Well done

The perfect summer look. Loose dress, sandals, and a smile. 

From The Sartorialist

Vampire Vixen

I know Sunday's True Blood ended on a seriously freaky note.... but didn't Lorena look fabulous?! 

Haters Just Jealous

I've been having a tough time dealing with some Twitter haters (Twaters? No?), and one of my fellow TJ's directed me to this Bloggess post where I saw this sticker.... Follow that? Anyway, just thought it was clever.

And don't worry about me. I'm dealing with the Twaters.

What? You still don't like that word?

Everything's Up to Date in Kansas City...

This weekend I took a little roadtrip up to KC to visit with friends and watch the Cardinals/Royals game. 

I haven't been out of town in quite some time, so it was fun roadtripping and exploring a new city! I didn't get to stop at QT on the way out of town for a big soda and taquito like I had planned, but here is what I did get to do....

On the way there, we stopped in Columbia, Mo., for Trop's (of course). I started to wonder when I would stop seeing people I knew when I visited my college town. I still know quite a few people younger than me, and a lot of my friends have stayed in Columbia for work and grad school. It will be weird to come visit someday and feel like an outsider.

Anyway, we hit bad traffic (for no apparent reason) right outside of Columbia- so thank god we had our Trop's! We ended up rolling into KC around 11:30 for beer, a few very unorganized games of flip cup, and overall fun times with friends. Plus, I realized a few things: (1) having a keg in your kitchen is rather convenient for a weekend of drinking. (2) Pringles in a bag are still really good.

Saturday, I got to sleep in til 10am, which was great (but is it really sleeping in if you went to bed around 4 or 5am? Anyway...). I looked up brunch places in KC. The 'best' results were all BBQ joints. Questionable. I looked up soccer bars in KC. One result, and it was closed in 2009. Again, questionable.

We headed off to 810 Zone on the Plaza to watch USA take on Ghana in the World Cup. Side note: Did you know KC was so hilly? (Like John's Big Deck?) Seriously though, that's the closest I'll ever get to feel like I'm in San Francisco!). The result of the game was, well, not good, but at least my chicken sandwich was delicious! Think positive, people. 

Back at Kyle's, we played in the front yard a little and then headed inside to relax and watch some Ghostbusters on VH1. I got to experience firsthand my friends' reactions to seeing me in the TJ commercial. ("Oh my god, Danielle. That was you.... you were just on TV! Why are you on TV?!"). That was kind of fun. I guess with as much as I'm online, I assume everyone knows. It isn't something I bring up or talk about all the time (believe it or not), so it was funny having someone 'discover' it right in front of me. 

That night, we went to Blanc Burger on the Plaza. Two words: freakin' delicious. The white/orange decor is cool (and entertaining), and the food is awesome (I had the burger stuffed with bleu cheese and the fries, literally, a la carte). See photos for evidence:

After dinner, we headed out to Power and Light. We fought crowds, got sweaty, and eventually made our way into Angel Rock Bar. We fought crowds, got sweaty, and eventually found a little spot for us to stand. We fought crowds, got sweaty, and left Power and Light for the less crowded Tom Fooleries on the Plaza. (Another side note: I saw SIX people I knew at Power and Light. None of them were from KC, all were from St. Louis. Weird.) It was nice to have our own table and to be cool enough that we weren't drowning in our own sweat. Plus, I've learned that cab rides have the potential to be some of the most fun you'll have all night. 

Sunday morning, we all lounged around until heading out to lunch at Bella Napoli. I ate a sandwich filled with meat I've never heard of and can't pronounce... but it was good (look at me, trying new things!). Then it was back to STL, where I came home to a yummy dinner and dead plants. 

I guess if a few dead plants is the worse part of your weekend, you can't complain. 

Oh Man, Sister

Pizza in the Morning, Pizza in the Evening...

Add this to my list of genius ideas.... calzone cupcakes. Just grab some of your favorite pizza dough (or make it yourself you show off) and pizza toppings and follow these simple instructions...

• Preheat oven to 450 F.
• Roll out the pizza dough about 1/4" thick and line the bottom and sides of the indentations in a cupcake tin.
• Put a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each piece of dough.
• Fill the cupcake with the filling.
• Top with another thin layer of mozzarella cheese.
• Top each cupcake with another piece of pizza dough and press firmly around the edges of the cupcake to seal it (as shown below). If necessary, use a butter knife to cut off any excess dough.
• Bake for 14 minutes.
• Remove and top with pizza sauce and cheese, then throw them back in the oven for another minute or until the cheese is melted.

For more detailed instructions check out the origial post at Cupcake Project. 

Like, Part 2

Seriously psyched for this movie.

