Converted Crock-Potter

Let’s just say yesterday was the laziest sunday known to mankind. I slept in way too late, took way too long of an afternoon nap and spent whatever awake-time that was left in the day on the couch. Now, if I had known that I would by default (thank you, Sandy) be doing the same thing today with my work laptop, maybe I would have ventured out a little more yesterday. Regardless, it seemed like the perfect lazy Sunday to try my new crock pot. I bought this itty bitty adorable 2qt cp at Target a few weeks back and haven’t been very good at prepping meals ahead of time to actually use it.

Anyways, the BF found this recipe online and so we chopped up some onions, poured in what seemed like six pounds of barbecue sauce and four hours later… pulled chicken. How incredibly easy.

So since then, I’ve been looking up equally easy recipes online here are some that looked absolutely delicious!

Time can only tell if I actually end up pulling that little crock pot out anytime soon. I have a nasty habit of thinking I’m going to use something all the time and then going back to my old (in this case, stove-top) ways.

The BF Turns 23

This past week, the BF turned 23. And since I am the president of my own party planning committee, I just HAD to do something special for him. It was such a great night, especially considering how many of our friends helped celebrate the BF all four years with us. This past weekend we had a Bates get-together to celebrate and to say farewell to one of our great friends Colin who is leaving Boston this week. We will miss him dearly!

Here are some snapshots of the party:

(1) Three-tier red velvet cake from Bakerella (2) Excited party-goer (3) Classic presentation of the birthday cake… learned the hard way that you have to light the center candles before lighting the outer ones. 23 candles on the cake, only 18 were lit. Whoops (4) Group shot in the kitchen (5) The whole group. Ready to print and fill the last frame on our photo wall!! (6) Consuming cake

I dream in Black and Gold

…and no I’m not talking about the Saints (great football reference, though, right? BF?) Since I started working in the “fashion industry” my shopping habit has gotten a little out of hand. I mean, if my official title is buyer…shouldn’t I be good at buying, right? And if my year-end bonus was dependant on my out-0f-office buying abilities, I would have no problem getting a full 10%. But obviously, it’s not dependant on what I do during my free time… and so, ladies and gentlemen, I have put myself on a budget. So now, I will just dream of the perfect office-to-dinner outfit. So here it is:

 

 

(1) Peplum Jacket from TopShop

(2) Structured Bow Purse by Z Spoke by Zac Posen from Piperlime

(3) Studded Top with Peter Pan Collar from TopShop

(4) Quilted Leather Watch from Kate Spade

(5) Brocade/Quilted Silk Pencil Skirt from TopShop

(6) Elizabeth and James Pumps from Piperlime

(7) Simple Enamel Bangle from Kate Spade

Return To January

I really love lists. Making lists. Checking off little boxes. The whole thing. Really, it’s easily one of my favorite things to do. It’s like a little habit of mine. Oh, my car needs an oil change? I should write it down somewhere and create a perfectly symmetrical box next to it so I can check it when I’m done. Okay, so it’s a little (a lot) compulsive, but at least I have some way to keep me honest, right?

Anyways, I was going to make a list of all the things I’m excited to do this fall–or type out my really agressive lists of things to do during the weekends…which are never completed because somehow I manage to squeeze in three hour naps every afternoon, and find myself preferring the warmth of my bed to a morning run or bike ride. So instead of making an ambitious list for this fall, I figured I would return to an old list I made to see how far I’ve really come…

Posted on January 24th, 2012

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I was planning on posting about all the exciting events coming up in 2012 after new years… but as you might have noticed, that didn’t happen. Whoops. However I’m probably more excited for the upcoming months more now than I was 24 days ago. I know I technically shouldn’t be excited for graduation–and soon enough I will be joining the majority of the population that yearns for their college days… but I. Just. Can’t. Help. It.

Anyways, here is a working list of all the things I’m excited for in 2012 in no particular order:

1.Finishing MockingJay (Check!)

2. Going on a four-night Bahamas cruise with the BF in February (already counting down…) (Check!)

3. Snorkeling in the Bahama (Check!)

4. Graduating (Check!)

5. Finally moving to Boston (Check!)

6. Never having to Sublet an apartment again (full-year lease, baby!) (Check!)

7. The 2012 Oscars–where Owen Wilson will take it all for Midnight in Paris (Check…well Owen didn’t win)

8. Family vacation to South Africa in July (with BF) (Check!)

9. Never having to do Homework again (Check!)

10. Buying a real sofa (Check!)

11. Becoming more environmentally friendly (…still working on my recycling habit)

12. Road races with the BF–which he doesn’t yet know about (surprise!) (Oh yeah… forgot about this one)

13. Reaching my one year blogging anniversary (Check!)

14. …and turning dormstyler into apartmentstyler (sorta Check!)

15. Trying out hundreds of new recipes and as many new restaurants as I can possibly afford (Check!)

16. Turning 22 (Check!)

17. Visiting all my college friends wherever they end up (need to start planning, asap!)

There is just so much to look forward this year. But without a doubt, I’ll miss being surrounded by my best friends 24/7 the most. Giving them up really makes this list seem so much less fun. Looks like everyone should move to Boston, huh?

***

So it looks like I still have some work to do.

And yes, life not surrounded by my best friends 24/7 has definitely been the hardest part. I miss those family dinners at commons and staying up late having pillow talk with my roomies. But then again, 4 of my 5 roomies are ending up in Boston (we miss you, Erika!) and I see my college friends on a weekly basis. So all in all, graduating and beginning the real world wasn’t that bad.

Last Week…

Last week was nothing particularly special. Lots of time in the office for me and lots of late night at the office for the BF. When we couldn’t manage to eat dinner together or just wanted to spend some quality time together, we went out for a drink.  And somehow, in the span of one week I managed to try FIVE new bars. All of them were wonderful–all for different reasons. Please note  (MOM) that although this looks like I’m on a booze cruise week; this was simply one drink per night. So everyone hold your judgment. And while I had a blast going out last week almost every night, it’s nice to be back into a home-ier routine.

(1) Colorado Brewed Beer and water in a hipster mason jar at Sweet Cheeks BBQ in Fenway (2) At the bar Drinks with a coworker to celebrate Wednesday–this was easily the coolest bar I have ever been to. There are no menus or specials, you tell the bartender various aromas or flavors that you’re in the mood for and the whip you up a delicious concoction–this was “something citrusy, bubbly and crisp” (3) Lower Depths with the BF (4) White Belgian beer in a can at Lower Depths (5) The BF’s “sumpin’ sumpin’ ale” at Lower Depths (6) Grapefruit Cocktail at Coda in the South End on a rainy Friday night (7) Brooklyn Brewery’s Pumpkin Ale with a Cinnamon-Sugar Rim  at BrownStone in the South End (8) The BF’s creation of the glory that is the previous photo