When I randomly saw a Rue 21 about 20 minutes away from my apartment yesterday my Cheap Diva Antennas went off! I hadn’t yet seen one here in Nashville and I was sort of disappointed that one of my secret score dens was no where to be found. Rue 21 always has tons of clearance items for like two or three dollars that are actually really cute! Most of the time when you see a $2.00 clearance sign it’s a bunch of frayed tanks and ugly St. Patty’s Day tees.
Since starting my wannabe clean eating kick I have been trying out some new recipes. Mind you I am not one to cook things that have several steps involved so making salmon was bound to be a challenge for this lady.
Not to mention that the fiance makes A-Mazing salmon!
Nope. I’m not competitive AT ALL.
That sauce you see above was the yummiest, easiest, fake-fat tastiest thing ever. I didn’t measure anything…. Just throw it all in the bowl to taste.
Greek-ish Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
Fresh Squeezed lemon Juice
Dill
Plain Greek Yogurt
Salt/Pepper
Nummy Salad
Ingredients:
Spinach
Aunt Annie’s Light Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Fat Free Feta Cheese Crumbles
Kalamata Olives
Sun Flower Seeds
Scrumptious Salmon
Note: This was per the fiance’s instruction so I can’t take credit. Laa u boo.
I used a pre-seasoned salmon filet from the seafood counter at Kroger.
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Heat Truffle oil in a cast iron skillet (you can use olive oil if you cant find truffle oil)
Sear Salmon skin side up (meat down) for 2 minutes
Flip it over so its skin side is down and put in the oven for 6-8 minutes
I was digging through my jewelry box this morning and stumbled upon this ring that I had all but forgotten about.
Believe it or not, this was a cheesy theme park gift shop find. I got it after I rode The Pirates of the Caribbean at Islands of Adventure for the first time back in 98.
It’s held up pretty well for a $9 dollar ring 🙂 Super happy that I found it!
Isn’t that dress stunning? Its and authentic A.b.s. feather & tulle cocktail dress that retails for $350 in stores. With the gorgeous feathers and tiara applique it reminded me of Swan lake when I saw it! Check out the close up…
Bet your wondering the reason for my title then huh?
Well I have two reasons.
One, I got all excited when I saw this dress and impulse bought it for my rehearsal dinner. Its beautiful but a bit much for our simple day event. Two, it’s a size 10 and after finding out how much alterations on my wedding dress are going to cost me I just can’t justify spending more money.
So this beauty is up for sale. Sad face.
Just FYI, a 10 in bridal gowns and formal dresses is more like a 6 or 8 in street size.
So if your interested then contact me at rileycouture@yahoo.com. I’m selling it for waaaay less than its worth. My loss is your gain ladies 🙂
This has been my mantra the last few days. Or at least I have tried to make it that way. There a days that waking up at 4 am makes for an UBER grumpy R!LEY during the day. It’s almost as if every little errand or chore becomes a huge effort. What? I have to buy toilet paper? The tub is looking grimy? The garbage needs to be taken out? Car is super dirty? Laundry? Meh. It can wait until after my nap.
Well. I need to pep it up. Gotta get my “Hut-To-Hut-To” on.
I need to complain less.
I need cherish more.
I need to smile more.
Mind over matter. Mind Over Matter. Mind over matter. Mind over matter.
Say it with me….MIND OVER MATTER.
The other day I was recording something in the studio when I hit a road block. Its like writing block only with your mouth. Yea, mouth block in no fun when its your job to talk. My day was only half over and I felt so deflated. I just wanted to curl into a ball and nap. This may sound cheesy, but I literally just repeated “Mind Over Matter” to myself and it was just the self-pep talk that I needed.
Just as a side note, I LOVE my job and could not imagine doing anything else. It’s a part of who I am. Even if it causes wrinkles and baggy eyelids. 🙂
Even though I have a lot more challenges ahead of me as I step into the next phase of my life and have a husband and hopefully a family of my own, I need to keep am open mind and just breath through it. (Yes people I know it gets worse after you have kids) Everyday that I get through minus the “I don’t wanna attitude” is like a trophy for me.
Mind Over Matter. Mind Over Matter. Mind Over Matter.
I was going to show you a bunch of goodies that I found at The Dollar General over the weekend, but now I’m too distracted after looking at the receipt.
