olivia

Lifestyle

olivia October 29, 2015 at 9:09 pm 0

I am finally able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It has been a crazy past couple weeks but I am happy to report we are coming out on the other side. Its all starting to come together and actually feels like a home instead of a hollow box.

Eric had to go out of town for a family wedding last week, he wouldn’t have missed it and I wouldn’t have wanted him to. However, I am beyond grateful to my mom for flying out to help me with Vivienne and keeping my sanity amongst the chaos. Honestly, although it was a hectic 3 days for Eric traveling, I think it was good for him to get a break and not think about the house. He was able to visit with family and regroup before coming home to more renovations.

He has busted his butt literally all week. He works all day and then after works he starts on the projects around the house he needs to get done. First and foremost I wanted him to complete the living room and kitchen so we can have some normalcy back in our lives. We have been having take out for the past 3 weeks, and I beyond over it.

In this short week, he was able to complete the flooring in both the kitchen and living room. Cabinets are pretty much done, there just needs to be some touch ups here and there. Overall, they are ready for me to start putting things away. Appliances are being delivered on Saturday morning, and countertops will be delivered this weekend or Monday, Tuesday. Eric says he wants to have the bottom level of the house completely floored and trim sprayed so he can put it all back on during the week.

We were able to take a break yesterday and go to the pumpkin patch to have some family fun. It was just what we needed. I won’t even start on how bummed I am that I haven’t been able to watch Hocus Pocus whilst eating some freshly baked pumpkin something. There is always next year, and don’t think I won’t sneak all that in after Halloween!

I plan to get Vivi's room set up this weekend, so we can go back to our normal routines with her. Tonight, we will bring in the living room furniture and hopefully after Vivi has gone to bed be able to sit for a few minutes and enjoy some wine.

When we came into this project, we said all along we just wanted to get the bottom level completed and slowly work on the upstairs. The only things we have done to the upstairs so far are new carpet in 2 bedrooms and stairs. The master bedroom and hallway are getting wood floors. The laundry room appliances are installed and we went with a white marble tile in there. I wanted it to very clean and fresh.

Next, is getting into all the details of decorating and really bringing this whole vision together. Wish us luck and I will be back in couple days for more updates!

Lifestyle

Tear down, build back up and the “in between”

olivia October 19, 2015 at 6:10 am 0

It has been very overwhelming over here in so many different ways. Two days ago I started having minor panic attacks because it felt like nothing was getting completed. I am very much a person who needs to complete a checklist before moving on to the next project. Well, during a renovation, that is just not possible. You have to have different projects going at the same time knowing it will come together in the end.

I am a mom though and trying to go about our daily life while this is all going on is a little “cray cray”! I thought I had moved past the panic attack from a couple days ago but today it was in full swing. It just seemed like I couldn’t get a break today. I had to take 5 min to myself and just breathe.

When I came back from my “little” breakdown. I realized we are “in between” things really coming together. You have to tear everything down before you can build it back up and the part in between well that is what we are dealing with right now.

Eric’s goal for this weekend was to get the kitchen completely ready for the cabinet refinishers to come and spray. He pulled off old existing wood that was under the old counter, built a shelf for wine above where the refriegerator is going to go, and ripped out the old backsplash, among many other tedious things. When he was ripping out the backsplash he realized he would have to rip out the drywall too and just replace it. It ended up being a blessing in disguise though because he was able to find a water line so we could put in the pot filler we wanted above the stove. Mama was excited about that!

So much other headway was made today and I can finally see everything coming together! Laundry room tile was layed and washer and dryer installed. Kitchen is now prepared for countertops that should arrive within the next week or so.

In order for you guys to picture the kitchen here is what we are going with:
-white subway tiles with a light grey grout for backsplash
-white carrara marble countertops
-white cabinets with oil rubbed bronze pulls, the island will be black with brass pulls
-farmhouse sink
-polished chrome country kitchen faucet

To see it all finally come together is going to be amazing!

We will be making a lot of progess next week, carpet will be installed and cabinets done. Wood floors will also start to go down. Can I just say that my husband is amazing and I love him for everything he does for this family. He was only able to take off a couple days for the move and some of the tear out, the rest he has done after he gets off work each night. I have to also give a huge THANK YOU to my brother as well for flying out here and helping us out the past couple weeks, there is no way this all could of gotten done without him.

