Photo credit: Amazon

Each Christmas season, I like to kick off the holidays with a new CD. This year is absolutely no different.

What’s playing in The Broke Socialite Headquarters? Cee-Lo Green’s Cee-Lo’s Magic Moment for sure! You may know Cee-Lo as a judge on NBC’s The Voice or, if you’re a hip hop head, you will remember him as a fraction of the rap group Goodie Mob from Atlanta. Who knew this guy could BLOW?

From classics such as “This Christmas” (originally crooned by the late Donnie Hathaway) to MY favorite “All I Need Is Love” with The Muppets (Yes. THOSE Muppets.), I caught myself be-bopping around the kitchen as I cheffed up a supper of roasted sweet potato tacos with black beans and guacamole.

What’s YOUR favorite holiday CD?

Photo credit: Pouya Dianat

It’s rare that Mr The Broke Socialite and I venture beyond the walls of our castle on school nights aka weeknights. We have our routines and being creatures of habit (and sorta boring…in a cool people kind of way…ha!), we like to stick with them. As we were on the cusp of celebrating our twelfth wedding anniversary, we decided to (insert an Oooooooh! here) deviate from our schedule and take in a performance of Cirque du Soleil’s TOTEM, currently under its own “big top”, called the Grand Chapiteau, here in Atlanta.  Neither of us had experienced a Cirque du Soleil show but had heard about their magic and wonder from family and friends. With TOTEM being less than five miles away at Atlantic Station, how could we NOT?

TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.  Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

Written by Robert LePlage, the set (with multiple transformations centered around a turtle shell), the costumes and the characters immediately threw us into sensory overload. We were truly like big kids in a candy store!

Get thee to TOTEM if you’re in Atlanta (or when it visits your city)! Why? Welllllllllllllllllllllllllll….

1. It ain’t your Mama’s circus. I’m not sure about you but I’ve outgrown the traditional circus with a bear and a ball. TOTEM, while fun, is sophisticated. The setting is intimate (great for a couples’ date night out or a group of girlfriends) and sensual. Though we did see children in the audience, I would not recommend bringing a child under 16. Some elements of the show are for mature attendees.
2. It’s a small world after all! The show is multicultural and we were fascinated by some of the music and costuming that were integrated into the experience. The cast of TOTEM comprises 53 artists from 18 countries—Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Mongolia, The People’s Republic of China, Russian Federation, Spain, Ukraine, The United Kingdom and The United States of America.
3. Filled with surprises! Comprised of almost a dozen acts, it was hard to pick a favorite! Each transition brought a “story” that was more exciting and interesting than the previous one. At the end of the show, Mr TBS and I shared our favorite scenes with each other. Our very favorite act was the same: five unicyclists juggling metal bowls in an astounding display of agility,balance, synchronized control and physical grace, tossing the bowls with their feet—sometimes over their shoulders—and catching them on their heads without using their hands. You HAVE to see this. Really. You do.
4. Bling, bling! Everyone knows how much I love sparkly eye candy. The Crystal Man—one of the recurring characters—represents the life force. He comes from space to spark life on Earth. Early in the show, we see him animate the turtle’s skeleton and at the end he closes the show by diving into a lagoon. His dazzling costume (literally) is entirely covered of small mirrors and crystals. The glittering mobile mosaic is made up of about 4,500 reflective components on a stretch velvet leotard. I could hardly keep my eyes off him!
5. It’s the holidays! With a variety of showtimes available and tickets at good price points, TOTEM is a great gift or a diversion from the hustle and bustle of the season. It’s playing through December 30 which gives more than enough time to plan!

Have YOU ever experienced a Cirque du Soleil show? If so, which one and where did you see it?

Disclosure: As a member of the community that is considered new media, I received complimentary tickets to this performance.

Rest In Peace, Mom. Thank you for everything.

This year? Been a bitch. I lost my mom and watched her suffer from the dreadful breast cancer.

The good news? I am still here.

The better news? I strive for normalcy again. Whatever that is now…

The best news? I am loved. By God. By family. By friends.

Truth be told? I REALLY miss blogging, writing and sharing. ‘Twas this very blog that inspired me to soar beyond my wildest imagination, create Sugar Coma Events, write Instantly! and produce lavish! As I wrap 2012, I recognize the need to get back to my core. This is where it all started.

