My Last Graduation

This past weekend, I attended my fourth and final graduation since flipping my tassel in Killian Court 10 years ago.  Four years of college, four years of medical school, one year of internship, three years of residency, and two years of fellowship later (yup, that's 14 years), it's time to get a real job.  During this long process, there were times I didn't think that this day would come (and neither did Mr. J).  My training has taken me from East to West and Mr. J has followed and supported me every step of the way.  It only seems fair that I follow him to NorCal, where we're hoping to settle in for good.  Everyone says life gets much better after this...I am definitely looking forward to that!

Floral print dress: Nameless from GOGA. Belt: BCBG Runway. Black sandals: Steve Madden. 
Purse: Chanel Medium Flap Bag. Bracelet: DIY.

Today is also Father's Day here in the US.  We usually celebrate Chinese Father's Day aka "Ba Ba Jie" on August 8th, but I'm a daddy's girl through and through, so I think we should celebrate dads twice a year!

Broccoli and Bacon Salad

With Independence Day in less than a month, we're sure everyone's social calendars are filling up with outdoor festivities and get together with friends.  While these are fun events, it's sometimes stressful to think of a good dish to contribute.  This broccoli salad is creamy and tangy and oh so tasty.  It's super easy and can be prepared in advance.  We're sure this will not only gain you gratitude from the hosts but it will seal your lifelong invitation to all future gatherings!

Broccoli and Bacon Salad
(original recipe here)

Ingredients
2 heads fresh broccoli
1 red onion
1/2 pound bacon
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions
Arrange bacon slices on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet (this will make cleanup a lot easier!).  Place the baking sheet on the center rack in the oven at 400 degrees F and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.  Baking time may vary depending on thickness of the slices and your desired crispiness. Allow to cool then crumble.

For the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar together until smooth.

Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces and dice the red onion.  Combine the bacon, broccoli, onion, raisins and almond slices in a large bowl.  Stir in the dressing.  Cover and chill for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Floral Graduation Dress

 

This dress is super romantic with its dreamy watercolor floral print, and it would have been the perfect dress for my anniversary dinner with Dr. S a few weeks ago.  Too bad I completely forgot that I bought it!  It was tucked away in the corner of a room, still wrapped up in its bag.  I tried to justify my poor memory by telling myself that I bought it when the weather was much cooler and hence it wasn't front and center in my mind.  The truth is, I just have a really really bad memory.  Or as Dr. S would say, maybe I just shop too much?

I wore this dress instead to our residency graduation this past weekend.  It's always fun to see your work colleagues out of ill-fitting scrubs and dressed up to the nines.  Sadly our evening was cut short when Dr. S got paged out to see a patient in the hospital, but we at least got to enjoy most of our dinner together!   

 

 

Pink floral strapless dress: Moulinette Souers 'Hedgerow Corset Sheath' from Anthropologie (also cute).  Black blazer: Theory (similar here).  Handbag: Chanel medium flap bag.  Earrings: gift from friend.  Bracelet: DIY seen here.  Necklace: Tiffany&Co./anniversary gift from Dr. S.  Shoes: Zara.

Peplum and Lace in Aspen

We returned to Colorado last weekend to attend the wedding of fun-loving Nick and the beautiful and sweet Jeanette.  The wedding took place on the top of Aspen mountain with gorgeous panoramic views.  It was an intimate celebration with the guest list limited to just close friends and family, and we felt so honored to be a part of their special day.  As always, it was great to see old friends, some of whom we've known for over half of our lives!

This dress was one of those finds that left me in a state of shopping euphoria for a whole week. It fit perfectly off the rack and was a major steal at over 80% off.  I wanted to let the dress shine so I kept the rest of the look simple with my hair up and nude accessories.  Of course, I couldn't resist just a little bit of bling.

 Lace peplum dress: Milly NY 'Liza'. Crystal necklace: J. Crew. Sunglasses: Fendi. 

Nude clutch: Banana Republic (old). Nude patent pumps: Christian Louboutin. 

Strawberry Peach White Sangria with Mint

Bears aren't the only ones that hibernate during winter.  When daylight hours are short, we tend to curl up on the couch with a glass of wine after work.  By the time summer hits, we can't wait to leave our couch potato ways, and our weekends are filled with trips to the beach and barbecues with friends.  

