OOTDs: Aqualiscious.

Good Monday morning.  I would typically be running (what seems like) a thousand errands on most Mondays, but since this week is clearly atypical, I am sitting here in my PJs in northwestern Georgia working on my blog. 

Reading the Washington Post, I see that the hurricane is truly striking the region between southern Virginia upwards to Maine pretty hard.  I normally veer towards sticking things out, but am very glad we made the decision to drive here to be with Mr. Dina's relatives instead.  And in some ways, more work can get done here than there, especially for Mr. Dina, who can do his writing as long as there is power and my laptop with a strong Wifi connection.

Going to keep this post short and sweet, though, because I do want to at least make dinner for our relatives as a way of saying thank you, and because it is "Cheesy Shrimp, Grits, and Sausage," I need to make a grocery run to get all the ingredients.

Onto the "aqualiscious:"

Speaking of making yummy food, I was wearing this outfit last week when I made Shrimp Po'Boys for Mr. Dina.  (He love shrimp, can you tell?)

I had been meaning to wear this abstract floral scarf again, but wanted it to be with an outfit that was tonally similar (unlike the first time I wore it), so I brought out a sweater I scored on super sale from Anthro last winter.

I did notice the pants (that's the jakarta print, btw, same as one of my favorite J. Crew dresses) have the same brown color as the scarf, so I decided the prints could work well enough together.

I am so not a food blogger, but looking at this sandwich makes me want to make it again.  Sadly the remoulade would likely be too spicy for the kids here, so I will hold off and make something a bit more kid-friendly.

Yes, this is a slightly boring outfit, but it is all aqua.  ;)  I wore this around the house.  I don't even think we left the house that day (it was a Sunday and I had gone to church the night before). 

The shirt is a Liberty print, though, from J. Crew's Spring 2008 collection.

Okay, that's all. 

If you are in the path of the storm, stay safe, stay warm, and hopefully if you lose power, it will come back on quickly. 

OOTD: Scenes from a Baby Shower...

Gus and I had the lovely fortune of being thrown a baby shower in DC last Sunday. In the world of perfect timing, it was also the same day as Mothering Sunday and one of the best days to see the cherry blossoms. I felt incredibly blessed to have some great blog friends (folks who I met in this area by being part of the blogging community--some with blogs, some without blogs) literally shower my little man with some darling gifts and company.

Clearly, with a big brother, Gus will not want for much as many items we have already and will be happily handed down to him from Rex. That said, I truly believe that each little baby is special and even just a small treat here or there is something that needs to be done. (He has a handful of items bought specifically because I want him to have something that is his own that Rex or CW can't use.)

Did I ever imagine we would have a shower? Heck no! But when I received the invitation from the lovely Rosa (of the amazing blog Rosa Loves...), I was so excited and grateful!

We had settled on March 18, which was the absolute last day I felt comfortable going (just in case he came early!), so bearing that in mind, I ended up choosing an outfit that is amongst the last few maternity items that still actually fit.

Top: Liz Lange for Target.  This doesn't fit today, but managed to do the job last Sunday.  As I don't grow the "ladies" while pregnant (even postpartum it is kind of sad, really), I have a whole host of tees/tops that fit beautifully for the vast majority of my pregnancies but become far too small in the belly at the very end.  Because while I may not grow up top, my bellies are always very large at the very end.  Really, I probably need a size medium belly area and a size extra small in the shoulders.  Like I say when people seem surprised by my waistline at the end, "I brew 'em big."  :)
Skirt: Gap Maternity.
Shoes: Naturalizer.
Necklace: J. Crew Tangled Treasure.
Purse: J. Crew Patent Mini Campo.

I contemplated using this image as a header for my blog, even for just a brief time, but in the end, I will stick with insouciant dinagideon standing in front of a green fence thingy in the city.

You can see the slight pulling at the waist, yet look at the looser neckline.  Oh, Gus, you big ole boy.

One more view.  Really loved this look, felt a bit less frumpy (as I have been feeling a lot lately, muumuus will do that to any girl, right?) and a bit more fun.  It was pretty comfy, too, so yay for stretchy waistbands and padded insole booties.

Ladies who brunch...from left to right...Rosa (Rosa Loves...), Kelly, Cleo26 (former blog Trousseau Adventures), Slastena (About All and Nothing at All), Rebecca (I Wanna Be a Domestic Goddess), yours truly/Angus, and Summerilla (Sumsunshine).   The brunch was held at Jose Andres yummy eatery, America Eats Tavern, which is in the same building as both minibar (was in the DC episode of No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain) and what used to be America Eats--Cafe Atlantico. 

BTW, Slastena BRAVED the DC traffic.  She accidentally ended up driving over near the tidal basin (I mentioned the cherry blossoms were blooming above, right?) and a four mile detour that would normally make her late by maybe 15-20 minutes meant she was stuck in traffic for an additional hour.  On the bright side, she was able to take many a pretty picture whilst stalled.

