Rainbow Brite

July 2, 2018

WEARING: ACNE CORAL BLOUSE | WHO WHAT WEAR COLLECTION STRIPED PLEATED SKIRT | 
EGO FRANKIE HEELS | LITTLE E NYC KC BEAUTIFUL DAY BLUE BAG | NEUBAU DANI SUNGLASSES | 
BING BANG NYC AALTO ASSYMETRIC EARRINGS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY WHO WHAT WEAR COLLECTION, EGO SHOES, & NEUBAU.

Us New Yorkers are enduring a major heat wave, where temps rose past 100°F. I'm not one to embrace such hot days like these, where the humidity and scorching heat literally makes me sick. I get headaches and feel completely lethargic, no matter how hydrated I am! Plus I'll have little to no appetite and trouble focusing from feeling "hazy" from the weather. Any tips/suggestions on how to feel more energized during the dog days of summer? Even though the weather has me feeling a bit bleh, I won't let that get in the way of my style and mood! In today's outfit post, I am all about color! I just recently celebrated my 12-yr dating anniversary with the hubs where we went to our favorite restaurant in all of NYC for dinner. After all that we have been through, I think it's only a miracle we're still together. And we've been through it all. I know a lot of you are asking more about me and my husband so I'm thinking of doing a post dedicating that for you guys, as well as a better chance getting to know us! To say I'm happy is an understatement. Continue reading to learn more about this vibrant summery outfit that totally goes with my current mood and where to shop the look!

In case you missed this Instagram post, I was wearing a dress from one of my favorite places in the entire world. Target. Yes, folks. You can look stylish while shopping at "Tar-jeh"! And can you believe this rainbow-striped pleated skirt in this post today is only $30?! It has a matching long-sleeved top if you want to match with the bottom, but I opted with warm orange tones like coral and neon orange. I have had this shirt for years and adore the details of the buttons in the front. It definitely brings something to this look.

These shoes are my favorite at the moment. I don't wear many pairs of heels because one I'm too old to be running around the city in heels all day long and two, like every woman who has certain insecurities about herself, my feet are definitely not my most favorite feature on my body. But after putting these heels on, I felt like a million bucks! They're sexy, edgy, colorful and only $40. What more could you want in a shoe for summer?

Other accessories include this blue ostrich bag, orange tortoise sunnies and these asymmetric earrings by one of my favorite jewelry brands here in New York City. What do you guys think of this "Rainbow Brite" summery look? Don't forget to shop the look at the beginning or the end of this post. Got questions? Just want to say hi? Drop me a line or leave a message down in the comment section below. Wishing you a short and happy week :)

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

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How to Update the Back to Front Shirt Trend

October 3, 2016

WEARING: STEVEN LAND WHITE MEN'S TUX SHIRT | EXPRESS BLACK FLARE EDITOR PANT | 
DRESS LILY FRESH BLUE CROSSBODY BAG | BCBG PARIS BROWN SUEDE HEELED SANDALS | 
VAJZE ARTA RING | WEARVERONIKA NOEL CHOKER | UO BROWN WESTERN BELT

Happy Monday! How was everyone's weekend? We had a low key and cozy one for a change. For once I was able to unwind and just relax! And catch up on some much-needed sleep. And have brunch with an old gal pal. And editing, of course. ;) MaQ turned 4 on Saturday and because of the rain, we postponed his birthday plans until hopefully sometime next weekend. YES. My dog has birthday plans every year! I don't care what anyone thinks. He's only going to have so many birthdays, and I'm determined to making each one count! I was kind of bummed not being able to do what we initially had planned, but to be quite honest, I needed to recover from working non-stop since NYFW. After going weeks without a break, it's important to breathe and reboot. As much as I love going out, meeting new people and socializing, I also enjoy my alone time. It's where I gather my thoughts and inspirations, and try to creatively put together different points of view, whether from fashion or travel, or food, I want you to see my world from own personal style & taste.

