Weekly Favorites

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful and relaxing long holiday weekend so far! Here are my favorite posts from around the web this week:

A home tour of Jen Ramos' home from MadeByGirl on The Lifestyle Guide. Very beautiful and clean white interiors with colorful artwork made by Jen herself.

Summer essentials on The Vault Files. Casual and wear-with-all pieces.

A very inspirational message from Chiara at The Blonde Salad.

Style spotlight on Rachel Bilson at One Stylish Day At A Time. 

A peek into Diane von Furstenberg's colorful NYC apartment on Brunch at Saks. 

A pretty pastel outfit at Atlantic-Pacific.

Perfect accessories for the summer at The Daily Crush.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

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To Paris

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A Seahorse

I have been itching for a new iPhone case and came across this lovely little Tory Burch number from Nordstrom. I can't imagine anything more perfect, colorful, or festive for summer. I'm not usually a fan of having animals on my clothes/shoes/accessories, but this vibrant seahorse certainly bypasses that concession.

Find it here!

A Hint of Leopard Part 2

As promised, here is part two featuring belts and shoes! I will be the first to raise my hand and say that I obsessively watch the Kardashians. All three (or however many they have nowadays) shows, tirelessly. But I can only get so much of their high-end meets Jersey shore animal print fashion strategies. Take a cue from these pictures, and add a spot of leopard to jazz up an outfit, colorful or not. It many ways, it's considered a neutral, so don't be timid! It's very possible for animal print to be refreshing.

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A Sunny Day

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More Macarons

After being semi-successful on my first venture making macarons, my sister and I decided to make another foray into the expansive and complicated field of French macarons. With this recipe by Annie's Eats in tow, an appetizing combination of hazelnut macarons with Nutella filling, we quickly made our way to the kitchen.

Disaster struck rather early into the process. In fact, the oven hadn't even been turned on yet. While pulsing the nuts in the food processor, I noticed that the almond/hazelnut flour was clumping up. Due to freezing the nuts, they were attracting moisture and forming into little pellets. I decided to put the mixture through the sieve, and while some dry flour made it through, most of it stayed clumped up in the sieve. My sister likened it to cleaning the litter box (ummm, ew). Thus, the process was further delayed while I set out the moist mixture in a flat glass bowl to dry out.

Finally, we got the mixture to be even, and it was relatively smooth sailing from there on out. We made the shells broader and thinner, and let them sit out for a whole two hours. I think that's what made all the difference. A firm coat was able to form on the shells, which allowed for feet to form. Yes, they had feet! I've never been so proud.

Let's compare the two batches.

Needless to say I'm rather embarrassed of my first attempt. I'm so glad I was able to redeem myself. Lesson learned: broader and thinner shells, and DO NOT pulse the nuts while still frozen. Recipe for disaster. And almond flour dust everywhere. 

Maybe next time will offer an even more varied flavor profile? I'm thinking something with fruit. 

For You

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Silk Blouse

Never, under any circumstance, underestimate the power of a silk blouse. Perfect for all seasons and with any type of shorts, pants, or skirt, it is the essential wardrobe basic to build upon and create a fabulous outfit. Pile on the necklaces, wear a statement piece, or throw on a scarf to complete a marvelous and put-together top look.

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From the Stores:

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A Hint of Leopard Part 1

I can't handle it in Kardashian proportions, but sometimes, a little spot of leopard is a good thing. Especially when it comes to accessorizing. It seems to have become the perfect neutral companion for those who need a neutral don't want to appear boring. Wearing nautical stripes? A neon blouse? Mint pants? Add a little leopard.

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Look for part two tomorrow: belts and shoes!

A Reminder...

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Pardon us...

The Corner Apartment will be undergoing a few cosmetic changes in the next few days! Content will still be available as well as new posts, but please bear with me if there are any sudden hiccups!

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A Macaron Mishap

Yesterday afternoon I took it upon myself to make my first batch of French macarons. I've always heard about how difficult the technique is to achieve, and I must say that I agree with that sentiment. They turned out delicious, but not at all in the right shape. My almond cookie flavored macarons with white chocolate vanilla ganache resembled a dirty snowball more than anything else.

The macaron shells were too small and fat, while the ganache was entirely too thin and ran completely out of each miniature sandwich. We ended up taking the shells apart and just dipping them in the leftover ganache (shhh, don't tell). Still, my family ate them all up, and the batch of about 34 mini macarons is nearly gone. Sweets are a treasured (yet still probably all too common) treat around here. 

I used Epicurean Mom's recipe (here), and must have done something completely off. Hers look absolutely stunning! And I know it's not just from that nice little snowflake adornment. Most of my mistakes were probably in the dispensing of the batter from the (handmade) pastry bag. 

Despite my disappointment with their un-glorified appearance, I plan on doing a little bit of studying up on technique to try my hand again at macaron-making in the future. They are so light, so delicious, perfect for so many occasions, and I love how there are so many fun and interesting flavor profiles out there to make and to try. 

So tell me. Is there something I missed? Have you ever made macarons from scratch before?

Monogram Madness

Who doesn't like a nice monogram? Half for the sake of personalization, the other for the sake of being preppy, it's hard to stay away from these shiny initialed baubles. Whatever your fancy, these glossy ornaments can perfectly compliment any outfit on any occasion. Quite the lustrous staple.

