Guinness Cupcakes!

Hi Everyone, Its Lauren!

Its been about 2 months since we've all been together to blog! I was without a computer for the summer, Meg was in Florida working at a camp, and Taylor was workin' at the car wash.  Since were all back at school for our senior year, I figured I would kick off the new blog year with a baking post!

This past weekend was the first real weekend at school so I felt the need to whip up something special. With the help from my housemates, I got the idea of making Guinness Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting! They turned out amazing and were super fun to make! The Guinness made the chocolate of the cupcakes a little bitter, while the Baileys in the frosting added a nice coffee flavor.  They were the perfect addition to our long weekend.

 Guinness Cupcakes  (thanks to food.com!)

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" 

- Lucy from Charlie Brown

sad can't catch me or call me baby now.

Hey everyone, Taylor again!

I told you last time I've been having a relatively boring summer full of work, work, and more work. This is definitely still true, but some exciting things have happened and lifted my summer spirits. One: I found out I'm going on vacation to Cape Cod at the end of the summer. Two: Matt Nathanson's new album, "Modern Love" came out last week and it is awesome sauce. Three: I'm spending five sure-to-be glorious-since-they-are-work-free days at Cazenovia Lake for the 4th of July with my excellent family. So, all is good. Here's some photos of me pretending its still Fall. (RIP my favorite season).

Dress: Camden Market (London) / Shorts: Forever21

Belt: Forever21 / Flannel: Primark (London) / Shoes: Guess

"if the sun don't light and the night won't turn,

we'll get a room at the end of the world.

and we'll rewrite all the wrongs we've learned

safe in our room at the end of the world."

-matt nathanson, room @ the end of the world

Bagpipes, Castles, & Golf

From Ireland, I took a tiny plane over to Edinburgh, Scotland.  Before going on this trip, I didn't know much about Scotland or have too much of an interest of going.  But after only a few days there, it turned out to be my favorite place visited in Europe!  The architecture was some of the most amazing I have ever seen! I loved being able to just walk around all day and see beautiful sights.

While in Scotland I visited the Edinburgh Castle, went to St. Andrews, and visited galleries.

Just like in my Ireland post, I'm going to pick 5 pictures to try and some up the wonderfulness of Scotland!

View from the Edinburgh Castle

St. Andrew's Golf Course

Quinn, Tom, Ryan, Steve, Me: Outside the National Gallery

 Street near my hotel: absolutely loved all of the cobblestone!

View of the Castle from a garden below

Thanks again for reading!

My England post will be up in about a week!

Rain Rain Go Away

Hi! It's Lauren, and I'm back from Europe!

I was away for 2 weeks, but it felt like I was there for months! It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.  I was able to meet so many new people, and see sites that otherwise I may have never seen.  My travels included Ireland, Scotland, and England.  I think the best way to post is one from each place.  So, this post will focus on Ireland.

I was in Ireland for a week, more specifically Dublin.  I was surprised to see how small the city was.  We walked EVERYWHERE, and by the end I felt like I had been there forever because of how well I could get around.  While I was there I saw national museums, Trinity College, The Guinness Factory, The Jameson Factory, Newgrange, and Howth.  Along with these beautiful sights, I also saw lots of rain!  But being in Ireland, I expected this.
Since I was in Ireland for a business class, I also got to go to the Dublin Institute of Technology for three lectures.  Although school during the summer is never fun, it was interesting to listen to another country's perspectives on business.

I'm going to try and pick my top 5 favorite pictures from Ireland, but trust me there are hundreds more that I would love to show!

Cider with my roommate Lauren at Doyle's

Trinity College: amazing architecture!

The Cliffs at Howth: beautiful until an insane rain storm hit

Gravity Bar at the Guinness Factory (too disgusting to actually drink)

Newgrange: perfect example of true Irish country-side

Thanks for reading!  Please check back for my posts on Scotland and England!

I want to speak the unspoken. I want to face everything in our world that’s broken.

Hi everyone... Taylor here!

I'm officially holding down the blog fort while my counterparts are off on fabulous adventures. Meg spent a few weeks in Hawaii "studying" on a short term abroad program and now she is off "working" in Florida at a summer camp. Lauren has also jetted off to "study" in Scotland, Ireland, and England for a few weeks. I am obviously supremely jealous as I miss London in ridiculous amounts and am spending my summer working one of those jobs you mention as the worst job you ever had when you become famous and get interviewed. Despite this minor 45 hour a week set back I got to do some fun thrifting a few weeks ago! Sorry for the mildly shabby photos... my normal camera is out of commission. Here's the finds:

 T-shirt sweater with cool lace up and feather details on the back. Very excited about this one!

I don't know how this could ever look cool in a photograph, but I promise it is awesome and 80slicious.

Funky canvas / Random material boot action. Oh yeah.

Yes... the inside is decked out with cow print. 

Completely necessary treasure chest? Check. 

"I don’t know much, but I do know this: 

I know that heaven is full of music 

And I know that God listens to my heart beat on his iPod. 

It reminds him that we still got work to do."

-Rudy Francisco

Summer Breeze

Hi Everyone! It's Lauren!

dress: American Eagle; cardigan: Forever 21; bag: Anthropologie

Last night night, John and I went into Piermont.  It's this cute little town on the water with lots of shops and restaurants.

We found this delicious place called The Harbour House! It was pub-like food, especially seafood! We both choose yummy seafood dishes.  And lucky for me, my clam chowder came in a bowl plate!

I had never been to The Harbour House before, so when i saw the vintage book border, i had to take a picture!  It was such a nice touch to the great food!

This will be my last post before I leave to go abroad to Europe for 2 weeks on Monday! I can't wait to come back and share my adventures!

"Sitting on the dock of the bay/ Watching the tide roll away/ I'm just sitting on the dock of the bay/ Wasting time" - Otis Redding

home is wherever i'm with you.

Hey all... Taylor here. I'm not usually one to put on a pretty dress and heels when I can throw on my Converse and get my outdoor adventure on. Being home and surrounded by top notch nature, however, made me want to bring both of my worlds together. So, I put on my version of the pretty dress and heels (obviously plaid, obviously black, obviously boots) and took it to my backyard. This all ended with me trying to climb a tree... something that does not mesh well with wedges. P.S. I also when on a thrifting extravaganza today. Can't wait to share my finds. I may have bought a small treasure chest...

Dress: Charlotte Russe / Boots: Maurice's / Socks: Forever21

"We knew we had to leave this town, but we never 

knew when and we never knew how" -Daughtry