An ongoing trend that started during Milan Fashion Week same time last year is the back to front shirt, where all types of buttoned down shirts are worn in reverse. The back in the front and the front in the back. Even during the latest interview I did on the blog, I helped style my goddaughter, Océane, in one of her boyfriend's white shirts, where I created an off-the-shoulder look and tied the sides of the shirt around her waist. Take a look here. I love how versatile and casually chic this look brings to the ordinary mundane white blouse. And in fashion, I love playing and mixing up with trends. In this case, one of my favorite trends happening on the runway right now, especially in Paris, is oversize everything. The extra layers and volume put a great twist on already trendsetting looks, such as the back to front shirt! Which is why I picked out my husband's white tux shirt with French cuffs. The sleeves are exaggerated to my petite frame, bringing attention to the shirt. I tied a small doubt-knot in the back leaving the front of the shirt unbuttoned to show a little skin.

What I also love about this style is you can pair the shirt with jeans or a nice flared pant, which I did here in this outfit. I love that you can wear this day to night, or work it with a skirt or even a maxi dress. There's so many ways to style the plain white shirt! Let's not forget to mention my favorite pieces of jewelry at the moment, the Arta ring from Vajzë and the Noel choker from Veronika. I'm obsessed with both; the gold dagger ring dazzled with clear crystals and the emerald gorgeousness from the choker. Talk about bead work too! Brown suede heeled sandals are BCBG Paris and the fresh blue-colored crossbody bag is from Dress Lily. Western-styled belt is from Urban Outfitters. To accentuate the green and blue colors from the accessories, I wore fuchsia colored lipstick and let the wind do it's thang to my mane. (Did not at all intend to rhyme. Nope, not one bit.) ;)

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

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Green with Envy

May 16, 2016

Happy Monday! I'm starting the week off with a bang and getting rid of those Monday Blues, pronto! Did you see last night's episode of Game of Thrones? If not, it's cool. I'm not going to give away any spoilers but I am going to talk about one of my favorite characters on the show, however, and how she came to be the inspiration behind this drink!

When I think of dragons, and more so, the Mother of Dragons, the first color that comes to mind is green. You'd think I'd go with a red, an orange; anything fiery. Passionate. But there's something cold and earthy about Khaleesi. She is a force to be reckoned with. AND she makes mistakes, regardless of what and who she's made up of. That's real, and the color green, to me, has a tranquil feeling but at the same time, there's something powerful within the palette of green. And that she is. Tell me a woman who watches GoT that you know of who isn't a little envious of her life. She's got pet dragons, for Pete's sake!

DOWNLOAD RECIPE

Cocktail recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Green with Envy

Ingredients:

2 oz cucumber, roughly chopped
A sprig of basil
1.5 oz Korean Soju
.5 oz lemon juice
.5 oz Limoncello
Sprite or club soda
Extra cucumber for garnish

Directions:

In a juicer, press cucumber and basil.
Shake ingredients together (EXCEPT carbonated drinks) with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with cucumber rose and top with limoncello and Sprite/club soda.

Mostly consisted of cucumber, then basil, lemon, Korean soju and a mixture of carbonated drinks, the Green with Envy cocktail is subtly sweet and refreshingly cool. Perfect for warmer weather. Have you heard of Secret Squirrel Food? She is an amazing food blogger based in Dubai who's been trendsetting the 'avocado rose' while also playing up on different fruits and vegetables incorporating the same style of plating like with the avocado. When I made my first avocado rose, it was so beautiful, that I didn't want to eat it! So as a final touch to my cucumber garnish, I recreated a miniature version of a cucumber rose Secret Squirrel Food did on her blog. At first, I thought it'd look super cute, like a water lily pad, within the drink, but then I figured it would be too big and in the way.

