halloween + an 80’s movie update
I love Halloween. Really I just love dressing up for anything specific – give me a theme and I’m there. Or as my favorite fictional mother says,
“I’ll do just about anything if I can buy an outfit!” – Lorelai Gilmore
This year, we decided to dress up as characters from our favorite TV show of the year – Stranger Things. It’s about a 12-year-old boy who goes missing and his friends are determined to find him. Also a lot of weird sh*t starts happening in the town. It’s creepy, but not too creepy, and it’s set in the 80s – giving major homage to Stand by Me, E.T., The Goonies and many more.
Go watch it on Netflix now. Seriously, I promise you it’s worth it. And after you see our costumes, you’ll be even more intrigued.
{husband as dustin}
{me as eleven, looking creepy AF || my own mother didn’t recognize me in that blonde wig…}
{I will forever cherish this polaroid of us || also, we won best couple costume}
{convinced some friends to be “the wall” and joyce byers}
{and two random, but amazing polaroids from the night, for good measure}
Since we’re talking 80’s, I thought this would be a good time for an update on my 80’s Watchlist. I’ve been making headway on the girly movies:
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (1985) – LOVE, LOVE, LOVED this movie. I want to be SJP and dance all day.
Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) – How adorable is a young Patrick Dempsey?! I also adored this movie. Can’t believe I hadn’t seen it until now.
Heathers (1988) – Okay, I know this is a cult classic, but someone should have warned me how dark it is!! Didn’t love it, but enjoyed seeing Winona Ryder and Christian Slater in their hay day.
Love Potion No. 9 (1993) – This movie was so cheesy and adorable and right up my alley. Sandra Bullock and Tate Donovan are so dreamy.
Teen Witch (1989) – Watched this one in honor of Halloween and again, LOVED. Please watch this scene. It’s hilarious, and awesome, and so 80s. TOP THAT.
xo xo
life lately
{relaxing with this || adorable cuddly poodle}
{cheering for this || our work kickball team that all our friends are on, and we just sit in the stands and cheer … and drink wine}
{eating this || my witches hats + brooms and jordan’s disgusting looking, but delicious tasting buffalo chicken dip at our team halloween party}
{enjoying this || fun night at a haunted house}
{drinking this || delicious cappuccino at a new coffee shop down the road}
xo xo
Book Reviews: a Play, a Thriller + a RomCom
It seems like forever ago when I read the three books in this review because I’ve been failing miserably to find my next book. I started and stopped four books that I just couldn’t get in to, and then just gave up and fell back into my latest TV binge, Suits.
Then, the book gods blessed me with three new books in one week, and I’ve been devouring them. So, I decided to do my book review with only three books instead of my typical four, so I can start fresh with my new books.
Grade: A Pretty Girls – Karin Slaughter: This one falls under a typical, go-to genre for me – mystery thriller with a female lead, a la Gone Girl, Girl on the Train, The Good Girl, etc. While I enjoyed it, I didn’t love it. There were some very dark themes in the book that I wasn’t prepared for (torture, rape) and were written about in more detail than I would prefer. If you like darker thrillers, you would probably really enjoy this.
Grade: B The Hating Game – Sally Thorne: This one was given to me by a friend out of the blue so I knew absolutely nothing about it, and sometimes those are the best. I often build up books in my head so much that they don’t live up to the expectation. Well, I loved this book! It was such an easy, fun read that follows two work enemies who end up anything but enemies. It’s a very cute, playful love story with a sexy edge.
Grade: A+
You can see all my book reviews here.
Picturebook: Fall Party!
I think we can all agree – Fall is the BEST season of all. If you don’t agree, you can just stop reading now.
(Just kidding. Kind of.)
For the first time, I decided to host a party celebrating all the best things of the season – red wine, pumpkin-flavored everything, scarves, boots, and the perfect weather.
And boy, did we have it all!!
See a few pictures below. Unfortunately I didn’t get quite enough for my liking … but I do have a couple of hilarious videos/snaps to show if you ask next time you see me.
{party outfit goal: basic white girl – fall edition}
{drink table, including my signature drink: apple cider mimosas (delish!)}
{This was SUCH an easy appetizer/dessert – wrap butter-soaked apples, apple pie spice + brown sugar mixture, and pecans in crescent rolls. Cook for 8-10 minutes.}
{These were our contributions – apple pie bites (recipe above), baked brie with fig, pumpkin cheesecake bars + pumpkin salsa from fresh market (which was seriously a hit!) This doesn’t show all the amaaaazing food our friends brought. Thanks, friends!}
{Love these beautiful friends! Unfortunately didn’t get any other pics with the 20+ people who were there, but I love them too!}
{late night games: drenga + fingers}
{final pic of the night with husband <3}
[not pictured: shenanigans on our back patio, including boys + cigars, a hilarious 30 minutes trying to open a champagne bottle with a knife then a shoe, and stories that made us laugh ‘ till we cried.]
xo xo
Pumpkin Fettuccine {recipe}
Y’all know I love pumpkin. Over the years I’ve shared recipes for Pumpkin Butter Cake, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and my favorite – Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies.
Well, here’s a new one for ya – Pumpkin Fettuccine. To be honest, I can’t even remember where I found the recipe, but it looked easy, delicious and a unique way to use pumpkin!
I was skeptical to tell Husband what I was making. I thought he would turn up his nose and look at me like I was crazy. But he surprised me and was open to it.
Guys, let me be the first to tell you … it.was.amazing. Seriously. Amazing. It was so so easy and had just a subtle pumpkin flavor.
Even if you aren’t a pumpkin lover like me, but are a fettuccine alfredo lover, then take a risk and add some pumpkin. It is fall, y’all.
