August Favorite Finds

As we are nearing the end of summer, all I can think about is the fact that cooler months are on the horizon (thank goodness!).  DC has been a sweaty humid microwave for what honestly feels like forever.  It's been tough being cooped up inside for much of the summer due to the excessive heatwave.  I have definitely developed dog mom guilt because we haven't been able to take Dolly out on walks longer than 5 minutes for fear of her overheating.  While I am certainly looking forward to the impending Fall season, I have still had many moments over the past few weeks (when not glued to the TV cheering on Simone Biles of course) to discover a few new favorite finds to share with you all today.  

Healthy Water Bottles

In an effort to reduce my carbon footprint and add to my healthy living, I have been on a mission over the past month for the perfect water bottle.  I know this sounds ridiculous, but it occurred to me one day while trying to shop for a water bottle on Amazon that I had no clue what I was looking for and what bottle provided the best value.   I knew I didn't want a plastic bottle (for fear of chemical leaching, BPA, etc...), it needed to be practical/functional and fit my lifestyle.  After surveying dozens of colleagues at work, all of my friends and family members, and reading way too many reviews I ended up purchasing two water bottles (which I would enthusiastically recommend to anyone).  

The first is the oh so popular S'well.  This is a double insulated aluminum water bottle that claims to keep cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for 12 hours (I can vouch after testing both claims, this water bottle lives up to the hype).  Keeping my drinks hot or cold while at work has been great because it has meant less trips to the kitchen for ice or additional hot water.  In addition, I love the oh-so-chic color options offered for this water bottle (totally obsessed with the gold).  Drawbacks to the S'well are the price and the fact that it isn't dishwasher safe.  

The second bottle I purchased is the DRPP Water Bottle (a sister bottle to the BKR).  This is a glass bottle that is wrapped in a silicone sleeve, which keeps it protected from shattering if dropped and provides you with a secure grip on the bottle.  This water bottle is glass so it's free of any potential leaching issues, is dishwasher safe and slightly less expensive than the S'well.  If I had to name drawbacks to the DRPP, it would be the inability to keep drinks ice cold for longer than a few hours.  

Gladiolus

Did you know that the gladiolus is the flower of August?  Personally, I had no idea that this was the case but it actually makes sense now that I think about it as there seems to be an abundance of gladioli for sale in every local grocery and flower store. Naturally, it seems very fitting to highlight this gorgeous bloom as one of my favorite finds this month.  

Gladioli are truly gorgeous flowers that have some serious presence.  I love how hearty they are and the added height they bring to a space.  This flower comes in an array of vibrant colors, is relatively low maintenance to maintain and very inexpensive to purchase.  Not kidding- the gladioli pictured above in front of the window cost me a grand total of $3.99 at my local grocery store the other day.  Love love love!  

Die Cut Coasters

Caspari is certainly a go to for me when it comes to finding fab cocktail napkins, tapers, guest towels and other entertaining essentials, but recently I discovered their new line of die cut coasters and am completely hooked!  These coasters are offered in an array of patterns, with a laminated top to prevent any warping caused by a sweaty glass and a fabric lined bottom to prevent any scratching on tabletop surfaces.  A set of 4 coaster's cost about $14 and let me just say that they are worth every penny!  Functional and unique, these coasters are a current favorite in my home.  

Pimento Cheese

Pimento cheese is one of my go to menu items lately.  This southern favorite makes for a delicious hors d'oeuvre spread atop a thin cracker and garnished with either fresh thyme leaves, crispy bacon pieces or even a light sprinkle of toasted pecans.  It also makes for an excellent grilled cheese sandwich and is super easy to make!  I am a huge fan of Southern Living's recipe for pimento cheese, but if you don't have time to whip up a homemade batch of this delicious spread, Whole Foods offers three different types of pimento cheese spreads that are out of this world!  Pimento cheese never fails to be a crowd pleaser with my guests and it has been a great way to shake up my typical entertaining repertoire in recent months.

Creating an All-in-One Hors D'oeuvre Platter

I'm constantly evolving and fine tuning my entertaining style.  Of course I love trying new recipes, hosting different groups of people and on occasion, even coming up with different themes for some of my get togethers.  While the party presentation is certainly important, it's equally (if not more) important that I create a sound, efficient and effortless (in appearance), operational process for every gathering. As a hostess the last thing you ever want to do is spend the party running around and looking frazzled.   Your guests have come over to spend time with you, so you need to make sure that you do just that.

