Buckhead Betty ... on a Budget

XOXOX

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:31:00 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day, my lovelies!!

Source: letsbepreppy.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Last Minute Love Potion

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:37:00 +0000

Are you ladies and gents all ready for the day of romance tomorrow?! I am! I am SUCH a sucker for holidays. You should see the condo. It is decked out with pink and red and hearts abound! All in a tasteful, decor-chic style though, of course ;) Even when I was 100%-forever-single (and there was a long, long time of that, mind you), I loved Valentine's Day. It's hard to hate a day filled with X's and O's.

Just in case you are still looking for that perfect way to seal the deal (ha!) tomorrow, here's a fun idea, courtesy of the W Hotel in Buckhead:

Whiskey Blue at W Atlanta – Buckhead will be bringing romance to the rooftop with champagne specials, complimentary chocolate dipped strawberries and signature Valentine’s Day cocktails. Valid through February 14.

You can head to the W to grab this drink, but if you are already wrapped up with your special someone (wink, wink) and can't make it into town, the kind people at the W shared two very special drink recipes with me for you to make at home, too! Check them out below. And Slainte!

Oh wait. Next holiday, Katherine, next holiday :)

Candy Heart

In a Shaker Glass add:

1 ½ oz. Godiva Chocolate Liqueur or Baileys

1 ½ oz. Crème De Cacao

½ oz. Vodka

½ oz. Half and Half

Add ice shake well and strain in to a martini glass

Part 2 - In a shaker glass add:

1 ½ oz. Strawberry Puree

¾ oz. Fresh Sweet n Sour

¼ oz. Simple Syrup

2 ½ oz. Whip Cream

Add ice. Shake VERY well and slowly strain layer on top of the martini glass filled with the chocolate martini drink. Garnish with a strawberry half.

Love Potion #9

In a Shaker Glass add:

1 oz. Stoli Vanilla

½ oz. Watermelon Pucker

1 oz. Cranberry Juice

1 oz. Pineapple Juice

Add ice shake well and strain in to a Champagne flute about ¾ to the top. Top with Champagne. Garnish with a strawberry half.

Winner: Alvin Ailey Tickets!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:29:00 +0000

Thank you so so much to all of you who entered to win the Alvin Ailey tickets! What a great turnout.

I am super excited to share with you the results of the giveaway ... I tallied up all the entries (people had a max of three each with both Twitter and Pinterest) and here are the results!

Congrats to our lucky winner, Mgentile89!!

Mgentile, you have until this Monday at 9AM to email me with your full name so that we can put the pair of tickets at Will Call under your name for next Thursday's performance.

Note: If our winner doesn't send me a note, or if for some reason she is unable to attend the event (Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 PM), I will reselect from the other entries for a new winner.

For the rest of you, thanks for playing! You can purchase tickets of your own for the show over at the Fabulous Fox ticket office on Ticketmaster. And don't forget to stay tuned here at Buckhead Betty, because I am going to have another fun giveaway coming up later this month :)

Happy Weekend!

Love is Like a New Planner

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:49:00 +0000

You guys. I am absolutely in love.

Even though for the past number of years, I have been forcing myself to switch into all e-land with my social scheduling, there has been a part of my soul (yes, my soul, I am that passionate about this) that has died a little bit each time I can't color in a day on my Blackberry with colored markers to designate a wedding, birthday or date night. The days of high school and college with planners full of handwritten notes, colors and stickers seem far too far away. Plus, I was having trouble with reminders on my Blackberry for myself like "buy a birthday card" (a week in advance so I could mail it), "Call Friend X," and "pay that bill."

A few weeks ago, I heard about these absolutely amazing planners that were available on this absolutely amazing-looking website. And because of said soul-dying, I decided right then and there to say "Happy Belated Birthday to Me" and I bought myself one.

O.M.G. It arrived. Even the box was a planner-girl's high. Perfectly wrapped and totally girly.

I selected a lovely teal/turquoise Life Planner with a kaliedoscope pattern from Erin Condren, a personalized stationery store that is the newest must-have for social planners like myself. One look at their Facebook page will show you how dedicated and in-love her fans are.

Before I show you its marvelous inside, let me first show you what also came in the box with this beauty:

Free labels, all personalized for me! Happy Birthday labels that I can stick on a box or a bag, and generic labels that would be perfect to add to a bottle of wine for a hostess gift. Adorable!

Hot tip: Erin Condren is on One King's Lane for one more day! Get labels or other EC items all of your own for a great price.

Ok, back to my planner...

These cheery pages are inside each planner regardless of your cover style. A.k.a. you better be okay with cheerful color (but who isn't?!)

One thing I love about the Life Planner is that it has these monthly pages along with the weekly views, which are broken out into morning, day and night.

Each of those weekly view pages has a Goals and To-Do column on the side for you to keep track of those little weekly things.

And of course, the planners have these amazing tabs to separate out each month!

One user tip: While laminated tabs are on the Erin Condren line-up for 2013, the 2012 ones currently are not covered. Both the brand and most Facebook fans suggest using a certain size of Avery tabs, or simply covering each tab in clear packing tape. I did the latter, trimmed off the edges of extra tape on each one, and you can't even tell it's a handmade job. Promise :)

The back of the planner is almost as fun! It has sheets and sheets of little colored labels you can use on each day to designate events and other special things. After those is this great double-sided envelope (above left) to store loose papers, and a clear zipper pouch (right) as a catch-all for all sorts of other things (business cards, coins, etc.).

