Monday, April 30, 2012

Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Hello everyone, and happy Monday. My rainy weekend was so full of fun things to do that I didn’t quite make it to writing this post until today, but what else is new? 
will-kate2
Image via here

I was supposed to be going to a fashion show on Friday night, but my date had to work late so it didn’t quite happen. Instead, we made it to dinner and drinks for a friend who is moving to San Francisco and had a great time catching up with friends (and dinner was delicious!). Saturday was a super festive day with a baby shower in the morning and a wedding party on Saturday night (the bride and groom had a "wedding for two" -- sort of like this kind of thing -- a few months ago, and then a big gathering for friends later on).  Sunday was supposed to be spent firmly on the couch, but somehow brunch at Prasino (my new favorite place – the El Guapo omelet was amazing) became a two-and-a-half-hour-mimosa-fueled-affair followed by a couple of drinks at the Boundary. Whoops. By the time I accomplished my one goal for Sunday – roasting a chicken using this recipe – I was exhausted, full, and ready for bed!

How was your weekend? Hope you had a good one, and here are a few links to start off your Monday with some procrastination.

(And PS: Happy anniversary, Will and Kate!  It seems like just yesterday that my best ladyfriend and I were sitting on the couch at 5 am in our jammies, dissecting everyone's hats!  Real question: what does one get the future king and queen of England for the first anniversary?)

Do you watch Veep?  Here's an interesting story about the costuming.

Ridiculously fancy sushi.

I wouldn't know about these busty girl perks, haha.

Pineapples don't have sleeves.

Get 25% off at Tory Burch (you could get a denim shirtdress!).

Maybe someone told this bear that CU-Boulder is the place to party.  (Don't worry, he didn't get hurt!)

Someone else went to Colorado to hang out with college kids this week, too.

Would you eschew white at your wedding?

Crazy candid shots from Google Earth (via The Nesting Game).

A roundup of fun bars in Chicago.

This sums up a lot of my feelings towards this movie.

A Kentucky basketball player sent flowers to a Louisville cheerleader.  There is hope for peace. 

In honor of prom season, check out this girl's amazing creations.  I predict the winner of Project Runway, Season 15.  The soda tabs are my favorite.  (via Making it Lovely)

An interesting article about mothers and daughters.

TV for dogs features open fields, bouncing balls, and people giving dogs belly rubs.  I can just imagine my dog splayed out on the floor, waiting for his.

And if you're having a rough Monday, check this out and you will have to smile (via Cup of Jo).




Friday, April 27, 2012

The Easiest Chicken Ever

You already know about my weeknight-dinner-making-angst.  Here's my latest "lightning-quick, lazy, and completely satisfying dinner," as the marvelous Deb calls it. 

This might be the easiest chicken in the world.  I can't even call this a recipe.

mozzarelladicedbasil40-something cloves of garlicYou need:
Chicken breasts (one each for however many people you're feeding -- the quantities referred to below are per chicken breast)
A teaspoon or so of minced garlic
Half a tomato, diced
3-4 basil leaves
2-3 slices of mozzarella  (Bel Gioioso comes pre-sliced, and is gluten free, should that be a concern)
Olive oil for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Spinach
Toothpicks

Cut a slit in the middle of the chicken breast so that it resembles a pouch.  I don't know any fancy techniques for stuffing chicken breasts so that they look pretty, but if you do, I would deploy that talent here (and share how you do it in the comments!).  Sometimes if the chicken breast is really big, it will have a flap-like piece on the top, so I try to make my cut so that I can use that piece as part of my pouch.

Put the mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and garlic in the opening in the chicken, and then use a couple of toothpicks to close it up so everything doesn't fall out in the oven.

Set however many chicken breasts you have on a cookie sheet (I use a foil covered one because I hate washing pans with melted cheese baked on) or in a glass casserole dish.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.


Bake at 450 for 35 minutes, and serve on a bed of spinach. 

It's so good.