Q&A

In case you haven't heard, I'm in the running to be the first ever MTV TJ (aka Twitter Jockey). At the beginning of the competition, MTV asked me all these questions, which they posted today. They decided to pull a few for their homepage and take a look at the two they picked....

Give us some background on where you grew up (or where you spent the majority of your life). What about your hometown do you love/hate? 

“I’m from a city in the Midwest, best city in the whole wide wide world...”

Okay, I’m pretty sure Lupe Fiasco was talking about Chicago, but I like to pretend he’s talking about my hometown- the real best city in the Midwest- St. Louis.

I’ve lived here my whole life. In fact, I’ve lived in the same house my entire life. The same house my Dad grew up in. I guess you could say I’m pretty much in love with Saint Louis. The Cardinals, Forest Park, Anheuser-Busch, toasted ravioli, Soulard, the Arch, Ted Drewes, the music, the people, I love it all.

Do you feel like your online persona is any different from your real life persona?

My online life is pretty much the same as my real life. In fact, people who follow my blogs or twitter probably know more about me than some of my ‘real life’ friends.

Blogging and tweeting gives me a chance to talk about whatever I want- no interruptions, no judgement. Believe it or not, most of my friends don’t want to sit around talking about my Lost obsession, but online I can talk about it as much as I want. And chances are, I’ll find other people online who want to talk about it with me too.

I love that they picked these two. While they aren't (in my opinion) my most clever or funny responses, they show my love for STL, my love for social media, and actually link out to one of my blogs (niiiice).

For the whole Q&A, and more about the competition, check out my MTV profile.

[Reblog:] Eats It Up

Note: This post originally appeared on Girls Guide to the Galaxy. The site has since gone under, and I'm not sure how much longer these posts will still exist. But they were good. And I don't want to loose them. To see the original, click here. 

I love food. I mean, who doesn’t?

And it’s no secret that I love a special food deal. If you follow me on Twitter (which you should, by the way), you see me tweeting about Foursquare deals, happy hours, and Groupons (I’m currently sitting on seven groupons… kind of obsessed). I just can’t get enough.

Blame it on me being cheap. Blame it on me being hungry. Personally, I blame it on this newly acquired passion for the great city of St. Louis and all the cool restaurants it has to offer me. Take that.

Anyway, based on my love of food and a bargain, I was obviously psyched to take on Yelp Eats! this week. Starting Monday, and running through this Sunday, participating restaurants are offering a special 3-course dinner menu- that means appetizer, entree, and, yum, dessert- all for the cool price of $25 (plus tax and tip).

I found out about it about a month or so ago, and immediately added it to my calendar. Then I started scoping out which restaurant I would chose, which was no easy task. Yelp gave me twelve (yes, twelve) amazing choices. After narrowing it down to five three two one, I headed out to Kota Wood Fire Grill on Tuesday night for dinner.

I called ahead of time (because Yelp told me to, and I follow the rules), but they said I didn’t need to worry about making a reservation, just to come on in and tell my server we were doing the Yelp Eats! menu. So I headed down that way, drove around looking for parking, and settled on a 90 minute meter (which worked out- we made it out of there with just a few minutes to spare!). As we walked in to Kota, there was a sign in the window advertising Yelp Eats! and when I told the hostess we were there for that she handed us the special printed menu.

And here is why Yelp Eats! is perfect for a date or a small group- each restaurant offers two or three choices for your app, dinner, and dessert, making it really easy to share. Here is what we split:

Appetizers: Garlic Barbeque Delta Shrimp with smoked chile grits and sweet potato straws AND Stuffed Mushrooms with goat cheese and herbs, flash fried with creamy garlic parmesan sauce

Entree: Jerk Painted Salmon grilled with mango salsa, black beans & rice, sweet plantains and coconut creamed spinach AND Espresso Rubbed Beef Filet Medallions with blue cheese cream, buttermilk mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus, and crisped onion straws

Dessert: Devil’s Food Cup Cake (it is literally, in a cup) AND Apple Pie with praline sauce

The. Food. Was. Amazing.

If I had to pick one two favorite things it would have been the beef entree and the cup cake dessert. I sort of felt like a pig eating all this food, but I couldn’t help it. Oh, and a lot of people on Twitter were asking me if I tried their milk shake cocktails…. I did not. I went with their house sangria instead (hey, it was hot on Tuesday!) and it was delish. But I’ll drink almost anything garnished with a cherry.

Now that I’ve made you really hungry (I’m starving just thinking about it), I have to give a big thanks to Yelp for putting on this event and kudos to Kota for following through with a great meal! If you are out and about in Saint Louis this weekend, you should definitely take advantage Yelp Eats!

