Holiday Happiness

Best Open House to date, ever:) What a great way to start the holiday season. A few snaps were taken in between the laughing, sipping and shopping. Wish we'd gotten one of everybody. Memories will have to do; here's to a bunch more good ones before 2010 ends.

P.S. Loved the dips? Here are the recipes (both vegan BTW)!

Warm and Cheesy White Bean Dip
Indian Spinach Dip

Hello Hollywood

Last time we saw Olivia Mitchell she was bringing us a frittata from Whole Foods. It was August, our Consignment Sale was in full swing, and Olivia was working on her karma delivering the girls of Wildflower some much needed sustenance (we have the best customers!).

Cut to November. Olivia's living in Los Angeles, attending USC as a high school senior (who knew they had a program?!?) and making music videos on the beaches of Malibu. Proof that good deeds pay, don't you think?

Our favorite line from her latest video, "Celebrities there are really here"!!!

Thank You Band of Horses

Yes that's Jenny Lewis in the top album cover! Little did we know she has a new thang going with someone named Johnny. It wasn't until Lluvia motivated and drove to Asheville to see one of our other favs (Band of Horses) that we got filled in on Ms. Lewis' latest collaboration, Jenny and Johnny.

They opened for BofH in a very sneaky way, giving "surprise special guest" a whole new ah-ha! vibe. We've been wondering "where's Rilo Kiley?" for a very long while, hunting and peaking for any sign of them in the blogosphere, with no luck at all. So when Lluvia saw a wafey red-head crooning behind the microphone it took awhile to recognize that it was our long lost Jenny. If the title of her new album, I'm Having Fun Now, is any indication, her break from the boys of Rilo Kiley and The Watson Twins may be permanent.

We also need to give props to another redhead lead duo, Florence and the Machine. So brand spank'n new (at least to us), we're not even sure if Florence has a Johnny (it may be just her?!?). Their/Her new album, A Lot of Love. A Lot of Blood, is well worth a listen. Even if you don't like the tunes, you've got to admit the chevron striped dress on the album's cover was a great choice.

Street Peep Carla

We peeped Carla on the streets of Facebook in this amazing photo shot by Stacey Lynn. One thing that's great about "the book" is seeing our customers wearing their Wildflower finds. While Carla looks like a super model and her much loved pups and babe-alicious beau are extra stunning, we especially noticed her Idylle tee from the shop. Gorgeous!

We've Got Dresses! Yes We Do! We've Got Dresses! How 'Bout You?!

With the Fall wedding season and sorority mixers in full swing, and holiday formals and cocktail parties just around the corner, we've been working hard to check in, steam up and put out as many affordable party dresses as possible. What better than a cute frock for under $100! The price leaves room for accessories galore, dancing while drinking without too big a fear of ruining, and low anxiety wardrobe sharing with your roommate or sister.

Ark & Co. (their newest batch pictured above) is just one of the labels we found that offers some highly inspired looks for a great price. From a sea of thousands (and we're not kidding), Lluvia fished out the cutest ones at the market to bring back to the girls of Winston. We'll be getting in more and more, practically everyday, throughout the Fall/Winter season. Plus we'll be keeping track of who's wearing what to which event; greatly reducing your risk of being on the "Who Wore It Better" pages of Facebook.

So three cheers for us, and here's to a "super-cute-in-Japanese" party season for you! Let the games begin.

White Bean Dip

Our Fall Beija-Flor Trunk Show was a great time! We'll post pics very soon. Until then, we had to share the recipe for the event's most popular dip. It goes great with both skinny and bootcut jeans, in case you were wondering:) Amy McGinnis, from Let It Be Yoga, turned us onto the recipe and cookbook and it's been a favorite ever since.

Warm & Cheesy White Bean Dip (from the Eat, Drink and Be Vegan by Dreena Burton)

1 cup cooked cannellini (white kidney) beans or navy beans
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1 medium clove garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground turmeric (for color)
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (optional)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp plain rice milk
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp olive oil
1-3 Tbsp plain rice milk (to thin dip as desired)

In a food processor, combine beans, cashews, lemon juice, and vinegar and puree to break down cashews, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add nutritional yeast, garlic, onion powder, dry mustard, turmeric, salt, rosemary, 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp rice milk, and 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil and puree again until very smooth (this may take 2-3 minutes), scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to a saucepan on medium-low heat and cook to thicken mixture and heat through, stirring frequently and adding extra rice milk to think dip as desired. Taste, and stir in additional olive oil for a richer taste if desired.

Street Peep Lori

Lori in her BlankNYC tunic, textured tights, and water colored cowboy boots is yet another example of urban comfort wear. Or at-the-office comfort wear. Or out-to-dinner comfort wear. Or in today's case, going-grocery-shopping comfort wear. Lori stopped by after hitting Whole Foods and proved our point (as she always does) that looking cute and feeling comfortable is always an option.