Petal by Petal - Fringed Tulip

Tulips are one of those flowers that when I see them starting to crop through the soil after a long winter, I know that spring is near.  They follow suit to the golden yellow daffodils that is one of the first flowers of the season.  One of my new favorite varieties of the tulip is the Fringed Tulip one of my new favorite floral discoveries.  I love how their frilly edges give way to layers of petally goodness and this faint pink shade is impossibly pretty, don't you think?    

Postcards from Curaçao (Part II)

(The eerie deserted lighthouse on Klein Curaçao)

I hope that everyone had a great weekend! It finally felt like spring here in New York - everything is in bloom especially cherry blossoms (my favorite, photos to come).  I spent the weekend catching up, but I will be honest after such a relaxing vacation I am having a harder time getting back into the swing of things - I feel like I am still on island time. It is nice to be so relaxed but can oftentimes make for an unproductive weekend. Anyways...I am excited to share with you our last photos from Curaçao.  One of my favorite things about the trip (besides the engagement of course!) was our voyage to Klein Curaçao, or 'little Curaçao'.  This island is uninhabited, so I was immediately lured into the idea since I live on an island that is just the opposite.  There was nothing one the island except soft, silky sand, turquoise water, vibrant blue iguanas, an abandoned lighthouse and a ship wreck.  This little island was a two hour catamaran ride away atop a choppy Caribbean sea.  I felt at some points that I was on some sort of amusement ride - we sat in the front and lets just say at some points I thought I was underwater - we got soaked, but had a blast doing so.  We snorkeled with fish in every color of the rainbow and even saw sea turtles.  

La Vie en Rose

I can't believe that it is Friday already, this has flown week flew by, maybe because I feel just a bit behind from being away for a week?  Anyways, I came across this gorgeous editorial  featuring Karen Elson in the May issue of Vogue UK.  Right now, all I can do is dream about spring blooms, I am counting down the days until the cherry blossoms bloom in Central Park.  I realized while I was away in a tropical paradise just how much being among nature is good for the heart and soul.  Seeing the magnolia trees and forsythia bloom just makes me happy! I hope that everyone has a fabulous weekend!

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Molten Cake

 This week, I was over at MadeByGirl sharing a delicious dessert that combines two of my vices - peanut butter and dark chocolate. Hop on over to see the whole post! Thank you for all of your support yesterday on our exciting news, you guys are the best!

Some Very Exciting News...

I have some very exciting news that I have been chomping at the bit to share with you - something very exciting happened while we were on vacation - we got engaged!  It was surreal, magical and romantic and I still am in a bit of disbelief that I have found the most wonderful man to spend my life. I cannot wait to start planning our big day! Continue for more...

Postcards from Curacao (Part 1)

(Grotte Knip Beach)

Curacao was my first adventure in the Caribbean and let me tell you, it was fantastic and a great place to start.  We arrived to a heavenly breeze, warm and balmy air and a sea in the most vibrant shade of turquoise that I have ever seen.  We rented a car and were able to explore the island that is heavily influenced by the Dutch (french fries with mayonnaise anyone?)but with a heavy local flare of the natives from Curacao.  We drove to both sides of the island - one of my favorite things was seeing the juxtaposition of the sea and the arid climate on the other side which consisted of cactus, flat rocky land that was filled with iguanas, lizards and herds of goats that heavily populated the island.  We spent our days totally immersed in relaxation whether we were relaxing on the beach, swimming until we were exhausted and snorkeling amid colorful parrot fish and damsel fish.  Here is the first part of our trip, just showing a few beaches that we visited.  There will be more to come tomorrow! I hope that you enjoy!  Continue for more...

(And p.s. - I do admit that I first learned about Curacao from the Bachelorette, yes, I have watched every season without shame, so don't feel guilty if you are in the same boat!) 

 (A rusted anchor)

 (A beautiful dock by our hotel that looked different as the sun rose and set)

Back from Paradise

I am back! After a glorious nine days of sand, sun and fun, we are back from tropical paradise, otherwise known as Curaçao. I took quite a few photographs of the island that I am so excited to share with you this week.  I am still catching up on my end, but I will be back tomorrow with a full post. Above is just a taste of what we saw - Klein Curaçao a desserted island just off the mainland - the beauty was unreal.  I hope that everyone had a great weekend!

Kitchen Essentials:: Kitchen Gadgets

Hello lovelies! Holly here from GlamourMash with a few tips on how to brighten up your kitchen! We all know what a talent Alison is in the kitchen, right? Every time I look at Alison's blog, I am instantly famished! 

So when Alison asked me to guest post for her while she was on her vacation (jealous, by the way!), I immediately wanted to do a food or kitchen related post to honor her culinary genius! 

