Weekends Winks – Oscars and Ice

Cocktails, shopping, cats and Oscars added up to fabulous Nashville fun this weekend.

Shop ’til you drop.

After a low-key Friday night (trying to avoid a repeat of Sushi’s Revenge), Mama and I headed to the Mall at Green  Hills (small slice of Nashville heaven) where we decided it would beyond cute to get matching t-shirts at Juicy Couture on Saturday.

We don’t give a duck. Nope. We don’t.

All of that shopping lead us to Cheesecake Factory where we quenched our thirst with strawberry martinis.

Feels so good when it hits the lips.

Upon review of my purchases at home (how could I go shopping without getting a pair of shoes?), New Cat (yep, he’s still here) claimed one of the boxes for his very own bed (as I’m sure you all know Ted has every other nook and cranny of my mini manse under his paws).

Bed in a box.

I hunkered down to be a tried and true crazy cat lady on the leopard couch.

Three’s definitely a crowd.

Pussy love, slowly turning into a cat fight.

While I enjoyed a sunny Nashville morning, my twin cutie pies in Iowa were busy watching their dad shovel snow in zero degree weather.

Beautiful March day.

Cold doesn’t have any impact on their adorableness, of course.

Ready for the Academy Awards red carpet!

Little did I know, snow was in the forecast for Sunday night and hundreds of shoppers greeted my appearance at the grocery store. Like, lines 22 people deep. At 11am. On Sunday morning.

Forget the bread and milk. I need booze!

Which is why I stopped for a bloody mary on the way home.

With a warm belly full of vodka, it was time to head to my mini manse and get prepped for the Academy Awards.

Me and my fancy snacks.

Because I have the hand strength of a 92-year-old, it took a good 45 minutes trying to pop the cork off the champagne bottle. Much to Teddy’s delight, I finally got the damn thing open.

Party time!

After averting a champagne crisis, we got down to business devouring the classy chocolate chip cupcake (and I must say for being gluten-free, dairy free, and soy free was pretty freaking delish).

Cat cake sharing.

While admiring all of the glitzy gowns and glamour, my friend Tony supplied me with a pic of what I need the floor of my closet to read…

Duh!

You know all of those folks freaking out at the grocery store? Well, they were right as this morning the city has shut down due to snow and ice.

Ice in the city.

While they’re enjoying their bread and milk, I’m enjoying my Skinny Pirates.

Now who do you think is having the better snow day?

CBXB

Weekend Winks – Santa Style

Santa! I’ve been good! At least to myself…

What would Christmas be without a workplace dirty Santa party, last-minute shopping and sitting on a red suited man’s lap? I’ll answer for you – it would be beyond boring.

I arrived to work on Friday, greeted by slightly adjusted decorations in my office…

You wanna F with me? Paybacks are a bitch.

Do you have fun like this in your workplace? Too bad.

Our work version of Santa and his two elves.

Some people take the title of Dirty Santa to heart.

Dirty Santa = Dirty Minds.

Funny things happen at work parties. Like 8×10 photos of yourself becoming part of the decor.

Fully clothed in a bathtub, naturally.

While I slept off Friday night shenanigans, my twin niece and nephew were frolicking resting in the Iowa snow.  I’d like to call attention to yet another way my overly classy family uses plastic grocery sacks (we already utilize them as Easter baskets and I use them for Ted’s litter pan and Mr. Bear likes to use them as a bed) but please take a closer look at my niece’s feet. No snow boots? If you have a plastic bag, no problemo.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

After sucking down enough caffeine for all of Santa’s elves, I hopped in my sleigh and headed to the poshest Nashville mall, where I had just enough luck to have sore shoulders from lugging all of the packages around. How does Santa do it?

Needed: Eight reindeer for package purposes.

What better way to celebrate shopping and First Mate’s birthday than with a strawberry martini?

I’d better rest my weary shopping legs….for three hours.

And as we sat and chit chatted the afternoon away, we came up with the scheme of the season.

Blondes have good ideas, too.

We thought it’d be a good idea to snuggle up to (I tried not to maul) our favorite man in red and solidify our names on his nice list with our girlie ways (I really needed to after my naughty shenanigans of weekends past).

Think Santa fell for us?

It’s been a year of babymania (there must be something in the water – thank God I drink liquor all the time) and I stopped by the hospital to welcome the newest handsome fella to my circle of friends’ ever expanding brood.

Big E with Auntie CBXB.

Famished after all that baby holding I headed to my folks house where we had an early Christmas celebration, as I won’t be joining my fam in Iowa for the big holiday.

Oh the snacking is so delightful…

And because the snacks weren’t enough, I had to stuff my face at dinner as well (thus trying to keep my annual holiday tradition of adding 10 lbs to my already ample derriere alive).

…and the added pounds are always so frightful.

Turns out I was rewarded for all of my bawdy behavior this year (Santa must have a fun sense of humor).

Naughty girls can finish first.

What’s Ted thinking about all of this endless Christmas celebrating? He can barely be bothered, wanting to sleep the rest of the holiday away.

What a little scrooge!

Whatever this holiday week brings you, we hope it’s full of happiness!

Cheers!

CBXB

How to Pop Someone’s Strawberry Cherry

It’s no secret that I love cocktails (if you regularly read this blog you probably just thought ‘no shit’ – if you’re new (welcome!), I have rum running through my veins. Yes, I’m a walking miracle).

