City Groceries

One of the great pleasures of living in a city again has been the access to such extraordinary food. In Hawaii, we enjoyed beautiful local papayas, with their orange pink flesh and black seeds glistening like shiny pearls, freshly caught ahi in sushi and poke studded with salt and black pepper, and local favorites like crunchy, salty sweet seaweed salad and roasted seaweed chips. But for fine dining, we were mostly on our own. There was nothing to be had but overpriced steaks and chocolate lava cake.

Here in Minneapolis, there is no shortage of incredible places to try, and we've had fun working our way through. The Lowry, Rye,  Burch Steak, Sebastian Joe's, Nightengale and Roat Osha are all within walking distance.

But the grocery stores have been the most refreshing change of pace. We live across from The Wedge which is a community run co-op, and the place we go most frequently for a gallon of milk or eggs. But Kowalski's is definitely my favorite stop. It's a luxe shopping experience, with beautiful lighting and aisles set closer together to feel more like a boutique than a supermarket. Last time I was in, I discovered some recipe cards for creating a perfect cheese board, complete with suggestions for cracker, jam and wine pairings. I felt inspired to have a fall wine and cheese party, and started musing about music, a guest list and which linens to use. It made me glad to be back in a city again, where access to fine things is as simple as a stroll down my block.

Simple Pleasures: Tiny Maple Bacon Cupcakes

For Superbowl Sunday, I tried these decadent Maple Bacon Cupcakes. (A good Superbowl party is all about junk food, don't you think?) I made them in a mini muffin pan to avoid overkill, and they were a big hit. The cinnamon icing was fantastic with the smoky crispy bacon. Salty sweet is always my favorite.

Have you tried any new recipes lately? Also, what did you think of Madonna's halftime show? I only half watched, but the costuming was great!

Gatsby Party Accessory: Clamshell Ice Bucket

Wouldn't this giant faux clamshell be very Gatsby filled with ice and champagne? And surrounded by a buffet laden with caviar, oysters and ceviche? I think yes. Adding it to my fantasy party file.

What's on your wishlist right now?

Valentine Crafternoon!

I hosted a Valentine's Day "crafternoon" for a few friends the other weekend. It was such fun! We had tea and sweets and gathered around the table to potter on our various Valentine's day projects. It was such a fun way to relax, make something pretty AND catch up on gossip that we may even turn it into a regular thing!

I used a regular yellow cake mix doctored with a tablespoon of hibiscus extract. The frosting is from scratch- a bit of sour cream and lime zest keep it interesting. The little candy roses are pressed sugar- I'll post a DIY soon!


These peanut butter and jelly thumbprints were a big hit. They are a cinch to make too (for a Martha recipe anyway!).

You know The Fab Miss B- Any excuse to break out my tea set and Bando sequin heart!
Here is the Valentine I made- feel free to download it to print your own! I used Paper Source 5X5 cardstock in blossom and made my own envelopes with vellum. It's a quote from the film Annie Hall. Have you ever seen it? I highly recommend it for Valentine's Day viewing, though you should know ahead of time that the boy does not get the girl in the end. (Thank goodness!)

Are you working on anything special for Valentine's Day?

DIY with The Fab Miss B: Fancy New Year Party Favors!

We decided to throw an impromptu New Year's Eve Party this year (because we live in a small town and if you want fun after 9pm you'd better make it yourself!) and I whipped together some party favors to make it feel more glamorous and festive. I scattered these around our apartment with noise makers and confetti and lots of candles and that was all the decoration we needed.

I love making favors for smallish parties because you can go over the top in a way you never could if you were hosting 60-100 guests. Here's what I used to make my New Year Party Favors:

Foil Party Picks
Plastic Champagne Bottle Bubbles
Plastic Zebras(they are already dressed to the nines in those black and white stripes!) Look for them on Etsy.
Champagne Saucers. I found mine at thrifts shops and tag sales for around .50 cents a piece, but you could also try Etsy.
Gold Foil Wrapped Chocolates- mine are Dove White Chocolates, on clearance post Christmas!
I thought about twining the stems with the metallic garlands I had on hand, but in the end I decided they were overkill.

I only purchased the hollow stem champagne saucers because the foil picks stand at perfect attention when you slip them inside. So festive!

