where's the chai?

Whenever I hear someone say "Chi City" or "Chi Town", I think that it's a city filled with the finest chai tea. When in reality Chicago (not pronounced in any way like its herbal counterpart) is a lovely city, but does not have an abundance of chai lattes, to my slight disappointment. I've been there twice now, and have yet to enjoy the tea during my stay. I did have a blast, and consume large amounts of iced coffee, which is an ample substitute for chai lattes.

I flew up this Monday and arrived around 8:30 in the morning to visit one of my closest friend who moved there about three years ago. This was my second trip, so it was more relaxed, since I have already seen all the touristy sights. We headed to the "beach" for the afternoon. I put beach in quotation marks, because in order to have a beach you must have salt water and waves.

The gorgeous waters of Lake Michigan 

We accidentally wandered on to private property, and went in a part of the lake we weren't allowed to. However, we had a blast and died laughing when the poor life guard kept having to tell us what we couldn't do. We clearly weren't natives. 

This swimsuit is my attempt at the one piece trend.
It's sold out but this is a similar one from J.Crew Factory currently on sale

The next day we headed to downtown Chicago. Last time I went I took an absurd amount of pictures, but this time I didn't. I did take a couple, however. We rode the train from Arlington Heights, the suburb where my friend lives, to downtown.  We headed to Michigan Ave. for some serious shopping.

I wore overalls of course. 

We hit Nordstrom and browsed their anniversary sale. Soon, we realized we needed a pick me up. We paused our Nordstrom adventures and headed to Starbucks. I have never waited in that long of line at a Starbucks, but we finally got our caffeine. Rejuvenated, we went back to Nordstrom and shopped our hearts out. 

Next we went to Charming Charlie's where I found the cutest whale earrings. Then we headed to Forever 21, where I found a couple things I like, but ended up not buying any of them. We finally arrived at H&M which is basically the shopping promised land. I bought a skirt and declared my shopping day done. We did go to topshop, but at that point I was too tired to seriously study the racks. We took a cab back to the train station, and headed back to Arlington Heights. A long day downtown can really wear you out. That being said, I do love going to downtown Chicago, because I love how different it is from downtown Houston. It's so interesting to compare them.

The next day we visited a cute little diner in the morning, and baked (surprise, surprise) in the afternoon. I'll be sharing the recipes with you soon. Then we went to dinner at Francesca's Tavola, which was amazing. It was such a nice little restaurant and the food was delicious. 

All dressed up
My outfit: Shirt-Anthropologie, Jeans-Paige,
Sandals-Target

Thursday we headed to downtown Arlington Heights before I left. I bought these two darling necklaces and the cutest headband for my niece at this little shop called Vignettes.

After that we headed to a unique pet store with a clever name. The Corner Barkery had all sorts of fascinating treats, some of which disgusted me, but I found some souvenirs for my four legged friends back here in Texas. Then we stumbled upon the CUTEST bakery, Sweet T's. I could have moved in their. I had to be dragged out. I honestly would have sat there for hours just soaking it all in. They also make killer cinnamon rolls.

Even with two people splitting it, we couldn't
finish it.

My flight Thursday evening ended up being a little delayed, but I got home in time to sleep in my own bed. As much fun as I had in Chicago, I'm so glad to be home.

Theresa

It's time for a vacation

Well after a laid back time on vacation, or shall I say a somewhat stressful time on a trip, and now I need a vacation (that's a whole other story)...let's just say I'm finally back home and ready to get to work again. 

The vacation that I went on was quite an adventure with many new eye-opening experiences that I will be talking about in my next few posts.

One stop on my vacation was Washington D.C. Of course you know it's our country's capital where amazing history has been made and such an important place to learn about our Founding Fathers. Washington D.C is packed with many things to see and do. Of course there's the White House, Capitol Building, Library of Congress, famous presidential memorials, and the AWESOME Smithsonian museums. I especially enjoyed the Smithsonian American Art Museum. After a day of walking and sightseeing, hunger becomes big issue. Sure you can go to a McDonalds or Chipolte but why not try something different? So I definitely took a chance on a new restaurant that I've never been to called Shake Shack. You might find this restaurant in your state but if you don't I would recommend trying it if you're down for a good burger and fries (keep in mind that vacation is a time for a little calorie splurging).

Shake Shack burger and cheese fries. Let's just say it was worth it.

