Check Out: Week Recap

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Brig

The week’s end could not get here soon enough.Here’s a look at a few things that helped me get through it….

- Have you heard about the dangers of sunscreen?! Thinking about making my own.

- Where can you climb the income ladder?  Damn.

- I’m loving Rachel’s new shoes. Not sure I could pull these off.

- Flint OKC is all the rage. Can’t wait to try it!

- Newsweek v. Time controversial magazine covers. Are you reading either?

- Thinking about trying Trapit.

- Man sent candles.

- Do you follow @CoryBooker on the tweets? He’s a new favorite of mine. He’s a vegetarian. Who knew.

- Glenn Beck is #23.

Happy Weekend,

B

Photo via Little Plastic Horses.

Posted in Check Out | Leave a comment

I’m Eating: Black Bean Taquitos

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Brig

I wanted to bring a simple Mexican dish to a friend’s Cinco de Mayo party a couple weeks ago, and did what most people do. Googled.

I had the idea to bring taquitos, but I knew we were also having tacos —- so I wanted my taquitos to be meatless. The recipe I ended up going with was from SparkRecipes.

1 can refried black beans
3/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
24 small corn tortillas
1tsp cumin
1tsp chile powder
1T hot sauce
salt
pepper

I decided to add:  the juice of one lime, half a diced onion and fresh cilantro to the taquito filling.

The recipe’s instructions recommend preheating the oven to 400 degrees (next time I make this I will probably skip this step, but I’ll get to that). Mix together black beans, cheddar cheese, spices, hot sauce, lime juice, onion and cilantro.

Meanwhile, microwave the corn tortillas between wet paper towels.  The key here is to fill the tortillas with a couple spoonfuls of the filling while the tortillas are wet and warm — this will make it easier to roll the taquitos without them breaking.

Bake taquitos for about 10 minutes on a well greased baking sheet.

I actually got all of my taquitos to roll up nicely without the tortillas breaking.  I thought all was well and good until I pulled them out of the oven.

Wah wah. Even though they weren’t pretty, these were delicious! Because these didn’t look great, and I was taking them to a party — I decided to only make one batch. I used the left over filling as a bean dip. We ate it with chips and it was so good.

I love happy accidents. I now have an easy to throw together bean dip recipe up my sleeve. No googling required.

Meatless Mexican,

B

 

Posted in I'm Eating | 3 Comments

Better Block!

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Brig

Hey OKCers — will you be checking out Better Block OKC this weekend?

“Better Block OKC, presented by ULI Oklahoma, is a community revitalization project that temporarily demonstrates how to improve a street with pedestrian and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street life.”

I personally know several of the Better Block volunteers, and I know they’ve been working really hard to make the corner of NW 7th and Hudson awesome and just plain better for two days and two days only.

There are several art installations going up as part of Better Block, and one of them belongs to my friend Amy. Be on the look out for her upcycled flowers. I’m lucky enough to  get to see one every day in my front yard.

Getting better all the time,

B

Posted in 'round here | Leave a comment

Barndiva

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Brig

We recently made a dinner reservation for our upcoming trip to northern California. I’m beyond excited to sip wine at Barndiva and to dig into its all local menu.

Besides this meal, and a scheduled tour at Ferrari-Carano we don’t have much else planned.  But that’s the way we like to do vacations.

I spent time with a couple friends last weekend, who will also be traveling to northern California soon. They had several San Francisco travel guides in the back seat of their car. I laughed. And then wondered what it might be like to be a ‘travel guide’ kind of traveler?!

Do you plan out your vacations? Make restaurant reservations, or let your nose lead you into cafes in whatever city you’re exploring?

I think there are benefits to both travel styles. We did Greece with  very little planning, and had the trip of a lifetime.

Travel Teaser,

B

Photo via TravelEatLove

 

 

Posted in Travel | 4 Comments

I’m Wearing: Skinny Hudson Jeans (in Mint)

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Brig

I added a brilliant pop of color to my denim wardrobe this weekend by bringing home a pair of mint wash jeans made by Hudson. I couldn’t wait to wear them! The outfit combinations are going to be endless.

For a Mother’s Day dinner out, I paired them with a floral top and Frye sandals. I think they’d also look good with an animal print top, or stripes, or polka dots, or a simple white t-shirt or pretty much anything else in my closet.

The denim on these jeans is soft and stretchy, and if you can’t tell by the photos…..the perfect washed out shade of minty green.

I Heart Hudson,

B

Posted in I'm Wearing | 1 Comment

Drought Resistance

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Brig

Remember my cactus pining?!

