29 Friday Jul 2016
Posted in belle perks
Tags
It’s time to take advantage of a lovely sale that Budhagirl is offering until 8/2
Belles, treat yourselves and those you hold near and dear to a lil mindful glamour.
Here are our faves
Temple chain necklace
USE CODE jjbday AT CHECKOUT AND TELL THEM THE BELLES SENT YOU!
peace, love, serenity
a&a
18 Thursday Jun 2015
Posted in fashion forward, healthy belle
As we were trolling the blogs and internet the other day…something we do on the reg…we came upon the most inspiring and delightful website.
Belles believe in balance…but we aren’t perfect (hard to believe, we know). We can get caught up in ourselves and forget about the big picture at times.
So breathe, belle…a deep breath in and a long, slow breath out…because BuDhaGirl is here to guide us calmly (and very fashionably) back to a balanced point of view. We all need gentle reminders in life, and BuDhaGirl has several solutions to help us achieve a better appreciation, consideration and focus on the here and now.
We are trying these remembrance bangles and they have quickly become an important part of our morning and evening ritual…a ritual of intention in the morning as we thoughtfully put each bangle on; and, in the evening, a ritual of gratitude as we take each off.
Let’s talk practical matters for a moment shall we? We know, you don’t want to jingle jangle all over town like a cow with her bell. Not to worry… BuDhaGirl has taken care of that…of course! Not only are these bracelets all-weather…(swimming in bangles?…count us in for a lap or two) there is no fear of tarnish or noise either, belles! Polycarbonate steel anyone?!?! So feel free to toast to your new rituals without sounding like you want to be tambourine player in the band.
And as for comfort, these gold or silver circles of chicness have a hint of flexibility so they can fit comfortably over the hand. Most belles will take size medium but small and large are available as well…so there is no excuse not to be mindfully glamorous! And as a special perk… if you are a frequent flyer, they are TSA approved so you can actually keep these on as you sashay through security. Best way to chic up your travel togs!!
But Budhagirl doesn’t stop there, belles…oh no, no, no!!
Not a bracelet girl?? Hard for us to imagine, but whatever….JUST KIDDING!! (Sort of) How about a choker, pendant, or – hold on to your chakra belles – a lariat with a shout out to Coco!?
Speechless yet?? A lariat signifies holding things together, binding and holding. This one can be worn a myriad of ways…as a lariat, long with tassels looped or as a choker. Talk about multi-tasking!!
And then our hearts stopped…perhaps they paused in appreciation and gratitude…for budha boy …
Don’t all belles need their own budha boy?? We certainly think so!! This charming fella can be added to your bangles, a necklace or a wrist wrap. We are kind of completely in love with the temple chain…..
No two links are the same…just as each moment (and each belle) evolves in its own special way. We are weak in the knees! We think we need a lot of reminders and objects of glamour to help us do, be and inspire.
We can’t help but add one more beautiful piece because we are just so enamored…especially since this one is about remembering the things you love…the Tibetan toggle cord necklace … 
Be present, be grateful, inspire, love, celebrate, share, and as budhagirl says, “Pause. Be aware. Be it.”
And to encourage and inspire you in this journey, BuDhaGirl has graciously offered a special discount to our belles!! 15% off your order with the code BDGRARE. (don’t y’all know every belle is a rare and unique belle!!) You will need to be signed into the website (create an account ) to use the code.
So, belles…be mindful…be glamorous…be budha belles …
a&a
04 Tuesday Apr 2017
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
budhgirl, copper, espdrille, food 52, iphone locks, mixing bowls, refinery29, shopbop, sneaker, soludos, tequelia, whilr chokers
Our latest belle-ringers…
Belles can’t get enough mixing bowls…and these will beautify the cooking process!!
Via Food 52
Why all belles should be drinking Tequila
What y’all need to know about your iPhone locks
Sneakers are in…espadrilles are in… so these double the fun! From Shopbop
Top off those tennies with an on-trend Whirls choker. Or two!
Belles are ringin’ all over!!
a&a
08 Thursday Dec 2016
Posted in belle perks, fashion forward, what's ringin' our belle
Tags
All-Clad, amazon, Aquatalia, boots, bracelets, budhagirl, cashmere, Christmas, Equipment, Feetures, gifts, Longchamp, LuluLemon, Simple Human, slow cooker, socks, theory, travel mirror, workout wear
We thought we would share some of our go-to items…just in case you are stumped on your gift hunt. You’re welcome!
Our fave cashmere cardigan…
From Equipment (for the fashiona-belle)
Our fave mirror (and it travels like a pro!)….
