Vintage

When I was young(er) and had disposable income that I didn’t know much to do with, I did what a lot of black educated bougie chicks did in the late 90s and early 2000s did: I bought a Coach purse. This was before Coach went down market and slapped their famous and well-known “C” logo on everything from shoes to belts to bucket hats. *sigh* Those were the days…

I may be bougie but I ain’t stupid..my handbags were never purchased full price, always with a coupon and always from the outlet store. How you like me now?? And since two of my bags were the classic Coach full grain leather, I knew they would last a very long time. And they have. But they aren’t really my style anymore. And I have tons of cute, cheap purses that I carry at various times. So I thought I was done with my bag lust. I thought I was cured..

But I was NOT, YA’LL!!! I am still infected with the “want this purse real bad” disease.

And this, is the object of my desire:

Michael Kors Hamilton tote

I. want. that. bag. BAD.

It’s so weird though, I haven’t wanted a purse in so long. But I follow fashion blogger, Economy of Style, and she has the tan colored one and it is BOSS. It’s just the right size and it has a shoulder strap too. It would carry all of my crap with style and grace. But ya’ll….The price tag: $348. (Pause. Take a breath. Let it out, slowly.)

I haven’t paid that much for a purse..in like..EVER.

So, what I thought maybe I would do is sell my Coach bags to help finance the Michael Kors bag. After all, buying vintage is what is on-trend, right?? My bags are in good shape and with a good wipe down with some leather conditioner will be looking brand new(ish).

So here are my Coach bags for your perusal..how do they look to you? How much should I try to sell them for? Where do I sell them at??

Brown leather shoulder strap bag.

Black pebbled leather hobo.

Black microfiber hobo trimmed in leather.

I’m taking all suggestions in the comment section. After all, what’s old is always new again, right?

Memorial Day Weekend 2012: The Instagrammed Edition

We did quite a bit over the holiday weekend and had lots of fun. Myron played hooky from work on Friday to hang out with me and I instagrammed the last 4 days…take a look.

Myron gazing at the waves, Surfside Beach, Freeport TX

A little ankle wading..

Lots and lots of seaweed…

Grand opening of the Pleasure Pier, Galveston, TX (think Navy Pier in Chicago)

Trying a new buffet spot – Korean style…

This is only part of the buffet line…

San Luis Pass side of the Galveston Toll Bridge..

My fishing set up..note the pink fishing pole.

Seaside…cool water..

He’s just chilling…

Getting provisions…

Pasta salad…

Fresh out the smoker…

How was your Memorial Day weekend???

Follow Me On Instagram!

Hey! *waves excitedly* If you are on Instagram, come say hi. My user name is TiffanyNHouston.

Trial by Fire

I didn’t really know what to write. Partially because I didn’t really know what to say. When I took my hiatus, I did so because I was having issues at work and I was angry about that situation and didn’t really know I was going to handle it. I have a job I love and a boss that I don’t. I was griping and whining, yet I had to be a grown up about it and frankly I didn’t really want to. It was poisoning my home life and my husband was unhappy because I was unhappy. So I needed to bitch and moan…offline..and then get focused on my next steps. And boy have I gotten focused…I’m strictly business at work. My networking game is on full tilt. I don’t know if I will remain employed at my current employer or if I will be able to move around internally to a new role, but one thing I’m not doing…sitting around feeling sorry for myself anymore. I’m educated and I have choices. I’m going to exercise my right to choose.

But my trial by fire wasn’t over just yet. You may remember me writing about my wonderful in-laws in this post. In the short time I have been married, they have truly been an inspiration to me as to what marriage is really all about. However, on May 9th, my lovely mother-in-law was called home to be with God. We buried her on May 14th. And it hurts…it hurts so, so, so bad. It hurts me to see my husband in such pain. It hurt me to see my father in law have to bury his wife of 39 years. It hurt me to see my husband’s brothers and sisters have to say good bye to their mom. It’s a hurt that can only be soothed by the passage of time and as a brand new wife, there’s not much I can do to fix it. So, I listen a lot, laugh at the funny stories he tells, and encourage my husband to reminisce and  hold onto the memories while reminding him that there is no timetable on grief.

So life has been bitter for the Macks as of late. But I don’t despair for very long. Because I have him and he has me and very soon, life will be sweet…again.

Hiatus

Hi folks,

I need to take a little break from blogging. I am fine and Myron is fine but there are some work challenges that have come to a head and I need to deal with it.

If you are a praying person, I would appreciate a kind word on my behalf.

I’ll be back soon..I hope you will wait on me.

Hugs,

TIH

 

 

Trying Again

Even though there was crab on crab homicide in this bunch…we managed to dine quite nicely on the second batch we bought on Sunday!

Daytripping

Shot of the aquarium pyramid...

Saturday afternoon, Myron and I took a hour drive down Interstate 45 South to Galveston, TX, an island right off the coast. I’d been wanting to the see the Bodies Revealed exhibit at Moody Gardens. Moody Gardens also has a hotel-resort, a water park on premises, an aquarium and  an indoor rainforest.

Below are some shots I took with my cell phone of the view of the bay and the grounds at Moody Gardens.

Here is a shot I snuck at the Bodies Review exhibit. I was living dangerously as you weren’t supposed to be taking pics!

Here is my cute hubs!! Look at that reluctant smile!

