Earlier this week I shared an old tik tok video of the tomato sandwich I became addicted to last summer. After getting many follow-up questions, I wanted to share the classic recipe here so it would be easier to find!
Ingredients:
handful of basil leaves
1 small garlic clove
mayo
olive oil
2 pieces of bread – I like to use toasted potato bread
a few ripe tomato slices
salt + pepper
Directions:
Lightly toast the potato bread. Then I like to gently rub the garlic clove on the inside of the bread pieces.
Put your basil and garlic clove in a mortar and pestle (or a bowl and the back of a wooden spoon if not) and grind together. This allows more of the flavor of the basil to release. Add a dash of olive oil and a dollop of mayo, and mix together for your aioli.
Spread the aioli on both pieces of bread. Layer your tomato slices and sprinkle with flaky salt and fresh ground pepper.
Enjoy every delicious bite!
Thanks so much for reading and find more of my favorite recipes in the food + drink category! Have a great weekend – xo –
I wanted to put all of the best style sales for the holiday weekend in one place! So here are some of my picks from the sale and find all of the retailers and codes at the bottom of this post.
Above are some of the pieces I saw at the retailers below that caught my eye. You guys, there is some good stuff!
I also saw that Casper is having a big sale. Eventually, we will need twin beds for Theo’s big boy room. Honestly, if I had the space, I’d buy the mattresses now.
I took so many photos during my stay in Cabo, so I knew I would have to share them in one place with outfit links and more information about the trip!
I can’t even begin to describe what a total delight this trip was. I’m not able to attend many brand adventures anymore for lots of reasons not worth going into. But somehow this opportunity to join five other creators and The Sculpt Society at Las Ventanas Al Paraiso fell into my lap at the perfect time. I was able to make it happen pretty easily – LUCKY ME.
I took a long solo weekend trip to Cabo to workout with The Sculpt Society each day, lounge at the pool and beach, relax to sound baths, have a massage, go out on a boat, and indulge in one delicious meal after another. I mean… this might be the most fabulous weekend of my 2023. Divine.
Know that right now you can also access The Sculpt Society App for complimentary workouts in any Las Ventanas room that has a smart TV. And you can get a free trial with code KAT25 + 25% off The Sculpt Society app!
Thank you so much for scrolling through this little photo album. I didn’t even realize how much I needed that time away but wow. I came home SO relaxed and refreshed. And now I feel ready to give my family the best of me and not the rest of me.
This week’s wish list is dedicated to the long holiday weekend ahead of us! I can’t personally remember a time when we got two weekdays off for the holiday. I am excited for the downtime and will be practicing my inner peace with so much time with my littles. We got this!
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
I love these dresses. I have at least three, and the silhouette is so comfortable and versatile. I’ve been able to wear them before, after, and during pregnancies. The cost per wear is definitely there!
Stripes act as a solid in my closet. They are classic, timeless, and always chic. The cut of this top also makes your classic stripe a little bit sexier.
I made this for dinner earlier this week and it was so delicious that I wanted to share it here!
I have been a big fan of all recipes from How Sweet Eats for years. Jessica just nails it time and time again. When I saw this Greek Salad on Grilled Baguettes recipe, it looked quick, delicious, and perfect for summer.
Serve this with grilled chicken or white fish. Bon appétit!
SALAD (this is how I made it, serves 4):
4 mini cucumbers, chopped
1 – 2 cups chopped grape tomatoes
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
DRESSING/MARINADE:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 of fresh lemon, juiced
1 TB honey
1 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt + pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Chop your veggies and add the dressing. Let it sit for at least an hour up to overnight.
Brush your baguette with olive oil, grill (if you’re also grilling a protein or something else) or toast and then lightly brown on a skillet.
Top your baguette with plenty of Greek salad and sprinkle with feta cheese and fresh herbs.
For more food and drink recipes, be sure to check out the Food + Drink category of this site! Thank you so much for reading and stopping by – xo –
This week’s wish list is a spotlight on the summer staples that I find myself reaching for without thought. There are some foundational wardrobe pieces that I would have a really hard time living without.
Let’s get into it – to shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
I recently shared in this video that my “mom uniform” is a white tank or tee, classic jeans, and slides. It’s the no-brainer outfit I can throw on quickly and feel both put-together and ready for anything the day (or my kids) throw at me. I love this staples tank from Amazon, so classic. I’d pair it with these jeans and these slides (I own both!).
I have this $49 dress in three colors. I love it, and it’s a great travel dress!
I have a pair of earrings like this and they go with everything. And I mean everything. Best investment in some ear baubles.
These are my favorite denim shorts because they’re a little bit longer than your standard cutoff shorts which makes them feel better on my thirties self.
Thanks so much for checking in and reading! Talk soon –
We have made these shawarma bowls a few times now, and they are so delicious and colorful that I wanted to share the details here!
I had seen Trader Joe’s marinated shawarma chicken thighs a few times but didn’t necessarily know what I would do with them. Then I realized they could be baked, shredded and used for rice bowl. SO EASY.
Ingredients:
Trader Joe’s marinated shawarma chicken thighs (baked according to directions and shredded)
grape tomatoes
mini cucumbers
bell pepper
red onion (pickled onion would also be delicious)
parsley
hummus
tzaziki (optional)
lemon juice, olive oil
white rice or brown rice
Directions:
Bake the chicken according to the package directions and then shred it.
