harlyn sage: 2013

looking back: my absolute favorite day of 2013, our wedding

Even though everyone says it, I can honestly say our wedding day was the best day of my life so far. We saw so many loved ones, danced the night away, and drank plenty of champagne {and maker's mark}.

It's so cliche, but it's so true: your wedding day flies by, and before you know it, you're eating hamburgers at the Ritz Carlton at 3am with your new husband {maybe that was just us}. All of my best girls stayed the night with me the night before our wedding at a house we rented in Sarasota. The next morning seemed like a mad rush to get ready, but we tried to linger over catered brunch and mimosas as much as possible.

I am really bad about changing my mind if I plan my outfit in advance. When I do, I usually end up switching it up last minute and going in a totally different direction. I bought a super cute alice & olivia dress {seen here}, but as our wedding date approached, I, per usual, started second-guessing my choice. So three weeks before our rehearsal dinner, I went to my favorite tailor with a huge demand...

It would be a serious stretch of the truth to say my (now) husband enjoyed our {two} engagement photo shoots. I had a sneaking suspicion we were getting engaged while in Paris, so like all normal girls, I booked a photographer for while we were there, claiming we HAD to have photos of ourselves in the City of Lights as a keepsake. Needless to say, when I explained we had to go through all of that again with our actual wedding photographers, my husband looked at me like I had three heads. Obviously, he's a keeper. Here are some of my favorite shots from that afternoon {it was super stressful since we drove all the way to West Palm after working half the day, but so worth it in the end}.

all photos by kallima photography.

It has been so busy with the holidays that I've been more than remiss with blog posts (largely because cooking has fell to the wayside). Today I wanted to reflect on some of my favorite moments and days in 2013, since I'm sure you haven't seen a million of those all over the place already. This has been a great year, and we've got some great things planned in 2014 that I'm already looking forward to. But for today, I'm going to savor the last hours of 2013 - which was by far one of my best years yet.

I have to admit that shopping in my closet is really not one of my favorite activities... however, sometimes I find something I was always pretty whatever about that suddenly seems like a must-have item. I've probably had "boyfriend" jeans in my shopbop cart 12 times and then bailed before hitting "confirm purchase" (something that actually happens more often than my husband would believe). Then I realized I purchased these Joe's Jeans from Anthro literally years ago, and they were always too straight-legged and a bit too big ... in other words, now they're perfect. After a bit of DIY distressing {I've since distressed them a bit more}, they're now being worn on repeat after years of neglect.

Confession: sometimes, I really hate cooking. I am not one of those cooks who cleans up as she goes, so the more involved the dish, the crazier my little kitchen gets {luckily, we have an amazing unwritten policy in our house that whoever cooks does not have to clean}. On days when I've had a crazy, stressful day at work, but still want to eat organic, healthy, whole foods, I tend to make these one-pan meals.

I'm nominating myself for sibling of the weekend award. Little Mia finally arrived last weekend, and she and her mom and dad went home from the hospital Friday night. Since they're apparently a bit crazy and had us all over on Saturday to squeeze the little bundle, I made this quiche so they wouldn't have to worry about breakfast for themselves the next day.

It's that time of year: holiday party season. I spotted this peplum at Anthropologie, and knew it would be perfect for a few of our upcoming holiday festivities. Usually I prefer overdressed rather than under, but during the holidays it feels like almost everyone overdresses... so I like to switch it up a bit. I'll definitely be repeating this slightly shimmery top {especially since I can overindulge given the space provided by the peplum}.

We were never huge pasta eaters before we decided to cut grains, so it hasn't been too difficult of an adjustment in that regard. However, since I do love to make sauce (a la vodka is one of my faves), a great noodle alternative is a must.

I've always had a weakness for tacos (one of my husband's favorite stories from when we first started dating involves a late-night trip to... Taco Bell). When I get a real craving for Mexican cuisine, I throw paleo to the wind and head to Miguel's. But when I'm trying to stick to our healthier lifestyle (which right now is always), I make "lettuce wraps" to get real tacos out of my head.

