The only problem with an incredibly delicious Low Country Broil is that the next day I am swollen like a blimp. The salt KILLS me every single time. Still, I indulge thoughtlessly as I can never seem to help myself.
This week marks the end of a relaxing month and starts the March madness frenzy. Charleston, New Jersey, New York and New Orleans all within 3 weeks! Whew.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
work them hips, run girl.
Maybe if I see it on paper, or even just type it out, I will actually commit to start training for a half marathon. Little, tiny, itty bitty baby steps this will take, but it is something I have been thinking about pretty consistently for about a year now. Like most typical excuses, life sort of got in the way with actually committing to A) training for a race and B) committing to one. I mean, getting margaritas with friends always sounded like so much MORE fun than hopping on the treadmill.
I have a few half's that I am looking at, and now I need to research how to start effectively training. Is there a program called fat to fast?
I'll find out!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
February Fever!
Spring fever in February is a rare treat, but this weekend was basically Christmas all over again! Sunny and 70 degrees on Wrightsville Beach made for a wonderful 2 days full of jogs on the beach and playful puppy parties -- It was wonderful and incredibly beautiful! My family forefeited our membership to a tradional country club years ago and opted for a membership with a yacht-club esque place at the beach. BEST. DECISION. EVER. Technically, our family could classify as professional beach bums and since Golf never totally interested us much the trade-in was 100 fold for our family. Now that I am graduated from college, I have my own personal membership at the club that I share with Bear and friends.
A wonderful cookout at the new home of one of my childhood besties, Lindsay, and her fiance Hayes, sealed the weekend. After hibernating this winter, I almost forgot what it was like to even ENJOY the outdoors. I cannot wait for Easter and the festivals and parties and cookouts and weddings... just, so much to look forward to!
Mercer, my cocker spaniel, at the beach!
A wonderful cookout at the new home of one of my childhood besties, Lindsay, and her fiance Hayes, sealed the weekend. After hibernating this winter, I almost forgot what it was like to even ENJOY the outdoors. I cannot wait for Easter and the festivals and parties and cookouts and weddings... just, so much to look forward to!
Mercer, my cocker spaniel, at the beach!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Cuisinier
For me, high school was a surprisingly very meaningful and memorable period of life. College... well, college was a haze that was somehow full of fun experiences that eventually led to life-lessons -- a wonderful 4 years, for sure. Now, in my young adulthood, I have an unparalleled curiosity of life and newfound excitement for the things I want to learn so much about. Weddings and travel and history and promotions... you know, the celebrations and turning points in life. The little things. Well, my newest indulgence: cooking.
The fact that I can even manage to boil water is truly astonishing, especially since this time last year I literally did not even know how to make coffee. My New Years resolution was to learn to be a great cook so that by Christmas 2011 I could cook a lavish meal for friends and family. My plan is to make something new every single week in the kitchen. Not surprisingly, making a new years resolution to eat MORE delicious food is a lot easier to keep than the ones in years past where I wanted to avoid the calories. I have managed to keep the goal alive since January 1.
Super bowl was fun to cook for. For some, the dishes I made could be done before their age hit double digits. For me, learning to melt bakers chocolate (honestly, even KNOWING that bakers chocolate is different than hershey kisses) has been a victory. I was an incredibly active child and teenager, and when I got home from practice, games, clubs, parties, church, etc dinner was on the table. My mom was wonderful about that. But, while I could always clean up a kitchen like nobody's business (that was mine and my dad's job together, my mom and sister made the mess cooking) I had zero business even holding a spatula.
Thank God for my sweet boyfriend, my Bear. He's been my guinea pig with all of this cooking. So far I have focused on appetizers and desserts and really just the familiarity with the kitchen. Bear's favorite so far has been the pimento cheese and Oreo truffles I made. This is a marathon, not sprint folks... SMALL STEPS.
Oreo truffles: (straight from the kraft website, I do not get too creative, yet! I drizzled white chocolate over mine)
The fact that I can even manage to boil water is truly astonishing, especially since this time last year I literally did not even know how to make coffee. My New Years resolution was to learn to be a great cook so that by Christmas 2011 I could cook a lavish meal for friends and family. My plan is to make something new every single week in the kitchen. Not surprisingly, making a new years resolution to eat MORE delicious food is a lot easier to keep than the ones in years past where I wanted to avoid the calories. I have managed to keep the goal alive since January 1.
Super bowl was fun to cook for. For some, the dishes I made could be done before their age hit double digits. For me, learning to melt bakers chocolate (honestly, even KNOWING that bakers chocolate is different than hershey kisses) has been a victory. I was an incredibly active child and teenager, and when I got home from practice, games, clubs, parties, church, etc dinner was on the table. My mom was wonderful about that. But, while I could always clean up a kitchen like nobody's business (that was mine and my dad's job together, my mom and sister made the mess cooking) I had zero business even holding a spatula.
Thank God for my sweet boyfriend, my Bear. He's been my guinea pig with all of this cooking. So far I have focused on appetizers and desserts and really just the familiarity with the kitchen. Bear's favorite so far has been the pimento cheese and Oreo truffles I made. This is a marathon, not sprint folks... SMALL STEPS.
Oreo truffles: (straight from the kraft website, I do not get too creative, yet! I drizzled white chocolate over mine)
what you need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 4-1/4 cups), divided
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
make it
MIX cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
make it
MIX cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
SHAPE into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
All in a day's work!
