Present Idea #3

Any dog lover will not let their furry friends go unnoticed at the holidays. There are so many cute things out there, and here are just a few ideas for them...

A cute retro inspired collar from Lucky Fiona at Etsy



LL Bean’s Storm Chaser dog coat. As the mom of a dog with a LOT of long hair, this is a life saver on rainy days!


Personalized Collar from Orvis. I have seen more and more of these at the dog parks lately. A great way to eliminate the jingly metal tags that a lot of our pups sport.

Present Idea #2

If you're looking for a gift for the man in your life who needs a little help with their organizational skills, why not try a valet tray? These are great not only as a nice gift, but as a "clean up" to a cluttered dresser-top. This one from Coach comes in a variety of colors.

Present Idea #1

A subscription to a beer of the month club (like this one) is sure to be a hit for the guy's guy on your list.

Shrimp and Grits

The description below is from the Metro Grill in Richmond. I realize this is sort of a nouveau southern cuisine dish, but if anyone has ever seen a recipe that sounds like this please let me know. I am craving it:


Shrimp 'n Grits Randolph Gulf shrimp sautéed with smoked bacon, tomatoes and basil in a sherry
cream sauce. Served over hominy cheese grits with garlic bread

Wedding Wednesday: Fall Flowers

We loved these flowers from a wedding we both attended last month. The flowers gorgeous, and they were budget friendly for the bride -- she got them at Kroger!








Tailgate Inspiration

A reader wrote in looking for a fun tailgate dish that can be made on Thursday and transported to another state for a Saturday tailgate.
Any ideas? The event is this week, so let her know!

PS ... Le Petite Blog always has such fun tailgating dishes, too!

I die...bananas


Wedding Wednesday: Creative Maps

More and more brides are enclosing wedding site maps with their invitations these days. Some are self-produced, some are from companies like weddingmaps.com or weddingmapper.com.


A company we came across, http://www.couturemaps.com/, offers a unique and kitchsy approach to the standard map. What a fun, whimsical way to include travel details for your guests!

Wedding Wednesday: Punch up the Color

A Spring '09 bride recently emailed to ask my thoughts on brightly colored wedding shoes. The mother of the bride is concerned that the bride will look back on the decision to wear bright orange heels and wonder "WHY? What was I thinking?" And yet the bride's playful side really wants that kick. I actually think the biggest concern is whether or not the shoes will take away from the dress. But honestly, are the shoes that visible unless the bride goes out of her way to show them? No. Most gowns are floor length. In terms of the shoes looking dated in 20 years, I am seeing this trend enough that I wonder if it won't become something of a norm. And if it doesn't, who cares as long as the bride really loves them? After all, what is the fun in old pictures if everything is flawlessly timeless? When children are making fun of those shoes down the road, mom can smile and think of how she felt on that day- playful, joyous, and YOUNG!

PS- If bright is too much a pale satin is always pretty.