My Picnic Tablecloth Shirt

Thanks for your feedback and advice yesterday on my less-than-stellar eating habits, ladies. I've only kept a food journal for two whole days now, but I've consciously been cutting back on my consumption of random junk - though it's so hard when you're a bored eater like me, and when your live-in wants to have cheese sticks, Buffalo wings and fries for dinner!

I think I may need to take some more drastic measures and do a cupboard cleanout (do we need to keep four bags of chip crumblies, probably no ...) - I'm not so ambitious that I want to get rid of all junk in my home, but to clear away clutter to make room for some better foods. If I have fewer bags of chips or sweets and more good stuff, maybe I'll reach for that more.

The whole drinking something in place of eating something is a bit more difficult for me to get over, though. I commend you guys who can drink some tea after dinner and be satisfied and I am trying to abide by the not eating after 8pm thing, but it is hard. Only recently have late-night sugar cravings been kicking in and drinking juice won't satiate them. Somehow a spoonful of Cool Whip did the trick - but I don't think there's one naturally-occuring ingredient in there?

And that is a really random lead-in for what I really want to know - with Easter Sunday approaching, what are you gals planning for dinner? The BF and I want to do something special for dinner that evening (it is the springtime version of Thanksgiving - or am I the only one that thinks like that?) but I've done zero planning so far - and it always difficult for me to make a special meal for just two people.

   

Shirt: Lands' End Canvas gingham poplin (similar here)

Skirt: Armani Exchange pencil cargo (I know it's a pencil skirt - but look at the front slit, I can walk with that! worn here before - similar here or here)

Necklace: lucie0ellen by Etsy (worn here before - similar-ish here)

Shoes: Mossimo by Target (worn here before - similar here)

Golden Neutral Shrimp

Thanks for all your comments to my post yesterday, ladies! Wow, I'm not sure whether or not to be glad so many of you can relate to my difficulties with the homely responsibilities, but I guess the general consensus is that most men are babies. Alright, they just need a little guidance, but we still love you!

(Those excluded are Pamela's hubby, Sharon's hubby and Cindi's fiance - those men sound like they belong in the Hubby Helper Hall of Fame!)

Simple outfit today - and really kind of cheating the getting dressed thing by throwing on a comfy tee and wearing the skirt equivalent of a pair of cotton chinos.

Top: J. Crew metallic stripe tissue tee

Skirt: A/X cargo pencil (worn here, here and here before)

Shoes: Nine West Temani wedges (worn here and here before)

Necklace: Anthropologie Jahara (worn here and here before)

I've always been kind of afraid of frying, due to fear of burning splatters and not wanting to waste oil. But it's a deceptively simple way of cooking, and you actually need very little oil, as long as it's hot. Inspired by a recent dinner post from Sydney, I looked up a recipe to make simple fried shrimp using Japanese panko crumbs.

The panko was the key as it yielded a very crispy coating for the shrimp. And I poured only about half an inch of oil into my pan, which was more than enough for these delicious little lovelies. Just get all your shrimp coated and ready to go as the actual frying takes only about a minute per side, so super-quick!

The keys to frying: make sure the oil is hot and don't over-crowd the pan.

All my little "scrimps" ready to be eaten!

We had the traditional cocktail sauce as a dipper, but also made an apricot-horseradish dipper as well. The dipper is some apricot-pineapple preserves (regular apricot preserves or jam is fine as well) - a few tablespoons heated up for 10-15 seconds in the microwave mixed in with some creamy horseradish sauce to taste, and that's it. It is a sweet, savory and spicy dipping sauce, and "mm, so yummy good" you'll want to try it with everything.

A Yogurt Meeting and Theme Dinner

Nothing beats the Mondays like a sweet treat - a couple of gal friends and I met up for lunch and ended up having froyo as our main course (I heart you, Yoforia. Never leave me). I like half original and half pomegranate with some granola and a ton of fresh mango. Do you like frozen yogurt? If so, what's your favorite combo?

