Peace out!

Happy Friday to all!! It was so stinkin' hot today, doesn't an ice cold beer sound great?

Before I forget, Mark and I had an AWESOME frozen pizza last night. We went to the grocery store with the intent to buy Lean Cuisines for dinner...but somehow we landed in front of the frozen pizza door. Whoops. 

We decided on Dr. Oetker Ristorante Pizza because it contains less calories than the others and it was buy one get one free. Delicious! It was ten times better then any delivery pizza place. And, the amount of veggies on the picture on the box is ACTUALLY what's on the pizza. It was REALLY good. (I might try to push for the other pizza tonight!)

We have LOTS to do before leaving for California! Thankfully, Mark's been cleaning and washing clothes while I'm at work. ((I know, I'm lucky!))  I still have to pick up some dry cleaning and find some jewelery for a few outfits. Charming Charlies...lookout! We have to pack (clothes and camera gear), get the pup groomed for his stay at my mom's house AND shoot a weeding on Sunday.

Well, this will be my last post before we get back in July. I hope you miss me.

Oh, before I go...I'll leave you with this little piece of trash...

Who's the young hobo on the left smoking a cig, you ask? Ohh! That's just Mary-Kate Olsen out for a little stroll with her boyfriend and her boyfriend's daughter. 

Wash your hair you nasty elf!

Peace!

5 for $6 'Til 7 - Flemings

I know, Fleming's is a typical steak chain...nothing too exciting. However, you really don't have to twist my arm for drink specials. Fleming's offers a 5 for $6 'Til 7 menu, meaning, 5 cocktails, 5 wines by the glass and 5 appetizers $6.00 each until 7PM. They even include their BURGER on the $6 menu.
 
Mark and I met my bestie and her husband after work for drinks and dinner. We skipped the cocktails and opted for wine and beer. 

My only complaint, the glass of wine was WAY less than the typical 6oz. After one tiny glass of wine I switched to beer, Shock Top Wheat, which was 2 for $6. 

Normally, when you sit at the bar, they'll give you a bowl of homemade potato chips. I had to ask for them this time...still delicious.  (Make sure you ask if you don't get them!)

Mark and I shared the Wicked Cajun Barbecue Shrimp

I'm not a fan of super spicy food, but these had just the right amount of kick. And that huge hunk of bread chillin' in the middle...yumm.

Chris and Megan shared Sweet Chili Calamari 

The calamari was delicious!! It was breaded VERY lightly and tossed in a sweet chili sauce. They don't skimp on the calamari either, it was a generous portion for $6.

Each couple split a burger and fries

Firstly, I was surprised that for $6 you got your choice of onion rings or fries. We opted for the shoestring fries which were seasoned and exactly how I like 'um, crispy on the outside and potato-y in the middle. We asked for our burger to be cooked medium-well and it came out perfectly cooked. The burger is pure decadence. The buttery bun sandwiches an equally buttery burger with peppered bacon and cheddar cheese. Super, super delish! I wish I hadn't had to share it!

After dinner and a few more drinks and just before we were all too stuffed to waddle out to our cars, we decided on dessert. 

We ordered two Chocolate Lava Cakes

 Truly delectable. Mark and I've ordered this before and he's deemed this "the best dessert he's ever had." The chocolate cake takes 15 minutes to make, but it's worth every second. It's an uber rich chocolate cake with a molten Belgian chocolate center that oozes goodness when you cut it open. The warm cake is served with vanilla ice cream on a pistachio cookie bed. To top it all off, they bring out a bowl of homemade Chantilly cream to plop over the cake. Mark and I were literately fighting to lick the plate. No joke.

I HIGHLY recommend you stop in. Even if you call ahead and pick up the burger on your way home, it's almost as cheap as fast food and billions of times better!

 

 

This could be the end...

This might be the end for me. 

You know those frosty freezer mugs? The ones that have that mysterious liquid (that I'm really hopping is just water) in the middle so you can stick it in the freezer, it'll freeze and boom....your bev is icy cold...

Exhibit A: Freezer Mug

Well, I drank that foreign substance this morning. 
I made iced coffee in the mug and I guess the heat of the coffee was enough to crack the bottom of the mug. It only cracked the top layer, allowing the liquid to mix with my coffee. Before I knew it, I drank half of that liquid!  The back of my throat feels a little pinchy. Should I be concerned? 
I told a attorney here that if I was dead when he came out from his meeting, it was because of the cup. He told me that this would NOT be considered a workers comp. incident.

