Gray Skies + a Movie

It's officially autumn, and I'm unusually happy about it.  Georgia doesn't usually get the memo until about the end of October, but surprisingly it has been fairly cool the past few days--especially in the evenings.  My father-in-law happens to be in town, so me and the hubby decided to go catch a flick.  It was total casual occasion, but I decided to spruce it up a bit with the shoes because I don't get out much.  Like I mentioned before, because of the cooler air in the evening--I had to throw this old sweater of mine on.

Sweater - Urban Outfitters // Top - TJ Maxx // Jeans - Urban Outfitters // Necklace - ASOS // Shoes - Shoemint

By the way, to celebrate the new season I'm planning to go darker with the hair REAL SOON.  I'm still deciding if I'm going to take it all the way back to black, or something else.  As soon as I decide and the change is made, I will definitely post pics!  I've also come to the conclusion that I will never bleach my hair again.  It had definitely altered my texture slightly.  Ah well.

Happy Tuesday,

*NikG*

Chevron

So, did everyone have a great weekend?  I sure did!  There was a lot going on in Atlanta this past weekend.  There were a couple festivals going on, One Music Fest (which I didn't make it to) and the Atlanta Arts Festival in Piedmont Park.  Hubs and I opted to get out for a few hours and check out the arts festival.  I had been debating for a while about going to the music festival, but as much as I love music, I know that my attention span isn't long enough to have me sitting out in the hot sun for hours and hours and hours, amidst a big crowd.  As I get older, I realize that comfort has become a big deal to me, especially when it comes to activities that are suppose to be "fun". haha

I finally pulled out this chevron print dress that I'd gotten from Forever 21 months ago in the spring.  I'd just never gotten around to wearing it.  I decided to dress it down with white Converse, as I knew we would be walking around for awhile.  Last, I grabbed my denim button-up, that I never leave home without and called it a day.

By the way, the weather was PERFECT.  It's starting to cool down slightly, so the highs were barely touching 80 degrees both days.  That made for a perfect temperature to be out and about outdoors.

Did any of you do anything fun?  Holla back!

*NikG*

GO :: Georgia Aquarium

This past weekend, hubs suggested we take the kids to the Georgia Aquarium here in Atlanta.  It's supposedly "state of the art" and we still had not been.  So we went!  It was really nice, I have to say.  We started off with the live dolphin show, Dolphin Tales, which the boys thoroughly enjoyed.  I have no pictures of that, as they asked that no photographs be taken as it could distract the animals, etc.  After that, we went through all of the exhibits.  There are several.  There are even exhibits where you can even touch some of the sea life.  I touched a stingray!  We even pit stopped in their restaurant, Cafe Aquaria, which was nicer than I would have expected. 

Just a few pics...

Sea Dragon.  How cute is that?!

I definitely think if you live in the Atlanta area or are visiting, it's a must see!

*NikG*

Goodwill Hunting Vol. 2

First, I'd like to say that I enjoy thrift shopping, and I do it semi-regularly.  A friend of mine has just recently launched her own blog, MichiHighlights.com, and asked for my participation in a little "challenge" of sorts.  I was super excited when Michi challenged me to a $20 thrift store shopping challenge to put my thrifting skills to the test.

Now, in a perfect world, I would be showing all of you some fabulous, vintage-y finds...but a las, I only went to the Goodwill and Goodwill isn't really the kind of place that just overflows with vintage goods like it use to.  For the most part you have to go to "vintage boutiques" for the good stuff and it don't cost 20 bucks...at least not here in Atlanta.  So when shopping at Goodwill, I am usually looking for nice "closet fillers", i.e. everyday clothes.  I tend to keep my eyes open to name brands that I recognize.  If I plan to give an item a "second wind", I like to know that it's more than likely built to last.

Now with all of that said, I managed to snag four items with my dub piece.  I specifically decided to go with an autumn/fall theme since it will be upon us before we know it.

First, I found a nice little pair of Gap corduroy pants in the most amazing mustard color.  They are in excellent condition, but they are one size smaller than my usual pant size.  I decided to try them on, and they worked!

