The perfect summer drink

I love this stuff.  I grew up on it.  I even remember the specific age and day that I was allowed to transition from having milk with dinner to having iced tea like the grown ups. 

So it comes as no surprise that when this came out

that I was a fan after just one taste.  I love Firefly sweet tea vodka.  Mix in some lemonade, a lemon slice, and some mint, and you have pure perfection.  So imagine my excitement when I discovered a few weeks ago that there are now several flavored Sweet Tea Vodkas.  My first thought was, should you mess with perfection?  No Way!  But then I tasted the Raspberry flavor and was hooked. 

Firefly now carries a wide variety of Sweet Tea Vodkas: Raspberry, Peach, Mint, Lemon.  They now even have a Sweet Tea Bourbon!  So far the Raspberry is by far my favorite, no mixer required.  It is perfect on its own over a glass of ice.  Yum!  Have the flavored versions been out for long or have I been practically living under a rock?  Either way, I am hooked!

Lastly, since I cannot get enough of this trailer, this is what I will be doing tonight at approximately 7:30 after a few drinks with the girls of course! After months of waiting I cannot believe it is finally here, So exciting!



Have you seen it yet? What did you think? Have plans to see it?
-VABelle

For the love of crawfish

This past Saturday we were invited to an Annual Crawfish Boil hosted by one of VABeau's co-workers.  I love crawfish so I was really looking forward to the event.   But I was in no way prepared for the feast that awaited us at this Crawfish Boil.  In fact, the host had 150 pounds of crawfish shipped in from Louisiana for the occasion.  We somehow managed to fulfill all 3 of our meals for the day at this delicious event.
Side note: Friday night started out innocent enough with a home cooked dinner with our friends Neil and Elise.  But somehow it morphed into a fun night in Georgetown that did not end until very early in the morning.  As a result, we slept until the start of the boil on Saturday-1pm.  I felt like I was in college all over again but with half the energy.  Anyways, since we got such a late start on Saturday, we decided to forgo breakfast and head straight for the crawfish.  I am so glad we did!  We spent the entire day catching up with VABeau's co-workers, drinking beer, making new friends, and eating a lot of spicy crawfish.  I was in heaven!

They had the cooking process down to an art-the prep tent where the onions, potatoes, lemons, garlic, corn, and sausage were prepped.

These little guys had no idea what was coming.  While I was fascinated by the whole process, it was pretty tough to watch them struggle as they were thrown in the boiling water.

The pot was filled with water, crab/crawfish seasoning (that somehow got spicier with each batch), potatoes, corn, onions, sausage, garlic, lemon, and lastly, the crawfish.

The whole thing was left to simmer for 30 minutes or so

The result!  I think we spent most of the day parked next to the picnic table chowing down.  The great thing about crawfish is you can eat so much and not get full!  I like to think I burned more calories working to get the meat out of them than I ended up eating?  This is pretty doubtful but a girl can dream!

Even the kids joined in on the fun!  VABeau's co-workers had the absolute cutest children.  How adorable is she?

This little guy ate more than the men there twice his size

I think he spent more time at the table than anyone

I am convinced that each batch got spicier and spicier.  The last few batches were almost torture to eat, leading to even more beer consumption.

Hoping I picked up enough tips to host a similar crawfish boil one day.  If anything I am better equipped for the next time we do a mini one in our kitchen.

Overall, it was a really fun experience with some great people.  I already can't wait for next year's boil!  I discovered Saturday that people either love crawfish or hate them.  Where do you fall on this debate?  Any other crawfish boil lovers?  Have you ever hosted one yourself?

-VABelle

Menu Monday

I have really slacked off with Menu Monday lately resulting in a lot of take-out, happy hour dinners, and frozen meals.  This week, however, I am finally back on track after some last minute planning and a quick grocery trip after church yesterday.  I know our bank accounts, waist lines, and overall health will thank me.

Monday

*Breaded Dijon Chicken Breast

*Baked Macaroni and Cheese (recipe below!)

*Salad

 I have acquired so many amazing recipes for sides that rarely get made since they all make such huge portions.  They are usually saved for when we have a lot people over.  But since I am starting out my week with 3 night shifts, I decided to give having a pre-made side on hand a try.  My first choice for this was my favorite mac and cheese recipe.  It's a classic mac and cheese that never disappoints and has been a hit at several cook outs.  I made it Sunday afternoon before work and we will probably be eating it non-stop for the next week.

Tuesday

*Pancakes

*Sausage

Breakfast for dinner!  My mom did BFD on particularily busy nights growing up.  It's not only an easy meal, but also, you almost always have the ingredients on hand.  BFD nights were always such a treat when I was younger and the same holds true today!

Wednesday

*Leftover Breaded Chicken

*Macaroni and Cheese

*String Beans

Thursday

SEXANDTHECITY2!

*Drinks and dinner out with the girls pre-movie for VABelle

*Pizza for VABeau

Friday

*Pesto and Shrimp Pasta

I plan to attempt making my own pesto for the first time using the leaves of my extremely overgrown basil plant.  I'm not too confident in my pesto-making skills so I will post a review and possibly the recipe if it works out at a later date.