Once in a while I cheat (rarely) on the ever reliable Captain with a strawberry martini from The Cheesecake Factory (you just go there for the cheesecake? Silly you!). Before you turn your nose up thinking I drink like a sorority sister, please know that this oh so delicious cocktail contains straight vodka, fresh strawberry juice (they muddle the berries when ordered – so I’m the bartender’s worst nightmare because you know I don’t just have one) and a squeeze of lemon.  So basically it’s a glass of vodka (which is why I love it so).

I was out for PBDs (pre-birthday drinks – like I’ve said before, I celebrate ALL month) with my gal pal G when she confessed she’d never had the famous (in my world) ‘tini. The horror! What kind of friend am I to let this fabulous girl go so long without this heavenly cocktail?  We immediately ordered a round.

Prepping for the de-virginization.

And while we were only going to have one, once this concoction hits your lips it’s over.

Two just won’t do.

So we had another….

Yep, we asked the waitress to snap another pic. No shame.

And then another, turning our quick cocktail into a bottomless happy hour.

A virgin no more.

Surprisingly we accidentally got tipsy (which I do all the time – read more about that here)…but a little liquor never hurt for one’s first time, right?

CBXB

Weekend Winks – Liquor Style

Captain, gin, vodka, oh my!

What would a Nashville Friday be without a Skinny Pirate keeping me company?

Kickin’ the weekend off with Captain.

After a few rounds on the patio, I moved inside and spread my liquor lovin’ wings to a cucumber gin martini, which turned out to be ultra tasty.

Who knew I liked gin? I live on the edge.

I greeted Saturday am with an adorable picture from my nephew in Iowa. He’s just crazy about this blog.

Supporting his Auntie CBXB!

My gal Coco spotted this clutch at a local Nashville boutique, Fire Finch. A little Alexander McQueenish, a little CBXB – but still $72 and out of my budget.

Diamonds and skulls are a girl’s best friend!

Ted spent the entire weekend enjoying the spring weather.

How much is that kitty in the window?

So much so, that he tried to break free from his ‘prison’ by busting through the screen.

Not so clever kitty.

I slipped on my pot-o-gold shoes and headed to the movies Saturday night.

Of course I did a little bar tending inside the theater…cocktails make movie going so much more fun!

Sneaky leprechaun.

Still thirsty after having to share my movie cocktail, we headed to get a nightcap at the Cheesecake Factory, where I always order the heavenly strawberry martini.

Is this heaven? No, it’s vodka.

St. Patty’s Day called for dazzling up my Glamingo in traditional Irish threads (and yes, I realize I’m a grown ass woman dressing a flamingo…nothing I can really say to this except that Teddy was thrilled to be relieved of holiday dress up duty this year).

Beach bird blessed with Irish luck.

A hike in the park proved no leprechaun sightings.

On the hunt for my pot of gold.

Parched after my 6 mile jaunt, I quenched my thirst with a green dream.

Trio of cheers!

Ted’s Uncle Elvis came in for a play date – and immediately took over Mr. Bear’s perch in the bathroom.

Color coordinating with zebra print.

My mom brought in a pre-birthday gift (PBG) to commence my celebration that I like to drag out the entire month of March.

Party time!

The cats could have cared less about one another once tissue from my gifts hit the floor.

Who cares about the other cat when there’s crinkly tissue?

We took our green party cocktails to the patio, enjoying the last bit of weather and weekend.

After all of the hoopla, Teddy spent the rest of his Sunday like this….

Pooped pussy.

And I did too!

CBXB

Weekend Winks

Almost time for a tender Tennessee Christmas!

Awaiting the arrival of my sister and her hubs Friday, I snuggled with my main pirate squeeze…

Just a cozy Friday night with my favorite Captain.

After my hot date with the statue and my company’s arrival, we went to Nashville’s fabulous version of a speakeasy – The Patterson House.  Low lighting, velvet curtains, hand crafted drinks and fancy finger food make this establishment a favorite .

‘Open Invitation’ was my vodka cocktail of choice that included some sort of bitters, an egg white and a cinnamon star as garnish.

After a few cocktails and a sip of apple pie moonshine, Friday night kinda felt like this…

Of course Teddy was appalled at his mother’s behavior and sulked on the ugliest blanket I own.

So over me.

He carried on and on and on about how late we kept him up, disrupting his beauty sleep.

My Bear turned into a lion before a cat nap.

A stop in the mall and I caught two of my favorite (and cutest) fans telling Santa what he must bring them this year.

My best bud Santa taking requests from two of my smaller faves.

More fun in store as I celebrated my First Mate’s birthday and Christmas over our favorite, strawberry martinis at The Cheesecake Factory.

Happy Birthmus!

First Mate gifted me a few trashy treasures as a nod to my White Trash Wednesdays here at CBXB and it’s one of the best presents ever.

Candy cigs and an RV frame. LOVE!

I mean, who doesn’t love a candy cigarette?

Classy kids like my cousin and I loved kickin’ back with a sugared cancer stick.

After all of the holiday shenanigans, I needed a quite cocktail at home but soon realized I was almost out of wine. The horror!

Squeezing every last drop out of my boxed wine bag into my 30 ounce glass. Don’t judge. It’s holiday time!

And, I’m pretty sure I’m going to make this chalkboard a staple outside of my front door:

This sign just makes me happy.

Very merry times, indeed.

CBXB