Tasty Tuesday: Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q and King of Pops

Two Saturdays ago, I sang harmony for my friend Tara at the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival. She did a set on the kids' stage, and I joined her for a few covers (including "Yellow" by Coldplay, "Folsom Prison Blues," and "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift). After our set. I wandered the festival in search of the perfect summer lunch - and I found it at the Williamson Brothers Bar-B-Q tent.

I've heard a lot about this restaurant, but I've never eaten there before. I love me a pulled pork sandwich, and this one did not disappoint. Plus, there were a bunch of sauces to choose from.

There are only three restaurant locations in Georgia (Marietta, Canton, and Douglasville), but they do offer catering. Plus, you can buy their sauces and fully cooked meats online. Anyone want to give me $100 so I can buy 3 slabs of spare ribs?

This past weekend, I went to another big event. There were two in town - can you guess which one? (Hint, it was in Decatur and featured lots of books)

Photo credit: Airan Chase

Some of the Hair cast reunited for a performance at the VIP party. We sang "Aquarius" and "Let the Sun Shine,"and then we had free admittance to the event. We ate delicious gourmet hot dogs, mac and cheese, and empenadas, sipped specialty cocktails, and (best of all) got free King of Pops. Normally, I'd get Chocolate Sea salt, but I was feeling adventurous, so I tried Raspberry Lime. And Peach Basil. And Key Lime Pie. 

And then I got a Bookzilla tattoo.

Temporary, mom - don't freak-out!

I'm sad that summer is ending, because so will the endless festivals. But I sure am excited for the leaves to change. 

Make-it-Monday: Painting a Bedroom for the First Time

Does anyone else hate doing new things? I get really overwhelmed when I have to do something totally new. I'm a total perfectionist, and I'm always afraid I'm going to mess-up beyond repair. Last week, I did something really intimidating - I painted my new bedroom

The first time I visited my new apartment, I fell in love with it - err, most of it. The bedroom was painted this awful dark apricot. The room gets little light to begin with, and the color made it feel like a dungeon. I've threatened to paint in the past, but until now I never followed-through. It seemed like such a huge project, something that would cause me stress and heartache, and which I'd probably just mess up. Still, I couldn't bear to live in that dark room, so I decided to take the plunge.

I don't have a natural gift for interior design (my spaces tend to look messy and cluttered and mismatched), but I wanted my new room to feel like an "adult" space. Naturally, I turned to Pinterest. I ran a search for "mint bedroom," and I found a lot of great inspiration. I after a while, I started to notice patterns - gold accents, white lights, soft blues, and pops of brighter color.

But there's more to design than just picking colors - you have to slap it up there. I did setpainting in college, but I figured there would be more to it than just that. I found some great articles (How to Prepare a Wall for Painting, How to Paint a Room, DIY Painting Tips, Tricks..., Painting a Room Step-by-Step) that walked me through wall prep, priming, and color application. After reading all these (and more), I felt prepared. 

And as it turns out, I was! The hardest part, by far, was taping out the room and securing the dropcloths. It was tedious and boring, and took a good hour and a half. But once I had covered all the trim, the rest was a blast. Painting isn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be, once I was armed with Knowledge.

If you're looking to paint, and you're afraid you don't have what it takes, I promise you, you do. If I can pull it off, then so can you. If you still don't feel ready after reading those articles, then consider this novice's final bits of advice:

• Get supplies well in advance - Painting Days are stressful enough without running around all morning for supplies. Get everything at least 24 hours before you want to start painting.

• Buy a sample of the color you want - I wasn't sure quite which color to go with, so I bought small samples of my two finalists and painted a small patch of each on a primed wall. The next day, when I went to buy my gallons, I knew exactly which color to go for. Plus, now I have these teeny pots of paint that will be great for touch-ups or crafts.

I went for the color on the right - Icy Blue by Valspar (from Lowe's)

• Don't be afraid of cheap paint - Before you splurge on the expensive stuff, do a little research. I was interested in Valspar, but it since it was the cheapest option at Lowe's, I was a little wary. I jumped online, and read some glowing reviews of the brand. I went ahead and bought two gallons, knowing that it wouldn't slide right off the wall or dry all patchy.

• Don't do it alone - My new bedroom isn't huge, but it would have taken me a long time to paint it by myself. I enlisted a few helpers for each day, and they made the time fly by.

I'm so happy with how my room looks now. The walls are so bright, and the color is so soothing.

If you have any tips of your own, leave them in the comments. I might do another room, and I'd love your input.

Make-it-Monday: Creating a Flower Crown

Remember the charming, crafty Caleigh? She and some girlfriends have been sporting lovely DIY flower crowns when they go out on the town.

She wore this one when she came to see Hair

Naturally, I invited her over so she could teach me her ways.

