Tam's Thoughts

New Orleans 2011: Food & Drink

2012-03-21T19:46:00.001-05:00

The dining/drinking scene in New Orleans was every bit as amazing as people hyped it up to be! From beignets & cafe au lait to tasting menus and everything in between, everything was mouth-watering DELICIOUS! Hubby and I are already planning on returning solely for THE GLORIOUS FOOD!

Breakfast:

Cafe du Monde (home of the famous beignet)

Lunch/Brunch:

Central Grocery (come here for an authentic muffuletta- be prepared the wait- line is out the door!)
Herbsaint (Donald Link)
Commander's Palace (go for their Jazz Brunch and their bread pudding souffle still ranks as THE BEST dessert that Hubby & I have EVER eaten!)

Dinner:

Cochon (Donald Link- my favorite place in NOLA- so good that I dined here again and their sandwich shop in September when I returned for work!)
August (John Besh)
Luke (John Besh)

Snacks/Drinks:

La Divina Gelateria
Tujague's
Napoleon House
Lafitte's
French 75- Arnaud's (our favorite bar in America!)

New Orleans 2011: Fun & Sights

2012-03-20T22:51:00.001-05:00

In mid-January 2011, Hubby & I spent a long weekend in beautiful New Orleans. Hubby had been to NOLA numerous times before, but it was my first time visiting so I especially relished our time in this lively city.

We spent most of our time just walking around the French Quarter & the Garden District. It was so fun & interesting wandering around the quaint neighborhoods, hitting up the local shops & boutiques, having a drink or two at historic establishments, eating ourselves into a Cajun food coma, etc.

After just a few days in NOLA, I could see why people are so entranced with that city- there's just so much energy & vibrancy that you can't help but be taken in by it all. Not to mention, all the GLORIOUS food that can be found in New Orleans! Food pics forthcoming in the next post...

Proof that I really do cook!

2012-03-18T21:38:00.001-05:00

Something that I get asked all the time is "Do you ever cook?". The answer is "Yes, I do and quite often too!". As much as we enjoy eating out, we enjoy eating at home just as much. Not to mention, I am OBSESSED with my kitchen (pictures to come!) so that makes it so much more fun for me!

During a typical work week, we eat dinner out just once (we have a standing dinner date w/ our friend), and I cook on the other nights. On the weekends that we are not out of town, we eat out 1-2 times. For lunch during the week, we both pack our lunches, and we usually have a lunch date together or go out w/ co-workers for 1 lunch.

I try to cook whatever we're in the mood, but more often than not, I cook on a whim with whatever is I'm the fridge, freezer, and/or pantry! Hubby likes to say that I've never made a meal twice which is probably true!

A source for more recent meals have been good ol' Pinterest! You can follow my boards/pins @ "kvk516".

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2012-03-17T17:11:00.001-05:00

Since we moved back to OK, Hubs & I try to go to Tulsa every other weekend to see LBC- such huge bonus for moving back! Hasn't LBC gotten so big?! She turns 5 next month- time flies by so fast!

This weekend in Tulsa was extra special because we're picking her up & bringing her back to OKC to spend her Spring Break with us! So excited! I have a fun week planned for LBC! Hubs will be working, but LBC & I will be having tons of seester time!

Anyways, I hope y'all are having a fun St. Pattys Day!

Washington D.C. 2010: Food

2012-03-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

Food wise, D.C. surpassed all of our already high expectations. Every meal we had was note-worthy. Seriously, we dined like a king & queen throughout this entire trip :-)! God, I love D.C.

Lunch:
The Source ( Wolfgang Puck)
Cafe du Parc
Jaleo (Jose Andres)

Dinner:
Zentan (Susur Lee)
Westend Bistro (Eric Ripert)
Komi (an EPIC 16 course & 4 hour dinner that will be hard to ever top!)

Washington D.C. 2010: Fun & Sights

2012-03-12T22:42:00.001-05:00

In mid-November 2010, Hubby & I spent a long weekend in D.C. to celebrate our 1.5 year anniversary :-).

The weather couldn't have been more picturesque of autumn. We walked EVERYWHERE. We visited all the historic monuments & museums. Hubby & I shared lots of laughs w/ the lovely Elle & her fiancé (now husband!).

It was a wonderful weekend...food pics to come!

By the way, the Blogger app won't let me re-sort pics once I've uploaded so the pic order is totally random. Sorry in advance!

Moving back to Okla-HOME-ma!

2012-03-09T21:08:00.001-06:00

If you've been a follower of my blog for a while, you know that Hubs & I both grew up in Oklahoma so that's where our families & many of our friends reside. We spent ALOT of our weekends driving to Tulsa or OKC.

