It's getting hot out here

In Texas, there's nothing like a shady backyard

Beverage queen

Roadtrippin' back to Austin today! 20 mins into the trip and I already have 3 beverages going lol. I AM THE BEVERAGE QUEEN!! Coffee, coke, & my giant water that doesn't even fit in the cupholder! Isee many bathroom breaks along the way :-)

Twisted over you

Ok everyday is National something-or-other day, right? Well apparently today is National Pretzel Day! It's days like today that I wish I lived in NYC, where all you have to do is turn around and there's a food cart. I have to admit, that might be my favorite part of the city... snacks at every turn!

Here's a couple of offers for FREE pretzels! Enjoy!

Philly Soft Pretzel Factory

Pretzel Maker

you down with OP? yeah you know me!

As a child of the 80s I'm of course nostalgic about things like neon colors, leggings, New Kids on the Block, and slap bracelets. So when other blasts-from-my-past show up, I get really excited!

Sooo remember OP? As in the clothing brand. I remember wearing OP, I remember my brother wearing OP and I remember just about everyone I know wearing OP at some point!

Today I'm sporting some OP shorts I bought at Walmart about 3 months ago. I'm not big on Walmart, only because it's crazy busy with literally like 3 check-out lanes open every time I go there. I'm much more of a Target girl... in fact I sort of have an obsession with Target and I go there probably at least 2-3 times a week! But anyway, I happened to go to Walmart a few months ago, I don't even remember the reason. While I was there some florescent pink shorts caught my eye and I had to have them! So I decided to cheat a little on Target and bought the shorts. How do you pass them up when they're $12?!

So I'm loving the revival of this classic brand! OP is perfect for spring/summer 2012 because it's full of bright colors, coloring blocking and my favorite, NEON!

Shop for you own blast-from-the-past HERE ;-)

Mmmm Filet

I've been thinking for a long time now that I need to start experimenting with more cooking, so when I eventually get married I don't horribly disappoint Chris. So I'm always on the lookout for new recipes that sound like something we'd both enjoy. He's easy to please, he will literally eat anything... it's me that's somewhat picky. But there's a few things I love and will never turn down, one of those things being Filet Mignon. Mmmm.

I happened to be flipping through the TV as I'm putting together Administrative Professionals Day gifts (which I currently have available, email me) and came across the Nate Berkus Show. It's a repeat but I haven't seen it.. Sherri Shepherd is co-hosting and I find her funny so I stopped. They are cooking a great recipe that's making my mouth water, so I decided to look it up and save for my own recipe box, as well as share with you. Enjoy!

Chef Aaron "Big Daddy" McCargo Jr.'s horseradish-crusted filet mignon, with a side of braised Portobello mushrooms.

Horseradish-Crusted Filet Mignon with Braised Portobello Mushrooms
Serves four

Ingredients for the Steaks
1/2 cup prepared horseradish
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper, plus more as needed
4 6-ounce filet mignons
Coarse sea salt or smoked salt
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon canola oil

Ingredients for the Portobello Mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Portobello mushroom caps, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions
To cook the steaks
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the horseradish, mustard, garlic, olive oil and pepper. Season the steaks with salt and more pepper and coat both sides with the mustard mixture. Dip the steaks in panko to coat on both sides. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat and sear the steaks for two minutes on each side. Lift the steaks from the skillet and set aside on a rack set in a baking pan.

To cook the Portobellos
Drain any excess oil from the skillet and then melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and season with the salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms soften and color slightly, which takes between three and four minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and stir into the butter and exuded juices from the mushrooms. Add the wine and broth, stir, and cook for about three minutes to reduce slightly. Spoon the sauce over the mushrooms to coat them. Stir in the vinegar and thyme.
Meanwhile, cook the steaks in the oven for about five minutes so they become about medium-rare, or until cooked to the desired doneness and until the breading browns. Let the steaks rest for about 5 minutes before serving with the mushrooms spooned over them.

Chef Aaron McCargo, Jr.competed on and won the fourth season of "The Next Food Network Star" in 2008, and is the host of Food Network's "Big Daddy's House." His cookbook, "Simply Done, Well Done," was released in April of 2011. For more information about Aaron, visit his website at Aaronmccargo.com.

Recipe source: Nate Berkus Show

Is it just me...

