southernliving – Page 2 – Appalachian Barbie

Kickstarting the summer!

May 12, 2014 The Appalachian BarbieLeave a comment

Hey y’all! I hope you’re all winding down your weekend in the most comfortable of ways and preparing yourselves for a fresh new week ahead. I’m personally folded up Indian style under a blanket in my most comfy VS sweats on the couch with my 2 sweet fur babies snoozing in my lap and I could only be happier if my honey wasn’t working. Time is flying by so fast, we’re already almost 2 weeks into May and I’ve hardly had time to look around and savor the final fleeting moments of spring before the summer’s heat steals it’s innocence. One thing that was consuming a lot of my time was the “Mr.Tipton Street Pageant,” a charity event I organized at work for our local animal shelter. A former employee and myself came up with the idea of a “man pageant” for average Joes last year as a way to get people into the bar and to raise money for a good cause. It turned out to be a smashing success so I decided to make it an annual event, this year with a Kentucky Derby theme. I started work on this thing the first of February and am very proud to say my solo efforts were able to raise almost $550 in cash and tons of donated items for the Washington County Animal Shelter.

My managers at the pub with all the donated items — My managers at the pub with some of the donated items

Me gifting a shelter employee with a check for the money we raised

As stressful as it was putting on this whole to-do, I really learned a lot and actually used that Bachelor’s in PR and Advertising that I earned way back in college. And most importantly, it felt really good to be able to give back to an organization that is so close to my heart.

I also achieved another milestone in my fitness journey recently, finally breaking the 150lb curse and dipping to 149lb. Only 9 more pounds to go and I will have reached my goal weight! I am finally seeing progress and other people are starting to notice as well. I read somewhere once that it takes 4 weeks for YOU to notice a change, 8 weeks for the people around you to notice, and 12 for everyone else, and it is so true! I really got serious about my health for Lent, so it’s been exactly 2 months and my whole outlook has changed. Going to the gym used to be as dreaded as my yearly checkup with my gyno. Now, I almost look forward to it. Well, let’s not get carried away. I don’t look forward to it so much as I just don’t want to miss. And I love seeing the changes in my body! I’ve never had arm muscles, so it’s kinda cool to be able to flex like a douche. I’m going to stay with Christian at the beach in one month and I would love to be at my goal weight by then but I’m not gonna kill myself. All good things in all good time!

This was such a big deal.. — This was such a big deal…Please ignore my ratchet toenails.

Lunch is served! Delicious spinach and cucumber salad with cherry tomatoes and blackberries, drizzled with a citrus poppyseed vinaigrette.

Healthy dinner: 4oz ribeye on the grill with a big salad and my own yummy apple, pear, plum puree!

One of the best things about getting fit is how much better I look in clothes. I’ve really enjoyed getting cute new outfits and accessories for the gym, and even splurged on a few everyday things as well.

New Betsy Johnson backpack....perfect gym bag — New Betsy Johnson backpack….perfect gym bag

Does it get any easier than throwing on a simple breezy dress for a summer night out? The unique detail on this halter neckline really gives this dress some character!

It was a basic black tank and edgy accessories for date night with my babe this week

My biggest (and most needed) splurge--some wireless headphones. Who cares if they make me look like zoolander?! — My biggest (and most needed) splurge–some wireless headphones. Who cares if they make me look like zoolander?!

Finally today was Mother’s Day, and I couldn’t end this post without talking about what a wonderful day we had. Mitch and I were able to take the mom’s plus my dad out for brunch this morning at the Bonnie Kate Cafe. It was beautiful as usual. The food was delicious and the presentation was on point. When it comes to a great dining experience, it really is all about the tiny little details. Like the fresh mint leaf garnish in your water or tea. Small and inexpensive, but it makes basic tapwater seem so much more elegant. This cafe is such a hidden gem in my little hometown.

My beautiful mother and me on Mother's Day. — My beautiful mother and me on Mother’s Day.

Mitch and his mother outside the Bonnie Kate

So far this summer is off to an awesome and exciting start! I hope you all have as many exciting things to keep you busy this summer as I do–and if you don’t, then just kick back and enjoy it next to some water!

