Things I Love Thursday // 5.16.13

• Everything I've heard so far from Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend's new album. Particularly Diane Young and Step. Addicted. Thankfully, so is my hubby. If you're so inclined, you can listen to  some of it HERE without having to endure an advertisement first. And for even more Vampire fun, be sure to check out this post from 2009!
• Downton Abbey. We just finished Season 1 and are just a couple episodes into Season 2. It's delightful. I especially love the style of the period. My goodness! Here's just a taste. 
  
• Meeting Greg's co-workers and their families at the Fiesta we hosted on Saturday. We intended to have a Cinco de Mayo party the week before. However, May 5th was a soggy day in Charlotte. We postponed for the following weekend and the forecast for our new date looked suspect all week. I still don't know how we managed to stay dry. The downpour started literally 20 minutes after our last guests left. It was really fun to visit with everyone in the sunshine over margaritas. 
• LEON, the new cookbook I received for Mother's Day (Thanks to a lovely suggestion from Mrs. Wells!) The layout, food styling, and conversational "Tips" section for each recipe make the book completely "readable." I love that! Randomly opening to the Stuffed Picnic Cob Loaf recipe brought me right back to memories of my bachelorette weekend in St. Helena. I can still taste the incredible "sandwiches" that Mrs. Armstrong prepared for one of our afternoons, poolside. Very similar! 

• Dating my husband. We have finally had success in finding a great babysitter and the girls LOVE her. Greg and I had a tasty and enjoyable dinner out with another couple at Basil in Uptown (that's what they call "Downtown" in Charlotte). Yippy!
• Carolina Blue Skies - At long last, we have had some really amazing weather over the past few days and it's begun to actually feel like spring. The humidity has not kicked in yet and with temperatures in the 80s, it has been fantastic to be outside. Of course, the forecast for this weekend is scattered thunder storms and showers, but I'm determined to relish in the "tolerable" sunshine while I can.
• Brown Sugar Body Polish by Fresh - This little jar of goodness was a gift I received some time ago from my brother and his girlfriend. Now I'm addicted. It's particularly nice for elbows, knees and ankles. A little goes a long way and you'd be amazing at how silky-soft your skin feels afterward. 

(Image 1 via PBS, Vogue, The Guardian // Image 2 via Mangiare //

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Home Transformation | Entryway

My husband is such a good sport! When I suggested a fun and dramatic GREEN ombre staircase for the front entryway/foyer he hesitated for only a moment before jumping onboard and declaring that he trusted my instincts and thought it would look great. {swoon} I am so pleased with the way it turned out! The addition of the picture-frame moulding below the chair-rail in white and the lighter gray on the walls above, provides a clean, neutral backdrop to the vibrant greens. 

To get the staircase "just right," we had a lot of help from Charlotte's (very patient and knowledgeable) paint guru, Frank. From the front door (and looking at a wider scope of this view) you can see a bit of the girls' study off to the right behind the living room. That room is also green. I knew I wanted to  ground the ombre staircase within that family of greens. It took three separate "stabs" at tinting 5 different quarts of paint to varying degrees until I was satisfied with the final result. (Ultimately, I used 4 different colors on the staircase.) I think my Green Cat print (visible at the end of the front hallway) is the icing on the cake! MEOW!

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My perfect day...

• Sleeping in
• Jones "snoogling"
• Coffee + homemade presents & cards
• Mommy/Daughter presents from Husband/Daddy (+ silliness)
• Pajamas until 11am
• Family bike ride to lunch + shopping (Earrings, dresses, necklaces--Oh my!)
• Mommy-only walk around the "Booty Loop" with my girlfriend, Beth (While my family shopped at Reid's for the filet dinner I requested--woot woot!)
• Chardonnay + Gatsby on the patio, listening to my family playing in the backyard

A very special thank you to my husband for giving me such an amazing day. Without my own mother in my life, this day can be really challenging. Obviously, I think about her today and hope that she is finding happiness and peace in her life. Cheers to all the mothers who have raised me! For more on that: Check this out.

