Baxter Bark Twice

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Fashion & Football

Posted by AllieB on August 30, 2011

Sorry, I’ve been busy.

Last night, G-force and I decided to be good people and volunteer at the Jeffrey Fashion Cares event supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure—Greater Atlanta Affiliate and the Atlanta AIDS Fund. It was on the 32nd floor of the still-not-full office building on the corner of 12th and Peachtree next to the Loews hotel and had sweeping views of the city – stunning! Our first job was to people watch man the silent auction. I observed the following observations:

  • if you can’t zip your skirt up all the way, don’t wear it. Venture up a size or maybe just avoid white stretchy satin altogether
  • TRENDING: handbags with your children’s photo silk-screened onto them. Nope. Stop that now. Ok for birthday cakes – maybe – but find another way to bring up your offspring than literally wearing them.
  • having interpretive dancers randomly seizing dancing throughout a reception can be cool, but maybe mention that in the program. One guest nearly administered CPR on the male dancer whose three-piece suit was evidently not made of a breathable fabric…it seemed like he was about to have a heat stroke.
  • Jeffrey of Jeffrey is a fabulously charming, polite, friendly, and well-dressed human
  • people – women, namely – of a certain social set, could use some pointers about dressing their age…if you’re over 60, let’s leave the Herve Leger at home, shall we….

Our second job was getting payment from people who won things in the Live Auction. This, as I know from my tenure in non-profit events, is very important. People bid, win, then skirt out before you can get money from them and then you have to stalk them down and it’s awkward and uncomfortable. Solution: divebomb them the moment the auctioneer declares, “SOLD!” One of the items was a cruise by Azamara. Yes, please. The gentleman in the center was the winner. In order to get to him, I had to claw my way over the woman seated on his right. Oh, hi, Nene. Didn’t see you there – hope I didn’t stomp all over you as I attempted to my launch my clipboard into this gentleman’s lap. If you know me at all, you already know that I definitely stomped all over her as I attempted to launch my clipboard into the gentleman’s lap. Allie….no.

Source: The Buzz.

Because I knew someone on the inside (Lacy), my mom and I were able to take home a swag bag each….holla! One week at the Exhale Spa and Gym in the Loews Hotel, a facial at Derma-Luxe, a free bottle of Sinless Margarita mix, some Kerastase products, and $25 to Three Sheets in Sandy Springs. (I actually wound up with three of those Three Sheets things…? Oops. I guess we’ll go thrice.) I’m really excited about the Exhale one, in particular…Tina, are you allowed in there still?.

I kind of missed the boat on VMA commentary – in a nutshell: Lada Gaga is a freak; Beyonce and Jay-Z’s kid is already the luckiest kid in the world; Britney was waaaay underplayed; Kim Kardashian’s rear end deserves it’s own zip code/tax bracket.

Source: Go Fug Yourself

Last, and by far the most important thing I’ve said on BBT in ages: FOUR DAYS TIL FOOTBALL. I am very excited for The SCS Event on Saturday that I will be attending with 900 of my nearest and dearest. I’m really really excited about trying Melissa Fontaine’s Athens-based Hip Pops and, of course, getting my fix of carne asada from Tex’s Tacos (their schedule for the week).

GOOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!

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Jump, dive, or bellyflop

Posted by AllieB on July 25, 2011

MUNDAY.

It’s hot and humid. I embraced this weather but spending the day at the pool on Saturday. It so happened that said pool had a high dive – when is the last time you went off the high dive?? Some people did flips, some got real adventurous with the pencil…someONE got crazy with a bunk inward that incurred “AWWWW!” and “ugggggggggggh” from the crowd as she landed…that last one was probably my favorite “dive” (I use the word loosely) of the day, if not an impressive failure….good times!

If you haven’t been yet, I highly recommend Bistro Niko. While you are there get the mushroom flat bread because it’s a-MAH-zing and we actually wound up ordering it twice because we wanted more. BBT says: two thumbs up!

Meet & Greet: Gus. Gus has got the right idea – it’s too hot to even swim outside, so he decided to bring his pool inside. I like where your head’s at, Gus. This is actually really funny…A for Effort! (Don’t need sound, credit: JBax)

Tex’s Tacos schedule for the week…CKB, Gaylen, and I went on Friday and it was as delicious as ever – if not more so since they’ve started using skirt steak for their carne asada taco…YUM

Weekly horoscope: mine was way too aggressive for a Munday. No thanks.

