Not Your Ordinary Sandwich

During the summer, I love to eat fresh tomatoes from the Farmer's Market. Perfect in a salad or pasta, tomatoes are incredibly versatile. You could eat tomatoes prepared in a different way every day of the week. Be sure to check back next week for a very special post about a Tomato Festival and an opportunity for you!

A tomato sandwich is a simple and easy lunch. A fresh tomato with a little bit of salt and pepper is so good on toast. But today, I'm sharing my favorite tomato sandwich. I could LIVE on this sandwich during the summer. Slice a fresh tomato, heirloom are my favorite, and pair with fresh mozzarella. The secret ingredient in this super sandwich is pesto sauce and a few basil leaves. If the basil is fresh, even better! I also sprinkle a little Italian seasoning on the sandwich for an additional kick. So good!



More information about the Tomato Festival to follow!!

Happy Saturday! What are your plans for today? The heat wave has finally broken here, so I actually might spend some time outside today!

xoxo

Celebrate with Shopaholic in Alabama

Happy Friday! Welcome to Lori from Shopaholic in Alabama for hosting today's blog hop with Maryland Pink and Green. She is one of my real BFF's and I just adore her and her lovely sister, Amy. They are both so special to me and I'm thrilled that she is hosting Follow Friday this week because she's in celebration mode for a big birthday! Love you, Lori!!


Just like last week, on today's blog hop you only need to link your blog to the list once and you can add it on either of the 2 blogs hosting the Follow Friday.

Your link will be visible on the list on both blogs throughout the week so a lot of people can find you!

Blog readers will see the same list on all of the blogs and will be able to "hop" from blog to blog. What a fun way to find new friends! If you have not joined previous weeks, be sure to add your blog to the list today. Even if you've already added your blog on another blog hop, add your name to the list today since every week is a new list.

Here's how to play:
1. Find new blogs to follow and be sure to follow the hostesses (Lori and Bethany) of the blog hop.
2. Be sure to follow someone who follows you and let them know that you found them through Follow Friday. You all know how much we love comments! :)
3. Tell your other blogger friends about Follow Friday and encourage them to join!



Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click for instructions and code…


Happy Friday!! I think of Friday as the start of my weekend, but in a previous life, my weekend started on a Thursday or even a Wednesday. ;) My friend is living in Dubai and told me that weekends in Dubai start on a Thursday night since they don't work on Friday or Saturday. Their work week starts on Sunday! Very interesting, I think, don't you? (images)



xoxo

Fall for a Dress

When the weather gets cooler or even a little bit before then, let yourself "Fall for a Dress." Wearing a dress often is a very powerful thing and is a secret that stylish women carefully guard. What better way to look perfectly coordinated and polished. And getting dressed in the morning is so easy! The Lilly lineup of dresses features some favorites from previous seasons as well as some new winners. I was very suprised to see what looks like the same exact Shauna dress I bought last year with the gold embroidery. It is such an incredibly versatile dress and must have been a top seller. Here are some of my favorites.

The Shauna dress is a super flattering dress. The sleeves make it easy to wear all year without a wrap or sweater. This Shauna dress is a novelty dress called Big Bang. Love it.


For a few seasons, the Lulu dress has been my go-to dress for so many occasions. The dress length is long enough to be appropriate for a variety of sitations, but the form fitting dress makes the most of your curves. The Lulu dress in Skindalous.


The Jonah is probably one of the most comfortable Lilly Pulitzer dresses I own. It's a fantastic transition piece and looks great with tights in the fall. My minnie Alexia came downstairs one day and was rocking her Little Jonah dress paired with jeans. It looked adorable. A must have! Jonah dress in Don't Be Koi.


For work, the Blayney dress is a staple. Comfortable and elegant, the Blayney never wrinkles and is so easy to wear. The season's Blayney is updated with a delicate ruffle. Good news for me because I love that look. Uh oh! Another must have for me! The Blayney featured below is in the Get Ginky print.


