Five Friday Frames, Part 27

It’s Friday, Friday, Friday night which means I’m having a Watch the Throne dance-off with my roommate and washing my gold disco shorts. I’m really not mad about either of these things.

I started the week convinced that by Friday I’d have a hernia or an ulcer- whatever is caused by the largest amount of stress, red wine, and coffee.

Below are five frames captured when I wasn’t pretending to be a walking panic attack this past week.

Everything tastes better out of a baby head.

Snow Day beignets with a fellow Brooklyn Bitch.

Homemade pizza night with the lovely L (my favorite photog on a budget).

Feed me (with film).

The best damn doc Q&A I've ever seen.

Here’s to a weekend full of sparkle and (weather permitting) puddle jumping. This Brooklyn Bitch is hoping that the weather remains mild enough to go for a run down at the dog park on Olive Street, read the new W in bed with a cup of coffee, and possibly do laundry for the first time in six weeks (don’t judge. A visit to the Laundromat on Metropolitan is almost as costly as paying my rent).

Xo,

B

Bitches Beyond: Nothing to Wear?

Chilly Chili Bitches

Chilly nights practically mandate chili. What’s cozier than a night curled up on the couch with a gigantic glass of wine, steaming bowl of from-scratch chili buried under three inches of cheddar cheese, and someone to curl up next to?

Answer? Nothing.

When the weather starts to get a little colder than we’ve been accustomed to due to this rather mild season, it’s time to dip into your pantry and clear out all those cans you picked up at the Can Can sale last year. This Thrifty Thursday, it’s time for chili, Bitches.

All you need:

½ c olive oil

1 zucchini, diced

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 14 oz can of plum tomatoes

¾ lb plum tomatoes, diced

1 tbs chili powder

½ tbs cumin

½ tbs dried basil

½ tbs dried oregano

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp salt

¼ c fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

1 can red kidney beans, drained

1 can chickpeas, drained

¼ c chopped dill

1 tbs lemon juice

1.     Heat ¼ c oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and sauté until tender, 5-7 min. Move zucchini to another large pot.

2.     Heat additional oil in the skillet. Add onions, peppers, and garlic and sauté until soft and wilted. Add to zucchini, along with oil from the skillet.

3.     Place the large pot with your vegetables over low heat. Add canned tomatoes and their juice, plum tomatoes, and spices. Cook uncovered, stirring every couple of minutes, for 30 min.

4.     Add beans, dill, and lemon juice. Cook another 15 minutes.

5.     Add salt, pepper, and seasonings to taste. Serve in bowls with heaping piles of Cheddar cheese, and say a silent prayer that bathing suit season is still pretty far in the distance.

Totally Bitchin’ Throwback: Make New York a Better Place

Bitches Beyond: Chicken Parmesan

You know that moment in Contempt when you see Brigitte Bardot for the first time, and she’s wearing an epic navy pencil skirt and all that gorgeous blonde hair that won’t stop? You might have thought you were drooling over Brigitte’s out of control sex appeal, but upon viewing for the second time, I’m sure you’ll find yourself inexplicably drawn to that fantastically thick, stretchy headband holding back that perfect hair.

I’ve never actually rocked a DIY version like this, but a certain adorably crafty lady friend (the mischievous and lovely E) recommends this as a DIY way to recycle some ex-boyfriend t-shirts.

My favorite part about this whole crafting shabang? Absolutely no sewing required. As a lady who can’t even reinforce the buttons on her Forever 21 winter coat, you have no idea how fantastic this is.

1.    Cut a sleeve off an old short-sleeved t-shirt. The smaller the better will work best here. Be sure to cut it away from the body.

2.   Cut off the hemmed cuff of the sleeve and the end that was connected to the body of the shirt. This will leave you with a 2-4 inch loop with straight edges.

3.   You may need to trim the point of the sleeve (sewn at an angle) down a bit. Just open the loop and trim off any scraggly ends.

4.   Slide over your ears and arrange your hair on top, a la Brigitte.

Just don’t go traveling around with strange foreign men, no matter how shiny red their Alfa Romero may be- it always leads to trouble.

Totally Bitchin’ Throwback: Weekend Wish List

Weekend Wish List

There are a lot of completely realistic things I find necessary to include on this list today. In all actually, I am wishing for a weekend that is completely empty, an unnerving supply of clean, comfy jammies, and  a French press that never runs out. All the better to enjoy the stack of screeners on my desk currently threatening to overtake the even higher stack of magazines- because who can come back from Haiti and leap right into January Vogue?

Hence my dilemma.

With the first free weekend in what feels like an eternity, I have found myself curled up on the couch, awake way before my alarm, wrapped in a blanket and eating a bowl of cereal.

Here’s what makes the cut for this weekend’s wish list- a list where practicality has promptly flown the coop.

1. Pink matches. Have you ever seen anything quite so fun and pink? To be displayed in the tiniest mayonnaise drawer and left out in the open for all to admire.