This messsge has been approved by me, Danielle Hohmeier.

Eye Heart STL

EYE HEART STL!!! from Peat Wollaeger on Vimeo.

Love Love Love Love

from my favorite website on the planet, I'm Staying in St. Louis because...

Kudos to Kota

Check out my full post on Kota and Yelp Eats! at Girls Guide

Hittin' the Road

I'm road tripping up to KC this weekend, and I guarantee it will be glamorous like this photo... 

NOT. 

I'll be in the car with a couple of dudes, hitting up KC for the Cards/Royals series (standing room only, no less) and to visit some good friends. Very classy weekend planned. 

Image from Dress Design and Decor

Dreamer's Disease

Heard this song at work today and remembered how much I love it. It reminds me of middle school- ice skating, making up dances in my friends' basements... wow, I was so cool. Plus, the video rocks. I've always been jealous of them partying in the mall- letting all the puppies free and eating ice cream straight from the 'tap.' Ahhh...

PS: I tried picking a lyric to put up to accompany this video, but I couldn't. I love the whole song.

Silhouette

I go back and forth on whether I like rooms with an explosion of color or if I would rather go with muted neutrals, but these Mike Miller pieces make me lean towards the latter.

From Design Sponge

I'm sick of the Fail Whale...

... unless it comes in this form.

via Mashable

Slide Bride

I have this dream to jump in the ocean or a pool in my wedding dress. I know, I know, that dress is so expensive and will be all wet and ruined... but who cares? You only wear it this one time. Make it count.

From Carnival Cruise Line's Facebook Page

Easy Living

Love this living room featured on Design Sponge. The perfect mix of cozy, mismatched, and cluttered to make it look cool.

Rockstars

Not only does she have like, the best blog ever, but apparently her wedding pictures are perfect too. Jealous.

Check out  Rockstar Diaries. Trust me.

Oh Really?

Dear Danielle,

In this issue of Mizzou-ya, we will get you up to speed on the value of social networking - not only to connect with the friends you made during your time at Mizzou but also to assist you in building your career.

Will you now? Boy, oh boy. I can't wait to read it! I don't know anything about social media.

Like.

Jesse Eisenberg. Social Media. Win.

Woody

Have I told you how much I love sturdy wood tables?

Featured on Design Sponge

Hot Hot Heat

From Dress Design and Decor

I'm from Florence and I'm perfect. Psh.

From the Sartorialist

Temptation

Dear Destined to Design, 

Why do you feature the cutest outfits ever and make me want to go shopping?

Get Yo Groove On

I have posted images from the White House Flickr Feed before, but this one has to be on of my favorites.

PS. While you are browsing Flickr, check out my page.

Music + Art

Really loving the interviews they've been featuring on St. Louis Egotist lately (see exhibit A and exhibit B). This is from their most recent interview with Evan from Sleeping Kitty:

Good music and art IS good living. Making good music and art IS making a living, you know? Money, that's its own problem, but making good stuff, doing the best work I can, it feels like I'm interacting with the part of the world I appreciate most.

Here's more of their work:

Girls Night, circa 1958

Things haven't changed much. 

From My Vintage Vogue

Just me, being a jerk.

Just saw this tweeted...

"Please join us on FaceBook!!"

Umm hi. If you don't know that 'FaceBook' is really 'Facebook', I don't really want to follow you. 

Impossible

St. Louis summers are hot. Like really, really hot. So glamour like this is pretty much impossible. I'm usually a sweaty dewy mess from May thru August (and sometimes more than that... thanks Missouri). It's nice to look at though, isn't it?

From My Vintage Vogue

No Pants Saturday

My friends make fun of me, but 'no pants Saturday' is my favorite weekend activity. I just like being lazy, laying around me house, napping, reading, watching TV, snuggling with my puppy.

Is that so bad?

Image from Dress Design and Decor (although, none of my Saturdays look quite this glamorous...)

Radio

I'm listening to Bonnaroo Live on NPR since I'm too broke to go (#nowplaying the xx)...
What else I'm looking forward to:

Today:
5:45 p.m. CT: The National

9:30 p.m. CT: Damian Marley and Nas

Tomorrow:
1:15 p.m. CT: She & Him
12 p.m. CT: Norah Jones
4:45 p.m. CT: The Avett Brothers
6:15 p.m. CT: LCD Soundsystem
7:45 p.m. CT: The Black Keys

Sunday:
3 p.m. CT: Regina Spektor
4:30 p.m. CT: Kris Kristofferson

I'm sure more will be added. Check out the ever-changing schedule.

Paris, New York, or Italy

Which one are you?

I think I'm Italy, in case you were wondering. 

