My Maggie December

Happy December! Listen to these songs as you go about your day and you will catch a glimpse of winter nostalgia, excitement, warmth, and quirkiness...basically 4 emotions that follow me around everywhere I go. Let's hope it snows. You can listen to the whole playlist free on Spotify.

Remaining Accessories Sale

Update: Here are a few of the accessories I am still selling. Let me know if you are interested!

This bag is super cute and brand new. $20

Reversible handbag. Japanese print on one side, denim on the other. Pocket and velcro closure. Will fit your scriptures perfectly.

$5

Woven straw handbag. I've used this for potted plants before.

$2

All Jewelery $2 each

Hi everyone! Sorry it has been a while since I've posted. I have always been a "Christmas comes around mid-December" kind of girl and not the day after Thanksgiving or even heaven forbid before Thanksgiving. But this weekend truly does feel like the start of the holiday season. I'm not ready to listen to Christmas music yet, but there is something really glamorous about kicking off the season with a 50s style party. My friend Yandary is having a 50s style birthday party at my house TONIGHT! We love having parties at our house, especially when we don't have to stress to make sure everything is perfect. We are just along for the ride.

Among other holiday news, our Christmas tree is being delivered tomorrow. It feels a little early for me, but it is farm fresh, will smell wonderful, and there is no reason to fight it. We'll decorate it sometime soon too.

Then there's the ward Christmas party happening tomorrow night. Semi-formal with hors d'oeuvres and fancy drinks. But a Christmas party on December 1st? Seems WAY early for me. This is another holiday season-opener I can't fight.

And lastly there's the mother holiday season-opener: The First Presidency Christmas Devotional. That's on Sunday, guys. So needless to say, on this the last day of November, starting this weekend the holiday season is here. I will release my monthly playlist, "My Maggie December," tomorrow and when I'm good and ready there will be a "My Maggie Christmas" so stay tuned for that!

My Maggie November

Another month, another playlist. Track 4 is dedicated to you, #Sandy. Enjoy this music that is on my mind right now.

foodie brain dump (pics to come)

Speaking of food, I know no one cares but me, but here is a list of all the wonderful things I got to sample in New York last week. It was a pure trip of luxury and indulgence.
1) Carnegie Deli: Reuben and fries
2) Serafina: Taste of salad, bread, gnocchi and lasagne from my friends' dishes. (Total random selection and we were blown away by this restaurant) I wasn't hungry so didn't order anything.
3) Junior's Cheesecake: Devil's Food Cake

4) Sarabeth's: Classic eggs benedict with leafy greens, homefries (amazing), hot chocolate
5) Laduree: Salted Caramel, Raspberry, Chocolate (divine)
6) Levain's Bakery: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip (life changing- the most amazing thing I ate all weekend) and steamed whole milk
7) Mint Lemonade from little girl's lemonade stand on the Upper West Side
7) Hecho en Dumbo: chips and salsa, shredded beef burritos. (A little too fancy and small portioned for what we were hoping for. Food tasted amazing, just wasn't much of it.)
8) Max Brenner: Italian Hot Chocolate (Milk Chocolate- too sweet) and chicken satay skewers

9) Taste of a New York Bagel and Cream Cheese
10) Prosperity Dumpling: 6 pork and scallion dumplings $1
11) Jacques Torres at Chelsea Market: Wicked Hot Chocolate
12) Hale and Hearty: Half Italian sandwich and soup, Tomato with chicken and orzo
13) Levain's Bakery: Dark Chocolate with Dark Chocolate chips (left over from day before so not hot and delicious but cool and delicious)

By the way I have been overly OBSESSED with tomato soup lately. Like in 4 days I tried 5 different kinds. I can't get enough. I would rate them as follows: 1 is best - 5 is least favorite

1) Hale and Hearty Tomato with Chicken and Orzo (slightly sweet, creamy, good stuff in it)
2) Devan and Blakely Tomato Bisque (Slightly sweet, creamy, pieces of tomato)
3) Campbells Tomato (slightly sweet, creamy...made with 1% milk)
4) Panera Creamy Tomato (slightly sweet, not very creamy...more oily)
5) Whole Foods Tomato Bisque (very pureed with garlic and basil...I don't like tomato soup that resembles spaghetti sauce)  

Foodies

Last weekend I went to a dinner party with some of my best friends. Melanie was the mastermind behind our main dish, a pumpkin gnocchi recipe. We all LOVED it. I made a fall salad, using mostly produce from my CSA share, which by the way Norman's Farm is the best in all the land. The salad could be called Brussel Sprout Salad. Everyone was asking for a recipe, so I thought I'd type up what I did.

Brussel Sprout Salad - no quantities given because you can eyeball what you need based on how many you are serving.

Brussel Sprouts (CSA!)
Canola Oil
Chopped Walnuts
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

Arugula (CSA!)
Red Onion (CSA!)
Optional: Roasted Pumpkin or Butternut Squash Chunks (no flavoring or oil needed) (CSA!)

2 Garlic cloves
1/2 cup Olive Oil
Juice from 1/2 Lemon
Shaved Lemon Rind
Sea Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper

I chopped the ends off the brussel sprouts and cut each one in half (even the smallest ones). I spread them out on a baking sheet and drizzled them with plenty of canola oil. I ground sea salt and fresh pepper over the top and then tossed them all around to make sure they were evenly coated. Lastly, I arranged them so the cut, layer-y side of the sprout was facing up.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. For the last 5 minutes I tossed in some chopped walnuts.

