Quick and Easy Craft: Foil-Wrapped Vintage Frame

My grandmother - my mom's mom - is a lot like me.  She's always itching to create things, and she has a real soft spot for the stuff of yesteryear. Is it quaint? Quirky? Gingham? Filigreed? Floral? If so, it's caught her eye, and probably coming home with her.  What's more, she's very generous with her acquisitions, which means a visit to Grandma - or Grancy, as some grandkids call her - is a return with a new (old) find.  Our house has three (yes, three) rocking chairs, a vintage Risk game, cookbooks, a clock, a nightstand, and much more that have made their way from Grancy's.

And this frame.  During my most recent visit I asked her if she had a frame that would complement an Old Hollywood-style photo.  You see, a few years ago I sat for a friend starting his photography business; the goal was to create 40s-era glamour shots à la Marlene Dietrich and Ingrid Bergman. I really loved the photos (Jeffrey Blake of Lost Lake Photography if you're in the Utah County area, FYI) and have been meaning to frame a print or two.  My request produced the frame you see here. 

The Night Circus -Le Club des Rêves: Food!

As you may know, we are currently reading The Night Circus. You may also know that books with food are better.  I mean that in pretty much all senses, too: Eating while reading, for example. Or cookbooks.  Both of these are better.  But especially better? Best, even?  Books that feature food prominently, and describe it well.  The food that is read about is always delicious, and not just to you.  Created in the mind of the individual, fictional food adapts to the tastes of the person imagining it, and so fictional food is loved by everyone.  The prime example? Turkish delight from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I don't personally know anyone that actually likes Turkish delight, but I also have yet to meet a person who hasn't craved what they thought Turkish delight should taste like while reading that book.

And it's no different for The Night Circus. The food mentioned - and there is plenty - is only the best of any circus concessions or dinner party meals that you can picture. So, should you choose to make something from the book, make sure it's done right.  Do it for a special occasion (though there's no shame in making one up, of course), and put the work into the details.  This is fictional food, after all - it has no business in being disappointing.

And what did we choose? A little bit of circus, and a little bit of midnight dining. Tracey's dangerously delicious Iced Hot Chocolate both echos the book and tastes absolutely correct in the sweltering heat of summer.  Paired with some Reveur-style Cookies and Cream Popcorn - flecked with red - it's the perfect snack for strolling through the circus grounds.



 

And for something more substantial, we drew inspiration from Chandresh's lavish parties filled with exotic, rich foods. Get adventurous with Green Apple Curry over basmati rice and the seriously luxurious Honeyed Fig Tarts with Mascarpone. Do I need to say more than that, really?



 

Finally, how could we not include some Chocolate Mice? Easy, delicious, and just about the cutest.  Though perhaps you'll have better luck than me at finding licorice lace for proper tails.



 

In order to conserve space and to give The Night Circus food the proper attention, we have included a separate page containing all of the recipes.  Enjoy!

Le Club des Rêves: Ideas for the Perfect "Night Circus" Party

Have you read Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus yet? I ask not just because Ben's Book Club is right around the corner, but also because it is one of the very most thoroughly enjoyable books I have read in a long time.  I love the characters, the setting, the story, the themes, the feel of it. It's one of those books that I read, and I get a little annoyed, because I love it so much I wish that I had written it. Pick up a copy. Really.

It's so sensory, that book.  Not really overwrought, just rich - dripping! -  with details.  Upon learning that the movie rights had been purchased and a screenplay was in the works, I told Tracey that I wanted a movie mostly because it increased my chances of there being an actual Night Circus I can attend someday. I'll be among the first in line, with my red scarf tucked securely around my neck.

So yes, when the time came to actually plan the book club meeting, I got quite excited. All the food! (It's coming tomorrow, so check back.) The circus! The magic! I had so much fun pulling different great ideas from all over the web.

Summer Must-Have Trendies: Part 3

This post may seem long, but that's only because it's long. But this is the third and final part of my Summer Trends series, and guys, I definitely saved the best for last. I am SOO excited about this one. Today, I'm featuring prints. And it was almost impossible for me to narrow it down to the 7 prints that I did. There are so many fun prints to chose from — and they are everywhere. Just about any clothing store you go in will have some sort of print to chose from. So just pick your favorite (or favorites... my favorites happen to be all 7) and get shopping. Stat!

I love prints because they are so versatile. You can use them as neutrals. Or you can use them as statement pieces. Prints can stand alone in an outfit, or they can be paired together (oh yes, I did just say that two different prints can be paired with each other... just stay with me, I'll get to this). Since I have seven different prints below, I'm going to write just a little bit about each one to help you on your way to including prints in your summer wardrobe (although I'd be surprised if some of you don't already have at least one of these in your closets).

1) First, stripes. O.M.G. Stripes. Stripes are my all-time, number-one favorite. Vertical or horizontal stripes. Even as I sit here typing this, I am wearing a striped shirt (which isn't surprising considering that probably 50% of my clothing items have stripes on them). Even before my husband was my husband, he and his little sister would make fun of how many striped things I owned. (If I was ever shopping with his sister, she'd pick up anything and everything with stripes and say, "This looks like something you would wear, Erika!" Hardy...har...har, Bethany. Har.) Selecting only 4 striped items to include below was just about impossible — there are so many great striped things to chose from. I couldn't find it online, but H&M has this great stretchy, striped t-shirt that is right around $5. I have 2. Just, make your way to your local H&M and buy yourself one, now! Since I already included striped pants in my first summer trend post, I didn't include them here, but they're definitely still on my list. Just know that if it has stripes on it, you should probably just buy it. Immediately.

