Homemade Raisin Bread

I am what you would call the ultimate bread lover. As much as I´d love to have Kate Middleton´s slender physique, I would never ever be able to follow the Dukan diet and give up completely a fresh loaf of bread! One of the things I was missing the most, when we left Paris, were the freshly baked baguettes with their fluffy texture and amazingly crispy crust. Luckily, we were able to find a decent equivalent here in Graz (thanks to Martin Auer bakeries) and we indulge almost everyday. But since I love challenges and I love to experiment in the kitchen, I wanted to give a real homemade raisin bread a try. Baking bread at home can be quite tricky, but I found an easy and almost foolproof recipe in one of my numerous cookbooks (you can find a printable version here), and I couldn´t be happier with the results. The crust was just as crispy as I love it, and the crumb was soft and fluffy, with a little bit of sweetnes from the raisins. I think I´ve just found my new favorite breakfast treat!

Have you ever tried to bake a bread? What was the outcome? 

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Currently obsessed: Pleated perfection

I´ve had my eyes set on pleated skirts ever since I purchased this hot pink beauty at H&M. The pleated skirt is the ulitmate word in cuteness and you must be careful about about your styling, if you don´t want to look too girlie. But if you know how to pull it off, it proves to be surprisingly versatile (I should know, since mine has been on constant rotation for a few weeks). 

You can try to color block it with a simple and sleek top in a bright hue, or pair it with a sharp blazer and simple black top for a more business-appropriate attire. Or you can just throw on a crisp white tee and a leather jacket to toughen up your style a little bit. Whatever you choose, always wear high heels and avoid oxford shoes and ballet flats, or you may end up looking like a runavay school girl who should still be at home, doing her homework. But if you can´t bear the idea of spending the day in your five-inch stilettos, go for a pair of riding boots or a slightly worn-in studded booties, and you won´t look too saccharine. 

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Pink Houndstooth

H&M dress, Asos clutch, Deichmann shoes, Well tights, Forever 21 necklace and earrings, Bijou Brigitte ring, Jessica Quirk for Loft bracelet, Orsay sunglasses (similar here)

The weather was simply glorious over the weekend, and I was more than happy to lose my winter coat, if only for a while, and debut my new H&M houndstooth dress (no need to say I´m mildly obsessed with its beautiful pink color). We enjoyed a long walk downtown, and even had our very first ice cream of this year (I think it was the first time ever I ate ice cream outdoors in February!) It was just the perfect opportunity for me to slow down, relax and gather strenght for another crazy busy week.
On a different note, what are your thoughts about last night´s red carpet arrivals at the Oscars? Do you have a personal favorite? Mine was definitely Emma Stone, I can´t help but admire her bold and flawless style: always glamorous, never boring! Gwyneth Paltrow and Michelle Williams were also on my best dressed list. Who was on yours? 

Happy Monday!

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Things that make me happy

Spring has officially invaded the clothes rack in my office. I´m so in love with all the bright colors and patterns!

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Nail polish diaries #8

February 18: Chanel Le Vernis in Mimosa

Another week is gone, and I just realized that after two months of my Nail polish diaries, I´m running out of stock :) While I´m waiting for my new Essie Spring collection to arrive, I guess I just need to be a little bit more creative with my nails. Enter superposing of two (maybe more) colors, nail art, glitter...The possibilities seem endless, and I can´t wait to share some of my ideas in the weeks to follow! 

Have a fabulous weekend!

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Friday´s Fancies #36: Hollywood Glam

The Academy Awards weekend is almost here, and now that we have the popcorn covered, let´s talk about the fashion. Since styling different looks is one of my favorite activities ever, I get extremely giddy every week, when I can create my dream outfit for Friday´s Fancies. And this week is truly a special one, since for the first time ever, I´m styling a red carpet look. When I think of the red carpet fashion, I think glamour, drama and sparkle are the right words to choose. And to me, Marchesa and Oscar de la Renta are the best ambassadors to glamour. Since I wasn´t able to choose between these two stunning gowns, I styled them both. I could see myself wearing them to a Vanity Fair party (a girl can dream, right?), with my makeup done by one of my idols, Tom Pecheux. Take a look at my red carpet dream come true:

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Golden Popcorn

The Oscar party is just around the corner, and I simply can´t wait to see whether my favorites (The Artist and Meryl Streep´s rendition of The Iron Lady) make the cut. I´m not sure I´ll be able to watch it live (it airs at 2am here in Austria), but I´ll be definitely glued to the daytime re-runs. 

And of course, I can´t imagine any movie event without a large supply of crisp and salty popcorn. And while there´s nothing bad about the classic large bowl right at hand, I was thinking about something more glamorous and chic. Enter DIY popcorn bag. I chose the very glam black and gold chevron pattern and I´ll be sure to pull them out everytime we catch up on the winning movies in the comfort of our living room. 