As you might expect, I sat down ASAP that night that this gorgeous planner arrived with a celebratory glass of wine and proceeded to fill it all out. And while I snapped all of these shots pre-pen-hitting-paper, I have been enjoying using my planner every. single. day. Already I have NOT forgotten (haha) to meet up for an evening appointment I had, to mail out a check that reserved my spot on a Bachelorette trip, and to do my taxes... ok fine, just because I didn't do them yet doesn't mean I forgot to do them ;)

Who are my fellow Erin Condren lovers out there? What is your favorite thing about her line?

What about those of you who haven't heard of her before? What do you think?

FREE Movie Screening Tonight, Hosted by Me!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Update 10:20AM: WOW I am so impressed with you all and in total shock, because all the tickets are gone already since my initial social media announcements yesterday! Thanks so much for your support, and see those of you who grabbed up tickets tonight!
-------------------

I am back again today with another fun thing just for you, my fabulous readers!

I am SO excited to announce that 20th Century Fox has contacted me (me!) to host a movie screening tonight at Phipps! How fun!

It's free, and it's local, and hey, there are a few hot guys in it. Doesn't that make you want to come?! Plus, of course, you would get to hang out with me, so I feel like that is a win-win :) Given that the movie is all about explosions and the CIA, this actually could be a pretty good date night movie, too, so all you men readers out there are welcome to join, too, ha!

Tweet about it, share it on Facebook, email it around. The passes are first-come, first-served, and each person can download up to two admit-one passes. The info to get your passes is below, and I hope to see you there!

This Means War

20th Century Fox invites you to an advance screening of the upcoming film THIS MEANS WAR – starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy.

The world’s deadliest CIA operatives are inseparable partners and best friends until they fall for the same woman. Having once helped bring down entire enemy nations, they are now employing their incomparable skills and an endless array of high-tech gadgetry against their greatest nemesis ever – each other.

Free passes to the screening are available via gofobo.com. Please feel free to share this invitation with colleagues, friends and family!

THIS MEANS WAR SCREENING INFO

Tuesday, February 7 at 7:30PM

AMC Phipps Plaza, 3500 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30326

Each user may download up to 2 admit-one passes.

Link to download passes: http://www.gofobo.com/rsvp

Code: KIXATLLCQG

Giveaway: Tickets to the Fox!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:52:00 +0000

I am so excited to kick off this week -- I have such fun things to share with you! First up is an awesome GIVEAWAY, just for you!

Have you ever heard of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater?

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Rennie Harris Home. Photo by Paul Kolnik

This dance group is a historic troupe hailing straight from the hip streets of New York City. Y'all know I may be a Betty, but my blood runs deep with Northern Jersey blood, so I was immediately intrigued, especially since I do love a good musical performance. Here's a brief history:

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African-American modern dancers, that performance changed forever the perception of American dance. The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 23 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents -- as well as millions more through television broadcasts.

When I heard this historic group was coming here to town to perform at our own historic Fox Theater, I was really excited to be able to check them out!

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Kirven James Boyd. Photo by Andrew Eccles

I had the unique opportunity to interview one of the Company members to find out a little more about what makes up this awesome group. Hope Boykin is a three-time recipient of the American Dance Festival’s Young Tuition Scholarship, and she was a student and intern at The Ailey School. Hope joined the Company in 2000, and it looks like she has had the career of a lifetime over there.

Let's learn a little more ... and thanks to Hope for answering my questions!

What did you learn as a student at the Ailey school that you have put into practice since as a member of the Company?

Well, from the point of view of a dancer, I have learned the great importance of embracing as much technique as I can. As a student in the school, I was exposed to so many different styles and techniques of dance; which allowed for a greater understanding and appreciation for what I would have to embrace as a member of the hardest working repertory company I know. But, if I were to share the most important lesson, I would have to say, having a relationship with the students in the school, and to set a good and true example is the most important lesson. I was treated with truth, love, and respect, and I try to give this back to the students. I was encouraged and motivated and some of the company members would often say, “…keep ‘Hope’ alive…” which made all the difference to me while I studied at the Ailey School.

What was your favorite performance as both a dancer and an audience member, Ailey or beyond? What made those performances stand out in your memory?

As an audience member, I recall, seeing a performance while I was a student in the school that I will never forget. Matthew Rushing was already a good friend of mine, and had gotten me a seat for that evening’s performance. Memoria, one of my favorite works of Mr. Ailey’s, was on the program, and I remember, the performance had already begun, as noticed Matthew running out to join me, warm-up clothes on and big hood over his head so he wouldn’t be recognized. I couldn’t imagine what he was doing in the audience. It turned out that one of the dancers performing in Memoria had a sudden injury, and Masazumi Chaya, Associate Artistic Director, would be stepping in at the last minute. I never thought I would have the chance to see him perform, and I was great. I’ll never forget it.

As a company member, I remember my first performance. There were so many dancers in the wings showing their support; the love was immeasurable.

What would you say to a audience member that might be a newcomer to the dance world (cough like me cough)?

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's
Hope Boykin.
Photo by Andrew Eccles.

This is an easy question. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is the best company to come to see if you have never seen dance before. My colleagues are the most proficient, artist/athletes that you will ever see on a stage. I am even amazed when I have the opportunity to watch from the audience, or even on the side of the stage in the wings, at the magic that is made.

