Happy Monday! I’m still in Dallas (leaving my hometown tomorrow) but I still remembered our new biweekly feature…another installment of Jolie’s Jams!! This week’s mood…Chiiiiilllllll. Perfect for Summer! Next week, I’m bringing my Summer Playlist to ya!!
Make it a great week, people!
xoxo,
Dawn
As you know, I’m in my hometown of Dallas this week…which I love. And when in Rome – or, in this case, the capital of luxury – you do as the luxurious, decadent Dallasites do!
So what do I do when I need to get a little writing without the fun distractions of family? Why, go to The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, of course!
Writing & relaxing on a Sunday afternoon at The Mansion Bar
A historical, Dallas institution, I started coming here when I was 15-years-old with my best friend, Suzanne, and her mom, Jean. In high school, it was a magical, timeless, dark, adult-like place where we loved eating the bar snacks (nuts and potato chips in their finest form), sipping Shirley Temples and stealing a swig or two of fine champagne from our moms’ glasses. Delightful.
In college, it was where my big brother David, our friend, Dave Todd – a.k.a. “Hollywood” – and I drank Brandy Alexanders for hours and then attempted to steal a giant magnum of Dom Perignon – only to find out, rather sadly, that it was empty once we reached the car. I was worried that I wouldn’t be allowed back after that hilarious antic. Lucky for me, the doors of The Mansion Bar are still open to me.
Now, it’s still dark, still timeless and still an institution but I don’t have to steal sips! Still just as lovely as I remember, I sat in my russet mohair booth in the back and asked for a citrusy summer white for this balmy Dallas night. The answer? Laurenz und Sophie Singing Grüner Veltliner. Citrusy and crisp and tart like a green apple with a pinch of white pepper – it was a steal at $9 a glass, I thought!
As Laurenz und Sophie Singing Grüner Veltliner
So imagine my delight when the bill came and everything was half-off. Why, you ask? Because I’m a native Dallas daughter? No, no. Because wines are half-off at happy hour here. Happy, indeed. Improved nostalgia at its best.
xoxo,
BF
BF Asks: Do you live in Dallas or have you visited? What’s your favorite bar?
I would be posting my High-Low of the week but I can’t think of a low to report because…
It’s BeautyFrosting’s 1st birthday!!!
Happy Birthday, BF!
No need to blow out the candles though, today!
I’ve already got everything I could have wished for with readers like you!
We’ll have a big celebratory giveaway later this month – when we announce the winners of our 1st annual BeautyFrosting BFF Awards! So stay tuned…
But, for now, here are some of my favorite moments in this first year of BeautyFrosting!
The beauty…
A year of beauty & pampering...THANK YOU!!!
The baking…
A year of sweetness...THANK YOU!!!!
The being…
A year of "being", a.k.a. lifestyle...THANK YOU!
The celebrations…
A year of celebrations...THANK YOU!!!
And the friends who make this journey oh-so-sweet!
A year of friends...THANK YOU!!!!
I am so grateful for each and every one of you who has read the blog daily, written questions to “Dear Dawn”, watched our videos, entered ourcontests, told your friends about BeautyFrosting, sent us a product to try for BeautyFrosting, followed BF on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, on YouTube and for all of the praise, suggestions and support you have offered over this past year to me.
And I have LOTS more coming for you in this, our second year! Like what, you ask? How about Foodie Friday with food & restaurant reviews and A Southern Girl’s Guide to LA with spa & business recommendations.
How about that? It all starts THIS weekend! It’s just my way of saying -
THANK YOU for a SUPER SWEET 1st year!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!
Thank you from my heart to yours! xoxo, Dawn (BF)
xoxo,
BF
***Special note: Why March 12th? I chose to debut BeautyFrosting last year on what would have been my beloved Nanny, Clara Margaret Hayes’s, 99th birthday. Every year that I celebrate a birthday, I am celebrating her and all of the lovely, ladylike things she stood for and taught my mom, my aunt, my cousins and me!
I miss you every day, Nanny…
BF Asks: What was your favorite BeautyFrosting moment this year?
This is the perfect non-alcoholic party punch and I’m always asked for the recipe!
Every. Single. Time.
