It’s that time of year!! In just a few days we’ll bask in the glow of a night lit sky filled with fireworks and a day off! Whether you have plans to stay in town or take a nice vacation, you can have fun either way! The Fourth of July is always a fun time of year to spend time outdoors with family and friends (even for a person who’s allergic to grass and trees like me.) Whether you’re old or young, there’s something for everyone. I put together a list of the things you’ll need for the perfect July 4th and an awesome night. Ready? Let’s go!
You can have a little peace and quiet by yourself or you can turn up with your closest friends and do it big! (insert your mother speaking) Be responsible, don’t drink and drive and please for the love of God, wear sunscreen!
My curvy chicks…listen here! We’re sexy! We’re hot! We’re cute! There’s more to us than just our bubbly personalities and in 2013 swimwear makers are finally taking notice! Flaunt those curves!
I don’t care who doesn’t like flip flops, they are the cutest and quickest way to get out of the house in the summer time. Thankfully, if you don’t like the rubber or foam flip flops, you can always opt for a more “grown-up” pair of sandals. Just make sure your toesies are done!!
Because…if you have great hair, you’re bound to have a great day!! These hair ties and products are summer perfect! I have long, thick and curly hair…if you’re anything like me, hair is a hassle in the summer. So take your pick and style it up!
Whether you call them sunglasses, sunnies, or shades…you’re gonna need them! Protect those eyes from the sun rays and sex up your daytime look while doing it!
If you have dark, deep, or fair skin, a bronzer will give you a glow no matter what. I personally use Bare Minerals products which work very well for my deeper tone. Treat yo’self and give your skin a sun kissed glow.
Beach & Pool Accessories seems like a no brainer but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten something important….like a towel! You can’t go to a pool party or the beach without a big soft towel. Be sure that it’s one you can wrap around you when you don’t want to “air dry”
No self respecting Fourth of July bash is complete without barbeque! Ladies, just in case there isn’t a sexy shirtless man around to grill up a kielbasa for you….you’re gonna need a grill of your own. Thankfully, we’re not in the stone age anymore and they actually make pretty stylish outdoor cookware these days…so stylish that you won’t need fire for some models!
Even if you don’t wear glasses, one of the major trends of 2013 is the “nerdy look.” Add a pair of non-prescription black rimmed glasses to any look and you’re “in-style,” amazing! Well, I’m here to tell you…I’m a wearer of glasses. I’ve worn them since high school. Tried contacts but with astigmatism…that can become a task.
Glasses it is!
It’s time for me to get a new pair and I usually purchase two pair at a time (for fashion purposes of course.) For that reason, I’ve been looking at more “affordable” places besides paying several hundred dollars per pair. My current pairs are DKNY…with that designer price plus the cost of lenses, I’m definitely looking save some coins while updating my look.
So, I was watching tv one day when this commercial aired from Glasses dot com
Totally had me confused!
At first, I was thinking…this can’t be a real commercial. You’re telling me that I can get 5 pairs of glasses delivered to me, keep them for a week, try them out, and then send them back…FOR FREE?! Seriously, for free? This is genius! It definitely has to be too good to be true. So I clicked on over to Glasses to see what the site was all about, low and behold, it’s pretty legit! It also helped that their verified Twitter account tweeted me to confirm their realness. After that, I was down with the cause and picked out five frames that I liked and had them sent to me.
Here’s how the frames arrive (non prescription)
SEE THE PAIRS I PICKED AFTER THE JUMP (click “READ MORE” down below)
And here’s the five pair I picked.
(I have a round face so I tend to stick with squared frames and stay faaaar away from round ones)
How cool is that?!
Amazing presentation too! Kudos to Glasses.com! Sleek black box with white satin interior is simple but perfect for seeing any and everything in the box.
Now, I bet you’re wondering…how do the glasses look on my chubby little face? Well, let me give you the rundown on HOW this came about: I seriously forgot all about taking pics until my mother (shocker!) asked me Friday night “when do you need to send those glasses back?” Of course, I knew they needed to be back within seven days but for some odd reason, it skipped my mind!
