Presidential Series

To start off my Presidential series, I opted to first highlight the one and only woman in the GOP field. Carly Fiorina has rocketed toward the front of the very large pack after a rather successful performance in the Republican Debate 2 weeks ago on CNN. This is rather impressive considering the stage was full 12 hard hitting and loud men -- and that it lasted 3 hours.  Despite the drama ridden line of questioning that the CNN moderator spewed at the candidates, Fiorina managed to get her voice heard in a clear and impressive manner. Despite whether or not you might agree with what she had to say, she said it rather well. So, who is Carly Fiorina? Here's some info:

Education: She has an BA in Philosophy from Stanford, MBA from University of MD, and an MS in Management from MIT.

Home State: Born in Austin, TX although has lived abroad. She attended high school in NC.

Age: 61

Previous Work Experience:

AT&T : At 25 she started off in sales, selling services to federal agencies.  She quickly rose through the ranks, and by age 35 she was a Vice President for the company. In another 5 years, she was overseeing North American operations.

Lucent Technologies:  Lucent technologies was a spin off company of AT&T, and Fiorina was placed in charge of Corporate operations. Fortune Magazine listed Fiorina as the Most Powerful Woman in Business in 1998.


Her claim to fame is her 'Secretary to CEO' status and her role as the only woman in the GOP race has many thinking she might be able to help the party in a demographic it has failed to reach in past elections...women. However, recent statements made about doctored/false tapes made to incriminate Planned Parenthood have many women wincing.

To read her platforms on issues, here is here Campaign website.

Here are a few of her top recent headlines:
Inside Carly Fiorina's California Meltdown
Liberal Feminists Ponder Friends, Foes and Carly Fiorina
Jeb Bush Opposes Shutdown over Planned Parenthood, Fiorina doesn't

Despite a strong debate performance a few weeks ago, Carly's momentum seems to be waning some on a national level - albeit her conservative base is most likely still in tact. While this might not seem like an issue to most -- candidates (especially GOP) have to realize that during the general election the ability to woo the center moderates and those on the party fringes is the key to winning the Presidency.  If Fiorina continues down her current path, she will struggle to garner support from women or those who don't believe Planned Parenthood is a worthy reason to shut down the government.

Weekending...

This weekend my husband went to my future brother - in - law's bachelor party and I was left on my own. It. Was. Glorious. Not quite like the old days in which I might have eaten a pint of ice cream and a bottle of wine for dinner - but as close as a mommy to a 6 month old could get to that.

On Saturday I ventured over to a store called Roots - a magical place with tons of greenery, plants, and decorative accessories that would send a more artistic and creative person into a state of bliss. For the rest of us, its amazing because I can walk over to the designers and say, " I need something pretty that I can't kill." And, voila! Just like that, you have a gorgeous pot full of plants for your living room.

For you locals that are interested in seeing more of what Roots can do, check out their IG Account -- Rootsonaugusta!

You can go into the store and buy each of these components and make this yourself...or they will make it for free (you just pay for the supplies). #nobrainer

On Sunday, I made a Lemon Rosemary roasted chicken with potatoes, carrots and mushrooms. It came out perfectly - but unfortunately I sort just threw things together. I'll try my best to give the ingredients, but I have NO amounts (sorry).

2 Lemons

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 3.5 lb organic chicken

1/2 stick butter

salt/pepper

olive oil

Chicken Broth

white wine

2 celery sticks

half of an onion

2 cloves of garlic

4-5 carrots

6-7 red potatoes

1 carton baby bella mushrooms

I started off by putting oil, rosemary (whole sprig) onions, celery 1 lemon (sliced, squeezed out, toss the lemon in the pot) in the bottom of a Le Crueset pot. Next, I washed, buttered, salted/peppered the chicken and placed in the oven at 425 for 15 minutes. At 15 minutes, I squeezed the other lemon on the chicken and tossed those lemons in. Next I added potatoes and some broth, lowered temp to 350. I threw in a splash of wine (maybe 1/4 cup?) and added liquid as needed and covered. Later, i added carrots and any extra liquid. Continue to  butter/baste as necessary. I had about 50% of the chicken submerged in liquid. About 20 minutes before serving i tossed mushrooms on top and recovered. (Just add after carrots softened). When the mushrooms look slightly cooked, I uncovered to brown the top (butter is key for this). Throughout this try to pull potatoes up and push new veggies down into the liquid to help them cook. And, thats about it. In total, I cooked the chicken 2.5 hours and it was literally falling off the bone and perfect!