Spent the afternoon networking here, overlooking this. What a fabulous view and great atmosphere. If only I had these seats during a Durham Bulls game. It was wonderful to meet with world renowned doctors and professors from Duke University over my famously favorite grape vodka cocktails! These incredible figures are getting involved with grassroot business endeavors in the area and have truly the most amazing stories.
One anesthesiologist single-handedly supports a village in Uganda and by directly buying their crafts from them and then re-selling them at a local boutique he owns on Main St. What I love about this boutique is that wedged in between a national bank and Gap and sees far more traffic than both from local supporters.
My company is looking to help them from several business standpoints and thankfully as the District Manager in the area, I am their point of contact. Very inspiring day full of empowerment and connections!
One anesthesiologist single-handedly supports a village in Uganda and by directly buying their crafts from them and then re-selling them at a local boutique he owns on Main St. What I love about this boutique is that wedged in between a national bank and Gap and sees far more traffic than both from local supporters.
My company is looking to help them from several business standpoints and thankfully as the District Manager in the area, I am their point of contact. Very inspiring day full of empowerment and connections!
Monday, October 11, 2010
A Southern Speciality
Sippycups's stepmother used to make this for beach week in the summer and I became obsessed. Now, it is my staple at the NCSU tailgates and everyone thinks I am chef connoisseur! and I must admit, my cooking abilities have started to expland and impress even the most skeptic critic. EASIER THAN EASY, healthy, and delicious.
Red Neck Caviar!
2 cans black eyed peas, drained shopping list
2 cans shoe peg corn, drained shopping list
2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained shopping list
2 lg bell peppers, chopped shopping list
1 can black beans, drained shopping list
12 sm. green onions, chopped shopping list
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped shopping list
1 tsp garlic powder shopping list
1 tsp garlic salt shopping list
1 tsp parsley flakes shopping list
16 oz bottle Zesty Italian dressing shopping list
Mix peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes with garlic salt, garlic powder, parsley flakes and Italian dressing.
Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving. Serve with Frito or Tostitos Scoops.
Red Neck Caviar!
2 cans black eyed peas, drained shopping list
2 cans shoe peg corn, drained shopping list
2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained shopping list
2 lg bell peppers, chopped shopping list
1 can black beans, drained shopping list
12 sm. green onions, chopped shopping list
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped shopping list
1 tsp garlic powder shopping list
1 tsp garlic salt shopping list
1 tsp parsley flakes shopping list
16 oz bottle Zesty Italian dressing shopping list
Mix peas, beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes with garlic salt, garlic powder, parsley flakes and Italian dressing.
Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving. Serve with Frito or Tostitos Scoops.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Oyster Roasts and Champagne Toasts!
The sheer fabulousness of being a young twenty-something is enough to make you want to revel in everyday life, but the joys of new experiences and huge turning points really make for the cherry on top.
I am so absorbed with celebrating the career moves, engagements, weddings, and recent home purchases of friends very near and dear to my heart. Being a bridal consultant throughout college and having a very brief stint at Southern Weddings Magazine, thank God I get to channel all my energy towards helping Lindsay plan her ohsobeautifultodiefor wedding in May! Coral and beaches and beers, OH MY!
And now, finally, that I am not living off pennies and parents... Im outta here on the weekends as much as possible... except when I am cheering on the Wolfpack (and courtesy of my sweet boyfriend, I am forced to "cheer" for the Northern Colorado Bears [where his brother coaches] and Broncos football, too!) In October alone we will host friends and family for the NCSU/Virginia Tech game, go camping, head to Denver, visit the new homes of friends in Roanoke, and rent a cabin in the NC Mountains! woop woop.
So many of my friends are in great places in life and while I miss everyone so much, I admire that we are all in different places doing different things. I love us. But, I will admit, I am seriouslyyyyyyy ready for Caroline and Eva to get back from New Zealand. Come home already!!!
I am living in the absolute LAST place I ever thought I would be after college... smack dab IN my college town. But with a FABULOUS job that I totally love with a company I admire, I'll be the first to say I am more lucky to be where I am... and with this view!
I am so absorbed with celebrating the career moves, engagements, weddings, and recent home purchases of friends very near and dear to my heart. Being a bridal consultant throughout college and having a very brief stint at Southern Weddings Magazine, thank God I get to channel all my energy towards helping Lindsay plan her ohsobeautifultodiefor wedding in May! Coral and beaches and beers, OH MY!
And now, finally, that I am not living off pennies and parents... Im outta here on the weekends as much as possible... except when I am cheering on the Wolfpack (and courtesy of my sweet boyfriend, I am forced to "cheer" for the Northern Colorado Bears [where his brother coaches] and Broncos football, too!) In October alone we will host friends and family for the NCSU/Virginia Tech game, go camping, head to Denver, visit the new homes of friends in Roanoke, and rent a cabin in the NC Mountains! woop woop.
So many of my friends are in great places in life and while I miss everyone so much, I admire that we are all in different places doing different things. I love us. But, I will admit, I am seriouslyyyyyyy ready for Caroline and Eva to get back from New Zealand. Come home already!!!
I am living in the absolute LAST place I ever thought I would be after college... smack dab IN my college town. But with a FABULOUS job that I totally love with a company I admire, I'll be the first to say I am more lucky to be where I am... and with this view!
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