Those three little words...

After I got arrived home from work last night, Mark said those three little words. All it took were those three little words to make my heart start fluttering and my energy instantly double.

  

Lets. Go. Shopping.

We set off for Tanger Outlets to hit up Banana Republic and J.Crew (making a quick detour at JCP, duh!) I didn't find ANYTHING at JCP, which was a huge disappointment. Mark got a lot of things, a few shirts and a super cute pair of jeans for $14. Yes folks, $14! After JCP we hopped back in the car to Tanger. I had a little more luck at Banana and J.Crew. Still, Mark got more than I did and it's not fair! Jk, sorta.

I'm stoked because I finally found the perfect white denim "pencil leg" pants. And they were on sale for $41 at J.Crew! Hell yes, I'll take um! Mark picked out those shoes and had them on the counter for me when I was ready to checkout. He was pretty much like, "annnd you're getting these too." They were a liiiittttllleee more then what I would normally spend, however, I'm meeting Jamine Star for Pete's sake! Oh, and be warned, I'll probably be wearing these white pants for 90% of our trip...so no judging when you see the pics. 

This $18 score of a shirt dress is from Banana. I'm in a bit of a conundrum and would like some advice. Which shoes?? I know its hard to tell from the pic, but the shoe on the left is the Lilly Sail Away Sandal. I could go one of two ways, nautical with the sandals and some long gold necklaces or a funky necklace to match the flats. Helllllpppp!! Leave a comment and let me know. 

 I already had this top...but I couldn't resist showing you. I get so many compliments on it AND it was only $13 from JCP. It's very long in the back and hits back of my knees. It's going to look awesome with the newly purchased pencil pants! 

Back to jewelry...before I forget...

If you haven't heard of On-A-String Bead Shop in Charlotte, consider this proper notification. I haven't actually been to the bead shop itself, but I know girls who own it and have seen Christine's personal collection of wildly divine adornments. Go to the site, go to the store. They will help you make breathtakingly beautiful statement pieces. Their creativity truly amazes me. And, if that's not enough, even Bethenny Frankel sports their baubles! 

I was doing so well yesterday....trying to limit my calories (ie: starvation). Just trying to drop a few before our vacay. I was so on track...then Mark suggested Taco Bell at 1opm. I'm all over those quesadillas. Damnit to hell. 

 

Holy crap...

Because I saw this and it will haunt my dreams forever...I'm forcing you to suffer as well.

Polka Dot Stevie

The best way to completely ruin your day and make you stick to your diet is to try on clothes during your lunch break. I know one girl who'll steer clear of the candy jar today, folks!

I saw that Anthro had a sale and ventured inside. They always have their dud stuff on sale. Not fair.
And I fell in love. 
Even though I never even tried um on. 
$178.00 - - - I can't touch that!

AG Polka Dot Ankle Stevie

 

 

Hot in Cleveland

Me - "Man, I'm so excited for our trip, this time next week we'll be in California!"

Co-worker - "Oh yeah! Don't you need a passport?"

Me - "California?"

This is the same lady who told me that her mom never let her eat chocolate when she was growing up because she was a vegetarian. No lie.

I've been MIA. Sorry bout it. This past long weekend was spent in Cleveland, Ohio. My mom and I hosted a fun little bridal shower for my sister at my grandma's house.

On the Friday night we arrived after and long and shitty drive, Annie and I headed downtown with our cousins to try our luck at the new casino. The casino was pretty nice. I think it's owned by Caesars. It was nicer than the casino Mark and I played in at Atlantic City but in no way as impressive as casinos in Vegas. Oh, and side note, they DO NOT give you free drinks if you gamble like all other casinos in the entire world! Fun for a Friday night with the cousins though! My cousin, Ben, sat down at the penny slot machine and won $100 in less than 30 minutes. Annie and I were pretty much bar flies while they gambled. 

After collecting his winnings, we dragged them around to a few more bars before turning in for the night. 


Saturday afternoon was Annie's bridal shower. We had such a good time reconnecting with long lost family. After all the presents were open and we had our fill of champagne punch, we decided to head downtown for a little more fun. We started at the Chocolate Bar where the chocolate martinis were thick, creamy and delicious. The building its in is also really beautiful, The Arcade. It was the world's first indoor shopping mall. There was a wedding reception going on in there and Annie and I were plotting ways to get to the open bar...

