my nashville dream

Did you watch the series debut of Nashville last night on ABC? I didn't...I'd long since watched it online because I am just not into delaying gratification. I have to tell you, I thought from the show previews (and see also the movie Country Strong) that it was going to be pretty cheesy.   It isn't entirely without cliche and the Southern accents could use a little work, but I love the music, I love seeing Tennessee in lots of beauty shots, and I LOVE Connie Britton. 

I think she's really good in this role if for nothing more than I never saw her as Tami Taylor, her character from Friday Night Lights. She's full-on channeling Faith Hill on the stage and I'm thinking Martina when she's being a mom. And her hair....

Here's my dream, though, and tell me if you're feeling it, too. Kyle Chandler (aka, Coach Taylor) makes a guest cameo as his character not-Dusty from Pure Country. 

photo credit here

Now that I'm certain I will never have perfect country music singer hair this is my new Nashville dream. 

new york never gets old

My parents came to Maryland back in August, and while they were in town we hopped a train in Baltimore to spend a couple days in Manhattan...

Waiting on the train at Penn Station

New York was especially "new" to PR and Danny because this was their first trip, so we hit up lots of token sights!

To maximize our time, we rode around on an open-top bus tour. 

We went with Gray Line and bought a package that included 48-hours on the bus,  a boat ride around the harbor (which, save for a close peak at Lady Liberty, was kind of a waste of tourist time) and tickets to the top of the Empire State Building. The Gray Line buses (which are actually red?!) are everywhere around the city and we never had trouble catching a ride. 

On Day 1 we hopped off the bus at Central Park. As you might imagine, these Beatles fans loved Strawberry Fields....

...and this pop culture fan loved seeing a scene from Gossip Girl being shot.

It was fun to watch the action, but there were no big star sightings. A few days later I did see a photo of Blake (nee Lively) Reynolds on that scooter pictured above in People magazine.  We channeled more Gossip Girl while staying at The Palace Hotel...

A slight hotel obsession with The Palace was born when I was in New York last Christmas, and I've been dying to stay there since. Its Midtown location on Madison Avenue is perfect! Our view of St. Patrick's was amazing - the nicest I've ever had staying in a New York hotel. I actually didn't know the hotel had Gossip Girl ties when I booked it...likely 'cause I don't watch Gossip Girl. But still...I love seeing television and movie shoot locations. Which is why one day we lunched here......

Did you know you can make a reservation at Serendipity 3? I didn't either 'til I decided to just call and ask - I guess it was just fate (wink, wink!)? We walked right in for lunch passing a long line of people, and I was so happy the food actually lived up to Serendipity's hype. Another restaurant that really surprised me was the Rock Center Cafe. We popped in there after our appearance on TODAY. 

HA!!!  We went in search of Hoda and Kathlie Lee, but tragically, they weren't in town; all their shows that week had been pre-taped. (Now, those are some gossip girls I would have loved to see!)  Rock Center Cafe has very reasonable (for New York) prices and the food was special without being too big city. It appeared lots of locals were there too for both breakfast and dinner, and we liked it so much we made a return trip!

We hit up Broadway and saw Rock of Ages!  It was fantastic - if you're into 1980's music and off-color jokes (which I am...). It's not a show for kids or prude grown-ups, for sure. 

We saw the 9/11 memorial, walked through old churches and with ice cream cones often in hand, peaked in different neighborhoods while wishing we had more time.  Though we missed having Dan with us, I think it rates as one of my favorite family vacations!

I don't know why New York is called New York, but I think the city is aptly named. No matter how many times I visit, it never gets old. 

Carrie Underwood's Country Cabin

You may have missed the sit-down interview Oprah did with Carrie Underwood that aired Sunday night.

Oprah didn't ask many fresh questions, so Carrie didn't reveal much about herself that we don't already know. She doesn't eat meat. She is shy. She loves dogs. What she did allow, for the first time ever, is a sneak peak at the weekend cabin outside Nashville where she goes to escape all the curious fans in her world....like, uh, me. In the video above, you can take a little tour. I, for one, am obsessed with the cabin, the grounds, the decor and would be fine living there maybe even Monday - Friday. 


