Swinging on a Star at the Bella Mundo Cafe

When my good friend Kevin came to me earlier this week and asked if I'd like to see him perform a few jazz numbers Friday night, I couldn't say no. Throw in some swing dancing and it was a done deal.

That evening I went downtown to grab dinner with Scott (the boyfriend) and Celina (the roommate), then we made our way to Bella Mundo Cafe, a lovely coffee bar with plenty of space to jive and groove. Take a look below at a few photographs my good friend Paul took at the event.

After a few dances, Scott and I realized just how long it's been since we last went dancing (and it probably showed!). We spent the rest of the night practicing at my place while The Supremes and Frank Sinatra spun 'round on the record player.

A Few Days Back Home, Vintage and Thrift-Store Shopping

On this lovely three day weekend (four for me, no classes Tuesday!) I drove home to southern California to spend time with my family and doggies. In between movies with my parents and several cuddles with Ellie and Cooper, I went to a few thrift stores, vintage shops, and garage sales in the area.

On Saturday my Mom, sister, and I spent the day in Ventura, visiting a few of my favorite shops like American Vintage, Buffalo Exchange, For Your Home, and SPAN thrift store. I'm still on the look-out for a media console and hoped to find one there. While I didn't find one, I did find a few goodies (pictured below), including a beautiful red coat by Beau Brem and a cute doggy pin. Unfortunately the coat will need some tailoring in the sides, and possibly shortening in length to lengthen the arms (it is petite, after all).

The next day we ventured to Burbank to continue the quest for a console and came very close to finding one, but alas, none were in my price range. If you're looking for one yourself and live in the area, I suggest trying Cycles, midcenturyLA, and Furniture Sisters. But even if you're not looking for furniture, it's near impossible to spend the day in Burbank and walk away with nothing. After going to Playclothes (a must-stop) and a few garage sales I had a seamstress' pin, vintage sewing notions, and small trinkets (also pictured below).

The Eternal Quest

Perhaps the title of this post is a little dramatic, though it seems this hunt has been going on for quite a while. Since Thanksgiving, I've been on the lookout for a nice mid-century media console, not too large and not too small (about 3'6" to 5'0" wide) made of solid, sturdy wood and with shelving below. About two and a half months ago, my parents gave me a record player (a belated birthday gift) and the place I had saved for it on my shelf is too small! And ever since then I've been looking for a larger table. Yet, finding something both within my price range and within that width won't be easy.

A good friend suggested to me that I should make my own. And as I see these high prices I'm more tempted to take his advice. If only I didn't have 20 projects on my plate already!

Coming soon: Wrap-Around Pencil Skirt Tutorial

If there's one thing you should know about me (aside from my love for dogs) it's that I'm a fairly timely person. Except when it comes to gift-giving. Usually I buy gifts months in advance to try to avoid this problem. Case and point: my good friend Kristy. For Christmas, I said I'd make her a skirt, tailored just to her liking. And now as we approach the middle of January, I'll be starting it later this week. Here are a few photos she gave me to reference:

A simple, fitted wrap-around skirt. This will be especially great to make for another person because wrap-around skirts are very easy to adjust the fit. I've found making clothes for others can be tricky since I'm not as familiar with their size. I made five ill-fitting dresses for myself before I had my size down to a 'T'.

As I make the skirt, I'll be photographing the progress to share on Stationary Suitcases, so you can make this on your own. Expect the post in about a month from now (I'm sorry, busy college student!).

Peppermint Hot Chocolate / Peppermint Frappuccino (made with real chocolate!)

I'm still adjusting to the swing of things here, trying to get out of break-mode and back into school and staying dry during this heavy amount of rain in California.

For this week's post I thought I'd share how to make a peppermint frappuccino (or perhaps a hot chocolate, depending on the weather!)

Time: about 10 minutes
Makes 1 cup (1 serving)

What you'll need:

• a few drops of peppermint extract
• 9 squares of Hershey's dark chocolate candy bar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 oz (1 shot) espresso (optional)

Recipe:

1. Pour milk into a medium bowl. Add Hershey's dark chocolate squares. Heat mixture in a microwave for approximately 3 minutes on high, or until the chocolate is completely melted. Heating it up on the stove-top won't work.
2. Take mixture out of microwave and add peppermint extract and espresso (if desired).
3.  If you'd like hot chocolate, you're done! To make a frappuccino, freeze the existing mixture. Once frozen, blend peppermint cubes together with 1/4 cup milk until you get the desired thickness.

Tips:

• When adding the Hershey's chocolate, I split the chocolate squares individually and half them. The smaller the chocolate initially is, the easier it blends into the milk.
• For those with a sweet tooth, add even more squares. Yum!
• Peppermint extract is very strong. Add a drop or two at first, then taste and continue to add until it's as peppermint-y as you'd like.
• If I plan to make frappuccinos, I usually decrease the amount of milk added to the initial mixture, and add milk back to help blend the cubes.
• When making a frappuccino, blend for a short time if you'd like a more viscous drink or a long time if you'd like a thinner one.