Dine Out for Haiti This Weekend

Don’t cook on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday! DINE OUT FOR HAITI at any of the following restaurants and help others while maintaining your own peace of mind (i.e. no kids arguing with you over what to eat!):

(Click on the image to enlarge)

Hope to see you all out there!

Product Alert: OPI Alice in Wonderland Collection

Sorry I have been absent during the holiday season, but I have some great new posts to share with you. I wanted to start off with my latest love: The Alice in Wonderland Collection by OPI. I’m sure you all know, OPI is one of the world’s most well-known nail polish producers, and I am a big fan of their latest collection, which includes these four colors:

And they all have cute little names that allude to different parts of the book. So last weekend I ventured over to The Makeup Bar (my favorite little cosmetics shop, ESPECIALLY when I don’t want to fight the mall crowds) and took a look at these new colors and fell in looove with “Mad As A Hatter.”

Isn’t it fun? It’s like a little party on your fingertips. I really wish it had been released in time for New Year’s Eve. But the best part? You can change the look of the polish by wearing it on it’s own or layering it over different shades! All the girls at The Makeup Bar showed me their nails. They had layered it over lilac, plum, gunmetal, and a light pink – all of them gave it a different look! So I picked up a bottle, along with Essie’s “Rock Candy”:

On a side note: I adore this color, because it’s so sheer, it makes it appear as if you have a French manicure, without all the work! I also ordered OPI’s “My Private Jet” – a fun gunmetal color that I haven’t been able to find anywhere.

I’m excited to try all my new colors and combinations! What are your favorite nail colors right now?

-C-

A First Time for Anything

If you’re like me, you took a look at your calendar this morning and realized you have something almost every night from now until after the New Year. Our calendar is full of fun, family, and work events, as well as some “us” time scheduled in, which I am grateful for. It seems like every January we seem to look back on December and realize we saw each other less than we saw everyone else. *PLUS* This is our first “real-life” Christmas. Many couples count their events after their wedding as their “first Easter” or “first Thanksgiving” but we count everything as our “first real-life” event because these are the first events we have with both of us out of school and in the work force (that may not sound like much, but if you’ve ever had a spouse in graduate/law/medical school, I know you understand). So this year, instead of watching Tay study for finals, we get to do fun GROWN-UP stuff – or fun stuff that makes these almost-grown-ups feel like little kids again!

Here are some of the fun “first real-life” events we get to experience this year:

• First Thanksgiving with Taylor not leaving dinner early to work on outlines for class
• First 2 weeks of December where I actually get to see Taylor in the evenings, for longer than the 30 minutes he took out of studying to eat dinner with me
• First December in Oklahoma City
• First December where there isn’t already ice/snow on the ground
• First time we are going snow tubing at the Bricktown Ballpark!
• First time we BOTH have work Christmas parties
• First time I wasn’t so busy helping him study/stay sane that I actually have Christmas shopping done, presents wrapped, and cards sent out before December 24th
• First time we both have to request off work to visit the in-laws and friends
• First Christmas we won’t see Tay’s sister (we are SO sad!!)
• First Christmas we have put up a tree, decorations, and lights because it’s the…
• First Christmas we will be home to enjoy them!

The great thing about Christmas is that it’s always a great time for new beginnings, and for us as a newly married couple, it’s fun coming up with our own traditions.

WHAT ARE SOME FIRSTS FOR YOU THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

-C-

Heading out of town…

Sorry guys, there’s no detailed post this Friday for what to do in OKC. BUT I will recommend, if you’re in town, that you head down to the Plaza District for LIVE! On the Plaza. There’s a new store opening (ShopGood), No Regrets Tattoo is giving Oklahoma-themed tattoos starting at $40, and they will be partying all weekend, celebrating Oklahoma’s birthday!

If you get a tattoo, send me pics and I’ll post it on here! I’ll be heading to Dallas for a girls’ weekend, but when I get back, I may just get a tattoo myself!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-C-

OKC: What to Do This Weekend

There is a lot going on in Oklahoma City this weekend, and I wanted to bring you some highlights and suggestions.

Friday, November 6th and Saturday, November 7th:

What: The Girlie Show, an obscure art show full of local artists. $20 at the door. Catered by some of OKC’s finest, including Cafe Nova, Rococo’s, Sara Sara Cupcakes, Big Truck Tacos, and MORE!

Where: Oklahoma City Farmer’s Market, 311 S. Klein

Time: 8 PM to Midnight Friday; Noon-5 Saturday

Tips: Find me there Friday night and I’ll have a drink with you!

Saturday, November 7th:

What: Oklahoma Wine Fest, where $20 gets you a wine glass and 7 tasting tickets to sample local wines and listen to the sounds of some great local bands!

Where: 50 Penn Place, 5000 N. Pennsylvania Ave.

Time: 11 AM to 8 PM

Tips: Find Russell the Wine Guy from Summerside Vineyards and he will become your next best friend!

Saturday, November 7th:

What: 2009 Chili Hacks Cookoff, where you can mix and mingle with attorneys and politicians and sample some of the best chili the locals can make. I’ve heard that some booths make you take shots before you sample the chili.

Where: Macklanburg-Duncan Park, 5901 E. Britton Road (No, I’ve never been there, either).

Time: HIGH NOON (cooking starts at 9:00 AM)

Tips: You can still sign up to be a cook or a sponsor. I’ll be there – look for me at the booth with J.D. and JoJo, featuring their famous “Skull Creek Chili” – no skulls involved.

As always, please feel free to send photos, comments, and feedback from any events you attend. Have a great weekend!

-C-

Happy November OKCityans!

