things to do this week…purchase a present, procure pork, and prepare beans

21 Thursday May 2015

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We know, we know…May is crazy busy!  If your heads are spinning like ours, you might just appreciate our little “to-do” list, just for belles!  With Memorial Day upon us and with youngsters in caps-n-gowns (or long white dresses in our teen-belle’s case), a belle could go crazy trying to get it all done!  We have some ideas.  You’re welcome.

Coordinates has the best sale ever going on now til May 24th! 30% off when you buy two bracelets.  It’s perfect for graduation gifts, and if y’all shop like we do with the whole “one for you, one for me” philosophy, you can snag a little bonus for yourself!   Hey…no judging…it works famously for us…just sayin…

Use coupon code B2THIRTY at checkout.


Via Pinterest

And just in time for Memorial Day…one of our favorite places to order gourmet foods D’Artagnan is having a 15% off sale.  Get their ribs for the grill…you will be regret free!!

Here is the recipe for their Sweet and Sticky Baby Backs. We haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on our to-do list.  Why don’t we all try it and report back…we have a feeling it’s going to be a blue ribbon winner!! Don’t fret, we will let you know exactly what we think!!

And you can’t have ribs without beans… Vegans need not read any further…

 Via The Food Charlatan

The Only Bacon Baked Beans Recipe you need…ever…unless y’all can come up with something better…which we doubt…but if you do…let us know….we love a contest!!

So it’s time to celebrate ….Happy Memorial Day !!

a&a

what’s ringin’ our belle…round 3

19 Tuesday May 2015

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The latest and greatest that are tickling our fancy…

 A fresh and spirited cocktail. 

An eye shadow palette that is the end all and be all ! 

A cool , refreshing and tasty salad that we can’t wait to try. Y’all’s tastebuds will thank you. 

Finally , a guide to the cards you should be sending to those with cancer. 

The dry shampoo we swear by and so should you.  Seriously the best.  

How tell a person ‘s character by their ice cream choice. What kind of ice cream personality are you? 

Gettin’ ready for summer…these belles need this tote. 

Feel free to let us know what’s ringin’ your belle right now…we’d love to hear from y’all!

 a&a

coco had it right…just sayin’

17 Sunday May 2015

Posted by in just sayin'

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Belles love the best…and love a bargain…but second best and expensive will do in a pinch. Just sayin’.

a&a

belles chime in…a trio of tidbits friend-1-1

15 Friday May 2015

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Belles love sharing…that’s just what we do.  When we find something fabulous, we pass it on; and we get giddy when our fellow-belles do the same for us!   Some of our favorite belles have jumped on the bandwagon lately, passing on their belle-worthy finds. Here’s the latest…

Eating is always on the schedule, and finding a delicious, already prepped gourmet delight is worth it’s weight in gold…especially one that could be dinner or cut up into bite-sized portions for a spontaneous gathering. Our sweet Izzie belle just shared a favorite from Trader Joe’s.  The Tarte aux Brie et Tomates is a gourmande’s (and a belle’s) delight.  She recommends cooking it a wee bit longer than the directions call for and we agree.  A little party in your mouth!   

And Brie just calls for a cocktail doesn’t it? With warm weather finally here and outdoor entertainin’ in the plans, a refreshing one is certainly in order!  Our gal pal, Kathy, recommends Deep Eddy Ruby Red Vodka (which can be found at Total Wines and Costco!!).

The cocktail Kathy suggests? A Southbound Greyhound, of course. (because heading south is always a good idea…just sayin’)

The Southbound Greyhound

For 10-12 belles (recipe courtesy of Uptown Magazine)

  • 2 bottles of deep Eddy Ruby Red vodka
  • 4 small bottles club soda (total of 16 ounces)

Mix the vodka and soda in a pitcher.  Serve over ice and arnish with lime.

via Pinterest

And now that you’ve had some apps and a few adult bevs, let’s balance out all the fun with some taste thrills that are good for you to boot!! We can always rely on our culinary pro, Cathy, to lead us in the right direction. Everything she makes is addictive, delicious, and on the healthy side. Guilt-free gourmet all the way! She recently shared the best broccoli salad that is easy and will keep…if you can keep your paws out of the bowl, that is…which we could not.  That’s just how we roll.
Raw Broccoli Salad with Cumin and Lemon 

(from Daily Unadventures in Cooking)

 

via Daily Unadventures in Cooking

We changed nothing in the above recipe (unheard of!), but for those of you who find cilantro to be the equivalent of eating soap…not one of our issues, mind you…fresh parsley can be used instead. You will still find it to be a refreshing dish to have in your larder!!

So there you have it…a delightful trio. Thank you, fellow belles…keep chimin’ in!!!

a&a

fitness is fashiona-belle…just sayin’

14 Thursday May 2015

Posted by in what's ringin' our belle

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We belles love our fitbits.  We both use the Fitbit Flex, and you can get yours at Amazon.com. By the way, if you haven’t, you should, really…how many times do we have to tell you????

via Pinterest

And now for the fashionabelle part.  We found a little company by the name of Bezels and Bytes.  They have come up with most fashionable, stylish Fitbit accessories to have you stepping with style!  Now you can dance the night away, stroll through a garden tour, sashay on a date, etc…and get credit every step of the way. Can’t get better than that!! Chic, functional, and healthy!! This basketweave bracelet is our first choice, but we love them all. We are also waiting very impatiently for the gold bangle!! 

