Five on Friday

{ONE}

Frozen Iguanas

I found a frozen Iguana on my patio this morning. Fun fact - when temperatures fall below 40, Iguanas will go into hibernation, and fall from the trees. It's almost like they are dead, as they won't move - but if its a quick freeze, he's most likely still alive. If it warms fast enough, those little guys will wake up and crawl away. It was quite a way to start the morning, and my hound was thrilled by it. (Excuse the blurriness...I wasn't going to get much closer! They freak me out...)

{TWO}

Our glider/rocker is in!

The baby glider has arrived! The hubster and I are driving down to Boca on Saturday morning to go and pick it up! We went with the Storytime Series recliner, and frankly we bought it so long ago, I'm a little nervous! I hope its as comfortable as the one in the store, and I hope I'm ok not having an ottoman. Originally I wanted the ottoman and chair that glided together but settled on the recliner as it was the most comfortable AND fit my incredibly long torso. (I literally sat in EVERY chair at Bellini, and was too tall for 99% of them - and I'm only 5'8"!) This chair can recline almost all the way back and can do so without having to use the lever on the side.  Space is a concern for us right now, so I liked the idea of having the option of a root rest without having to always have it out.

Here is the stock photo of our chair in our colors (or something close)

{THREE}

Officially under the 2 months to go mark!

This week marked my 33rd week of pregnancy, which means we have less than two months until we meet this little one! So far so good, and I must admit this has been MUCH easier than I thought it would be. (Famous last words, eh?) So far the rings are still on, no swollen ankles or extremities. I've just about grown out of anything non-maternity however, which made dressing for these cold temps a little tricky. (I've mostly only purchased summer maternity clothing). Thank goodness for the new trend of 'side zippers' on tops, I've managed to make a sweatshirt and sweater into 'maternity' tops! It's getting hard to bend over now, and every time I try, I'm reminded there is a little person in there and there's no more 'give'. 

{FOUR}

Valentine's Day Recap

Last weekend we went to a restaurant on the Island (Palm Beach for those not familiar...) called PB Catch. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was totally blown away. We both had excellent meals, and really indulged ourselves! If you're ever looking for an amazing seafood meal in Palm Beach, check out PB Catch for sure!

A picture of the Chilean Sea Bass I had...AMAZING.

Not only are they known for their amazing seafood, but were also recently featured on Nat Geo Wild's show "Fish Tank Kings".  The designers came up with a custom 350 gallon tank - and on Valentines Day it was lit up to a bright shade of pink! 

I would highly recommend the Chilean Sea Bass and the Crispy Bay Scallops (ate it too fast to snag a pic!) To peruse the menu, click here.

{FIVE}

Scary Breastfeeding classes at the hospital.

So, I know this isn't really a favorite of this week, but its been a fun thing to talk about on my IG account. Apparently the lactation consultant at the hospital where I'll be delivering is a total nut job.  Her signature teaching tool is to show YouTube videos (some hysterical and awkward like the one below, and some just by breastfeeding nazis) and make non-medically based assertions about the evils of formula feeding. 

(Ladies, FYI, formula will not necessarily doom your child to a life of allergies, obesity, and SIDs. Clearly, breastfeeding has major health benefits but if you can't do it, don't stress. I'm a formula baby,  and know many other formula fed babies that have none of the above issues! :) ) 

For your viewing pleasure, here is one video that apparently this course facilitator showed a class this past winter.  One of the class participants posted it on Instagram. So much for expecting the medically trained Lactation Consultant to provide me with MEDICALLY BASED direction on how to feed and care for my child. I could have watched YouTube at home....

WARNING: this video shows women feeding...so if you don't wanna see it, don't click it.

President's Day Productivity

Since this was a long weekend for me...my weekending post is actually a Monday post.

Most Sundays I prepare some sort of large dish that feeds us through the week. Of course, by the end of the week neither of us want to even look at said dish (casseroles, chili, soups etc) but it helps on saving time during the work week. This past Monday I was off for President's Day and had plenty to time to plan, shop, and execute a light and tasty meal. Most of the recipes are by Bethenny Frankel - whom I believe would be my BFF if we ever met.

I started off in the morning marinating 2 chicken breasts in a greek yogurt mixture. Not only is this low fat, it also packs some flavor. (one note: I think this recipe made enough for 3 small breasts - I used organic - or 2 of the huge ones. You'll see in pics farther down...)

