Laissez les bon temps rouler...

My best friend, Celinda, and her boyfriend, Matt, came to visit from Atlanta this weekend.  They couldn't find Abita Strawberry in Atlanta, so Justin suggested we hunt down this amazing tasting beer in Nashville.  We ended up at Frugal Macdoogal.  They have it all at the best prices in town.  At first we didn't see the Abita Strawberrry, but as we rounded the corner, there it was...

Ahhh....Celinda was beside herself.  They bought three boxes full.  People, this stuff is good.  The clerk at Frugal said they just got it in Wednesday and they will be sold out by Sunday.  They only make a limited amount.  So in honor of Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday - go out and get your strawberry treat. And yes, this stuff is made in New Orleans...

Let the good times roll!

bon appétit...

It is time for Mardi Gras and that means time for my favorite cake - a king cake.  The Turnip Truck Urban Fare in the Gulch has the best king cake in Nashville.  It is delic with milk, flour, eggs and sugar. After it is rolled out it is covered with butter, cinnamon and sugar.  The cream cheese filling is to die for!  A food for thought - the green. gold, and purple on the king cake represent faith, power, and justice.  Since the Turnip Truck is all natural - they used spinach, kale, carrot, and beet juice for color instead of food coloring.  Now that is my kind of cake.

Don't be surprised to find a plastic baby in a lucky bite.  This means you have luck for the year.  Mardi Gras is on March 8th.

Enjoy!

{copy credit: nashville scene- carrington fox}

art that is goldsworthy.

So now that I have told you how great the Apple TV is, I will talk about the documentary we watched on it the other night - Andy Goldsworthy's Rivers and Tides: Working With Time.

Andy Goldsworthy is one of my favorite artists. He is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist living in Scotland who produces site-specific sculpture and land artsituated in natural and urban settings. His art involves the use of natural and found objects, to create both temporary and permanent sculptures which draw out the character of their environment.  It is just beautiful to watch him use the earth to create such masterpieces.  The photography is a key part of Andy's art to let others see how time effects the change. 


Here are some of my favorites: 

"My art is an attempt to reach beyond the surface appearance. I want to see growth in wood, time in stone, nature in a city, and I do not mean its parks but a deeper understanding that a city is nature too-the ground upon which it is built, the stone with which it is made." - Andy Goldsworthy

{photo credits: www.ulike.net}
{copy credits: www.wikipedia.com}

we feed our tv an apple a day...

A fabulous Christmas present Justin and I got was the Apple TV from his brother, Brandon.  With Apple TV we can rent movies and shows directly from our phones.  It connects to our TV through the HDMI cable and connects to our computer through our wireless.  (Dudes, I know you are with me...chicas, are you still there?) Our I-phones have an app that acts as a remote.  (As you see below, it comes with a remote as well).  The latest thing Justin added was the Netflix rentals.  We are able to rent the movies right to our set.  Other very cool features include access to the iTunes Store and media streaming from our iPhoto and iTunes libraries.  The best part is that is small and very discret, so you put it in any room.

{photo credit: amazon.com}

Happy Watching!

distinctively different.

Distinctively different.  These are the words that inspire me today.  Justin and I are joining Brentwood Baptist Church and attended a membership class last night.  The focus was living distinctively different, so others will see Christ in you and know you are different.  Of course when God wants to grab our attention, he puts little reminders all around us.  Therefore the Daily Verse went right along with this...

God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" - Exodus 3:14

Imagine having the kind of confidence God showed in this passage; when asked who He was, He simply said, "I am." Be confident in who you are - the "I AM" lives in you.  Today think of the things you enjoy and characteristics that make you uniquely you.  Live each day with intention - creating the life YOU love. Do people know you are different?   Here are some books I enjoy that will help inspire you to live distinctively and with style and grace.  What Would Jackie Do? : An Inspired Guide to Distinctive Living by Shelly Branch and Sue Callaway The next best thing to having Jackie O as a personal advisor, What Would Jackie Do? reveals the practical wisdom behind an icon and gives all readers a piece of the Jackie mystique, be it of the heart, the mind, or the home. Also try What Would Audrey Do? : Timeless Lessons for Living with Grace and Style by Pamela Keogh  In an era fraught with selfishness, artifice, and sensational headlines, the reality and tranquility of Audrey is precisely what the world needs now. {photo credits: www.amazon.com} Go be distinctively different!

oh diana.