*insert mini panic attack*
I wasted NO time and grabbed the box of frames pulled my hair up and started snapping away! I grabbed some lip gloss and my makeup brush for a quick touch-up so excuse any flaws in my technique.
Even though Curves And Coffee is a “judge-free zone” I still feel the need to give you guys a warning: these aren’t my best selfies LOL!
Thank goodness for a photo filter that reduces shine, HA!
Time to vote!
Which frames are your favorite from this group?
There might be another five frames soon since the availability of certain frames were limited. Figuring, I’ll take the three or four choices with the most votes and put them against each other and by 2015 we should have a winner! Just kidding! Should only take a couple of weeks.
Yes, that was definitely a mouthful…literally and figuratively!
Soooo…. Influenster has a good thing going here! Not only do you get beauty products but sometimes there’s a treat or two in the box!! Thankfully and luckily, this little sugar-peanut butter-aholic got her hands on a TastyKake!!
A Peanut Butter & Chocolate TastyKake to be exact! Just what I needed to have a complete and total diet fail lol but a cheat day was in order! I took one little bite and entered heaven…seriously, heaven guys! I’m going to work out extra hard tonight, I promise!
These treats are a part of a new product line from TastyKake’s Kandy Bar Kake which includes; S’mores, Peppermint and Peanut Butter. Each “Kake” is made with a candy bar in mind. The peanut butter Kandy Bar Kake is made with real Reese’s Peanut Butter (which by the way is absolutely delish on its’ own!), peppermint is made with real York Peppermint flavors and the S’mores Kandy Bar is made with real Hershey’s cocoa!
Just go out and get one already!! I’m salivating just thinking about it!!
Are you ready for some football? With the super bowl right around the corner, it’s time to get the party planning percolating! Now that we finally know who’ll be playing to win the Tiffany Trophy aka The Vince Lombardi Trophy bka The Superbowl, we’re going to switch gears from high fashion to hot athletes. Well, maybe on the next post! On Sunday, February 3rd, the NFL will have a new champion between the San Francisco 49’ers and the Baltimore Ravens. Jokingly referred to as “The Harbowl” seeing as though the two head coaches of each team are actually BROTHERS! Yes, you read that right, Jim Harbaugh, the head coach for the Niners and John Harbaugh, the head coach for the Ravens are real life brothers. The siblings will coach AGAINST each other for this years championship!
Are you planning a Super Bowl party, going to one or will your hubby/boyfriend/partner/person who sometimes sleeps next to you and snores through the night, throwing or invited to a bowl bash? I’ve got a few things in store for you! Whether you’re going to a touchdown party or becoming the host for one, check out a few things you’re going to need.
There’s nothing like some good tasting, finger licking, taste bud appeasing foods to nibble on while watching the big game. From appetizers to dessert, I’ve got you covered with some fun-to-try treats. Now, I have to warn you, these aren’t for anyone who may be dieting. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Ingredients 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken 1/4 cup hot sauce (recommended: Frank’s Red Hot) 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 3/4 cups sharp Cheddar 1/4 cup freshly sliced scallions 1 cups all-purpose flour 3 eggs, lightly beaten 2 cups panko bread crumbs Vegetable oil, for frying Blue Cheese Dip: 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 1/2 cup packed blue cheese, broken up 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 teaspoon chopped garlic Directions Have oil heated to 350 degrees F. Pick the meat from the chicken and discard the skin. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the hot sauce, pepper, cheese, and scallions, and toss to combine. Roll the chicken into 2-ounce balls, about the size of a golf ball. Place the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Roll each ball in the flour, then the egg and then the bread crumbs. Set aside. When the oil is hot fry the chicken balls in batches. Cook for about 2 minutes per batch. Remove the chicken to paper towel lined plate to drain the excess oil. To make the sauce, combine all ingredients in a large bowl and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the chicken alongside the dipping sauce.