P U M P K I N F E T T U C C I N E
{you cook. I’ll drink. or in this case, I’ll do both.}
{best served with sister schubert’s rolls!}
Ingredients:
1 box of fettuccine
2 tablespoons butter
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Cook the fettuccine according to package directions.
2. Heat the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic; saute until soft and fragrant. Add the pumpkin and heavy whipping cream. Simmer until slightly thickened. Add the cheese and stir to combine.
3. Toss the pasta in the sauce. Top with additional parmesan and season to taste with S&P.
xo xo
life lately [special edition]
It’s been almost a month since my last blog post. I’ve been busy, but not too busy. I’ve been enjoying life and husband and family and friends, and for some reason haven’t felt like blogging.
And that’s why I love this. I have no requirement or burden to blog every week. I blog for me, and if I need time to rejuvenate and not pick up a computer after work, so be it.
I love all my readers, and hopefully they’ve missed my posts at least a little. And while it was nice to step away a bit and enjoy the fall season moving in, I’m excited to be back with several posts on the tip of my fingers.
But first, let me catch you up a little on my life lately …
{loving this || wednesday over water at crystal bridges, presidential style!}
{drinking this || first PSL of the season!}
{dining in this || blindfolds… for dining in the dark at river grille – we ate alpaca! eek!}
{eating this || italian sausage tortellini soup – the best fall recipe!}
{overly excited about this || fixing our walls after our puppy ate them. you can just call us chip and joanna}
{buying this || amazing sunflowers + arkansas black apples at the farmers market}
{enjoying this || tailgating + a birthday night out in fayetteville}
{bingeing this || SUITS! love me some mike + harvey}
Other eventful happenings …
– a hand infection from my rose bushes that caused 2 dr. visits, 1 allergic reaction, 5 medications + countless sleepless nights
– a new KING bed! pictures and blog post to come
– FALL PARTY! celebrating the best season of all with apple cider mimosas, lots of brie + champagne soaked clothes. of course I have photos and of course I will do a post about it soon.
xo xo
life lately
{savoring this || dinner al fresco with the family}
L A B O R D A Y W E E K E N D
F R I D A Y
{loving this || light night party at crystal bridges}
S A T U R D A Y
{cheering at this || the first razorback game of the season}
{listening to this || collective soul + goo goo dolls}
{dressing up like this || for a 30th birthday party}
{rocking out to this || rock of ages at arkansas public theatre}
xo xo
Fall Wish List
These Sam Edelman boots are exactly what I need this season.
P L A I D B L A N K E TCheck! Found this one at Home Goods and used it on the front porch last weekend.
Looking for new fun ways to decorate this Fall, and love this idea!
Husband and I live in these in the Fall, and we decided we’d buy a new one this year on the first day of the season. Picked mine out!
B L A N K E T S C A R FI already have one of these, but definitely need another one. These colors are gorgeous.
F A L L S C E N T E D C A N D L ECheck! My pumpkin pie woodwick candle is burning constantly, and it’s amazing.
O X B L O O D P U R S ELike this one. Except a little more affordable than Celine. Maybe someday.
9 Easy Recipes You’ll Want to Make For Dinner Again and Again
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Meal planning and cooking every single week is the worst.
I used to dread dinner every night because I hadn’t planned ahead and didn’t know what we were going to eat until about 30 minutes before, which usually equated to eating out or eating unhealthy meals.
Then, I got my act together. I started forcing myself to meal plan for the week ahead on Sunday afternoons. I plan, place my order on Walmart Grocery, then pick up! I don’t even have to get out of my car (which is even better for those often lazy Sundays).
I shared some other meal planning tips here, but in this post I want to share some super simple and delicious recipes to add to your weekly meal repertoire. Who doesn’t love easy, mostly healthy, delicious recipes? And there is absolutely nothing wrong with re-using the same recipes again and again and again. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it.
E A S Y R E C I P E S
White Chicken Chili – Thanks to my coworker for sharing this one! We tried it this weekend and it was so delicious and easy. I think the surprise ingredient that took it to the next level was the Cream of Chicken Soup. We topped with jalapenos and shredded cheese.
On a similar note, there’s always my classic chili or a good taco soup. These are perfect for Fall and serve a group of people for an easy meal together.
Southwestern Stuffed Peppers – This is great with black beans and rice, but can also be paleo if you cut those two ingredients and cheese out of the recipe. As you’ll see in the recipe, I used to cut the peppers in half long ways, but now I just cut the top off and stuff it all in. We eat it with lots of delicious salsa and avocado.
Crockpot Chicken Verde – We do this one a LOT because it’s so simple and versatile. Are you ready for the recipe? Put chicken in a crockpot and top with salsa verde. We prefer World Table Roasted Salsa Verde from Walmart. And that’s it! That’s all you do! Put it on low over lunch and it will be ready by dinner. This is great over rice, with veggies or in tacos.
Make-Your-Own Quinoa Bowl – Lately I’ve been on a quinoa kick. Cook your quinoa on the stove or in the rice cooker, then add whatever you want. I literally pull all options out of the refrigerator and Husband and I fix how we like. He tends to go towards mexican-style – beans, chicken, salsa, cheese. I tend towards mediterranean – banana peppers, kalmata olives, tomatoes, arugula and a delicious greek tzaziki dip I found at Walmart. What’s great is this is also perfect to pile into a mason jar and take to work for lunch.
One-Pan Balsamic Chicken – This one is super healthy and pretty much paleo – chicken, asparagus and tomatoes. You could mix the sauce up a little bit if you prefer more sweet or more spicy, but overall very easy (one-pan!) and delicious. We make this every other week.
