Summer Drinks

Now that the pools open this weekend and the sun is shining all I can think about are some of the great drinks I will have this summer. There are great ideas to make at home for a BBQ or have as a specialty cocktail at your event or wedding. Come up with some cute names and put it in a nice glass and you have some wonderful cocktails! Ask your caterer about serving these specialty drinks at your event and make sure they have the recipe you want to use!

{Wine Smoothies}

Wine smoothie consists of a fruity wine, like rose, blended with ice and fruits of your choice. Garnished with a couple of berries or fruit slices

{Mojito}

Mint leaves, crushed ice, Dark Rum, Sugar and Lime Juice, all muddled together and topped with some soda water. Top it off with a piece sugar cane! Add some muddled fruit and you can make many varieties of mojiots!

{Margarita}

Salt the rim of a glass, then mix tequila, orange-flavored liquor and lemon juice. Squeeze a fresh lime and you got yourself Summer in a Glass! You can also blend the mixture together and have a Frozen Margarita!

{Sangria}

You can make both Red and White Sangria using either a red or white wine. For both add in wine, some sugar, typically orange and lime juice and other fruit cut up/sliced and stuck in the mixture. Afterwards eat the fruit and delicious!

{Fruit + Gin}

Gin Bucket is a yummy summer tradition from my college years, but it makes for a refreshing and light summer drink, perfect for BBQ's and concerts since you make a ton at a time! 

Gin, Limeade concentrate and Orange Concentrate let thaw in the gin, Any lemon-Lime soda and lots of cut up fruit. Just like the Sangria, after the fruit has sat in the mixture for a while it is so good to eat! 

Pictures/Information From:

The Knot 

iFood 

mojito-recipes 

Seduction Meals 

Insiders Passport 

Lillyella 

Super Bowl Weekend

I am a sports fan in general and love football (I even worked for a NFL team for a year) and I L-O-V-E the Super Bowl. Not just for the game and commercials but for the parties and food as well. Being a planner and baker, I love to find easy and new recipes and ideas for Super Bowl parties. Weather you are hosting a few friends or your whole neighborhood, you can easily use these tips and tricks. You can easily but minimal effort into planning a party and still have it be great.

I found these great ideas from NewsChannel5.com from Nashville, TN By Louise Tutelian
From Ideas That Spark
(http://www.newschannel5.com/story/13965469/super-bowl-snacks-that-score-big)

Instead of the same old brew:

Hold a mini beer-tasting. Choose six beers: They can be from different countries or states, and they can range from light to dark -- whatever piques your interest. Supply guests with a menu (a sheet of paper with the name and origin of each beer) and leave space at the bottom so they can take notes.

Instead of take-out pizza:

Set up a build-your-own-pizza bar -- your crowd needs something to do during all those time-outs! Bake packages of store-bought biscuits according to directions, and then split each biscuit in half. Have an assortment of toppings ready: marinara sauce, pesto sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, red peppers, onion and prosciutto. Keep a roll of tinfoil next to the oven and let people heat and melt their creations whenever they're ready.

You can also bake pizza casseroles. First, line a greased casserole dish with quartered biscuits. Cover with sauce, sprinkle with toppings and cheese, then bake at 350 F until the cheese is melted. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

Instead of brownies:

Mix up the flavor with chocolate-chip and oatmeal-raisin cookie sandwiches with Nutella hazelnut-chocolate filling.

Or, make everyone happy with Super Bowl sundaes. Sometime after halftime, put out a few gallons with all the fixings -- grownups and kids alike will be glad you did. 



Love Love Love These ideas... Here are some of my own tips for decorations and games!

Have your own small gambling game and have each guest put down a dollar (or more or less) and choose squares for what they think the end score will be of the big game! Here is a link to the How-To's http://www.ehow.com/how_5664676_play-football-pool-squares.html



When I think of superbowl I think of beer... so get football  beer coozies for everyone at the party and use used beer bottles to make fun centerpieces and vases.  Have football helmets, footballs and jerseys as decoration.



You can go all out and make everything packers and/or steelers colors and have everything with a football theme or make it simple with a few small items. Whatever you choose you will have a great time! Enjoy the game everyone and drink and eats LOTS!

Pics From:

DCBeer.com

billbrady.wordpress.com



One For The History Books

As the new year begins and I start thinking about my past year and the year to come, I cannot stop thinking about how far America has come since its inception. In the events world so many people use historical places for receptions and parties. Being in Washington DC there are so many historical places with great stories and beautiful views. I want to share some of my favorite historical places for events in DC... please let me know some of your favorite historical places from your town!

George Washington's Mount Vernon: I used to love to go to Mount Vernon as a child and see the amazing rooms and run through the green grass. Located 16 miles from Washington DC, Mount Vernon is a popular location all year. The east lawn can be rented for events, as well as the educational center. I love the amazing view of the Potomac River from the lawn and the great history of the location. You can also have private tours for events or outings. Unfortunately, you can not have an event for political, fund-raising or personal (weddings), but you can for an organizational  get together. Also take a picnic and some friends and family and enjoy the day! visit http://www.mountvernon.org/ for more information and to speak with someone at the estate.

Thomas Birkby House: I have been to a couple of events at this location and I absolutely love it. This quaint house in Leesburg, VA has an amazing outdoor patio for all sorts of events. "The Carriage House, built in 1814, is a two-story brick building. It is where Thomas Birkby and his family, perhaps one of the last coach makers on the East Coast, practiced their trade until 1903. The Birkby's manufactured carriages, coaches and buggies on the second floor and kept their horses on the ground level." What great history that is quite uncommon in the DC area. There are so many different places on the property that you can host an event, from an inside business meeting to an outdoor garden wedding. Visit http://www.birkbyhouse.com/ for more information!  