1/3 cup mustard, such as Dijon, whole grain, spicy brown or yellow, for dipping
Directions
Split the kielbasa in half lengthwise and then cut each half into six 3/4-inch pieces, slicing on an angle. Cook the pieces in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the skin is crisped and some of the fat has been released, about 5 minutes. Transfer the kielbasa to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of puff pastry out to form an 8- by 11-inch rectangle. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 6 circles from the pastry; cut the circles out as close together as possible and reserve the scraps. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.
Wrap a circle of puff pastry around each of a kielbasa, pinching the seams together to seal all the way around so no kielbasa is exposed and gently pulling on the ends to make a tapered football shape. Place on an ungreased baking sheet, seam-side down, and repeat with the remaining pastry and sausage.
Brush the rolled sausages with the beaten egg. Use bits of the pastry scraps to make laces on each “football” by placing 1 strip lengthwise on top of each and laying 3 smaller strip crosswise over it. Press down gently to adhere and brush the laces with a bit more egg.
Bake until the pastry is browned and crisped, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve the pigskins with mustard for dipping.
4 ounces sharp white Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
Directions
Pour oil to a depth of 2 inches into a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, mix the lime zest and 3/4 teaspoon salt together. Working in batches, fry the tortilla wedges until golden and crisp, about 1 minute, and transfer them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle the chips with the lime salt while they are still hot. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeno and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions just start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the beer and cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Toss the muenster and Cheddar together and add them to the skillet. Stir once or twice to combine.
When ready to serve, preheat the broiler. Place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot with the chips.
Cook’s Note: Although this cheesy dip should be eaten fresh from the oven, you can have everything ready to go before your guests arrive. You can fry, season and cool the chips and store them for 2 to 3 hours in an airtight container. Cook the vegetables and reduce the beer, then remove the skillet from the heat. Grate your cheeses and combine them. When you’re ready to serve, stir the cheese into the vegetables, broil and enjoy.
Makes one 8×8 pan | Preparation: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line pan with a foil sling. INGREDIENTS: 8oz. cookie dough (ready-made or homemade) 16 Oreos 12 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 1/3 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla Topping 3 oz.Whoppers, chopped 5 Oreos, chopped INSTRUCTIONS: Roll out or using your fingers, press cookie dough to an 1/8 inch thickness and bake until crisp. Place whole Oreos on top of baked cookie crust. To make cheesecake filling: Place cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla in a bowl and beat until blended. Pour mixture over Oreos. Sprinkle chopped Oreos and Whoppers on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting. *This can be prepared 3 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator tightly covered. Remove from refrigerator 20-30 minutes prior to serving. (Cut while cold for bars with nice clean edges).
Ingredients 4 pop sticks 3 cups vegetable oil 4 candy bars, such as Mars Bars, Snickers, and Milky Ways Powdered sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1/2 tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt powdered sugar
Directions
Preheat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pierce each candy bar with a pop stick, place on the prepared baking sheet, and refrigerate 30 minutes. Whisk all batter ingredients until little to no lumps remain. One at a time, dip chilled candy bars in batter and coat well. Once oil reaches 390°F, carefully place candy bars in oil one at a time and fry about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on a paper towel, sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, and serve hot.
3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows OR 4 cups miniature marshmallows 1/2 cup peanut butter 6 cups Kellogg’s® Cocoa Krispies® cereal Canned frosting or decorating gel Why use Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies®? 1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted. 2. Add KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated. 3. Cool slightly. Using buttered hands shape mixture into sixteen 3-inch footballs. Decorate with frosting. Best if served the same day. MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add peanut butter, stirring until melted. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary. Note For best results, use fresh marshmallows. 1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme can be substituted for marshmallows. Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended. Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in single layer on wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Let’s get ready to party!
Hope that helps! Have fun, be safe and always… Happy Shopping!