Greek Pork Chops with Squash and Potatoes – This one is our new favorite! I found it in Southern Living, and every time I make it Husband comments how good it is. Again, one-pan! Sometimes we use potatoes, sometimes we just stick to squash and zucchini.
Pepperoni Rolls – Okay this one is totally unhealthy and we do not make it often, but it is so so good. This would be a great alternative to ordering pizza one night or is perfect as a heavier appetizer for a party. We put jalapenos in ours and serve with warm marinara as dipping sauce.
What is your easy go-to recipe?
xo xo
Fall TV: 5 New Shows To Watch
September is here! My favorite month of the year for several reasons …
It marks the official start of Fall and the return of: PSL (and all things pumpkin for that matter), early mornings and late evenings on the porch with Husband, tailgating and calling the Hogs with family and friends, scarves and boots and more scarves and boots, and of course, Fall TV.
Every year I get so excited for my TV shows to come back on and to see what new shows might be added to my regular watch list. Our Summer list has included: The Affair, Stranger Things, Veep and The Wine Show. All amazing shows I would highly recommend, but there’s just something about the return of Fall TV that makes me giddy. (I know, I’m a TV dork.)
Here’s a look at what shows I’m excited to watch this this Fall.
T O P 5 N E W S H O W S
This Is Us – NBC, Tuesday, Sep. 20
Synopsis: The ensemble dramedy follows a group of people who share the same birthday and whose lives intersect in various ways.
Why I’ll Watch: The preview made me cry, it reminds me of Parenthood, and JESS (Milo Ventimiglia) is back on TV. This one is at the top of my list.
Designated Survivor – ABC, Wednesday, Sep. 21
Synopsis: Keifer Sutherland stars as Tom Kirkman, a lower cabinet member who becomes president after an attack on Washington kills everyone ahead of him in the line of succession.
Why I’ll Watch: Drama, suspense and politics –all the ingredients for a great show.
The Good Place – NBC, Monday, Sept. 19
Synopsis: When Eleanor realizes that she’s not a very good person, she gets a chance to start anew with the help of Michael (Ted Danson) in the afterlife.
Why I’ll Watch: This has the potential to be really funny. Also Kristen Bell is amazing.
Making History – FOX, Midseason
Synopsis: Pally, Meester and Lester play three friends who travel through time while trying to get through their everyday lives in the present.
Why I’ll Watch: Adam Pally is hilarious (Mindy Project, Happy Endings) and Leighton Meester is one of my all-time favorites.
Riverdale – CW, Midseason
Synopsis: Based on the Archie Comics characters, the series finds Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead and Josie trying to navigate life in their small town, which is not as wholesome as it seems.
Why I’ll Watch: Growing up I was obsessed with Archie, Betty & Veronica, so I’ll give this one a shot purely for nostalgia. Also, it has a creepy Pretty Little Liars feel.
C U R R E N T W A T C H L I S T
Blindspot – NBC, Wednesday, Sept. 14
The Big Bang Theory – CBS, Monday, Sept. 19
How To Get Away With Murder* – ABC, Thursday, Sept. 22
Quantico* – ABC, Sunday, Sept. 25
Younger – TVLand, Wednesday, Sept. 28
The Mindy Project – Hulu, Oct. 4
Jane the Virgin – CW, Monday, Oct. 17
The Walking Dead – AMC, Sunday, Oct. 23
iZombie – Midseason
Scandal* – ABC, Midseason
The Affair – Showtime, Midseason
Nashville – CMT, Midseason
The Royals – E!, Midseason
*Currently on the chopping block. I didn’t LOVE the last seasons, so will give them a couple of episodes to see if I will continue watching.
Are you as excited as I am for Fall TV?! What’s on your watch list?
xo xo
life lately
[enjoying this || awesome team building at Bolt escape room]
[eating this || taco soup at the first sign of fall]
[packing (and wearing) this || for my amazing NYC trip]
[cherishing this || quality time with the father in law]
[obsessing over this || delicious cappucino + avocado toast at Onyx]
[hosting this || a happy hour birthday celebration for a dear friend]
[celebrating this || bailey’s wedding + #travkeg2k16]
xo xo
For the love of food
“Food and music have the ability to bring back memories long forgotten.
I’ll take a double order of both.”
-Krayl Funch
I love food.
I can never understand people who eat purely for calories/nourishment and not for the pure joy of eating.
Yes, gluttony is a sin, and I’m working on not overeating and eating healthier the majority of the time. But food just makes me so happy, and usually that food is not a salad.
As I was reading Bread & Wine (read my review! then go buy the book!) I started thinking about some of my fondest memories with food. You know, those special memories in special places with that food that makes you drool just thinking about it, or that brings back such a wonderful memory associated with it.
I wanted to share a recent food memory with you, partly so I don’t forget it and partly to get you thinking about your fond food memories. I truly think we’re the most happy when we’re sharing good food and good drink with good people.
P A R I S
On a whim, we decided to spend one of our Parisian nights at the Moulin Rouge. I went as a child and thought it was SO scandalous, but several years later fell in love with the movie of the same name and decided I had to go back as an adult. As a serious trip planner, this was a very spontaneous decision. We literally printed out our tickets in our Paris hotel that day … what?!
I went on Yelp and found the restaurant with the best reviews within walking distance of the venue. When we got out of the cab and walked the block from the Moulin Rouge to the cafe I was starting to doubt my decision. It was literally a hole-in-the-wall cafe that couldn’t have held more than 20 people. We sat cramped next to the window as a brusque waitress took our drink order. “This was the top rated place on Yelp?” Husband asked curiously, as scantily clad women walked the streets steering tourists in to their cabarets.