This craft really couldn't be simpler or cheaper. All you need are...

• A hot-glue gun

• An elastic headband (or length of elastic fitted to your head size)

• Fabric flowers

Congratulations - you can make a flower crown! Just arrange the flowers in your desired pattern and glue them to the band. Easy-peasy.

Since Atlanta has practically skipped summer (our fair city thinks it's October already), I decided I'd give my crown an autumnal feel. I picked some orange and red leaves, and based my color scheme around them.

Caleigh made hers a little more uniformly. She alternated large white flowers with smaller blue ones, and likes to wear hers high, well above her hairline.

Nearly-Former Roomie (we're moving) used smaller flowers for a softer, more romantic feel.

Photo credit: Caleigh Allen

If you're looking for a really simple, intensely girly craft to do this week, I recommend the flower crown. You can make one for yourself, and then go crazy creating them for friends. Just make sure you wear them the next time you go to dinner!

They're a guaranteed conversation starter
Photo credit: Caleigh Allen

Thrifty Thursday: The Perils of Lace

Last Thrifty Thursday, we talked about dressing like an heiress on a starving-artist budget. If there's one absolute, all-encompassing tip I can give you on that topic, it's this: avoid elastic lace. It will betray you. That's a tip for life - not just for thrifting. Whether you're at Target, TJ Maxx, or Bloomingdale's, no matter how much you like something, if it has elastic lace, run.
Here's why:
Oh, look at this pretty navy blue dress. It's slinky and has fun sleeves, and would probably look great on your body.

Except that OH NO!

Elastic lace will hold up for one, maybe two, maayyyyyybe three wash cycles, and then it disintegrates. While that doesn't technically ruin an item (you could wear it without facing disaster), it does betray it as a piece of fast fashion. Remember, the goal of this series is to look like you paid a lot of money.

Compare that to this other dress.

This lace is inelastic; there's no stretch at all. Instead, the lining is slightly stretchy. 

The difference is enormous. On this dress (which is from Target, BTDubbs) there are no flyaway threads. There's some very slight pilling (just enough that I can tell it's been worn), but the garment still looks great. I took this dress home, shaved the pilling with a cheap razor, and it's as good as new.

Tasty Tuesday: Quinoa with White Onion and Tomato

Don't get too excited - this recipe isn't great. I just feel I should be honest with you, and share my failures along with my successes. I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me - I'm not some magical fairy who does everything right. I post a lot of cute pictures and fun ideas, but I mess things up a lot. This is one of those times.

This dinner wasn't a disaster, but it wasn't good, either. I adapted it from this smitten kitchen recipe. I'd been so excited to try it out (she gives it a glowing review), but I have a box of quinoa that's never been opened, and I figured I'd use that instead of the recommended farro. I also used a large tomato instead of a bunch of cherry ones, dried basil instead of fresh, powdered garlic instead of fresh, and no cheese. Given all that, I really shouldn't be surprised that it was so bland.

I made substitutions the last time I made a smitten kitchen dish, and that one was pretty flavorless, too. You'd think I'd have learned my lesson by now.

If you make this meal the right way, will you tell me how it turns out?

Fashionable Friday: I Cut My Own Bangs

Last week, I decided I needed a change, so I cut my own bangs.

That's right, I'm a rebel! I cut my own hair! 

You've probably noticed that I'm a huge cheapskate. As much as I'd like to pay for fancy haircuts, I have to keep a pretty tight leash on my cash. Instead of dropping $60 every six weeks on haircuts, I paid $9 for a pair of shears three years ago, and I trim when the spirit moves me. 

I've been getting a lot of great response to my new 'do - and even better, I love what I see in the mirror. 

Fashionable Friday: How Marshall's Screwed Me Over

A couple months ago, I started searching for a pink dress to match a necklace my friend Caleigh made. I found a bunch of inspiration on Modcloth, and fell in love with a pink peplum one. Well wound't you know, I found a similar one at Marshall's.

I also found someone who wouldn't get out of frame.

But this one had a sexy lace back!

I was thrilled! I marched to the checkout line and waited patiently for my turn at the register, but when I glanced down I noticed something on the dress. To my horror, I realized it was the number 18 written in orange highlighter on the skirt. I flew into a desperate rage, then left it with the cashier. I wasn't about to spend $18 for a dress that might have been permanently damaged. 

So the search continues. If you see a sweet pink dress, could you pick it up for me?

Thrifty Thursday: Look Like a Million Bucks When You Only Paid Five

There are risks to shopping exclusively at thrift stores - namely, someone noticing. If someone asks if you got something at Goodwill, it means one of two things:

1. You often shop secondhand, are vocal about it, and this individual wants to know if your ensemble is part of that historic lineage
2. You look like a pile of garbage

No judgies, here - remember what I said about pulling it off? Style is whatever makes you feel comfortable. If you like hobo-chic (or just hobo), then go for it. But if you want people to think you buy everything brand new, you'll need to be a touch more selective. 

