bread + butter

hubby charming is out of town.  no, i don’t like it.  not one bit.  but i must make do with it, so typically i keep myself busy.  i’m usually productive but i tend to be in overdrive without the hubs around.  my mind races with possible projects, like what could i craft, who can i see, what can i do, where can i go.  relentless thinking.  relentless doing.

i was super excited to be able to have dinner with the lovely dana.  we’ve been friends for a good five years but honestly, it feels like forever in such a good, cozy way.  we are like ying and yang.  like cookies and cream.  bread and butter.  salt and pepper.  ya know?  those friendships that just balance each other out [ditto for my awesome hubby charming…a perfect balance].  i just adore her.

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we had lots of chit chat.  yummy food.  wine + beer.  low key and relaxing.  i had to send her home with cookie favors as well.  it was my parting gift…who would refuse free cookies?!  that’s like the best free gift ever.  besides hugs.  and kitten + puppies.  ok, i could list a lot of fabulous free gifts.  um, anything free is good!

ahh, goodnight lovies.  it’s been fun!

a walk down memory lane

i want to take you back down memory lane.

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we are going to visit our first new year’s together {hold on to your horses!}.  i’m taking you back to 2008…whoa!  well, really the end of 2008 because this was new year’s eve.  i can’t believe that was many a years ago, time sure flies by!  it’s amusing to think that we were only together for, barely, a few months in these photos {wow}!

we started out the evening imbibing and noshing at leyla’s {old} condo in river north.  a little kookiness, a little goofiness, and a lot of fun.  when you’re with this bunch, it gets cray!

the girls...meow!

the girls…meow!

appetizers

appetizers

the boys

the boys

after some jovial moments with our friends + famille, we went on our merry way to broadway cellars {it’s been ages since we’ve been back and seeing this makes me want to go again!}.  we had reservations for two!  after many courses, after many wine pairings, and desserts, we were dunzo {i mean, how much can one consume without bursting?  i really don’t want to find out!}.  we gladly rang in the new year with all the wonderful folks in the restaurant, it was so jubilant!  we were happily stuffed, happily in love, and happy it was 2009!

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celebrate!

celebrate!

should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne!

for auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne.
we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

decadent details

hello there again.

so, today i want to show you some of my favorite [i die] hairstyles, make up, and accessories from the oscars!  i love glamour, make-up, sparkles, and i love fashion…the oscars encompasses all those wonderful loves, so watching the red carpet pre-show is so splendid!  hang on lovies, here comes the eye catching fun details!

natalie portman // emerald drop earrings by anna hu haute joaillerie

natalie portman // emerald drop earrings by anna hu haute joaillerie

jennifer garner // mirrored clutch + neil lane bracelet

jennifer garner // mirrored clutch + neil lane bracelet

jenna dewan // dark liner + romantic updo

jenna dewan // dark liner + romantic updo

naomie harris // citrine + diamond h. stern bracelet

naomie harris // citrine + diamond h. stern bracelet

kristen chenoweth // smoky eyes + elegant bun

kristin chenoweth // smoky eyes + elegant bun

reese witherspoon // beautiful, shiny cascading waves

reese witherspoon // side swept beautiful, shiny  waves

jennifer aniston // fred leighton bracelets and ferragamo clutch

jennifer aniston // fred leighton bracelets and ferragamo clutch

catherine zeta jones // bronze metallic eyeshadow

catherine zeta jones // bronze metallic eyeshadow

jessica chastain // gorgeous cascading waves

jessica chastain // gorgeous cascading waves

naomi watts // nude chanel nails polish

naomi watts // nude chanel nail polish

rashida jones // slick hair and red lips

rashida jones // slick hair and red lips

 there you go!  aren’t they just lovely?!  what a glamourous evening it was!  it never disappoints.  until next year my darlings! muwah!

[photos popsugar.com]

oscar fashion picks!

the oscars have come and gone.  the speeches, the awkward moments, and the tears are only but a faint memory but the fashion remains here for us to revisit over and over again!  there were some scary moments, which dress did you think was the most egregious??!  what were your favorites?!  here are some of my instant love at first sights…

stacy keibler in naeem khan

stacy keibler in naeem khan

jessica chastain in armani prive

jessica chastain in armani prive

naomi watts in armani prive

naomi watts in armani prive

charlize theron in christian dior

charlize theron in christian dior

reese witherspoon in louis vuitton

reese witherspoon in louis vuitton

kristen stewart in reem acra

kristen stewart in reem acra

cutest pregger style, jenna dewan in rachel roy

cutest pregger style, jenna dewan in rachel roy

catherine zeta jones in zuhair murad

catherine zeta jones in zuhair murad

fabulous dresses and the women who rocked them!  so elegant, so ethereal, so fancy!

