Monday Moment of Zen

Take your risks now. As you grow older you become more fearful and less flexible. And I mean that literally. I hurt my knee this week on the 
treadmill, and it wasn't even on.

Amy Poehler

Hooded Towels are The. Cutest.

I had the supreme joy of baby gift buying recently and, I have to say, I'm pretty proud of what turned out. A couple good friends of mine just had their little guy turn 1 year old, and another sweet couple had a baby just a couple months ago.

After poking around, I decided there was nothing more adorable then a monogrammed hooded bath towel from Baby Bliss. I mean, I want one. I neglected taking a photo of the wrapped gifts going in the mail, but here's how to towels turned out! What do you think?

Can't wait to receive the precious photos of the gift recipients like this:

Day o' great deals!

I woke up and did my daily check of Living Social and they truly delivered today! Best part, these are available everywhere. My top three that I just may end up buying:

$25 for $50 to spend on LastCall.com (Neiman Marcus outlet)

Only $7 for a TWO YEAR Subscription to one of these magazines!

I'm thinking Better Homes & Gardens...

$15 for $30 to spend on ProFlowers.com

Hello Mother's Day!

Happy weekend!

Flowers for Friday

A sunny Friday deserves some pretty bouquet displays!

Photo credit: The Cinderella Project

Photo credit: Real Simple

Photo credit: Martha Stewart

Photo credit: 1800Flowers

Photo credit: glitter & chanel

New Recipe Success

Feeling curious and finding myself with a couple extra chicken breasts to use after a previous meal, I searched good ol' Martha for a new recipe. And, boy, did she deliver.

Photo credit: Martha Stewart's Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

It's healthy and beautiful. If you have some of the basic flavor ingredients already (rice vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce) it's quite cheap. Like $10 total for several people cheap. And if you need a little more meal, whip up some rice on the side. And it reheats beautifully! I popped the stir-fry in tupperware and some lettuce in a baggie and BOOM - lunch at work the next day.

Bon appetit!

Dress sale alert!

I bought this dress a couple weeks ago and have loved wearing it for work or dinner. It's super comfy and flattering, and paired with colorful jewelry has potential to create a number of looks. Best part? It's on sale for only $18 online right now! I thought it ran big, so you should consider trying a size down, especially if you're usually between sizes. Click "Target" below the dress to jump to purchase!

Target

The Go-To Meal

There's a salad/meal that I eat at least three times a week. It has three ingredients, four if you count the dressing. It pairs with everything and is adored by men, women, and children alike. It's fresh and generally cheap. In fact, you might have two of the three main ingredients growing in your garden right now. It is the perfect, pretty, delightful Caprese Salad.

Say, hello, Miss Caprese:

Photo credit: Savory Sweet Life

Now that is her classic form but, oh my, can she adapt for an occasion. Bite size because she's needed as a passed app for guests?

Photo credit: Simply Stated

Smaller portion because she's introducing a mighty heavy main course?

Photo credit: Tasty Retreat

And if she's feeling artsy and creative, she might even become a contortionist. 

Photo credit: Bon Bon Rose Girls

Although I laugh despite myself for posting a "recipe" for something so wonderfully simple, here it is:


Miss Caprese Salad
Ingredient amounts can be eyeballed and adjusted at will! 
TIP: to save on calories get loads of tomato & easy on the mozzarella. 

Tomatoes (Ugly Ripe are my fave. Do not let their funky shape deter you. They're heaven.)

Mozzarella

Basil Leaves (I never slice the basil if I can avoid it because it's so delicate and loves to bruise, have the eater slice just before taking each bite!)

Balsamic Glaze (can be store-bought on its own or made by reducing balsamic vinegar and adding a bit of sugar)

Salt (to taste)

White wine pairing optional (Just kidding, go pour a glass of white wine. One for me too, please and thank you.)

Honey Boo-Boo Child

Let's be real, we all watch a serious amount of crap because it's on tv. We have families and have traveled and done interesting things. We've gone to school. We are the doctors, lawyers, teachers, and caring community members. And we go home, go to whatever tv is not already being watched, and turn on Toddlers and Tiaras.

And I know you're all:

Photo Credit: Dogcanyon.org

But I'm looking at you like:

Photo Credit: MakeupTalk

We could get into a big discussion on how awful it is (and it is) but here's the biggest take-away I've gotten from all those hours in front of TLC: FINALLY I have context for those glossy mailings I got when I was a little girl encouraging me to give some rando $85 to dress weird at a Radisson in Richmond.

Your Moment of Zen

          To say I’m an overrated troll, when you have never even seen me guard a 

          bridge, is patently unfair. 
Tina Fey

B&B

          You are more beautiful than Cinderella! 
          You smell like pine needles and you have a face like sunshine!

So tonight I'm watching this:

But thinking about this:

Who's up for laying some crab traps and walking on the beach with white wine in a tumbler? Afterwards, evening golf cart ride around the 'hood.

Door's open!

         Harry: There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance. 
         Sally: Which one am I? 
         Harry: You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low 
         maintenance. 
         Sally: I don't see that. 
         Harry: You don't see that? Waiter, I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the 
         regular dressing. I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the 
         salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side. "On the 
         side" is a very big thing for you. 

         Sally: Well, I just want it the way I want it. 
         Harry: I know, high maintenance. 

Welcome to On the side! Come on into the kitchen. The caprese salad is almost done and Bethenny Ever After just started. David's outside banging on his car so we can totally make fun of our boyfriends for a while.