Even though we enjoyed living in Dallas, we both knew Oklahoma was were our hearts were (uber corny but so true) & where we ultimately wanted to be for the long haul. In December 2010, everything started to fall in place...

We always said that my job would dictate when & where we would move. Per my request, my company offered me a position in Oklahoma City!!! They even provided a very generous relocation package. Not to mention, after being in this OKC role since January 2011, I can honestly say it has been my favorite job yet- such an amazing blessing.

Needless to say, since OKC was our final destination, we knew we wanted to find our dream house or as close to our dream house that we could find :-).

Hubs & I knew that we definitely did not want to live in the suburbs- it's just not our style. We wanted to live in the heart of the city, we wanted a house that was older w/ charm, & we wanted a beautiful & safe neighborhood. After looking at 30+ houses, we finally found "The One"- a traditional style 4 bedroom & 3 bathroom home built in 1951 w/ original hardwoods, plantation shutters, totally updated kitchen & master bath, vaulted ceiling & exposed wood beams in the master bedroom, original crown molding throughout the home, etc. located in a very lovely neighborhood.

On February 25, 2011, Hubs & I closed on our first & probably our last house (unless we win the lottery jackpot!). It was such an important day for us- I shed lots of happy tears, and we had a few champagne toasts to celebrate :-)!

We had a few big renovation projects (ie. total remodel of the upstairs guest bathroom & having the entire interior of the house repainted) & a few small projects (ie. updating & adding light fixtures, adding ceiling fans, having a hutch cabinet custom built, etc.) that needed to be completed before we officially moved into our new home in mid April 2011. I will do my best to provide some before/after pictures so you can see the transformation. Unfortunately, Hubs & I are NOT DIYers, but we lucked out with great contractors- thanks to recommendations from very helpful friends!

Can't wait to share more house pics with you soon!

Well, hello again!

2012-03-09T20:35:00.001-06:00

Sorry for my vague & abrupt 15+ month blogging disappearance- lots of major life changes & much more mundane happenings to share with you. Looking forward to reigniting my love for blogging via the Blogger app- hope to reconnect with all of my sweet blog friends very soon.

Cheers to another chapter!

Tam

My Holiday Recap via Crappy IPhone Pics

2010-12-29T20:00:00.004-06:00

Hope your Christmas was merry & bright! Mine sure was :-)!

Hubby and I spent a glorious 10 days in Oklahoma with our beloved families & friends.

I just wanted to share some IPhone pic collages of our holiday fun!

Lots of outfits were worn...here are 3 examples, starting from the left:

1. Running errands: H&M coat, Petit Bateau striped top, Jolt jeggings, Zara scarf, Ugg cardys, Chanel bag & earrings.

2. Hubby's cousin's wedding: Phillip Lim dress, Nordstrom belt, Hue tights, Prada pumps, YSL clutch.

3. Christmas #3 w/ my dad, stepmom, & LBC: F21 sweater tunic, Old Navy leggings, Ugg cardys.

Lots of time was spent with my adorable baby sister, LBC! A few of our activities:

1. A trip to visit Santa that resulted in a CLASSIC pic w/ Santa LOL!!!

2. A trip to Chuck E. Cheese where she proceeded to devoured pizza, go down the slide a million times, and demanded to spend all her tickets on candy!

3. Multiple naps and non-stop watching of Tom & Jerry cartoons (she's obsessed!).

4. 2 trips to Marble Slab Creamery where LBC demanded pink ice cream (aka. strawberry w/ sprinkles)!

5. Lots of hugs, kisses, and presents for LBC! Loved watching her tear open her presents! Her fave present: the Disney Princess scooter! She refused to take the helmet off!

Lots of good food was eaten!

1. All you can eat catfish w/ all the fixins' Q@ McGehee's Catfish Restaurant, Marietta, OK.

2. The best bread pudding w/ vanilla bean ice cream EVER and fried catfish w/ fries & jalapeno tartar sauce @ Frank & Lola's, Bartlesville, OK.

3. Fresh cut fries @ Johnnie's Grill, El Reno, OK.

4. Pizza @ Hideaway Pizza, Nichols Hills, OK.

Lots of amazing gifts & goodies were received!

I was blessed with generous & thoughtful gifts from my loved ones including a fragrance set from my dad, Pottery Barn plates & picture frame from my mom, money & Starbucks gift card from my father-in-law, pajamas from my mother-in-law, handmade sign w/ our last name for our home from Booya, kitchen goodies from Blondie, etc. By the way, the Chanel earrings & mini red flap bag were my Christmas presents to myself :-).