2) Leopard is my next favorite. I love what a little bit of leopard does to an outfit. But, leopard-wearers beware! Too much leopard can look trashy. Or too Jersey Shore-ish. (Those two adjectives are synonyms, aren't they? I did love me some Jersey Shore though—don't judge.) Someone once told me (as I was wearing leopard shoes) that leopard belongs in the bedroom and nowhere else. I respectfully disagree with her, the ignoramus. I have 2 leopard-print scarves, 2 pair of leopard-print shoes, a leopard-print belt, a leopard-print cardigan, and a leopard-print skirt. I think as long as you keep it classy, and use it mostly as an accessory, then leopard is a wonderful addition to any outfit. (Hint: I love wearing leopard and stripes together.)

3) Floral is lady-like. Floral is beautiful. Floral is very summery. Floral is definitely huge this summer and every girl should have at least one floral item in her closet. (Hint: I also love pairing floral and stripes together.)

4) Polka dots are fourth on my list. I'm not as crazy about polka dots as I am about stripes and leopard print, BUT I do own several polka dot items. I'm dying over the pink, polka dot, peplum top I included below. It's gotta be as close to perfect as a top can get. (Hint: I love polka dots and stripes together. I know—shocker! Polka dots and leopard OR polka dots and floral would each also look great together.)

5) Graphic tees are huge this summer. If you don't have one, get one! All the tops I included below are pretty inexpensive (thank you, Forever 21) and they're all so super cute. I now own 3 and am so excited for all the outfit possibilities I am going to get out of them! A graphic tee and striped shirt. A graphic tee and blazer (not included in this post). A graphic tee and floral jeans. A graphic tee and leopard belt. Get it yet?

6) Camo. The one thing I don't have in my closet yet, but definitely something that's on my shopping list. I'm drooling over the camo destroyed jeans (see last week's post for more destroyed denim options). (Hint: I'd love to pair a graphic tee with some camo jeans. Or, you guessed it, camo bottoms with a striped shirt.)

7) Last, but definitely not least, tribal prints. I included a maxi skirt, because what says summer better than one of those babies? And those wedges?! How could you just not adore them? Tribal prints are so fun and so must-have for this summer. Since most of the tribal prints are so busy, I'd say you'd probably be better off just pairing them with a neutral.

STRIPES: (1) Shirt // (2) Skirt // (3) Shoes // (4) Sunnies

LEOPARD: (1) Belt // (2) Shoes // (3) Scarf // (4) Shirt [sale!]

FLORAL: (1) Jeans [sale!] // (2) Shirt [sale!] // (3) Skirt // (4) Necklace

POLKA DOTS: (1) Shirt [sale!] // (2) Pants [sale!] // (3) Jacket [sale!] // (4) Dress

GRAPHIC TEES: (1) Love // (2) Anchor // (3) Mickey // (4) Blessings

CAMO: (1) Jeans // (2) Shoes // (3) Shorts // (4) Shirt

TRIBAL: (1) Skirt // (2) Shoes // (3) Shirt // (4) Earrings

And, in the interest of preserving the tradition from the past two weeks, here is a selfie shot where I paired two different prints: gingham (not featured in this post; it was originally, but I thought I had too many items already) with stripes.

While this next "trend" may not actually be a trend, I am including it in this post because we had a request to. And we give our clients what they want, gosh darn it! And because, this is a series about summer, and there's nothing better to include in a summer series than swimsuits. And because a lot of these swimsuits are pretty trendy in and of themselves.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure (gentlemen, beware!), as I was searching for these swimsuits, I searched with the idea in mind that the wearer would have little in the way of chestal endowment. (Pretty sure I just made up the word "chestal" since it's being underlined in red whenever I type it.) I figure, I fit into that category myself (thanks, mom!), so below are some ideas ("The boob tip") for those who, like me, have no boobage to speak of, but still wanna look hot ("The trend") in their swimwear.

1) The trend: the cutouts. The boob tip: this suit is padded (a must! for anyone with a small chest) and it has a strap  that goes around your neck to keep it up. (This is the suit I own, so I know it works for the no boob thing.)

2) The trend: It's mint. The boob tip: It's a push-up swimsuit.

3) The trend: Chevron! The boob tip: It's padded (see #1 above) and it's got a sweetheart neckline, which outlines curves, giving the allusion that you do actually have boobs.

4) The trend: Gingham (a print!) The boob tip: It has a sweetheart neckline too (see #3 above) and padding (see #1 above).

5) The trend: It's a print! and it's bright! The boob tip: Its drawstrings make it cinch around your waist, making your waist appear smaller and accentuating your chest. Plus, it has padding and a strap to go around your neck (see #1 above).

6) The trend: Teal ikat (a print!) The boob tip: Sweetheart neckline and padding (see above), plus there's a neat twist on the bustline that would accentuate the shape of your bust.