We spent our Black Friday doing just the opposite of most: we slept in and had a leisurely lunch at Oxford Exchange. Then we headed to our favorite local dog boutique and grabbed a few new items for our pup (the only family member we ended up shopping for, actually).

Perhaps selfishly, thanksgiving has always been my favorite. My birthday is the same time of year, so often the celebrations are one in the same. This year, as I hit the last year of my 20s, I felt like I should start a new tradition that I've skipped over in years past, despite it's all too basic nature: expressing just what it is I'm thankful for, and acting more appreciative on a daily basis.

Who doesn't love Thanksgiving leftovers? After friendsgiving, we had more than enough tryptophan to last us a few days. However, since we kicked sandwiches to the curb in our attempt to remain grain-free, I needed to find something else to do with all of that leftover turkey.

A few years ago, my friends and I started the tradition of girls' night: Thanksgiving {now coined friendsgiving}. This year was my turn to host, which gave me an opportunity to (finally) bust out our wedding china.

If you're cooking the meal this year, I find that having appetizers (and booze) on hand actually keeps you a bit happier, since you're not stressing about people getting hangry if your meal takes longer than planned {or if something goes wrong}. Rather than the standard cheese and crackers, these bite-sized meatballs are a delicious, healthy alternative.

Confession: I have never made a turkey until this one.

There are certain items automatically associated with Thanksgiving. I have no idea where the tradition started, but cranberry sauce is always on the table even though it’s often one of the items that gets passed around the table with few, if any, takers. I’m quick to blame the canned version for that. If you enjoy cranberry juice but wonder wtf happened to make cranberry sauce so strange {I must confess, I have NEVER tried the canned version because it creeps me out}, try this recipe.

It's hard to believe the holidays are upon us already. I'm not sure where 2013 went, but I'm looking forward to spending the end of the year celebrating with family and friends. If you've got a frequent traveler on your list, here are some must-haves (from pocket friendly to splurge worthy) for your favorite travelista.

After reading Madonna Badger's story yesterday (thanks to the Skimm for directing me to it), I felt a strong urge to call everyone I love and let them know it. Life is too short to wish it away. It's a habit I have, and think my New Year's resolution will be to stop (or at least cut back on) doing that.

In case you missed it:

J. Crew's sale is on sale (code: STYLETIME).
The Koch brothers threw a kegger to "educate" people about the new health care law.
Lily Allen released a new video that has everyone hot and bothered. Lena Dunham's fans took it up on twitter.
The Philippines are in desperate need of help.
Isabel Marant for H&M happened yesterday. If you're just now finding out, you're not going to get any of it.
The guidelines on statins changed this week, which is likely to put more Americans on meds. But at whose benefit? Maybe we should consider changing the standard diet guidelines first.

beef, spinach and mushroom crust-free quiche

Brunch is one of my favorite weekend past-times. I love brunching out, lingering over mimosas and chatting about everything and nothing until well past the noon hour. On the other hand, I also love waking up, lounging around with a latte, and then leisurely making a bite to eat {mimosas are still included}. Frittatas are one of my favorite dishes, in part because you can basically throw in whatever ingredients you have on hand.

With the holidays approaching, I've been trying to figure out what I'll make for various celebrations with family, friends, and at work. This beet recipe is so simple, and the taste is a bit unexpected. If you're mom (like mine) hates beets (because she was forced to consume the scary canned version as a child), you may be able to convert her with this dish.

afternoon tea baby shower for mia

A couple of weeks ago, I had the honor of co-hosting a baby shower for my sister-in-law in the Smith Room at Oxford Exchange. Since the room is fairly industrial, we went girly to shower little miss Mia. This little piggy forgot her memory card for her good camera, so most of these gems are from my iPhone.

