POSTED BY: Stefanie LaSalle This weekend Rob and I went to our first murder mystery party hosted by our friends and neighbors, Matt and Krista (a.k.a. Notorious Nick and Aunt Rosie, pictured above) This Murder Mystery took place in the 1920's at Aunt Rosie's speakeasy, the Juice Joint. We all got dressed up in our best period garb, and everyone looked amazing. Scroll down for some more mugshots from the night! I highly recommend hosting one of these parties yourself. You can see from the website that there are all sorts of themes you can choose from. And if you've never done one before, no worries. They send you everything you need to host the night.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
1 Comment
So... it was New Year's Day, and I blinked, and now it's almost February. How did that happen?!? They say as you get older, time starts to fly by, and even though I don't consider my 27-year-old self to be "old", the time-flying-by thing is definitely happening, and I try to make sure that I really appreciate all the things I do, places I go, and people I meet. We were lucky to ring in the new year at Adam and Sara's brand new house. They are the first in that group of friends to "settle down", and they did that settling three days - THREE - before the new year's party. We had a great time and there was plenty of food and games to keep us busy long past midnight. At one point, things got weird... A challenge, turned into a dare, turned into a double dare, and all the boys wanted to prove they were the best at Twister. Strangest part - they WERE the best at Twister. I also got to tag along with Rob and all of his Northeastern Alums to a hockey game at Fenway park for an event called Frozen Fenway. They actually set up a skating rink on the field. It was Northeastern vs......some other college. Most important thing, NORTHEASTERN WON! So nice. GO HUSKIES!
POSTED BY: Stefanie LaSalle It's a new year, and while most people are making their Best of (fill in the blank) 2013, I thought I'd share a to-do list I have for myself for 2014. And of course it involves food. Here are the 14 recipes I just HAVE to make this year. See the links for the recipes! 01. Hush puppiesNot just any hush puppies. Sausage Jalapeno Hush Puppies, from one of my favorite food blogs, Shutterbean. Two very important things happened in 2013 that made me put this recipe at the top of the list. One, I had my first hush puppy and it was magical. And two, I learned how to fry things without burning down the house. 02. Cauliflower Pizza CrustOne day when my gluten-free friend, Tess, comes over I will make her a pizza on a cauliflower crust. There are tons of recipes online, but I think I'll go with this one from Eat, Drink, Smile. Its doesn't have any crazy ingredients, and it looks like it could hold up some serious toppings. 03. Yogurt Pizza CrustAnd while we're on the topic of pizza, if you haven't made yogurt pizza crust yet, you don't know what you're missing. It's a simple pizza crust that is made with Greek yogurt and self-rising flour. It's so fast and so tasty that you will want to make a big batch and stick it in the freezer for a quick weeknight dinner, or for last minute entertainment. I made these a couple times in 2013, but I added it to this list because I will be making more. Also, quick note, if you don't have self-rising flour on hand, you can make it. 04. PicklesPickles are great. I want to make them. I will make them! Check out this recipe from A Couple Cooks. 05. Cheddar OlivesThere aren't many foods that I don't like, but on that very short list, olives were at the top of it. Until like, 3 weeks ago, when I ate one and realized that olives are delicious and I want them all the time. So this fancy looking, easy sounding recipe peaked my interest. Cheddar? Olives? Cheddar olives! 06. Eggs in Hash Browns NestsI host Easter for my family, and I am seriously thinking of adding these to my menu. Potatoes and eggs? Delicious. And they look so pretty. My favorite food blogger and food network star, The Pioneer Woman, has a great looking recipe. 07. SconesI've never been a big baker. Why? Probably because my family doesn't bake much. Probably because I didn't have the right tools to make baking enjoyable. My few experiences with baking have been overwhelming and messy and time consuming. The addition of a few new kitchen tools recently (thanks Santa) has made the the world of baking seem a little less daunting, and I've found myself saving more and more recipes. I can't wait to try these beautiful Heartbreak Raspberry Cream Scones from Sophisticated Gourmet. I have to wait until I have guests over though, because it's suggested they are eaten the same day, and I don't know if even I can handle eating nine of them on my own. 08. Classic Sandwich BreadAs you can see from the picture at the top of this post, I can check this one off the list! Here is the recipe I used from the professionals at King Arthur's Flour. 