Cook your rice – I use Trader Joe’s frozen bags of rice. We love them. Top the rice with your shredded chicken, chopped vegetables, and hummus. Top with a drizzle of good olive oil and a squeeze of some lemon juice.
So much flavor, so colorful and easy.
Thanks so much for reading. For more meal ideas check out the “food & drink” category of this site. Talk soon – xo –
I wanted to round up some beach and swim picks this week because I think (or hope) that we are all starting to enjoy the highlights of summer and trying to stay cool.
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage –
I have this swimsuit in the strawberry fields pattern and it always receives compliments. The cut is so elegant for a swimsuit, and for my long-torso girls – it’s comfortable! I love chic one-pieces, but my torso is longer than most which makes many uncomfortable.
I bought this crochet coverup in white and black for our anniversary trip in the fall and have loved wearing them again this summer. You can see it worn here. They are so comfortable and breathable. Always makes me feel put together!
We recently went on our annual summer visit to Florida, and while this trip was probably our most challenging (14-month-old Theo is very, very busy and quite literally a hazard to himself), there were certainly still some sweet moments along the way.
I wanted to share some photos and link sources here, as well as answer some of the most common questions I got about our trip! A lot of the outfit photos are screenshots from short videos I took, but you’ll see the actual video content and outfit details in the link below.
I found 30A Blaze via TripAdvisor/Google reviews, and they were awesome. They were very reliable and showed up with everything they said they would. I added on the s’mores package and we ordered and brought down pizzas on our own!
Where are your boys personalized towel robes from?
We have these and these. Hudson loves them, especially when getting out of a chilly pool.
Where did you stay?
My Dad rented this house through 360Blue. He continually rents from them and we have loved some of their houses. This particular house had some challenges (and is currently for sale so I don’t anticipate it being on the rental market much longer) and I don’t feel comfortable recommending it.
Do you think 30A would be good for a bachelorette party?
Absolutely! Transparently, I don’t have personal recommendations for what to do there if you’re in that mindset. When I’m in 30A I’m either in family mode or spending quality time with my extended family, so I don’t have the bar recommendations although I’m sure they are excellent.
Did you rent any baby gear on your trip?
We had a baby gate at the house and I rented a crib from Beach Baby Cribs. They were great!
Did hire any chefs or private dinners?
Not this year, but last year we used Swiftly Catered and they were great.
I think those were the majority of the most commonly asked questions! Thank you again for all of the love and camaraderie about beach travel with kids who are 0-2. We have taken both boys with us on many travel adventures, but the water/sand/stairs of the beach were uniquely challenging for Theo at this particular age.
We have another, more intimate, beach trip in a few months and now I definitely feel more mentally prepared for what we need in order for it to be a success. Noted! Thanks so much for checking in and reading – xo –
This week is one of my personal favorites..a mix of all the pretty things I’ve seen online and am loving. Along with my own personal summer bucket list at the bottom!
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage.
I can’t get over these slingbacks. I love them and keep *almost* purchasing them. The mini-heeled version is fabulous too!
If I had any travel planned with Christian, I’d be wearing this dress to dinner.
I am loving the shape and size of this cooler. I feel like we never need a big cooler, but just something compact and functional. Add it to my wish list along with this cup.
I ordered these sandals after seeing how wildly similar they are to these designer versions. Fingers crossed they show up as beautiful as they look!
As for my own summer bucket list, it’s looking a little something like…
What’s on your bucket list? Let’s make it realistic. There’s no point in setting ourselves up for failure, right? I have to remind myself that Christian and I both continue to work throughout the summer, so the schedule isn’t going to be flipped upside down if you feel me.
Thank you so much for checking in and reading – xo –
We don’t use our formal dining room often, and it feels like wasted space. My thought is that I could keep the dining room as is but set up the table more like a desk. If we needed it for dining, I could just move my computers into our bedroom.
Turns out, it’s been so convenient to be downstairs. I love the view of the windows from the dining room, and I think this might need to be a more permanent change.
3. This has made me have the wild hair to change up the wallpaper. Whoops. I have the nature-inspired mural coming that I’m really excited about! I will share more details once the installation begins.
4. I binge-watched Selling Sunset‘s new season over the weekend, I think I’m over this series. The framing of the constant chase of ego and money is starting to feel a little sad to me. Does anyone else feel that way? I know many shows are like this, but the “reality TV” element of this one makes it feel extra depressing.
But I did watch RHONJ wedding special and part 1 of the VPR finale and that was a great time.
5. The pool has started a soft open and I’m gearing up for one on two under 3.5 years old at the pool. Prayers are appreciated!
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend and stays safe and cozy. Thank you so much for stopping by and checking in. Talk soon xo –
I couldn’t think of a great theme for this week, so instead I decided to share what I’ve been perusing myself in the LTK app. Man… when I start scrolling over there I’m in trouble.
To shop, click directly on the item or find its associated number below the collage –
If I didn’t have a similar pair of brown sandals I would save for this sandal splurge. I keep seeing so many gals wearing sneakers like this with classic denim and even though I don’t think the look will serve my body… I still keep thinking about them. What do you guys think about these retro chunkier-style sneakers? I tend to stick with classic chucks when I feel like having a throwback moment.
I ordered two of these black diamond sisal rugs for our front and back doors because I couldn’t help myself. Do I need them? No. But I can’t wait to get them in. Love this one too.
I might be putting this diamond wrap ring on my birthday wish list. I really don’t need it but I really love it.
Thanks so much for checking in and reading! Talk soon xo –
