Just a few days left!

Damn, a week can sure go fast.  We've just got a couple of days left here....heading out on Saturday....but it's been a very much needed week of relaxation for Mr. B.  Lots of laying by the pool, reading, sleeping and a few cocktails mixed in there! 

This week and destination are exactly why we joined Exclusive Resorts three years ago.

These are the six homes that are ER's which are all on the same side .  The opposite hillside has about six other villa's that the resort rents.

Lunch at the Pavillion down at the resort.

This is the resort pool.  We never spent any time down there, but it's very nice.  I do have to say that the resort seems to be extremely quiet this week.  We've really only gone down to use the workout facilities and eat dinner a couple of times, but it just doesn't seem that crowded.   The only downside of fewer guests would be that the main restaurant closes on more nights than normal.  We had trouble getting dinner on the grounds a couple of nights.

This was our actual house for the week.  If you're an ER member, it's #306 and it's on the end.  Very private.

Another fabulous experience.  If you're interested in visiting LDB, check out Rosewood's website for reservation information.

Google this.....

I freeking love Google.  It's scary (in a "big brother" sort of way) and amazing at the same time.  But I'll explain that in a minute.

First, some more LDB....

We went here last night for dinner

Chez Bamboo...as you can see, home of "elegant Caribbean cuisine".    Which I don't know is entirely true, but it was passable Caribbean cuisine!!  I will say that the complimentary hummus to start with was the best I've ever had....silky smooth and just the right amount of garlic.

The rest of the meal was "ok"....but this guy thought otherwise.  He was sticking around for any morsel that was thrown his way.  

After all that hummus I needed some time on the treadmill, so Mr. B and I headed to the LDB workout room.  Nice, right?

And some awesome tennis courts.  Definitely could see a girls trip here!!

We also check out the beach area....again, nice!

We've been thinking about doing some snorkeling while we're here but have not seen anyone swimming until today when I spotted this couple in the water.  I'm wondering if the water is too cold??  

This afternoon I was sitting on the deck when I spotted this little dinghy down in the Bay and was sure that Jay-Z and Beyonce were chillin with us.

So, I pulled out the zoom lens.....

....and this is where "Google" comes in.  As you can see, it's the Lady Allison.  So inquiring minds wanted to know who Lady Allison was.....So, I did what any 21st century girl would do....

And I discovered that the owner of this little canoe was none other than Leonard Stern, who's wife happens to be Allison Stern (hence, Lady Allison).  Who the F are Leonard and Allison Stern you ask???  Well, I'm gonna tell you.  Leonard's father arrived in New York in 1926 with 5000 canaries (yes, I said 5000 F'n birds) and started Hartz Mountain Pet Products!  

Dude is responsible for controlling fleas!

It obviously pays!

Good for you Leonard!

The even more amazing part of this story is....our guests for the week have met this guy on more than one occasion....way back in the day.  But that's another story, for another day!

No TWD today.....but I will give you a late Barefoot Bloggers

Because I'm here....

....and I have more pressing things to do today.  Like lay on my ass by the pool, read a book, nap, make margaritas....you know, important things.

But, I will make the Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread that was the choice of Heather over at Sherry Trifle when I get home.  Because I love gingerbread and it sounds delish.

I will, however, give you last week's Barefoot Blogger assignment.....Easy Sticky Buns....which I made for Charlotte last week before I left town.

These definitely lived up to the "easy" in the title.  No dough to make and only butter, brown sugar and cinnamon to deal with.  Can't get any easier than that.

They didn't quite live up to my sticky bun expectations, however.  I like mine doughy and soft and these were more crisp and crunchy.  And I didn't even bake them for the complete 30 minutes....more like 20.

Plus, these puppies are not savers.  They were hard as rocks by the next morning.  Definitely should be eaten within a couple hours of baking.  

All of that sounds like they were horrible and they weren't.  How can butter, brown sugar and cinnamon be bad, right?  I think if you need to throw together a quick cinnamon roll that will get eaten right away, this is your guy.

Here's the recipe....

Easy Sticky Buns

Barefoot Contessa "Back to Basics"

Makes 12

We used to make really delicious sticky buns at Barefoot Contessa, but they took two days to make because the yeast dough needed to rise overnight in the refrigerator. I was dying to find a way to make them easier, so I decided to try baking them with Pepperidge Farm puff pastry dough, instead. OMG are they good … and they’re really easy to make! Light, flaky dough filled with brown sugar, toasted pecans, and sweet raisins — my friends go crazy when I make these.

