let it BURN...

(via)

 

I am such a candle burner especially in the fall and winter. There is something so warming, calming and ritualistic about coming home and lightening a candle at the end of a long day.

 

I came across this candle at my local TJ Maxx and decided I would try it because 1. the packaging was a very sleek black 2. I have had this recent obsession with the smell of fresh tobacco- not that we are smokers (or chewers) I just love the smell and 3.it made me think of standing out in the field on a fall day. Boy what a treasure I found. Apparently this candle yields from a collaboration between Neiman Marcus and Ambercrombie & Fitch. It has notes of cheery bark, plum, teakwood, mahogany, sweet tobacco, amber. It's earthy but sweet, a good change from my normal fall pumpkin fare.  

 

If you come across it (as you know TJ Maxx is always hit or miss), it's worth a try!

 

This is defiantly our fall burn.

 

xoxo,

Ronita

 



Rosewater Infused Strawberry Sorbet

Rosewater Infused Strawberry Sorbet

Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Frozen time: 2 hours or more

Serves 4

1 lb organic strawberries

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp rosewater

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

Wash, hull and slice the strawberries. Toss them in a bowl with the lemon juice and sugar.  Place strawberries in refrigerator for 1 hour.

After that time, remove the bowl from the fridge (the bowl should be full of released strawberry juice with lime/vanilla). Add 1/3 cup of water and 1 tsp of rose water and puree the mixture in a blender until very smooth.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, freeze in the ice cream maker. 

With a spatula, transfer the sorbet into a freeze-proof recipient and put on the freezer until ready to serve.

***

This spring I have really been into rosewater and lavender simple syrups and infusions.

Stay tuned for my lavender simple syrup recipe!

xoxo,

Ronita

21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending an offsite business meeting at the newly opened 21c Museum Hotel in downtown Cincinnati.

The art was fun, interactive and super posh.

What a great place!

At some point I will get a room and stay the night to do some true exploring!

xoxo,

Ronita

{Gift Guide: Gifts for the Cook}

Heirloom Recipe Card Box (Currently in stock / Cookbook Stand / Olivewood Mortar And Pestle / Colonna Lemon Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250ml / Herb Keeper / Williams-Sonoma Essential Oils Boxed Candle, Meyer Lemon / Polder "SPEED-READ™ Instant Read" Preset Thermometer / Le Creuset Classic green petite casserole dish, $24 / Chinese Flowers Tea Towel (Set of 2), $16 / OXO Wood Meat Tenderizer / Pink Himalayan Salt

xoxo,

Ronita

{Jeni's for the holidays}

Jeni's has revealed her 2012 holiday collection and it looks amazing.

Looks like I will be taking a quick trip to Whole Food's Market for some of this Sweet Potato Torched Marshmallows goodness...or maybe the Boozy Eggnog...

go Jeni's or go home...

Sweet Potato with Torched Marshmallows from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

OHIO COWS RULE!

xoxo,

Ronita

{foodie blog highlight and Christmas dessert}

Dulce Delight

Quirky. Colorful.Creative.

Raiza Costsa is Brazilian born blogger living in NYC and I love love love her cooking show/blog. I can't wait to try the below recipe this Christmas (which is exactly one month away). I am already planning my menu and this "praline like" cheesecake will fit perfectly in my New Orleans themed menu!!!

Check out her blog and try her recipes.
I know I will.

xoxo,

Ronita

{gifts for him}

I always feel like it's so much harder to shop for the guys in my life. I always try to get gifts that are functional but something they wouldn't normally get themselves. Here are some of my guy favorites for this gift giving season.

Gucci logo sunglasses / Herschel Supply Co. Standard Backpack / Men's Minnetonka Moccasin Traditional Pile Lined S Brown Suede... / Dot Wool Tie In Light Gravel / River Island Multicoloured Striped Socks, $16 / Brown high top leather brogues, $110 / Nixon The Chronicle Black Snake Watch, $525 / Ravi Ratan 'ohio University Bobcats' Cuff Links / Fragrance, $235 / Verismo 585 System by Starbucks® / PELLEVERA Planner / Blue foil shaver 340S-4, $80

Have you found great guy gifts?

xoxo,
Ronita

{holiday wishlist}

Wow! 

