Glazed and Confused

{My serving suggestion is a light salad of mixed greens, sweet onions and a citrus vinaigrette paired with a white wine of your choosing. Mine was Gewurtztraminer (German) but if anyone knows a great Hungarian white, I would LOVE your feedback!!}

The glaze for the chops consisted of a cup of your favorite bourbon, 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp mustard, 1/2 tbsp crushed red pepper and a THAWED can of frozen apple juice concentrate. Combine all five ingredients and bring to a boil on high heat. Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes. You want it to reduce to 1 cup and thicken. Set aside.

The night before you grill you will need to prep the chops. My father loved to use Paprika in his recipes and (yay!) this is included here.

Combining 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar and 1 tsp Paprika.

Gently rub down your meat as shown here. No pun intended. 

Place in a dish, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Slice a couple apples, and prepare your grill to medium-high heat. I use only charcoal. Make sure the briquettes are grey and smoldering. 

Grill them for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Add the apples and glaze on each side, allowing it so set. Remove the chops so they maintain that "glazed" appearance. Also brush a little glaze on your apple slices.

PS. My glaze would not thicken up for some reason I cannot explain. Very odd. My answer is to add 2 HEAPING tbsp of flour. That solved the problem within minutes. 

Feelin Free

For those of you staying in town this weekend (like myself) here are a few fun FREE activities I came across this week that can make your weekend a celebratory experience without breaking the bank. 

1. Fashion Meets Music Festival is new to Columbus this year. Although ticket prices for some of the headline shows are expensive, you CAN be downtown and see some newer acts at the outdoor stages throughout, and still enjoy the sights and sounds of the event for FREE. A friend even suggested packing a cooler and taking a little walk back to your car now and then for a "refill" instead of the staggering costs of eating and drinking there.

2. Greek Festival located at 555 N. High Street where the food is not free but the fun and music IS, and hey, you gotta eat some time. For all those greek yogurt fans out there, it is time to expand your ethnic food horizon.

3. Free Air Show in Waynesville where I have sky dived twice (a 3rd is forthcoming) and food will be available, but I am sure you can bring your own cooler. 

4. Screen On The Green presented by Short North Civic Association is located at Goodale Park downtown and all you need to bring is a blanket and your favorite eats and it is FREE. Check the website for times and shows.

5. Upper Arlington Arts Festival is FREE, open to the public and interactive, with several food trucks available for your dining pleasure. Party on.

Stack of Chips

There's a birthday celebration every other month in my family. Frankly, it gets a little stale at times. Every year I try and come up with the perfect gift idea and planned activity. One year it was a special Groupon trip for each and then another time it was some sort of family activity. Then of course all the parties here and there. What is wonderful about this time in my life is that I can focus on giving what is really wanted. It isn't about the quantity of the gift or how much it cost, as it is the quality. It isn't about showing off, but about making the day special or at least meeting all the special requests of the birthday boy or girl. I am happy in this place... where it truly is the thought that counts. 

I was asked to make a birthday cookie cake, and in the beginning I thought about making it in a 9x13 pan or a large skillet. I thought about mimicking what we all see at our local grocery store. You know what? I can do better than that. I simply followed the chocolate chip cookie recipe on the bag of Ghirardelli dark chocolate chip bag. It makes four dozen cookies. I split the batter into two 8" round pans. I filled the tops of each with chocolate and butterscotch chips. Baked it at 375 degrees for 20 minutes and let completely cool in the pans before removing. The rest is up to you.

Clean and Clear

MaryKay was my "go to" microdermabrasion treatment for at least a decade. I loved the result. There was an effortless glow to my skin and a feeling of removing all the things that were bad for it. The problem was not only the cost, but availability, and I usually broke out the day after. I have been using an apricot scrub which does the job but doesn't give me that glow of flawless skin I am looking for. So I found a solution to all three problems. By simply mixing together a tbsp of sugar and fresh lemon juice I got exactly the result I wanted without the cost, the wait, or the breakout. For all the men out there who love to take care of their skin, this gives you what you want without feeling like a girl for buying it. It'll be our little secret.