Yep, I shop at Dollar general on occasion for apparel. Ya never know what your gonna find right?
Let me assure you that these flats were the ULTIMATE find.!!!
Ok hold on, let me start from the beginning. Dollar General had their all of their “blue dot” shoes 70% off of $10.00. I needed a new plain pair of flats so I’m thinking meh, couple bucks is good enough for me. Mind you I am terrible with math so don’t judge if you’ve already figured out the final cost.
Let’s examine the receipt….
HOLY SHI-ZA! I really did get those shoes for a penny! Really don’t know how this Cheap Diva is going to top that one! GO ME!
I am a designer jean junkie! A few years ago I was gifted my first pair of Rock revivals and have been hooked ever since! They are a tad pricey but in opinion totally but worth it.
Adding to my obsession with expensive jeans is the fact that I have a rather odd butt shape. I always have trouble finding pants that don’t make me look droopy back there. My booty is not exactly a bubble but nor is it an apple bottom. It’s more like a flattop pear bottom type of derrière .
Ok… enough about my backside and on to the deal.
Along with Rock Revival, I also love Miss Me jeans. They give me that Jlo-esque booty that us Puertoricans are supposed to be born with. My genetics were not that kind to me so I have to make do. Woops, going on about the butt again. My bad.
Anyhoo…
Both brands normally cost about $140-$179 retail, so while I was taking some old clothes to Plato’s Closet for some quick cash I did a double take when I spotted these a babies.
They may be pre-owned but they were in good shape. Almost as if someone had worn them twice and got sick of them. Welp, another rich girl’s trash is this Cheap Diva’s treasure!
The price tag said $45 dollars but I was getting getting cash for the stuff I was selling, and at Plato’s if you put that money towards a store purchase you get 20% off. So the grand total was around $37 bucks!
I bounced my bootyliscious self right on out of that store with a triumphant grin.
I saw this and it got me thinking. Well to be honest I have been doing some thinking on the subject of friendship for a minute and today I feel like opening up about it. When your little you make friends on the playground, and if your lucky you keep them close in some way shape or form for the rest of your life. Or at least that’s what the movies and kid books would have you believe.
Well, I was not that girl that had a lot of childhood friends. I always had one or two besties around but they seemed to recycle every few years. There was never that one rock solid girlfriend to turn to. I know some people that have a handful of people that they can say they have know for X amount of years and are still incredibly close with them. Confession I am jealous of these people.
In order for this to not be a complete pity party, I will say I have two or three girlfriends that are really close to me. The one I’ve known the longest of these ladies is the ONLY friend I can say that knew me before my name was R!LEY. And honestly, that is why I completely trust her. She has seen me at my worst, best, and then worst again. She has never judged or told me what to do. She gives me her opinion freely and honestly. She does it in such a way that and I just listen.
I feel like I need to give a disclaimer here. I’m not discounting any of the other close friendships I have acquired over the last few years. I am incredibly grateful for them too. But that’s really not what this rant is about.
When I started planning my wedding there was a few people that I just knew would be there by my side that are just nowhere in sight today. You know what they say…weddings bring out the best and worst in people. I do think it’s a God sent that I have shed these people from my life but it still hurts.
You see, when I make a friend they are usually with me for life. Even if I end up despising them later. There is always something in me that will remember the good in them even if they have wronged me.
Geez this is becoming a pity party rant.
Er, sorry.
Basically what i’m trying to say is that I’m trying to trim the fat in my life before I embark on a new journey. That journey being becoming a new wife and God willing a mom.
I have shed the “radio friends”.
I have shed the fair weather friends.
I have shed the friends that were a complete caricature of who I really thought they were.
Crappy. But true.
Any advice on this? How do you fully let go of “freinds” that are really frenemies?
I am IN LOVE with this little wonder brush! I usually buy hair styling tools with such high hopes only to be let down and left with a drawer full of do-dads that I don’t use. Hence my habits of being a product hoarder.
The first time I discovered the Goody QuickStyle brush I was getting a blowout at the salon and I spotted one of the girls using it. You usually don’t see hairstylists using Goody products…they tend use the ultra fancy stuff but this chick swore by it. It was on sale on Kroger one day from $11.99 to $4.99 so I figured what’s one more gadget in my drawer.
For the first time in a while I am thrilled with my hair purchase! The little towel like thingies in between the bristles really did cut my styling time in half!