{invitation: tinyprints >> tea favor: idea chic}

My amazing best friend made this beautiful banner for the mama {she's going to use it in the nursery}. And that cake? Best ever.

MMD Events provided amazing decor... I am obsessed with these chair covers.

No baby shower is complete without a diaper cake from The Honest Company. SO cute.

With the ladies of the family {including the newest member who will be here soon}. I'm wearing an Alice & Olivia dress, asos belt, and Alice & Olivia shoes {not pictured}.

We are beyond excited to welcome baby Mia to the family...

just a couple more weeks! Based on her mama and what I've seen so far, she's going to be fabulous.

You may have noticed I switched up my blog name...It is now www.harylnsage.blogspot.com {follow on bloglovin here}. More changes coming soon!

change your perspective

Growing up in Florida, going to Disney and SeaWorld are practically rights of passage. I haven't been to SeaWorld in years, and I can officially confirm I won't return. After I {finally} watched Blackfish last night, my heart hurt for these beautiful creatures that are ripped from their mothers {literally} to spend their lives in a cage. Given my line of work, the corporate blame-game that went on after the trainer was killed did not surprise me whatsoever. I implore you to rent this enthralling movie next week when it comes out on iTunes {due to my nonexistent levels of patience, I now own Blackfish, and may have a viewing party soon to justify the purchase}.

hitting reset: greens juice

This was a pretty hectic weekend full of events and celebrations. On Thursday, we went down the street to Cru Cellars for an amazing wine tasting to benefit The Moffitt Cancer Center. Then Friday night, we went to an event to benefit The Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Saturday I hosted a baby shower for my sister-in-law, followed by dinner and dancing to celebrate my bestie's birth. To top it all off, we headed to brunch on Sunday to celebrate another friend's dirty 30. Needless to say, I fell off the clean-eating wagon.

As you may have noticed from previous fish recipes, I have no problem eating sea kittens {in case you are losing sleep over the consumption of fish, PETA started a wildly unpopular campaign back in 2009 to save the fish by calling them sea kittens}. I do, however, require the fish to be wild. Back in 2003, the University of Albany published research which confirmed concentrations of contaminants were significantly higher in farmed salmon in comparison to wild salmon. Recent studies have not quelled my aversion to farmed fish, so I buy wild or stick to land dwellers.

As a condolence for losing daylight this weekend, we decided to grab a few stone crab claws from our local market. Although usually served chilled, I enjoy warm food over cold, especially when it starts getting a bit chilly {it was 73 when I drove home yesterday... I spotted several winter sweaters as a result}.

This was just over a pound of giant claws. I steamed them for about 6 minutes {they're already cooked when you buy them} just to heat them up thoroughly. While that was happening, I heated about 4 tablespoons of ghee on low {be careful not to brown it}. Using the single serve on the Ninja, I processed 6 fresh basil leaves and a large clove of garlic until finely chopped. As the ghee melted, I added the garlic + basil mixture.

So good. Stone crabs are fairly expensive for the amount of meat you get, but so worth it.

orange juice sans orange

Juicing is a polarizing pastime. One side claims it is merely sugar water that will do nothing but make you hungry and fat; the other claims it is a great way to ingest the nutrients of multiple veggies in one glass. The Mayo Clinic seems to be member of the former, but it also says it is okay to have 1-2 diet sodas a day, so I can't really agree with everything I'm reading over on their site. If you do decide to throw some juices into the mix, be sure to buy fresh, organic produce and drink the juice within 24 hours (usually less) of making it.

I will be the first to confess this recipe {inspired by the lasagna in Against All Grain} is more involved than I usually prefer. I promise it is completely worth it, and if you ~~can keep your husband from eating all of it~~ are lucky, you'll have some leftover for a lunch or two.

I love coconut oil. I use it for basically everything: cooking, moisturizing my cuticles, homemade sugar scrubs, removing fake eyelashes that refused to release from my eyelids, etc. The benefits of coconut oil are pretty amazing. I'd like to think the benefits of coconut oil are old news, but somehow the age-old advice that low-fat diets are the best thing out there lives on.