You guys. I will never forget that place. Not just for the location, but for the best duck I’ve ever had in my entire life. It was so flavorful and cooked perfectly and came with pomme frites, and I was seriously in heaven. It was literally the best thing we ate in Paris, and possibly the entire trip. And I just love that it was on a shady block in Montmartre before going to the Moulin Rouge. (Which by the way, we loved. Where we drank champagne, and got in trouble for taking pictures, and met two sisters from England who couldn’t believe we were taking only 2 weeks for a vacation! Isn’t it funny the things you remember?)
Other fond food/memories –
Little Debbies will always make me think of my grandfather Pops. Wasabi of my Dad in Florida (when he thought it was guacamole). Pimento cheese + oyster crackers of my grandmother’s house. Poppyseed chicken of my college roommate and best friend. Oysters of Mom and NYC. Jerked Shrimp of Husband and St. Lucia. Powdered coffee of camping in Botswana. Saddlebock Farmhouse of the Summer of 2014. And on, and on, and on.
There are so many other memories I could tell you about that revolved around a great meal and great company. What is your fondest food memory?
Cheers!
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: New York, New York
New York City – the city that never sleeps, and is perfect for work AND play.
W E D N E S D A Y
[Highly recommend the Circle Line Harbor Lights Cruise. You get to see so much of the city, and it was amazing. Thanks, Sister E for the recommendation!]
T H U R S D A Y
[Great day full of meetings, then an adventure out with the team in East Village!]
[Awesome restaurant Gnocco – I tried about 5 pizzas that night and mine was the best: prosciutto, arugula + parmesan. The salads were also delicious.]
[After dinner we walked “right around the corner” to the famous Odd Fellows Ice Cream. I had banana pudding ice cream with salted caramel sauce – yummmmm! photo from oddfellowsnyc.com]
[Later that night Mom arrived – yay!]
F R I D A Y
[Morning of meetings, then took the afternoon off to start our girls weekend!]
[We felt so fancy staying in the gorgeous St. Regis on 5th Avenue]
[Afternoon at the MoMa (Modern Museum of Art) browsing Van Gogh, Rothko, Matisse, Warhol and so much more. Ended with a rosé + the best onion dip ever in the statue garden]
[Dinner at Don Antonio’s in Hells Kitchen – more salad and pizza, that was just as amazing as the night before … maybe even a little better. Thanks for the recommendation Erin!]
[Tonight’s show: The Humans – 2016 Tony Award Winner for Best Play. Enjoyable, but not my favorite]
[My favorite part of staying at St. Regis – after coming back from a long day of walking, there would be slippers at the ready, water on the bedside table + classical music playing in the room. Can this be real life??]
S A T U R D A Y
[What a wake-up call – french-press coffee + NY Times hand-delivered. Okay maybe this was the best part!]
[Breakfast and goodies at Chelsea Market]
[Quick stroll on the High Line (which was incredible) before …]
Greenwich Village Food and Culture Walking Tour!
A 3-hour tour where we learned about the history, culture and architecture of the area and ate so.much.good.food. Seriously, this was amazing, and I can’t wait to do another one next time I’m in the city! The following photos are from the tour:
[First Stop: Joe’s Pizza aka the perfect, quintessential NYC pizza]
[Our favorite spot, that was so adorable – Palma. Will definitely come back here.]
[The Cornelia Street Cafe – where SJP and Matthew Broderick had their first date, where Eric Clapton randomly shows up the play the piano, and where you might run in to Taylor Swift because … ]
[she lives right next door!!! I almost died and went to heaven. This is her $40k/month rental while her home in Tribeca is being remodeled, in case you were wondering.]
[Rafele’s Ristorante with amazing eggplant + ricotta!]
[Where they filmed the opening of Friends!!]
Seriously, if you’re going to NYC you have to do one of these Food Walking Tours!!
[Drinks before dinner and a show at The Roof, Viceroy Hotel – how about those views of Central Park?!]
[Yay Matilda! Loved this movie growing up and the show was so so cute!]
S U N D A Y
[Officially obsessed with Levain, and will always make a stop here before heading home.]
[Brunch at Central Park Boathouse – this mac and cheese was everything.]
[Such an amazing trip with Mom I will never forget!]
xo xo
You might also enjoy photos from my last mother-daughter trip to NYC here.
Fayetteville Ale Trail
3 years ago, almost to the day, we did our very first ale trail with one of our favorite couples. This was way before the ale trail was even a thing.
I called it NWA Brew Hop, and wrote a blog post about it. (Of course.) What followed was our “Summer of Saddlebock”, and a growing love of local craft beer.
Since then, Fayetteville started the official Fayetteville Ale Trail complete with a passport to get stamped at each brewery.
Yesterday a group of us attempted the Ale Trail again. While we didn’t make it to all of the breweries (not sure we ever will), we sure did have a lot of fun and sure did drink a lot of beer.
1ST STOP : S A D D L E B O C K
2ND STOP : C O R E
3RD STOP : B L A C K A P P L E C R O S S I N G
4TH STOP : F O S S I L C O V E
FINAL STOP : A P P L E B L O S S O M
[Sadly, we didn’t get any pictures here. Probably because we were so dang hungry! And the food was delicious.]
B U S S E L F I E S
[Thanks, Abby for bringing the selfie stick! It was totally clutch.]
[Final selfie with the entire bus!]
Thanks to Pinnacle Limo for the ride – $30/person for 4 hours. And shoutout to our awesome driver, Don!
Who’s ready to do the North Route next weekend??
xo xo
Book Reviews: Wine, Tears + More Wine
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi: This book will wreck you. But it is oh so worth the read. It is such a beautiful, true story about a 36-year old neurosurgeon whose world is immediately changed when he’s diagnosed with lung cancer. In his autobiography, he explores the meaning of life and death with such a unique perspective it will make you examine your own ways of thinking, and it will most definitely make you shed some tears.