For an entire week my mind was freaking insane! My laptop crashed and it kept crashing (hence why this post is a few days later than I expected) it took a little over a full day to get it fixed by yours truly. Good to know I can remember how to get myself out of a random tech jam. Before I could even finish this sentence, it crashed again *sigh* Just hope this doesn’t mean I’ll be in the market for a new laptop soon…fingers crossed. Besides that glitch in the matrix (literally) I got a chance to take in the sights of the auto show.
Thanks to WXYZ Detroit (Channel 7) and the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) I was able to attend an Industry Preview before the doors opened to the public. Can you imagine? A sneak peek at all the cars and exhibits while everything is fresh and new OH and still intact! This was perfect timing for me to break out my Christmas gift, test drive it and snap some amazing shots! Ok, LOTS of amazing shots! You can see all the snap happy pics I took right on my Facebook page that you already liked, you did like it already, right?! Curves And Coffee on Facebook
With all the photos of shiny new cars, I decided to try a fashion experiment All is fair in love, cars and fashion! The pics came out so well that the true colors of the cars popped out at you immediately. That of course, only meant one thing, focus in on the great styles that would match the vehicles. Take a stroll through NAIAS with a fashion and style obsessed curvy shopaholic.
Ahh that was fun! It was like shopping at the mall and shopping for cars all at the same time! As with everything, all items featured in my Polyvore sets are for those with dangerous curves. Don’t be scared to experiment with color, as you can see, I had lots of fun mixing and matching bright colors in all the outfits. Just gotta find something you like and put your foot on the pedal and accelerate!
Now that the biggest college football game of the year is over, wait, was that really a game? Notre Dame literally got their heads handed to them on a silver platter! Final score after 4 quarters of football: Alabama 42 – ND 14. Yea let’s just say it was a game simply because ND wasn’t left scoreless. In more sad news, my losing Dallas Cowboys fired our defense coach Rob Ryan…speechless doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt when I heard the news.
Since my favorite NFL team is out of the Vince Lombardi Trophy hunt and college football is over, there won’t be much football left to enjoy. What else is there to look forward to besides baseball? If you’re a fan of tennis, the Australian Open starts next week, I’m happy. Then there’s college hoops and NBA basketball. If those aren’t your favorite sporting events, you’re probably looking forward to the big one. The Super Bowl. We’ll get closer to finding out who’ll be playing after this weekends playoff games. Who’s going to be able to hoist the Lombardi on February 3rd?
Ok, I’m probably boring my fashion readers by now, if you’re still here LOL! I do have something for everyone just in case you’re wondering. The Vince Lombardi Trophy (given to the winner of the Super Bowl) is made by Tiffany & Co. believe it or not! So ladies, if you’re not a sports fan, just think of him watching and waiting to see who wins the “Tiffany Trophy” & who’s getting a “Tiffany Ring”!
USA Today has an interactive page that takes you through the process of the trophy goes through. From start to finish you can explore how Tiffany & Co. makes the Vince Lombardi trophy.
It pains and angers me so much to see that New York Giants ring posted on here! That’s the ring that the New York Giants won last year. Amazing, right?! Yes those are D-I-A-M-O-N-D-S ladies and gents! Made by Tiffany & Co. Too bad those NY Giants won’t be defending their title, oh yea, that’s correct, they sucked this year too! So that made the pain and anguish feel a little better. I still feel the need to show you a glimpse of what the Dallas Cowboys have won! I’ll be glad when we win more!
Remember fellas, all those good things come from this little blue box.
Photo via Google image search courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
The next time your girlfriend/wife/significant other says she wants something from Tiffany & Co. remember those are the people who make the Lombardi trophy. She put up with you watching football all year long, she definitely deserves a little blue box!
I had an epiphany…more like an EUREKA! moment. Well maybe it wasn’t anything like that but I did wake up out of a deep slumber to type this so that has to count for something, right? Anywho, I really just want to sit back and be a fan of fashion for the next few days. Just like I cheer, shake my fist at the TV and yell when I’m watching sports, I’m the same way when it comes to fashion. I’m passionate about the things that I love. When I fall for something, I fall hard and want to be a part of my life every second of the day, almost.