2. The perfect French toast. I am really hard to please when it comes to this weekend Brunch staple, as my heart has been broken by too-soggy or too-burnt varieties in the past. A somewhat awful plate of savory French toast for dinner last weekend has still not turned me off completely, and I’m hoping a certain Boy on a Budget wakes up soon so we can indulge my taste for adventure and exlore our neighborhood options. Powdered sugar on top is an absolute must.

3. The envelope journal from Present and Correct. I adore a writing tool that incorporates my love of organization and related inclination towards keeping every ticket stub, shred of pretty wrapping paper, and diner paper-napkin sketch. This journal’s got it joining on, and ensures that I wouldn’t need to fear losing any of the important scraps I tend to hoard.

4. PantoneTwentieth Century by Leatrice Eiseman. A book that marries the concepts of color theory with my love of all things whimsical and nostalgic? I spent a good 45 minutes pouring over this book in Barnes and Noble, entranced by all the deferent shades of avocado that were popular in 1960s kitchens. A must read for any design geek like myself.

5. This Madewell dress in dark tobacco. I know that people can hardly contain their excitement with the arrival of the spring catalogues from their favorite shops, but I’m still fully into expanding my winter wardrobe. With a pair of boots and sweater tights, this dress is perfect for the office (lots of layers, naturally), or under that fur coat you scored for a song in Paris when you’re out at the opera.

Happy Saturday!

Xo,

B

Totally Bitchin’ Throwback: Frugal Feast #12

Bitches Beyond: Splurge: Hot Chocolate Edition

Five Friday Frames, Part 26

I have never been more ready for the weekend.

After a straight six days of partying like a rock star, staying up all night and drinking beer with some of indie film’s finest, your girl needs to sleep past six AM and NOT eat French fries for every lunch and dinner. Luckily, it looks like even in the midst of the crazy FAKE IT SO REAL premiere, I managed to snap a few pics.

Below are five Friday frames.

Pink skies.

Gold sparkle shorts do the laundromat.

Pink Pony lovefest.

<3 Loretta Lynn.

Fake It So Real at reRun theater!

What are your plans for the weekend, friends? I’m hoping for a genuine snow day with my Resident Bitch on Assignment- think long underwear, hot chocolate, and a snowy cemetery adventure. A little brunch and an evening pizza party might also be in the cards- along with catching up on movies and January issue magazines.

Stay warm and wear your jammies inside out tonight!

Xo,

B

Totally Bitchin’ Throwback: BYO Tea

Bitches Beyond: No Stress Curry

DIY: Chocolate Bark

One of the things that I miss most about the holiday season is all of my favorite food bloggers cease sharing their recipes for cookies, cupcakes, and all sorts of baked goods that make for cheap gifts when you’re a Bitch on a Budget.

This winter, I was introduced to the miracle of “baking” chocolate bark- after years and years of searching, I have finally discovered the treat that is cost-effective, easy to make (my baby sister- who has only recently mastered the culinary challenge of scrambled eggs- could even make this blindfolded), and delicious to boot.

For those who have resolved to shed that extra holiday poundage, whip this up with dark chocolate, enjoy it standing up, and congratulate yourself for the heart-healthy snack you’ve opted for instead of a Kit Kat.

All you need:

¾ c shredded coconut

¾ c mixed salted nuts, coarsely chopped

½ c dried cranberries, raisins, apricots, or craisins

1 c broken pretzels

1 lb semisweet chocolate, chopped

1.    Heat oven to 350. Spread parchment paper on rimmed baking sheet.

2.   Toast coconut until lightly brown- keep a good eye on it, because this WILL BURN VERY FAST AND BLACK COCONUT SHREDS LOOK VERY UNAPPEALING.

3.   Mix coconut in a bowl with all other toppings (nuts, fruit, pretzels, etc).

4.   Microwave chocolate in 30-second periods, stirring vigorously in between each, until smooth. Add ½ nut mixture.

5.   Spread chocolate so that it is ½ in thick onto baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture.

6.   Put in refrigerator for 1 hr and up to 1 week.

7.   Break into pieces and enjoy.

What are your favorite toppings and fixin’s for at-home chocolate bark? Let the Bitches know your secrets by dropping us a comment below, shooting us an email to bbonabudget (at) gmail (dot) com, or Tweeting us @bbonabudget!

Xo,

B

Bitches Beyond: Weekend Wish List

Five Friday Frames, Part 25

It’s been a really emotionally difficult week, with a majority of the past seven days spent in the most dangerous country in the Eastern hemisphere. My second trip to Haiti was no less brutal than the first, seeing extreme poverty, malnutrition, and corruption every moment of the day. With the exceptions of a leaky tent after the first day of rain in three months, some of the biggest bugs I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting outside of a zoo, and an unlimited supply of peanut butter sandwiches, this week was absolutely one for the books.

Below are five frames from my somewhat surreal week.

H.E.A.R.T. 9/11 team member.

Vaccinations.

Back of the ambulance is reserved for VIPs.

Soccer team donning their donated shirts for soccer game.