Baked Mac and Cheese

• 1(8oz) package of large elbow macaroni
• 16 saltine crackers, finely crushed (I usually put the crackers in a ziploc bag and crush them inside it)
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (10z) block extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded (I usually buy pre-shredded cheese whenever possible, it saves a lot of time!)
• 1 (10oz) block sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups of milk

 Cook macaroni according to package directions, drain.  Layer 1/3 each of pasta, crackers, pepper, salt, and cheeses into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish.  Repeat layers twice.  Whisk together eggs and milk.  Pour over pasta mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until golden and set.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

-VABelle

Fill in the Blank Friday

1.  One fashion trend I really regret is Doc Martens and wide leg jeans which pretty much made up my entire Middle School wardrobe.  Yuck!

2.  The one thing that always completes any outfit is shoes.  I think shoes are my favorite part of any outfit and I am definitely tempted to buy shoes more than any other clothing item.  I'm also loving the effect of adding skinny belts to various outfits.

3.  I would describe my personal style as mostly preppy.  But I have been trying to dress more trendy lately.

4.  My fashion muse is a tough one.  I guess Reese Witherpoon?  She is the queen of casual yet chic.

5.  If I could own one designer piece of clothing it would be do bags count?  If so, I would love a Louis Vuitton.  I have been eying this bag for years but could never justify the price tag.

6.  I would love to raid the wardrobe of  Blake Lively.  She wears the most fabulous dresses and carries ridiculous bags on Gossip Girl.  I love her stuff in real life too but I would mostly want to raid her Gossip Girl closet.

7.  Today I am wearing gym clothes since I am heading Body Pump in an hour.  But I loved last night's outfit.  I wore my blue JCrew strapless Lorelei dress with a skinny gold belt and my gold Jack Rogers.  Perfect for outdoor happy hour!

-VABelle

Our Weekend in Charlotte!

I have been a horrible blogger lately.  I cannot believe it has almost been a week since our trip to Charlotte and I'm just now posting the details of our amazing weekend.  I'm blaming it on my very slow recovery from the copious amounts of Jager and Firefly we consumed this weekend. 

We absolutely loved Charlotte.  I left the weekend definitely craving a move further South.  I love how Charlotte provides plenty of southern charm while still having a metropolitan feel.  The first thing I saw as we walked off our plane and into Charlotte Airport was a Bojangles situated right next to a NASCAR bar.  I immediately felt like I was home. 

The best part of the weekend, however, was spending time with these two wonderful people:

They were such great hosts!  While I wish we all lived in the same town, I really look forward to our visits and we definitely make the most of our time together.

We started the visit with an amazing sushi spread at ENSO Sushi in uptown.  We had so much fun selecting and trying the unique sushi rolls they offered.  I was obsessed with the rolls that were completely covered in tempura, amazingly delicious!

After dinner we had drinks at RiRa.  This picture captures my downfall-double jager shots.  I could take these like a champ 4 short years ago.  Now, not so much...ugggggh

Skyscrapers in Connor and Mariel's backyard

My favorite way to pass a Spring day-lawn games

all while holding a tall glass of Firefly mixed with lemonade-yum

The matching Vineyard Vines was definitely not planned, but perfect for a Spring day and maybe their next catalog ;)

The boys grilling a pretty amazing dinner

From lawn games to card games

It almost felt like college again and a night on Cabell Avenue

We ended our last night with a few drinks and a lot of dancing at my new favorite bar-The Dandelion Market

The crowd at the bar made me long for the South even more.  Pastels and polos everywhere!

The four of us after a weekend full of catching up, a lot of good food, and even more drinks.  We had a great trip and cannot wait for our next visit.

-VABelle

Babies!

I cannot stop watching the trailer for this movie! Don't worry, no baby fever for this girl yet. Baby fever or no baby fever how can you not get sucked in by these adorable film clips?

"Babies" is currently in theaters and follows four babies from around the world. It includes babies from Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco, and Tokyo. I may not see it in the theater but it will definitely make the top of my Netflix queue. Are you as sucked in by the trailer as I am?
-VABelle

Happiness is

Great Books

I just finished The Help and it was amazing.  It was one of the best books I have read in awhile.  If it's not on your Summer must-read list yet add it RIGHT NOW!

I just started The Art of Racing in the Rain and I can't put it down. 

Good Music

I can't get enough of Train's latest album "Save Me, San Francisco" or anything by Lady Antebellum.  "American Honey is the perfect Summer song and I never get sick of listening to it in my car with the windows down.  I did not want to like Train when their new album first came out.  I thought they were just another group struggling to make a comeback since their last hit, "Drops of Jupiter" many years ago.  But after hearing, "Soul Sister" over and over again on the radio they have won me over as a fan once again.

