Treats for Pink Julep's Kitchen!!!

Mr. Julep and I did some shopping over the weekend and we picked a few treats for the kitchen! If you've been reading either my blog or my tweets, you've probably noticed that I've recently become very interested in cooking and have been whippin up a storm making everything from stew to muffins to breads to steaks and I've been really enjoying it! Hubby hasn't complained at all - in fact, I'm pretty sure he's gained 5 or 10 lbs! hee hee

I was delighted when hubby suggested we pick up this baby - the original Crock Pot! I love it!!! I made the most delicious beef stew yesterday!

I've also had my eye on the Cath Kidston recipe organizer for a while, but vowed not to waste the money on it until I was serious about using it to keep good recipes... well, it's gotten serious and I finally picked one up on Saturday! It's so pretty!!!





I love that it has conversion tables and tabs. And if I print something off the internet, I just need to hole punch it and pop it in! It also includes perforated shopping lists and pockets for recipe cards!








I couldn't resist this beautiful cookbook! It has recipes from around the world and I'm pretty excited about trying some of them this week!

I'm super determined to go from being the girl who cooked the same 5 things every week to the lady with a vast repertoire of recipes at her fingertips! I could also stand to eat better than I used to and honestly, since I've started cooking from scratch, I feel better, have more energy and I've lost 4 pounds!!! YAY!!!

What are your favorite cookbooks?

xoxo,

Pink Julep!

Pink Julep in the Library

I never thought this day would come! I finally finished Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger last night. A lot of you have been asking me about this book and the reason I haven't said much is because I couldn't ever find the time to finish it! Lame, I know, but I've seriously been reading this same book for nearly a month 1/2!

Partially, that's because to be blatantly honest, I personally didn't find this book very interesting. It's good and well-written, but I couldn't really relate to the characters. Also, I felt like nothing happened at all until the last 2 or 3 chapters... so it's a lot of wading through to get to the good stuff. That's hard to do! However, don't let this discourage you from reading it! You might love it!!! I think if I hadn't just been coming off the high of my wedding and were still a single girl in NYC, I might have loved it too, but there ya go!

My other complaint is one of personal choice. I think I'm much more fond of a story that's about one person and told from his or her point of view. I tend to get a little A.D.D. and disinterested when every chapter is told by and about a different person. Hence why I loved the Twilight series sooo much! You could go on Bella's journey with her. In Chasing Harry Winston, I personally constantly felt like my journey was interrupted. But that's just a matter of preference and choice.

If you've already read this book, but haven't read Lauren Weisberger's other books The Devil Wears Prada and one of my my favorites, Peoople Worth Knowing, then I highly suggest you do! They're great! I think Chasing Harry Winston, though cute and funny at times, is the worst of the 3 she's churned out so far, but I'll be first in line to read her next book since her other two have been so great!

Did any of you read it? What did you think?

xoxo,
Pink Julep!

Major Snaps to the Newest Diet Book Author! Who Said She Was Clueless?!?!

I grew up loving Alicia Silverstone, particularly because of her tour de force performance as the girl I always wanted to be (minted, popular, fabulous, well-dressed... did I mention unaccountable and independently wealthy?) when I was growing up, Cher in CLUELESS!!!


I also loved her in the Aerosmith videos - so carefree and sprited with a then relatively unknown Liv Tyler:



And now I hear she's written a book about dieting and eating healthy:

She looks AMAZING!!! Did anyone else read this yet? I'm dying to know if it's good... I'm a little concerned that it might be all vegetarian. If anyone knows much about this book, please comment and fill me in. We won't get it on island for a while, I'm sure.

Hope you're all enjoying the start to your weekends!

xoxo,

Pink Julep!

Plans for the Weekend!!!

Have been looking forward to this weekend since last weekend ended. And why shouldn't I? I am sooooo crazy in love and happily married, have developed a new love for cooking and work hard like a dog, so it's no wonder I'm living for the weekend every week!!! There's so many things I'd like to do this weekend that I'm not sure I'll cram it all in!

