The Weekend Update

Hi friends! Here are some highlights from the past few days.

We celebrated my cousin Gabrielle’s twelfth birthday. This sweet girl is 12 going on 22; she’s almost as tall as me and probably smarter and more mature. And quite the beauty!

She’s into the mustache trend, so one of my presents to her was this pair of gloves.

Thursday night, Amanda and I went to the early showing of Breaking Dawn Part 2. I mentioned this on Friday, but let me say it again: the movie is so good! It is definitely my favorite of the saga. I want to know what you all think!

This past weekend I went to my grandparents’ house in North Carolina. It’s always so nice to visit them. Our weekend was full of shopping, wine and eats. Their house is in a really pretty neighborhood on a mountain and driving up always freaks me out. The curves and bends, yikes!

When I got there, I found some presents on my bed: a chocolate advent calendar, a Chick-fil-A cow from a race my grandfather had run, socks my grandma made, and a recipe they thought I’d like. Bonus: a crossword puzzle book, not shown.

Onto the eats! On Saturday, we went to 131 Main while we were out shopping at Biltmore Park Town Square. Sarah insisted I go there for the beet burger that she always gets. Right up my alley!

Look at how red it is. You’d almost think it was meat, right? Ha. It was really, really good and I’ve got to remake this at home. Sarah, let’s do this!

Saturday night, we made Ina Garten’s recipe for Roasted Shrimp with Feta. Changes we made: we nixed the Pernod and used artichokes instead of fennel.

We wanted to make spanakopita (inspired by you, Sierra!) but the phyllo dough we bought had dried out. We improvised by placing the spinach mixture in a baking dish and making a crustless pie. This was originally another Ina Garten recipe too.

On Sunday morning, we made a frittata with red pepper, spinach, onion, and basil. This would be great to make for a week long of breakfasts. Just grab a slice, reheat, and go! I don’t have the recipe right now, but if you’re interested, shoot me an email and I’ll find it.

My 4-hour drive back was a bit slower than my ride up. On the way there, as soon as I hit North Carolina, I got pulled for speeding. Boo!! The way back I watched my heavy foot, listened to the Breaking Dawn 2 soundtrack, and fueled with coffee and candy.

What was the best thing you ate all weekend?

What are your road trip essentials?

The Friday Five 11.16.12

1. What I’m Reading: The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley. This is an awesome cookbook! It’s got options for “vegetarians, meal lovers, and everyone in between.” There are a lot of beautiful photos and so many recipes I want to make. None seem very difficult and all very healthy.

2. What I’m Eating: These Simply Gingerbread pita chips by Stacy’s are really good. They taste just like their cinnamon flavor but “a little like Christmas” as my brother said. They’re seasoned with nutmeg and ginger. Grab a bag or two while you can!

3. Recipes I’m Bookmarking: Orzo with Caramelized Fall Vegetables & Ginger.

4. What I’m Listening to:  A Thousand Years by Christina Perri. After you see Breaking Dawn Part 2, you will appreciate this song SO much more. The movie, by the way, was sooooooooo good. I really loved how they recapped the entire saga through Bella’s eyes and credited all the actors at the end. So so good.

5. GIFs I’m Loving:

WHEN I’M ABOUT TO EAT MY FAVORITE FOOD

WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THEY DON’T LIKE AVOCADOS

Happy Friday! Go see Breaking Dawn!

Breaking Dawn: Part 2

Today’s the day!! Breaking Dawn Part 2 comes out TONIGHT! Amanda and I bought our tickets last week (nerd alert) and we’re so excited for the premiere!

Last year we went to the midnight showing at Cinebarre for Breaking Dawn Part 1. They had tents set up with people serving food, handing out free glow-in-the-dark fangs, holding giveaways, and doing fortune readings!

Watch the trailer and get excited!

Serious question of the day: Are you going to the premiere tonight?

Semi-serious question of the day: Team Edward or Team Jacob?  

Fall 2012 Bucket List

First off, I’d like to give a shout out to Jane, one of my favorite bloggers, who writes In The Pink & Green. She’s got an awesome blog, writes well, has a great sense of style and seems like such a sweetheart. I hope to meet her one day! Yesterday she posted a Fall 2012 bucket list and inspired me to make my own.

Food

• Bake at least 1 new recipe with pumpkin
• Bake at least 1 new recipe with apples
• Make 1 new recipe per week using my CSA produce
• Use the double waffle iron I won on The Shiksa’s blog

Fitness/Health

• Run at least one registered 5k – the Pajama Run and/or the Reindeer Run
• Reduce sugar intake during the week, feel less guilty about indulging on the weekends
• Continue doing 30 pushups and/or 1 minute planks every hour at work with Dane

Education

• Attend a cooking class
• Read at least one book a week (I know, I’m crazy.)
• Go to the 30th Annual That BIG Book Sale
• Attend a Wine Awesomeness Wine School class

Fun

• Have a girls’ beach house weekend on IOP using the gift certificate Amanda & I won from the Bacardi contest
• Celebrate my baby brother’s 16th birthday – ahh!
• See Breaking Dawn Part II on November 16th…at midnight, of course
• Halloween!!

Travel

• Go to at least 1 college football game this  year
• Visit my family in Massachusetts
• Visit my grandparents in North Carolina

Fall officially starts September 22nd and ends December 21st. I have plenty of time to cross everything off!

