Have an Excellent Easter Weekend!

Happy weekend all! Well it's not supposed to be the summer city weather Chicago had last weekend, but maybe we'll at least get some sun. Even though my brother and sisters and I are grown, we still decorate eggs and have a hunt around the house – I love the idea of using a white paint pen on brown eggs (and kinda surprised I didn't think of this sooner!)

Also this weekend ...

• Bring a whimsical snack to your Easter gathering with these dark chocolate easter egg nests (they're so easy ... and delicious ... and messy).

• If you're a fan of musicals, chances are you're a fan of singing along to them ... well if you're a Grease fan, this Saturday you can throw on your best Sandy costume (there's a contest!) and sing along to the hits at the Music Box Theater.

• Since warm weather isn't here yet, I will just have to day dream about it. I just ordered a bottle of this body oil and I'm embarrassingly excited (monoi oil comes from French Polynesia and I got hooked on the fragrant oil when we honeymooned there a couple years ago). Now I can be reminded of our trip and smell amazing all the time (and when the warm weather does arrive, this stuff also soothes sunburn).

Have a great weekend!

Photo courtesy of Pinterest

Have a Great Holiday Weekend!

Not only is it supposed to be a gorgeous weekend, but with the Easter holiday comes Easter candy! In my opinion, no holiday treat rivals the Cadbury Cream Egg (I'd love to try making my own - maybe with a dark chocolate shell). We're looking forward to spending time outdoors, with our families, and trying our hand at some extravagant Easter eggs like the ones above. 

Also this weekend ...

• Madewell on Rush is opening Wednesday at 10am - and the first 150 people will receive a mystery giftcard ranging from $10-$500! I love this lightweight sweater for spring, and how cute are these simple flats for casual weekend looks!?

• P.O.S.H Chicago is having their "Dish Ran Away With the Spoon" sale, where you can score fine French finds for your home for up to half off. Not in Chicago? You can shop it online, too.

• I'm not big into sci-fi or fantasy, but I married a pretty geeky guy, so I played along when he wanted to watch Game of Thrones. Well ... I'm hopelessly hooked now and definitely tuning in for Sundays season premiere (and catching the season finale of The Walking Dead). Zombies and dragons and thrones, oh my!   

Have a great weekend!

Photo courtesy of sheknows.com

Easter Egg Nests

I put a little spin on one of my go-to dessert recipes for the Easter holiday, dark chocolate "haystacks" are turned into little nests with the addition of dark chocolate egg candies. These are so super easy, you can whip them up in no time to place at your brunch table.

Ingredients:
• 2 10 oz. bags dark chocolate chips
• 1 large bag chow mein noodles
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1 bag slivered almonds
• egg candies (I used dark chocolate Cadbury mini eggs)

Recipe:
• melt the chocolate in a double boiler (here I used a metal bowl over a pot of boiling water)
• once smooth, remove from heat and mix in noodles, almonds and coconut, mix to coat.
• spoon the mixture onto parchment paper-lined banking sheets, form into nest shapes with a spoon
• cool overnight in the fridge, then plate and add eggs!

Happy Easter!