Raspberry Plains: Although farther out in Leesburg, VA Raspberry Plains has a great location with a great view, great gardens and a great reception site. I am in love with their Grand conservatory and their gardens. The house was built in the colonial era and has stood the test of time. The location has picturesque views of rolling hills and brings the outdoors in. Definitely one of my favorite places just for the view. Visit http://www.raspberryplain.com/ for more information and pictures. 

I hope you enjoy the history lesson and some great ideas for an event or just a day out! Let me know some of your favorite historical places! 

Give Thanks for Thanksgiving

I absolutely love Thanksgiving and the entire holiday season! Thanksgiving is a holiday with warm colors, warm yummy food and football! Any holiday with football is the best! Every family has their Thanksgiving traditions, and by no means do I think any family should change tradition, but if you are trying to think of some great Thanksgiving décor or want to throw a pre-Thanksgiving themed party {or even a Thanksgiving wedding}, here are some great ideas! Use the warm fall colors are your palette for the event, and don’t be scared to use some pumpkin décor either… it is not just for Halloween! Also use apples, pears, corn and leaves to decorate.

Many catering companies have holiday themed food, so go through their menus to get some great ideas… one of my favorite are mini pumpkin pies and turkey and cranberry slider sandwiches. I love stuffing as well, use small serving spoons, the ones caterers use to serve stuffing and gravy on! Another favorite of my family is cinnamon apple cheesecakes! It screams Thanksgiving and fall with the warm cheesecake and spiced apples! Don’t forget the caramel apples… or try caramel pears for a change! Of course you need some drinks! For the adults make mulled apple cider or mulled spiced wine (some local wineries have mulling wines and spices). There are great winter lagers out as well… and what is football without a little beer? For the kids in the family, hot apple cider and a cranberry and ginger ale drink for some fizzies!

Here are some of my favorite fall décor and food pictures! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Photos From:

http://blog.thecelebrationshoppe.com/

http://www.thepartydress.net/

http://athome.kimvallee.com/

http://makemerryevents.com/

http://blackeiffel.blogspot.comhttp://blackeiffel.blogspot.com

http://www.kenlauher.com/

http://rlake.smugmug.com/

http://potterybarn.com/

http://www.thepartydress.net/

Crazy Cakes

Have you been so consumed with your wedding planning you forgot about a gift for your new husband? Or have you planned your whole event and then forgot about doing something personalized and unique? Fears no longer… get a cake! I do not mean go to Costco and put your face on a cake… but get a unique 3-D cake that will blow your groom and/or guests away. I bet you have seen Cake Boss on TLC or Charm City Cakes on the Food Network; those are the type of cakes I am talking about! If you are really on a budget then it might not be the best idea to purchase a cake, but enlist the help of your baker friends and make it yourself.

If you are getting the cake as a grooms cake and gift, make it something that he loves or a place he enjoys. My friend had a cake for her groom who went to Ohio State as the Stadium! It was amazing and they used it at their rehearsal dinner. It is always a great surprise for a groom since most of the wedding focuses on the bride; he finally is the one getting a great gift! Being creative when it comes to a groom cake is the name of the game. Think hard about what he would like and what you would like. Don’t get him something you want and say “he always loves this.”

For an event, go big or go home! If you have the budget to spend why not! It can really make a huge difference and be the talk of the event. A grand cake can be used as the centerpiece for the event and can tie all of the different aspects together. If it is for a huge birthday, bridal shower or baby shower there are so many cute and semi cheap things you can do that will surprise the guest of honor and not your bank account.

Regardless of what the purpose of the cake is for it is a great idea. It is special and unique and will be the talk of your wedding or event! Talk to your catering company about doing a specialty cake, they may be able to make one themselves or know a good company.

Photos From:

www.charmcitycakes.com/gallery

http://carlosbakery.com/

http://www.nollycakes.co.uk/

What Did the Fridge Say to the Magnet? Stick It To Me

So there is a little refrigerator humor for everyone today! Sorry I am not humorous enough to come up with a catchy title... but regardless this is a great product for you to use in many different occasions. Magnet announcements/save the dates! These have become popular and will continue to be popular, but I cannot get enough of them. These great magnets can cost as little or as much as you want and can be customized as much as you want as well. Most people put wedding or birthday/party announcements/invitations/save the dates on the fridge anyways, why not make it easier for them to remember your important date. Many places allow you to use a photo of the couple (engagement photos) or birthday boy/girl or expecting mother...I just keep on thinking of new ways to use the magnets!



Film Strip Magnet

I love this idea along with more fancy announcement or something else in writing with more information. People love getting magnets as well (or at least I do) because I love hanging pictures up on the fridge or anything else important. Like I said you can make them as expensive or inexpensive as you want! Do a little research and look at many different wedding company sites to compare prices and designs you like the best. You may also be able to find a place around you that does announcement/save the date magnets to have them customized just the way you want it.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE using these magnets as birthday invites or any other invite for any other occasion! They are super adorable as a baby shower invite or wedding shower invite as well since it is an easy way to remember the date and there are so many creative and fun designs you can do with those themes. Maybe I have gone off the deep end with the magnet announcement idea but I think this is so cute and really cheap compared to some invites you may get. It also doubles as a party gift! 

Here are some great sites to find the announcement/save the date magnets!

http://www.magnets.com/Wedding_c_334.html 

http://www.magnetstreet.com/

www.zazzle.com (look around the site great things)

The Knot has a great selection...

http://weddingshop.theknot.com/weddingwarehouse/SubCategory.aspx?scId=Unique%20Favors(KnotShop)&sscId=Personalized%20Magnets(KnotShop)&cId=Favors(KnotShop)