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Sicilian Style Giarrosto: Recipe

28 October 2013
I've been spending the last few weeks in the English countryside visiting friends and although it rains every day, you can't beat the view from here.


The green rolling hills and Victorian architecture is simply amazing.  While here, I've been teaching my friend some of my recipes, some of which I have picked up on my travels.

Lately, I have been craving Sicilian style giarrosto, something of which I haven't had since 1997 when I lived in Catania. Although I don't have a rotisserie I decided to recreate the flavors, from my palatable memory, in the best way I could.


There goes my attempt at being a vegetarian. My friend's boyfriend and his brother went out and bought these two lovelies and we got to work. Look at them, sitting pretty, trying their best to be ladies. No buffoonery around here.


First, we chopped up 6 shallots, 4 garlic cloves, a handful of red chili peppers, and a cup of green olives (stored in spicy olive oil) with the pimentos in them. You can also use black Kalimata olives as well (which is typical Sicilian).



Add  1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tsp of sea salt, black pepper, basil, and oregano to the mix. Then 8 sprigs of thyme. Take note that these proportions are for two chickens not one.



Then, massage olive oil on the surface of the chickens with your hands to loosen them up. Next, you must seduce the two ladies in waiting with  promises of delicious yumminess to get them to open their legs so that you can stuff them with the mixture that you just made.




Once properly stuffed, sprinkle the top with coarse black pepper, sea salt, dried basil and oregano and drizzle the spicy olive oil from the olives on top. Pop them in the oven following the directions on the package of chicken. For these, we cooked them at 150C for 90 minutes until golden brown.


Pop them out of the oven and serve them with whatever side you wish. Annie created a gluten-free mushroom gravy and roasted potatoes (her British addition) to go with the fair. We ate well.



Her boyfriend Andrew designed the beauty of the dish on the plate. Buon appetito!

AW Trends 2013 for the Fashionably Savvy

22 October 2013
It's been raining nonstop here in the UK, but then again I am in the UK. I think it is the normal weather. However, I must admit this town is absolutely gorgeous and green and hilly. I enjoy passing by sheep grazing and the colorful leaves on the trees. The scenery itself is inspiring my fall wardrobe.

I decided to put together this newsletter for you savvynistas of some of the must-have trends in hopes of inspiring you this season.  Have a great week.



Femme Fatale Photoshoot in Florence, Italy: The Backstage Cut

20 October 2013






I have finally wrapped up Lilith + McRae's Femme Fatale Collection and I am starting to receive some of the pictures from the photo shoot in Florence, Italy with photo journalist turned fashion photographer Pasquale Salerno and model/singer Jaya Guazzo.

The photo shoot was tough because the second model got the flu the night before so she couldn't come, which skewed the balance of the shoot and then there was a rain storm, which made us get creative with the location since the original location was canceled and the second location was outside. Despite all of these hiccups, we made it work, as we all do in fashion and stayed positive and the film turned out beautifully. I am very excited so far because one of the photos will be used for an ad in Corset Mag's November issue.

You can purchase the new collection on the Lilith + McRae website.

Outfit of the Day Post: Shoedazzled, Opposites Attract

11 October 2013
I've been running around for the last 3 weeks, consuming quantities of junk food since I am always on the run. Working hard to finish my jewelry collection Femme Fatale as well as traveling.

The one thing I have been enjoying doing since leaving Korea is SHOPPING! I've been all over the UK bargain shopping and even had my shoes shipped in from the States. Namely, Shoedazzle. 



So far I have enjoyed shopping at H&M, Next, and Dorothy Perkins. I also love ASDA and Sainsbury. All I can say is that, the U.K. has allowed me to feel ultra pretty again and stylish because I can actually find my size in whatever is on trend.




I am feeling all luxe in this season's more eco and animal friendly faux leather skirt. Not to mention the rich color of this bordeaux sweater.


As for my Shoedazzle purchases, well these hot little numbers have made the wait of six months worth it.




Their neon yellow heel give them a pop for the Fall, even when I am drowning in my favorite color palette of  dark, yet warm and vibrant fall colors.Not to mention the color is technical the opposite of the bordeaux 'jumper' I'm wearing.


I also am enjoying making and wearing jewelry now that I don't have little paws pulling on everything.


Stacking multiple bracelets  and wearing art deco style dangling earrings is definitely a win.


At the mo, I am channeling The Great Gatsby vibe. Make me feel like going out and doing the Charleston or something. OK, so the skirt is the wrong silhouette, but who cares.



Also this season, scarves are another way to add a little extra something to your wardrobe. Hopefully, you will have a bit of fun shopping this week, keeping these ideas in mind. Until next time, toodles.


What I wore:

Sweater: H&M, similar
Shirt: H&M
Skirt: Next UK, similar
Shoes: Shoedazzle
Bracelets: Lilith + McRae
Earrings: Lilith + McRae
Lipstick: Film Noir, Mac Cosmetics
Lipgloss: Funtabulous Dazzleglass, Mac Cosmetics

Artist's Corner: Rosalie Knaack and Giveaway

10 October 2013
For the last three or so weeks I have been on a world wind tour of, well, the world. So I have been lagging in my posts so forgive me. I just returned from Florence, Italy doing a photo shoot of the FW 2013 Lilith + McRae collection, Femme Fatale. Here's a sneak peek. I will post about the shoot later.


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Today, I wanted to highlight a favorite artist of mine that I met while living in S. Korea. Rosalie is originally from Texas, like myself and she is a master potter.


She and her husband are both pursuing their Master's in Pottery and Ceramics and they literally have a potter's wheel in their home in Daejeon. Rosalie and I met when I did my first artist's show displaying my jewelry collection and this little ball of fire and I hit it off.

I absolutely loved her creative spirit and her craft. She made some of the most unique pottery that I've ever seen at least not since I left Sicily in 1996.



I went over to her studio before I left to see what she was up to and observe her creative process.



When I decided to create my FW2013 collection Femme Fatale with a Deco/Egyptian Revival theme she approached me the idea of doing a joint venture. I of course said, 'Yeah!!' This is what came of it.







She enjoys doing something earthy as she says and she even gave me a moment on the wheel. It was quite exhilarating. I cannot wait to see the finished collection, but until then here's a giveaway from my studio and hers. You can find Rosalie Knaack Studio on Etsy.

This week's giveaway includes a skull brooch from Rosalie's Studio and a stack bracelet from FW2013 Femme Fatale Collection. Enter to win below. The winner will be announced October 18, 2013.





 a Rafflecopter giveaway