But I've saved my favorite for last. The Finn shift ponte in pink is at the top of my list. What a great dress to wear for dinner. Now I just have to see about getting that table at Volt restaurant...



What's your favorite dress from the Lilly Pulitzer fall collection? Do you prefer to wear dresses over pants? Share your wish lists with me; I love to know what people like.

Have a good day! In other good news, many congratulations to McKenna who is the lucky winner of the Preppy Princess giveaway!! Thanks to everyone who entered and many, many thanks and a bug hug to the Preppy Princess for her generosity and fantastic introduction to the Lilly Pulitzer stationery for fall. McKenna, please contact me at blbrodger1@hotmail.com and I will forward your information to the Preppy Princess.

xoxo

Murfee Crinkle

You know what Lilly Pulitzer says, "Too much is never enough!"

Yes, I have quite a collection of Murfee scarves. Guilty. (Well, not really. Actually, I'm just a little bit proud of my Murfees.) So when I saw the newest version of the Murfee scarf for fall, I immediately added it to my wish list.

The Murfee in Bright Navy Show Me Some Skin is such a perfect print for the crinkle fabric and the jewel tones are gorgeous.



What do you think? Please vote in my poll.

Online Surveys & Market Research

xoxo

Lilly Reader Oufits!

Last week, I invited you to submit a picture wearing your Lilly and the response was good. I'll post more photos in a week or so. Please feel free to send your pictures and a description to blbrodger1@hotmail.com and I may include it in an upcoming post. It's so much fun to see how everyone wears their Lilly!

The lovely Kim from sent a picture from her mom's wedding in June. She and her adorable daughters are wearing the She's a Piston print. Kim is wearing the Franco and the minnies are in the novelty shift. Kim (and I) love that dress! Also, notice the Minnies are wearing their Stella & Dot "jewels" and, yes, those are a pair of Lilly sandals. Poor Kim had broken her little toe AGAIN and could only wear flat flip flop type shoes. :( Also, love the pearl choker she's wearing that she got for a steal from Smart Bargains, something like 90% off!


Melissa is another beautiful Lilly Lover who shared her pictures. She says, "Although, I wear it often (lots!!), I rarely get my picture taken., so don't have many to share." This is one of Melissa's very favorite dresses and an unusual Lilly, being leopard print! Isn't this fun?


The Suburban Princess sent us this adorable fall picture. I always love to add a pop of color to an outfit during the fall and this is a great example of how to do it. The Suburban Princess wrote, "This is me wearing my Lilly scarf...it was made by LWhelan and I love it!" Her sweater is from L.L. Bean.


Melissa is the lucky winner of a set of Lilly coasters for submitting an entry to Lilly Reader Outfits. Melissa, please send your mailing address to me so I can get your prize in the mail to you.

There are already some lovely ladies who I am going to share with you in their favorite Lilly in the near future. Why don't you join us? Send me a picture and brief explanation of your Lilly Pulitzer favorites. Just to make it fun, I'll give another prize to one of the photo submissions. Have a beautiful day!

Don't forget that tomorrow is the last day to enter the fantastic giveaway from Preppy Princes. Click here to enter to win whatever you want from the new Lilly Pulitzer stationery collection!

xoxo

When life gives you lemons

Although I LOVE to bake, I rarely bake during the summer because it is so hot and the last thing I want is a hot oven. Sorbet is so refreshing and hydrating during the summer. Here's an easy recipe for homemade lemon sorbet.


Lemon Sorbet!
Ingredients:
4 juicy lemons
1 cup of sugar
1/2 litro de agua
2 egg whites
Rind from 1 lemon
A cinnamon stick
A few mint leaves
A pinch of salt

Instructions:
1. Remove the rind from one lemon. Squeeze the juice out of all of the lemons. It may be easier to use a juicer.

2. Heat the water and sugar with the whole cinnamon stick. Once it boils, turn down the heat and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Sit aside to cool.