Special thanks to my wonderful Hubby for the beautiful diamond hoop earrings that he gifted me! LOVE LOVE LOVE! They were made by the same jeweler who custom made my engagement ring, wedding band, and 1st anniversary earrings. I adore my new earrings but I adore my Hubby MUCH more!

Midnight Mass Outfit: Ali Ro dress, Hue tights, Prada pumps, YSL clutch.

I'm pretty sure the priest translated his sermon specifically for Hubby who was THE ONLY WHITE PERSON in attendance LOL!

Christmas Eve w/ my precious Mommy! Look at what she forced our dog, Jackie Chan, to wear hahaha!

Christmas Day w/ Hubby's immediate family! Day after Christmas w/ Hubby's extended family!

Day vs. Night

Lots of events to attend (a total of FIVE Christmas celebrations in addition to the annual Amity Christmas dance and tons of get-togethers with friends)!

Amity Dance outfit: Loft dress, Nordstrom dotted tights, Prada pumps, Chanel cuff, YSL clutch.

All in all, it was an insanely busy yet wonderfully perfect holiday season!

Wishing you all the happiest of new years!

I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store for all of us!

P.S. I appreciate all of your kind comments & emails regarding the status of my blog. As of now, I'm honestly not sure what's going to become of it. I'm hoping I'll figure things out after the new year. In the meantime, feel free to follow me on Twitter or ask me questions on Formspring!

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-16T22:20:00.008-06:00

I interrupt this much longer than I expected blogging hiatus with a quick post to say "Hello, I'm alive! I've miss you all so much! Happy Holidays!". Hubby and I have been blessed with lots of good news lately which means we have a lot of major life changes that we need to figure out which of course is taking up all of our time and energy at the moment. Hopefully, I'll be back to semi-regular blogging after the holidays. Hopefully...

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that we've been doing nothing but eating and working LOL. In fact, I've been so busy with work that I haven't devoted as much time to Christmas shopping as I have in the past. Seriously, 90% of the Christmas gifts that I've purchased have been from online purchases from Sephora (Bulgari perfume for my mom & stepmom!) and CSN (a new briefcase for my dad!).

What have you all been buying for yourself and for others during this holiday season??? Fill me in! I've missed hearing from you all!

Here's our 2010 Christmas card courtesy of Shutterfly!

In case I don't blog again before Christmas, I just wanted to wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

And the winner is...

2010-11-18T22:20:00.002-06:00

It's finally time to announce the winner of

Marcus Samuelsson's New American Table...

Yes, I'm old school- I like to hand write the entries (even though my handwriting is appalling!) so that Hubby can physically draw the winner's name out of a vintage glass vase...

...and the winner is...

the wonderful Chrispy from Likes Food, Will Travel!

Please email me with your shipping address, and I'll mail out your prize tomorrow!

On a personal note, if you love anything food-related (be warned, don't read her blog if you're remotely hungry, her pictures are drool-worthy!), Chrispy's blog is a must-read!

Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway! I loved hearing about all of your comfort foods!

Speaking of comfort foods, I hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving filled with LOTS of food, friends, family, and fun!

P.S. Thanks to everyone who provided me w/ D.C. recommendations, Hubby and I had a phenomenal time in D.C. (we saw Lincoln, Washington, & Jefferson...we ate at Ripert, Puck, & Andres)- will most definitely blog all about it soon! Plan on a few "Washington D.C. Wednesday" posts coming up in the future.

P.P.S I'm going to take a short & slightly sporadic break from blogging. Like everyone else during this time of year, Hubby and I have SO MUCH GOING ON that I don't think I'll have the time & energy to blog very much. Hopefully, we'll have some very happy news to share with you all soon :-)! In the meantime, feel free to keep in touch w/ me on Twitter! xoxo.

"What's in Tam's Shopping Cart?": Christmas Cards

2010-11-18T17:55:00.000-06:00

Seriously, am I the only one who thinks that this year has FLOWN BY!? How is it already Thanksgiving time??? That means Christmas is just around the corner- OMG! Well, I guess it's probably time to get my Christmas cards (Geez, I'm such a procrastinator sometimes!)! YAY for Shutterfly's awesome promotion for bloggers! I don't know about you, but I LOVE SHUTTERFLY (you can see why here)!

As for the aforementioned Christmas cards, Shutterfly has SO MANY cute options- I've finally narrowed it down to 5 so please feel free to chime in to let me know which one's your favorite!

