My Week in Photos: 2/17 - 2/23

1. Since I've really been slacking in the nail department, I thought I would spice things up for President's Day. There's nothing more patriotic than pink sparkly nails. Color: OPI Excuse Moi! 

Amazingly Fabulous and Utterly Delicious Carnitas

I used to dislike Mexican food when I was younger and now I just can't seem to get enough of it. When the weather is warm, I'm always craving fish tacos, but in the winter I usually just make them with chicken. Well, I wanted to spice things up a bit so I was on the lookout for something new to put in my tacos and stumbled upon a gem of a recipe. Surprise, surprise, I found it on Pinterest. I've adapted my recipe from the My Kitchen Escapades Blog - Pork Carnitas recipe but apparently, that recipe is an adaptation from Cooks Illustrated. 

Did Beyonce Just Get More Awesome?

Did anyone catch the "Life is But a Dream" HBO special on Beyonce this past weekend? In regards to the documentary itself, I thought it was a little scattered. It wasn't in chronological order which made it really hard to follow the timeline of events, but all in all, I thought it showed a side of Beyonce I haven't seen before. It also led to a heated little debate between me and the husband, but we'll get to that in a minute. 

I've read some critical feedback on the documentary, as I said it's definitely all over the place. But I thought that there was some great messaging, I learned some things about her that I didn't know before, and I felt a new sense of empowerment over my own life. Here's why:

Beyonce was make-up-less for a lot of the film and I respect that. I don't wear a ton of make-up, but I feel like lately I've been more consistent about putting make-up on and doing my hair for everything. While I love to get dressed up and look nice for a night out, I sometimes feel obligated to wear make-up even though it might not be the best thing for my skin at the time. So, cheers to you Beyonce! I'm going to try face au naturel a bit more often. BryGuy always tells me he loves me with and without makeup (maybe he's just saying that to be nice) but sometimes it feels good to just go out into the world with a totally fresh face.

My Week in Photos: 2/10 - 2/16

1. BryGuy and I typically don't do anything for Valentine's Day since our anniversary used to be in early February. But he surprised me at work this Vday with a beautiful arrangement. And I have to say he did a wonderful job! I was excited that it wasn't red roses... not that I have anything against them, they're just not my favorite. I really love hydrangeas and orchids and the tulips were just a great springy touch.

My Week in Photos: 2/2 - 2/9

I wasn't so good about taking photos last week. So I'm throwing in a few that stretch past the designated time frame. Please forgive me. I'll do better next week. 

1. A much-needed Sunday morning breakfast with delicious coffee (and maybe a Bloody Mary too) at one of my favorite restaurants in Manayunk: Agiato

The BEST Barbecue Chicken Ever

About a million people have asked me for this recipe. Okay, a million might be an exaggeration, but at least a handful of people have asked, so here it is. Really, I can't take credit for it. I found it online and adapted it to my needs.

The story of this chicken in my life begins last summer. BryGuy and I typically do red meat (burgers, steaks, etc.) on the grill. Not because I don't like other meat, but because I've never had barbecue chicken that I really liked. Most of it was tough, dry, and not all that appealing. Well, I turned to the web to find a bbq chicken recipe that would make my mouth water, and I stumbled upon this gem that quickly became a household staple. The most important part about this recipe is the grilling process, low and slow is the name of the game. 

Do you want to know the best part? Once you invest in the spices, it's super cheap to make. I usually buy a big family pack of thighs and drumsticks so I can feed 6-10 people for less than $15 with this recipe. 

My Week in Photos: 1/26 - 2/2

There's a great blog that I follow called ...Love Maegan this woman is truly an inspiration. Not just because of her keen sense of fashion and design, but also because of her ability to be candid and just put herself out there to the world. When you read her blog you feel like you know her, and I would be remiss if I did not say that she has inspired Marissa Says... in many ways. So, I'm being totally honest when I say that I'm "borrowing" her idea for this post. Every week she does a quick recap of the Instagram photos that she's taken throughout the week. 

Well, I love the idea and want to try it out with you. I'll give you a weekly peek into the photos I've posted on Instagram and tell you a little more about them.

1. A cappuccino from my favorite coffee spot in Manayunk - Volo Coffeehouse

2. The stairs leading back to our apartment. I have a love-hate relationship with them.