Yesterday, watching all the pics roll in from blogger conferences like IFBCON and LuckyFABB just to name a few of the big ones I’m aware of (if there’s more…please feel free to drop me a line!!) Well, I got extremely excited like I was there participating. Then, Fashions Night Out pics started to filter through Instagram and Twitter. Then, pics of the VMA’s red carpet bounced across my screen. Basically, it was humanly IMPOSSIBLE for me to concentrate on anything other than the pure excitement of one day venturing out to one of these events in the future. I’ve read many posts about how fun these shindigs are and how tiresome, jet laggy and tedious the details are but as a fan…..I’m in heaven!
Here’s what I’m trying to say before I get all “long-winded” and “run-on sentence’y” yea, I just made that a word. As the days happen, the pics come in, the models will strut and the photogs will snap. Then every single person that works in fashion will take a big sigh of relief that the week is finally over. As all of that is happening, if my little heart goes pitter-patter…it shall be posted.
Now, I feel like this whole post has become a giant run-on sentence lol don’t blame me people…it’s 7am and I was sleep! OH and I’m typing without my glasses lol enjoy your Friday stylish people!
Moving trucks, hot bodies, sweat, loud music, books…
OH
Hey there!!
Sorry, I was day dreaming about my first day of college when I moved to campus. Crazy fun times y’all! This reminds me of all the stuff I had to buy just for the smallest of cubicles we called a dorm room…which we had to share with other people. It was still a fun time to be out and about with all the other college freshmen.
This is the time of year I enjoy so much! Not because it’s cooler but because college starts and every home goods store has stuff on sale!!
I’m currently in a dorm room heaven right now! You can find just about everything you need for your home or apartment at very low costs. Just make sure the quality is up to your standards…you don’t want to pay $10 for 12 bath towels. Something tells me those towels won’t get you dry or even hold their color through one wash!
If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to know where the sales are. Try stores like Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, KMart, Wal-Mart, Macy’s,Lord & Taylor and etc…so on and so forth. You can find these for yourself or if you’re a parent, be sure to check out things for their bedrooms, playrooms and even the family room!
Handy dandy towel sets! Target is usually good about decent towel sets so this Room Essentials set would work great for your home. Even if you don’t want to use them for yourself…think guest bathroom, kitchen, car, storage, rainy day or whatever your heart may desire.
$15
Target
4 piece fast dry towel set
Why didn’t they make these things when I was a kid?! Screw it! I’m going to buy this…don’t judge me lol just know when you visit, this will, in fact be sitting on my kitchen counter!
Hello Kitty Toaster
$19.99
Target
We all know how Rena feels about her coffee. She needs it to survive and it needs to be sweet and strong! I did happen to have one of these teeny tiny coffee makers in my dorm room back in the day. It did the job. They make crazy cool colors now!!
$14.99
Target
Mr. Coffee
4 cup coffee maker
Mixing bowls!!! I bake. I bake A LOT! Bowls are used constantly. So it doesn’t matter what they’ll be used for, they will be used. I might want the biggest bowl of CTC ever (Cinnamon Toast Crunch)…these look like they’ll be just fine.
$9.99
5 pack mixing bowls
Target
Hope this was helpful to someone. Be sure to pass it on to someone who’s going to campus or have kids going to college.
It quite possibly may be time for me to use my words and bat some eyelashes! Well, that is, if I did that sort of girly maneuver, which I don’t! I would never!
What if, for all intensive purposes, there is someone out there (I won’t mention any names) that this technique could persuade them to purchase a Keurig for me, them or perhaps us? Could this person be reading this post? Is it making him or her think about the deliciousness of dark roast coffee or a mug of hot cocoa filled with marshmallows? Just curious. Maybe you want some iced tea…who knows?! It has lots of benefits for many people lol all I want to do is be a good friend…you know me!
This is starting to sound (read) like an advertisement…..totally didn’t intend for that to happen! Someone should write the Keurig company and tell them I’m selling the shhhh out of their coffee machine thingy! They should just send me one….let me test it or umm I don’t know, have it forever!
