C'est si bon: January 2012

l'occitane love & giveaway.

i am on utter & complete lavender overload.

and i couldn't be any happier about it.

between my lavender candle burning away in my kitchen.

my lavender mrs. meyer's dish soap bubbling away on the dirty casserole dish.

my lavender bloom growing in the sunroom.

my piping hot lavender. vanilla. peppermint tea,

one would say i have overfilled my lavender tank.

although, i do not think that is ever possible.

can a girl ever have too much lavender in her little life?

i happen to think not.

and i say this because i speak from experience.

if my intensely pruned fingers and toes could speak for themselves, they would agree.

there is no amount of lavender in the world that would be too much for me.

especially after just getting out of the most luxe lavender bubble bath.

{don't tell anyone. but it lasted the better part of an hour.}

it's a fact. no doubts about it. i am officially in

l'occitane lavender love.

if you have not experienced a glorious l'occitane bubble bath,

you have no idea how great a bubble bath can be.

steamy water. aromatic oils from provence. sudsy bubbles.

this is the perfect way to unwind after a long day.

who am i kidding?

this is the perfect way to unwind everyday.

l'occitane's lavender bubble bath is just sinfully indulgent.

and i am always one for a little indulgence.

quite possibly one of my fave bubble baths to date.

i am also smitten over l'occitanes verbana shower gel.

it is pure. crisp. fresh. energetic.

a great choice for a morning shower to awaken your senses.

and guess what?!

one lucky reader will win a bottle of the l'occitane verbana shower gel.

follow these two steps to enter.

simply register to become a follower of c'est si bon.

{if you look on the right hand side of this page, you will see where to enter your email}

and then

leave a comment sharing your fave bubble bath scent.

the winner will be announced on sunday evening.

xoxo

{l'occitane sent product for c'est si bon to review. all opinions expressed are my own.}

fresco florals.

with the dawn of spring quickly approaching,

i am counting down the days till i can run around barefoot in the garden.

{i don't actually have a garden, but i would love to have one}

i love feeling the grass between my toes.

enjoying the sea of colorful flowers. smelling the fresh rain.

twirling around. breathing in the air. arms spread wide open.

{think sound of music, the hills are alive}

i couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the wishes of springtime

when i laid eyes on these pretty little numbers.

i can just feel the springtime breeze in this shirt.

this darling little fresco floral blouse belongs in my closet.

i love the green & blue combo.

i adore the peplum. it screams girlie girl.

and the sleeves make me swoon.

loving the cafe capri version of the fresco floral.

and i am all over the pop of neon in the blouse.

these capris could most certainly be dressed up or down, whatever you fancy.

a perfect staple item in every springtime wardrobe.

j.crew, i am diggin the springtime florals.

couture in paris.

attending couture in paris is beyond enviable.

only the elite fashionistas get an invite and a reserved front row seat.

thankfully, vogue gives us all a peak at the fashions.

and we do not even have to dress up to attend.

i am lusting over the christian dior and valentino spring 2012 collections.

they are perfectly lady like. demure. feminine. & la la lovely.

a nod to the one and only jackie o.

full skirts & full gloves.

what more can a girl ask for?

to me, this is reminiscent of grace kelly.

loving the lines of this jacket.

and the wide headband is just to.die.for.

this. is. glamour.

the sheer fabrics add a subtle sensuality to these prim dresses.

christian dior knows what he is doing.

and valentino certainly worked his magic, too.

all of the textures are simply divine.

i am swooning over the neutral and pastel color palette.

there are no words.

organza-filled love affair.

oh, couture in paris, i love you for an endless number reasons.

{all images courtesy of vogue.com}

the sweetest wedding gift of all.

i am beyond blessed with my new family.

my in-laws could not be any sweeter.

their hearts are overflowing with kindness,

and they carry themselves with such grace and dignity.

they love the Lord, and this is evident in everything they do.

they are such a rich addition to my life.

and i am so very grateful for them.

shortly before our wedding,

we went out to a special dinner with my in-laws-to-be.

we toasted to the upcoming festivities.

we asked for the secrets to creating a lifelong marriage.

we laughed. we shared. we gave thanks.

and in the midst of this great love-fest,

my in-laws gifted me with this special treasure.

isn't it just the loveliest, daintiest necklace you have ever seen?

not only is it beautiful and sparkly,

but it symbolizes the deepest love & devotion.

this diamond was the engagement stone of my lovie's grandmother.

it melted my heart to receive such a tender gift.

i am completely humbled. and i feel beyond honored.

but i am even more honored to be your new daughter-in-law.

