Thursday, March 31, 2011

Uck

Sorry friends to be MIA today.  It hasn't been any fun - I've had the flu or something like that in a major way.  Honestly I don't think I've ever felt so badly.  Kevin ended up taking me to the ER around 2pm so I could get some fluids in me.  I took a liter and a half and still could have used more.

The Doc was telling me my orders for the next few days and this was funny.  He said just popscicles and ice chips today and then you can start adding things like grits back in.  Only in North Carolina haha!

Use hand sanitzer but more importantly WASH YOUR HANDS often!
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Girls Night at Cowfish

Last night Emily planned a fun girls night for us!  We went to have drinks and dinner at Cowfish in the Southpark area of Charlotte.  It really is a pretty cool place as they have burgers and sushi - hence the name Cowfish.  Check out the menu in the above link...definitely some different things.

Last night was $5 martini night and we all ended up ordering different ones.  It was fun as some of us tried each others. 

Anyway I got to thinking about our group of girls and what we all do for a living.  It really is pretty neat to think about how accomplished my girlfriends are!  Of course I like bragging on them too! 

So of this group last night -- one is an account executive in research for Nascar, one is the catering sales manager at the Ritz Carlton here in Charlotte, one is a property manager for a high rise office building, one is a head accountant at Time Warner Cable, one is in admissions at a local college and I do commercial development.  What a group, right?! 

Anyway, go plan a girls night with your friends!  It's always good to be together and socialize as often as possible!  We've already started planning another one for April!
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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

A Couple Special Items

Well let me tell you all a little bit about my parents.  They are very special people and always go way out of their way for us kids.....like really out of their way.

When I went home last week, I had a couple special things waiting on me. 

The first was from my Mama.  These are all original recipes and boxes from her mother - Nannie.  Some are also in there from my Mom.  What a keepsake!  I've already gone through a box of them....some ollllldddd recipes!  Love things passed down like this!
And second, is a special something from my Dad.  He made this wine holder below.  How cool is that?!  He saw it in a woodworking magazine and decided to make a few of them.  

So there is some significance behind it.  If you look closely at the top, you can see there is a different kind of wood in the middle of two darker pieces.  The two darker pieces (cherry) are from a craddle that he made for Anna Kate when she was a baby.  The interior (oak) piece is from a chest of drawers that he made for my SIL and I.  One Christmas he made us each one.   
As you can tell, he is quite the woodworker and enjoys doing it in his spare time.  He's very talented!

I just had to brag on my parents today!  ;)

Any stories of things your parents have done (said, made or special items given to you) that you'll always remember? 
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Monday, March 28, 2011

Picking Crabs

Whew, Monday already!  As I mentioned last week, I had to be in Maryland for a work meeting so I got to stay with my parents.  Of course we had to go pick crabs as the crabhouse had just opened the week before for the season!

This is all the goodness they bring out prior to the crabs.  Lots of fried stuff!  Typically they also serve corn but obviously that isn't in season yet.  Fried clams, shrimp, hushpuppies, chicken.  Totally healthy.

Crabs actually looked pretty good for this time of year!  This is my Dad and a big ole one!

Picking crabs is one of my favorite things to do when I go home!  People not from there don't understand it!  It's part of the culture!!!

This is the aftermath. We did some damage and I'm not going to ever eat again haha!!!
Good ole fashion Eastern Shore of Maryland visit.  Nothing better!

I flew back to Charlotte on Saturday morning and got some spring cleaning done around my place.  Kevin and I went out to dinner with his parents and brother that night at Cantina 1511 in Ballantyne.  Yesterday, we did some errands and I cleaned some more.  It was nice to get my closet switched from winter to spring/summer clothes.  It is so much brighter now with all the fun prints for summer!

Hope yall had a nice weekend!
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Sunday, March 27, 2011

Makeup Routine

I'm not a huge make up person...honestly I prefer a more natural look.  I do swear by the Neutrogena face lotion - there is no better lotion in my opinion.  And it has SPF in it for the summer.
I also like the illuminator for the summer after a day in the sun.  It gives you a lil spunk. 
What are your favorite make up essentials?
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Friday, March 25, 2011

Gretchen Scott Designs

Last Friday while I was waiting for Kevin and his parents to get to The Palm in Phillips Place (a lil shopping area in the Southpark area of Charlotte), I ventured into Luna, one of my favorite shops.  They have the cutest things in there!