After a few creamy concoctions, we decided to skip across the street to The Corner Alley for some cocktails and bowling. There were about 10 of us so they escorted us into the VIP area...we're ballers at the bowing alley. Pun intended. $5 vodka tonics, sold.

(Ignore the bad hair, I told you I was growing my bangs out for a reason!)

After we had our fill of bowling, we made our way back to our grandparents house, sorta. We made a slight detour at some dive bar near their house for $2.00 pints, cheese sticks and FRIED PEROGIES! Freakin.DEEP.fried. My life is now forever changed. 

These little puppies are way crispier and crunchier that I've ever experienced.

 So, now I'm back home and thinking about our upcoming trip to California. We leave this coming Monday and I'm stoked. Now if only I could find my passport...

I'm a Pole.

I'm a Pole. 

No lie, my mom has that exact same vest in her closet...for some reason...?

Polish, that is. When my dad's family docked in the ol' U.S. of A, they decided to shorten my maiden name from Swantewski (or something like that) to Swantek (good choice). My grandparents' last name is Faliszek and my grandma's maiden name is Wilczewski. 

When I was really young I can recall watching very attentively as my grandpa taught me how to Polka dance in his basement in Cleveland, Ohio. Fully decked out in his black patent leather shoes and knee-high white socks, he would lead me and spin me around the cold concrete basement floor while tunes such as "Too Fat Polka" blared in the background. Yes, "Too Fat Polka." To hell with being politically correct. Quite catchy though. 

 

I don't want her, you can have her
She's too fat for me
She's too fat for me
She's too fat for me
I don't want her, you can have her
She's too fat for me
She's too fat
She's too fat
She's too fat for me

Can she prance up a hill?
No, no, no, no, no
Can she dance a quadrille?
No, no, no, no, no
Does she fit in your coupe?
By herself she's a group
Could she possibly
Sit upon your knee?
No, no, no

She's so charming
And she's so winning
But it's alarming
When she goes in swimming

She's a twosome,
She's a foursome
If she'd lose some
I would like her more some

I don't want her, you can have her
She's too fat for me
She's too fat for me
She's too fat for me
I don't want her you can have her
She's too fat for me
She's too fat
Much too fat
She's too fat for me
Hey!

Sad, that song is still as funny to me today as it was when I was 6 or 7 years old.

Aside from having a really Polish last name and dancing around in circles to accordion music, the only other super Polish things I lo-lo-lo-loooovvveee are pierogi and kielbasa! Sure, you can get both in your local grocery store but Mrs. T just doesn't cut it for me. When we visit my grandma in Cleveland she always has her freezer stocked with these little pockets of goodness. In Cleveland, you can buy pierogi from a few of the local churches. I've only been once, but I can recall walking in to the sound of old ladies donning babuskas and singing as they worked happily and diligently in a doughy assembly line.We tend to stick to cheese, potato and on the rare occasion, prune. My grandma fries them in a pan with sauteed onions until they are lightly brown on both sides.


I keep trying to talk myself into making them from scratch at home, but the idea of making 50 of these little suckers is a little daunting...and fatty. Just yesterday I ran across a fairly easy recipe and some mouth watering pictures. So, if my wonderful friends agree to come over and help us eat all 50 of the suckers....I'll get busy in the kitchen. Any takers?

I'm letting my hair/bangs grow out for the summer for 2 reasons. 

1) My bangs are driving me bat shit crazy.

2) The idea of longer, sun streaked hair, wrapped up in one of these bandanas really tickles my fancy.

Now, granted, I'll probably look 75% ridiculous and 25% Bret Michaels...but it's worth a try. 

It's bound to look better than the stupid band-around-the-forehead trend. Just.plain.yuck.

This past weekend was spent deep-cleaning the house, planting a Bolivian Jew and Creeping Jenny (yes those are plant names), taking late afternoon naps, enjoying a few cold beers at pool with friends and dancing to music in the park with my littlest friend. Perfection! Only 5 more days until the next...

I don't know why I'm so ashamed to say this, but I'm obsessed with JCP. Yes, you read that correctly, JC Penny. I'm a girl who likes a good deal...and this is the place. Even since Ellen and all her lesbian charisma came on board, the place has really turned around. No, seriously though, the place used to make me want to vom...now I love it. Check it. 

Bad picture, but I bought this bad boy for TEN DOLLARS!! And the best part, exposed zipper on the back. HOLLA!

I ordered this little number for $18.00. Tell me where you can find a cheaper and equally cute dress. See, you can't.

Now go check out JCP! And don't tell Mark about my purchases. Really. Don't.