What's Between Chloe & Miu Miu?

Sunglasses- Chloe, Sweater- Calvin Klein, Necklace- Gifted, Claw
Cuffs- Gifted, Bag- Michael Kors, Denim- Alloy, Shoes- Miu Miu

      Between my Chloe sun shades and my orange Miu Miu pumps I also have on a pair of gold claw cuffs that I received as a holiday present from my boyfriend. Originally he had only purchased one, but when he thought the order didn't process online he ordered another, just in case. I'm glad I ended up with two because these animalistic cuffs look great as a pair! 

Do you prefer to wear cuff 

bracelets alone or in a pair?

Yours,

Nico


PS: All photos were shot by Shahin of www.TheJukeboxGallery.net

Baked Mini Donuts:

       I live across the street from a donut shop and I regularly wake up at 2am with the aroma of fresh deep fried deliciousness wafting into my bedroom. Since I am an indulgent person.... I often find the allure of a donut hard to resist. But let's be serious, the calorie intake can be a bit intense. This is when I decided to whip of a batch of mini donuts! They are baked rather than fried and their small size makes it okay to eat more than one! 

Magic Ingredients:

(for the donuts)

-2 eggs

-2 cups flour

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 tsp vanilla

-1 tsp baking powder

-4 tablespoons greek yogurt

-4 tablespoons corn syrup

-1/2 cup milk

(for the ganache)

-2 ounces semi sweet chocolate

-1/2 cup heavy cream

Let's get started!

1: Mix all of the donut ingredients together in a standard mixer until incorporated. I did not mix this batter any particular way, just kind of dumped everything in, it was that easy. 

2: Grease a mini donut pan (I just discovered this baking spray and love it) and fill with the batter. For this step, it helps to place the batter into a zip bag, cut the tip off with clean scissors, and pipe the donuts. 

3: Bake in a 325 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the donuts turn golden. Let them sit in the pan for 3 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

4: While the donuts are cooling off, make the ganache. Heat the cream in the microwave in 30 second intervals until its just about to boil but is not burnt. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and stir together until melted.

5: Dip the plain cake donuts into the ganache. If you want to add sprinkles or decoration, now would be the time to do so, while the ganache is still melted. 

6: Let chill in the fridge until ganache has hardened. Remove from the fridge 5 minutes before serving to defrost a bit. 

I'm sure these baked mini donuts 

will satisfy all of your sugar cravings!

Yours,

Nico

Things that make me smile, what numbers to dial:

Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

      Just a few things that make me smile lately (One of them being the Biggie Smalls lyric that I used as the title for this post!). It can be hard sometimes, to really stop and appreciate why life is just so sweet. Today I took a couple moments to reconfirm myself to this poem's ideals and to never forget how fleeting life is. And while these may seem like silly simple things to get excited over, I really believe that life's small gems are what we should be focusing our attention on: 

delicate and refreshing cucumber ice cubes

The "Nico" sweater (more info here)

Champagne flight at Vino Prima (only $12!)

Short rib pasta with cream sauce. 

Weaving friendship bracelets

Trying on wigs before a photo shoot.
(More on that later...)

Icing cookies while listening to music 
featured on TheJukeBoxGallery

New kicks

Yours,

Nico

Hair Today, Gone tomorrow:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

      If you didn't notice, I haven't posted one of my daily outfits for quite some time. Don't worry, I have a legit excuse! I had some intense dental work done earlier this month and I have been very swollen so my mug shot hasn't been looking that amazing as of late. Not to mention I hadn't dyed my hair in potentially three months and the 2 inches of black outgrowth looked pretty unsightly on me. However, I recently visited my talented hair dresser for a dye job. On this particular visit I got what I may always refer to as "the best hair cut of my life." She added a cool ashy blonde to the top layers of my hair creating an ombre effect. A hair dying technique that allows the hair to fade from a dark root to a bright and light shade at the ends. I couldn't be happier with the results and something tells me that when my dark hair starts to grow in, this color and style will look even more fantastic! You may also notice that my hair grew quite a bit longer. Confession time, I wear extensions! I have worn extensions even before I started this blog and hopefully you hadn't noticed! Katie, my hairdresser, always does a fantastic job of keeping my hair healthy, maintained, and above all, beautiful. She is extremely professional and my personal favorite hair dresser. I've never met anyone so talented with hair coloring, cutting, and styling. Normally I have severe anxiety when I'm in that salon chair, but not with Katie, she always ensures that I look my best! Katie works at Rage hair salon in Campbell, California. You can reach her by calling her directly at (408)316-9770 or by calling Rage salon at (408)866-4247. 

