music x fashion x mixape

my love of lipstick  x  my love of fashion  x  my love of gesaffelstein.

[ gesaffelstein - viol ]

by the way, the music video for this song is one of my favorites. dark and twisted just like the song contrasted against the gorgeous streets of paris.

blackbird blackbird [ all - hotwax remix ]

pure bliss. my favorite for late night drives.

cheryl cole [ call my name - prod by. calvin harris ]

pure pop perfection. at first, i wasn't that into this song but after giving it a couple listens, i was hooked. it has that signature calvin sound and makes you just wanna dance.

wonda [ xx angels xx ]

this song. ugh. this song. i just can't even explain it - it's so freaking amazing. lyrical rap over the xx's song.

earl sweatshirt [ chum ]

earl sweatshirt is a rapper that also a part of the la based hip hop collective ofwgkta, which also is the home of the likes of frank ocean, tyler the creator, hodgy beats and syd the kid. so... you know he's gotta be good. this song is my jam.

destiny's child [ say my name - cyril hahn remix ]

gabrielle aplin [ please don't say you love me - cyril hahn remix ]

this guy is my new favorite remixer. his remix of destiny's child changed my world. i'm not exaggerating, he is nothing short of a genius.

bon iver [ holocene - ba$sy remix ]

this remix keeps the integrity of the song while giving it a bit more of an upbeat tempo. i love bon iver but i can't listen to it's pure form all of the time, unless it's a rainy fall day.

tupac vs. the xx [ ghetto angels - carlos serrano & trapzillas remix ]

you guys know me. you know i love my rap vocals laid upon beautiful slow tempo music. this is a gem.

high highs [ open season ]

currently one of my most favorite songs. that's all.

kill paris [ i love you lana del rey, where i left my heart ]

just an electro song i love with a melody i love.

noosa [ walk on by - sound remedy remix ]

the original song, not remixed, is utterly gorgeous. the lyrics just stay with you. but someone says remix, i say where? i just love how songs can be transported to a different place. with that said, i've been a long time fan of sound remedy, so it was natural that i love this song.

youngblood hawke [ we come running - tiesto remix ]

tiesto is a veteran. fun song, great house remix.

kendrick lamar [ swimming pools - at dawn we rage fest edit ]

one of my favorite summer songs, given a harder edge.

azealia banks [ no problems ]

azealia is my chickkkkk. she's so badass and this song is just that. 

angel haze [ on the edge - diplo rough mix ]

so i guess angel haze and azealia had a beef but it's funny cause they're so alike. both some badass chicks. they both spit like crazy and this song's beat is insane.

avicii & nicky romero [ you could be the one ]

always will be an avicii fan. one of my favorite melodies from him & nicky romero given some gorgeous vocals. always emotional and meaningful.

grimes [ genesis ]

grimes gives a whole lot of individuality to the music industry. watch the music video, and you'll see... it's different on a whole other level and sort of refreshing.

the smiths [ asleep ]

an oldie i fell back in love with when i watched the perks of being a wallflower, which by the way... you MUST watch. it's heartbreaking, beautiful, romantic and just perfect.

robot orchestra [ beauty & the beat ]

i love robot orchestra's name because it's just so literal and so applicable to their music. insane beats, gorgeous arrangements.

* Links are to where songs can be streamed, watched, or downloaded at.

Julia Child's Chicken Liver Mousse with Gruyere Crostini

Liver is not something that is often loved. Truth be told, when I first encountered it as a child I was terrified of it. But even then, I was always known to always try something at least once before dismissing it. I'm glad I still have that quality because I would have missed out on a lot of things if I didn't have the courage to just overlook their 'scariness factor' and get on with it. 

What's lovely about the Vietnamese heritage is that it's heavily influenced by the French, and who doesn't want to be mixed up in all that loveliness? My dad actually learned French as his first language before he even learned Vietnamese or English and I'm still dreaming of the day when I get to visit myself. Anyway, one thing I thank the French for is pâté, which taught me how to love liver. We Vietnamese spread it all over our sandwiches every chance we get. I decided to try to make it myself using Julia Child's recipe and it was quite possibly the easiest, quickest appetizer I've ever made. Oh yes, and very, very delicious. I couldn't believe how good it was, especially with the super flavorful and crispy Gruyere crostini! I served mine alongside some cornichons for an added tangy contrast.

Julia Child's Chicken Liver Mousse

Yields: about 2 cups

Original recipe here.

2 cups chicken livers

2 tbsn. minced shallots (I used one whole shallot)

2 tbsn. butter

1/3 cup cognac

1/4 cup whipping cream

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/8 tsp. pepper

pinch of thyme

1/2 cup melted butter

kosher salt and pepper

Remove any greenish or blackish spots from the livers, as well as any sinew. Cut the livers into 1/2" pieces. Melt the butter over medium heat in a sauté pan until the foam has subsided. Saute the livers with the shallots in butter for 2 - 3 minutes or until the livers are just stiffened, but still rosy inside. Scrape into a blender jar. Pour the cognac into the pan and boil it down rapidly until it has reduced to 3 tbsn. Scrape into the blender. Add the cream and seasonings into the blender, cover, and blend at top speed for several seconds until the liver is a smooth paste. Add the melted butter and blend several seconds more. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Pack into a bowl or jar and chill for 2 - 3 hours before eating.

Gruyere Crostini

Yields: 20 - 25 crostini

Original recipe here.

