Cinco de Mayo is one of our absolute favorite Holidays.  Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican heritage and pride and is a great reason to get together with your family and friends.  From the décor, to the music, to the food, there’s nothing we don’t love about this day!  So, today we’re here to help you host a magnifico celebration!

The Little Things:

• Buy batches of colorful flowers and place in short vases
• Stream colorful paper banners and flowers along your yard
• Buy fresh peppers and place in large glass bowls as food table décor
• Place mini-cactus’ along long tables
• Use maracas for your place settings
• Give every female guest a paper flower for their hair and every male guest a sombrero
• Have a piñata for the kids!
• Serve sopapillas and fried ice cream for dessert

The Ultimate Playlist:

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom by Selena Quintanilla Perez

La Bamba by Ritchie Valens

Macarena by Los Del Rio

La Cucaracha by The Hit Crew

Hot Hot Hot by Buster Poindexter

Your Attire:

French Connection Gwendoline Flower Dress, Ray Ban Large Metal Aviators, Rebecca Minkoff Neon Park Avenue Clutch, Sam Edelman Josie Wedges

Ultra Healthy Guacamole:

The best guacamole is made with the freshest ingredients… this recipe has been a classic in our families for years.  It’s diet friendly and also includes healthy, detoxifying spices!

2 avocados

½ cup of pico

½ lemon

garlic salt

lemon pepper

cayenne pepper

Mix avocadoes with pico (the chunkier the avocadoes, the better!), add garlic salt, lemon pepper and 2 pinches of cayenne pepper.  Squeeze lemon over guac (this adds a tang and also keeps your guac from turning brown!).  Serve with pita chips.  Serves 3-4

Our Favorite Skinny Rita:

3 ounces Patron

2 ounces fresh lime juice*

1 ounce agave nectar

Mix in shaker with ice, pour into two salt-rimmed glasses, garnish with limes.  *Use grapefruit juice for a delicious grapefruit rendition!

We are so excited for Saturday & hope that everyone enjoys their celebration!  Adios!

Kelli & Lisa

Z Gallerie Portofino Pavilion

It’s green out, the weather is perfect, the sunsets are beautiful… it’s time for a backyard rendezvous!  To get ready for your backyard cocktail party, you need to first set the scene!

• Add sand and candles to mason jars and place around your backyard.  They look adorable hanging from trees as lanterns if you attach a wire handle.
• String white lights throughout your trees or bushes (you can order these online for only $5!).
• Spread scented candles around inside & outside.
• Use your potted plants as centerpieces.
• Our FAVORITE accessory for these parties is the bar cart.  This is a must for every household!

Other tricks of the trade:

• Start up your fire pit and have a s’mores bar for guests to make their own s’mores dessert!
• Send everyone home with seeds to plant in their backyard.
• Brew your own beer as a fun drink option.
• Keep food cool and refreshing – think fruit, iced beverages & chilled desserts.
• Don’t be afraid to serve an assortment of bite-sized goodies instead of a full meal.  Guests actually enjoy the mingling with finger foods!  Just make sure there’s plenty!
• Keep bug repellent packs near your back door for guests to use before they step outside.  Another great DIY option is peppermint oil which repels most insects, especially mosquitos and fleas.  Dab the oil on focal points of your clothing or skin.  Or mix 1 part peppermint oil with 10 parts rubbing alcohol and put in a spray bottle for guests to easily apply.
• Be sure to have charms or labels on hand for everyone’s drinks.

Our favorite place to stock up on backyard party items is Z Gallerie, here are our favorites:

Clockwise from left: Fete Appetizer Set, Trio Beverage Dispenser (great for 3 types of Sangria!), Silver Nest Placemats, Pebble Starfish Plates in antique turquoise, Silver Seaburst Napkin Ring

And our favorite, refreshing summer cocktail… a Cucumber & Cantaloupe Cooler:

Made with organic cucumber vodka, basil simple syrup and lemon juice.  Garnish with a slice of cucumber & cantaloupe!  So delicious!

Enjoy your backyard soirée!

Kelli & Lisa

If you can’t tell by our last few posts, we are thoroughly excited about spring’s arrival and the fabulous weather to go with it. (Hopefully your weather is equally as gorgeous and we aren’t salting any wounds.) It’s time to take your activities outside and enjoy what we consider the BEST season, and we have the perfect ideas to get you out and about.