This cold weather makes me want go home right after work, change into some comfy lounge wear, and relax.  I created a Diana Krall Pandora playlist and love it.  It immediately calms my mind.  I put Diana on and start cooking, enjoy a glass of wine, and can even read with this fabulous background music.  It is even great to play when you have dinner guests.  Her soothing sound takes me away from all the thoughts going through my head.

{photo credit: www.smh.com.au}


Relax!

grace.

I got the new February issue of House Beautiful and am loving this kitchen!  My favorite features are the butcher board counter tops, deep sink, and open shelves.  They chose a color similar to the morning dew we recently painted our kitchen in.  The dark fixtures create balance - they provide a solid foundation to give the room overall grace.

{photo credit: house beautiful, february 2011 issue}

two z's for the weekend.

Zico.  I found this tonight while shopping at Trader Joe's.  I realized I tried it once before at Whole Foods, but after researching more about it, this is a drink, I will drink more often.  It has 5 essential electrolytes, including more potassium (569 mg) than entire banana.  Also no added sugar and no fat. It is all natural - which I love!  For years it has been a source of nutrition, beauty, wellness and hydration.  Zico just makes you feel good.  I suggest trying it after your next work out.  It is the natural energy boost to rehydrate and recover your body. Ahhh...

{photo credit : www.zico.com}


Zolo's.  One of my new favorite restaurants.  Truly Italian with homemade marina sauces, wonderful European wines, and delicious desserts.  Justin and I went last night with Blake and Jenny.  We started off with the bruschetta.  It was amazing with fresh tomatoes, garlic, scallions, fresh basil, and olive oil - topped with baked parmesan. Jenny got the lasagna with layers of beef, Italian sausage, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.  Blake got the Trio so he could try a little of everything.  Spinach & cheese ravioli, sausage, meatball and penne pasta in marinara - baked with provolone cheese. Yumm...
Justin got the eggplant paramsean - you can never go wrong with this dish.  I got the spaghetti with clam sauce.  I wasn't sure about this when I ordered it, but the baby clams prepared in a delicious white wine butter sauce was amazing! It was a treat to enjoy a wonderful dinner with special friends.  I always love going to downtown Franklin.

You can find Zolo's at 119 5th ave N. Franklin TN, 37064 and call 615.599.2901 to make reservations.  

{photo credit: www.zolosonline.com}


Cheers! 

warrrrrr eagle. hey!

I just had to make my post today about Auburn!

What a game last night.  The Tigers had my heart beating fast until the last second of the game.  Thank goodness our kicker, Wes Byrum, put it through the uprights for Auburn to beat Oregon in the NATIONAL Championship game!  This is only our second National title EVER!  

My favorite play of the game had to be when Michael Dyer  started running again.  There was no whistle, so he started running, running past he tackler and landed close to the 20 yard line.   A true "once-in-a-lifetime" run, the kind that wins championships.

Dyer's stop-and-go maneuver set up a short field goal on the last play that sent No. 1 Tigers over the No. 2 Ducks 22-19 in the BCS title game.

Loved hearing him say..."All I knew was the whistle wasn't blowing and my coach was saying 'Go!"' Dyer said. Click to read the full story.

War Eagle! 


{photo credit: foxnews.com}

chalk up some painting fun.

The cold weather made Justin and I very productive this weekend.  We decided to paint the kitchen, since we would be in doors staying warm.  Both of us agreed doing one wall with chalkboard paint.  We will use this wall for to do lists, grocery lists, bible verses, etc.  The other color we chose was morning dew.  It blends perfect with the gray chalkboard paint and the tile on the backsplash.

