rants and raves

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myw13 shared an Instagram photo with you

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rant: dads singing princess songs

uh, this is precious.

the article explains what made these dads do this.

and it is amazingly sweet.

i think it's awesome when dads are willing to play princess and tea parties just because it makes their little girls happy.

so dads with daughters, go put on a tiara and have some tea and cookies while singing princess songs!

rave: target + neiman marcus full look book

target + neiman marcus full look book was released today on a bullseye view. the release happened in conjunction with target's 50th year celebration. and the collection did not disappoint. i can totally see something for everyone. below are some of my favorites. i'm not sure how many of these will end up being gifts though...

Altuzarra for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Old Fashioned Glasses ($49.99), Shaker ($49.99) and Tray ($79.99)

love love love!

Brian Atwood for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Leather Gloves, $49.99

Jason Wu for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Girl’s Printed Dress, $59.99

Lela Rose for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Top, $69.99

LOVE this!!!

Oscar de la Renta for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Pet Bowl, $29.99

rag & bone for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Shot Glasses, $19.99 (set of 4)

Robert Rodriguez for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Top, $79.99

must have this...

Thom Browne for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Women’s Blazer, $129.99

i've been looking for a navy blazer

Tracy Reese for Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collection – Dessert Plates, $39.99 (set of 4)

so anyone else excited?!?! i'm sure it's gonna be a mad house and all sorts of craziness. i hope their online shopping infrastructure is ready to take the influx of activity come december 1. as for their sales people, i'll be praying for you. :)

rant: goodbye my pup

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Yesterday I had to put The Pup to sleep. It was probably one of the hardest things I've had to do. His tumors were causing him too much pain and strain on his body. He out lived his prognosis by about 1.5 years so I'm grateful for the extra time together. He would have been 12 this November. I could not have asked for a better dog. I'm gonna miss you my love.

rave: these are a few of my favorite things

this video has some of my favorite things all wrapped up in one:

jeremy lin

basketball

street markets

and hello kitty

what's not to love?!?!

rave: kiernan shipka

love the show she's on.

love her character.

love her closet and sense of fashion (and she's only 12!).

love her. (pointe, testing for her black belt, makes her own clothes, can laugh at herself, plays guitar and piano, likes to cook.)

can't wait to see what kiernan shipka will do in the next 5 to 10 years.

and for an in depth look at her closet, check out this post on the coveteur!
i'm kinda jealous...
i'm sure she will be (if not already) taller than me. i wonder if she'll let me have the clothes she's out grown...
and i'm not sure why i didn't know of all these high end kids clothes i can tap into...i'm already obsessively searching...

you can follow kiernan on twitter @kiernanshipka and instagram @kiernanshipka

rave: FNO 2012

rant: mckayla maroney = mini posh spice

i have been obsessively watching the 2012 summer olympics. i have always loved them and watched religiously. my favorites are gymnastics, diving, volleyball, basketball and swimming. so this past week has been crazy exciting and emotional (more on that in a later post) and all the royal sightings have been fabulous too.

but just on a quick note on mckayla maroney. she is a mini victoria beckham! the whole time b and i watched, i just couldn't get over how much mckayla resembled posh spice. she even has the bitch stare down. maybe they will get to meet at the closing ceremony when the spice girls reunite...

rave: target + neiman marcus = omg

Last week I read the announcement and I had to double check. And it's true: Target & Neiman Marcus are doing a collaboration! And it is a BIG one: A limited-edition holiday collection of gifts featuring 24 of America’s most preeminent designers is in the works.

Together, the two companies have enlisted their designer friends to create a collection of more than 50 gifting products, from apparel and home décor to pet products, sporting goods and more. The collection will hits all Target and Neiman Marcus stores AND Target.com and NeimanMarcus.com on December 1.

All of the participating designers are members of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which is why Target and Neiman Marcus will be donating $1 million to the organization. The donation will be used to support fashion design talent through scholarships, mentoring and business development programs.

Today, both blogs shared a video with us showing the world a sneak peak of the super secret stuff that has been happening for months now. (I'm still not sure how they kept this major news with so many people involved quiet for so long without any info being leaked. They must have tapped into the Apple/Steve Jobs method.) Cameos from some of the designers and "stuff" they are working (and their fabulous offices!) is great eye candy. So watch it!

The anticipation of seeing finished products is killing me. *sigh* Now I'm super excited about holiday shopping. I better start saving my pennies...

