The 5 O'Clock Dance

Oh I'm just sitting here all patient waiting to join Nene... Happy hour is calling my name after this week!

Other than vino, I'll probably enjoy some delish Cinnabon Vodka this weekend.

On Monday, I mentioned that I scored the best deal EVER over the weekend. Pinnacle® Cinnamon Roll vodka was on sale for 2 bottles for $12. With a mail-in rebate for $12.

Free vodka? Um, yes please! So I stocked up on a few 8 bottles for "the house" and to give as gifts, if they last long enough. 

I usually like to mix flavored vodka with soda water because I think it's sweet enough but it's always fun to experiment with new cocktail recipes when entertaining friends.

 #1:
Pinnacle® Cinnamon Shot
1 part Pinnacle® Cinnabon Vodka
Splash Half and Half
Shake with ice and pour into a cinnamon sugar rimmed shot glass

#2: 
Pinnacle® Cinnabon Cider
1 part Pinnacle® Cinnabon Vodka
2 parts Apple cider

#3: 
Pinnacle® Cinnabon Ginger
1 part Pinnacle® Cinnabon Vodka
 2 parts Ginger Ale

#4: 
Pinnacle® Cinnabon Sparkler
1 part Pinnacle® Cinnabon Vodka
2 parts Champagne

#5: 
Pinnacle® Honey Bun
1 part Pinnacle® Cinnabon Vodka
1 Part Jim Beam Honey Bourbon
2 parts Fresh Lemon Sour 
Shake well with ice

Have a great weekend!

Joining Lauren for H54F and Darcie for Five on Friday.

Makeup Products & Brands I Live By

I used to mainly buy Mac makeup & cheaper pharmacy brands, but I've been testing out different makeup brands from Ulta and Sephora and now I have a variety of go-to products that I love and use on a daily basis.

Urban Decay Eye Shadow · Tarte Face Makeup · Stila Lipstick

Smashbox High Definition Concealer: ($22) This concealer works great for covering up blemishes and dark spots before applying foundation. The consistency of it is long-lasting throughout the day and the tube also lasts a long time making it worth the price.

Tarte 12-hour Coverage Foundation: ($38) I've tried a number of foundations and this one (made with amazonian clay) by far provides the most coverage which I like since I tend to apply makeup in the morning and do not have the time to re-apply during the day.

Gel Eyeliner Pencil: ($8 Avon or Ulta brand) I like how gel eyeliners apply smoothly and thicker/bolder than regular pencil liners. Even better, the cheap Ulta brand works just great for me.

The Original Naked Palette: ($52) If you're not already familiar with Urban Decay's Naked Palettes, they are the bomb! These palettes are great because they offer a great variety colors to get a casual daytime look or a more bold nighttime look.

Maybelline Falsies Mascara: ($6.99) I've tried mascaras that are 10 times this price and I always come back to this one. I use Falsies on a daily basis but I also have some Mac mascaras that I use for more bold/nighttime looks.

Stila Color Balm Lipstick: ($22) This is my most recent makeup purchase and I love the colors that they offer if you're looking for a rich, moisturizing lipstick that is long-lasting.

Clinique "True Bronze" Powder Bronzer: ($26) I LOVE this bronzer and use it every day... I literally don't leave home without it! After applying foundation, I dust a light amount all over my face to get rid of the pale/flat look that foundations can cause especially on lighter skin. This bronzer gives your face a nice refreshed glow to start the day (or night).

Mac Eyeshadow Pigments: ($15) I own a variety of these power shadows and use the lighter/neutral colors on a daily basis for work and the bolder colors for going out with friends. You can find pretty much any color you're looking for and they last quite a long time so it's definitely worth the price. 

Urban Decay Primer Potion: ($20) I don't always remember to apply primer, especially when I'm rushing in the mornings but I definitely love how it works and it really helps to prolong your eye makeup and prevent creases.


Joining Jordan today for The Glam Series.

    What face makeup do you live by?

Free Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candle with $20 Purchase

Thought I'd share this great deal from Bath & Body Works because I love their candles, lotions & body sprays.

Now until Sat Feb 1st, their offering a free 3-wick candle with a $20 purchase, plus free shipping on orders over $25. Coupon code: FREECANDLE20.

I ordered the Peach Bellini candle with my online purchase, which I'm yet to smell but sounds pretty good. 