I’m not really sure how I let it happen, but a nice old lady at Horn Seed Company talked me out of buying a cactus and into buying a few other drought resistant plants to ‘try out’.

Here’s what I came home with a couple weeks ago, and what is now happily sunning in our side yard….

A Setcreasea, which is more commonly called Purple Heart. It’s purple and gorgeous.

purple leafed drought resistant plant

A couple Hens and Chicks. These seem to be doing the best.

We also planted some Sedum Red Carpet, which is also sometimes called Stone Crop. It’s a hardy sun loving ground cover that’s supposed to spread.

We followed the Horn lady’s instructions to churn some compost into the soil around the base of the plants, and then to fill in the bed with rock. We were supposed to water the plants lightly for just the first few days, and then leave them alone. They like to be left alone.

I like this little rock garden well enough, but I’d still love to own a giant gorgeous flowering cactus. Wish they were easier to ‘try out’.

Planting Roots,

B

Posted in Outdoors and Landscaping | Leave a comment

Symphony Showhouse

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Brig

My mom and I went to the 2012 Symphony Showhouse a few days ago. Oklahoma City Orchestra League administers the Showhouse project around this time every year as a fund raising event. They’ve been doing it for almost 40 years, and the houses are always unique and fun to tour. My mom and I have been to many of the Showhouses together. We always seem to go around Mother’s Day.

There were quite a few ‘no photography’ signs up throughout the house this year, which I chose to honor. I’m sorry I don’t have more photos for you!

One of my favorite things about the house were the luxurious floor to ceiling drapes that seemed to hang in every room. Rich, detailed fabrics combined in all sorts of ways with beading and beautiful trim.

Okay. okay. I did take a couple photos. This is a shot of what my mom and I agreed is the perfect reading porch. It’s covered, but open enough for a nice breeze. There is a view of the beautiful backyard pool, and a view of the front yard and neighborhood. Comfortable furniture. And a gas fire pit.

You’ll have to see the rest of the house yourself! Ticket prices are only $15.

Big House,

B

Posted in 'round here | Leave a comment

Candy Colored Hair

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Brig

The other day I was at a meeting with a woman who had bright purple highlights in her short dark hair. The woman’s daughter was also at the meeting, and also had purple highlights in her hair. The pop of color was beautiful, and the mother/daughter duo made a striking pair. Since that meeting, I’ve noticed several other women wearing candy colored highlights. Have you seen this trend?

neon hair high lights crazy hair highlights

I don’t think this style would work in most professional settings, but it might be fun to try for a night out. Or maybe on vacation!

Blogger Amy at PunkyStyle recently posted about temporarily coloring the tips of her hair using regular old chalk pastels from a craft store. Apparently, this is a thing.

Taste the Rainbow,

B

Photos via Become Gorgeous.

 

Posted in Fashion, Life Journal | Leave a comment

I’m Wearing: Paul Smith Spectacles

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Brig

Until recently, I was wearing a pair of black frame glasses that I’d had since my freshman year of college. I wear glasses everyday (especially at work) for reading. It was time for an update!

I picked out my new Paul Smith glasses at Midtown Optical after a recent eye appointment. I love how hip they make me feel!

This style is called Arielle, and I got them in black…because that’s the color I wear most often at the office. I think these are a perfect ‘grown up’ stand in for the large frame glasses that are popular these days.

Do you wear glasses? And do you wear them for function or fashion?! These spectacles are both for me.

Fresh Eyes,

B

Posted in I'm Wearing | Leave a comment

Thunderstruck

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Brig

We spent Saturday evening eating delicious home cooked street tacos at a friend’s house….and watching the OKC Thunder!

Through a serendipitous turn of events, we ended up driving out to the Oklahoma City airport to greet the victorious Thunder players as they arrived back in OKC. There were at least a hundred other fans there. Maybe more! Enough fans that police officers were in the airport parking lot directing traffic.

Here we are looking wind blown and sitting on a tail gate waiting for our team’s plane to land.

My friend Allison thinks OKC Thunder fans are some of the nerdiest of the NBA, but I think she’ll agree that we’re also some of the best dressed. All the fans at the airport were rocking Thunder colors and/or shirts. Philip’s “Everyday I’m Russellin’” shirt came from DNA Galleries, and my Thunder baseball T came from Blue Seven.

Many of the fans at the airport brought something we didn’t….brooms! This is how we show love to our team, and thank them for sweeping the Mavs! OKC is clearly Thunderstruck.

Beat L.A.,

B

POST EDIT: P says I can’t say “Beat L.A.” until they beat Denver, but I think we’ll be playing the Lakers in the next round. Don’t you?

Posted in 'round here, Life Journal | 5 Comments