Then, I added the champagne bubbles at a jaunty angle, the zebras for a whimsical twist and the gold foil wrapped chocolates to bring sweetness in the New Year! Then I made little paper flags with a calligraphy marker & super skinny sharpie to finish them off.

We had a great time tooting and noisily welcoming the New Year here in Hawaii- everyone around here goes mad with fireworks and we were able to watch them popping and sparkling from our lanai. I'm excited for 2012- this year both Eric and I will celebrate our 30th Birthdays (!!) and we are hoping to take some more fun trips- perhaps to the Phillipines, or maybe we'll finally do that Airstream Trip I've been fantasizing about this summer. I can't wait.

What are you most excited about in the New Year?

Holiday Party Idea: Christmas Cookie Swap!

Have you ever tried a holiday cookie swap? They are so much fun. We've hosted one three years running now (Holy Moly! Three years in Hawaii amazes me. It feels like months.) and it's become a tradition I look forward to each Christmas.

Just look at this pretty assortment! Everyone brings a batch of their favorite holiday cookies and can take away as many as they brought to share. (We always seem to have extras!)

Sampling is part of the fun! We played How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, and A Charlie Brown Christmas in the background to add to the festive mood.

We set up a buffet of pupus (that's "appetizers" to you mainlanders) on the bar and cookies on the dining room table. Our wonderful friends always pitch in to make these parties potluck style- it's my favorite entertaining trick because it makes the prep work so simple. All I really have to do is bake a batch of cookies, clean, put out some carrots and hummus, put on my Christmas Pandora station and get in a cheery mood!

I put my goodies in celophane bags, added a gift tag and tied them with a pretty bow. They make charming "thinking of you" gifts for my co-workers, the amazing team at the post office (I love how hard they work to make my small business hum along!) and the security guards at our building. It's nice to be appreciated, don't you think?

Have you ever done a cookie swap? How does yours work? And what is your very favorite holiday cookie? I have these Russian Tea Cakes on the brain this year, but I haven't made them yet. My Grandma makes them every year.

Tired of Pumpkin Pie Again? Try these.

Pi Pie by Heather Future on Etsy

Although I love tradition as much as the next guy, sometimes the old Thanksgiving menu gets tired and uninspired. This year, I decided to make a variety of pies and desserts I'd never tried before. Although the menfolk I'll be dining with did request (nay, insist!) pumpkin, I also included:

Chocolate Pecan Tart in a Chocolate Cookie Crust

My friend Gwen's killer Avocado Pie (Sort of a creamy twist on Key Lime)

Kim's Lilikoi Cheesecake (I'm not much of a cheesecake enthusiast, but the tartness of the lilikoi and the crisp pecan cookie crust won me over in one bite. She simply substituted tart lilikoi, also known as unsweetened passion fruit juice for the lemon. Heaven.)

What are you making for Thanksgiving this year?

World's Best Party Favors: Surprise Ball How To!

These surprise balls are easily my favorite party favors. They are so much fun to share with guests and leave a festive pile of curly crepe paper in their wake. I loved watching my grandma and grandpa tossing one back and forth across the table and my little niece Louise jumping with joy at each scattered sequin and feather. They are so easy to make- here's how you can make your own!

Since my party had an autumnal theme (pumpkins!) I gathered things from my craft stash that had a woodland or fall feel. I chose my painted faux pumpkins as the big surprise at the end of the ball, little foam lady bugs, silver feather charms, miniature deer, sequins, turkey feathers and a supply of cheesy googled pumpkin jokes. Use your imagination to find these dime store treasures at the craft store, thrift shop, Oriental Trading Company or Etsy.

You'll also need a supply of crepe paper in assorted colors. I used Cindus Crepe Folds trimmed into strips, but the ordinary garland kind would be even easier.

Start your surprise ball with your biggest and best prize since this will be the last thing your friends discover inside. Tightly wrap with crepe paper over and over and over again, recovering areas as needed until you begin to have a ball shape.

Every so often, add a little treasure. Here is a tiny golden feather charm. Now wind wind wind that crepe paper!

A clump of sequins or confetti is a great touch- a bit of a mess is a small price for that festive plume of fun! Keep winding! Don't forget to change colors of crepe paper every here and there- it really does make them more fun to unravel.