(Image 3 via)

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Things I Love Thursday // 5.9.13

• Jimmy Fallon (and John Krasinski) 
• Re-reading The Great Gatsby in anticipation of the movie coming out 5.10.13!
• Having a few special things grace my home that once belonged to my grandparents. 

• The classic Presto PopLight popcorn popper that Jessica gave us for a house-warming gift. It makes the BEST popcorn! Of course, the melted butter and truffle salt make it particularly tasty.
• The "Poet-Tree" book that P made at school. Here's just one of the treasures that she wrote (I did not correct any of her sweet Kindergarten spelling--not even her name! *giggling*)

Avrey

Loving, frendly, pritty, nice.

Sibling of Geneva.

Lover of books.

Fear of wosps.

Needs to see Disnee Wurld.

Gives love.

Who wold like to see Mexaco.

Resident of Charlotte.

Jones.

• "Sistering"

• The cozy rug (It's shag, people.) that we finally rolled out in our master bedroom. I forgot how much more delightful it is to step out of bed in the morning and onto a soft surface rather than a cold hardwood floor. Don't get me wrong--I LOVE my hardwood floors; however, my toes really prefer the shag at 6:30am.
• "It's a 10" leave-in treatment + keratin. I've been using this on my hair since my KeraStraight processing and I love it. Admittedly, it's hard to know if the results I've been enjoying should be credited to the product or the process--but anyhoo, I love this stuff! 

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Home Transformation | Southern Porch

While the "big Southern porch" I've always imagined had a large, lazy swing adorning it, I am delighted by the way our "actual" Southern porch has turned out. It took a couple cans of spray paint and some bargain shopping to pull it together.

I knew I wanted some big urns with a topiary-like plant to flank the front steps. I shopped around and fell in love with these blue ones from Frontgate. Unfortunately, at $339 each, it wasn't going to happen. So I kept looking and just couldn't find what I wanted. In the meantime, we painted the interior of the house and I had moved on from blue in search of a bright springlike green to accent the front of the house. Finally, I found the shape and size planter I wanted at an incredible price ($19/each!) at Lowe's. The planters are made of concrete (so as not to blow over in a storm) and with a couple cans of spray paint, I had exactly what I wanted. My ingenious husband was able to move them with the help of one of the girls' scooters. The girls and I found beautiful (and affordable) gardenia "trees" (Lowe's, again!) that mimicked the topiary vibe I was going after.

The rocking chairs (and folding tables) were another bargain from Lowe's at about half the price of others we had shopped. They are sturdy and large. I found the cushions and lanterns (for citronella candles) at one of my favorite stores. And the icing on the cake: my Southern door monogram. After a few coats of the same spray paint we used on the planters and some thick white ribbon, it was ready to cap-off my front porch makeover.

I think all I need now, is to learn how to make Sweet Tea.

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Recipe Review | Weeknight Bolognese

One of my all-time favorite cookbooks is the Barefoot Contessa's, How Easy is That? Every recipe I've tried from this beautifully illustrated book has been not only tasty, but relatively simple to execute. One of our absolute favorites from this collection is "Weeknight Bolognese." Paired with a loaf of crusty French bread, a green salad, and a bottle of Cabernet--it's a perfectly satisfying family meal.

Weeknight Bolognese
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What you need:
2 tablespoons olive oil, + extra to cook the pasta
1 pound lean ground sirloin
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferable San Marzano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup shopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, + extra for serving
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What to do:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, for 5-7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and re pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, a splash of oil, and the pasta, and cook according the directions on the box.

While the past cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil (reserving about a teaspoon for garnish), cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and 1/2 cup Parmesan and toss well. Sprinkle with reserved fresh basil. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side. Mangia!