7) The trend: Bandeau The boob tip: It's a bandeau top, so it accentuates the bust area. Plus this particular suit has an underwire, so it's basically a push up, and that's never a bad thing for us boobless.

8) The trend: Polka dots!! The boob tip: The entire suit is ruched so it gives the allusion that your bust is bigger than it actually is. Plus, that neck strap is never a bad thing!

(1) Kenneth Cole One-Piece with Cut Outs // (2) Mint Ruffle Push-Up One-Piece [on sale!]

(3) Fuschia/White Tankini* // (4) Gingham Swimdress [on sale!]

(5) Ruffle Drawstring Tankini Top* // (6) Robin Piccone Teal Ikat One-Piece

(7) White Bandeau Tankini Top* // (8) Ralph Lauren Polka Dot Scrunch Swimdress

*Bottoms sold separately

How ESPN's Pardon the Interruption and Seven Years of Marriage Work Together

Seven years ago today I married this guy. As you can probably tell by his amazing "groomal", I am the luckiest girl in the world. Over the past seven years we have spent less than 30 days apart, had two children, moved four times, made four job changes, ate 752 hot dogs and watched approximately 1,627 episodes of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption.

While the last number is not exact, it is certainly not an exaggeration. We literally watch PTI every single day. We TiVo it. My kids watch it. Sam calls it "Daddy's show" and he knows there will be no Mickey Mouse Clubhouse if Kornheiser and Wilbon are on.

And you know what?  I like it. I grew up in a family that wasn't overly concerned about sports. We loved our Nebraska football and we attended many a Omaha Royals baseball game. However, it was never a priority in our home. Now, I'm not saying that Ben is a sports fanatic, but he certainly loves sports. Especially football. He also loves his family. Especially his wife. And I love him. So, every day we spend a half-hour tuned into PTI. It works for us.

So why am I writing a whole post about this? I'm writing it because I firmly believe one of the reasons we have such a happy (yet imperfect) marriage is because we share interests. I'm sure Ben knows far more about photography, Etsy and Downton Abbey than he would like to. He can tell you all about the show Revenge and why Nolan Ross is the greatest character on television.

On the other hand, I can tell you that the last two Heisman winners came from Texas schools. Thanks to PTI, I have been able to actively participate in 4 seasons of Fantasy Football leagues with my husband. I've won two of them. Also, I hate Alabama football because Ben hates Alabama football. And he hates Alabama football because he hates Nick Saban. I was enraged when Saban walked into Sandra Bullock's living room in The Blind Side. This is love people.

So in honor of Tony and Mike, here are five things they have taught me about marriage.

1. Be friends. Mike and Tony have been friends for over thirty years. They enjoy each other and spend time together off set. I think the greatest asset Ben and I have is that we are best friends. Really. Best friends. There have been many times that the opportunity has arisen to hang out with my female friends and I have opted to stay home with Ben. Be with the person you chose to be with.

2. It is okay to disagree. Tony and Mike disagree all the time. Each segment lasts anywhere from ninety seconds to three minutes. Sometimes they fight and argue over an entire segment but as soon as the next segment is up, they are back to being friends and thoughtfully discussing the next topic. 


3. Be yourself, but be better together. Every once in awhile, someone will be on vacation or on the road so they will bring in a guest host. There are some guest hosts we like better than others. If Bill Simmons is on, you better believe we are going to watch. Even though each host has chemistry with their guest hosts, the show is never as good as it is when Mike and Tony are together. Marriage should be the same way. You need to maintain your own personality and beliefs but use them in ways that make you better as a couple. I am outgoing and talkative — Ben isn't. Ben is deliberate and thoughtful. I'm impulsive. Over the last seven years we have learned from each other and taken the best from each other's personalities. Ben now talks to strangers in line at the store and I actually think for a minute before I buy a cotton candy machine. (Which they have a Target right now and I desperately want one.)

4. Sometimes a third opinion helps. Tony Reali is the "Stat Boy" for the show. He is also ridiculously cute. He mediates the segments and at the end of the show he reviews facts that they may have wrong. If you can't agree on something, don't be afraid to get another opinion. For a long time, Ben and I disagreed about when we should start our son in kindergarten. Finally we consulted with teachers, doctors and other professionals. Ben won. He's starting in the fall.

5. A little penguin dance never hurts. Every once in awhile Tony does the following dance:

http://youtu.be/7RO82Rwdj1o

It's my favorite. I also love Ben's terrible jokes and the awesome songs he makes up on a daily basis. Keep the mood light people and just enjoy each other.

In the words of my sweet husband, "Ahhhh tender. Heart. Fade out."

Sweet New Jams - LORDE Royals

Something you might not know about my husband is that he is a secret hipster. Hipster in that somehow he finds music way before anyone (me) has ever heard of it. But not crazy obscure bands**. Like normal bands that you might actually listen to. The man has great taste in music. (His running playlist is much less embarrassing than mine.) So when he sends me something, I know it is going to be good.



 

Enter Lorde, a 16-year-old from New Zealand. This girl is something else. She is blowing up in New Zealand and Ben says she is just starting to get some attention here in the states. You should pay attention. We've decided she's kind of a cross between M.I.A. and Adele. How's that for random comparisons?