3. When it is nearly cool, mix the sugar water with the lemon juice and rind. If desired, add a pinch of cinnamon.

4. Put in the freezer in a shallow container to speed the freezing process.

5. Add two egg whites and a pinch of salt (beaten to stiff peaks) when the mixture is nearly frozen. Be sure to incorporate the egg whites completely.

6. Return to the freezer until frozen or ready to serve.

7. Serve with a garnish of mint.



xoxo


Images

Major Sale at Village Palm

Village Palm is one of my favorite Lilly Pulitzer stores. Sarah is so helpful and she let me know that they are having a huge sale! The entire store is on sale except stationery and jewelry. What a great time to stock up on Lilly while it is warm enough to wear summer clothes.

Here are some things that are in stock at the store.


Adelson dresses in white with white lace - quite a few sizes
Del mar dresses in navy - lots of sizes
Del mar fresh picked patch - lots of sizes
Jarvey skorts
Roslyn skirts - shell shocked
Worth shifts - shell shocked
Bel air - shell shocked and frisky business
Chapman and Sherman tunic dresses in almost every print and every size
Sandra dress in I dahlia pink
Lots of Paley beach cardigans, Bidi tanks, tanks and Olette tops - solids and printed



Shoes are all 30% off except spaghetti strap McKims
Palmtastic sandal
Lilly sandal
McKims in navy and pink
Turtle xing sandal
Navy shell sandals
Diamond in the rough

There may be a few other styles and a few random mckim colors left; please call Sarah for availability. There are lots of Spaghetti strap McKims in black, pink, silver and gold at 50% off.

You can reach Sarah by phone at 313-882-7256.

Happy Shopping! What is still on your shopping list from Summer 2010? I think I still "need" an Olette top.

xoxo

Guelaguetza

Have you ever heard music that made you so nostalgic? This week, I had that experience when I heard music from one of Mexico's most special celebrations. On two Mondays in July, Oaxaca celebrates by presenting a series of typical dances from the seven different regions of the state. These beautiful and varied dances take place at the Guelaguetza Auditorium located on a gorgeous hilltop that offers visitors an incredible view of the city. The presentation lasts for several hours. Many different indigenous groups are represented in this display.

The word Guelaguezta comes from the Zapotec language and has a meaning that loosely translates to "mutual giving of gifts." For some delegations, the trip to the capital city of Oaxaca is a long, difficult, and expensive journey. The dancers diligently prepare for the annual event. After each group's presentation, the dancers bring gifts to special guests in the audience that are representative of their region. Some of the more interesting items have included a live turkey or a traditional dress. Other members of the group throw things to the general audience. It's a thrill to catch one of these items like small pieces of fruit, nuts, artesania, hats, or maybe if you're lucky, a pineapple!


The sun is pretty intense during the event and there is no shade. The temperature is not particularly hot and is not humid at all, but the sun is so strong. I got the worst sunburn of my life the first time I went to Guelaguetza. The next year, I wore a long sleeved tunic and my trusty straw hat and was fine. If you go, you'll definetely need a hat for the day. There's even one dance where the audience "dances" with their hats. So much fun. If you're lucky enough to sit in the Governor's section, you'll get a complimentary hat (and some mezcal, food, ice cream and other goodies.)





This video shows one of the most famous and well loved dances from the Guelaguetza. The Flor de Pina, or pineapple flower, dance is from Tuxtepec, a warm, tropical city in Oaxaca. What do you think of the Mexican rockettes?

If you are looking for a unique and authentic Mexican experience, I highly recommend a trip to Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a trip you'll never forget.

xoxo

P.S. I found out that today is National Tequila Day from Kim. What a fun holiday! Here's a funny thought for you. If people "forget" how to drive and go nuts every time it rains or snows 1 inch, what if the precipitation were Tequila!?!?

Follow Friday with Kim!

Happy Friday! Welcome to Kim from My Life Through Pink (Green and Blue, too) Colored Glasses for hosting today's blog hop with Maryland Pink and Green. She is so sweet and has the most adorable family.

