Hello!  I’m typing at you from sunny Panama City Beach, FL!  I took a few days off for some fun in the sun and it has been SUBLIME.

I have literally spent the last 4 days with my toes in the white sand, in not one stitch of makeup, with a gin + tonic in one hand and in the other? ...my new NOOK!

I am OBSESSED.

FYI the “Nook” is Barnes and Noble’s e-reader.  My mom has an Amazon Kindle and we spent the whole trip debating the merits of each…  she still loves hers but I’m still pretty happy with my choice for 2 main reasons: #1.  I got the new color version so in addition to books, I can also read my trashy gossip magazines AND #2. I have the CUTEST Jonathan Adler Nook-case EVER.

Witness:

How cute is this!? I mean, please!

The Nook is great.  Greg loaded my iTunes into it and I can also Tweet and check my email!  You can do everything with this thing. I was worried that would be a double edged sword- because I’m often too busy (distracted) to finish a single book, but lo and behold: I have read 4 books on this trip! (a book a day!) Here’s what I read:

1. Bossypants by Tina Fey
You guys…it was GREAT.  Not only was it laugh-out-loud funny (if you’re planning on reading this in public, you’ve officially been warned.) but Tina also shares some pretty interesting insights – I think my favorite was the section entitled “The Rules of Improvisation That Will Change Your Life and Reduce Belly Fat* (*Improv will not reduce belly fat) and I really appreciated her commentary on media influencing politics…and vice versa.  I recommend this book 100% to anyone. The cover alone had me chuckling:

2. Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me
This is a compilation of essays written by her staffers, friends, and family (her dog, Chunk, even has a chapter!) It was really funny and informative and definitely worth the afternoon I spent reading it.  I still prefer Chelsea’s first person books (Are You There, Vodka, Its Me, Chelsea and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang)

3. My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
What can I say? Chelsea makes a great beach read.  In case you’re living under a rock  and didn’t know this- MHL is the first book my lady love Chelsea wrote and if I’m not mistaken – written before she had her own talk show (while she was appearing in the hidden-camera show “Girls Behaving Badly”…which I LOVED)  I still prefer Are You There Vodka and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang…but this was a great beach read and I’m happy to have completed the series in its entirety.  I love you, Chelsea. I’d order room service and watch TBS movie marathons with you anyday.

4. Skinny Bitch by Rory Friedman and Kim Barnouin
I picked this book up on the recommendation of my friend Angel.  Angel told me this book changed her life and her body…and since has a totally smokin’ hot figure I figured I’d better comply.  Witness:

Sandwiched between two of my favorite skinny b--s. Stefani (left) and Angel (right)

Angel wasn’t the only one to recommend this book to me, many of my skinny b— friends have read it and I am here to tell you it TERRIFIED me.   It probably got a LITTLE too conspiracy-theory-y for my taste (pun intended) and it’s pretty extreme, but you know, I think there’s some pretty valuable information regarding our food supply in the US and it gave me a lot of food for thought (pun intended) about my diet.  (I’ll let you know how that goes.) I think it’s a must-read.

And there you have it!  It seems I DID actually accomplish something other than this wicked tan* these last few days!

Catch you when I’m back in the A!

xx, L

(*Deep apologies to my dermatologist and to my airbrush tan artist, Tiffers.)

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Listen, readers, if you’re going to roll w/ me, I’m going to need you to know my peeps.  The fact that these “peeps” don’t actually know that they are in fact “my peeps,” doesn’t matter ONE iota to me.  I’m a groupie of the following four fantastic folks - and I just really need to bring you into the loop.

In no particular order…

1) RYAN BINGHAM: My favorite singer of the moment.

Ryan Bingham

Never heard of him?  You’ve been missing out, buddy…

This 30-year old singer sounds like what I would think the Marlboro man would sound like if he could sing.  For such a young age, his voice is weathered like Ray LaMontagne after three packs of cigarettes and a bottle of whisky.  He sings country + bluegrass-y music, but he’s not over-produced Nashville, and he doesn’t seem to polarize anti-country music folks.

well, hello there.

He’s also more than a little attractive, if you ask me.  (Although, he is no Slick.)

Ryan won an Academy award for the music he wrote for Crazy Heart, and Slick + I have been big fans of his ever since we saw the movie.  In my humble opinion, some of his best tracks are: “Southside of Heaven,” “The Weary Kind,” “Long Way from Georgia,” “Country Roads,” and “I Don’t Know.”  It’s the kind of music you want to listen to while getting ready for bed or driving home after a long day at work.  If you hear some of his stuff + like it, check out his new CD with his band, The Dead Horses, called Junky Star.

Ryan Bingham Tour Dates
Watch Ryan Bingham on YouTube
Follow Ryan Bingham on Twitter
Stalk Ryan Bingham on Facebook

2) ASK MISS A: My favorite advice-giver.

