Butter, Mayo, or Both?!?

Butter, mayo, or both?!? That is the question when ordering your lobster rolls.  

A few weeks back I posted all about our trip to Hidden Pond! What I didn't share was that Craig and I ate our weight in lobster rolls.  After a trip, Craig and I love to attempt to cook a favorite recipe from our travels and share it with friends.  I knew after our trip to Maine we should learn to put together a lobster roll.  A little timid, I stumbled upon this super simple lobster roll recipe  from one of my favorite bloggers, Joanna Goddard. If you don't live near the ocean, you can get lobster shipped in, find a local fish market, or run to Whole Foods.  Letting the lobster rolls be the star of the show, and wanting to keep things simple, I served fries on the side.  

With the menu decided, it was time to set the table.  I picked up these red and white gingham napkins at Pier One Imports.  Here's an easy way to create a nice presentation for your utensils:  1) fold them half lengthwise,  2)  fold the top flap down one third from the top (towards the bottom), 3) fold over, in thirds, from left to right, creating a pocket for the silverware.  This is a simple and fun way to dress up your table for guests!  

For easy clean up, I spread newspaper across the table. In addition to the napkins, I grabbed these adorable fry baskets which will likely find their way onto many a table going forward.  The lobster rolls sat in the middle on a cutting board for everyone to grab and eat as they liked.   

This meal was super easy and can be fun for friends! Think outside the box when you're entertaining, it doesn't have to be fancy but guests will know when you have put in a little effort! Enjoy, butter, mayo, definitely both!

It's a Dayt! Plan your Next Day Date!

Day dates are all the rage! For me, at least! We recently celebrated our anniversary. A date (June 11) and learned we share the date with some of our good friends. I was intrigued when they told me of their plans to celebrate. They wake up around 5 am, sneak out to watch the sunrise and enjoy breakfast following. I loved the idea! Life is crazy busy for most of us these days. Often times the afternoons and evenings are filled with rush hour, homework, and family dinner.  Why not take advantage of the early morning hours?

On Friday morning, we awoke thirty minutes earlier than normal and headed out to enjoy breakfast prior to going to work. Having beat the crowds we were able to get right in and enjoy starting our day with some quality one on one time! If you're not an early bird consider taking the afternoon off to enjoy lunch, drinks, or a baseball game.  Mix it up! Often times the kids are taken care of during the day so why not take advantage of the extra help? Use this time to spend a little extra QT.

The days are long but life is short! Spend it with the ones you love! 

Tips for Traveling with Kids!

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It's Monday and we're back to the grind (and already looking forward to the weekend). I travel quite a bit, both for work and for fun!  Recently I flew next to a woman with her little girl. The little girl acted wonderfully but I could tell the mom was stressed!  When we landed, she noted that her daughter acted fine but the flight was really difficult and stressful.

Traveling with children can be an experience to say the least. Knowing this is a stressful situation and knowing I don't have kids, I enlisted help to provide tips! My friend Lindsey has a two year old and she has traveled with him 65+times, mostly alone. She definitely knows the drill. I asked her to share some of her secrets with parents.  Her tips below: 

• Start flying with them at as early an age as possible. The longer you wait, the more stressful it will be... and the stress really comes from the parent freaking out about what could happen. 
• TSA PreCheck is a must! Anything you can do to make the process faster is key.  In PreCheck you don't have to take off a light jacket or your shoes, etc.  You will still be stopped and asked to wipe your hands for testing and test all liquids. 
• Lounge Access - If you have a card for lounge access or a business ticket, then I would look ahead to see where lounges will be and if there is a family room. Many international airports have family rooms within the lounge or the lounge will let you use a conference room if they aren't booked. I pay a fee for Star Alliance card, so I can access any of those lounges. 

Basic Tips

• Try to book non-stop flights
• Get a middle or aisle seat: 
• some people prefer to take middle and window to trap their child at the window and manage the crisis. I always prefer the middle and aisle for access to the bathroom or to take a walk if the flight is long. Our flight is almost always 5 hours, so my kiddo will need a break.
• Check in online and curb check bag if possible: 
• This is much faster assuming weather conditions outside are ok to wait a few minutes. Have cash on hand to tip. Yes, in today's world it is nice to use the airline app on your phone and have your boarding pass, but with a child I always print or have skycap print the boarding pass. You don't want to hold up the line scrambling trying to find it or the phone when you are stressed out.
• Uber vs Cab: 
• It's much easier to Uber.  You can jump right out of the car and avoid a cash or card transaction.