What can they expect at the performance, and what might help them follow along or enjoy the show even more?

The biggest expectation the audience should have is to be changed in someway. There is nothing that I would want to explain, except to say to be prepared to see the company with fresh eyes, if you are a veteran Ailey-Goer, and for the soon to be veteran Ailey-Goer, expect to be moved.

Have you visited Atlanta before?

Yes, Atlanta is one of our home stops on tour. There are only few cities that are mandatory stops for me and Atlanta is at the top of my list.

Do you have downtime while you are on tour to sample the local cuisine and attractions? If so, what will be on your to-do list for Atlanta?

I have several friends in the Atlanta area so I have most of my free minutes already scheduled with catching up, seeing how their kids have grown, and of course a short visit to Lenox Mall (LOL).

Hooray, thanks Hope! Hearing her answers made me that much more excited to go and see the show.

Ok, now that you are up close and personal with the group that is the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, let's move on to the premiere event -- a set of tickets to the Company's opening night show at the Fox Theater!!

Details: A pair of tickets to the opening night of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater

Where: The Fabulous Fox Theater

When: Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 PM

How to Enter: You get one entry per response!

1. Leave a comment telling me who you would bring to the show if you won!

2. Follow me on Pinterest and leave a comment telling me you did so

3. Follow me on Twitter and leave a comment telling me you did so

The giveaway will end Friday, February 10 at 10AM.

Good luck everyone! I can't wait to see one of you fabulous readers at the show!

Disclosure: I was given a pair of complimentary tickets to the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Saturday Shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:22:00 +0000

Happy Saturday!!

I am a lazy gal today, lounging around and exploring Pinterest, but of course. I started a "Shoe Lust" board a few months back...

Source: Uploaded by user via Katherine on Pinterest

and it's been my favorite board to both pin to...

Source: tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

and then go stare at.

Source: peacockfeatherevents.blogspot.com via Katherine on Pinterest

For a long time.

Source: obsessed.instyle.com via Katherine on Pinterest

I have a problem. I know.

Source: prissyinpink.com via Katherine on Pinterest

I hope everyone has a great day today!!

Little Glimpses

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

There are a few things I have learned from blogging. Most other bloggers will know these facts, and some of you readers might guess them, but here are a few ...

1. I don't always feel like blogging. Gasp! Truth: I love you all and that you come to my blog and want to hear from me (me! I am so honored!). But goodness, there are days (natch, weeks...) when it's hard for me to sit down and decidedly pour out my guts to you. Usually due to part sheer exhaustion, part lack of motivation to do anything except watch TV ha.

2. I don't always have time to blog. Double gasp! In a perfect world, I'd be heading to Starbucks each morning for a leisurely few hours of me-time with the blog and my ideas. Ha. I'm pretty sure there isn't a blogger alive that has that luxury in reality ;)

But the biggest issue really is ...

3. I always have about 10 ideas for a blog post in my mind, but only about 1-2 of them are full-fledged ideas. The other 8? They float around and usually get lost in the abyss, unless I have the foresight to jot them down.

Today? This is a post about all those other things. Some snapshots into my mind. My weird, ADD-slash-OCD mind. Welcome. And I hope you will continue to hang around for some of those other 1-2 bigger ideas to make their way onto this blog in the near future, too :)

I am just amazed sometimes at the beauty of this fair Southern city on a crisp winter evening!

Remember that vlog I did earlier this week? Here is a look at the full outfit. I am loving rolling up pants at the bottom - solves the issue of them being slightly too long, but gives your legs a long and lean look when paired with heels.

Spotted: Style trend #1 for the early spring. Skinny, brightly-colored belts. These can all be found at Tar-jay on the cheap.

Spotted #2: Did you know Tar-jay carries earring backers to replace those darn little things that always seem to get lost? Genius!

Monopoly, wine and no plans can = an amazing Friday night, sometimes :)

Ahhh a clean and cozy condo. Although, say bye-bye to that plain red wall! The painter cometh this spring and things will be hung on the walls immediately thereafter :)

Extra seating found! I grabbed up this director's chair on deep discount at the Pier 1 Buckhead liquidation sale. Head over there if you haven't already, as they won't be there much longer ... they are moving to the one location by the LA Fitness in Buckhead. Everything is (or was...) first come, first served.

Holy moly, pizza stone! Our new (gifted) stone was a HUGE success. Just check out what we threw together! And we don't even really know what we are doing!

And lastly, this gal was at the GT Homecoming Game and I stopped to ask her if I could snap this shot of her in a vintage "T" varsity sweater, straight from her grandfather in the early 1900's! How amazing! Why haven't they recreated these for fans yet?! I would buy one in a hot. second.

Fighting the Food Demons

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:18:00 +0000

What do you crave most when you are short on time, energy and motivation?

Tonight, we successfully battled our #1 craving, the "let's order pizza" demon, because we had thought ahead about our meals for the week and did food shopping on Sunday. We have (so far) been able to avoid temptations for breakfasts (I don't do well without my Crispix and milk), lunches (who wants to spend $9 on a sandwich anyways?) and dinners (said pizza demon). Sure, it's two days into the work week, but it has been a long. two. days. The man is back in Master's night classes and I have been working hard at work. That pizza devil rises up when we are on our way home and absolutely hitting the wall.

You have been there. What's your vice? Chinese? Drive-through? Skipping a meal altogether?

