Mark Your Calendars

Target - known as the place where you go in for a pack of paper towels and few groceries and leave with a new sweater, workout leggings, front door mat, coffee mug and the new seasonal flavor of Chobani. Essentially a death trap for your wallet. Well Target is about to put a another dent in your wallet with there new designer collection. This is just a fair warning. 

Most images via Refinery 29

Designer Adam Lippes was chosen for Target's next designer collection. Lippes got his start at Polo Ralph Lauren, then Oscar de la Renta, before starting his own collection ADAM + EVE in 2004, now known as ADAM. They challenged Lippes to create a whole collection using only buffalo check plaid. From Stacy's Pita Chip to ponchos and jogger pants, Target is about to be covered in plaid. The collection debuts in stores everywhere September 27th. 

My sights are set on the oversized sweaters and home goods. You can bet I'll be in line bright an early to storm the store. I was there at 7 AM for the Missoni and Phillip Lim collections and I'll be there for Lippes too. (Please look back at those Missoni and Phillip Lim links to see how embarrassing Kathleen and I are). 

Target hit the "bullseye" with this one, "check" it out. Okay that was one two many puns in one sentence. But really, you can view the whole collection here. Oh and p.s. Adam Lippes is pretty nice on the eyes, you can check him out here.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Why is it that it takes forever to make it to a long weekend then they just end so quick? Coming out of Cali vacation mode and chugging through the days to make it to the weekend, it felt like a relatively long week. Madewell and H&M's opening helped a bit. Both made their debut in Oklahoma this past week. We are slowly gaining more street cred.

By the time the weekend rolled around it was go time. Football is back, my friends were back in town and all was right in the world again. Spent the rest of the weekend grilling, swimming and wearing as much white as possible before we have to wave goodbye to summer. You were a great one summer 2k15, you're welcome back anytime.

-So in love with my egg cup breakfast from Zinc, I picked up a couple for myself before we left Newport. First meal back was breakfast for dinner to use them up. 

-Madewell finally came to Oklahoma and the grand opening was a mad house. I'm thrilled it's here but my wallet is about to suffer.

-New recipe post for my perfect overnight oats.

-Gameday ready with spirited sugar cookies!

-Best part of college football starting back up is having an excuse to reunite with sweet sweet friends.

-Midway's sandwiches = one of the things I miss most about Norman.

-I've been dying to try Half Baked Harvest's bourbon peach bbq baked beans since she posted them. They are AMAZE. Paired with skirt steak and chimichurri (by dad) and a fig and walnut salad, Sunday dinner was a home run. Mom's caramel cake was the sweet finish. 

-Somehow my Sundays always end up looking like this after weekends of indulgences...

-Lovely end to the long weekend with leftover baked beans and grilled salmon.

Annie

Low Labor Breakfast

Happy Labor Day everyone! Since it's still the weekend bites will be waiting until tomorrow. In the meantime, it was too appropriate not to share this "low labor" breakfast recipe with you on this splendid Labor Day! Some call them overnight oats, I call it sleeping in oatmeal, which I hope you all did this morning.  I didn't, but I haven't slept in a day in my life. #TeamEarlyRisers. 

I love how perfect overnight oats are for on-the-go breakfasts. Make them the night before and you get an extra 10 minutes in the morning. The mornings I have to get to work early, I don't like to eat breakfast right away. This is the perfect thing to take to work, leave in the fridge while I catch up on emails, then pull out about an hour later!

I've tried making overnight oats a handful of times and every time I wonder how any one can really enjoy them. They always turn out tasting like soggy, no flavor oatmeal. Uhh gross. Most recipes have a laundry list of ingredients like oats, milk, yogurt, a mashed banana, flax seed yadi dadi da. For yours and my enjoyment, I give you easy, perfect, flavorful overnight oats. 

I use a mixture of almond milk and water. I think this is because I typically only make oatmeal with water, but a little bit of milk is needed to get the right texture, so the combo it is. I also add in a small spoonful of almond butter to help thicken it up and make them extra creamy. I do this in my regular oatmeal and it's the ultimate addition.

Overnight Oats:
serves 1

Ingredients:
1/3 cup Purely Elizabeth original ancient grain oats
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. almond butter (optional)
splash of vanilla extract
shake of cinnamon
fruit for topping

Directions:
In an 8 oz size mason jar, combine oats, almond milk, water, almond butter, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Screw on the lid and let it sleep overnight in the fridge. The next morning, give it a good stir and top with fruit like blueberries, raspberries or sliced peaches!