Now if you want to see the other items I snagged for a grand total of 20 bucks (give or take because of sales tax. lol), check out both of our posts HERE.

Have a fabulous weekend!

*NikG*

Weekend Snaps

Hope everyone had an amazing Labor Day weekend like I did!  I actually was out and about a bit more than I had planned, and I'm not complaining.  Although, I did spend the whole day Monday recuperating.  A girl can't do it like she use to, ya'll.  Of course, I attended the International Day Party organized by my friend DJ Salah Ananse, and I had such a great time!  On Sunday, I attended House In The Park which is always an amazing time.  Such great music, vibes and energy!  It rained on our heads, but that didn't slow down the party one bit.  Later that night, I hung out with some of my girls for a birthday celebration at Buckhead Bottle Bar & Bistro.  It was all the way live.

So here are some pics from the day party.  I started taking pictures early, but once I got into my groove the camera was put away!

I also posted a few pictures from the other excursions on my Instagram, in case you want to take a looksee.

Have a great day!

*NikG*

DO :: Int'l Day Party This Saturday!

Check check check it out! Day party Saturday, Aug 31, 2-8pm at The Sound Table! Featuring an international music set and international guest DJs! There will be House, Reggae, Haitian, and African music played!  Organized by DJ Salah Ananse and hosted by yours truly, Suze Sadler & Eddie Dupont. I would love to meet some of my Atlanta area readers!  Come on out!

*NikG*

50.

So thankful that this man (and many others) had a dream.

*NikG*

Green cubes.

I'm sure you're wondering what is that I am holding.  Well, my dear friends, that is a spinach cube!  Let me explain. I came across this article "11 Secrets to Properly Freezing Produce" and one of the tips jumped out to me.  Basically, if for example, you're running out of space in your fridge's produce crisper or you have some leafy green veggies (i.e. spinach, kale, etc.) that you may anticipate losing freshness and getting wilt-y before you have the chance to use them in your green smoothies--turn them into green cubes!

All you need to do is put your greens in your blender with enough water to make a puree and blend. 

Then pour those liquified greens into an ice cube tray and freeze.

Once frozen, transfer the cubes into a freezer bag, and you now have these lovely green cubes to throw into your blender with your fruit and other stuff that you use to make your green smoothies!  These cubes last MONTHS in the freezer with minimal loss to their nutritional value.  So, thank me later!

*NikG*

Natural Updo

Real quick...I tried out a new hairstyle this past weekend.  I found the style on Pinterest and it looked easy enough, so I gave it a go!  I started mine out with an old braidout.  I really liked the look, and this now has me wanting to explore other styles.  This is definitely a way to get another day or two out of an old braid/twistout!

Photo via Pinterest

Happy Monday!

*NikG*

Italian Drunken Noodles

I thought I would share with you all the latest Pinterest recipe I've tried out and liked.  I was first attracted to the picture of the pin and then, of course, the name.  There's just something mouthwatering about the phrase "drunken noodles" for some reason.  So I gave it a go, and I have to say it was pretty good.  Don't take "pretty good" as a bad thing.  For me that just means, that it was tasty--tasty enough keep in rotation because of it's taste, ease, cost, etc.  It's like your typical weekly meal, and I will definitely make it again.

I did, however make a couple modifications.  First, as you can see from my photos, I used rotini pasta.  I only did this because I already had a box in my cupboard, and I also couldn't find the wide flat noodles that the recipe called for.  In the future, I WILL look for those noodles harder as I think it would create a "prettier" dish.

 The second mod, was that I added a little sugar to the dish (while cooking) to taste.  It's a habit of mine to add a bit of sugar to any tomato-based dish.  It cuts the tartness a bit and creates a more savory flavor, in my opinion.

I also intended to make this dish with turkey Italian sausage.  I instead picked up the regular pork variety by mistake.  So in the future I will use the turkey.  I don't have anything against pork.  I do try to eat it at a minimum, which means when I'm eating pork--I make it count (i.e. bacon & BBQ). *smile*  Also, this would have been even better topped with a little shaved Parmesan cheese!