Ok, bye.

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , | 4 Comments »

Book List

Posted by AllieB on July 18, 2011

See below for my list of recommended reading. This is woefully incomplete but until I can share a non ridiculous excel sheet, there’s no point in getting too complicated. Also, just because I like it doesn’t mean you will…but I have given these all of these BBT’s Stamp of Approval, so that should count for something.

Book Genre Blurb
The Girl in the Spider’s Web Mystery The fourth in the “Millennium” series, better known as Girl w Dragon Tattoo series; different author same everything else
Where They Found Her Mystery same author as “Reconstructing Amelia” – I liked it better. Keeps you guessing!
How to Start a Fire Female Fiction TheSkimm recommended this and I LOVED it. One of my fave books of the year; sounds like some sappy chick lit nonsense but is actually v smart and quirky
Luckiest Girl Alive Female Fiction I didn’t expect to like this as much as I did, couldn’t put it down once I started. People compare to Gone Girl and Girl on the Train and I guess similar but this more modern, takes place in NYC
Girl at War Historical Fiction College student in Manhattan tells story of growing up in Croatia during the Croatian/Serbian War; I really liked this
The Nightingale Historical Fiction This will be one of the best books you’ve read – takes place during WWII
What Alice Forgot Female Fiction you can’t miss with Lianne Moriarty
Natchez Burning Southern Mystery First of a trilogy – darker read, per Amazon: Rich in Southern atmosphere and electrifying plot turns, Natchez Burning marks the brilliant return of a genuine American master of suspense. Tense and disturbing, it is the most explosive, exciting, sexy, and ambitious story Greg Iles has written yet.
The Century Trilogy by Ken Follet Historical Fiction I cannot say enough good things. The third book comes out in Sept and I’m counting the days. The books start in early 1900’s and finish in late 80’s, with intertwining stories from Russia to California. These are for guys and girls and, while long, will suck you in immediately
I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes Mystery this just came out and is getting lots of buzz – “This astonishing debut espionage thriller depicts the collision course between two geniuses, one a tortured hero and one a determined terrorist, in a breakneck story reminiscent of John le Carré and Robert Ludlum at their finest.”
Three Wishes by Lianne Moriarty Female Fiction triplet sisters all at varying stages of 33 yrs old in Australia…funny/happy
This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper Literature About to become a movie with Jasone Bateman, Tina Fey, Timothy Olyphant – “a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind-whether we like it or not.”
ALL ELIN HILDERBRAND Female Fiction She’s just my favorite – esp for beach/vacation
You Should Have Known by Jane Hanff Korelitz Mystery appreciate it for the character development, not the mystery
Night Film by Marisa Pessl  Mystery a long-awaited second novel that delivers. Critics loved it, and so does the Average Joe/Jane. Check it out.
Sycamore Row by John Grisham  Mystery I loved A Time to Kill and this novel features our beloved Jake Brigance.
One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson  Non Fiction who knew the summer of 1927  could be so interesting? Bill Bryson is one of my top 5 favorite authors of any genre
Rena’s Promise: A Story of Sisters in Auschwitz  Non Fiction one of the most amazing firsthand accounts from the Holocaust I have ever read
Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala  Non Fiction this woman lost literally everything in the 2004 Tsunami
Incendiary: A Novel by Chris Cleave  Literature this is my favorite of his. He doesn’t use punctuation which is normally a total dealbreaker, but it works – especially in this format (a letter to Osama bin Laden. You really should read this book.)
New York by Edward Rutherford Historical Fiction one of those multi-generational sagas about intertwining characters living in New York, starting in the 1600’s and going thru early 2000’s. Easy but still quality reading with the added bonus of some knowledge.
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion  Contemporary Fiction this reminded me of Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and I’m constantly trying to find books that remind me of WYG, B. Set in Australia and narrated by a quirky scientist who’s searching for the perfect wife, it’s a fun/funny read.
 Methland by Nick Reding.  Non Fiction This nonfiction book is not for the faint of heart. I learned a whole lot about the crazy stuff people do while high on “crank” and sometimes it was a little too much information, but it was also interesting to read about the chain of events that spurned the epidemic…pretty fascinating, actually. Some parts made me queasy, and sometimes I got a little bored with the government stuff, but – and ask anyone with whom I’ve spoken in last month – I couldn’t stop talking about it

EMAIL ME with recommendations! Also, I’m on Goodreads if you want to check out a more thorough list.

