Grass is Greener Giveaway Winner!!!!

The winner of all the fabulous Grass is Greener goodies is....

Mama Belle!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the first ever giveway from Dixie Lust. You guys are truly awesome. Can't wait to bring you guys more surprises!

So...go ahead on over to Mama Belle's Blog and tell her congrats!

Mama Belle - e-mail me and we'll get you in touch with Haley who can send you all your lovely prizes!

Little Thing 20

Being here again.

Little Thing 19

The first taste of fall - as in my first bowl of gumbo.

(Is it odd that there isn't a single good picture of a gumbo on the internet? - I don't think I'd eat half of whats in these photos!)

Also - just a little something that doesn't make me smile - dropping my beloved iPhone into the aforementioned bowl of gumbo.

REMINNNNNDER!

Just wanted to remind everyone out there that TODAY is the LAST day of my super giveaway from the Grass is Greener.

You guys have until 8pm central time to enter if you haven't already done so!

The winner will be announced at 9pm central time!

Lost in Translation

Yesterday, I stumbled upon a blog by one of the funniest and most talented guys I know of, Tim Landry. I could say I know him seeing as we went to high school together and I've seen him around Lafayette, but I don't want to give you the false impression that I'm a part of the Lafayette's ultra elite yet so very cooool Hipster Scene. More on why I'm not in a sec...

Tim re-blogged a piece (that I absolutely loved) about how if your favorite female lead from an indie movie were a real-life person, she'd be an "obnoxious maniac." The piece goes on to translate scenarios from movies into real life - and somehow the adorable, heart melting, quirks just don't stand up.

Now, I can say I know a few real-life ladies who pull off the quirkiness with absolute ease and charm. I, on the other hand, can not. Don't get me wrong, my eccentricities don't bother me in the least bit - I embrace my wackiness with a religious fervency and fly my freak flag as high as it will go. I am, however, realistically aware that they don't make me an indie trendy "quirkamuffin."

For example:

• I'm a sentence finisher. I've tried, but I just can't help it. I get so excited about the other person is saying that I jump in to finish it - most of the times I'm pretty off.
• I hate wet sinks. Blame my mother and her obsessive cleaning, but every time I use a sink I take a dishcloth or paper towel and wipe it down.
• I can't look at someones mouth when they're talking - otherwise, I'll mouth the words as they say them...pretty distracting, eh? LyLa thinks so.
• I get so easily embarrassed for people on reality TV shows that I haaaave to flip the channel.
• When I'm leaving a comment on Blogger and there's a "Captcha" word, I say the "word" in my head, give it a silly definition, and use it in a sentence. Every time. Save my sanity. Get rid of 'em folks.
• I stumble over my words in almost all conversations (I'm realizing that a majority of my quirks are language related - makes me feel like an underdeveloped Rainman of sorts.)
• I've got an incredible long term memory (we're talking what someone was wearing the first day I met them in highschool) but my short term memory is crap - and I'm terrible at retelling conversations I just had.
• I don't enjoy people invading my personal space - I HATE being poked and I'm incredibly ticklish - to the point of convulsions and gasping for air. So if you ever see me, please don't touch me. Case in Point, LyLa (who's also my hair stylist FYI) has the hardest time washing color out of my hair - I squirm around and tense up, kicking my feet everytime she gets near my ears/neck. I have to apply pressure with my hands to my ears so I don't focus on her touching me.
• I'm completely obsessed with Garlic. I will eat it on anything and everything.
• I hate wearing shoes. I never wear shoes at home and wear sandals to the office so I can slip them off and walk around barefoot.

(ack! It's so weird to see all those side by side in black and white!)

So tell me this, what are your quirks?

Make me feel less of a silly-billy and tell me what makes you peculiar or odd.

(I promise I won't poke fun =P)

PS- I *just know* some ones going to read the above and web-diagnose me with some form of autism or a rare language disability.

This is the End...

Like it or not, the kids are back in school, the weathers changing, and summer is soon coming to an end.

So tell me dear lovelies, what was your favorite moment this summer?

Did y'all go any where exciting, see old friends, play in the water all day?

Tell me. Tell me. Tell me.

Flashback: 2001

LyLa and I rocking the s'pony (read: side ponytail) at a high school sleepover...

(We're near Mizz Wormser's computer, so I'm guessing we were on AIM, chatting with Harley Davidson - yes that's the boy's real name. OH memories.)

Little Things 16, 17, & 18

Apparently, I'm a happy, smiling lady these days. It could be one or all of these things that's got me oh-so thrillllllled to be alive.

