Judy Is Awesome. So Are Her Kittens. Adopt One.

My co-worker and fellow CCL Judy sent me the following e-mail and on behalf of Bert I would like to share it with you.

OK, so call me the crazy cat lady.

I went to visit an animal shelter yesterday, with the intention of picking
out a senior cat for my mother, who lost her cat recently.

While I was there, two women came in with two boxes. They had managed to
rescue two mama cats and their respective litters, from the unsavory
apartments where they lived. They told us that they feared for all of the
cats, because the kids in the area did unspeakable things to cats, and that
they would end up dead if they stayed there.

Unfortunately, the shelter couldn't accept the cats because the shelter is
full, and these women - who had hitched a ride to get to the shelter -
really had no ability to do anything further and were going to have to
abandon them.

So I took them. All of them. And now they're in my dining room. And the
babies are only 3-4 weeks old. And they're adorable. And if I don't get them
adopted soon, I'll have to take them to the city shelter if I can't find
another rescue group to take them.









They'll be ready to be adopted in about 2-3 weeks, since they're still
nursing. I'm hoping my husband won't divorce me before then.

You know you want one.

Thanks for your consideration.
Please comment if you'd like to contact Judy!

MEOW!
Pia The Pig

Sprucin' Things Up!

It's August 1st and time for a facelift! Stay tuned as AAAD goes through some primpin'...

I so sillily just realized I can customize the look of this blog (thanks for the tip, Anne!) so I'm bound to make things a little more colorful up in this.

If you'd like me to link to your blog, let me know!

It's August. Let's do it!
Pia The Pig

Have An Awesome Weekend!

Hey Gorgeouses, it's time for the weekend roundup. Cooler temperatures means GET OUTSIDE! I'm spending Saturday at the Great Wolf Lodge and I can't wait to get on a waterslide!

Last night, I saw Legally Blonde: The Musical and YOU SHOULD, TOO! It was awesome. It's at Fair Park Music Hall and is playing Friday at 8p, Saturday at 2 and 8p, and Sunday at 2p. It's an Elle of a show!!


Of course, TwiCon at the Sheraton Dallas is going on all weekend if you want to try and sneak in.

Here's a roundup of what's goin' on:
Friday, July 31
-Stoney’s Wine Tastings
Enjoy a wine-filled weekend with these tastings, which feature a wide array of wines.
FREE
Every Friday and Saturday, 4-6 p.m.
2804 Greenville. 214.953.3067

-Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey - Over the Top
7:30p
at American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
The circus' latest edition includes acrobats, jugglers, animals and more.

-Samantha Ronson Sleepover
Friday, July 31 9:00p to Saturday, Aug 1 2:00a
at Ghostbar, Dallas, TX
Ghostbar director Wade Hampton celebrates his birthday in style with celebrity DJ Samantha Ronson. Women are admitted free; guys pay $20. The sleepover package includes two cool summer cocktails, complimentary overnight parking, breakfast and a room at the W from $189.

-De La Soul with Rhythm Roots All-Stars
9:00p
at House of Blues - Dallas, Dallas, TX

-Grapevine's Friday Fireworks
Kick off every weekend like it's the 4th of July.
9:30p
Lake Grapevine, Grapevine TX

Saturday, August 1
-Meet 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Nastia Liukin
Join us at the AT&T Experience Store located at 9100 N. Central Expressway, Ste. 105 in Dallas from 12:30 – 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 1. Nastia will be signing autographs and some lucky fans will win tickets to see her and other great gymnasts compete at the 2009 Visa Championships August 12-15 at the American Airlines Center!

-Target First Saturdays
10:00a to 2:00p
at Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, TX
Monthly Themes: August 1: Personality
Activities:
Family Tours: Hourly from 10:15am - 12:15pm
Art Scavenger Hunt: 10 am – 2 pm
Children’s Art Activity: 10 am – 12 noon
Art in Action: Sculpture Demo Table and Artist at Work: 10 am – 12:30 pm
Yoga in the Garden by YogaSport: 11:30 am
Storytime with the Dallas Public Library: 12:30 pm

-Haven Weekend Sale
Everything in the hip home shop is half off (well, everything except candles and Vietri dinnerware).
Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., noon-5 p.m.
3699 McKinney Ave., ste. 305 (214-954-1515).

