Updating an Old Coffee Table with a Little Paint

March 8, 2016May 31, 2016Leave a comment

If you read my post about my farmhouse coffee table, you’ll know I had some unused light green paint that I wasn’t sure what to do with. After we moved in April, we bought new living room furniture and moved my old coffee table into the guest room. The gray paint matched my shabby chic dresser, but I wanted to brighten up the room with another color…this green was perfect!

Turns out I used the wrong type of paint when I originally primed and painted this coffee table a couple years ago. Luckily Matt’s new palm sander came in handy when I decided to give it a fresh look and turn it into a bedside table.

*Check out my other DIY projects*

ClaudettesCorner

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Sushi Bowl

January 26, 2016April 15, 2016Leave a comment

I’ve been craving sushi lately, so I tried to whip up a quick sushi-inspired dish with whatever I could find in the freezer/fridge. My “sushi bowl” turned out so delicious, I just had to post it here. You’ll have to excuse my photos – our living room is extremely dark at night and my mouth was watering too much to take more than a second to snap a couple pics.

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4 Places to Eat in Cardiff-by-the-Sea

January 18, 2016May 26, 2016Leave a comment

I semi-recently made Cardiff-by-the-Sea my new home and couldn’t be any happier in this tiny, cute little neighborhood. One of my favorite things is walking over to “downtown” Cardiff and grabbing a bite to eat. Here are my favorite places to do just that:

1. Wine Steals

Let me tell you…I LOVE this place. The ambiance is great, the staff is awesome, the food is delicious and bonus…they have wine. Lots and lots of wine. As for my food recommendations, go specialty pizzas all the way. You really can’t go wrong with wine inspired pizzas with names like Sauvignon Blanc which boasts blush sauce, feta cheese, crumbled bacon, spinach, mozzarella, bell pepper & a red onion garnish.

If you enjoy wine tasting, but don’t feel like driving all the way to Temecula, try their $10 for 10 tastings on Saturdays. Wednesday is trivia night AND you get $5 for 5 tastings during happy hour. Score!

2. Lourdes

I love Mexican food, so of course I had to find my go-to spot. This place is great and definitely a staple in my diet now. Each item is huge, it’s cheap and it’s ridiculously good. I take my grilled chicken burrito wet and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

3. Bull Taco

Tacos. Right on the cliff. Overlooking the water. What could be better? Well…probably the tacos, since they aren’t anything special. But let’s be honest, we’re paying for the view.

4. Seaside Market Cardiff Crack

You may have heard of this and thought to yourself, what the heck is that? Technically, it’s a Burgundy Pepper Tri Tip, but locally it’s known as Cardiff Crack.

You might be thinking that you’ve had great tri tip before, but this is on another level. It’s so good, that it even has it’s own website. You can buy some right off the grill outside the market (make sure to check inside while you’re at it) or take it home to grill for your family and friends.

Do you have a favorite food spot in Cardiff? Comment below!

Cheers!

Claudette

Epic Cheese & Charcuterie Platters

December 5, 2015May 26, 2016Leave a comment

Everyone who knows me well, knows that I love cheese. And wine. And bread. And the occasional prosciutto strip. Put them all together and you get countless cheese and charcuterie platters. My absolute favorite, go-to cheese? Creamy Toscano Cheese Soaked in Syrah…yes that’s wine and cheese all wrapped up in one. You’re welcome.

Matt is a huge fan of meat so I end up eating more salami than I bargained for, but I’m not opposed. Now, they are an appetizer at every party we throw and a snack at every Bachelor/Bachelorette viewing. I view these as an art form and while they don’t always measure up to some of our better versions, it’s always fun to make them as pretty as possible.

Here are some platters over the past year:

How to Make a Fall Floral Wreath

October 23, 2015May 31, 20161 Comment

If you didn’t already know, door wreaths are not just for the holidays anymore. I’ve seen pretty seasonal wreaths all over Pinterest lately, but never realized how easy they are to make. Choosing my fall color scheme for my first wreath was half the fun, especially since Michael’s is my favorite kind of toy store. This project only took about 20 minutes to make, so I’m looking forward to making one for other seasons!

Supplies Needed:

Styrofoam floral wreath
Faux flowers (look for sales at Michael’s to get up to 75% off)
- You’ll need a good sized bouquet full
Wire cutters

1. Cut your flower stem about 1/2 inch from the flower to you have enough to go into the Styrofoam.

2. Arrange your flowers around the outside of the Styrofoam to get a sense for where you want everything. Begin by sticking the short stems into the foam. Place the flowers close together so the wreath looks full.