Her first album became available on iTunes back in March. Five songs worth of greatness. Royal and The Love Club are my favorites so far. Here is the video for Royals. Check it out. You can thank Ben when she gets big and you can say, "Oh yeah, I started listening to her waaaaaay before she was popular."

http://youtu.be/LFasFq4GJYM

**Also, while we are on the topic of hipsters and their crazy obscure bands, check out Jimmy Kimmel's "Lie Witness News" that he did at Coachella a couple weeks ago. Hysterical. I'm so embarrassed for these people it almost hurts! Favorite quote: "I used to spin them all the time." Ouch.

http://youtu.be/W_IzYUJANfk

 

 

Keep Doing

[caption id="attachment_966" align="alignleft" width="228"] Andrea's company, Girls and Giggles. How cute is this woman?[/caption]

I'll tell ya, for whatever reason, this danged post was so haaaaarrrrrrrd to write - in that "Ugh, I don't want to write this, whine whine whine, grumpy cat face procrastination" kinda way. So yes, it's coming to you later in the day, and it's a little messy, but that works, because it embodies the ideas I'm about to set forth.

Just do something. (Okay, "just do it" was taken, alright? As was "just keep swimming". Golly, this is not a new sentiment, is it?) And keep doing. Take a deep breath, quiet your fears (this step is optional sometimes, actually), and do something.

My example of the day? My friend Andrea, who had an idea, and rather than just bringing it up every few months with her friends and saying, "Gosh, wouldn't that be cool?" she went for it. Now, she has a patented design and a Kickstarter project (underway now! Check it out and donate!) and she's got more ideas and she is DOING.

Hey Megan! I Just Took You to Lucy's Fried Chicken (Austin)

Lucy's Fried Chicken was on the husband's list of "Places That We MUST Go Try" for about 6 months before we ever made it down in January. Over the next four weekends, we ate it three times.

That's how much we love it.

Since then, I have been raving to Sarah and Megan about the wonder known as Lucy's Fried Chicken. Then we came up with "Hey Megan!" Then people really liked "Hey Megan!". (Thank you Pieous!) Then Megan got famous. So tonight, Sarah, Megan and I all ventured (sans husbands and children) to Lucy's Fried Chicken.

The moment we pulled up, someone said, "Oh, this is so Austin." There is no higher compliment to be paid. While they have a small indoor dining room, their patio is where it is at. Fans stir the breeze as the clientele sit on wooden picnic benches and those awesome plastic chairs that we all remember from school. Whoever handles their graphic design does a fantastic job because just looking at their menu is fun. A typography dream come true.

Our service was fantastic. Kent, our waiter, automatically found a place in our hearts due to his name. Both Sarah and I have brothers named Kent. He was friendly, helpful and super attentive.

The actual menu itself is amazing. They specialize in chicken and oysters. Tonight we chose to stick with chicken because someone in our group (cough, cough, Megan) is a Boston girl and doesn't trust seafood outside of her beloved New England. Whatever.

Anywho. As we wanted to eat EVERYTHING on the menu, we finally decided on a small collection of things to sample. And by small, I mean all of this. For three women.



Basically we voted on everything we wanted to eat and then we narrowed it down. Sorry that the photo is a little blurry. I was afraid someone was going to start gnawing on my arm mistaking it for a piece of chicken.

So let's go in course order. At least, the order we would have eaten in had we not dove into this mass all at once.

Sarah started with the lemonade. This is some serious lemonade, people. Slightly fizzy with the sweet and the tart balanced just right. My sister had it when she was in town and I think my dad drank a good portion of her glass.

Next up, the appetizers. We chose to have the cornbread muffins (Megan's favorite) and the fried deviled eggs. Yup. I just said, "fried deviled eggs." I should also mention they come with a serving of bacon aioli. The cornbread muffins have bits of corn and pepper in them and they are heavenly. The deviled eggs are a fantastically over-the-top, southern, spicy surprise. The only problem is, after eating one, you seriously start to question the choices you are making in life. Maybe just stop at one. But enjoy that one because they are pretty tasty.

Next up are the sides. We ordered a selection.



 

 

 

 

 

 

We decided to go with the Mexican Cola Sweet Potatoes and the Crab-Boil Potato Salad. Both were good but the sweet potatoes came out the winner in the race. Whoever thought to put Mexican Cola in sweet potatoes deserves an award. They are sweet and gently mashed to the perfect texture. The cola doesn't over-power the potatoes; it adds just a little something special.



 

 

 

 

Our other two sides are technically entrees. We treated them as sides. I know — we are wild and crazy. On the left are the "Local Farm Vegetables". Our selection included fried green tomatoes, grilled kale, broccoli, okra and beets. Truth be told, I am not a huge veggie eater but I ate everything on that plate and enjoyed every single bite. The fried green tomatoes are done with the same batter used on the fried deviled eggs. They are served on top of a cream sauce (dill maybe?) that complimented the slightly spicy batter perfectly. The grilled kale was a lovely surprise. Even the okra was really good. And none of us really like okra.

On the right is the Macaroni and Cheese. Sarah said, "This is like Grandma's macaroni and cheese." It includes smoked cheddar, provolone and swiss. Then they top it with . . . are you ready . . . cornbread crumbs. I just died.