words fail to show my gratitude.

m & b, i love you so.

worlds best chocolate cake.

this has been the absolute perfect

saturday morning.

the windows are open.

eartha kitt is playing in the background.

and i am whisking away in the kitchen.

i live for days like these.

no agenda. just adventure with an apron on.

i have been on the hunt for the perfect chocolate cake recipe,

one that is irresistibly decadent.

and i do believe i have found it.

i have a sweet, sweet friend

and she happens to be an extraordinary baker.

her coconut cake with the works is simple divine.

it can turn many a coconut critics minds.

she shared the recipe with me,

and i decided to try my own chocolate version.

much to my delight,

it was a huge chocolate success.

i hate to admit that this glorious cake

did, in fact, start from a box of cake mix.

{i cannot believe i am actually sharing this dirty little secret}

but it is the truth.

and i try to tell the truth.

so, to make the little baker in me feel a little less guilty,

lets just call it

"the pre-measured ingredients."

start with your fave choice of

"pre measured ingredients,"

{i used dark chocolate cake mix}

add a box of instant chocolate pudding.

mix in four eggs.

pour in 2/3 cup oil.

one cup water.

and 2/3 cup sour cream.

mix into a smooth batter of chocolatey sweetness.

fill two 9 inch cake pans.

and bake at 350 for twenty minutes.

literally, a piece of cake.

it doesn't get much easier than that.

when the cakes have cooled,

transfer one cake to your cake stand.

put the other aside for a few minutes.

place parchment paper around the edges of your cake.

this will prevent your cake stand from getting dirty.

makes for perfect cake presentation, and that is so important.

frost the first layer.

add the second cake on top.

and frost.

doesn't that just look delicious?

frost the sides and top with your fave decorative accent.

i used vanilla sugar,

and i like how it gives a little crunch.

how overly-indulgent does that cake look?

it is quite possible the most delicious & moist cake ever.

the frosting was quite simple, too.

i just used a traditional chocolate buttercream recipe.

and i added almond extract in place of the called for vanilla extract.

this cake was a huge hit and both the mills and brett homes.

cake for breakfast. lunch. and dinner.

i want to share another sweet treat with you.

ms. lucile prache of lucile's kitchen

may or may not be the sweetest thing around.

i stumbled upon her etsy store and

fell head over heels in love with her artwork.

it certainly helps that she lives in paris and her art has a most lovely parisian flair.

but regardless, her prints are sweet enough to give you a sugar high.

plus, no calories to count here.

a french cake recipe.

a recipe for le cake d'amour.

a recipe for les profiteroles.

they are just the most darling pieces of artwork i have ever seen.

i'll take one of each, please.

hope you have the sweetest weekend.

a moment in time.

last night we had the pleasure of visiting with

our dear, dear friends al & kathy.

they are wonderfully kind souls with such generous hearts.

al & kathy have gifted us with their friendship,

and have blessed us beyond belief.

al is graced with such an eye for photography.

he captured moments and emotions from our wedding day

that we will forever cling on to.

a moment to toast to a new life together. forever.

a moment to share in this great joy together.

a moment to embrace. and kiss.

a moment to to relax. and simply take it all in.

a moment to listen to the wise words of our loved ones.

a moment to show appreciation.

a moment to feel adoration & appreciation.

a moment to twirl.

a moment to be overwhelmed by the love of our Lord, family, & friends.

a moment that we will never, ever forget.

for the rest of our lives.

thank you, al

for this generous gift of love.

we are so very grateful for both your friendship & your talent.

paris street style.

eye candy & inspiration

for your weekend street style.

the city of lights continues to bring style to a new level.

these snap shots from the streets of paris are tres chic.

pink & red colorblock.

you know i love this look.

oversized houndstooth ferragamo clutch.

oh, how i love thee.

this lanvin cape is the epitome of elegance.

the shades and handbag just add to it.

again, pink & red.

lovin this chic pixie cut.

nothing is more glamorous than black and gold.

check out those heels.

perfectly coordinated silk blouse and clutch.

effortless style.

monochromatic whites.

sheer top. black camisole.

especially love this little number.

colorblocked taupe and black.

love. love. love.

go get dolled up this weekend.

just for the thrill of it.

and tell me,

what is your fave street chic outfit?

