celebrity herpes: February 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

"10Best Watches" SIHH 2011

SALON INTERNATIONAL DE LA HAUTE HORLOGERIE (SIHH)

The SIHH is where brands premiere their latest watches, the result of often years of intensive research. The SIHH is also where watchmakers and designers, the representatives of an entire creative team, share their passion for watchmaking one-to-one.

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I. Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Tribute to Deep Sea
Retail $12,450, Jaeger-LeCoultre

II. Ralph Lauren Guilloche Chronograph
Retail $7,300 (39 mm), $8,250 (45 mm), Ralph Lauren

III. Vacheron Constantin Historiques Aronde 1954
Retail $26,200, Vacheron Constantin

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IV. A. Lange & Söhne Richard Lange Tourbillon "Pour le Mérite"
Retail $193,600 (pink gold), $233,600 (platinum), A. Lange & Sohne

Vacheron-Constantin-Patrimony-World-Time-SIHH-2011-10Best.jpg

V. Vacheron Constantin Patrimony World Time
Retail $39,900, Vacheron Constantin

VI. Richard Mille RM033 Extra-Flat
Retail $70,000 (titanium), $85,000 (red gold), $90,000 (white gold), Richard Mille

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VII. Parmigiani Fleurier Bugatti Super Sport
Retail $259,000, Parmigiani Fleurier

Audemars-Piguet-Royal-Oak-Offshore-SIHH-2011-10Best.jpg

VIII. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore
Retail $28,100 (Stainless Steel), $31,000 (Forged Carbon), $52,100 (Rose Gold), Audemars Piguet

IX. A. Lange & Sohne Dual Time
Retail $25,400 (pink gold), $26,600 (white gold), A. Lange & Sohne

X. Roger Dubuis La Monégasque Chonrograph
Retail $24,200 (steel), $36,800 (rose gold), Roger Dubuis

credit :PROFESSIONAL WATCHES™

Quinoa Salad with Pineapple, Broccoli, and Mint

Quinoa salad with pineapple and broccoli and mint

Pineapple quinoa salad with broccoli. Fresh and healthy.

Spring is beckoning. I can feel it. And my winter-stiff body is aching to stretch and move and shed the yearly inertia that descends like a bear with the shrinking daylight. My brain is flickering awake. My taste buds are tiring of the heavy, creamy comfort foods that sustained me (thank you, lovely spuds, lasagna, and mac and cheese, I love you with all my heart).

I'm craving lighter, cleaner tastes.

Not to mention, missing my warm weather jeans. You know the ones. That stack in the back of the closet you haven't fit into since December, when you began wondering if the laundromat medium heat setting was shrinking your favorite Levi's boot cut. The jeans you have to lay down to zip, doing your best imitation of Jane Fonda's pelvic tilt, sucking in your breath and praying to the zipper gods. Your skinny jeans. You know what I'm talking about. You have two sets of jeans, right? Winter. And summer.

So here's what I'm thinking. Quinoa to the rescue.

Vegan. Versatile. Easy. Fresh. Light. This new quinoa salad with pineapple and broccoli and fresh mint is all of the above. And maybe, just maybe, it'll be the first step to fitting into those skinny jeans.

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Peanut Butter Blossoms . . . one of our favorite cookie recipes

Do you have a go-to cookie recipe? A recipe you can always depend on when you need to bring cookies to a party, to a school function, or to a friend?

Here's mine. Peanut Butter Blossoms. PB Blossoms are little sugar-dipped peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's Kiss perched perfectly on top.

You've probably eaten them...and you might just have the recipe in your arsenal. If you don't, you need it. These babies get scarfed up by kids and grown-ups alike.

{PS....I have written in my cookbook (do you write in your cookbooks?) that the 1st time I made these was when kiddo was 7. He said these were the "most fun" recipe he's ever helped make.}

Peanut Butter Blossoms
{ever so slightly adapted from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion}

1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. creamy peanut butter (I use Skippy Natural)
1/3 c. sugar (plus more for rolling)
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 & 1/2 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
Hershey's Kisses (7 ounces)

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375.

Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and peanut butter until blended. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add in the egg through vanilla and mix until thoroughly combined. Add in the flour in 3 additions. Scrape the bottom and side of bowl as needed.

Place extra granulated sugar on a plate. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the sugar.

Place coated dough balls on the parchment-lined sheets. Bake cookies until the are a very light golden color, about 10 minutes. (Meanwhile, unwrap the kisses.)

Remove the cookies from the oven and it's go time! Immediately place a kiss on top of each hot cookie, pressing down slightly.

{Kids LOVE to help with this part!}

Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

My favorite part? How the heat from the warm cookie makes the kisses soft and melty. You want one now, don't you? Oh, and here's how I eat them....I eat all around the perimeter of the cookie, saving the Hershey's Kiss with a bit of cookie on the bottom for the *perfect* last bite.

Are you sold yet? Wanna try a Peanut Butter Blossom?

Blog Hop, Blog Candy, and a Birdcage!

Happy Monday everyone! If you are following the Bitten by the Bug2 blog hop you arrived here from Lori's blog - Welcome. If you are one of my regulars popping by please do take a few minutes and visit all of blogs on the BBTB2 blog hop. The Design Team members have created awesome projects to share.

The challenge cut this week is the birdcage or bird house from the Straight from the Nest cartridge. I chose to use this simply lovely birdcage to create a unique wedding card!

I used three pieces of cardstock to cut the birdcage, a silver metallic for the top layer, a charcoal print for the middle layer, and a high glitter sparkle cardstock for the shadow layer. Using scissors I removed the single bird from the cage and added my love bird couple. I also added a little heart, a ribbon bow and a few gems to the cage.

Next I cut a gate fold card in soft pink cardstock. I scored the folds with my scrorepal and affixed the birdcage to the left side of the card front. Using the charcoal cardstock and the Picturesque cartridge, I cut for decorative corners for the front of the gate folds.

As you open the left side of the card the tag on the right side is revealed. Using the same charcoal cardstock and a stamped image, I added a Mr. and Mrs. stamp to the middle of the tag.

The inside of the card was embellished with decorative corners which leaves lost of space to write a personalized message.

Before you head on your way, remember that I have blog candy!!! Just leave a comment and you will be in the drawing for a $25 gift voucher from CUSTOM CROPS!!! Who doesn't like to do a little free shopping? I know I do! I will draw a random winner on Thursday morning before I leave for the Circle Crop in Atlanta!

I hope you have enjoyed the blog hop. The final stop on the blog hop is at the blog of our beautiful and talented design team sister Krista.