Tonight I'm making beef stroganoff with Key Lime Pie for desert and we'll watch some movies we rented, after Ghost Whisperer and Medium of course!


Can't wait to see this one:

Will have to go to bed early so I can get up for the gym, shower and be very well rested for my appointment with a make-up artist from the Dior Runway Team!!! AHHHHHHHHHH So excited!!!! Maybe he's responsible for these looks:



Or these:
Either way, I'm sure it is going to be super fun and I'm bound to learn a few tricks and pick up a few new treats for my face!!!

Also this weekend, I'd like to finally (it's been going on way too long) finish reading this:


So I can start reading this:

And tomorrow night, after dining on most like Lemon Mustard Chicken (though I haven't completely decided on tomorrow's dinner - we might go out) we're going to see this (hubby is well excited and I suppose I'd have to worry about his orientation if he weren't):

I'm a huge fan of Diablo Cody so I'm looking forward to it too!!! And it's a vampire movie so it's perfect for the HALLOWEEN season!!!

On Sunday I plan to do some hefty cleaning.

Attempt to make home-made white bread from scratch (having never tried this before, I don't have super high expectations for this first attempt).

I'll probably also make some other new recipes, in particular muffins for the week ahead for breakfasts and I'm thinking of doing a Quiche for brunch on Sunday! In case y'all haven't noticed, I've recently discovered that cooking is a brilliant form of stress relief and since making all my own food, I've been feeling a lot better!!! So I'm slaving away happily in the kitchen for the bulk of my free time... and Mr. Julep approves... he's eating well these days and happy for it!

What are your plans for the weekend?

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

xoxo,

Pink Julep!

Miscellaneous Monday

It's another rainy day in Charleston and I'm trying to stay focused at work with little success. It seems like everyone in the office is on their phone, on speakerphone, etc. and I cannot focus at all - it's like a hundred different voices swarming around me. I want to stand up on my chair above all the cubes and yell "BEEEEEE QUIEEEEETTTTTT!!!".

It's Monday.

So last week I finished listening to the audiobook of The Carrie Diaries. I'm a big Sex & The City fan, so I was really excited about this prequel that follows Carrie's senior year in high school.

It was... ok.

To the book's credit, it is targeted towards a preteen/teen audience, so I think if you're in high school, you can relate to the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. The greatest conflicts in the book are whether or not to have sex with a guy, girlfriends stealing boyfriends, and getting into college. Yawn. So for someone who is way past her high school days and actually wasn't a fan of high school when I was there - I didn't like being reminded of how much high school can stink.

And I think listening to the audiobook for this one was a bad idea as well - the narrator of the book was obviously trying to sound very 'Carrie' like, which was cool at first, but then just became really annoying. Ok, we get it.. you're trying to sound like SJP.

And finally, I didn't like the way Candace Bushnell created Carrie's high school persona - it didn't feel like Carrie to me, I had a hard time connecting this Carrie Diaries character to the Carrie in the show and movies that we've all gotten to know and love. So that bothered me as well.

The biggest redeeming quality of the book, however, is the very, very, very end. The very last sentence. That's really the only part I really liked.

Now I'm listening to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and so far it's captured my interest - it's pretty good so far, but I have to pay attention - it's filled with a ton of characters with foreign names.

I've started using one of my new Lily journals I got in the Rue La La Lily sale to track what I eat each day. I don't eat bad, but I have crazy portion control issues - so I'm hoping by tracking what I eat, I'll be able to manage my appetite better. I've also started loosely tracking weight watchers points to see if I'm staying within the daily points level I should be maintaining.


I almost hate to write in this thing...it's so darn pretty and cute. I feel like I'm ruining it.

Speaking of food...I grabbed a turkey sub from Subway today and lo and behold SunChips has a new flavor! Monterrey Jack and Sundried Tomato. It was actually very good and contained a lot of fiber. The taste reminded me of the Pizza Chips from the 90's - anyone else eat those? :)

And just in case you want to mark your calendars...my birthday is this Saturday. And in true Leo fashion, I'm celebrating all week. Tonight my best girlfriend and I are going to a place called Bottles & Brushes in Mt. Pleasant. You bring a bottle of wine and you get to paint a picture... this is the picture we're painting tonight - perfect for my beach themed condo.

