dear weekend...

...we're very glad you're here.

so close everyone. just another hour to go, east-coasters. everyone to the west of us, hang in there. believe it or not, tomorrow is august 1 - kinda crazy, right? july definitely got lost somewhere. since we're refusing to believe summer is flying by, we're hoping these wishes for you grace your summer weekend:

some warm sunshine on your back

a delicious summery treat...shaved watermelon ice, please.

a run-in with a pup who just wants to lick your face

little girls in little bathing suits that cover their little diapers which hide their little butts

a breezy bicycle ride

drinking and dancing, resulting in no drooling the next morning

blister-free toes as you rock new summer sandals

happy weekending! xxoo, sis & sis

perk up your pillow

just your basic penguin.

a modern stuffed toy or sofa pillow.

very friendly.

likes fish.

looking for a good home.

13" tall.

made from 100% organic cotton.

$20.00 each.

buy one just becuase the description of this bird is so darn funny.

the great debate

are you an opi lady or an essie girl?

or maybe neither? at $8 a bottle, i completely get it if you're not into either one. but how can you resist the names? they make me giggle:

suzi and the lifeguard (hmmm??)
otherwise engaged
aphrodite's pink nightie
your villa or mine?
lovie dovie
boris and natasha (who are they??)
tickle my france-y
wife goes on
sold out show

i think they are pros and cons to both brands. right now, i'm rocking capri by essie. ladies, your preference? particular favs? please share.

lost in the kitchen. help, sis: peach-almond crostada and chocolate-dipped marshmellows

so this is hopefully going to turn into a regular feature here on because sis said so. my fans are always asking me for recipe ideas whether it be for date night, a potluck dinner, an upcoming party, a holiday right around the corner, you get it. so consider me available...i sit ready and waiting to resolve your recipe riddles. so here we go with our first inquiry...conveniently from sis:

dear sis,

i'm headed over to BE's parents' house for a bbq on friday night. i don't want to show up empty handed so i'm thinking a dessert would be good...thoughts? i'm going for something fresh, summer-y, light, and EASY. help, sis. you got this. xxoo, sis

dear sis,

here's what i'm thinking. since you will be traveling to the bbq in a car, you will need something that does not need to be refrigerated or something that could potentially melt from all the love in that car. i immediately thought of a fresh fruit crostada (italian baked dessert tart...kind of like a pie). its summer-y, fresh, and EASY (it only has 9 ingredients). in addition to this, whenever i bring a dish to someone's house i always like to surprise them with just one more thing. i'm a lover of bite-sized edibles so i'm recommending chocolate-dipped marshmallows too. the fam can pop them in their mouths, thank you for the extra tasty morsel, and adore you for your creativity and cuteness!

so what would sis make:

peach-almond crostada
sprinkle with powdered sugar for the ultimate effect or top with ice cream if you can get there fast enough!





chocolate-dipped marshmallows
while the chocolate is still warm, top with dried apricots, candied ginger, coconut, or even sugared mint leaves.

happy cooking!

on fire

over memorial day weekend, i took my first trip out to fire island, new york. and i truly hope it's not my last.

it's a little bit of an adventure to get there - train out to somewhere on long island, a quick bus ride from the train station to a ferry, then a ride on the ferry, and in notime, you arrive. the reason for all this traveling?? there are no cars on fire island. yeah, life might be a little easier if you could just drive there....but really, no cars grace this island haven. i don't want to say they are not allowed but rather, just the way fire island rolls. the cutest part - when you hop off the ferry, crowds of neighbors are awaiting your arrival with a smile and a red wagon to carry your stuff back to the house. too precious. oh and the other thing that got me - outside of every beach house is a rack of beach cruisers (complete with baskets) ready for you to coast all over the island.

i love what this beach town is doing. promoting a greener life and probably not even realizing it. one couple that got in on the trend - noel and ellen berk-rauch and their environmentally responsible, summer home on fire island. their getaway features durable building materials that can tolerate seaside conditions with little need for replacement over time - including cedar siding, cement roofing, and bamboo floors. not even salt air, tracked-in sand, or an occasional nor'easter can blow this house down. gotta love smart design.

wagon full and the couple head back to the house.

hoping for an invitation soon. check out more at

coastal living.

