Snort Laughing...

So I realize I skipped right over Part 3 of our European Adventures in the Making Series..but, fret not dear friends.. it's a-coming.  ;)  I just thought you could use a good morning laugh on this glorious Friday ;)  You're WELCOME!  ;)  Read on. 

Have you ever read something that was so off-the-wall-funny, that you actually SNORTED?!?  lol.. I'm not sure if it was the time of day?...the time of the month?... or maybe it really IS...THAT funny?  Whatever the case may be, I was dying when I read this...WHILE I was on the elliptical no less.. risking life and limb as I laughed my A$$ off.  :)  How could I NOT share??  Even Chad was dying of laughter when he read it.. like, CRY-laughing type stuff!  It was most likely a combination of seeing how hard I was laughing (AGAIN!!)...and me repeating things from the post in funny voices.  :)  Either way, This girl's freakin' hilarious.  So thanks Penguino for sharing this on your facebook page... I'm now addicted to The Bloggess.  :) 
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And that's why you should learn to pick your battles...

This morning I had a fight with Victor about towels. I can’t tell you the details because it wasn’t interesting enough to document at the time, but it was basically me telling Victor I needed to buy new bath towels, and Victor insisting that I NOT buy towels because I “just bought new towels“. Then I pointed out that the last towels I’d bought were hot pink beach towels, and he was all “EXACTLY” and then I hit my head against the wall for an hour.

Then Laura came to pick me up so we could go to the discount outlet together, and as Victor gave me a kiss goodbye he lovingly whispered, “You are not allowed to bring any more goddam towels in this house or I will strangle you“. And that was exactly what I was still echoing through my head an hour later, when Laura and I stopped our shopping carts and stared up in confused, silent awe at a display of enormous metal chickens, made from rusted oil drums.

Laura: I think you need one of those.

me: You’re joking, but they’re kind of horrifically awesome.


Laura: I’m not joking. We need to buy you one.

me: The 5-foot tall one was $300, marked down to $100. That’s like, $200 worth of chicken for free.


Laura: You’d be crazy not to buy that. I mean, look at it. IT’S FULL OF WHIMSY.

me: Victor’d be pissed.

Laura: Yup.

me: But on the plus side? It’s not towels.

Laura: Yup.

me: We will name him Henry. Or Charlie. Or O’Shannesy.

Laura: Or Beyoncé.

me: Or Beyoncé. Yes. And when our friends are sad we can leave him at their front door to cheer them up.

Laura: Exactly. It’ll be like, “You thought *yesterday* was bad? Well, now you have a enormous metal chicken to deal with. Perspective. Now you have it.”

Then we flagged down a salesman, and we were all “What can you tell us about these chickens?”, as if we were in an art gallery, and not in a store that specializes in last years’ bathmats. He didn’t know anything about them, but he said that they’d only only sold one and it was to a really drunk lady, and then Laura and I were all “SOLD. All this chicken belongs to us now.”

Oh, but WAIT... it get's better!..

Read more of this post on her actual blog... 
The Bloggess

European Adventures in the Making - Part 2 - Avignon, France ;)

Even though I'm BEYOND freakin'-excited-I-can-hardly-stand-it...to be going back to my old stompin' ground of Barcelona, I'm giddy as a school girl for getting to travel a bit through France.  I mean.. SERIOUSLY?!  What world travelers we're turning out to be?!  Well... ok, maybe not yet...but someday.  ;)

I have to admit that my first taste of the French back in 2001 wasn't a pleasant experience by any stretch of the imagination.  Rude, crude and socially unacceptable, as my good friend Lisa would say... ;) BUT... I'm willing to chalk that up to being among overly-excited-to-be-traveling-via-train, college girl friends that were probably too loud for the French folk to stand.... Soooo...I've decided to give them a second chance. ;) And the more I think about it... the more excited I get.  I AM though, SLIGHTLY nervous for not really knowing jack SQUAT of the french language..but I can draw..so maybe we can just get by with just some pretty pictures to light the way.. (hmmm... I should look into french flash cards for travelers).  ;)  Heck.  I'm sure there's a audio translator thing on the iPad or Iphone that might work for this too..must look into this later.  :)

So... the general plan for PART 2 & PART 3 is to train-it from Barcelona to Avignon on September 28th.  Stay and explore this medieval city for a few days, then head to Paris. :)  Again, the plans are soft and squishy so far.. BUT!!  We have accommodations!  That's all we need, right??  ;)  Off we go!

PART 2 - AVIGNON, FRANCE
According to our good travel buddies, Frommer's

Once the heart of Christendom, medieval Avignon invites you to meander its elegant cobblestones in the shadow of one of the most notorious palaces in the Christian world, the 14th-century Palais des Papes. Nowadays papal fervor has been replaced by an upbeat, arty vibe that peaks during July's wildly theatrical Festival d'Avignon. But the Provençal capital of France's Vaucluse region throngs year-round too, in bijou squares and museums, on bustling cafe terraces, and atop the ruins of the world's most serenaded bridge, the Pont d'Avignon.