To stay in the loop as new information becomes available in the months ahead, please visit NMdaily.com and ABullseyeView.com regularly. On Twitter, please follow @NeimanMarcus, @ABullseyeView and #Holiday24 for the latest buzz.

rant: I've been bitten...

by the home improvement bug. Seriously, this is getting out of control. Who knew that by cleaning and reorganizing my closet and deep cleaning the kitchen (part 1...part 2 happens tomorrow) it would suddenly inspire an obsession in renovating. So this is my current list:

Granite counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms. I'm leaving this one to the pros. Leaning towards Kashmir White granite or something along those lines. And since I'm replacing counter tops in the kitchen...
Backsplash update in then kitchen. Leaning towards subway tiles or mini subway tiles. I'm having internal debates about how the smaller mosaic type tiles will hold up in 5-7 years. Will they look dated? Also not sure if I like the busyness of the look.
Bathroom fixtures, lights and mirrors. Might as well update. Especially the faucets but putting up framed mirrors will also help. May possibly DIY the master mirror by framing it with moulding due to sheer size.
Kitchen cabinets. My contractor confirmed that my doors and fronts are wood so i can sand and stain them (Yah!) I plan to DIY them. (I've lost my mind.) Here's to 3-6 weeks where my kitchen will be taped off to look like a scene from contagion.
Paint. I want to repaint the entire interior...by myself. (Yes I'm insane.) After some discussion and though I have come to the conclusion I will commit to painting the master bath and bedroom. I may possibly paint the second bathroom since it is a crazy red with a faux finish so I can't match paint to fix the dings. The rest of the house I plan to ignore...for now.
Fireplace. I want to try and tile over the big pink brick giant in the room with some ledge stone. If is screw up the ill have someone fix it :)
Bathroom shower. Need to re-caulk all the silicone since it looks gross. Simple enough.
Kitchen island. I want to DIY a kitchen island out of kitchen cabinets, the put casters on it and have the guys replacing my counter tops install a slab of granite/butcher block on top. Anyone want to help me?!?
Front door. Replace it. Just found out that everyone at home depot/lowes and lots on the interweb are on crack. I don't HAVE to replace the frame also. I can just replace the door and hardware. My contractor is awesome.

I think that is it so far. I've lost my mind and I'm going to give my husband a heart attack.

Damn you pinterest.

rave: spring has sprung

yards of dirt

the last couple days have been a little crazy. all this warm weather had b and i scrambling to get our yard and garden prepped and ready. so monday we had yards of dirt dropped on our driveway. then the hard work of moving all the dirt to where it was needed began. we composted the front lawn, the front flower bed and the back flower bed with the dillo dirt and filled the two garden beds in the back with gardening soil. a week ago, we had some guys come out and remove the shrubs in front of the house. some of them were 50%-80% dead from the bad drought last year. most were in horrible shape from lack of pruning. aside from that they were starting to cover up the house. i could literally walk out and no one would see me because they were 5 inches taller than me! so new shrubs also went in. to say the least, we were wiped out but everything looks so much better already. so all the hard work was well worth it.

before & after

found a couple nest of lady bugs in the empty new garden bed

backyard all filled, trimmed and composted. ready for veggie planting!

today was another home improvement day. our plumber finally came out to repair a leak that we discovered a while back. it's been the strangest thing and leaking under the weirdest conditions. so we're happy to get some of the problem fixed and one step closer to solving the problem. here's hoping this is the end of it and all we need to do is patch up the drywall in the garage.

leak fixed

so with all this going on, i haven't been focusing too much on cooking. but i've been trying to actually use some of the pins i've pinned on pinterest. so monday night i made the commitment to try smitten kitchen's buttermilk roast chicken. i'm a loyal follower of her blog. seriously, every recipe i've tried has been fabulous. go check it out. ok, back to the chicken. if you love the flavor of fried chicken but want to be healthier about it, you need to make this. and yes, marinating for at least 24 hours is worth it. just be patient and let it sit in the fridge...you won't be sorry.

ready to back after 24 hours

once i committed to making the chicken, for the life of me i couldn't decide what to serve with the chicken. i was too excited about the chicken. my initial though was that i should find something to do with the rest of the buttermilk in my fridge. so i started out looking for a scone recipe. but then i saw the blue cheese scallion drop biscuit and my mouth started watering. i glanced over the recipe and saw that it also baked at the same temp as the chicken and i knew it was the perfect side. the only problem was i didn't have blue cheese and b doesn't eat it either. so i used what i had on hand - brie! i was a little worried at first. i've never made biscuits from scratch before and i'm subbing ingredients. now that i've made them, i'm not sure why i don't make them more often. they were so quick and easy! when the oven was preheated, first in went the chicken. then 15 minutes later the biscuits joined them. another 15 minutes, both were done!

ready for baking

done

i ended up serving up a side of veg too to balance out the meal. if i had collard greens or mustard greens they would have gone great too. it was a perfect dinner after several long days of work. i will be making both of these recipes again very soon.

rave: sxsw keynote from the boss

unless you've been living under a rock you would have heard last week was sxsw here in austin. it still amazes me how huge this has become. i remember back in college (which was a while ago) when it was this crazy weeklong hoopla during spring break where we got hear music from bands from all over the world. but now it's become an multi-event that involves, technology, film, fashion, and food trucks. everyone comes and wants to be here. it's amazing! i mean, cnn rents out an entire restaurant and makes it their homebase for the week, perez hilton & rachel ray throw parties, every brand, band, film, product, app wanting exposure is here, and celebrities galore...crazy i say!

anyhow...a lot happened and i could go on for days about it but i just don't have the time or space to do that today. BUT i did want to share with you something. i did not have the privilege to attend any of the official sxsw stuff this year but parties involved have been really nice about sharing, posting, and streaming content. npr posted the full keynote address given by bruce springsteen a couple days ago and i finally got a chance to watch it. and i have to say...watch it. it's 50 minutes well spent.

seriously, click this link and watch it.

i'm incredible jealous of the people who did get to hear him in person. go watch...you'll be glad you did.