I've always loved marinara sauce. When I was younger, I frequently requested angel hair and marinara. Even my favorite part of cheese sticks was the marinara sauce. On pasta nights at my sorority house, I'd cover broccoli in marinara sauce, since I usually preferred my carbs in liquid form back then.

I have an undeniable weakness for risotto... if it's on the menu, I tend to order it. Then I get a stomach ache and complain about my inability to resist the creamy concoction. Last night I created my own grain/dairy free version so I could satisfy my taste buds without the torture.

downtown

It's official: I love Texas. Born yet only partially raised in Kentucky, I've never left the south for any extended period and likely never will. While Florida is located in the South, it's not quite as southern as the rest of the South... if that makes sense. After my second trip to the Lone Star state, I can imagine relocating there if the opportunity arose. Everyone we encountered was friendly and polite. People were excited for french toast on Sunday {who isn't?}. Free tacos were handed over after an order confusion {paleo, shmaleo}. The food? So good. The atmosphere? Even better.

We'll be packing up bright and early tomorrow morning to head to Dallas for The National concert in celebration of Carson's birthday {which was a month ago, but I have no control over The National's tour schedule}. I've only been to Texas one other time {Austin for my bachelorette party}, and have been looking forward to this trip for a few months. Usually we avoid planning our trips and wander around cities while attempting to hit the highlights along the way. Since this trip was such a short one, I've done some research and made an unstructured itinerary. Other than the concert, we're planning to eat our way through the city, and stop in the Nasher Sculpture Center. Follow along on instagram.

Irony

Perhaps in an attempt to garner favor with the nutrition-oriented crowd, McDonald's is going to include a book instead of a toy with its Happy Meals over the next two months. I'm sure that will make many a busy parent rushing through the drive-thru in the hopes the toy will make her child happier, happy. What is truly ironic about this new marketing scheme (other than the fact children do not usually realize you're marketing to them and toys are usually a more popular way to get them through the drive-thru, sadly), is that the books are premised on nutrition. Not that these books say "don't eat McDonald's because not even mold will eat it," but, rather, are geared more towards "don't eat too much" and "eating well will help you grow." Obviously, taking a truly "nutritional" path would be quite the juxtaposition.

A lot of companies with processed, chemical laden foods market to children. It's really unfair, since the parent then has the pleasure of dealing with an unhappy child who is not allowed to buy the "chocolate drink" of choice {yes, yoohoo, this is you}. McDonald's successfully defended, and achieved dismissal, of a lawsuit against it based on the argument that parents have the ability to just say no to their pleasantly screaming child.

McDonald's book plan may not stop children from wanting a Happy Meal. {My last excursion to McDonald's was a long time ago, but the fries? So good.} However, maybe once they have 4 copies of The Goat Who Ate Everything, they'll be more willing to forego the drive-thru, at least the one at McDonald's.

crepes

Speaking of Paris, I have to confess the croissants and crepes are two of my favorite things in the city. Unfortunately, a standard crepe requires all purpose flour and sugar, both of which I try my best to avoid. After I was informed the crepe recipe in Against All Grain was actually quite simple, I decided to give it a go.

If memory serves me correctly, we never had fish sticks {the frozen ones} at my house growing up. Unfortunately, I've always enjoyed fried fish {fried anything, for that matter}. Every now and then I get an undeniable craving for fried deliciousness. Inspired by a recipe from Against All Grain, I avoided my Chic-fil-a cravings and made a few fish sticks.

I miss cheese. Not that we've completely cut it out, but I miss putting it over every vegetable we cooked: Parmesan with asparagus or spinach, feta on Greek salad, goat cheese with beets, wine and cheese, etc. Although it hasn't been fully eliminated, our cheese consumption has certainly been reduced.