Happy Accident Chicken 

(No longer online)

7 ounces of non-fat greek yogurt (plain)

2 chicken breasts

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tsp (each) of salt and pepper

1.5 tbsp of lemon juice

2 tbsp Tabasco sauce (or other hot sauce)

Mix marinade together. Poke holes in chicken - I totally forgot to do this. Marinate chicken in mixture for at least 4 hours but the longer the better. Best if you can do it over night. Grill chicken on high heat until cooked through (be sure to grease your grill first!) You can also bake your chicken if you prefer - but the char-grill flavor is really best.

Roasted Broccoli 

(still found on the SkinnyGirl Daily Blog)

4 cups broccoli florets

1 small red bell pepper, chopped into 1-inch squares

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Zest of 1/2 lemon (I also added the juice from 1 lemon)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the broccoli and red pepper. Mix remaining ingredients in separate bowl. Line a baking sheet with foil, and spread out the vegetables. Pour the oil/lemon mixture over the vegetables and toss until evenly covered. Place in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Toss/flip veggies, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes depending on how well done you'd like it. Garnish with parsley.

I made some brown rice as well, and here are some pics of the finished product!

I was quite proud of my produce market haul ... so here is a picture of lots of additional ingredients...all of this for $10! and yes, that is a monster bunch of parsley (only $.79!).

Chopped broccoli and peppers

 

Toss Vegetables in marinade/seasonings.

Marinating chicken. See what I mean about the extra sauce?

Dinner is served....

Five on Friday

{one}

Ed Sheeren & John Mayer's duet of "Thinking Out Loud". Swoon.

{two}

What's Up Mom's new "Blank Spaces" Parody

I love to watch EVERY video on this YouTube Channel - but this newest one has got me in stitches. So funny!

{three}

J. Crew is my hero. 

If you're pregnant, you know how often you end up at Destination Maternity. If you're like me, and LOVE clothing and fashion, a part of you dies every time you set foot inside. Sure, you can find some cute stuff that's doesn't cost a fortune. However, for the most part, I feel like the quality of the clothing is severely lacking and every time you buy something full price, you inevitably see it 70% off a month later. If it wasn't for the Pea in the Pod section, I would have no pants. (P.S. AG makes the BEST over the belly maternity pants. Period. Suck it up, the cost is worth it.)

I decided to take a chance on my favorite retailer's maternity line - J.Crew. Most of my clothing is J.Crew - it's my go to store when I need staples (that are actually interesting to look at, and are good quality). I started with a pair of Navy Blue Minnie Pants. I loved the under the belly style, they fit well, looked nice, didn't need to be ironed -- you get the picture.

After less than 6 months of wearing them, I noticed the side panels of elastic were coming apart, and had little holes in them. I was frustrated, J.Crew typically holds up VERY well. So, I made a phone call to customer service to let them know about the issue - with no real expectation. I jsut wanted them to know -- and hopefully rectify the design issue (J.Crew maternity is rather new I think). Much to my surprise, I will be recieving a brand new pair of pants in the mail next week! I am SO excited, and so pleased! So ladies - get the heck out of Destination Maternity and head over to www.jcrew.com and buy some pants! (And this weekend sale is on sale -- 40-50% off!)

{four}

Mom Purse.

I'm sure many of you saw the Kate Spade Surprise Sale this week. Know what didn't surprise my husband? Finding a box on our doorstep two days later :)

I bought this bag, as my new "mommy purse". I saw Heather DuBrow carry a Stella McCartney bookbag purse on the RHOC trip to Bali last year, and I've wanted one ever since. Since Stella is a tad out of my budget, Kate worked out quite well. 

I feel like this is the perfect solution to needing to carry a purse but also having hands full of baby, gear, and being on the go. From the zoo, the fair, the park or just Target - I think this bag might be just the ticket!

{five}

Temporary Changing Table Solutions.

We are currently living in a rental with limited space - and not so much room for baby. (There really should be though, with 1700 sq feet and 3 bedrooms...apparently we just need A LOT of space to live). We plan on moving sometime in the summer after the baby is born, so I have resisted buying a nursery furniture set until we settle on the new place. This idea was perfect considering the baby would be in a bassinet until then. However, we were stuck on what to do about a changing table. We want to do a dresser with a topper eventually, but for now need a temporary spot to store diapers/wipes etc and do the actual changing. (I know a lot of people just do it on the bed or on the floor, but I wanted a designated area - changing a baby on the guest bed just doesn't sound sanitary to me...and what happens when you have guests?) So, I opted for a pack and play with a changer station and built in shelves.  We already have one pack n play that is much simpler, lightweight, and generally better for travel - as you can see below this beast is not necessarily meant to travel. I know it sounds nuts to have 2, but when you live far away from friends, family, and vacation spots it seemed to make sense for us to have a back up!  The big one arrived this week, and Stephen had it almost completely put together by the time I got home from work. I'll let you know how it works out!

