Make The Most of The Time You Have

Fresh strawberries, a fruity drink, and a relaxing good time!

 

The older I get, the more I understand the importance of making the most of the time you have. Right now I have to be judicious with my time. I'm sequestered in my writing cave, working day and night to finish my next book. But sometimes a girl's gotta come up for air, so here I am. With the start of summer just around the corner, I was thinking about how much I'd love to be relaxing somewhere, instead of stuck inside, in front of a computer. Then I thought about the great time I had at the beach last summer. A friend and I took a quick, two day trip (drove down one day and came back the next) and I had so much fun I felt as if I'd been gone for a week.

Calm waves on the beach at sunset. It doesn't get any better than this!

We stopped at a winery on our way down to the beach in Wilmington, NC. We enjoyed a lovely wine tasting and tour, and met some really great people before getting back on the road. After we arrived in town, we went sight seeing, had a huge lunch at a popular local soul food restaurant, and then we hit the beach. We got there in the late afternoon, which was the perfect time. We enjoyed the sunset, breezy ocean air, and walking along the beach while water tickled our feet. I can't tell you how relaxing it was to sit on a blanket, eat sweet strawberries, sip a cool, fruity drink, and simply enjoy life! We ended our full day by going to a restaurant and eating the juiciest burgers I'd had in a long time (zero calories and no fat...hey, I can invent my own reality because I write fiction books for a living). The next morning we got back on the road, stopped by the vineyard again to pick up some souvenirs :-), and then returned to everyday life.

Every Southern Belle has an arsenal of summer beach dresses and stylish sunglasses. What's summer without them?

That quick getaway was truly an example of how to make the most of the time you have. Whether you pack several activities into one day, or you do absolutely nothing for an entire week, use your time in a way that serves you. Make the most of every moment you have.


Until next time, be fabulous!

Grilled Cheese: A New Twist to the Classic Sandwhich

Hello Fabulous Folks!

Grilled Cheese made with Chef Shamy Parmesan Cheese & Basil Garlic Butter

No matter what part of the country you grew up in, I can almost guarantee you ate grilled cheese sandwiches. In the South, we love grilled cheese, and on a chilly, rainy day, there's nothing better than grilled cheese with tomato soup.

Being the Southern Belle that I am, I wanted to dress up my grilled cheese sandwich with a little more flavor, and Chef Shamy Gourmet Parmesan cheese & basil garlic butter helped me do it. This little tub of heaven adds great flavor to grilled sandwiches, garlic bread, meats, seafood, veggies, potatoes, and more. This butter comes in a variety of flavors and can be purchased at Sam's Club (that's where I got mine), Costco, or click here to order online. 

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. Parmesan chees & basil garlic butter
2 slices bread
1 cheese singles (cheddar)
1 tbsp. shredded 3-cheese blend

Directions
Heat skillet on medium high to melt 1 tbsp. butter. Put cheese single atop one piece of bread and add to melted butter, let it brown for 1-2 minutes. Remove bread from skillet and sit on a plate. Add remaining 1 tbsp. butter to skillet. Top second piece of bread and return sandwich to skillet to brown the second piece of bread. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

Happy Eating, and remember to be fabulous!

How to Make an Ornament Wreath

I love a beautiful wreath on a front door! It's a signature stamp that greets guests and says, "Welcome, come on it!" It's the standard of Southern hospitality, and every Southern Belle I know has a wreath hanging on her front door throughout the year. I change up my wreaths according to each season, and I make them by hand so I can have exactly what I want! Because Christmas is my favorite time of year, I love creating a festive wreath that sparkles and shines with the spirit of the season. This year I decided to make an ornament wreath, filled with bright, vibrant colors. The great thing about an ornament wreath is that you can make it with ornaments of various sizes, shapes, and colors, and they will all come together and look fabulous! Here's my wreath below, and here's how to make one of your own.

Materials Nedded

• 1 green wreath (I used a 24" wreath that I purchased from A.C. Moore)
• Ornaments (You will need a lot! I used a combination of ornaments from Michael's, The Dollar Store, A.C. Moore, Home Depot, and Macy's)
• Hot glue gun
• Glue sticks (You will need a lot of glue sticks)
• Patience
• NOTE: I use a green wreath instead of a wire or foam wreath because I like incorporating greenery into my decorations. But you can use any type of round material for your wreath base.