Is it just me or is stirring mac-n-cheese like the grossest sound ever? haha

Happy Sunday Funday! Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend! :-)

Spring Pastels

Spring Pastels by texassass featuring Cole Haan tote bags

Olioboard

With all this pinning and tweeting and liking, and then playing around with polyvore... who has time for anything else, right? Wrong! Enter Olioboard. I've known about this for awhile, as it's discussed often in the Interior Design community on Twitter, but I hadn't checked it out yet. So today I did, and spent a little time playing around with my first passion: interior design.

As most decorators do, I spend a lot of time thinking about my dream home and how it would look. I am dying to have a black Dining Room... I can't decide yet whether that means straight up black painted walls, or a patterned wallpaper with a black background, I'd love to have either one! If I go the black paint route, I'd have lots of crisp white traditional molding throughout the space. The contrast of black and white, to me, is always classic and bold and dynamic, and that's perfect for space suited to entertaining and "fancier" meals. If I go the wallpaper route, I love the mix of metallics, especially gold and silver. Or again, black and white, which makes it more contemporary with such a stark contrast.

My dream space would also include Art Deco furniture and accessories... lots of "pretty things", crystals and mirror. I want a chandelier, but not just any ordinary chandelier... I want one shaped like a palm tree! Ever since I saw this online, I just can't get over it.  I've already posted this chandelier once and yep, here it is again! It would be the focal point of my Dining Room, a stunning piece that would surely WOW!

So here you go, my first try at Olioboard :-) Would you like a Dining Room like this?

Travel Europe

Travel Europe by texassass featuring AX Paris handbags

Neon Summer Day

Neon Summer Day by texassass featuring Diane von Furstenberg shoulder bags

Sit & Sip

I heard from a college friend, Heather, the other night, and we've been playing phone tag since. Life has gotten crazy the past few years, and sadly I've hit that age where it's the norm to not talk to your good friends for months at a time! I don't remember when we last saw each other, or just talked on the phone... and that's even more sad considering we both still live in the metroplex! But careers and significant others have swallowed our time, and the impromptu "sit-and-sip" sessions we used to have are few and far between.

For those that were not my roommate in college, let me catch you up. A "sit-and-sip" is something Heather and I came up with and it's a pretty simple concept... we like to SIT and SIP on an alcoholic beverage. LOL! So I've been thinking about Heather, how I miss her and miss college and how maybe it was a little strange that as young, energetic, "partying" college students, we enjoyed just sitting so much... and well, today it hit me... Heather and I were just way ahead of our time and perhaps mature enough to realize that a "sit-and-sip" is a luxury! Now, years later, I have so many busy days when I think to myself, "Cripes! I just want to SIT DOWN!" So, in honor of Friday, I challenge you to enjoy your own "sit-and-sip" session with a friend or loved one sometime this weekend! Cheers!

And to Heather, my lovely friend whom I miss dearly...let's get this next sip and sip planned! "Beers up buffalo bitch!" hahaha :-)

You're Welcome

As I sit drinking my coffee and checking out twitter on this rainy morning, I came across this news blurb and found it amusing.  If you don't know why... it's because I often joke about keeping Kleenex in business because of my allergies! Maybe it's time for me to buy some of this stock so I make some of my money back! Kimberly-Clark 1Q Soars on International Demand


So anyway, Kimberly-Clark... you're welcome ;-) haha!

HAPPY FRIDAY, Y'ALL!

Fort Worth Main St. Arts Festival 2012

Today is the first day of the 2012 Main Street Arts Festival in downtown Fort Worth! I'm so in love with this festival... if you live in DFW and you've never been... GO! Now! Well, go sometime this weekend! Fort Worth is not a big city, but that doesn't matter for this festival! It is still Texas-sized fun, overtaking all of downtown's Main Street and Sundance Square. There's tons of food, music and of course, the arts, ranging from sculpture and paintings to unique crafts and jewelry. There is so much to do, you could easily spend the entire day there, or even multiple days! It's family fun, but also geared to adults, offering alcohol and a variety of foods. Get outside, enjoy the sunny weather and support this fantastic local festival that draws vendors from around the country!

The Main Street Arts Festival runs Thursday April 19 through Sunday April 22. Find more information, including concert schedules, maps, and special events, HERE. I think this "Paint Your Own Canvas" activity sounds so fun... especially since it includes wine ;-)

Hump Day

So, I'm definitely having one of those weeks where I feel like I've crammed a million and one things into just a few days.  I really can't believe it's only Wednesday night... it's been a whirlwind! In the midst of road trips, my work, and helping out family members, I have also added spring cleaning to my week!