Option #1

Option #2

Option #3

Option #4

Option #5

Once I decide on my very favorite, I'll let you know! In the meantime, if you're a blogger, feel free to join in on all the FREE Christmas cards fun courtesy of Shutterfly! Even if you're not a blogger, you should join on the fun too- Shutterfly always has so many awesome promotions going on! Time to get into the holiday spirit :-)!

Blondie's Back!

2010-11-10T23:59:00.001-06:00

I got to visit Blondie and Baby M today! Have I mentioned that Blondie, Canuck, and Baby M moved back to the DFW area?!? YAY!!! Canuck got a great new job in Fort Worth so they finally were able to move back to Texas which is something that they've been wanting for a very long time so we are super excited for them and their new adventure! Not to mention, I'm just happy to be living in the same town as my BFF!! I see lots of lunches & shopping dates in our future!

How adorable are Mommy and Son?!?

What a cute little preppie all decked out in his Polo shirt and jeans!

I'm pretty sure my arms hurt from holding him for so long, but it was totally worth it :-)! Can't wait to spend more time w/ Blondie & Baby M in the next few months! Love them so much!

"What's in Tam's Shopping Cart?": Online Sales

2010-11-10T22:00:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year...shopping for gifts, non-stop sales (i.e Sephora's Friends & Family, Gap Give & Get, Bloomingdales F &F, etc.), etc. Let's just say my Fed Ex & UPS guys visit me often during the holiday time frame :-)!

Remember when I blogged about all these delivery notices?? Here's a peek into what was in some of those packages!

Le Creuset baking goodies via CSN.

Statement necklaces via Gilt.

Gifts & goodies via Sephora.

What have YOU been buying lately?

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway for Marcus Samuelsson's cookbook!

1000th Post GIVEAWAY: "New American Table" by Marcus Samuelsson

2010-11-10T07:55:00.002-06:00

By now you've probably read about me attending a cooking demo by Marcus Samuelsson, me eating food that was physically cooked by the Chef himself and personally served to me by the Chef himself, me getting my copy of his cookbook autographed, me getting my picture taken with M.S., etc. Before you get sick of my oohing and aahing about M.S., there's 1 more Marcus Samuelsson-related thing to blog about...

Lucky for you, Hubby was too busy taking pictures of me with the Chef to have his copy of the cookbook signed (not to mention, do we really need 2 copies?) so....Hubby is generously surrendering/"regifting" his copy of Marcus Samuelsson's New American Table to ONE of my dear readers! Hooray! In an essence, Hubby is sponsoring my 1000th blog post giveaway (he demanded that I mention that :-)!).

HOW TO WIN:

In keeping w/ Marcus Samuelsson's version of comfort food (the Shrimp & Grits that he made for his demo), leave me a comment telling me what YOUR comfort food is. Feel free to include a recipe or a link for a recipe!
For an additional entry, become a follower of Tam's Thoughts, and let me know by leaving me a comment. If you are already a follower via Google Reader, etc., please leave me a comment letting me know!
For an additional entry, become a follower of @tamsthinking, and let me know by leaving me a comment. If you already follow me on Twitter, please leave me a comment letting me know!
For an additional entry, retweet or blog about this giveaway! If you do, please include a link to your blog or Twitter post in the comments section!

GIVEWAWAY RULES:

US Residents only.
Please include your contact email in your comment. I'll email you on Thursday, 11/18 to get your name & mailing address.
No entries accepted after Midnight (CST) on Wednesday, 11/17.
One winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Thursday, 11/18.
Prize will be mailed out on Friday, 11/19 so that you'll hopefully receive before Thanksgiving in case you wanted to try out some of the recipes for the holiday weekend!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Meeting Marcus Samuelsson

2010-11-07T23:09:00.000-06:00

I was super excited when I got an invite to the Buick Regal Discovery Tour event at Hotel Palomar (you'll see why towards the end of the post!). At this exclusive event, "you will learn culinary secrets from one of the top chefs in the country...you will also enjoy products crafted by local artisans, discover an insider's look into American travel and taste custom cocktails paired to gourmet cuisine".

*St. James x Calypso Galathee shirt, Jolt jeggings, "Mini Ego" scarf x Topher & Co, Marni flats, Lanvin bag*

Can I just say that I'm utterly obsessed with my latest Etsy purchase? You all know my fascination with all things yellow so I just adore the color. Not to mention it's made to order, and Topher & Co is donating 50% of his proceeds for the remainder of the year to his favorite non-profit organizations! Shopping + good cause= Win Win.

Module #1: Michael Stern of Roadfood was such an informative, passionate, and funny speaker. He shared some of his favorite food finds while traveling all over the US as well as helpful travel tips. Hubby and I will most definitely be checking out Michael's website when we do foodie research for our trips! I can't believe that we've been missing out on this awesome website all this time! SO MUCH GREAT FOODIE INFO.

