Halloween Party Cocktails Every Halloween, I like to welcome the spirits. Both literally and figuratively. Inspired by my girlfriend Kirstin's Friday night ritual, she drinks a Cosmo every Friday regardless of where she is in the world, I decided to spook out this...
| Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches | When my siblings and I were all still living at home, my mom would buy Oreo Cookies - but only once every month or so. She wasn't big on having sweets in the house and now that I am a parent I appreciate this - but not so much so...
Delicious 4th of July Dessert Hi friends! For many of us on the East Coast, the July 4th Holiday Weekend was rained out. Thankfully, we have glorious weather and the beach fireworks have been rescheduled for today, July 5th. Whatever your plans are, I hope that they...
CT in Style - A Connecticut-based lifestyle blog. Planter's Punch Recipe With the kiddos getting out of school this week, the unofficial start of summer is finally here! The weather is warming up and as soon as it gets above 80° I know it is time to get into beach...
Easter Table Decorating Ideas Hi guys! I want to kick off the week by sharing my Easter Table from a few years ago. We are not hosting Easter Brunch this year, but I still love this tablescape I designed and hope that it will provide you with some inspiration if you...
Best Irish Soda Bread Recipe Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I want to share my favorite and totally foolproof recipe for delicious Irish Soda Bread. It is so yummy that it would be a shame to enjoy it only once a year. This easy to make bread is ideal for Sunday...
With Thanksgiving soon approaching I am dreaming about what my Thanksgiving Tablescape could look like. Here is a link to the tablescape that I did last year in my home. I wanted something that glittered! I've rounded up 10 insanely beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescapes...
Brains and Bubbles. That's what I'm calling this Halloween-inspired cocktail. It's smart because it only uses a few ingredients and also because it uses a (gummy) brain! If you follow my blog, you know that I love Halloween...to death. It combines so many of my...
Thank you to Bell & Evans for sponsoring this post! All opinions are my own. Happy Monday! We are only one day away from the first day of autumn and the "fall crush" has already happened. I always seem to feel it the most during the month of September. I'm not...
Memorial Day Snacks | images from create craft love | One of the things that I hear on a daily basis is that the days have started to blur. We are all spending so much time at home these days that it's easy to forget what day of the week it is. It's happened to me...
Best Banana Bread Recipe Years ago, I was entrusted with the only existing hand written copy of our family's famous banana bread recipe. Somehow I lost it (YIKES!). The recipe had been used for decades and handed down from generation to generation. Friends, it was...
Hi guys! Are you ready? One week from now, most of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends. I think that you'd all agree that when it comes to celebrations, Thanksgiving is the one known for gathering people around the table. It is truly a day to...
How to decorate for your Christmas Mood. Torn between two lovers. That’s how I feel about my love affair between the bright, white and ethereal Christmas decorations that bring lightness to a room – and the subdued, dark and evocative Christmas that feels seductive. When you scroll down to see the photos, you’ll know what I mean. Christmas can be cozy and playful or tailored and sophisticated.
Hi guys, can you believe that Thanksgiving is three weeks away? It feels like it is really coming up on us quickly. The calendar this year is genuinely compressed. Last year, we had 5 weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, this year we have only 4 weeks. When it...
Geronimo Fairfield Review Hi friends! If you are a lover of Southwestern cuisine - this post is for you. Earlier this summer, I had the privilege of attending a "tasting" experience at Geronimo in Fairfield, CT. I have eaten there numerous times, but this occasion was...
Chocolate Muffin Recipe. This is the good kind of muffin top. I'm one of those people that prefers the top of the muffin. It is the first part that I eat, I like the fact that it has a slightly crispy outside and a moist inside. And clearly, I am not the only one that...
Homemade Raisin Scone Recipe Several years after we moved to Westport, Connecticut, my mother met Martha Stewart. They bonded immediately over the same appreciation for elevating your lifestyle, entertaining, and of course, food. Their bond grew into a friendship and...
if summer was a fruit, it would be watermelon. At long last, temperatures have spiked, pools are open and our beaches are packed! I'm sharing my "go to" recipe for summer's ultimate cocktail, Watermelon Margaritas. They are so delicious! My inspo for this recipe came...
Grilled figs. Goat Cheese. Prosciuto. Nuff said. These are ridiculously good and I can't take credit for the idea. We were entertaining friends for dinner and I was grilling figs and drizzling them with honey for our appetizer and I said out loud, "These would be good...
How to Clean Silver Whenever my parents were planning on entertaining friends for a Saturday night dinner, preparations started early. After the invitations were issued and a headcount established, my Mother and Ruby (our live-in nanny, housekeeper, chef and all...
Brrr! Chilly temperatures in Connecticut means it's time to whip up some hot cocoa and get out the mini marshmallows. Below is a delicious recipe that completely elevates the traditional flavor and makes hot chocolate a gourmet treat! Hot chocolate is one of the...
Tis the season for entertaining! Regardless of the size of your soirée, a stylish bar cart is a practical and fun element for every party. As a blogger and obsessed photo-stylist, I am always looking for easy ways to jazz up my entertaining skills (especially now that...
Cherry Bourbon Friendsgiving Cocktail Thank you to Sparkling Ice for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. "Just remember, it might be Monday but it's a short week that ends with pie and shopping. We can do this." Welcome to Monday and what I hope is a short...
This was one of those weeks when I was grateful that my husband was traveling in California. Beginning on Monday, every conceivable surface in our kitchen was overflowing with baking pans, cake flour, butter, confectioner's sugar and piping bags. And because I knew...
Something wickedly delicious is coming! I'm gearing up for Halloween with Chocolate Witches' Hats! This is a decadent Halloween-themed treat made with chocolate striped cookies, marshmallow cream - and more chocolate. There are lots of wonderful textures and flavor...