Well, I don't well with no food, either, so thankfully, tonight's meal ingredients were already ready to go when we both walked in the door. Portobello mushrooms stuffed with Italian ground turkey, peppers and onions, topped with sauce and broiled under a mozzarella cheese topping. Even better, we both haven't seen much of each other in the last few days, so cooking together tonight was almost like a date night -- we planned ahead to take an hour and hang out in the kitchen together, sit down to eat together, and now, we are relaxing after dinner on the couch together, too. Sure, he might be studying and I might be blogging, but we are together. And not in a pizza coma, either :) Mini date night + healthy cooking = weeknight success!

This made-up recipe was really good! It makes a lot of filling, which I am saving to add to a baked pasta dish later this week. I have amended it here to include a bit fattier meat, but you can do like we did (a la WW style) and use ground turkey breast, too. If you do, just be sure to add a fair amount of Italian seasonings and a little butter or cheese to the mix to give it some richness.

Stuffed Italian Portobellos
Serves 2, or 4 as an appetizer

4 large portobello mushroom caps, washed and shaken dry
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Prep mushroom caps and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil. Bake in 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly wilted. Meanwhile, cook peppers, onions and garlic in remaining oil over Low-Medium heat until soft, about 15 minutes. Add sausage and mix in well. Cook until sausage is done. Fill mushroom caps with 1/2 cup of filling, and top with sauce and shredded cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 5-10 minutes until filling is hot, and finish under broiler for 2-4 minutes to brown cheese.

Vlog: Accessories 101

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:48:00 +0000

Back again with a vlog to end the day! Ladies, get ready, I am going to talk ACCESSORIES for ya :) Enjoy!! XOXOX

Pinterest Style Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Pinterest has recently had a serious up-tick in how-to tutorials for fashion and beauty. What started largely as a site filled with decor and cooking drool-worthy imagery is now even more useful. The hair and beauty bloggers and fans have migrated over the past few months, and I couldn't be happier!

Example 1: Click through to this super-useful chart on how to wear a scarf. The numbers on the original blog post (thefashionspot.com) have the how-tos. How many of these styles have you tried? How many are new-to-you?

Source: thefashionspot.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Example 2: I heard about the blog The Small Things from two different people AND Pinterest in one week, so I took that as a sign that I should try one of her up-dos ASAP. Voila - see the Chic Updo of my own!

I am already skilled at the half-up part... PS. don't you like my vintage vest of my Mom's?

The trick was flipping up my (short-ish) bottom half...
Lesson learned - cute results, but would be cuter with longer hair!

Example 3: Nails! While I am a convert to these nail strips (over the 10 day mark and counting!), Pinterest makes me want to sit down for my own DIY mani/pedi! This holiday one is freaking adorable. I bet she used tape strips to mark off the clean lines.

Source: nailartinspiration88.tumblr.com via Bonny on Pinterest

What about you? What people and/or fashion/beauty boards are you following on Pinterest? And are you following me yet? :)

Slow-Cooked on a Fast Night

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Are you a slow cooker addict? This has been one of the most fun appliances I have had the pleasure of owning. Well, alright, it's tied with the stand mixer; it's hard to deny the appeal of that beauty, too :)

Over the past year, we have both enjoyed learning what types of foods and combinations work well in the crock pot, and have had a few less-than-stellar learning experiences in the meantime, too. Lean meat = a no no, cream of anything soups are amazing transformers of even the blandest ingredients, and I am still amazed at how great just onions and carrots and celery can be when cooked for 10 hours. When we walk in the door late each evening, dinner is just there and waiting. Amazing.

The learning curve has paid off. Yesterday's creation (read: I made it all up) was a pure WINNER. The best part was that I threw it together in only five minutes before running out the door to work. The meat was frozen, and all I had to do was peel and chop a few carrots. All of that "effort" later, and we had an inexpensive, healthy, gourmet meal just like Mom used to make. I have included the recipe below for you to try out in your own crock pot, if you please. The chicken shreds down and almost just melts in your mouth, and the resulting sauce is rich but healthy.

The other thing I wanted to tell you about were the noodles we served this chicken and carrots casserole over. I picked up a bag of Organic Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli from Trader Joe's on a whim - gluten and wheat free, cholesterol free and sodium free, made totally from brown rice and water. Since I am a Northern-born gal, I love me some traditional pasta, but I am also willing to try out healthier and lighter options here and there.

My take: This stuff was great! I couldn't tell at all that it was not regular pasta. Granted, I wasn't eating it plain, but I still think this pasta would be fantastic under a red sauce or tossed with cheese and oil, too.

Ok, time for the recipe! Enjoy it, all!

Chicken and Carrot Slow Cooker Casserole
Serves 4-5, WW points = 6 + pasta

1 lb. frozen chicken breasts
4-5 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Penzey's Forward seasoning (or your own creation of paprika, etc.)
1 cup frozen green peas

Layer chicken, carrots, soups and seasonings in crock pot. Cover and cook on Low 10-12 hours. Stir in green peas during last 10-20 minutes while pasta cooks. Serve over pasta of choice.