So if you're on the hunt for a quick and easy week day meal.  Give it a try and tell me what you think.  The recipe can be found HERE.

-NikG

EAT :: Cruzado ATL

So, I've been in the process of clearing out photos off of my SD cards, and I've come across a lot of photos that I had intentions of using in blog posts but had forgotten all about!  I will try to get them on the blog over time.

First up, here are some photos taken in June at Cruzado.  Cruzado is this cute and quaint little Cuban (mostly)/Latin/Caribbean restaurant tucked away in a residential neighborhood in Midtown Atlanta, with really yummy food.  What really made me like it was just the vibe of the atmosphere/neighborhood.  Let me be honest, I use to live within walking distance of this location when I first moved to Atlanta, so I am a bit partial.  Midtown is the shizzz!

Anyway, we had decided to try it out during their 1 Year Anniversary celebration.  We chilled out on the patio, tried a few tapas and drank a bunch of mojitos and caipirinhas.  The drinks were perfect, and the dishes I did try were great, and like I mentioned, the laid back, "neighborhood joint" atmosphere couldn't be beat.  Prices were great too--nothing outrageous.

Next door to the dining room, they also have a hookah bar for more lounging if that's your thing.   You could also take a quick stroll a few blocks away to Piedmont Park after your meal to walk off all of that Latin-y goodness.

Patio

Pork stuffed plantains

Chicken empanadas--definitely a HIGHLIGHT of the tapas.

Definitely check it out if you're ever in the neighborhood!

xoxo, *NikG*

Weekend Mentions.

So hey, how was your weekend?  Mine was good--pretty laid back.  The highlight was that hubs and I were able to get in a "date day".  Yes, day.  I actually really enjoy day time drinking fun.  I'm not the late night-er that I use to be, and much prefer hitting the mean ATL streets in the early evening so that I'm back home snuggled up and ready to watch my tv shows by nightfall.

Me and the hubs had a nice early dinner at one of my favorite spots in Atlanta, Cafe Intermezzo.  There are a couple in the city, but the location I usually patron had recently moved it's location from Buckhead down to Midtown.  I was a bit nervous about that because Intermezzo is what I imagine a quaint little Italian cafe would be, and I was afraid the new location in a brand new building wouldn't carry that vibe as well as the old location did.  Boy was I wrong.  It felt exactly the same.  I'm totally in love with the new covered outdoor seating.

If you're ever in Atlanta, you should check it out.  It's a great spot for people watching!

xoxo, *NikG*

P.S.  This post is party of Monday Mingle & Funday Monday.

Coconut Curry Chicken w/String Beans

So, I think it has become quite obvious that I love curry.  I have to admit, I hesitated sharing this recipe with you guys on this post because my last food post was also a curry dish.  But then I thought, it's not like this is some kind of publication--this is just my blog.  And hey, I just made this last night, I liked it, so I am going to damn well share it!

This dish was a hit.  To me, it's just a healthier take on the traditional style Caribbean curry chicken.  Instead of potatoes, string beans are added--which equals less starch, less carbs and less calories.  On hindsight, I think throwing in some shredded carrot would have been awesome too.

It was super easy to make, and for the most part I followed the recipe exactly.  One thing I did do differently was instead of "burning off" some of the liquid in the end.  I added a tablespoon or two of corn starch to thicken it.  I like my curry to have plenty "gravy".  Oh, and Publix didn't have bird pepper, so I just added a little bit of chopped serrano  pepper.  We likes it spicy over here.

I got this recipe from a Caribbean cooking blog that is amazing.  I've made a few of his dishes and they all were great.  Check it out.  Recipe found HERE.

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

*NikG*

Still hanging in there...

Hey guys!  It's been a hot minute since my last post, I know.  I decided to chill out and enjoy life instead of trying to document said "enjoying of life" so much.  July was my birthday month, so I indeed enjoyed it!  The fam and I took a quick trip to Orlando to hang out with my parents over my and my youngest son's birthday week.  It was nice to just chill out and watch my kids spend time with their "mamaw and papaw", as well as get some date nights in with the hubster.  I did take a few pics and I may post some of them later.