Top:
Tortoise Cuff
Gold Monogram Necklace
Magnolia Raised Charm
Block Monogram Earrings

Middle:
Signet Ring
Monogram Bracelet
Script Monogram Earrings
Slim Signet
Turquoise Enamel Pendant

Bottom:
Monogram Disc Necklace
Acrylic Monogram Necklace
Silver Monogram Earrings
Monogram Chain Bracelet

Sparkling

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Etsy: Decor Favorites

I'm a huge fan of Etsy. I love browsing through jewelry and home decor, but sometimes it seems like searching for a needle in a haystack. Aesthetically pleasing and quality items seem to be the minority. Often I feel like I'm looking through an online flea market, which is essentially what Etsy is. While the thrill of the hunt is fun, it does seem to get monotonous, so I've decided to create a little collection of my favorite home decor items. I'm in the process of coming up with ideas to decorate my bedroom in my new apartment next year, and am confident that at least a few of these items will end up in my room. Hope you enjoy!

1//Tissue Tassel Garland- Electric Love//The Flair Exchange

2//Ooh La La Pillow//Alexandra Ferguson

3//Modern Stripe Bottle Vase//Dahlhaus

4//Kirie Clock//Decoy Lab

5//Large Lucite Serving Tray//Tilly Maison

6//Wooden Makeup Organizer//Less & More

7//Love Candy Print- Gold//MadeByGirl by Jen Ramos

8//Love Letters//Twisted Twig

9//Salt & Pepper Jars//Paulova Ceramics

10//Vintage Brass Giraffe//Pine and Main

Classical Reverie

I was planning on doing a little feature on Penguin's Clothbound Classics, of which I have three of and am absolutely in love with. Their bright candy color illustrations are enough to make any girl who remotely likes a good ol' classic giddy with excitement. I do like my Kindle very much (and its Kate Spade cover just the same), but have a special place in my heart for beautifully-bound classics.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw these. I cannot believe I've never come across these before! Artist Jillian Tamaki spent months designing the three covers, and with perfect technique. While the actual books themselves are not embroidered (hence the $16 price tag), they do have sculptural embossing. Very beautiful handiwork, indeed.

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Something to Remember

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For the Love of Mint!

Due to finals and moving back home to Texas, blogging has been rather far down on my list of things to do. Fortunately, I have an embarrassingly wide-open summer, and plan on being much more focused on The Corner Apartment. Expect new features, design, and whatever else comes to mind.

The newest feature, as you can see below, is called "For the love of..." and will include mostly trends and looks. A step up from A Weekend Outfit, I suppose.

It's clear that a mint trend has appeared for this spring and summer. And while it initially evokes in me a memory of a very bad minty-hued tiled bathroom in an old house I used to live in, a second thought is that provides a breath of fresh air to dull basics (khaki, white, black) while pairing well with almost any other color.

Sources, clockwise from top left:

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Of course, my personal favorite is the Rebecca Minkoff Mini 5 Zip Clutch (#3). There are a number of other bright candy-colored versions, but the unique mint hue is my overwhelming favorite. The Equipment shirt, too is another favorite. But who isn't in love with every Equipment shirt they lay eyes on? I will always believe in silk blouses.

A Release

Now Playing: La Mar by The Beautiful Girls

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Classically Inclined

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Making a Marc

There is almost no way you can go wrong with anything that's Marc by Marc Jacobs. To do a little follow-up of last week's arm stacking inspiration, here are some excellent picks to add a little something special to your ever-growing stack.

From L to R, top to bottom
1. Katie Turnlock Bracelet, Bloomingdales
2. Enamel Turnlock Katie Bracelet, Bloomingdales
3. Exploded Katie Bracelet, Net-A-Porter
4. Link Bracelet, Far Fetch
5. Hinge Bangle, My Theresa
6. Red/Lilac Gold Bracelet, StyleBop
7. Katie Acrylic Bracelet, Cusp by NM

Stretch & Relax

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Reading

I'm sure I'm not the first to admit that my list of books to read is ever-growing. Unfortunately, most of my time reading is spent in the library with a hefty textbook as opposed to being cozied up with hot tea and my Kindle. Fortunately, summer for me is a little over two weeks away, and I already have a little lineup waiting for me on my Kindle the moment finals are over. A couple classics, a bit of art, Paris, and grammar. Sounds just about right.

1. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

2. The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English by Roy Peter Clark

3. Confessions of an Art Addict by Peggy Guggenheim

4. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

5. Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard

6. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson 

Stackable

For those of you working toward the perfect arm stack, take cue from pros Blair Eadie of Atlantic-Pacific and Helena at Brooklyn Blonde, who always manage to create a clever mix of their ever expanding and covetable bracelet collection.

Top row: Atlantic-Pacific; Brooklyn Blonde; Atlantic-Pacific

Middle row: Atlantic-Pacific; Brooklyn Blonde; Atlantic-Pacific

Bottom row: Atlantic-Pacific; Atlantic-Pacific; Brooklyn Blonde

Striped Interiors

There's something decidedly sophisticated and chic about adding bold black and white stripes to a room. Whether it be on the walls or on the floor, in the kitchen, living room, or bathroom, stripes have a way of adding extra dimension and personality to the room quite unlike anything else.

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Noteworthy

Timeless, classic, graceful, elegant, sophisticated. Each of these notable women, in their own way, paved the history of style and etiquette, tailored it to their own preferences, and created a popular legacy sought out still today by women all over the globe.

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By the Spoonful

It's no secret that I love hot tea and the occasional cup of coffee. Thus, I always like to keep my eye out for new teacups and saucers that might add to my eclectic collection. Though I've never considered the teaspoon, until now, anything but a regular old spoon from the cutlery drawer. Now, I'm not sure I can continue my tea time ritual without at least a set of these beautiful teaspoons.

The first set is from Anthropologie, and comes in lime and khaki colors as well. The other collection is from Leif Shop, which has plenty of other covetable and colorful housewares. Blogger Joy Cho from oh joy! handpicked the colors for this limited edition collection. I know I'm definitely going to order one of the two (or even both!) one of these days. Happy stirring!