Brilliant idea, right? Ha! But, as they say, an object in motion will stay in motion, so I'm pushing right through this week! Really looking forward to a clean, organized home! It's all down hill from here :-)

Don't you ever get tired?

If you're like me, you need some motivation for workouts. I have come to realize in the last few years what the absolute best motivation is for going on a daily run... a dog. Now, I don't have a dog... ok, well officially don't have one yet. I do have Mr. Wilbur, Chris' pup, that I am now step-mother to, and believe you me, I love that dog as if I were there from day one. But I don't have my own dog, like one I picked out or was given to ME. Since my brother and I never experienced having a dog as kids, he got his own a few years ago, leaving me as the last remaining person on earth that's never owned a dog. Enter, Cozmo... a super lovable, super excited pup from a local Austin shelter. He's my 2nd dog... or my nephew if you will ha! Cozmo is a daddy's boy... goodness he loves my brother! It's pretty cute how he's perfectly content lounging with Chris on the sofa. But... he really is a ball of energy! And he is my workout motivation. Those adorable puppy dog eyes are killer, from the minute I get up in the morning, every time I'm in town. It's kind of funny how quickly going for a run becomes my priority, because who wants to make the sweet puppy dog sad?! Not me.

So yesterday was an interesting day, weather-wise, in Austin. After high winds & rain in the morning, it cleared up in the afternoon to reveal a gorgeous few hours of sunshine, cooler temps & lower humidity. Even though we went for a morning run, Cozmo & I cut it short when the rain started coming down. So of course when it cleared up, he was all over another walk. So we went... dang those puppy dog eyes, but bless you pups for keeping my lazy butt moving! Until the day I have my own "running partner", I will be thankful for every chance I get to enjoy the great outdoors and some exercise with Coz, the friendly pup :-) Here's some pictures from our beautiful evening walk yesterday!

Easy like a Sunday morning

It's a lazy Sunday morning. I got up early and have been enjoying some coffee and Pinterest and the sound of the rain outside. Rain is wonderful... from the comforts of inside ;-) And even though I'm not at home in downtown Fort Worth, I still think of how the rain looks on the streets as it skews the stoplights and neon of the local businesses. On a day like today, I love the rain :-)

Roadtrippin'

Happy weekend! Welcome to Austin! I'm down for the week visiting Chris and the OTHER Chris, aka my brother... can you believe my boyfriend AND my brother are named Chris? You're probably thinking that could be confusing... yeah... it is! But how wonderful is it that I can drive 3 hours and be in one of the coolest cities in Texas and visit both of them?!

I like to travel, even if it is from Fort Worth to Austin and back. And I love being in the car for my travels. We live in a world based on speed; how fast can you get there, how quickly can you get it done, when are you moving on to the next thing? Most people would probably rather fly, especially when you take frequent trips to a place nearby. Not me! Give me my car! Because really, what's so wrong with taking some time to get somewhere? Why should everything I do be based on how fast I can do it? Why should I hop a plane and sit silently next to someone I don't know and more than likely, someone that doesn't want to know me because they're grumpy about the flight they're on? Something tells me there's many more friendly, interesting people to encounter along the road, especially in Texas!

There is no place I love to be more than my car! There is nothing better than a mix CD, windows down, sunroof open and an iced tea next to me as I fly down the Texas highways! Yes it's gas money and time and car maintenance, but it's also freedom! I suggest we all step back from life and take a minute to realize how fast we try to move through it... everything can slow down a little bit if you make an effort. Why not enjoy some quiet time to yourself instead of stressing yourself with making a flight on time, limiting the size of your luggage, throwing out all your liquids or putting them in individual bags, getting dressed just so you can strip in public and be searched for things you wouldn't even dream of bringing with you... why not put some effort into getting yourself where you need to go, maybe basing a decision on what you may get out of it, and not just how you can save some money and/or time?

Don't get me wrong, I know in a down economy every one must cut corners, everyone needs to think about time and money... but don't we all do that a little TOO much? Haven't we all forgotten that one amazing roadtrip memory we have? You know... like when you were in college and Jill's car started to overheat and smoke on the highway on a trip to Houston and you have to putt along until you make it to Wal-Mart for some anti-freeze! "Swing swing swing from the tangles of my heart"... yes that's actually one of my true college stories! Or the first roadtrip you took with your significant other, or the first roadtrip you took with your kids... I'm willing to bet every single person has at least one great memory of being in the car.  Now how many great memories do you have of being on a plane? Just sayin'...