So, how is your Monday going?? Is it as (un)eventful as mine??

E.P.L.

I was wary of reading this after hearing from multiple people that it was difficult to get through, that the author was whiney, etc.

I. Loved. It.

I want to drop everything and travel the world!

I actually listened to the audiobook instead of reading - and I think that made all the difference. It was narrated by the author herself. I would put in my headphones and listen while unpacking my condo, or listen in my car on the way to work - so I was able to finish it in about a week and a half. I actually looked forward to getting in my car and sitting in traffic just to listen to the book.

Italy was my favorite - I wanted her to stay there...probably because I LOVE Italian food. But I like Bali as well. India was kind of... meh. I think because I'm not into the whole 'spiritual' yoga and chanting. Although I would love to learn to meditate to help me not get so stressed at times and to keep focused.

I am so excited for the movie too - I have this thing where I love to read a book and then go see the movie. My girlfriends and I are going next Tuesday - dinner first at a local sushi restaurant Bambu and then the movie!

A Few Good Reads

I've been spending a lot of time reading since we returned from the honeymoon. It's something I pretty much fantasized about during the busy, hectic year of wedding planning! I bought loads and loads of books as you know if you read my blog regularly, but I never had time to read them. That has all changed recently!

As I come to understand more and more how much I don't like living on the island it seems like it's less of a waste of my time if I'm reading - at least then I'm doing something, learning something. Recent events (the burglary) have made this seeming paradise nearly unbearable for me, so it's nice to escape with films and books and just forget about the stress of it all for a few hours!

I must say, I love my husband dearly and he totally understands - I now understand why during all those months while I was wedding planning, he was reading book after book after book! He has only recently admitted that the island is less than he'd hoped and that there's nothing much here for us - this is such a relief to me! But for now, I read... and most recently, I finished MARY POPPINS by P.L. Travers!

Mary Poppins is such a cute book - not too much like the movie, which I'd heard and that's why I picked up a copy on honeymoon. I highly recommend it for fans of the rambling nanny with a heart of gold, though it doesn't have the same bite or moral to the story as the classic film, so don't be disappointed! I would highly recommend this book for those of you with children - this is a great one that you can read together! And then watch the film after - they do have similarities!

After reading Mary Poppins, I hadn't started a new book when I went to rent movies one Friday night. I'm the first to admit that after the Harry Potter madness, I scoffed at Twilight and judged the followers of the anorexic junky looking teenagers from the film. However, being on a rock in the middle of the sea makes rental choices limited and I gave in to renting the movie last Friday. WOW - such a great film! I was entranced the WHOLE time! I'm now completely in love with everyone in the film. Boy crushes, girl crushes - everyone! They're amazing and all so beautiful! It's disgusting how they've assembled such a perfect cast! Since then, I've finished the first book, Twilight and am now half-way through New Moon, which I only purchased last night! I can't put these books down and instead of donating them when I'm finished, I know I'll read them over and over again!

I can't help but thinking sometimes that if I were a vampire or if I had my own vampire, the burglars wouldn't have come while we slept - living here in the middle of nowhere has one advantage - for the first time in my life (including my childhood) Pink Julep is finally developing and imagination!!! And it only took 28 years! hahahaha

Hope you're all having a great weekend!
xoxo,
Pink Julep!

Dinner and a Trip to the Bookstore

I wasn't feeling particularly up to the gym today so mister and I headed out after work for a casual meal at one of our favorite spots on the island, Legends. It's kind of a sports bar, decorated with pictures of old movie stars and the food is soooo good and really moderately priced! They have EVERYTHING from burgers to turkey and gravy to pasta to fish! I always get the same thing cause it's my favorite - Chicken Terryaki Hibachi! YUM!!!!