In an effort to minimize the time I spend clearing a cocktail/hors d'oeuvre spread before serving dinner, I have developed an all-in-one hors d'oeuvre platter.  This platter is made up of all of my favorite go-to cocktail party foods with the added benefit of only having to serve and clear one dish!  I am really kicking myself that it's taken me so long to figure this out.  Fab summer veggies, hummus, two different cheeses and even those tasty cocktail nuts can be served on one platter! Less time making trips to the kitchen to add and/or clear food means more time with your guests.  Cocktail parties made even easier!  What's not to love about that?!?

See below for full details on this All-in-One Hors D'oeuvre Platter.  

Food Details

• Trader Joe's Herb & Garlic Brie
• Trader Joe's Formaggio Lagorai (mild, semi-soft cow's milk)
• 34 Degree's Poppy Seed Crisps
• Watermelon Radishes
• Mini English Cucumbers
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Endive Leaves (Red & Green)
• Organic Red Grapes
• Purple and Orange Carrots
• Marcona Almonds
• Fresh Dill
• Lemon Hummus (garnished with fresh thyme)
• Red Pepper Hummus (garnished with chili flakes)

Wine Details

• Napa Cellars Syrah Rose (*A perfect pairing with this spread and time of year)

Entertaining Essentials

• CB2 Large Cuatro Platter
• CB2 Marta Tasting Glasses
• World Market Event White Wine Glasses
• Caspari Emerald Damask Cocktail Napkins
• Sur La Table Cheese Knives

Chic Birthday Party Decorations

Spring is a very popular time of year for birthdays amongst my group of friends (and myself included).  Since it has been a while since my last look at birthday decor and celebration ideas (see here), I thought I would share a few of my latest finds that have really upped my birthday celebrating game.  These birthday party extras are both sophisticated and fun, making these items perfect for celebrating almost anyone at any age!

For the Cake

Whether you are baking a cake from scratch or buying super fancy cupcakes (which I am definitely guilty of doing on occasion due to time constraints), no birthday is complete without candles and the traditional happy birthday song!  Once I hit my teenage years, I was over having my birthday candles reflect my age, primarily because it overwhelmed the cake and distracted from the cake's pretty aesthetic (I also didn't need to be reminded of my ever-increasing age).

I prefer to have either a few candles or even a single candle on my cake.  While nothing beats the traditional mini birthday candles sold in most grocery stores, since I tend to opt for few candles I want to make sure that they are special.  Recently, I have discovered Target's Gold Birthday Candles and TOPS Malibu's Big Golden Star Sparkler Wand and absolutely adore these candle options!  The added metallic glitz from these candles makes for a unique and chic addition to any birthday cake.  *To really take the presentation over the top, light the candles with these adorable birthday matches.  

Wrapping Birthday Presents

It can be challenging to find a gift wrap print that is appropriate for an array of gift recipient types (ex. age, gender, relation to you).  Often I find myself housing a ridiculously extensive collection of wrapping papers because I have bought papers based on a single recipient instead of finding a paper that could work for many.  Fortunately, I had my "Ah-ha!" moment a few months ago and have been obsessed ever since!  

Caspari's "Party Animal" line of paper products is a current favorite of mine when it comes to gift wrap, wine bags and gift enclosures.  The sophisticated wild animals decorated in whimsical birthday flare, makes this line of high quality gift wrap ideal to use on both adults and kids.  Caspari has also extended this line to paper tabletop products, which are equally fabulous and another birthday entertaining favorite of mine!

Party On!

If I am going to host a birthday party, then I am going to do it right.  Meaning, I'm  pulling out all of the stops (birthday party essentials), like party hats and confetti! 

Traditional party hats are a thing of the past in my opinion.  They are just too bulky and basic.  Ever since my discovery of the mini santa party hats around Christmas time, I have been totally in love with the concept of jaunty mini party hats worn stylishly tilted to one side of your head.  These Meri Meri Mini Party Hats (pictured below), paired with these super fun and reusable Confetti Pops (pictured above) are fun twists on traditional birthday party accessories that will give any party a fresh and festive vibe.  

Cocktail Time

In addition to outfitting my birthday parties with Caspari's Party Animal paper products, I also love using these "YAY!" Cocktail Napkins.  Not only do they scream FUN, but they are also a pleasantly unexpected/refreshing change from the traditional "Happy Birthday" and "Celebrate!" signage typically printed on birthday party paper products.   

Refreshing my birthday party repertoire with these chic and whimsical additions has me chomping at the bit to host my first birthday celebration of the season.  Simple updates to your party accessories can make all of the difference when it comes to putting together a fun and festive event.  I have always been a fan of birthdays because in my opinion, they are perfect opportunities to single out and celebrate those special people in your life.  

