A Long Weekend. Is there any happier phrase in the English language? As much as we love our jobs and what we get to do every day…we think not! Long weekends are all about relaxing, reflecting and recharging. (And they seem to come round right when you really need one, don’t they?) Before we head out to hit the lake, we teamed up with Anthropologie to pick out a few of our favorite summer must-haves from the brand and beyond. I’m hoping to test drive a few of them this weekend, but there’s no doubt these staples would be great all summer long. Hope that you enjoy a safe and relaxing weekend with your friends and family… And don’t forget the sunscreen!

1. Striped Sydney Top
2. Mini Dolmen Radio
3. Floppy Rancher Hat
4. Gusto Shades
5. Dewed T-Strap Sandals
6. Embroidered Jai Pareo Scarf
7. Tarana Maxi Dress
8. Cast One Carryall
9. Acapulco Lounge Chair

*this post was created in partnership with anthropologie. hop on over to shop the look, and get free shipping on all orders +$150 during Memorial Day Weekend (Fri-Mon!)

Jess here, with another recipe that showcases tart citrus flavor… and just so happens to go exceptionally well with the suddenly hot weather that’s hit Austin lately!  Since I just bought these new mini bundt pans that needed breaking in, I mixed up blueberry and zesty lemon cakes, then went a little crazy with a rosemary-infused syrup on top.  The result was beyond dreamy.  These pans hold a full cup of batter each, so my recipe yielded four hefty cakes. I’d imagine a truly-mini-bundt pan would yield quite a bit more…but honestly, who doesn’t love big bundts?

Blueberry + Lemon Baby Bundt Cakes with Rosemary Syrup

*adapted from Williams-Sonoma 

For the cake

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• zest of 2 lemons
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 12 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 eggs

You guys, how gorgeous is this super textural bun on Cristina? No beauty school needed to put this look together, all it requires is your run-of-the-mill ponytail, some bobby pins and a can of hair spray. I’m loving this do for an event that begs for something just a little more festive than your average blowout, plus it’s perfect for showing off your favorite pair of earrings. Love this bun as much as I do? You can thank Martha Lynn for the fabulous tutorial and Kate LeSueur for the gorgeous photos… keep reading for the step-by-step!

1. Pull hair into a mid-level ponytail, leaving out the section of hair from the ear forward. hint: this is the trick that can be applied to almost any fun updo — leave a front section of hair out and you can do something fun with it later.
2. Take a small section of hair from the ponytail, and wrap it around the elastic.
3. Pin to head in various places along the wrapped section.
4. Continue pulling sections of the ponytail and wrapping loosely around the first in opposite directions, this adds more texture than spiraling the whole ponytail at once.
5. Wrap final piece and pin to secure.
6. Tease the front section of hair.
7. Sweep back sections and tuck under bun, wrapping around it if your hair is long.
8. Pin sections and spray all over to keep in place.

Despite all of the peplums and pencil skirts, a-line dresses and silky tops in the world, sometimes nothing is better than your favorite jeans and a great t-shirt.  I’ve been traveling for jobs a ton lately, and when it comes to packing, I love to choose things that don’t have to be dry cleaned and are wrinkle resistant — a drapey tee like this one and my favorite jeans are usually the first in the suitcase! But just because it’s a simple combination doesn’t mean you can’t add your own flare to it. This Lovers + Friends top fits and feels like a tee, but the gold studs make it more stylish and dressed up.

If I were going out in the evening, I might throw these on with some over-dyed black jeans or leather skinnies, but for the day my favorite boyfriend jeans do the trick (I also wore them like this!).

I’m kind of a minimalist in general, but even more so when it comes to jewelry. I love these brightly colored stackable rings by By Boe. Sometimes I just wear a couple at a time, but this particular day I piled them all on. My bracelet is Forever 21 and the watch I’m wearing is the first Christmas present Aaron ever gave me! He bought it at Wanna Buy A Watch– one of my favorite vintage shops in town!

I am super into the pointed-toe pump right now — it feels more fashion forward at the moment than my round toe pumps and added a little bit of an edge to this simple jeans and t-shirt look. These are from JC Penney (similar to these) and my bag is a YSL Roady which they don’t make anymore. I am obsessing over the new more structured bags at Saint Laurent– stunning!

Since jeans and t-shirts are major wardrobe staples and I am always looking to try new ones, I would love to know who makes your favorite denim and tees? Do share! Also, if you want to follow along on my travels of late, this is the place to do it!

It used to be that if I was reading a recipe that called for a couple of exotic ingredients I didn’t normally keep in my pantry, I tended to pass, assuming it would be overly complicated. But lately, I’ve rediscovered that there’s a total joy in experimenting with unfamiliar ingredients, cooking with new techniques and sampling flavors that mix-up the palate. There’s no better way to shake up the weeknight routine! And the funny thing is, so many of the spices and sauces (like this one) that may seem exotic pack such a major punch of flavor that the rest of the recipe is super simple. I’d always wanted to try making a Moroccan tagine, so when I finally got the traditional vessel (of the same name) for a “Moroccan date night” shot by Kate LeSueur, it was the perfect opportunity to give it a whirl. I looked at a lot of different recipes and settled on a version that involved two new-to-me ingredients (ras el hanout and preserved lemons), plus some of my favorites (green olives, roasted carrots and sweet apricots.) I made this one with juicy chicken thighs, though you could totally leave them out for a delicious vegetarian version. It was so good – we served it over couscous, which let us soak up every last spicy drop of sauce. Keep reading for the recipe…

Moroccan Chicken & Spring Vegetable Tagine

*serves 3

•  2 bone-in chicken breast halves with the skin left on, each half cut crosswise to total 4 pieces
• 2 bone-in chicken thighs with the skin left on
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons ras el hanout, divided (traditional Moroccan spice blend. Look for it on the spice aisle of the grocery store, or make your own.)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, halved
• 8 small potatoes, halved
• 4 baby carrots, peeled with a bit of the green tops left on if possible
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 cup green olives
• 3 preserved lemon wedges, rinsed and pulp removed (or you can also use the peel of 1 lemon)

1. Season the chicken all over with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and 1 tablespoon of ras el hanout. In a tagine or dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides (about 7 minutes), then remove from the tagine and set aside.
2. Add the onions and sauté, stirring, for 3 minutes until they start to soften. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ras el hanout, and give it a good stir. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the pot, including the browned chicken. Cover and cook over medium heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the chicken is fully-cooked and very tender.
3. Serve the chicken and vegetables over couscous or rice, and garnish with flat-leaf parsley.

*images by Kate LeSueur

This weekend marked the first few days that have actually felt like summer to me, and thanks to temperatures in the mid-nineties, I’ve got a mild sunburn to prove it. People gripe about the heat in Texas, but as a native I have to say that I relish every moment of blazing sun (crazy, I know). My only complaint: I wish I had a beach nearby. Austin has its fair share of watering holes, but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of ocean air and the smell and taste of saltwater. I consider the season a failure if I’ve let it pass without making at least one trip to the beach, and in my dreams, the vacation takes place somewhere along the Mediterranean with a sailing trip on the itinerary. Currently that notion remains a fantasy, but today’s inspiration board is getting me one step closer. Hope that it’ll help you get into a summery state of mind too, and if you’ve got an enviable vacation on the calendar, I’d love to hear all about it in the comments section!

photo by deb schwedhelm; bicycle, original source unknown; photo of merci stamps by jules vernacular; tobi tobin’s malibu beach cottage from lonny magazine; bathroom from story hotel; loutro in crete, greece;  surfboards via sfgirlbybay; Sasha Pivovarova in Vogue Paris