-Sale and Free Stuff at Red Cat Consignment Boutique
Our BBQ chef Dennis Moxley will be cooking complimentary BBQ fare ! We will be serving mimosas, beer and wine, complimentary of course.
FREE
718 N. Buckner Blvd #332 Dallas, Texas 75228

-Summer Salsa Lessons in Addison
Summer Salsa
Spice up your Saturday nights in August with live salsa music. Learn to salsa dance from the experts at The Dance Council.
FREE
7 PM - Salsa dance lessons; 8 PM - Concert
Beckert Park (formerly Esplanade Park)

-Saturday Night in the City at Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, TX
Cuvee (R&B, Motown, rock and disco) on Aug. 1
6:00p to 11:00p

-Toby Keith
7:30p
Superpages.com Center, Dallas TX
Featuring: Toby Keith, Trace Adkins

Sunday, August 2
-Farmers Market
Meet the restaurant's suppliers as well as neighbors
11:00a to 4:00p
Bolsa, Dallas TX

More details and lots more listings right here.

TGIF!
Pia The Pig

Awesome Post From Awesome Reader Nancy: How To Be A Gracious B*tch

Because who doesn't want to be gracious??


HOW TO BE A GRACIOUS B!TCH
Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her
excitement -- not even her parent's nasty divorce.
Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the
best-dressed mother- of-the-bride ever!
A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new
young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother!
Jennifer asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she
refused.
'Absolutely not, I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm
Wearing it,' she replied.
Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, 'Never mind sweetheart.
I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day.'
A few days later, they went shopping and did find another gorgeous
dress.
When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, 'Aren't you
going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion
where
you could wear it.
Her mother just smiled and replied, 'Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing
it to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.'

XOXO,
Pia The Pig

The Longhorn iPhone Cover: Awesome.

On SouthernBrand, via Swiss-Miss.

Hook 'Em Baby!
Pia The Pig

The Most Awesome Swimsuit I've Ever Had

So Zooey!! I have been coveting all of these retro swimsuits all summer. Lovin' Katy Perry and the way she works the whole look from top to bottom. Well, I can't believe I found such an adorable one at the Dillard's sale today. Look at this.

White, too! Underwire, rooooooshing, ruffles. Optional halter strap. $36 on sale! The Jantzen Vamp Ruffle. WOO HOO!

So many cute ones on Modcloth, and really, this entire Jantzen collection "Timeless Glamour" is fab. I'm going back to see what else I can find at Dillard's. I did grab another bikini and cover-up, too.

Now is the time to buy a swimsuit, ladies and gents. NOW IS THE TIME!

Hey, Hey, Hey What Kind of Awesome Is Going On Here?

I'm SO EXCITED!
Pia The Pig

Awesome Sale at Dillards

Additional 40% off sale. Go get it!

An Awesome Proposal

This is adorable.


Jake wanted to propose to his girlfriend Kristina, so he started a whisper chain through 59 people, a new world record. His message ("Kristina, will you marry me?") slowly passed from person to person, around the crowded room, until it finally reached the last person: Kristina herself. Shocked, she jumped, shrieked and accepted. Love it!

Via A Cup of Jo

I do love it!
Pia The Pig

An Awesome Read: How To Behave from Wired

Stay abreasty in '09 and beyond with this great new article from Wired. Make sure to read the comments, too. So fun to say 'abreasty.'

I'll admit (even if you won't) that I'm totally guilty of this one: Don't Google-Stalk Before A First Date...but the author continues, "Besides, reading your date's Muppet Show fanfic might end a beautiful friendship before it even begins."

UM, NOT THIS GIRL!



OBEY!
Pia The Pig

Spend Some Time At Half Price Books.