It's easy to fall into the trap of  having a drab kitchen, and by drab, I mean white and boring. Why not add a kick of color here and there!? It makes cooking that much funner! Here's a collection of colorful kitchen gadgets to get you inspired to make something delicious in the kicth! 

  

1 || Lipper Bamboo Cutting Board Set from JCP

2 || Hedgehog Planter from West Elm

3 || Pink Herb Keeper from Zulily

4 || Wooden Rolling Pin from West Elm

5 || Neon Owl Dishcloth from Etsy

6 || Lipper Bamboo Utensil Set from JCP

7 || Neon Wooden Mini Bowls from Etsy

Wardrobe Essential: Tuxedo Striped Pants

Hi loves! I'm Viv from the fashion and style blog, Fashion Truffles. I'm so happy to be here today while Alison is off on a little vacation! I've been a long time fan of this blog and it's so exciting to be here sharing my new favorite pants trend for Spring. So, without further ado, I introduce you to the tuxedo striped pant style. I'm absolutely obsessed with this trend - it's elegant, looks very put together, and the side stripes are slimming! Pretty sweet, huh? I just bought a pair of the Bec and Bridge Piazza tux pants a few days ago and I'm positive they'll be on heavy rotation this season.

3.1 Phillip Lim // Cut25 // Each x Other // Diane von Furstenberg // TNTees // Vivienne Westwood // Tibi // DKNY

Thanks for having me, Alison! And don't forget to follow along (blog, twitter, facebook, instagram) on my fashion journey while I explore style trends, new outfits, and designers that catch my eye. xxx

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I Love This Look: Spring Midi Skirts

Hi Heart of Gold and Luxury readers, I'm Elizabeth from The Now Stylebook and am filling in for Alison today while she's suffering in Curaçao. Could you imagine a worse place to be right now? Just kidding. I'm so jealous. Anyway, while Allison's living it up in paradise, I'm back here talking about skirts. I have to admit thought the full midi skirt is one of my favorite looks. I can't think of a more lady like, beautiful shape to wear for spring.

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Thank you, Alison for letting me guest post on your incredible blog and hope you are having a great time on your trip! Please feel free to stop by The Now anytime to come say, "Hello".

xo e images via late afternoon, habitually chic

Creating a Beautiful Home: Simple Pendant Lamps

While I am away, I have lined up a bunch of talented bloggers to fill in and boy, you are in for a real treat! First up is the lovely and talented (check out her beautiful pillows at her Etsy Shop) Albertina from Mimosa Lane!

Hi, I'm Albertina from Mimosa Lane and I'm so happy to be guest posting today for Alison while she takes well deserved time-off.   Today, I wanted to talk about the trend of using multiple simple pendant lamps, or one pendant with multiple hanging parts to create more drama and interest.  They look so fabulous in dining rooms, living rooms and even kitchen islands.

The Best Floral Fragrances

Working in the fragrance industry, I come across and smell many different fragrances from around the world. Out of all of the fragrance categories, I adore floral fragrances - especially white florals with notes of jasmine, gardenia and tuberose.  I thought that a great way to end flower week (I hope that you enjoyed it) would be to share with you some of my favorite floral fragrances and let me tell you, I have quite a few.  I hope that everyone has a great weekend! I am excited because next week I have a great line-up of talented ladies holding down the fort while I am away.  Continue for more...

Bite Lipsticks and Spring Blooms

I collect a few things - magazines, vintage gilded makeup compacts from the 1940s and lipsticks. I am constantly on the lookout for new brands that offer lipsticks that don't just make you look good but are actually good for you too. Bite Lipsticks do just that and more, as the products are all natural and they come in a beautiful array of shades that make my heart beat just a bit faster.  Their new collection of Luminous Crème Lipstick moisturizes the lips and imparts a beautiful dose of color that actually lasts on your lips.   My favorite shades are featured here, Quinta (a great neutral with a bit of pink), Palomino (an electric pink that is just so pretty), Zivoli (a fabulous wine shade that is great to layer on during the day or night) and Zin (another great neutral with a tinge of berry).   I paired these shades with spring blooms like ranunculas, lisianthus and roses in similar shades, since truthfully, nothing makes me happier than beautiful lipsticks and flowers.  Continue for more...

Rose and Vanilla Scented Panna Cotta

Panna cotta is one of those luxurious desserts that can be transformed many different ways - chocolate, vanilla, caramel - you name it you can probably add it to this lovely dessert.  In honor of flower week here on the blog I decided to make a Rose & Vanilla Scented Panna Cotta. This desert was delightful - the perfect mélange of sweet paired with an element of romance, thanks to the addition of the rose water.  Normally, I don't like dishes that have a floral taste to them, but this is an exception because it is perfectly balanced by the vanilla.  This dessert would be perfect to serve at your next get together with friends served alongside a cup of tea or a nice glass of wine.  Continue for more...