How to Pack: 

• One Big Suitcase: 
• I have a large suitcase from Tumi that rolls easily that fits both of our things,.  This allows me to get around the airport alone with a stroller, diaper bag and one suitcase. It may seem cute to let your kid carry his/her bag, but make sure they are truly old enough to manage it the entire trip or you will be wishing you had an extra hand or three to manage it all. 
• Diaper Bag: 
• I highly recommend buying a diaper bag you can throw in the washing machine. I always wash my bag after trips. Think about how dirty the airplane and ground has been.  Yuck!

Items to Bring

• Wet Bag for clothes if you have an accident/change of clothes
• Extra set of shorts/tshirt
• Extra set of pjs
• Socks
• Thin small blanket: 
• Love Aden & Anais Swaddle (becomes perfect travel blanket)
• Munckin Diaper Bags:
• attachment to the outside of diaper bag to throw away dirty diapers in the plane as well as place for all of your garbage with a child as it accumulates. Everyone will appreciate this.
• Extra shirt for mommy if you have a baby who can throw up on you
• Coloring Book/Crayons
• Suckers are a hit at check-in line or if kiddo is having a breakdown. Organic ones are available at Whole Foods
• Hand Sanitizer attachment to diaper bag
• Bring a ziplock bag with some snacks and squeezable food bags:  
• I usually bring snacks in individual ziplock bags because you don't want to open a small snack and not be able to re-seal it. 
• Kid Headphones: 
• They make fun ones, and some airlines can have an anal flight attendant or passenger who is pissed if they can hear your kid's movie or game. Always good to have them
• Wireless headphone for parents: 
• Definitely easier to have them around your neck so you aren't trying to hold your phone or your kid is grabbing your phone. Depends on child's age.

Additional Tips: 

• Wipe down the trays as soon as you sit down as those are never cleaned, and your child will put snacks on it, etc. 
• Make sure your phone and iPad are charged up. Some flights have outlets so you can charge in flight.
• You can never have enough diapers, snacks, wipes in the event of a cancellation or delay.
• Make sure to bring milk. They should just scan it for you as most flights don't offer milk.
• Wear something comfortable and easy.
• Travel Formula is available from Similac so you can just open the bottle and pour it into a sippy cup. 
• Always have a bottle of water with you as you never know if the flight attendant will take awhile to get to your seat or with turbulence nothing can be served. Your little one always needs water or to mix formula
• Baby Carriers are helpful but make sure they are easy to get on and off.
• Since 99% of parents check a bag, you can forget that your bag might be lost. This happened to me from Panama to LAX to SD, and thank goodness I had my contacts. It's still a great idea to have a ziplock with extra contacts, makeup, etc. if your bag is lost. 

International Flights:

• Check if you need a Visa as rules constantly change. Have copies of your son or daughter's birth certificate.  Check to see if travel letter is required and have copies of all passports as well. 
• I am a huge advocate of Global Entry which can be done for kids as well. If you have an American Express Platinum, then the cost is reimbursed. There are a few other participating credit card companies as well you can check out. 
• You will still have to wait for you bag, but it's much better to skip the long line so you can get to the bathroom or handle whatever issue may arise

 Do your research, travel prepared, and hope for the best!  

#traveltheskies

How Much Beer and Wine should I get?

My friend Margaret is a wedding planner in Charleston!  I prefer to call her my party planner to the stars.  I reached out to Margaret to see if she could help answer a question that always seems to pop up.  How much beer and wine should I get?  Today, Margaret is sharing her tips for setting up the perfect bar. 

So let's say you are going to have a summer soirée at your home for 30 people, for 4 1/2 hours or so.  And you will have dinner, so your guests will have a full meal. 

Cocktail Hour:  Anticipate women having 1 to 2 drinks and men 2 to 3 drinks
Dinner:  (Assuming you're serving wine) women again will have 1 to 2 drinks and men 2 to 3.
After Dinner: Women may have 1 more drink (or a few more if you're friends with my friends!) and men might have 1 or 2 more.

If you're hosting 30 people for dinner in the summer Margaret recommends the following: 

• Water:  Make sure to have 2 cases of bottle water and, of course, water on the table.  And, in canisters on the bar for those who like to drink water in between alcoholic drinks.  She also recommends 1 case of La Croix or something as a non- alcoholic option. 
• Beer:  Margaret recommends serving 1 import, 1 local, and 2 domestic options: 3 cases of each because some ladies might drink beers in the summer:  You should have a cooler specifically for beer!
• Wine: 1 red and 2 white options: Do 6 bottles of each varietal (8 if you know you have some wine-o’s). 
• Liquor: Summer time means more clear liquor, vodka and gin, not too many brown water drinkers.  She recommends 1 handle of each. 
• A bag of limes and lemons, cut into wedges. 
• Mixers: 4 to 5 bottles of soda and tonic water;  a 12 pack of sodas of choice (Coke, Sprite, ginger ale) and you will be fine.
• Cocktail  napkins: She averages 3 per during cocktail hour (when there are passed HD’s)  so make sure you have at 100 plus cocktail napkins. 
• Ice: do not forget the ice! You should have a cooler devoted to just ice for drinks. 