Which is why it's teeny-tiny and in my opinion, a nice modest touch to the cocktail. Especially when in a martini glass, the garnish should remain sleek and sophisticated just like the glass. What's your favorite drink in a martini glass? A classic martini? Gin or vodka? Maybe a Vesper like James Bond? I'd love to hear your favorites! Leave your comments down below. Thanks for reading! As always, you can download the recipe from the click-on button. And you can also find me on Yummly and foodgawker.

LOVE & XX'S

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Source: http://www.suzannespiegoski.com/maq-and-su...

The KimKraut Dog

April 11, 2016

Happy Monday! Not a fan of today? I've created a new Korean-fusion inspired recipe to zap those Monday Blues away! Inspired by both my Asian and Eastern European heritage, I wanted to combine the two worlds in a dish, but also something that would be simple and easy to make for a manic Monday.

Okay, so by now you're wondering, what is KimKraut? I've seen many and have tried a variety of Korean hot dogs. Some even have added bulgogi on top of the hot dog, some more kimchi-oriented. And some more Americanized. I wanted to make something a little different; something that resonates with who I am. So, I decided to mix kimchi and sauerkraut together and BAM! There you have it, folks! KimKraut! I used cabbage kimchi to keep the vegetables consistent together, though, I'd be down with trying other forms of kimchi, such as cucumber or radish.

DOWNLOAD RECIPE

The KimKraut Dog

Ingredients:

4 bratwurst sausages, grilled
4 hot dog buns, toasted
4 tsp mustard
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp ketchup
1 tsp sriracha sauce
1/2 cup chopped kimchi (cabbage)
1/2 cup chopped sauerkraut
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 green onion, chopped
black sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions:

Mix mustard, soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Mix ketchup and sriracha sauce in another small bowl. Set aside.
Combine kimchi, sauerkraut, rice vinegar, and honey in a small bowl to create KimKraut. Set aside.
Grill bratwursts. Toast buns at 350°F for 5-7 minutes.
Prepare hot dog with sausage, KimKraut, mustard and ketchup sauces, chopped green onion and black sesame seeds.
Enjoy!

When I had first met my husband and sheepishly confessed that I could cook, he wittingly replied, "Sure, you can. What can you make, just kimchi & kielbasa?" Boy, was he mistaken! He's now my #1 guinea pig. And happily so! I adore cooking for the people I love and I also love sharing stories, especially anything involved with food and cooking! (And maybe my husband.. ha, ha!) This recipe was definitely inspired by my hubby's sense of humor. And yes, kimchi paired with any kind of sausage is absolutely delicious!

I didn't want to Americanize the dish by squeezing regular mustard and ketchup sauce on the hot dogs. Since the dogs are meant to be Korean-fusion based, I also kept the flavors in the sauce. I mixed regular French's mustard with a tiny bit of soy sauce, sugar, white vinegar and a pinch of salt. The ketchup was combined with some sriracha sauce, to add an extra touch of heat in with the kimchi spices. These sauces really gave every single bite packed with tangy and meaty flavor! Lastly, I garnished with chopped green onion and black sesame seeds. Coming up next on the blog? A whole new lookbook series with another style video! Check out my Instagram for a teaser. Stay tuned...

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Source: http://www.suzannespiegoski.com/maq-and-su...

Exclusive Necklace Giveway!

September 21, 2015

Hi everyone!

I've teamed up with The Savvy Heart to give away this necklace, of your choice- in black or white, to one lucky winner! The onyx stone and spike details make it classic and edgy. Perfect for dressing up or down. Take a look at how irresistibly gorgeous they are!

To enter, you first and foremost have to have an Instagram account. Please go to my Instagram and follow further details! Only 3 simple rules: a like, 2 follows and 2 tags to win!

The winner will be contacted directly through private message on Instagram this Friday (9/25/15)!

The winner will also receive a polishing cloth and an exclusive promo code of 15% off toward an online purchase! Please go and enter now! :)

Here is a little preview for tomorrow's blog! Tuesday's post will include an OOTD, graffiti and of course, strolling around with my main furry squeeze, MaQ Attack!