Baxter Bark Twice

Do as I say, never as I do

Tricks of my trade

Posted by AllieB on February 1, 2012

I can already tell this is not a guy-friendly post, so here’s a little something for y’all…here’s Candice Swanepoel posing for the Victoria’s Secret swimsuit issue. This picture is actually a before (left) and after (right) photoshop.

Is it just me, or does she look better in the before than she does the after?? For more ego-boosting images, click here.

I am a fountain of information, if I do say so myself. The best eye drops, hangover cures, mini-Vaseline canisters…not to mention restaurant tips and the like. You’re welcome for all of that, but I do have a confession to make…more often than not, I have not actually tried the product which I am pedaling – shameful, I know, and a little dishonest. (I really do want to try that hangover pill – did anyone ever get that?) BUT I do feel that I am somewhat upfront about that…except the mini Vaseline thingys, I blatantly said I’d ordered all 4 when I had not, nor have ordered any of them to this day. Anyway, whatever, get over it – I HAVE tried this product I discovered (by way of H.L. Edge) and now you all need to try it. Meet and greet: Frownies.

  • Frownies are a simple method to reverse deep expression lines Frownies repair wrinkle-damaged skin without dangers of injections or toxic chemicals
  • Dramatically reduce lines and wrinkles safely and naturally
  • Trains the underlying facial muscles to regain the strength and tone they have lost
  • Use daily or nightly; leave on for a minimum of three hours

My favorite place to use them is on my brow that is furrowed. Whenever I read, text, or am displeased with someone, my brow goes into furrowed mode. Given the amount those three things are happening, I’m starting to sport a permanent furrow (I refuse to use the word ‘wrinkle’ here). I’m not going down that Botox path just yet, and these seemed like a good intermediary step. I (Gaylen), obviously, purchased them off Amazon so they were a mere $14 for 144 patches. I haven’t been using them for all that long, but it’s interesting – when you put them on you can tell how much your skin is inclined to relax into that same furrowed position, and the frownie patch ensures that it cannot. Visit this link and buy your Frownies today!!!

Moving along. I fell short in my wing post last week in that I didn’t offer any recommendations for where to get the best ones. Mr C’s is good, Wing Factory, obviously…Treehouse has those teriyaki ones that are pretty decent. One Star Ranch does a pretty good hot sauce…but for those who like to get all adventurous-like in the kitchen, these look pretty awesome, too: Bacon Cheddar Buffalo Wings. JBax told me about this cooking blog, and it has really good pictures – if the food tastes half as good as it looks, then I’m sure it’s awesome. I rarely get all the way thru the post to look at the actual cooking preparation, but if anyone’s looking for something delish to whip up for Super Bowl Sunday, these look like a winner.

It’s FINALLY February!! January…..don’t ever do that again. Happiest of Hump Days to you all.

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , | 2 Comments »

Eat, Watch, Ridicule…

Posted by AllieB on January 31, 2012

Get it? It’s like Eat, Pray, Love but not. What day is it – Tuesday? I hate Tuesdays. Nothing original has ever happened on BBT on a Tuesday – I find Thursdays are the best days for unique material – so I’ll just link to a bunch of stuff that other people have already said and/or done…including that of my own work.

First seen on BBT in May 2k11. Sorry I’m not sorry.

EAT (when it opens): ATLiens: chef/restauranteur extraordinaire Kevin Rathbun is opening a “small plates steak” place in ADAC in Peachtree Hills this summer: KR Steak Bar. I’m excited because I love steak and who doesn’t appreciate a good, old-fashioned rhyming name. Welcome to the neighborhood, KR.

WATCH: Kristen Bell is funny. She reminds me of MPvZB (a compliment) and MCL says she was great in Veronica Mars. She’s been on the circuit lately touting House of Lies, a new show on Showtime of which I am somewhat fond (it’s kind of ranchy?), but here she is on Ellen…and she’s having a sloth-related meltdown. I don’t quite get it, but I like what I’m seeing – she has very little shame. Obviously need sound:

credit: Y Kenna.