After I scrub I usually jump in the shower or use a hot wash cloth to wipe it all off. Follow with a moisturizer and eye cream as you normally would. Using a moisturizing facial mask right after is also a very skin calming and soothing finishing touch if you have the time.

Post shower glow <3

Lady And The Tramp

Having always had larger hunting dogs my whole life, I never thought I could embrace the companion variety. Most of the smaller dogs I had been exposed to did not have the personality I wanted them to possess. I need a dog that is a bit territorial without becoming a threat, playful without the need for lots of exercise, loving without the separation anxiety, rough and tumble without the size. Along came our Norman. He is all those things and soft as a teddy bear. He is our small dog with a big dog personality. One of these days I will again have a larger hunting dog that I can run with and throw the ball to, but for now he is the perfect fit, and he came along at a time when my heart needed a hug. We found him one month after my father suddenly passed away, and I always say I was in some sort of "grief fog" when I said yes to taking him home. Four years later, and he is the best decision I ever made. Happy Birthday month to my vanilla bean, my little cashew, my pugalicious, my buddy. I love you because you're small...just like me.

Sunnies are RayBan. Skirt is old Zara. Top is by Recycled Design, Shoes are "Madison" by Shoe Dazzle, Arm candy by HRH Collection, Earrings were gifted.

Friday Feels

{Early morning light}

There has been such an overwhelming reaction to the loss of Robin Williams. Not simply with regard to his suicide, but also his diagnosis. I felt that having been directly impacted by the suicide of someone closest to me, I wanted to shed some of my own light on a dark and painful subject. 

Some of you are aware that my mom took her own life when I was very young (8 years old) and my brother with her. In her troubled mind, having my brother and I with her was to protect us from having to live without her, and the memory of her death. My survival was something she had not planned on and did not want to happen. I remember that day very vividly as the car sank deep in that dark water leaving me behind. I have had many years to cope with all that happened that day. My father said to me many times that her taking her own life was a selfish act, because the person leaves behind so much pain and grief. I don't feel that way. It is my feeling that her taking her life was an unfortunate life choice she made for us both. I would have loved to keep her, but that was not what she wanted. It was HER LIFE. Far be it for me to tell someone how to live or how to die. Those who are struggling with these decisions need all our love and support, and not our judgement. In the end it is not up to us. If we believe that there is something better out there beyond this life on Earth, then when someone chooses to "leave the bonds of Earth, to touch the face of God" then should we not be happy for them to be free of all that tortures their soul, and be held forever in His Grace? When someone dies... we grieve OUR OWN loss. We are sad over what we no longer have. Is that not a selfish act as well? 

My belief for myself is that we are only given this one opportunity to leave our mark on this world, and in that we have a responsibility to leave it a better place. How that all falls out is up to each one of us. My hope is that everyone values and cherishes it all for as long as it is the time they are given, knowing that there is a finite end point for us all, and that every day we awake is a gift. 

Have a good weekend <3

Get A Leg Up

If I can find a way to work a heel into my daily wardrobe you can bet I will. There was something super liberating about being single again, and I looked at myself completely different. When I look back on how I dressed as a married person it was very frumpy and dumpy. I didn't feel truly beautiful. That changed in an instant after, and I realized how much putting some effort into how I look made me feel about myself. Adding a heel made me feel more womanly, feminine and powerful. Flats have their place in my life for certain, but there is something about the way a heel makes you hold your head a bit higher, keep your back a bit straighter, and command attention. Even if your legs aren't your favorite feature, adding a heel (or a wedge in this case) will make all the difference.

Clutch is NeNe California, Top is Old Navy, Earrings and espadrilles are old JCrew, Shorts are a store in Europe I can't remember but I will try and add later!!, Sunnies are RayBan Aviators 

What I've Been Crushing On

{My perfect little oasis}

{Hot Air Balloon Festival}

{Kettle Corn}

{Clippers games}

{Being such a stellar bowler}

{Gladiolas}

{All the classics...Dragon's Blood??}