15. Having enough time on my lunch hour to go to CC's, enjoy a strawberry banana smoothie, chat with LyLa, annnnnnnnnd enjoy the newest copy of the times.

17. The weather today! It's beginning to feel a lot like Autumn around here and all I want to do is drive around with the windows down and the music up.

18. The newest app on my iPhone - "QuadCamera." As if I didn't already love taking photos with my iPhone enough, this app lets me take super fun photos like the ones above.

Heaven Forbid I Ever Find a Husband...

Someone please tell me....

WHERE ON EARTH AM I SUPPOSED TO SLEEP?

At midnight, last night, Ollie was in full bed-hogging mode -

heavy as a two-ton elephant, mean as a grizzly bear, and snoring like...well, my father.

I didn't dare try to move her.

Okay, well I did... But she was a grump and growled at me.

*le sigh*

So here's the solution I came up with.

Yes. The floor.

More specifically, my yoga mat on the floor, topped off with fuzzy blankets and my memory foam pillow (courtesy of MTher).

I tossed and turned a little at first, but it ended up being an amazing sleep - mainly cause Ollie Monster wasn't kicking me in the ribs.


When I left for work this morning, she was curled up sleeping sooo soundly.

She was so cute that I almost forgave her for sending me to the floor.

Almost.

Little Thing 15

Perfect Saturday Afternoons - BBQ Chicken and lots of sunshine

Rain, Rain

Rainy lunch time drives make me sleeeeepy.

Zzzzzzz...

Newsflash: It's not 1996.

Nor do I live in Venice Beach. I don't own a fuschia sequined fanny pack a la SJP in Sex in the C-c-c-citttttay. And I'm definitely not in the position to rock the stirng bikini/jean shorty shorts combo so I'm not quite sure what convinced me that these babies needed to be in my life...

I should have known it was a bad idea from the very start. Yesterday, I went to the Academy right after work and headed straight to the Rollerblades. Oh No - this wasn't an impulse buy. I went with a mission - perhaps its a skewed mission. Let me explain, I'm in the process of of optimizing my life for exercise. Months and months of eating like a true southerner with no cares have left me with more than a little extra weight to carry around. And with a baby shower in Houston next month and a family wedding coming in October, Mum says we need to get our butts in shape. Cause lets face it, no one enjoys being stuffed into dressy clothes especially with 14 layers of Spanx hidden below. Knowing myself and my eating habits, I figured that exercising was my way.

So I had been eyeing this pair of Rollerblades for sometime now. I even tried them on a little bit back. The fact that I nearly pulled a muscle while trying to put them on in the store should have been a sign. But nooooo. Once I get an idea in my head, it's hard to shake. So as I was saying, I went right up to these Rollerblades yesterday, found my size, and then proudly paraded myself to the counter - no looking at other skates, no trying on, no taking them for a test drive up and down the aisle. Just picked em up and said "Herrre we go!" At the counter, there were other signs - signs that this whole Rollerblade/Fun Fitness thing was wayyy outta my league. For starters, the cashier opened the box to remove the security tag and noticed that I had two left skates. Mhmmmmm. After a 10 minute search for the right skate, we noticed that only one skate had a stopper. After some debate amongst me, the cashier, the cashier on the next lane, and the shoe (& Rollerblade) specialist, we all decided that you're only supposed to have one stopper. Sure, who the heck needs 2?

Mid-debate, over on the next check out lane, I noticed a little someone that I was soooo not interested in seeing - lets call him "Person X." Coming straight from work, I looked like hell - crazy hair that was on it's last day before a wash, splotchy mineral makeup that decided to fade off in some spots, and a crazy tank top / blouse pairing riding up in the back and dipping too low in the front. I panicked. As LyLa kindly pointed out this morning as I told her this story, I am anything but "cool, calm, collect." Suave will never describe me. So in a panic to avoid Person X, I began the hurried dash to pay for my merch and get the freak out of there. Had I been fresh from a day at the spa and clad in some ass fabulous jeans and a top that stayed exactly where it was supposed to, I would have made my cashier flash the light above her register and yelled "YOO-HOOOO! Please turn your attention to Lane 1 where I am looking oh-so fabulous and happy. Feel free to spread that information around! - especially to anyone that you're friends with that I may have dated!" Sure the above is shallow. But in that moment, it would have been ideal - well in my mind anyways. But that was not the situation, and I scurried out the sliding doors, huuuuuge Rollerblade box in tow. I took a teensie glimpse back towards the registers, and wouldn't you know.... Person X caught me. Again, I will never be subtle.

