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all belles have a little “cray” goin’ on…that’s what people love about us!!
a&a
belles show respect…no matter what…just sayin’
07 Sunday Jun 2015
Posted in just sayin'
belles chime in…a share and share alike friend-1-1
05 Friday Jun 2015
A good friend, Bebe…a belle pal from our college days…shared a great discovery which is very much in keeping with our love of cocktailing!
Via fancy.com
Wouldn’t these be a tremendous gift for anyone ? And we don’t mind saying they would be a great gift for yourself! Order them at fancy.com .
Another belle suggested we try a great wine. She swears that every time she serves it up, people ask about it and love the smooth crisp flavor. We obliged and tasted…who are we to argue?? The results are in and we agree…bring on the Vouvray! Available locally at Northampton wines. Also online at wines.com.
So cool off with a sip or two…just sayin’
Now y’all are going to need to coat those bellies with something tasty while you sip away. Our favorite Cajun belle Camille shared her secret to cooking all those étouffées and gumbos.
When you don’t have the time or inclination to make a roux from scratch, Savoies’s is the answer to any chef or non-chef’s prayers. We tried it with our favorite gumbo recipe and it was the best version to date!! Easily ordered at Amazon. So do yourself a favor and order up some, y’all won’t regret it…just sayin’…
Keep ’em coming belles!
a&a
drinkin’ on the job…a pourable passion
04 Thursday Jun 2015
Posted in bar belles
Thought we’d share our latest Talk magazine article with you all…on stands or in your home now!!
whiskey with a love story…perfect for dear ol’ dad
We’ve been drinkin’ on the job again. This time, we did a bit less cocktailing and a bit more tossin’ it back…neat…feelin’ that “buttery burn” of a fine whiskey. Or two. Venturing over the county line in search of the perfect Father’s Day idea, we hit the jackpot (or barrel) at Six & Twenty Distillery. They offer tours to let us regular ol’ whiskey drinkers in on their secrets. We loved it. The dads in your lives will, too!
A Pourable Passion:
This tour gratifies our most important senses: Taste (obviously), knowledge (Farmer is a great storyteller and engaging guide), and people-watching (from the well-dressed couple, to the self-absorbed engineer testing his mettle against our distiller, the crowd was full-up with personality). Given the varied audience and Farmer’s laid-back, easy style, the length of the tour is flexible. Ours ended up being close to two hours. The passion for bourbon knows no time and in true southern spirit you are made to feel right at home.
Old Money…
If you’re a bourbon lover you might be aware of a looming shortage. Thank goodness Six & Twenty is doing their part. Old Money (CHECK ARTICLE FOR DESCRIPTION) was developed using their Virgin wheat whiskey, a pure and clean base but with youthful attitude . Turning the virgin Whiskey at into Old Money for a couple of reasons. Maintaining their profile by making their own bourbon and, well…not everyone marries for love….
Six & Twenty Five Grain…
This is a strong, solid, swarthy liquid. It takes your breath away as it hits your tongue and then captures your attention with its warmth and steady but inciting burn. A bourbon that is pure South Carolina, every grain is grown and purchased locally. From start to finish, a true southern gentleman…perfect for the dads in your life.
The love story…
…it’s how these fellas came up with their name, “Six & Twenty”. Back before the Revolutionary War, Choctaw maiden, Issaqueena, was captured by the Cherokee. She overheard their plan to attack a trading post that housed her British lover. To warn him, she escaped and rode ninety-six miles, marking places by the number of miles she had ridden…Three & Twenty Creek, Six & Twenty Creek, and, finally, Ninety-Six, the town! All ended well…and a distillery got a kick-ass name!
Now, we know our job is really about cocktails, but you gotta start somewhere right? We suggest taking dad, the father of your grandchildren, or the man who gave you yours on this adventure, treating him to his favorite bottle of hooch, and then (because dads deserve it), fixing him a nice drink, neat, on the rocks, or mixed he if must. After all, it’s all a labor of love.
Look ’em up & take dear ol’ dad for boozy tour!
a&a
what’s ringin’ our belle…round 5
02 Tuesday Jun 2015
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
baker by nature, bauble bar, bbq chicken pizza, biggirlssmallkitchen, decadent chocolate cake, Food52, kale, lariat, michale stars, pearls, pinch of yum, salad, tees
No we aren’t tired of it yet…especially when it’s in this salad .