Palais des Papes - read more about this historic site HERE

Photo by Michael Norris

Pont Saint-Bénezet or also known as Pont d'Avignon - built between between 1171 and 1185 

Photo by:  Dallas and John Heaton from Stone—CLICK/Chicago

Cool Photo but I don't know who to give credit to.  It was once sold on Etsy. 

Where We Will Rest our Weary Heads -
La Banasterie - a charming bed & breakfast in Avignon's center, just steps away from the Popes' Palace!  Small, with only 2 guest rooms and 3 suites, this charming B&B is tucked away, almost seemingly impossible to find.  :)  We'll take it!  (all photos courtesy of La Banasterie Website)

I could be wrong, but I'm more than sure that we secured the Criollo Suite for our stay here.  With the exposed cinder block wall and wooden beams... It looks like a dream. ;)  Insert excited girlish "eeeeeeeeee!!!!!" here.  ;)  CAN'T. WAIT!!

***So...you'll just have to wait patiently for OUR pictures of this trip to see more of this seemingly beautiful city...and if you know us well, I'm sure we'll have TONS to share... until then, MORE PLANNING, PREPPING and giddy squealing!!

Next Stop:  PARIS!! 

European Adventures In the Making - Part 1 of 3 - Barcelona, Spain

As the excitement builds for our Great European Takeover of 2011, the "responsible, super annoyingly organized" ADULT in me really wants to have every single detail of our 10 day European excursion planned out to the millisecond.. making sure that no stone is left unturned.. no travel book left un-researched...no questions left un-answered.  Basically, if we could pack our bags now, just so we make sure we don't forget anything... I probably would.  It's a sickness really.

On the flip side of that coin, the "free-spirited, I still want to live like a 21 yr old" Yvette, just wants go-with-the-flow and figure it all out as we go along...knowing full well that everything will be an amazing adventure regardless of what kind of well laid plans we might have. 

We begin our 3 part trip in my home away from home.  Barcelona, Spain.  The place I once knew like the back of my hand.  I devoted my time there to learning the ins and outs of this great city and I have to say that I'm having a hard time fitting the four months I lived there into the 3 days we'll actually be in Barcelona for this trip.  I want to show Chad EVERYTHING!! It's going to be impossible to narrow down the choices ...but here's our very, very generalized itinerary of what we have planned so far. 

PART 1 - Barcelona, Spain
(PART 2 - Avignon, France & PART 3 - Paris, France )
Arrive in Barcelona, Spain - September  25, 2011 (Wooooo Hoooo!!!) :)
Check in to our Apartment - We were so incredibly lucky to score a short term apartment rental right off the port, down by the Ramblas :)

That's us waving "HI" to all the beach goers and people walking around the Port from our apartment ;) 

And for those who may be wondering... or planning your own trip to Barcelona, the Ramblas is one of the most famous streets in Barcelona. A 1.2 kilometer-long tree-lined pedestrian mall between Barri Gòtic and El Raval, it connects Plaça Catalunya in the centre with the Christopher Columbus monument at Port Vell. 

Photo Courtesy Of MojoTravel

Photo by GetCarter2007

Placa Reial - Photo Courtesy of Suitelife.com

Placa Reial is an absolute MUST stop for us on this trip.  Set right off the Ramblas, this square is home to many restaurants, beautiful fountains and tons of people watching. If it's still there... (and by the looks it and their fully functional and updated website, they ARE... Woo Hoo!)...I hope to take Chad to Les Quinze Nits.. a mediterranean restaurant I visited several times during my stay back in 2001.  Ahhh.... sweet memories.. :)

Among the other must stop attractions for our visit: (and by no means is this everything we want to see.. just a snip-it of some of the best)

Parc Guell - built between 1910-1914, this 50 acre park is one of Antonio Gaudi's masterpieces. 

Sagrada Familia - Another of Gaudi's most famous works, this Basilica has been under construction since 1882 (the photos below were taken by me back in the day with a FILM camera!  Can you even believe it?!) 

Casa Mila - One of my favorite Gaudi buildings.  Also known as La Pedrera, Casa Mila has a rooftop unlike anything you've ever seen before.  (Again, the photos below are from my 2001 trip)

And last but not least...(for this post at least)...a ceremonious visit to the little 'ol neighborhood I called home.  A few blocks up the steep Escorial hill from the Joanic Metro Stop... I can't wait to take the trek we used to take everyday to our apartment. 

View out our apartment window.. :)

Alright, alright... as if you care.. lol. I'm just walking down memory lane now and I could do this all day.. ;)  I'm just amazed at by the power of google street view, I can instantly be back there.  :)  Funny how not much in the area has changed in the 10 years since I've been there.  Crazy-ness.  :)  Can't wait! 

Food Porn Daily - Feature Shot TWO :)

It's ANOTHER exciting day in the Kelley house as one more food shot (taken by yours truly ;) gets featured on Food Porn Daily!  :)  I'm thrilled!  This time, it's not one of Chad's menu items...BUT.... this dish, (enjoyed while we were visiting Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens in Escondido, CA), was equally yummy and delicious.  :)  

You can see more about that trip to Stone Brewery and our trip to Cali to see Chad's family...in this December post, HERE.  