Easy, Breezy, Southern Easter

April 22, 2014April 22, 2014 The Appalachian BarbieLeave a comment

Happy belated Easter everyone! I hope you all had just as delightful a holiday weekend as myself. We couldn’t have had better weather here in East Tennessee, 75 and sunny. Due to the fact that I have a small family, consisting of just me, Momma and Daddy, I always cook for our holidays and unfortunately can’t make it to Mitch’s side of the family events. But this weekend I managed to squeeze in an hour at the river with his relatives while my ham was heating in the oven. We have such wonderful balance in our relationship. I’m an only child who really never had a big family and Mitch comes from a HUGE family who gets together every week for Sunday dinner. Holidays are more like extended family reunions, held at a house on the river that is just for that purpose. I can get overwhelmed sometimes, but he understands and it’s nice to be able to sneak back home to my little world. Anyway, after I left, I got to work on our dinner. Traditionally for Easter I do ham and all the naughty fixins’. Mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, corn, gravy, dressing, deviled eggs, just to name a few. However, since I’ve really put forth an effort to stick to my healthy lifestyle, this year I prepared some lighter, although still as delicious, fare.

My annual pineapple, mustard glazed spiral sliced ham
fresh canned green beans from a neighbors garden
baked sweet potatoes
pickled and deviled eggs
THE BUNNY CAKE

For starters, let’s just get to the ham. I don’t mean to brag, but my pineapple mustard glaze is so good you could seriously eat it by the spoonful. It takes a spiral ham from basic to BAM every year. And for such a showstopper, it’s so simple, anyone can do it. Just bring 3 cups of sugar, 2 cups of water and either two cans of sliced pineapples in juice, drained OR two fresh pineapples, cored, cut and sliced, to a boil. Skim off foam, lower heat to simmer, and let it go for about an hour to an hour and a half, skimming from time to time. Let the syrup cool completely, then stir in 1/4-1/2 cup of grainy, course ground, country style dijon mustard (I use Grey Poupon.) I always make the glaze the night before, storing it in the fridge overnight. That way the next morning, all I have to do is pour it over my spiral ham, letting the juices flow over and allowing some pineapples to stick to the ham itself. Heat the ham, covered in foil, and baste it periodicially until it is heated through, 10 mins per pound at 350 degrees. Be sure to serve the excess glaze with a gravy ladle so people can just pour it all over their ham. It’s amazing.

So along with the ham, Momma had some green beans that her neighbor had canned straight from his garden last summer. All they needed was a quick sautee with some bacon for a little flavor. Believe it or not, I used some uncured natural turkey bacon I had in the fridge and they turned out AMAZING. I also baked some sweet potatoes in the oven. There is just nothing more delicious on it’s own than a baked sweet potato from the oven. The natural caramelization that happens within the skin is such a treat. I only added a dash of Jamaican Jerk seasoning. Of course we had eggs. It’s just not Easter without deviled eggs. And I sliced a few pickled eggs as well, because I am a pickled egg freak. Don’t judge me.

All of that dinner lead up to my favorite part of the meal, the annual tradition of..….

When I was a year old, my Momma ripped this recipe from some magazine, thinking it would be a fun (and delicious) Easter activity for us. Little did she know we would still be making this cake every year for 28 years. I love it. It’s probably one of my favorite holiday traditions. This year has to be my favorite yet. I baked a carrot cake with golden raisins and walnuts, smothered it in cream cheese icing and sprinkled it with coconut. Then after we finished dinner, Momma and I decorated like we do year after year with tons of candy. Reese’s Pieces, Cadbury mini eggs, twizzlers, Reese’s eggs and more icing…..sugar overload. I had to cheat on my diet. And cheat I did, polishing off half the poor bastard’s bowtie and one of his ears all on my own before I finally called Mom today and made her take the rest of it to her house. Had I kept it here I’m positive I would have lost a foot to diabetes.

It was a beautiful day with beautiful people.

I also was very happy with my Easter outfit this year. Of course I was pilfering through Ross the other day and found this so cute skirt in my new favorite spring shade of blue, and floral top for like, $15 total. I managed to keep it on the hanger for almost two weeks until Easter. I topped it off with a big beautiful hat and really could not have been any more satisfied with my look. Nothing says Easter in the south like an outrageous hat, the bigger the better!

My makeup turned out very smooth on Sunday as well. I have to give credit where credit is due though and blame that all on the Naked II pallet. The colors blend so well, it gives an airbrushed finish. And the brush that is included is now a favorite.

