Month: June 2019

OOTD: Daily Affirmations

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on OOTD: Daily Affirmations

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone!

It’s a “sleep in” kind of start to my day today, since I took it off from work- but a little later on this afternoon I’m having the last of my furniture delivered to my new apartment and before they arrive- I may venture into Northampton for some coffee and some strawberry picking if the rain can stay away long enough!

Regardless of how my plans (weather permitting) turn out, it’s definitely a lounge wear sort of day- and keeping up with both familiarizing myself with and supporting local brands/businesses and artists here in the Valley- I treated myself to a little present on Father’s Day with this comfy, soft cotton tee-shirt by Secret Holiday & Co. that I picked up while perusing the super cute goods at Grapefruit in NoHo.

The mauve “BE BRAVE” written on the front is needed right now- not because I’m living alone in a new part of New England and it can be a shock to my system at times or because I’m in any sort of turmoil- but because someone very near and dear to me is. I’ve been worrying myself sick about the emotional and psychological toll the stress of the past couple of weeks has taken on him.

When I get exhausted or frustrated with the whole situation and everything that is causing him unnecessary pain- “BE BRAVE” is a nice little reminder to keep moving forward and to never stop doing the right thing for someone in distress regardless of how insurmountable the odds seem. It’s nice to have it on a shirt to remind other people to keep pressing on, too.

I’m pairing this cozy shirt with something equally comfortable- my black lace shorts (no denim for me today!) which are just as lightweight and breathable- especially since it’s going to be pretty humid later on!

A little later on this week I’ll have some updated photos of my new place and some more glimpses into the neighborhood before we break for the weekend! June has been FLYING by, you guys- and I haven’t even gone to the beach yet! There’s going to be so much to cram into the next couple of weeks before we get to the Fourth of July!

I intend to have a fun and productive “Hump Day”- and I hope you all do, too! See you on Friday!

xx

– Ashley –

Father’s Day in Hampshire County…

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Father’s Day in Hampshire County…

Good Morning and Happy Monday (yuck…) everyone!

While I had absolutely *grand* plans for this past weekend in anticipation of lots of sunshine and soaring temperatures- Mother Nature threw all of us here in the Valley a curveball and turned a beautiful and breezy Saturday afternoon/evening into a positively chilly and rain-filled Sunday. It wasn’t just an occasional shower or sprinkle, either- but big, fat cold droplets that seemed to last all day.

My scheduled strawberry picking at a local farm and an outdoor brunch unfortunately had to be rescheduled for a later date this week/month- but I did my best to make do with my afternoon after I finished some early morning errands.

Of course, yesterday was Father’s Day- which is always a rough day for me to get through ever since my dad passed away unexpectedly in the Summer of 2012. I’m usually able to distract myself or keep myself occupied so that I don’t feel too sad- and living in a new area where I’m still getting acclimated and familiarized is definitely a BIG distraction these days. I took the opportunity to drive a little further West than where I presently live to do some exploring and try to find a Father’s Day present for my mom.

To explain: After my dad died- my mother and I made a pact that for every Father’s Day and for what would have been her and my dad’s wedding anniversary- we’d celebrate it together. This could mean having dinner together, buying each other little gifts/cards, etc. We have a family dinner scheduled later on this week, of course- but I wanted to get her something special, too.

My mom loves anything Americana or kitschy, farm-related things- so my living in the Valley is a dream come true for her because I’m essentially surrounded by that stuff on all sides. As I was passing through Williamsburg yesterday- a charming little town Northwest of Florence- I spotted the Williamsburg General Store and knew I’d find something perfect for her there.

Sure enough- I came across this bumble bee watering can and immediately thought of my mom- who spends a lot of time outside tending to her yard and would probably use this for it’s intended purpose AND for decoration.

I’m excited to see her reaction when she opens it. I think it’s adorable- and don’t worry, she doesn’t go online much so unless someone shows this post to her before I visit her later on this week- my posting about it isn’t going to spoil the surprise!

I’ve actually got a short work-week this week, having taken Wednesday off to be present when the last of the furniture I ordered arrives and is finally delivered to my apartment. So, as much as I don’t want to be at work right now- at least I’m not technically here a full week.

But I’ve still got lots to do this morning- so this just about does it for me today!

Enjoy the start of your week, everyone. Let’s push through to Friday together!

xx

– Ashley –

Backyard BBQ Recipes: Grilled Watermelon-Feta Skewers

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Backyard BBQ Recipes: Grilled Watermelon-Feta Skewers

Good Morning and Happy Friday, everyone!

I am so excited for this weekend- not only because I need a little break from what proved to be a rather busy and hectic work-week- but also because the weather is supposed to be really nice and I’ve got a lot of outdoor stuff I want to do around the Valley!

One of those outdoorsy things may include some grilling- and I recently came across a super simple, super quick backyard BBQ recipe that combines fruit and cheese (a great pairing in itself, really)– but in a fun and unique way.

Meet watermelon and feta skewers- the Summertime recipe you didn’t know you needed in your life ’til now!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

  • About 40 (1-inch) pieces cubed watermelon
  • About 20 (1-inch) pieces cubed feta cheese
  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 cups arugula (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil (optional)

READY? HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

  1. Set your grill to high heat. Thread a piece of watermelon, a piece of feta and a second piece of watermelon onto a 6-inch skewer. Repeat with the remaining pieces of watermelon and feta.
  2. Once the grill is hot, brush the skewers on all sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Grill until lightly charred on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and cool slightly.
  3. To serve, mound 1 cup arugula onto each plate and top with 5 skewers per plate. Drizzle each salad with 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped basil. Serve immediately.

