Apple, Brie, and Arugula Toast

I’m obsessed with cheese. It’s starting to become a problem.  When I order food at an Italian restaurant I always ask for parmesan cheese with a side of pasta. I don’t order “chips and queso” I order “queso and chips.” The first aisle I walk down in Costco is the cheese aisle because it’s simply the best. Embarrassingly enough, I sprinkle a little cheese on everything I eat; watermelon and feta do taste amazing together, I swear. Ever since I discovered brie though, I’ve realized that no other cheese compares. It’s creamy, it’s flavorful, and it tastes good for breakfast, snacks, lunch, appetizers and dinner. It’s just the perfect cheese. My mouth is literally watering as I type about it.

A few years ago I discovered the apple + brie combo and I can honestly say that it’s the best food combo to ever be invented. It’s better than chips and salsa, milkshakes and french fries, and cream cheese and lox. No exaggeration. Then, just recently, I realized that slapping the apple and brie onto a perfectly toasted piece of bread and adding a few pieces of arugula would be the best of the best. Apple, brie, and arugula toast is amazing. It is, it really is. I gobbled up the piece of toast pictured below like a caveman who walked the entire Bering Land Bridge without eating (that's probably impossible, but it made for a good simile).

So if you’re feeling a little hungry, you just want to make an amazing piece of toast, you want to show off your gourmet lunch to your friends at school, or you want to impress a family member with your mad cooking skills then stop reading this (after you comment, that is) and go do it. I promise you won’t regret it. Actually, you probably will regret it because you will want to make an entire loaf of bread’s worth. But it’s totally worth it. I'm not exaggerating when I say that apple, brie, and arugula toast is the best of the best.

All you have to do is slice an apple, slice some brie, and place a little bit (or a lot a bit, depending on your taste buds) of arugula on a perfectly toasted piece of bread. It's that simple. Dangerously simple as I like to say.

How sick is this clear Magimix toaster (c/o) that we used? I swear it makes the perfect golden brown piece of toast. Every. Darn. Time. And you can see through it. Plus (yeah there are more perks...) the toast pops up high enough that you don't have to worry about burnt finger tips.

If you do make this toast then be sure to post a picture of it and tag us (@popcosmo)!! We really want to see your creations!!

xox Chloe

Five Things I learned as a New York City intern

 

picture via

hey, hey, hey!

Long time no talk, am I right? Well I'm back at it. Finally. Being a New York City intern is exhausting (and super amazing, educational, and fun at the same time) and I didn't have any time to blog. I'm writing this while sitting on my airplane on my way home from my month long adventure in New York City and I don't even know what to think. I had so much fun, got a little homesick, worked hard, and spent way too much money at way too many coffee shops.  And I learned a lot too. I decided that I should share a list of what I learned during the month of living on my own without my mom, dad, and brother.

Are ya ready?

If yes, then yay.

If not, then go grab a trendy coffee.

ONE: New Yorkers really do wear all black. It's like there's a constant funeral occurring in the city. I have to admit, I started dressing like a New Yorker and found that all black is awesome. Especially if a waiter/waitress spills your lunch all over you. Or if there's a random rain shower (I'd rather not be a part of a wet t-shirt contest, thank you). Or if you get really sunburnt and want to look less like a lobster and more like a chic upper east sider. Or if you're so tired and don't want to have to worry about what to wear to work. All of these lessons were learned from experience, mind you. Plus, if you wear all black then everything in your closet automatically matches.

All black is basically a win, win, win, win, win (etc.) situation. Yep, Mom, you were right.

TWO: New Yorkers abbreviate everything. Lulu Lemon is just Lulu.  Bed, Bath, and Beyond? It's just Bed Bath. The word dinner is just "din." And don't even bother saying definitely, totally, ridiculous and amazing in their entirety. They are simply, def, totes, ridic and amaze.

THREE: Soul Cycle is as amazing as people say it is. Thankfully I didn't try a class until my last day otherwise I would have blown my entire life savings on a spin class every night. Think dark rooms, screaming instructors, getting extremely sweaty, and loud music. Now that I type that it doesn't sound as appealing, but trust me, it was fab (see, I'm so New York).

FOUR: Food is really expensive. I thought that I would be totally fine with the amount of money that I brought along for my trip, but I was wrong. Fancy restaurants in Kentucky have meals that are anywhere from $12-$25. In New York City, a casual restaurant is the same, if not more expensive. It’s insane. But, all the food is so yummy. And the bagels really are better.

FIVE: New York City is the most inspiring place. I know you’ve probably heard it before, and you’re going to hear it again, but NYC is a place where motivated people make their dreams happen. Everyone has a twinkle in their eye and a pep in their step and it makes it that more fun to be a part of such an inspiring and motivated environment. I can definitely see myself getting my first job in the city after college.

So there ya go, five things I learned while in New York. I know they aren’t that crazy original, but whatevs. I hope you’re having a great summer, and if you have anything that you’ve learned this past month and feel the need to share it with me, then please comment below!!

xox Chloe

Smart Girls Conference Recap

If you follow us on Twitter (if you don't, then go follow us!! you definitely want to join us for #ChicChat on Tuesdays at 9EST!) then you would know that last week I had the chance to attend the Smart Girls Conference in New York City. I was able to go on behalf of Dormify to help work the booth and spread the word about who we are (you know, the cutest college & dorm decor EVER!) and I also was able to hear the speakers, well, speak. There were some amazing people there, from Shiza Shahid, the CEO & Co-Founder of the Malala Fund to Carly Heitlinger, from The College Prepster. Everyone had a different insight into what it is like to be a powerful woman, and it was seriously so inspiring! I also love that The Smart Girls Conference embraces "the power of smarts & the power of sisterhood" supporting working together to make everyone stronger instead of competing against each other. I'm lucky to have a group of blog friends that feel the same way, and besides being encouraged by all the powerful women speaking, I also had the chance to meet some of these blog friends in real life for the first time. Like I mentioned in my recent post, meeting blog friends is so cool. They understand that it takes 100 shots to get the right Instagram picture, that wearing the right outfit really is very important, and they just get the blogger's life. Since I had so much fun I decided that I would just share a whole bunch of picture with you guys. I hope you enjoy!!

 

Oh and in case you’re wondering, the girls pictured (aka the sweetest girls ever) are Sammy from The Preptista, Frannie from the Blonde Prep, Caroline from Citrus & Style, and Sloane from Sailing the Sea of Style.

Hope you had a great weekend too!

xo ~chloe