Start by fluffing your wreath so that it's full and appears to have depth. Place ornaments where you intend to glue them. I start by placing my brightly colored and larger ornaments at the top, bottom, and sides of the wreath, then I fill in from there. Glue your ornaments in place and continue to fill in the empty spaces until your wreath is covered. Voila! Your finished product will be a gorgeous, custom made masterpiece that reflects your individual style.

Happy Holidays and remember to stay fabulous!
Blessings,

Tips for A Relaxing Holiday Season

Southerners are known for doing everything on a large scale, especially the holidays. We're talking turkey with all the trimmings, Christmas trees (several theme trees throughout the house is a must...and don't forget the front yard, too!), holiday feasts, shopping, caroling, family gatherings, and parties galore.

But as much fun as this festive season can be, it can also bring on stress, depression, and exhaustion. Even under the best of circumstances, the last six weeks of the year can cause major anxiety. But it doesn't have to! There's a number of things you can do to create peace, joy, and relaxation.

Here are a few ways to enjoy the holidays and keep your stress to a minimum.

Pray/Meditate-- This is an excellent way to center yourself, connect to a higher power, and gain a sense of peace. It doesn't cost a dime to pray, but you may pay for it if you don't.
Ask for help-- Don't try to do everything yourself. This is the season of giving, but it's also great to receive. If you're blessed to have friends and family who want to help you, bless them by receiving the blessing they want to extend to you.
Exercise-- It's estimated that most people gain 5 lbs. during the holidays. Food, parties, and late night eating can expand the waistline. Exercise can help take the pounds off and it can also help to clear the mind and relieve stress.
Massage-- Stress, along with cramming lots of activities into long days, can cause tight muscles, which can lead to pain, headaches, and poor health. Massage is a proven way to relieve pain and stress, and it's incredibly soothing. Treat yourself to the good life and get a nice, long rub down!
Laugh-- Laughter is medicine for the sole! A good laugh can erase even the worst of moods and can increase endorphins, giving you more energy to enjoy the holidays.
Love from a distance-- Let's face it, there are people who create stress in our lives, and some of them can be people we love. If you encounter an obstacle or problem, the first thing you try to do is remove it. Sometimes you have to take that approach with people, too. Sometimes you have to learn how to love from a distance. Surround yourself with positive people and positive things that will keep stress at bay.
Take Vitamins-- Some people take vitamins to boost energy, while others use them to replenish specific nutrients they're missing from their diet, or, as a result of a health condition. There's also vitamins that help relieve stress. Talk to your doctor, local pharmacist, or naturopath to find vitamins that will work for you. Valerian is a great, natural herb that I love. You can take the capsule whole, or break it open and make a tea. It calms, soothes, and relaxes.

 

Remember, the holiday season only comes once a year, so try to enjoy it! Life is meant to be savored slowly and enjoyed in abundance. From me to you, I wish you and yours a happy Thanksgiving!

PS--Stay tuned for my "Southern Tips for A Relaxing Holiday Season"which will be filled with hilarious things that only Southerners do!

Be Fabulous!
Trice

I'm Feeling Good!

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, for me...and I'm feeling good."--Nina Simone

The late, great, Nina Simone and I have a few things in common. She was from North Carolina, and so am I. She was African American, and so am I. She stood up for social justice and civil rights, and I champion those struggles, too. She had her own style and sense of beauty, and she embraced them...and now, so do I!

It took me 40 plus years to realize that yes, I am beautiful, and I don't apologize for it. It's not a bragadocious statement, it's simply true. Beauty presents itself in many ways. Most people think of beauty in an aesthetic way, which is natural because we are a visual society. But real beauty comes from within, and transends to the physical. Ever wonder why some women who have "average" looks can attract men like bees to honey, or appear in top fashion magazines, or be herolded as the most popular girl at school, or be the life of the party whom everyone wants to know? It's because of their essence. The unique way they carry themselves. The kindness they extend to others. The talent they allow to shine from within. The respect they show and demand in return. And the confidence and comfort they posesses that lies in knowing they are wonderfully made, exactly as they are. This is the beauty that Ms. Simone owned, along with her beguiling looks; rich dark skin, expressive brown eyes, thick, lucious lips, and impeccable style. This is the beauty that I, too, possess (sans the thick, luscious lips...but you get my drift).

Southern women own their style, embrace their beauty, share it with the world, and do it like nobody else!