Workout Recap: Pavements and Plateaus

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Last week was such a blur and filled with so many meetings after long work days that yep, you guessed it, my workouts dropped right off the radar. I stayed up too late all week, too, so morning workouts never happened, either. By Friday night, I was tired-feeling and blah, and I knew that it was a direct corrolation to my lack of energy-boosting workouts. Nothing like that kind of feeling to jolt you right back to the gym. And nothing like the knowledge of me committed to sharing my progress here to make this coming week's chart look better than last week's:

Bright and early on Saturday before we headed off to the wedding, I hit the gym and hit it hard! I did a two mile-run (shown above) and did an ab-workout, too. While I may have consumed back all (plus some) of those calories at the wedding that night, I also did a fair amount of dancing, so I am ok with my splurging :)

Tonight I am keeping up the streak and have reserved a spot in a spin class in my building. A healthy crockpot meal is heating up at home as I post, and there are a few other healthy meal options waiting for the week ahead, too.

My goal this week: schedule in workouts just like all the other things I reserve my time for. Total Progress: 2lbs. lost and 19.52 miles logged

How are your New Year's (or Life) Resolutions coming along?

Mad Hatter

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:02:00 +0000

Another winter weekend has flown by, and this one was a hilariously fun time spent at a family friend's wedding. Combine longtime Roswell friends with a Georgia Tech crowd and a bunch of the fraternity brothers I grew up with in school, and the wedding (and the after party at my parents' house that went until the wee morning hours!) was one for the books. Congrats to the happy couple, who is off to the Western Caribbean on their first cruise - how fun! Your wedding was a blast!

Since we spent the latter half of the weekend with my family, we did a number of errands early Saturday to check some items off the to-do list that I mentioned early last week. I am excited to announce we have the painter coming in a few days to give us an official quote, and we picked out some paint options from Home Depot to get our brains thinking, too! It sounds like we will have a "new" look here at the condo come March, and I couldn't be more excited.

Of course, my errands included a little "me" time, too, and I kicked it off after a salon visit with a trip to Lenox and my fav store, LOFT. I can't WAIT to tell you about the deals I scored there in another post this week. But I just had to share this photo with you in the meantime. I did not (sadly) purchase this hat, but goodness gracious, I wanted to so badly. Too bad I live in Atlanta where it would be utterly ridiculous to own something like this ;)

Do any of my readers live in Alaska and need a snow bunny to come and visit them? Because I can run back to LOFT and snag this hat ASAP, if so! Any excuse to add this fun item to my closet :)

Have a great start to your week, everyone!

Nice Little Saturdays Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:59:00 +0000

I stayed home from work today, plagued by a migraine. Migraines are the worst. My mind is working in overtime because I am just sitting or lying around, but my head hurts too much to actually do anything! Thankfully, Excedrin Migraine plus a ton of caffeine has helped, and I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel (without wincing from the glare).

But after spending the day at home, plus many more relaxing ones spent here this past weekend, my mind has been running fast thinking about all the things I want to get done in upcoming weeks. My creativity is calling, as is the need for checking off a list, and springtime is the perfect season to run through those items. The weekends are quiet, the money is coming back in post-holiday and we all want to avoid the winter blahs. This spring is THE TIME for that to-do list to just get done, already!

#1 - COLOR
This spring, we have decided to forgo an actual vacation in lieu of taking care of our house to-do list. A trip to the snow-capped mountains would be nice, but what would be more enjoyable for a much longer time would be a PAINTED CONDO. I am placing a call in to our painter this week to schedule it. That's right - the gray-blue living room, painted kitchen and maybe even a gray/other color bedroom ceiling are all immediately in the future! I am so pumped. It's about time, after all... PLUS we can spend a few of our vacay days "off" enjoying our "new home" in the end, too.

#2 - PICTURES
Recent guests to the home have probably noticed the paintings propped up against walls, or frames still in their boxes. Whichever room you are in, this condo has a lot of empty walls begging for pizazz. Post-paint, we will be renting a hammer drill (a must for concrete walls) and making that gallery wall and other artful visions I have become a reality. With just two weekends' worth of time for these projects, this whole place will look like a whole new home. I am so excited.

#3 - DOCUMENT
The scrapbook is underway, my friends! I have all of the items lined up in pages, and now all I have to do is continue to put aside a night or two a week to spend pasting, stickering and labeling the past five years of my life. What a cinch, right? Ha.

#4 - CELEBRATE
Oysterfest is upon us! I can't wait to co-host another successful pre-Oysterfest Brunch with all of our friends. Stay tuned for the invite, y'all :)

What's on your immediate To-Do list for your upcoming weekends?

Nail It!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:14:00 +0000

Ladies! I am so excited to share these with you!

Bright and early (um ... brunch-time ish actually) we woke up on Christmas morning and opened our stockings to start the day. What to my wondering eyes did appear - nail strips from Sally Hansen!

Have you heard about these things? They launched early last year, but I have seen them popping up like wildfire since the holidays, from the tabloid magazines, to Lauren Conrad's site, to some fellow bloggers across the country. Thankfully, Santa had given me two sets to try (thanks Mom and Dad!) so I decided last night was time to test drive them.

First: These things are SO EASY. Unlike regular manicures, there is no dry time. It took me about 30 minutes to put them on start to finish, but then I could go about my other evening activities - no waiting for them to dry is clutch.You just stick on the strip, file to fit your nail, and voila, done.

Second: I have read that a topcoat of clear polish seals them up, so add that on to give them some shine and an added extra few days. The box reads "up to 10 days without chipping," but most ladies will know that those claims are usually on the high end depending on how much time you spend washing dishes, doing laundry, etc.

Third: They are just plain fun! I tried out the houndstooth set (which could double as a GO BAMA set, much to the S.O.'s chagrin haha) and I have a fishnet set that I am saving for a fun bachelorette weekend.