I'm thinking Half Price Books might be one of the best semi-hidden gems around. We work next to a huge HPB here, and I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch hour there yesterday, picking up a $7.98 hardcover of a great book I am re-reading, Little Girls in Pretty Boxes.

Half Price Books is loaded with, you guessed it, half price books, but every time I go in there, I forget they have loads of other goodies like records, DVD's, old books, loads of magazines, and even toys. The software section has really taken off. What a great place to get old software, or pick up a computer game for only around $3.98.

Also, there are so many seemingly untouched cookbooks there. I always grab one when giving a muffin tin or loaf pan or some other looks-so-lonely-in-the-wedding-gift-bag gift. Really rounds out the present.

Even better is that Henk's has a café inside of HPB. I enjoyed reading my new book while eating the best sandwich in Dallas, The Hot Amsterdam.

As noted by my Marshalls post, I love a good hunt. Treasures galore! Go get you some recession goodies to stimulate your brain.

Eats + Reading + Great Finds = One happy bargain bookworm,
Pia The Pig

Speaking of Awesome Deals at Marshalls....

My incredibly stylish friend Kellyn is the only person I know who shops at Ted Baker. I love the store, love what I see in the windows, but I'll admit it, it looks too expensive for me.

UNTIL! I saw the Ted Baker rack in Marshalls over the weekend. You can just tell this is the good stuff: amazing patterns (very Zooey), gorgeous materials (100% silky goodness), and quite the high "Compare at" price. I thought the sizes seemed odd (0,1,2,3) but I ventured in to the dressing room with some other adorable "Zooey" numbers (They had dresses from Penguin there! Great sale at Penguin going on right now BTW) and ended up loving this Ted Baker 100% silk plaid dress. Even better: $49.99!!! I can't wait to wear it to the next wedding, fancy party, or better yet, date with Reid from The Bachelorette, I might have.

I just googled Ted Baker plaid dress and found it!
Looks like it's fresh out of the Spring '09 collection. I'm not putting the red belt and heels with mine, though. I tried on this navy one too, also $49.99!!! but they didn't have my size.


I don't look quite so sad in my dress. I didn't pay full price! (And I eat. A lot.)

Go see what you can find!

Happy Hunting!
Pia The Pig

Become Shopportunistic

Howdy friends,
It's been a busy weekend running from one life celebration to the next (Mazel Tov, Congrats, Best Wishes, and Happy Birthday y'all!), so I thought it would be a great idea for a post about gift giving on a budget. One of the best places I've found for both last-minute gifts as well as all things adorable on a budget is Marshalls. Now it's no secret I grew up under the queen of all things beautifully-bargained-price-but-you-wouldn't-know-it, MOM! We spent many an hour at the Marshalls/TJ Maxx/Ross Trifecta and I must say it's truly paid off to make me the bargain shopper I am today.

Problem: I need a gift for an engagement party and the couple hasn't registered.
Solution: Home section at Marshalls and a few impulse buys at checkout
Result: Voila! A well-put together, adorable gift on a budget!

The home section at Marshalls is loaded with great finds, including many serving trays and tchotchke bowls, many for under $9.99. Step on over to the book area, where I've found many recent titles, and this time, found a book that went with my gift idea for only $3.99. A hardcover cookbook-$3.99!! All it takes is a little creativity. Here's what I put together. I hope it inspires you for your next gift need!

Ingredients:
3 adorable chips/salsa/dip bowls in bright colors. Large bowl: $9.99, Small bowls, $4.99 each


1 colorful, informative salsa recipe cookbook, just $3.99


1 bag Tostito's Scoops (my fave) and 1 jar peach salsa, just $3.99 each


1 old Shiner beer case, free from the liquor store, ribbon, cellophane, and a little bit of Cowgirl ribbon, and voila!
(not sure the photos really do it justice)


Anyway the whole package really came together and the bride loved it. It's all about putting together a few raw ingredients to come up with something that looks like a lot more!

Happy gifting!
Pia The Pig