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life, for me...and I'm feeling good."

This song resonates for me, as does the life of Ms. Simone. She was a fierce woman, and she did things her own way. She was a sister on a mission who broke down barriers, stepping right over sterotypes of what beauty, talent, and love was supposed to look like. She ushered in a new day! Her life so inspires me, and as I continue my research to learn more about this interesting woman, I'm discovering many things about myself in the process (more on that later). 

Be fabulous, just the way you are!

Blessings,
Trice

Delicious. Quick. Easy...who wouldn't want to make this!

If you're like me, your days are filled to the brim, spilling over into late evenings most of the week. Between work, family, and the demands of everyday life, finding time to prepare a meal, or even a tasty snack, can be challenging. It's so easy to just grab something on the go. But oftentimes that can be expensive, not to mention it tempts you to make choices that aren't always healthy.

One thing about Southern women; we know how to make find ways to juggle it all. Here's a quick and easy recipe that's delicious, quick, and inexpensive to make. The recipe for the mixture below is easy, and leftovers can be stored in the frig for a few days.

The dish can be served as a meal or curl up with a good book and enjoy it as a snack!

Be fabulous and enjoy!

Black bean and corn Quesadillas. Yum!!

Ingredients: (I don't measure, so just judge according to your taste)

8 inch flour tortilla (I use whole wheat. The taste is richer than the white)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained and rinsed (or small bag of frozen corn)
Salsa (I use half a medium size jar)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
Generous pinch of brown sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
Cheese (I use Kraft shredded Mexican cheese blend)
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil (enough to lightly coat the pan)

Pour olive oil in skillet and heat. Add onions and saute. Stir in black beans, corn, salsa, and sugar. Cook until thoroughly heated, then remove from pan and put mixture aside. Melt butter in a large skillet (medium heat), then place one tortilla atop melted butter. Sprinkle with cheese. Top black bean mixture evenly on cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Make sure to press the edges down with the spatula you're going to use to turn it. Let tortilla cook for a about two minutes on each side. Cut into rectangles and voila! Yummy!

Make Everything Special!

One of the best qualities of a Southern Belle is that we know how to make every occasion special. It's like second nature for us to make a way out of no way, and in many respects, that's not just the Belle in us, that's the South in general. But a Belle knows how to do it with grace, style, and impeccable flare!

The beauty of a Southern Belle is that we understand how to improvise. We don't simply survive, we thrive, and we take everything a "step up." Give a Southern Belle some lemons and she'll not only turn the sour fruit into a sweet refreshing drink, she'll toss in a delicious meringue pie to enjoy along with it. If she's had a long frustrating day, she won't mope or pout about it, she'll examine what went wrong and why, and then she'll get busy making the next day a winner! If she's on a tight budget and can't afford a trip to the spa, she'll create her own relaxing oasis right in the comfort of her own home. We also recognize the importance of celebrating and pampering ourselves.

One of my favorite hotels is the Ritz Carlton, and my absolute favorite service they offer is their bath butler service (the downtown Atlanta, GA, property has the best one I've tried in the country). They draw a bath that's pretty close to what I imagine heaven might feel like. In addition to specially prepared water that makes your skin feel like silk, the experience includes scented candles, fragrant rose petals, amazing gourmet chocolates, and a silver tray filled with bath products to take home. Honey, that's livin'!!

I LOVE nice things and I'm constantly looking for ways to create wonderful experiences that I can enjoy. But let me tell you, nice things don't have to break down your wallet (the Ritz can set you back!). I can't afford to Ritz it up every month, but honey, I'm a Belle, and I know how to do the doggone thing on my own! I can relish in splendor for the cost of an entree at my local restaurant. I found the products below at Walmart, Stein Mart, and Walgreens, and trust me, they work!

Village Naturals Sleep Therapy Foaming Mineral Oil and Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt Soaking Solution can be purchased at Walmart. Ellen Tracy White Amber Bath Salt can be found at Stein Mart, and the Calming Lavender Vanilla Candle is in stock at Walgreens (Note: Yankee Candle's Lavender and Lavender Vanilla scents are divine!).

Take a soak, relax with a nice glass of wine, and make everything in your life special!

Enjoy your Fabulous Life!
XOXO
Trice

www.tricehickman.com
www.facebook.com/tricehickman
www.twitter.com/tricehickman
www.pintrest.com/tricehickman
www.linkedin.com/tricehickman