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Coconut and lemon cupcakes

Until recently, I wasn´t really that much fan of coconut and it´s flavor. Then I developped quite a ridiculous addiction to Rafaello, and it all kind of snowballed. My fiancé got me this Malaysian Coconut set on Valentine´s Day, and it inspired me to experiment with coconut in the kitchen as well. Lemon and coconut is not my usual cupcake combination, but they came out surprisingly delicious. They strike the perfect balance between the sweetness of coconut and the sourness of lemon. All in all, an amazing surprise. Prove that inspiration can spark anytime and everywhere. 

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Ladylike perfection

Photos via Madame Figaro

Macarons and Pearls is all about glamour and how to live a fabulous life every single day. And while I try to provide original content every day, sometimes I stumble upon an editorial that´s simply too beautiful not to share! I´ve always been drawn to chic and feminine pieces, and this Madame Figaro spread encapsulates pretty much everything that I love to incorporate into my own wardrobe: pencil skirts, leopard print, classic coats, turtleneck sweaters, chic gold accessories and high heels. My next style challenge: track down the perfect leather skirt, a peter pan collar dress and a leopard coat! 

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Vintage Charm

Vintage blouse (my Mom´s), Peerless Charm "Perfection" necklace c/o, Orsay shorts and tights, Asos shoes, Dorothy Perkins clutch, Bijou Brigitte scarf (wrapped around the wrist), Claire´s pearl bracelets, , Tiffany & Co. bracelet, Forever 21 rings

When Lauren, a very talented jewelry designer behind the brand Peerless Charm, approached me with an idea of collaboration, I was beyond excited. You know me well, I´m a complete magpie, I´ve been collecting jewelry since high school, and I simply love discovering new brands and adding new beautiful pieces to my collection. And what else could I choose from Lauren´s designs, if not a classy and fabulous pearl necklace whose name is Perfection? To me, pearls are the epitome of glamour and I´m sure that Coco Chanel would approve. This is a classic and timeless piece that looks amazing with a magenta blouse and tweed shorts, but will be equally stunning when styled with an LBD.

Lauren is now offering a special deal for all Macarons and Pearls fans. Use code MacaronsandPearls for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. Now that´s something to cheer you up on this Monday morning! :) Be sure to check out Lauren´s designs and don´t forget to tell me, which piece is your favorite.

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Things that make me happy

The view from our balcony on Thursday morning.

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Nail polish diaries #7 + A special guest Emily

Another week in nail polishes is over, and I´m happy to introduce you another of my lovely special guests: this week, Emily, from an amazing blog so anthro is sharing her favorite nail polish shades and trends with us. Scroll down to see all her fabulous picks! Thank you Emily! 

February 11: Essie´s Sand Tropez

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Friday´s Fancies #35: Let´s Fly Away -- Escale à Portofino

Image via

When I look out of the window, I see snow. A lot of snow. And while I tend to find something to enjoy in every single season, I must say that the cold weather is slowly growing on me (plus it makes outfit planning that much more difficult!). Right now, I just wish I could jump on a plane and fly somewhere where I could just lay on the beach, read a book cover to cover, drink some decadent colorful cocktail and just enjoy being with myself (and without my computer).
Portofino may not be the perfect destination right now (the whole Europe is having basicly the same, snowy weather), but it´s still one the most glamorous destinations I can think of. To me it´s all about that fabulous Rachel Zoe-esque glamour: colorful kaftans, floppy hats, oversized sunnies and a touch of Dior´s Escale a Portofino perfume. Perfection.

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Triple chocolate cake

Every now and then (ok, honestly, very often), I lay my hands on a recipe that makes me drool (so not glamorous!) and run around frantically in search of the ingredients. This is exactly what happened when I saw this triple chocolate cake in one of my Mom´s recipe magazines. Unfortunately, it was around 9pm on Sunday evening, so running out of the house in my pajamas to buy all the chocolate necessary, definitely wasn´t an option. I had to wait to get back home, make one quick trip to the shop and the rest is chocolate history. Let me just say, all the efforts weren´t in vain. When you combine three different kinds of chocolate in one cake, you get one very happy girl and one quicky dissapearing dessert! 