Finally, we come to the chicken. Here's the thing. I don't really love fried chicken. You heard me. I don't like the grease, it is hard to cook correctly, and I'm too lazy to deal with the bones when I eat it. But this fried chicken makes my heart sing. The breading is perfect. Never greasy. It is crunchy and flavorful and it stays properly adhered to the chicken. The chicken itself is perfectly cooked and moist throughout. Also, thanks to the first waiter I ever had there, I learned that honey mixed with hot sauce is the best way to eat it. I will never eat it any other way. If you aren't a huge fried chicken fan, give Lucy's a shot. They may just convert you.



 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, let's talk about the pie. We had the hot chocolate pie and the lime pie. The chocolate pie is basically chocolate ganache in a pie crust topped with a toasted marshmallow and whipped cream. Heavenly and rich. The lime pie is my favorite. I am a connoisseur of key-lime pie and this particular version might very well be my favorite. It is creamy and limey without being too tart. I can eat an entire slice without succumbing to heartburn. That is saying something.

In conclusion, Megan and Sarah really enjoyed their dinner and I earned additional food credibility. Sarah says, "Come for the chicken. Stay for the sides — especially the vegetable plate." Megan said, "Where are we going next?" I say, "I can't move." But before I roll myself off to bed . . .

Things you need to know.

Address: 2218 College Ave, Austin, TX 78704

Cost: $$ (Our check was about $70 before tip.)

Food: Perfect home-style cooking with a bit of flair.

Kid Friendly: Yes, although running around the patio may be tempting for some. However, this place is super casual so I wouldn't worry too much.

Pepsi or Coke?: Coke. But no Diet Dr. Pepper. Bummer.

Contact: http://lucysfriedchicken.com/

Note: As with everything in the South Congress area, parking is limited.

The Running Playlist for Slowpokes

Everybody's running these days, right? (No, not you? Don't feel bad. I don't want to be running all that much, if it helps.) And there's like, a race for everything. The whole Slap Me in the Face with Colored Chalk race, the Electrocute Me in Water After I Submit Myself to Frostbite race, and the I'll Run All Night Long Because I'm a Norse God race - not to mention the Force Feed Myself A Ton of Hotdogs (or Krispy Kremes!) Whilst Trying to Run races.

Sarcasm aside, kudos to you if those are your thing. Me, well, I'm just trying to turn the dial from "sedentary" to "light physical activity", and the less foofarah the better, I say. Luckily, my friend Lori sensed that I, like she, both hated running and felt a need to actually do it. A few weeks ago she approached me about doing the "Couch to 5k" app regimen with her, trading off on watching each other's children. How could I say no? But oh, does misery love company, and it wasn't too long before Tracey was roped in, too, so that now we all — in very theoretical theory — should be ready to run a 5k sometime this summer. Theoretically.

And hey, I'm doing it. I'm sorry if you were looking for some huge affirmation of, "Oh mylanta, people! Running is the most fulfilling thing and I now run barefoot and I will run 9 marathons in my life and endorphins!" I'm just not that person. Certainly not yet anyway. Again, props to you if you are. Sincerely. But I will say this: I'm glad I'm doing it. I do it in the mornings, and I do feel better throughout the day. I like having that time to myself, and I like getting outside more. I like the idea of making my body stronger and more capable, and I like setting goals to try new things with that stronger, more capable body. I like the simplicity of it, too; just get up, go.

But perhaps my favorite part is the music.

Summer Must-Have Trendies: Part 2

You guys. I am sorry for the overload in this "part 2" post. (Except, really, I guess I'm not). I have been internally debating ALL week on whether to talk about pastels or to talk about neons. And then, just last night, I decided, why limit it? This is my post, and I'll do what I darn well please with it. Insert hashtag thatsthebeautyofblogging here (for Sarah's thoughts on that, see this). So, today, we're talking about both pastels and neons. And also, distressed denim. Because I love them all. And I think they are all great for this summer.

You can do so many things — I repeat, sooo many things — with these three items. The outfit possibilities are endless. All three trends can be worn together. Or they can all be worn separately. Get crazy with it. There are no rules in fashion. You could pair some distressed denim with a bright neon shirt, a white or neutral blazer (not featured here), and some pastel shoes/belt/accessories. Or you could pair some pastel skinnies with a neutral shirt and a neon cardigan or neon pair of shoes/belt. Seriously. I could go on and on. And on and on. So I'm just going to stop and let you guys do the rest of the imagining and putting-together-of-outfits yourselves.

And once you come up with something incredible (because I know you all will), share it with us! Email it to us or post it to Instagram with the appropriate hashtag (#NeonOpinion #PastelOpinion #DistressedOpinion). If we get enough outfit pics, we'll feature them in a future post! Until then, here are the guides to help get you started...

(1) Yellow Pencil Skirt // (2) Blush Bellflower Skirt

(3) Mint Skinny Jeans // (4) Blush Pink Jeggings

(5) Polka Dot Chambray [on sale!] // (6) Yellow Chiffon Short Sleeve Shirt

(7) Blush Cashmere Sweather // (8) Mint & White Striped Shirt

(9) Hinged Pastel Bangles // (10) Lavender Spiked Clutch

(11) Mint D'Orsay Pointed Flats // (12) St. Lucia Lilac Essie Nail Polish

(13) Mint Candy Apple Essie Nail Polish // (14)  Starter Wife Essie Nail Polish

(15) Borrowed & Blue Essie Nail Polish

(1) Coral Knit Zipper Jacket // (2) Neon Lime Cashmere Sweater [on sale!]

