Love This

Did anyone see this last night? I love it. It's like a hip-hop time machine!

I have to say I was completely impressed by Fallon. He's got some talent!! I remember after 2Pac came out with California Love my brother and I used to stand on the couches like 2Pac stood on the stage and swing our arms like 2pac does at the 3:16 mark. Mind you I was 11 years old.

What the...

Have you stumbled across any blasts from your past recently????


The bar results come out tomorrow. aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

Chocolate + Apples = Nom, Nom, Nom!

I love chocolate. I enjoy apples. I like to multi-task. Therefore chocolate covered apples make me smile.



What you'll need:
-Apples
-Chocolate Chips (I love dark chocolate)
-Wax Paper
-Small amount of oil
-Crush pecans, toasted coconut, anything you like.




-Slice your apples. I hope your core isn't crooked :::shudder:::



-Depending on how many apples you're making, put some chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl.
-Microwave in increments of 35 seconds to get the chocolate melting. Stir each time you take it out and when it's start getting gooey, you're good to go.



-Pour a very small amount of oil in the chocolate. Helps it to stick to the fruit and stay nice and purty.
-Dunk your apple in the chocolate. Twirl it around. Cover it completely. Cover a sliver. You choose!



-Roll in pecans or whatever if you'd like.
-Place on wax paper and place in fridge to harden.



-Store them in the fridge.

DEVOUR them and think to yourself, "damn, I am a domestic diva without even trying"

Pet Peeves

Who doesn't have pet peeves? Incredibly patient people? Ignorant people? I mean, who?!

Don't ask me why I'm posting on this, but I am!

• People who take pictures with their significant others wrapped up in bed. Keep them private. No one needs to facebook/tweet/email them.
  

Via

• When you use the apple slicer and the core is crooked and it doesn't slice right.

Via

• When you go to grab a box out of the pantry and it's empty. WHY is it in there?!
• Buying something on Tuesday. Going to that same store the following week and seeing it on sale. And you can't do a price adjustment.
• Coffee Breath. I know I've been guilty of this too!!
  

Via

• When someone asks for your opinion, you give it, and then they tell you you're being bitchy. HUH?
• People who talk at the movies. This one literally drives me nuts. Or when they're man-handling their popcorn and all you hear is CRUNCH CRUNCH ew.

Via


What are your pet peeves??

FF #3's Winner IS.....

JEN from SLUMBER DESIGNS!

Congratulations!! Send me an email to PursuitofLLT@gmail.com and your package will be on it's way!


Thanks to everyone for entering and following LLT.

Make a Panini Without a Panini Press

I don't know about you, but I love a good panini. I also love kitchen gadgets. But honestly, who has the space for them?

Here is the easiest way to create your own panini press. Grab something heavy. Grab some aluminum foil. Done.

I took a 5lb barbell and wrapped it in foil (so it wouldn't burn or anything. actually, I don't know why) Then I took a skillet that would completely fit over the skillet I was using and covered the bottom of it with foil and sprayed it with non-stick spray.





Then take whatever you want to make your panini. For us, it was Caprese! Yum! I sliced fresh ciabatta bread, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and garlic. You'll also need olive oil and balsamic viniagrette.



I minced the garlic and mixed it with olive oil to brush on the bread.

Then I placed the mozzarella on the bread, topped it with tomato and basil.




Next, I put a little bit of a balsamic reduction on the other piece of bread.



Finally I put the sandwich on the skillet, placed my DIY panini press on top and boom! About 5 minutes on each side, medium heat.



Enjoy, enjoy! And the best part is you can clean by tossing your aluminum foil and do a couple bicep curls ;)

Don't forget...you have until 11:59 tonight to enter my giveaway!

Do you have any easy recipes or DIY kitchen gadgets?

Perfect Fall Weekend

So I hear it's crazy hot in California? It's almost October!! Chicago, however, had the perfect Fall weekend. 50s and 60s and just the right amount of chill in the air.

How was your weekend? Mine involved wine, my DVR, yoga, brunch, girls afternoon of shopping, mostacciolli & gooey chocolate chip cookies, baby shower shopping, apple picking, DEXTER!