Grade: A
Eight Hundred Grapes – Laura Dave: This is one of those easy breezy reads you should take on vacation – especially if you’re vacationing in wine country. It was light and fun, but had more depth and twists than I expected. It will make you want to drink wine, have a house on a vineyard and follow your dreams.
Grade: A-
Sharp Objects – Gillian Flynn: I really did not like this book, and I really don’t know why I finished it. Maybe because I loved Gone Girl so much (same author), and I was just hoping it would turn a corner and get infinitely better, but it didn’t. It was dark and twisted and not my cup of tea.
Grade: C
Bread & Wine – Shauna Niequist: I.am.obsessed.with.this.book. I seriously could read it all over again right now. The author shares life stories and intermingles them with her favorite recipes. I felt like I was in her kitchen, living life with her, breaking bread and drinking wine. She is so honest and transparent, and shares her faith in such an amazing way. I can’t wait for her new book to come out, Present Over Perfect.
Grade: A+
xo xo
You can see all my book reviews here.
Sunday nights.
As of late, I have been loving Sunday nights.
They’ve been following the same pattern for a few months, and the type A in me loves it.
Sunday nights mean comfort, and warmth, and family, and communication.
I love Fridays and Saturdays and the memories they bring – fun and friends and busy and irregular. But Sunday evenings are something special.
As we prepare for the week ahead, we clean and meal plan and grocery shop. (Not exactly my favorite things.)
But at 5pm, the cork comes out and the music comes on. We put a new record on the player, pour some wine and start cooking dinner together. Husband grilling steaks. Me prepping veggies and salad. Puppy moving from one of us to the other, dying to be in the middle of all the action. We talk about the week behind and the week ahead and the things we’re looking forward to.
After dinner, we catch up on our shared TV shows or watch an 80s movie from our list, then turn in early to read and rest up for the week.
Even as we’ve been traveling a lot lately, we’ve been home by midday Sunday and able to keep our cherished tradition. Or as I’ve been returning from work trips, Husband has meal-prepped ahead of time with wine ready so we can just enjoy each other after time apart.
It’s perfectly boring, perfectly an old married couple evening, and I’m perfectly content with it.
xo xo
Weekend Picturebook: Denver
[first stop – husband’s favorite brewery!]
[great tour + great beer – blood orange IPA]
[did some shopping on Pearl Street in Boulder]
[perfect date night at Larimer Square – it was so picturesque and adorable!]
[dinner on the patio at Osteria Marco]
[after-dinner champagne flights at Corridor 44 champagne bar]
[sunday morning brunch at Curtis Club – yes we will have all the champagne, please]
[coffee + exploring at Union Station]
[the most amazing tacos + churros I’ve ever had at Pinche Taqueria – we went here 3 years ago and had to fit it in again. it will always be a go-to every time we’re in Denver!]
[and finally, the main event – The National at Red Rocks!]
[such an amazing show in the most amazing venue – check out the Denver city lights in the background. these pictures don’t do it justice, but you must put Red Rocks on your bucket list!]
We had such an incredible time in one of our favorite cities to celebrate Husband’s 29th birthday. Unfortunately didn’t get a photo with our generous hosts – cousin Ellen and husband Lanny, but so wonderful spending time with family! ❤
xo xo
You might also enjoy: Picturebook: California Dreaming’, Aldermans Go Global: St. Lucia
life lately
{loving this || CTPG lake days}
{enjoying this || family brunch at pressroom}
{drinking this || perfect for summer days}
{listening to this || Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Panic! at the Disco + Weezer at the Walmart AMP – amazing show!}
{celebrating this || Shelley moving to Chicago – very bittersweet!}
{eating this || the biggest, most amazing BEEF ribs and enjoying a perfect summer evening of yard games, beer + bonfires}
xo xo
The Ship List, Pt. 2
Welcome back to the second part in my series The Ship List. Yesterday, I shared My Top 10 Ships of All Time, and today I’ll share my equally TV-obsessed friend Samantha’s list.
Now, in my post, I said our friendship depended on how much of our list matched. Welllllll, we only have 3 matches. But you know, I think that’s a good thing. We broaden each other’s TV horizons, and will now have a really great SHappy Hour: shipping happy hour where we discuss the merits of the couples on our lists. Samantha suggested it consist of pizza, beer and access to a TV to show our favorite ship moments. Sounds like a perfect night to me, and possibly material for a Ship List, Pt. 3.
Warning: Some spoilers below.
Second Warning: Time commitment to this post is on par with what you would spend on a short novel. All commentary below is from Samantha. You might say she struggles with being concise.
Samantha’s Top 10 Ships of All Time
10. Logan & Veronica – Veronica Mars
(Match! #8 on my list)
This here is the strange situation in which this couple is on my list of favorites, yet their show is not. I was shocked by how low my enjoyment level of Veronica Mars was, and I think that stemmed from the fact that the only reason I started watching was because of the fascination I developed for Logan and Veronica, a.k.a. LoVe, from watching YouTube compilations of their best moments. Why would I watch YouTube compilations, question one, and why of a couple I had no knowledge of, question two? I’m not sure how to answer either, but I figure if a few video clips of two people’s interactions are enough to make me commit to three seasons of a show that, in reality, they are only together for maybe 30% of the run, they deserve to be on the list.
