Scwinnnnnnnnng!

I'm super excited about my new wheels! After enjoying the cruiser for ~2 years , I decided to change it up a bit and try something new. It's alot to learn and I'm vurry scared of cars...but I'm gonna go slow and steady (Not lookin' to win any races...) We're working on getting the boy a bike too so we can explore! Hurray Summer!

It's coming, y'all...and I'm scared...

I'm talkin' bout swimsuit season...but I'm trying to be optimistic! After browsing lots and lots of suits I found one...I present to you my 2011 suit aaaand I have to lose about 8 lbs before I can put it on.

It's being delivered Friday! I better stop eating.

Have you found your spring/summer 2011 suit yet? Are you even thinking about it?

You'll have a good time... "I ga-ron-tee" - Justin Wilson

OH HAY!

Ryan and I finally made our way over to the Crescent City for the long labor day weekend. It was Ryan's first visit so of course I made a list of things he had to see/do/eat. Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip and I still have a few more to upload. Just so happened to be the 36th annual Southern Decadence festival and the French Quarter was buzzing at all hours. We stayed up late and woke up early so we wouldn't miss anything... and I'm not quite sure I'm fully recovered 4 days later.

Napoleon House- oldest bar in the Quarter!

Behind St. Louis Cathedral at night

Bourbon Street

Jax Brewery

Streetlamps

The Dome! (Where the Saints beat the Vikings last night! YUS!)

Where the levees broke, the source of much devastation in the city.

9th Ward. I don't even know...

Sal's snoballs in Metairie!

St. Louis Cathedral

Gift shop silliness.

Cafe du Monde!

(real pretty, me. yeesh...)

We had such an amazing trip, saw so much and walked everywhere and still have some "must-sees" on the list to save for next time. So wonderful to visit with some family, too! The weather was perfection, we ate, drank, strolled and relaxed. You can't not love this city.

Developments: Shops at 3600 Main

Spent some time yesterday exploring downtown! It was a super warm (read: freaking hot) Sunday so what better way to spend it than by sitting outside drinking tasty fruity things? I had never been over on this side of town during the day. We passed by Tacos-a-go-go and I really want to try it. The Pachinko hut is a small... well... open air hut located behind The Continental Club adorned with late 50s/early 60s tiki memorabilia. It's really tied together well and I'll go back....when it's about 25 degrees cooler out.

The house specialty is a tiki punch served in this big bowl, in the middle is a little reservoir...holding the 151 that's on fire. See the little flame? fire. Be careful not to burn your eyebrows off when you take a sip.

Above and below are just a few shots of a building we passed with cool art deco detail.

It was good to see some new sights! Check out this article from June to see what's in the works for the area around Continental club and Pachinko Hut on the metro rail line.... Looks like good things-a-comin'!

Wassermelone!

It's got tons of vitamin C and A...and it's juicy and pretty. The entire summer has almost gone by and I haven't had one piece of watermelon. not 1. I see them in the grocery lookin' all bulbous and cumbersome...and I always walk right by. I think this week I'll change that. This week...will be watermelon week.

[all photos via weheartit]

GIVEAWAY! 60s inspired lawn ornament hoop bulletin board!

To celebrate my sister Michelle's 26th birthday I'm having a giveaway! Leave a comment here to enter to win this 60s inspired lawn ornament embroidery hoop bulletin board! This contest is open to all facebook friends and blog readers. Winner will be chosen on Thursday the 26th. Yipee!

[please note: there are two small thumbtack holes on the board...]

Beachins

Here are a handful of shots from our beachy weekend- We had such a great time with fam and new friends and as always, can't wait for next year's trip.

Since we can't seem to stay in one place for very long, there's another trip in the works... to New Orleans! WOOO! Ryan's never been and it's been about 5+ years since I spent a weekend in the French Quarter. I've been scheming so hard, making lists of landmarks places to eat and bars to sip tasty things in. I'm so excited! More on that later.

Happy Thursday everyone!

make-it-happen

This past weekend was a make-it-happen weekend. I resolved to make some new things and I did!

After work on Friday, I went over to the massive Spec's downtown. This is not just a liquor store...they have an amazing and exotic assortment of foods from all over the world! Cheese, jams, fruits and veggies, crackers/cookies, spices and sauces...you could really hurt yourself there..and sometimes I do.

It's been ridiculously hot here...Typically after work I enjoy a glass of red wine while watching the news, but lately it's just been too hot for room temperature red wine. Remedy? Sangria! I don't know why it took me this late in the summer to whip up a pitcher, but I think it will be a weekend staple from here on out in the house. Everyone loved it! I emptied a bottle of Tempranillo Rioja into a pitcher with 2 large handfuls of pineapple chunks, strawberries and grapes. I added 3 tablespoons of sugar, a little pineapple juice and stuck it in the fridge for about an hour. After a good stir, pour over a wine glass with ice, throw some fruit in there and shazzam! It's cool, sweet and refreshing. The perfect summertime substitution for a Cabernet.

While I was browsing cocktail recipe books at Spec's I came across this amazing appetizer. I'm not a huge fan of blue cheese and I had goat cheese at home so I made a little substitution and whipped up a batch of these guys:

You need- 2/3 cups walnuts, chopped (you could substitute pecans or any chopped nut, really) 4 oz cream cheese, softened, 6 oz crumbled blue cheese, 20 loose seedless red grapes

Toast walnuts under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, transfer to a small bowl. In another small bowl blend and mix together the cheese, cover and place in refrigerator to firm up slightly for approximately 15 minutes. Put one heaping teaspoon of the mixture in the palm of your hand with a grape in the center and roll between both palms until the grape is completely coated, then roll in the toasted walnuts. Place on a plate single layer without touching each other and chill for 30 minutes or until coating is firm, and serve.

Friday was full of kitchen fun!

Saturday was a busy one, too. Ryan and I got up semi-early (read: 9am) and hit the Farmer's Market! We stocked up on mangoes, nectarines, lemons, limes, cucumbers, tomatoes and lots of other colorful fruits and veggies. We had a great lunch at Onion Creek before heading over to Central Market...and regretting that we paid for lunch. You really can just fill up on all the wonderful tasters there. We sampled coffee, wine, bread, salsa, cheese, juice...you name it. We left feeling like we were going to pop. We were supposed to hit the junk shop, but succumbed to a nap instead. That evening, I made my first ever batch of chocolate mousse with homemade whip. oh.. my...want it every day. Recipe over here!

Sunday was nice and lazy...the temp on my car read 104...I'm not doing anything outside when it's 104.

This weekend I took out some bright, colorful skeins of yarn and got to work on an urban guerrilla crochet project I had been wanting to start. I finished and "installed" it on Saturday night and snapped a quick photo Sunday morning. Don't you think it brightens up the corner of Hopkins and Fargo a bit? Gotta love the Montrose.

I'm pretty sure it's illegal...and it would honestly make me sad-face if someone tore it down...but I'm gonna enjoy it as long as it's there.

For more on urban/guerrilla knit, click here!