On my ultimate wish list for the ideal house is definitely an outdoor shower. There is something so relaxing and liberating about showering outdoors in the middle of nature, whether you're in the middle of the woods, in a tropical paradise, or in the middle of the desert. Any home with enough space and privacy can have an outdoor shower (sorry to all the city apartment people - you're probably out of luck here). If you're fortunate enough to have a lot of privacy surrounding your home (or if you just don't have a lot of space to work with), they can be fairly simple, taking full advantage of the beauty of the natural surroundings you're working with. Or, for those with less privacy, they can be stunning add-ons that look like miniature bath houses right in your own backyard (perfect for those who have close next door neighbors that probably don't want to see you stark naked taking a shower in your backyard.) For those of you with kids, outdoor showers can be miracle workers in the summertime. There's a lot of sunscreen, mosquito repellant, and dirty hands and feet happening in the summer - if you've got a shower outside, your white carpet will be completely safe from the little monsters. Here are my picks for some beautiful outdoor showers I would absolutely love to have.

Sigh... nothing says tropical vacation quite like a passion fruit mojito. In Costa Rica, they don't mess around. These tasty devils were made with an entire passion fruit in each, instead of just the juice. An absolutely unreal treat coming off the beach on a sunny day in tropical paradise! Lucky for me, they're pretty easy to make. And trust me... this is one I'll be making over and over again (and making for my girlfriends, too - they're a deliciously fresh summer party drink). Take all the ingredients below, add some ice, garnish with your favorite citrus fruits, and bottoms up!

I spent the holiday weekend in Costa Rica with my husband. We sat on the beach, ate amazing seafood, sipped on a cocktail (or two... or three...) and made friends with the locals (both people and the amazingly cute iguanas, monkeys, and sloths). What a beautiful country and a wonderful last minute weekend getaway!

Living between a red state and a blue state can be really messy. We don't agree on anything , we support different political figures, and we have different ideas for how the hell this country should get out of this economical mess we're in. It's not a secret... I'm a progressive, liberal, outspoken chick and I like it that way. Sometimes when I go home to TX though, people (especially my family) wish I would just shut my mouth when we get into any sort of political topic (you're right - sometimes they wish I would just shut my mouth in general, but should't they be used to it by now? I'm LOUD. Get over it).

One thing I think we all can agree on though is Memorial Day. Here's the one day, every year, that we're given the "day-off" to celebrate and remember all the men and women who have lost their lives serving this country. I don't care if you're red or blue, black or white, painfully dumb or a goddamn genius, asshole or Mother Theresa - this day, we can all agree on something: we owe a lot to everyone who has served our country for hundreds of years. So, in honor of them, get some red, white, and blue flowers, hang a flag somewhere, and get out of the house! Get off the computer, grab the kids, and head to the beach. Watch some fireworks, have a barbecue in the backyard, go shopping (stimulate that economy, baby), and appreciate all that our amazing country has to offer. To all the men and women who have served our country, I say THANK YOU!!!

I have a love/hate relationship with technology. My hand is permanently attached to my phone, I'm (regrettably and obsessively) addicted to gossip blogs, I'm on Facebook or Twitter every single day (usually more than just once... guilty), and I work on TV. It's safe to say my life pretty much revolves around technology. That being said though, I can remember what the days were like when there was a LOT less technology than there is now. Maybe those times were simpler, maybe they were harder; I guess it all depends on your perspective. Some days I crave an old-fashioned, hand-written invitation or a day where I'm not constantly bombarded with e-mails, calls, and text messages. Back in the day, nothing ever got lost in translation because of technology. Sure, emoticons are helpful to try and decode whatever mood people are in when they text, but nothing can re-create a person's facial expressions, gestures, and tone of voice (especially not a text message or a tweet.) I can't count the number of times something I've said over text has been taken the wrong way, just because they can't see me smiling, or laughing, or whatever while I'm saying it.

However... sometimes technology redeems itself. I live half time in LA and half time in TX, so I am often away from my sons. Caden, my precious, just-discovering-love-and-dating 13 year old sent me this text the other night (see the whole conversation below) that completely broke my heart in a "I absolutely love my son" way. Without technology, he never would have reached out to me that way. Being a teenager, he never would have called me in a zillion years at 9PM just to tell me he loves and misses me in the wake of a breakup. In this case, text messaging let me get a little closer to my son. It let me know that he has a good head on his shoulders and appreciates all that I've tried to teach him about life and love, and it let him know that I'm always there for him, especially during hard times. I LOVE YOU Caden. Here's to technology actually proving it's usefulness and enriching our lives! Yep... I'll drink to that.

In LA there's always a constant fuss about new and better ways to "go green". Sure, you've got your standard recycling (don't worry, homeless people will definitely snag your bottles and cans out of the trash if you forget), masses of commuters in Priuses, and the always hilarious "smog certification" the DMV will make you get on your car every few years to "prove" that you're not poisoning the California air with your vehicle. Personally though, my favorite way to go green is to create new, amazing things out of reclaimed wood.

Reclaimed wood is just aged, recycled timber that was salvaged when its original building was torn down. Using reclaimed wood to build new things (furniture, houses, vases, floors, sinks, you name it) gives the new object a very rugged, raw quality, which I think brings out the beauty of the wood even more than using traditional timber. Plus, every reclaimed wood object has an untold history - pretty romantic and mysterious if you ask me. Nicholas Sparks should get working on the novel - Reclaimed Wood: The Lost Story... anyway, here are some photos of reclaimed wood objects I love. 

I love the ocean inspired fashion that was a big trend on the runways for Spring & Summer. Brilliant blues, aquas, and teals are so pretty paired together, and make a perfect combo with draped fabrics that help trick your brain into thinking it's a perfect 70 degrees with a nice ocean breeze in the hot and sticky summer weather! I can almost feel the cold waves splashing on my toes... Below are my picks for ocean inspired fashion done the real way - there's so much to choose from!

A friend and I were arguing the other day over whether black accent walls are awesome or awful.  She seemed to think that black accent walls just can't work, and she would never use one in her home because it would make it too gloomy and cave-like. I, on the other hand, totally disagree. Black accent walls can be stunning - if they're done right. Black walls can be overwhelming in spaces that are either too small (like a poorly lit bathroom) or tucked away in a corner of the basement where a black wall can make it feel a little cramped and creepy (unless it's your husband or son's "man-cave", then hey, maybe it should be all black so he can pretend he's Bruce Wayne when he's down there?).

Black walls are best used in brightly lit spots in your house, and they are almost always a total win when paired with white, other light neutrals (ivory, grey, tan, etc.), and warm wood accents. I pulled some of my favorite photos of this look to demonstrate - a black wall can easily transform a room into a more romantic or edgy version of the original with just a little paint (ok, probably a few coats, it's black. Be patient). Black isn't usually great to use on ALL your walls - that's true. But a black backdrop paired with a light interior and a wood floor, table, chair, or counter top is to die for. If you've been debating whether black will work in your home, I say use these photos as your inspiration and give it a try!

It's getting warm out, people! In the spirit of spring (with the summer heat looming nearer and nearer), I wanted to post about how easy it is to make gorgeous spring planters for around your home using things you already have on hand. You can make a planter out of just about anything: mugs, ceramic bowls, wine crates, cement blocks, clay pots, mason jars, salad bowls - you name it. The point is, planters are an easy, cheap way to give your home a little color for spring, and all you need to buy is soil and some flowers, herbs, or plants that you like. And remember to give them plenty of water! Happy planting!