…from Simple Human (for the one who is always looking for her reading glasses)
Our fave travel boot…
Pretty much anything by Aquatalia…available at Nordstrom (for the fashiona-belle traveler)
The best slow cooker…All Clad from Amazon (for the busy cook)
The socks we can’t do without…
…From Feetures (perfect stocking-stuffer for the runner…or the one who lives in her Lululemon)
Our go-to workout-wear…
Our Lululemon uniform (for yourself…or the daughter who MUST have the cutest workout-wear)
The pant that does it all…
We could LIVE in this “ponte pant” from Theory! Crisp, comfy, chic. (Well…this might not technically be a gift…except for yourself 😉
BuDhaGirl bangles…
Duh…we have said this over and over and over! Buy these now.
Loving this monochromatic Longchamp…
For any belle who goes anywhere…just sayin’.
More to come, belles!
a&a
30 Friday Sep 2016
Posted in belle-icious
While we are fans of the occasional patty melt, and maybe even a tuna melt here or there, we don’t tend to keep the diner staple in our regular recipe rotation. But…we found this version a few weeks ago, and even included it in our Belle-ringer post (number 68), and thought it was worth a try!
From Smitten Kitchen, these broccoli melts looked too good to ignore…and belles, are we glad we didn’t! We decided to put the recipe to the test and it passed with flying colors!!
Broccoli Melts
1 lb broccoli, washed and chopped into small chunks
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Red pepper flakes to taste (a pinch or two…)
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Course salt
1/2 c grated pecorino Romano cheese
8 slices provolone
8 slices bread of your choice
Steam broccoli for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and pat dry with paper towels, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Wipe pan dry and heat over medium heat. Add olive oil and allow to heat for 1 minute, then add garlic and pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute or until garlic turns golden. Add the broccoli and cook 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt. Transfer to bowl and add lemon zest, juice, and pecorino. Add salt and pepper flakes to taste.
Heat broiler. Arrange slices of bread on tray and toast lightly on both sides. Spoon broccoli mixture onto each bread slice and top with a slice of cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese melts and begins to brown.
The process:
Steam the broccoli, then drain, pat dry and set aside. Dry pot/pan and add olive oil. Sauté garlic and pepper flakes
Add broccoli back to pot, then add lemon zest and juice (note the shameless plug for BuDhaGirl and Bezels & Bytes) 😉
Add pecorino Romano and season to taste with salt and more pepper flakes if desired
Spoon mixture onto your choice of toasted bread slices and top with provolone
Run under broiler until hot, bubbly & slightly browned. Serve. Prepare for applause.
Tip: we used crostini toasts and served as an appetizer, but can totally see using larger slices of bread to make this a perfect, hearty side to a bowl of soup as the weather chills!
It’ll make you melt, belles!
a&a
21 Wednesday Sep 2016
Posted in fashion forward
Sale alert, belles! Our friends at BuDhaGirl just give and give…this time in the form of a super sale! It’s their “Lotus in the Mud” sale (now until 9/30) with cuffs, chains and envelope clutches and more up to 90% off!! Check out some of our faves…
Don’t wait, belles! Times-a-wastin’!
a&a
16 Tuesday Aug 2016
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
astrological sign and drinking habits, calorie cutting, delish, for love and lemons, loveandoliveoli, peach bourbon lemonade, rice, thrillist
This week’s belle-ringers…
How to Cut the calories in rice by half!!!
What your sign says about your drinking habit
Maybe we will embrace the Pokemon Go craze…any excuse for a party – just sayin’
A necklace we are coveting
’til next time…
a&a
28 Thursday Apr 2016
Posted in belle-icious, fashion forward, healthy belle
Tags
amazon, Annabell Ingall, Bezels and Bytes, budhagirl, candle, cookbook, gifts, Isabella, Jerusalem, Missoni Home, Monkees of the West End, mother's day, S'well, saks, shopbop, sugarfina, tote, Twill
Although we tend to subscribe to the belief that every day is Mother’s Day, we don’t think that should stop anyone from remembering Mom with a little something special on the actual designated day…just sayin’.
Here are some of the items that we use/wear/think about daily. If you know of a deserving mom…we think she might enjoy them as well…
We have harped on these several times before, so perhaps it’s time to take the hint…
The all-weather gold bangles from BuDhaGirl will set mom off on the right foot every morning with her nine intentions for the day, and thoughts of gratefulness at night. Stylish and zen all at once…score!
For stylish hydration on-the-go…
we both keep our S’well bottles handy. We mentioned them here and here before. Just wondering if you were listening?? We happen to know that they are available locally at Monkees in Greenville. Now you have no excuse.
For the fitness-minded mom…
As we have noted here and here and here and here (you get the drift), we would bet she will enjoy one of these little beauties from Bezels and Bytes for her FitBit Flex.