Lifestyle

To Marble or not to Marble…that was the question?

olivia October 12, 2015 at 10:34 pm 1

I can honestly say I have been going over the details of this house from the moment we put in an offer. I would stay up each night not able to sleep thinking about faucets, countertops, hardware, flooring and everything else you could imagine!

Its so exciting to see our vision happening before our eyes. Our previous house I would say was “Industrial French Country”…lots of reclaimed wood, iron accents, edison bulbs, greys.

This was previous house:

I feel like that was all before having a family, that was us before baby, and now we want everything to be cozy and functional!
Today, we went and picked out our slab of marble for the countertops. We have gone with a white Carrara Marble countertop, and white subway tiles with light grey grout as the backsplash. We kept going back and forth with whether to do quartzite, or marble, but in the end we fell in love with the marble.

We are making sure to have it sealed so that it doesnt stain and honestly if a mishap happens, we will just buff it out and reseal. Life is about so much more, then "crying over spilled milk”, or in that case “stained marble”!

This whole process of moving and packing/renovating is stressful but little blessings pop up here and there reminding me what life is all about. For instance today, Vivi was wanting to run all around the marble place, getting bored because lets face it to a baby there is nothing fun about picking out Marble slabs. However, for the first time instead of calling me “Mama”, out of nowhere she called me “Mommy”. So, all today it has been “Mommy” this and “Mommy” that! Talk about melting my heart, and in those moments all is right!

Lifestyle

Renovations, Schmenovations

olivia October 12, 2015 at 5:15 am 2

We are on "Day 3" of renovations to our new house and to say the house is tore up is an understatement. Am I crazy you ask, to do this with a toddler? Maybe. But will it all be worth it in the end? I hope so!

Let me start out by saying that everything all happened so fast! We found a house we loved, we walked in and we knew we were home. We listed our house immediately, and we sold in 11 days! Everything has gone so seamlessly as if it all were supposed to happen this way.

The craziest part was when we were living in LA a few years ago while we were in escrow on our previous house, I had a dream. I remember it vividly. I remember it was a lazy Sunday and my husband and I were laying in bed and our kids were running around playing. I felt such happiness from this dream. I remember waking up and thinking that bedroom looked nothing like the bedroom in the house we were buying…... Flash forward to 2015, our new bedroom is “THAT” bedroom. Its like the mothership was calling us home or in this case a “ spanish style” ship which is actually a house and for perks it has a built in BBQ and a jacuzzi! (Score!)

We knew buying this house all the changes we wanted to make. My husband has a construction background and he grew up building houses with his dad. To him this is something he has done a million times ,but to me, this is my first time being able to do exactly what we want to a house. It has been so much fun picking everything out and being able to start from scratch making it all our own. As well as being completely overwhelming….Did I mention I have an 18 mos. old that is already entering her “terrible” two’s?!!!

When we were looking at houses a few things I knew I wanted were:

-tons of windows for natural light

-Nice open floorplan that would be great for entertaining

-Fireplace, Driveway and Yard ( so my daughter could have a place to play while I was making dinner)

-Formal dining room to host Holidays

-all bedrooms on upper level so we could be close to our babies

….and last but not least

-a kitchen with solid wood shaker style cabinets that could be refinished and plenty of room to cook

My husband warned me that doing these changes to a house is a lot of work and in the beginning it will look crazy but you have to realize it will all come together. Well, right now we are in the “crazy” stage!

We have ripped out the floors, fireplace mantle and built in. We have torn out old appliances and next is counters and back splash. On the positive side the painters have finished today, and all of the tile on the first floor is ripped out! On the negative side the house is not liveable but guess what we have to move in 2 days. We were lucky enough to be able to do a rent back for 15 days so we could have a few days of overlap while we were doing the initial tear out. Well, those 15 days are gonna up on Tuesday!…AHHHHH!

We have so much work ahead of us but please follow me along this journey. It will definitely be crazy, and it will definitely be fun.

