shoppin’ local…gifts to grab-n-go (augusta road edition)

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Over the last couple of weeks, we have shared some of our favorite gift-worthy items from retailers near and far.  Because time was on our (and your) side, we were focused on the lazy-belle way of shopping…online. Now that “the big day” is only a little more than a week away, we decided to scour local shops to find the very best they had to offer in the grab-n-go category (no sizes needed, easy to wrap – or have wrapped – and not too hard on the wallet).  

  
 From Muse Shoe Studio…where the selection goes far beyond shoes…

hair ties in the form of jewelry to adorn that ever-present ponytail (in our case). $6 individually-$44 for the set (from “by Lila”)

  

a huge selection of Hobo wallets

scarves galore

  

“BootKeepers” to protect that investment

  

these sets of studs will suit young and old (and the multi-pierced)…$30 for the set

  

Morse Code bracelets (so clever)…$45

  

this Dolce Cabo faux-fur vest…just $98

 

  
From Gages… 

these Conditions are Perfect flasks make for perfect conditions…just sayin’

  

a conversation piece with a noble purpose…one belle-husband must have! ($135)

  

doesn’t every nest need a holiday scent right now?

  

for the teacher…for any belle on the go…we must all be prepared!

  

every belle likes to snuggle up…Lands Downunder can help

  

to help keep track of those keys…only $19.50

  

and back to always bein’ prepared…never know when you might have to have a Moscow Mule!!

 

  
From Twill

an impressive selection of Graybill and Downs candles and body lotions…a scent to suit all noses

  

keep her ears fashionably warm…$75

  

quite a selection of blanket scarves

  

Baggu pouches…like butter…only $64

  

this edgy, pink Rebecca Minkoff…only $95

  

a large selection of Gigi New York…always a winner

  

keep her organized with these fun cosmetic bags…$45-$55

 

 
From Savvy …

assorted beanies to suit all tastes

  

what belle doesn’t need a fashionable hand??

  

oh-so-popular felt hats …$38

  

THE earring from Sheila Fajl…she needs multiple sizes, of course

a Melvin race to the elbow will make her happy ($27-$45)

a bargain of a tassel necklace…only $32…you can put every color in that stocking, just sayin’

  

and a brand-new shipment of blanket scarves…get ’em now…they go fast!

 

  
From Monkees of the West End

 

oh-so-chic and earth-friendly “Sew Few” bags…made right here in Greenville!

  

every belle needs to stay fashionable…even in soggy weather (from the Fillmore)

  

Hunter boots and more Hunter boots…a no-brainer!

  

Furrrrrr vests…just yummy ($285-$335)

  

T Marie necklaces would make any belle happy

  

YOU get a Sylvia Benson…and YOU get a Sylvia Benson…wait for the screams

  

über-fashionable Daniel Wellington watches for him and for her!

  

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Mary Kate & Ashley have scored with their Elizabeth and James line…she needs a piece (or two)

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So…there’s your first installment of shoppin’ local. We’ll take a right on Main Street tomorrow!!

Ho, ho, ho!!

a&a

a few remarka-belle holiday tips and tricks …

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How to get those presents wrapped!

Some awesome holiday products from Trader Joe’s for the lazy belle.

Traveling? A few beauty purchases you may want to consider to save your skin! 

A little holiday home inspiration.

Some ways to really master the art of giving.

Holiday music play list. And another.

Some clever ways to build a snowman

More than a few holiday cocktails to get you through the season…

A Holiday Wine Guide for every personality in your family.

If you like eggnog , you will love these Recipes !

Happy belle-ringin’ holidays!!

a&a

“thai one on” meatballs…belle-icious! 

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We are pretty good in the kitchen, and we often get requests for recipes, but, never have we ever, (we mean never ever) gotten so many accolades and pleadings as we have for these meatballs.

We served these very spicy Asian-style delights at a recent cocktail party in a chafing dish. But they could easily be put over jasmine rice or served in a lettuce wrap to be more of a main course.

But be forewarned belles!! Double, triple, quadruple this recipe as people will be on you like white on rice for these meatballs. They are that tantalizing…unless you are very mild-mouthed, whereupon they might just cause you to have a stroke…just throwing that out there.

They are very easy to make and actually quite cathartic during the rolling process.

The recipe comes from Food 52…a great resource for awesome recipes and a wonderful site to troll when you need an inspiration or two.

  
Korean Style Gochujang Meatballs

Makes 20 meatballs

3 green onions thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 T Korean chili paste
1T minced fresh ginger
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t ground white pepper ( we used black with no issue)
2 T canola oil

glaze:

1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 T Korean chili paste
1 1/2 T rice vinegar
1 T soy sauce
Garnishes : sliced green onions

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1. Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. The key to good meatballs is not to over mix them. Gently combine the ingredients until everything is well mixed . Form the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs. ( we made ours much smaller for cocktail party so they’d be easy to eat. )
2. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat . In batches ( please don’t crowd the pan) , brown the meatballs on all sides. Transfer meatballs to rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Bake 10 minutes .

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3. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, combine all glaze ingredients. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened.

4. To serve, brush meatballs with glaze and sprinkle with green onion. (we put the meatballs and the sauce all together in the chafing dish for the cocktail party)

If you don’t make these , you’re plum crazy….just sayin’

a&a

a few more gift ideas for Santa’s big day…holiday belles

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Give these gift ideas a shot…

  
A cozy and comfortable robe from Ugg and you can get it lickity-split from Amazon.  One of these belles may be ordering one for every belle in the family. They are that good. The only negative is that nobody wants to take it off. 