and didn’t you just love the passion and emotion behind ben affleck’s speech?!  that was just precious!!

more to come tomorrow on hair and make up!  see you tomorrow lovies

[photos popsugar.com]

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a special thanks to my dear friend, andrea, for hosting us at your oscar party tonight!!  fabulous food, drinks, and plenty of stout opinions! :p

happy beurffday dick!

it was mr. richard heintz sr.’s birthday!!!  yay!

we kicked off our day with a lovely start at church.  for some reason, mass today just flew by…it was weird.  it felt very ephemeral.  like i was in fast forward.  maybe it was because we didn’t sit in our usual ‘spot’??  it was quite packed by the time we got there {um, maybe it was because i was totally running late…causing us to be late, therefore causing hc a very difficult time in the parking lot because it was filled to the gills…oops!!}, most of the pews were full, so i was ushered all the way up to the front side rows.  hubby charming almost didn’t find me!  so, therefore {phew!  am i longwinded???  nah!} mass was over before i felt it began!

anyhoo, after that, we did our usual run to starbucks & off we went, over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we go [literally]!  brunch, presents, cake, oh my!

hb dick, we love you lots!!  xoxo

my outfit for the day

my outfit for the day

pretty colors

pretty colors

hello

hello, bad angle

family

family

mimosas

mimosas

purty wrapped

purty wrapped

for his railroad

for his railroad

the unsigned card ;)

the unsigned card, hee

gift from misse, john, + daniel

gift from misse, john, + daniel

grace + daniel

grace + daniel

hb dad!

hb dad!

hb dad!

decadent

make a wish!

make a wish!

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my ice cream stacking abilities!

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delicious!

 

dolce vita

we met up with the famille for a lovely dinner at dolce!  a cozy, delicious restaurant tucked away in a downtown ‘burb.  i love my famille.  i really do.  we grew up together in such crazy ways {five kids! but who wouldn’t say life is always crazy?},  but i wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world.  my dad has always taught me, family first.  they will always, always be there for you.  we are lucky that we are and always will be.  having that many siblings is something i cherish and feel so blessed to have 2 brothers and 2 sisters that are amazing {we are missing our eldest brother, the hipster who lives in l.a.}.  to top that all off, we all turned out to be damn good kids.  shout out to our p’s!!!  xoxo

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my other major loves, my darling nephews.  i just adore them [seriously love them]!!  they are the sweetest, cutest, most lovable little people ever.  i love being around them, i love playing with them, i love listening to them, i love being a good aunt to them.  they are so stinkin’ precious {i could just squeeze them and pinch them all the time…although i don’t think they would really enjoy that}.  they make the world brighter with their laughter, smiles, and innocent charm.  j’adore beaucoup, les petits enfants.

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why did the chicken cross the road?

tonight’s meal: chicken pot pie!  oh em geeeeeee, it was so good!!  seriously, freakin’ delish!  i love hubby charming for his culinary skills.  at least his desire to do so, ’cause me, not so much in that department.  i like cooking {just the basics for me} but would rather have someone else do it.  am i right or am i right?  although, i’m a great cleaner upper…spic and span is my best friend 😉

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chicken pot pie

1-1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sliced fresh carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups milk
4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 cup frozen peas
1 jar (2 ounces) diced pimientos, drained
1 teaspoon salt

biscuit topping

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon
1/2  cup cold butter, cubed
2/3 cup milk

[via tasteofhome.com]

Directions

*In a large saucepan, saute the mushrooms, carrots and onion in butter until tender; sprinkle with flour. Gradually stir in broth and milk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, pimientos and salt ; heat through. Pour into a greased shallow 2-1/2-qt. baking dish; set aside.

*In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in milk just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Pat or roll out to 1/2-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter.

*Place biscuits over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown

oven roasted asparagus

1 bunch thin asparagus spears, trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)

*Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

*Place the asparagus into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss to coat the spears, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, and pepper. Arrange the asparagus onto a baking sheet in a single layer

*Bake in the preheated oven until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes depending on thickness.

*Sprinkle with lemon juice just before serving.