We weren't quite ready to go home yet, so we headed over to Camana Bay to browse around Books and Books! I knew for a fact that the future Mr. Julep needs some reads for the honeymoon since he tends to buy one book at a time and read it quick as a flash as soon as he gets home! And since we were there and I have incredibly painful cramps, I thought it was only appropriate that I get a little treat too!

I've heard such great things about this book! After reading the synopsis, I just know this is going to be a fun read! And it's a lovely hardback book with a really nice cover, which always seems to rope me in! I'm sorry, but how good could a book be if the publishers didn't even take time to create a nice cover for it!?!?!

Only 6 more working days till we jet off this rock! Whoop whoop! I'm having lunch with my manager tomorrow to celebrate the upcoming wedding and on Thursday, another colleague is taking me out to lunch as well! So exciting!!! The celebrating begins!

xoxo,

Pink Julep!

The Help

Have y'all heard of this book?

RUN, do not walk, to go buy it.

I read it in 2 days because I could not put it down. HFG said she was reading it and then when PB and I were in Tesco the other day it was on offer, so we decided to get it. He's going to be reading it next. I absolutely loved it but thought the ending was somewhat anti-climactic. I wanted something huge to happen toward the end and it never quite did. HFG and I both agreed that we LOATHED Hilly Holbrook. I'm sure y'all will too!

If you get it let me know what you think!

(And also let me know if I'm the only weirdo who was craving fried chicken and a caramel cake after reading it!)

Cute Finds Today

We just got back from walking around at some shops in Camana Bay and taking a little moonlight sit & stroll on the beach!

I saw some cute things while I was out and thought I'd share, even though I didn't get any of them... YET!!!

Baekgaard Jewelry Box

It comes in a vareity of color combos - the only reason I haven't bought one yet is that the store here only has a black one and a white one... I'm hoping they'll bring in a sassier color soon!

Cath Kidston Recipes Organizer

I really want this... but first I have to convince myself that I will not only collect some recipes, but actually make them. It's so hard on this island though - every time I use a recipe, I end up going to 4 stores and still being short on ingredients! UGH!

I saw this book in the bookstore as well... looks great!

Here's what Barnes and Noble has to say about the book:

"Though on-camera she was often cast in the role of a carefree ingénue, Audrey Hepburn's off-camera life was marked by challenges: growing up without a father and with the Nazi threat during her youth; a demanding film career while she was a young mother; unfaithful husbands and two divorces; and constant scrutiny from the media. Yet Audrey Hepburn always epitomized beauty and grace. In the tradition of What Would Jackie Do? bestselling author Pamela Keogh culls lessons in loveliness from a woman who survived every setback with panache. Topics include:• Dating and romantic advice from a woman who enjoyed romances with John F. Kennedy, William Holden, and Albert Finney• A primer on what made Audrey the icon she is today, and how to apply her style choices to twenty-first-century clothes, makeup, and accessories• Raising children, raising husbands, and making home life balanced in every way• St. Audrey: Long before Angelina and Bono got all the press, Audrey Hepburn did invaluable work for UNICEF, teaching us much about extending ourselves to others.In an era fraught with selfishness, artifice, and sensational headlines, the reality and tranquility of Audrey is precisely what the world needs now. More Reviews and Recommendations
Biography
Pamela Keogh is the author of the internationally bestselling illustrated biographies Audrey Style, Jackie Style, and Elvis Presley: The Man, The Life, The Legend. As a journalist, she has been published in Town & Country, British Vogue, Self magazine, The New York Times, and many other national publications. She has also appeared on numerous television shows, ranging from Larry King Live to the Today show. She is a graduate of Vassar College. "

Happy Hump Day!

Pink Julep!

The Mother of All Summer Reading Lists...