FAKE IT SO REAL makes the Wall Street Journal.

What are your plans for this weekend? I’m hoping for a wonderful pancake brunch, a few birthday celebrations, and more than a couple screenings of FAKE IT SO REAL, a documentary made by one of my co-workers at 4^th Row Films that is already receiving rave reviews from New York Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the New Yorker, and the New York Times.

Want to see it for yourself? Stop by reRun theater this weekend in DUMBO for one of the following screenings:

Friday (1/13): 7p, 10p

Saturday (1/14): 7p, 10p

Sunday (1/15): 1p

Monday (1/16): 10p

Tuesday (1/17): 10p

Wednesday (1/18): 7p

Thursday (1/19): 7p

I’ll be there in gold disco shorts tonight! Please swing by and say hello if you feel compelled to have an excellent night and watch a really fun documentary.

Xo,

B

Totally Bitchin’ Throwback: Brooklyn Bitches on a Budget Need Your Help

Bitches Beyond: Bitches Do Pep Talks

Bitches Gone Fishing

No, not really.


But this Bitch is going to be out of the county until next week. Please excuse the lack of recent posts- getting ready for my second trip to Haiti has been a flurry of vaccinations, packing for unseasonably hot weather, and taking all sorts of mind-altering medications.


I trust that you'll find some of the best broke-ass ways to occupy yourselves when I'm out of town. I'm expecting a full report from each and every one of you.


xo
B

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, Bitches!

This Monday, make a list of everything you’d like to accomplish this year. I’m not exactly encouraging everyone to make a list of the things that they ‘resolve” to do this year, because I think that the practice is somewhat unrealistic.

Resolutions, as a concept, are fantastic. What could be bad or wrong about promising to do things that will make you work harder, look better, or do your best? It’s basic human nature to constantly attempt to improve on ourselves, and starting on January 1^st affords you a clean slate, a fresh start, to do those things that you are totally capable of if only you set your mind to it.

However, there comes a point (sometimes as early as the second week in January), where we start to beat ourselves up for not being perfect, for losing focus, and for losing track of those goals to drink eight glasses of water a day, or check in on our younger sisters. Thus spiraling into a disappointed, grumpy, version of the sparkly, smiley girls we know ourselves to be. Now, I can think of twelve thousand things more enjoyable then spending large portions of my day being mad at myself. I think that this process of New Years resolutions can do with some revamping, and I think that you can do it, too.

In any case, I’m making a list this year of all the things I’ve wanted to do but somehow never really got around to doing. They are fun, exciting, magical tasks and challenges that I have really been looking forward to tackling. I’m using January 2012 to dive in and start making things happen.

What’s on your list? Mine includes traveling to Mexico to visit friends (I’ve been planning on doing this for over a year now), learning how to play the ukulele (seriously, I think I’d be great at this), and finally attempting to make my own marshmallows from scratch. Do-able? Yes… and much more enjoyable then empty promises to drink more water, go to the gym, or get organized.

If you need some support, encouragement, or tough love when it comes to tackling your goals this year, the Bitches are here to lend an ear. Drop us a comment below, send us an email to bbonabudget (at) gmail (dot) com, or Tweet us @bbonabudget.

Happy Happy New Year!

Xo,

B

Champagne Wishes

New Years Eve is coming up fast, and Bitches everywhere are hitting Forever 21 for their short sparkly party dresses and snatching up every last bottle of Andre. Whether you’ve got plans to hit a friend’s soiree or host a party of your own, you can count on bubbly being a huge part of the celebration.

In honor of our Pop/Clink/Fizz philosophy, here are some suggestions for simple champagne cocktails that you can whip up without breaking the bank- or shelling out $15+ at that Soho bar your out-of-town friends are dragging you to for the night.

BELLINI

Combine peach juice and champagne. Toast.

BLACK VELVET

Mix a 4:1 ratio of champagne with black Irish stout or Guinness. Weird but great.

CLASSIC CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Sugar cubes soaked in bitters

1 oz brandy

Champagne

Place sugar cube in the champagne flute. Saturate the cube with 2 dashes of bitters. Add brandy and top with champagne. Clink.

FRENCH 75

Combine a splash of simple syrup, bigger splash of lemon juice, big big splash of gin. Top with champagne.

MIMOSA

Mix cold champagne and orange juice. Done and done.

POM ROYALE

Add a handful of pomegranate seeds to your glass. Top with POM and champagne.

Real Simple suggests making a DIY champagne cocktail by topping your glass of champagne with either:

1 tbs pomegranate juice

1 scoop mango sorbet

1 tbs grapefruit juice

1 tsp Amaretto

One of my all-time favorite go-to recipes include popping a bottle of Prosecco, muddling some raspberries in the bottom of a flute, and pouring on top. Delicious, easy, atomic, and cheap- all of my favorite things in one glass.

What are your favorite champagne-based cocktails on a budget, lovelies? We’d love some suggestions. Just drop a comment below, shoot us an email at bbonabudget (at) gmail (dot) com, or Tweet us @bbonabudget.