Date Night Ideas

Regardless of whether you're dating, engaged or married, you could always use a few fun ideas for date night, right?!  Here are a few things you and your man can do that will help you bond, laugh, let loose and create great memories.  Some of these dates are free, some are cheap, some are adventurous, but they are all romantic when you are doing them with someone you love.

1.  Go for a leisurely bike ride around a nearby neighborhood or local park.  It's a great way to relax and get some fresh air - and exercise!  Try biking down a road you've never been on or roll through a new part of town.  Feeling really adventurous?  Try a tandem bike - it's not as easy as it looks!

jonathanivyphoto.com

2.  Check the Sunday paper for a listing of open houses.  Pick out a gorgeous mansion and go tour it - your future "dream home."

coastallivinghouseplans.com

3.  Hit a "wing night" at a local bar and grill for wings & beer.  Watch a game and just hang out!



4.  Go ice skating at a local rink.



chicagofree.info

5.  Have a game night at home.  Order pizza and try out a few favorites from childhood.  Think: Uno, Life, Monopoly, Twister, etc...

6.  Get all dolled-up and go to the fanciest hotel in town for cocktails.

from vanityfair.com

7.  Grab brunch somewhere before catching a matinee.

from tubmlr.com

8.  Visit the farmer's market and pick out ingredients to make dinner together.  If your town doesn't have a farmer's market, you could still go to the grocery store and do the same.  My husband and I sometimes give ourselves each a budget - say $6 or $7 each - and we have to work together to find all the ingredients needed make a meal within that budget.  It really brings out the creativity and competition by seeing which one of us can stay within the parameters of the budget and still find everything we need!



themakersproject.com

9.  Have a smartphone?  Download a star-gazing app (I love Google Sky Map for Android), grab a blanket and a bottle of wine and head out into the backyard to see how many constellations and planets you can spot.

image seen on pinterest with no credit

10.  Go to the airport and find a restaurant or bar from which you and your man can people-watch.  Take turns guessing where people are going to and coming from.  Make up stories about who the people are and what their story is, such as: "The guy checking his bag right now is traveling for business.  He looks like an investment banker - he's most likely going to New York."  Or: "The lady in the blue shirt is waiting for her lover to fly in from Spain..."  This game can go on and on forever.  My husband and I love to do this - it really helps pass the time when your flight is delayed, but it would also be fun to do, even if you aren't traveling.  There are always so many interesting people in the airport!

weheartit.com

lisastorms.typepad.com

Happy New Year!

Here is some last-miunte party inspiration for New Year's Eve!  I love the favor bags with the paper & glitter - so chic.

whimsydecor.blogspot.com

whentiffanysmetcasablanca.tumblr.com

According to designer Elie Tahari, the best way to do sparkle is in a bright way.  Incorporating whites with light sparkle is sure to make you shine.  He recommends starting with a neutral white base, then building your glittery pieces around it - maybe add it through accessories.  In an interview with Samantha Critchell, seen in the Times Daily, the designer speaks about sparkling:

'You might be marking another year on the calendar, but brightness and light is what keeps you looking youthful and your mood elevated, designer Elie Tahari said. You’ll get more bang from your bling if you start with white or at least colorful clothing instead of black, he explained.

“We are all looking for the same thing: light, truth and joy,” he said. “Light and sparkle — all that comes from within, but what’s on the outside is a reflection of the inside.”

So, Tahari asks, why not a beaded bag or glitzy shoe with your everyday, maybe even tired, navy or black outfit? Or, better yet, a sequin skirt. There’s no age restriction here, he says, just a playful attitude.

New Year’s Eve is the excuse to test-drive an oversized, vintage-inspired statement necklace or chunky chain bracelet that mixes sparkle with tough-girl tarnished metal or spikes, suggested Blythe Harris, chief creative officer of Stella & Dot.

