Exclusive Necklace Giveway!

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!

Got a question? Feel free to leave something down in the comment box! We can't wait to announce the winner to this gorgeous piece of jewelry!

Have a great Monday!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

LET'S CONNECT!

INSTAGRAM: @SUZANNESPIEGOSKI

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Friday Stir-Fry

Today on the blog, we have a super delicious, healthy meal you can make in less than 30 minutes! And that includes the marinade time! A perfect recipe for a busy Friday, whether it's lunch or dinner, or if you're planning on going out or staying in!

I make this beef stir-fry on a consistent basis, especially during the chillier seasons, and have been using this recipe for years. It is originally from the amazing Gimme Some Oven food blog, though I've adjusted a couple of items such an opting out on shiitake mushrooms and what to serve it with. You can have any type of rice, quinoa or even noodles with this dish, but being part Korean, Korean sticky rice is what I call for. It's the only rice I use in Asian cuisine. 

This is such a quick and easy recipe. I know some of you may not be a fan of kale, but don't knock it till you try it! It goes perfect with the ginger beef and none of the flavors are overpowering. They are all there and so-so good! Check out some of the photos I took of this yummy dish! Mmm...

Ginger Beef, Mushroom & Kale Stir-Fry

This delicious ginger beef, mushroom, and kale stir fry is quick to make and full of great flavor!

Prep: 5 mins Cook: 25 mins Total: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth (or chicken/beef broth, or water)
• 3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. corn starch
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper

Stir-Fry Ingredients:

• 1 lb. thinly sliced flank steak or sirloin, cut diagonally across the grain into thin strips
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 10 ounces baby portobello or button mushrooms, halved
• 3 cups chopped kale
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

To Make The Marinade:

Add all marinade ingredients to a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour marinade into a large bowl or ziplock bag, then add in the steak and gently toss to combine. Cover/seal and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

To Make The Stir-Fry:

Once steak has marinated, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove steak from marinade with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade, and add to saute pan with garlic. Saute for about 2-3 minutes until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove steak with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add mushrooms, kale, and reserved marinade to saute pan, and stir to combine. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the kale is wilted, the sauce has thickened, and the mushrooms have cooked, stirring regularly so that sauce does not burn. Add in the steak, and toss to combine.

Serve immediately over sticky rice, garnished with chopped green onions.

I think my favorite part after cooking is not to taste, but to relish with the idea of it while I photograph whatever dish I've just made. It makes the first bite that more enticing. I'm already salivating at the mouth just writing about it!

Alright, that's it! I have to dig in. Bon Appetit! :)

We hope everyone has a great weekend! Catch y'all on Monday, where we will be doing our first giveaway! Stay tuned to find out what it is and how to enter your chance to win! It's going to be oh so chic!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

The Best Mud Mask

My newest beauty find is Glamglow's SuperMud Clearing Treatment. At the end of each week after running around grimy New York, I like to give myself a deep facial cleanse. I've been looking for something that doesn't contain sulfates or parabens, and this mud mask is the real deal. After just one try, my face felt softer and looked brighter. My skin tone was more balanced and I could visibly see the mud do its work! My face never looked more healthy or vibrant!

I found the packaging to be a little cheesy at first. Hello Sexy... really? But to each his own, I never try to judge a book by its cover. Once I got to what I actually wanted, I could smell the licorice-base in its formula as soon as I opened it! I love that it can be used as a full face mask or for spot treatment, targeting certain areas like your t-zone and chin, that may be more prone to skin problems. If you're looking for a face mask that'll transform your skin, this is a MUST-have in your facial care arsenal :)

While the mask does its magic on your face, you can see literally see and feel it! My face felt tingly and I could see where it was extracting from my pores, essentially getting rid of all that dirt and oil. Check out the photo collage below to see it for yourself!

Even though I poked fun at the labeling, my face sure does feel sexy after this facial treatment! I highly recommend this and will definitely be using this product more often from now on.