{all images courtesy of vogue magazine}

rosebud giveaway winner is...

appropriately enough,

the winner of the smith's rosebud medley of lip balms is

the one and only

mrs. anne smith

you will just love, love, love these lip balms.

they will leave your lips feeling so healthy and extra kissable.

mr. smith is sure to approve of this new beauty product addiction.

enjoy, sweet anne.

pucker up.

date knight.

ok. this might be the sweetest thing.

chick-fil-a is hosting a

mother & son date knight.

how precious is that?

i know all you mommys out there

would so love to have a date knight with your

little knight in shining armor.

just you and him.

and a lot of giggles. and smiles. and hugs.

what a treat for mommys and sons alike.

and we all know that the little guys just cannot get enough chick-fil-a.

{who am i kidding? i can't get enough chick-fil-a}

you can make a reservation for 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, & 7:30.

and here is the kicker, the only charge is the food you buy.

so, grab your besties and their sons, too

& make a date knight for february 4th.

have such a great night out with your little babes.

what a sweet way to celebrate their precious little lives

and all the joy they bring to you.

kool kat karl.

the time has come, ladies.

karl lagerfield has launched his

new line at net-a-porter.

fashionistas have waited {im}patiently for this big day.

the big man behind chanel has made fashion history

with his collection of affordable, high-style fashion.

t-shirts. jeans. blazers.

pleated skirts. skin hugging pants.

black. white. metallic.

every ounce of karl oozes with edge.

and that is precisely why we love him.

kool kat karl,

you have sent the world into a fashion frenzy.

oh, how we adore you.

eat your heart out, ladies.

shop away.

{image courtesy of net-a-porter.com}

well worth it.

when i entered the doors to the worth trunk show,

i instantly knew i was meeting two ladies of perennial style.

dressed to the nines.

perfectly quaffed hair.

chanel accessories.

natural beauty. true class.

sophisticated. smart. & sassy.

i knew this was going to be good.

i was welcomed with open arms

and a room full of the most luxe clothes.

racks and racks draped with tweeds, silks, and leathers.

the same tweeds, silks, and leathers that create

the coveted pieces of chanel. prada. and the like.

every girls dream come true.

worth new york has been regarded

as a lust worthy high end designer for years.

and now they welcome

w by worth.

designed with femininity and edge.

sophistication to boot.

chic. classic. coordinating pieces.

and a bit of ease on the wallet.

pieces that will take you from ladies lunch,

to an afternoon appointment, to an evening soiree.

leaving all the other fashionistas swooning.

here is a sneak peak.

the perfect get-up for lunch on the marina.

loving the monochromatic blue ensemble.

be a show stopper in your tweed jacket.

and wide leg trousers.

this fresh coral dress

will steal the spotlight.

i love the subtle sexiness of the slit.

i see this with a straw tote,

breezing down beach drive.

i love the exposed zipper and the angular collar.

i am loving this color palette.

so chic.

this is a perfect day to night outfit.

the lines of this cropped jacket are stunning.

and there are no words for those shorts.

love. love. love.

this has my name written all over it.

the high waisted pants. the metallic blouse.

this belongs in my closet.

this dress is universally flattering.

the wide cinched sash is slimming to every waist.

a must have in your summer wardrobe.

so perfect in every single way.

love this dress.

the dropped waist line and buckle.

the trench. oh, the trench.

simple. classic. timeless.

{this may or may not be my fave}

worth new york just gets it.

they know how to appeal to all women.

all the pieces coordinate with one another,

making it fun to create your own style.

let your personality shine in these

sassy little numbers.

loving the geometric lines on this blouse.

the juicy orange pants are a must.

perfect for color blocking this spring.

this cropped sweater is darling.

be still my heart.

this dress. is. amazing.

there are no words.

you must go to the trunk show and see it.

it is effortlessly chic and timeless.

spring wedding to attend?

hosting a garden party?

do you really need an excuse to own this dress?

the color sends me over the moon.

you could do so many things with this dress.

the color combos are endless.

again, i love this look.

the structured jacket with cuffed shorts.

classy.

well, ahoy there, seafarers.

this is darling.

the billowy pants. the body skimming blouse.

maritime must-have.

you know how much i love monochromatic dons.

this. is. so. elegant.

never underestimate the power of a great trench.

these are only a handful of the goods i saw today.

you must run, don't walk, down to the trunk show.

whether you are revamping your spring and summer wardrobe,

or you just want a gorgeous statement piece.

you will not want to miss this trunk show.

renee savage is your lady.

she is there to style you pretty.

the trunk show is only here through february 2.

so get on it.

the trunk show is being held at C2 Fine Art.

400 Beach drive NE

Suite 161

email or call renee.

you will adore her.

rsavage@worthnewyork.com

727.452.8097

you will be so thrilled to see all the beauty that is worth.

make your appointment now.

it is well worth it.