First off, only buy items that are in great condition. If the hem is frayed, the fabric is pilled, or the collar is warped, you should let it lie. Any signs of wear make the garment off-limits. If you want to fool the public, you'll need to be discerning. I tend to see everything as a fixer-upper - "I'll replace the buttons/add a belt/take it in." All those tactics are great, but not when you want to look like a J Crew model. 

Also, pay close attention to fabrics. There's a huge difference between real silk and a polyester blend, and someone who wears the real thing everyday will spot an imitation in a heartbeat. If you want to trick someone into thinking you spend a lot of money on your clothes, avoid blends as much as you can. It can be hard to find nice cotton and silk, but the difference is noticeable. Also, check the washing instructions on the things you find; if a dress is labeled dry-clean only, make sure that the fabric looks brand new. When dry-clean only fabrics go through the dryer, they can lose the slight shininess that makes the fabric so lush. Take this Ann Taylor dress:

I gasped aloud when I found it - I didn't notice a single flaw. The fabric is still soft and shiny, and there are no frays, stains, or pills. While I wouldn't wear this dress to, say, a night at the theatre, it's perfect for a job interview. This dress would probably have cost me  more than $50 from the store, but I found it for a tenth of that price.

I love my funky style, but it doesn't scream, "adult who knows what a 401k is." Just don't think you have to abandon your thrifty roots in order to dress like a future CEO.

Tasty Tuesday: Poached Egg and Asparagus with Dijon Yogurt Sauce

This summer has been strange - aside from the bizarre weather, I've made some life changes that I really didn't see coming. For better or worse, here I am, waking-up every morning and living my days to their fullest. "Hair" opens this week, Stone Mountain is nearing the end of the season, and in a few weeks I'll start a new job teaching music classes to preschoolers. Sometimes I want to slam on the brakes and enjoy each moment to its full capacity, and this summer is the epitome of that feeling.

(Note: I don't feel like revising, so I apologize if the above paragraph is poorly written. Will you let it slide?)

When I feel overwhelmed, the last thing I want to do is cook. I like being in the kitchen, but it can eat up a lot of time, so I'd just as soon buy my meals from someone else. Sadly, I am poor, and must cook for myself, weather I want to or not. This dish has quickly become one of my favorites for its absolute ease. It takes only a modicum of attention, and requires no planning. Here's what you do:

• Coat 10-15 asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until desired softness.
• Make a sauce using a quarter cup Greek yogurt and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. 
• Crack an egg into a bowl of water; make sure the egg is submerged. Microwave the bowl for a minute, then wait 30 seconds and microwave again for another 30 seconds. Congrats, the egg is poached!
• Plate the asparagus and drizzle with the sauce. Spoon the egg on top. 

That's IT. It's simple, delicious, and quick. You can do 30 things while this meal cooks, because it requires no attention to detail. 

If you don't think this is filling enough, slap some Cajun spices on a tilapia filet and bake it in the oven for 25 minutes. It pairs perfectly with the rest.

This is the worst picture of all time, but I just don't have the energy to worry about it.

Tasty Tuesday: Brussel Sprouts with Bacon REDUX

I've made brussel sprouts with bacon before, but they weren't like this. I'd like you to forget that last post even happened, because this version is way better. One of my readers (hey Becky!) sent it my way, and I am now forever in her debt. 

Brussel sprouts are good; so is bacon, and bacon fat. But when you add caramelized onions and balsamic glaze, this side dish goes from "yummy" to "OHHOLYMOTHER, GET IN MY MOUTH!" I have to admit, I didn't follow the instructions to the letter; I didn't remove the onions and bacon - instead, I sauteed everything together on low for about 45 minutes. By the time we were ready to eat, the onions and bacon were black. I was worried they were over cooked - I needn't have been.

Pair this dish like I did - with some red wine, a pita pizza, and a good friend. You won't be sorry.

Fashionable Friday: Flower Child

I'm wearing my new jeans in honor of my tribe of flower children. Nothing like reducing a social protest movement to a simple fashion statement, eh?

 

Along those lines, I made the bracelet in the summer of '08 at a store called Yucandu (think Color Me Mine, but not just for pottery). It's decoupaged with pictures of the Kent State Massacre, and Vietnam protesters standing in the Reflecting Pool in Washington. I wear it as a reminder to care, deeply, about the world around me. 

shirt: Marshall's /  jeans: Thrifted (Free People) /  sandals: Target /  earrings: Forever 21
bracelet: DIY

Attack of the five-foot hippie!