After you’ve gotten compliments on the bold new look, you’ll be more willing to wear it again, she said.'

fashionfinder.asos.com



Balmain Spring 2012

capecodcollegiate.tumblr.com

Happily Ever After

Hope y'all had a wonderful, happy, perfect, merry Christmas!

image seen on idontwantrealism.tumblr.com

Fall Wedding Inspiration

Here is some inspiration for fall weddings - warm, lovely and full of ambiance. 

Gorgeous bouquet with fall florals, including succulents, calla lilies and poms. 

seen on pinterest



Pretty centerpiece - pumpkins and gourds in an urn.

from heatherbullard.com

Beautiful place setting - warm colors and soft feather accent.

from ladolfina.blogspot.com

Burlap, burlap, burlap.  Perfect for fall, and you can do so much with it!

seen on pinterest via michaelandrea.weebly.com

Apple cider, ginger ale & Bourbon cocktail with apple slice flourish.  Yum!

from tampopopress.blogspot.com

Wrap strands of white lights in balls of twine (white string shown here).

from dollarstorecrafts.com

Burlap wrapped chairs.  Gorgeous.

from tinywhitedasies.tumblr.com

Perfect Fall Chicken Recipe

Who doesn't love to watch a great football game on Saturdays and Sundays in the fall?  Crisp weather, bright sunshine and team spirit in the air...  If you can't make it to the game in person, why not invite some people over to watch the game?!  I've found a great recipe for Oven "Fried" Chicken that is both delicious and easy to make - a sure crowd-pleaser.  I found the original recipe in the Betty Crocker Heart Healthy Cookbook, but I've slightly adapted it.

image from bettycrocker.com

Ingredients:
-Medium sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts (original recipe calls for a whole chicken, quartered with skin-on)
-1/4 cup light butter or margerine (original recipe calls for regular butter or margerine, not light)
-1/4 cup flour
-1 tbsp paprika
-1 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp ground black pepper
-1 tbsp Southern Flavor (not called for in original recipe, but it makes the dish go from good to amazing)*

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil (optional, but it ensures that the chicken will not stick to the pan and makes clean-up a breeze!).  Cut the butter into cubes, drop them into the pan and let them melt in the oven.  Meanwhile, mix the flour, paprika, salt, pepper and Southern Flavor in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Coat each chicken breast in the seasoning.  Place each chicken breast into the pan once the butter has melted.  I like to drizzle a little bit of the melted butter over the top of the chicken breast so it stays really moist while it bakes.  Bake for about 20 minutes, then flip the chicken and bake for another 20 minutes, until cooked thoroughly.  Obviously baking times will vary depending on the size of the chicken.

The chicken should still be moist when it's done.  Baking it is a little healthier than fried chicken, but you get the same delicious taste.  Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy! 

*Southern Flavor: a seasoning mix made in Selma, Alabama.  Made up of salt, pepper, tenderizer, garlic powder and a handful of "secret" ingredients, it is great on all types of meat, poultry, seafood, pastas, stews, salads, etc...  You can buy it on their website here.  They make several different types, but I use the Original Charbroil flavor because it goes so well on everything.

Marriage Thoughts

seen on pinterest via theamateurwriter.blogspot.com

On the Rocks

Well, it's almost happy hour in my part of the world, and in honor of that little fact, I am dedicating this post to creative and fancy party cocktails!  No matter what type of event you're hosting - from a formal wedding reception to a backyard BBQ - every fabulous party needs a fabulous drink.  It is a fantastic trend showing up at weddings and events all over the place these days: the signature drink.  Hosting an open bar at an event can get very expensive, very quickly.  So, in order to keep the cost under control, many people opt to serve a very limited selection of beer and/or wine, along with a signature cocktail.  It can be anything, although many times the signature drink is something related to the theme of the event, the location or a favorite cocktail of the host/hostess. 

