The FAC of the Matter

Ahh Memorial Day, the unofficial start to summer!  I love the feel and smell of this season.  It just puts me in a wonderful place. As I sat on our patio sipping a delicious summer white, I started thinking we really need to have more afternoons with friends enjoying this space, especially after all the hard work I’ve put into our yard.  Why not show it off!  

Back in college, we used to do the Friday Afternoon Club, affectionately known as the FAC.  It would start whenever we rolled out of bed or class and last until the sun went down.  It was a great excuse to hang out and get ready for the weekend ahead.  Since old is always new, I’m bringing it back to Casa Diva!  If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and have a drink or two.  

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Diva Delight: Big booty hose come with it!

You know you're a homeowner when...

This spring Mr. Diva and I have been hard at work trying to grow some grass before the heat waves set in, which means lots of watering. We have 2 sets of hose with wranglers that always seem to get knotted or kinked up. It's a real pain when you have lots to water and even worse when the hose sits in a mud pit.

Enter Frontgate. Mr. Diva discovered their retractable hose a few weeks ago while reading the WSJ.  From the way we talk about it you would think we had struck gold...garden gold!  This gadget is well worth the expense and is the perfect present for any gardener or perhaps a little Father's Day treat.

Mardis Gras Time

Lent starts exceptionally late this year, which means I have had lots of time to ponder King Cake!  Not that I need an excuse, but I like to whip up a shrimp and grits dinner in honor of this tasty confection.  You're welcome to try to find a quality cake in your neighborhood, but the folks down in the Delta get it right every time & are truly the best.  Paul's Pastry ships them overnight delivery in a festive box filled with cake, beads, coins and toppings.  You dress the cake when you are ready to serve.  I always leave the bag of almonds off and simply top with icing and sprinkles. (Note: I typically use the sliced almonds in a salad.  I just don't like them with my sweets!)

Fat Tuesday is the last official day in Mardis Gras, which means you have 8 more days to order your king or get invited to party!

Diva Makeover

I'm not sure if it was the cold weather, my need to nest or a just other blog envy, but I decided that Non-Stop Diva needed a little makeover.  There are so many great blog designs out there for inspiration that it was hard to decide where to start.  Two column vs Three Column?  Buttons or No Buttons?  What to do with the header...

http://www.beantownbaker.com/

http://littlegreennotebook.blogspot.com/

 

 

The options are endless. Thankfully, I found Shelia, who helped me clear the clutter of yore.  Yay for another fabulous Etsy find!  If you're reading this on Google reader, you'll need to click over to the actually site to see the transformation. 

Shower Hour

Photos by my fabulous sis

My lovely friends were so sweet to throw a shower for me and Little Miss Diva here in Nashville.  We had quite the spread including tasty bites from The Picnic as well as a fabulous mocktail bar. I was all too thrilled to have a fun drink alternative to water. 

For those ladies who needed a morning cocktail, they had them covered.  Can you see the name on the Champange?  In case you can't, it says Baby Walker established 2011...too fun!  

They also had my little sweet tooth covered with these delicious petit fours from The Perfect Bite.
If your in Nashvegas, she needs to be on your speed dial...oh so tasty!

Diva Delight: Wooden Spoons

A few weeks before Christmas, a friend blogged about these fabulous spoons. I'm always happy to toss out the plastic or non-stick anything, so they were a quick addition to my Christmas list. Of course, I've used wooden spoons for years, but they were more along cheap lines like this one. I hadn't really thought about expanding my collection to spatulas and scrapers.

Thankfully, there were 4 spoons waiting under the tree for me Christmas morning compliments of my fabulous sister. They were in assorted woods, which was even more fun. I was most excited to get the slotted spoon, especially since I had never really seen one quite like it. I've enjoyed cooking up lots of tasty fare with them over the past few weeks and suggest you do the same.

