pink rickshaw

august super six

"Ere fancy you consult, consult your purse."-Benjamin Franklin
 
I have and probably will always have a mild obsession with pouches of all sorts (I think like all great obsessions, it started innocently and when I was young..probably with some cool pencil pouches). Now I have all kinds of pouches: big, small, leather, funny-looking. Each that was purchased with some sort of justification for what it will hold (i.e. pens, a Flip, smaller pouches..it's a sickness, I know). My pouch obsession became slightly more fashionable recently with all the lovely pics of the drool-worthy Celine Lambskin Clutch Pouch that seems to be one of the bags du jour (There's a steal version of that coveted clutch below..don't worry, we'll get to that).  So, this month, to spare you from a super six about my pouch collection, we'll instead pay homage to the pouch through her chic cousin, the clutch. Here are six fantastic clutch types that are perfect for late summer and fall. So, lose that bulky handbag, gals. Give your shoulders a rest and grab a clutch. It's a clutch super six.  

 
1. Fold-over/Pouch
If there is one accessory I am completely loony about for this Fall, it is the Clare Vivier fold-over clutch. Where have you been all my life? My only issue is with all the colors to choose from, it's difficult to narrow the selection down to one. But, I have narrowed them down to five. That's a start, right? Other great pouch clutches include the steal version of the Celine pouch from American Apparel. It also comes in a ton of colors and you can even add some high-fashion pizazz with some DIY tips from fashion bloggers.

 
2. Animal Style
Animal prints are going to be all the rage this Fall. But before you go out and buy some leopard print jeans, ease yourself in with with some accessories from the animal kingdom. On trend are these clutches such as the Jimmy Choo Carine (splurge) or this Zara Snakeskin clutch (steal). For a DIY snakeskin version, check out this tutorial.

 
 3. Vintage Kimonos
Both in the spirit of being green and adding something with a little history to your ensemble, these clutches made from vintage kimonos does the trick. I found these from Kazue West on Etsy and they add some Japanese glamour with the intricate and gorgeous fabrics they are made from.

cookie experiment: recipe four

"Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies."-John Q. Tullius

On a recent trip to San Francisco, I had the pleasure of finally making a trip to the famed and charming Miette Bakery. Among my many favorites of the colorful pastries I perused and purchased were the delightful classic French cookies: chocolate sables (recipe from the Miette book here). The delicious chocolatey shortbreads were the perfect inspiration for the fourth cookie recipe: Martha's chocolate charms. The chocolate treats using this recipe are surprisingly easy to make and have the same subtle chocolate flavor as my beloved sables.

The recipe suggests shaping the dough into balls but I opted instead to use square cookie cutters and loved the shape it provided. The recipe recommends dusting some of the unsweetened cocoa powder used in the recipe for a "velvety texture". It does give the cookie more of a truffle like feel, but to be honest, I preferred mine without the layer of cocoa powder to make it more like the sables. For some variety, set a few aside that you do not dust, and try them paired with some vanilla ice cream. It made the perfect weeknight dessert.

image source: SD

-SD