Margaret always tell her clients to check with local liquor stores because 9 times out of 10 if you have not opened the bottles they will let you return unopened cases, bottles, etc. Always check.

When hosting a party she would average 4 to 5 drinks for women and 6 to 7 drinks for men. She recommends always overbuying. Depending on your party or your people you can adjust up or down accordingly.  But, generally speaking, this provides a great blueprint for setting up the perfect summer bar!

Host an Outdoor Movie Night!

This last Friday we had a few friends over to enjoy an outdoor movie night!  Surprisingly easy to organize, and so fun, this party was a huge success! We borrowed the equipment from my mom for the night but you can also rent one from the library, a local AV company, or even find one on your neighborhood list serve.  Take a white sheet from your bed and a movie night is made!

In preparation for the party we let the party goers pick their favorite movie! Guests were given four options and asked to RSVP with their top choice.  After a close race, Top Gun ultimately beat out Footloose, Goonies, and Dirty Dancing.  Now that the necessities were taken care of, we focused on the details.  

Hosting an outdoor party can be tricky.  It's important to consider the elements and have a back up plan in case of inclement weather.  A few days prior to the party we sprayed the yard for insects to cut down on pesky guests joining in on the fun.  Planning to be outside all night we provided mosquito spray for everyone's comfort as well.

We brought the inside out to provide ample seating.  The chairs from my cocktail porch, camp chairs, the garden bench, and blankets provided the perfect set up.  We asked guests to BYOBlanket.  Just in case.  We wanted the food to be just as casual as the evening and decided to serve boxed dinners.  They provided the perfect casual easy meal for people to eat as they waited for the show. Many restaurants offer boxed lunches on their catering menu.  When starting your search focus on sandwich shops, barbecue joints, or local caterers.  For those local to Nashville, we used Alexander's Catering upon recommendation from a friend who uses them for corporate functions.  I cannot say enough good things about working with them! 

At dusk we poured our cocktails and settled in for the show.  We surprised guests with a tray of movie treats to enjoy with the movie.  Guests chose from popcorn, sour patch kids, and various other goodies! It was such an easy get together with hardly any fuss but provided the perfect summer activity for friends and family to get together!

The Maine Attraction, Hidden Pond!

Craig and I recently got back from a long weekend in Maine! Neither of us had been and decided it would be a great spot for an anniversary trip.  We ate Lobster rolls everyday, sometimes twice a day.  We laid on Goose Rocks Beach and had drinks with the George Bush, Sr.  Well, actually, on a porch overlooking his property, but it counts. We hit up every antique store we could find in Wells, Maine, just down the road.  We spent the first two nights at The Tides Beach Club.  It's right on the beach.  Quintessentially Maine.  Only about a 5 minute drive from Kennebunkport.  The next two nights we stayed at The Tides Beach Club's sister property, Hidden Pond.  I think my quote was that "it's my new favorite place on earth."  It's tucked away in the coastal woods.  Very secluded and quiet.  

 

Upon arrival we checked into our bungalow.  We entered into the sleeping porch with glass doors that opened into the main room.  Each bungalow is perfectly decorated by a local designer.  With vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, marble bathroom, and outdoor shower, you may be tempted never to leave.  

Bungalow

Once settled, we hopped on our bikes to explore the property.  The resort provides beach cruisers for the guests. There are two pools on the property.  One is kid-friendly while the other is reserved for adults only.  Both offer cabanas and pool side bar service.  We stopped by Provisions, an on-site general store, to pick up a few snacks and drinks to have in the bungalow before dinner.  

The bike "shop"

Heated pool, Tree Spa, beyond

Provisions, the property's very own general store

After dropping off the goods, we headed to Earth, the on-site gourmet restaurant, for a late lunch.  It was only a 30 second walk from our bungalow!  Every inch of the restaurant was perfect. The food, the ambience, the drinks, the service.  Perfect.  A few hours at the pool followed by a nap on the sleeping porch, and we were back at Earth for dinner. We ended the night with drinks and dessert outside by the fire pit.  I could do the day over and over again. 