There we go #3 on the list ;) I'm really trying to finish this darn list! 11 days and 3 done. I'm kind of proud of myself. Don't worry. I'll hit the wall here pretty soon haha


I ordered this super cute watch the other day and I have to say... I am in l.o.v.e. It just adds a little something. And it was beyond cheap. Check out the link!


Von Maur (a Midwest Dept. Store) is having a great Clinique Bonus. They're a great store and ship anywhere priority mail for free! So I got the almost lipstick in black honey which if you've never tried on, do it! It looks great on anyone.


And finally, we went to a HUGE apple orchard and had a very Fall day. Chilly day. Sunny day. Scarf & sweater day. So you know, perfect.

Here's a quick shot of the orchard.

I'm loving these pics and they were taken on my Droid...I'm impressed!

And one of K looking incredibly stylish in her Fall get-up walking the grounds of the orchard.

Who watched Dexter tonight?! God, I LOVE that show. Who's a Dexter fan?!?!

Don't forget you have until Monday at 11:59 CST to enter my giveaway!

Just for Laughs

Remember when I blogged about almost getting hit by a home run ball at the Sox game? Well I found the video online and have been laughing for 10 minutes. I remember thinking it truly was going to bounce and knock my teeth out. Hmm...

So for a laugh at my expense, here we go:

There I am shielding my head while the guy in front of me catches the ball

And if you really want to see it...here's the video.

Happy to report I'm alive and with all my teeth!!!

Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY.

Enjoy your weekend!

FREEBIE FRIDAY #3

Time for another Freebie Friday!!

Up for grabs this week:

A package of 3 "Write Your Own Story" magnets. Which seem too perfect for a blogger, right?
A small, lined, notebook/journal, perfect for your lists, thoughts, whatever!
A package of 8 cards with this adorable logo (pick either discover or fly)








So here's how it's going to go. The giveaway will run from this Friday, September 24, 2010 until 11:59CST Monday, September 27, 2010. I will pick the winner via random number generator.

ENTRIES: To VALIDLY enter the contest you must:
1. Leave a comment (and tell me which logo you like best for the cards)
AND
2. Be a Follower of Pursuit of Love, Laughter, & Travels

For ADDITIONAL entries:
3. Follow me on Twitter @PursuitofLLT, tweet about it, and leave a comment.
4. 3x entries: Like my Facebook Page
5. 5x entries: Blog about the giveaway and leave a link in the comments.


Make sure you leave a comment for each entry!


GOOD LUCK and have a FABULOUS weekend :)

Am I MacGyver? DIY Necklace into a Belt

So only a couple hours ago I blogged about my dress dilemma. This resulted in me standing in front of my closet for about 45 minutes just staring. And then over at my jewelry. Then shoes. Then bags. I mean, this was a dilemma! and an incredible use of my time. riiiight.

And then I started playing with the necklaces I bought and seeing which one looked the best. I wasn't sure if the necklace was laying right. Or maybe I was just being crazy picky.

So I was holding the necklace and it hit me. BAM! This necklace would look so chic as a belt. But how? It's an odd looking clasp because it's a fold over clasp so there is room on both sides for something to be looped through it.

I grabbed a black satin sash/belt thing I bought years ago and looped it through the clasps. I tied it in the back and Ta-Da!

Now, I'm not Project Runway bound, but I was so impressed with myself!


And since I'm so desperate for it to be Fall in Chicago and NOT high 80 degrees. I made Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars yesterday. OHHHHHMYGOD. So good. I mean, it's Paula. Come on, you know it's good. I kept the cream cheese frosting separate so if I want it, I could spread it on. If not, I could eat the pumpkin bar for breakfast, you know, so it's healthy haha who am I kidding ;)

Some of you asked how I did it so here are a few pics to show you. Just the side of the necklace/belt, how I tied it in the back, and what the necklace clasp actually looks like!

I'm Having a Dress Dilemma

I need a dress for a wedding in October. It's formal, but not black tie, and I swear I can't find anything.

I've debated doing Rent the Runway but then that's kind of like throwing out your money.

I bought this dress in a rich navy color. But now I just don't know. I want to be able to wear one of these fun necklaces I bought the other week.