Now the title of this post actually has nothing to do with me, but ALL to do with my neon shirt I'm wearing.  Can you believe the neon trend is STILL going strong?  I'm not complaining one bit, seeing as I dove right into it and still have neon items to wear--including this shirt!  [Who am I kidding, "in" or not, I would still be wearing them!] And since we're talking about trends, the circle glasses and lucite heels are just the cherry on top...or at least I think so. ;)

Top - Calvin Klein // Shorts - True Religion (I cut myself)

Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell via UO // Sunglasses & Earrings - F21

By the way, if you want to keep up with me in almost "real time", make sure you are following me on Instagram as well.  Even when my posts are lacking here, I still am posting pics there almost daily.

Hope everyone has a great week!

xoxo, NikG

Just in case you were wondering...

Hair Babble: A little update

Just thought I'd give you guys the latest on my hair.  Well, a couple weeks ago, I cut a few inches off of it (again).  With all of the heat and humidity--I couldn't take my hair "touching" me!  So when curly, it is well above my shoulders.  When straight, it's back to armpit-length.  I like how I can go from having "short" hair to "long" hair at a moment's notice.  Although, I haven't worn it straight yet, and I don't intend to any time soon.

Also, with this latest trim, the layers are gone, so it's in a cute "bob" style and I love it.

I've also been wearing two-strand twists here and there more often.  It's just so easy, and I've been figuring out little styles that make them more cute and wearable.  By the way, these only take me about an 1.5 hours to do.  I DO NOT do the "mini-twists" that some do that take like a whole day to put in.  Ain't nobody got time fo' dat! (More power to those who do!)

So that is what the hair is doing at the moment.

Enjoy your Thursday!

*NikG*

Road trippin'

Hope all of you had a Happy 4th!!  Me and the fam took a road trip up to my hometown, Indianapolis, to spend time with my family.  We don't get up there enough, and my family are always dying to see me the kids.  We've been having a great time!

We decided on a whim to shoot up to Chicago for a few hours, as it's only like 2.5-3 hours from Indy.  Because of the holiday, downtown was jam packed with people enjoying the perfectly-slightly-overcast weather.  Trust me, on a July day while walking around town--you want it to be overcast.  Most people don't know, but Midwestern summers can be brutal.  

We also made our way over to the Navy Pier and spent time just hanging around beautiful Lake Michigan.  I definitely need to make a trip back up to Chi soon, as I wasn't able to see some friends that I have there since I was only there for such a short time.

Of course, we had Chicago's own Giordano's stuffed pizza before we left, as well.

Here are few snaps...

Oh, and how can I forget to mention--one of the birds out on the lake attacked my hair!!!!  Okay, I'm being a bit dramatic, but it did fly through the top of my hair, and hubs said it must have thought it was a bird's nest. Hardy-har-har.  So if you're ever in the Chi and you have a bush like me--watch out!!

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

*NikG*

Curry Split Pea Soup

Just thought I'd share with you guys the latest new recipe I'd made and LOVED.  I got the recipe from a mommy blog that I follow.   It's a curry yellow split pea soup that is very healthy, very filling, and very delicious! As you can see it also has carrots and kale.  It was super easy to make.

Hubs liked it a lot too and even said that if I'd had added chicken to it, that it would've tasted just like the curry chicken he's grew up on.  That coming from an "island boy" is the ultimate compliment.  He even said he didn't miss the chicken!

By the way, the recipe called for yellow split peas, but my local grocer only had green.  The green worked just fine.  I also ended up adding about 1 extra cup of water while the peas were cooking because it wasn't as "soup-y" as I'd wanted.  By the way, that's garlic naan on the side that I'd also bought from my regular ol' grocery store as well.

The recipe can be found HERE.

Have a great weekend!

xoxo, *NikG*

#NaturalHair

An ode to us.  The visuals in this video are great. :)

Happy Thursday!

*NikG*

My Life!

*NikG*