Module #2: The ladies of Dallas' very own Society Bakery shared their success stories and cake/cookie decorating tips. So much fun to listen to and so much fun to watch! To be honest though, it was tough to pay attention with all the lovely displays of cakes, cupcakes, cookies, etc. distracting me. Don't even get me started on the sheer delight that came over me when I sampled one of their pumpkin whoopie pies...wow.

Module #3: Michael Green showed how to create a few of his favorite cocktails & mocktails! He was hilarious, lively, and super helpful! I picked up lots of great drink-making tips to keep in mind for any future parties that we may be hosting!

Module #4: Marcus Samuelsson, chef extraordinaire and Top Chef Masters Season 2 Winner, shared childhood anecdotes, stories from his training days in France, his thoughts on today's cuisine, and his career and life inspirations. While sharing his stories, Chef Samuelsson cooked Shrimp & Grits, an item that will be featured on the menu of Red Rooster, his latest restaurant that will be opening soon in Harlem.

*pictured clockwise from top left*

The appetizer portion of Chef Samuelsson's Shrimp & Grits that was passed out during his cooking demo. Obviously, it was made beforehand to accommodate all the attendees. It was soooooooooooooooooo yummy! So happy that they provided us w/ the recipe card for it because I will definitely be making this ASAP!
After the demo, the host had a "quiz" for the group. The people who correctly answered a question (there were 6 questions total) were presented with a dinner sized portion of Chef Samuelsson's Shrimp & Grits that he actually cooked in front of us.
Chef Samuelsson personally asked the 6th and final question, "What country did I do my training?". "France!", I answered correctly! YEAH!!!!!!!
Being personally served with a dish cooked by Chef Samuelsson himself was a HUGE THRILL for me. I devoured every morsel my "prize' with the biggest smile on my face :-).

At the beginning of the event, the host announced that in lieu of gift bags, Buick would be making a donation in our names to Feeding America! What a generous gift for such an phenomenal organization! In addition to this already amazing contribution to Feeding America, after the cooking demo concluded and the event ended, they gifted us all with a copy of Chef Samuelsson's cookbook, New American Table!!! Yippee! Getting my copy signed and my picture taken with Marcus Samuelsson...DOUBLE & TRIPLE YIPPEE!!!

Thanks Buick for putting together such a fantastic event!

P.S. Stay tuned for a belated celebratory giveaway in honor of my 1000th post (see actual 1000th post here). Not to hype it up or anything, but the prize is FABULOUS if I do say so myself :-). Oh, Hubby provided the prize so he kinda sorta is sponsoring this particular giveaway (he wanted me to mention that LOL!).

Tei An

2010-11-06T23:30:00.001-05:00

After Hubby finished up at the office, we drove a a couple of miles to One Arts Plaza. for our 8:00pm dinner reservation at Tei An. Hubby and I have both been dying to eat here so we were super excited for our dinner date tonight! Also, it's always fun celebrating some exciting news career-wise with amazing food!

*Rachel Roy silk top (I'm obsessed w/ the bondage-y detail of the back!), Jolt jeggings, Target faux leather moto jacket (such a great copy cat version of the Rick Owen's designer version- see pics of Ashley Olsen & Rachel Bilson below), Sam Edelman heels, Chanel necklace, and Lanvin bag (I forgot to switch out purses for dinner! Oops!)*

Ashley Olsen & Rachel Bilson rocking the legit Rick Owens jacket. LOVE.

Love the ambiance at Tei An. Super sleek & stark, modern yet warm, and tres chic. After reading a few reviews of Tei An, we decided to opt for the Chef' s"An" Tasting Menu ($80 per person for 8 courses). Our waitress asked if we had any food allegies (none) and if we wanted a more Americanized version or a more adventurous version (the latter of course!). We were in the Chef's hands for our entire meal tonight. Totally liberating.

* pictured clockwise from top left*

Course #1: White Seaweed Salad- OMG. All the reviews absolutely raved about this salad, and they were all on point! Hubby and I couldn't get enough of the soy & sesame vinaigrette, and the white seaweed was super refreshing. The perfect first course.

Course #2: Sashimi Platter- Japanese snapper, 3 kinds of mackerel, yellow fin tuna, octopus, w/ 4 dipping sauces (soy, ponzu, citrus vinaigrette, and chili sauce). Each piece of sashimi was so remarkably fresh as if it was just swimming in the ocean a mere 15 minutes ago! My fave was the Japanese snapper, and Hubby's was the octopus.