09. Wonton CupsYou can do some amazing things with those little wonton wrappers. We have our fair share of parties over the course of the year and I'm always looking for quick and delicious appetizer/party foods to make. Tacos, pizza, salad, and even ravioli! 10. Roasted Chickpeas...on everything.We had these crunchy chickpeas on a salad at a restaurant this year. Here's a recipe from Steamy Kitchen! They are great on salad and plain as a snack. 11. Chicken CroquettesI haven't had a chicken croquette since I was a kid. We ate the frozen kind, but they were one of my favorite meals. I had forgotten all about them until I stumbled this chicken croquette recipe. I don't know how they'll turn out, but I imagine if I do my job, they will transport me to my childhood like a little teardrop-shaped time machine. 12. Spiralized Sandwich BunsI did a post on my purchase of a spiralizer earlier this year, and I've made a couple of recipes from the food blog, Inspiralized. But the one I really want to try this year, out of nothing more than pure fascination, is the Sweet Potato Spiralized Sandwich Bun. 13. Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie PiesThis variation on the classic whoopie pie from Cookies and Cups looks fresh and sweet and light. Just look at them. 14. Leftover Turkey Spring RollsNow, I can't only have ONE Pioneer Woman recipe on this list, can I? I might have to wait until next Thanksgiving to make these (or substitute chicken) but they look like a crisp, fresh bundle of goodness.
POSTED BY: Stefanie LaSalle Rob and I have gotten a lot done for our wedding, but there are still lots of things to plan and do before next September. We have been having a lot of fun lately thinking of things to put on our registry. I always imagined that it would be like making the biggest Christmas list ever - we'd ask for all the grownup toys that we can't justify spending money on normally - but It's also been a challenge evaluating all of our current possessions to decide what is missing, and what needs replacing. That pot we used all through college? Our favorite spatula that is far past it's prime? The George foreman that only heats on one side? We have started getting a little more defensive of our old things. And we can't forget about the staples of every registry - the Kitchen aid Mixer, a blender, and various other kitchen, bedroom, bathroom items. And of course, there's the china - the nice set of dishes that are reserved for hosting holidays and parties. So many fancy sets of china end up in hutches and stored away deep in the lowest of cabinets and closets, never to be seen again that we questioned if it is a good idea to ask for them at all. Between Rob and I, we brought with us plenty of silverware, cooking tools and yes, even dishes. And although we might not have matching seating for 8, we are a bit attached to the plates and forks that we've gotten used to, and we like using what we have for our special occasions. We try to only keep stuff that means something to us. That starts conversations, that reminds us of good times, our friends, our family. So I called upon my bridesmaids to make me an early wedding present - a set of china. I told them they could paint anything short of obscene and that this mismatched set of one-of-a kind plates would be what we eat off of every time they visit me until the end of time. They did not disappoint. Just as I had hoped, these plates capture the personality of each of the girls who made them. If you know my friends, you can probably guess whose is whose. Mariel Mariel is one of my oldest friends. We grew up together on the same street and from the age of ten pretty much did everything together except go to the same school. Her plate captures her classic and graceful style. Meaghan Meaghan knows me. Even though we are two very different people, we often think the same thoughts. For example, I was planning on doing a tree until she started doing one on her plate. Katelyn She couldn't come with us the first time around, but it was nice getting her all to myself when we went back over the holidays. Her art is always colorful and bold and beautiful. Tess Did I get this plate at Target? Well no, it is CUSTOM MADE just for me (and Rob). Tess went in with no plan - very risky - but it paid off, and this masterpiece began to emerge with every line she drew. Rachel If you are a fan of a certain British TV show, you will know immediately what this represents. If you aren't, you will probably still think it's a cute lil' fez and bow tie, just like my mom does. Kerry
My dear, dear little sister and maid of honor. This plate is straight up crazy. It is both very disturbing and my favorite thing I've ever owned.. Are there 14 stripes in your "interpretation" of the American flag? Yes. Why? Because that's what happened, that's why. Well there they are - our own unique brand of fine china that we will use for years to come. |
|