Baja California

I'm on vacation in Mexico with my family for the holidays and my brother and I decided to take a walk on the beach this morning! Here are some snapshots of what we saw.

My brother!

Mexico for the holidays

My happy place

Best Nail Polishes For the Holiday Season

Today I posted a new video on my YouTube channel featuring my picks of the best nail polishes for the holidays!! Check it out: http://youtu.be/h0szkHBJtR0

What are your favorite polishes right now?

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

So I am not normally a huge fan of sweets, but I do have a soft spot for a good chocolate chip cookie. I'm talking soft on the inside, slightly crunchy on the outside and packed with gooey chocolate chips. These will be the hit of any holiday party you take them to. Sure they may not be fancy, but there is something amazing about a classic cookie that is done well. Enough talk, let's get baking!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature (trust me, make sure it's room temp.)
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 c packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 c semisweet or milk chocolate chips


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, whisk the flour and baking soda and set aside. In a larger bowl, combine the butter with both the granulated and brown sugar and beat with electric mixer on a medium speed until light and fluffy. Lower speed to low and add the salt, vanilla and eggs. Beat until mixed, about one minute. Add flour to mixture and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Place heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about two inches apart on baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, yet still soft in the center (8-10 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool.

*Note: I halved this recipe and it makes about 24 cookies.

DISCLAIMER: I did not create this recipe, I found it online a while back and have just adapted it a bit to make it my own. :)

xoxo Jess

Tis' The Season to Sparkle

Looking to add a little sparkle to your holiday season? Look no further than this dazzling polish that will brighten up any winter blues. OPI's "My Favorite Ornament" is packed with fine gold and silver sparkles that create an opaque splash of glitter on your nails. I particularly like this color because it's more of a champagne gold making it not too gold and not too silver. This pretty polish will get you through the holiday season, as it is perfect for Christmas and also New Years!

Christmas Merriment!

A view from the street

To get in the holiday spirit, my cousin and I visited this nugget of Christmas extravagance! 

Inside the garage. Complete with a working train set.

This house is known in the area to be all decked out each year with copious amounts of lights, plywood sets, lawn ornaments and even an entire miniature village in the garage coated in snow.

Close-up of the driveway

Part of the front lawn

From the life-sized nutcrackers guarding the entrance to Santa's sleigh heading off the roof, there is no room for any Ba-Humbugs!

Me in the amazingly decorated sleigh!

On our second stop, we checked out another wonderfully decorated home. There was a life-sized sleigh for pictures, which I obviously had to sit in, pretty lights and a flashing sign for Santa on the roof.

Cute flashing sign on the roof