BeautyFrosting's Ginger Tea Punch
If you want a punch that’s perfect for all ages, women AND men and isn’t overly-candy-sweet, this is your go-to punch. I love the stuff! And I always end up giving the recipe to my guests.
Here’s the tasty tea punch recipe that will be one of your favorites too!
BeautyFrosting’s GINGER TEA PUNCH
Makes 1 gallon. I usually double for my 2 gallon punchbowl.
3 Tbl. Instant Tea (the “powdered” kind, plain, no sugar, no lemon)
1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
6 cups warm Water
2 cups diluted Orange Juice
6 ounce can frozen Limeade, defrosted and undiluted
2 liters Ginger Ale (or enough to make 1 gallon)
Combine the instant tea, sugar and water. Stir well to ensure the sugar
is dissolved. Add the orange juice and Limeade. Refrigerate until ready
to serve.
Just before serving, add enough Ginger Ale to make 1 gallon of liquid.
Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs. Depending on “theme”, I have also garnished with limes and lemons.
Beautiful for a wedding shower, baby shower, ladies lunch, brunch, party or holiday!
As always, if you try it, please take pics and tell me how it worked for you!
xoxo,
BF
Well, now, it has been A WHILE since I’ve done a High-Low. My apologies for that, beauties. There have been a lot of changes – for the better – but I didn’t know that at the time.
So what all has happened since December? Well, I left my day job, gained 2 new writing clients, learned some hard lessons about boundaries and betrayal (ouch!), traveled to Dallas for Christmas and back, got the flu and recovered, finished 2 more books in The Cupcake Kid series, had 2 of my commercials air during The Grammys, had a super memorable show at The Hotel Cafe and more! Whew.
HIGHS
Christmas in Dallas was punctuated with breakfasts, dinners, drinks, shows and parties with friends, a myriad of Mi Cocina (my favorite restaurant visits) and LOTS of delicious food!! People often ask where I got the bug for baking and I always tell them from my Mom and her mother, my Nanny. Just look at the deliciousness I get spoiled with when I go home!
When I returned to L.A., I knew New Years was going to be a doozy. I had invitations to 3 parties all over the city. I went to the first one, at my friend Vanessa’s house and in the midst of it, realized I was sick. The flu hit me and I was out for almost 2 weeks!
When I healed, there were lots of events and meetings to attend so I was busy! But not too busy to bust out 2 more books in The Cupake Kid series!
My show at The Hotel Cafe, where I sing my signature bluesy country, was so much fun! I got to play with some of my favorite musicians, see tons of friends, bake Strawberry Milkshake cupcakes to share and top off the night with a dance party with friends at The Room. Goooood times!
Then, I was delighted to be called in to do 2 more Target voiceover commercial spots for Taylor Swift & Pink that aired during The Grammys! 12-year-old me was over the moon!
So far, I am a big fan of 2013!
LOW
If you’d asked me a month ago, I could have told you a low point. I learned the powerful lesson that things really do happen for a reason and that while I might like for everyone to be my close friend, it’s better to keep work relationships separate sometimes.
But now, I realize that the perceived low point was a beautiful opportunity. It opened so many doors. I was amazed, once again, that life truly turns lemons into lemonade sometimes and that lemonade is sweeter than anything you could have imagined.
Today is my birthday.
And every year, I wish for the same two things on my birthday:
A pony…
and a prince.
I’m kidding.
Kind of.
No, the 2 treasures that are always at the top of my list are Trish McEvoy Wild Blueberry Vanilla scented candle and Trish McEvoy No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla musk fragrance.
This year, I got both!
And I am one happy, happy, sweet-scented, smiling girl because of it.
Trish McEvoy Wild Blueberry Vanilla Scented Candle ($55)
The blueberry vanilla candle warms my heart and home with its freshly baked blueberry muffin scent. It literally smells like warm, freshly baked, homemade blueberry muffins. Don’t believe me? Try it. People will swear you’ve been baking.
Trish McEvoy No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk fragrance($85)
When I dab on the No.9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk fragrance, it hints at my personal sweetness with a dash of sass and sexiness. Can I say that about myself? Well, it’s my birthday. I just did. You can think the sassy, seductive blackberry for that.
Every year when I receive these precious gifts, I expect two things to happen: it prepares me for the holiday season and I know I will receive compliments with people asking how I smell so sweet. Literally, people think I smell like a cupcake most of the time. Maybe they should catch me after pilates but I don’t mind having that sweet-smelling “reputation”.