I say we all step back a little from our crazy technological shortcut world, our apps to book flights and restaurant reservations, our text messages and tweets, and maybe we remember a time that was not that long ago... a time when adventure was not "checking-in" to the spot where everyone already is, but rather a time when we just jumped in our cars and went! That's my favorite thing about my roadtrips... I may not have a new destination every time, but you can bet the scenery along the way changes each time. I can choose a different route, I can choose a different rest stop, I'm in control and can change my path at any point and it's that freedom that never allows me to get sick of the I-35 drive. I could focus on the destination and getting there quickly, but I choose to enjoy the drive :-)

Bethenny-aholic

Can't get enough Bethenny, just like me? Well, if you follow her, you've probably already heard about her upcoming talk show... today she announced that it premieres on June 11th on Fox! I'm really excited! I'm liking her set! Look at the cute owls! She posted this picture today on Facebook. Will you be tuning in?

How do I look?

My blog received a huge update and makeover yesterday! I take pride in being able to teach myself most things, as long as I take the time to figure it out.  Well, that's what I did yesterday... spent a loooong time playing around with Blogger and trying new things. I have always wanted a place that brings all of my business ventures and all of my weird sassy-cassiness together. So here it is, still in progress, but looking so much better than before!

What do you think? :-)

He is risen! Let's eat

Hope everyone had a fabulous Easter weekend! I spent my weekend with my parents at their house. Saturday afternoon was perfect for laying out in the sunshine, so I busted out the bathing suit and some skinnygirl sangria and had a nice sweaty couple of hours by the pool. It turned out to be hotter than I thought! But the pool was still really cold, so I stayed poolside the whole time. Mom made some chicken pasta salad for dinner, and it turned out to be a great relaxing day.

Sunday morning we went to church and heard a great message. Of course it seemed to be completely applicable to my life and just what I needed to hear... funny how that happens ;-)

Easter dinner was just me, my mom & dad, so we opted to going out to lunch instead of mom cooking. We tried a new place we had never been before... mom found it, searching for restaurants in Grapevine. Result: great meal at Boi Na Braza, a Brazilian Steakhouse with the same sort of set up as Texas de Brazil. Our meal was fantastic!!

The price was very reasonable for the food we got, the atmosphere, and the service. The staff was extremely friendly and immediately got us started with a great wine. One of the best things about Boi Na Braza is the fact that there's no waiting for your food to be cooked, you can start eating immediately. The salad bar was great... lots of choices of salad, soups, pasta salad, cheeses, breads, veggies, smoked salmon, olives, and hot side dishes for the meats like mashed potatoes. After filling my plate with tons of goodies, I was already half full before I even started on the meats!

Waiters walk around with skewers of different meats, cooked to perfection and ready for enjoying. When you're ready to have them bring you the meats, you flip your table card from red to green, signaling the "go team meat!". Within seconds you're surrounded by waiters offering tender cuts of sirloin, filet mignon, pork & beef ribs, picanha (rumproast Brazilian special), lamb chops, chicken breasts & legs, and pork loin & sausage. I don't even think I'm naming all of the meats that were available. I was actually surprised that I liked the sirloin better than the bacon-wrapped filet mignon that I had! The sirloin just seemed to have more seasoning, more flavor & juiciness. But everything I tasted was fantastic and I got so full, so fast!

Our meal included choice of a dessert, so I had creme brulee, so did mom and dad opted for their caramel turtle cheesecake. OMG! Everything was soooo good, so rich and fantastic. The creme brulee was so light and creamy, so smooth and had a perfect caramelized sugar top. I tasted dad's cheesecake which was also delicious. I'm not huge on caramel, but it was amazing! I was really close to ordering the chocolate mousse cake... maybe I should have so I could have tasted 3 desserts instead of 2, but man, I just couldn't pass up that creme brulee, that's something you don't make at home for yourself ;-)

Great meal, really affordable for the amount of food we had and for a fantastic wine too. We will definitely be going back! Oh gosh, I forgot, it included complimentary valet parking, also! That's a short cut to my heart <3

Save the Max

Saturday morning coffee... just hangin' with the gang!
...listening to some good ol' KKTY Baysiiiiide

my 2 crushes from the show...
Did you think the 2nd was going to be Slater? Not so much ;-)
Oh man I love this show! Good times. Peace out!

Oh, and while we're on the subject of Saved by the Bell... if anyone ever needs a gift idea for me in the future, I'd like a Buddy Band in pink <3