ALSO WATCH: Do you like musicals?!?! Tina, I know you do. Unless you live in a hole, you’ve probably seen the trailer for the show, Smash, that premiers next Monday Feb 6. Ever resourceful, I watched the first episode last week OnDemand, but it’s also available for free on iTunes. I liked it! I’m losing you, I can already tell, so that’s all I’ll say about it – but check it out.

TAKE THAT, KATHERINE HEIGL: according to this article, “experts” are saying her career is over. Good riddance, I say – I find her incredibly obnox, not to mention a very one-note talent. The best she’s ever made it on my list is “slightly less annoying than her most annoying” and that’s not very promising.

I hope your day isn’t suicidal. TTFN!

Posted in Arbitrary, Food & Drink | Tagged: , , , | 8 Comments »

Chicken wings and truth bombs: because that’s what BBT does

Posted by AllieB on January 26, 2012

While I appreciate what this flowchart (I LOVE FLOWCHARTS) is trying to do, it has one fatally egregious error that I cannot get past. See if you can spot it (credit: Julia)

No? I’ll tell you. There is no mention – nary a one – of condiments. HelLO the best part about wings is the blue cheese (or ranch) dressing. Well, maybe not the best part, but a very significant perk – for me, wings are the vehicle that justifies consuming inappropriate amounts of BC dressing…and, for the record, my wing personality is Maple Chipotle Hot Wings. I totally saw that coming. This did get me excited for the Super Bowl. Often overshadowed by more popular foodie holidays, such as Thanksgiving, the Super Bowl is a great day to take advantage of one of my favorite food groups: glorified bar food. I’m not above a good mozzarella stick (Treehouse has excellent ones), but I’m all about trying a gourmet wing. Who’s organizing/cooking/hosting this year??

Thursday! Thursday is one of my favorite days of the week and also a great day for lists – like this one about stuff for which I was thankful. Today I share with you things that I know to be true… No gray (grey?) areas – just black and white truth bombs.

  • if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, talks like a duck…newsflash: it’s a duck
  • you really do have to drive 25 mph Peachtree Battle Ave – there is always a cop with a radar gun
  • change is hard…
  • doing a full minute wall sit is harder
  • if you think the rules of personal space apply to the table situation at the Peach Starbucks, well…you’d be wrong.
  • Carrie Bradshaw is a whiny narcissist
  • puppies will always make you feel better…cookie dough will, also
  • it is very validating to have double digit re-pins on Pinterest
  • age is nothing but a number…
  • I really am concerned about America’s youth – kids these days: their clothes, attitudes, everything…what a bunch of brats
  • if you think that cute, slightly older gentleman the next table over is smiling at you, well…you’d be wrong again – he’s smiling at his bratty daughter and his perfect looking wife, who are walking over to join him
  • red wine = friend. Also, foe.
  • how HOW is it still January!?
  • I’ll have what Hoda and Kathie Lee are having

Welp, that was random. Keep it real, ya heard?

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 5 Comments »

A day late and a dollar short

Posted by AllieB on January 24, 2012

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, no?

Well, I totally dropped the ball on this one: the “First Place Passion” – a tour of first homes which is part of the annual Cathedral Antiques Show – happened on Sunday, January 22. I think I thought I had more than one opportunity to check it out…I really need to start reading beyond the headlines. My nearest and dearest Nancy and Ryan Duffey’s home was featured, as well as Clary Bosbyshell’s and Nicky and Jack Arnold’s. Per the account of the always reliable and ever so tasteful Carol Harrell, the houses looked awesome. Neat, I’m sure they did. Nancy, I’ll come over for some wine this week and you can take me on my own personal tour…in a non-weird way, of course.

Good news: you can still see the Inspiration House – here’s that info:

Premier – Saturday, January 28
Tours Sunday, January 29 | Thursday, February 2 – Sunday, February 5
Thursday, February 9 – Sunday, February 12

The Inspiration House, located on the grounds of The Cathedral of St. Philip, is for anyone who has a passion for design that elevates the day-to-day living experience. Twenty up-and-coming designers showcase their creative talent in a home that can inspire ideas for the modern family. The Inspiration House is included in the Tour of Homes.
Donation: $10 at the door without Tour of Homes or Antiques Show tickets.