I saw the cherry blossoms from the metro.  Since I take the yellow line to get home, which crosses OVER the Potomac near the Tidal Basin  (as opposed to a tunnel, which some of the lines do UNDER the Potomac), I was able to get a view from my comfy air-conditioned seat.  It has been years since I actually went to the Tidal Basin.  (Quick secret for non-Washingtonians...many neighborhoods have cherry blossoms, they are quite ubiquitous around here.  Our neighborhood in Alexandria has a handful just hanging out on folk's front lawns.  Admittedly it doesn't quite stun the way the hundreds of trees together do, but they are still amazing in their own singleton way.)

America Eats Tavern does comfort/historical American food, but with a high-end flair.  Clearly the ingredients were top notch as everyone was raving over how our taste buds danced when enjoying our first bites to our last bites. 

Above is what I chose, the cornbread with Virginia (natch) bacon, fried egg, and sorghum syrup.  I also had some sweet tea, and unlike a lot of sweet tea I drink (and trust me, drink it, I do!), this was less sweet, which I have to say, I prefer.  My hubby's family makes it this way, and so I guess I have just gotten used to it.  That said, McDonald's sweet tea is awesome during pregnancy, ESPECIALLY when it is warm out.  (That crazy hit of over the top sweet and ice...unbeatable.)

Gus received many a gift, of which you will see on him (promise), but I did take one photo of the blue stuffed dog and hand-knitted booties and cap that Summerilla gave me.  :)  She says her mom knitted the booties and cap.  As someone who doesn't knit, I am in constant awe of those who do.  I literally hold the knitting needles and become all thumbs (like with gardening, I make a mockery of gardening).

Turns out hand knitted and crocheted items were the flavor of the day as Rosa gave Gus a beautiful blanket that she herself made (come on...amazing!).  Technically it was from her adorable dog, Lola, but I won't tell Gus, if you won't. 

We also received a few receiving blankets and adorable outfits and such.  I even was given the Hope Welcome Baby (Philosophy) set, which will be just what the doctor ordered after coming home from the hospital.

Thank you ladies.  I can't wait to see (and show off) Gus enjoying them all!!!

And finally one last little present, for everyone, a beautifully wrapped little pink box containing a yummy treat from...

Georgetown Cupcake!  Summerilla had ordered these for all of us to enjoy, and iced in light baby blue, with just a hint of femininity in the pink flower, this chocolate cupcake was the perfect end to an amazing day.  :)  Rex and CW even got one (which they devoured, btw).

So that's it!  I hope the cupcakes and yummy comfort food didn't make you all too hungry.  I am actually getting hungry.  Mr. Dina wants to go to this restaurant...so don't be surprised if you see more goodies from it in the future.

A Pattern, a Texture, and a Bit of Sparkle.

A few weeks ago, I was in NYC for a weekend away.  You mommas out there know what I mean...no kiddoes.  LOL.

We were able to go see a show, have a fancy pants dinner, hang out, enjoy the subway WITHOUT a stroller...it was nearly bliss.  (Of course there were a couple of snafus, but more on that later...)

Above is the outfit I wore to dinner with Mr. Dina on Saturday night.  The top is the Goldenrod Brocade Top (Size 2--I sized down one size) which is the sparkle and pattern from my post's title, the skirt is a herringbone wool skirt with a velvet bow that J. Crew made in 2005 (size 8, purchased from ebay) which is the texture from my post's title, and the heels are Cole Haan, and while comfy enough were immediately exchanged for loafers as soon as we left the restaurant.  The shoes do not spark me as important enough to have their own special part of my post's title, but you all are welcome to come up with an alternate title if you feel like it.

We ate at FLEX MUSSELS!  Yay!

I saw this restaurant randomly on a cook's channel show a few weeks back.  I was literally flipping the channels and not knowing what to watch and I saw the show on yummy seafood places and this place was profiled.

I told Mr. Dina that we needed to make a reservation to ensure we could go at a decent hour.  Did Mr. Dina do that?  No.  He waited until THURSDAY.  We got a reservation, but barely...at 6 pm.  I felt like we were 80.  (Remember that scene from Modern Family?)

Anyhow, once I got over the fact that we weren't going to be eating at the infinitely cooler time of 8:30, I fully embraced the night.  So even though it was raining cats and dogs (LITERALLY--I saw Toonces and Spot both hit the ground), and it was something like 40 degrees (not below zero--but close), I chose to have a great night.

I wore the Icon Trench, a jaunty black beret, and forced Mr. Dina to take a snapshot of me under the Flex Mussels awning, like the crazy tourists we were.