Love You S'more

The first year my husband and I were dating, I knew I didn't want to go overboard with gifts for Valentine's Day since our relationship was still fairly new.  Instead, I wanted to put together a fun and delicious dessert activity for us post dinner.  While on Pinterest, I came across the idea of "Love You S'more," a DIY Valentine's Day S'more bar.  I absolutely loved this concept and immediately got to work prepping this sweet Valentine's day surprise.  The end result was a rather large cellophane bag filled with marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars, tied up with cute ribbon and 2 roasting sticks attached to the bow.  My husband absolutely loved the gift and we had a great time making s'mores on our first Valentine's Day together (complete with roasting marshmallows over a hot coil stove….it's all we had at the time and all I can say is that it definitely worked!).

In an effort to be thoughtful and romantic this year, I have decided to recreate the dessert from our first Valentine's Day together.  However, this year I am putting a little spin on my "Love You S'more."  Instead of sharing a romantic moment roasting marshmallows over a coil stove, I have decided to create a s'more dip to be served with a side of graham crackers.   This is super easy to make, absolutely delicious and perfect for sharing.   Here is how I went about making this delicious treat: 

Ingredients

• 1 Jar of Coops Hot Fudge
• Jet Puffed Marshmallows
• Graham Crackers
• Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions

1. Turn your oven on to "Broil"
2. In a 6.5 inch skillet, heat 1 jar of Coop's Hot Fudge over medium-low heat stirring intermittently (approx 3-5 min)
3. Once hot fudge is heated throughout, remove from stove and sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top of the hot fudge
4. Then stand jet-puffed marshmallows on top of hot fudge mixture, making sure to cover the entire surface (about 21 marshmallows)
5. To achieve the charred look, I used a kitchen torch to lightly singe the tops
6. Once tops are slightly singed, place skillet under the broiler for approximately 2-4 minutes, until marshmallows are puffed and tops are golden brown
7. Remove from oven and serve along side a dish of graham crackers

**Note- To take this dessert to the next level, I recommend pairing this "Love You S'more" skillet with a bottle of Napa Cellars V Collection Carneros Pinot Noir.  Red wine is notorious for pairing beautifully with chocolate and the lighter fruit of this Pinot Noir grape will accentuate the chocolate flavors, but won't overpower the other s'more flavors. 

A few other accessories to consider when serving this spread: 

• CB2 Cheval Clear Wine Glasses
• Caspari Zebra Placemats
• CB2 Bento Matte Black Appetizer Plates
• World Market Heart Chalkboards, Set of 2
• Caspari Jute Charcoal Cocktail Napkins
• An abundance of red roses makes for a great finishing touch

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day Champagne Cocktails

I absolutely love all of the planning leading up to Valentine's Day.  Whether it's baking, decorating, shopping for a gift to get my husband and then of course enjoying a romantic dinner for two.  I mean honestly, what's not to love about this holiday!?!  Even if you are spending the holiday with friends, it's a great opportunity to incorporate a little festive entertaining into your evening plans.  

I know I have said this before, but it's really true…Champagne is an absolute essential for my Valentine's Day festivities.  Last year I set up a really cute/romantic Dessert and Champagne Bar, which was fabulous.  However, this year I have decided to make my Valentine's Day champagne mobile (thanks to the recent addition of my bar cart).  Yes, this year I am going to be serving champagne cocktails fireside (well actually just in my living room, but fireside would be picturesque if we had one).  My husband and I are both big fans of making champagne cocktails, so I have set out all necessary cocktail accoutrements along with a few holiday treats on my very "decked out" bar cart.  Here is how I went about creating this very festive and delicious setting:

Bar Cart Details 

• Champagne Coupes
• Paper Heart Scatter
• Paper Party Straws
• Zebra Die Cut Placemats
• Zebra Cocktail Napkins
• "Cocktails" Decorative Matchbox
• Nonpareil Gummy Heart Candies
• Knotted Cocktail Picks
• DIY Paper Heart Garland
• Terrace Bar Cart
• Veuve Clicquot Champagne
• Assorted Chocolates (here and here)
• Bitters
• Champagne Cocktail Recipe
• Assorted Bar Cart Spirits
• Brass Swan Bottle Opener

While I am really looking forward to enjoying this delicious looking bar cart of treats with my husband on Sunday, I am equally (if not more) excited to share Friday's post with you all.  One last Valentine's post is coming to Redefining Domestics on Friday, and I must say that it is probably the sweetest yet, so stay tuned!