Five Things You Need This Fall

Five Things You Need this Fall

I've been controlling my disdain for this chilly dreary (read: UGLY) weather by looking at fun cozy items for fall. Here are my top 5 "needs" for fall!

{one} Booties

Dolce Vita Gwynn Wedge

Vince Camuto Harlin Fringe Bootie

{two} Fisherman sweater

LL Bean Cotton Fisherman Sweater

J.Crew Cable Crewneck Sweater with Fringe (on sale!)

{three} Outdoorsy Gear

Women's LL Bean Boots, 8", Bison

LL Bean Upcountry Waxed Vest

 {four} Cozy Loungewear

L.L Bean Moccasins

These are my FAVORITE slippers!

{five} Leggings, Leggings, Leggings.

I live in Leggings. And I believe they are indeed, pants. If you don't, then I entice you to try these.

J.Crew Pixie Pants

These pants fit like a legging, but are the thinkness of a ponte knit type pant. I just bought my first pair, and I can tell that they will be a favorite this winter!


Enjoy your weekend!

Weekending: Catching up on New York Fashion Week Spring 2016

I didn't get a chance to watch my favorite presentations this year...nap, feeding and play time kind of got in the way. However, I was able to catch up on the replays on Fashion Week Online over the weekend! i loved seeing all the presentations.

Here is a glimpse of some amazing shows and looks from my favorite designers. I love to watch the more commercial designer shows because those are the ones from which I might actually purchase something. Watching Prada and Alexander McQueen is breathtaking - but I'm not about to drop that kind of cash. It's much less depressing to watch the shows with "accessible" fashion :) Enjoy!

Diane Von Furstenberg

Rebecca Taylor's Spring 2016 Look book

In true Rebecca Taylor style, she created a collection full of feminine frills, ruffles and floral prints. I can't wait to add some to my Rebecca Taylor collection!

                        

J.Crew 

They sort of beat stripes and gingham to death, but here are a few pieces I loved...

                          

Halston Heritage

Since Sarah Jessica Parker left Halston as creative director, I've wondered how the brand would change. Ever a fan, I've kept an eye on the new director, Maria Mazelis. I'm not overly in love with this line (I t hink it gets repetitive) but there are some real showstoppers and gorgeous pieces. Inspired by Havana, Cuba the flowy gowns and jumpsuits make me want to hop a plane to the Island. Or maybe just back to South Florida.

                           

 Milly

I ADORE Milly. And I love the structure of this collection. It isn't her traditional girly look, but it still so effortless and cool. Can't wait to see what makes it into stores this spring!

Five on Friday

It's been a crazy week at our house - glad it's finally Friday! My husband started his new job in Greenville, I finally got back to a workout routine, and started making some progress on getting this house decorated! It's amazing I managed to crank out a few blog posts :) So, Five on Friday, here we go!

{1.} Coconut La Croix

This is BY FAR my favorite La Croix flavor. It reminds me of summer, Florida, warm weather, and pina coladas. I can't get enough of it. And the best part? My husband HATES it. #allmine

{2.} Slathering Sauce

I sampled Slathering Sauce at Costco, and of course I bought it. (They get me every time...) Created by a Chef in Charleston, this sauce is a mix of sweet and spicy and goes on almost anything. Its like a jazzed up barbecue sauce mixed with a tomato type sauce. At Costco, they put it on meatballs and I thought it was a great football appetizer that would be SUPER easy, and SUPER fast. Last week I was in a pinch to make a fast dinner and used it to liven up some sauteed chicken breasts. Either way, it's a win - try it out!

{3.} Donald Trump's Behavior during the Debate

As I watched this on Wednesday night I repeatedly was shocked by The Donald's behavior. It was like he was trying to be funny....but he was being serious....

