Well, as a writer it’s hard not to be a huge fan of Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling. And if not a fan, at least curious about her writing process and rise as the most successful and wealthy writer ever! I made my way to see the last installment of the movie over the weekend with mixed feelings. Not having been a huge fan of the seventh and last book, because I felt the scenes in the woods dragged on a bit, especially as compared to the rest of the books, I had initially been surprised, (well, it is Hollywood after-all) that they thought it possible to squeeze two movies out of it. But in fact they did. The first installment, last years movie was, to me, a lot like the book and though visually stunning, not very interesting (to me). But part 2 was really very well done. Steve Kloves, the screenwriter, kept the essence of the story and helped us lose some of our favorite heroes without too much blood and gore while guding the story along at a much more intelligent pace than the other movies delivered. David Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and the ever lovely Emma Watson did an outstanding job growing up their characters and showing us what outstanding actors they have all become since their debut all these many years ago. David Yates did a wonderful job as director of bringing one of the most beloved stories to an end without leaving us wishing for more (of course, we will always want more!) or a better ending. He did a very good job in honoring both Ms. Rowling as creator of this amazing world and to the fans, whose lives have been ever made more magical because J.K. decided to show up and write this magnificent story. Thank you J.K. and thank you Harry Potter!
Tag Archives: Butch
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows
The 4th of July
The 4th of July is always about friends, family, and food for me. So I am wishing all of my PreppyBaba readers a happy and safe 4th of July. Good eats!
BBQ STYLE PORK RIBS RECIPE
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 cup barbeque sauce
Directions
- Place ribs in a large pot with enough water to cover. Season with garlic powder, black pepper and salt. Bring water to a boil, and cook ribs until tender.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Remove ribs from pot, and place them in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour barbeque sauce over ribs. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until internal temperature of pork has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).
Nutritional Information 
Amount Per Serving Calories: 441 | Total Fat: 22.2g | Cholesterol: 128mg
Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com
The Espadrille
The big summer trend in shoes for 2011 is the Espadrille. They are stylish, comfortable and even designer labels are easy on the pocket.
The Dandi wears them with anything they would wear with a pair of sneakers or flip-flops, even a summer suit! Espadrilles are also the perfect travel shoe; they are lightweight an easy to pack and you can coordinate them with everything from your looks for the beach to your dressier looks for evening.
Shoe styles range from open and closed toe to exposed back. They are made of canvas, cloth, or jute (a plant fiber) with flexible but solid soles. The fun part about them is they come in many fun colors and designs plus they let your feet breathe during the hot summer months while giving you this summers fashionable yet relaxed Dandi look.
Sunglasses
Sunglasses are the top accessory for any summer wardrobe. They are Style for you eyes! The first thing that you should consider when buying sunglasses is what you are wearing them for. If you are into sports, especially sports on the water, you should definitely be more concerned with UV protection than with style. Protect your eyes first and then go for fashion.
If however you are just going to lunch or riding with the top down then you can go with the standard UV protection most designer sunglasses afford and choose the shades you love that also love the shape of your face. And if you’re like me and need prescriptive sunglasses there are some great, fashionable frames out there. To save money and not have to replace your prescriptive sunglasses every season stick to the more classics styles like aviator and Rayban designs.
Bigger sunglasses are very fashionable this season but if you have smaller features be sure to get frames that compliment and don’t overpower them. Metal frames are for daily activities, driving or hanging out with friends. They are also considered to have a dressier style and can be worn with business attire. Plastic frames are for more active sports and casual outdoor activites. They look great with jeans, chino’s and t’s.
The Linen Shirt
Linen is a summer must have and now that the heat is on it is time to buy that cool, stylish shirt that will keep you looking dapper and not over heated.
Linen has always been considered a luxury material and has been around for a long time. It is used in many types of clothing and accessories from handkerchiefs to shirts to incredibly stylish suits that can be worn for work as well as for play.