When I win American Idol, I am going to replicate this rustic little charmer out in Virginia wine country. Oh, and Oprah...I like oranges, too. 

The Hard Habit of Soft Rock and Other Empty Thoughts

1.

I can't get enough of the Comcast cable Soft Rock station. I want it playing at dinner, when I cook, as background music for cleaning or if nothing else is worth watching on television. 

"You know how listens to Soft Rock?" Dan asked me, then followed before I could answer with, "Old people."

Please.

2.

Speaking of age...The former small town medal head that is now my husband would love to see Guns and (or is it -N-; I should know this) Roses when the band (save for Slash - tragic) plays near D.C. this month. So, I looked into it. The show is on a Thursday night and it starts at 10pm. TEN! I don't think either of us have the Patience to wait that late for a concert to start. Hee. Doesn't GNR know its core audience isn't Sweet Children anymore?

3.

Smash on NBC  - I am captivated!!! It debuts Monday, but the first two epidodes are available now On Demand for Comcast customers, and also on iTunes. I watched it this week. LOVE - and I'm not even a Gleek. Also, because we're cheesey, my friend Patrick and I now and will henceforth refer to Katharine McPhee as Introducting Katharine McPhee.

Mature.

4.

Last Spring, I raved about how much I loved face wipes for a quick make-up removal, since I'm terrible at washing off my make-up before bed. I still love them, but I feel like I should offer this disclaimer now: they aren't so great for your skin. My friend's dermatoligist said wipes are terrible for drying out one's face (especially around the eyes - do not use to remove eye make-up!) and should be used ONLY as a last resort (ie, when you're camping). Sadly, I've retired the wipes, and brought back old fashion face-washing.  

5.

In advance of boot camp, I spent last weekend on a bit of a cooking bender. I made a pasta dish so good I ate it the next day for breakfast,  shirmp and grits (that weren't my best work), and the apple cobbler in this month's Southern Living. I didn't have cherries, but used peaches instead, and also cheated with Trader Joe's canned biscuits instead of rolling my own dough. Still, it was SO delish, and very easy. Here is the recipe if you want to make it.

6.

That's a Thin Mint cupcake. So that bootcamp won't prove to be entirely for naught, I only had one bite of it yesterday when the Girl Scouts celebrated its 100th birthday on Capitol Hill! I'll be writing more about that next week for DC Ladies because the Girl Scouts began down South! What I won't mention there (but I will tell you!) is that Hill staffers LOSE their mind over free things and there was a silly little showdown when someone refused to follow the take-just-one rule for lifting a box of cookies. Obviously, that person was never a Scout...

7.

Rotten.

Fitness Bootcamp - I Enlisted!

I'm down to my last gimmick for weight loss and it's... exercise. I'm not just talking an occassional Zumba class, though.  I'm going to see the My Fitness Pal app and raise it Monday through Friday 5:30am work-outs for the entire month of February. I enlisted for bootcamp and it starts on Monday.

I'm a lot terrified. I'm a little hopeful. And, if I'm being at ALL honest, I'm totally motivated by vanity. I have two girls trips in the works this year for places that are warm and where people are generally beautiful.  This means I will have to pack a swimsuit. I was already entertaining boot camp before these trips were solid, but is it kind of sick and twisted that having to be all BFF bikini with my friends is a bigger motivation than, well, most anything?

Last week, Kris over at {the really fun and clever} Simply Fabuloss told me about a bootcamp that is in our neighborhood.  I called and talked to the trainer who is called George, but I might refer to him as Bob or Dolvett just because I watch The Biggest Loser.  I told him that while I do Zumba and walk that I'm by no means in shape. I admitted that group exercise intimidates me. Bobby Georgevett assured me that the class will inspire and motivate me, and that if I can't do all the assigned push-ups he won't shame me in front of everyone else on the Ranch the rest of the campers. So I told him to hold a spot for me.