A homemade pizza we are dying to try!
How to be ready for a party at a moment’s notice..and belles need to be prepared…always!
A lariat that we swoon over!! Or a lil’ drama for those ears…they deserve attention too!
The best way to Beat the heat! Would make a great Father’s Day gift too!
Michael you can do no wrong. This could be our new Uniform.
We all deserve a little Decadence …just sayin…
And, of course…a delightful cocktail.
Cheers!
a&a
it’ll all catch up…just sayin’
31 Sunday May 2015
Posted in just sayin'
Tags
ya never know when it’s gonna sneak up and get you!
Be good, belles!
a&a
belles are getting beachy…a summer-time friend-1-1
29 Friday May 2015
Posted in fashion forward
Tags
amazon, beach bags, hats, intermixonline, maraysia, milly, nordstrom, Sam Edelman, shopbop, swimsuits, trina turk
In order or be ready for summer, there are a few must-haves…
To keep our moneymakers out of the sun and stave off the wrinkles, a hat is always a good idea…
We adore this chic sun hat…get it here.
And this one could come in handy all year round…just sayin’ …
And whether we like it or not…swimsuits are a must!!!
This colorful number is available right here.
If prints aren’t your thing, we love this bright pink bandeau and scoop bottom by Ella Moss.
Of course if y’all are more on the modest side, a one-piece might be more to your liking. We think this white one looks resort-ready. Available here:
And we love this Ode to Pucci maillot.
For those of you who are …shall we say, more well endowed…how about this halter top bathing beauty?? And it’s reversible!! Thank you Shopbop.
Strolling to and fro and trotting up to the tiki hut may require a cute Cover up. from Bloomingdales:
Of course, a kaftan is another great option.
Also from Bloomingdales .
And we do love a jumpsuit …especially after along day in the sun or the air conditioning that tends to feel like the frozen tundra. Another score from Bloomingdales.
We can’t possibly head poolside or to the beach without a bag full of sunscreen…here are a couple of totes that we are totally giddy abou!!
Love the pom poms on this one
: Can’t y’all see carrying it to the farmers market on non-beachy days???
Of course, we couldn’t resist this one either…just makes us do a happy dance!
And after cooling off in the water, y’all are going to need a little something to help dry you off. We are very partial to a Turkish towel. It’s soft, absorbent and takes up no room….and it gets bonus points for acting in the role of a sarong in a pinch!
We thought this was a fun color but they come in a wide variety…so pick your favorite hue of the moment!!
So belles, grab that sunscreen and your favorite sunglasses. Hope to see y’all poolside!!
a&a
the Maine event…belles head north
28 Thursday May 2015
Posted in belle adventures
Tags
Acadia National Park, Bar Harbour, belles on the go, Camden, Cape Cod, Captain Rick, Cimarron, Coonamessett Inn, Lincolnville Beach, lobster rolls, Maine, McLaughlin's Lobster Shack, Millie's, Nantucket, North Country Rivers, Samoset Resort, Vena's Fizz House
Being from (or at least living in) the South, we belles know a thing or two about summer heat and humidity. While we have actually learned to embrace the sauna-like conditions…dewey skin, always…it’s often nice to escape it for a mid-summer break. Last year, that break came in the form of a relaxing (and cool) trip to the Northeast (mostly Maine) for petite belle and family.
What a delightful experience! Cool days, crisp nights, clams, lobster, clams, lobster…and did we mention the clams and lobster?? We feel compelled to share the highlights…just in case you belles need a cool break yourselves!
First…a quick visit to the Cape and Nantucket. Is there a better place to spend a day, week, month?? Cute shops, delicious, classic Atlantic fare, and home after home in that classic Cape Cod style…it’s a dreamland for belles of all sorts! We stayed in Falmouth at the charming Coonamessett Inn and ferried over to Nantucket from Hyannis. We walked, we shopped, we rented mopeds (a big DON’T…more on this later) …
from milliesnantucket.com
Now, a quick note on those mopeds. DO NOT rent these little monsters! We learned the hard way and ended up here…
Locals see horrific accidents involving mopeds with shocking regularity…often ending with a frightening air-lift trip to an off-island hosipital. We were lucky to have our road-rash victim treated at this cute little establishment, but we recommend that you not risk it!!
