chuck, meet taylor...

“Give a girl the correct footwear and she can conquer the world.” – Bette Midler

So maybe it is just me, but I feel like Chuck Taylors are making some kind of immense comeback.{The Chuck Taylor All Star shoe has developed a number of nicknames over the years-Cons", "Connies", "Convics", "Convos", "Verses", "Chuckers", "Chucks", "Converse", "Chuckies", "Chuckie Ts","Chucker Boots" or "Chuck Taylors" for the higher styles, just in case you call them something a little different...}I recently purchased my first pair last year and I feel like I want to wear them with everything from jeans to a sundress... I initially thought that Nashville "hipster vibe" had inhabited my body after making the purchase. b.duncan buying Converse? It just didn't seem right, but I have seen so many styles that I love with these comfy kicks. Put them on with a pair of jeans, or put them on with a wedding gown. Either way, you are stylin'. Also, this is one item you are allowed to purchase one in every color. We would usually tell you this is a no no, but go right ahead!

I do.

Need I say more?

Bike is almost as cool as the shoes

Sassy

Chuck Love

Taste the rainbow...

Pink sneaks

Party of One...

The girls and I haven't had a chance to sit down and eat just us girls this week.  So even though I was a party of "one" again tonight {Mr. Reasons travels during the week}, I wanted to slow down and make dinner special.  Even if the only other guest in Restaurant Reasons likes to sit on the floor and beg for a tasting.  On the menu tonight a vegetarian version of the hearty favorite "Beef Stroganoff."  The urge to cook this dish probably came from my one and a half weeks this summer as a vegan.  That ended when I had dreams of eating cheese enchiladas and beef with my hands. 

Ingredients
1 c of Whole Grain Pasta
1 oz of Gardein Beefless Tips
2 c of Mushrooms
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Butter
1 Clove of Garlic {chopped}
Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Salt, Pepper, & Italian Seasoning

Instructions
|1.| Boil water to cook penne pasta al dente. 
|2.| While pasta is cooking, saute beefless tips, mushrooms, olive oil, butter, and garlic until beefless tips are a golden brown.  Season mixture with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.
|3.| Drain pasta, pour pasta into a bowl, and pour mixture over pasta.  Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over pasta and enjoy. {As you can see this recipe is quick and healthy.}

*Makes one hearty serving....see you tomorrow vT* 

Diamonds in the rough...

Flea Market Goody Pile

 So as B. Duncan mentioned last Friday she was hitting up The Flea Market with a very specific item in mind.  Not sure if she found it, but she will be sharing her amazing finds later this week.  I took a quick rainy day trip to The Flea with J. Doolittle.  Not always up for searching through what most think is junk, Jules proudly claimed, "She was along for the social experience."  Good thing too since she took on the role of my "Flea Market Sugar Daddy" after I had to bum $5 off her {Mr. Reasons was glad to get a free pass from The Flea}.  Here is a peak at what I found....

Visited the "Bead Man" and picked up some great primary colors and some vintage chain.

There was a new booth in town, so I grabbed all these pretties.  Some are stand alone pieces and others I have plans to incorporate with some larger statement pieces.

Could not wait to use that gold vintage chain, so I made this girl for an event this week.  What do you think?
Hope to see you tomorrow...vT*

{Boyfriends & Puppy Love}

I feel a little betrayed by Spring after the bitter bite of this past weekend's weather.  But determined to keep my look bright, while not freezing my bum off, I added some new sparkles to my old boyfriend jeans.  My brother {snickering} told me he loved my "grandma jeans, " and my sweet sister said they were so obviously my "boyfriend" jeans.  I started thinking about my "boyfriend" jeans, and it made me laugh because they are not from my boyfriend.  I don't have a boyfriend....that's number one.  Number two, I got these jeans at a vintage shop, so could they have been from a grandma?  I guess so. So are they my "grandma" jeans?  Regardless, there is nothing like a calm walk with a sweet puppy and pants with a forgiving waistline to wash your worries away. 

Check back tomorrow for some Flea Market Finds...vT*

rugged rug, lovely look....

{b.duncan} here.I have literally become OBSESSED with finding an animal hide rug. For whatever reason, I have decided that I really want a brown and white cow hide as a rug in my room. Bizarre I know, but I just can't help but love the raw/cozy look? Those two words are oxymorons, I know.... I can't help but want that chic look in my room. I will be combing through all the booths at the flea market in hopes that I will find something of the sort tomorrow.  What I love about these rugs is that fact that they can go anywhere. They are a big purchase, but is can be rationalized by reminding oneself that it is something you can have forever :) {Thank you j.reasons for always reminding me that whatever big purchase I make, it will be something I have forever...} Here are a few pictures of these lovely things. 

DISCLAIMER

Those involved in animal rights and/or PETA... I will make sure that whatever cowhide I decide to purchase will have come from a cow that passed from natural causes, I promise. Happy weekend to all!