(All images via Smitten Kitchen here, here, here, and here)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

The Mystery of the Perfect Shirtdress

I've been playing dress Nancy Drew of late, hot on the trail of what I've decided will be my summer uniform: a lightweight denim shirtdress.  It all started when I tried on this dress a month or so ago...

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Image via here, but available here on sale!
 ...and fell in love with the idea of it.  It's a soft, lightweight denim, perfect for throwing on all summer for all sorts of occasions.  And it's a Diane von Furstenberg -- what wasn't to love?  Turns out, unfortunately, a lot: the fit was all wrong for me (waist too high, neck too low, sides cut WAY too high for polite society) and the price wasn't so hot, either. 

So onward I went, looking for the next best thing.  Here's what I found.  Hope you see one that will work for you!

Madewell Chambray Shirtdress

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GAP Chambray Pleated Bib Dress

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J. Crew Workwear Shirtdress

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Bellatrix Chambray Shirtdress
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GAP 1969 Chambray Pintucked Dress
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Tory Burch Brigitte Denim Dress
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Tibi Denim Shirtdress
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Ann Mashburn Chambray Shirtdress  (you can read more about Ann Mashburn here)
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Pim + Larkin Polka Dot Belted Shirtdress  (it's only $59!)
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Any of these catch your eye?  Do you have any secret sources that I missed?  Here's a good tip: always ditch the flimsy belt that comes with the dress and wear a "real" belt instead.

PS: online searching for a denim dress is fraught with peril.  My eyes may never be the same.  For example, this very pretty lady should sue for being made to look that frumpy.  Eek!

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Why you need your own wolf pack.

It turns out it's not just fun to have ladyfriends: it's science.  Everybody really does need a pal to lick her wounds once in a while.

According to this article in The New York Times, "longlasting and mutually beneficial relationships between females turn out to be the basic unit of social life, the force that not only binds existing groups together but explains why the animals’ ancestors bothered going herd in the first place."  The article talks about how different kinds of female animals watch after each other's babies, groom each other, and check in with one another by making particular sounds (researchers liken it to texting one another "where are you?").

Photo by Gabriella Camerotti
Image via Pinterest


Image via Retronaut


Animals with strong female bonds bear more offspring, live longer, and have lower stress levels than those that don't.  Moral of the story: you really do need a wolf pack.


Image via The Economist


PS: Have you watched Girls yet?  Are you planning to?  What did you think?

I'm intrigued.  It's in my DVR queue.  I can't believe the creator/writer/director/star is only 25!

Monday, April 23, 2012

The Girl Who Could Fly

We've looked at flying babies before, but check out these incredible photos by Natsumi Hayashi, who photographs herself jumping, but it looks like she's flying.  Or, as she describes it, "levitating."






I wish I looked that weightless while doing household chores.  See more amazing pictures on her blog, Yowayowa Camera Woman Diary, and read more about her and how she creates these images here.

(Via The New York Times)

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Have a lovely weekend!

Photo by Max Wanger


It's the weekend!  I throw up my hands in gratitude.  Hope you have a great one!  I'll be working on some house projects (involving this strategy), running errands, and eating lots of delicious food: sushi on Friday, Bluebird on Saturday night, and brunch on Sunday.  In the meantime, enjoy the following with my compliments.


L'Wren Scott and Mick Jagger's Paris apartment is gorgeous.  PS: she is 6'4".  Why have her and Jenna Lyons not yet created an amazing (and affordable, thanks) clothing line for tall ladies??

Speaking of: did you know it was Stand Tall Week to raise "tall awareness"?  I mean, I think people are aware.  Hilarious.

Extremely cute picnic and table accoutrements from ikea.

We looked at inappropriate baby shower invitations, and here are some funny yet inappropriate onesies to bring as gifts.

Should you check your email?

If you have a man friend who is picky about his undershirts, you should check out this round up.

Feeding tube diet: yikes.

What a cute striped sweater.



Prom dress showdown: Michelle Obama v. Ellen.  The winner: you, because you will be laughing pretty hard.  
A design-y take on wine charms.