Andrea Rogers, a.k.a. “Miss A,” is the editor-in-chief + publisher of the national lifestyle e-magazine AskMissA.com. 

Miss A

AskMissA.com provides heartfelt – rather than commercial – content for women’s well-rounded lifestyle interests – political and social issues; art and cultural events; charity galas and volunteer opportunities with nonprofits; women’s organizations and networking events; art and literature; design and entertaining; local fashion and beauty. 

Readers turn to “Ask Miss A” for advice + recommendations on everything from style to self-help, and are assured to get an answer that is heartfelt with a touch of Miss A’s Southern charm and sass.  AskMissA.com tosses aside the superficial and shallow to deliver sensibility and substance with style through authentic, informative and witty editorial voices of women-in-the-know across the United States.  AskMissA.com informs, inspires and entertains an audience of more than 70,000 unique monthly visitors. 

And, I’m a newly-inducted contributing writer for AskMissA.com!  Check out my Valentine’s Day post about Norman Love Chocolates!  I’ll be posting several times a month, along with some other fabulous Atlanta women, so check back frequently!

Read AskMissA.com
Follow Ask Miss A on Twitter
Check out Ask Miss A on Facebook

(photo credit: The Man Repeller)

The Man Repeller is brilliant + hysterical, and has been featured in The New York Times, Lucky Magazine + a number of other impressive publications. 

Read w/ Caution:  Once you start reading TMR’s blog…you won’t be able to stop!  (Don’t say I didn’t warn you…)

Read The Man Repeller
Follow The Man Repeller on Twitter
Like The Man Repeller on Facebook
Tumble with The Man Repeller

4) CHUNK HANDLER: My favorite “person” to follow on Twitter.

Chunk + Chelsea Handler

As I’ve made very clear over the past year and a half, I’m kinda obsessed with Chelsea Handler.  So, it’s expected that I’d be a fan of her dog, too.  In fact, he’s my favorite celebrity dog – for sure.  What a cutie pie!

Here are some of my favorite of Chunk’s recent tweets:
“I just saw a cloud that was shaped exactly like a cloud.”
“I zone out therefore I aren’t.”
“Remember that movie where Arnold Schwarzenegger was pregnant?  “Junior” I think it was…that was pretty underrated.”
“That skateboarding bulldog pisses me off for whatever reason.”

who's a good boy???

Follow Chunk Handler on Twitter

(I’ll bet he was watching The Puppy Bowl on Animal Planet last night, too!)

Congratulations, everyone!  You are now officially in the know. 

xx, L

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Confession: I am a book club slacker. We’re on our 4th installment and I haven’t read a single sentence of the book.  I mean, I read The Glass Castle (loved it) and of course I read Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

Duh

…but I must admit, I have not even cracked our current assignment, The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

As one of my favorite authors, Augusten Burroughs says, “I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions.”

Luckily, my book club ladies’ love is unconditional and they didn’t appear to judge me one bit when I managed not to read a single sentence of last month’s book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, even though I hosted the club at my condo.

Luckier still, the group is comprised of some pretty spectacular chefs! So while the girls were discussing Steig, I found myself face first in all their delicious offerings.

The Club and The Carnage

There wasn’t a bad dish on my coffee table that night, so I BEGGED the girls to send me their recipes ASAP so I could share them with you now…almost a whole month later. (please refer to the Burroughs quote above.)

Anyway, better late than never!

Buffalo Chicken Dip a la Jen DiLorenzo
1. Mix: One pound chicken (cooked and shredded) and one bottle of your favorite wing sauce and layer in your oven-safe serving dish (like a Pyrex)
2. Mix: one small bottle of Ranch dressing and two blocks of cream cheese
NOTE: It mixes best if you warm the cream cheese in the microwave (be careful not to overheat!)
3.  Layer cream cheese/ranch mixture over chicken mixture
4.  Cover with shredded cheese (Jen likes Monterrey Jack).
5.  Bake at 350 until cheese is melted…and serve!

Avocado and Serrano Salsa a la Ellen Terchila
Ingredients:
1/2 Cucumber, diced
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 red onion, diced
2 Serrano chilies, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 Lime

In a large bowl, combine the first 4 ingredients.  Toss well.  Gently stir in the salt, pepper, and lime juice (take care not to let avocado get mushy!)
Serve immediately or cover and put in fridge for up to 1 day.  Return to room temp before serving.