Course #3: Wagyu Beef- After dipping it in the ponzu sauce, we seared the Wagyu beef on the hot rock. Gloriously marbled with fat and cooked to medium rare perfection.

Course #4: Japanese Egg Custard w/ Shrimp & Pork & Mushrooms- This was the only course that slightly disappointed me. I just did NOT enjoy the custard texture even though the I loved the broth and the shrimp. In contrast, Hubby enjoyed it though which says alot since he detests most things with eggs.

*pictured clockwise from left*

Course #5: Kurobuta/Black Pork Skewers- OMFG!!! I think Hubby and I both died and went to pork heaven! After experiencing how succulent & tender pork can be, I don't think I'll ever look at pork in the same way. I can honestly say that Kurobuta black pork was THE BEST pork that I've ever tasted. My tastebuds are craving for more! Seriously, the next time we dine at Tei An, it's going to be VERY hard for me NOT to order 4 Kurbota/Black Pork skewers and call it a day!

Course #6: Tempura Platter-Shrimp, White Seaweed, Purple Potato, and Shiso Leaf served with Truffle Salt, Chili Pepper, and Green Tea Powder as dipping options. The tempura was piping hot & fresh & not too oily, and I really loved dipping each piece in green tea powder! We devoured every bite.

Course #7: Whole Fish Encrusted w/ Garlic & Truffle Salt & Japanese Lime- As you can see when you compare the "before" and "after" pic, Hubby and I pretty much picked the fish clean :-). So moist, so flavorful, so fun to just pick at it.

Course #8: Curry Soba- Tei An's specialty is soba noodles, and this final course was spectacular. The noodles were perfection, and the curry soup broth was out of this world delicious! I really liked the white onion slices in the broth. We slurped our bowls dry!

Thanks Hubby for a divine dinner date! Love trying new places and new foods with you. xoxo.

If you live in the Dallas area, PLEASE do me and yourself a favor, and treat yourself to the Chef's "An" Tasting Menu at Tei An- it'll be an extraordinary meal that you'll never forget. Hubby and I are already planning on returning as soon as we get a chance!

Saturday Shopping

2010-11-06T16:54:00.000-05:00

What a GORGEOUS Autumn morning in Dallas!!!

*J.Crew/Saint James naval tee (rocking my crimson & cream on an OU gameday...even though we lost!), Old Navy leggings, scarf from Standard Style, Steve Madden boots, Chanel glasses, Lanvin bag*

Hubby and I needed to accomplish 2 daunting shopping-related tasks today:

1. Find Hubby a new coat (to be specific, a classic black peacoat that is ideal for both work and play) to replace the hideously outdated and extremely ill-fitting (boxy enough to fit 5 people in it!) Abercrombie & Fitch coat that he's had since 1995.

Hooray for this fabulous double-breasted peacoat that we found at Neiman Marcus Last Call! Hubby's notoriously picky when it comes to buying new clothes so we were both pleasantly surprised that he found this coat within 5 minutes of walking into NMLC! It's cut beautifully and is super soft (it's wool/cashmere blend)! He'll be wearing this coat nonstop during our next trip!

2. Find me a black pant suit to replace the black skirt suit that I've had since my senior year of college (2005 to be exact). My current suit's not outdated or ill-fitting per se. I just needed a new one. Sometimes, things just need to be replaced or updated, no?

I don't know about you all, but I HATE SUIT SHOPPING. I always have. I'm short, busty, etc. so I think suits generally look terrible on me and make me look uber dowdy. Much to my surprise, I found a beautiful lightweight wool black suit at Banana Republic that was cut beautifully and made me feel uber chic. Surprisingly enough, the only alterations that will need to be made is the shortening of the jacket sleeves since the pants were the "Short" inseam length. I got the jacket, pants, and skirt so I would be able to mix & match. It's a classic suit that will last me forever :-).

Before we could get our shop on, we needed to get our grub on! We were in the mood for pizza so we randomly stopped at Boston's, a self-proclaimed gourmet pizza chain, since it was on the way to the mall. We've never been, and we're always up for trying a new place even if it's a chain. We ordered a medium "Sicilian" (Boston's famous pizza sauce covered with spicy Italian sausage, smoked ham, sliced pepperoni, red onions, green peppers and mozzarella cheese and topped with fresh basil and tomatoes). Even though the crust wasn't thin, it had a nice crisp to it. Also, the toppings were great (especially the fresh tomatoes & basil chiffonade) even though I wished the sausage was chopped in smaller pieces. All in all, not too bad for a chain, but I doubt we would ever return.

After our shopping tasks were accomplished, Hubby had to go to the office to work so I tagged along with some iced coffee and reading materials to entertain me!