Do you like my new cocktail ring? I found it in an
awesome jewelry store over the break in NJ!

The strips run between $7 and $10 for a box of 16. Others online have suggested cutting the strips in half to get double the amount out of the box if your nails are short.

Have you tried these nail strips? What was your experience?

Next Day Hair

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:56:00 +0000

Ladies have it tough sometimes. Every day it's the same. Shower, make-up, blow out the hair, straighten the hair, style the hair ... goodness gracious. I can do my makeup in about 10 minutes flat, but the hair, while still quick, usually takes another 15 minutes on top of that. Plus the 10 minute shower to kick it off and then 10 (ok, 15) minutes spent getting dressed and accessorized, and I really can't get out the door in less than 45 minutes. Some days I really wish I could speed things up. But mostly, I like to just shake things up and add some variety to my morning routine. I can't skimp on the makeup or clothes (God forbid I mis-accessorize!), but my hair IS something that I can switch up here and there.

Enter next-day hair. We all have read that our hair is actually healthier when we don't strip it of natural oils by washing it every single day, and instead we should go two-plus days in between washings. For most of us, this is a really, really, really hard thing to do. Our hair is used to those frequent baths, and so it gets oily in a hot minute on that second day.

Never fear, gals. It's all about training your hair to do what you want. There will be some iffy time while your strands get used to your new action plan, but they will come around and be less and less oily.

I think that the easiest way to think about next-day hair is doing something other than your straight, blown-out style. Next day hair is never going to feel or fall the same way as it does when it is freshly-washed. Think instead of hairstyles that are up off your face, curled, pulled back or worn under a headband. You don't have to hide all of the hair - just put it into a style where you won't be touching it so much (and just adding to the grease!) and remember, it doesn't have to be perfect.

First, there are some products you will need. Dry shampoo and hair sprays are a MUST. My hair has worked fine with the Tresseme dry shampoo, but I dislike how it feels to the touch. My mom swears by the Big Sexy Hair brand, so I am picking this one up next time I need some. No need to spend big bucks on this - under $10 works just as well as the expensive brands in a pinch!

And remember when I did the updo tutorial earlier last year? I told you about Aussie Instant Freeze - my FAV hairspray for a great hold. Think of it as liquid cement. When your hair is first getting used to next-day hair, this stuff will help suck up any extra grease while keeping a style in place.

Here are some of my fav ways to wear next-day hair. Witness a brief history of photos, some of which I have shared with you here before. You just may not have known it was next-day hair ;)

Wavy with the curling iron...

bangs pinned to the side ...

Bangs pinned straight back (a la Snookie, according to my brother!) ...

Totally up and in a bun ...

Half up ...

Under a headband (make a statement!) ...

Totally pulled up and back, bangs included ...

And you know what? When in doubt, throw on a trendy hat and call it a day :)

Are you a next-day hair person? What is your favorite way to wear it?

Resolutions for the Home

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:15:00 +0000

I saw these plain and simple home-based resolutions over on Apartment Therapy today, and loved them so much that I want to repost them here for you to check out! The writer resolved that she will ...

1. Carefully consider the things I bring into my home, buying only what I really need, love and will use.

2. Try to clean on a regular basis, tackling small chores so that it never becomes unmanageable.

3. Stock up on the products that I use regularly so I never have to pay a convenience store mark-up on toilet paper again.

4. Treat my home as a retreat and place of refuge, investing in small touches like fresh flowers and soft sheets to create a comforting environment.

5. Invite people over! I will stop making excuses and open my doors to friends more often.

How easy is that? I love it. Have you made any resolutions regarding your home, entertaining or cleaning? How are you coming in bringing those resolutions to life?

Source: sharesomecandy.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Keeping Things Fit

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0000

As part of my New Year - New Me campaign, I have hit the roads again to run. I was a Varsity swimmer growing up, and until college, I never knew that working out was actually something I had to do. I just enjoyed swimming, and never realized that I could eat whatever I wanted because of those three miles I did earlier that day!

Enter college, the freshman 15 and an eye-opening year of hitting the gym for the first real time in my life. Solo, no team in site or behind me touching my toes in the lane to keep me going. Ugh.

I LOVE the post-workout feeling, don't get me wrong. I know how amazing I can look if I work off more than I eat and drink, and if I weight-train the right spots, that bikini will look that much better. It's never been easy, though. Getting my booty to the gym is tough, y'all. Even tougher? Getting my booty outside for a run. Running has been hands-down the only thing that I can do to keep my body trim and tight. Spin class, kickboxing and swimming all add to the fun, but my legs and butt get the biggest bang for their bucks with just a pair of athletic shoes hitting the pavement. And guess what? I hate to run.

I'm going to do a weekly mini check-in here moving forward where I feature my Daily Mile exercise updates. Have you ever used Daily Mile? If you are a social networker, you will love Daily Mile for that "bragging" quotient of telling your friends and fellow athletes what you accomplished on that day's workout. It lets you input any kind of workout, from swimming laps to lifting weights. Even better, though, is the feature that lets you share how you actually felt during the workout so that others can provide feedback, motivation or just a simple "yay"! It may not be someone right behind me in the pool or my coach yelling at me from the side, but it definitely works.

I was sure to start 2012 off right with a run, even on a super windy/chilly day!

Working out may be tough, but sites like this one give people like me an extra oomph, and I am going to extend that accountability out to you all here, too. In honor of today's first New Year - New Me workout post, here is my Daily Mile weekly summary so far!