Food

Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken with Vegan Pesto Cream Sauce

olivia September 22, 2015 at 4:44 am 0

Sometimes I get in a dinner rut where I feel like I am always making the same thing and need to branch out and use my imagination. Insert “Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken with Vegan Pesto Cream Sauce” and I am back in business! I decided to serve this over a bed of sauteed spinach but you could easily put this over pasta, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes literally the list in endless. If I am being honest, you could literally put the Pesto Cream sauce on anything and it would taste delicious. Ingredients: 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts 4 slices on prosciutto 6 sun dried tomatoes (prefer the ones packed in oil) 1/2 cup of shredded cheese ( I used Daiya vegan Pepper Jack) 1/4 cup spinach leaves 2 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste Ingredients for Pesto: 8-10 fresh basil leaves 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast 3 garlic cloves 1/2 cup olive oil, you can add more if you need to thin out pesto if needed salt and pepper to taste Ingredients for Vegan Pesto Cream Sauce: 1/2 cup white mushrooms, sliced 3/4 cup chicken broth 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk 1/4 cup shredded vegan pepper jack cheese pesto from above recipe Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put 1 Tbsp of olive oil in bottom of baking dish set aside. 2. Butterfly chicken breasts so that it will lay open. Place 2 prosciutto slices, 3 sundried tomatoes, and divide shredded cheese and spinach up evenly for each chicken breast. Salt and pepper to taste. 3. Place chicken in oiled baking dish and sprinkle 1 Tbsp olive oil on top of chicken. Put in oven and bake for 1 hr or until chicken is completely cooked through. When the chicken is almost done you can start your sauce. 4. Put ingredients for pesto into a food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined. Set aside. 5. Put 1 Tbsp Olive oil into pan and add mushrooms. Cook over medium heat till soft. Add in chicken broth, shredded cheese, coconut milk and pesto. Simmer for 10 -15 min. 6. Set chicken on plate and drizzle sauce on top and Voila!

Food

Best Ever Jambalaya

olivia July 16, 2015 at 5:02 am 0

Let me start off by saying I have tried many different versions of Jambalaya. It is one of my favorite dishes to make but it really has been a learning process along the way. Things I have learned…DO NOT put rice into broth, it gets so mushy and if you need to reheat the next day there is barely any broth because the rice has soaked it all up….Second, Shrimp does not reheat well, so if desired saute some Shrimp on the side and add as a garnish on top. Thirdly, I have tried versions that were maybe delicious to me but had way to many herbs and heat to be able to feed my daughter. This recipe is absolutely perfect and the flavor is out of control. Ingredients: 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 lb Smoked Turkey Kielbasa, sliced 1 lb smoked ham, cubed 1 large onion, diced 2 celery stalks, diced 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced 1 orange bell pepper, cored and diced 1 large tomato, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp dried oregano 1 tsp fresh thyme 2 Tbsp tomato paste 6 cups Chicken Stock 3 bay leaves Salt and Pepper to taste Directions: 1. Heat the 1 Tbsp Olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add kielbasa and ham and saute for 8 min, until lightly browned. Remove the kielbasa and ham from pan and set aside. Add rest of olive oil, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. 2. Add the tomato, garlic, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste, cook for 4-5 minutes. Add in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. 3. Add back in the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 min. 4. Serve over quinoa or rice of your choice. Optional: If you would like to give it more heat add 1 jalapeño pepper and saute with vegetables.

Fashion

A few of my favorite things….

olivia July 9, 2015 at 11:42 pm 0

1. Isabel Marant "Lance" Boots - I love a black boot that is classic and has a little something else going on at the same time. The heel height is perfect as well, because I dont know about you but I need to be able to walk when I go out. Isabel Marant is one of my favorite labels, the woman is a genius. Her collections are always on point and make me yearn for a reason to wear them.

2. Le Labo "Santal 33" - I think it’s fun to have a signature scent, and this one is amazing. They have two locations here in Calfornia, Venice and West Hollywood. As soon as you walk in you can tell this place is rad and on top of that you get to watch them make a customized bottle just for you. Santal 33 is my go to, it’s masculine and feminine at the same time. With Cardamom, Iris, Violet, Australian Sandalwood and Cedarwood, it all comes together to give you the most amazing thing you’ve ever smelled. It is a little pricey but totally worth it!

3. Rag and Bone "Dre” Jeans - I am a Rag and Bone freak. I love everything in that store and I have way too much of it in my closet. Almost all of my jeans are Rag and Bone because they absolutely fit my body the best. Their washes are amazing and you can tell there is quality in each pair. I am obsessed with a certain fit in particular.. the “Dre”. It is a perfect blend of skinny jeans meets boyfriend jean. You can dress them up or dress them down but either way do yourself a favor and check them out, you won’t be sorry!

4. James Perse "V-Neck” T-shirt - Everyone is always looking for that perfect t-shirt. One that is flattering and comfortable all at the same time. Well, James Perse has perfected that and it comes in the softest Supima cotton you will ever put on your body.