Have you ever done a fitness bootcamp and lived to tell about it? If so, please share your advice!

Christmas on Capitol Hill - A Party, A Recipe

So, it’s not Manhattan, but I do really love Christmas in Washington….

Capitol Hill specifically (cue every Washingtonian's favorite holiday song!).

Sometimes during December I’ll take the long way back home to the 'burbs, driving through neighborhoods on the Hill, peaking in windows to see pretty trees lighted and natty people mingling at parties. The scenes often feel, no kidding, straight out of a Hallmark movie.

Last weekend my friend Kerri hosted such a fete at her really beautiful home on the Hill….and while perfectly festive, magazine worthy I’d even dare say….

the tone was probably more Bravo! than Hallmark Channel. Think Real Housewives, only without the drunken brawls and Botox.

The food was just amazing, and displayed so nicely. Leave it to a Southern host to class up even Chick-Fil-A….

Though it isn’t fancy-schmancy, Kerri always serves up this pizza dip at her parties (as seen below) that is just rediculous (in the total opposite way of RH Atlanta, to be clear, though if you opted to sub sausage for pepperoni, you probably could). Seriously, it’s sooooooo good.

Seriously, I watch too much trash television.

If you’re still putting together menus for any holiday hosting you might be doing between now and New Years, you’re in luck because she gave me the dip recipe!

If you have a large crowd, you'll need to make two - there is NEVER any left!

Just three days til Christmas....are y'all ready? I have a to-do list longer than Santa's scroll, but I've really loved every minute of this December, and I'm very excited about the main event!

My One Tree Hill Wedding Encounter

When Peyton Sawyer married Lucus Scott on One Tree Hill, her dad wasn't even at the wedding! That happens often in Tree Hill; parents, even those who aren't murderers, pill poppers or nasty bitches who destroy your fashion empire tend to be a tad overlooked. 

Peyton's dad (aka, the actor Kevin Kilner) was, however, at a wedding I attended this weekend for friends Katie + Kyle. If you recall, it was at Katie + Kyle's engagement brunch where this mega Tree Hill fan sort of acted a fool. I played it cool this time around, though, bordering only slightly shameless by asking, along with a few other cult followers of the show, for a photo.

It felt good to come full-circle from silly Fan Girl to toasting on the dance floor with Mr. Sawyer like we were old pals. I felt redeemed, and couldn't help but think, this must be the kind of peace for which Dan Scott's soul longs...(hee!).

Fall Television - What Will You Be Watching?

There is nothing that makes one feel like their life is void of real excitement like the start of Fall television.....but if you're like me, you're sort of stoked about it year after year!

This season, there aren't many new shows that have me making a DVR list and checking it twice, just some old favorites that I've missed during the summer months.

Let me just go ahead and own it - it is with deep bittersweetness that I anticpate the start of the One Tree Hill final season. Yes, I'm 34 and I watch more CW than CNN. Lucas will be back this season, and Deb. And surely some others {Dan Scott!}. Pigging backing off OTH, though, I've a slight anticpation for the new CW series, Hart of Dixie.

Southern cliches. Glamourous people. Empty drama like only the CW can provide. I'm willing to give it a try!

I am so happy that the Bravermans have returned to my world. Parenthood shares some of the Friday Night Lights writers, so if you loved how authentic the charachters were in that series, you'd love Parenthood, too, especially since it's not AT ALL full of forced parenting cliches like you'll find showcased on STFU Parents.

What could be like STFU Parents in 30-minute vignettes is Up All Night. Will it be funny to those of us non-parents? I don't know, but because in a preview I've seen Christina Applegates's character singing Rocky Top (around 3:34 in the video clip above) , I'm willing to give it a try...

On Sundays, I might watch Pan Am, though it could just be a Mad Men knock-off, which frankly, we kind of need, at least til March.

Knowing that my loyalties will likely lie, however, with The Good Wife, which returns on Sunday nights, the odds that I'll fly frequently with Pan Am are probably low.

What are you excited to see? What will you be watching?  