BONUS: Ellen notes,  “I learned that this also makes a fabulous “day after” sandwich by toasting two pieces of whole grain bread, scooping on a delicious helping of the salsa, and a slice of Havarti cheese…just saying.” (You are so adorable, E)

Last but not least…

Spicy Corn + Cheese Dip a la Shanon Perry

Ingredients:
1 bar of cream cheese
1 4-5 oz package of goat cheese (S likes to get the kind that has the seasoning in it, but get what you like)
4 cups of sharp white cheddar cheese
2 regular sized cans of white corn kernels (drained)
5 fresh jalapenos – remove the ribs and the seeds, then dice into small pieces (you can obviously adjust this to your own palette)
3-4 scallions – finely chopped
S says that the following ingredients are estimates…she just likes to add and taste as she goes and suggests you do the same.
2 tsp of garlic salt
2 tsp of fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp of Mexican Chili Powder

Add cheeses and corn to an oven/microwave proof bowl. Warm in the microwave for about 2 minutes to soften the cheeses.  Stir in remaining ingredients, but keep aside enough cheddar to sprinkle over the top of the mixture.  Once you’ve sprinkled the rest of the cheddar over the top of the mixture, then put the bowl back in the microwave for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted on top and the mixture is heated through – OR – you can place the bowl in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or so.

Serve each of these with your favorite chip…pita chips or Fritos scoops have been tried and were proven to be a success!

I can’t tell you which was my favorite…they were ALL delicious! It’s always good to have a good go-to dip, so next time you have to bring an app or a side, try one of these!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta dip! (couldn’t resist.)

xx, L

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I’m baaaaaaack!

A week of fun in the sun with my fam was PRECISELY what the doctor ordered…I am a brand new woman!

It’s amazing what more than 5 hours of sleep will do for a girl.

Do not disturb!

I have lots of things to tell you guys, but I was NOT the appointed Historian of the trip, so I need to wait for my seestah to upload some pix. (ahem, KATIE.) But in the meantime, and in light of the fact that poolside weather is HERE – I’d like to issue the warning that someone had given me before I sailed the high seas…

OK.  If you read this blog regularly, you know that I am wrinkle-obsessed. I have an unnatural relationship with my dermatologist (Hi, Jamie!), I prefer my tan in airbrush form, and I have become absolutely MILITANT about sunscreen.

It's not. And neither are the crow's feet. Fact.

Sunscreen is crucial. Not just at the beach or poolside and not just in the summer but EVERY. SINGLE.  DAY. At LEAST on your face, neck, and hands.  (old hands = dead giveaway.  Trust.)

That said, I love NOTHING more than parking myself in a lounge chair all day reading trashy novels, sipping cocktails, and taking dips in the nearest body of water (ocean, lake, pool, sprinkler system…whatever…I’m not picky!)

But since the plan is to look like this when I’m 80 (sorry, not sorry.) I generally rely on a combo/cocktail of the following…

Peter Thomas Roth SPF 15 mist

Blue Lizard Sport SPF 30 (bottle turns blue in UV light! Fun!)

Don't judge.

…which is usually pretty fool-proof. However: on day 1 (um, that’s right.  The first day.) I sat out in the BLAZING Caribbean sun, and while I finished both Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang…

Hilarious...but still preferred Are You There Vodka?...

And more than few of these bad boys…
…a few crucial areas of my body fried beyond all comprehension. I am talking LOBSTER CITY.  They were: my NOSE, my EARS, my SCALP, and my TOES  (and one random circle on my left leg.  Weird.)

Friends don’t let friends get weird sunburns. (Isn’t that how that saying goes?) So be sure and stock up on your SPF.

It’s officially bathing suit season!

xx, L

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Incredible things can happen!

"when you wish upon a STAR..."

Like…tickets to CHELSEA HANDLER @ the Fox magically appearing in my hot little hands!!  (The universe willed it so…) 

@ chelsea's 8:00 p.m. show!

What an unexpected turn of events!  I’d resigned myself to the fact that I’d most likely not be at either one of her Atlanta shows on Sunday, but then Slick + Stephen pulled through with tickets!  I was shocked.  What great guys! 

We grabbed a bite to eat at my favorite pre-Fox Theatre grubbery, Publik Social House.  It was very crowded – mostly with attractive women + a few fabulous guys who were all dressed up for the occasion, but we were still able to grab some delicious burgers and a few drinks prior to the show. 

the server's shirts @ publik

The show was SO much fun!  Heather McDonald, a regular on Chelsea Lately, opened and was pretty funny.  I thought she did a good job of warming up everyone for Chels. 

Heather McDonald

Ms. Handler, though, was ABSOLUTELY HYSTERICAL- she killed the crowd!  A lot of her material was from her new book (that I just finished, thank you very much), Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang.  Reading it was a hoot, but hearing her ridiculous stories from her mouth was totally incomparable.  I really didn’t want it to end…

Loved!

Although I didn’t pay for them (thank you so much, Slick!!), I have to say that I feel like the $90 tickets were worth every penny.  Our seats were in the far right corner of the theatre – which in theory wasn’t ideal, but we ended up having an excellent view and could hear everything perfectly.  Oh, it was so much fun!

chelsea swag @ the show

Let me know what y’all thought!  Did you go?  Did you love it as much as I did?!

Miss you already, Aunt Chels…  Come back anytime!

xx, L

Publik Social House
654 Peachtree Street
Atlanta, GA  30308
404.885.7505
www.publikatl.com

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