try! They are white strawberries that taste like pineapple, don't they sound delicious?!
3. Am one of the lucky recipients of Knoll Luxe's limited edition "Knoll Red" nailpolish!! You can see it here.
4. Check out Mrs. Lilien's recipe for a Shirley Temple with a twist!
5. How cool are those ice cream spoons?! Available on etsy!
6. Blue Valentine is finally showing near me!! Have any of you seen it? What did you think?
7. These Pantone Chip Cookies are so cool!! Perfect use of the pantone box!
8. I want this book!
9. Making this soup this weekend!
10. I'm getting excited about Valentine's Day!! Am already gathering stuff for a Valentine's Day Gift Guide I'll be posting in February (stay tuned:)