Is it too boring? Sometimes I hate dress shopping. And of course all the ones I fall in love with are $$$$.

And I kind of want to wear these shoes not with the blue dress but maybe with a different dress...just because I'm feeling the animal prints now and it's a fun way to spice up a dress. Plus they're so darn comfortable. They're Stuart Weitzman and I've actually decided almost all of his shoes are comfortable.

Confession: one day I took pictures of all my shoes to put on the outside of the shoe boxes. I know, I know. OCD.

Any recommendations for stores that currently have great fall cocktail dresses?? And come back tomorrow, it's time for another Freebie Friday!

DIY Headband

Apparently I'm on a roll making my way through my Fall To-Do List. Here we go with #6: Making a headband.


I thought about what I would actually want and I thought a pretty fall-like feathered headband would be perfect. So I headed over to Michael's to find something to work with. I found an oval shaped pheasant feather item and some brownish green beads. I went in my bathroom and opened the cupboard that's full of headbands I never wear because they're ugly (so why don't I throw them out?? uhh no answer). Low and behold I found this JCrew one that just isn't going to be worn anytime soon.



I painted it with fabric paint a dark brown. Then I let that dry while I figured out the feather situation. The original feather was way too large. Nice shape, but too big for the headband. So I cut it on each side on an arch. I wanted to give the feathers dimension so I took those two pieces and hot glued them on top of the feather piece that was left.



Next I took the beads individually and placed a bit of hot glue on the side and carefully placed it on the feather by where the over-lap of the glued piece was. I did this along the entire length of the feather and rounded it out at the top and came down the other side.



Then I decided where it was to be placed on the headband and placed a line of hot glue on the headband. I firmly placed the feather on the glue and held it for a couple seconds. TA-DA! My own homemade feather headband. I'm sure it would have been a lot more difficult with individual feathers. Thank you, Michael's for not making me deal with that :)

2 down, 8 to go!!!

Effortless Enchiladas

I'm about to tell you the easiest way to make the tastiest chicken for enchiladas, tacos, nachos, whatever!

It is not only incredibly easy but it is so.darn.tasty. So here it is. Enjoy it...I know you will!

What you'll need:
-Crockpot
-3 frozen chicken breasts
-1 can of Rotel or diced tomatoes/green chilies
-1 package of taco seasoning



1. Mix Rotel and taco seasoning in a bowl.
2. Place FROZEN chicken in crockpot.
3. Dump Rotel/Seasoning mixture on top.
4. Cover, cook on low for 6 hours.
5. Pull the chicken apart with a fork...enjoy!

Is that easy or what?!?! Now, you can do just about anything with this meat. You can add it to a salad. You can make quesadillas. Tacos. Burritos. Whatever your heart desires.


Here is a super easy and tasty enchilada recipe.

Take 8 taco sized tortillas and fill them with chicken. Roll the tortillas and place in a baking dish with the seam side down. Top the enchiladas with a can of enchilada sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheese all over the top. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.




Top the enchiladas with a can of enchilada sauce. Sprinkle shredded cheese all over the top. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.




Then bust out a fork and knife and dive right in! This is seriously so easy and will take you a matter of 15 minutes to put everything together and then 6 hr 10 minutes to bake (hellllo cooking while at work!)

I LOVE the crockpot. (Sometimes I worry about myself.) Do you have any go-to crockpot recipes? Do share!!


And here I go crossing off # 1 on my fall to-do list I'm not going to blog about the process because it was quite the ordeal haha but I made it out alive and everyone enjoyed it!! And, no, we didn't eat enchiladas and apple pie. Gross.


I mean, I never said I was a pastry chef...haha and I got a little too cinnamon crazy on the middle. whoops!

Tagged! You're it!

Thanks to Bella Gets Real, I was tagged and asked a few questions. So here we go!

1. Favorite Flower?

Tough one...but I'd say Peonies.

2. Favorite Color Combination?

Hmm I'd go with any shade of Blues & Whites/Creams

3. Favorite Celebrity Couple?

Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick. They genuinely appear to love each other...which is a rarity in Hollywood!

4. Theme Song
Stevie Wonder's Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours.
No idea why, but I have always loved this song.

