Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

As I sit here and re-watch Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, I can hardly contain my excitement knowing that 12 hours from now I will be parked in a squeaky movie theatre seat taking in part one of the last HP film with my whole family!

New York, New York!

In honor of E's trip to New York City, I am blogging about my DREAM trip to the "Big Apple!"

Of all the places I've traveled to, New York City is not one of them. It has been on my list for years and for some reason, I've never made it there. I've filled my void with episodes of Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, and my favorite city DVD's like Breakfast at Tiffany, Serendipity and too many more to mention. Throughout my endless daydreams and countless episodes of other people's excursions, I've planned my PERFECT trip to NYC for the day I finally get to go.

First and foremost, I want to visit the city between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yes, I hate cold weather, and I DO realize that I will freeze, but I cannot imagine a more magical place than NYC during holiday season. I have a packed agenda, so hang on for my adventure.

My trip will begin with an early wake-up call for Good Morning America. I have watched this show since I was a sophomore in high school, (thanks Mr. Edmondson), and absolutely love it...even if Diane is no longer there.

After the show, I will move on to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I LOVE this building and can only imagine losing myself in the treasures between the walls.

Following my hours of wonder, I will move on to a much anticipated slice of New York City's finest pizza!  Maybe two or three. (Calories don't really count on vacation).

I plan to do some shopping and strolling around the city- finding the best of the best in New York's high-end department stores and trendy boutiques.

In the afternoon, I will stop to enjoy tea at the one-and-only Waldorf Astoria Hotel. I love tea and all things classy. I could not miss out on such a wonderful tradition.

During the evening hours, I intend to catch one or two of my FAVORITE Broadway shows. (E will be seeing his best friend playing the lead in The West Side Story this weekend-Tony. Congrats Matthew)! I would HAVE to see Chicago, of course, and maybe The Lion King or Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice.

I also have every intention of doing whatever it takes to get Saturday Night Live Tickets. (Okay, maybe this isn't realistic). It sure is worth a shot! I cannot get enough of these crazy comedians!

Of course, there are a lot of other day excursions that I would love to embark on. The Statue of of Liberty, the United Nations, Wall Street, more shopping, and lots of amazing NYC cuisine! I cannot share all of my excitement, ideas and desire to visit such a unique place. I am pretty sure I would give my left kidney to go. (Okay, maybe not, but I CANNOT wait to mark this city off my bucket list)!

Whenever I finally make it to the Big Apple, they better be prepared. Southern Sophisticate is going to take the city by storm. That's a promise!

Until next time, may your days be filled with Magnolias, Bourbon, and passion for a place you CANNOT wait to go!

XoXo

Let the COUNTDOWN Begin!



With the holidays just two SHORT weeks away, there is SOO much to look forward to. This time next week I will be gearing up to spend Thanksgiving with my family, (yes, I know it will be a week early), in Owensboro, Kentucky. The weekend will be kicked off with a "Cousin Thanksgiving," outing on Saturday and a WONDERFUL family feast on Sunday. Hopefully, with a few hours of the new Harry Potter movie thrown in along the way.

Two short days after I return from My Old Kentucky home, I will be off to CHARLESTON, SC for my first ever "E Family Thanksgiving Dinner and Oyster Roast!" I couldn't be more thrilled to enjoy my FAVORITE holiday in my FAVORITE city with the most WONDERFUL boyfriend. My trip is guaranteed to provide good, scratch that, AMAZING food, wine, fresh seafood, and more laughter than a girl could ask for. I promise to come back with lots of stories and pictures for your enjoyment.

For those of you who can hardly contain your Turkey Day excitement, help me count it down. T-minus 14 days... until the one day of the year where we can eat all we want, stare wide-eyed at the Snoopy float, and be constantly reminded that we are soo blessed with wonderful friends, family and opportunities!

Any fellow bloggers have Charleston or other big Thanksgiving plans? What are your traditions? What are you looking most forward to doing/eating?

Until next time, may your THANKSGIVING DAY countdown be filled with, magnolias, bourbon and endless THANKS!

XoXo

The Little RED Book Every Gal MUST own!

We are all aware of the essential items a lady MUST own. Among the LBD, the perfect pair of jeans and fitted white blouse is a list of things embedded in our female DNA that help make us instantly look fabulous. We are always reminded by our good friends at Cosmopolitan and Vogue magazines what it takes to be the bombshell we strive so hard to be. The one thing we often forget is how to be fabulous where it counts; in the kitchen.

One ESSENTIAL item we all, in my opinion, must have is the Better home and Garden's Cookbook. This recipe collection rivals that of any grandmothers or junior league book that may be sitting on your cabinet. I've made several items out of this book and each seems easier than the first. The one feature that makes this book better than any other is the inside cover's recipe substitution guide (which explains how to use "this for that" while cooking. The Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book includes advice on food safety, menu planning, table setting, and make-ahead cooking, plus a thorough glossary on ingredients and techniques. The book is easily organized by tabs that break recipes into "food type." Each recipe gives nutrition information, plus diabetic exchanges.

This is definitely a go-to book to inspire recipe ideas or frameworks for your own. This book is constantly being updated and guaranteed to be acceptable to pass down from one generation to another. I've spotted several editions: Great Aunt, Nana, Boyfriend's Mother, and several girlfriends. If you love yourself and the guests you serve, pick up a copy of the BHG Cook Book.

Until next time, may your days be filled with magnolias, bourbon and delicious delicacies!

XoXo

Pictures from my spinach lasagna recipe (part BHG, part Cambron original)!

Ricotta Concoction

Homemade sauce with fresh spinach

Side view

Final Product



My BHG Cook Book



Happy Birthday Aunt Faye!

This was supposed to post yesterday. Guess BLOGGER Scheduler failed.

Today is my (great) Aunt Faye's 77th Birthday! Happy Birthday to the BEST Aunt in the ENTIRE world!

XoXo

Tisk, Tisk Toyota!

I am uncertain if Toyota Corolla commercials have been appearing on most channels during primetime hours or if it is simply an ad campaign directed at Hulu viewers because we are young and impressionable. Regardless, I am appalled at the approach Toyota has taken to sell their product. Attempting to convince young adults, who more than likely do not have a stable job, or are barely out of college, does not seem like the responsible thing to do.


In a time of economic disparity, high unemployment rates and financial instability in our nation, I am shocked to see that the Toyota ad campaign paints a positive picture for young adults purchasing a new vehicle. What Toyota fails to present is the fact that purchasing a new Corolla may leave an individual with more financial concern than new purchase excitement. The truth is in the numbers. When a new vehicle is purchased, whether it is a Toyota, Ford or sparkly BMW, it will depreciate more in value during the first year in ownership rather than a used car purchase. This fact, combined with high payments at 3-5 years, can leave many purchasers upside down on their vehicle at some point before pay-off. It is troubling to think about the payments that these young consumers are responsible for-most of which also are out on their own for the first time and starting to receive student loan payments. Many of these young adults see shiny new car and means of transportation rather than financial responsibility during their young adult life.

I realize that not all young adults jump into situations such as this, and that there are many that will be affected by other troublesome issues such as credit card debt. However, the fact remains that Toyota has taken a very abrasive approach to targeting young people. Actively using sites such as HULU, Facebook, and Adsense tools is despicable. How about focusing more on providing educational and work opportunities for these young people rather than creating opportunities to put sand down as their foundation. I expect better corporate responsibility than this. Tisk, tisk Toyota!

http://apps.facebook.com/toyota-tm/
http://www.toyota.com/corolla/

Until next time, may your minds be smarter than your everyday ad-campaign!
XoXo