We are both Amazon Prime members by the by, and it has saved us countless times when needing to get something yesterday and not having to give your firstborn to get it in time.  We aren’t getting anything for telling you how much we love Amazon prime. Just sharing that we really think it’s worth it….just sayin’

  
Via Pinterest 

We like to keep our butter on the counter…can’t abide hard clumpy butter from the fridge… This Butter Keeper from Food52 is the chic answer to all a belle cook’s prayers!

  
Via Pinterest 

How about adding a little color…and flavor to someone’s life?  This Olive oil from Dean and Deluca is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  

  

Of course…there’s always a shoe. Vince at Shopbop 
  

And in other rainbow news…Tory Burch at Shopbop

  
For the one who fears a naked wrist…Watch box  from Shopbop

  
Wine bucket from Forgoodsake.org…because we like to chill

  
Somethin’ special for those furry babies…Leash from Forgoodsake.org

  
Just in case he needs to be reminded…Dopp kit from Nordstrom

  
Reversible tote from Nordstrom…brilliant!

   
Keep warm and toasty…slippers from Nordstrom

 
Talk about multi-tasking …The Instant Pot from Amazon

Click-n-buy, belles. It’s that easy!!

a&a

what’s ringing our belle…round 33

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With us belles, you just know we are going to be talkin’ about food…we can attest to the awesomeness of most of these…just sayin’

Belles love their pups…this is how they love us back!

Get in touch with your inner huntress!

It’s black tight season….let’s find some that don’t rip!

cocktail to embrace the season…

How to take your sundae to the next level…

Belles need to be prepared in an emergency
Happy, happy belles!
a&a

cocktailin’ where everybody knows our name…

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We’ve been cocktailin’ again…(no shock there). The December/holiday issue of TALK Greenville is on stands now. We paid a visit to our favorite neighborhood haunt…Augusta Grill…and shared our (once again) delightful experience. Read on…

from augustagrill.com

Let’s face it…in the hustle and bustle of the holidays (and any time of year, really), “sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came”. Sound familiar? That little ditty is a perfect fit for our cocktailin’ experience this month. There are neighborhood bars and restaurants all around…and they are to be celebrated. Having a place that’s familiar, friendly, and feels like home just can’t be beat. That place for us is Augusta Grill…and if you’re a “regular”, you know what we are talking about!

photo by Cindy Hosea

Our first suggested drink…the Blueberry Cosmo

We typically grab a seat and order “the regular”, but we have had friends talking about the “Blueberry Cosmo” for quite a while. One of us is a cosmo girl from way back, so this really piqued our interest. We gave it a try and were very impressed! It’s your classic cosmo (triple sec and cranberry included) with the twist of Blueberry Stoli, giving it a fresh, fruity finish. Brilliant!

photo by Cindy Hosea

For the finishing touch…The House Coffee

Our second suggestion…and without a doubt a fan favorite…is the “House Coffee”. It’s the perfect beverage to shake off that shiver. It’s also our favorite liquid dessert…ending yet another consistently wonderful meal. The perfect blend of espresso, Baileys and whipped cream, this one is nothing fancy but the comfort level is beyond words.

And as for the menu…one star (in our book) is the Wednesday night “special”…

from augustagrill.com

Wednesday night at Augusta Grill is an iconic experience! “Crabcake night” draws a crowd, and for good reason. Their mound of lump crabmeat, held together with what seems to be simply more crabmeat, is not to be missed. Word to the wise…go early to snag a table, or do what we do and head over there on the later side. Buddy never seems to run out of this culinary dream!

And an idea for ringin’ in the New Year with friends…

For those of you planning ahead for the end of the month, Augusta Grill is always a great option for New Year’s Eve.  The food will be delicious, the atmosphere warm and inviting, the drinks will be spot on…and chances are, the table next to you will be full of familiar faces. It’s like celebrating at your home away from home!

Loyal to the classics with no need to rely on trendy twists, fancy names, or learning the art of mixology, there is something refreshing about the good, old-fashioned bartenders at AG. You name it, they can make it…and they’ll remember you (and your cocktail) on your next visit.  We love that!

a&a

 

a belle’s beauty must-have…especially if you want to keep your face on!!

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We can be very fickle when it comes to beauty products…we are always game to try the next great product….lipstick, bronzer, eyeshadow…bring it on!

So, it should go without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that when we do hit on something we buy again and again, we become fiercely loyal. (See our Cle de Peau post for proof of commitment)

If you have ever battled with mascara spotting on to your lids, liner making marks in your crease and your shadow fading away by noon, we have found the holy grail of an answer. We have personally bought it repeatedly in full and travel sizes!  We have permanently added this last step into our everyday makeup routine. Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray is the ultimate answer…lightweight, no offensive smell, refreshing, and…most importantly…hard working!!


Via Pinterest

So, belles, hop to it before your face melts off!   You can get this Urban Decay All Nighters Makeup Setting Spray at Sephora and Ulta (we usually try to link to Amazon as well if it’s available…because 99% of the time we love Amazon…but, in this instance, they are charging TWICE as much !! 😡)

We are all set! Are y’all??

a&a