For the mom-chef…
She can take a culinary virtual tour of Jerusalem with this beautiful cookbook
For the mom with the sweet tooth (um…is there a mom without one??)
this Sugarfina bento box from Saks should do the trick. Read all about other Sugarfina treats (and our little visit to heaven) right here.
For her home, sweet home…
this pretty little candle will spruce things right up.
And for all of the goodies she can’t leave the house without…
This tote might even hold the kitchen sink! One of our absolute faves, you can get it here from ShopBop, or one of our local haunts, Twill.
Happy shopping, belles (or belle-daughters, sons, husbands…)
a&a
14 Thursday Jan 2016
Posted in belle maison, belle-icious, fashion forward, healthy belle
Tags
acrylic furniture, Aquatalia boots, barbecue sauce, Bezels and Bytes, blondies, budhagirl, favorite things, Fretwork Designs, kale, okra, Perennials, salted caramel, tenderloin, The French Poodle, the skimm, tomato pie, white jeans, Wisteria
To celebrate two years of this blogging business…and nearly 400 posts (yes, we have hit quite a milestone)…we thought it would be fun to list our favorite – and most talked about – posts (’cause we are really, really sweet, and we all need gentle reminders of stuff we need to do, buy, make, read…)
In the #belleicious category:
First up…The French Poodle Vinaigrette. This salad dressing is a constant in our homes. If you haven’t tried it, what are you waiting for?
Remember our foolproof Tenderloin recipe? You’re welcome 😉
Belles love barbecue…and grandmother’s BBQ sauce is the gold standard…
This roasted okra puts a tasty spin on a veggie favorite…
And in other “eat your veggies” news…you must try this tomato pie…
Seems to be all about the kale lately…this kale salad is a winner every time…
And if we are gonna splurge on dessert, it better be worth it. These salted caramel blondies do not disappoint!
Some #fashionabelle reminders:
White jeans…yes, you can wear them after Labor Day!
Aquatalia boots…you won’t believe the comfort, style and practicality! Every one is a real belle-ringer…
For the mindful belle…these BUDHAGIRL bangles totally make the cut…
For the belle-maison:
Remember when we suggested Perennials outdoor fabrics? Well, they are still our go-to for beautiful, durable upholstered pieces!
We are still all about acrylic pieces to bring a little light to a room…
And this fretwork from FretworkDesigns is still one of our favorites…
And, last…but not least…for the belle-on-the-go:
We still start every day with The Skimm (and some giggles)..we encourage you to do the same
And we keep track of our running around with our FitBit Flex, made über-stylish with our Bezels and Bytes bracelets…
And there you have ’em, belles…our faves so far!
a&a
23 Monday Nov 2015
Tags
A Jaffe, bags, bracelets, budhagirl, Christmas, Coordinates Collection, Croghan's Jewel Box, face brush, faux fur, fur, gifts, jewelry, Lenora Dame, Longchamp, makeup brush, Mark and Graham, necklaces, nordstrom, PJ Luxe, purse, rings, shopbop, Shrimps, socks, Stila, Tory Burch
It’s coming…ready or not! Christmas is just a few short weeks away, and those gifts aren’t going to buy themselves! We figured we would brainstorm some kick-ass ideas for you…’cause that’s what belles are for…
We have some ideas for him, her, the techies, the hostess…and we will share them all this week as we prepare to enter the “vortex”. First up:
Some ideas for her…
Ya know how we are always saying, “remember who you are and where you came from”?? These will help with that:
From A. Jaffe:
the 14k gold version
Choose any location in the world and A. Jaffe will engrave the map and place a diamond where “X marks the spot” for where her heart is (or should be)…(there’s a less expensive sterling version as well)
And from Coordinates Collection (above…we’ve told y’all about these before) use the coordinates of that special place to create a piece that will be all hers
For a comfy, daily-wear bauble, from Mark and Graham, this Ariel Gordon Semi-precious Stone Necklace will be sure to please
How about polishing up that ponytail ? Comes in gold or silver . A great stocking stuffer from Nordstrom.
And from BuDhaGirl…we are still big fans of these all-weather bangles…for a bit of mindful glamour!
From our fave belle-friend-owned jewelry store, Croghans, in Charleston, this crowning glory of a ring (above) is perfect for the princess or regal matriarch.
From Nordstrom she will love these Stila “sweet kisses”…an excellent stocking stuffer!
in “pebble”
For the travelin’ belle, Longchamp’s Le Pliage (also available at Nordstrom) is a classic that she will surely love!
and this lux face brush from Tory Burch will be treasured
The Lenora Dame Polar Bear or Orange Puff bag charms from Shopbop will add some whimsy to her adventures
From Shopbop, the Shrimps “Abatha” faux fur coat will keep her warm
And the feet stay warm with these Foxy Sox (also from Shopbop)
Stay tuned…there’s more to come!
a&a
the RARE belle 