Arizona Restaurant Review: Crackers & Company

6.30.2011

For about two months I've woken up every single morning craving these California Eggs Benny that I had had a bite of at my sister-in-laws birthday brunch.
No matter how many delicious waffle breakfasts I would make, I still longed for that breakfast I never ordered.
Finally, one day I had enough. With a watering mouth, I convinced Marcus to take me.
I lured him in with talked of the fresh avocados, the crispy strips of bacon, the eggs, and toasted english muffin.

California Eggs Benny
Turns out it wasn't quite as delicious as my memory had convinced me of...
but don't feel sad, because this never fails me:
Augustina's Brandied Cinnamon Bread Pudding
No not for over 10 years has this treasure failed me!
Next time you need a sweet and creamy treat, do yourself a favor and get yourself to one of the two Cracker's locations and skip the California Eggs Benny, and get yourself one or maybe two orders of their FAMOUS bread pudding.

I sure love me some brunch!
What's Your Go To Brunch Spot?

{Wardrobe} Wednesday: SlipShop

6.29.2011

Do You Believe in Magic?
 Obviously, you must know that I do!
Magic comes in all forms:
It might be a beautiful unicorn in a forest, or it might just be a genius fashion line that makes a slightly-shorter-than-you want-dress instantly longer and even cuter than you'd thought possible!

Behold, my favorite new magic fashion trick:

how to make a gif

The Breakdown:
Gingham Top: Banana Republic Sale Rack
Green Dress: Dillard's @ Fiesta
Leopard Belt: Forever21
Flower Pin: Made by me
Slip-Extender: c/o A Slip Shop
Orange Heels: DSW
Gold Bracelet: Favor Jewelry



Tomorrow morning is the last day to enter this cute giveaway!

{Tunes} on Tuesday: Featuring Audrey Hepburn

6.28.2011

Today is Ma & Pa Nielson's 48th wedding anniversary!
via Lizzy Writes

We're going to the temple as a family and then to their FAVORITE Mexican Food Restraraunt--Tia Rosa's.
Oooo Baby! 

This is 'Their Song,' isn't it beautiful!?
What's Your Song?

Giveaway!

6.27.2011

A special giveaway from one of my crafty sponsors!
This handmade hair-clip could be yours!
Isn't it just the perfect accessory for a Sunday stroll in the park?
You must be a public google follower of i believe in unicorns. to enter. 
Once that's taken care of, 
1. Visit her shop and tell me what your favorite piece is. 
There are seriously so many to choose from here! 
I'm loving this one and this one.

Extra Entries:
2. 'Like' Linda's Vintage on Facebook.
3. Follow i believe in unicorns. on BlogLovin.
4. Blog/Tweet/Facebook about the giveaway (provide a link or @mention me)

Someday. Sunday.

6.26.2011

The Project: Lollies
Seen Here.
 Take one old book you're not using anymore.
 Tear out three pages.
 Fold pages back and forth.
 Fold bended pages in half .
 Repeat on all pages.
 Glue fans closed.
 Either hold with fingers, or clip with a clothes pin, bobby pin, etc. until glue is dry.
(I'd use a gluestick if I had one)
 Keep gluing all three fans until the circle is formed.
 With liquid glue or a hot glue gun, attach the wooden skewer 
(if you're putting in a flower arrangement, if you're putting on a plate, you're done).
Glue a doily of some sort over the skewer as to secure it and to hid any glue mess.

ALL DONE!


{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: Week Scarf

6.25.2011

What I learned from this post:
This scarf may be slightly too big to wear like I did.
Scarfs, in general, are a bad idea during an Arizona summer.
Rolling your ankles doesn't look that cool in a photograph...
I want bangs.

Who knew outfit posts could be so educational?

Happy Saturday Everyone!
The Breakdown:
Nerd Glasses: Forever21 $5
Hairdo: Three-Twisted Buns
Vintage Scarf: Antique Plaza $8
Striped Top: H&M $12
Chinos: Forever21 $15
Braided Belt: Forever21 $3
Sperrys: Buffalo Exchange $20
Nautical Bag: H&M $30

arizona and my thoughts on 114 degree weather.

6.24.2011

The summer sun is upon me and its rays pull the air from my lungs.
 Two options are before me--
I can choose to curse each day the red line inches higher and higher, or i can accept the reality that change is eminent. 
The seasons come--the good with the bad.
sunnies c/o FredFlare
And instead of focusing on the sweat on my forehead, I will avert my thoughts to the heart-shaped sunnies over my eyes. 
To the cotton dress that skims my knees.
To the polka-dotted suit that hugs my body.
The cool water that beckons me--jump in.
Never before were they needed so.

I will celebrate the river I float down, the watermelon I eat, the sandals I wear, and the roadtrips I take.

The Solstice has come. 
Summer is here.
That's a fact.
I accept it, and I love all that I can about it.

Spring will always have my heart, 
but summer has my 'now'.


Praise be to Willis Carrier.

It's a Barnum & Bailey World.