Just like last week, on today's blog hop you only need to link your blog to the list once and you can add it on either of the 2 blogs hosting the Follow Friday.

Your link will be visible on the list on all 3 blogs throughout the week so a lot of people can find you!

Blog readers will see the same list on all of the blogs and will be able to "hop" from blog to blog. What a fun way to find new friends! If you have not joined previous weeks, be sure to add your blog to the list today. Even if you've already added your blog on another blog hop, add your name to the list today since every week is a new list. Find new blogs to follow and be sure to follow the lovely hostesses of the blog hop. Be sure to follow someone who follows you and let them know that you found them through Follow Friday.




Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? Click for instructions and code…


A special thanks and hugs to Kim who is so gracious to host this week's Follow Friday. (images)




xoxo

Minnies' Fall at Lilly!

Garnet Hill, you've made my day! How excited was I to see the fall Lilly Pulitzer line for minnies featured at Garnet Hill. And the girls were just as excited. Even though it's almost 100 degrees outside, we've been in back to school mode for about a week and the girls are eager to start shopping for clothes.

The Addie sweater is so cute! I can't decide which one I like the most. Natalia's favorite is the turquoise stripe koi fish. The sweaters have an adorable gathered neckline and can be dressed up or down. These will match everything!


Corduroy pants are another staple in any minnies' fall and winter wardrobe. Again, the three colors Garnet Hill shows will match all of the Addie sweaters and allow lots of possible combinations for your little fashionista. It makes it easy for girls to choose their own outfits and coordinate perfectly.


I've saved the best for last! The little Lilly shift dresses are back for fall at a great price point and adorable prints and patches. The traditional pink and green Lilly's Apples and Lilly's Purple Patchwork are my favorites. Shift dresses are fantastic back to school buys because they can be worn in so many different ways. It could easily be 90 degrees on the first day of school in Maryland. A shift dress in a fall print is a perfect option. Later in the season, the shift can be worn with a turtleneck or cardigan. This season, Lilly Pulitzer will have leggings for girls. My girls love leggings under shift dresses so that they are comfortable on the playground and prefer leggings to tights.


What are your little ones going to wear on the first day of school? Have you started to think about back to school shopping? As much as I'm trying to stretch the summer, the girls are excited to go back to school and can't wait.

xoxo

Special Guest, Lilly stationery, and a surprise!

Hello-Hello, and welcome to a Wednesday!

It is an especially fun Wednesday for TP, we are ever-so-excited to be guest posting here at Maryland Pink and Green! We have long enjoyed reading Bethany’s wonderful posts, and are flattered to be invited to pop in for a visit. Just sharing space with such a Lilly aficionado is impressive; let alone a woman who has actually visited the Offray Ribbon outlet!

Back to the topic at hand, Bethany asked if we could chat about some of the new goodies coming to The Princess in this fall’s Lilly Pulitzer Fall Stationery & Gifts line. (We only pray that poor Bethany isn’t already regretting her kind invitation, asking us to talk about something this near and dear is really courting disaster.)

We will begin with what is the ‘hottest’ item in the new collection, the Lilly iPhone covers.

Pre-orders for these are coming in at a record rate. They are offered in four distinctive Lilly patterns: Checking In, Koi, White Zin and Coral Me Crazy. Below we have another shot of Coral Me Crazy.


The Lilly iPhone cases are $19.50; they may be pre-ordered with shipping expected in mid to late August. (The cases for the this fall’s collection fit only the 3G and 3GS models; we do know the plan is to add cases for the iPhone 4 next spring, but at this point there aren’t plans for Blackberry and Palm covers.)

The next most popular item is most assuredly the Large Agendas, with the Pocket Agendas running a close second. The big change for Agendas this year is the switch to a 17-month format, sometimes called an academic calendar. The Agendas begin with this August and run through December 2011; new patterns include (L to R) Checking In, Koi, and White Zin.


