Thursday, July 30, 2009

A Twist on Tex-Mex

I recently got to go to Sago Modern Mexican restaurant, which is nestled in a new condo development in Austin called The Triangle. This restaurant puts a twist on Tex-Mex dishes such as enchiladas, which are served with beef brisket, roasted chipotle-guajillo sauce and fresh Mexican white cheese. Personally, I was in the mood for something with some crunch, so I got pork gorditas. This dish is served as two corn empanadas stuffed with shredded pork shoulder, onion, spices, cilantro and Mexican white cheese. As a side, I got cilantro-honey rice (talk about unique!) and classic charro beans. Once I devoured the gorditas, I wasn't shy about ordering dessert! Especially because the sopapillas, warm fried tortillas lightly drizzled with agave nectar and dusted with a bit of cinnamon were simply irresistible.


Of course the food was not the only thing that made my heart flutter. I was quite impressed with the overall look and feel of the decor. Like this mirrored tile wall below--WOW! Also I like that they used a bright hot pink and tangerine orange color scheme on the walls. However, the birch wood tones and white leather really tones down these punchy colors. Take a look below:





















All pictures provided by Sago Modern Mexican restaurant.

Say Cheese!

Last Saturday, I shot some wedding portraits....which was nerve racking! But I managed to pull off some cute pics of this awesome couple. They were so gracious and I am really thankful for the opportunity.

When we first me, they immediately mentioned that they wanted some portraits done outside to capture the beauty of nature. I hope they liked this experience as much as I did.

Take a looksie...






Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Yanez, I am ecstatic that you will have these pictures to remember your special day.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Greek Feast Update

Last Saturday, I hosted a Greek birthday celebration for my friend Christine. We all enjoyed it so very much! Here's the pictures of the soiree...

As you can see, I went with the traditional blue and white colors. I picked up these plates from the Pottery Barn Outlet and I thought they were perfect for the celebration. I also added some silver touches with shells (also from Pottery Barn Outlet). This kept things light and airy. As this was a very casual get-together.
I couldn't find a napkin ring that I was happy with, so I made the ones pictured below out of wire and beads in shades of blue. This really added a special touch.
Finally, to add ambiance to the dinner, I put these white rock votive candle holders in a bubble vase with some glass pebbles and silver shells. Do you love it, or what?



So there you have it, a simple Greek table setting to remember!






Monday, June 15, 2009

Laguna Gloria

This weekend we went to Laguna Gloria, which is part of the Austin Museum of Art (AMOA). This beautiful Mediterranean-style villa boasts an enchanting charm that is truly remarkable. The historic house was built in 1916, and is now a 12 acre park/museum/art school over-looking lake Austin. The inside of the home is just as beautiful as the outside, but unfortunately we couldn’t get any pics of the inside because they were having a special event. Bummer. However, without further ado, here are some of the shots I got on our nature walk.



Steps down to the trail


One of the only flowers in the sea of green

Close-up of the wishin well


One of the statues in The Four Seasons Garden


A dragonfly I made friends with. I shall call him Mr. Flutter Bug


A cute little bench at the Temple of Love. Can ya' feel the love?


This is for sure one of my favorite places in Austin. I had a great time at Laguna Gloria-AMOA this weekend!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

More Bang for Your Buck

So, anyone that knows me is very well aware that I do not let a good deal go unnoticed. Yes, I am a cheap-o. BUT, I will not compromise style in the process. I think that stylish, good quality items should be available to everyone because we all deserve to feel spoiled and oh-so-glam...even if we only spent mere pennies in the process.

With that in mind, I bring you my More Bang for Your Buck posts. Occasionally, I am blown away when I find an item's "twin" for so much less that its original. Does this ever happen to you? It feels so great, right?

So, for a while now I had been eyeing the Pin-Tuck Duvet from West Elm, and almost ordered. Well I am glad I didn't because to my surprise, on a recent trip to Target, I found its TWIN! Yay!

So here is West Elm's Pin Tuck Duvet:

This beautiful duvet cover retails for 99 bucks (full/queen size) and if you want to add the matching standard shams for 19 bucks each, you are looking at a total of $137. A fair price for this posh bedding, but we are trying to get the most bang for your buck, right? Right.

Now, step into my office to take a look at Target's Home Kissing Pleat Comforter set for the sweet price of $86 (queen), which already comes with two standard shams and a bed skirt! Plus, it's not a duvet, so you won't need an insert for it. This fabulous comforter also comes in smokey blue and a latte color. Take a looksie:


So, there you have it. Save some moolah, and go get yourself a mani/pedi with your savings! You earned it!



Thursday, June 4, 2009

A Greek Feast Underway...

So, I am planning a Greek themed birthday party for a friend. She really enjoyed her time in Greece a couple of years ago and if given a good chunk of change she would move there in a heartbeat!
Now that we have a theme, I decided to get the invitations up and running. Here's what I came up with:


This dinner party will be very low key; about 10 close friends and family members. I can't wait to start planning the menu! Yum...

Do you have any favorite Greek recipes? If so, please share!

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Hello World!

Hello, my name is Claudia! Currently, I reside in Austin, TX. I love all things that have to do with design and hope to share my ideas with you. I became a home owner about six months ago and am having so much fun decorating. Creativity has always been a huge part of my life and it’s what keeps things interesting. Occasionally, I find myself daydreaming about great design whether it is decor, clothing, parties, cooking–I think everything should be interesting to the eye!

Come back to see what I have coming up next…I dare you!