[via allrecipes.com]

i hope your evening was just as good + full of love, laughter, and silliness.

bon appétit!

girl time

it’s been awhile since i have been able to meet up with kt and kar.  leading into the holidays, we get so wrapped up [no pun intended] in so many things that it’s hard for us to get together!  we were able to finally catch up and have plenty of girl time today, although it’s never enough talkee time, ever.

so away we went with our late lunch date, so typical of me and kt…we are such sleepers!  the later, the better {ya know, we gots to get in our beauty sleep!} for us.

i should know better, that if i leave a decision up to kt, she can’t make one!  i offered a plethora of choices for lunch establishments but should have realized she would choose the one i have taken her to already!  well, who can say no to the ever fabulous bongo room?  as usual, we all had an amazing meal.

:p

:p

kar + kt

kar + kt

the girls

the girls

my cute little gift from kt

my cute little gift from kt

banana hazelnut + bacon

banana hazelnut + bacon

fabulous

fabulous

lol

beanie top

vintage chapeaux's

vintage chapeaux

afterwards, we did a little shopping [woot!].  milwaukee is a gold mine of vintage shops.  we had a blast perusing all the racks and finding such unique items!  after that, we parted ways and i sashayed my way back to our place.  i can never not stop by my favorite little paper store, paper doll!  i had to visit rhoda, the cutest little pug in wicker park!  after playing, petting, prancing, and carrying the sweet little dog around the store, i headed back home {for reals this time!}

i heart rhoda

i heart rhoda

 

style décontracté

temperamental weather.  chicago – one day it’s 60 degrees, the next day it’s 19 degrees.  when it’s warm, i’ll take advantage of it!

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my accessory of choice: starbucks americano
jeans: seven for all mankind
purse: vintage louis vuitton – richard prince watercolor speedy 35 – ebay it
gold dotted shirt: target
necklaces: vintage jcrew – something similar here
vest: vintage urban outfitters – something similar here
turquoise earrings: vintage anthropologie – something similar here

achats heureux!

meatloaf monday

boy, i was wiped out.  i’m a night owl.  i am just programmed that way.  i have tried, in the past, to go to bed before midnight [ha!] – nope, never, ever happens.  so, regardless of what time i have to wake up in the morning; i will, guaranteed, go to bed between midnight and two o’clock in the morning.  over the week’s time frame, i will aggregate in the regulated amount of sleep that is recommended but on an everyday basis, it might be 3 hours to 12 {for reals…i really can sleep 12 hours straight! // no kiddies to wake me up!}.

anyhoo, i woke up with an agenda on the brain.  but as my day started out really, really late, i didn’t hop to it right away.  hubby charming called and said he was on his way home from work {yeah, you can only guess what time that might have been, although his schedule is erratic} and i was excited because that meant we could do errands together!

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that’s not my name, that’s not my name…

in the above photo, that’s my starbuck’s name.  yes, with a unique name like mine, i must have an alias!  peeps around me find it comical, i find it pragmatic.

after our escapades around the city, we settled back into our abode to start a cookin’ {well, hubby charming did the cooking + i did a lot cleaning}.  on the menu – meatloaf!

the delish meal

the delish meal

setting the table

setting the table

yum

yum

some of his favorite sauces

some of his favorite sauces

meatloaf

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 dash ground black pepper
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup steak sauce, (e.g. Heinz 57)
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

Directions

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
*In a mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, salt, egg, black pepper and bread crumbs. Pour in the milk, 3 tablespoons of the steak sauce, onion and green bell pepper.
*Place the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and shape into a loaf. Brush the top with the remaining steak sauce.
*Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour or until done. Allow to stand 5 minutes before slicing.
[via allrecipes.com]

brown sugar glazed carrots
16 ounces baby carrots
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup water
dash salt
pepper, to taste

directions

In a medium saucepan, combine the baby carrots with remaining ingredients. Stir to blend ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and continue boiling (uncovered) for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until carrots are tender and the liquid has evaporated.
[southernfood.about.com]
rice pilaf
1 1/2 cups white rice ( I use jasmine, but any white rice will work)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 small onions, diced
2 teaspoons margarine or 2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves

DIRECTIONS

*In a small frying pan over medium heat, sautee the onion and garlic until onion is translucent. The garlic will cause the onion to scorch a bit, don’t worry, it gives it flavor.
*Add the rice, sauted onion and garlic, almonds, mushrooms, and chicken broth to a 4 cup capacity or larger rice cooker.
*Stir briefly to distribute ingredients.
*Set to cook. When done, let sit for 10 minutes.
[food.com]

there you go.  it was so good!

all in all, it was a very productive day.  one thing i pride myself on is getting things done {and a lot was done today!  sleep included.  yay!}.  errands complete, delicious food consumed, and relaxation ensued.