bargain hunter: my new winter coat

i've been on the hunt for a winter coat for some time, but all of them (read: the warm coats that still look stylish) are so expensive.  and since i was out of commission for black friday shopping, i decided to take a look at the saturday early bird specials.  macy's had an ad in the paper for discounts before 1pm...i was so there.

obviously, i knew i was going to have to shell out a good amount of cash for a really warm coat, but i wasn't about to spend $300 on one.  and i always like to see that i'm not paying full price.

i found one!  it has this military-inspired look and the wool is thick so it should be keeping me toasty this year.

find out what i paid after the jump...

original price: over $250, but it was on clearance for about $220
price i paid: about $180.  still kind of steep, but like i said, good coats aren't cheap.

and take a look at some other coat deals i found on the macy's website (keep in mind, some of these deals may expire soon):

• love this gray wool coat with the high collar by jones new york.  it's marked down at half price (don't expect this one to last too long!)
• this puffer down coat by guess looks very warm and comfy.  i really like the quilted pattern.
• can't beat the price of this purple puffer.  less than $100!
• this one by calvin klein is a bit on the pricier side, but it's one of those pieces you'll have forever.  it's super chic and i was thisclose to buying it.

-jillian m.

mason's third birthday

little mason turned three last week!  and, as usual, he kicked his party off by performing his b-boy moves to his favorite usher song.

happy birthday!

janey made this rainbow cake from scratch and it looked like pure sugary deliciousness.

since it was her first attempt at baking from scratch, tre decided to be the guinea pig before the rest of us dared to take a bite.  love her worried look in this picture!

success!

all in all, the long weekend was wonderful.  a much-needed break.  despite not being able to eat solid foods (wisdom tooth removal...ugh), i loved spending time with family, shopping and movie marathons at home.

how was your long weekend?

-jillian m.

friday (the black kind)!

• i spotted these quirky, peculiar-looking creatures (pictured above) in a display window of a novelty store.  they look so cute and menacing at the same time.
• it's not thanksgiving anymore, but i'm going to take the time to thank all the wonderful people in my life (you know who you are).  and to all those who take the time to read my blog...you are greatly appreciated.
• see this website for tips on how to live frugally without compromising your quality of life.  one of my absolute favorite sites and so informative!  and if you subscribe to their newsletter, you can get the inside scoop on what the best deals of the day are (note: it provides trustworthy links to free things and cheap anythings).
• does anyone else love audrey tatou?  i loved her in amelie and he loves me, he loves me not.  i just watched priceless and she's just as adorable.  a light and frothy romantic comedy with subtitles!  check it out (if you're into that sort of thing).
• i will not be shopping the black friday sales today.  instead, i will be at the oral surgeon's office getting my top wisdom teeth removed.  oh yay!

-jillian m.

a thanksgiving recap

did you have a lovely thanksgiving?  mine was low-key, but very nice.  i had turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, green beans with garlic and my mom's famous sweet potato souffle (it's what dreams are made of).  i decided to hold off on the buttermilk biscuits for sometime next week, but i did make chocolate pumpkin cheesecake bars (per the suggestion of christine of just bella.  thanks a bunch!).  it was my first attempt at making them so i'm relieved i didn't screw it up.  no turkey day mishaps for me!  they came out dreamy (and so pretty). 

-jillian m.

another fortune cookie prediction

my last one was just as optimistic (although, aren't they all?).

i'm wondering if it's going to be in the form of a hand-written love letter.  because that's what i would prefer. <3

-jillian m.

fall foliage

some snapshots of the pretty fall colors that i've encountered.  i'm embracing the beauty and this mild weather while it lasts.  it won't be long before it starts getting so very cold and i'll have to hibernate. 

-jillian m.

snacks and drinks at vynyl

the adorable window display.

 the menus were actually made with real records.  the menu underneath the whitney houston is a carly simon.

fries sprinkled with parmesan and served with truffle dip (not pictured).

the cool as a cucumber cocktail.  it's made with gin, cucumbers and mint.

cheesy nachos with sour cream and guacamole.

vynl is one of those restaurants that just screams cool.  might be the colorful decor.  or the trendy, laid-back vibe.  or the pretty people.  might be all of the above.

-jillian m.

friday!

• i feel naked if i'm not wearing at least one piece of jewelry.  one of my favorite necklaces (that i actually don't wear too often) is pictured above.