Diva Devotees

Tired of constantly hitting refresh to see if I've updated the blog? I know a few of you are, so this post is dedicated to you. It's pretty easy to have the updates sent straight to your email or Google reader. To follow via email, scroll down on the right until you see the Follow button, then click. It will direct you through the pain free process. You can also follow via Google Reader or the like. If you aren't already a reader subscriber, it's really easy. Just add your favorite blogs, websites, etc. Then click on the reader whenever you're ready to catch up with me, Manning and the rest of the gang. Google does the rest.

Diva Delight: Book Report

I'll admit it: I was a hater...at least when LC's first book came out. I thought no way could this MTV reality star turn in a book that I would want to read. (Side note: I did love the first few seasons of Laguna Beach and The Hills, but after too much Speidi, I decided it was time for a split.) Well after enough hype, I had to check out it out. Come on, I've got to keep my finger on the pulse. I won't lie there was some skimming, but all in all, it's a fun poolside type read. It definitely makes you wonder where the line of fiction begins and reality ends. With scandals that were very much real life on the faux reality show, it's a silly, non-brain bending read. I for one am looking forward to the sequel.

Diva Delight: Blogs to know

I've recently been introduced to some new blogs be it magazines, internet searches or the like. Some are good for a finding the best deal, others are good for a few minutes of procrastination and of course there are the informative. In the effort to pass it forward, enjoy a few minutes, hours or days of staying off task!

Salad ala Chipotle

It should come as no surprise to anyone that's seen my 2009 Christmas card or read previous posts that I'm a fan of Chipotle. Nearly a year ago, they introduced their salad with the delicious Chipotle Honey vinaigrette. I immediately feel in love with the heat. It took me a few months to realize (I blame the move) that I could be making this at home. I took to the ever helpful net and found a few options. As always, I married the recipes and came up with my own version. For last week's Julia dinner, I paired it with a red & green leaf lettuce mixture accompanied with feta and granny smith apples. The spice and tart were a great pair!

Spicy Vinaigrette
1/3 c Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 c honey
1 1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t lime juice
1/2 t paprika
3/4 t pepper
3/4 t salt
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t dried oregano
1/2 c EVOO

In a blender, combine all ingredients, slowly drizzling the oil at the end. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Channeling Mrs. Julia

Like anyone who's seen Julie & Julia over the past year, I was salivating to try Beef Bourguignon. The challenge came for it's tasty reviews, but also from the fact that everyone kept saying it was so difficult. I mean it's a glorified beef stew, right?!?! Rarely have I been intimated by a recipe, but the build up surrounding this special dish put it a whole different culinary stratosphere. I read and read the recipe on several sites as well as the many comments from other tasters. Still I felt like I could do this dish, and was fully prepared for the massive time needed.

Thursday I assembled my larder and eagerly began to chop the veggies, prep the beef and the herb bouquet. I contemplated making the dish the day before as some suggested, but just didn't want my dinner guests to miss the succulent wafts that were promised. So Friday, I busied myself with errands and frivolous activities to keep my mind off how excited I was to make this dish!

Even though I had prepped a good deal of the items, it still took a solid hour before I put the beef in the oven for the 2 1/2-3 hour cook time. As friends arrived, the beef bourguignon had sufficiently given my home a smell of roasty goodness! Everyone kept trying to get a sneak peek in the oven, but with the lid on tight, it would have to wait. Finally, the moment came: Would I be ordering pizza or would the holy grail of Julia Child prevail? Well Mrs. Julia refuses to let you down! This dish was as billed...very tasty! The meat look so dark from both the wine and the beef stock that you almost thought it was burnt; however, you realized it was just perfection as your fork easily pierced the skin. So yes, it was a big hit.

The next question is: Will I make it again? Well, for all the work, I've got to say probably not. I've got some other recipe mainstays that are just as much of a knockout with nearly 90% less effort though I still might try a few more recipes from Mrs. Child.

Diva Delights of the Decade!