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup pecans, chopped in very large pieces
1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted for the filling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place a 12-cup standard muffin tin on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the 12 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Place 1 rounded tablespoon of the mixture in each of the 12 muffin cups. Distribute the pecans evenly among the 12 muffin cups on top of the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly flour a wooden board or stone surface. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry with the folds going left to right. Brush the whole sheet with half of the melted butter. Leaving a 1-inch border on the puff pastry, sprinkle each sheet with 1/3 cup of the brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of the raisins. Starting with the end nearest you, roll the pastry up snugly like a jelly roll around the filling, finishing the roll with the seam side down.

Trim the ends of the roll about 1/2 inch and discard. Slice the roll in 6 equal pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place each piece, spiral side up, in 6 of the muffin cups. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 12 sticky buns.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the sticky buns are golden to dark brown on top and firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 5 minutes only, invert the buns onto the parchment paper (ease the filling and pecans out onto the buns with a spoon), and cool completely.

Thanks to Made by Melissa for choosing this.

25 Random Things About Moi!!

My BFF, Jenny, tagged me on Facebook to write 25 random things about myself.  I thought I'd post them here, too.

I only did this for you, Jenny!

1. I don't really like talking about myself, so this exercise sucks for me!! But since it was Jenny who tagged me, I'll do it. There I just wasted one.

2. I'm a technology freek. I love gadgets.

3. I came in second in the Ohio State Shorthand competition when I was a senior in high school. I can still take shorthand and type faster than the average person can talk. It's a skill that's really not doing me much good right now!

4. I'm a wine snob. And I don't care that it pisses you off.

5. LOVE to travel. Joining Exclusive Resorts was the best money we've ever spent.

6. LOVE to take my friends with me when I travel!

7. I'm fiercely loyal. If I like you, I'll most likely like you forever. I have made mistakes, however.

8. I have 12,000+ songs on my ipod. All genres. I love to pour a glass of wine and crank up the tunes.

9. I've been a Dallas Cowboy's fan since the days of Roger Staubach and Tom Landry. It's not been easy for the past several years.

10. I love great food. The first thing I do when traveling is research that city's restaurants. The best meal I've ever had was in Paris at Taillevent. Simply amazing.

11. I fell in love with my husband at first site. It took me five years to convince him that he felt the same way! He still curls my toes. I absolutely married up.

12. I never wanted children. I did, however, marry a man with an eight year old at the time. I'm better for the experience of raising him! He might not be, but I am!

13. I concocted the world's best margarita last weekend in Colorado. I think it might make me famous. I'll make you one if you want. And you do. Trust me.

14. I love to read. I read every night before I fall asleep.....unless I've had too many margaritas.

15. I love baths. I almost never take a shower. I get it from my mother. She's taken a tubby EVERY night of her life before bed. Even if it's 3am, that woman is getting in the bathtub before she goes to bed.

16. I look just like my mother. But I act like my dad. I've come to terms with it....acting like my father, that is. My mom's gorgeous. I'm just sayin.

17. My parent's 50th wedding anniversary is this year. They still REALLY like each other.

18. I was an all-state basketball player in high school. I usually fouled out. I know that surprises most of you!!

19. My brother has four amazing children that I completely adore. I tend to spoil them rotten. They like it.

20. I cannot carry a tune. Completely tone deaf. But it has never stopped me from singing rather loudly in my car.

21. I've never broken a bone. I'm sure I will now that that's in writing.

22. I hate to go to the doctor. It's a family trait.

23. I have no filter between my brain and my mouth. If I think it, I pretty much say it.

24. If I'm channel surfing and see the movie "Pretty Woman" I'll watch it. Every. Time.

25. I'm in awe of people that can go to a movie and come out quoting every great line in it. I never remember any of them.

Wow...I was struggling at the end. Can you tell!

I Found Paradise

And it's in the Caribbean.

Little Dix Bay.

This is the hardest property to book in all of Exclusive Resorts portfolio and I can now see why.

It's not exactly the easiest place to get to....three different airplanes and a boat.....bot totally worth it if it's relaxation you're after.

That's Jane, Preston and Mr. B on the boat in Tortola for our ride to LDB

The served us a yummy Rum Punch for the ride.

That's our house hidden on the side of the hill for the week.  ER rocks it AGAIN.

Here's the inside

See that view through the windows!!

That's our pool

Our patio.  The chef served us dinner out there last night.  Delicious.

We have to look at this all day for a week.  I know, right?

I'm not coming home.

I'm such a failure

I cheated.  I made it a day and 3/4 and then I was making Charlotte's supper and I couldn't stand it anymore.  I ate her left over ribeye.  It's all her fault.  If she could actually finish something, I wouldn't have been forced to cheat.

That's my story.

And I'm sticking with it.

I failed.

I'm so not cleansed.

Day one of Blueprint Cleanse

So I've cleansed for one day and it actually wasn't that bad.  The juices didn't make me wretch and I didn't cheat!  I will admit that my teeth would like something to crunch on, but I haven't been hungry and the best news is that I lost two pounds!  That wasn't the entire reason I wanted to do this, but it's a great side effect!!