While the sprouts were roasting, I washed and spun-dried a large bag of arugula. Put in a large bowl. I then cut some thin slices of red onion. After the brussel sprouts had cooled a bit, I placed them and the walnuts on top. Lastly, I shaved some fresh parmesan. As a note: I would have added roasted pumpkin chunks or butternut squash, but I knew we were having pumpkin gnocchi.

The dressing was a cinch. 2 minced garlic cloves, half a cup of olive oil. wisk together. Add the juice from half a lemon. Shave in some lemon rind. Grind in some salt and pepper to taste. Add to salad right before serving.

Along with the dinner we had delicious varieties of lemonades and limeades from Whole Foods. Dessert was SUPERB. Roasted pears in a sugar, cinnamon glaze with vanilla ice cream.

Did I miss anything guys?

Manhattan Bound

The weekend is about here, ya'll. And after this week, I NEED it. Luckily, I have some of the best friends in the whole world who will help make it a great one.

Starting tonight we're having a girls' night dinner in, making a delicious fall meal from scratch.

Tomorrow morning I'm off to New York to do some serious birthday celebrating (not mine). 

I CAN'T EVEN WAIT.

I am not feeling too hot today and the past couple of days...I'm off to a quick dr.'s appointment. Here's hoping I can stave off anything worse over the weekend.

Happy weekend everyone!

Follow my weekend Instas @magsrose

Accessory Sale

DC area friends,

I've decided to downsize and sell a few of my accessories that need good homes! See below. Write a comment if you want to buy something.

This bag is super cute and brand new. It will spice up your outfit this fall for sure. $20

Reversible handbag. Japanese print on one side, denim on the other. Pocket and velcro closure. Will fit your scriptures perfectly.

$5

Woven straw handbag. I've used this for potted plants before.

$2

All Jewelery $2 each

My Maggie October Playlist

Friends,
I die for playlists. Whenever friends post them, I immediately look up every song and notice which ones I already have and which I don't, which ones I like and which ones I wouldn't have chosen.

I have been really inspired by a few bloggers who post monthly playlists. You've got to check out these ones: Hip Hip Gin Gin, Lars, Note to Self. I've decided to throw in my two cents. My playlist was inspired partially by those listed above, but I decided to make my playlist entirely out of music I already had. It is also inspired by my mood, the secrets of my heart, the weather, and the season. Not to mention it's my one chance to dust off the creepy stuff!

Here's to October! I hope we have many more foggy, misty days to come.

Listen to playlist here: My Maggie October

Photo via

Confrontation

Friends,

Today could definitely be worse, but already today I am facing two confrontational conversations at work. These are uncomfortable conversations that need to happen. One involved helping another person understand his available resources. I am not, nor am I willing to be, his only source for help. Someone else has been hired and is being paid to do these types of things for him.

The other I need to face later today. It involves a certain amount of censure. My intention is to not coddle this undergraduate student, but to be very plain and direct about what was done wrong, what our expectations are, and what will happen if something doesn't change.

My nature is to gently broach the subject, but make sure what I'm saying is clear. Then afterwards I try to be extra specially nice, but not in a fake way- just in my normal way. I do this to make sure the person understands that I am not upset but that I am trying to communicate that there is a problem and what I believe could be a solution.

What advice do you have for being prepared for these types of conversations? I want to go into them with a sure plan, not all crazy and emotional-like. Do you think there is anything I should do differently?

Last night I walked home in the streaming sunlight. I went up to my room and did some organizing and tidying up. Everything has a place. I ate a dinner of fruit and vegetables from my farmer's market CSA share. I did two loads of laundry. I watched a couple episodes of a show on Netflix while I mended three articles of clothing that have been laying around forever. I hung those clothes up, ready to wear. I framed a poster and hung it in the right spot. I called my brother then stalked my sister's pregnancy progress. She was 40 weeks yesterday. I had my window open to the cool fall air. I was tucked up in my room all alone but honestly that is exactly where I wanted to be.

YOLO 2012

YOLO 2012. It all started with a special email invitation from two of the chillest girls I know: April and Kelli. I didn't hesitate for a second. A lake house at Lake Anna with a house full of buddies? YES!

Once plans were solidified, YOLO 2012 was born.

      Special thanks to Stacie for driving down and for taking this pic!

         Here's the amazing house, called the Glass House.        Since we were the first car to arrive, we had a little trouble figuring out how to get in, but Stephen is actually a pretty skilled lock buster.

                   Here's the view of our lake access

                        Our PEEPS!

                   Ruth, Kelli, me!                        Brian, Kelli, Austin

              We became BFFs with the little Branch down there. We drove through Mineral, VA, the epicenter of the earthquake we had about a year ago.

          This is most of us. We had a ton of fun. I had two favorite moments: Morning Fleetwood Mac jam session. Imagine a kitchen full of people harmonizing and finding makeshift instruments.

     And a prank we pulled on the people downstairs watching a movie. This involved a golf cart, flashing lights, and window banging. Oh and fleeing the scene.

summer pairs

treats in georgetown

campus

new Kansas City Temple

checking out Excelsior Springs, MO with Mom

polo match in Virginia

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City

Bagel City, hidden gem in Rockville, MD

new bedroom decor

beautiful evening in Washington, DC