I'm shocked that another decade is about to close on the calendars. Everyone is ringing in with their favorite lists and why shouldn't I!!! In no particular order, here are my favorite discoveries and in some cases reruns of the decade:

1. Harry Potter

2. Devil Wears Prada

3. Carrie Underwood

4. Indian Food: Rasika and Naan & Beyond Not new to the decade, but worth mentioning because it's OH so tasty!

5. Gilmore Girls

6. HIMYM

7. Top Chef, which lead to my love of

8. Tommy C

9. Justin Timberlake

10. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight

Diva Delight

Who isn't getting excited about all the holiday fun that is about to be upon us! I love all the family, food and fun that encompasses the holiday season. In the December Glamour issue, I came across a great article about the 31 days of giving. It's a great way to start off the season of giving and thankfulness! Some suggestions won't even cost you a thing except your time.

The Burrito has landed...almost!

Chipotle West End is set for an official opening on Friday and of course, everyone, all two of us, here at Casa Diva is thrilled. Even more exciting is the fact that this Chipotle is offering free burritos from 11:00 AM-7:00 PM. It really doesn't get much better than that!

Diva Updates

A few updates from the Diva:

1. I'm really wanting to give Thomas a run for their money, but I'm just not there yet! I'm 2 batches in on the BBA's English Muffins, but still feel like they need a little work. I'm hoping to try a 3rd batch, which will include delectable honey, a little later this week. I'm so ready to scream VICTORY! If you're close to Casa Diva, feel free to stop by and weigh in on the current batch.

2. Mr. Diva hit the smoker this past weekend to raving reviews. If you're lucky, I might just post a few pics from the experience as well as some tasty side dishes that were served up!

3. Finally, a little plug. I'm working on a fabulous new Nashville-based website, Glossed and Found. Please check us out if you haven't and feel free to follow us on twitter, @gfnashville.

Diva Delight: Red Stamp

It seems these days there is always someone getting married, having a baby or just needing to celebrate themselves. I have absolutely no problem with that and love any reason to toast my diva-rifc friends. Earlier this summer, I stumbled upon the folks at Red Stamp, who offer amazing customer service and fun products. I always get rave reviews from fellow party goers. Who doesn't love that! Check them out the next time you need to be stylize your posts and tell them the Diva sent ya!

Diva Delight: Diva style recycling

Here at Casa Diva we love the latest in cell phone gadgetry, which means we always have a few old phones and accessories floating...until a few months ago. I discovered flipswap.com, where you can sell your cell phone, accessories, etc. for a check or Amazon.com gift certificate. If you still have the box, manual and/or charger, you'll make more. It's a win-win situation for those who like to make money and hate clutter. Check it out and tell them the Diva sent ya!

Diva Delight

John Williams is a genius. This discovery isn't a new one, but something that needs to be proclaimed from time to time. With just a few notes, he makes you want to crack a whip like Indiana Jones, fly the Millennium Falcon like Han Solo , or as we'll hear in theaters late tonight/tomorrow play a mad game of Quidditch at Hogwarts. I mean seriously, I just have to hear that melody and I feel like I'm taking classes with Harry, Hermoine and Ron! Get your tickets early because I'm no wizard, but I know this movie will be the biggest blockbuster of the summer.

Diva Delight

If you know me, it comes as no surprise that I love me some spice! Last night Mr. Diva and I had the treat of hitting a Nashville pasta institution, Cafe Nonna. The pasta is homemade and ever so tasty. Not unexpectedly, I gravitated towards the Arrabiata sauce and the waiter suggested pairing it with the Agnolotti. In the words of Trace Adkins, this dish was One Hot Mama! I loved every bite of this amazing homemade spicy sauce, which I think is laced with a little chipotle. If try to pass it off as your own at your next dinner party, which would be a huge hit, head over to Nonna's Gourmet website. Feel even better about yourself because all the proceeds go to charity.

Diva Delight

So I decided to add a new feature to the blog. It's cleverly named (thanks Ken!), Diva Delight. My first delight is the French Open. For me it's teaser that Wimbledon is just weeks away, but man I love me some tennis! Here's to hoping that Fed kicks his bad luck on clay and returns to the top of his game!