• after last week's pie, i was left with buttermilk and nothing to do with it.  lately, i've been thinking of making some buttermilk biscuits for turkey day...

• ...and speaking of thanksgiving, i'm also thinking of what to make for dessert.  mental note: must scour foodie magazines for ideas.

• in need of a winter coat.  i saw this crazy but convincing commercial for this line of winter jackets and thought, hmmm...this looks super warm!  only problem? the selection is limited to shorter length jackets. boooo.

• this blog makes me smile.  i like reading it when i'm feeling like a hopeless romantic.

have a great weekend!

 -jillian m.

bargain hunter: buy one drink, get one free at starbucks

today through the 21st, starbucks is offering a free holiday drink with the purchase of one holiday drink!  meaning anything from their seasonal menu, so that only includes:

• caramel brulee latte
• caramel brulee frappucino
• peppermint mocha
• peppermint mocha frappucino
• peppermint white chocolate mocha
• peppermint hot chocolate
• gingerbread latte
• eggnog latte

i'll be taking advantage of this, especially since starbucks rarely does promotions like these.  and because i love me some peppermint hot chocolate (or the liquid junior mint, as i like to call it).

fine print: this only runs from 2-5pm.

-jillian m.


{image: starbucks}

dinner at an italian bistro

you'll find an abundance of food chain restaurants in new jersey.  i prefer non-chain restaurants, but i have been known to visit a t.g.i. friday's from time to time (their jack daniel's sampler is awesome!).  lately, i've been trying to steer clear of the chains and in doing so, came upon bistro positano in freehold.  a bit pricier than your neighborhood applebee's, but worth it because the atmosphere was friendly and comfortable and their food was very good.

chicken spring rolls with plum sauce and crispy rice noodles as a starter.

mushroom gnocchi in a creamy truffle sauce.

 for dessert, we went to a nearby cafe and ordered gelato: chocolate bliss and banana.

i love pictures of food!

-jillian m.

candied bacon

i prefer savory to sweet for breakfast, but i really wanted to try candied bacon (because that's just what bacon needs-more fat!).  i like sweet and salty together (chocolate-covered pretzels, mcgriddles...), so i anticipated loving this.

and i was right.  i may have to make my bacon like this every time now.

here's what i did:

-sprinkled a bit of dark brown sugar in a baking pan lined with foil
-placed a few strips of bacon over the foil
-sprinkled a little bit more brown sugar over the strips
-put them in the oven that was set to 325 degrees
-let them bake for about thirty minutes

the result: smoky bacon with a light coating of sweet, maple-ish flavor.  it has a burnt look, but don't let that fool you-it tastes like bacon heaven.

i paired it with cheddar cheese scrambled eggs (i was going for something really healthy. haha)

-jillian m.

weekend with a fun little boy

little mason stood over the house this past weekend and he was quite a trip!  entertaining an almost-three year-old takes a ton of energy, but it's loads of fun because he just brightens up the house and adds this wonderful and youthful energy to the house.  he's a ball of sunshine.  and hugs and kisses are always in abundance.

when i came home, mason's face lit up and he gave me a giant bear hug!  i told my mom, "he's like a puppy.  he greets you at the door with his tail wagging".  mason then got on all fours and panted like a puppy!

dance party in the basement!

i'm sure he'll hate me once he grows up and realizes i put him in a team edward t-shirt.  in my defense, it was the only pajama shirt i owned that wouldn't drown him!

-jillian m.

easy buttermilk pie

it's the easiest dessert recipe i've ever tried.  very simple and good in a pinch.  it has the consistency of custard and the uncomplicated sweetness of a pancake.  my mom said it was "delicious", so i know it's good!

on another note, now that i have a carton of buttermilk, i need some other recipes that i can use it for.  hmmm...

-jillian m.

malaysia kitchen

vanderbilt hall (in grand central terminal) hosted a small malaysian festival where local vendors and restaurants came together to sell malaysian dishes to the public.  and it was yummy.  i don't have much experience with malaysian cuisine, but i'd love to experiment with this type of food more (i've been trying to expand my tastebud horizons).   what i love the most is the mixing of unexpected tastes and textures (coconut, fried peanuts, chilies, eggs, curry...)

 lively, joyful colors!

 a vibrant vanderbilt hall.

 coconut milk rice and beef rendang, which is prepared by simmering beef in coconut milk and a blend of spices including kaffir lime leaves, ginger, cinnamon, star anise and chilies.  don't let the small container fool you--it's very filling.

i truly wish i would have tried the jackfruit cake...it's just sounds so interesting.  the milk tea was the best tea i've ever had.  definitely a  few steps up from the usual lipton!

these beautiful dancers were so graceful and lovely. 

