Joys of Spring.

 [Spending weekends in San Clemente, admiring the amazing beauty of the sun setting behind Catalina Island]

It’s been a little while! I have missed you guys. Things have been pretty busy these past few weeks… work, meetings, pursuits, etc. But what a lovely few weeks they have been. I have certainly been taking the time to soak it all in and enjoy the beauty of Spring. Here are some of the things that put a smile on my face.

Live in Love, 

Monika

                       [The beautiful flowers that have just bloomed outside of my apartment]

            [The delicious goat cheese omelette that my husband so lovingly prepared for me]

                       [Spending time soaking up the sun and admiring the vastness of the ocean] 

                                    [Bright & yummy clementines that I could eat by the dozen]

                                   [My super cute date at the wonderful Toast Bakery Cafe in West Hollywood]

                     [Friends who invite us over for Dessert Parties. They know the way to my heart!] 

                     [And lots and lots of Hiking. It rejuvenates my soul and lifts my spirits.] 

Chocolate Dessert Cups

These cute chocolate dessert cups are the perfect bite size treat to follow any meal. You can really experiment with them too, which is always fun. I made two different kinds: the first one I filled with sliced strawberries and topped with whipped cream, a strawberry slice, and garnished with chocolate. The next one I filled with cheesecake filling, and topped with either a strawberry or chocolate garnish. The end result is not only cute, but also absolutely delish. See below for the how-to.

Basic Ingredients/Instructions:

For the strawberry cups, you will need chocolate candy melts. I used light cocoa and dark cocoa. You will also need the ‘cup’ candy molds (candy molds are awesome!)… you can find these items at your local Michael’s or Jo-Ann’s store. You will also need strawberries, whip cream, and a fine grater (if you want to garnish the dessert). 

Make the chocolate cups following the instructions on the back of the package. Once they are ready just fill with the sliced strawberries, top with the whip cream, a strawberry slice (because it looks pretty!), and then garnish with chocolate. {Just take one of the chocolate morsels and grate with your fine grater, over the cups}.

To make the cheesecake filled cups, you will need to make a cheesecake. I just whipped up a quick one using Jello’s no-bake cheesecake mix. Once it was finished I just scooped the cheesecake (including some of the yummy crust) into the cups. I also decided to top with some pieces of heath that I had on hand, but that is up to you. Have fun with it!

Ours.

Since our recent move to California, many people have been asking to see some pictures of our new place. I was hesitant to post because it is still a work in progress, but I decided to just show you where we are at with the process. We still need to add more color and also need more wall art… but all in due time. We love California though and we are loving our new place. It’s certainly not much, but it’s ours.

♥,

Monika

                                                             [awesome bookshelf tips, here]

                                 [We replaced the hardware on the cabinets for a more updated look]

[Some friends of ours gave us this great iron frame bed. We sanded it down and repainted it a dark walnut color]

[We replaced the medicine cabinet/mirror in the bathroom with this one that we found marked down from $150 to $20. We just cleaned it up a bit and painted it black to match the bathroom tile]

[This cabinet was also given to us by some friends. We just took off the cracked travertine top that was on it, sanded it down, painted it, and replaced the hardware]

Skillet Beef & Potatoes

This classic meal is a simple & delicious meal to whip up on a weeknight. We eat a lot of chicken dishes, so this is a great alternative. You can find a similar recipe here… I served it with a salad and some warm bread. Overall, it was a very comforting meal for a dreary day.

Crush

                                              [Top: H&M, Shorts: Forever 21, Shoes: Steve Madden}

  I finally got my closet organized after a few weeks of moving craziness. While doing so, I came across these shorts that I purchased about a month ago and never got the chance to wear. Friday night provided the perfect opportunity, and I was excited to get a little dressed up after days of working around the apartment. 

Hope your week is off to a great start. ♥