Yours,

Nico

Style Feature: Rheannia Harris-Grilli

      Some friends come and go, while others will always be there for constant laughs, support, and (with some luck) fashion advice. Rhe is one of those genuine life long friends who always offers the best tips and tricks when it comes to fashion and style. I've know Rhe well over ten years, so believe me when I say her look is always evolving yet always impeccable:  

Nico: What first sparked your interest in fashion?
Rhe: I have been interested in fashion as long as I can remember. I have always read fashion magazines but it wasn't until my freshmen year of high school when I was asked to be a house manager for a play that I let my love for fashion show. Since then I have experimented with tons of looks and styles over the years

Nico: What are your fashion aspirations?
Rhe: I feel like I could be happy doing just about anything
in fashion. My goals are to become a stylist, own my own
store, and to work for a fashion magazine. I have also been
thinking about designing. 

Nico: Let us in on your best shopping secrets?
Rhe: Don't buy anything that is a tad bit too small,
always go with your instincts, and wear clothing that
makes you feel amazing!

Nico: Every woman should own....?
Rhe: A pair of black heels. 

Nico: When in doubt wear....?
Rhe: A dress, they are easy to accessorize and
can create an amazing look when you are on the go.

      Rhe also is the creative mind behind her fabulous fashion blog "RheStyle" which you can view by clicking here.






Yours,
Nico

Tattoos & Art by Pepe Nunez:

      Pepe Nunez is one of the most talented artists I know in real life. Whether he is drawing caricatures at the Santa Cruz beach boardwalk, inking skin, or drawing a masterpiece in 5 minutes (or less) he always adds a  touch of his own unique flair. I must admit, Pepe is one of my more eccentric friends (his dog skeleton halloween makeup reinforces this notion) but I think his individuality is what helps him create such amazing art! Here are a few of my favorite pieces by "Pepellini" Nunez a local Santa Cruz artist:

      If you are interested in commissioning Pepe for an art project, you can find him on facebook by clicking here. He also works at Strong Tattoo in San Jose which is located on 11561 Berryessa Road, 95133. You can reach the tattoo parlor by calling (408) 453-4545 or click their web page for more info!

Yours,

Nico

Peanut Butter Cups:

       The weather here in Santa Cruz, California has been dreary at best. Over cast skies, angry ocean waves, and heavy rains have all tried to dampen my mood. In effort to keep things cheery (despite Winter finally making an appearance) I made a batch of these peanut butter cups. With only two ingredients (that you probably already have in your kitchen) these peanut butter cups are as easy to make as they are to eat. I did run into a couple small bumps along this particular culinary journey. But don't worry, I figured out how to smooth over any slight snags in the cooking process and I included a few helpful tips for making your own addictive candy as simple as possible! 

Supplies:

- Foil candy cup liners

- Paint brush (use a fresh brush for cooking projects)

- Mini muffin pan

- Scissors (not pictured)

Magic Ingredients:

- Peanut Butter

- Chocolate chips

Let's get started!

1: Line the mini muffin pan with the foil candy cup liners.

2: In 20 second intervals, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave until you achieve a glossy and smooth texture. 

3: Fill the candy cup liners half way with the melted chocolate.

4: Using the paint brush, brush the chocolate up to the top edges of the candy cup liners.

5: Transport the muffin tray into the fridge and let chill for 30 minutes. 

6: Fill a plastic bag with peanut butter and cut the tip of the bag off with a pair of scissors

7: Pipe the peanut butter into the chocolate cups, only filling them partially. Smooth the peanut butter over with the paint brush. 

8: Add another dollop of melted chocolate into the candy cups and smooth over with a paint brush. 

9: Place the peanut butter cups into the fridge and let chill until hardened, around 30 minutes. Then serve!

I hope these sweet trifles can 

cheer you up peanut butter cup!

Yours,

Nico