Open you ears and open your heart

Don’t take yourself too seriously
And take yourself as seriously as death itself
Don’t worry
Worry your ass off
Have iron-clad confidence
But doubt
It keeps you awake and alert
Believe you are the baddest ass in town
And…You suck!

It keeps you honest.
Be able to keep two completely contradictory ideas alive and well inside of your head and heart at all times
If it doesn’t drive you crazy, it will make you strong
And stay hard
Stay hungry
And stay alive
And when you walk on stage tonight to bring the noise
Treat it like it’s all we have
And then remember it’s only rock n’roll

—	Bruce Springsteen - SXSW keynote address

rant: tom colicchio's spicy fish stew

just saw tom colicchio post this on his twitter...think i'm gonna try this later in the week. hope he post an actual recipe one day :)

Tom Colicchio's Spicy Fish Stew

Sweat Pancetta

add chilies, cook gently for 2 minutes

Add two bunches green onion, white part only, reserve green top. 1 knob ginger julienned & 3 cloves of garlic. cook for 3-4 minutes

Add 1 cup white wine

Add 2 dz. title neck clams, cover cook on medium until the clams open

Remove clams set aside and keep warm add 6 oz flaky white fish, I used cod.

add sprig of basil, cook covered 2-4 m

Add small cherry tomatoes

add bay scallops gently place clams back add chopped green onion tops.

Add blanched bok choy

Finish with chopped basil and dill & a generous squeeze of Lime

all via tom colicchio's twitter feed

rant: dvf hearts gapkids

i don't know how i missed this, but i'm glad i saw it in my inbox yesterday. gapkids and dvf are collaborating. i love dvf! although i'm surprised she is doing a kids line, i'm so happy she is. they clothes are precious and so bright and fun. i can't wait to see them in person since my friend j is having a baby girl later this year. and selfishly, i can some times fit in xl kids clothes so i'm excited to see if there's anything that would fit. i mean, how cute is this collection? i love the gray and green dress and the blazer...adorable!!

source: tomandlorenzo.com

rave: louis vuitton + marc jacobs + paris = beautiful love affair

wow.

i don't have enough words to describe louis vuitton & marc jacobs paris fashion week show. it really is over-the-top and lavish. i did not get to catch the live webcast, but did watch it the next day. and really...omg! and if you saw the spring show (just the set up alone is awe inspiring) this was equally if not more impressive. before we even get into the clothing and bags, let's just address the steam train. yes, a train. a louis vuitton train. how apropos since LV is all about the bags and the original pieces were steamer trunks. what a statement! it provided a focal point and such a romantic, of another era theme for the show without taking away from the actual stars. it makes me want to travel by train...and own some LV steamer trunks. you really need to watch the show to see the amazing-ness of it all.

as for the rtw fall 2012 clothing and bags, oh, i think i'm in love. as models/passengers stepped off the train, each girl was escorted by a porter carrying her beautiful LV bags. the clothing were in a-line, bell silhouette providing a very feminine feel without being frilly. and the bags...they were beautiful as always. there was so much visually to take in: the cut of the clothes, the sparkling over-sized buttons, the luxurious fabric, the sky-high mary janes, the hats, the sunglasses, and all the bags in a multitude of shapes, sizes, colors and materials.

all images of clothing from wwd

source

all images of bags from purseblog

source

louis vuitton and marc jacobs really outdid themselves again. i cannot even fathom what they are going to do next. whatever it is, i'm sure it will be visually stunning from the smallest detail to the showcase itself.

as if the fashion show was not enough to close out paris fashion week, the louis vuitton marc jacobs exhibition at the louvre’s les arts decoratifs opened with a star-studded event later that evening. LV has posted the recorded version of the live broadcast which you can watch on their website. i cannot believe marc jacobs has been with louis vuitton for 15 years! i love how marc brings a bit of street edge, whimsy and intrigue to such a classic iconic label. i am a huge LV fan. i can still remember my first LV bag purchase and love affair has just continued to grow. there are so many pieces i covet. on my one-day-i-must-own wish list is a travel trunk. and if i were dreaming really big, i'd like an vintage piece.

photos courtesy of bryanboy.com

bryan of bryanboy.com attended the beautiful affair and you can read all out his experience on his blog. if you happen to be in paris between march 6 and september 16, i highly recommend checking out the retrospective. just to be able to see the collection all in one place would be breathtaking.

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