Enjoy your Valentine's Day weekend! 

Newsday Tuesday: Gap is now my least favorite retailer.

I'm going on a little news-y fashion-y rant this morning. Gap, I hope you're listening.

Piperlime is closing down.  Gap has opted to close down the fashion-forward site (and NYC store) in Spring of 2015, saying that what Piperlime has to offer isn't what the typical Gap customer is interested in purchasing. (Perhaps this is true, because I would never step foot in a Gap, Old Navy, -and maybe a BR- unless I needed a white tee or khakis...nothing terribly 'fashion forward' about any of those stores.) This closing comes amid a string of other retailers choosing to close their doors - like C.Wonder, Delia*s, Wet Seal, and Kate Spade Saturday.

C.Wonder was originally launched by Tory Burch's ex-husband as a competitor to her iconic brand (talk about some real motivation to succeed), and Kate Spade Saturday was launched as a competitor to C. Wonder.  Apparently the early spring/late winter closings are strategic - and depended significantly on the holiday sales. Kate Spade Saturday stores will close first, with its online store closing down sometime during the first half of the year.  The Kate Spade Saturday line will be reabsorbed under the Kate Spade brand, and just marketed a more casual line. Many say that the Kate Spade Saturday line didn't reach the targeted 'younger' demographic, and wasn't consistent with the typical Kate Spade shopper -- ultimately leading to its demise.

In the case of Piperlime, Gap Inc says it wanted to focus its efforts on its other stores, including Athleta (really who shops there??).  Apparently, Piperlime only accounts for 1% of the brand's sales, which shouldn't be a surprise, in my opinion. Piperlime is tailored to that shopper that is interested in looking cute and trendy, but might not want to spend $500 on something (I'm looking at you, ShopBop).  Piperlime has amazing picks, and often shows looks that I don't see on other sites. And, can we talk about the new Piperlime Collection?? It's gorgeous! If I wasn't 8 months pregnant and the gigantic, I'd own it all!  I would hope that Gap, Inc would see the value in having at least one brand that is not basic, and vanilla. JCrew (Gap's biggest competitor) has perfected this model, providing its Factory Line as its more 'all American' and mainstream bread and butter, while also providing its super trendy and unique looks on its main site.

It's shocking to me that Athleta isn't on the chopping block...I've never even ventured over to that site. Frankly, there are a few major brands in the world of athletic wear (although nowadays every store is launching their own line) and if you're going to buy over priced workout gear, you're probably going to LuluLemon. Or maybe you'll join Fabletics. What won't you do? Shop at Athleta.

 The only thing keeping me going is the prospect of major, major sales. Unfortunately, these sales will all be happening in April....right after I give birth. So, hopefully I bounce back quickly to take advantage of them!

So for now, please enjoy the slideshow below, as it will all be gone soon!

Piperlime Favorites by mattisonave on polyvore.com


Sources:
Racked.com
Huffington Post

Weekending...

I started working on a Friday post, and it just never got completed. So while I typically take the weekends to prepare posts for the week, I opted instead to do a 'weekending' post in lieu of the Friday post that I missed!

Perhaps the the highlight of my weekend (and maybe the only thing I really accomplished) was the pot of southwest corn chowder that I made on Sunday night. I got the recipe from The Food Network's Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. While I find her incredibly annoying to watch - the woman can cook.

I have been craving this soup for the last week, and it came out absolutely perfect. It wasn't too thick, or heavy (despite its rather high fat content). Next time around I might even consider adding potatoes or chicken.  However, without potatoes, it does need some sort of carb - so I would recommend getting the bread bowls - or just getting some nice crusty rolls to serve with the soup.

I started off cooking the bacon and boiling the corn. I blanched these cobs of corn this summer when corn was sweet and fresh - saving it for the perfect recipe this winter!

Next up, I chopped an onion, red, green, and yellow pepper.

I melted a half of stick of butter in the bottom of the large soup pot and started off cooking the onion.  Next I added the peppers, corn, and then topped the vegetables with a little flour to thicken. Next I added the stock. Once I thickened the soup, I added the Half and Half and let it simmer.

While the soup simmered I grated the cheeses.

I added the cheeses, green onions, and seasoned to taste.