My favorite accessory, as usual, was my hunky babe. His eyes are so complimented in this blue shirt. He’s the best blessing I could have ever received.

I sincerely have never felt more blessed than I do right now which made this Easter the most special one I’ve ever celebrated. From my family to yours, I hope you all enjoyed each moment over the holiday weekend and were able to spend it exactly as you wanted.

Spring Vacation Fun!

March 28, 2014 The Appalachian BarbieLeave a comment

As promised I wanted to update about our vacation to Myrtle Beach/Georgetown, SC. We had an amazing time catching up with friends and enjoying the sites. I wish I had more time to go into detail, but as I’m pressed for time, I’ll just hit the highlights.

Monday- arrived at 1pm. 75 degrees and sunny. Laid out by pool. Mitch fell asleep on his stomach and burned his back. After naps and showers, we enjoyed a late dinner at a new gastro pub called “Fire and Smoke.” amazing food and drink selection and beautiful art on the walls. Visited one of my favorite old haunts, Bumstead’s. Then back to crash.

Finally! Rest and relaxation! Ahhhh..... — Finally! Rest and relaxation! Ahhhh…..

My best friend Christian and I...reunited and it feels so good! — My best friend Christian and I…reunited and it feels so good!

Tuesday- Woke up to another beautiful day. More pool time, as the wind off the ocean was too cold for laying out on the beach. We also spent the afternoon playing puttputt at Mitch’s request, something I haven’t done in years. Strange considering what a Myrtle Beach staple it is. We actually had a blast and Mitch even hit the hole in one on the 18th hole and won a wooden nickel good for a free game! That night both Christian and Laura had to work, so Mitch and I hit the boulevard looking for touristy trinkets, playing skee ball and getting in a little bit of Myrtle Beach nostalgia. Afterward we called it an early night, had a few glasses of wine and went to bed.

I love him so much! Puttputt at the jungle safari!

Christian and I and our new friend on the course.

Relaxing in our matching Spring Break 2014 tshirts because we're old and we can. — Relaxing in our matching Spring Break 2014 tshirts because we’re old and we can.

Wednesday- this was my favorite day. We drove down to Hopsewee Plantation in Georgetown. It was amazing. Beautiful, serene, and chock full of history. We toured the home first, then enjoyed one of the best lunches I’ve ever eaten in the tea room afterward. On the way back to Myrtle Beach, we stopped at Brookgreen Gardens and took a quick tour of the zoo. That night we enjoyed a relaxing game night at home with some friends. This day was perfect.

Pulling up to the back of the beautiful Hopsewee Plantation.

Slave quarters. I'm going to assume the satellite was added later. — Slave quarters. I’m going to assume the satellite was added later.

One of the previous Ladies of the plantation on her wedding day at the plantation.

The wedding party in front of the house. The children are sitting on the very carriage stoop I was standing on in one of the above photos. So neat!

Can I please just live here permanently?! ugh!

Don Quixote statue at Brookegreen Gardens

Thursday- we woke up to some crummy weather, in comparison to the past three 75 degree days we had. Never fear, shopping was near. We hit up the outlets and I got a great deal on the perfect spring Coach wallet. (originally $115, I got it on mega sale for $33.) I also found a steal on an easy Leopard print Guess dress ($15) and some MAC essentials (a paint pot and the Viva Glam Nicki, which just so happens to be a perfect coral match to my new wallet.) We also had THE BEST DINNER EVER at a Brazilian Steakhouse called Rioz. Phew. Amazing.

New wallet and lipstick. Have I mentioned my obsession with coral?

Chomping at the bit before dinner at Rioz. I love this lightweight spring trench.

The next morning we left. And honestly, it felt good to be home with my little dogs and my love. Hopefully I will make my triumphant return to the beach sooner rather than later. Til then, I can only enjoy this springtime in the mountains.

Marching into spring

March 7, 2014 The Appalachian BarbieLeave a comment

Good morning! I’m sitting here drinking my morning tea with the sunshine streaming through my windows and listening to the birds chirp. Even though it’s still pretty chilly outside, just like the birds, I can feel spring moving in. And time is FLYING by. I can”t believe it’s already been 2 months since I started this little online journal. Pretty soon it’ll be 90 degrees outside and everyone will be bitching and whining for cooler weather on Facebook (why can’t people just be happy )

This week I got around to bringing a little spring into the house. I changed my Bath & Body Works Wallflowers from “Leaves” to “Coconut Leaves!” I mopped my floors, opened my windows and let in some fresh air. And I changed out my dining room roses for a beautiful arrangement of astro’s and tulips. Nothing says spring time like tulips, and in white, they are so chic.