1 loaf of crusty rustic bread or sourdough

4 tbsn. butter

1 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsn. finely minced parsley (optional)

1 1/2 oz. finely grated Gruyere (about 1/3 cup)

2 tbsn. finely grated Parmigiano or Romano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Using a bread knife, slice the loaf into thin crostini (about 1/2 - 3/4 cm thick) In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and mustard and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Use a pastry brush to brush this mixture lightly on each side of the crostini. Lay the crostini on a foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet side by side. In a small bowl combine the two cheeses and parsley. Sprinkle the cheese over the tops of all of the crostini. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown or even a little darker if you prefer it a bit crunchier. These are best eaten right away or the same day. 

How to Wear Adoravel!

Since I'm no stranger to putting together an outfit or two on this blog, I thought it would be fun to try to add in our jewelry pieces into some seriously, drool worthy outfits. Safe to say, I'm obsessed with all of these and wish I had the means to get my hands on these items!

The vashti necklace featured in a glam and edgy outfit. Those boots are the reason for my existence! And I love mix and matching colors.

[details here]

The unmei necklace in a casual, glam outfit perfect for vacationing. I love pairing a glam maxi skirt with a casual cotton top - nothing is more comfortable.

[details here]

The hera bracelet and angkor earrings in a perfect work or date night outfit. Lately have found myself obsessed with open toe booties.

[details here]

The callia necklace in a summer night at the beach outfit. A comfy sweater is an essential and so is a great fedora.

[details here]

The palaver necklace in a perfect festival outfit. Coachella or Outside Lands here I come! Especially loving that minimalist Uniform Wares watch.

[details here]

The Lysa necklace in a perfect garden party or day wedding outfit. How fabulous are those shoes? I'm loving clear accents on heels - that aren't the stripper variety ;)

[details here]

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake Balls

There's nothing more cutesy than a cake pop. On the downside, there's nothing as painful and laborious to make as a cake pop. Yes, they are beautiful, but beauty takes a lot of work; especially these babies. In the center lies a moist red velvet cake crumble mixed with cheese cream frosting, then it's surrounded by a layer of creamy cheesecake, then rolled in some graham cracker crumbs for some crunch, and finally surrounded in white coating chocolate! Whew, that was a lot to get out!

As you can probably tell, there are a lot of steps to these pops, but, what you don't know is that they really are worth it. For a red velvet cheesecake lover, this is pretty much heaven! And for a holiday party, I can't think of any treat more fitting.

Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake Pops

Yields: about 25 - 30 cake pops
Original recipe here.

1 recipe red velvet cake, baked, crumbled (I used my favorite)

1 can of cream cheese frosting

1 baked cheesecake (I used this recipe, or you can use store bought to make it easier)

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 cups white chocolate bark, chopped finely
lollipop sticks 

To make the cake center, mix together the red velvet cake crumbs and cream cheese frosting until thoroughly mixed. Using clean hands, form them into 1" balls and set on a foil lined baking sheet. Set in freezer for 30 minutes to harden, to make them easier to work with. Pour the graham cracker crumbs in a shallow bowl and set next to your cheesecake to make a sort of assembly line. Using a spoon, take about 1 - 2 tbsn. of the cheesecake and wrap around the cake center. This will be difficult, but once you mostly have it covered around in the cheesecake, drop the ball into the graham cracker crumbs and roll around. Once covered in graham cracker crumbs, it will now be easier to roll into a uniform ball. Repeat with remaining cheesecake and cake balls and set onto a foil lined baking sheet. Melt your white chocolate bark (either in 30 second increments in the microwave of using a double boiler). Dip a lollipop stick in the melted chocolate, then stick one into each cheesecake-cake ball. Once all cake balls have been sticked, place in the freezer for 30 minutes until set. Re-melt your chocolate until it is smooth again, since by now it might have hardened a bit. Grab a stick and dip the entire ball into the chocolate until covered. Tap lightly to remove excess, then transfer to a clean foil-lined baking sheet. You can either let them harden on the counter or, if you want to speed up the process, you can set them in the freezer again for 20 - 30 minutes. Enjoy!

New Things in the Shop!

Lots of new things in the shop!

Annnnnd... don't forget, 15% off your entire purchase from now until December 25th, with the coupon code: holiday15.

palaver . gold colored rock crystals on brass chain.

it shines like crazy! edgy yet simple - one of my favorites.

eunoia . a simple, charming necklace featuring an authentic swarovski crystal on ultra thin gold-plated chain.

such a delicate statement.

vashti . oversized authentic prehnite stone on chunky, gold-plated, etched chain.

delhi . simple stacking bracelets made of silk cord (either black, red or green) with glass crystal beads (either graphite, jet or bronze).

simple arm candy that is perfect for stacking!

deux foix . layered polished, oversized bronze chain hanging simply from a double strand of brass chain.

chrysler . chunky gold-plated, etched chain adorned with an authentic turquoise stone.

love stacking all my chunky chains! the turquoise adds the perfect amount of color.

pompei . authentic green adventurine stone sticks and gold plated beads on gold plated chain.

chrysler . oversized prehnite stone on polished gold-plated, chunky chain.

chrysler .  chunky gold-plated, etched chain adorned with an oversized authentic swarovski crystal. 

aphrodite .  a double layered, wrap bracelet of mixed metals: gold plated etched chain and silver plated etched chain.

again, with the layering! 

flora . a simple necklace with perfect shine, a floral swarovski crystal set upon gold plated chain.

komorebi . simple and luxe, a champagne colored, authentic swarovski baguette on gold plated chain.

the flora and komorebi layered together.

the giving branch .  a gold plated twig charm on gold plated chain.

lysa . an oversized, authentic, baroque-inspired swarovski pendant on polished, chunky, gold-plated chain.

id . a simple necklace featuring a gold-plated bland id tag on gold plated chain.

a simple yet lovely statement.