Summer Confessions

 Heat wave? What heat wave?

Sure it's nice and toasty for July here in the Mid-Atlantic, but I can't seem to stay out of the sun this summer. I feel like a child. It's like I have a Vitamin-D deficiancy.  I spend lunch breaks in the courtyard.  I spend weekends in the pool. I tan as if I am prepping for prom.

Floating with Big Dave (aka, Daddy) during the 4th of July weekend

Preppy Confession:

Y'all were right - I do love my Boat + Tote.

Paperback Confession:

I can't stop reading Nora Roberts. On a post-pool Saturday I found myself, Nora in hand, dressed like Mindy from Friday Night Lights. Stay classy, me.
 

Nora's stories, so gripping, I have to put ice in my wine!



It started, by default, last year on vacation when I'd read all the {very serious, highly acclaimed} books I'd packed and had to buy from a small island grocery store one of Nora's stories from the Bride Quartet series. LOVE. Now I've moved on to other titles. But it should not go without mention that when I went to request the final books from the BQ series from the Library of Congress, one was already borrowed. I'm not alone in this indulgence. 

Maryland Confession:

I love going to the fish market.

Fresh grouper topped with backfin

Dan loves the crabbies.

I love the excuse it provides to pull out my finest table linens (see above) which go so well with my channeling of Mindy Collette Riggins.

 TV Confession:

Friday will mark the end of Friday Night Lights. I already know how it ends because I couldn't wait to just watch in real time. I bought the final season on DVD months ago. I've watched the finale three times. I loved it. I cannot wait for the people who love and appreciate this show as much as I do to see it so we can talk about it.

And then I'll stop dressing like Mindy.

Summer Loving

Boots No. 7 Wipes

When I stayed at Mary's house for the Royal Wedding Party, I forgot to pack my face-wash stuff. She had these, so I used them and it was love at first wipe. Since then, I've gone through about three packets. Recently, I threw them in my really junky beach bag down in Charleston, and LOVED having them handy for wiping my face after being in the ocean, or before re-applying sunscreen. If, like me, you're a lazy nighttime face washer, these are also fantastic.

Trader Joe's Cilantro Salad Dressing

Down at Folly Beach, near Charleston, there's a great little place called Taco Boy.

My family ate there every day we were at the beach, and I fell in love with the Mahi tacos, or more specifically, the cilanto lime sauce that came on the tacos. In an effort to recreate that now that I'm home, I bought this. It's not exactly the same, but it's super close, and super delish! I've used it twice for cooking since buying it on Monday, and it's in tonight's supper plans, too!

Reading by the Water

I LOVE to read in the summer.

Here's the view from the hotel where we stayed in Charleston. I'd curl up on a sofa on the porch and turn a few pages every day...after doing the same on the beach. While I was gone, DC Ladies posted a blog I wrote on great Southern books for summer.  Now that I'm back home, I have vowed to spend more time at the pool, with a book...instead of with a book on my couch! This weekend, I'll be reading the new Jen Lancaster, If You Were Here. What are you reading this summer?

Coach

My love for Kyle Chandler, the actor who plays Coach on Friday Night Lights runs deep. Like, so deep, I bought the final season of FNL months ago when it came out on DVR (before it aired on NBC) and watched it all in about 2 weeks. FNL fans - you'll love how it ends. LOVE. Anyway...Coach is in a movie this weekend, Super 8. It's Sci-Fi. I hate Sci-Fi. I love Kyle Chandler. Thus, I will go watch Super 8. What can I say, I'm brand loyal.

The Dress, The Hair, The Princess

Not that she wasn't a sight as a bride, but I think last night Catherine looked even more stunning than she did on her wedding day. LOVE her dress.

Meeting Dee!

I love that today, I'm meeting one of my blog besties, Dee, of Dee's Adventures! She's in D.C. for a wedding, so I get to give her a little VIP tour of the Capitol before lunch somewhere on the Hill. I feel like I already know Dee because we're like the blond/brunette/Vol fan/Tiger fan version of each other!

What are you loving this summer?