Awkward run-ins pushed aside, I rushed to change into some work-out wear as soon as I got home. While unlocking my trunk and lugging out the box of skates, I mentally wrote down my new Rollerblading fitness regimen. I'd skate in the evenings and on weekends - extra long on Saturdays. I sat in my driveway and unlaced/unsnapped/unbuttoned (seriously Rollerblades are like the straight-jacket of shoes) my skates and began to put them on. Putting these things on may be classified as the most unattractive thing I've ever done. Seriously, I was on my back, legs splayed out in the air...tugging and groaning - oh and SWEATING. Yes I broke a sweat just putting them on. Immediately after I finished gettin 'em on, the first thought that popped into my head was "Maybe I should have bought the safety pads?" and then I expelled that with a "NAHHH. Safety pads are for geeks."

OH you just don't know folks. You just don't know.

I pulled myself up, grasping for anything, and steadied myself by holding on to the side mirror on my car. "How hard could this be?" I thought. I used to rock it at the Skate Zone in 6th grade. It's like riding a bike, no? NO.

I plugged in my headphones and put on the only song suitable for this adventure - Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA." So I pushed myself forward, a little wobbly but good. I skated down to the end of the driveway and made a-way-too-wide turn. Half in the bushes lining the driveway, I held on to the branches until I thought I had my balance and then I leaned forward and pushed myself back up the driveway. After a few more wobbles - I thought I really had it.

I was "nodding my head like yeaaaaaaaaaah, rockin' my hips like yeaaaaah." For a moment, I really did think it was 1996 - the wind in my hair, swerving around in my drive way like I was on the speed skating team, snapping my fingers to Miley - feeling soooo cool I could barely stand it. Then, my dear lovelies, a rock brought me back down to Earth. Literally.

Ten minutes into my skate-sesh.... deja vu. There I was on my back, legs in the air, and me panting for air. I had hit a rock and my skates flew right out from under me and I came down to the ground with a thud, right on top of my left wrist.

Now's probably a good time to tell you I live on a major roadway - and traffic is still backed up at 6 pm. I suddenly became aware of this as I sat at the end of my driveway and looked up to see traffic slowing dowwwwwwn in front of me. I waved everyone on as if to say "Nothing to see here folks - Just a girl who's lost her dignity"

And there I sat for another 10 minutes. Just sitting.

Wondering whatever made me think Rollerblading was my ticket to fitness.

I eventually crawled back up the driveway, kicked my skates off, and went inside - my head hung low. As if I didn't feel defeated enough, I began to notice a searing pain in my left wrist.

Oh yes! My first (of many to come) Rollerblading injury.

I spent the rest of my evening in bed, watching Disney Channel, and gorging myself on Otter Pops.

So much for being in shape...

TAH-DAH! The Super Giveaway from the Grass is Greener

As promised, here's my super huge fabulous giveaway announcement.

I've teamed up with Haley from my new favorite shop Grass Is Greener to bring you guys a grand giveaway. Let's get together and celebrate the start of Dixie Lust!

The winner of this giveaway will win:

2 reusable Velcro-closure pouches

(1 large and 1 small)

Use the larger pouch to bring your snacks along with you

Use the smaller pouch to keep loose bits & pieces

The pouches are made from vintage Lafayette Louisiana Rice Sacks & contrasting blue print lining.



2 Lemon Verbena Sachets

2 Lavender Sachets
Find it here

Set of 4 Woodgrain Coasters in Pink
Find it here

1 Wooden Button Ring in Silver
Find it here

1 pair of Gold Wire Petal Drop Earrings
Find it here

1 pair of Walnut Shell Earrings
Find it here

1 Black Feather Applique Hair Clip

All these items can be found at Grass is Greener!

Yep. It can all be yours, lovelies!

Contest Details:

Contest is open to followers only. So if you're not already a follower, go over to the followers section on the sidebar and become one.

Contest starts NOW and ends August 31, 2009 at 8 pm central time.

Each person may enter up to two times. You can enter by leaving a comment on THIS post - Try telling me whats your favorite piece abover or visit Grass is Greener and tell me what's you favorite piece in Haley's shop.. You can also enter by posting a link to this giveaway anywhere else on the web (Facebook, Twitter, Your Blog, Myspace, Craigslist, etc.), and then posting a link to that here in the comments section.

The winner will be chosen at random using a selection generator.

Girls Gone Gourmet

---

Yep. I know exactly what you're thinking. How many times can this girl review a hamburger? First, let me just say that this past Friday's lunch wasn't "just burgers." Secondly, let's go back. I've got to give you the full scoop on Bonnie Bell's Bistro. I'm all about the details, folks.