I love this view from one of the partner's office. I adore the skyline of downtown Dallas.

Hope you all had a wonderful Saturday!

M-F via Twitter

2010-11-05T23:13:00.000-05:00

According to my Twitter pics, my week consisted of the following:

1. Monday-Wednesday, I was in KC for work meetings. In other words, I ate Spicy Crab Salad at Siki for 3 straight days. If you're a regular reader of this blog, this does NOT surprise you one bit!

2. I flew back to a surprisingly chilly Dallas on Wednesday evening to be surprised by Hubby bringing dinner home (chicken tender & french fries from Chicken House, to be exact!). He knows me all too well :-).

3. Amused to come home to 5 missed delivery notices. Looks like someone's been online shopping :-)! In my defense, 2 packages were Christmas presents for my parents! I'll blog about some of the goodies in a future post!

4. I was the lucky winner of a lovely coffee table book, Grace Kelly Style, which arrived this week! Thank you so much, Sit. Relax. Gossip.!

5. I had to get my routine 18K mile maintenance done on my company car. While I was bored in the waiting area, I look a pic of my latest pair of Chanel eyeglasses. I LOVE THEM. BOO to my eyesight worsening, YAY for an excuse to buy new glasses!

6. It's FINALLY starting to feel like Fall in Dallas which means I'll be making soups NONSTOP! This week, I made "Creamy Chipotle Soup" (first pic was pre-blended, following pic was post-blended). When it comes to soups, I rarely use recipes- I just make it up as I go while relying on what's already in the fridge and pantry! This time, I used diced Roma tomatoes, white onion, garlic, chipotle peppers, homemade salsa, chicken stock, Mexican cheese blend, etc.

7. Friday night dinner @ S&D Oyster Company. Fried oysters, fried shrimp, hush puppies, and fresh cut fries- I think we died and went to fried heaven!

That's all, folks!
Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!

Ice Cream Cone Cuteness!

2010-10-31T23:35:00.001-05:00

We look forward to Halloween so much because it means dressing up LBC in an adorable costume (see her costumes for 2009 and 2008), parading her cuteness for everyone to oooh and aah over, and eating an obscene amount of candy!

*F21 red & white striped tee (again, I like to wear red on OU gamedays!), Jolt black legging pants, Zara sweater, Coach python flats, Chanel eyeglasses, Balenciaga bag*

*LBC's "Ice Cream Cone" costume from Pottery Barn Kids*

Before the Halloween fun began, we visited Booya and her new baby boy! What an adorable little baby! LBC and I were immediately smitten with him :-)!

Seriously, can LBC be ANY more adorable in her Halloween costume?!?!?! I die from cuteness overload!

This little girl just makes us so deliriously happy! We love getting to spend time with her especially during fun occasions like Halloween!

Since trick-or-treating was going to be on Sunday evening (we would already be en route back to Dallas...BOO!), we took LBC to downtown Broken Arrow's Halloween festivities. We had a blast trick-or-treating, looking at the zoo animals, etc.

A few random shots of LBC in case there wasn't enough already LOL! LBC was a big fan of the white "I Love NY" tee that I got her during our trip to NYC. Have I mentioned that she's OBSESSED with white T-shirts?! The girl wears a white T-shirt 90% of the time by her own choice!

Just a few more pics from our weekend...hope you all had a great Halloween weekend as well!

Taqueria El Fuego

2010-10-29T22:34:00.001-05:00

Can you tell that we've been on a Mexican bender lately?!

Friday Lunch @ Taqueria El Fuego in Richardson.

Hubby got the pork gordita on house-made corn tortillas with rice, sour cream, and guacamole.

I got 2 burritos: 1 w/ chorizo, egg, & cheese and 1 w/ potato, egg, & cheese. I fixed my baby burritos up by topping them with tons of fresh habanero salsa, pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa, and sour cream. Tasty!

If only Taqueria El Fuego was closer to us, I think this place would be added to the rotation.

Neo + Mavs

2010-10-27T22:33:00.000-05:00

I got us tickets and a parking pass for the Mavericks season opener through work. Yay for a work perk!

*Victoria's Secret tunic, Jolt jeggings, Steve Madden boots, American Apparel sweatshirt (in hand), Chanel "Bird" earrings, and Balenciaga bag*

We took this opportunity to eat at Neo Pizza, a brick oven Napoletana pizzeria, which is conveniently located in Victory Park (also home to American Airlines Center).

We devoured a "Metro"-sized Rustica pizza (red sauce, house-made mozzarella, Italian sausage, and bell peppers). The crust was super thin & crispy, and the toppings were flavorful and fresh. DELICIOSO!