Well, the truth of my sweetness (at least by scent) is Trish McEvoy.
I fell in love with makeup because of this woman and her vision and her collections never cease to introduce me to new treasures.
My first job, at 20, was working for her and I am so grateful that I had the privilege to work for, and learn from, such a classic, intelligent, business-savvy, insightful woman. I consider myself very lucky to have fallen into the beauty department at Neiman Marcus Northpark at the age of 13. While most of my friends were playing soccer, I was playing with makeup at the ultimate beauty mecca.
Thanks Trish! And thanks mom for letting me play all those years ago and for my annual birthday gifts!
xoxo,
BF
BF Asks: What’s always on your birthday wish list?
In honor of the bridal tea I’m co-hosting for my best friend, Suzanne, this weekend in Dallas. This is the perfect non-alcoholic party punch and I’m always asked for the recipe! Every. Single. Time.
If you want a punch that’s perfect for all ages, women AND men and isn’t overly-candy-sweet, this is your go-to punch. I love the stuff! And I always end up giving the recipe to my guests.
Here’s the tasty tea punch recipe that will be one of your favorites too!
BeautyFrosting’s GINGER TEA PUNCH
Makes 1 gallon. I usually double for my 2 gallon punchbowl.
3 Tbl. Instant Tea (the “powdered” kind, plain, no sugar, no lemon)
1 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
6 cups warm Water
2 cups diluted Orange Juice
6 ounce can frozen Limeade, defrosted and undiluted
2 liters Ginger Ale (or enough to make 1 gallon)
Combine the instant tea, sugar and water. Stir well to ensure the sugar
is dissolved. Add the orange juice and Limeade. Refrigerate until ready
to serve.
Just before serving, add enough Ginger Ale to make 1 gallon of liquid.
Garnish with orange slices and mint sprigs. Depending on “theme”, I have also garnished with limes and lemons.
Beautiful for a wedding shower, baby shower, ladies lunch, brunch, party or holiday!
As always, if you try it, please take pics and tell me how it worked for you!
xoxo,
BF
A myriad of memories...One of my MANY collages over the years...
Recently, I had a nice, long talk with a friend about the power of memories. We agreed that some days, a memory can burn brighter than the sunshine in any modern moment.
And that, my friends, can be deceptive.
We build up the past in hopes of it taking away the pain of the present. Or the boredom. Or the troubles. Or simply the routine. It’s our escape into something that’s familiar while being just foreign and different enough from our current situation.
After many questions, a few tears, a couple glasses of wine and a goodbye, this is what I emailed my friend.
The past is precious because that’s exactly what it is.
I came up with this delicious Queso recipe a few months ago, served it at a party and there wasn’t a lick left. I served it again last Wednesday for the Dallas on TNT premiere party and it was a Texas-sized hit! Thus, of course, I had to share with you beauties. Enjoy!
Dawn's Dallas RanchHouse Beer Queso
Dawn’s Dallas RanchHouse Beer Queso (Serves approx. 8 people)
14 oz. Beer (preferably Shiner Bock or Lone Star)
4 c Sharp Cheddar (shredded)
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Tbsp Garlic
1 Tbsp Butter
1 can Rotel (original with diced green chiles) – drained
1 Tbsp Mustard
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 C Cream Cheese
1 Hidden Valley Ranch Dip Packet
1 Tbsp Chili Seasoning
1/3 c Sliced Jalapeños (optional)
Combine cheese, flour and chili seasoning in a bowl. Mix with hands until spices distributed throughout.
Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic and beer. Bring to light boil.
Add mustard and rotel.
Stir.
Add cheddar mixture.
Stir constantly over low-medium heat until smooth.
Add cream cheese. Continue stirring until smooth.
Add jalapeños, if desired.
Serve in heated dish (over sterno can) or in crock pot.
Serve with tortilla chips, broccoli, carrots, apples and/or baguette.
Dallas RanchHouse Queso Preparation
The perfect party food: Dawn's Dallas RanchHouse Beer Queso
BF QOD: Daddies
“Daddies don’t just love their children every now and then.
It’s a love without end, amen.”
(George Strait)