Outdoor Summer Concerts

Death Cab for Cutie Summer 2008

I love all concerts but nothing compares to an outdoor concert on a warm night.  We have had tickets to the Dave Matthews Band and Zac Brown Band concert at Nationals Stadium which I am ridiculously excited for.  I also just got tickets to the Train concert at Wolf Trap in August. 

We plan to go to a few more events at Wolf Trap this Summer.  It is an amazing outdoor venue with very affordable lawn tickets.  It not only hosts concerts, but also Cirque Du Soleil shows, musicals, and the National Symphony Orchestra.  Even better, you can pack your own picnic which saves you from spending $8 per beer.  We have the perfect wine picnic basket for our Wolf Trap outings that I cannot wait to fill.

Wolf Trap for Pat McGee Summer 2008

Winning Giveaways

Last week I won my first giveaway!  I received a $40 gift certificate for  CSN Stores from Jackie Fo (she has a super cute blog, check it out!) and I could not be more excited.  Now the hard part, actually deciding what to get!  They have so many great items to choose from.

Weekends with Friends  

It's really tough having most of our close friends spread out across the country.  We miss all of them so much.  But the one benefit of it is that we get to visit them in the awesome places that they live.  We have been looking forward to this weekend for quite awhile.  We are leaving tonight for Charlotte, North Carolina to spend the weekend with our friends, Mariel and Connor.  We all have so much fun together and I cannot wait to explore their new city with them!

Summer!

-VABelle

Fill in the Blank Friday

It's finally Friday and that means it's Fill in the Blank Friday at The Little Things we do.  Join in on the fun!

1)  The very best thing about the summer is not having to wear a coat, using my sun roof, longer days, the pool, sundresses, having a tan, cook outs, and outdoor concerts.

2)  My first crush ever was Tyler in 4th grade.  I think every girl in my elementary school had a crush on him at  some point and we all took turns being his girlfriend for at least a week or two.  I think my turn came for 2 weeks in 5th grade.  He was quite the C.H. Friend school player.

3)  This may sound really silly but I have a total of 3 calenders: my myAgenda, a google calender I share with VABeau, and a calender on my Blackberry.  I am obsessed with keeping them all up to date and I schedule everything in my life from laundry to pedicures.  I may be slightly Type A.

4)  I squeeze my toothpaste from the middle of the tube.  It drives VABeau crazy!

5)  My absolute favorite "comfort food" is warm chocolate chip banana bread or any baked good fresh from the oven.

6)  A random fact about me is that I danced for 15 years.  I am forever indebted to my poor parents and brother who had to suffer through 15 long concerts. Also, unlike most girls, I loved my point classes more than my jazz classes despite the bleeding and sore toes I experienced after each class.

7)  The one piece of technology that truly makes my life better and I couldn't live without is DVR.  I work nights so without it I would never get to see my favorite shows.

-VABelle

Target Steals

I really need to start buying our toiletries and household supplies at CVS.  Every time I make a trip to Target I am sucked in by it's clothes, accessories, or shoes.  My most recent trip was no exception.  In fact, I am incredibly impressed with Target's Summer items.  So many cute (and affordable!) dresses, swimsuits, and shoes.  I admit that the quality of it's clothing may not be on the same level of more expensive stores and brands, however, they are perfect for at least one season and the price is definitely right.  Some things that caught my eye when I should have picked up the laundry detergent and headed home:

Surplice Dress in Honeycomb Floral

Braided Strap Dress

Tank Dress

These simple cotton dresses are my Summer Sweatpants.  They are so comfortable, easy to move around in, and keep you cool on hot days.  At $15 I'll take one in every color!

V-Neck Tiered Dress

Liberty of London Linen Pleated Dress

I'm loving most of their new Liberty of London items but I think this is by far my favorite

Sleeveless U-Neck Top

Tegan Tunic Top

 

Evelin Thong Sandal

I bought a very similar pair of sandals from Steve Madden last Summer.  I cringed when I saw how much cheaper the Target version is.

 Pollyann Woven Wedge Sandal

I have been eyeing a very similar Steve Madden sandal for quite awhile but these look so similar and cost so much less!

Elliana Wedge Sandals

Miss Trish Seahorse Flat Sandals

How cute are these?  This is a new line of sandals at Target and I am in love!  So pretty and perfect for the Beach.

Essie Espadrille Wedge Sandal

I almost spent $100 on the JCrew espadrilles.  So glad I didn't after seeing these.

 Miss Trish Flower Flat Sandals

Obviously Lilly inspired

Enamel Hinged Bangle Bracelet

Plaid Straw Fedora

I mentioned my love for fedoras a while ago.  Of course Target would have their own version!

Women's Polka Dot Twist Swimwear

I also recently posted swimsuits I loved from JCrew.  I never took the plunge and purchased one because I wanted to try them on first.  Well I got that opportunity at Target the other day.  They had a polka dot swimsuit very similar to the JCrew one I was eyeing.  I could not resist the $18 price tag and went with the white and black one.

I love my JCrew, Tory Burch, and Anthro as much as the next girl.  But if I can find cute things for a much lower price at Target, I am always game!
-VABelle