5. Favorite 'I've had a terrible day' Food
My comfort food is terrible for you. I'd like some macaroni & cheese. French Fries. Or my Dad's homemade Biscuits & Gravy...out of this world!! And no, I wouldn't want this all together ;)

6. Lip gloss, Lipstick or Both?
Both! Lipstick: MAC, Lipgloss: pretty much anything. I use Kiehl's, MAC, Burt's Bees.

7. Favorite Magazine
Tie between Real Simple and InStyle

8. Favorite thing about Fall
The weather!! Which leads to my other favorites: boots, scarfs, jackets!

So I'm going to do a quick tag here of:

Allison from Smart and Sassy with Sprinkles

Emily from My Heart Shaped Life

Cara from Lilac and Grey

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

Wow, I Love This Jacket

After leaving work early on Friday I didn't quite feel like going home so I drove around the area. I needed a new moisturizer so I pulled into this random free standing JCPenney that also has a Sephora. Ten minutes later I had a new moisturizer and a face brush. Why? I don't know...it was five dollars...deeper facial cleansing? Impulse buy for sure.


Then I wandered around and was surprised by the stuff I saw. When I think of JCPenney I think of sheets, towels, and my Grandma. Now don't get me wrong, it wasn't like walking into Nordstrom but there were a lot of cute options there! So I browsed (they have a Mango section...weird!!) and came across this jacket. I instantly fell in love. It was originally $50 on sale for $30 and an additional 15% off. SCORE! So I got this cutie for $24.50. You just can't beat it.

I've been looking for a jacket like this ever since the JCrew one I wanted that looked like this minus the painting was put on hold and then sold by the time I got there. Umm not okay.

So here is the beauty. You can find it at your local JCP or online HERE. It's lightweight but not too light.

maybe I should clean the basement, huh?

It has a built in drawstring waist, THANK YOU!



Sleeves that can be rolled up to a button tab.



An adorable collar. This is practically perfection at an amazing price!

Ever get completely surprised by certain stores? I know this was a big surprise to me! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

The Most Genius Bag Ever

It's not a secret that I am obsessed with crossbody bags. And now I'm dying for one of these!! And these, well these are above and beyond. They're multi-taskers! Different shapes, sizes, uses. Ahmazing.

The Most Genius Bag Ever by pursuitofllt featuring a messenger bag

Foley + Corinna Mid City Tote in Blonde
$444 - couturecandy.com
Party handbag »

Dena Foldover Bag
$365 - saksfifthavenue.com
Messenger bag »

Women's bags - leather bags - Exhibitor tote - J.Crew
$325 - jcrew.com
J crew handbags »

Kate Spade - Small Marielly (Black) - Bags and Luggage
$245 - zappos.com
Kate spade handbags »

Linea Pelle Dylan Crossbody Clutch Handbag
$195 - piperlime.gap.com
Crossbody bag »

Lucky Brand Abbey Road Foldover Bag Bright Purple - Zappos.com Free...
$178 - zappos.com
Handbags »

The SAK Madera Converible Clutch/Crossbody
$76 - endless.com
Cross body handbags »

Bag-ging You for Mercy
$65 - modcloth.com
Heart handbag »

The Most Genius Bag Ever by pursuitofllt featuring a crossbody bag

What's not to love in a multi-tasking foldover crossbody bag!

Foley pretty much created this look...but Kate, Tory and JCrew make it look so fun. I want one NOW.


Okay people, who doesn't love a nice crossbody bag? I always have and I got made fun of them by everyone until they were trendy. Haters. Here's the thing, I love a good shoulder bag, I really do. But when I'm shopping or running around I don't want to have to worry about the damn handle that keeps sliding off my shoulder or the fact that I can't carry everything because I'm juggling a satchel. No thanks. Give me the option of the shoulder strap, but dear god put a crossbody strap on the bag too!

In my opinion, these bags are perfection. Hopefully they'll be around forever (no one thought Uggs would still be here...) Either way, you betcha you'll be seeing me with one of these in about 6 years :)

Do you have a favorite go-to bag? Or a favorite bag designer? If you could only have one type of bag...what would it be?!