6.23.2011

Before you get married, you generally date people to find someone you're compatible with and want to be with for life's adventures. 
Once you find that person and tie the knot, you move onto a new phase in life. It's an interesting phase. One that no one seems to talk much about.
You see, dating seems to take on a new purpose. 
You start dating other couples. 
You're now on the search for compatible married couples to be your friends. 
It's one thing to find someone that I click with and it's another thing to find someone that Marcus likes, but it's a WHOLE different thing to find two people, who are a couple that both Marcus and I really connect with. 
We were lucky and found that in Jack and Jenny, but they're in Idaho and we're in Arizona. 
We need friends here. So we're on the prowl...
So, last night we went out with my cousin Michael and his sweet wife Melissa. I've always liked Michael and once I met Melissa, I knew we were kindred souls. 
You see she has an obsession that fits hand in hand with mine. 
She LOVES mermaid. 
Like to the extreme. 
If she had a blog, it would most likely be called i believe in mermaids.
In fact, I need to talk to her. She needs to get on that--ASAP.
The date was just about as amazing as it could get. 
We went to the circus! And not just any circus.
The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus! 
'Brothers Brawn' aka The Strong Men.
The Spanish Lion Tamer.
If you're in Arizona, I strongly suggest you go. 
We got tickets for $12 and although we were in the nosebleed section, it totally blew our minds!
So much fun.

I can't wait so hang out with them again this weekend :)


Married Friends, Do You Do the 'Dating Couples' Thing?

{Wardrobe} Wednesday: The Shine Project

6.22.2011

My friend Ashley over at The Shine Project sent me one of her signature Shine Necklaces.
Which I in-turn, turned into a bracelet, because it's more my style...
Ashley is such an inspiring woman! 
She's always looking for ways to make a difference in people's lives.
A portion of the money made from her Shine Necklaces are going toward a 
Shine Project Scholarship Fund.
Isn't that awesome?

You can even personalize your necklace with dates or names like those seen here:
If you like what you see, go on over and submit your order!


states.

6.21.2011

I've been to a fair share of the wonderful states that make up this country, but I've still got a ways to go to fulfill my lifetime goal of see all the states in the union.

The US is amazing because it's so humongous that it offers us so much variety! 

visited 17 states (34%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

Places I really want to go and why:
Florida (for the obvious tropical reasons. also, a reader once told me that they have tons of pink yard flamingos. i like that.)
Texas (ever since that antropologie catalog was shot in Austin, i've been dying to see those places)
Montana (i'm pretty sure it's 'big sky' and i would be the closest of friends)
Tennessee (Nashville.)
Colorado (John Denver)
Georgia (i really like peaches)
Louisiana (New Orleans. Jazz)
Washington (must go to pike place market. must eat my weight in apples)
Maine (Autumn)
Massachusetts (Historical Sites)
i also want to go back to Illinois because I didn't go to Chicago :(

Where have you been? 
What's been your favorite?

{Tunes} on Tuesday Featuring: Dirty Dancing

It's officially Summertime and now that I'm married, this is all I want to do.

All. Summer. Long.
(because married people are allowed to do this sort of thing:))
and if I have to drink a few more of these, I guess i wouldn't mind too much...


What Are You Looking Forward to About Summer?

Summertime Giveaway!

6.20.2011

Summertime is a good time for cotton bow-ties.
In fact, it's the perfect time for said bow-ties.
Especially hand-crafted, vintage-inspired, gender-neutral said bow-ties.
And thanks to that little cutie with the bob, you could be the owner of a bow-tie of your choosing!
All you need to do is:
1. Visit Kilean's etsy shop and tell me which you'd choose.
For extra entries you can:
2. Tweet/Facebook/Blog about the giveaway (be sure and @mention me).
3. Add one my new buttons to your blog and send me a link so I can check it out.
4. Follow me on BlogLovin' or 'Like' i believe in unicorns. on FB

You MUST be a public google follower to be considered for this giveaway :)
Good Luck!

a winner will be announced this weekend!

and then we got engaged.

6.19.2011

Records show that it was one year ago today that a certain question was asked, and a careful answer was given.
It was one of the most beautiful days I've ever lived,
with one of the most wonderful men I ever lived it with.

(and the answer came along with the prettiest little thing I've ever owned.)
and then our camera battery died, so you are spared the kissing pictures what would have undoubtably followed...

I love you Marcus, today and forever--
I'm glad you will one day be the father of our nuggets.

(and no, that's not an announcement)

You can read Marcus's side of the proposal story here if you're interested.

Girly, girly, girls!

6.18.2011

 My cute nieces just got facebook accounts this week and it hit me--
They're not little girls anymore; they've grown into beautiful young women.
They're at such an exciting time in their lives, so I asked them to come have a Girls Day with me and tell me about everything they're up to.
In the car ride to one of our favorite restaurants: Claim Jumpers we chatted about summer camps, gymnastics, and family vacations as they played silly car games like slug-bug and a plethora of others I had forgotten all about.
Oh, to be young again!
Then we headed back to my house for mani/pedis as we listened to Taylor Swift and Sara Bareilles--is that girly enough music for you?
It was a great day. I love my girls.
© i believe in unicorns. Maira Gall.