And here you have it, folks! Me! At my most natural state! Can you see its results?! Wow, do I feel refreshed! What is your favorite go-to face mask? I'd love to hear more from our readers! Feel free to share and comment your thoughts below. :)

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

SHOP THE MASK

Graffiti Wednesday

Today, I'm sharing with you some of our most recent graffiti art discoveries from our daily strolls around the city. We go everywhere, and when feeling extra blue, I tend to walk it off until I feel better. With my loyal companion in tow, New York City, my city, has a way of turning shitty times into a temporary escape. Whether it's forgetting about the horrible day you just had or even though you've been living in this city for nearly ten years, you can still fall into its energy and get lost in that kind of aura. This place is my home and never fails to keep me moving, both in my heart and in my feet. New York, even though you are one bad, bitch, I still love the fuck out of you. Thanks for always keeping it real.

Looks like maQ's newest #wcw is Jenna Morello's Lioness in Little Italy! Roar! ;) In all seriousness though, I believe the artist did these #forCecil, a male Southwest African lion who was killed in North Zimbabwe by a Minnesota dentist. He was 13 years old. A painting of Cecil can be found to the left of the lioness. We missed out on this shot since there were a lot of people working around it during the Little Italy festival.

This new piece at the Bowery Wall on Houston Street is by the incredibly dope artist, Futura Dos Mil. This mural is titled, "Nuance", and at first glance, is a flurry of subdued emotions. The lines and symmetry are all over the place, yet at the same time, everything is perfectly in place. How could that be?

nu·ance // n(y)o͞oˌäns// noun

• a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound.

It is really beautiful to see. This installation is extremely large in scale and with the play of light and shadows, it's actually quite breathtaking.

Adam Dare's 'Love is Love' is the polar opposite of Futura's piece, but just as awesome. That's what I love about art. No matter what it is, or in what style or technique, if you feel something from it, anything really, then it matters. It's important. Kind of like love, in it that if you really love someone, then this too, in fact, matters and is important. Regardless of who you are, and even more importantly, who they are. We can't help but feel what we feel.

“And in the end,
The love you take,
Is equal to the love,
You make.””

— The Beatles

Lastly, I leave you with Hektad's hearts of hearts. His work never fails to remind me that it's all about love, but just like anything else in this world, no matter how you try and do it, it won't be perfect. When it comes to matters of the heart, you have to constantly keep working on yourself and with others. It's about that joint effort to make it work. Remember the give-and-take rule, kiddies. If one person is trying and the other isn't, it'll never be enough. 

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

On maQ's Head

I do all sorts of activities with my German Shepherd, maQ. As you know, he is a major part of my life and of course, obviously plays a big part in our blog, maQ + suz. We are both active, love the outdoors and have a soft spot for late morning snoozing and indulging in snack attacks together. We love to play. His plush toys are his ultimate favorite besides balls. Before I introduce him to any new toy, dog, or person, he is asked to do something in return for the interaction. For example, if we're meeting someone new, he is always told to sit first before the interaction begins. With his plush toys, I will not only have him sit, but will work on impulse control and have him balance it on his head. Check it out! Say Pineapple!

Look at that smile! I swear he'd do anything I'd ask him to! Ha! What a derp! He's not always all smiles though, you can see for yourself! Ha ha ha! I'd like to think it's because he's in full concentration mode but I know it's because sometimes he's just not feeling it.

Like this weird, green, frog/octopus hybrid toy, even in his most, 'REALLY, mom? Again?!' expressive face, he's so cute! I always reward him with tons of treats during any kind of photo shoot. I break down his favorites into tiny pieces so that way he doesn't eat entire boxes of treats everyday! That way, we make any experience a positive one and in the process a fun one as well!

There's that smile again! Doesn't this last picture give you all the hippy vibes? ;) And I have to admit, that's a pretty good tongue for a Tongue Out Tuesday! We hope he puts a smile on your face, like most people he comes across with, unless they think they're lunch meat, in which case, they flee rather quickly...

For more of maQ and I, you can find us on Instagram and Twitter!

We hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Love & xx's,

maQ + suz

LET'S CONNECT!