fan mail

please know we're flattered anyone even tunes into our little project here. but what's even more thoughtful is when we receive a little fan mail. just had to share from our numero uno groupie, scotty leonard. he practically is a sis.

sis,

i have a problem. i think you can fix it. can you guys let the reader know who writes the article - you or katie? i can't always figure out who it is. and it upsets me. when i read things, i like to know the writer so i can hear their voice as I read along. and i just don't know which fagan voice to use, haha. kenny's voice popped out once to me.

scotty, that's the beauty of because sis said so. most of the posts would come out of either of our mouths. you will just have to keep guessing. but you can go ahead and assume none of them come from brother.

and of course, we always welcome more feedback/suggestions/comments/gripes (we suppose) at becausesissaidso@gmail.com.

loves it

in the past 24 hours, i have discovered/accepted/found/realized the following fixations are must-have elements in my life. these are minor obsessions which are on the way to scooting their way over the MAJOR column:

reid rosenthal - no explanation needed. we can fall in love over facebook. shhhh - what BE doesn't know, won't kill him. holaaa mi amorrrrr.

decorno and her trip to italy. again, another person who forgot to pack me on their trip.

ben & jerry's chubby hubby. so many reasons to love thee, let me count the ways:
1. combo of pretzel and ice cream
2. added combo of chocolate and pretzels
3. bonus combo of peanut butter and chocolate
and we're talking a motherload of all three combos in just one bite. so bad but so so right.

ricky berens' ASSets - swimsuit malfunction, right? you, janet, and jt have a lot in common.

apartment therapy's classified seciton. didn't even know this existed until today. brilliant. and you can pick your own city. while the bank account has no room to support any future purchases (unless from j.crew - come on, like i was gonna give that up), this is ideal for anyone striking out on ebay and craigslist.

freckles. this weekend, a friend said to me, "so basically your tan is when all your freckles start connecting together, right?" gulp, why yes, that's it, stupid boy. my freckles are out in full bloom and what's better than this print to remind you how perfectly 'in' they are right now.

dogeared necklaces. yeah, i had no idea what they were either. this weekend, i was grabbing bagels for my sharemates, and this sweet girl behind the deli counter in her finest longggg island accent said, "is that a dawwwgggg eeeeered necklace?" - referring to my gold chain necklace with a wishbone on it. i had to ask her again what she said, but nope, still not registering. i told her i actually just picked up at an airport while waiting for a flight. either way, she was right. so many darling choices.

baggu me. i spotted these guys a few months ago on another blog - i wanna say oh happy day. and oh how happy they make me. they join me everywhere - to the beach, to the grocery store, to the green market in union square. it really feels good to say, "no thanks, i don't need a bag." and best of all - they come in every color. it's as bad as trying to pick a polish.

that's all for now...no worries, i'm sure more fixations will pop up soon.

i'll take two, please: veggie and goat cheese pizza, phyllo pizza with feta, basil and tomatoes, & simple tomato/feta salad

everyone who knows me is aware that one of my greatest weaknesses (besides chips - THE #1 guilty pleasure of my life) is pizza. the pizza is universal...and i don't know of a palette that doesn't crave a good pie on the regular. this past weekend, my roommates and i were feeling the hunger pains...so we opted for two pizzas instead of just one - and a simple tomato/feta salad - for health purposes, of course. back to the pies -

the first is a 'sis special'- my version of whole food's veggie pizza. (and like to think mine is better.)
the second pie is from my version of a bible, cooking light magazine.

'sis special' - veggie and goat cheese pizza
ingredients:
- fresh pizza dough (i recommend the $1 trader joe's bag of dough)
- pesto
- 1-2 squash (depending on size..get frisky)
- 1-2 zucchini (depending on size...why not be generous?)
- 3/4 to 1 cup goat cheese crumbles
- 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
- evoo
- s&p

directions: preheat oven to 400 degrees. dice up squash and zucchini to bite-size pieces. season with evoo and s&p - don't skimp. cook in oven for 10-12 minutes - just until soft. turn oven down to 375 degrees. roll out pizza dough on greased cookie sheet (put a lil flour on your hands to avoid the stickiness). cook pizza for 5 minutes - just until edges start to brown. spread pesto over pizza dough. add roasted veggies on top. sprinkle with goat cheese and mozzarella. add finishing touch with S&P. cook for 12-15 minutes until cheese turns golden brown.

