Couples Night

We had a relaxing Saturday night with some of our friends. We tried a new (new to us) restaurant, Helen's, and made our first visit to Bow-Tie Cinemas (the new movie theater on the Blvd).

Helen's

I should have fasted for 3 days before eating at this restaurant. It was soooo good but they feed you like you haven't eaten in days! Noah and I both had the shrimp and grits as our main course; however, by the time it arrived, we were already stuffed from the appetizers! One of our friends knows the chef and he kept bringing us yummy appetizers (like a white gazpacho and crab cakes with mashed potatoes). On top of that, we ordered three appetizers: fried green tomatoes, pig belly (gross), and wings. I didn't eat any of those appetizers but Noah said the wings were the best he's ever had (which really means something coming from him haha).

After we engorged ourselves at Helen's, we decided to see The Hangover at Bow-Tie Cinemas. We had an hour before the movie started so we got a few drinks at a restaurant across the street from the theater. I can't remember the name; however, it is relatively new to Richmond with a mountain lodge atmosphere. We want to try it out for dinner (if we can ever remember the name). So after a few drinks, we finally made it to our movie. IT WAS HILARIOUS. Girls, you have to like "guy humor" to think this one is funny. The movie exceeded my expectations! Bow-Tie Cinemas, however, did not. It is supposed to be known for "bringing style and elegance back to the movie going experience." Besides the fact that it is new and clean, there was nothing more stylish or elegant about this movie theater than any other movie theater I've visited. One of the "perks" of the theater is it's bar. No thank you. Unless you want to spend $8 on a glass of wine or beer, drink it out of a plastic cup, and sit on metal seats, go across the street if you want to have a pre-movie cocktail. You can't bring your drink into the movie either. You have to drink it in their designated "bar" area. Nonetheless, it's new, clean and close to our house so we will go back!

Just one of those days...

My mom always said, "It's not what life deals you, it's how you deal with life." Thanks mom.

You know those days when it probably would have been best if you just never got out of bed? Today was just one of those days. From the moment I woke up (at 4am), I was doomed.

I text my friend Margaret after my long day...

Me: "What should I make for dinner tonight?"

Margaret: "Taco Dip?"

Ah yes... this is what best friends are for. Tomorrow is a new day but tonight I'm going to feel sorry for myself (even though I know I have sooo much to be thankful for). HOW?

4 Simple Things: Taco Dip, Chardonnay, Ice Cream, and Noah :)

Taco Dip: This is my grandmother's famous recipe that we make EVERY year when we are at the beach for Thanksgiving. It's soo easy!

- Brown 1lb of ground beef (as lean as possible)

- Add a packet of taco seasoning according to directions

- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350

- Spread one can of refried beans into bottom of medium sized glass baking dish

- Layer next with the cooked meat, then 1 16 oz. jar of salsa (I like Newman's Own)

- And finish it off with 1 bag of shredded Mexican cheese

- Bake for 20 minutes and bon appetit!

- Serve with tortilla chips

Add wine (I love Yellow Tail Chardonnay. It's nice and dry yet has a refreshing taste and it's cheap) and ice cream...
And if all that fails, Noah can always put a smile on my face. And he will most likely make me go out with our friends and I will thank him for it later :)

So much for eating healthy today...

Glamorous

Remember when your Vogue weighed more than your Biology textbook from high school? Those were the days...Sadly, with the worsening economy, Vogue had to go on a serious diet. I was very upset when I picked up my copy the other day. It lacked a certain amount of glamour, style, and chicness that it usually delivers. My Glamour, however, inspired me to write this post...

1. It had a magnificent cover...Jessica Simpson (who I feel is still fabulous). To all you Jess haters, I don't care what you say about her. I know she's not a Harvard grad (or even a college grad for that matter) but she's got something special. In the world of grotesquely skinny fashion icons, it's nice to see a girl with some killer curves!

2. Don't we all love the Glamour "Dos and Don'ts"?

It inspired me to share with you my "Dos." These are some of my favorite things: (clockwise)

Sunglasses: Throw on a huge pair of sunglasses to make any outfit more chic (or when you don't have time to put on makeup....when they cover your whole face, who needs it anyway???)

