First meal, first post and culinary honesty being the focal point, what does one do on a Saturday night with a half empty refrigerator, a bottle of wine and a hungry girlfriend? The answer is simple, you start drinking and you start thinking.

As I rummage through the refrigerator, I notice a couple of tasty products that might just work as a cohesive and hopefully edible meal. As we refill our glasses, here is the list of products that are being assembled on the countertop:

• 2lb bag of 31/40 frozen raw shrimp
• rice (obviously the 10 minute boil-in-bag kind)
• 16oz bag of frozen Goya mixed vegetables
• left over pesto sauce (cilantro, basil, pine nuts, olive oil, salt and pepper)
• craft cheese singles
• unsalted butter
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• fresh jalapeno peppers
• grape seed oil

If some of you are not on first name basis with grape seed oil, no worries, a post dedicated entirely to its cause is soon to follow. As our second glass of wine is getting lighter by the second, I am ready to put this meal together. I begin with a 10 minute preparation of rice and frozen vegetables. I finish the rice with some butter, salt and pepper. Once that’s complete, I mixed the rice with the vegetables, pesto sauce and one jalapeno pepper. The jalapeno pepper was roasted over an open flame and with the suggestion of my right hand girl; the seeds were included in the mix. If any of you are unfamiliar with jalapeno peppers and are not best friends with spicy food, my advice to you is to leave the seeds out and to have rubber gloved professionals place them gently in the garbage can and forget all about them.

As the third glass of wine is being filled with delicious liquids, I realize that that shrimp is still frozen solid. Desperate measures call for desperate acts; the shrimp go into a pot, get covered with water and defrost on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Be careful not to cook the shrimp in this stage of the process. Once the shrimp are ready, they are dried, peeled and mixed into the vegetable rice. All of the contents are then placed into a pre-greased (grape seed oil) casserole dish and covered with craft cheese singles. Seriously, if I had fresh mozzarella cheese then it definitely would have been a better choice for this dish. Pre-heat the over to 450 degrees and cook the contents covered for 15 minutes. Then uncover, stir and finish cooking for an additional 10 minutes. Don’t be afraid to add a little bit of water to the casserole dish while baking.

So, your meal is ready, your bottle is finished and you are ready to eat. Honestly, if you are anything like me, you’ll be prepared with another bottle of Pinot Grigio, your decent china and large forks. Just remember, you don’t need to have a plan, just bring your appetite, your desire to eat something delicious and the moxie to ruin two pounds of shrimp. Good luck!

One weekend my boyfriend and I went out to a really good sushi restaurant in Long Beach and I happened to order a plum wine. I did it because it sounded really good and as much as I love Sake, I wasn't really interested in having it. I loved how sweet and smooth it was! Later on that weekend when we made dinner, we bought Sake and Plum Wine, intending to have it together as a Bonsai. We ended up just drinking the Plum Wine and more specifically, we had selected Fu-Ki Plum. Now I am truly hooked on plum wine and although I have had it with Sake, I prefer to drink it alone. The other weekend we went to Sushi House in Hoboken and I had their Plum Wine - so it is confirmed that this is something that I do enjoy having even when I'm not eating it with sushi or fish. It is absolutely refreshing and I think that it works well with all seasons which is very important as well. I look forward to trying the different kinds and seeing the ways that it can be mixed together.

When I get my weekly mani's and my bi-weekly pedi's, there is only one place that I run to (I simply refuse to go anywhere else)! Dashing Diva has multiple locations all over New York City and they are definitely my sanctuary when I need a little time out! I love their pink colors, plenty of colors, fun events and so much more. I do enjoy going on Fri's to get my pedicure and manicures with a nice cosmo (I was also a huge fan of their wine pedicure as well) Recently, Kitten Lounge attended Dashing Diva's event which had the cast of Legally Blond the Musical in attendance doing a Bend and Snap competition. The pictures included below are courtesy of Sarah Conley which you can see more of her coverage on Style It! This location which was off of Union Square is my favorite one to go to! It was really cute to see the cast members together and to see the winners of the Bend and Snap competition!