Bikers Crawls- A great way to get together with friends is to organize a bike crawl to your favorite local restaurants and bars. Map out a plan ahead of time and take it to the streets! Live close to some of your friends? Put together a progressive dinner and bike from house to house for a delicious feast.

Let the Games Begin- Get some friendly competition going with games at your next BBQ. We love bocce ball and a game of bags to keep our crowds entertained. Get into the March Madness spirit with a bracket style tournament. And remember…it’s all in the wrist!

May Day- May Day (May 1^st) is just around the corner. We think this is a great opportunity to celebrate with girlfriends and kiddos with an occasion centered around spring’s finest…flowers! Host a May Day celebration in your backyard with spring salads and refreshing beverages.

Set the stage for your guests to pay it forward with flowers. Gather an assortment of florals for your guests to create their own arrangements. Get the kids involved with an activity to pot and grow their own plants. Encourage guests to pay it forward and spread May Day cheer by dropping off their arrangements at a local charity or on the doorstep of a friend in need of some encouragement.

It’s the most gorgeous time of year! We hope these activities help you to enjoy the sensory sensation that awaits you outside!

Kelli & Lisa

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just a few days away…2011 has flown by! As we all get ready to celebrate with family and friends, we want to share a few of our favorite things about Christmas. Christmas is one of the few times where we all slow down and pay attention to every little detail. Just another reason why we love the holidays so much!

When it comes to the Christmas tree, it’s the small details that make a grand masterpiece. And when it comes to the details, we have a little obsession with ornaments! We’ve narrowed down our favorites.

1) Rachel Roy designed ornament – Macy’s (part of the proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation) 2) Cotton Candy Machine ornament – Nordstrom 3) Glitter Football ornament – Macy’s 4) LOVE ornament – Urban Outfitters 5) Macaroon ornament – Sur la Table 6) Fireside Feelings ornament – Anthropologie 7) Double Decker London Bus ornament – Harrod’s 8 ) Dachshund ornament – Z Gallerie

If you haven’t broken down and gotten a real tree this year, or if you need some extra Christmas scents, we love stovetop potpourri. It’s an easy way to pull items you likely already have at home and fill your home with fragrant goodness!

Stovetop Potpourri Recipe

Ingredients:

• One whole orange or orange peel
• ½ cup of fresh cranberries
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 3 sticks of cinnamon

Directions:

Slice the orange into quarters and place into a saucepan with the rest of your ingredients. Fill the pan with water and place on the smallest burner. Heat on the lowest setting and refill the water as necessary.

You can certainly increase the recipe and add additional ingredients like nutmeg. And if you need a last minute gift or gifs for neighbors and co-workers, package the ingredients in a cellophane bag, add a bow (you can even add a tag with the instructions) and give the gift of a gorgeous-smelling home!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Kelli & Lisa

That’s right, now that most of your shopping is complete (hopefully!); it’s time to get wrapping.  This holiday we are all about bows, the perfect presentation for your gifts!  We love picking a theme for our gift wrap… this year it’s all about red & white peppermint stripe, and of course great bows!

(Gift Accents: Whirly Pop from the Candy Store, Jingle Wine Wreath from Pottery Barn, Winter Candy Apple lip gloss from Bath & Body Works)

DIY Bows

1) Bow napkin: lay napkin flat, fold lengthwise twice to form long, ribbon-like shape.  Fold short ends in so they meet in the center and cinch in the middle with a napkin ring. (Lenox napkin- Macy’s, Chilewich gold dahlia placemat- Sur la Table)

2) Tuxedo bow: fold the ends of a piece of ribbon in towards the center and secure with glue/tape.  Wrap a second piece of ribbon around the center and secure in the back.  Cut a piece of ribbon 1 ½ inches longer than the bow and cut notches on each end.  Secure the bow to the top.

Bows aren’t just for wrapping! Finish off your holiday looks with some of these bows. And in case you get hungry from shopping, we’ve shared our favorite bow tie pasta recipe. It’s the perfect festive dish!