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Trend report: Peplum

Images via Style.com

I´ve been obsessed with fashion for as long as I can remember, spending ridiculous amounts of money on fashion magazines and studying trends religiously. But I have the same obsession with food, collecting recipes and experimenting in my kitchen everyday. This is why I´ll never be one of those super skinny models who can wear anything they want in size zero. That´s simply not me. I´ll always be the one to take another bite of chocolate, even if it means that I won´t be able to wear micro shorts in summer. And I´m perfectly fine with that. I simply love the fact that there are trends and styles that will always look amazing on my hourglass figure (hello pencil skirts!). And peplum is definitely one of them. I´m pretty much in love with every single piece I´m featuring today: the way they show off the perfect balance between waist and hips, while looking classy and sexy at the same time...I think I´m ready for a peplum shopping spree. 

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Wedding dress runway

I have no intention to turn Macarons and Pearls into a wedding blog, but I can´t help but share some of the highlights of my wedding planning with you. I think you´ll agree with me that finding THE dress is definitely one of the most important things. And if, like me, you´re having a big wedding, you have to choose a dress that will stand out and grab everyone´s attention (you don´t want to get lost in the crowd). 

On Saturday I had the opportunity to sit in the front row of a wedding fashion show and I was really impressed by all the styles and possibilities that are out there. And even if my perfect hero dress wasn´t on the runway, these were the ones that caught my eye and sparked my interest. They will be an amazing source of inspiration in my quest for the ONE :) 

Do you have a personal favorite? 

Happy Valentine´s Day to everyone!

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Spots & Stars

H&M top (similar here) and bracelets, Asos skirt, Forever 21 necklace and pumps, Lancel Premier Flirt bag, Dorothy Perkins ring

The time I spent with my parents was anything but restful. Between visiting  potential wedding venues, wedding dress hunting, medical appointments, German classes and administrative duties, I didn´t have five minutes for myself. And while I certainly love being busy, sometimes I really need to slow down, focus on what´s really important and get my thoughts and inspiration organized. I´m heading back home today, and I can´t wait to see my fiancé. I´ll be sure to benefit from a long train ride to relax a little bit, read a magazine, and write down all the new ideas for my blog, that have been running through my head.

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Things that make me happy

Pretty lace details and embellishments while wedding dress shopping.

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Nail polish diaries #6 + A special guest Amanda

I´m really happy to introduce you another of my amazing blogger friends, Amanda from Eloquent English. I´ve been following her for a few weeks, and I´m already obsessed with her witty sense of humor, her beautiful collages and her amazing taste. Today, she´s sharing with us her tutorial for a romantic lace tutorial, and I simply can´t wait to try this technique all by myself.

"To my dearest fellow Macarons and Pearls followers, my name is Amanda and I write the blog Eloquent English, Shopaholic Gone Suburban. I’m a self-proclaimed shopaholic living in Raleigh North Carolina with my loving husband Joe and our two cats Norman and Contessa.  I love writing about fashion, hair, DIY projects and every now again my cats will make an appearance. 

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Friday´s Fancies #34: Red & Pink

Until recently, colors were one of the biggest style challenges to me. I used to go all-black all the time, or I would throw in something grey to "spice" things up a little. Some say that all-black outfits are very stylish and fashionable, but when I look at my pictures from a few years ago, I mostly find them sad and without a spark. I don´t really know what changed my mind (maybe I was just feeling downrigh depressed by my fashion choices), but now my closet is really colorful and when I´m looking for a black top or a sweater to pair with my hot pink skirt, I have the hardest time finding one. Colorblocking is not an enemy anymore, and that´s why I fell head over heels for this week´s Friday´s Fancies. I can´t imagine more stylish, colorful and optimistic combo than red and pink, for these are hands down my favorite two colors ever!

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Valentine´s Day Beauty

I´ve been a girlie kind of girl for as long as I can remember (with the awkward exception somewhere around seventh grade). I used to sneak into my Mom´s vanity, I rimmed my eyes with black kohl so they became completely invisible, smudged the lipstick all over my lips and spent hours in front of the mirror, admiring my work. Luckily, my make-up techniques have evolved quite a lot over the years, and I can finally manage my eyeliner without looking like a racoon! Trying new products and pampering are still two of my favorite activities. When I feel really sad or overwhelmed, when I have the impression that nothing´s going right, I pour myself a hot bubble bath, put on hair and face masks, close my eyes and just let my thoughts flow. And when I leave my bathroom feeling all beautiful, I can usually put all my troubles in perspective.
This was equally true when I was single and feeling blue on Valentine´s day. I never used to trash this holiday, on the contrary, I used my free time to pamper my most fabulous self, and guess what? It really worked! So why not to keep this tradition?

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Crispy pot cheese crackers

Those of you who´ve been following me for some time know that I have a major sweet tooth and quite a ridiculous obsession with French macarons and cupcakes. I simply have to eat something sweet everyday, no matter what diets are currently in vogue (hello, Mr. Dukan)! But then again, even I can be fed up with all those cakes, gateaux and creams, and I crave something salty and crispy. Enter these little pot cheese crackers. I´ve stumbled upon this recipe in one of my Mom´s cooking magazines, and I had to make them immediately! They have the cutes shapes, and they strike a perfect balance between a crispy dough and the full flavor of cheese. Plus, they would make a great appetizer for an impromptu dinner with friends.

