October Favorites

How is October almost over?! I swear the months fly by faster and faster each year. Well girlies, today I'm sharing some of my favorite items for this month. It still hasn't cooled down very much in LA, but that won't stop me from wearing scarves and booties. And nothing says fall like a perfectly crafted heart latte, am I right??

Shop the post:

1. Mug Cakes Cookbook by Books with Style
2. Gold Necklace (similiar)
3. Grey Scarf by Club Monaco
4. Feather Ring by Rebecca Minkoff
5. Denim Top by Cupcakes and Cashmere
6. Monogrammed Watch by Kate Spade
7. Grey Booties by Sam Edelman

Apple Rose Tart: Pinterest Win

Last week I stumbled across the prettiest fall dessert I've ever laid eyes on. I love all things involving flowers, so an apple pie that looks like a rose is this girl's dream come true! There were so many variations of this apple rose online, from large pies to bite size treats. I decided to create a tartlet variation to make mine a little more unique since I didn't see any of those on Pinterest.

I loosely followed this recipe from FMITK blog, which helped me out a lot! I decided to do a larger tart, instead of using a muffin pan so I could get a grander effect for the rose bud. I had to adjust some of the cooking times, etc. but her recipe was a great guideline! 

There was a high probability that this would end up as a Pinterest fail, but I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome! Rolling the apple slices into a rose bud is a little hard to control at first, but once you get the hang of it, you will be shocked at how simple and easy it actually is. It's so pretty, your family and friends will all think you bought this treat at a fancy bakery! :D

The actual flavor of this fall treat is absolutely amazing. Your house will smell amazing as the apple tart is baking, and we could barely wait for them to cool down before diving right in! Chris put this on his top three list of favorite things I've baked this year so...yea, it's pretty good. Be prepared for photo overload of this dessert...I was so proud of how well it turned out that I couldn't stop taking pics!

Follow the recipe's directions on preparing the dough and the apple slices, and when you are done you should have something like this! Isn't it pretty?!

After the tart is baked, you can brush on some strawberry preserves for an extra flavor boost, and a great way to highlight the red of the apple. This makes it look even more like a dreamy rose!

If you'd like, you can add a few leaves as a garnish to really bring the rose into full effect. I just used a few leaves from the roses I bought, but you could also use a bay leaf or possibly a mint leaf if you want the garnish to be edible.

Let me know if you guys give this recipe a try! It's perfect for a fall get-together and I will definitely be making it again for Thanksgiving!

BONUS!!

There are two great sales going on right now 

that you all will LOVE!

ShopBop is hosting their friends and family discount Oct. 13th (today) until Oct. 15th

Use the Coupon Code: INTHEFAM25

Gigi New York is also hosting their Friends and Family Sale, 25% off their entire site today!!

Use the Coupon Code: WEAREFAMILY

and you will also receive a free gift on any orders over 100!

Happy shopping everyone!!

Leopard Print Clutch at Manhattan Beach Pier

This past week has been super busy with a constant flow of visitors through our new house. I absolutely love playing hostess, so the constant laundry and quick house turnover for new arrivals was a small price to pay to greet new guests every few days. (I'm a weirdo who actually loves doing laundry lol) Not to mention it's a great excuse to get out to our favorite restaurants and places!

Our last two visitors were my sister and her husband. They wanted a few days in the sun before their third baby's arrival in a few months. This particular day, we all headed to Manhattan Beach for some amazing breakfast at MB Post, some shopping, and of course to look out over the water on the pier. With my photographer sister in town, Chris was able to take a break from shooting blog photos (love you hubby!), and relax/jump in a few of the shots this week. 

It can be challenging to dress for fall when the weather doesn't want to cooperate. Although I shouldn't be complaining, as we briefly had lower temperatures over the weekend- which was perfect for the Dodgers game. Anyways....I decided to opt for darker colors, and my floppy beach hat which could work for warm or cool weather. 

My favorite item from this shoot is that leopard print clutch! I've seen a few versions of this clutch for awhile now, and finally tracked down the brand, Clare V. Leopard print is so cute (in moderation), and is perfect for transitioning into fall. Just steer clear of any head to toe leopard pant suits. I'm really hoping they don't actually have those! :D 

{Dress: Zara // Hat: Anthropologie; old (similar here) // Shoes: Sam Edleman; sold out (more options here) // Clutch: Clare V. c/o // Necklace: Sira&Mara c/o // Sunglasses: Ray-Ban}

Photography: Kristin Dustman Photography

BONUS!!

If you haven't already heard, ShopBop just launched their very own denim collection called The Principle Collection! They've partnered with the denim industry's top brands to bring you a very diverse set of styles and fits to please any fashionista! 

One of my favorites is this pair by Citizens of Humanity:

See the full collection here.