A little bit of everything!

This exhibit enlightened me in so many ways... Just when you think you know

all there is to know about a subject, a tiny detail pops up, compelling you to

study it again. The dear Mr. Rockwell, his life and his iconic, all-American

art did me that favor yesterday. And now, my new favorite is this! 

However, the Rockwell exhibit was just one stop on yesterday's full agenda...

We began the day at Sur La Table in Greensboro where I had no trouble whatsoever

spending the birthday gift given to me by SpaBoy. After SLT, we stopped in Burlington

where I cashed in the free-birthday gift offer made by Sephora. Following a brief stay

there and a quick dash through the Le Creuset outlet, we finally headed to Raleigh! 

After the museum and stops at Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware and Pottery

Barn we went to dinner at Angus Barn. Ever since I learned that their executive

chef is an Iron Chef, I've been dying to go back to meet him. And, meet him I

did! Chef Royal even gave me a copy of his episode to take home with me! 

However... It devastates me to tell you that only one of us in our party of four

received a steak that was properly prepared. After our meals returned horribly

cooked a second time, we all gave up and asked to see the dessert tray! To her

credit, the manager was completely embarrassed, and worked Very hard to

make it up to me. First, she forgave our $270.00 bill, and then, as we left,

she presented me a basket overflowing with goodies from their famous

country store! Oh well... At least our dinner company was perfect!  

Speaking of perfect... We spent a little time at Lush! I picked up more

bathbombs, bubble bars and several of my favorite massage bars!

Oh!  I must tell you that the birthday pound cake presented to me

at the Angus Barn was the best pound cake we've ever eaten! We

didn't know that last night since we ordered the crème brûlée...  

But we know it now!

So my Trader Joe's raspberry tart will just have to wait its turn in the freezer!

Before I go, I have to tell you about my Sur La Table find! Do you see it?

Moo!

I've been looking for a new bowl for my island, and

this one has the Personality necessary to fit right in!

In fact, she has personality to spare! I've seen it at SLT before; however, at $60

I passed... But on sale yesterday for $35.99, Missy Moo became a must-have!

Now if you'll excuse me, there's only one thing left for this

heart-broken Dallas Cowboy fan to do on Sunday afternoon...

Serve up some of my shredded chicken nachos and wish the New York Jets a win!

PopChips, delivered!

As you know, I've been following a program using CLEAN products

to help me drop a few pounds... 92-pounds in six and a half months

as of today, to be exact! And, the only thing I'm asked about more

than how CLEAN works, and what I eat is what I snack on! And,

what I love to snack on more than anything else is, PopChips!   

Of all the unhealthy snacking I once did, I found that giving up my favorite Kettle chips

was the most difficult... Fortunately for me, I stumbled upon PopChips in October so

my suffering was relatively short-lived! You may remember that I had a pretty tough

time finding PopChips in my area, and that after I wrote to them, the good people

there sent me this sample pack. I'm so glad they did! Otherwise, I wouldn't

know how fantastic the other varieties, besides the original, BBQ and the sea salt

and vinegar flavors that my Target stocks, truly are. I love the sour cream and onion! 

 However, despite the fact that I've been cleaning out both Target stores in my city

for several months, and have been begging them to carry all of the great PopChips

flavors, Target has yet to get with the program. So this week I took matters into

my own hands and ordered PopChips on-line. Shipping was cheap, and on-line,

my fav PopChips are less expensive by the case - I win! Now I have plenty of my

favorites to munch on! I keep a couple of bags at work, and even one in my truck

for those times when you-know-who just has to stop for Doritos and candy bars

during our road-trips. This shipment also means I have plenty of my yummy

PopChips to share, since I end up giving away as many PopChips as I eat!

PopChips is the Perfect snack, and they are all-natural too!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday President Nixon... And, to me!

I have everything a girl dreams of having at my age... Health. Plus the benefit of two

very happy and healthy parents, the love of a fine man, two handsome, healthy

and spoiled, but always grateful sons, a fantastic job, and certainly more

friends than I deserve! Remember when we thought 45 was old? HA!

Out with Christmas, back to Halloween!

Bing knows something is up!

And, indeed there is! I was out of bed super-early, for a Sunday and at the

market to pick up all the goodies I need to prepare a huge breakfast and a

yummy dinner later. We'll have both boys and their girls to feed so I'm

planning meals and baking a dessert too! And, all of this is going on

while we're in the process of de-Christmas'ing the house too!  

But first it's dessert, which is taking us all the way back to Halloween!

I've been wanting to try this leftover-Halloween-candy Bundt

cake that I first learned about here. Oh, by the way... If you are not

already a fan of Cathy's and reading her beautiful blog, you must!

Don't let this fool you... Unwrapping all this candy was a pain!

Thank goodness sweets don't call my name... Otherwise, this would be dangerous work!

I got a set of Pourfect bowls for Christmas. They

were part of this year's, to-me-from-me haul! 

Don't you just love those kinds of gifts?

I do. They're my favorite. And, best of all... No wrapping required!

Next Sunday I'll be knee-deep in the, to-me-from-me birthday gift haul!

And... There we have it!

Leftover-Halloween-Candy Bundt cake!

Now all it needs is a melted Guittard chocolate glaze!

Because all that Halloween candy may in fact not be sweet enough!

Now for contrast...

A little white chocolate glaze!    

Oh! I have to tell you!! I found Martha's 2011 limited edition cake

stands at Macy*s in Monterey! And yes, I said stands, as in set!

As in two! I called my Macy*s here to see if they would hold a set for me until

we got back; however, they didn't have them... Thankfully, Santa-mom put them

under the tree for me. And, since USAir was on its best behavior, they made it! 

Want to know a cake-glazing clean-up secret?

I place a sheet of plastic wrap under my rack!

This so beats...

Washing a sheet pan!

By the way... I prepared the Ranger's favorite meal for dinner this evening!

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and... Nothing green!

It's sure been a while since there were six of us around the table...

All we need now is Mom and Dad to make it eight!

They know how to get here...

Which leaves me wondering what they're waiting for!

Now that dinner is over...

It's dessert-time!