(3) Blue Boatneck Blouse [on sale!] // (4) Neon Azalea Gingham Button-Up

(5) Neon Colorblock Cardigan // (6) Zippered Tie-Die Neon Tee

(7) Lime Skinny Denim // (8) Yellow Stripe Strapless Maxi Dress

(9) Neon Pink Skinny Jeans [on sale!] // (10) Teal Cutout Maxi Dress

(11) Neon Pink Pencil Skirt // (12) Joie Blue Tank Dress

(13) Yellow Cap-Toe Slingback Heels // (14) DV Orange Sandal Wedge

(15) Steve Madden Green Sandal // (16) Pink Pointy-Toe Heel

(17) Teal Sandal // (18) Neon Green Quilted Patent Crossbody Bag

(19) Pink Skinny Leather Belt // (20) Bright Coral Infinity Scarf

(21) Bobbi Brown Neon Lip Glosses // (22) Fuschia Bow Wrap Bracelet

(23) Neon Yellow Stone Necklace

(1) Light Distressed Cropped Denim // (2) A&F Destroyed Boyfriend Denim

(3) Black Acid Wash Skinnies with Rip Details // (4) Acid Wash Destroyed Mini Shorts

(5) Paige Denim Destroyed White Skinnies // (6) 7 for All Mankind Oceanside Destroyed Skinnies

(7) Paige Denim Blossom Destruction Skinnies // (8) J Brand 811 Salem Distressed Skinnies

And since I included a few of these last time, here's another shameless selfie-mirror shot of a time I paired a neon yellow shirt with a pastel-blue-striped sweater.

Hey Megan! Today we ate at Pieous. (Austin Restaurant)

Sarah and I have a friend named Megan. Every time I mention a restaurant we have tried she says, "Will you please just text me a list of places you eat?"

So, in Megan's honor, we are going to start a new series called, "Hey Megan!" in which we feature the restaurants that we try and love along with off-the-cuff iPhone photos. (Because I always feel conspicuous when I haul out my giant DSLR to take pictures of my food.) For the most part, they will be Austin establishments. Sarah and I live here. Erika will also feature some Denver eateries. I'm sure we will all feature places we encounter in our travels.

Let's roll . . .

Pieous

After MONTHS of wanting to try Pieous, today we made the trek south to give it a shot. As their name might suggest, they serve pie. As in pizza pie and dessert pie. When I told Sarah about it, she immediately wanted to eat there because of their name. Sarah loves herself a good play on words.

First off, this place is darling. It is exactly what I hope for in an Austin eatery. It's a little red building with a porch. Think general store. Their parking lot? Gravel. Gravel occupied by Mercedes. This should be your first clue you are in Texas. The inside is just as good. The lines are clean and modern. The wood fire pizza oven sits in a wall covered with white subway tiles. My favorite.

And the walls. Oh, the walls. Chalkboard. All of them. Chalkboards with perfect chalk drawings. Cutest thing ever. I wish I had taken more photos.If that weren't enough, they have a whole corner set aside for customers to draw on. We got a table adjacent to this wall. A mother's paradise.

Now, let's talk about the food. I ordered the margherita pizza. The tomatoes were perfectly crushed and lovely. The mozzarella was gooey and delicious and the basil added just the right amount of herbiness (pretty sure I just made up that word) to the entire thing. Then there is the crust. If you are a fan of thin pizza, eat here immediately. It was thin without being overly chewy or crunchy. My kids ate an entire piece. Each.

 

Missy is still little so sometimes she struggles with the chewiness of thin crust pizza but she plowed through this pizza. I could not get it in her mouth fast enough. She ate her crust and her brother's. Ben said she was rubbing the crust all over her face. A sure sign that she enjoyed it. Even my picky son ate the pizza. This is a monumental event in and of itself. I cannot say enough good things about this pizza. I also can't wait to go back and try some of their other flavors.

 

[caption id="attachment_815" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This photos does not do this sandwich justice.[/caption]

Now. We have talk about the pastrami.

"I find pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted cured meats." - Vivian, Seinfeld. For real Vivian. For real.

Oh. My. Goodness. Let me put it this way. I asked Ben if we could order another to take home. This is seriously the best pastrami I have ever eaten. In my entire life. Ben only gave me two bites. TWO! You better believe they were some pretty big bites. He claims that it is one of the best sandwiches he has ever had. He's not exaggerating. The bread was soft and flavorful. The whole grain mustard enhanced without overshadowing the other ingredients. The pastrami itself is what food dreams are made of. As we were leaving, one of the owners - who was lovely, by the way - asked how everything was. We got into a lengthy discussion regarding the pastrami. I may have asked her to put it on a pizza. She assured me that her husband is looking for the perfect way to make it happen. I will be moving to Hays county when this occurs.

Finally. The dessert. Chocolate Pecan Pie and Tiramisu. I am allergic to pecans and Ben hasn't tried it yet - he's saving it for later - but it made its way on to the list of "The 5 best pecan pies in town — the official pie of Texas". I'm certain it will be tasty.