Justin Skeesuck prints featured on Design Work Life

Mom Jeans

Confident, free, casual, intriguing.

I don't care if she is wearing mom jeans. I so want to be this girl. 

From the Sartorialist

Genius

This may be the most genius cooking advice I have ever feasted my eyes on (get it, feasted? har har). Chocolate cake. In the microwave. In one minute. Seriously.

Emergency Chocolate Cake

2 Tbs cake flour (or regular...)
2 Tbs sugar
2 rounded tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 Tbs milk
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp vanilla

Coat the inside of a mug with nonstick cooking spray. Put all ingredients in mug and stir with a fork until smooth. You can also stir in chocolate chips, nuts or anything else your heart desires. Microwave for 1 minute. Allow to cool a little before eating! If you're feeling crazy you could top it with a spoonful of peanut butter (which melts delectably on the warm cake) or maybe some ice cream. The possibilities are endless, really.

(via Mrs Harding Cooks)

Coffee Talk

I want it. I need it. I have to have it.

Absolutely loving this Jules Anderson wooden coffee table featured on Design Sponge

Words of Wisdom... from my boss

So maybe I'm biased because I work at Atomicdust, but I love Mike's advice to designers in his interview with St. Louis Egotist.

Designers. Think of design as a way to change the current situation into a more favorable one. If you enter into a project thinking it’s going to suck because the ‘client is lame,’ then it probably will. (I realize that this is not always possible.) Walk the thin line of using visual metaphors without being too obvious. Read the book “Designers Don’t Read” by Austin Howe. Get away from your computer, then eventually come back. Use the ‘Toyo’ color book instead of Pantone. Deny yourself cream and sugar. Listen to the same song on repeat for days. Use a cool photo, a legible typeface, and something that messes it all up. Try not to be a ‘one trick pony.’ Panic when you realize you are. Start over. Then think of design as a way to change the current situation into a more favorable one.

Weekend Wear

I want to wear this some weekend when I'm running around town shopping, wandering in the park, doing touristy things in my own great city. Only, I would need that top with short sleeves. It's too dang hot in STL.

This weekend, I'll be doing none of those fun activities. Instead I'll be moving in to my new house, probably sporting a tshirt and gym shorts (not quite as stylish).

Outfit of the day from Destined to Design.

So Glam

Because glamorous takes to long to type on a Friday.

From My Vintage Vogue

Happy June!

1. Can you believe it is already June? Whoa.
2. I've been following Design Sponge's monthly desktop calendars for a while now, but I think this months is my favorite. Isn't it sweet?

Summertime.

Now that Memorial Day is behind us (and what a glorious weekend it was!), it is time to start thinking of my summertime plans, which include, but are not limited to...

• Muny (for everything except Cats. Those tickets are up for grabs.)
• Shakespeare in the Park (anyone who thinks this is nerdy obviously hasn't been. Grab a blanket, snacks, and bottle of wine and sit in the grass at Forest Park. How could that be bad?)
• Botanicals Wednesdays, Twilight Tuesdays, Live on the Levee and other assorted outdoor concerts
• A visit from my good friend Karyn
• KC for the Cards/Royals series
• A weekend at Tablerock with just my friends
• Loufest in Forest Park
• A wedding or two...

And that is just some of the stuff I have on calendar. Summer 2010 is going to be a good one!

The Perfect Wave

Dear Cupcakes and Cashmere,
Why do you have the prettiest hair on the planet? And how can I make mine look like yours? I love you.

With the utmost admiration and jealousy,
Danielle

Stay Tuned

I've been seeing tweets from local news outlets that advertise more details... on air... two hours from now.

Are you kidding? I'm already online. If you can't give me the info you're being so elusive about on your own site right this minute, I'll just head somewhere else to find it.

The 'stay tuned' trick doesn't work when it comes to news online.

Pass the Pasta (Salad)

I've never been a crazy pasta salad fan (except maybe that boxed Suddenly Salad stuff), but lately I've really been craving it. I saw this recipe on Destined to Design, and can't wait to try it out (with a few tweaks. I'm not a big olive or pepper fan....).

10 ounces fusilli (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup pitted black olives
1 medium red pepper, cut into thin strips (about 4 ounces or 1 cup)
3 ounces Parmesan, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
1 small bunch chives, snipped (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, boil 6 cups of water and cook fusilli per directions on box. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans.

Once the fusilli has cooled add the green beans, olives, red pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine. In a small bowl mix together the sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the fusilli salad. Toss to combine and serve.

Words of Wisdom... from Julia Child

Really want this print from Kantan Designs to hang in my new kitchen (should I get it in yellow or burgandy?).