Bonnie Bell's Bistro

740 Jefferson St.

Lafayette, LA 70501

337.234.229

Lyla's been on quite the roll when it comes to suggesting the next food adventure. Last week she picked Johnson's Boucaniere with the help of Urban Spoon. After browsing the Eat Lafayette website, she e-mailed me the menu for Bonnie Bell's Bistro. To be honest, since I pass by it when it's after hours, I always thought it was closed down. Not the case at all, my lovlies.

Since Bonnie Bell's is located downtown and we're a bit of a drive away with traffic, we decided to try our luck again with calling in our order ahead of time. I gave the restaurant a call around 11 am and spoke with Bonnie, who is presumably *the* Bonnie. There was a bit of a confusion about calling in a dine in order so I'm assuming its a request they don't handle too often, but Bonnie told me to call about 5 minutes before we got to the restaurant and she'd put our order in to the kitchen.

LyLa and I've discovered a new route from our office to downtown, and we were at the restaurant in less than 10 minutes. (Huzzah!) We arrived at Bonnie Bell's and let me just say... that place does a TON of business at lunch time. The place was packed. At the hostess station, we let the girl know that we'd gladly sit at the bar or get the food to go and we mentioned that we had called in our orders earlier. A flash of "ahhhhhh. you're the ones we're waiting for!" came across her face and she happily showed us to....

Yes. Our very own reserved table. At the hottest lunch spot downtown, Kora Bruce and LyLa were officially VIP's.

I've never been one to seek special treatment and normally I'm embarrassed by anything that puts me in the spotlight, but I'm telling you folks, I could get used of this sort of treatment.

We hadn't even requested reservations, yet they were kind enough to think ahead and hold one for us.

You're probably saying...big deal Kora. You got a table in a packed restaurant at high noon. Ohhh noooo mon frere. Within a minute (literally) of sitting down, our drink orders were taken and our orders were placed in front of us. Add to that, a cheery waitress who takes care of your every need and you've got two girls who feel like queens.

I won't lie. I enjoyed the bewildered/jealous looks from the neighboring tables as they wondered why they were actually waiting for their food.

So you're thinking..."The food, Kora, the FOOOOD. Tell us about the fooood!"

'Cause really what's great service without great food?

LyLa got the Carter's Crab Cake Sandwich which the menu describes as "Our popular crab cakes served on a fresh baked bun, with lettuce, tomato & garlic mayo"

Do I even need to comment on how delicious this looks?

I will say however that there was a review of the crab cakes on Urban Spoon that said there was barely any crab in the cakes - and we're here to say WRONG-O! There was lump crab meat all through out this thing!

I ordered the Mike Norris Burger. Admittedly, I ordered this just because of the name. LyLa and I happen to know someone named Mike Norris and we wondered if it was named after him.

My burger was "layered with pepper jack cheese, mango-jalapeno bacon, caramelized
red onions, roasted garlic mayo, baby greens, tomato & served on a fresh baked bun." But you know me - I scratched the onions, greens, & tomatoes.

Both burgers were served with sweet potato fries.

Now here's where I admit that Friday August 14, 2009 was the first time I have ever eaten sweet potato fries. Apparently, that's shocking news to some.

They were ...life changing.

The money shot =)

This is Lyla's "I'm so shocked at how amazingly delicious and epic this Crab Burger is" face. Although I'm sure she phrases that differently. LyLa would never say epic. But I do. And the Crab Burger at Bonnie Bell's is EPIC.

I cringe when I hear burgers described as juicy and delicious. Cause well... they're supposed to be. That's not really big news is it? (Not saying I'm not guilty of calling them such) But let me describe this burger to you... I forgot I was eating a hamburger. The mango bacon was laced with sweetness and a tiny bit of tang. The cheese was gooey and melty and blended with the roasted garlic mayo to create an explosion of pure happiness. The bun was sweet, toasted, warm bliss. And the actual hamburger patty? Oh yeah - that was cooked to perfection.

Dainty little cups of ketchup dismiss the feeling of fast-food dining where you're squeezing 86 packets of ketchup on to your burger wrapper.

I was a mess after this burger... I was literally scraping up cheese bits and mayo with bits of hamburger bun - and then licking my fingers. Some VIP I am...

Absolute carnage.

I tore this burger apart. In less than 15 minutes... because once all was said and done, we were finished at 12:30.

How much you ask? Two gourmet burgers, two sweet potato fries, and two fries for less than $25

I'm not quite sure how we do this week after week. No not the eating part (I know how we do that) - the part where we consistently pick great restaurants out of the blue. All I can say is we live in Southern Louisiana - great food is inevitable.