Earth restaurant bar

The next morning breakfast was served in a cooler that hung on the door of our little cabin.  Complete with a thermos of coffee and pastries.  I crawled out of bed early to sit on the sleeping porch enjoying the lovely Maine weather. Craig slept while I snuck out and enjoyed a massage at the Tree Spa.  Both relaxed and rejuvenated, we headed into Kennebunkport to spend our last day exploring the town. We had dinner where it all began, at the Tides Beach Club.  After having drinks on the lawn we hurried home to enjoy the fire pit and lovely atmosphere of Hidden Pond.  The next day we awoke to enjoy breakfast before heading off to the airport in Portland.  Before leaving I promised I would be back.   "Until next time, Hidden Pond" I shouted as we drove off the property. 

What's in your (Beach) Bag?

Every summer my family takes an annual beach trip.  This year is no exception.  Soon the whole fam-bamily will be packing up the car to head for some fun in the sun.  In preparation for the trip I asked my sister to share what was in her beach bag.  Please note:  my sister is not a medical professional. She is, however, rarely seen out of the house not perfectly put together.  If you want to look like a beach babe, here are some suggestions. Please note, these opinions are strictly her own.  

For her face she loves EltaMD tinted sunscreen. The tinted version provides great coverage for your face while shielding you from the sun! She also picked up EltaMD Sport and Coola for full coverage sunscreen for both she and her children.  

No lady leaves home without mascara and the beach should provide no exception.  For full day coverage she loves L'oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara.  She can throw it on in the morning and not worry about it while at the beach or pool.  For her hair she always has bobby pins on the ready to keep her hair up and out of her face.  Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray helps ensure she easily gets the natural beach waves. 

Grab these items for easy ways to stay covered and look good at the beach!  Next grab a drink and enjoy! 

Nacho Average Progressive Dinner!

Last week I mentioned we were hosting a neighborhood progressive supper –

Mexican style. Well, it happened, and boy was it fun. If you and your friends are looking for a fun way to do a dinner party, I highly recommend it.

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With four hosts within walking distance, a four-course meal of appetizers, soup and salad, an entrée, and dessert made the perfect menu. A few other key ingredients made the night a success. We used paper plates and plastic utensils so the night could be fun for everyone, especially the hosts. We had a wagon, loaded with drinks, beer, cups, bug spray, coats, etc., to make the transition from house to house seamless. The dinner bell (provided by yours truly) would ring signaling time to move on (the hosts for the following house would leave 10 minutes prior to the group in order to turn on lights, set out the food and find some salsa music). Mexican beer was provided throughout the night, but we asked guests to BYOB, too.

The night started with the classic appetizer of chips and salsa and guacamole as well as cheese quesadillas and cold Corona Lights. The next stop was our house where we served Mexican chopped salad and chicken tortilla soup warmed in a crockpot. Those who were thirsty drank Tecate. The night continued with the main portion of the meal where our friend Grace served pulled chicken and pulled pork tacos with the all the fixings! Dos Equis was served chilled as a perfect compliment to the main entrée. Once the group had filled up on tacos and beer we headed to the last stop of the night for Jeni’s Churro ice cream and a side of Taco Bell cinnamon twists. My fourth grade self jumped for joy.

Once we finished dinner we enjoyed conversation over Modelos and busted piñatas. We stayed longer than we should have and loved every minute! If you’re thinking of having your own progressive supper don’t wait, do it! You (and apparently your inner child) will be glad you did!

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Fiesta Flowers!

This weekend we’re hosting our first annual progressive supper in our neighborhood! This year it's a Fiesta. In preparation, I wanted to share some of my party prep tips! Having been out of town this week I needed to quickly find some Mexican flare to add to the house. 

A quick and easy way to add flare is with flowers. First, pick up some flowers from your local grocery store or flower shop. You will want to get two larger flowers that will serve as your “thrillers.” In addition, grab some smaller flowers that will serve as your “fillers.”  To tie in with the Mexican themed I chose to go with bright colored flowers including Sunflowers and red Daisys.  Next, stop by the grocery and grab some canned (yes, cans) Mexican vegetables, beans, etc. These cans will serve as your vases. Vary the can sizes to add some dimension. Plan on having some Mexican food that evening as to not waste the food. A nacho appetizer is a good way to use this canned food. Post nachos you can use the empty cans for your vases.

Fill the now empty vegetable and bean cans with water. I always start with my largest flower first, followed by the daisy, and then compete the arrangement with the fillers. You may have to play around with the flowers to get them just right but this is a simple and easy way to add some flare to your party whether it be a dinner for four or gathering for forty. 

Once you’re finished you have some adorable arrangements ready for your party. With hardly any effort, you have the perfect centerpiece for your fiesta! Pour yourself a Margarita and enjoy! Stay tuned for more progressive supper details.