Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Summer Fun

Lots of summer fun for you today. I had 2 mini-deadlines for work, both of which were for today, and was done by 1:30 pm - yay! So I am posting again, and will get to comments on the last post, I swear.

First up...flip flops! My friend, Laura, came over yesterday afternoon to trim M's hair (she's a lady of many talents) - he's growing it out - very Zac Efron-ish - but it needed some evening up in the back. And as soon as she walked in the door, I practically pounced on her shoes - check out these adorable flip flops she got from the Crewlet (Leesburg). Love the gray. Love the flower. Love it all. I may actually start wearing flip flops again if I can snag a pair of these. And check out her cute toenails, sporting OPI Hearts & Tarts (from the Spring 2007 SoftShades Garden Party collection - I think I have this one also, but my fave from that collection is Just Tea-sing, which I was wearing up until yesterday on my fingers). Anyway...admire her cute feet.

Ok, did you admire? She wears a size 10, folks, and if those flip flops can make her feet look cute, dainty, and petite, imagine what they can do for yours. (I think it's a 10, it could be an 11. I'm a size 9 so I am totally a member of the big-feet club, too.) Anyway, rush to the Crewlet, you all need a pair of these in your closet.

Next bit of summer fun - as a work-break yesterday, I made some gazpacho. I love gazpacho! This is my recipe - it's actually from one of my mom's Richmond cookbooks, and it always turns out great, no matter what I switch out.

Super Fantastic Gazpacho

2 tsp chopped chives
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
½ cup tarragon vinegar (can substitute white wine vinegar)
3 cups tomato juice or V-8 (I use low-sodium V-8)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped fresh tomato
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 ½ cups chopped cucumber

Mix all ingredients. Pulse in blender/food processor for finer chop (which I always do). Refrigerate.

Serves 10.

My chef notes - I don't really measure anymore, I just use these as guidelines. Yesterday when I made it - I used 2 cans of petite diced tomatoes, drained, since the ones in the produce section aren't great yet (plus the cans were cheaper), I used a mix of grilled red onion/yellow & orange peppers/cherry tomatoes left over from Sunday night kebabs, and I was totally out of onion, so I added the rest of the red onion and lets some dried minced onion soak in the vinegar to reconstitute before I made it. Like I said, it's really foolproof. (and ummmmm, you can also dip chips into it, not that I would *ever* reduce the health benefits by treating it like salsa...)


So yesterday, I spent the kids' camp time working like crazy (and stayed up past midnight) and my Polyvore set is below. It really wasn't worth taking a picture for you, trust me. Summer fun includes hanging out and being casual - and dressing to take your puppy for a long walk (I wore sneakers for that, duh).


And then today's outfit. Hot summer day - not that I can complain, it's still way more temperate than our summers usually are. But it was warm, so a perfect day for the dressy jersey strapless dress. Now, I love this dress, but do you wonder why J Crew refers to some of their dresses as "dressy"? The dressy jersey ruffle sleeve dress, the dressy jersey strapless dress, and so on. My search for "dressy dress" on JC turned up 6. Seriously. Are they going to carry "crappy dresses" too? Just wondering...

But anyway, paired with Danielles and some gold & rose gold jewelry - easy, breezy, cool. What more can I say? The dress is still $29.99 on sale in store and online, snatch one up (it will work with Laura's flip flops, I swear!)

Polyvore for today:



And a HUGE Happy Birthday to my sweet little girl, E, who turns 7 today!!

19 comments:

Melissa@AllThingsSimplified said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY E!!!! :)

Love the dress on you, Heidi, and those flip flops are very, very cute! :)

Drewablank said...

'Lookin' chic as usual, Heidi! And like you, I looove gazpacho! Thanks for the recipe - I'll be sure to try it soon! ;) 'Can't wait to see you soon!

Drewablank said...

Oh, and how can I forget?! Happy, happy birthday to a sweet girl - have a blast on your special day, E! :)

CECE said...

Happy birthday E! I love that dress! I bought it because of your pics so thanks dear =) Im wearing it this Saturday. I will "dress" it up a bit LOL I will wear it strapless LOL

HeidiG said...