Trump Acts Like An Immature Baby
How to act like an immature baby, by Donald Trump.
Posted by The Huffington Post on Thursday, September 17, 2015

{4} Garden and Gun's "Good Dog" Contest

This week I entered my sweet girl, Reagan, into the Garden and Gun Good Dog contest. I love Garden and Gun, (if you've never read it, try a copy, you won't be disappointed) and especially their "Good Dog" columns each issue.  I rescued Reagan from the Greenville Humane Society 5 years ago, and she has been a faithful and loving companion ever since!  I would so appreciate your taking the time to vote for this happy go lucky hound dog! :)

{5} Miss Adventure Episode 3

I love Anna Kendrick, and I love Kate Spade. These videos ares so cute and I love watching them everytime they come out!

Thoughts for Thursday - Down Time in the Mountains

I have been on the road more than I have been at home this summer. 4 weeks spent at the beach and one at the mountains - I am surprised my child still is prefers his crib to a pack and play. I always had grand intentions to try to use my fancy phone and the blogger app to keep you all updated -- but, I can't figure that app out and I gave up.

Today my thoughts are, again, a throwback to this time last week. We spent a week at our family mountain house in Wolf Laurel, NC. The weather was chilly and fall like - and I. WAS. FREEZING. Really, I'm scared for winter to come. It rained almost every day, but not all day, so the weather stayed rather cool. Luckily we had just enough breaks in the rain to make for some fun afternoons in Asheville, and some great hikes up to the Appalachian Trail and Big Bald. After two years in Florida I had forgotten how much I love the mountains. To anyone interested in a mountain get away (truly, this is a getaway - there's nothing but a gas station off our exit) I highly recommend Wolf Laurel.

View of Big Bald from our backyard (ish)

Walking around Asheville

An adorable art feature my mother in law put in the family cabin - a painting for all the family dogs - past and present.

The Appalachian Trail 

Views from the trail

At the top of the mountain

Feeding the baby before the hike down

Newsday Tuesday

I haven't done one of these posts in awhile, and frankly its because most of the news these days has been awful. However I have noticed that most people I know don't really know many of the candidates or what they stand for. Of course they know the name Donald Trump - but do they know his platform? (Don't worry, he doesn't seem to know it either.) If we do choose to go down the route of electing and 'outsider' with no political experience, the least we can do is know who they are and what they have done. The good, the bad, the ugly.

The thing that irks me about politics is not the underhandedness, or the backroom deals. It's the way the people are used as a pawn. It is easy to woo the people. It's easy to get in front of a crowd and say the things that people want to hear. And that, is how Donald Trump is leading. That, is how Barack Obama is President. Pretty words are great to hear. I love a moving speech. But here's the thing - it gets you no where when rubber meets the road. Barack Obama has had a battle of epic proportions with Congress at every turn because of his refusal to really work with the GOP. Do you think Donald Trump will somehow have an easier time? When you're President you can't just call congress 'ugly' or a 'loser' and get what you want. If anything, partisan politics will turn into defcon 5.

The candidates that would make the best Presidents - the Jeb Bushes, Mitt Romneys - are the ones that understand how governance and policy work. They know that simply building a giant wall isn't going to solve immigration. They understand that it would cost a lot more to send 11 million people home than it would to naturalize them, and make them tax paying citizens (hello, someone's gotta help pay for ACA!) They aren't going to try to sell you some ocean front property in Arizona. They're going to tell you the truth. Its hot, and its a desert. But that's not sexy. It's not pretty speeches. It's not gum drops and candy bars. It's reality. So, I'm doing this series in the hopes that you see a candidate for who he or she is, and not the media hype. We don't have to elect a DC insider. But we can't elect a clown. Or a Democratic Socialist (SERIOUSLY, how does he win elections with that label?!)

To start off I'm going to post a series of videos to get you caught up on where we are...

"Trump ignores Policy, Talks Trump during Speech" 9/15/15

"Jeb in Brawl for Presidency" 9/15/15

"Hillary Loses Lead in Iowa" 9/10/15