Little Thing 14

[My Aunt & My Brother]

A laid back evening of going out for boiled crabs with some of my favorite relatives.

Huzzzzzzah!

WE DID IT!!!

Dixie Lust has OVER 25 followers!

So that means, tomorrow evening I will announce this ultra fabulous giveaway that I'm so excited about!

I just want to take a little time to thank each and every one of you guys who have decided to follow me. And give even more thanks to all those who've left such kind, sweet comments. You guys have no idea how much this all means to me and how encouraging it is. While I blog for me, it's so wonderful to know that I have lovely followers to share in my adventures.

Really, thank you all.

You've made this a great weekend.

((image via WeHeartIt.com))

Sunday Bits

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.
Tell me about your weekend?? I'd love to hear what everyone was up to.


I'm spending my sunday with my mum. In a little bit, we're off to Lafayette for some quality time together. There's talk of going to Piccadilly and Joann's so you know I'm excited. ha ha.


Also - Has anyone else heard talk of some tropical storms in the Gulf??

Where You Stand

Life is full of exhilarating firsts - first steps, first days of school, first kisses, first day on your own, and of course... the almighty first Etsy.com purchase. Yes my dear lovlies, my life as I know it has changed.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm no stranger to Etsy. It’s been one of those “lusting-from-afar” relationships – a few quick glances, bookmarking a few favorite shops, adding a few items to my Kaboodle Wish List– you know… non-committal happenings.

Last week, I spent a little bit of my lunch hour cleaning out my favorite links, which had seemingly become absolute bedlam (I get a teensie bit frantic and dramatic when I can’t find what I’m looking for..."OMD Where is it?! I know I sav-whaaaat did I save it under? Wherrre is iiiit?!") and I came across an Etsy link for a store called the Grass Is Greener.

[The next few sentences will be like a rousing game of “Guess How Small Louisiana Is” – if you’re from a small town, you know this game. It’s nothing to connect two seemingly unrelated people in less than 2 or 3 degrees.]

Grass is Greener is run by Haley Williams from Lafayette, LA. Haley, turns out, is a super close friend of my good high school friend Mizz Wormser, who now lives in New York. Yes. This is the part of the “How Small is Louisiana” Game where we sing “It’s a Small World.”

I poured myself over Haley’s shop and forgot all about the chaotic mess of links. I’m not exaggerating when I say I wanted to buy everything in the store. She’s got this charming mix of earrings, rings, sachets, and cards. OH the cards! They’re some of the most stunning handmade cards I have ever seen –hand drawn flowers and water colored birds (oh my) - and she can customize them too! But here’s the best part – and the bit that sealed the deal on my first etsy purchase – Grass is Greener is completely eco-friendly. From the materials used in her creations, to the packaging, to her listings with eco-tips, this girl keeps the environment in mind.

Want to know what I got? Want to see the absolutely adorable (and recyclable) packaging? Want to shop at Grass is Greener? Scroll down, lovelies.

You guys are lucky that you're getting shots of the packaging - I wanted to rip it open right away


How cute are the signature Grass is Greener flowers?

Ps. Haley, just wanted to let you know I used half of the packaging to wrap a gift and the other half has been recycled!


Haley even custom makes her own envelopes!
I fell in love with the gorgeous stiching detail.


She means that.
Trying to rip the package open with your teeth doesn't quite work.

Lots of goodies...

The whole shebang

Goodies on display...

Yep. She handwrites a note on to each customer...

(Oooh... hint hint on what's going down on Monday if I get 25 Followers!)

On pretty embossed stationary, nonetheless.

Eco-friendly with southern manners?? That's Haley.

Thank You note with the signature flower on recycled cardboard

The good stuff... all tied up with some pretty twine

My three finds!

The wooden button came packaged on a bookmark!

Notice the wood grain on the gold band??

TAH-DAH!

I love how unique this is - and Etsy does too.

It was featured on Etsy's Rustic Wedding Post.

Wire Earrings!

The leaf earrings were a gift for Ruby Locks to go with the haircut/color she's getting today,

and the signature petal earrings are all for me. I've been wearing them since I got them - going on 4 days now... They're super light and I forget that I'm wearing them - until the lady at the grocery store stops me to ask where I got my "dainty drop earrings."

There's a pretty little link to Grass is Greener on my sidebar, if you haven't already clicked on one of the many links to it above. =)

Remember lovlies,

the Grass is Greener where you stand.

(And there's certianly no harm in looking pretty while you're standing there)