When I think about what my life is missing right now…in the midst of coping and grieving? It’s words on paper. Dumping out what’s in my head onto this blog.

Please hold my hand?

My final three favorite things of the summer reflect my excitement about getting back to the grind at school, though they are certainly all great products for day to day life!

1. Mason Jar Desk Decor. The southern style mason jar craze has struck the decor scene as people have begun to use them as drinking glasses, vases, and more. I’ve taken a liking to using them as pen and pencil holders on my desk. They are the perfect size to hold writing utensils, (even with the lid on!) and are a great way to un-clutter your desk. Forget those over done, expensive organizers from the office supply store and go with the much for stylish and practical mason jar decor.

2. Back to school for me also means back to the gym. (‘Cause, unfortunately walking down the stairs from my room to the kitchen is not considered a workout…). Anywho, Champion for Target has started selling this excellent line of workout leggings and tops that are insanely affordable, comfortable, and cute. They have a bunch of different styles of pants, above the knee, full-length, capri, etc, as well as several different tops in bright colors. Having cute workout clothes is half the fun of going to the gym, no?

3. Finally, a new school year means flaunting new nail colors! OPI has released their fall/winter 2012 line, The Germany Collection, just in time for a fresh fall nail update. After all, a fresh nail can make an outfit! This new collection has some fierce colors, my favorite being “Unfor greta bly Blue,” that will be sure to make a statement. Check it out, these 12 new colors won’t disappoint!

Hope you all enjoyed my thoughts this summer! Ciao!

I landed a part-time nannying job this summer where I have to cook dinner each night. Little did I know, making a meal for a family of 5 without getting too repetitive is no easy feat. So, this week, I am going to share with you my favorite meal to make (and their favorite meal to eat!).

This not-so-secret recipe can be found on the back of a cornflakes box. Cornflake Chicken is beloved by the kids and parents alike. Here’s the recipe: http://www2.kelloggs.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?id=1058

The ‘secret’ trick to making this absolutely great is that you need to flatten the chicken before you coat it. Pound it out with a meat mallet until it is 1/4 inch thick. Yum!

As a side, I love grilling seasonal vegetables. Slice some zucchini, corn, and onions in a pan, drizzle on a bit of olive oil, sprinkle on some salt and pepper, and throw it in the oven. Simple, health, tasty.

And of course, I did not and could not ever forget about dessert! Sour cream chocolate cupcakes with Nutella frosting. Yes, I said NUTELLA frosting. Doesn’t get much better than that. http://mingmakescupcakes.yolasite.com/resources/cupcake22recipesmall.jpg?timestamp=1266369712280

My Favorite Outfit.

Now that you have the dinner you can make for tomorrow night, you have to head to the grocery store, no? You know that saying: you always see someone you know when you are at the grocery store dressed like a slob?  Yeah, that’s too true. So why not look cute and be comfy at the same time? (It’s definitely possible). This is my favorite “errand running” outfit. It’s casual, comfortable, and yet trendy at the same time. Nike shorts are the lazy girls best friend. Throw them on with a v-neck tee and you’re all set. From there, its all about the accessories. A cute pair of sunglasses and a nice purse transform a pseudo workout outfit into a fashion statement. It’s as easy as that.

Bring out that old memorabilia. My family has autographs, mascot dolls, magazines, and more left over from when we attended the Games in 1996.  These make perfect (and free) decorations.

Theme your refreshments.  Go British! The Games are being held in London after all; fish and chips, bangers and mash, the whole nine yards. Or, if you are Team USA 100%, go American! Hotdogs and hamburgers, apple pie, just to name a few. I decided on a little half and half with American-themed food and British-themed drinks.

Finally, make a game out of the Games! Have some fun activities lined up for your guests. Compete as ‘countries’ in silly party games like a ‘carry-the-torch’ relay race and ‘pin the medal on the athlete’. Don’t forget to award gold, silver, and bronze medal for each event!

With these tips, you are guaranteed a night of Olympic fun.

2. Shadow Boxes. Here’s a little Pintrest craft that I found that de-clutters and is super cute at the same time. If you, like me, save old movie stubs, sporting event or concert tickets, and other paper memorabilia, you know that it sort of just sits in a box like junk. Well, if you get a shadow box, line it with cute paper and throw in all those memories, you have an adorable little display that does not take up too much space. It’s perfect for remembering all of those amazing times you had without being bulky.