Best part of the Flex Mussels experience?  The mussels were beyond amazing, and the stew-like concoction I got was exactly the right stuff for the terrible weather we had just been through, and the cocktail was decent, but our favorite was dessert!  See, and I didn't know this until the waiter told us, the pastry chef had been on Top Chef: Just Desserts.  Umm, it showed.  His deep fried whoopie pie dessert was eaten by the two of us in under (not kidding here) four minutes flat.

As we were leaving, we actually walked out with Mr. Top Chef (Just Desserts). Zak Young, you are the {dessert} man. :)

So here was the snafu, as photographed by me.  You can ALMOST see Toonces and Spot, right?

Have a great Sunday.  Tomorrow, in the midst of a Outlet Bella post spectacular, you will see the other day in NYC, which had no Toonces sighting (meow).

P.S. I am sort of in and out over the next few days.  If you leave a comment, be aware I might take some time getting back to you.  :)  But if you leave a question, I will try my hardest to get back sooner rather than later.

Okay...weight loss again...

This post is positive. My last weight loss post I dove straight for the jugular and spoke about my struggles with weight and how I will never feel quite thin enough because of some issues I had in the past.

I am now 11 pounds down from where I was at Thanksgiving! YAY! I have about 9 pounds to go until I am the weight I was before I had Rex. (That is still higher than I was...I had to take hormones to get pregnant with him.) However, 9 pounds away from my size 10s! YAY! I am actually starting to find that my size 12s (pants) are very loose. I always seem to be a size 6, 8, or 10 in tops and I always stay there. I am a lucky pear who gains weight in my bottom half!

I am about 20 pounds from my ultimate goal...not 129 pounds (like I was when I was anorexic/exercise crazy); not 142 pounds (my wedding day)...but 155 pounds which is a great weight for me!

How did I do it? Well, as you know, the original weight fell off by simply having the baby. After 6 weeks though , weight loss is on you to lose (or so I have found). I simply decided (at Thanksgiving) to walk more, exercise when I couldn't walk (like my fave swimming), take some yoga and pilates classes for strength-training, and also eat better. Notice I didn't say eat less...I simply am eating better. More fruits and veggies, much less sodium, and way more home-cooked meals.

I am so excited to represent some voice of reason. I know there are others out there on the Internet preaching and practicing what I do, but hey, the more the merrier.

I am so sick of this constant parade of string-beans as the "look" for America. Why do we have a nation represented by the extremes? We have the most obese and the most skeletal representing us in magazines, on TV, in movies. I want to show there are nice, normal sized people in the USA!

So, girls of the middle, UNITE!

:)

Oh the lovely Can Can in Richmond...

I could go on and on for ages about how good and awesome the Can Can is in Richmond. Located on Cary Street, this French Brasserie is incredibly popular and I have never gone and seen it anything than less than half-full.

Here's why: Good service (even when toting two under two); Friendly customers (everyone is always so happy when they are there); A fantastic wine list (I am salivating right now); Great ambiance and lighting (why are so many places so dark...I want to see my food and my friends); and of course, AMAZING FOOD (especially their fries).

I have never had a bad meal here. I vary it, sometimes going for the hamburger, sometimes the salads, sometimes soup. Each time...near perfection. The fries? Simply the best...as good as my other favorite fries, Five Guys. Oh, and the bread basket with butter? Awesome, fresh, crispy bread and the creamiest butter (I am sure eating it puts me in heart attack territory but it is so worth it).

I hope I have convinced you to come. Here is their website: http://www.cancanbrasserie.com/0408_opening.html

By the way...this restaurant sits in stark contrast to the miserable experience we had at Andy's BBQ, which was close to our B&B. We had meant to go to another of our Richmond faves, Extra Billy's BBQ, but at the last minute changed our mind. BAD IDEA! Andy's had horrible service, not very good bbq, and get this...a candy machine at the front door that our wonderful waitress sat us right next to...which for any of you with a toddler know...never put the toddler next to candy. Let's put it this way...we packaged up the eh food, took a very angry (I WANT NANNDY) Rex, and got the heck out of there.

So here are some pics:

Superb layout (the lighting...I can see my food!):

A very happy Jim, CW, and Rex (note the lack of candy machines):

My outfit...on me...before the party...

The outfit obviously pales in comparison to the best accesory ever, my baby girl Caroline Wealthy (or CW as I like to call her).

I liked how comfortable I was while hosting my husband's office party. I wore the outfit the entire day...from 8:30 am teaching to 10:30 pm clean-up after the party.

Why were we hosting a party on one of the coldest nights ever in Northern Virginia? Why was it on a Thursday? It actually was a belated Christmas party. It had an original date of December 18th, but it had to get pushed back. So there you go, a January 15th "Christmas" celebration.

It was kind of nice, though. Because Christmas and New Year's are done with, no one at the party was stressed about getting shopping done or travelling or getting to another party. Nope, it was pure frivolity!

I drank a lot of good wine and ate a lot of great food. Can't beat that...we should do this every January 15th!