what's on your nightstand: sarah of twenty something cupcakes

today's nightstand comes from sarah of twenty something cupcakes. sarah's lovely blog is filled with incredible recipes and entertaining ideas. in fact...she had me just about drooling over her pumpkin bread post on sunday morning. i came very close to picking my sickly-self up and heading straight for the grocery store until my sensible fiance stopped me and told me to keep resting (we've decided to make the pumpkin bread on thursday during our day off together *big smiles*). 

anyway...sarah is a genius in the kitchen and you should definitely check out her blog for loads of cooking inspiration. i promise you won't be disappointed by her recipe arsenal.

A nightstand is a special thing. It's probably the last thing you see before you go to bed, and the first thing you wake up to - at least as far as furniture is concerned. I like to think of my nightstand as romantic, yet functional. And while I'd love to say that I keep fresh flowers next to my bed, well...I don't. You're more likely to find a glass of water, and maybe a hair tie or a few bobby pins.

{All in the name of keeping it real}

Every nightstand needs a fabulous lamp, and this one comes from Z Gallerie, one of my favorite sources for furniture and home accessories. Next to the lamp is a photo of my boyfriend and I taken about two years ago when we first started dating {also seen here}. It's a silly photo, and that's what I love about it - it's us. Next is my baby Eiffel Tower, which I purchased in Paris after graduating college. Paris is my absolute favorite city; I love the food, the culture, the language, the architecture - everything. On the far right side is my funky-looking alarm clock. I bought it from Hammacher Schlemmer - you know, that gadget catalog they have on airplanes - and I think it's pretty great. You can wake up to either gradually increasing light, stimulating aromas, or peaceful nature sounds.

Reading materials and candles also make the cut. This candle is made by Voluspa, and the scent is one of my favorites: it's Makassar Peach + Ebony, and it was a limited edition. My reading materials usually include at least one cookbook, and this one happens to be a new one I picked up from Williams-Sonoma called Cooking for Friends: Fresh Ways to Entertain with Style. This has to be one of the most brilliant cookbooks I've ever come across - it's put together menu-by-menu, both seasonally and by occasion. Everything in it is so perfect and so chic. And last but not least, you can usually find at least one magazine somewhere 'round these parts. Pictured is the September issue of Elle, but you could also find Harpers-Bazaar, or maybe a - gasp - Us Weekly. Don't judge.

;) SAS