glitz and menswear

This is the second of two looks I've posted with the fabulous Lyra necklace that I won from Loren Hope and Monkee's of Raleigh. See the first look here.

I've been reading Social Primer for as long as I've been reading blogs. I fell in love with the line when I watched a video of K. Cooper Ray talking about starting his brand, and my love grew deeper when I saw debutantes in cummerbunds and the video from the SP Smoking Winter Formal 2013 show. I just can't let the boys have all the fun. A few months ago, I ordered this cummerbund set during a flash sale; it was supposed to be for B, but before it even arrived, I knew I wanted to wear it first.

My mom was a lot more high fashion as a young woman than I am; she wore this St. John skirt thirty or so years ago with a matching top. The skirt is proof that vanity sizing exists: before I got it tailored, it fit like a 6 or 8 despite a size 12 label. I asked my tailor to reattach the label since it reads "made in USA."

This new year's eve, I'm planning a casual night at home with a few friends. Of course, there will be punch.

Loren Hope Lyra necklace // HMD tank from Mom // Social Primer cummerbund set // HMD St. John skirt from Mom (similar) // Christian Louboutin heels (similar)

Memorial Day weekend cooking

I should have taken more pictures (always), but here are a few from our cooking and eating adventures this past weekend.  B and I were both raised by good cooks, and we try to eat well.  

I prepared some food for us ahead of time and planned as short of a grocery list as possible for when we got there.  We stopped by the store a couple of times, though.  It's not a vacation if you plan too much, right?  And we wanted to try and spend time with everyone else who was at the beach.  

B took some cold things in his special cooler.  

Monday morning, I ate a leisurely breakfast outside while B was out fishing (after leaving at 5:30 ... ha, ha).  I cooked Martha Stewart's pancakes and topped them with strawberries.  When B texted me that he was back to the dock, I started making eggs, bacon, and grits for him because I knew he would be hungry when he got back.

B caught Spanish Mackerel, which his dad grilled on Tuesday night.  They were great!  I helped clean the fish, believe it or not.  

We cooked tacos one night, which is something we need to do more.  They were very quick, easy, and good.  Mexican food almost always turns out well at home.

I made up some of this sauce before we went to the beach.  I cut a few slits in two split chicken breasts and spooned the sauce over the chicken before cooking.  B grilled the chicken over coals and put more sauce on the other side when he flipped it.  

The sauce was very spicy when I tasted it alone, but it was delicious after cooking!  We will definitely be making this again!  B has picked up his dad's grilling skills.  We couldn't recruit any family or friends to eat this with us, but they certainly missed out.  We covered our plates and ate it again the next day; it may have been even better left over, or maybe that was because I was so hungry after cleaning.

You can check out some of my favorite recipes on my Pinterest page.  

Memorial Day weekend flying

Isn't Memorial Day weekend the best?  One of the best things about our country is our freedom, and we have selfless servicemen and women who protects that freedom.  I can't even imagine the sacrifice it is to serve in the armed forces.  I am so thankful that people would do that for all of us!  

I spent this Memorial Day weekend at the beach with B.  He headed to the coast before I got off work on Friday to take some ties to a store in time for the holiday weekend.  B mentioned getting my dad to fly me to meet him, and before I even asked, my dad told me he was already going by Ocracoke and could take me to AB.  

When we got to the airport, I wandered around for a few minutes waiting on another passenger and checking out my uncle's airplane, and I saw this cat by my uncle's plane.  If you follow me on twitter, you know I want a cat.  This is even more reason for me to spend time at the airport this summer!  I came for the airplanes and stayed for the cat.

I asked my dad if he wanted a picture in front of his airplane.  He said no but took mine.  

What a way to start the holiday weekend!  

No, I didn't fly that thing by myself.  I forgot my booster seat.

NC is pretty.

If you look reeeeally closely in this one, you may spot Dowdy-Ficklen stadium.  Go pirates!

I see some water!  Despite some winds earlier in the day, the weather was absolutely perfect for flying. Not much beats landing right next to the beach in Ocracoke.  

B picked me up at MRH, and we headed to AB.   

What did you do over the long weekend?  Did you go out of town?  Travel by car, plane, boat, train? 

I hope you had a great weekend and took time to thank God for our military.  

turquoise orange rainbow

Maybe casual Friday means that jeans are okay, but my mom didn't raise me to dress too casual.  This tweed jacket is one of my favorite hand me downs ever, and it gets the most wear of all my HMDs in the fall and winter.  My mom also got me interested in making jewelry and taught me most of the techniques I know.  She picked out these turquoise colored rocks and graciously let me use them to make this necklace a few years ago.  

coat - Harris tweed, hand me down from Mom

shirt - Ralph Lauren, hand me down from B

necklace - made by me

belt - old purchase from Palm Avenue

jeans - Joe's jeans, gift from B

shoes - Tory Burch Revas