Me & My Girl

I grew up with Eloise! And visited her room here at The Plaze Hotel when I was ten. Now they have a whole store dedicated to her!

Gotta Have 'Em

Okay, so a bikini life and travel girl should have earrings that look like the sea.

Had to get  these by Coralia Leets!

Mandarin Sunset Martini Divine

Mandarin Sunset

Absolut Mandarin, Blood Orange Juice, Lychee Juice, Lillet Blanc

Sky View

Our favorite spot to see the city -- The Mandarian Oriental Hotel on Central Park

Dylan's A Must

Dylan's Candy Bar  so Yumm! Not just any candy -- or thing you could dream of the buy, they have a full bar, ice cream pallor & bakery!

The floor at the store!

Mickey In Times Square

New York New York!!!

Okay, not a true bikini vacation -- but oh how we love New York! Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock

Mom's Birthday at Chez Josephine

Mom's Birthday dinner at Chez Josephine was divine but there was a little magic missing as Jean Claude was on vacation...

Alice's Tea Cup Pumpkin Scone Recipe

Half Batch Alice’s Tea Cup Pumpkin Scones

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 full tablespoons ground ginger
2 full tablespoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (mine was cold)
5 oz buttermilk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (all pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tablespoons pure vanilla extract

Caramel glaze:
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and cinnamon. With clean hands, work the butter into the dry mixture until it is thoroughly incorporated and has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and pour the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla extract into the well. Still using your hands (I did this with a spatula scraper), combine the ingredients until all the dry mixture is wet, but do not knead!

Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and gather the dough together. Gently pat the dough to make a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick.(My dough was pretty soft, so I used about a 1/3 cup measure and made drop scones) using a 3-or 3 1/2- inch biscuit cutter, cut out as many scones as you can and lay them on a nonstick baking sheet. Gather the remaining dough together lightly to cut out more scones—just don’t knead the dough too much (Again, I bypassed all that and made drop scones.

Bake the scones for about 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let the scones cool slightly on the baking sheet (about 20 minutes) before glazing them.

While the scones are cooling, prepare the caramel glaze: Place the butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and whisk gently until the mixture is smooth. Just as the mixture comes to a light boil, add the heavy cream and reduce the heat to low. Whisk well for 2 minutes, or until the glaze is thickened and smooth; then remove the pan from the heat.

To glaze a scone, hold it by the bottom, dip the top in the warm caramel glaze, and place it back on the baking sheet. Makes 5 o 6

Alice's Tea Cup

It doesn't get much sweeter in ambiance or to your taste buds than Alice's Tea Cup. We love it for breakfast! The pumpkin scones are a must!!!

I LOVE the Beach!

Surrounded By Beauty

A Yummy Thank You

Sometimes hosting in your bikini is as fun as traveling in your it! Especially when your  guests happen to have a divine bakery of treats called Ruby et Violette!  Thank you Heather Sue & George! And if anyone needs a unique gift or just to treat yourself -- these cookies and brownies can't be beat!!! 

Jump!

Life is so good!

Karla and Jocelyn Damian, Dianna Ippolito, Julia Bakerink, Jane Bakerink, Tai Collins and Gigi Groves

Girlfriends

There's nothing quite so special as being surrounded by the love of girlfriends!

Gigi Groves, Tai Collins holding Jocelyn Damian, Jane West Bakerink and Julia Bakerink