Summer to the Max
Summer officially started on Tuesday, but being that I live in Florida, I’ve been feeling the heat long before that. And unfortunately I’m lazy, so I sometimes don’t feel like shaving my legs every. single. day.
I hope I didn’t gross you out and you’re still with me.
So, seeing that this laziness combined with the whole heat thing isn’t working well, I’ve had to search for unique ways to make my wardrobe work for my conundrum. Enter the Maxi skirt.
Now, I love me some Maxi dresses, but Maxi skirts are even more versatile. They can be dressed up or down, and can be worn with a cami, t-shirt, sweater, blouse, topless, anything! Best of all, they cover my unshaved legs. This is a blessing not only to me, but to the people who have to see me on a daily basis. You’re welcome.
I chose these maxis because they all include the hottest summer trends right now: layers, sheers, dip-dyes, stripes and brights. They are all under $50 which is pretty reasonable given you can wear them all of the time. Bonus: did I mention they save you from shaving? (so you’re ultimately saving money on razors, waxes, creams – you name it!)
It’s good to know that I can still feel feminine even though my legs underneath aren’t exactly the model for “she wears short shorts.”
Ladies: let’s be honest – you know what I’m sayin’.
Guys: if you gotta girl, then you know what I mean; and if you don’t, welcome to the real world…
Hand Me Downs
They aren’t just for the red-headed stepchild anymore.
I have friends who love fashion just as much as I do (maybe even more), but the difference between me and them is that I’m cheap (and they aren’t – well, at least as cheap as me). I have a friend that will spend her entire bonus check on shoes. Me? I either put it towards bills or stock up on vino. Hey, I’ve got priorities, people!
When my friend Lily told me she was going through her closet to get rid of some things she doesn’t wear anymore, I thought: YAHTZEE! Lily is that person I mentioned above, so I KNOW she’s got a great stash and plenty to share. Plus, I am all about charity so if I can snag some ish for free, sign me up. Only thing is, I’m not a size 4 anymore, so I’ll only have to pick from her shoes. Oh… darn…
Today at work, she pulled me aside and broke out the goods. It was like Christmas in June. And there I was: trying on shoes in our cubicle and laughing at the strange looks we were getting. Good times.
The best part? I got me 2 pairs of fairly new shoes. Whoot whoot!
{yeah I’m modeling on my patio – what of it?}
Those black chunky shoes were given to me by another friend. And yes, I do call that copper-colored pair “The Hotness.”
What can I say? I have great friends with great taste.
ANNDDDD I love me some hand me downs.
Red Brick Road
When we were preparing for our Housewarming Party, I made myself a list of things I wanted get done before our first guest arrived. Even if that meant 1 hour…
I failed to add to my list the backyard. When we first moved in to the house, the backyard was a jungle/wasteland/not glorious.
That’s what it looked like when we first moved in. Not exactly “party-perfect.”
Come to find out, mowing the grass can do wonders. It’s amazing what things you might find. We found big red pavers, and that gave me an idea.
We already spent a lot of money on recovering our bedroom from a ridiculous leak. Why not repurpose what we found? A little placement strategery, a broom and some red mulch – and we now have our little red brick road. The Moosehead enjoys it.
That tub was there for the keg. We may be old and bought a house and all, but we still know how to party.
Anyways… in addition to our new(ish) pavers (grass didn’t grow there anyways, and the other brick pavers that were originally there were – ugly), I added some flowers to the mix. Come to find out, that Gardenia we found in the backyard only blooms once a year. So having a unbloomed bush (which is what it basically looked like) was kinda boring.
And for added privacy in the future, I got me a baby Bougainvillea. That baby will grow massively and beautifully, perfect for that awkward spot on the fence.
It’s called Sundown Orange. A perfect complement to Red Brick Road.
Happy Weekend
If you follow salted chocolate on Twitter (here), or if you are a fan on Facebook (here), you would’ve known that I wasn’t posting last night. Happy Hour turned into several happy hours and I couldn’t bring myself away long enough to post. That kind of insider gold can only be found on there, so I suggest you jump on the bandwagon. Just sayin’.
Saturday’s goal is NOT shopping. ManFriend and I are trying to save money for a trip we’ve planned for Labor Day weekend. But on Saturday night, however, I’m attending a Ladies’ Party at my friend, Mander’s. Sorry, but I can’t guarantee I won’t spend money there…
Oh, and if you aren’t doing it yet, you should check out Mander’s blog (here). She’s fab.
And Sunday is Father’s Day. I live about 5 hours north of my Dad, so I won’t be able to spend the day with him. My Dad (or Fajha, as I like to call him) is a special guy to me – we are so much alike. He’s strange, sometimes goofy, a little nerdy and all sorts of awesome.
We’re two peas in a pod.
{Fajha and I doing the robot at my cousin’s wedding – 2007}
Be sure to let your Fajha how much you love him. Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there!
My pick for Favorite Song Friday, dedicated to the man who made me the person I am today …
I love you, Fajha!
A Summer-y Bite
How ridiculously good does that look?!
Bacon-wrapped pineapple bites. It’s like breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert in one. Sweet and salty (heaven) and the perfect summer treat – or dinner. You may or may not know that I tend to be lazy when it comes to dinner – and if you don’t know, read this – so when I saw this recipe, I was all over it.
Plus, it’s a Paula Deen concoction. A lady who happens to be my cooking idol.
You see, we’re very similar in so many ways…
1.) She loves butter on everything (well let’s be honest here, who doesn’t?)
2.) Judging by the way she cooks, I can tell she believes that if it’s bad for you, it’s good (totally and utterly agree)
2.) Girl can cook (I’m not nearly as good)
3.) She force-feeds her man (ok, she may not have to force-feed, but I’m guilty of doing that – got it from my momma)
4.) She’s awesome (I think I’m pretty awesome, too)
Clearly we’re foodie soulmates.
Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites
Recipe adapted from Paula
INGREDIENTS
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
12 slices bacon, cut crosswise into thirds
DIRECTIONS
Soak 36 toothpicks in water for 30 minutes; drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, combine pineapple juice, orange juice, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Add pineapple, cover, and chill 30 minutes. Drain pineapple, discarding marinade.
Wrap each pineapple chunk with 1/3 slice of bacon, and secure with a toothpick.
Place on prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until bacon is crisp.
Serve warm.
salted chocolate | life with a dash of flavor 