More info here. Nancy Duffey and Allison Harper are two of the twenty designers showcased in the House – they did the nursery. IN FACT, check out this article I just stumbled upon – way to go, you two! So talented and famous.

AND you can still attend this event, which is not your grandmother’s antiques show but an actually fun and lively partay, hosted by some seriously serious heavy hitters (purchase tickets here):

I am cranky. First of all, I realized last night that I have no plans to leave the country this year, and I’m really bummed. I know – first world problems and all that – but this is just bleak…this time last year I was preparing to go to Pakistan. That was a great trip. NOT that I’m saying I wish I was returning to Pakistan – I’m pretty sure such a jaunt would be strongly ill-advised by the CIA travel website – but I wish I was going somewhere…Secondly, I woke up this morning to the breaking news that Starbucks is going to start serving beer and wine. Oh, really, 11Alive? Breaking news? I beg to differ. May I direct you to this entry from October 19 2010, which is one of the least read posts in BBT’s history – there are zero comments. This isn’t the first time I’ve scooped the local news.*

G-force and I at the Badashi Mosque in Lahore. I will likely share more pics in the coming weeks as I reminisce – I know you are all waiting with breath that is baited for a shot of me in my salwar kameez. Good times.

*Upon further research, I learned that Atlanta is one of two locations nationwide that was chosen to launch the beer and wine, the other being Southern California. I guess that is kind of newsworthy. I will acquiesce on this point, but I still say I scooped the news.

APU^, writing BBT has cured me of any and all crankiness and I’m back to breezy :)

^Hilary, that means “as per usual”

Posted in Arbitrary, Imparting Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

I love Tom Brady and puppies a normal amount

Posted by AllieB on January 23, 2012

Sometimes I watch football games – especially now that I am a baller with HD television (welcome to 2012, BBT) – and I enjoy them. But what I really enjoy watching are 1. the commercials and 2. Tom Brady. Even though the pinnacle of commercial viewing is clearly during the Super Bowl, the ads aired during sports events are just so much better than average ads. As I have not yet indulged in DVR (2012 feels sorry for you, BBT), I care quite a bit about the level of entertainment these 30 second ads offer me, and the best ones are during sports. I found some teasers for this year’s Super Bowl ads – they look promising. Particularly the one featuring David Beckham in his skivvies.

And what do we have here? Oh right, it’s Allie & Tom…what an attractive couple.

Giselle who?

I don’t know how to do photoshop and Hilary isn’t on gchat to help me…which is why that is so creepy looking.

It is with a heart filled with love and teeth clenched to the point of injury that I introduce you to the newest member of the BBT family. Meet: CHARLIE!!!!!! As I mentioned last week, Pal went to volunteer at the Humane Society. She came home with Charlie after her first day, which surprised no one. Before I met Charlie I was discussing name options with Allison – I like Molly and Lolly – but she was set on Charlie. I said to her, “Allison, you really have to be careful naming animals after the opposite gender – people will just assume she’s a boy and/or go searching around her undercarriage to figure out what she is. And you are sentencing her to a life of pink accessories.” Neither Pal nor I are a particularly huge fan of pink. However, once I met my sweet angel muffin, I knew that her name is, was, and should be Charlie, so Charlie it is. Charlie is a girl – a very sweet, precious, perfect little puppy girl.

One guess which of these 4 photos was taken with my p.o.s. Blackberry.

Charlie has already had a successful playdate with her big sister, Casey Wawa, and we’re planning a get together with her other sister, Aggie, down in Savannah. BBT is a devoted and loving aunt to her three animules.

ATTN Fellow Reading Enthusiasts: Emily Giffin (author of Something Borrowed (also a heinously miscast disaster of a movie) and Love the One You’re With) has a new book coming out July 2012 – Where We Belong. I read the first chapter online and I’m already kind of exhausted with the whole story line, which doesn’t really bode well for the entire book…but I’m sure I’ll read it anyway.

I hope all y’all had a great weekend and are totally dominating this awesome, cheery Mehday Munday. PEACE.

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