Thanksgiving is over like that and we are completely into the Christmas season! The malls are packed and all the stores are deep into Black Friday/Cyber Monday marketing.

There are just a few things on my list this year and they are of course all nice to haves and not have to haves. 

I feel so truly blessed for all the things have and know the true meaning of the season!

With that being said here is my nice to haves wish list....

NIKE shoes / Minnetonka fringe booties, $90 / Gold monogrammed ring / Sterling silver bangle / 2013 Rifle Cities Calendar / Philips Anodised Aluminium Juicer HR1861/00, $115 / Madam President Planner (Pre-order for 2013 planner) / Jolly Hollydays Gift / 2012-2013 myAgenda Desktop / Fiery Lily and Rose Flowers

Monogrammed bracelet and ring to match my necklace, a nice mommy planner, this beautiful cities calendar from Rifle Paper Co., a juicer (for the family of course), another year in my flower CSA--I loved cutting flowers and making bouquets throughout the year, Minnetonka moccasin boots, LUSH!!!!--Jolly, bitters and bar syrups for my new found love of cocktail making, and these very beautiful Liberty of London Nikes for all the running I'm going to be doing this year :)

What's on your wish list?

Stay tuned for my curated gift guides for everyone on your list!

xoxo,

Ronita

Have a LUSHly Happy HalloEve

It's Halloween eve and I will be bathing the family in this soothing concoction of lavender and Tonka absolute. It's sure to warm and calm on these cold and (snowy) nights.

xoxo,

Ronita

{my cold weather beauty products}

Cold Weather Beauty by mrsrjdean featuring ojon

Fresh lip care / Face care, $12 / Body cleanser / Aveda beauty product, $44 / Ojon / Carol's Daughter carols daughter / Shea moisture / Ojon , $29 / The

Cold mornings, cold nights...add these yummy products and a warm drink (my pick is I'm cider at the moment), your body will thank you!

Here are my beauty picks to combat these chilly days.

Soothing baths, creamy washes, hydrating hair fixes, and soothing balms.

I just discovered this new product at Trader Joe's and I must say it smells delightfully and at only $4.99 it sure beats it's $20.00 cousin.

(via)

What are your cold weather beauty must haves?

xoxo,

Ronita

{October e-Mags}

Loving the October issues of my favorite online mags.

Click the covers and take a look.

xoxo,

Ronita

{Rifle Paper Co. Crush)

I have a pure love for Rifle Paper Co.

Their illustrations and paper stationary are so unique and creative. I love sending and receiving handwritten correspondence and Rifle Paper Co. supports my passion.

I recently came across this 2013 calendar and it is now on my holiday wish list. It holds illustrations of various cities around the world and once the year is over you can trim and frame the beautiful art.

xoxo,

Ronita

{friends and FNO Seattle}

In 4 days I will be in Seattle with my 2 beautiful line sisters!! 

When I tell you this is much needed...this is much needed. We tried to make it happen in early August but weather was against us. I am determined to get out there this time. On top of cuddle time, fantastic dinners, yummy brunches, girl talk and beauty time I look forward to spending an evening with them at Seattle Bellevue's Fashion Night Out. 

How are you celebrating FNO, Sept 6th?

xoxo,

Ronita

{My Fall Fashion Favs 2012}

2012 Fall Favorites by mrsrjdean 

Within the next couple of months, I am so looking forward to cooler weather, the new school year,  Tre' playing football, and some very memorable trips. I love the fall for so many reasons but of course it's my birthday season (and my DH's 30th!!!).

Here are my fall fashion picks for the upcoming season. 

Leather and gold, animal prints, dark lips, vampy tips  and scarves scarves scarves to wrap up in on those cool brisk mornings and nights.