The cleanse consists of six bottles of "juice" that you consume throughout the day.

#1 "Green" contains Romaine, Celery, Cucumber, Kale, Parsley, Green Apple, Spinach and Lemon.  I was initially nervous about this one.  I've had "green" health drinks before and wanted to BARF but this tasted like Parsley with a Green Apple chaser.  Kind of fresh tasting and my favorite one!  Who knew.  Which is good, because you drink this one three times during the course of the day.

#2 contains Pineapple, Apple and Mint.  This one is a little sweet with a hint of mint!  Not bad

#3 "Green" again

#4  contains Water, Lemon, Cayenne, and Agave.  This tastes like a sweet lemonade with a spicy kick from the Cayenne.  Not bad but a little sweet for my taste.

#5 "Green"

#6 is dessert, I guess.....Water, Raw Cashews, Agave Nectar, Vanilla Bean and Cinnamon.  Probably my least favorite because it had some "texture".  The others were the consistency of apple juice, but I guess the cashews made this one somewhat chunky.  The taste was great though.  Can't go wrong with Vanilla and Cinnamon in my book.

The worst part was when I had to fix Miss Charlotte a ribeye last night for dinner and not getting even a bite.  Damn, that was brutal, but I figure there will be other steaks in my life!

The only side effects I've experienced so far would be a very slight headache, but I figure that's caffeine withdrawal.  And, let's just say things didn't flow as smoothly as I would like this morning.....which was a huge surprise.  I anticipated  not being able to get too far from the bathroom today, but not the case.  The website says this was a possibility and to drink some herbal tea so I'll try that tonight.

All-in-all a good experience so far.  Two more days to go.

DTWD = Disastrous Tuesdays with Dorie......Berry Surprise Cake

And it started out so promising, too.

I thought the batter came together so well and that I had done everything right.  My egg mixture formed a perfect ribbon, I folded ever so gently...didn't overmix, but my "diva" eggs turned into DEVIL eggs and this is what came out of the oven.....bitches, is what they are.

Sunk like the damn Titanic.

And see those specs of flour??  Where the hell did they come from?

So,, I tried to salvage it by scooping out the sunken part and just adding the filling and then topping with the whipped cream.

And it looked fine.

Mr. B had a piece.....

and that was it.  The rest went into the trash.  He said the cake was tough and the filling was not sweet enough.

Bummer.

And this was a recipe that really appealed to me in writing.  After reading all of the other baker's comments, I know that a LOT of people had problems with this.   Maybe better luck next week.

Thanks to Mary Ann of Meet me in the Kitchen for choosing this week.  Please check out her blog.....her cake came out beautifully!  I'm jealous.

Catch-up Monday

So much to get to on a busy Monday!  Arrived home late last night from a fabulous Colorado weekend.  This was such a great trip for many reasons....obviously, great company being the number one reason  :).......but, while we were always busy, it was so relaxing to enjoy the beautiful Colorado mountains without any crowds or commercialism AT ALL.

I've been out West on many occasions, both in the summer and for winter skiing, but have always visited the more populated resorts....Telluride, Beaver Creek, Park City, etc.  This time we were in the more rural area of Pegosa Springs, which is about 60  miles east of Durango, in Southern Colorado.  And in a word....stunning.   And the skiing at Wolf Creek was just as good as the bigger resorts....without the crowds.  

Plus we got to do some hiking on the last day.  Just the four of us....well, and a few jackasses!

On our way out to the hike, these fellas were hanging out.....and not real keen on us invading their Sunday morning.

You just don't see this in Alabama!!

Well, I see a lot of jackasses in Bama, but none this handsome  :)

Here's where we started...

No River Otters today....

Gorgeous, eh?

Mr. B and the Piedra River....

The Piedra River Gorge.  Checkout the color of that sky.  That's all we witnessed the entire weekend.

A great time was had by all!

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Since I was traveling all afternoon yesterday, I only got to see bits and pieces of the NFL playoff games.....both very exciting!

So, who are you picking?  I'm torn right now.....Love Ben Roethlisberger, but how can you cheer against Kurt Warner....and is Larry Fitzgerald a F.R.E.A.K., or what?

I'm looking forward to it!

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When I got home last night, I got to catch a little of the Australian Open before crashing....WTF did Marcos Baghdatis do to his hair????  He was so freakin cute and now....not so much.

The American's are again making a stellar showing...7 out of the 10 that played yesterday were eliminated.  Seven more play today, including Venus and Serena (yawn).

C'mon, Americans.....represent.

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And last, but not least, I'm starting this tomorrow.  Never done this before, but remember, I'm in the Caribbean next week.  It's necessary.

I'll let you know how it goes.