Turquoise: Turquoise is a symbol of generosity, sincerity and affection. It is also been known to ward of evil!

Cowboy Boots: Bought my first pair of cowboy boots last year from Nashville, TN. The real deal. These durable duds are extremely versatile. From jeans to dresses, make sure you have a pair of these in your closet.

Cardigans and Belts: and not necessarily together! Long cardigans are "in" again this fall and so are big belts. Belt anything and everything! (Like costume designer of Sex and the City does!)

Chanel: Gabrielle or "Coco" Chanel is one of the most iconic designers of the 20th century. As the inventor of the "little black dress" and hater of corsets, you have to love her always!

Super High Heels: Wear them to dinner...you'll be sitting the whole anyways! High heels always make you look 10 pounds lighter! I swear!

Gold Watch: If I could buy anything right now, I would buy an over sized gold watch (ok really I would buy a sofa but if I was being selfish...)

Bright Nails: Always sexy! Your outfit looks a little more complete with a pretty manicure. (NO CHIPS PLEASE! If you see a chip, touch it up or take it off!)

Designer Look-A-Like: These $190 Badgley Mischka pumps look almost IDENTICAL to the $700 Mui Mui ones! Don't you love that?

Skinny Jeans: With pumps, flats or boots, everyone needs a pair of skinny jeans! Just trust me on this one! And you don't have to be skinny to wear skinny jeans.

This was fun! Hope you enjoyed my list of "Dos." Maybe I'll do a list of "Don'ts" too!

Catching up!

Yes, it's part of my job to read fashion magazines and of course Women's Wear Daily. Women's Wear Daily, or WWD, is what most refer to as the "fashion bible." It "is the authority for breaking news, comprehensive business coverage and trends in the worlds of fashion, beauty and retail" (http://www.wwd.com/). It's more than just pictures of the latest gown from Oscar, it's the business behind the glamour.

Anways, I was catching up from about 2 weeks of WWDs and look at what I found in the July 22nd Issue! This cute bodysuit from Noble Youth! In this piece, "American Girl," WWD shows us how the "Classic Americana look gets an update for resort with playful layering, easy shapes, and plenty of stripes." Don't wait 'till next spring though! Start layering your looks for fall or wear an adorable striped dress like this one from ALC:
I love the neck line of this assymetrical sweater dress from ALC's fall line. So cute!

Animal Lovers

I'm an animal lover, born and raised. It comes from my mother. Growing up on a farm, I've always had dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, chickens, doves, and the occasional Beta fish. Not to mention all the lost/sick wild animals we took in. My mother has reunited several fawns with their mamas. When I was 10, my whole family was driving home from dinner one night. On the dark, windy roads of Goochland, we accidentally hit a deer. What would most people do? Feel guilty and continue to drive home all the while hoping there was no damage done to their car. Not my mom...my mother made us turn around so she could pick up the deer. Yes, my mom sat in the back of our gold station wagon with the deer. The deer didn't make it but it shows you how much my mother would do for an animal.

Just like my mom, I love my animals. I gave Jeter to Noah for his graduation from college. He is probably the most spoiled dog I've ever owned. And Jeter has a very sensitive stomach. He eats ProPlan "Sensitive Stomach" with salmon and rice which you can only get at a pet store. So Noah and I made the trip to PetSmart after our workout tonight. Let me tell you, PetSmart is the place to be on a Monday night. Everyone was there with their dogs! It was so much fun. There were Labs, Boxers, and Golden Retrievers everywhere! I felt guilty that we didn't bring Jeter. There was even a crazy cat lady in the mix who had an ENTIRE cart full of different types of cat food, cat litter, and cat toys. She had cats on her purse and Noah said she had pictures of cats on her checks. You gotta love these animal lovers. If you've never experienced the joy of pet ownership, I suggest you go to the SPCA today and adopt a furry friend. We are planning on getting another dog next spring :) I want to adopt!

The best thing about having a dog is the constant companionship and unconditional love. When you come home after a bad day, they are always at the door, tail wagging, ready to greet you. You can't help but smile! I love how Jeter follows Noah and I everywhere! When Noah and I sleep in, Jeter will jump on the bed, lie right between us and snuggle. And when Noah and I go out of town, we miss him!! He's just too cute :)

Fine Dining

This week was busy busy! I don't eat out a lot; however, this week, I went all out for my friends who were in town! I had never heard of the restaurants where I dined this week. Noah and I decided that we are going to try a new restaurant every week. Since Richmond is officially our home now, we need to know more about the city and what it has to offer!