9. Hyde and Jackie – That 70s Show
SPOILER ALERT: This couple is not endgame 😦 Jackie started the show off with Kelso, and it was them on-and-off for the first four seasons, then shockingly, when the fifth season starts up, there are Hyde and Jackie make-out seshs. WHAT IS HAPPENING?? It was an unexpected pairing, but definitely not unappealing. While it was funny to watch Jackie, so petite and cute, order clueless Kelso around, I always did enjoy having her try the same with Hyde, or Steven as she and only she called him, and have him fight back. It was constantly pointed out that they had such little in common, but as seen in the picture above, they both share a strong “bitch face” game.
8. Finn and Rachel – Glee
Many of Finn and Rachel’s best moments occurred while communicating through song, I couldn’t not be a fan of them even if I tried. Plus, it was another instance of an awkward, overzealous girl nabbing the guy, points! I do think this relationship mellowed Rachel out some (if only a liiiiiiiittle), and Finn felt more free to be himself, which seems like a better alternative than being told by his ex-girlfriend that he impregnated her by getting too “excited” in a hot tub.
7. Zack and Kelly – Saved By The Bell
Ohhh, Zack Morris… He had a very heavy hand in developing this whole boy-girl thing for me. His hair (which I later tragically learned was dyed) and face were just so magical! And Kelly was his equally perfect female counterpart. The depth of this show was severely lacking, not to mention my English was still in development during the height of my obsession, so there’s not much to say in terms of the obstacles they faced or the connection they shared, but DAMN were they pretty. This show made me think the perfect prom was at a picnic table with a banner saying “Samantha + (insert perfect male suitor name here)’s Prom” placed next to it. Also, stupid no-last-name-having-college-creep-girlfriend-stealing Jeff is the stuff villainous nightmares are made of.
6. Ben and Leslie – Parks and Rec
This is an unexpected, dark horse on my list because it didn’t immediately jump out at me, and while I really liked Parks and Recreation, I only just watched it recently, cramming 6 seasons into 4 months so that I could be caught up in time for the final season. However, given that romantic relationships weren’t this show’s central focus, the amount of happy tears that I shed for Ben and Leslie is startling. I got misty-eyed when they got back together, when they got engaged, and obviously when they got married. Neither of them were particularly smooth or people who kept their cool, but to each other, they were freaking Casanovas. Plus, though I don’t think my penchant for planning or sometimes obsessive nature is as extreme as Leslie’s, it was comforting to see that she got someone as adorable as Ben.
5. Cory and Topanga – Boy Meets World
Cory and Topanga’s story provided maybe the most unrealistic expectations of love, but don’t anyone dare point that out to me. The show started when they were 11 so there wasn’t much romantic tension in the beginning, and throughout the show’s run there would be several versions of their relationship’s origin story, but the total evolution of a first love was incredibly sweet, yet never felt sappy. The show gave the characters some overly eccentric qualities as its run continued, and while it sometimes made Cory a little too crazy, I like to think of it as the total weirdness that is revealed when a relationship is the real deal.
4. Danny and Mindy – The Mindy Project
(Match! #6 on my list)
Another rare non-high school couple on my list, as well as the only show that is actually still airing! Mindy and Danny were almost enemies when the show started, but slowly her highly expressive nature broke through that gruff “Italian” exterior until he accepted her as not just a friend, but even began to fall for her. Though they weren’t official at this time, the man choreographed a damn dance as her Christmas gift! I don’t think everyone is aware of this, but that is literally the definition of love. This last season brought some unexpected and polarizing turns in their relationship so I don’t know how I currently feel about them, but there is soft spot in my heart for Dr. L and Dr. C.
3. Jess and Rory – Gilmore Girls
(Double match! #3 on my list as well)
Confession: I wasn’t a Jess fan the first time around. I couldn’t get over how Rory’s feelings for him caused her to be so mean to Dean. But thankfully, I wised up and realized that though their beginning was messy, it was because Jess challenged Rory in a way she hadn’t experienced before, and though she tried to deny her attraction, it was inevitable. That kind of passion can sometimes bring the most conflict – they were only an actual couple for less than a season – but it also leads to some memorable romantic moments, see their first couple kiss (another moment made even better by the song choice, XTC’s “When She Appeared”). Plus, the fact that Milo and Alexis were a real-life couple for much of the show’s run caused my ship-dom to soar even higher!
2. Nathan and Haley – One Tree Hill
Though Nathan’s initial intentions for pursuing Haley were real shady – he only wanted to mess with her best friend/his half brother/his basketball rival – I can’t totally hate his sketch behavior. Their first date is a fun scavenger hunt orchestrated by Brooke Davis (shout-out to Brooke, inductee of the Fictional Character Hall of Fame!), and from then we jump into a 9-year emotional journey that includes teen marriage and Haley discovering her rock star potential when she goes on tour in HIGH SCHOOL. Amidst all this town’s improbability, sweet Naley moments were my favorite. I fell out of One Tree Hill after their high school years when everyone kept getting stalked and/or shot, but there is this one scene from the last season where Nathan and Haley are reunited after he was abducted by some Russians who had it out against a basketball player for the Charlotte Bobcats (what?). She’s frantically running through the hospital, trying to find him. A crowd parts and she sees him behind some glass doors. As Florence and the Machine’s “Never Let Me Go” plays in the background, they come together and he says, “Hi, Hales.” Oh, can you even handle it??? Always and Forever!
1. Jim and Pam – The Office
Most of the couples on my list come from the teen demographic, so who would have thought my favorite relationship of all time would be between two 20-something office workers whose days were filled with the mundane details of selling paper? From the first episode where Pam accidentally falls asleep on Jim’s shoulder and he lets out a little smile while deciding that his crappy day has instantly become “not so bad,” I was hooked. And given that they did not become an official couple until season 4, I lived for all the secret glances and awkward pauses that accompany silent longing. That being said, I was THRILLED when they finally got some action going 🙂 PB&J forever!