I was so excited to try it, I totallly forgot to snap a picture of it in the bowl! It might be in the 70s and 80s here, but a good chowder on a Sunday evening is always a good plan. I'm sure its even more satisfying for those of you who actually have a winter!

Newsday Tuesday: Cuba

The President's recent shift on the U.S.'s policy toward Cuba has left many Americans - and Cubans- confused. Is Cuba the newest travel destination for American citizens dying to sip on a glass of Havana Club (7 year, of course)? For most, probably not. However, restrictions on travel to the island have changed significantly, especially for those traveling to see family or on religious or educational visas.

Sunset lit street after an afternoon rain shower - Santa Clara, Cuba

According to the White House, authorized travelers can get general licenses if they are traveling for the following reasons: "(1) family visits; (2) official business of the U.S. government, foreign governments, and certain intergovernmental organizations; (3) journalistic activity; (4) professional research and professional meetings; (5) educational activities; (6) religious activities; (7) public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; (8) support for the Cuban people; (9) humanitarian projects; (10) activities of private foundations or research or educational institutes; (11) exportation, importation, or transmission of information or information materials; and (12) certain export transactions that may be considered for authorization under existing regulations and guidelines."
-- USA Today 

Travelers are able to gain permission to go to the island for specific purposes, as long as they are not strictly for tourism.  Additionally, Americans in Cuba will be able to use debit and credit cards (this is HUGE - it's pretty scary to walk around a country carrying nothing but cash, and hoping you have enough to get you through!) Previously, organizations had to apply to obtain a 'status' that enabled them to apply for travel visas for a specific purpose - for instance, religious reasons.  These visas gave Americans like me, permission to travel to Cuba as long as my itinerary met certain specifications.  Although I do have family still on the island, making the case to visit your second cousin once removed can be a little dicey. (Especially when you don't actually know who they are.)

me with my friend, Clarita in Santa Clara. She still sends me letters!

Last week American diplomats traveled to Cuba to meet with officials regarding the changes in policy, allowing reporters to sneak an exclusive peek at famous places like El Malecòn, or La Bodeguita del Medio, or La Floridita -- the places that the likes of Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack were known to frequent. While many of us (Americans, that is) are excited for the policy changes and the loosening of restrictions, many Cubans are worried that the 'perks' they were once guaranteed as refugees might come to an end.  President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted the 1966 Cuban Adjustment Act which provided permanent residency to any Cuban in the U.S. one year after their arrival.  Policies like this and the "wet foot dry foot policy" have in a sense made Cubans the 'golden children' of the U.S. immigration system, guaranteed rights that no other immigrants have.

While U.S. officials have said that there is no plan to change or repeal its policy toward Cuban immigrants seeking political asylum, many are still worried that pressure from the Cuban regime might prompt the U.S. to amend the act.  President Obama's seemingly abrupt about face on Cuban foreign policy has many worried that they might miss out on the benefit of political asylum if they do not act immediately.  In the last months of 2014, between the Miami airport and the Mexican border, the number of immigrating Cubans increased by nearly 65%. Havana has repeatedly made claims that the U.S.'s policy toward immigrating Cubans has contributed significantly to its 'brain drain' of young professionals and encouraging risky migration practices (last month alone, the Coast Guard intercepted 481 rickety boats and rafts -- an increase of 117% compared from the year before).
While many are encouraged by the policy shift, while others (especially Cuban immigrants like Marco Rubio) are concerned that more open relations will help 'prop up the regime'.  I believe that opening our borders with Cuba will allow for a more natural evolution of change, and I think it will ultimately dismantle the socialist system within Cuba.

I'm encouraged to see what the future holds for Cuba and the U.S. and am excited to see the day that I can take my husband through the streets of Havana, show him where my Great Grandmother and Cousins lived in Matanzas, or where our family beach house was at Varadero (Cuba's premier resort). Cuba remains largely untouched, and boasts beautiful countryside, traditional Spanish architecture, warm people and climate, and of course, amazing Mojitos. Here are a few snapshots from my trips to Havana and Santa Clara.



Sources: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/fears-of-immigration-policy-change-triggers-new-wave-of-cuban-migrants/2015/01/27/8d6ca65c-a0e5-11e4-91fc-7dff95a14458_story.html

Here are some photos from my visits to Cuba. These photos are of Santa Clara and Havana, the cities I spent the most time in.

View of the Citadel from the Malecón

Plaza de la Catedral - Havana, Cuba

Boats in the inlet - Havana, Cuba

Sitting on the wall of the Malecón

Classic car parked in the streets of Santa Clara

View from the apartment we stayed in Santa Clara