After a long and packed day you'll definitely be craving dessert too. And when in Washington D.C there's no place better to go than to head to Georgetown (in the Washington D.C area) and try the famous Georgetown Cupcakes! Let me give you a little background information on this dessert shop. Georgetown Cupcakes is owned by two sisters who have their own TV show called D.C Cupcakes (if you're interested it's on TLC). It's an entertaining show to watch about the two sisters having to take on some difficult orders for special events. Sometimes they have to create designs out of cupcakes and sometimes they run into a problem with the baking. They always figure out a way to succeed in their orders and all their customers are extremely happy with the cupcakes. I have enjoyed watching the show so much and it was so amazing to actually get to taste their creations! They have many different cupcake flavors and they are always iced and decorated so nicely. The cupcakes are almost too good to eat (of course I couldn't hold back though). Anyways, the point is if you're in D.C, take a trip to Georgetown Cupcakes! They have the usual flavors: red velvet, vanilla, chocolate. They also make other amazing flavors like key lime, cookies and cream, mocha fudge, chocolate ganache and much more!!

Georgetown Cupcakes

They disappeared quickly!
I'd say the trip was pretty successful.

Sara

three things I'm wearing this summer.....

....besides big t-shirts and comfy shorts.

I don't claim to be a fashion expert, especially since I wore flare jeans with uggs in eighth grade. In general eighth grade wasn't a great year. I took mirror selfies, I rolled my school skirt so it looked like I was from the cast of Mean Girls, I was the member of a "club" who all wore lacrosse socks, and I cried at our eighth grade dance when "Wild Ones" came on, because it made me think of a guy I liked ( I'm pretty sure I had no idea what that song was about at the time). It was rough.

Anyways enough of Theresa: The Middle School Fiasco, let's talk about summer clothes.

1. Overalls. If you know me, this wont surprise you at all. I think that a majority of my tweets are about overalls. I wear them ALL the time. It's an unhealthy obsession. I know lots of people think they aren't cute, but they totally can be. I'll write a whole post on it later, because I think everyone should be educated on how to properly wear overalls.

Clearly modeling isn't my thing

You get the idea though. Overalls are the bomb.

Here are a few options I've found: Target overalls, Wet Seal Aztec Overalls, Etsy.  Thrift Shops are really the way to go for these, because you can cut them to the length you want and make them your own.

2. J.Crew Chino Shorts. My oldest sister is about the same size as me, and I would say more than half my closet is hand me downs from her. She's the one who got me started on these shorts. I now own five pairs and continue to haunt the J.Crew sale section, waiting for more colors to go on sale. They can easily be dressed up which means I get away with wearing them to a lot of places where I couldn't get away with denim shorts.

My collection

Here are the two different inseam lengths that I love: 3 inch, 4 inch

3. Brown Sandals. They are just so versatile and brown pretty much goes with everything, so they are such an easy go to.

Specifically this pair from Target.
They are actually INCREDIBLY comfortable.
(please excuse my ratchet toes)

I also bought this pair from Target for $5.06.
(My feet look so white. Maybe I'm a vampire?)

   I don't know why they were marked down that low in the store, but I snatched them up, because who doesn't need some (tasteful) glitter in their lives. 

Here are three other options under $35 that I'm loving from Nordstrom 'Sofia' by Sam Edelman, 'Daffodil' DV by Dolce Vita, 'Andra' DV8 by Dolce Vita

Theresa

it's the thought that counts

Recently a group of my friends and I have been exchanging fun personalized gifts on birthdays. I love this idea so much and thought I would share a few of my favorite personalized gifts with y'all. Even if you aren't super creative, you can still definitely make these. 

Slideshows- My sweet friends made me a slideshow with tons of pictures and some of my favorite songs one year. I still have it, and it may be my favorite thing I've ever received as a gift. I loved that they put the time into making it, and that they included so many precious memories. These can be really easy to put together with iMovie or the Windows equivalent. They don't even have to be long. Just use one song, some pictures (and videos), and some cute captions. If you want to get super creative, you can burn it on to a DVD and could even make a cute label for the front of the case.

Scrapbooks- No need to feel like you have to be super creative with this. 

You just need a few supplies:
- Pictures (I would use at least twenty)
- A cute note book ( I used this one)
-Some fun pens (I used my gold Sharpie)
- Washi tape ( here's so

Initial Collage- With the monogram craze, this is the perfect gift. Pick out your friend's first initial, first and last initials, or all three. You can buy wooden letters, or just cut them out of cardboard or poster board. You're going to need glue modge podge would work even better. Print out some of your favorite photos of y'all and fit them to the letter. I added some washi tape because I am currently obsessed with it. To finish it off grab some cute ribbon and attach it to the back. 

I made this for my friend Teresa. I promise I'm not making it up; she really exists.

Photo frames- This may seem like a duh, but it really shouldn't be overlooked. Find your favorite picture of the two of you, and a cute frame and you are good to go. You can just buy a cute frame or buy a plain wooden one and decorate it. 


Theresa

slim and trim

Fit for the summer....and the rest of your life? We all would like that to happen. I'm sure many of you are trying to figure out a way to juggle both the delicious but fattening sweets while carefully watching every little calorie. Well it is possible to do both!