Also, yesterday was Ash Wednesday, which means Lent is upon us. I’m not Catholic, but I’ll take any excuse to better my diet, so for the next 39 days, I’m cutting the carbs! This really isn’t a major change for me, I’m just enforcing my existing diet beliefs. I guess the best way to describe my diet would be Paleo, but I hate to associate myself with the Crossfit cult, no offense to any crossfitters, I just don’t do it, but more power to ya. I guess I’m a Naturalist. I feel that the best way to eat is the way my ancestors did–by eating things that can be consumed in their rawest form from nature. Lots of chicken and fish, with red meat maybe once a week and pork every other week, (I don’t have any kind of moral issues with red meat and pork, I’ve just found that when I’m eating really clean, my body has a hard time breaking those things down, and since I want to listen to my body, I probably should limit my intake of them.) I compliment my protein with plenty of fruits and veggies. Leafy greens, broccoli/cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, eggplant, asparagus, all the squashes, peppers and onions, garlic, avocado and cabbage are some of my favorite veggies. On the fruit side I love any kind of berries, kiwi, melons, pineapple, grapefruit, grapes, and tangerines. I try to stay away from carrots, corn, potatoes and bananas, as these contain a lot of sugar and honestly, I just hate the texture of bananas. For snacking, I try to stick to nuts, raw walnuts and almonds preferably, nut butters, hummus and occasionally 1/4 cup servings of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. I’ve tried to quit dairy all the way around, but I’m a sucker for good cheese and can’t pass up my smattering of feta on my eggs in the mornings. Hey, YOLO. I have not drank milk in over a year now and am now apparently lactose intolerant. However, I absolutely LOVE almond milk. There is a reason why the Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla almond milk is always sold out at my grocery store. It’s delicious AND it only has 30 calories in an 8oz serving!

With all that being said about my diet BELIEFS, just like any believer, in my day-to-day life I falter. My diet REALITY is a lot more lax than just that nice little list up there. It’s hard to work in a pub where you’re frying delicious hand-cut french fries and not snag one or two. Off every order. And pretty soon those add up to an order within themselves. Or to tell the sweet old war vet who brings me cookies n’ cream ice cream that I can’t eat it because I’m dieting. Or cheesecake. For God’s sake. I’ll never be able to pass on cheesecake. As I’ve become more in tune with my body over the past few months, I’ve really learned a lot about myself. For example, as the day goes on I lose motivation. I’m a morning person. I wake up with all the ambition in the world. I don’t have food cravings and I get. stuff. done. However, the later in the day it gets, the worse my sweet tooth is, and the less likely I am to stick to goals and you can forget about the gym. Seriously, if I’m not at the gym before 1pm, it’s not gonna happen. And I normally don’t go in to work until 9pm! So imagine how hard it is to not hit the late night diner that serves homemade gourmet cheesecakes until 5am with all my co-workers after a long night of slinging drinks! But I am a firm believer in the 90/10 rule of eating well and exercising 90% of the time so the other 10% can be spent being a disgusting fat slob.

I really need to get it together though since Mitch and I are going on our spring vacation next week to the beach. I absolutely can’t wait. One of my best friends moved to Myrtle Beach right after we graduated high school and even after almost 10 years, is still nice enough to put me up when I get a little spare cash and can manage to get away from work for a few days. With that being said, I’ve spent a lot of time in the ol’ Dirty Myrtle, but since Mitch is going with me this time and he’s not a big drinker or partyer, I wanted to plan some really fun stuff that even I’ve never done before. For instance, one day we are driving down to Georgetown and touring Hopsewee Plantation. I’m obsessed with Southern history and am sure the tour of the house and the following afternoon tea will not disappoint. I’m also excited to get down to the Inlet and enjoy some fresh seafood. JUST NO HUSH PUFFIES!

I hope everyone is as excited as myself for the upcoming season. As much as I try to be thankful and enjoy every day, there’s just something so fresh and new and exciting about spring. With everything in nature stirring and coming to life, I can’t help but feel the same on the inside. Hopefully I’ll have some time to update from the beach. Until then, everyone carpe diem!

