It’s On Like Donkey Kong

September 21, 2011 By 8 Comments

Am I dating myself?

Blogalicious Weekend 2011 is officially 30 days away! This means that I will be on the grustle (Grind + Hustle) from here on out.  This also means that my lovely little blog may get updated a little less frequently than I’d like until then.  Thank goodness I had the magical respite of Mighty Summit.  Because as soon as I got back? This:

Blogalicious Weekend Coming Up in October: MyFoxDC.com

and then this.

And so much more of it coming down the pike, including a new and fun gig that I’m looking forward to announcing soon.  I will do my darndest to update this blog  a couple of times a week, but please go easy on me if I can’t swing it, lovelies!

Filed Under: life, success Tagged With: ,

So You Want to be a Football Fan? An Interview with Tamara of Blitz and Glam

September 16, 2011 By 4 Comments

{See! I told y’all that I’m trying really hard.}

In this second installment, just in time for the weekend, I present to you item No. 2 on the list of:

Ways for Justice Fergie to Get Excited About Football Season

2. Turn to the blogosphere to ask for help from someone I can relate to

And so, I decided to reach out to Tamara, Founder of BlitzandGlam.com.  I love reading her blog because, in addition to her site being pretty to look at, she always has content surrounding football that makes the sport interesting to me.  Tom Brady in an ad for Ugg? I can get with that.  A recap of the latest episode of The Game? Bring.It.On.  Her focus on the lifestyle elements related to football draws me in without making my head hurt with stats and plays.  Don’t get it twisted though – the girl knows her football.  Here’s the interview:

WHERE TO START
Justice Fergie: It’s all so overwhelming. College games, NFL games, pre-season, real season (?) where do I begin?

Blitz and Glam: Just jump right in!  Saturdays are generally college football day and Sundays and Monday nights (and some Thursday and Saturdays) are NFL game day.  There are plenty of chances for you to catch a game.  The best way to begin though is by watching a team that you might have a personal connection to, such as watching your alma mater or your hometown team.  The preseason is over so the regular season is now in full swing.

ABOUT THE PLAYERS
JF: The two teams that I am supposed to be caring about are the Florida Gators (hubby’s and my alma mater and the team hubby played for) and the Miami Dolphins (hubby’s hometeam). How do I learn about the key players on each?
B&G: think there is no better way to learn who the key players are than by watching a game.

ABOUT THE GAMES
JF: How do I identify the important games in each teams schedule? What do they mean?

B&G: For college games, the important games on the schedule will be the games against other teams in their conference and games against ranked teams.  In the NFL, every team wants to be at the top of their division, so the games against division rivals are the big ones (think Ravens/Steelers, Saints/Falcons, Redskins/Cowboys).

STAYING AWAKE
JF:  Any tips on how I can keep my interest piqued during the entire game? (I tend to get bored after, ahem, kickoff)

B&G:  A great way to gain interest in NFL games is by playing fantasy football.  Don’t know who to pick in the fantasy football draft?  That’s ok.  Analysts often put out their lists of the top fantasy picks, so print out a list and use that as your guide.  But be careful, because there might be players who’ve been injured since the list was compiled who might be out for a few weeks or even for the season.  This will keep your attention on particular players in the game, not only on your fantasy team, but also on your weekly opponent’s fantasy team.  Another way is to join a Pick ‘Em League where you will pick the winners of all games that week.  I think when you have something vested in the game you’re more likely to be interested in the games, particularly if you’re a competitive person.

SAVING FACE
JF: What are the key things I should keep up with in order to not appear like a total dunce throughout the season?

B&G:  I think the first thing is to make sure you understand the basic rules of the game (See Blitz And Glam NFL Cheat Sheet, below).  Another thing that will help to keep you informed of the latest happenings is to follow a few college and NFL football commentators or ESPN on Twitter or follow your team’s official twitter account.

{Twitter? She said Twitter! I can totally do THAT.}

Here’s the handy dandy Blitz and Glam Cheat Sheet (don’t fake like you don’t need it too)

Filed Under: life Tagged With: , , , , ,

One Step Closer to Rockin’ My Derby Hat: My Mighty Life List

September 13, 2011 By 24 Comments

In three days I will be on a plane to San Francisco on my way to join a group of phenomenal ladies for Mighty Summit.  I am so tickled to have been invited and completely looking forward to meeting some new bloggers and reconnecting with the ones that I already know.  Mighty Summit is the brainchild of Maggie Mason (aka Mighty Girl) and Laura Mayes, and is an annual retreat structured around the idea of creating a better life — something right up my alley and in line with my entire Life IS the Party mantra.