1) Delias chain bow necklace 2) Reiss knit silk bow tie (we’re inspired by Brad Goreski!) 3) French Connection bow felt fedora 4) LOFT bow v-neck shell 5) Rebecca Minkoff sweetie bow clutch

Bow Tie Pesto Pasta Recipe

Ingredients:

Pasta:
1 pound (16 oz) bow tie pasta (cooked)

Pesto Sauce:
1 cup packed fresh basil (1 1/3 oz)
4 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Other Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken chopped*
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes (drained and chopped)
1/2 cup pine nuts

Directions:

1. Cook pasta and drain.
2. Wash and pat basil dry.
3. In food processor (or blender), mix basil, garlic and walnuts. Add olive oil and process again. Add cheese, salt, and pepper and process again.
4. Combine 2 tbsp of hot water with heavy cream. Stir cream mixture into pesto.
5. Reserve 12 pieces of pasta, then pour pesto sauce over pasta and stir until well coated.
6. Add chicken, sundried tomatoes, and pine nuts.

That’s a wrap for us!  Happy wrapping and gifting!

Kelli & Lisa

The Holidays are in full swing, which means it’s time to get you ready for your Holiday gatherings!  We can’t get enough of glitzy and glamorous looks. A whole lot of sparkle adds the perfect touch to the holidays!

(Ali Ro sequin stripe dress – Cusp, Joan & David patent pumps – Nordstrom, Necessary Objects boyfriend blazer – Nordstrom, Sparkle clutch – Express)

(Loft, J Crew, Banana, Nordstrom, Stella & Dot)

Don’t forget your nails! After all, your hands are going to be doing most of the talking with all of the giving and receiving you’ll be doing!  Our favorite mani features a punch of sparkle and getting this look is easy. Start off with a regular mani and add glitter to the bottom half of your nail. If you’re feeling French, add glitter to the tips instead!

Sparkly pieces we’re coveting to complete some of your holiday looks!

1) Rebecca Minkoff sequin becky jacket in rose 2) Delias sequin knit glove 3) Reiss sparkle court in rose gold 4) Benefit starlit lash 5) French Connection lucinda sequin shorts

Now that you’re all dressed up and ready to hit the party circuit you need a little something to make you go “Mmmmm!”.  Try our new favorite, a Moscow Mule (don’t forget to add SPARKLE around the rim with adorable edible star glitter- it’s a show stopper!):

Moscow Mule

½ ounce simple sugar syrup

2 ounces of vodka

½ lime

4 ounces of ginger beer

Lime juice

Pour vodka over ice, add simple sugar syrup and lime juice.  Top with ginger beer and stir.  Add some pizazz with mint and a lime- and your sparkle!  Trust us, you’ll love it!

Now we’ll send you off to dodge the mistletoe and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year… in the most glamorous way!

Kelli and Lisa

Thanksgiving is the All-American holiday; we don’t know anyone who doesn’t look forward to indulging in the best life has to offer- food, football, family & friends!  One thing we really look forward to is making this holiday even more unforgettable by mixing unique and traditional touches.

When it comes to the table, this year we’re breaking out an oldie, but goodie… gold flatware.  The metallic palate melts our thankful hearts!

This setting was given to Lisa by her aunt but you can find a similar set, from Diane von Furstenberg Home, at Saks or Neiman’s.  It doesn’t have to stop there… make your table complete with sparkling pumpkins, candles and scented pine cones.

(Crackle Stemware- Pier 1, Glitter Leaf Foliage- Pier 1, Lustre Ivory Napkin- Crate & Barrel, Gold Shimmer Placemat- Pier 1, Gold Charger- Z Gallerie, Murano Cream Dinner Plate- Crate & Barrel, Avilla Salad Plate- Crate & Barrel, Sparkle Pumpkin- Z Gallerie)

Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about the kids! We always like to do something a little different and fun for their place settings, so this year we’re giving the little tail feathers a feather napkin ring!

(Feather Napkin Ring- Pier 1)

To get everyone in a thankful mood, we suggest incorporating thankful notes into your crescent rolls.  The deets:

• Email your guests beforehand and ask them to send you something they’re thankful for (or have them write it on a piece of paper when they arrive)
• Type and print their responses into strips and roll them into your dinner rolls
• Cook as directed
• It’s fun to guess who wrote each thankful note!