There are tons of beautiful flowers in bloom. Spring time in Texas is gorgeous! The weather was a wonderful 85 degrees with a nice breeze coming off the bay. We are enjoying it now. By May it will be scorching!

This cockatoo was eating a snack and wasn’t being that cooperative for my pictures but I finally got one.

After all that sightseeing, we got a recommendation from Beautifully Complex and decided to check out the Black Pearl Oyster Bar and Grille.

I started out with two huge crabcakes! They were so good and full of meat.

My entree was Shrimp Diablo over rice and it did have a kick!

I forgot to get a shot of Myron’s dozen oysters on the half shell. He loves them.

Myron’s entree was blackened shrimp, crawfish and squid over rice. It was pretty tasty. We will definitely be going back to the Black Pearl.

We grabbed some blue crabs on the way home to cook on Sunday, but they all died overnight. I think it was too hot in the garage for them. We went back to the fish market for some fresh ones, though. My husband was determined to get him some crabs!

All in all, we had a fun Saturday. Day trips are nice!

Inspired by Babs

 My husband gently suggested forced me that I cook last night.  I couldn’t think of anything I particularly wanted but then I thought of Babs! She had a recipe (this one here: http://musingsonmotherhood.com/2011/08/15/chicken-parmesan-eggrolls/) I’d wanted to tackle since last year. (Yes, I know..that long ago.)

Ingredients: minced garlic, chicken, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, marinara sauce, egg roll wrappers (had to get them from the Vietnamese grocery store around the corner), herb paste

Some of my eggrolls are..um..obese. I am not a good egg roll roller. So they look more like little pockets.

This shit right here..is tha TRUTH!!! I was eating it right off the spoon. OMG!!!

Strawberries were on sale at the store, so they got tossed right into my salad.

The end result. Damn, they were good!

Thanks Babs!!!

Link Love Special Edition: Trayvon Martin

Some of the bloggers I’ve been reading and their reactions to the Trayvon Martin case:

The Black Snob: No Apologies: On The Killing of Trayvon Martin and Being “Good”

Nineteen Sixty Nine: Heavy Heart

Average Bro: Random Thoughts About Trayvon Martin

Carolyn Edgar:  CNN Blogs and on her personal blog

Los Angelista: All her posts related to Travyon Martin

Very Smart Brothas: Let’s Talk About Trayvon Martin Today

Ta-Nehisi Coates: The Sham Investigation Into Trayvon Martin’s Killing

Andrew Cohen: Travvon’s Martin Killer Was Looking For Trouble…And He Found It (a legal perspective on the case that will go to the grand jury)

I hope this is informative to all who read this. I am praying that there is justice for Trayvon and his family.

The Burden Of Proof

This morning, my husband left our home to run some errands, wash the car, and get his hair cut. He went alone. I was still in bed, sleeping in on a Saturday morning. As is my normal routine, I said a quick prayer for his safety while he was out and about. I imagine most wives might do the same for their husbands. Or moms might do the same for their sons, sisters for their brothers…wanting their loved ones to come back home safe and sound.

My husband is 38 years old, college educated and works an office job every day. He is a dedicated brother and son. He is gentle and kind and has a huge heart. He is really, quite simply, a really nice guy.

My husband is a black man, a tall, large black man at that, and it’s because of that I pray every time he leaves the house.

Unless you have been under a rock for the past 2 weeks or so, you can’t  help but to have heard about the growing uproar about 17 year old Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed by a volunteer neighborhood watch leader, while coming from the store where he was getting candy for his brother. Trayvon was holding a package of Skittles candy and a can of iced tea when he was murdered.

It seems that Trayvon’s only crime was being a black male walking alone in a gated community. If you have a black brother, son, cousin or father, this is the story of their lives.

The burden of proof falls on good men like my husband all the time. The burden to prove that they are not robbers, or rapists, or murders, or drug dealers. The police stops just because “they fit the description”. Clutched purses in stores or elevators. Being judged because they wear jerseys or their pants sag low, like all of the popular rappers that are on the radio. In a way, it seems that I’d gotten jaded to reading or hearing about black (or brown) men being harassed by the police. The men I know just knew they had to charge it to the game and govern themselves accordingly. Black mothers and fathers educate their sons about how to behave if stopped by the police: speak clearly and politely, don’t act belligerent, have slow movements.

Trayvon Martin didn’t even the courtesy of being able to prove himself, it seems. He didn’t get a chance to explain that he was coming from the store and going back to his dad’s house, who lived in that community. Some dude with a tin badge and a 9mm, decided he saw a strange ni.gg.er in a neighborhood that SURELY he didn’t belong in, shot first and asked questions later. Trayvon Martin will not get a chance to graduate high school, go to college, get married, or have kids. He will not get the chance to PROVE himself, in life.

This is why I pray for my husband, and for my brother, who is only ten years old than Trayvon and even for my 62 year old father. The wrong circumstance and the wrong person and they could easily be a Trayvon, not getting a chance to explain their very existence, having to prove yet again…

…that they have a right to be a black man minding their own damn business in the United States of America.

Please help Trayvon Martin’s family get the justice he deserves and sign the petition asking for his killer to be arrested and prosecuted.

He never even had a chance...

(Editor’s note: Comments that are off topic and/or racist will be deleted. I am not even entertaining THAT.)