There are many different  healthy lifestyles that you can lead for the rest of your life. Those monthly military diets may work for however long you plan on going through with the infamous process; but let's face it, once you've finished the challenge there's a good chance that you'll go right back to the regretted food choices.

There are mainly two parts that are vital to leading a healthy lifestyle while enjoying those treats. One is figuring out what workout is best for you. When I say "best for you" I mean a workout that you are willing to do at least a few times each week and one that you won't give up on. Maybe cardio is your thing, or you would rather stick to yoga. Whatever the choice, make sure you're comfortable with your decision.  Of course you also need to choose how many times a week you plan on doing the workout; but whatever you choose, be sure to make it a habit.

Second is your diet. Every meal should include a protein, carbohydrates, and fruits or vegetables. You should also have the correct portions of food on your plate. Half of your plate should have either fruits, vegetables, or both, and the other half should be divided equally into protein and carbs. Now as for dessert...what would life be without that rich chocolate cake? Definitely bland. Eating a sugary treat every night though is not advised. Moderation is key!

Now if these two tips are followed, you are liable to stay fit your entire life.

Sara

red velvet cupcakes

Let's talk about cupcakes, shall we? They eliminate the need for dessert forks, or dessert sporks, if that's what you're into.  They have their own holiday, and their own week; both of which you can bet we'll be celebrating here at delectable.  Also, someone who has no respect for their stomach has eaten 29 in 30 seconds. 

Red Velvet is the second most popular cupcake flavor in the U.S., and we understand why. The mixture of the hint of chocolate and the wonderful cream cheese icing is most certainly delectable.

Excuse my amateur photography skills

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Tips 

• If you don't have buttermilk don't panic. You can use the equivalent amount of milk with two teaspoons of lemon juice (preferred) or lime juice. If for some reason you only have half and half, just use a 1:1 ratio of half and half, and water with the same two teaspoons of lemon or lime juice. 
• Remove the cupcakes from the pans, put them in Tupperware containers and cover them. Leave them until cool. This will ensure moist (cringe) cupcakes. I promise you that's a good thing, even if the word moist is the most repulsive.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour 
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter, room temp 

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup buttermilk

4 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

4-6 teaspoons of red food coloring (it depends how red you want them.)

PREP

Set out butter. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

MIX

 Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about five minutes). Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not over beat.

COOK

Spoon into paper lined muffin tins;  it should make around 32. Bake 18 minutes. Gently remove from oven. (Remember the moist cupcake tip.)

Addictive Cream Cheese Frosting 

 Tips

• This icing is really addictive. So my tip is to make sure all your cupcakes get iced before you start shamelessly eating the icing straight. I have made this mistake before. 
• If you want to pipe the icing, as opposed to spreading it, I would make an extra half of this recipe. Or just go ahead and double it and eat the leftover icing. 
• If you want the piped icing, but don't own pastry bags and tips, no worries. Grab a ziploc bag and cut a hole in one of the bottom corners. 

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cold

¼  cup butter, cold

2 tablespoons sour cream

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

16 ounces confectioners’ sugar (approximately 4 cups)

MIX

With a your mixer beat the cream cheese, butter, sour cream and Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl, and gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Once smooth, turn beaters to high and whip on high for 5 minutes, until very fluffy.

ICE

 Wait till the cupcakes are cooled, then ice them and enjoy.

Theresa

let's start at the very beginning

(Theresa and Sara)

Have you ever met someone and instantly known that you want to be friends with them? That is how this idea started, well sort of.

To really understand it maybe we should take a look at some numbers.

3,671 - That's how many pins Sara has on Pinterest as of today.

2,890- That's how many pins Theresa has as of today.

And I promise neither of us are pinning math problems or science videos. Well, maybe the occasional life hacks about how to overcome a tricky subject. But even so, we each have tons of boards dedicated to fashion, food, and the super predictable love/wedding board. That of course describes pretty much every girl with a Pinterest. What we noticed though was that we had the same taste. Whenever Sara pinned five things, Theresa was almost sure to repin at least three of them. Same thing went the other way around. 

One day during a class when we had all finished our work, the girls were sitting around talking about Pinterest and someone brought up the idea about wanting to start an Etsy shop to sell our home made items. We both got excited about the idea of having our own little shop. The Etsy idea then lead us to the thought of our very own blog. Then and there we decided that this would have to happen. A few months later after dozens of hours of Pinterest and two brutal last weeks of school packed with AP's and finals, we realized that we're finally presenting our first post on our blog.

There were some bumps along the way. We struggled to find a name, but in the end we came up with something we both love. For the most part though, we've just had a lot of fun getting ready to launch. 

If you're wondering what this blog is about, that's probably a good question. It really is just a place for us to share all the things we love most. Everything CREATIVE. Fashion. FOOD. DIY's. Beauty. And who knows what else...so get ready for a delectable time with Sara and Theresa!

Sara and Theresa