phyllo pizza with feta, basil, & tomatoes - ingredients & directions are this way

simple tomato/feta salad
ingredients:
- 2 pints of fresh, heirloom tomatoes
- 3-4 tablespoons of feta cheese (go for the 4 tbsp.if you love cheese as much as me)
- trader joe's red wine vinaigrette (or anything similar if you have no tj's nearby)
- s&p

directions: mix tomatoes with feta cheese. top with red wine vinaigrette (or anything similar if you have no tj's nearby). season with s&p. serve chilled or at room temperature.

and the final products, my friends:

(sorry, no pic of salad...it went fast)

the 'sis special' & my cooking light masterpiece

news flash

breaking news --

ed swiderski signs deal with richard simmons for clothing line

really jillian? really? this is the man you chose to be your best friend and your lover???

who told him those shorts were ever OK? funny the first time...but to show up in them again during the finale, what?? the poor guy has no style when it comes to swimwear. and the best part, below is his facebook picture - he wears those bad boys in real life:

and his engagement ring choice was even outdated in the 80s. pear shape? seriously? great acting on jill's part when he opened up the little box no less.

oh but it's ok - the rumor mill has it that she's back with reid.

feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, get on up, it's scotchies time

we're back from jamaica and i've been thinking about this blog post since the flight ride home. while the scenery was breathtaking and the “yea-mons” were flowing, i have to say the resort food was pretty much awful. for days, we lived off a diet of french fries, red stripes, and my hidden stash of pringles. our last night there, we were determined to experience a true jamaican fare. we interviewed every cab driver hoping one would give up the best local spot. to our surprise, each cabbie repeatedly boasted, “scotchies.”

i must say, sis loves some scotchies. we walked in and instantly, i was at home - the relaxed, happy-go-lucky atmosphere, cheap cuisine, mouth-watering spicy flavors, outdoor seating - it all really hit the spot.

the menu was short and sweet but covered all the basics:
1. one whole jerk chicken
2. black beans and rice
3. sweet potatoes
4. conch soup
5. breadfruit (when i asked what this was, the waitress shared, "yea mon, you will like. it's like a potato to you americans. yea mon.")



now let me try the best i can to do this meal justice --
the chicken - moist on the inside. spicy crunchy skin on the outside.

the black beans and rice - hit me with a unique smoky flavor.
the sweet potato - steamed to perfection with the just-right hint of sea salt.
the conch soup - the biggest surprise of the meal. i'll admit - i was definitely worried when boyfriend matt added this to his order. creamy, rich broth with a mild fish flavor. just delightful.
the breadfruit - waitress was right. it did taste like a potato and was perfect for kicking down the spice a few notches. this american enjoyed every bite.
is your mouth watering yet?? too bad we didn't find scotchies on day one.

one day, it will be my turn

brother and boyfriend will be joining in on the fun at 1 georgica lane in easthampton this weekend and we all eagerly anticipate their arrival. don't know what either of them are expecting but i have every intention of showing them some dream summer getaways on our way to main beach. hope to snap some pictures of these home sweet homes for you all - at least before the four-siren alarms go off and the dogs start chasing me.

but speaking of home sweet homes in the hamptons, i was flipping through elle decor last week and came across the nothing-short-of-nautical inspired home of scott currie (nyc pr power playa). he basically bought himself four barely-standing walls and remodeled into this...

. yep, gasp now. and a few more before and afters to make you swoon...

i want/need that knotty kitchen towel.

whatever was wrong with the master suite before??

hasta luego birds, spiders, & mice. add some fresh white paint and you got yourself a loft.

oh you don't see the poolhouse from before...that's right, scotty built himself one.

take that four walls. look at you now.

news flash

breaking news out of washington ---

is it urkel or is it barack? poor kid caught some heat these week for his mom jeans. where is your wife when you need her? god knows, fashion loves her.

speaking of the mrs. - a new haircut or is it just pulled back? regardless- me love, first lady shelly

.