-jillian m.

  

saturdays are the best

when i think of great saturdays, i think of sunny skies, scenic walks, laughs and sweet treats.  and this past weekend proved to be one of those relaxing times that i dream of. 

picked up some steaming hot apple cider (with a cinnamon stick!) at the holiday shops at bryant park.  

a picturesque walk in the park.  the season is apparent here.

and we couldn't not visit the upper west side without a trip to levain's bakery.

super pink gerberas at a local market.

 after having some drinks at a quiet bar, we stopped by this restaurant called josie's.  they specialize in making american dishes using fresh, healthy ingredients.  we started out with what turned out to be our new favorite dish, the thai chili seared wild shrimp served on baked tortillas and creamy guacamole.  amazing!  our dinners were also very good, which solidified our future return visit.

i love staurdays, if you couldn't already tell.


-jillian m.

bargain hunter: shop early!

it's the calm before the storm.  you know, that bit of time after halloween, before thanksgiving when stores are buzzing about the upcoming holiday sales, but no one's really buying yet.  it's here.  and it's the perfect time to start your holiday shopping, if you haven't already.  if you're anything like me and you can't take the crowds, looooong lines and just overall madness, then start shopping, like, now.  don't get me wrong, there is a certain charm to shopping for your loved ones in a joyful atmosphere with decorations and music surrounding you while you browse perfumes for your mom.  but over the years, i've found that the sales after thanksgiving aren't really that different from other sales throughout the year.  you just have to know where to look.

i've had my eye out for discount sites and great places to find unique stuff for cheap!  here are a few suggestions:

1. plastic jungle - get giftcards here at a discounted price.  i spotted a $100 giftcard to amc for the price of $84.  there are plenty of deals here and the shipping is free!

2. dealnews - alerts you to the best deals around the web (and sometimes in-store sales).  you'll find electronics, books, clothes, jewelry, knick-knacks, whatever...it's all here.

3. flea markets/thrift stores - people often think they need to go to the mall or big name department stores to find gifts.  it's just not so.  i'm lucky enough to live near a really awesome and huge flea market that sells everything.  and i do mean everything.  i've even found mac makeup at half the normal price!

4. amazon deals page - they have new deals here everyday!  and i tend to keep an eye out for their magazines.  subscriptions make great gifts!

let me know if you have any suggestions of your own!

-jillian m.


{image: zzzack}

a wild turkey in nyc

back in august, i was sitting on a bench in battery park with bob and this wild turkey just appeared out of the bushes.  really random.  let's just take a moment to just realize how very uncommon wild turkeys are in nyc....

and she was as calm as can be (not people-shy at all!).  almost like she belonged there. 

after some research, it turns out she does belong!  zelda, as she is called, has been living in the park for seven years.  she was named after zelda fitzgerald, who had suffered a nervous breakdown, went missing and was later found roaming in battery park.

and check out this wikipedia article about her.  bob actually added our own zelda sighting (it's the one on august 28th).  and whoever posted a sighting on august 30th was so on point with the blog post idea!

-jillian m.

my top five favorite magazines

1. real simple - i started subscribing to this almost a year ago and i must say this is the most well-rounded of the magazines and my top favorite!  it's chock full of recipes, organizing tips, beauty & fashion advice, home decor ideas and way way more.  and of course, everything is...yep, real simple.

2. glamour - to me, a glamourous woman is someone who is confident, fashionable, brave, comfortable with herself, knows how to put herself together in five minutes or less, sees beauty in everything, has a sense of humor, successful (or aspiring to be)...glamour caters to this type of woman.

3. time out new york - i live by this magazine.  anytime i need something to do or an event to go to, tony has it covered.  and i can't forget that it's introduced me to some of the best (and now, my favorite) restaurants in the city.  this magazine makes me fall in love with new york all over again.

4. marie claire - fabulous fashiony fun.  i like to think of it as the everyday woman's vogue.

5. us weekly - i don't actually buy this magazine or subscribe to it, but it's my waiting-on-the-grocery-line guilty pleasure.  don't judge me.

-jillian m.


{images: amazon}