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Dress Up ↑ // Dress Down ↓

On the hunt for an "easy everyday" cotton dress that I can wear when it gets stifling around these parts. Ideally, I'd like to settle on something that I can run errands in with a pair of flats or some gladiator sandals but also with the potential of dressing up with some sassy platforms and a chunky necklace... There are lots of choices out there and I'm just not sure which to choose. I lean toward navy but something more colorful might be fun. I like the shape of this one from ASOS and this black one from Old Navy looks like a great length (with a great price tag). In the end, I think I'll try this little number from Dorothy Perkins. It's very close to my "inspiration photo" and while I'm at it, I've had my eye on this little frock for some time... perhaps I'll save some $$ on shipping and try them both!

(Image via )

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Things I Love Thursday // 5.2.13

• Jason Collins' bravery.
• All of the Spring activity in the backyard. Previous owners of our home clearly had a thing for bird houses. Pictured below are five of the nine bird houses in our yard (+ the feeder the girls and I added to encourage nesting and hopefully chick-making). It's quite a spectacle to watch them darting back and forth. The mornings are a riot of twittering and chirping.

• The KeraStraight treatment I had done to my hair last week. I finally pulled the trigger on my "blowout deliberation" when I learned (Thanks, Amanda!) about this formaldehyde-free, smoothing option available at a much reduced price. After blowing dry my hair (which takes less than half the time it used to), there is no need for any ironing and it still has some body. My hair is very shiny and much healthier looking. Some minor downsides I should mention are: 1) The process did pull some of my color out. 2) My hair smells kind of bad when it's wet (but only when it's wet--thank goodness I'm not a professional swimmer). 3) It took about 3.5 hours at the salon. The great news is that it might last up to 3 months. I'll keep you posted.
• Shopping for new couches...
• These Matchstick Earrings I found at Furbish.
  
• Roasted Coconut Chips from Trader Joe's. I've started adding a bit to my greek yogurt + granola breakfast. So yummy!
• Spring showers that wash away pollen.
• The first night in clean sheets.
• Using an egg dish to help organize smaller jewelry items. 
  
• Vanilla flavored frozen yogurt with roasted peanuts on top.
• "Fade Into You" ~Mazzy Star. I cannot get enough of this song lately. 
• These chinos from JCrew that silently scream, "I'm ready for Spring, People!"
  
  
  

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Recipe Review | Cranberry Pork Roast (CrockPot)

My girlfriend and I have been on a kick sharing and trying new crock pot recipes lately. We usually collect between 5-7 recipes, make one master shopping list, and then email the lot to one another. Then we each (on separate coasts) prep all the meals in one afternoon/evening into Ziplock Freezer bags and store them in the freezer until we cook them for our families. Upon doing so, we report back to one another which meals were "flips" and which were "flops." 

Cranberry Pork Roast is a definite "flip," as in: EVERYONE flipped out over how delicious it was. This is a crock pot meal I would serve at a dinner party. Really. 

(CrockPot) Cranberry Pork Roast

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What you need:

2.5-3 lb pork loin or rib roast (I used 2 smallish loins = 2.5 lbs)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/3 cup cranberry juice
1/2 small lemon, thinly sliced (my lemon was small so I used the whole thing)

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What to do:

Put the meat in a plastic zipper bag, add the ginger, mustard, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Shake to coat.

Put the contents in the crock pot. 

Add cranberry sauce, cranberries and sugar. Put in raisins and garlic. Pour in cranberry juice, and top with lemon slices. 

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for about 4. 

The slower and lower you cook the meat, the more tender it will be so I recommend using the low setting.

Serve over rice or pasta. (I've served it over Orzo and rice; it's always delicious!)

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What to do if you are FREEZING for future use:

Put the meat in a freezer bag and add the ginger, mustard, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Shake to coat. 

Add the remaining ingredients to the bag.

Write on the bag: "Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours. Serve with rice or pasta."

The result is smokey, tender meat that literally falls apart with a fork. The flavor is tart from the cranberries and lemon but also sweet from the sugar and raisins. Shredded and served over orzo with some of the juices (+ a green salad) made for an easy and delicious weeknight meal. I hope you give it a try!

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