The most sought-after pattern for these is White Zin, with Checking In ordered almost as often. Koi is not as popular as these two right now, but we expect that to change and this darker color to become more popular with the arrival of fall and even winter. Recognizing how much people need to see the inside of the Agendas, we have posted photos on our PreppyPrincess.com Facebook page. The Large Agendas are $24.50 and the Pocket Agendas just $14.50; these are shipping now.

After the iPhone covers the most searched item has to be these:

If your guess is “Lilly Pulitzer Laptop Sleeves” you are absolutely correct. These look so fun, available in the Checking In and Patch Day designs. The cases are made of neoprene, and fit laptops with screens up to 15.4”. These are $36.50 and may also be pre-ordered for a mid to late August delivery.


Something we haven’t yet posted about on our blog, the new Lilly Pulitzer Pens.

These were just added to the site on Monday; here is how The Consort describes them:

“Whether signing autographs or writing a note to your sweetie, these pens are sure to impress in both style and quality. Removable lid, includes one ink cartridge and accepts standard refills. Each pen comes in a colorful gift box... there are three new designs to add to the twelve classic colorful patterns you know and love.”

The pens are $19.50 with new patterns available for pre-ordering, all other patterns ship immediately.

Another item we haven’t yet put on the site or featured in our blog, the new Lilly Pulitzer Paper Dolls set.


The clothes for the new dolls are cute as can be, quintessentially Lilly.


Perfect for the Minnie Lilly lover on your gift list this year, the Paper Dolls come in an illustrated box with a grosgrain ribbon handle ideal for easy transporting.

Our final item is something that rapidly achieved “Hot Seller” status among the Lilly pre-order products.

At only $5, the Lilly Koozies are offered in three great patterns: Checking In, Patch Day and our personal pick, Frisky Business. Isn’t that the best name? Destined to be great gifts any time, the Koozies are ideal as stocking-stuffers and other gifting occasions.


Here are the particulars on the Lilly Fall Stationery Collection:

Large and Pocket Agendas are shipping now;
We are taking pre-orders for the other merchandise in the fall line; we expect to ship pre-ordered merchandise in mid to late August
As always, we gift wrap at no charge and are happy to include a gift card with your order, so do let us know if your purchase is a special present for someone
To be on top of the latest news and receive special discount offers on our Lilly collection, sign up for our Lilly Pulitzer newsletter here. (You will need to scroll down a bit, the box you are looking for is on the lower right of the page.) You can rest easy when signing up; we will never sell or share your email address or other personal information, which is a promise.

As a way of saying “Thank You“ to all of Bethany ‘s delightful readers, we are doing a giveaway from the Lilly Fall collection. The prize? Anything your heart desires from the fall Lilly line! You get to choose! Here is how to enter:

For one entry leave a comment here mentioning an item you like at the Princess
For a 2nd entry follow this blog (if you already are, just comment here)
For a 3rd entry post the Giveaway on your blog or Facebook page & leave a comment telling Bethany you did;
For 4th entry become a Preppy Princess fan on Facebook & let us know you did (If you are already a fan, just let us know so you receive this additional entry!)
For a 5th entry become a Maryland Pink & Green fan on Facebook
For a 6th entry, Tweet about the Giveaway on Twitter & let us know you did (here’s the Princess on Twitter);
For multiple additional entries, tell a friend! For each friend leaving a comment that mentions your name (or your blog or email or other means of identifying you) you receive two additional entries!

We hope you come visit us at the Princess, where shopping is fun again!

We leave with an expression of gratitude to Bethany, you are just too nice to invite us over. We send you, and all of your treasured readers a big Princess smile!

Hello, peeps! Just a note from me, Bethany. The giveaway will end on Wednesday, July 28 at midnight and I'll announce the winner (chosen at random by one of my minnies!) on Thursday, July 29. Thanks for participating. A big hug and thank you to the Preppy Princess for her kindness and fab review of the Lilly Pulitzer fall goodies. xoxo