Farm Fresh Eggs, Red Lips and Everything In-Between–an update

February 28, 2014 The Appalachian Barbie2 Comments

I have admittedly been slacking on my blogging lately and there’s no excuse. Although I will say I have been working my sweet southern butt off since my little Valentine’s getaway. Guess that’s the price you pay for time off. I had the busiest weekend of my life at work last Thursday through Sunday. Thursday we had a DJ come in for a “dance night” promotion, which isn’t my thing, but if it brings in the kids and they want to give me their money, I’ll play along. Ashton and I went all out in J. Valentine inspired go-go gear and it worked to our advantage. I made more money that night than I’ve ever made in one night in my entire work history. The next night, Friday, was another huge night at work. We pulled epic numbers yet again. Then I worked a 13 hour double on Saturday, followed by a 2 hour intensive cleaning party on Sunday, an alleged day off. Work, work, on Monday and Tuesday, and that brings us up to speed with my “weekend” Wednesday and today. On top of this crazy work schedule, I have taken on the added responsibility of working on our annual fundraiser for the Humane Society, The Mr.Tipton Street Pageant. Phew!

I managed to squeeze in a few fashion and makeup hits over the past few weeks however. One of my favorite looks was surprisingly on Valentine’s Day when I actually rocked a red lip in public. I’ve only worn red lips in public on 3 occasions as I am of the opinion that red lips are a privilege, not a right, but perhaps, I’m wrong. Perhaps everyone can wear a red lip. If I can do it with my giant mouth and manage not to look like The Joker anyone can! I opted for M.A.C.’s “Brave Red” lipstick, over their “Brick” lipliner, with a blob of sheer red gloss right in the center of my lips that I honestly do not remember the name of, only that it is M.A.C. Paired with romantic Veronica Lake waves and a lace neck, peplum blouse, I felt like a real Cupid.

I also pulled out some shorts last week, as temperatures shot up to almost 70 following our 2-day blizzard. These silky khaki Express shorts were just perfect with a billowy CK blouse in rose. Add gold accessories and gold Guess ballet flats and I’m ready for spring.

I treated myself to a mani/pedi today and finally got my mitts on some matte black gel polish. I’ve been wanting this manicure for quite some time. It will probably be my last black manicure until fall, as I’m ready for some fun spring colors. I saw at the salon today that OPI has a really fun Brazil inspired line out for spring that with a coral that I’m dying to try. Unfortunately, I didn’t take into consideration that I will be at the beach in less than two weeks for Mitch’s spring break and black isn’t very beachy, but c’est la vie.

I would say that the highlight of my week was paying a visit to Clover Creek Farms to pick up eggs. This place, also known as Green Eggs and Lamb, was amazing. I didn’t want to leave! Clover Creek Farms plays home to a flock of over 200 lambs, dogs, several horses, guineas and of course, chickens. The chickens are Animal Welfare Approved, which means they have free range of the farm, foraging for bugs and other food in nature, just as they were intended. Their diet determines the appearance of the eggs, thus giving them their wide array of shapes, sizes and gorgeous colors. They’re almost too beautiful to eat! The yolks are enormous and a beautiful deep orange. The lady of the farm was also kind enough to throw in a pound of long horn beef , which I made into hamburger steaks. It was delicious. I added a little olive oil at her suggestion, as that type of beef is so lean it can tend to dry up. I’m so excited to be eating things that come from just down the street as opposed to a grocery store. The difference in taste and how I feel is more than evident.

My haul from the farm. 3 dozen eggs and a pound of beef for $12

They don't even look real! — They don’t even look real!

Longhorn beef steaks--it's what's for dinner — Longhorn beef steaks–it’s what’s for dinner

I hope to have more time to blog this week, especially while we’re away on spring break. We’re headed back to Myrtle Beach to stay with one of my best friends Christian. I spend a lot of time in MB during the summer months, but this will only be Mitch’s 2nd trip there with me. Pray for him 🙂 On that note, I would also like to say that I have been watching “Myrtle Manor” and “Party Down South” which are both filmed in Myrtle Beach, and it truly is a shame that these shows are representing that area. If you get off the strip you can experience a whole new Horry County and it is not the trash box those shows make it out to be. In parting, I leave you with this adorable picture I snapped of Mitch and one of my sweet babies Mr.Mouse. I’m one lucky gal. Til next time!

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