Whenever I think about food, restaurants, recipes, etc., I can't help but think about my best friend, Sally. I miss her terribly! We usually talk everyday but she has an amazing job where she's touring the country promoting organically grown/ locally produced food through Outstanding in the Field. Her blog (appropriately titled "Come to the Table: Share, Eat, Learn") is interesting to read and she has taken some breathtakingly beautiful pictures! (This is a picture from Ford Farm in Sauvie Island, OR). Needless to say, we don't get talk everyday! I think I am going to try to convince her to move to Richmond :)

Restaurant 1: Cous Cous

It was a girls night on Tuesday and we went to Cous Cous. This Mediterranean/Moroccan tapas restaurant is a great place for dinner with the girls or date night! It's located at 900 W. Franklin Street. It was sooo good! There wasn't one dish I didn't like and I can't wait to take Noah there. I love tapas restaurants because you get a little taste of everything. My favs: the Sangria (the "white" one was the best...I can't remember the name of it exactly), Manchego Fritters, Saganaki, and to finish the meal off, Chocolate Bread Pudding. I can't believe it took me this long to discover this cute restaurant!

Restaurant 2: The Arcade Cafe

My collegie roomies, Margaret and Caroline, were in town from Charleston

and New York this weekend! Of course we had to go to dinner and catch up! Margaret chose this great restaurant near Libbie and Grove. We sat outside and enjoyed our tasty dinners. I don't remember a ton about the restaurant because I was having so much fun chating with my old roommates! Margaret is getting married in May of 2010 and I love to hear all about how the wedding details are coming along! I'm wedding obsessed. I miss them sooooo much! I wish we could go to dinner every week.

Restaurant 3: Coast

Coast, a relatively new restaurant to Richmond, is located 2 doors down from the Arcade Cafe on Grove Avenue. Noah chose Coast for our date night on Saturday. Noah chose the Shrimp and Grits and I picked the Wild Salmon. Both were DELICIOUS! This restaurant was the priciest of the three but definitely worth it! It was nice and relaxing after a long day at work! I love date night. It's important to have date night at least once a week (even if you cook at home) no matter how long you have been dating/engaged/married! It keeps it interesting :)

One more piece of relationship advice I learned from my mother:

Always wear something sexy to bed (don't you dare wear his old football t-shirt from high school!) My favorite lingerie designer is Hanky Panky because it's comfortable yet sexy and it doesn't wrinkle! Also, Victoria's Secret makes some cute/comfy/sexy cotton nighties. Just a little tip!

Future Brides/Friends of Future Brides:
Looking for your "Something Blue?" Hanky Panky makes this adorable "I DO" thong and it's blue! My sister gave it to me to wear on my wedding day!

Best Buyers Beware!

WARNING: this is a boring blog about adulthood (I have to do that for my sister who always says that married people write the most boring things) However, as a consumer I feel it only fair to share my good and bad experiences in case you might be in the market for a larger appliance.

Our new house came with only 2 faults: no washer/dryer and no fridge.

Our AMAZING friends gave us a gift card to sears as a wedding present that enabled us to purchase an awesome fridge. GREAT gift idea! We bought it and it was delivered the next day! Sears told us they would deliver between 8 and 10 am, they were there at 8:15 AM and we had a working fridge by 8:45 AM. PIECE OF CAKE!

Buying a washer and dryer, on the other hand, was NOT so easy. It was ridiculous! We chose Best Buy because we have (or used to have) a credit card with them that allowed us to do 18 months no interest. And since we are struggling newlyweds, we took advantage...NOT WORTH IT IN THE END! I'll make a long story short....we purchased a washer/dryer on July 7th and a washer/dryer was not delivered until August 3rd (almost a month later!!) No one at Best Buy was helpful and to make matters worse...the washing machine doesn't work! Now a technician will have to come to fix it. I'm extremely frustrated! I could get into more detail but just trust me...BAD EXPERIENCE

Moral of the story: Never buying anything again from that store.