I have a spin workout scheduled for tomorrow and also am planning on a long walk outside to hit my 4 workouts per week goal. So far, so good! It's been tough with long workdays and trying to also get enough sleep each night, but I know I can do it if I put my mind to it.

I have added a new Daily Mile widget down on the righthand sidebar so you can follow along with me and help keep me honest :) How do you track your workouts? Do you use a special app, gadget or site?

Slim Fitting

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

As a follow-up to yesterday's post about taking advantage of storage space, let me dive back into the closet. At the end of last year, I received a box of slim-fitting hangers from my parents for my walk-in closet. They, of all people, know that I own a lot of clothes and have limited space in which to store them! So these black velvet-covered hangers have been a perfect upgrade, giving the closet a whole new feel. What I didn't realize, though, was how much of a space-impact they'd actually make! Take a look at the before ...

And the after! (Apologies for the slightly blurry BB picture!)

I discarded and donated a handful of items while I went through to swap out the hangers, but otherwise, this is literally the same bunch of clothes, just with tons more space! Now what should I do with that extra space ... purchase more clothes? ;) Or perhaps create even more storage using a hanging basket organizer?

This assortment of hangers at TJ Maxx is very similar to the Costco set I received, and these are totally affordable at only $10 for a group of 10! They have all sorts of colors and styles, so no matter your personal tastes (or those of your S.O.), you are bound to find ones that work for you.

How else do you keep your clothes and closet organized?

Storage: Look Up

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Not all home decor and organization upgrades have to be expensive or even permanent. Living in 1,000 square feet means that whatever I do in here, though, has to work and be efficient. My rule is, no space should go unused.

For example, we have two spare folding chairs under the bed along with wrapping paper and a box for bows, ribbons and tissue paper. A spare folding table stands up behind the bedroom door where no one would ever know it's there. The tallest shelves in the kitchen hold the extra wine glasses and Sweetwater glasses (omg so many of those...). Open shelves in the closet were converted into storage by adding small plastic bins:

Another easy fix I have been using is for the laundry room. And when I say room, I mean sliding doors that contain the side-by-side washer/dryer, an elevated hot water heater and two small shelves. This doesn't leave much room for the actual laundry or any sort of permanent drying racks. I have a pop-up drying rack that can hold much of my delicate laundry, but since I am perhaps a bit of a clothes-horse, sometimes that one rack just can't hold everything.

Voila. Instant drying rack for the larger shirts, leggings and hose. Sometimes, this "rack" also holds my undergarments, too, but I decided that might just be a bit too over-share for a picture :) The "rack" is just a spare dowel that I keep alongside the washer, but you can use what's on hand like the handle of your broom, mop or Swiffer, too. I prop it on top of the partially-open doors, add hangers and the clothes, and then once they are dry, the rack can just be stowed away!

What small or even silly thing do you do in your home to help you organize or store things?

Hello, 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:23:00 +0000

Hello, friends! I hope that each of you had a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends, and also that you found some well-deserved time off, too.

We spent a few days in Roswell with my parents and brother to celebrate my birthday and Christmas Day ...

Followed by a short week in New Jersey and NYC to see our extended family!

Celebrating Christmas at Grandma's House!

I am so lucky to have such wonderful family to spend these holidays with each year.

2012 is here, though, and so it is on to resolution season. Do you make resolutions each year? How well do you stick to them? I have made these lists in the past, and even recapped how I did with the 2010 list. This year, I am going to try and not overwhelm myself with lots of goals, though. I do my best with a short and sweet list that I can print off and keep in plain sight. And this year, I have a few goals topping my list.

* Lose the last 15 pounds. I am putting this out there. I had huge WW success in 2010, and then let some of it slide in 2011. Nothing huge, but just enough that my goal seemed that much farther away. 15 pounds down would allow me to hit final goal weight, and I'd be thrilled. Tactics: WW, and exercising (see next bullet)

* Four days/week of exercise. 2010 weight loss wouldn't have happened without the exercise I put into it on the back-end (thus seeing the reduction of my own back-end, ha!). Four days a week is a tangible thing that I feel confident I can do. Tactics: A combination of LA Fitness classes and running 1-2 times per week.

* Enjoy my free time. This one's tougher to quantify. I am a chronic yes-er, and have tried really hard to cut down on my commitments in the past as I try to balance work, social world, errands, chores and personal relationships. Tactics: Baby steps first. My scrapbook is sitting on my dining room floor, shoved into a corner. Once these holiday decorations are put away, I am transforming the table into scrapbook central, and am going to turn off the TV one night a week (or more!) to dedicate to that, instead.

What goals are on your agenda, for this week, month or year?

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Friends, I am checking in briefly on this beautiful Christmas Eve, one day after a marvelous birthday and one day before another wonderful day with family ahead for Christmas.

Source: flickr.com via Brenda on Pinterest

Thank you to everyone who reached out yesterday to send their well-wishes! It was a great way to kick off my next year, and I couldn't be more blessed with family and friends who love me :)

Source: themeadowbrookblog.blogspot.com via [maisontwenty3} on Pinterest

I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday! I am headed off to New Jersey and NYC to see the rest of our family. This time of year is one of my favorites, as our families all come together (inlaws of inlaws and all!) to gather for unofficial family reunions.