Petal by Petal: Pink Piano Garden Rose

Garden roses are the epitome of romantic.  Their gorgeous layers wrap together, almost like a fluffy peony, to form one of my favorite varieties of roses. This particular garden rose featured here is called Pink Piano. It has a lovely mild scent that is not over-powering, and is perfect for those that do not particularly like the rosiness scent of a rose.   These blooms are perfect for a bouquet, especially bridal and can also make a stunning arrangement when placed inside of a vase. Continue for more...

Floral Fancy

I hope that everyone had a fabulous weekend! It was a busy weekend here filled with projects for the blog, a wedding that I worked at with Tamra and Gabrielle at the Plaza Hotel (those ladies are talented) and finished the weekend with a trip to the Smorgasburg in DUMBO.  The weather was nice, but spring is still trying to make it's way into the area and it looks like it will, finally - the weather is supposed to be in the 70's this week (perfect prep for our trip to Curacao, we leave Friday!).

I am excited because this week is Flower Week on Heart of Gold & Luxury.  I will be bringing you inspiration from one of my favorite things in this world, flowers.  I am starting with a bouquet of floral items that have caught my eye as of late.   I hope that everyone has a great week!

Anthropologie Watercolor Peony Wallpaper / Porcelain Peony Vase / Pink Poppy Knobs

Peonies in a Vase by Kelli Hall / Malene Birger Floral Lace Top / West Elm Mexican Crepe Paper Flowers, Begonia  / West Elm Cancun Floral Pillow / Jessie Steele Rubber Floral Gloves / Gold Floral Letter Press / Rose Khaki Salad Bowl / Vintage Floral Gray Reading Chair

Peruvian Influence

Happy Friday! This week seemed very long, perhaps it was because there was a remaining winter chill in the air (Are we done yet? Please!) and because next week at this time we will be on our beach vacation! Anyways, I was flipping through the April issue of Paris Vogue and was really inspired how the entire issue was dedicated to Peru. I have never visited that county but it is on my list of places to go.  This is just one of the editorials shot by Mario Testino featuring Kate Moss. Isn't it fabulous? I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Inspiring Work Spaces: Floral Designer Amy Merrick

 I absolutely adore the work of floral designer Amy Merrick.  Her stunning arrangements have the ability to really create a magical and ethereal feeling, whether it be romantic or somewhat contemplative and moody.  I recently came across her sunny Greenpoint, Brooklyn studio photographed by the the talented  Jennifer Causey.    I love howbher space has exposed brick, reclaimed wood and how her floral vessels are displayed on a shelf.  Continue for more...

Raspberry Corn Muffins

If there is one comfort food that I crave it is corn bread.  Nothing is quite like eating your way through a thick slice of this subtly sweet baked good served alongside of a piping hot cup of coffee.  I wanted to make a version of my long-time favorite confection so I added  raspberries; however, the berries were not as sweet as I had hoped (thank you eternal winter!), but they did add the perfect blend of sweet and tart which is one of my favorite flavor combinations. Continue for more...

A Caffeine Fix - Coffee or Tea?

Do you prefer coffee or tea? It is the age old question and my answer is usually coffee - very, very strong coffee preferably espresso that is so bold and dimensional that makes me close my eyes and transports me to Italy; however I have recently been drinking a great deal of tea.  Since winter doesn't seem to want to go away for the season I turn to tea with a dollop of honey - it is the only thing that seems to warm me from the inside out. So now I ask you, which do you prefer, coffee or tea?

Bodum Tea Press / Bellocq Blends Sampler Set
Honey Dipper
The Vintage Tea Party: A Complete Guide to Hosting Your Perfect Party

MARIAGE FRÈRES Rock Candy for Tea / Pink Cake Stand

Irving Farm Roasted Coffee / Chemex Filter Drip Coffeemaker
Chemex Filters / West Elm Hand Painted Dot Mug
Crate& Barrel Small Milk Bottle / TWG Tea Sugar Sticks

Inspiring Interiors: The Power of Gray

I hope that everyone had a great Easter weekend, if you celebrate the holiday! Mine started off on an eventful note with an unexpected trip to the ER because my contact ripped and got stuck in my eye (not fun) and left with the contact removed but a scratched eye.  Oh well, made for an eventful day!  Anyways when I was flipping through a recent issue of Harper's Bazaar, I had my love of gray reconfirmed once again after seeing the DUMBO apartment of blogger and interior designer Athena Calderone. I love how this shade is incorporated on her walls, in her hanging lamps and in her tufted sofa.  Finally, I am lusting over her copper coffee table that has wonderfully embellished legs.  Do you like this shade as much as me?  Continue for more...