When I saw the above Gretchen Scott Designs tunic, it was a must have.  It was reasonably priced (around $50) and I thought it would be adorable for the summer.  I ended up taking it to my alterations woman yesterday to get it shortened a bit - that way I can wear it as a beach cover up or with white pants.

Check out her website if you get a chance!
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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Where have you traveled?

Last week, Erin posted a map of the United States and which states she had traveled.  I had to find out where she was able to create this map! 
It is super easy - go to this website and you just click the states you have been to, then it creates a JPG file for you to save to your computer. 

I'm off to Maryland and Delaware today for a work meeting tonight.  Thankfully it is about 45 minutes from my parents home so I'll be staying there and even dragging Mama to the meeting with me!  :)  I'm staying an extra night and the hope is to go to Old Mill crab house since they opened for the season last week!
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Wednesday, March 23, 2011

No Reply-Comment - How to Fix!

Don't yall love getting comments and you get super excited to reply to them (to say thanks or answer a question) but then you try to and you get the dreaded - noreply-comment@blogger.com?!

Here is how to fix it so I and others can reply to your sweet comments!
 - Go to Dashboard
 - Edit Profile
 - Check box "show my email address"
 - Save your Profile


It won't put your email anywhere - it will only allow people to reply to your comments!
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Trader Joe's/Kevin's Salad

Can I please tell yall our favorite salad these days?  Welllll I don't know the name of it - we made it up.  I've been trying to get quicker (and easier) dinners together because Kevin has been beating me home from work and he always likes to help get dinner started.  ;)

Trader Joe's has these pre-packaged grilled chicken strips with different marinades.  The one we got is similar to the below except it's the thai seasoned one (or something like that!).  It's the orange package. 

We get some of their romaine lettce, chop it and spread it all over a dinner plate.  We add a lil goat cheese, sliced almonds, tomatoes, cucumbers and whatever else we have.  I say "we" but it's really Kevin making it most of the time since recently I haven't been making it home in a normal hour - too sweet right?!

And then - the best salad dressing EVER - Trader Joe's Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette.  AH-mazing.  And yall, I don't even like spicy spicy things.  But this isn't spicy like that - it's just got some kick to it. 
(Thank you google images for the above photos by the way!)

And then - an easy, healthy, tasty dinner!

Please tell me your favorite salad!!
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Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Casual Evening or Girls Night Out!


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Monday, March 21, 2011

Palm, Parade, Mez and Houses

What a wonderful weekend!  The weather was perfect and we had lots of fun plans as well!

Friday night we went to The Palm with Kevin's parents - just the four of us.  It was a really good time.  Have yall ever had their tuna there?  It is one of the best meals I've ever had!!  Kevin has a buddy from growing up that waits tables there so we always request him.  He's hilarious so it always makes for a fun time.  As always, it was good to see Kevin's parents too!  They are the sweetest people!  I'm so bummed I forgot to take a picture - what was I thinking?!!!

Saturday we went to the St. Patty's Day parade just downstairs of our building.  As always, some crazy floats and folks out there!

We met up with some neighbors then went to Dandelion for lunch.  Kevin's buddy Rob came uptown on his bike so we hung out for awhile too.  They had irish dancers and bagpipers come into the restaurant to perform - it was cool!

Then we headed upstairs to get ready.  We met my parent's 'across the street' neighbors (in Maryland) that were in Charlotte visiting for the NCAA tournament for a cocktail at Mez.  It was great seeing them and I loved they got to spend some time with Kevin!  We think some of them had met him in the street at home at some point but not sure!
Sunday we did some errands then Kevin had to show his buddy a condo that he was interested in (yes Kevin does real estate on the side).  Then we drove around and looked at neighborhoods and houses Kevin had found online earlier in the day.  Oh how I dream of a real house.  I'm so over 750 SF.  Oh well!

Back to the grind of this week!  Busy week and I have a work trip so should be good!  Happy Monday friends!  Finally Spring!!!
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Friday, March 18, 2011

Janie from Lilly Pulitzer in Charlotte

Guess what ladies?!!  Janie from Lilly Pulitzer was here in Charlotte yesterday so naturally The Company She Keeps, Adventures of a Southern Newlywed and I just HAD to see her at Belk!