A great caterer I know (who has worked with the likes of Carrie Underwood!) gave me some great advice when my husband and I were planning our wedding reception: do not try to please everybody.  He said that when you are hosting a party and serving food and beverages, people are going to like it because, to them, it is free.  He said, "When it comes to choosing the beverages you will be serving, whatever you offer to host will suddenly become every body's favorite drink."  In order to offer a wide selection of beverage choices without having the added expense, most caterers and venues will allow you to have a cash bar at your event for little-to-no extra cost to you; however, when you are offering a limited selection complementary to the guests, most will choose to have what you are hosting.  All in all, the caterer said to keep in mind that it is your party, so serve what you like best.

The rule of the signature drink is definitely not only related to alcoholic beverages.  Serving a unique flavor of iced tea, juice or punch is always a great idea as well.  Cheers!

Lime Sorbet Margaritas (realsimple.com)

Strawberry Basil Margaritas (thekitchn.com)

Gin-Based Mint Juleps (baysidebride.com)

Peppermint Martinis (marthastewart.com)

Low Country Lemonade (vodka + lemonade + hint of blue food coloring)

(Southern Weddings book)

Champagne with fresh fruit pieces

(stylemepretty.com)

Pomegranate Champagne Punch

(eatingwell.com)

Raspberry Mojitos

(bystephanielynn.com)

Individual Patron Shots with mini tacos

(thecinderellaproject.blogspot.com)

Individual mini Champagne bottles on ice

(austinweddingblog.com)

Rhubarb Iced Tea

(thekitchn.com)

Riesling Strawberry Slushy

(thekitchn.com)

Fruit Water

(stylemepretty.com)

Jack Daniels "Tennessee Honey" Cocktails with honey stirrers and mint

(stylemepretty.com)

Seaside

This post doesn't really have anything to do with weddings or entertaining (other than it is a BEAUTIFUL place to have a wedding), I just wanted to share a little seaside inspiration with all of you.  For me, being near the water is quite therapeutic.  Whether I'm near the ocean, the lake or the river, I find the movements and sounds of water to be relaxing.  I especially love being seaside - for the vastness of it, the freshness of the salty air, the soft sand and the warm sunshine.  It is inspiring because it awakens and rejuvenates the senses.  Being near the water can spark creativity - it encourages us to dream and create new ideas.  The basic elements of seaside style are fresh, crisp and clean.  I love the nautical scheme that goes hand-in-hand with seaside style: it is neat, orderly and simple - with whites and blues, stripes and solids.

There is a strip of quaint coastal towns on Florida's northwest coast (locally referred to as The Emerald Coast and the Beaches of South Walton) that brings together all of the most beautiful elements of coastal and southern style.  With similar architecture (cottages constructed with wood siding, stucco, tin roofs, Mediterranean accents, expansive porches and wide shutters), lush vegetation and sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico, these neighborhoods are as picturesque as they are livable.  Each neighborhood village boasts plenty of restaurants (all of which feature fresh, locally caught seafood and lively ingredients) and shopping (more specifically: boutique shopping in which you can find everything from swimwear to fine art).  Bicycles and flip flops are the main methods of transportation through these towns, but by car, you can drive along scenic Highway 30-A from one town to the next in a matter of a couple minutes.

The beaches are made of pure, soft, sugary white sand and the water is a mix of the most vivid shades of turquoise, with streaks of sapphire and emerald.  This stretch of coastline is still quiet and quaint, a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of nearby Destin and Panama City. 

Beach Real Estate of 30-A

Seaside

 Seaside

Seaside

 Watercolor

 Watercolor

 Seaside

 Watercolor

 Seaside

 Seaside

 Seaside

 Watercolor

 Grayton Beach

 Grayton Beach

 Grayton Beach

Grayton Beach

Seaside

Seaside

Seaside

For local information or to plan a visit to Seaside, Watercolor, Grayton or any of the other Beaches of South Walton, visit the following sites for more info:
www.visitsouthwalton.com
www.seasidefl.com