A Rainy Sunday

After a few weeks of summer-like temps in LA, the rain and gloom of winter finally emerged yesterday. It even hailed a bit when I drove over Laurel Canyon; a rare but welcomed sight indeed. The weather was a perfect excuse to change into my pj's, watch movies, cook a huge batch of soup, and browse some shops online that I'd saved in my bookmarks folder.

1. Clemens En August tunic 2. Parker dress 3. Balmain dress 4. Kain dress 5. Alberta Ferretti top 6. Adam tank 7. Stella McCartney sweater 8. 3.1 Phillip Lim sweater 9. All Saints scarf 10. Miu Miu wallet 11.Chloe sunglasses 12. Eugenia Kim fedora

Here's to a fabulous week ahead...

PS. If you have twitter, I'd love to connect with you! @brunchsaksblog

Office Space

1. Farrow & Ball paint 2. Farrow & Ball wallpaper 3. Vintage VW print

Let's be honest: a home office for most of us is merely code for extra storage space. It's always nice to dream about the plethora of decor schemes that will "someday" be executed, but with one too many leftover moving boxes, old college textbooks, and seasonal jackets lying around, it's a tad bit daunting to even think about such a task. Since I'm currently in said position, I've been looking at a ton of office spaces for inspiration; these two having caught my eye for their sentimental charm and bold, glamorous style.

1. Farrow & Ball paint 2. Utility Design ghost chair 3. Kate Grey rug

PS. I want to say thank you to ELLE Decor for having me on their 'Design Insiders' series today! Head on over to find out which website I am loving most this week :)

Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Cookie Recipe - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Desserts

-I may or may not have eaten all of the above yesterday-

I'm doing a happy dance today to the tune of "if at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again." Since going gluten/dairy/soy/you-name-it free, I've had a horrendous time finding a chocolate cookie that even resembles its glutinous counterpart. The box mixes don't fit into my window of ingredient-tolerant needs, and most of the homemade recipes I've tried ended up in a dry, tasteless mess. Thankfully, the cookie gods were all on duty yesterday, as this fabulous recipe turned out to be the perfect balance of chocolatey, chewy, could-have-fooled-me goodness.


Click below for recipe


Warning: I never promised these were healthy!

1/4 c. rice flour
2 tbs. butter (I used Earth Balance soy-free)
2 1/2 c. chocolate chips* (I used Enjoy Life)
2 eggs
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking powder (I used Rumford gluten/aluminum free)
optional: 1 c. pecans or walnuts

*If you can tolerate ingredients in any type of chocolate, separate the chocolate by: 2 c. semi-sweet chips, 1/4 c. bittersweet chocolate (chopped), 1/4 unsweetened chocolate (chopped)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

-In a medium saucepan, melt 1 1/2 c. of chocolate chips, and the butter.
-Remove from heat; add eggs, sugar, rice flour, vanilla, and baking powder. Stir until combined.
-Mix in remaining 1 c. of chocolate chips and nuts (if using)
-Drop dough (it will look like cake batter) by the tablespoon onto a parchment lined (or greased) cookie sheet
-Bake 8-10 minutes, or until surface of the cookie looks dull and cracked.
-Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Store in an airtight container up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

To freeze: Cool completely. Layer cookies between parchment paper dividers in an airtight container. They will last up to 3 months

Adapted from Gluten Free Mommy

The New 'It' Color

With every new season comes yet another it color in the fashion world. Whether it's a deep plum for fall or a lighter shade of turquoise for spring; the turnover rate for a trending hue is fierce and quick. At the Golden Globes we were introduced to the newest illumination: emerald green. The fascinatingly vibrant color was worn by the likes of Angelina Jolie, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Mila Kunis- all of whom donned it elegantly in their respective gowns. As with any season's color, I won't get too attached, although it might be hard this time around because it's simply beautiful.

1. Tibi dress 2. Marni dress 3. Fever London dress 4. Fever London tunic 5. MM Couture top 6. Jean Paul Gaultier top 7. Marni top 8. Jucca sweater 9. Kelsi Dagger flats 10. Tory Burch flats 11. Miu Miu flats

A good find...

Over the weekend I found this beautiful copy of Happy Living for New Homemakers at our Farmer's Market. The book was written in 1977 by the Editors of Modern Bride and is filled with plenty of tidbits (most irrelevant, albeit charming) on how to make a newly merged home a happy one. Though everyday life is a far cry from what it was in the 70s, I must admit that a few of the tips in the book- such as how to set the perfect dining table- can and shall come in handy when the time calls for a soiree or two. Even if the book serves as nothing more than a reference for period styling, I am happy to have paid mere cents to call it my own.

- The perfect addition to a nightstand in desperate need of pizazz-

Open Spaces

Open spaces are the bane of my existence. After living in dorm rooms, an apartment, and a small townhouse throughout the past 6 years, I welcomed the much larger and airy space in our new house with open arms. Fast forward to almost a year later, and here I am, stuck with an endless amount of possibilities to fill such a space, yet consistently failing as absolutely nothing feels right. I'm hoping a few of these images will spark some uncharted creativity within, as I'm in desperate need to make the space feel like home.

I had to add this in because I adore the hanging chair:

[photos via Living Etc]

J'adore: Classic Stars and their Bikes

Sometimes a post is in need of an explanation and other times the pictures themselves will simply do. Today is one in which the latter takes precedence. Elegance. Class. Grace. Synonymize as you may. J'adore.