We can wear this one tres simply…  Or wear it a la race to the elbow….which of of course we belles are partial to…more is more and accessories galore…just sayin!  

 Now that’s fashionabelle!!!

Bezels and Bytes has some beautiful options…so don’t be shy, be fit.  Time to step with style!!

a&a

FlexOffers 

get creative with baublebar belles…just in time for summer

12 Tuesday May 2015

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Baublebar is letting us belles customize our own set of jewelry for summer!!

Look at what you can do !!!



And so much fun, we might just go for it twice!!  Baublebar is speakin’ our language.

So get your summer refresh of adornments here. Y’all will be thanking us and your pocketbooks will be thanking you!

Here’s to summah!!!!

a&a

what’s ringin’ our belle…round 2

12 Tuesday May 2015

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Sharing a few more things that are ringin’ our belle these days…

Fashion, books and decor…all in one …or a few…more is more!!

The spring lip.  Color me beautiful!

We can’t resist a spiked  cocktail. Or two!!

A great read . And another.

Secret restaurant menus?? Yes indeed….get them here .

Guess who is competing with Gwyneth and Blake?? We’ve got the answer here.

Belles like balls…these and these will make y’all pro ballers too!

The guide to what y’all need to be watching on TV this summer.
Stay tuned !

a&a

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belles love breakfast in bed…a takin’ care of mama friend-1-1

08 Friday May 2015

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Belles love to lounge…especially when it’s guilt-free…and mother’s day is the perfect occasion to treat your mama belle to a little luxury and laziness!  If you haven’t made a plan to take mom out somewhere special to show her some love, how about a little breakfast in bed?  Of course, no one wants to get up at the crack of dawn, so we’ve come up with some tried and true make-ahead recipes to make your life easier…and tastier too.  

How about a ham and cheese breakfast casserole from the The Kitchn Recipe here. 

via The Kitchn

Or maybe try a sweet treat in the form of a  French toast bake.  Lil Luna does a stellar job…find the recipe here . 

via Lil’ Luna


Or maybe you think mom would prefer Baked Peach Almond Oatmeal . This version is from Two Peas And Their Pods. Get the recipe here. 

via Two Peas and Their Pod

 

And we must say that we mama belles are craving the coffee and doughnut bread pudding at babble.com .  You can get the recipe here .

 

via Babble

 
And, last but by no means least, we have a gourmet casserole for you. The spinach portobello and bacon breakfast casserole is a sure-fire winner by Add a Pinch.  Recipe is right here.  

via Add a Pinch


So celebrate those mamas.  Show them some love and some fabulous food!! 
Happy Mother’s Day !!

a&a

treat mama to brunch…and maybe a cocktail or two

07 Thursday May 2015

Posted by in bar belles

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With that all-important holiday coming up on Sunday, honoring those who gave us life, guided us through our awkward stages, and taught us how to appreciate a well-poured glass of bubbly or creative cocktail, we thought we would give you an idea or two for winin’ and dinin’ the moms in your life. (Being moms ourselves, we figure it can’t hurt to put a bug in some little ears…if you know what we mean.)   So…on a sunny Sunday, we headed up North Main to one of the best brunch spots in town…the Bohemian…to do a bit of research for our Talk Magazine article and to scope out the place for you!


The Bohemian is quite the popular brunch spot! We arrived at 1-ish, hoping to have given the crowd a spell to settle down. No such luck! Lesson learned: show up early to get your name on the list. Because, if you hadn’t figured it out yet, if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy! No worries this time, though, as the people-watching was sufficient to keep us occupied until we were seated.

Our liquid selections…

A Bohemian Rhapsody…by way of the Bloody Mary bar. You can stick with bar-brand vodka or upgrade to your favorite label or flavor, then choose from a vast selection of tomato juices from Clamato, to Zing Zang, to the house-made.   An abundance of seasonings, spices, and flavors are there for the taking and mixing. Let your imagination be your guide! By the way, we believe bloodies belong in a food group…drink your veggies!!

 

via Chow.com

The classic Mother’s Day brunch elixir…a Mimosa. Mama needs her vitamin c, of course! This delicious concoction of sparkling wine and citrus juice first popped up in the 1920’s when it served in Buck’s Club in London as a “Buck’s Fizz”. Several years later, a clever bartender at the Ritz in Paris (heaven on earth) made his own version and dubbed it the Mimosa…and the rest is history. At the Bohemian, the mimosa is the choice for you if you don’t feel like workin’ the bar.

Traditional as well as edgier options await on the menu. One teen described the French Toast as “to die for”…we wonder where she got her gift for colorful description…wink, wink. Others tried different versions of the classic Benedict as well as the omelet du jour, a delicious asparagus and goat cheese creation.

Know before you go…typical for a Sunday brunch, we found quite a few folks who were stopping by after church, but for the most part, the attire was relaxed and casual.

Biggest bonus for a Mother’s Day outing…no dishes to wash! We all know that’s a gift! So treat yo mama (and yourself) to a liquid-friendly brunch!

a&a