You've seen the ballet dancers, but here are a few more things that are amazing in slow motion.



And finally, a submission from Tall and Salty's in-house contributor: it's the movie trailer man voice!



Hello Gorgeous.

I have a confession: I am a Twilight fan (insert shame here).  I've read the books and watched the (not-all-that-great) movies.  I will be the first person to admit that there's a lot to judge, but I loved Bella's wedding makeup in the most recent movie.

Image via here

Her eyes look gorgeous.  I wanted to try this out, but there were a couple of serious flaws with the plan:  (a) I bear absolutely zero resemblance to Kristen Stewart; and (b) I have zero talent or know-how when it comes to makeup (see the sidebar: I'm a lawyer.  And 100% of my makeup routine takes place in my car).

I decided not to let these two slight issues get me down and started looking around to see if I could come up with some sort of miracle solution.  I didn't, but I did find something else: YouTube makeup tutorials.  There are a million of these (many of which are 16-year-olds spilling their thoughts and feelings to a webcam; i.e., not particularly helpful for real-world assistance).  I've never watched any before my Bella quest began, but there are also some surprisingly really helpful ones out there.  It's like having an excellent makeup counter lady at your house with you while you're getting ready, with the added bonus of being able to pause and rewind her when you get confused.

I thought this tutorial was pretty easy to follow for the Bella look (and bonus, she has a delightful British accent!).



Side note: I've never used a foundation brush in my life, but I bought the one that she uses in the video and I love it.  It somehow looks much better than using my hands, which is my standard operating protocol, and I end up using a lot less foundation.

I also stumbled upon these ladies, who, like the young woman in the video above, have lovely British accents and lots of helpful tips for all kinds of makeup stuff (including everyday looks).



Hope you find these helpful.  Do you have any tips or tricks that you use to learn how to do these kinds of things?

And PS, on the subject of YouTube makeup tutorials: this has been around for a while (I believe she was even on the Today show last week), but this girl's transformation (and chutzpah in showing this to the whole world) is pretty incredible:




Wednesday, April 18, 2012

All the Single Ladies

Oh my goodness.  These "Tips for Single Women" from 1938 are amazing on multiple levels.







As ridiculous of some of this "advice" is, I think this trio is my favorite.  Can't we all benefit from these helpful hints?




All images are from Retronaut.  For some more "helpful" advice (or, more likely, a laugh so hard it will make you snort out loud), check out How Wives Should Undress in Front of Their Husbands from 1937.  

And this was too good not to share: enjoy this amazing picture of Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg from Famous People Hanging Out.







Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Funny Cards from Colette Paperie


I love cards and paper goods.  My local Paper Source ladies know me by name.  Actually, that's untrue: they know my dog by name because he usually accompanies me there and ends up plopping down in the middle of the store like he owns the place and waiting for people to pet him.



But it can get to be an expensive habit.  So I was intrigued when I got an email that Daily Candy Deals was offering five Colette Paperie cards for $10.  I clicked, and they are hilarious.


Image of Freaking Ninja Card


Image of Favorite Husband Card

I wish I'd seen this one before my best friend just had twins, because the sentiment is so appropriate.



You can get the deal here, and check out all of Colette Paperie's goods here.  Enjoy!




Monday, April 16, 2012

Caine's Arcade

Here's something to make you smile on a Monday: meet Caine, a nine year old boy who spent his summer vacation building an arcade out of cardboard boxes in the back of his dad's auto parts store in east Los Angeles.

Image via here

This short film is about Caine's Best Day Ever, and there is something so sweet and hopeful about his earnestness and excitement.



I love the calculators.  "For security."  What a creative little guy!  You can read more about him here, and you can help send him to college here.




Hope you had a lovely weekend!

Sketch by Gemma Correll
Hello there!  My Austin preparations got the best of me and the trip itself left little time for anything but family and wedding activities, so Friday's post is now today's post, and I hope you had a lovely weekend.

