Image from Hostess with the Mostess

Quote from La Dolce Vita

Sometimes a quote seems like it is being said directly to you and only you. It’s as if the person was reading your thoughts. This one does just that for me. I think it has a lot to do with my place in life right now. It inspires and encourages me.

Which I love! But I couldn’t figure out the whole blogging thing on the iPad. I tried the WordPress website – fail! I tried the WordPress app – file! Now I’m trying Blogsy which seems to have a lot of potential!

So let’s see how this goes!

Image from Design Dazzle

As you can tell the decor was right up my alley.  For dinner, I had a mesclun mix salad with a pistachio vinaigrette and candied ginger.  It was very light and refreshing and a little tart with the ginger.  For dinner I had sirloin, which was average.  For dessert I had an apple and cranberry crumble with cinnamon ice cream, it was delicious.  Kenny had banana bread pudding with rum raisin ice cream.  The banana bread pudding was so creamy and sweet and yummy.  Everyone at the table seemed to enjoy the sushi as well (I don’t eat sushi).

The wall to the far left is made up of tiny tissue rosettes.  And the cutout in the center is actually a waterfall.  Amazing!  The mirrors allow you to see other restaurant patrons.  Which makes stalking pretty easy, especially when the Mayor of D.C. is dining a few tables over, you don’t have to stretch your neck or fake a napkin drop.

Overall, great decor and food.  I recommend dining at Oya during your next trip to D.C.

All images from Oya.

For the funeral my husband made a slide show of pictures, new and old, of Grandpa.  I thought I would share two of my favorites, new and old.

Grandpa & Grandma in High School.  I love her cat eye glasses!

A clean shot, maybe a little brain mush, but otherwise a clean shot.

My husband’s family spent Thanksgiving in Salvo, North Carolina.  We stayed in this big house that a huge open common area that become the nightly Nerf gun arena.  Grandpa decided one night he would join in on the fun.  What a great sense of humor.  He will be missed!

Oprah had the ladies of Georgetown Cupcakes on last week for a show about reality stars.  While on the show they made these New Year’s Eve Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes. (on the show they put sparklers in them)

Image from Oprah

So I figured I would give them a try!  Oprah ate them and how often do I get to try something Oprah ate.  Georgetown cupcakes without the price (that didn’t work out as planned) or line, sounds good.

Image from Loda

Not to toot my own horn, but I think I did pretty well!  So here are my pointers: *the recipe makes way more than 36 mini cupcakes; * my husband recommends pureeing rather than dicing the cupcakes; * they take longer than 10 minutes to cook; *they are super rich!; * you cannot buy sparklers in December and these “Sparkler Candles” not the same thing; *enjoy this photo because this was way too much work for how quickly we devoured them.

I also made lobster pot pie, with an H monogram (thank you Beth Nash!)

]]> http://www.ashleyandken.com/2011/01/08/oprah-georgetown-cupcakes/feed/ 1 http://www.ashleyandken.com/2011/01/02/the-doors-of-santorini/ http://www.ashleyandken.com/2011/01/02/the-doors-of-santorini/#comments Sun, 02 Jan 2011 15:00:13 +0000 Ashley http://ashleyandken.com/?p=1649 I fell in love with the beauty and creativeness of the doors in Santorini.  These doors were passageways into restaurants or stores or homes.  The simplicity, the vibrant colors, the white backdrop….I fell in love.  And therefore, can’t help but share.

Image Source

The iPad!!!!!  This really is on my Christmas List or at least Apple gift cards are.  This may quickly get moved to my Need List considering my husband had to duct tape my laptop power cord back together tonight.

Image Source

I am a sequin whore!  I don’t know if I would ever have the balls to wear them in public, but I do love them!

Image Source

I’m currently a very big fan of leggings, they are so comfortable.  I love this outfit, it looks so stylish yet comfortable and it HAS SEQUINS!!!!

Image Source

Who says no to cashmere?  Who says no to Ralph Lauren?  And who says no to Oprah?  She did say this cooler would look great on everyone, I think it would make me look all one color, but I’ll still wear it.

Image Source

I love cruising!  I love Oprah!  I love Royal Caribbean!  I love the Caribbean!  Someone hook me up with a cruise!  (I say it as if I didn’t just get back from a two week cruise)

Image Source

Every time I go shoe shopping I pick up a pair of Tory Burch flats and then I turn them over and see the price tag and I gently set them back down.  Some girls want Jimmy Choo’s, I want Tory Burch flats.  I would wear these 24/7.

What did you want from Oprah’s Favorite Things?

]]> http://www.ashleyandken.com/2010/11/29/my-favorite-things-of-oprahs-favorite-things/feed/ 0 http://www.ashleyandken.com/2010/11/28/2324/ http://www.ashleyandken.com/2010/11/28/2324/#comments Sun, 28 Nov 2010 15:00:44 +0000 Ashley http://www.ashleyandken.com/?p=2324 I love this comforter set from Target!

While Kenny and I were dating I introduced him to the joys of a down comforter and since then we have always used one.  When we got married we got a matching duvet cover with monogrammed pillows and accent pillows and so on.  Kenny realized that he really liked the feel of my flowery duvet cover from law school.  So we are back to that, with the monogrammed and accent pillows from our wedding.  It is not a pretty combo!!!!  I’m thinking I should just get this set to cover up the down comforter with the comfy yet not fashionable duvet cover.  Then we would please him and me!