Dashing Diva definitely loves the Kitten Lounge and its readers and is providing 3 Elle of a Pedicures (fit for Ms Elle Woods herself) which we will be giving away on this site on Fri the Fourth of July at noon! Getting a complimentary pedicure at the 3rd Avenue location (149 3rd Ave btwn 15th/16th) is definitely an amazing treat and a great way to enjoy the summer as well. To be one of the three winners, simply tell me your favorite pedicure shade (regardless of brand) as many of us go a little daring on our toes when it's the summer! All entrants must have access to NYC as it is valid here and all entries must be included as comments within this post. With so many shades, you're bound to find a favorite - my favorite "Chelsea in the Buff" or Vanilla -Rama (when it comes to mani's) and anything deep and vixen like when it comes to my pedi's.

Any trip needs a little research in my opinion. Even if you never really go on the trip, having a little knowledge never hurt anyone. When it comes to Astor Wines and Spirits, this is a great place to go to see a variety of wines and spirits - those that you know and those which may not be familiar to you. I also love that when visiting the site, you can register so you can learn more about classes and tastings that are offered. Now you can branch out beyond your favorites and find housewarming gifts, something to bring for dinner and much more as we get closer into the summer. This is also a great way to pass the day when you had yet to plan to do anything and it is a tad too hot outside to do anything else. Take some time to visit the site and then head down to Astor Wines and Spirits!

Astor Wines & Spirits
399 Lafayette Street at 4th St
NY, NY 10003

No matter how much of a backyard, deck, etc that you have - you can have a pop up bar at your disposal thanks to this super cute piece, known as the Sydney Bar, that's available at West Elm. I love that there is space for you to prep, people can have their drinks on another stand and there are various areas to organize your beverages and tools. I love that you're glasses have a home, there are holes for wine and much more. I think that this is such a great thing to have and feel that it could even be something that you could use within your home for those that may be in large cities where we don't even have space to have a backyard. I think that this is so cute and is definitely something that you will enjoy having! Feel free to check this and much more at West Elm!

Since Friday, the city has continued on with Earth Day activities with the Go Green Expo that has taken place in the city. This is a great way to see how you can go green at work, home and anywhere in between. There are seminars, a variety of booths and more. With everyone talking about this concept, this is a great event to learn how to put it in to practice and to see the dedication on various levels where this is being put into operation! I am actually attending today which is the shortest of this week's schedule. I am definitely excited to taste the food, wine and to just learn how I can start applying this into my everyday life and of course to share with others. Visit the site to see what interests you and since it is being held at the Hilton on 53rd and 6th Ave, you'll be near some great areas to have lunch or dinner afterwards.

When the weather is amazing, there are no excuses to stay indoors! It's all about having a good time with friends and trying something out. You can always go somewhere to try something and then on to the next if you like. Felice Wine Bar is located on 65th and Lex and is an Italian Rustic wine bar that is definitely one that would be interesting to go to after a day at Bloomies or some of your other favorite stores in the Upper East Side. I definitely love the rustic vibe and I think it's fun to go somewhere where you intended to only stay for drinks and ended up staying well into the night. Fortunately for you, they also have an amazing menu which only guarantees that you will have a very long but full night!

I think that having your wine displayed in your home is like art in a way. Interestingly enough, when I visit someone's home I always look at the bookshelf (it's always a shame to see an empty one or one that isn't there at all) and I look for wine as well. I can't say I know a lot about it but it says something when you don't see a bottle or two. When it is there, it's always better when it is presented. I love this wine rack since true to our theme of LAGOON, it contains wicker which I have always felt is islandish in nature. I love that this added element makes it different than typical wine racks and definitely looks cozy as well. I also love that it is available at Target.com so it's chic and very affordable!

Saturday my friend and I did our weekly brunch. Nothing is better than sitting back and enjoying a great meal that lasts a few hours. On the way back from our UWS brunch spot, we took a walk and popped into a few shops and noticed a cute little wine place - Wine and Roses. I loved that even though it was a chilly day and a little overcast, the outdoor tables has roses in a glass. Interestingly enough, later on that night, I had the opportunity to come back with a friend to try out this place for myself. I love the intimate vibe and the fact that the music went back and forth between current dance tracks and I believe some jazz in there. I have always been a fan of Shiraz and had a glass last night. Everything is centered around the wine and the menu has interesting items beyond cheese and breads. Although it was packed, I loved seeing so many people enjoying wine and sampling the food as well. I feel that this is a great spot for friends and small parties. After visiting the website and seeing the monthly pics that are updated, it made me want to become a regular as I noticed many of the same people within various months. If you happen to be in the UWS, make sure to stop by:

Wine & Roses

286 Columbus Ave (Btwn 73rd/74th)

NY, NY