I had a great time on Thursday night getting a mani/pedi (and drinking lots of wine) with a group of ladyfriends.  The downside was that I didn't start packing for my 7:15 AM flight until midnight!  I got to Austin with seven pairs of shoes and all black outfits.  Whoopsie. 

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were a blur of exploring Austin and attending wedding events, which were wonderful.  The rehearsal dinner was a boat cruise on the river, which was really fun, and the wedding itself was gorgeous.


Hope your weekend was great, and that your Monday is going well.  Here are some links to start off your work week.  Good luck!

If you click on one thing from this post, make it this article about a rather creepy app that allows people who are near where you check in on Foursquare to look at your Facebook profile and get information about you.  Scary! (via Making It Lovely)

Moving on to the fun stuff:

Isn't Emily Blunt's haircut cute?  But before you get any ideas, read these sage words of caution.  (This is so, so true!)

Can you believe this closet is from IKEA (via Elements of Style)?

I want to be a guest at this party.

Hilarious email home from school.  Reminds me of this retort to a Comic Sans font user.

If you need a present for a dude, Gwyneth has some ideas (and more ideas are here). 

You've never seen Paris at night like this before.

The Color Run looks awesome!  I'm on the waiting list for Chicago -- hopefully I'll get in (via swissmiss). 

I swear everything this woman touches turns to gold.

The next time I'm in a photo standing next to someone tiny and I'm worried I'm going to look enormous, I need to remember to channel Charlize Theron's aura.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Drink and Pray Dress

Matchbook Magazine Issue No. 15
While perusing the latest Matchbook Magazine a few weeks ago, I came across this interview with Sid and Ann Mashburn, owners of what appear to be two very cool stores in Atlanta, as well as a rather fascinating couple.  Ann has lots of great style tips, but one in particular caught my eye: she says that every woman should have a "drink and pray" dress "that is simple and pretty enough for either a cocktail party or a funeral."  What a dead-on description for that perfect sort of dress that you end up wanting to wear all the time, as opposed to Boring Work Dress No. 4 That Doesn't Fit That Well but It's Okay Becuase It's Just for Work.  Don't tell me I'm the only person who has those.





Here are a couple of dresses that fit the bill and that I would want to wear all the time (and bonus, most of these can go to work, too!).

Diane von Furstenberg Julian Wrap Dress.  This isn't the most original, but it looks good on so many body types, it's sort of fitted and slinky but in a classic, not-too-bare kind of way (and you can scrunch it in a suitcase and it won't matter).  I have this dress and I love it.  As Diane describes it, "No buttons, no zippers, no fuss."
Available here
Diane von Furstenberg Jori Dress.  I will confess, I love me some Diane.  I will also confess that I have this one too, and I imagine that my friends are tired of looking at it.  Whenever I have to go somewhere mildly fancy after work, this is what I wear.  It's so simple, but not plain: there are diagonal seams, a little bit of ruching, and the back has a slight dip that's really pretty.  It's also ridiculously comfortable.
J. Crew Origami Sheath Dress.  This comes in black, charcoal gray, and a beautiful red color, too (so not funeral appropriate, but awfully cute).  The pleating at the neckline makes this so much more interesting than a basic cap sleeve sheath dress.
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Available here
J. Crew Tiered Shift Dress in Raindrop Lace.  I tried this on in the store and it was too short for me (tragedy), but that's probably good news for the rest of you.  Although it's not showing up online in black, I was told that it's available, so happy hunting.  It's worth it.  The lace on this dress isn't super intricate and fancy, so you could dress this up or down, depending on your needs. 
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Available here
Marc by Marc Jacobs Cunningham Chiffon Dress.  The shape of this has a sweet feel to it and the sheer is covered but not stuffy.
Available here
Black Halo Belted Jackie O Dress.  What a pretty neckline and flattering silhouette.  This would make your waist look tiny.
Available here
Alice + Olivia Victoria Peplum Dress.  The peplum is a fun detail, and this comes in navy and black.
Available here
David Meister Asymmetrical Matte Jersey Sheath Dress.  Sleeves!  (You can thank Kate and Pippa.)
Available here
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