tori on today

when i heard hoda woman was going to dubai this week, i was pleasantly surprised to learn tori spelling would be joining kathie lee during the 4th hour of the today show. i learned a lot between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. the past three days. she shared all kinds of good stuff with us:

a quick recap:
1. she is aware chelsea handler still hates her
2. her mom still hates her
3. people think she looks like a man – and in particular, chelsea handler does
4. tori spelling loves being tori spelling and for the first time in her life, she is not embarrassed to be tori spelling. yes, she said that
5. she buries herself and her kids in fecal covered sand
6. she has no problem with fecal matter…in fact, the word, “fecal,” is on the regular in her vocabulary
7. apparently, she has crater cleavage….whatever that is
8. she bribes her son with m&m’s and kathie lee’s response, “oh you’re one of those kinds of mothers”
9. she refers to her son’s ability to urinate as “unleashing the beast”
10. she showed up to the today show on day #3 without a bra. apparently, she forgot to put on one and thought the national audience should be made aware of this
11. she loves flings…the 85 calorie kind…not the kind with other people’s husbands
12. she is shocked an 18 year old would want to get botox…hahaha, she wouldn’t know anything about that.

that’s some great material for my girl, chels. and can you imagine where snl is gonna run with this?

but hey, darling outfits, tori. and honestly, you were charming and cutesy.

does this have my name on it or what?

ahhh, the dream. a float and an umbrella in one. we all know a pale like me loves her shade.

heart of the house

sis loves ina garten and i love kitchens. on monday's today show, we got a dose of both as lady ina unveiled house beautiful's 2009 kitchen of the year.

the major trend i'm noticing with kitchens these days - they no longer are just a haven for your pots and pans and culinary successes and slumps. but instead, as the 2009 KOTY designer, robert stilin, so perfectly stated, "today, kitchens are the core of the house. you have to be able to cook in them, but you also have to be able to live in them." i couldn't agree more - kitchens are the new living space. you cook, you dine, you hang out...and you can barely keep anyone out of it.

here she is, miss 2009

bye bye miss 2008 & 2007...

the other major trend...white cabinetry. oh how i love.

"dancin' to the reggae rhythm, oh, island in the sun"

i'm not jealous or anything.

a few months back, sis won a free trip to jamaica for two. lucky girl, right? unlucky girl = me. yeah, she forgot to pick me to go with her.

is it hot?

it’s true. i’ve been mia on my endeavors in the kitchen lately. i don't think i've cooked two consecutive meals in over two weeks. and that’s just crazy talk for this sis. i feel like i’ve been all over the place and had no time (or energy) to really plan out a menu and get to cooking. but when i return from jamaica next week, my game will be back. and i’ve got new cooking gadgets i need to try out – thanks to my roommates.

since i have nothing to write about cooking-wise, here’s a funny story for you.

so last week, after meeting a crazy work deadline, i rushed home one night to host book club. i ran into the ghetto safeway grocery store near my work for a bottle of their finest pour, yellow tail chardonnay. as i’m running up to the check-out counter (note - this store is so behind in the times, they don't even have a self-checkout line), i grab my pink (naturally) wallet out of my hand to speed up the process. as i'm pulling out my credit card to pay, the bag lady looks at me and says –

"where did you get that wallet?" (i'm instantly flattered thinking i've found another pink lover.)

"i’m pretty sure i got it at nordstrom – but not recentl------------"

before i can even finish my sentence, the woman says, "WAS IT HOT?"

i can feel my face turning red as i realize i have no idea what this woman is talking about. many thoughts run through my head before i utter out in confusion, "you mean do i like it? well yes, i've had it for awhile.”

sensing the uncertainty in my voice, the crazy lady asks the question again – “was it hotttt?” but this time, she cocks her hip to the side while raising her hand in the air and rubs her fingers together – signaling ‘ching ching.’

still puzzled, i ask, “you mean, was it expensive?"

"yes, was it hottttttttttt?" – for the third time…still signaling the money motion in her hand.

"ok…i see what you mean. no, i don't think so - it was only about $40."

"oh dang girl, that means it’s hot!" – complete with a lip smack.

and with that, i grabbed my wine, receipt, and head for the car. as i open the car door, i can't help but laugh out loud and think...

“when will i ever be cool enough to say things like that?"

and the answer is never. and that's just fine with me.

this book is on board with me to jamaica. good investment i figure. and no worries - amazon still has 34 new copies and 12 used ones available at the time of this posting. get yourself one.