Who’s on your list? Anyone different than ours?
xo xo
The Ship List, Pt. 1
It’s no surprise I love pop culture. It’s also no surprise I get really into my TV shows. I laugh, I cry, I discuss. I rewatch and laugh and cry and discuss all over again.
Thanks to the podcast The Shipping Room, my friend Samantha and I (an equal TV show lover) decided to share our top 10 ships of all time. Before we begin, here’s are some definitions you might need to know –
Ship/Shipping: A term used to describe fan fictions that take previously created characters and put them as a pair. Just think of “shipping” as short for “relationSHIP”. Can be used as a noun or a verb – “I see a ship developing between Seth and Summer” or “I ship Seth and Summer.”
Endgame: Pertaining to a couple you ship on a TV show that you hope ends the series together.
Now, shipping a couple is not just “Oh, I like that couple.” “Or yeah, they’re cute.”
It’s very serious to say you ship a couple. You’re rooting for them in every episode. You’re praying they’re endgame. You remember their first kiss and big moments in their lives. You feel like you’re best friends with them.
Below are my top 10 ships of all time – a lot of blood, sweat and tears were put in to this list.
I’ll be sharing Samantha’s list tomorrow, and we’ll see how many match up! (Our friendship depends on it…)
[Warning: Some spoilers below!]
My Top 10 Ships of All Time
10. Will & Alicia – The Good Wife
When he died, I was devastated. This couple was destined to be endgame.
9. Kurt & Blaine – Glee
There has never been a more adorable singing and dancing couple in history.
8. Logan & Veronica – Veronica Mars
Started the series and I would have never put them together. Ended the series and I would have never pulled them apart.
7. Wade & Zoe – Hart of Dixie
Sexiest couple on this list, hands down.
6. Danny & Mindy – The Mindy Project
They are SO different, but SO right for each other. Get back together soon, please!
5. Luke & Lorelai – Gilmore Girls
Same as #6 … SO different, but SO perfect. I will never ever forget their first kiss.
4. Caleb & Hanna – Pretty Little Liars
I ship this couple so hard, I may or may not have a Haleb t-shirt ….
Also, how cute (and weird) are they in RL?!?! LOVE.
3. Jess & Rory – Gilmore Girls
I WILL fight you if you tell me you’re Team Dean. Try me.
2. Chuck & Blair – Gossip Girl
Le sigh. Macarons and peonies will always make me think of this perfect, gorgeous couple.
1. Seth & Summer – The O.C.
My number 1 couple, always and forever. Maybe because they’re high school sweethearts and endgame, like me and my husband. Maybe because this was probably the first real ship I ever had. Maybe because they’re just perfect.
Oh, and let’s combine my no. 1 and no. 2 ships in REAL LIFE for an incredible couple. ❤
Well, what do you think? Agree? Disagree? Your favorite ship not make the list?
Let me know! And come back tomorrow for Samantha’s list!
xo xo
Extroverted Introverts: Who They Are and Why I Am One
If you were to ask husband whether I’m an extrovert or an introvert, he would say undoubtedly extrovert. I would strongly disagree. And I did. And we had a 30-minute semi-heated debate about it.
We eventually came to the same conclusion – we’re both extroverted introverts, but I’m a little more on the extroverted side than he is.
I had always thought I was an extrovert. But then I heard it’s about how you recharge, either with people or without, so I thought for sure I was an introvert. I’ve always loved being with people and hanging out in big groups, but I equally loved (and needed) my alone time. (This became apparently clear when I lived with 4 roommates in college.)
Was I an anomaly? Did anyone else feel the same way?
I saw an article recently about extroverted introverts. I clicked, read the article, read another article and was 100% convinced I’d finally found a term to describe me.
So, here’s a little insight into extroverted introverts aka ME …
- We’re often quiet, and don’t feel the need to talk all the time.
- I enjoy listening to people and observing them. I’m very perceptive and want to really understand who you are as I’m getting to know you. This is part of why I loved Journalism so much because it was acceptable to ask a lot of questions and just listen.
- We enjoy one-on-one conversations and hate small talk.
- Want to grab coffee or wine and talk? I would love that. I hate small talk, and would much rather talk about something real so I can get to know you more.
- We’re open to meeting your other friends. Just let us know ahead of time that we’ll be meeting new people so we can mentally prepare ourselves to socialize.
- SO so true, and it’s hard to explain to someone who doesn’t understand this. I need to know the level of energy I’m going to need at an event. If it’s just my two best friends that’s one thing, but if they’re bringing two new people that’s an entirely different thing.
- It can be hard to get us out, but we’ll have a great time when we go out.
- If I get home and put my sweats on and hair up, THEN you call me to go out, it will be difficult to get me out of the house. But if I do go, I’ll always have a great time.
- We get mad at ourselves for wanting to stay in and letting our friends down.
- This isn’t just about FOMO, but I also feel genuinely bad when I don’t hang out with friends when they want me to, and can beat myself up for just wanting to stay in.
- Let’s talk about weekends – we love to socialize, but we also need time to recharge.
- I was just telling someone the other day, I can go out on a Friday night, but then I better not have plans on Saturday night. I need my time at home to recharge, read my book and just chill. Doing something every weekday or weekend evening is just too much.
- We make new friendships easily, but have trouble maintaining them.
- When in social mode, I find it easy to make new friends. Maintaining those friendships is another story. It’s hard to disperse my energy between lots of people.
- When in a comfortable setting, we can often be the life of a party.
- My extrovertedness can easily come out when I’m with the right people, that’s why so often people think I am an extrovert because that’s what gets the attention. But …
- We can be so content at home all day doing nothing.
