Son of a Sailor

This weekend marked Sterling and I's first boat ride of the year. We have been wanting to go out on the boat but I swear our weekends have been so busy there is never time. This weekend was perfect because my sister and her husband were in town so we invited them to join us!

Is it wrong that all I think about when we take the boat out is what snacks and drinks I can bring and what outfit is perfect for a boating day? This trip I went with champagne, pimento cheese, cucumber sandwiches, grapes, and some fried chicken for my man. The perfect boating snack food! I wore a navy maxi dress with my bandeau bikini to try and get some much needed sun before my Miami trip!

Matt grew sailing boats, and while we own a motorboat and not a sailboat, I can already tell it is in Sterling's blood. He is definitely a boat lover like his daddy. He loved steering the boat and helping daddy drive. I couldn't resist sharing a few pictures from our weekend!

Randomness

I went out for happy hour with my girlfriends last night so my head is in a fog this morning!

We had happy hour at one my favorite restaurants Carolinas.

From 5-7 on weekdays they have half-price glasses of wine and appetizers, it is a great deal! We enjoyed some great red wine, truffled fries and calamari!

Did anyone get up at 4 to watch the Royal Wedding? Not me, I just turned in the TV at 7:30 but I did get to see Kate's Dress. I think she looked beautiful and very tiny! I thought her dress was a little surprising, it was not as modern as I expected. They have been comparing it to Grace Kelly's wedding dress, which I think is a huge compliment. I think it was very regal and a perfect choice for a future queen. Kate is seriously gorgeous!

Via

I love this picture of GP promoting her new cookbook. She looks amazing as always. I am obsessed with her dress and shoes. She kills it everytime!

I am also loving this pink and turquoise Living Room my girl Julia blogged about yesterday. I can't stop thinking about it. The room is so fresh and modern. The color scheme is perfection and has me wanting to repaint my den!

Is that enough randomness for your Friday?? Have a great weekend!

Dining Room Chairs Makeover

I will be the first to admit, I can be quite the procrastinator sometimes. I have had the fabric for my dining room chairs sitting around for probably 2 months now. This past weekend I finally recovered them. And by I, I mean my dad. Yes, I like him to do all my handy work and he is an expert at recovering chairs. He gets the fabric perfectly tight and lined up everytime. Nothing was wrong with the fabric before, I actually like it, I just was ready for a change to brighten up our dining room.

BEFORE

THE FABRIC




AFTER

Here are a few other pics from the dining room.

My Beloved Wine Rack. My goal is for this baby to always be fully stocked. Above it you may notice the painting I did a few months back.

Last is Matt's favorite area and one of the reasons he was so set on buying this house, the Elusive Wet Bar. I am not allowed in this area. He says it is his personal space and I can't decorate it. Please notice his marathon medal hanging from the ice fridge and the giant cannon ball on the counter, drives me nuts but I leave it alone! The man needs his space!

Warm Artichoke-Olive Dip

This recipe is a twist on the standard Spinach Artichoke Dip. I found the recipe my big folder of torn out recipes, that I have yet to make. It came from an old Bon Appetit magazine but I have no idea what month since I ripped the page out. It was so easy to make and very tasty. I served mine with pita chips instead of bread and it worked perfect. If you have an artichoke fetish like me you will love this dip!




WARM ARTICHOKE-OLIVE DIP

1 8 ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (I used canned)
3/4 packed fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup green-olive tapenade
1 5.2 ounce garlic and herb cheese (such as Boursin)
Assorted sliced crusty breads

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coarsely chop artichokes and basil in food processor. transfer mixture to a 4 cup baking dish; mix in Parmesan, tapenade, and herb cheese. Bake until hot, about 30 minutes. Garnish with Basil. Serve with breads.

Blog Sale

Hello Lovelies! So I am doing some Spring Cleaning and cleaning out my closet. I was going to list all this stuff on Ebay but thought I would list it here first! Email me at nataliemason24@yahoo.com if you are interested in buying anything and I will invoice through paypal. Added bonus I will ship for free! xoxo

JUICY COUTURE SMOCKED MAXI DRESS
Retailed for $325, worn once
Built-in Bra, Dress is lined
Size= Small
$65

SHOSHANNA STRAPLESS COCKTAIL DRESS
Retailed for $380, worn once
100% Silk
please note this has a stain inside on the lining. It is not visible at all from the outside.
Size= 2
$90

BCBG WHITE SHIRT
Retails for $175, worn once
Size= XS
$45

JBRAND GRAY SKINNY JEGGINGS
Retailed for $158, New with tags
Size= 28
$75

JULIE BROWN MAXI DRESS
Retailed for $350, worn once
Size= Small
Zips on side, straps criss-cross in the back
$65

GYPSY 05 Maxi Dress
Retailed for $100, worn once
Size= Small
100% Organic Cotton
Color is sort of a deep purple/eggplant, its hard to tell in the pictures
$55

Christian Dior Logo HandBag
I purchased this at the Christian Dior Store in Las Vegas. It retailed for $350 (and that was about 10 years ago, so now its probably worth more now). I literally carried it like twice, mint condition.
Length from top of straps is 14 inches and 8.5 inches width. This purse is the size of a clutch.
$150

T-BAGS DRESS
Retailed for $190, worn once
Size= Small
This has straps that tie at the shuolders so it can be adjustable. Also has built in bra. The bottom of the dress is navy although it looks black in some pics.
$60

JAY GODFRY YELLOW COCKTAIL DRESS
Retailed for $450, worn once
Size= 4
100% silk, zips up back
Note the dress is a bright yellow, a little brighter than it appears in the pics. The last picture is most accurate.
$100