FFM - thank you! (and Laura says thank you, too)

Drewablank - thank you - the gazpacho really is so easy. Don't know if it's authentic, but it's yummy (& easy) and that's what matters to me. E did have a fab day yesterday.

CECE - thank you - glad you are enjoying the dress. The one thing I haven't done yet is actually wear it strapless, lol. (having a hard time giving up that security blanket)

Ema said...

Happy Birthday to E.! Thanks for the gazpacho recipee, I will try it this weekend!
I offered a friend those flip-flops as a birthday present a couple of months ago (but they were regular Jcrew), so cute.

Zoë Moët said...

Also I've noticed a lot of the dresses they refer to as "dressy" are actually fairly casual and relaxed. Perhaps they're trying to give the idea that these are dresses you could dress up for a special occasion/work? Who knows...

GingerSnap said...

Heidi - you look so darling in that dress, it has to be one of my favorites on you! Plus, those sandals you are wearing are too cute :) I also love the ones your friend has one...very festive. I saw some of the flower ones in my local B&M yesterday.

Slastena said...

First of all, happy happy birthdya, E.!
Secondly, Heidi- you look stunning, so tan and summer gorgeous.

Thirdly- cannot thank you enough for the gazpacho recipe- this is absolutely THE favorite soup of mine ( summer or otherwise). I have been on a hunt for the perfect recipe forever. Cannot wait to try yours!

Summerilla said...

Happy Birthday E. Please tell her I send a big Happy Birthday from me and my fur babies!

I love the flip flops, I think I saw them at the outlet when I went once but was preoccupied and didn't try them on - so wish I had now they are super fabulous.

Thanks for the recipe :)

sparrowsandsparkles said...

CUTE flops! And happy birthday to your little girl!! :)

snaphappy said...

You looked *great* in that dress IRL!

And, having eaten your gazpacho as well as made my own from your recipe, I can attest to its wonderfulness! YUM! I was just telling L that I needed to whip up a batch! :)

And, p.s., Laura's feet looked very cute!

Kathy said...

I am also a member of the big feet club, with a size 9. Now I know who is competing with me on the sale shoes!!! Love your outfits and enjoy that camp time!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday :) You're looking beautiful!

I've never tried gazpacho before but you've inspired me to give it a try! I'll let you know how the recipe turns out for me!

xoxo,
Kimberly

Anonymous said...

You look lovely!!
Big Happy Birthday wishes to your E!

HeidiG said...

Ema - Hope you enjoy the gazpacho! I'm sure your friend loved the flip flops.

Zoe Moet - You may have the right theory there - the "dressy" dresses seem to be the most casual outside of actual beach cover-ups.

GingerSnap - thank you! I love these Danielle sandals. And Laura's flips! It's funny, I don't usually look at their flip flops, but after seeing Laura's, I was checking them out.

Slastena - thank you - and hope you love the gaspacho!

Summerilla - will pass on to E - she loves seeing pics of Fia! (ps - post more soon, please)

Sweet Tea in Seattle - I agree - love those flops!

Snap Happy - thank you! And thanks for attesting to the yummy foolproofness of the gazpacho!

Kathy - That was you?! I knew it!! :)

Kimberly - thank you! Def give the gazpacho a try - hope you enjoy!

Stephanie - thank you!

post-fab princess said...

Happy birthday E!!!!! Those flip flops are adorable, and I love your g-friend's polish colour!! Thanks for the tip - I've been looking for a polish like that!

Yeah, the dressy dress. Ironically, they are pretty casual dresses.

HeidiG said...

PFP - Laura will be so pleased!! I actually have the same polish and it goes on really well for a sheer (I often find sheers can be very streaky). And yeah, the irony of the dressy dresses just gets me every time.

3-Penny Princess said...

First, happy belated birthday to E! Hope she had a happy one!

Second, you are a super-hot momma in that dress! It's perfect for you.

Third, I adore Gazpacho! My friend and I (whose parents have the house by Solomons) used to make this every summer. We would pick up tomatoes from the Amish or other roadside stands and make this fresh at the house. I personally like my Gazpacho with less vinegar and chunkier, and I add in cucumbers because I love cucumbers in anything. But your recipe sounds delish! Thank you for sharing.