Nordstrom Rack Opening

  A few weeks ago, I shared my sadness at the loss of our Nordstrom Circle Center Mall which is located in downtown Indy. The store officially closed on July 31st, 2011.  We still have one at Keystone at the Crossing which is very nice. I was just partial to the one downtown because I previously worked in downtown Indy.

 My sadness has been lessened a bit by the fact that we are getting a Nordstrom Rack here! It officially opens on September 15th, 2011 at the Rivers Edge Shopping Center near Keystone at the Crossing.  I am thrilled. I've been to Nordstrom Rack stores before in other cities and found some great deals. One being my Barefoot Dreams travel blanket. One of my friends also found her Michele watch there for a fraction of the original price.

 To add to the excitement of the Nordstrom Rack  Indy opening, they are hosting a sweepstakes. One lucky customer will win their 'Race Thru the Rack' sweepstakes.  One lucky person will be chosen to be the first customer to enter the store and have 90 seconds to select up to $2,000 worth of merchandise. The doors open at 9AM and the drawing is at 8:45AM. So, get there early. You may find the sweepstakes for and other sweepstakes info here.

Also, the first 1,000 customers will receive a complimentary Nordstrom Rack reuseable tote bag as a gift with purchase! How cool is that.........

 Happy shopping - maybe I'll see you there!

Artisano's Oil and Spices

Artisano's Oils and Spices

We were invited to dinner the other night by our dear friends, The S's. They host THE BEST parties. This was a smaller one with four couples. We met a new couple and our other dear friends, the V's, were there. Such a nice surprise.  They always have the best food,drinks and people. I can not tell you the amount of really neat people we have met at their events. This dinner party was no exception. The other  couple fit right in with the group. We chatted for hours while the guys played PING PING - yes, ping pong. When we first arrived, there was a taste testing of OLIVE OILS and Balsamic vinegar. They were awesome. Infused with flavors such as lime, harissa (SUPER HOT), dark chocolate and coconut. COCONUT!!!! I am coo coo for anything coconut! Mixed the Coconut Balsamic Vinegar with the Lime EVO and you have a winner. SOLD!!!! These items are from a local store called Artisano's in Nora - just behind the Nora Apothecary. While it was too late to shop that night, we hit it up the very next day.

The shop is this cute little house packed with flavor. I mean really - not only do they sell the extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars, they also sell infused salts, peppers, international spices and organic coffees. Looking for Hungarian Paprika - {hello, Orsi}......they have it. The staff is very knowedgable in all of the items sold. We tried so many great pairings. The spices and mixes are packed in these small plastic bags. They are perfect if you are making a recipe and only need a small amount of the spice. Spices typically only last a year and then they lose flavor.

Our hostess had quite a few bottles of both the vinegars and oils. I can see why - they are ALL delicious. Trust me - we'll be back for more.

I purchased the Coconut Balsamic Vinegar (surprise), the Lime Infused Balsamic Vinegar and a few packets of spices. I can not wait to use them. First up - Coconut Lime shrimp on the barbie!

Cruise Ready - My last meal

Maxine's Pan Fried Chicken, Greens and Fried Corn

Salmon patties and fried potatoes

Sweet Potato Waffles and Chicken Wings

We love to cruise. We haven't been in a few years and decided to go later  this year. I'll blog more about that later. In preparation for the cruise and just because I need to, I am starting to watch what I eat today. I really need to think more about the items that I eat.  So, that being said - yesterday for my "last" meal,  we ate at Maxine's Chicken and Waffle restaurant here in Indianapolis before taking my MIL back to Dayton.  The owners are friends of ours from church and the food is DELISH. The restaurant is always packed with a very diverse crowd. We went on a Sunday right after our early service and again it was packed. The service is wonderful and the food is DELISH ( I know, I already said that, but it bears repeating. They are known for their great soul food. Specialty? The chicken and waffles. The wings are HUGE! I opted for the pan - fried chicken breast, greens and fried corn. Remember - this was going to be my last meal. Anyway, K had Salmon croquettes and fried potatoes. MIL had the Chicken and Waffles (sweet potato version).  Another great thing about this place? We ALWAYS run into people we know. Yesterday was no exception. We saw three groups of friends.

Tulip Noir

One of my favorite  things to do on Saturday morning is breakfast with my husband.  We like visiting some of our favorite restaurants for breakfast, but we also really enjoy staying at home and eating breakfast. About a year ago, we took our Little (Big Brother/Big Sister program) to breakfast at Tulip Noir in Indianapolis. Tulip Noir is located at 1224 West 86th Street - just behind the Dunkin Donuts restaurant. The menu changes every season  - not just the food, but also the coffees and teas. They use the freshest herbs, fruits, veggies and juices. Every meal is made fresh for each guest. A big plus is that they are "green". They use french presses for their coffee and beautiful clear teapots for their coffee to eliminate any waste. Dina M. Romay-Sipe and Jeff Sipe are the owners of Tulip Noir. Believe me when I tell you the staff is AMAZING. They truly care about their guests. We have always been made to feel welcome when we dine there. We've only eaten there for breakfast on the weekend. Our favorites are the veggie hash and eggs and pancakeys. The veggie hash and eggs are carrots, potatoes, red bell pepper and onion hash on a bed of spinach topped with a fried farm fresh egg.  DELISH!  The pancakeys are made with organic flour topped with bananas, sliced almonds, cinnamon, powdered sugar and honey. Five pancakeys come to an order.
I love the clear crisp decor of the restaurant. The walls are an inviting light green with white and black accents and the dinnerware is white. Love it.
If you live in Indy or are planning to visit soon, you should definitely make a stop here. You will not be disappointed.
Tulip Noir
1224 West 86th Street
Indianapolis, IN
317.848.5252
Tuesday - Friday 7:00- 2:30PM
Saturday- Sunday 8:00- 1:00PM

Photo Credit: Urbanspoon website

Spa Week in Indy

  The week of April 11th - 17th, 2011 is going to be a great week for spa lovers!  It's officially Spa Week  all across the country. Spa Week happens twice a year - once in the Spring and again in the Fall in select markets across the country. Be sure to check the list of participating spas here. Select spa treatments are $50 - yes, ma'am $50!  A few of the Indy Spas participating are:

                    

 
Who doesn't love a good massage or facial?  Seriously, who doesn't?

Italian Theme -Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

I'll be sharing a few of each of the recipes here on the blog. Just in case you'd like to try to make it.
I am a HUGE fan of cookbooks and have been scouring thru quick a few I own to find the perfect recipes for our first Girls Dinner Club get together. I always came back to one of my favorite celebrity chefs, Giada DeLaurentis. I absolutely love her recipes and her style for cooking. She can truly describe a dish that will make me want to go out and try it. She also does a lot of healthy cooking which makes my husband happy. He is a HUGE healthy edit addict and she has plenty of recipes I can use to make both of us happy. This recipe comes from her Everyday Pasta cookbook.
So, one of the entrees we'll have at our dinner is:

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

4-6 servings

1 pound penne pasta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves,diced into 1-inch cubes

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

pinch of salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon

pinch of pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

Zest of one lemon

pinch of cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium -high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. reduce the heat to medium- low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat with the sauce and serve.

My plan is to double the recipe so my guests can take at least one serving home. My mouth was seriously watering as I was typing out this recipe. Have you tried this recipe before? If so, what were your thoughts? If not, would you try it? 

Bon appetit!