Long sleeve or short the current styles in linen shirts range from solid colors to checks and are mainly in neutral muted colors. These shirts go great with khaki’s or jeans and any shoe where no socks are required. Also linen, both in shirts and suits, makes a wonderful travel companion because it’s allowed to be wrinkled. So pack it up, pull it out and it, like a true friend, will be ready to go.
Photo courtesy of J. Crew
The Loafer
According to Details Magazine the penny loafer is this season’s go-to shoe. The latest designs are a little more streamlined than the old school loafer with a narrower toe.
The penny loafer originated in the 1930′s when the Spaulding company produced a shoe styled after the ones Norwegian diary farmers wore in an article that appeared in Esquire Magazine; but the penny didn’t entered the equation until years later. The modern day loafer was created by John Bass who put his mark on the shoe with the creation of the Weejun. He added the decorative strap across the top that was soon used to add a bit of style (and money for an emergency phone call) by adding small objects such as pennies.
Generally worn without socks for a preppier style. It is a simple practical shoe that looks great with a pair of rolled up Chino’s or for the more daring a classic suit.
Photo courtesy of Details Magazine
Black on Black
One of the most elegant ways to dress is to work a complete outfit of black on black. It is striking, slimming and gives the wearer an air of confidence that no other color in the spectrum can acheive.
Every Dandi should coordinate a black on black outfit for every season and formal occasion. When creating your look be aware that fabrics absorb color differently and you want to be very careful when trying to match blacks. The black color in clothes can carry a purple, brown or grey cast so be careful in mixing and matching, the wrong hue and can dilute your look.
Mix different fabrics and textures to avoid a uniform look and when matching your black shirt or tie to your black suit use the textures in the tie and the design of the shirt to give your palette contrast and approachability.
Now that we are in the summer months the lighter weight the fabric the better, that said cotton can be a challenge because it fades easily so always hand wash or dry clean your these black items (even if laundered get them dry cleaned, not washed) and rarely if ever put them in the dryer. If you do decide to wash them always use cold water.
If you feel the urge to add jewelry, keep it minimal. A watch or ring will do the trick. Avoid shiny jewelry around your neck, let the black speak for itself.
The Watch
Watches define the outfit and the Dandi. People notice the accessories of a Dandi often before anything else. Finishing touches are premiere when it comes to being a dapper Dandi and finding the right watch for you will depend on a few things – the formality of your job, the sports and activities you enjoy and your Dandi style when you go out at night. Not all watches can be all things to all outfits.
The first thing to consider is why you are purchasing the watch – function or form? Your budget is next, then the fit (and what it will take to get the fit if you have smaller wrists). I love Casio‘s G-Shock because it’s lightweight, earth friendly (it’s solar and doesn’t need battery replacements) and it’s very versatile. It has a lot of useful functions for the more atheltic Dandi and can serve in the place of a dress watch. Watches are an important detail in any Dandi’s wardrobe and there are many colors, styles and functions to choose from – water-proof, shock-proof, analog, digital, stainless steel, plastic and the list goes on and on.
Your watch is a statement of your personality and in certain price ranges an investment…remember the days when Dandi’s would leave their beloved watch to their favorite younger Dandi, it was like being given a stamp of approval. I believe that tradition should live on, so the next time you are in the market to investment in a watch, think of it in the world for generations to come and the excellence of it having been a part of your sartorial statement.
Grill Time
May we remember all our loved ones we have lost in many battles, not just those of war. Have a great Memorial Day!
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 large onion diced
- 1/4 pound chopped, crisp cooked bacon
- 1/2 teaspoon Spike (or seasoned salt)
- 2 tablespoon beer
So You Think You Can Dance
I love this show and am so glad it’s baaaacccck! So far I like the quirky lesbian and the guy who was shot in the arm (clearly I could be better at names). We shall see who makes it to Las Vegas next week.
Sheree L. Ross
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