- True extroverts want to be out and about all the time, doing something, with someone. They don’t turn down an invitation to hang out. And I do, absolutely I do, because I truly enjoy doing nothing sometimes.
- But it’s a delicate balance.
- If I stayed home all weekend doing absolutely nothing, I would be so ready to call up all my friends and party Monday night. But if I went out all weekend, I would be overwhelmed and exhausted and stressed and just not in a good place. This often clashes with my people pleasing personality and I will say yes to things all weekend, and I end up so discontent Sunday evening.
So now you know –
if you invite me to do something and I say no, it’s not you. It’s me.
xo xo
My Top 5 Shows of 2016 So Far …
It’s the golden age of TV, people. And I’m loving it.
We’re halfway through 2016 and we’ve already had some incredible TV shows. And the exciting part is, there’s still so much more to come! I will definitely do another post about upcoming fall premieres I’m excited about, but for now, here are my top shows of 2016 so far.
The Good Wife, Final Season (CBS)
The Good Wife was overall an incredible show, and will definitely go down as an all-time favorite. However, after Will died then Kalinda left, it kind of lost its way. I wasn’t as interested and just kept watching to watch, but they really picked it up in the final season. It had the excitement of the episodic cases again, and the sexy allure with Jeffrey Dean Morgan they’d been missing since Will. While I didn’t love the finale, I still give the season two thumbs up. Cheers to Alicia Florrick and Mr. Big.
The People vs. O.J. Simpson (FX)
I am still surprised by how much I was enthralled in this show. Since I was very young when this happened in RL, I didn’t remember all of the details of the case or the specifics of the trial, so it made it that much more dramatic. But even if I had known everything that happened, this show still would have pulled me in. It’s a classic drama with terrific acting and great storytelling. You won’t be able to stop watching, and will still hold your breath while waiting for the jury’s verdict.
O.J.: Made in America (ESPN)
This is definitely one of the best, if not THE best, documentary I’ve ever seen. Comprised of 5 episodes at an hour and a half each, it goes into tremendous detail, but not once do you feel like it’s dragging on. This is a complex story and this documentary tells it so well. I was truly fascinated hearing about O.J. as a “Football god”, understanding the backdrop of race relations in LA and listening to present day interviews from the lawyers, jurors and journalists. I enjoyed watching the drama first, then watching this to see all the nitty gritty details.
Orphan Black, Season 4 (BBC)
This is a constant favorite of mine and always makes my end of year lists, so if you STILL haven’t watched it, you clearly don’t value my opinion. Its one of the few shows where I can’t take my eyes of the screen because I’m so hooked the entire episode. Tatiana Maslany, playing multiple clones, is truly one of the most gifted actress I’ve ever seen. Next season is the last, and you can feel a deliberate storyline leading to answers, which I appreciate.
The Affair (Showtime)
This one is kind of a cheat, because we haven’t finished this season aired in 2016 yet. We flew through season 1 and just started season 2, but thought I’d add it to my list anyway. This show is thrilling and intense and captivating in such a unique way. The cinematography is beautiful and the storytelling is fascinating as you see extremely different perspectives both sides of the affair. Wonderfully done, and I can’t wait to finish the season.
BONUS: Mr. Robot, Season 2 (USA)
Okay, okay. I haven’t seen this one yet, but it airs TONIGHT and I’m so so excited. Since we finished season 1 we’ve been dying for more. And as husband said, we know it will be incredible, so it needs to be on the list.
Also ….
Currently Bingeing: Veep, The Affair, The O.C. (for the 100th time)
Summer Guilty Pleasure: The Bachelorette (#TeamLuke!)
Next on our Watchlist: Game of Thrones (seasons 3-6), Love (Netflix original), Homeland (season 4-5), The Americans, American Crime
What are you currently watching?
xo xo
life lately
{loving this || early morning porch time}
{celebrating this || becky’s birthday at theo’s}
{enjoying this || afternoon playing ball in the backyard}
{savoring this || a morning with mom at the farmer’s market}
{eating this || fresh farmer’s market peaches and ice cream. hellooo summer}
{obsessing over this || adorable juliet!}
xo xo
Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Bars {recipe}
Let me just start off by saying – these peanut butter cup cheesecake bars will rock your world. Seriously. I made them for a family gathering 3 weeks ago and everyone is still talking about them. Then I made them again last week for another event.
Peanut Butter cups + peanut butter and chocolate chips + cream cheese. I mean, come onnnn!
They are super rich, which is something I don’t say often, so beware, but they are seriously amazing. They’re also super easy to whip up quickly, and are very hard to mess up.
Try ’em out, let me know what you think, and bring me one of your leftovers.
P E A N U T B U T T E R C U P C H E E S E C A K E B A R S
{How ooey, gooey delicious does that look?!}
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
5 tbsp butter, melted
5 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
8 standard size Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, each chopped into four pieces
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar to prepare the cake mixture. Add in melted butter and stir to combine. Add in one of the eggs and stir to combine well. Press mixture into an 8×8 sized baking pan and set aside.
3. Place the chopped peanut butter cups into the pan on top of the cake mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cups peanut butter chips.
4. In a separate bowl mix together softened cream cheese, egg, vanilla and powdered sugar. Stir until well combined then pour mixture over the top of your cake mixture and chocolates. Spread gently with a spatula to cover. Sprinkle top of cream cheese layer with remaining chocolate and peanut butter chips.
5. Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The middle of mine always looks like it’s not totally done cooking, but the edges are golden, so I take it out of the oven and let it continue cooking on the stove for a bit, and it’s perfect. Enjoy!
xo xo
See more of my recipes here.
m.davis xoxo 