Justin and I both painted.  We would swap up who did the trim and who did the roller brush.  Fun times and definately made some memories. It felt so good to do this ourselves.

Before :

After :

One room down, a few more to go...next we hope to paint our bedroom.

Happy Painting!

lift.tone.burn.

One of my favorite gifts for Christmas was the Pure Barre DVD's I received from Justin's sister.  If you have not heard of Pure Barre, you should definitely see if they have any locations near you.  It is the best workout ever!  The classes get a little expensive at $225 per month.  To get started I recommend going to the month unlimited class for a good feel of the overall workout with a live instructor.  If you are a new member it is only $100 per month for the first month.

The DVD's are a perfect option for me, especially since it has been so cold outside.  The last thing I want to do after work is go to the gym, change, workout, come back home and cook dinner.  With the DVD's I am able to come home, change, get dinner going, and workout.  The workout is a solid 45 minutes and I feel great afterwards.  All it takes is doing Pure Barre 2-3 times a week to change your body.  The best bang for your buck is the Collector's Edition.  You get it all in one package.

I promise you will see and feel the results very quickly.  You want that shaking and trembling in your legs and body...so go for it!

As they say at Pure Barre...Happy Tucking!


{photo credit: www.purebarre.com}

make it personal.

At the beginning of the year I like to stock up on small gifts.  You never know when you might need a dinner party, house warming, birthday, or thinking of you gift.  In This Very Room has some great options, at fairly decent price points.

Some of my favorites are:

trellis magnetic board

the "links" cutting board

And last, but not least...fabulous trays for entertaining

the damask tray

macbeth tray

I just love all the prints to choose from. You pick your favorite color and just add initials, name or monogram.  All your friends and family will adore these personalized gifts. 

Happy gifting! 


{photo credit: www.inthisveryroom.com}

you can plan on it.

A new year is always exciting to me for many reasons.  One being, I get to get a new planner!  For the past three years I have found these fabulous ones from Gallery Leather. They not only come in fun colors, they are small enough to fit in your purse, but large enough to write all your "to do's" down.  If you get lucky, you may find them at TJ Maxx or Marshall's as well. My mom found them and gave one to me for Christmas.:)

 Happy Planning! 


{photo credit: www.galleryleather.com}

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I took a little break from blogging since we were on the go over the holidays.  Justin and I drove to Anniston the night before Christmas Eve.  We were able to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day until lunch with my family.  We woke up to a White Christmas in Anniston!  It was so peaceful and perfect.

My dad, grandmother, Nana and Uncle Brian came over to spend lunch with us.

The drive back to Nashville through Gadsden, Cullman, and Huntsville was beautiful with all the snow.  We arrived in Brentwood around 6:00 PM.  It took over 3 hours to open all the presents for the Moses clan!  Justin and I got home and felt overwhelmed with blessings for our first Christmas.  We were able to spend it with both of our families and celebrate a White Christmas.

Since I was off of work the entire week, I drove back to Anniston on Monday to see both my grandmothers and to have breakfast with one of my lifelong friends, Jamie, her little girl, Charlee Kate (CK) and her mom, Freida. They hold such a special place in my heart.

It was great being able to spend more time at home.  I came back to Nashville Wednesday afternoon.

Thursday Justin and I relaxed - it was much needed, as I was battling a cold.  Friday it was off to Gatlinburg!  The cabin - Cabin Fever  - was amazing.  It had everything - the guys loved the pool table and games on the bottom floor.  We all struggled to stay up til midnight to celebrate the new year!

Saturday we took a little trip downtown for an Old Tyme photo and lunch.

Then it was back to the cabin for more football watching and lots of eating!  Lara made the best sugar cookies ever.  Justin, Matt, Laurel, and I challenged Pam and Dennis to a game of dominos.  We made such wonderful memories.

It was definately hard to go back to work today.  2010 brought such incredible moments - Justin and I getting engaged and married, buying our first place, starting new jobs, baby Caleb and Cy, Laurel becoming pregnant.  We are blessed beyond words  - I can't wait to see what 2011 has in store!

Cheers!