Recipe :: Cobb Pasta Toss

I first made this Cobb Pasta Toss recipe a couple of years ago for Ryan, because to be honest it seemed like something that he would go nuts over.  I mean bacon?  Blue cheese?  Pasta?  What more could a guy want?  However, to make it a bit more healthful {and because I don't eat pork} I swapped the bacon for organic turkey bacon, amped up the vegetables, and use whole wheat pasta.  I was right...he absolutely loved it and so did I!  Since our farmer's market stands are bursting with fresh produce and my herb garden is flourishing, I figured this would be a perfect time to recreate it.  The recipe turned out just as great as the first time and has made for some delicious leftovers!

Art :: Current Favorites

Cycles Gladiator by Georges Massias // Topanga Hat Wearing Surfer by Annie Seaton // Flora in Peach II by Yao Cheng // Twilight I by Caroline Gold // Black Sketch by Henri Matisse // Beach Colors 2 by John Bucklin // NY by Anna Bond // St. Paul's Cathedral, London by 45wall design // Seated Female Portrait by J.E. Michaelski // Flight of the Ocean by Sharon Rowan // Happy Story by Melaine Severin // Rural Midwest by robin ott design // desert diptych by Annie Clark // Vintage Books by That Girl Studio

When I moved into my first apartment I went on an art buying spree.  Not that I could afford the real thing of course, but I purchased prints from local art fairs, Etsy, and painted a few pieces of my own.  At this point most of our walls are covered, but I still find myself itching to buy a couple new pieces.  I rounded up some of my current favorites including great print options from Minted and Art.com {both of which offer custom framing options} as well as a few gorgeous originals from Serena & Lily's awesome art collection.  I tend to gravitate towards vintage portraits and colorful abstracts when looking at original pieces, and photography and bright prints when shopping on a budget.  Where do you like to find art?

Interiors :: Pottery Barn Teen

Maison Bookcase // Lilac Bed //  Tufted Desk Chair // A-Frame Desk with Gold Legs // Border Duvet Cover // Kennedy Task Lamp // Emily + Meritt Floor Mirror // Emily + Meritt Scalloped Sham // Emily + Meritt Striped Bed Skirt // Shelby Dresser // Chris Burkard Lacquer Photography, Wave Curl // Parisian Headboard // Kilim Rug // Maison Canopy Bed // Emily + Meritt Wardrobe Rack

I spent a solid 10 years of my life living and breathing Pottery Barn Teen.  Throughout middle school, high school, and college my bedroom was decorated in various shade of pastel, filled with mix and match lighting, patchwork quilts, and white wooden furniture - all from my beloved Pottery Barn Teen.  Now that I'm in my mid-20's I think my style is a little more grown-up, but recently I have found myself back on the PB Teen band wagon. 

Travel :: Ocean House Hotel

This Labor Day we will be back home for a wedding, but I'm wishing that instead we were visiting the famed Ocean House in Rhode Island.  A Relais & Chateaux property, this iconic New England resort is located on the bluffs of beautiful Watch Hill, RI.  The hotel first opened in 1868, however it was closed in 2004 thanks to years of neglect that left it "beyond repair."  In 2004 a new structure replicating the original exterior design was conceived.  Today, the hotel has been recreated to convey the romance of its storied past and the rich character of Watch Hill, Rhode Island.  More than 5,000 salvageable artifacts and furnishing elements were harvested from the original structure’s historic interiors.

Fashion :: Labor Day Style

Zimmermann Floral Playsuit // JCrew Mirrored Sandals // Tory Burch Short // Madewell Indigo Linen Tank // Loeffler Randall Mini Ryder Bag // Diptyque Do Son Perfume // Sophie Billie Diamond & Gold Midi Ring // Tibi Silk Cami // Madewell Leather Stacked Heels // Madewell Eyelet Blouse // JCrew Waffle Beach Sweater // Zinke Starboard One-Piece Swimsuit // JCrew Washed Chambray Pant

What are your plans for Labor Day?  Do you have any fun getaways in-store?  Sadly we do not, but I'm still not quite ready to mentally transition to my fall wardrobe yet.  Since thankfully we still have about another month of warm temps in store, I have rounded up some of my favorite picks for your Labor Day getaway {or simply prolonging summer as long as possible}...enjoy!

Interiors :: An Eclectic California Home

Last week while perusing Rue Magazine I came across the eclectic California home of Angel and Tom, owners of Nadeau Furniture, the fastest growing furniture company in the United States.  The couple turned to Homepolish to help them decorate their Brentwood home on a budget.  I love the light and airy color palette {those lilac accents are gorgeous}, feminine furniture, and how bright and open the space is.  My one caveat is the taxidermy.  I'm just not a fan and feel there are so many other cruelty-free ways to add a rustic masculinity to a space.  However, those french doors in the living room?  SWOON!

Travel :: Sailing St. Maarten

Today marks the last batch of my St. Maarten photos.  On the second to last day of our trip we rented a catamaran and sailed around the island.  From our early morning start to our golden hour finish, the day was absolutely perfect.  The trip started off with pastries, fresh fruit, coffee, and juice on board our boat.  From there we sailed to Île Tintamarre and went snorkeling with sea turtles!  There was one little guy in particular who I just loved and must have swam next to for five to ten minutes.  He would swim peacefully under the water and every so often stick his little head out for air...it was so cute!

