culinary delights of cuba

I have always been a fan of cuban food so this vacation was definitely a treat (no pun intended). every day we had a 3-course lunch and dinner, which gave us the opportunity to sample many traditional cuban dishes. one of my favorite aspects was the "welcome drink", which was typically a mojito. take a look at some of the things we ate and drank:

celebrating our arrival with mojitos

mojitos in the making

I stop for fresh coconut water

MJ and her ice cream sandwich

welcome drink!

cheers!

fresh fruit cart on the street

why yes I would like rum in my pineapple juice

coconut ice cream and guava for dessert

seafood heaven

cerveza

sugar cane juice

cocktails at hemingway's house

my last mojito

my great love, plantains

the colors of cuba

on tuesday I returned from an absolutely amazing week in cuba. I was able to take the trip because I went with the cornell adult university so we had a people-to-people visa. 21 of us spent the week exploring havana, cienfuegos, and trinidad with our program leader, cornell professor, two guides, and wonderful bus driver. it was an unforgettable journey and I will never forget the things I learned, saw, and ate.

over the next few days I will be sharing photos from my trip on my blog.

I start with my favorite topic: color. here is a look at the rich and vibrant colors I came across during the adventures:

I'm off!

I'm off on an adventure! 

for the next week I will traveling in Cuba! I could not be more excited about having the opportunity to spend a week in Cuba. its also been a while since my last adventure so I'm thrilled for a change of scenery and culture.

I'll be posting photos when I get back...get excited!

xx

katie

february in instagram

artist showcase at the cornell club

preparing for my next adventure

a peek at my fall 2014 collection

bloody orange mimosas at kittichai

a peek at my summer 2014 collection

iced coffee...take that winter!

happy valentine's day

maya hayuk mural on houston street

obsessed with this window display at bergdorf's

mermaid mary's

Tai Beauchamp rocking my earrings to the Image Awards

evening at the ace hotel

playing in my studio

the pj necklace

ten years ago today I lost someone who meant the sun, the moon, and the stars to me. 

on february 26, 2004, my grandfather passed away from pancreatic cancer. he was one of the most genuine people I've ever met and I have nothing but the fondest and most amazing memories of the 20 years I had with him.  thus, loosing him to such a terrible disease was truly devastating.

a few years ago I decided to design a piece of jewelry that would benefit the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research. the pj necklace {my grandfather's name was peter john stappers...but one of his nicknames was "pj"}, shown below, is handmade from faceted onyx gemstones with a purple velvet ribbon {purple is the color associated with pancreatic cancer research and support}. 100% of proceeds goes to the Lustgarten Foundation. so, be stylish with a cause.

click here for more info/to purchase

earring red carpet debut

guess what...a pair of my earrings made their red carpet debut this past weekend!! my freshwater pearl leaf earrings, from my Katie's Finds collection, were worn by the gorgeous Tai Beauchamp to the NAACP Image Awards. and Tai mentioned that Patti LaBelle (pictured below with Tai) complimented her on the earrings. so exciting!

freshwater pearl leaf earrings, Katie's Finds {$52}