Let me start by saying a big fat BOO! This morning I spotted the school bus driver making his test rounds through my neighborhood. The nerve! I don't know why I am so outraged. They do this every year. Regardless, I never feel ready to hear the tell-tale noise of the...
We celebrated my Mom's birthday this year with a dinner party. It was a small family affair, just the way she likes it. I'm grateful that the rain held out and we were able to dine al fresco and I could take advantage of using our grill. I was in the mood for a little...
I love a fabulous surprise. One of the best ones I had took place on a Sunday afternoon, as I was making my way from Connecticut back home to Pennsylvania where I was living at the time. As I was driving through the winding interstate, the road crested and I was...
July 4th Sparklers Station | Sparklers Station for the July 4th Holiday | Hi guys! If you are like me, you might be feeling a tiny bit unsettled about the fact that the July 4th holiday is falling on Wednesday this year. I'm not sure if anyone knows what to do with...
Hi everyone! Everyone once and a while, I search through my blog posts and revisit some of my favorite ones. Building the Ultimate Bloody Mary Bar is definitely among the top blog posts in the Food & Drink category. Not only do I love this cocktail, I love the...
At long last, I finally feel like the cold weather is gone for good. I've been waiting for the tell tale sign of the explosion of green in out backyard. I came practically overnight and it was such a welcome sight! I'm assuming that you are experiencing the same thing...
The Best Chocolate Cookies Ever + Recipe As much as I try to stay on top of everything that inspires me, I get introduced to things that have been out there for a while that have slipped by me. During a book club meeting, our hostess served the best chocolate cookies...
Hip Hip Hooray! I am finally getting around to blogging about Catherine's Magical Unicorn Birthday Party. It feels like I started planning this ages ago! The moment Catherine told me that she wanted a Unicorn-themed party (which was many months prior to the actual...
How to make the ultimate cheeseboard | my take on the ultimate cheeseboard | Grazing. That's what I've been doing lately. We've all been pretty much hanging out around home during the long winter storm, and eating at "normal" times doesn't excite me. I'd much rather...
Table at Home Personal Chef Reviews! I come from a family of chefs. All self taught. My mom's first entry into the culinary world was working for Martha Stewart. She started out by helping Martha with parties and weddings. As Martha grew into a household name, her...
Ga-Ga Gorgeous! Red Carpet Cupcakes Tada! A surprise post on Oscar Sunday! I'm throwing back to a couple of years ago when I blogged about how to host a fabulous Oscar's Party. These red velvet cupcakes are gaining fame on Pinterest, they have been pinned 65,000...
Lemon Drop Martini {lemon drop martini} It's been a long winter y'all! I'm totally ready for spring. We've been getting a few teasing glimpses of what's to come. The sun is finally out and the temps are rising. Although (dare I say) I heard we might...
Temperatures are dropping in Connecticut and when it starts getting cold, few things are better than a mug of homemade hot chocolate. My kiddos have the day off school due to Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, plus - there is a snowstorm is forecasted for this week. I'm...
Holiday Gift Guide: Under $50 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 I'm so excited for this blog post! Today, I'm continuing to share my Holiday Gift Guides with the Best Gifts Under $50.00. Some of these items are things that I personally own and absolutely...
In a previous post, I blogged about which direction I should take with my Friendsgiving Tablescape. I was debating on whether to go natural and rustic or sparkly and glamorous. In the end, I found a happy middle ground. The result is a warm and welcoming combination...
Joie de vivre. A Breezy and Bountiful Thanksgiving Plate. Here's how to have a delicious and carefree traditional Thanksgiving meal with friends - without the hassle. Sometimes you have to go to the French to describe the joy of life, friendship, conversation and food...
I am so excited to share the first gift guide for the holiday season: the 2017 Holiday Hostess Gift Guide! I take my hat off to anyone that opens up their home to entertain and celebrate with family and friends. There is a lot of work involved and while it is a labor...
| completely custom holiday invitations | One of the best parts of the holiday season is the opportunity to get together with friends. Whether they are down the street, or coming back home for a visit - it is the perfect time for gathering. When Kerry and I entertain...
What's with this weather y'all? The temperatures almost feel like we are in the South. Despite what the calendar says (it really is November 6th), it has been unseasonably mild for this time of year. However, we've had glimpses of cooler weather to come and a lot of...
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe Are you in the same situation as me? Did you buy pumpkins to carve for Halloween and then get completely overwhelmed with Halloween festivities, events, parties, decorating and never got around to carving them?...
T minus one day until Halloween! I'm not sure what's happening in your part of the world, but the Northeast has been deluged with rain the past day or so. We were going to decorate the outside of our home, but we're forced to hold off. The weather is supposed to be...
If you are like me, you are counting the days until Halloween! There's less than two weeks to go and still plenty of time to make plans for Halloween-themed treats and goodies. Today, I want to share the Best Halloween Treat Ever! Bat Bites! I can't get over how...
Undoubtedly, one of the sublime pleasures of a dinner party is sitting at a beautifully set table. I'm fortunate to have many talented friends who feel the same way I do and now whenever we are at each other's homes, the table is part of the experience. When we attend...
I have a question for you. How many times a month do you eat the same meal? If you are like me, you can easily get stuck in the same predictable meal rut. You know the one. It's the rut where you don't even need to take a list with you to the supermarket. You just...
Tomato and Avocado Salad has got to be summer's most perfect salad. Made with ripe tomatoes, creamy avocado and diced purple onion all doused with a cilantro and lemon juice dressing. It is totally divine. Once I learned how to make it, I became addicted. If you like...