Kiki La'Rue Addicts Anonymous - You need this!

Blogging is hard. Especially when your computer motto to live by is "rebooting fixes everything." Any conversation with the words "coding" or "html" and I'm ready for a drink!

{If only I had a "computer guy"...how does one get one of those? Someone told me getting married would fix that...}

Any website, blog, youtube video, voicemail or telegram that can help me learn I am all over it. I stumbled across a gold mine of a website and I am super excited to share it with y'all.

{For those smarty pants who know how to do this with their eyes closed, just nod along}

Every time I have to create a button for my own blog or for someone elses, I cringe. I cannot for the ever living life of me remember how to do it...correctly. Something always goes wrong and then I get a freaking algebraic equation to try and decipher!

Well today, after an hour of trying different blog posts for help on this lovely matter, I came across a website that does it all for you!! {Because I am beginning to think all my issues are human error}

This website is a button code generator and all you have to do is fill in your personal blog site and image url and voila - a perfect button code with grab box!

{If I had only found this first --- many many many curse words would have been saved!}

Want to know what I created with my new bff? This lovely little button now lives on my sidebar!

<div align="center"> <a href="http://www.kikilarue.com" title="Kiki La'Rue"><img src="http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn63/lynsylou27/KLR-button_zpse13d6cb5.png" alt="Kiki La'Rue" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

 

 

So for all you other KLR addicts, copy the code above and add this little love bug to your own blog and any time you need that shopping fix, she is only one click away!

 - Lindsey Nicole

I've moved to NYC...

I have moved today - to a little area known as Two Thirds Hazel and boy am I excited!! 

AND NERVOUS....Eeek, go check out why!

Calling all animals lovers

Anyone who knows me, knows that I most of the time I prefer animals to people and would do anything for my Murphy boy!

I admit it - I am a frequent Animal Plant watcher and when I'm tricked, National Geographic too. I have recently discovered two of the cutest shows on television.

I''m talking super sticky, sugar sweet and you're in luck because I am sharing my secret tv obsessions with you!

First we have "Too Cute" and as the name describe it is just too damn cute! They take 3 separate families who are raising a litter of puppies or kittens from infancy until they are old enough to go to new families. 

*Fair warning - the narrator is disgustingly cheesy, but what can you expect from a show about infant animals?

Second we have "Unlikely Animal Friends" and this show blows my mind every time I watch it! People tell their stories about a pet that has become a friend with the most unlikely of animals. Maybe a hippo and a giant tortoise...or a dog and an orangutan?! 

{This show is definitely one for the whole family, as the testimonials are easier to stomach than the child like announcer on the 1st show. }

The complete innocent and genuine love that comes from animals is truly amazing - no judgment, no conditions, no rules or requirements. Obviously being of the same species doesn't matter to them either! 

So if you are in the mood for something that will bring a smile to your face and make you squeeze your pet a little tighter, definitely check these two shows out!

- Lindsey Nicole

Food Truck Festival 2013

Food trucks have swept the nation as the next big thing and now, especially in Houston you can find one just about on every corner! 

But once a year, more than 30 trucks gather  in one spot and you can eat your little heart out. 

{And then go home and take a nap because you will need it!}

Welcome to Haute Wheels Houston!

The 3rd Annual Houston Food Truck Festival

Here are some tips for those foodies who want to attend next year:

1.} Only take one car - or if you can walk there. The parking fills up so incredible fast and be prepared to sit in traffic to try and park

2.} Get your tickets online - they sell them at the door, but they only allow 2,000 tickets per day and they sell out quick. 

3.} Review the trucks that will be there online first and know which ones you want to try ahead of time

4.} Choose your top few trucks because the lines are LOOOOOONG and you can't do they all in one day! 

5. Do not base your choices on people complaining about said long lines...every truck that was worth eating at had longs lines. 

6.} DO NOT EAT BEFORE! 

Here were some of our favorites from this year's festival {in no particular order}:

The Golden Grill

 Traditional grilled cheese meets gourmet ingredients - sign me up!

 Busted!

WHAT I ATE: The Market Sandwich - Local tomatoes, fried egg, arugula, goat cheese on whole wheat bread

WHAT I THOUGHT: These guys do an amazing job pairing decadent cheeses with everything from simple everyday foods to things you would never think of like specialty jams. 

Let's just say I will be adding an egg to all my grilled cheeses from now on! 

{Check out their Facebook page}

CHI'LANTRO BBQ

^^^ Korean + Mexican Fusion = enough said folks!