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I’d rather smoke crack than eat cheese from a can

Posted by AllieB on July 12, 2011

Actually, I’m not entirely sure I would – crack is very addicting, you know, one hit and you could be a goner…but that’s what Gwyneth said at some function last week. I think Gwynnie is trying a little to hard to be kewl – another snippet from the same event:

“I drink constantly while I’m cooking,” she says. “Wine, either colour.”

Now that is radical.

So, the whole Casey Anthony thing is over and done with (until her tell-all novel/reality show/perfume comes out – eau de Car Trunk…? (that may have been inapprop)), but Nancy Grace’s insanity will forever live on. This video is actually very hysterical because Nancy Grace is such a ridiculous human. Obviously, you need sound, but it’s worth watching.

BBT enjoys the finer things in life, but, unfortunately, Bacchanalia is rarely one of them. Have you ever been? I went once…I’d like to go back, so I entered this contest to win a $250 dinner for two! That would put a decent dent in the bill, I think, so long as I didn’t take Hilary with me. You can enter, too!!! But if you win, you have to take me. Unless you win, Hilary, in which case you will need to tell them that what most consider dinner for two is actually a dinner for uno in your book.Please say a little prayer for Missy Baxter today…she’s having surgery for these lump things that are actually pretty icky and I’m glad she’s getting them removed…anyway, she’s going to have to have a doggy cone and she’s going to hate it. Missy doesn’t like conical accessories.

Happy Tuesday. Have you VOTED FOR BBT YET?!? If you haven’t…well….

 

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Extreme Makeover: BBT

Posted by AllieB on July 6, 2011

We’re baaaaaacckkk!!!!

First, allow me to once again apologize for the virus that some people caught from BBT. Hackers are the hate, and I’ve gone through great lengths to ensure that I am no longer susceptible to any kind of hijacking.

Thanks to the diligence and endless patience of SRM, I’m back in action, and better than ever, IMO. I am liking the new look/feel…a little more sleek with a certain je ne sais quoi, oui?

I don’t even know where to start…plus I’m on vacation, so I’m a bit muddled in the dome.

  • Casey Anthony – total nonsense; my favorite commentary on the day was regarding the heightened elevation of Nancy Grace’s sui watch. I MEEAAAANNNNN….
  • Varasano’s is really stepping it up: they have half-off wine on THURSDAYS (practically unheard of), and last night they had a deal where you got bottomless wine and either a Nana or Margherita pizza with bottomless wine for $19.99. That is a steal, especially for two people…..I imagine it’s encouraged to be spread out betwixt a duo.
  • Princess Kate, dare I say it, is toeing the line of emaciation. I swear this isn’t just jealousy talking (it’s only like 70% jealousy), but she’s starting to look a little weathered in the face and a little tendon-y in the bod. God forbid she isn’t getting enough nourishment – what would come of her glorious hair?! Do take a minute to look at the 11 photos prior to the one I linked – she and Wills really, really like each other. It’s adorbs!
  • I’m very out of practice. Blogging, it turns out, is not at all like riding a bike or driving a stick shift…it’s more like….something that you get the hang of with practice and then feel clueless when you don’t do it for awhile and try to do it again.
  • At least I have my eloquence.

This new layout is making my posts seem much shorter…I feel like I should call it a day and not force it, but this looks so weenie…

OH! On notice: LEANN RIMES. She’s been annoying me for ages but I haven’t wanted to dignify her behavior/ugliness with a post…well, lucky for her I’m very rusty and am in desperate need of material, so Leann: you suck. She hasn’t NOT been photographed in a bikini for the past three months. She’s a butter-face and then some – her male-bod kind of freaks me out…I guess as long as she keeps on her sunglasses, she’s not a total disaster….

I watched the sun rise this morning. It was neat.

 

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