Source: vanessajackman.blogspot.com via Olya on Pinterest

I will be on and offline and perhaps blogging again before the New Year :)

Source: reasonstobreathe.tumblr.com via Maggie on Pinterest

Merry Christmas!!

PS. Did you see the Google homepage today? I love it! They are so smart over there!

Finely Dressed

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 02:48:00 +0000

A man's outfit says a lot about him. Just like us ladies, a man gets judged by what he is wearing, and what he is wearing reflects directly on how he holds and presents himself to others and how he feels about himself, too. A man in a fine suit feels better all-around than some man in a leisure tracksuit about 95% of the time, I would wager.

I grew up with a lot of well-dressed men in my family. My dad has an amazing sense of style and does business casual and formal to a tee. One uncle is a lawyer and knows how to wear a mean suit and tie. My brother takes all of that and puts a 20-something spin on it, adding a funky hat or fun patterned dress socks. So it's no real wonder that I ended up with a S.O. that also likes to look and dress nice :)

Why hello, handsome, yes, you may buy me a drink.

Tonight, he and I ventured up the road to visit one of the best-known spots for well-dressed men: Jos. A. Bank Clothiers. "Joe Bank," as my father refers to it, knows how to outfit a man for any occasion. Whether dressed down with a polo top or dressed up in a tux, a man (or his lady) can find just the right combination, from shoes to pants to shirts, blazers and ties.

As much as you want to pick out everything in the store right away, though, the absolute key to shopping at Jos. A. Bank is to wait for a sale. They, like any fine clothing company, have everyday customers that stop by for one of their famous Traveler shirts or to pick out a new pair of slacks for full price. But the savvy (aka Betty) customers know to hold out for a few days or weeks, because it's only a matter of time until they bust out the big guns. Enter the Jos. A. Bank "Buy 1 Get 2" sale. And it's going on right. this. very. moment.

This gorg camel hair blazer?

Buy one, get two more free. Yes, three $450 blazers, for the price of one. OR, buy one of the blazers, and tag on a pair of slacks and a button-up shirt. FREE.

This two-button wool suit, normally $595 and available in five different fabrics?

Yep, two more added to your order for the cost of just the one. Not looking for three suits? Pick up two of these lambswool crewneck sweaters to add on, instead. For F-R-E-E. The only fine print? They must be of regular price, anything of equal or lesser value.

To not wait for this sale is silly, reckless and downright wasteful. Why some men can't wait a few weeks for a new pair of slacks is probably the same as the women who ignore the outlet mall prices to pick up the latest Coach bag at full price. Silly, silly, silly. This Betty does not approve of such people. I'd much rather get three times that for the same price! It seems like such simple math.

So if you (or for the gals, your man) are looking for some wardrobe updates, be sure to swing by your local Joe Bank by tomorrow, or check out the sales online if you already know your sizing and fabric and styles of choice.

Still looking for that perfect gift? Try out their special stocking stuffer section, where items like this fab Tartan print tie on the right are available for a cool $70. PLUS TWO MORE ITEMS FOR FREE.

Ok yes, I think I have made my point :)

Men: What's the best clothing buy you've ever gotten, either at Jos. A. Banks or somewhere else?

Women: What item from the Joe Bank store would you love to see your man wearing this holiday season?

One More Week

noreply@blogger.com (Katherine Malone) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 02:41:00 +0000

This time of year sneaks up on me every. single. time! We are just one week out from vacay, my birthday, family time, the holidays, travel and almost the New Year, too. The fact that today is the 18th of December kind of blows my mind, I'm not going to lie. Where did the last three weeks go since Turkey Day?! Oh my word. The fact that I didn't get full-on stuck in Lenox Mall chaos traffic until this weekend was a miracle in and of itself, but I just can't believe all of these weeks of holiday time are going by so quickly.

In honor of all the holiday cheer we have been fitting in to our lives over the past few weeks, I have a few quick thank-yous to send out tonight! Many, many thanks to ...

* My friends! Every year, my friends are amazing and put aside an evening to celebrate not holiday-things, but instead, my birthday! The fact that Fado happened to be hosting an ugly sweater party the same night just added to the fun :) Thanks to all who made it out last night!

* The PR ladies who joined me for last week's cookie swap! What a blast. So much so, in fact, that I didn't take a single picture. Hostess fail? Perhaps. But I think the ladies all were more appreciative of my appetizers and the free-flowing wine instead, anyways :)

* The bowling gods. Check out this final score. Me versus two men (who both love to bowl), but look who also got three-digits plus the most strikes (!)

* Our tree. I seriously love it. Can you thank a tree?

* My building staff. The gift basket we brought down to them today with holiday goodies can not even express our gratitude for all that they do for us here.

* My trainer, who kicked my booty on Saturday with an accidental solo-class when no one else showed up for the group class. This gal needs to start running ASAP again in January...

* My mom and dad, who came to visit the condo and brought over some amazing holiday pillows for me to enjoy as an early birthday present. Love!!

I love how this red-backed pillow pops against the black and white houndstooth.

I love the big red houndstooth pillow! That and the "Let it Snow" pillow will be perfect for February/winter, too.

* Giving gifts. It makes me so, so happy to spread joy to others. Are you still stuck on finding those last few presents? Check out my guest post from earlier this month over on My Style Vita for some ideas.

* The man. He doesn't always get a lot of dedicated shout-outs here, but he deserves a big one after this particularly fab weekend and season so far. XOXOXO

Who or what are you thankful for right now?