 This truck had one of the longest lines of all the trucks and I still couldn't decide what to get after waiting all that time! Everything looked and SMELLED so amazing!

WHAT I ATE: Chicken Kimchi Quesadillas - Caramelized kimchi, Bulgogi, cilantro, onion, Chi'Lantro salsa, magic sauce and sesame seeds.

WHAT I THOUGHT: When can I go back??? Can I have one of everything else??? I am so glad we waited in line for this one!

I will also say, I am super sad I didn't get the Kimchi Fries too --- I am dreaming about them after seeing people eating them! {Lunch next week??}

{Check out their Facebook page}

Last, but not least

MONSTER PB&J

"He's a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater"...anyone else?

Here's how it works: Choose your size, bread, nut butter, fruit, sweetener. Then have them cut that bad boy into whatever shape your mommy used to and your set!

WHAT I HAD: Cashew butter, strawberry jam, sliced bananas and Nutella - grilled and cut into 2 triangles

WHAT I THOUGHT: Holy Hell Batman! Why couldn't my PB&Js as a child taste like this?? I also love the way you can personalize your sandwich, because who doesn't love to feel special?! 

{Check out their Facebook page}

{They also win 1st place in my heart for best truck/marketing and design - look how cute he is!}

Now that I am so full, I cannot breathe - I hope you enjoyed my reviews and if you ever see one of these fine food trucks while in Houston, STOP AND EAT!

You will not be sorry!

- Lindsey Nicole
*All reviews were 100% my own opinion and I was not compensated in any way for these reviews

Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

Everyone who is "trying to eat better" eats A LOT of chicken and eventually trying to find new ways to cook chicken is like trying to find an outfit for an important event in your own closet!

We all know it's easier to just go buy something new right?! Same with eating - easier to just go pick something up!

But that defeats the purpose - so I have been scouring Pinterest and other blogs to find new healthier recipes that may or may not involve chicken.

Here is one I made the other day that was a winner:

Courtesy of Kitchen Meets Girl - she has so many yummy recipes!!!

Note: I chose to just cook mine in the skillet because I live in an apartment and grilling requires driving to the pool area.

Another note: I only marinated for 1 hour and I felt the flavors would have been stronger had I gone longer.

ENJOY!

Wanted: Grown Up Advice

Remember when you were a kid and the answer to every problem was "Ugh, I can't wait to be a grown up!" (Well that and a cookie)

 

As a bonified? Grown up, I can officially say my new answer to every problem is "Ugh, I wish I was a kid again!"

Don't get me wrong, being a grown up has its perks - alcohol, husbands, dinner parties, cookies in bed, Bed Bath and Beyond shopping trips on Saturdays - you know, the usual.

But it also comes with things like bills, insurance, 8-5 jobs, laundry, husbands who leave dishes in the sink, floors that don't clean themselves and bank accounts that don't magically refill with a weekly allowance.

Oh and big decisions - like searching for a home...super exciting, but super scary!

 

{All it needs is a white picket fence! And to be real lol}

(Note: I can't claim to be a 100% grown up just yet, because we are going to still rent, but there are still so many decisions to consider)

That's where y'all come in - all the home renters (and owners) out there - help!

Give me advice on everything and anything:

1. What questions to ask?

2. What to look for in a rental?

3. Negotiations to make?

4. Things to avoid?

5. How much is too much? (As far as requirements to ask for)

6. Houstonians - city or burbs?

Or anything else your big grown up brains can think of!

Thanks and Gig 'Em!

Fantasizing

Is it weird that I fantasize about fonts? All types of fonts - scripts, stencils, gothics even tacky holiday fonts! 

Is it weird that I notice fonts before anything else on everything? Or that I can name them by site? 

If you need a font fix, you need to try my favorite FREE font site! 

No matter if I am designing a business card or a birthday invitation for someone, they have the perfect font.
{This could be the reason I have more fonts in my font book than I will EVER use}

Meet my newest editions:

found here

found here

found here

 found here

Go ahead - but don't say that I didn't warn you when you look up and it's been 2 hours and you have downloaded 20 new fonts!

- Lindsey Nicole

New Blog Design!

TA-DA!

For those who know me, the fact that this design is up and working correctly is truly a miracle!

I am totally a nerd, but I am so stinkin' proud of myself for finishing this damn thing, considering that every night of work on it usually brought cussing under my breath and the close destruction of my precious Mac. 

Anyways, Happy Friday and I hope you love the new blog design as much as I do! 

{Pssst....there is more surprises to come soon!}

- Lindsey Nicole