Even though the original recipe calls for some extra ingredients for presentation purposes- my skewers were well-received even without being placed on a bed of arugula or sprinkled with basil. I put them out with a little bowl of standard cream cheese fruit dip and another little bowl of vanilla Greek yogurt and my friends devoured them just the same!

The sweetness of the watermelon with the saltiness of the feta was an unexpected flavor journey as I ate a couple of these skewers myself- but it was definitely delicious and something I will absolutely make again- although I think the next time I might leave them on the grill for a little longer to get a bit more of a charred surface. I was admittedly afraid of melting the cheese too much during this go at the recipe!

That just about does it for me this week. I’ll be back on Monday with more recaps of my time around the Valley, another look at my Summer wardrobe and maybe- just maybe- a custom-made Summertime soundtrack to share! You’ll have to check back to find out!

Here’s wishing you all a sunny, safe and fun weekend ahead. Be good to yourselves and each other!

xx

– Ashley –

Lights, Camera, Action!

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Lights, Camera, Action!

Good Morning and Happy Wednesday, everyone!

Today at work is our impromptu Bruins celebration/pep rally in preparation for Game 7 tonight- so I’ve essentially been forced to wear the only black and gold ensemble I had stored in my closet. I don’t mind too much, since the weather is shaping up to be nice again today- but I’ve admittedly been pretty lax on keeping up with hockey this year so I feel a bit like a bandwagon fan right now!

I’m sure I’ll swing by the bar near my apartment tonight to grab a beer and tune in if it’s not too crowded, though!

This past weekend, hot and humid and filled with sunshine- was also filled with lots of work for PaintBox Theatre since our 16th season kicks off near the end of this month! I spent some of my afternoon(s) writing e-mails, putting together show advertisements for local publications- and designing social media content to get us through the next few days. It might sound pretty simple- but it’s a lot of work with a lot of different people and processes involved! Everything has to be *just* right.

The cast are cutting some radio ads this morning, and I am anxiously awaiting the behind-the-scenes photos to share- but before I do that- this recently edited video we launched across our platform can give a little hint of what PaintBox is all about and how much energy the crowd packs into every performance!

That is seriously one of the cutest things ever and I’m so thrilled with our audio/video team for capturing it!

If you live in or around the Pioneer Valley- I really hope you’ll come say hello and enjoy a show with us. All dates/times and ticketing information are available on the website linked above!

Apart from continued work with side projects, lots of iced coffee, and some bedroom ballet/stretching- this weekend was also spent lounging lazily with friends in the area and ordering takeout. Not a bad way to beat the heat- if I do say so myself.

A little later on this week (Friday) I’ve got a super quick and easy recipe to share that is perfect for your next Summer BBQ/Get-Together- before we once again reach the weekend and I get to do a little more exploring/photographing around the Valley. I’m super excited about the places I’m planning to visit!

Here’s to a quick and painless “Hump Day” . We just gotta’ get through the next couple of days, everyone!

xx

– Ashley –

Blondie Birdie Turns 2!

by Ashley DeLargeLeave a Comment on Blondie Birdie Turns 2!

Good Morning and Happy Monday, everyone!

Although it’s never fun to return to work after the weekend- especially this past one where the weather was perfect and I had a lot of fun- I’m excited to get back into my office and push through this week as quickly as possible so we can get to Friday again!

This past weekend, which I’ll recap a little later on in the week- was also a commemorative one as it marked “Blondie Birdie’s” second birthday/anniversary/blog-iversary/etc! I started writing this little corner of the web two years ago on 6/9/17- and while some of my content has changed over the years (I no longer review subscription boxes, for example-) much of it has stayed the same in terms of delicious recipes, peeks inside my closet at my more fun wardrobe staples, and lots and lots of pictures from around where I live and when I travel!

It’s been a wild two years filled with adventures, surprises, eye-opening moments, self-discovery, major life changes, friends and family and so much more- and I’m so honored and thrilled to have so many of you along for the ride. I hope reading “Blondie Birdie” makes each of you as happy and eager to travel/cook/try new things as it does for me when I’m writing it- and I hope to give you all another two years (and many more after that!) or quality posts I take pride in publishing.

Of course, no birthday can go noticed/acknowledged without a little bit of site maintenance. I’ve updated my ABOUT ME and CONTACT pages to reflect more accurate and up-to-date information- and I’ve gone through to make sure there are no broken links/images in posts from the pasts. A daunting task, for sure- but a fun little stroll down memory lane regardless!

I’ll also be making some changes to the design/layout of the blog over the next several days- which I’m excited to see rolled out in completion as the preliminary testing is wrapped up!

And while last year’s 1-year anniversary saw a fun, Summertime-themed giveaway up and running- I’ve opted to wait until the Fall (my favorite season!) to put together something really, really special for you all that you can enter to win. I want to make sure it’s perfect and truly represents me and the person I’ve become over these last two years- and so far I think it may be one of my best giveaways yet. Be sure to keep an eye out in the coming months for more information!

All in all I’m really proud and grateful for these last two years and the progress I’ve made personally, professionally, and in terms of the quality of Blondie Birdie. I’m excited for the future- but if you’d like to peek at the past as I’ve been doing- here’s a handy link to some of my most popular tags:

* RECIPES *

* OOTD *

* TRAVEL *

* BEAUTY *

I’m off to get started on my e-mails, voicemails, etc. I’m going to be back a little later on this week with a look at my weekend and have a super easy, super refreshing Summertime recipe to share now that the temperatures are starting to rise again!

Here’s wishing you all a wonderful start to your week and a peaceful few days ahead! Thank you all again so, so much for continuing to support Blondie Birdie and yours truly. It means the world!

xx

– Ashley –