A tiny miniature deer is a fun touch. Keep winding!

A silly joke is awfully amusing- especially for the kids at your party. Louise (7 years old) loved these!

Fold them up and...WIND!

When your ball has a pleasant heft and weight, seal the end with a sticker and a pretty message if you like. Pile them up in a bowl and watch the fun unroll!

If you try this, please do let me know how yours turn out. I'd love to see your party fun!

Pumpkin Carving Birthday Party!

There were pumpkins to paint (or carve.)

There were surprise balls. (I'll share my how to with you soon!)

There were decorations. (I made this Happy Birthday sign myself- see my instructions on how to make your own here.)
There were cupcakes- I never even want to LOOK at a cupcake ever again. (Or at least till the next party!) I used the easy how to in this book and used their suggestion of adding a cup of canned pumpkin to a regular yellow cake mix to give it extra flavor. We also served ginger snaps, apple cider, pumpkin seeds and popcorn. My lovely friends and family all pitched in and brought tons of delicious autumn-y things to share as well.

And there were costumes! Chicken, meet Kangaroo. Kangaroo, meet Chicken.

Have you been to any fun fall parties lately?

Pumpkin Party Favors

This year, I'll have the pleasure of celebrating my birthday in Minnesota with my family and lots of dear old friends. Instead of a million separate birthday dinners, I thought it would be fun to throw one giant bash. I've rented a rec center and started menu planning with my mum (Butterbeer will be served in honor of Mr. Harry Potter and thanks to the no booze rule of the public park service!) I'm also planning to have everyone carve or paint a pumpkin.

I found these great miniature faux pumpkins on super clearance after Thanksgiving last year, and I thought they would make fun party favors. I painted little eyes and mouths on them with acrylic paint and now I can't stop smiling every time I pass them. Aren't they funny?

Do you carve a pumpkin every year? I heard there might be a pumpkin shortage this year because of all the severe weather in the northeast. So get yours early!

An Anniversary at Home: Silly Facial Hair, Lobster, Champagne and Baked Alaska

Eric and I decided to celebrate our anniversary at home again this year. (It's been Five Years!) Spending an evening at home could easily be dull, but Eric and I had a lot of fun making the extra effort to make it extraordinary.

We spent the whole day cleaning, cooking, and decorating together. It was so nice to spend the day preparing together, making a special effort to create something memorable for each other. And there is a lovely intimacy that comes from spending a whole day together this way that one would never get at a fancy restaurant with a waiter hovering over you and violinists circling around waiting for a tip. Instead, it was just the two of us, quiet happy preparations and some Tropicalismo on Pandora.

I made this pretty centerpiece with grocery store roses and leaves snipped from around our tropical home. I'll show you how to get the same look in another post.


The blown glass candlesticks were a thrift shop score- $2 a piece! The candles I had on hand were a little small for them, so I used an old trick of my Mom's and filled them with rice to hold the candles in place. Don't they look dramatic? The damask linens were scored on ebay and all the pretty china and crystal came along with our furnished rental apartment.


After the food and atmosphere were ready, I got good and gussied up. I wore these crazy long false eyelashes just for fun. (They have a leopard pattern on them and matched my hair quite nicely!) I did a bouffant sixties hair do and wore a pretty blue silk chiffon swing dress, heels and eccentric cocktail earrings of my own making. Eric shaved his beard but left a silly Frenchie Foo Foo mustache just to make me laugh.

For dinner, I made a simple spinach salad to start with and Eric made delicious cheddar bay biscuits (with a super decadent butter sauce!) and grilled lobster tails. There was plenty of iced champagne of course!

The crowning touch to our feast at home was this Baked Alaska. I used Martha's recipe for the most part, but substituted boxed cake mix for the fancy from scratch cake she made for the bottom. Browning the meringue with a blow torch at the table was a fun and dramatic way to finish a spectacular meal.



Afterwards, we read our vows to each other in the candle light (thanks Momma D and Daddy G!) and talked about the moments we remember from our five years of married life. Then we snuggled up to watch The Princess Bride, which is extra special to us since my Dad gave us a copy on our wedding day and reminded us to tell each other "As You Wish" whenever possible.

We're still learning, but I know how blessed I am to share my life with my best friend.