Part of getting ready for the retreat involved putting together a Life List of 100 things we’d like to do in our lifetime.  Throughout the weekend, we’ll share our lists with one another and try to come up with ways to help each other achieve some of the goals.  And lists? Are right up my alley too.  Here’s mine:

learn how to blowdry and style my own hair

produce a televised awards show

learn how to garden; especially dahlias

go to culinary school

open a home for unwanted children

live in France

rent a villa in Italy

lose 30lbs (and learn to love exercise)

quit my day job and work for myself = DONE!

have a pair of shoes custom-made by Christian Louboutin

have a standing nail appointment

teach my children to speak French

get Lasik

go on a crazy shopping spree

host a talk show

publish a cookbook of my granny’s recipes

lobby Congress for free preschool options and paid maternity leave

upgrade my undies

use Crème de la Mer moisturizer

read the classics

drive a racecar

learn about wine

visit a rainforest

become a mentor to young girls

throw a spectacular 10th wedding anniversary bash

treat my closest girlfriends to an extravagant getaway

help my mom open a bed & breakfast

find a church home (and go regularly!)

eat pineapple roadside in Hawaii

visit Greece

go snorkeling in Fiji

organize my digital photos and print photo books

publish a book

watch the entire ‘Roots’ series

learn how to knit

learn how to play spades (dominoes)

play Mas at Trinidad Carnival

live in the Caribbean

eat at The French Laundry

work at a magazine

learn how to use Photoshop

read the Bible

learn to yacht

own a bangin’luggage set

wear Cavalli

be a SAHM

learn ASL for my sis

fly on a private plane

adopt a child

learn to sew

re-connect with my extended family all over the world

learn how to apply makeup fabulously

build our dream home

stop eating processed foods

become a football fan for my hubby= DONE!

live near the beach

attend the Cannes Film Festival

jar my own jams

travel across Canada

practice yoga

makeover my closet

launch my lifestyle adventures business= DONE!

resurrect my apron business

pursue my ideas for a line of working mom products

go on a medical mission to Haiti with my mom

buy my mom a convertible Jag

make dance an integral part of my life again

learn the moves to Beyonce’s “Crazy In Love” routine and kill it

figure out what the big deal is about Prince

do my family tree

plan a reunion for my dad’s side of the family

man a lemonade stand

be a room parent

own an iPhone=DONE!

attend the Kentucky Derby and wear a fabulous hat

bake bread from scratch

make pasta from scratch

build my kids a treehouse

load my neglected MP3 player with great music

go skiing regularly during the winter

roast a chicken perfectly=DONE!

start a Sunday Dinner tradition= DONE!

redecorate my bedroom so that it’s a peaceful retreat

learn how to clean a fish

run a summer camp for teens

own a SLR camera and learn how to use it

drink a margarita poolside in Cabo

make a piñata out of papier mache (like my mom used to!)

own monogrammed stationery (and use it)

fix the broken sugar bowl in my grandmother’s silver tea service and host a tea party

own cloth napkins and napkin holders

get a family puppy from a rescue shelter

do a classic movie marathon

make fried green tomatoes= DONE!

take my kids to Gator football games in The Swamp

own classic wardrobe pieces (cashmere sweater; trenchcoat; tailored pants, etc.)

own a house with a wraparound porch

taste a dirty martini

own Egyptian cotton bed sheets

learn how to make roti skins

The other reason I am counting down the moments until Friday is because I am in desperate need of a recharge.  Once again, I find myself stressed out and burnt out and a weekend of introspection, fellowship and, well, wine, is just what the doctor ordered.

Check out the list of Summit attendees here.

Filed Under: life Tagged With: , , ,

Are You Ready for Some Football? (It’s a Williams-Sonoma Giveaway!)

September 11, 2011 By 12 Comments

So football season is officially in full swing.  Normally this would cause me to fall into a cranky and depressed stupor about how my beloved television-watching days are over until 2012, BUT! I am taking a whole new approach this season and making an honest effort to give a crap about the game.  Mostly, I am doing it for my husband, who is a former football player for a top SEC team, but I’m also doing it for me – I want to understand what the big deal is and be able to intelligently participate in the conversations that most of America is engaging in come Monday (Tuesday?) morning.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, right?