We love sangria for casual entertaining, as it can be pre-made, thus freeing up your time to enjoy with friends.  You can customize sangria by adding in whatever fruit you'd like, but they should ideally be on the firmer side so they don't disintegrate.  Some of our favorite fruits for sangria include peaches, strawberries, oranges, lime, apples, grapes, and pineapple.  We recommend using an inexpensive wine that is mild in flavor like a pinot grigio or a sauvignon blanc.  A word of caution: this drink is super duper tasty, and you can quickly down a glass or two.  We learned this the hard way!  

Strawberry Peach White Sangria with Mint

Ingredients

1 pint of strawberries

3 ripe but firm-ish peaches

1 bunch of mint

1 bottle of white wine (we used Pinot Grigio Two Buck Chuck from Trader Joe's)

1/4 cup of triple sec (or brandy)

1/2 cup of water

1/2 cup of sugar

1/2 cup of sparkling water or seltzer or club soda (optional)

Directions

Make simple syrup by mixing water and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave until sugar is dissolved, approximately 1-1.5 minutes.  Place in refrigerator to cool.  

Dice strawberries and peaches into 1/2 inch pieces and place into pitcher.  Coarsely chop mint leaves and add to fruit. Pour in triple sec and wine and stir gently to mix all of the ingredients.  Chill mixture in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.  

When ready to serve, mix in simple syrup to your desired sweetness (we added 1/3 cup).  Then top off with sparkling water (optional).  Make sure each glass gets some fruit, as this is the tastiest part!  Garnish with mint and enjoy! 

Printed Yellow Silk in Sonoma

While I was in the Bay Area for my brother's graduation last week, we ventured out to wine country to preview the location for his upcoming wedding.  It was an absolutely beautiful day, and the setting was even more beautiful!  I can't wait for the big day!

This is one of my favorite shirts in my closet, undoubtedly because it's a vibrant fun print in one of my favorite colors.  Strangely, I don't end up wearing it that often.  Perhaps it's because I'm subconsciously saving it for special occasions?  Regardless, when I do finally slide it over my head, I'm instantly uplifted by its innate cheeriness.  Do any of you forget/choose not to wear your favorite items?  Or is it just me?

 

 

'Flowering Pasture' silk shirt: Dolan via Anthropologie (similarly fun yellow shirt).  Jeans: Current/Elliott.  Handbag: J.Crew Edie in Dusty Rose.  Mirrored silver wedges: Christian Louboutin (love this pump style).  Sunglasses: Chloe. 

Bracelets: Gift from mom, 'Pinta Cuffs' from Anthropologie, and Mini Titan by Vita Fede. 

Santa Barbara Photo Diary

The picturesque town of Santa Barbara was the perfect destination for our mini-vacation last weekend.  Our 2 days there were full of beautiful sights, good eats, and lots of rest and relaxation.

Saturday morning, Mr. J and I walked into town to grab some fresh pastries and coffee from D'Angelo's (highly recommend the almond croissant and poppy twist).  We then headed over to Metropulos to pick up some gourmet sandwiches to bring with us on our hike to the 3 Pools Beyond 7 Falls, which is a hidden trail off of the more popular and well-marked Tunnel Trail.  Now I've done my fair share of hiking when we lived in Denver, but I was not prepared for the canyoning and rock-climbing skills required to reach the 3 pools.  Fortunately, we ran into Bob, a friendly and experienced local hiker, who guided us through the tough climbs.  After the hike, we sauntered down Santa Barbara's "urban wine trail" and stumbled upon the soft opening of the Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company.  We ended the day by stuffing ourselves with fresh crab and lobsters at the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company on Stearns Wharf.

We enjoyed a lazy Sunday exploring Santa Barbara's downtown and its gorgeous coast.  And the best part of the weekend?  Having Monday off to recuperate and prepare ourselves for the (shortened) work week ahead!

Finally made it to the 2nd pool...almost to the top!

Devouring the delicious "RBG" sandwich from Metropulos above the 3 pools

These turtles were sunbathing in the fountain in downtown Santa Barbara 

Striped silk maxi dress: Joie (similar here). Cardigan: Banana Republic. Belt: Forever 21. Bracelets: J. Crew.  

Sandals: Zara.  Tortoise wayfarers: STUNglasses. Purse: Mulberry 'Alexa'.