5. Cosabella "Dolce" Bra - I love these bras! I have been on the lookout for a long time trying to find a bra that won’t fall apart, is sexy yet not over the top and that will make me feel like I got a sexy little secret. They come in a ton of colors and if you do your research you can find them at a great deal.

6. Longines "La Grande Classique"Watch - I got my watch for my first mothers day. It is super special to me because of that and I will never forget when I got it. It is so classy and sophisticated, you just feel good putting it on. Longines has been around since 1832, the company has built their following on creating a timeless, elegant watch that puts focus on all the details that make a great watch.

7. Essie nailpolish "Wicked”- This is my go to color! It is a deep warm red that flatters most skin tones. When I am getting ready to go out nail polish makes me feel complete, and if I have a fresh manicure all the better!

8. Nars "Cruella" Lip Pencil - I dont really have time to put on eyeshadow or eyeliner or much more than the basics when I am going out. I always however have time to put on my red lipstick. The worst part about red liptick is it usually ends up on your teeth, the BEST part of this lipstick in particular is it never ends up on my teeth. It has incredible staying power and actually lasts!

9. Dr. Alkaitis "Organic Nourishing Oil" - This is by far my secret weapon, the one thing I will not go anywhere without and if they stop making it I would be lost. First, of all this whole line of skin care is Holistic, Organic and simply amazing. I literally apply this once in the morning and once at night and I used to put this all over my stomach when I was pregnant. I am happy to report back I dont have a single stretch mark, call it genetics or call it the work of Dr. Alkaitis. You be the judge!

Food

Homemade Graham Crackers

olivia July 4, 2015 at 9:23 pm 0

There is nothing that says “Summer” like a bonfire and roasting S’mores! That ooey gooeyness that is melty marshmellows and chocolate. Its hard to find a graham cracker that doesnt have something questionable in it, but this graham cracker recipe is delicious and makes the whole house smell like Sunday morning. The best part is it’s only 4 ingredients and you can feel good about giving it to your kiddos. Also, try having some fun with it and try a peanut butter cup instead of a chocolate bar, or if you are feeling really crazy drizzle some delicious caramel in there! I am not saying it will be the best thing you ever had but I am saying it will be THE best thing you ever had!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour

1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder

1/4 tsp himalayan sea salt

2 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Combine blanced almond flour, arrowroot powder, himalayan sea salt and maple syrup in a food precessor. Pulse until completely combined.

2. Put dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll out until 1/4 inch thick.
Note- I rolled out the dough and took a butter knife to cut the shape, then I used a chopstick to make the holes.

3. Bake at 350˚ for 8-10 minutes.

4. Cool then enjoy!

Food

Sweet potato salad

olivia April 30, 2015 at 12:52 am 1

Sweet potato salad is my newest obsession! If you are tired of your routine potato salad you have to give this a try! It is literally the best of both worlds and is such a great addition to your summer cookout!!!

Ingredients:

4 large sweet potatoes (cut into 1 in pieces)

2 Tbsp capers

1 Tbsp parsley

1 -1 1/2 cups paleo mayo depending on how coated you want it

2 green onions chopped

1 Tbsp chives

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast potatoes for 20 min or until tender. Let cool for 5 min.

2. Transfer potatoes into a bowl and add in capers, parsley, mayo, green onions, chives and salt and pepper.

3. Serve a little warm or put in refrigerator for 1 hr to serve chilled.

Food

Turkey Bacon Pesto soup

olivia April 16, 2015 at 4:27 am 0

If you never have made anything I have posted let this soup be your first! It was a party in my mouth and all these different flavors were invited! I felt pretty proud of myself and it inspires me to come up with different dishes and really switch up our rotation of recipes!

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken stock

1 pkg turkey bacon (sliced into 1/4 in)

1/3 cup sundried tomato pesto or any pesto will do (recipe for sundried tomato pesto... See below)

1 can white beans

1/2 bunch of kale

1 can diced tomatoes

2 garlic cloves diced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add bacon to pot and cook on medium heat till browned, add in garlic and sauté for 2-3 min.

2. Add in the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, and sundried tomato pesto, bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 min.

3. Add in beans and kale and simmer another 15 min.

4. Serve by itself or with a crostini.

Sundried Tomato pesto:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes

3/4 cup olive oil

8-9 basil leaves

2 garlic cloves

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper to taste

Throw into food processor and pulse till combined thoroughly... Now this is something I make all the time and don't really measure out ingredients so it's a rough estimate of how much I use of everything.

My Quirky Life

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