La Vie de Laurie

Give a little, get a little at Medieval Time Dallas

By Laurie | February 6, 2012

As you know, I love Medieval Times. The Dallas Castle is currently trying to collect 2000 pounds of food donations for Dallas Life. This Thursday if you bring a non-perishable food item you will receive 50% off an adult admission. So far they have collected 1306 pounds, but have 694 more to go. Can you help?

Check out Medieval Times Dallas Facebook for more details. It’s a win-win. Give a little, get a little (plus some good karma on the side). Have I mentioned how much fun the new show is?

Topics: Tid-Bits | No Comments »

Go me! It’s my Birthday!

By Laurie | January 19, 2012

Not really, but it was totally my birthday two weeks ago. Fun fact? I share a birthday with Elvis.

What did I do on my birthday weekend? On Saturday Dave took me to a special advanced screening of Beauty & the Beast 3D. Another fun fact? It is my favorite Disney movie ever. Can you believe it is over 20 years old? Yeah, me either.

It was fun to see it on the big screen again, even though I think 3D movies are overrated. I may have even teared up during the dance scene. Quite a few parents even brought their daughters dressed as Belle. If I had a daughter I would have done that too.

Afterward we went to La Madeleine and lunched like we were at a Paris cafe. The tables were so close together (just like in France) that we were practically touching our neighbor’s chairs. Parisians certain like to pack in the people. It was a very Ooh La La day if I do say so myself. And I do!

On Sunday we brunched with friends at Blue Mesa and did some shopping in the afternoon. Yet another fun fact? I was born on a Sunday around 3:30 PM. Dave made my birthday dinner reservations at Craft. It is my favorite restaurant in Dallas, and it didn’t disappoint again this year. I almost always get braised beef or pork, and it is always amazing.

Yes, it looks a little like baby food, but trust me it is the best food ever even if Chef Tom didn’t cook it this time. We had: braised pork belly and pineapples , swordfish, braised beef short ribs, butternut squash puree, yukon gold mashed potato puree, sticky toffee pudding, and chocolate cake.

They always serve several amuse bouches also. We had a sweet potato and pecan soup, as well as fresh pears and caramel. They also served a trio of cookies. I was disappointed that caramel corn wasn’t on the menu that night, but they brought me a special bag to take home anyway. I have never been so full, ever.

I took Monday off to renew my drivers license, and we wasted 3 hours standing out in the rain and in a waiting room. Not the most glamorous ending to a long birthday weekend, but we munched on caramel corn while we waited and caramel corn makes everything better. What is even better? Having an awesome husband who took me to do all of the above, not to mention all the fabulous gifts including new Coach sunglasses and perfume plus more charms for my new Pandora bracelet. Spoiled. xoxo

Topics: Holidays, Me Me Me | 2 Comments »

These are a few of my (new) favorite things…

By Laurie | January 17, 2012

We just made it through the season of giving, and I have to admit to a wee bit of self-gifting. I couldn’t resist some of the after Christmas sales. Just so y’all know, I may not need to buy gift wrap for the next 10 years. Dave can confirm this.

I didn’t have a wallet I felt matched my new LV, and I definitely was not going to shell out more money to be matchy-matchy. I usually don’t even like gold (or brass) hardware, but this Stacy does a good job of blending in without being too flashy. Kate Spade has sales pretty frequently, so I would suggest getting on their e-mail list.

Winter temperatures (even the mild ones in Texas this year) bring chapped lips. I recently discovered Fresh Sugar lip treatment. Love it. It is a little pricey, but you can also buy tinted varieties and it doubles as lip gloss. Also? During your birthday month you can get a free mini lip duo (Sugar and Sugar Rosé) if you are a Sephora Beauty Insider.

My parents gave me a giftcard to Macy’s for Christmas. I got these houndstooth Sperry Top-Sider slip ons. No I’m not a boater, but it did rain every single day for a week after I got them so I had a lot of opportunities to break them in. They are super comfy, and I also love the silver laces. Bring it, rain!

I have always wanted to try extensions, and my wish came true thanks to Shammah at Additions. I wanted longer hair, but I was constantly getting it cut due to split ends from heat styling. It was fun to get my desired length overnight, and she matched my color perfectly. I love the thickness, and I have been enjoying trying different styles. Surprisingly I have been wearing it curly more often. If you are near Dallas and have been wanting to give extensions a try, I definitely recommend Shammah. She put my fears to rest, and has been amazing every step of the way from the consultation to maintenance.

Do you have any favorites so far this year?

Topics: Me Me Me | 2 Comments »

Purex Triple Action saved the day (again)

By Laurie | January 16, 2012

Happy New Year! Usually I take a little online hiatus in December and January, but it’s been harder to get back into the swing of things in 2012. I’ve been sick for a week and work has been busy. Also, believe it or not I have discovered I don’t really like coming home and spending all night on the Internet after I have already been staring at a computer screen all day at work.

Speaking of things I don’t like to do when I get home, I also had to throw in a load of laundry. Today while working on a project, I accidentally got red highlighter marks all over the sleeve of one of my favorite sweaters. The horror! First thing in the door I peeled it off and went to work scrubbing with Purex Triple Action.

Dave said I was SOL and that the red marks were permanent, but I am happy to report that thanks to Purex and a little old fashioned elbow grease, the stain is gone. Vanished. Disappeared. Poof! Also? It smells so fresh. I get so many complements on how my clothes smell since I have started using Purex. And oh how Purex has made my life easier (thanks to Ultra Packs, Crystals (my fav), and Complete 3-in-1 Sheets). Whatever my laundry situation, they have had me covered for the past several years.

I may have the opportunity to provide a few readers with coupons for one or more of the products mentioned above. If you are interested, keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway soon.

Disclosure: I am a Purex Insider and occasionally get to try their new products for free. I have not been compensated nor was I required to post a review.

Topics: Tid-Bits | No Comments »

Merry Christmas 2011

By Laurie | December 24, 2011

Merry Christmas! Dave and I started our vacation last week, and won’t be back to work until January. I have moved to a new building that is closer to home, and am looking forward to new challenges. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season with your loved ones, and also that Santa brings you everything you wished for. 2011 has been a great year (hello, Paris), and I cannot wait to see what wonderful things unfold in 2012.

xoxo,
Laurie