Last, but not least, if you know us you know that we can’t leave our guests empty handed!  The perfect gesture when parting ways with your guests is to give them cinnamon-scented pine cones that will keep their home smelling festive throughout the holiday season (tuck your favorite Thanksgiving recipe inside the bag for them to enjoy for years to come)!

We hope everyone has a wonderful week preparing for this festive holiday!

Kelli & Lisa

Now that Halloween is behind us and the candy coma has set in, it’s time to think about how you can continue making use of your pumpkins. They’re the gift that keeps on giving!

We love the idea of hosting a “Pumpkin Party”.  It’s a fun way to share wonderful pumpkin recipes with friends and get a little more use out of your pumpkins. Our personal favorite way to host the occasion is to make it potluck and have everyone bring a dish with pumpkin as a primary ingredient. Your only job is to set the theme and put everyone in a pumpkin kind of mood!

Preparing the décor for your party will be easy if you already have pumpkins. Carve out your miniature pumpkins and place votive candles in them for the perfect lighting. Use your larger pumpkins (if they haven’t already been carved) to carve out your house numbers. Need your beverages on ice?  Your pumpkins have that covered, too!

If guests need recipe ideas think pumpkin mashed potatoes, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pie croissants, roasted pumpkin soup and even pumpkin spiced red wine (it’s amazing!). These are recipes you can easily find online. If you really want to impress your friends, we recommend crusted pumpkin wedges. We’ve shared the recipe below.

Crusted Pumpkin Wedges with Sour Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds pumpkin (skin on)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan
• 3 tablespoons dried white bread crumbs
• 6 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 2 ½ teaspoons finely chopped thyme
• Grated zest of 2 large lemons
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Salt and white pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pumpkin into 3/8 inch thick slices and lay flat (cut side down) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Mix together Parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, half of lemon zest, garlic, tiny amount of salt and some pepper.

• Brush pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with a thick coat of crust mix. Gently pat the mix down onto the pumpkin slices.

• Place pan in the oven and roast for 30 minutes (stick a knife in the middle to make sure pumpkin is tender). If topping begins to darken, loosely cover with foil.

• Mix sour cream with dill, some salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining zest and serve warm with sour cream mixture on the side.

Some tips we’ve learned from our own Pumpkin Parties….

• Place blank signs and have your guests fill in the name of their dish (since these dishes are unique).
• Ask everyone to send their recipes ahead of time and have them printed for your guests to take home with them. Everyone will be asking for them!
• To go boxes are a must! As with any potluck, there is plenty of food left and guests will likely want to take some treats home.

Good luck with your party! Get creative and put those pumpkins to work!

Kelli and Lisa

Hello Shop Talkers! We are Kelli Medina and Lisa Bomar of Bud & Leo- a lifestyle, fashion and entertainment blog.  We grew up in New Mexico, left to attend college in Arizona and Texas, and eventually found ourselves living on opposite sides of the country.  We’re both newlyweds and dream of one day moving to London! We’re pop culture enthusiasts, absolutely adore dachshunds, have a slight Kate Middleton obsession, are complete Bravo addicts and will host a party for any mini occasion. We’re known for our upbeat personalities and have absolutely no problem laughing at ourselves.

Our blogging journey began about a year ago when we found ourselves constantly calling each other to share the latest workout, recipe, sale, new designer, décor or random inspiration.  Before long, we turned those talks into our blog, Bud & Leo.  This enabled us to share these daily chats with all of our friends, and now each of you.  You can find us here on Shop Talk every Wednesday as we share lifestyle inspiration. We’ll give you scoop on everything from the new yoga classes everyone’s talking about, healthy recipes (Kale, anyone?) to delicious mouth-watering ‘who’s counting calories?’ recipes (Oreo cupcakes, please!).  We’ll also share with you ways to wow your guests so you’ll be the next Martha on your block, how to shake up your home with décor that can mix with the gems you currently own, and give you a little style inspiration for your next occasion!

There’s nothing we enjoy more than sharing life’s little moments with family and friends; we hope we give you plenty of inspiration that will keep your life styled.  Make sure to join us here on Shop Talk every Wednesday.  We look forward to sharing the things we love with you!

Cheers!

Kelli and Lisa