Our little mishap didn’t dampen our spirits too much. Those among us who were “of-age” turned to spirits of another sort and suddenly, things were just peachy!! We will need a Nantucket re-do soon, however!!
Moving along, our primary destination for this summer adventure was still ahead…so we loaded up, set the GPS, and headed for Maine…first stop – Portland to enjoy the Old Port area…and it didn’t disappoint! They have cool shops and cafes galore! One of our favorite finds…Vena’s Fizz House!
Mixing creative bitters with seltzer water, the folks at Vena’s whip up the most amazing cocktails (sans alcohol). We tried many…and could not pick a favorite! They were all too good!
After our short stay in Portland, it was time to get to our “home away from home”…a rental on the shore, just north of charming Camden…
photos from camdenmainevacation.com
This dreamy little town is exactly what every belle imagines it should be! The food is wonderful…the shopping ranges from tasteful souvenirs to chic boutiques…and the scenery can’t be beat!
Here are some of our favorite excursions (and meals)… 
Drinks and dinner around the fire at Samoset Resort in Rockport.
A hike out to Rockland’s Breakwater Lighthouse
A sail aboard the Cimarron with Captain Rick (he spends most of his year in Cruz Bay, St. John – another favorite place of ours – but contact him to see when he plans to return to Camden…it’s totally worth it!!)
On our sail, we had a quiet lunch in the tiny village of North Haven…
Just perfect!!
A morning spent in Bar Harbour and a hike up Pemetic Peak in Acadia National Park…a little mother-son adventure in this case!
White water rafting the Kennebec River with North Country Rivers…the cookout on the riverbank was to die for!
Just relaxing in our little village of Lincolnville Beach…
And judging lobster roll after lobster roll! Our favorite, hands-down, was at the tiny McLaughlin’s Lobster Shack at the end of our little lane right there in Lincolnville Beach!! (more on the lobster roll in a later post…we just might be able to recreate the magic!)
A memorable adventure for the young and the not-as-old-as-the-young-think-we-are! We recommend you start planning your own adventure “down east” (which doesn’t make sense to those of us who are really from down and east…but we will go with it!)
a&a
what’s ringin’ our belle…round 4
26 Tuesday May 2015
Posted in what's ringin' our belle
Tags
book, bralette kirna zabete, carribean ribs, Cosabella, cropped jeans, dana gibson, food 52, genetic denim, la made . pocket tee, lip, lulu frost, Nars, purewow, sephora, summer cocktails, tassel necklace, the countessa and the princessa, the zhush, tray, white jeans
Here we go again, belles, with our latest and greatest finds…
You can’t beat this velvety option for defining that lip.
As the temperature and humidity rise, we are less inclined to feel constricted. This is a great alternative. And pretty to boot!
Must. Have. This. Book.
Want sooo bad.
For our denim collection, these and these.
We want to serve cocktails on this.
A great tee.
The Ultimate Summer Cocktail Guide.
It’s time to kick it up a notch on the grill!
More to come….
a&a
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it’s what’s on the inside that counts…just sayin’
24 Sunday May 2015
Posted in just sayin'
Tags
A belle knows this already…but a reminder can’t hurt!
a&a
bauble bar is looking out for the belles!!!
22 Friday May 2015
Posted in Beauty belle, fashion forward
Attention, belle’s! We have a limited-time offer that you do NOT want to miss! Right now at BaubleBar, you can get any full priced item for 20% off!! So pick up few goodies…
Use the link Baublebar to get your deal! Code MA20EXCLY at checkout.
A few faves:
This cuff.
And this one too.
Of course, it is all about the race to the elbow!
But we love the race to the knuckle too!
Who can refuse a feminine statement ring? Not us, that’s for sure!
Don’t worry belles, we know the lobes need attention too!
Sometimes they want a lot of attention…other times they want to have options!!
We wouldn’t dare leave you bare. Here’s a necklace that will do the talking for you !
This one will work it’s magic!
Time to have a little fun belles. Get shopping!
a&ha
the RARE belle 
