The Yuca Diaries

 I was recently going through my blog roll list and realized that there are few blogs out there that are really really amazing… just thought I’d share some of my favorite sites as well as give a shot out to these awesome people.

Of course at the top of my list- The Pioneer Woman. For those of you who aren’t familiar with her, she is hilarious. She definitely has one of the most distinct “voices” in internet land. It’s like those really great bands that you only need to hear the first few bars of a song and know immediately who they are: well that’s the case with PW. Oh yeah and her cooking is outrageous too.

I am amazed at how innovative her recipes are.  Her food is always so appealing to me.

Minimally Invasive:

Her food photos are beyond stunning.  They look like they belong in the most prestigious of cookbooks. Words cannot express how gorgeous this blog is. Her food is art.

She’s a fellow Miamian which totally rocks.  I love the simplicity of her blog as well as her food photography. Her recipes are solid: they’re not fussy or pretentious. They also look delicious.

You would never know that Kevin cooks out of a closet sized kitchen.  His food is absolutely stunning.  I always want to lick my computer monitor when I see his postings.

Lastly these are a few sites where food bloggers post their recipes and reviews of food and restaurants. It is a great way to get to know the food blogging community, not to mention that it’s food porn at it’s finest.

Foodgawker,  Tastespotting, Photo Grazing, Chowhound

There are a few blogs I follow that are more along the lines of design, crafts and event planning.  Below are some of my favorites.

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this on my blog but those that know me well, know that I LOVE updated mid-century modern homes,furnishing etc. Whenever I go to borders or barnes and noble I always flip through Atomic Ranch and Dwell. I love driving around older neighborhoods and finding these houses.  I think I am going to write  a separate post on what my dream home would look like.  But this blog is a really fun way to see MCM jewels in and around my hood. We recently took a trip to Austin, TX and MCM homes are all over the place there. One day I will own a MCM home and decorate it exactly as I like.  It’s at the top of my bucket list.

Coco & Kelly:

I really really ascribe to the same design sense. In fact,  I’ve been eying a chase lounge from CB2 for our bedroom for some time, and I just saw they have it on their most recent post.  It’s really a lovely blog from top to bottom.

Make Something:

This girl is such an inspiration to me.  I mean she makes such gorgeous clothes.  I love how organic her blog/creations are.  I would love for her to hire me as her apprentice for a year- I say that only half kidding. She is by far one of the most creative people i’ve come to know in internet land. 

Ritzy Bee:

Talk about hostess with the mostess- just go check this blog out… it’s amazing

Last in this category is the sister site of Foodgawker- but for weddings. It works the same as food gawker where people post all of their wedding related content.  I collect wedding magazines.  It’s a problem I know, but I just love planning them, attending them, and everything that surrounds them.  Check out Wedding Gawker- especially if you’re a bride to be.  You’ll be really glad.

There are a few blogs I read often because I like the writing style, or they provide great info… check these out.

The Beauty Brains:

These people are geniuses, both figuratively and literally.  They’re like the myth busters of toiletries. And since I’ve determined I’m a toiletry junkie, this blog is right up my alley.

Memoirette Le Froo:

This blog is written by a friend I’ve know since grade school.  She is truly talented.  I hope she gets published- she’d be a great novelist. 

Succulent Love:

Ok so this isn’t really a blog, but I couldn’t help myself.  Succulents and agaves are my favorite kinds of plants.  I’d much rather get one of these than a bouquet flowers.  These arrangements are so adorable, I couldn’t pass up the chance to share.

Photo credit:

This Sunday I hosted a baby shower for a good friend.  I can’t say how appalled I was at the selection of baby shower decorations stores carried.  I must have gone to 15 stores and all I found was these themes of silly little baby animals or tiny footprints in all pink or all blue.  I have never been one to like things to be too generic.  I much prefer home-made to store bought any day.  This led me to find other alternatives for decorations.  I searched online and found that Martha Stewart had a paper pompom do-it-yourself project that looked really cool.  In her version they were completely round as they were being hung from the ceiling.  I found that you could do them with a flat bottom to act as a table top flower.  Check it out… oh yeah and here is the link to Martha’s instructions.  They took about 8 minutes to make a piece.  But let me just say how relaxing it was to make them… and the finished project is so pretty that you just need to sit back and admire them for a minute.

I made little flowers to pin on the guest of honor and the mini guest of honor- Addison ;)