Top: Anthropologie Little Yellow Button Meeting Place tank (no longer online - check stores)
Skirt: A/X cargo pencil (worn here and here before)
Necklace: Anthropologie Jahara (worn here and here and here before)
Shoes: Mossimo by Target wedges (worn a ton - like here, and here and here, for starters)

I got a little creative (at least for me) last night and tried my first themed dinner: an at-home Chinese takeout meal. I used Martha Stewart's beef and asparagus negimaki recipe (OK, so this is technically Japanese - does territorial vicinity count?) for the main course. Instead of thin slicing tenderloin, I got some pre-sliced ribeye from the local Asian mart (thank you, Korean BBQ-ers for making these beautifully pre-sliced meats available). And instead of grilling it, I did it via stove-top on a saute pan. In retrospect, I probably should have grilled it to get the yummy char - but it turned out really well regardless (virtual self pat on the back).

All the little rolls ready to get cooked - making this was actually easier than the fried rice!

On the side I bought some refrigerated egg rolls (try some of this sweet chili sauce mixed in with this hot sauce and you've got an egg roll's BFF) and MacGyvered together a fried rice (I used Uncle Ben's 5-minute rice but cooked it in chicken stock, some soy sauce, black pepper and a tiny bit of sesame oil, and I didn't have to add any additional seasoning when stir-frying).

And dinner! As you can tell, I can't "dress" a plate to save my life.

But it is good - I promise!

Kind and Generous

I was close to not even getting dressed today because I just wasn't feeling it. You ladies ever have those days when you can't put two brain cells together to form an outfit? I wasn't even creative enough to steal an old outfit from myself. So yes, I did spend the morning in sweats (and not even the too-cool-for-school matching velour kind - actual sweats).

But it must have been my lucky day when the post man decided to come early today and what did I find in my mailbox around noon? None other than the now-it's-as-easy-find-as-an-unicorn Anthro Rare Bloom tee - from none other than the lovely Dea who was gracious and generous enough to sell me the teal one she had been planning to return.

Dea, I owe you a thousand head bows and a few dozen cocktails. Thanks so much for reaching out to me when I waxed (un)poetic about missing out on this top on your post.

I was so excited about the item (I had the navy one in my hands at Anthro when it went on sale and put it back) and jumped on Dea's offer immediately, even though I wasn't sure it was going to fit me (because, lady, you are tiny). But it did fit - thanks number two goes to stretchy knit fabric.

So major props to Dea, and here's my show-able OOTD:

Sweater: H&M marled cotton cardigan

Top: Anthropologie Deletta Rare Bloom

Skirt: Armani Exchange cotton cargo pencil (worn here before)

Shoes: Mossimo wedge sandals from Target (worn here before

Accidentally On Purpose

Don't you love it when something unexpectedly comes together?

Now I'm just talking my OOTD here (so real small victories) but I often find myself in the mornings just staring at my clothes, thinking how nothing works and if I only had that new item I had been eyeballing at the store, then outfits would magically fall into place. Which explains my shopping habit, and which also is partially true because when I do buy something, often I just think of the piece and not how it is supposed to work with everything I already own. But I won't ramble about individual shopping philosophy (not today, at least).

I had just thrown this top on (because I didn't want to just stand there in my undies getting cold) and pulled this skirt out, partly because I was convinced it didn't fit me anymore having not worn it for ages. Well, surprises of surprises, it still fit and I glanced at myself in the mirror and had a "hey, that ain't half bad" moment. So here's my small victory of the day:

The skirt is lined in bright yellow - which I think is kind of cool as it peeks out.

The way my mind works - the shoes have red heels that match the shirt and black leopard spots, which match the bag and bracelet. So that's why I think it all kind of goes together, hopefully ...

Top: Urban Outfitters BDG striped henley, worn here before
Skirt: Armani Exchange cotton cargo pencil
Shoes: Kenneth Cole Reaction Swim n Fool
Bracelet: J. Crew Crystal Abacus (now on super-sale with an additional 30% off!)
Bag: Nine West studded cross body, worn here before