Giraffe hide

Yelllllloooww.

Chic Zebra

All white with spots

Just like this one!

Get moving and look good doing it...

Dress up. Put on your lipstick and always look your best. You never know who you are going to meet.--Sharon Duncan (My Nanny)

With the sun shining and temperatures in the low to mid 70's, I cannot get enough of being outside... {b.duncan} here. I have been checking out all the hotspots in Nashville to do a little low key hiking and running, and for those of you new to this city, please check out Radnor Lake and Siever Park in the 12th South District as some great spots to start. I just got home from a nice walk at Percy Warner Park(another of my favorite places) with a good friend, and I couldn't help but notice what people were wearing {whats new?} while they work out. We were lucky enough to see two deer ...and get rained on for a bit... but it was beautiful none-the-less! Since I have decided that staying in shape is a nonnegotiable for 2011, I started going through my drawers and I noticed I didn't really have a large collection of "stylish" work out gear. So, after a little while online and a jaunt through lululemon the other day, I seriously cannot wait to purchase some functional/fashionable workout pieces. I am a big fan of throwing on a complimentary headband to keep the wispies and bangs out of the face. Also, I was checking out running shoes for the first time in years. I swear, some of these things look like spaceships, but I also noticed that there were so many more stylish options out there than there were even only a few years ago. Please note that looking your best is possible, even when you are sweating and your mascara has run all over your face...Turn up your color coordinated ipod and get moving! Happy Thursday! This week has flown by! <3 *vT

Comfy and Cute

Black and Yellow :)

Matching headband...

Poncho

Hip running kicks

Color coordinate your music!

W is for White Truffle Crostini....

Now we know many people have a love or hate relationship with truffle oil, but luckily we all love it, so none of us are found left out of the taste test when we cook with truffle oil. 

Ingredients
3 Slices of Bakery French Bread
1/2 cup of Baby Arugula
1/2 cup of Fresh Mozzerella Cheese
3 tbsp of White Truffle Oil
Italian Seasoning
Salt & Pepper

|1.| Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
|2.| Cut three French Bread slices in half.
|3.| Place bread slices in a non stick pan and evenly cover with fresh Mozzerella.  Generously season each slice with Italian Seasoning, Salt, and Pepper.
|4.| Bake until cheese is melted and crostini edges are golden {about 10 to 14 minutes}.  Then remove the crostini from the oven.  Transfer to a serving plate and dress evenly with baby arugula and truffle oil.

As you can see this is an easy one.  This particular recipe only makes 6 appetizers.  You of course can double the ingredients to make more.  We found that these delicious bites were the perfect way to start out our weekly dinner.  See you here tomorrow...vT* 

{Be My Valentine}

{Top: Banana, Jacket: Anne Klein, Shorts: J. Crew, Flats: Steven, Gold Cuff and Necklace: Forever, Husband's Initials: Max & Chloe, Bag: Brahmin.}

As promised...today we wanted to share a little love inspiration.  What better way to ask someone to be your Valentine than covering yourself in purple and an orange inspired red.  Now if we could have found a massive doily this outfit really would have been special.  Love...vT*

{love}

Take that Monday!

Usually Mondays have us waking up feeling something like this.  Not because we hate you Monday, but you never seem to go as planned.  However, I {J. Reasons} cannot stop smiling today because I keep thinking about this past weekend, it was P-E-R-F-E-C-T!  Except for the moment when our sweet Tuck decided to eat both pairs of our weekend guest's dress shoes.  If you saw the pic, would you not agree he doesn't even look capable of this? Well is seems he is, but nevertheless we had a great weekend.  Since I haven't even gotten a chance to see B. Duncan yet I thought I would share a bit of my weekend with her and you.  So....,"Take that Monday!"

{Stripes & Red-Orange Clutch}

 

{Sweet Katie's Cowgirls}

 

{Brunch with a Bloody Mary}

 

{Sweets}

 

{Perfect Day not complete without a DC}

 

{Sweet Husband}

 

{Beautiful Wedding}

 

{Late Night Wedding Treat}

 

{Loveless Brunch Biscuits}

 

{Hillsboro Shops}

 

{Shop Kitten}

 

{Chocolate Covered Popsicle}

Check back tomorrow for some L-O-V-E outfit inspiration...vT*

R to E: Marry Me?

This will be a special weekend as one of our sweet friends will be tying the knot.  It was not all that long ago that R asked E to marry him, and tomorrow they will do just that...MARRY.  Two things we love about weddings aside from being a part of the celebrating when two people decide to share their lives together, giving gifts and smelling the flowers. 

{To: Randy & Elizabeth}

{Never Forget the Flowers}

{Someone Wanted to Help Mom Snap Some Pics}

May your weekend be filled with love...vT*