If you read regularly, then you probably know that I have soooooo many books that I haven't read yet because the wedding planning and work and working out take up all my time... bla bla bla

Well, with the wedding being only ONE MONTH FROM TODAY?!?!?! (YIKES!) I'm going to have a lot of free time for the rest of the summer... and since it's pretty much always summer here, there's never a shortage of nice days (except for that horrid thing they call Rainy Hurricane Season) to sit by the pool in the sun (or inside out of the rain) reading. So here's my summer [fall and winter] reading list. It's in no particular order, but somewhat organized by Pink Julep certified genres. Since I get many reading suggestions from you bloggies, maybe some of you would like to know what I'll be reading. Here goes:


SOOKIE STACKHOUSE READS
I LOVE True Blood (premiere of Season 2 in like 2 1/2 weeks - whooooo hoooo!) and I LOVE Vampire Bill - so my fella got me some of the books for Christmas after I read the first one - still haven't gotten to them yet...

Must read the rest of them too - and isn't there a new one out now?

ROCK AND ROLL READS

I love a good juicy bio, especially one involving some good ole sex, drugs & rock-n-roll! But primarily I bought this book cause Lorelei read it on Gilmore Girls and well - yeah, I'm a little obsessed with that show and all the Gilmorisms! (I know - totally lame!)

I bought this book for Mister Julep for Christmas a few years ago. After he read me a few scandalous excerpts, I decided it would be deviously entertaining and kept it around to read myself... still haven't gotten around to it...

INTELIGENT (OR AT LEAST SEMI-INTELIGENT) READS

This is an excellent film and before it even started production, I was hearing things about the book - can't wait to read it, but need to be in a pretty good mood as it might be depressing....

I got the following book just before Christmas cause I wanted to read it before the movie came out - well, that didn't happen. The movie was only okay, but I'll still give the book a go - the first few pages seemed quite funny. Has anyone else read this? Should I just donate it?

Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of my favorite films and I've been dying to read this for YEARS!!! This might be what I read next...

HUMANE SOCIETY USED BOOK LOFT FINDS

When I lived in NYC as a young gal struggling to make it in theatre management where most of the jobs don't pay well and some not at all, I obviously couldn't throw money around on books (or anything for that matter). I stumbled upon a thrift store on Queens Boulevard which sucked in every possible way except that they sold used books for $1!!! Every time I would walk that way, I'd stop and see what was new - picked up several great reads like Sex and the City, The Hours and The Devil Wears Prada... it gave me an appreciation for the recycling of books. Now on the island, I often come across the Humane Society selling used books, but it's much more fab! Rich people come here for the 'season' and leave everything behind so there's a great selection in thrift stores and used book lofts. The bonus is, every dime goes to save the homeless puppies and kittens! I always try to buy books from them when they're selling in town - it's a great cause! If you don't keep or sell your books, consider donating them to a charity, a friend or the local library! It's a great way to reduce paper and validate all the money you spend on books!!! I picked these two up in January:

Loved this movie!!! And it's Irish, so it will help me connect with my future Paddy husband!!!

Heard great things about this one:

GIRLY READS:

Nuff said...

I read the first book in this series, The Little Lady Agency... it was cute. It's set in England and kind of reminded me of Confessions of a Shopaholic - if you liked that book, you'd probably like this series too! This is the 2nd...

I have been dying to read this 'possibly' biographical fiction piece by NicRic for a long long time:

Loved Devil Wears Prada and Everyone Worth Knowing so this one must be good...

Found this one in the bookstore when I was returning some things I got for Christmas... looks great!

I bought this one on the recommendation of some fellow bloggers - this might be the one I read on my honeymoon while lounging by the pool enjoying a daquiri or two...

FASHION & SELF IMPROVEMENT READS:

Behold the words of the master!

I have this one on my nightstand - not like I can lug this thing around at the pool or the beach...

I've flipped through this one a thousand times, but haven't sat down to read it yet...

I bought this when it first came out in NYC - not motivated to read it, but that's because I'm certain I should eat something other than what I want... sad. :-(

The next gazillion photos are of books that I don't have yet (because I simply must read the ones I have first so I can donate them and make some room for their replacements - it's getting ridiculous!) but really want to read!

BOOKS ON MY RADAR FOR FUTURE PURCHASES:

So many books, so little time... What are you reading?

xoxo,

Pink Julep!