I’ve decided that if I’m gonna actually be successful at this, I’ve got to make it relevant to my interests in some way.  First up? FOOD AND ENTERTAINING! I can get with that all day.  This month’s issue of Southern Living highlighted some fantastic tailgating ideas that got me inspired.  And so, I present to you the first installment of:

Ways for Justice Fergie to Get Excited About Football Season

1.  Plan Awesome Tailgating Parties!

I’ve been studiously compiling recipes that I’ve come across in all of my food mags that I can’t wait to chef up for my hubs on game days.  Like these Shrimp Puffs from Food Network Magazine:

Or this Grilled Potato Salad from SL:

For most cities, the weather this time of year is the best it’s been; sunny but bearable days and cool but pleasant nights. It’s the perfect time to take advantage of grilling outside while getting revved up for the game.

The Giveaway:

To kick off football season, I am giving away a Steel Grill Wide Chef’s Pan from Williams-Sonoma (a value of $49.95):

Here’s the description:

The perfect partner for your charcoal or gas grill, our innovative chef’s pan cooks up a sizzling variety of foods – from sliced meats and poultry to seafood and vegetables. Its perforated design brings foods in contact with the flame to impart a smoky flavor – without the risk of losing them to the fire.

  • Tiny perforations on the pan’s surface expose your foods to the fire, adding rich, smoky character.
  • Unique design keeps even the smallest ingredients safely inside the pan.
  • Durable stainless steel efficiently conducts heat to sear and brown foods evenly on all sides
  • Wide, sloped sides and a smooth surface make it easy to stir and toss ingredients.
  • Thanks to a removable handle, the pan is great for closed-grill cooking, too.
  • Patent pending.
  • A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

All you have to do to enter to win is: (1) leave me a comment about why you love or hate football season; and (2) like Williams-Sonoma on Facebook and/or follow them on Twitter.  For an extra entry, tweet this post to them @WilliamsSonoma, letting them know that you entered to win (and leave me another comment telling me that you did). Giveaway ends Sunday, Sept. 18 at midnight.

Now off I go to catch the end of the Cowboys-Jets game.  I’m just so into it.

*Disclosure: I was given a Steel Grill Wide Chef’s Pan from Williams-Sonomas to review for this blog post.

Filed Under: food Tagged With: , , ,

Get Your Eat On: Rockville, MD Restaurant Week Sept. 10 – 18

September 8, 2011 By 2 Comments

My family loves eating out – we probably do so at least once a week. And while there are no shortage of restaurants around where we live, we tend to go to the same set of usual suspects that we know and like.  That’s why an event like Rockville Restaurant Week is so great — it motivates us to try new places (and get a great deal while we’re at it).

Starting this weekend, Rockville Restaurant Week offers diners the chance to try out special prix-fixe menus, priced at either $8 lunch/$15 for dinner or $15 lunch/$30 dinner, at an amazing variety of locations.  There’s an impressive selection of cuisines in the DC Area, and Rockville holds its own: I’ve seen everything from Dim Dum to Indian to Spanish to BBQ and everything in between!

One of the participating restaurants is Mosaic Cuisine & Cafe:

Based on French cuisine with many accents from around the world, Mosaic serves a unique menu in a café-style atmosphere. Throughout the menu, look for various cuisines from around the world, such as waffle French toast from Belgium, tomato and pesto soup from Palermo, Italy, artichoke and spinach dip from the USA, and chocolate financier direct from heaven.

We got the opportunity to check out Mosaic in advance of Restaurant Week last night.  Everyone piled into the car in the torrential rain and we set out for Rockville…starving!  We got to the restaurant in about 15 minutes or so and were seated immediately.  My kids are suckers for booths and the waiter who was originally going to seat us at a table (perish the thought!) accommodated Giggles request for a booth right away.  We dove into the menus and were pleasantly surprised!

It’s obvious why the restaurant is named Mosaic.  Their menu had a wide array of different cuisines from French to American to Latin Fusion.  But most importantly, their signature touch is homemade, golden, light and crispy waffles.  At all times of day. A section of the menu devoted to waffle dishes, not the least of which is their signature waffle sandwiches.  Without missing a beat, that’s what Giggles and Chatterbox ordered.  L’il Buddy stuck with his trust choice of a burger – and there was even an option to order the burger on a waffle instead of a bun!

The kids food came out in a flash (our waiter, who was great, willingly took back L’il Buddy’s burger to put it back on the grill as we thought it was a little pink for him) and Hubby and I were given a few moments to focus and order our meals.  I couldn’t decide between all the interesting choices on the menu, so I went for two appetizers instead of an entree.  I ordered the Soup Sampler and the Brie and Mango Quesadilla.  Hubby ordered the Beef Bourguignon and we both got Strawberry Lemonades, which were fantastic).  Our food came out fast as well and we dug in.