When we're running out for dinner/drinks on a Friday night, I'm usually in a huge hurry and unable to figure out what to wear, so I just throw on black staples without thinking too much about it.

friday fun.

Here's a few links for your Friday afternoon enjoyment:

Not sure if I've been living under a rock, but I just discovered Pentatonix. I love Lorde, and I love their cover of Royals.

Things that make you go hmmm: he's getting paid for this, while many are on unpaid "vacation."

If you prefer to wear your paychecks, new items were added to the shopbop sale this week.

It's MLB postseason. If you want to drop some knowledge on your guy {like I just did, because I'm a true FSU fan - I only googled it to show him I wasn't making up facts. Not that I'm known to do that...}, you can let him know where the Atlanta Braves tomahawk chop originated.

cheers to the weekend.

just two days after our engagement in Paris. cred.

Paris fashion week {coupled with Damsel in Dior's instagram} has me dreaming - and planning - our next rendezvous in my favorite city. I think it'll always be my favorite place in the world, since we were engaged at the magical La Societe in St. Germain.

We are heading out tonight for birthday celebrations for one of the mister's groomsmen {it'll largely involve overeating at Texas de Brazil followed by a food coma}. Saturday we'll take the pup to her favorite place - Davis Island dog beach - to celebrate her 2nd bday. {She's still quite the puppy, maybe by three she'll like walking on the leash?}

mud is good, mom.

Hope you had a great week, and have a happy weekend. xx

blackened redfish with mashed coconut lime infused faux potatoes

Blackened redfish is one of my all-time favorite entrees, hands down. If you do not have redfish on hand, this recipe will work perfectly with either grouper or mahi, or another white, flaky fish. It paired perfectly with mashed coconut lime infused cauliflower {aka faux potatoes}. I also sauteed two bunches of baby bok choy ~~because my husband likes to eat a lot~~ to get some green on our plates.

best day

Have you seen this video yet? I am admittedly obsessed with it {I may have shed a tear at the end}. It's worth watching, even if you're not a huge fan of American Authors {personally, I love this song}. My husband got our bulldog for me for my birthday about two years ago. I cannot believe she's almost two {probably because she is still 100% puppy}. We didn't rescue her but have been considering rescuing a second puppy for quite some time.

Lulu is deaf. We didn't even realize she was deaf until she was about 6 months old {our friend watched her while we were in Paris, and quickly informed us that she was not just stubborn, she was deaf}. I'd describe her as more on the untrained side, but I also find much of her bad behavior amusing. By sheer stroke of luck, largely because I speak with my hands, she knows "sit" and "lay down." Obviously, the majority of her knowledge and obedience centers around her love of treats {like all pups}. Unfortunately, I'm convinced potty training is something she will never grasp. Sometimes her deafness creates difficulties - she obviously doesn't come when you call her, which means you have to be in her eye line to get her attention, and I'm not sure she knows the difference between shadows and real objects - but I wouldn't change a thing.

Watching the American Authors video led me to immediately look up our local English bulldog rescue, and bulldog number two may be joining our home soon.

Have a happy weekend!

have a happy weekend.

It has been the craziest week with work... but even crazier because we put in an offer on a house! The next couple of months are bound to be a bit crazy. I'm looking forward to spending time with family this weekend and trying out a few new recipes:

I'll be dreaming of cooking here.

I'm dying to convert this recipe to a paleo friendly version.

Feeling a bit adventurous with your main course choice? You might want to grab Girl Hunter asap.

Have a wonderful weekend!

paleo pulled bbq chicken.

Shortly after we were engaged, my mom gave us a slow cooker. At first, I was skeptical. It took me a while to warm up to it. It sat, lonely, in our pantry (only place it fit) for several months before I finally decided to stop being ridiculous.

It's hard to believe summer is almost over {I'm just ignoring the fact it'll be hot here until December}. We spent the weekend house hunting {!!}, scouring the local antique shops, and then relaxing at the beach on Sunday.