I'd also like to announce the launch of the Martinis & Bikinis Facebook page. It's a work in progress but I'd like to invite you to be one of the firsts to follow my page & join my adventures in FB land.

Cheers!

Easy Ham and Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:
4 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup shredded cheese (I used 1/2 c. Monterey Jack and 1/2 c. Four Cheese Mexican blend but you can use Cheddar, Swiss, Mozzarella, or any combination of cheese you like.)
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 cup cooked ham, cubed or chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup green onions
1 9 inch deep dish pie crust

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with whipping cream. Stir in cheese, ham, mushrooms, onions and all other ingredients,ham and Cheddar cheese. Pour into pie crust.

3. Bake for 45 minutes or until the top starts to turn golden brown.

Enjoy!

A Relaxing & Productive Weekend at Home

After traveling and keeping busy for the past few weekends, this was the weekend to keep my butt at home and be easy on the wallet. I have a friend's destination wedding coming up & her bachelorette in New Orleans that I need to start saving for.

On Friday, I came home to this pretty flower from K...

We then went out for dinner & drinks at Carrabbas to use a gift card from Christmas.

On Saturday, I tried my hand at making a Gallery Wall. It didn't come out exactly as planned but still good enough considering the space I was working with.

And then found myself in the liquor store where I stumbled upon the best deal EVER...2 bottles of Cinnamon Roll vodka for $12 plus a $12 mail-in rebate. Got get yours now! (Cocktail recipes to follow this week on the blog).

Sunday was a wine and blogging kind of day.

I love my pretty redneck wine glass that I bought in Savannah as a souvenir.

It was the perfect weekend. Hope you had a great weekend too :-)

Every Girl Needs Some Lipstick, Nail Polish & Wine

One: I finally got a new case for my iPhone 5S from VS Pink for $14.50. I love the mint/turquoise color although it looks more white in the photo.

Two: I managed to paint my own nails without making a huge disaster. I really need to start doing more at-home manicures instead of paying someone every couple of weeks for pretty nails. The color (Play Koi) is quite bright for winter but I really liked how easy it was to apply.

* I received this Sally Hansen Triple Shine nail polish complimentary from Influenster to test.

Three: New Stila Color balm lipstick from Sephora. I have been looking around for a bright purple lipstick for a while now and finally found this color (Gemma) while browsing the Sephora in Vegas a couple weeks ago. It gives my lips that "pop" I was looking for.

Four: I'm loving the Cranberry Chutney Yankee Candle. It makes my house smell so good.

Five: Pinot Grigio and comfy socks last night for a chilly night at home.

Have a great weekend!

Joining Lauren for H54F and Darcie for Five on Friday.

Skin Cleansing Systems: Clarisonic Mia vs. Olay Pro-X

I had been using the Olay Pro-X for about 6 months until my lovely girl friends gifted me a surprise upgrade to the Clarisonic Mia for my birthday in December.

My routine has been to use the cleansing system with a gentle cleanser once per day, typically in the night to remove any extra makeup and oil/dirt on my skin.

The Mia was an upgrade indeed as you can see the brush head is much bigger than the Pro-X with a lot more density to provide a deeper clean for your skin. 

For the price difference, you would definitely hope for better results when you compare the Pro-X at $30 retail and the Mia at $125 retail.

I'm not by any means bashing the Pro-X as I really liked it up until I received the upgrade so I would still recommend it if you are looking for an inexpensive cleansing system. It works just fine but you get what you pay for ;-)

As for the Mia, I really like how it thoroughly cleans my skin and makes it feel super soft especially when used with the Clarisonic Gel Cleanser that came with it.

The other great thing about the Mia is that there are several brush head options you can purchase depending on your skin needs such as deep cleaning, sensitive skin, and acne cleansing. So far, I've stuck with the normal brush head and it works perfectly fine for me.

I'm curious to hear everyone recommendations or experience with skin cleansing systems.

Joining Jordan today for The Glam Series.

Fashion & Shopping Finds

Express manages to find their way into my life almost every month. With their ongoing sales and coupon codes sent via email and snail mail, it's hard not to take the plunge.

Express Mini Skirts · Express Leggings · Express Scarves & Wraps

This girl can never resist sparkly tops, cute accessories & their Stella skinny jeans...

Express has also become my go-to store for work pants and tops. This week you can also get an additional 40% off already reduced clearance at Express.com.

Even more so than Express, I think Ulta is my weakness and having hit Platinum status last year gives me all the more reason to shop there to increase my points and rewards. Also having an Ulta store almost a block away from the office doesn't help my case.