The Tiramisu was heavenly. Light and fluffy with just the slightest hint of coffee. I ate the entire thing in the car on the way home. Ben had to roll me inside.

 

Things you need to know.

Address: 12005 HIGHWAY 290 W, Austin, TX.

Cost: $$ (Our pizza, sandwich, two drinks, two desserts and tip came out to around $40)

Food: Perfect Pie. All around. Get the pastrami.

Kid Friendly: Emphatic yes! The owners' young daughter swiped Ben's card for him.

Pepsi or Coke?: Coke. But no Diet Dr. Pepper. Bummer.

Contact: https://www.facebook.com/Pieous

Coconut Bread

This is THE BEST coconut bread you ever did eat. Probably, if I were you, I wouldn't even bother reading the little blurb that I'm about to type and just get straight to making this bread, STAT. But, I'm going to type my blurb anyway. Just in case. And because I need to give credit where credit is due.

This is not my recipe. I wish I could claim the genius behind it. But alas, this recipe was given to me by my mother. And she got it from my aunt. I have no idea where my aunt got it. (Aunt Vickie, if you're reading, thaaaaank you for this incredible recipe. Lives have been changed.) But I digress. One time, I made this recipe at my in-laws house while Tracey was visiting, and she ate an entire loaf by herself before I even got home from work. (OK, it was a mini-loaf, but still...)

The great thing about this bread is it's pretty simple. I mean, I can make it! And I can do it pretty well at that. That's saying quite a bit. I personally like baking it in two large bread pans, and letting the syrup drip allllll the way to bottom of the bread; if you use a fork to move the bread gently/slightly away from the side of the pan, the syrup just drizzles right to the bottom, and when it's dry, you have a wonderfully crisp, sugary-coated crust all the way around. It's just about the most delightful thing ever. But you could also bake it in a mini-loaf bread pan and get lots of mini loaves.  Either way, it's delicious!

And Tracey has taken it upon herself (bless her ever-lovin' heart) to add a little coconut whipped cream recipe to the side. If you're too lazy and impatient to wait for the syrup to dry, you can just dip your slice in the whipped cream/toasted coconut. I, myself, loove the syrup and think it's worth the wait, but either way would work. Hey, why not just do both—syrup and whipped cream! You seriously cannot go wrong with this recipe. We even came up with the idea that if you wanted to add some grilled pineapple to the side when you serve it, you'd have the perfect summery treat. And now, with all this talk of coconut and pineapple, excuse us while we book tickets to Hawaii.

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:10]

Apps We Love

Between the three of us, we use a lot of apps.

A looooooot.

This list could go on for days.

Since we are all iPhone/iPad users, we are going to talk about apps offered in iTunes. The are obvious apps like Pinterest, Facebook, MyFitnessPal and Angry Birds, but you already know about them. So let's talk about our secret (or not-so-secret) loves. Honestly, we are just scratching the surface.

Things You Need to Stop Doing on the Internet Part II: Using Social Media to be Antisocial

Today's post is part two in a series we're doing about things we all do.  On the internet.  That need to stop.  Today's topic?  Using Facebook for good and not evil. See Part I on plagiarism here. Got an idea for this series you'd like us to write about? That "Leave a reply" button is all yours, babe.

I'll preface this by saying that today's post is rather brief and certainly not earth-shattering.  Just a dose of some good old common sense. However, it's one that I've been needing to hear, so I did me a favor and gave myself a good talking to. Perhaps it will come in handy for you, too.

Sometimes I imagine if things that weren't tangible suddenly became so. For instance, if every 30 minutes I spent wrapped in my own little bubble of self-indulgence and entertainment became an actual, physical object, I know for certain there would be days that my house would filled, Hoarders-style.  But that's part of the challenge presented by time spent on the internet - the consequences are rarely that visible.

Another little exercise to put things in perspective: Are you the type of "friend" in the virtual world that you'd like to be in real life?  If Facebook were a party, would you walk in and immediately start complaining about things that have annoyed you that day?  Would you not say a word to anyone but walk around and listen in on every conversation, silently judging/envying everyone around you?  If someone at the party shares something funny, clever, or interesting, would you just give them a thumbs up and move on?

Maybe some days you would do those things, but I'd suspect that you'd want to engage with your friends a little more than that.  We have that opportunity every single time we log into Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., so use it. (And of course I'm speaking to myself as much as you. You know this.) Start simple, of course. Say an unsolicited nice thing, post a photo of a good memory, ask someone about their grandfather in the hospital.  It's so easy.

But won't that girl I knew my freshman year of college think it's weird, you know, that I'm commenting on her vacation photos from 2007?   Umm, maybe.  That's certainly a possibility. But that's fear speaking, and fear gets in the way of a lot of good things happening. Perhaps the best way to look at it is to ask what you yourself are getting out of your social media time. Are you feeling connected to anyone?

The antidote:
When I need a jolt out of my internet antisocialness, I like to watch this TEDtalk from Ze Frank.  It's a great reminder of what we're capable of when we truly are trying to connect with the world around us rather than just consuming it. And since I've fallen into a slump myself, you can bet I'll be making the effort to "get out there" on the internet. Hope to see you doing the same, and if I do, I'll be sure to say hello!