I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Halloween. As much as I love October, I might love November even more. A few reasons I love November are:

• THANKSGIVING! I’m a bit of a foodie, and so of course I love any holiday that requires you to eat copious amounts of delicious homemade food. Also, I love that the Thanksgiving feast is followed by two of my other favorite things – football and sleeping.
• Cool Weather – read: NOT cold weather. I love throwing on a sweater and jeans to run out the door, but not having to get all bundled up so my hands don’t freeze.
• Mustache Movember: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but November is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. As much as I support Breast Cancer Awareness, nothing is as cool as an excuse for a man to grow out a mustache in charity’s name.

Now, here are a few things I love about OKLAHOMA CITY in November:

• Chesapeake lights up Western Avenue: The energy company has once again decked out their trees and if you drive down Western Avenue between 55th and 63rd Street, you can’t miss  the glowing white lights. Also, if you drive (or WALK!) through the Chesapeake campus, you’ll see trees wrapped in every color of the rainbow!
• Braum’s Ice Skating Rink: the ice skating rink opens downtown, usually the weekend after Thanksgiving. You can rent skates, buy hot chocolate, and skate with your loved ones in front of the Civic Center Music Hall.
• BEDLAM! This year, the Sooners host the Cowboys in Norman the Saturday after Thanksgiving. If anyone has an extra couple of tickets they want to toss my way, I’m not going to stop you…
• OKC Thunder! The season opened last Wednesday, but November brings our NBA team into full force. As of last night, they’re 2-1, a winning record!
• Thanksgiving, Okie-style: I know it’s not in Oklahoma City, but my family and I go to Woodward, up in the panhandle, for our Thanksgiving celebration. Where else can you watch wild turkeys walk through your cousins’ backyard, while you dine on a delicious bird yourself? Or watch the neighbor skinning his deer from the morning hunt while you sit down for dinner?

What’s your favorite November activity in Oklahoma City?

Meats and Breads and Desserts, Oh My!

Well, last night I did not make it to Taste of Western. I hope everyone had a great time, and congratulations to Iron Starr BBQ for winning Best Food! I had another obligation – a friend of mine was having a “tasting party”. Yes, my ears perked up too, at the thought that every tasting party I had heard of before involved lots and lots of wine. However, this was a little different. My friend sells baskets for the holidays, and this year she wanted some help deciding what to include in the baskets, so she invited us over to taste an assortment of goodies (wine was included at the party; not sure if it will be in the baskets).

I was greeted with a smorgasboard of delicious cookies, creme de menthe brownies, irish cream brownies, white chocolate bark, ribeye seasoned with a special rub, spicy pecans, mexican dip, chocolate pound cake…the list goes on. There were at least 30 items to sample, including cider, hot chocolate, and teas. It was ALL delicious! We had to try everything, and pick our top 5 items in each category – drinks, desserts, and sides.

Baskets are always a great option for gifts – hostess gifts, acquaintance gifts, or gifts for the person who has everything. As soon as I know the final options, I’ll post them on here, along with her contact information and pricing. Baskets are always a favorite around the holidays!  (Can you tell I like holiday baskets?)

What’s your favorite holiday fare/gift idea?

-C-

This Thursday: Taste of Western

This Thursday, October 29th, from 6 to 9 p.m., is the 7th Annual Taste of Western, being held at Will Roger’s Theatre. I can’t make it this year, but I wanted to post it because you all should go. If you’ve wanted to try the delicious looking restaurants along Western, this is your chance to have a little bit of everything. It’s $40 in advance, $50 at the door, and you have access to food, wine and auction items from the great shops of Western! For more details and a complete list of who will be there, visit the Western Avenue Association website. Also, follow them on Twitter @WesternAvenue for great deals and fun specials!

HAVE FUN!

-C-

What to do Tonight – DNA Galleries

So I’m sure you want to rest up for tomorrow’s Ghouls Gone Wild parade downtown. BUT if you do muster up some energy to go out, I suggest you head to DNA Gallery’s 1-Year Anniversary Party. (READ MORE HERE) DNA Gallery is located on N.W. 16th Street, between Penn and Western, and tonight from 7-11 they are having beer, wine, treats…oh yeah, and a longboard show! This takes me back to my emo/goth days (if any of you have seen me lately, you’re probably laughing, but once upon a time, I was dark) – when all the “cute” boys were skaters and Fast Forward was the “it” store, if only to look at all the cool skateboards and accessories. ANYWAY, even though I’ve moved past my “I only wear ROXY” phase, I still admire a great long board, and DNA has commissioned some local artists to decorate some. They will be on display tonight. Hope to see you there!

-C-

What to do in OKC this weekend: Ghouls Gone Wild

On October 25, 2008, I married my wonderful husband at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, then we loaded ourselves into my maid of honor’s car and proceeded down Robinson Street to the Civic Center Music Hall for our reception. However, we were detained for several minutes by the 2nd Annual Ghouls Gone Wild Parade. I had done my research – I knew nothing of a parade that would be closing city streets for several hours! But there was nothing we could do, so we sat and watched 1000 skeletons go by before we were able to continue on to our waiting guests.

Like I said, I knew nothing about the parade last year. But this year, it’s all anyone can talk about. And I am excited. This Saturday, October 24, 2009, is the 3rd Annual Ghouls Gone Wild Parade, featuring the Flaming Lips’ March of 1000 Flaming Skeletons, and I can’t wait! I’m so excited, in fact, that the husband and I are getting downtown early for an anniversary dinner, where we have prime seats reserved to watch the parade!

The parade goes from 7:00 to 9:30, followed by a *FREE* concert at 3rd and Harvey. For more details, visit the Ghouls Gone Wild website. Hope to see you all downtown on Saturday! And this year, I won’t be wearing my wedding dress (sorry to disappoint).