Mavericks games are so fun because we're there just to have fun and eat (garlic fries!). We could care less if we lose (fortunately, the Mavs have won every game we've attended!) so there's no pressure (unlike OU games!). GO MAVS!

Rusty Taco

2010-10-25T23:38:00.001-05:00

This will come as no surprise to those of you who follow my blog on a fairly consistent basis- WE. LOVE. TACOS. Before I start dating Hubby 8+ years ago, I had NEVER EVER eaten a taco before. Fast forward a few years later, and I've become a taco addict just like Hubby!

There's been an influx of mainstream taco joints (in addition to the already present authentic taquerias) in Dallas the past year so our list of "must try" taco places is ever-growing! Tonight, we checked one off our list: Rusty Taco.

We feasted on 7 tacos:

2 of the #5 BRISKET (very slowly roasted then shredded, topped with cotija cheese).
1 of the #1 PICADILLO (ground beef, potatoes and spices simmered all morning).
1 of the #2 ROASTED PORK (rubbed with coarse pepper, sea salt and garlic, then slowly roasted).
1 of the #7 FISH TACO (grilled, topped with red cabbage, cilantro and chipotle crema).
1 of the # 8 BAJA SHRIMP TACO (crispy shrimp with a creamy, baja sauce).
1 of the #9 RUSTY TACO (Achiote pork with charred pineapple).

Just a few side notes:

You have your choice of corn or flour tortillas. We got all corn.
You have your choice of cilantro. Of course, we got cilantro on all 7 tacos- we love it!
All tacos are $2 a piece! A steal considering how much filling each taco has!
Our two favorites were the #5 Brisket and the #8 Baja Shrimp. If we return, we'll be getting 3 each of those two. For sure.

Jackass 3D

2010-10-24T22:08:00.001-05:00

Sunday Funday @ Northpark Center.

*Petit Bateau striped top (adore the button detail on the shoulder!), 7 skinny jeans, Anthropologie Initial ("K") necklace, Marni sandals, scarf from Standard, Balenciaga*

Since we were at Northpark, OF COURSE we ate at Which Wich. It's a no-brainer for us since we're both obsessed with their "Grinder" sandwich w/ salami, pepperoni, capricola, pesto, oil, vinegar, Italian dressing, pepperoncini, hot pepper mix, crispy onion strings, caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, oregano, crushed red pepper, garlic, and Parmesan on toasted wheat bread. Which Wich never fails to impress us.

Currently at Northpark, Canstruction exhibits are on glorious display. "Canstruction is the most unique food drive in the world...using thousands of full cans of food, Dallas architects and engineers fight hunger in a competition that builds 23 spectacular structures, with the cans benefiting the North Texas Food Bank...Canstruction competitions will generate more than 1 million pounds of food for local food banks". I thought the can interpretation of Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe was SO FREAKING AWESOME.

As part of our Sunday Funday date, we caught a matinee screening of Jackass 3D. Being huge fans of the first two Jackass installments, Hubby and I were pretty excited to see this which says ALOT since we hardly ever go to movies in the theaters anymore (we hate the crowds, people who talk during the film, etc.). We were definitely NOT disappointed...the Jackass guys went all out w/ stunts that were hilarious, disgusting, and absolutely crazy. We loved every minute of it even if we almost gagged 10 times during the movie! I'm still shuddering at the thought of some those siiiiiiiiiiiiiiick stunts. Icky.

Gotta love the 3D shades :-)!

Taqueria Pedritos

2010-10-23T23:58:00.002-05:00

We stayed in Dallas this weekend. For lunch, we decided to try out Taqueria Pedritos, 1 of the many taquerias on our ever-growing "Must Try" list.

*American Apparel red tee (gotta represent for my Sooners on gameday!), 7 jeans, necklace from Salvador, Old Navy sandals*

P.S. Don't get me wrong, my legs are short, but they're not THAT short! Blame it on the 6'4" husband who always takes pics of me w/ a downward angle!!! Grrr!

The place was decorated oddly to say the least. However, if the food tastes good, then I could care less how a restaurant chooses to decorate!

I got 3 tacos (2 al pastor and 1 carnitas) and a Mexican Coke. Hubby got a small bowl of menudo, 1 buche (pig's stomach) taco, 1 taco al pastor, and a tamarind soda. He's always wanted to try menudo so today was his chance. Hubby liked it, but he didn't love it. You know what he did love though? The tacos! He seriously could not stop talking about how good they were! He claims they were the best tacos he's had outside of Mexico City! A pretty bold proclamation. Needless to say, we'll be back soon.