I'm a big oatmeal person but I usually only eat it in cold weather months. Recently, I've been having a big oatmeal craving. I love how overnight oats are essentially the summer version of oatmeal! Thick and creamy like oatmeal, but cold and refreshing enough for summer. I guess refreshing is kind of a weird word to describe oatmeal, but they truly are so just go with it.

Annie

The Locations, The People, and The Drama Are Real

Name that reality show. Ever since middle school when I started watching LC on Laguna Beach it's been my dream to go visit the coastal town. Eight years later and mom and pop made my vacation dreams come true. We were actually in Newport Beach just north of Laguna. To my surprise I liked it even better than Laguna! 

Since the trip I've been watching Laguna Beach and Newport Harbor trying to pick up on more spots I may recognize now. Mom too! I loaded up on episodes for us to watch on the plane ride home. I may or may not have bought a shirt at Laguna Surf & Sport....come on I had to support Stephen's old place of work. If you are ever taking a trip to either, consult me. Mom, dad and I all agreed we did it just right. We were there the perfect amount of town, visited each important area, got just enough beach and pool time and hit up all the best restaurants.

Started the trip on a sweet note with donuts from Roses. Seriously amazing maple old fashioned.

The perfect fuel for our bike ride all up and down Balboa Peninsula.

Took the ferry over the harbor for some more exploring. Got a frozen banana from, a staple for any trip to Balboa apparently.

Headed back into Newport to get the tuna and salmon poke from Bear Flag Fish Co.

Spent the rest of the day by the pool with a mojito in hand!

Amazing dinner at Javier's! I'm talking lobster enchiladas!!

Morning walk at Crystal Cove to walk off all the chips and salsa.

The whole Crystal Cove beach area had this 1950's Gilligan's Island feel to it, we loved it.  

Suckered dad into a healthy breakfast after our walk. This pink smoothie was all his decision.

I got a pink breakfast too, but went with the Pitaya bowl from Nekter. Recreating asap. 

Healthy breakfast was squashed after this, but lunch at Ruby's Shake Shack on the beach was no question. 

Dinner at The Beachcomber while the sun is setting is pretty hard to beat.

And to think I'm not a beach person...

With recommendations, we found ourselves the next morning at the most perfect breakfast spot.

Zinc Cafe and Market was giving me all kinds of inspiro for the kind of place I'd love to open someday.

Our orders were delivered and I immediately pulled out my phone. My parents were very patient with my food pictures this trip.

The streets don't look like this in Oklahoma. 

Spent all Saturday popping around Laguna. Unfortunately no Kristen, Stephen or LC sightings. Dinner at 230 Forest Avenue made up for it. Those are oysters with pomegranate granita btw. 

My cioppino was just a take a bite picture waiting to happen.

Full to our necks, but gelato was a must for our last night of the trip. 

Zinc day two because I was so obsessed. Who else has always wanted to eat an egg like this? Stinking cute.

Finally one last bite of the trip at Bear Flag. A repeat restaurant stop because it was that good too. Fish tacos this time and amazing pico and chips. I got hooked on Have'A chips at home little to know they are made right here in Laguna! 

Props to mom and dad for being the best travel partners and props to southern California for stealing my heart. Good thing we all agreed we must go back next summer, oops!

Annie

Bites of My Life

California dreamin' and lovin'. I'm on a high after our trip to SoCal. For not being the biggest beach person, I think California just sold me. I had done all my research on best restaurants, things to do and even compiled a list of all the hot places the cast of Laguna Beach and Newport Harbor were spotted at. I love it, don't judge me. 

Just mom, dad and I soaking up the California sun. I'd take a vacation with my parents any day. Today is a just a peak at some of my favorite California bites, stay tuned for the full recap tomorrow. 

-Started the Cali bites off right with donuts at coffee.

-First adventure of the trip was riding bikes around Balboa Island. We heard a stop at Dad's for a frozen banana was a must...it was, even if it was 10 in the morning. 

-Spent almost every afternoon at the pool with a good book and drink in hand. This trip finally got me back into reading. 

-Morning walks on the beach were a must. 

-Convinced my parents into a healthier breakfast option on day 2. The pitaya bowl from Nekter is getting recreated asap. That and pretty much everything else I ate. 

-Put our healthy breakfast to shame with burgers and hot dogs on the beach. 

-Dinner on the beach with the best travel companions. 

-Fell in love with the cutest market and cafe I made my parents go two days in a row. 

-You don't get this kind of view on walks in Oklahoma. 

-Color crush on this whole trip. The beach, the people and the food was all full of color. 

-Literally take a bite.

-Last bite in Cali at the best fish taco spot with ulti chips and salsa. 

Annie