Recipe :: Peach Burrata Caprese

When posting recipes I'll often make something a week or two before putting it on my blog, giving me time to edit the photos and tweak the recipe.  However when I made this one on Monday night I knew I just couldn't wait to share it...it's just that good.

In the summer it seems like I simply just can't eat enough peaches, and after seeing a Bon Appétit image with different variations on the standard caprese I decided to give one a shot.  Enter two juicy yellow peaches, a super indulgent burrata cheese, some fresh basil from my garden, a drizzle of olive oil, and a few slices of fresh baguette you've got yourself the perfect dish for a relaxing dinner al fresco.  Seriously, is there anything better than a simple meal made with fresh, high quality ingredients?  And I have to say this one absolutely knocked it out of the park.  It was all Ryan and I could talk about on Monday evening and I've already made the same dish served over fresh arugula for a couple mid-week lunches.  Enjoy!

Peach Burrata Caprese
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
2 firm but ripe yellow peaches
Burrata, sliced in half {save the other half for lunch!}
Fresh basil
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
*Optional baguette

INSTRUCTIONS
Start by halving and pitting the peaches.  Using a sharp knife, cut peaches in circular vertical slices.  Arrange on plates.

Divide halved burrata in two and spoon onto the center of the peaches.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper, and serve with fresh basil and slices of baguette.  Savor the taste of summer, for it will be gone before we know it!

Fashion :: Pre-Fall Picks

JCrew Cropped Cotton Sweater // Joie Silk Bow Blouse // Vince Hooded Coat // Equipment Washed Silk Pant // RAEN Sunglasses // JCrew Mixed Resin Earrings // Deborah Lippmann Nail Polish {Fashion} // Loeffler Randall Cut-Out Sandal // Tory Burch Fleming Mini Bag // Loeffler Randall Mixed Media Work Tote // Tory Burch Liv Jacket // JCrew Silk Sleeveless Blouse // Tom Ford Lipstick {Bruised Plum} // Tory Burch Suede Pumps // Givenchy Blush Leather Pouch // JCrew Asymmetrical Zip Sweater

Well hello there!  Before I get to today's post I wanted to sincerely thank each and every one of you for the beyond kind messages and advice you gave me yesterday.  I truly missed the blogging community and couldn't wipe the smile off my face all day as I continued to receive such sweet & thoughtful comments.  I've said it before but I'll say it again -- you guys are amazing and are the reason I want to keep up with this little blog.  From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Although it took me awhile, I am now completely on-board with pre-fall fashion.  Before this week I couldn't even bare to think about cooler weather {thus totally passing on the Nordstrom Anniversary sale...fail}, but one cool day has gotten me very excited about bringing back layers, jewel tones, and luscious silks and cashmeres.  What is it about seasons that perpetually have us looking forward to the next?  However, as much as I love this leather, wool, and shearling bag and am excited to finally try a merlot lip, after the brutal winter we had this past year summer can stay as long as she wants in my book!

Another Chance

As great as these past few months have been, I feel like I have neglected one big part of my life that brings me so much inspiration and happiness -- this blog.  Transitioning from working part to full-time in June plus our packed summer calendar has left me without enough time to really make Dreams in HD what I want it to be.  My posts have felt rushed and uninspired, and lately there hasn't even been much of that!  I also have had zero time to partake in one of my favorite past-times...reading your blogs.  I felt like I was part of a wonderful community of women and haven't given those relationships the time they deserve.  And for that I'm sorry.  I promise it wasn't you, it was me :) 

Because Dreams in HD has brought me so much joy these past few years I'm going to make a concerted effort to dedicate more time for myself, and thus my blog.  When I'm blogging not only do I feel inspired both creatively and professionally, but I also feel such a sense of self-accomplishment in the fact that I have created content people are actually interested in reading {it still blows my mind!}  I hope you will excuse my absence and accept my apologies for neglecting this little blog for the past few months.  What do you do to balance a busy schedule and prioritize 'me time'?  What do you do to stay inspired creatively?  Any tips would be much appreciated!

{Image via}

Travel :: Pinel Island

One day while in St. Maarten we took a ferry to the nearby Pinel Island, a natural reserve accessible only by boat.  The beautiful island was filled with white sandy beaches, swaying coconut palms, and iguanas!  Two small restaurants with beach chairs were set-up on the south eastern side of the island - the rest of it remaining untouched.  We swam in the crystal clear water, hiked in our swimsuits to a deserted beach, and ate lunch by the sea {the mussels and frites were phenomenal!}  It was a picture-perfect tropical island and if you're ever in the St. Maarten area I couldn't recommend it enough!

Travel :: The Beaches of St. Maarten

The great thing about our vacation to St. Maarten was that since we rented two cars we were able to explore the island to our heart's content.  The island is quite small meaning that nearly ever beach can be reached within a 45 minute drive.  Two beaches we explored were Baie Rouge and Great Bay Beach.  

Travel :: Our St. Maarten Villa

It's safe to say that our family vacation to St. Maarten was absolutely perfect.  So perfect in fact, that I'm suffering from a serious case of post-vacation blues.  One of the best parts of our trip was the gorgeous villa we rented for the week - La Croisette.  The open-air villa featured a huge pool overlooking the ocean and the island of St. Bart's in the distance.  I loved the coastal chic decor and framed antique prints scattered across the house.  Our king-sized four poster bed with it's silky French Linens was one of the more comfortable I have ever slept in, and waking up to a view of the Caribbean from our French Doors wasn't bad either.