What are you looking forward to sporting this fall?

xoxo,

Ronita

{LUSH Cosmetics' Emotional Brilliance Color Line}

Yesterday, on my lunch break I took a fun trip to my local LUSH. I have been hearing a ton about the new Emotional Brilliance Color line and being a LUSH-lover I had to check it out!

***

When I arrived I was greeted by a lovely associate who began to tell me about the line and how it's based off emotions.

The first step to choosing your color  is to do a guided color reading...

You relax, close your eyes, clear your mind, and when you open, select 3 colors that you are drawn to...

The colors you choose and the order you choose them have significance.

Here is my experience.

I selected ...

1. Fantasy (gold eyeliner)

2. Feeling Secure  (bluish eyeliner)

3. Ambition (reddish orange lipstick)

According to LUSH co-founder and inventor of Emotional Brilliance Rowena Bird, the order in which you choose the colours reveals your current state of mind.

1. Your first colour choice symbolises your strength or weakness (Fantasy)

2. Your second resonates with your primary subconscious need (Feeling Secure)

3. Your third choice represents your talent, the thing that will help you to achieve that subconscious need (Ambition)

After the reading I played around with all the colors and was very impressed with how pigmented and smooth they were. LUSH has done a great job with these not to mention all the great ingredients they contain. I'm not sold on the color reading part but it's great marketing and adds a little allure to the product.

The only draw back which is a big one in my book is the PRICE...at $22.95 a bottle they are very expensive BUT would be a treat to own.

Also included in the line is a translucent powder, brightening cream and bronzing cream.

***

Here are some campaign photos I found via OliveCoCo Online Magazine....

Great job LUSH!!!

xoxo,

Ronita

{bag lady}

I want one (maybe all) of these fabulous bags created by QuellyRue Designs

That is all!!!

Happy Friday.

xoxo,

Ronita

In search of pants and my love of kelly green!!!

These pants are everything...

(via)

...too bad they don't have my size and are out of my price range.

The search continues...

I am also loving these kelly green items for summer.

green goddess by mrsrjdean featuring green heels

FAIR true printed skirt, £59
Qupid green heels, $37
Madewell ballerina flat shoes, $98
The Cambridge Satchel Company leather shoulder handbag, £110
DwellStudio Zebra Kelly Green Pillow, $79

xoxo,

Ronita

what I am loving NOW!!!

nomnom...this local gelato is divine..perfect for spring!

My new seeds...I think I have a new obsession, collecting seeds...lettuce, pumpkin, rainbow chard and basil

fresh picked flowers

cookbooks from the library

Trader Joe's Crimsom Blossom green tea

our rain boots and all this rain...perfect for my seedlings

Happy Tuesday

xoxo,

Ronita

Product Junkie: March curlBox

It's finally here!!! What a wonderful way to start off my weekend.

Today, I came home to find this beauty outside my door.

My curlBOX

Per it's founder Myleik curlBox is...

An Exclusive, Affordable & Effortless Way to Experience Products for Curly Hair


Many years ago when I decided to wear my hair in it's natural state, I was most concerned with feeling beautiful and confident with the way my hair would look. I loved to wear sequins, bright bold lips and slick, shiny materials. Would all of this fabulousness go with my fuzzy 'fro? Of course it would!


At that time the products for naturally curly hair were few and far between. Now there are so many to experience that we don't know where to start!


We want to help make the selection process easier on you and your wallet.


Thank you for signing up for more information about . Our mission is to introduce you to some of the most interesting products to enhance your style that you've been hearing about ... but haven't had a chance to experience. We also want to introduce you to some of the most amazing brands by having them send their brand new products to you first! It's all about hair, beauty and confidence and rest assured that membership will have it's benefits.


Prepare yourself for the Experience!


See our full website at www.curlBOX.com

and a little something extra from one of my favorite companies..SheaMoisture!!!

If you can get on the April list when it opens I would highly recommend it. 

Toodles,

Ronita