Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Monday mornings with five things/ideas/events for the week:

I.  With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I’m putting together a dinner party for my fellow single friends. Though I don’t have time to cook the entire meal, I want to make a dessert to bring to the restaurant. Craving both cocoa and raspberries, this Chocolate Layer Cake with Vanilla Buttercream immediately came to mind. Keeping it simple by using boxed cake mix as a starter, I add brandy and espresso to heighten the flavors and berries for a pop of color. Whether you’re single or taken, making this confection for your loved one(s) will surely make you the apple of their eye.

II.  The easiest and most cost effective way to update your interior design aesthetic is to swap out throw pillows and blankets for fresh pieces. Always looking for ways to cram new things into my tiny apartment, I recently realized that I’ve had the same throw pillows on my twin reading chairs since 2007. Unsure of exactly what I wanted to change the look, I went to Pinterest in search of something perfect for my mostly black and white color scheme, where I found these striking patchwork pillows from an Etsy Shop. Now I need to find way to justify one of these to go with them…

III.  Last week, I had lunch with a friend from my Junior League days who recently started her own company. Lucy’s business LMW Edits offers home and closet organizing services in San Francisco, specializing in customized, tailored solutions implemented from a style perspective. Confession: I haven’t organized my closet once in the four years I’ve lived in my apartment. Lucy’s brilliant service can’t come soon enough! For tips on organizing your home, check out the LMW Edits Blog.

IV.  During law school, I was a Legal Writing & Research Teaching Assistant every year. Basically, this means that I terrorized students by marking up their grammar errors with a red pen dozens of times per week.  As a result, this hysterical shirt is a new favorite in my post-law firm wardrobe tee collection.  Order a few for your grammar police friends (or maybe those friends who need there/their/they’re clarified…).

V.  One of the most anticipated events of the year is this Thursday at AT&T Park. Benefiting the SF General Hospital Foundation, Hearts After Dark raises awareness for the Foundation’s mission to promote excellence in research, education, and care regardless of financial status at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Dance on the field with some of the most fabulous people in San Francisco, take batting practice, and party with Mayer Hawthorne, plus an open bar and delicious bites - all for a phenomenal cause. 

Have a wonderful week!  xx tt