Summer Must-Have Trendies: Part 1

Much to my husband's dismay, I really, really like clothes. Dress to express, that's my motto. Expressing myself and how I feel in that moment is my main motive when putting together outfits, and I personally believe it should be everyone else's too. (Unless your main motive is simply because otherwise you would be naked. Then, by all means, just get dressed, and it doesn't matter why.) Clothes have a way of expressing who you are, what you do, what you like, what you don't like, how you feel. And so on.

If you put on your Sunday best for church, you're expressing your desire to worship or be reverent and presentable. If you put on some cut-off shorts over a swimsuit, you're expressing your desire to be at a pool or a beach. If you put on a slinky, sassy LBD and some super-high stilettos, you're expressing your desire for some dude attention or a girl's night out, perhaps dancing (although if you do that in said super-high stilettos, bravo to you and the balls of your feet!). If you put on sweats, you're expressing your desire to be lazy. (Which, by the way, is what I express 3 or 4 times a week. Ain't no shame in it. No shame at all.)

Now, before I go on, you should know: I am by no means a fashion expert. Far from it, in fact. But for some reason, Tracey and Sarah have got it in their minds that I should be "The Opinion" on summer trends for this here blog. When they first ran the idea past me, I was skeptical, since my opinion truly is an unqualified one. But then I figured, what better platform to express my unqualified love of clothing than on a blog entitled "Our Unqualified Opinion" and if I really love clothes as much as I claim to (and I really do) then why not share that love with anybody who happens to be reading?

So here you have it. Part 1 in a series I am doing through the month of May that will highlight my favorite trends for this quickly approaching (yay!) summer. These are the items that, in my mind, you should all have at least one of to look slammin' this summer!

The day I dropped my wallet in the mailbox

This post was written on the evening of May 6th.  We decided to give it a couple of days before posting it.  Mostly because I needed the gather my courage to share.

Today I dropped my wallet in the mailbox. At least I think I did. The truth is, I'm currently sitting in my car waiting for the postal worker to show up at which point I will beg him to see if it is in there and give it back. Meanwhile, my 4.5 year old son is sitting the backseat playing his Nintendo 3DS.

Today has been a rough day. Mondays always seem to be rough, right? There were lots of things that happened today that made it rougher than normal. Baby Girl has a fever and is working on some teeth. I had tons of work to do for my little Etsy shop. I got a little over ambitious regarding Mother's Day. It's just been one of those days.

Except for me, a person who deals with anxiety, this is just a little more than a bad day. It means I'm sitting in my car panicking over this wallet. What if he doesn't give it to me? What if I have to drive clear across town to get it tomorrow? Without a driver's license. Then, what if I get pulled over? What if it isn't even in the mailbox and I lost it somewhere else? What if someone finds it and steals my identity?

And Baby Girl. What if this fever isn't teething? Should I take her in? How long do you wait?

It's a downward spiral.

My Unqualified Words of Mommy Wisdom

I don't want anyone to confuse our blog with the traditional "Mommy Blog". Yes, two-thirds of us are moms and the other third hopes to be a mom at some point. (Hopefully soon, because the 26 nieces and nephews I currently have just aren't enough.) This adventure is about more than being a mom. It's about sharing our opinions and experiences. However, my experience over the last 1,719 days - it seems like so much longer - involves being a mom. In fact, it has been one of my central roles in life, so since it's the day before Mother's Day, the topic of motherhood itself deserves a little bit of attention.

So in honor of all of the lists on the Internet, I am going to share a list.

Pinterest Fail - The Mother's Day Card Exploits

So, I'm sure if you are on Pinterest you have seen the pins claiming you can go to office supply stores and have photos printed on "engineer prints" for under $5. You may have also seen the darling pins where some cute mama traces her child's arms and then sends someone a hug.

Well, I decided to get tricky and combine them. I thought, "Why not take photos of the kids with their arms outstretched and send the Grandmother's life-size hugs?"

Now, I'm a girl who does her research. I had heard rumors that the office supplies stores weren't super excited about this photo/engineer print idea. I called ahead to make sure it was going to work out. The lady, Ruth, was super nice! She was hesitant at first but as soon as I explained what I was doing, she said, "Of course! Bring them in."

Since Sarah is my partner in crime, we thought we should do them of her kids as well. So we lined them all up in front of her garage door and snapped some quick photos. The photos weren't anything special. I knew they were going to be black and white and lower quality so I wasn't overly concerned about anything but the smiles and poses. I formatted them, grabbed my son and headed out to run our errands.

Then I lost my wallet.

Mother's Day Printables

So in keeping with our theme this week, I'd like to just say: I love my mom. I love my mom-in-law. I'm not a mom yet, but I'm excited to one day be a mom (not an announcement, just a sentiment). I'm not feeling very eloquent today, so I'm just going to let my Mother's Day printables below do the talking. Happy Mother's day to each and every one of you fabulous mothers and mothers-to-be out there (including future-mom-ME)!

If, this Saturday evening, you find that you have procrastinated and have no gift to give, feel free to print off any of these printables! Three of them print as a 5"x7" and one prints as a 10"x10". Slip it into a cute frame and you're set!