What’s on your Fall bucket list?

What’s your favorite thing about Fall? I bet 50% of you are going to say PSLs….

The Friday Five 8.31.12

1. What I’m Reading: Back up to last week when I started reading The Weight of Silence. I read it in 48 hours because it is so good. It’s very emotional and moving, gripping you from the very first chapter. Each chapter switches back and forth through a few different narrators,  and I enjoyed reading the story from each perspective. To give you a brief summary, the book is about two little girls who go missing and their family’s quest to bring them home safely. Reading the chapters through the older brother’s eyes was my favorite. As the oldest of 3 brothers, I got so emotional imagining what it would be like to have one of my siblings missing. For someone who doesn’t cry often, I’ll admit, I teared up several times and cried a couple. I insist you read this!

After being so pleased with Heather Gudenkauf’s writing style, I immediately checked out a second book of hers: These Things Hidden. Oh, and guess what. I read that in 2 days too. It was good – the last few chapters were the best – but the other book was better. 2 books in a week? Nerd alert.

2. What I’m Eating: Well, we talked about my new Sriracha obsession on Monday. I’ve been putting it on everything. I even put it on a pickle at work. It was actually really good.

Clearly on the road to Spicytown, USA, I also picked up a bag of Chipotle Cheddar Pretzel Crisps.  I have no idea how my intestines survived this week.

3. What I’m Listening to:  We are a little over two months away from the release of Breaking Dawn Part 2. Yes, I’m having a countdown until Amanda and I can do this again:

That said, I’ve been listening to some of the Twilight stations on Spotify and discovered “Turning Page” by Sleeping at Last. You’re welcome for the song and the queer video.

4. Recipes I’m Bookmarking:  Blackened Salmon with Crunchy Coconut Couscous.

5. GIFs I’m Loving:

WHEN SOMEONE LAUGHS AT HOW MUCH FOOD I CAN EAT 

LOVE…TO SOME GIRLS

TO ME 

One more thing before I bid you adieu for the weekend. A sweetheart reader of mine, Raheen, is running in the Tower of Terror 10 Miler Run with the Autism Speaks team. She needs to raise $750 by September 15th. This money can help with research and hopefully one day a cure. If you’re able to donate, please check out the link to her donation page here. Every bit helps!

I hope you all have a wonderful, blessed weekend! 

Breaking Dawn Midnight Showing

Last night was the premiere of Breaking Dawn: Part I! Around 9 p.m., a few of us girls met up to head over to Cinebarre where they were having a pre-show party. They had tents set up with people serving food, handing out free glow-in-the-dark fangs, holding giveaways, and doing fortune readings! We got there pretty early to get a spot close to the front and center.

As soon as we got our fangs, we popped them in our mouths for photos. Sorry if these pictures disturb you – they disturb me too.

Amanda and me:

Mary and me:

It was so cold outside. Like in the 40s I think! Haha. We are not used to these arctic temps in the South.

Mary and I ventured over to the fortune teller. Mary said her reading was very accurate.

I thought my reading was just wacky. The only part that seemed true was when she said that I am typically aggressive and confrontational, haha. She then said that as I get older, I will become more feminine and less aggressive. WHAT?? I asked her if she was drinking a beer and she said no.

In case you haven’t seen it, here is the Breaking Dawn Trailer. It would give me chills every time I saw it on t.v.!

Once the movie came on, it was much easier to forget about how cold we were. I don’t want to give away any details, but  will say that I enjoyed the movie a lot! It was definitely my favorite of them all. There were a few comical parts, and only one very cheesy part. I actually got scared during the birthing and transformation scenes. Totally creepy…

Did you see Breaking Dawn Part: I last night? Or are you going this weekend? Let me know what you think!

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. I found my article in Mount Pleasant Magazine at my gym today!! The trainers loved it too.

2. I love this new beer that Eric introduced me to last week. Weihenstephan (which I can barely pronounce) is the oldest existing brewery in the world. I had the Hefe Weisssbier – a wheat beer with aromas of banana and clove and hints of citrus. Loved it.

Eric also introduced me to a social networking app for beer enthusiasts.

Untappd lets you keep track of which beers you’ve tried (and where), see which beers/bars are trending, and also find out what your friends have been sipping on. It offers recommendations based on what you’ve had, encouraging you to try new beers. I think this is a great app for social media lovers who are interesting in learning about beer. (ME)

3. This steal at Target: 7 Clif bars for 5 bucks!! Mary Legare and I stocked up on seasonal flavors! She loves the Gingerbread most, while I’m a fan of the Peppermint Stick.

4. This song. In the 11 years that it has been out, I  have never once gotten sick of this song. Anytime it comes on the radio, I pretty much have a dance-off with my car and almost rear end people. Look at his pants! Juvy is so gangster!

5. Trader Joe’s horseradish hummus. Where else, but Trader Joe’s, can you find such unique hummus flavors? 

Of course this is really good on carrots, but it’s even better on sautéed spinach! Trust me on that one.

6. Nichole from Live for the Run won my Betty Crocker brownie giveaway! She has been a reader for quite a while and I’m so glad she won! :)

7. Breaking Dawn!!! Amanda, Annabel, and I, along with a few other friends are going to the midnight showing at Cinebarre tomorrow. We’re flipping out about the movie mostly, but also about the pre-showing festivities:

Nerd alert! #notashamed

XO!