The soup trio came with small bowls of Tomato Pesto and Coriander, Wild Mushroom, and Lightly Curried Sweet Potato soups adorned with triangles of fluffy waffles.  The Sweet Potato soup was amazing!! Next time, I’m definitely ordering a whole bowl.  My second favorite was the Wild Mushroom.  My quesadillas were crispy and hot – surprisingly, Giggles ate most of them! I was surprised that she like the taste of the Brie but she gobbled them up. Hubby’s Bourguignon was delicious and he was forced to share it with the kids too.

For dessert, we shared the Warm Flourless Chocolate Waffle. SO. GOOD.


I decided that I’m going to have to go back for the crepes!  When you’re already making plans about what you’re going to order the next time you come to a restaurant, before you even leave, I’d say that’s a good sign!  If you live in the area, I’d definitely recommend checking out Mosaic – there’s something on the menu for everyone.

And, after seeing this picture:

I’m also looking forward to trying out Chef Jugnet’s brand new Downtown DC restaurant – The Wicked Waffle!

I was given a $25 gift certificate to Mosaic Cuisine & Cafe for this review (and we paid the balance ourselves).  Lucky for us, Wednesday was Kids Eat Free (with one Adult Entree) Night! The waiter even counted my 2 apps as an entree without us asking. Awesome service.

Follow Mosaic Cuisine and Cafe on Facebook. During Rockville Restaurant Week, Mosaic is offering a $30 dinner special only.

Filed Under: family, food Tagged With: , ,

Setting Your Fall Table with SERENA & LILY

September 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I’ve always wanted to be one of those homemakers that changes their home decor with the seasons.  Sure I decorate for the holidays, but I’d love to pull out an autumn wreath rich with oranges and reds for the front door or switch out my happy floral summer linens in the dining room for something more sophisticated and in line with the Fall season.  In my mind, being on top of your home decor is such an impressive reflection of a homemaker that has it all together.  The good news is that it’s not too late for me!  Or you.

I recently learned that the talented designers at Serena & Lily, an upscale (but reasonably priced) homewares and linens company, are introducing an entertainment category of unique table linens and decorative accessories.

Serena & Lily’s entertaining category presents two collections: Mombasa and Marbella.  The Mombasa Collection is casual yet worldly consisting of a festive collection of handblocked table linens in a spicy palette of nutmeg and berry that brings a touch of exotic to the every day.  The Marbella Collection features a luxe Mediterranean palette and sophisticated cubist design blockprinted in hand-mixed blue-hued inks.   Both collections offer table runners, tablecloths, placemats and napkins.  Tablescapes are completed with glowing alabaster tea lights, five-sided glass hurricane lamps, horn nesting bowls and inlayed cheese knives exclusive to Serena & Lily that translate the brand’s well-traveled world view into the ultimate California chic.

I am drooling over the Marbella collection linens.  The blues and the raw silk is the perfect combination of understated glam:

Then there’s the global chic-ness of the Mombasa collection:

Doesn’t this table setting just scream “warm and creamy Autumn soups”?

Every self-respecting hostess should have a fly pair of cheese knives. 

And so my Fall resolution is born.  This weekend I plan to infuse my living and dining room areas with a little bit of entertaining glam inspired by the new collections from Serena & Lily .

Do you update your home decor with each season? I’d love to hear if you do!

*I didn’t receive anything from Serena & Lily for writing this post.  I just think their stuff is purty.

Filed Under: Style

Loving the Love

September 7, 2011 By 5 Comments

I am loving the Justice Fergie love this week.  Last Friday my Designing My Fall Work Wardrobe post was featured as one of the Top 9 on Daily Buzz Style:

And today I am the subject of Jennifer Gerlock’s Hip As I Wanna Be Working Momma Spotlight:

Thanks to both for featuring me!

Filed Under: Style, success Tagged With: ,

A Southern Garden Wedding

September 2, 2011 By 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago, I attended the most charming southern garden wedding.  The bride, my BFF from junior high, planned and designed the entire affair herself. I’ve enjoyed seeing her ideas being pinned to her Pinterest boards for the past several months and couldn’t wait to see her vision come to life.  And come to life it did! From the invitations to the dinner buffet to the drink stirrers, she couldn’t have done a more fabulous job of having her wedding reflect her and her new husband’s personalities.  What’s more? I’ve never been to a wedding that had it’s own logo and branding! A fellow wedding guest remarked that the branding was so consistent and tastefully present throughout the entire event – such a whimsical touch.

A few photos I snapped at the wedding (apologies up front for the camera phone quality):



The wedding was intimate, impeccable, joyful and genuine.  Most of all, I felt like I was right back at home with her family – everyone was so warm and welcoming; it was like Mel and I were in her grandma’s house again, giggling and practicing dance moves in front of the mirror.

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