Janie is the Fashion Director for Lilly and is one of the sweetest ladies you'll ever meet!  Not only is she sweet, but she is amazing at what she does!  She was painting (freehand) different patterns for some lucky girls and they were adorable!   So talented!

We got a sneak peak to some of the patterns for Spring 2012 - AH-mazing!

And the best part - she invited us up to King of Prussia and said we could come paint with her and have lunch anytime!  Since I go up there a decent amount for work, I'm definitely going to do this!  I'm SOO excited!

What a fun day!  Thanks to BLC and Lauren for fun girl time as well!  :)  We missed you Hopsy!
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Thursday, March 17, 2011

DIY Kate Spade Cloverdale Rose Bowl

So awhile back I saw this adorable DIY Kate Spade Cloverdale Rose Bowl on The Pursuit of Style and Chic Geek Design and knew I just had to make one!

It was so simple and super cheap!  And let me tell yall - I'm not crafty AT ALL. 

1.  Get a round vase from Michaels for less than $3, gold paint that can be put on glass and a $0.39 brush.  That's it!

2.  I already had a gold paint pen so I traced a circle out and used the paint pen to outline them onto the vase.

3.  Then just paint the circles in (I had to do a couple coats).  That is it!  Easy peasy!

Now I just need to get some hydrangeas or roses and find a cute spot for it in my place.  The above picture is when it was drying!  ;)

Enjoy and thank you ladies for the idea!

PS - I have the most fun post to share with yall tomorrow - today was a special day in Charlotte Lilly land!  ;)
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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

J. Crew Pieces

Today is the first time I've linked up with Jamie for What I'm Loving Wednesday!

During lunch yesterday I wondered over to J. Crew at Southpark (oh my, working right next to a good mall is dangerous!).  I saw these beauties that really caught my eye.  How about this Islet Paisley Ruched Bandeau tank swim suit? 

With this snazzy pinstripe toluca tunic over top?

And for a lil work outfit - this Jackie cardigan in light slate.  I'm a firm believer in these cardigans.  Ladies, I've had two of these cardigan sets since my sophomore year in college which was almost 10 years ago - yikes!  I just love how you can wash them at home (no dry cleaning) and they are comfortable for traveling too. 

With a simple white tank underneath and this pencil skirt.  I saw this skirt in the store and it was much more green than this citron.  Not sure if it is the same one or not. 
Pair the above with a nice pair of black heels and it's a nice professional look.

What spring pieces are you loving?
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Lobster Hunt, Couples Baby Shower, The Park

Just a quick lil weekend recap! 

On Friday night we ended up at Vinnie's in SouthEnd because our friend Stephen told all the guys about this Lobster machine.  It's like those stuffed animal machines except this one is $2 and if you/the claw catch the lobster, they'll cook it for you.  Poor Stephen probably spent about $50 doing this thing.  Everyone was so entertained by it though!

The Avenue ladies while the boys played that waste of money game.  Jen, Jen, me, Mel

Saturday night we had a couples baby shower for a couple in our building - Anna and Monzer.  They are expecting in the next couple of months!  How cute is that cake?  It was a crib!

Kevin and I at the shower.  :)
On Sunday I managed to get out of bed (eventually) and went to the blog brunch that I wrote about yesterday.  That afternoon Kevin and I went and played baseball in the park since it was almost 80 and sunny.  I also swung on the swings at the playground...trying to be a kid again! 

Okay I promise I'll have something more exciting to talk about this week including a lil DIY project.  :)
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Monday, March 14, 2011

Blog Brunch

We had the best time yesterday at Cafe Monte in Southpark for a "blog brunch."

Hopsy came in from Dallas for Beantown Prepster's wedding and organized this for everyone to get together. We're so thankful she did!

L to R - April, Hopsy, Dee, me, Sara, BLC, Lauren
 
Bet you recognize some of these ladies!!  :)
 
We talked about EVERYTHING under the sun and just went on and on.  It was like we all knew each other but we learned even more yesterday.  It's so nice to hang out with a genuine group of ladies!  We need to get together again for sure! 
 
Had some other events over the weekend that I'll fill yall in on later.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that daylight savings didn't take too big of a toll on ya this morning!


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Saturday, March 12, 2011

Beach Day Essentials

Never done a Polyvore before so thought it'd be fun to put one together of what is on my mind on this gorgeous Carolina day!  Hope yall are having a fab weekend!
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