Oh and don't forget to go to the Food Porn Daily website and "LIKE" this photo!  

Getting Over the Hump...

As if this nasty heat wasn't enough to deal with...now it seems like the summertime bug is upon all of us here in Dallas.  Allergies are running amok, bodies are aching, chests are congesting... you name it, the folks I'm surrounded with, have it.  And our house, unfortunately, hasn't been spared.  Not only has the Mister been working over time... (don't really remember the last time the poor guy had a real day off)  ;(...but he's been battling what seems like a bad cold?...or flu?...or maybe it's just a combination of stress, exhaustion and old age. :/  Whatever the case may be, I thought I'd devote this post to some "Pick Me Up" pictures I'm sure we ALL could use to get us through this next leg of the week.  Just. Because. I. Need. to. Smile.  :)

How could you NOT smile when you look at this picture?!  hehehehehehe.. I love it.

Little White Whale

Poor Little Guys...:)

hahahaha..

Photo by : Colour Me Happy

"Must Have Been The Tequila"...

Now who wouldn't be in a better mood with these beauties sitting around..??

Martha Stewart Weddings

Why Hello Nose... :)

Flicker.Com

This soooo reminds me of Chad and I.. ;)

(If I were to actually WEAR the glasses I have and probably still need)

Etsy.Com - Clink

"I win"... :)

In honor of the boxers Chad had growing up.. :)

Pretty Amazing..

Anastassia Elias - Artist

Wheeeeeee.....

Cracks me UP!

Awwww..

hello-little-girl

HAPPY WEDNESDAY EVERYONE!!

Sangria Funday Recipe :)

In honor of the holidays (HAPPY 4th of July Everyone!) and this scorching Texas summer heat, I've decided to do a quick post on our very popular Sunday Funday Sangria Recipe!  A few of you have asked for the recipe after posting some photos on Facebook, so I thought I'd put it out there for everyone to enjoy.  (Sorry, by the way, that the pictures are just "Eh.." , they were taken with my phone a while ago...waaaay before the "Sangria Ban" went into effect at our house.)  Lol.. with that said, a little word to the wise...these things are unexpectedly powerful!  After our last Sangria "Session", Chad said we needed to "cool it" for a while if "we" wanted to be fully functional at work the next day...And by "we", I mean "HE".  Amateur.  ;)

Ok.. so here's what you'll need.  

- The biggest pitcher you can find.. (ours was too small to start) 
- 2 medium/large oranges
- 3 medium limes
- 2 large lemons 
- 1 and 1/2 cartons of strawberries (all fruit sliced somewhat thin)
- Agave Nectar OR sugar to taste 
- and a splash of ginger ale added at the end for fizz (to taste really..not necessary)

Spirits:  
- We ended up using four white wines (two moscato's which are generally sweeter whites which means less sugar needed to your sangria, and two pinot grigios) you don't have to buy expensive kinds either.. (we used Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi for the Moscato and Beringer for the Pinots)
- Shot of Cointreau for each bottle used

Combine all ingredients and lightly muddle fruit.  Let sit for as long as possible for maximum flavor marriage.  :)  

Enjoy!  

Wall Flower Project

A few weeks ago, as I was doing my usual afternoon rounds through Pinterest.. I came across a project so simple, I'm kinda upset I didn't think of it myself!  :)  I'm never short on wanting something creative, easy and distracting to do while the hub's away at work so I showed the project to Chad.  I thought surely he'd think I was nuts for wanting to incorporate a craft project involving paper towel and toilet paper rolls into our house...BUT, after a few moments of stunned silence..or maybe it was confusion...he said "cool..let's do it."  And by "let's do it", he just meant, YOU do it.. I approve... and I only think you're SLIGHTLY nuts ;)  

Either way, I set out to collect as many toilet/paper towel rolls as I could find... (which actually didn't take as long as I expected..scouring the break room areas at work and such)... and I FINALLY had enough to get started.  This project has actually been done several times over in blog-land...so I'm not exactly sure who to give FULL credit to...but if you find that I stink at giving directions..here's a pretty good tutorial on it (with FINISHED pictures as mine's still a work in progress.  ;)  

Home Work - Toilet Paper Flower Project

Step One: Start Your Collection

Step Two:  Flatten and Cut (equal parts..you'll usually get 5 strips per toilet roll)

I actually had a mix of white lined interior rolls and natural ones.. 

(I kept my whites together and the natural ones together to make my flowers.. )

My Project Manager Macie, keeping an eye on the progress... ;)

Apply tacky glue and start your flowers!  Yes folks.. it really is, THAT simple.  :)

Some flowers got left small... 

Some were made bigger... 

Yup... still taking that project manager role VEERRRYY seriously... ;)  

And some were left in their natural state.. 

I'm thinking I'll probably end up painting these bad boys next weekend.. 

Ta Da!  

As I mentioned before.. It's very much still a work in progress.  I didn't have quite enough to fill the space I was hoping to fill... so after I see how they all come together on our wall, I'll be sure and post a Wall Flower Update.  So far, so good though... Stay tuned!