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Currently obsessed: Just in time for Valentine´s Day

Valentine´s Day is only a week away, and I´m mildly obsessing over the classic questions: what to do and what to wear. I think that after almost two weeks apart (I´m going back to Graz next Monday), we´ll have a delicious candlelit dinner, and maybe a movie night. With all the rush of wedding planning and traveling, somehow I don´t feel like doing something crazy this year. And any great movie suggestions are more than welcome! What I know is that I would love to wear this outfit for our date night: a glamorous strapless lace dress with perfectly cut boyfriend blazer, a bunch of accessories in red & pink color palette, and a romantic makeup. Perfection.

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Navy & Pink

Forever 21 top, cuffs, ring and necklaces, Orsay skirt (similar here), Deichmann shoes (similar here), Dorothy Perkins clutch, 

I arrived at my parents´ house on Thursday afternoon and I haven´t stopped since. The past few days have been a whirlwind of wedding planning: we visited one potential venue  and I was completely enchanted. I was definitely tempted to secure it immediately, but I guess I´ll have to bring my fiancé there first, after all, it´s his wedding as well, and he´s got his word to say, too :). I also tried on my first three wedding dress options, and I´m already sure that choosing the perfect one will be really hard: I love them all! Since our wedding will be quite big, my dress must be a real stunner, and I love that princess-like feeling that all that lace and tulle give me! The next wedding dress shopping is scheduled on Tuesday morning, and I already can´t wait!

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Nail polish diaries #5 + Two special guests: Holly & Kate

I´m so excited to intorduce you to two of my blog friends who participated in my Perfect nail polish Facebook event. Holly, from Holly goes lightly, and Kate from Daffodil´s are sharing their favorite nail polish shades. Here comes Holly:

Hi there!  I am so excited to be featured on Macarons and Pearls!  I have recently reawakened my own love affair with nail polish, so this event was a perfect fit!

I have bitten my fingernails for as long as I remember.  In third grade, my parents decided to try and bribe me into quitting.  They told me that I could pick any nail polish color I wanted if I stopped biting for two weeks.  I stopped biting, picked out some black nail polish, and promptly began biting my nails again.

Well, I finally figured enough was enough.  I am challenging myself, for my new year's resolution, to give up biting my nails once and for all.  So here is a round up of some of my favorite colors that are helping me kick the habit!

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Friday´s Fancies #33: Spring Fever

I got back to my parents yesterday, and I promise I will never ever complain about the weather in Graz again! All right, it's cold and there's a little bit of snow right now. But in my hometown in Slovakia, the temperature drops below -15*C during the day (and frankly, I don't even want to know what it's like at night!), and I'm freeeezing! Like, literally freezing. I went to town in the afternoon and I thought that my ears were going to fall off. So I hope you won't blame me if I go to hide somewhere near the heating and dream about spring outfits for the rest of my (extended) stay...I definitely need some more sunshine and color in my life right now!

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Currently obsessed: Chandelier Earrings

I´ve always had a weak spot for earrings. I was just a little girl when my parents got my ears pierced and I got my first little pair of earrings when I was only a few months old from my god-mother (giving your god-daughter her first pair of earrings is a huge tradition in Slovakia). They were gold with rubies, and I was completely devastated when I lost one while on holidays in Croatia, when I was five years old. I think this explains why my love for beautiful earrings is almost as old as myself. I already have an impressive collection in various sizes, colors and materials, but I´m always on the lookout for the next perfect pair. Enter: chandelier earrings. There´s hardly anything more glamorous and fabulous, as proven by their regular appearance on the red carpets. 

I´ve been ridiculously obsessed with this gorgeous selection and I dare you to choose only one pair...impossible, n´est-ce pas? 

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Pain Perdu

While living in France, I picked up a fair amount of delicious French recipes that keep on turning in my kitchen (I´m making quiche with ridiculous regularity, I could eat croque monsieur three times a week, and don´t even get me started on macarons!). And yet, given my love for bread & berries, I can hardly believe, that it took me this long to make pain perdu with berry sauce!
 On workdays, breakfast in our place is quite a simple and straightforward matter: cereals, toast, café au lait. There´s really no time for me to experiment. But I really love to get out of the rut on weekends! Trying new and intriguing recipes is always so fun!. This pain perdu was definitely a huge success, and it will surely become a brunch staple.
Next on my list: pears & ricotta croque monsieur!

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