3. Swoozies’ Kate Spade New York Stationary Line. My addiction to all things Kate Spade New York is now being fueled by the stationary line carried at Swoozies. These darling notes actually make writing thank-you’s enjoyable and are perfect as invitations or just a little ‘hi friend I miss you’ card. My personal favorite is the Paint the Town set, but let’s be honest, I’m in love with all of them.

1. Longchamp Le Pliage. It just so happens, that I have been lusting after all of my friends’ Longchamp Le Pliage bags for a couple months now. They are the beyond adorable alternative to laptop carriers, diaper bags, and purses in general. Now, as I was in the process of doing some mid-summer cleaning, I just so happened to discover one of these accessories chilling in the top of my mom’s closet, unused. Seriously, it is awesome. Mine is in a pea green color that is very chic, and the bag holds SO MUCH. I can fit my Mac Book, wallet, planner, sun glass case, etc, and have plenty of room left for the other random things that end up in my purse after a long week. After using it for a week now, I have realized just how practical these bags truly are, and it definitely doesn’t hurt that they super in-stlye too!

2. The Swoozies Political Line. As a government and politics major at school, I have a self-made obligation to be up on current events, specifically the upcoming election. Unfortunately, it is such a taboo topic in our society. Politics is supposed to be that subject you should never talk about at a dinner party…well, why not go against the grain and create a dinner party surrounding politics! Swoozies has created a line of political items that make the election something to celebrate. From napkins and cups to stationary, this line will bring out the donkey or elephant within you.

http://swoozies.com/store/category/25646/Political-Party

3. 5k’s. Last week, I ran the famous 4th of July Peachtree Road Race in downtown Atlanta. It was one of the most fun experiences, marrying camaraderie with exercise. It also convinced me that running in these types of organized races is a fantastic way to stay in shape and have a blast at the same time. Do a search in your area for upcoming runs. They are becoming more and more prominent. Some of the more popular races that are being held in major cities are The Color Run (signed up to run this in September!), The Warrior Dash, and The Hot Chocolate 5k. Get those Nikes on and get going!

1. Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts. My family of 5 and our dog have spent the past year living in a tiny apartment as we anxiously await the completion of our new house. We have had to get creative with our cooking because the kitchen here doubles as a laundry room and a pantry…yeah, it’s that small. I am constantly on the look out for new dinner recipes that are quick and easy because we have minimal space in which to cook. This recipe transforms your average, bland chicken dinner into one with great flavor. I suggest pairing the chicken with some seasoned green beans and a side of instant rice. Voila! A simple, delicious meal to enjoy.

http://rockrecipes.blogspot.ca/2012/04/doube-crunch-honey-garic-chicken.html

2. 101 Simple Handmade Gift Tutorials. So, I am one of those people who, when I see something cute and crafty, I think to myself ‘I can totally make that.’ Whether it be jewelry, some type of furniture, an outfit, I want to be able to make it all. This blog has links to 101 different DIY crafts and gifts to satisfy the most artsy and creative among us. There is such a wide variety of different household products and gifts, from rope coasters to bath fizzies, you can make something for anyone.

http://www.everythingetsy.com/2011/08/101-simple-handmade-gift-tutorials/

3. Kate Spade Watches. It’s an addiction. Kate Spade has come out with the most suave line of watches this summer that have left me wanting every single one. They are classy, can be dressed up or down, and are reasonably priced for such a fine accessory. Here is a picture of my favorite of all of the timepieces.

2. Reading. Sick of hearing about 50 Shades of Grey in all of its trashy glory? I am. In an attempt for find something a little more appetizing to read this summer, I happened upon this flow chart that gives some marvelous suggestions. With everything from classics such as The Great Gatsby to modern era stories like Imperial Life in the Emerald City, this flow chart can satisfy what ever genre in which you are interested.

3. Erin Condren. This little gem of a website has helped feed my organizational addiction. With all kinds of cards, stationary, notebooks, calendars, and more, erincondren.com is the perfect place to get gifts and what you need to get your life in order. My most favorite product is the 2012/2013 Life Planner. These agendas are like the queens of all agendas ever. You can get yours personalized in any color or print you want. It comes laminated with tabs for each month and all kinds of stickers for different events. These planners are super cute; I can’t wait to order mine.