My most recent purchase was for my trip to Vegas a few weeks ago where I loaded up on some travel size hand lotion, lip balm, and a few other beauty buys.

Eos Hand Lotion | Nyx Butter Gloss | Maybelline Falsies Mascara |
Eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balm | ULTA Makeup Brush Cleaner

Asparagus & Provolone Stuffed Chicken

*This dish was made by my husband last week so below is the recipe he made up on his own. I love #menwhocook

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts, skinless & boneless

Provolone cheese slices (1 slice per chicken breast)

Asparagus (3-4 per chicken breast)

Salt/Pepper

2 Eggs (beaten)

Flour

Italian Bread Crumbs

Pam or Butter spray

Grated Parmesan cheese

Butter or Margarine 

Additional supplies:

Plastic Wrap

Mallet/Meat Pounder

Baking sheet

Foil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put foil on baking sheet and spray Pam on foil.

Place chicken in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to a 1/4" thickness.

Next, lay chicken's smooth-side on back of plastic wrap.  Place 1 slice of provolone cheese on chicken, then place 3 pieces of asparagus (clean and cut) on provolone cheese.  Roll the bottom of the chicken breast tightly into the cheese and asparagus, and then continue the process.  Use the plastic wrap to tighten and keep in place.

Put chicken on baking sheet and repeat steps on next chicken breast.

Once you have completed this process, melt butter in microwave and put into the flour.  Unwrap chicken (keep in place) and coat with beaten egg, then coat with flour/butter mixture, and finally coat with breadcrumbs.  Place chicken on baking sheet.  Add salt and pepper on top for seasoning, repeat steps for the second chicken breast.

Bake chicken in the oven for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and add the grated Parmesan on the top of chicken.
Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Weekend Food, Music & Friends

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I got to catch up on some much-need sleep and hang around town after the craziness of the holidays and traveling for the past few weeks.

Also, enjoyed some lunch with the husband...

Live music at a local bar...

Jumbo mimosas...

And brunch on Sunday with friends

How was your weekend?

Working For The Weekend

I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things after returning from Vegas on Tuesday.  Soo happy the weekend is finally here to catch up on sleep and regain my sanity.

One: MGM Grand Las Vegas was home for 4 nights. Loved this hotel, the location and the price was very affordable. They also gave us a $25 resort credit/day which you could use toward anything in the hotel (except gambling).

Two: I've never been a big gambler but I did enjoy playing the slots while my husband and coworkers preferred the tables.

Three: My big winnings! Kidding. I did cash out on a few slots but forgot to get pictures of those vouchers. These vouchers are just some souvenirs I have leftover from the trip.

Four: Dinner at Tao Japanese restaurant in the Venetian.

Five: The convention after-party flier hosted by Flavor Flav. 

Six: Touring Vegas at night.

Came back home to pretty sunsets in my neighborhood this week.

And dinners made by the husband...

I'll post this recipe for Asparagus & Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breasts soon on the blog.  

Have a great weekend!

Joining Lauren for H54F and Darci for Five on Friday.

What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas, Except Your Hangover

Oh yes, the hangover returned with me. I got home last night from a whirlwind trip to Vegas. We flew in two days early so we could do some site-seeing and touristy stuff before work began on Sunday.

Vegas is in fact the city that never sleeps and, when in Vegas, you must join the rest of crazies. This includes drinking from sunset to sunrise, touring the strip & casinos, gambling, eating like a fat kid at buffets, clubbing at night...You get the picture. 

My motto has always been work hard and play harder. So that I did. And the hangover from 4 days of downing bud light, shots and random cocktails has returned home with me. But no regrets. Vegas was amazing and luckily I remembered to snap some photos to recap the trip.

The view from the plane

The Eiffel tower at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino

 

The view of the strip from the top of the Eiffel Tower

The Sex in the City slot machine: Just because

Hulk Hogan appearance at the convention

Beautiful hotels & casinos

The Food: Dinner at Tao in the Venetian for sushi and Japanese tapas.

Clubbing: The work convention threw several after-parties at clubs and we got see performances from Cypress Hill, Too Short, Warren G and Tone Loc.

Flavor Flav also hosted one of our after-parties. That was interesting to say the least.

So glad to finally cross Vegas off my bucket list!

I've also been MIA from the bloggy world so I'm happy to get back into the swing of things...Almost Friday!