Entertaining: Housewarming Party

(our bar, sans Tucker, the bartender)

Well, I do believe the party was a hit. Our wee 800 sq foot apartment held almost 30 people and a bartender. That's right, we hired a bartender. I was a bit hesitant at first, and I couldn't decide if it was ridiculous or just plain clever. It turned out to be the latter. He was a budding graduate and new to the city with empty pockets so slipping him a few dollar bills didn't feel so bad, and well, it was nice to not spend the entire evening mixing drinks.

I am not a baker, but luckily some of my girlfriends are expert bakers so they happily supplied the party with sweet treats. I focused on the salty and savory . . .

Homemade Graham Crackers

(photo via Lemons and Lima Beans) 

I am going to start a series of posts for recipe sharing. I know, I know . . . you're thinking "but Caitlyn, boy does all the cooking." Well, hopefully this series will inspire me to get back in the kitchen after a long hiatus. (And for your information, I was feeling so domestic the other night I whipped up goat cheese and rosemary stuffed chicken- so there!). 

Oh and did I mention that all the recipes will come from my good friend Ashleigh's blog, Lemons and Lima Beans? She's an amazing cook with a discerning sweet tooth leaning towards all things coconut. Every Wednesday or so, I'll be sharing one of her recipes. 

Blog Crush: miss elaini ous'

I met miss elaini ous' via email after becoming an avid reader of her blog. Last year, Elaini (author of miss elaini ous') set out to replicate the Uniform Project by wearing a little black dress for 100 days to raise awareness and support for orphans in India. Elaini has an incredible story, and I was so excited about her little project that I sought out and sent items to accessorize her LBD - my accessories here.

Gift Guide: For Her

I am obsessed with blogger gift guides. If I can even capture a sampling of their creative and ingenious ideas, then I'll be one happy lady. Let's give it a go via all things Etsy for those ladies in your life who are . . .

The Photographer: for that friend who drinks a copious amount of caffeine to stay alert until the midnight hour, perfecting snapshots from a recent wedding- how about this sweet little teapot from TheWhitePepper? She can make herbal tea and feel better about those sleepy eyes.

The Hippie: for that friend who wears loose dresses flip flops in the dead of winter but still needs to keep her head warm in the concrete jungles of Chicago- an urban turban from gertiebaxter?

The Humanitarian: for that friend who travels to foreign lands to start community art projects, how about this rad canvas and leather bag from Elvisbagdynasty for all her painting supplies?

The Homemaker: for that friend (or sister) who bears the resemblance of June Cleaver and will always shame you when it comes to homemaking- the book Dinner: A Love Story: It All Begins at the Family Table by Jenny Rosenstrach

The Maker: for that friend who spends her time creating and fashioning her own Etsy line, how about a colorful necklace that she didn't have to make from Fable + Lore?

The Ladyfriend: Ok, well I don't have a ladyfriend, but as a ladyfriend with a childish heart for coloring, I would love to get my hands on this little book from teamart. Jon Hamm . . . swoon

Bachelorette Weekend

Chicago was amazing! Boy doesn't know it yet, but the city climbed to my short list of places for our next move. Mid Westerners are so gregarious, and even though it is a huge city, I felt like I was walking around in 'their town.' And, gosh, my friends are so lovely. I am so smitten with the love they showed me. From home cooked meals, cocktails galore, lovely dinners out, dancing the night away, and even to embarrassing sashes and odd bachelorette games, they are the sweetest of friends. Thanks Elizabeth and Leah- love you ladies.    

Weekend Plans

(photo via )

What are your weekend plans? I'm heading to Chicago for a Bachelorette weekend with two of my bridesmaids who lovingly surprised me with a girls' weekend. I cannot wait to see their faces, clink toasts with them, and laugh until I'm exhausted. Here are some of the things we'll be up to . . .

oh hello Friday

(girl crush, photo source unknown)

I am one of those people who become annoyed with others who post 'TGIF' on the inter-webs; I'm not one to wish my life away. But, I have to tell you that I'm so delighted it's Friday. Boy and I are finally spending an evening together, and our only crucial decision is the dinner destination. Tomorrow and Sunday will bustle about as we complete our Save the Dates (more on that later) and celebrate a birthday and a wedding. 

How about a Five Things Friday? Bloggers love those, I think. 

* a 'how to help your husband get ahead' ad. It's pretty bad; brace yourself. 

*oh I love these boots, but nuptial bills come first, I suppose. 

*did I tell you reader that this is where I'm getting married? 

*beautiful trailer of Wuthering Heights. 

*last week I sent these sweet little notes to my bridesmaids. Luckily, they all said yes! 

A delightful weekend

It's really sad that I'm writing my 'over the weekend' post on Thursday, but oh well. So, over the weekend, I had the honor to stand beside two friends getting married, Lauren and Brian. It was a lovely time as friends and family from all corners gathered to celebrate them and toast to their happiness. With dinners, showers, rehearsals and the usual bridesmaid primping, I was only able to snap a few shots in the midst of a whirlwind weekend; sadly, I didn't even capture one of the couple. 

Congratulations my dear friends! I couldn't be happier for you. 

A lifetime of friendship

The birthday weekend is over, and it's dreary here in D.C. today. My college girlfriends, Katie and Chelsea are in town, and we had a busy weekend of catching up, wedding planning and birthday celebrating. Over dinner last night, I realized that Kate and I have been friends for nine years. Nine years- that's insane! Time does fly by. From dorm acquaintances to best friends, we've been housemates four times, lived in Virginia and Massachusetts together, traveled on many trips, and as it seems, we've changed our hairstyles for each of those life stages. 

Movie Night

The outdoor movie night was a hit, or at least, I think it was! I didn’t let the dreary day of clouds and raindrops get me down. After surrendering to the fact it would not be a back lawn filming, I grabbed my toolbox and nailed the sheet screen right to the porch posts. A few strands of lights, candles, gin martinis and homemade kettle corn in these oh so cute popcorn buckets (mine were from Target) really made the evening. Some of our guests stayed until the wee hours of the morning so we featured Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark and Back to the Future, and guests mimicked the nostalgic lines of ‘Indy’ and ‘Marty McFly’ all evening.  

Outdoor Film

(photo via)

This weekend, boy and I are hosting friends for an outdoor film, and I just. can't. wait. I'm stealing all my brilliant ideas from Claire of The Senses Five; check out her post. I have the perfect cove nestled in my backyard for the screening, so hopefully the rain will hold off. Fingers crossed!

Rich Little Poor Girl

My friend Katie pretty much has the best job(s) ever. As a cook at a year round camp in mountainous Asheville N.C. by day, and jewelry peddler by night, her life is surely coveted. Her jewelry line, Rich Little Poor Girl {I thought of the name, right Kate? } features recycled and new odds and ends,  creating asymmetrical, minimalist pieces. I love her tagline- 'clever with the quarters.' With exciting opportunities on her horizon, the Saturday afternoon hobby is turning into a real venture. I'm so proud of this girl, and she's truly a hippie, Asheville native now- bravo! Check out these shots from her recent photoshoot, and I want that green leather bracelet!

Dreams

(photo via A Ballet Blog)

The other evening, some colleagues and I reminisced over our aspirations in younger years and our fall back careers if we ever decided to quit the day jobs. On my truly awful days (which are rare and few as I do love my work), I'm tempted to fill my time as a barista slash florist. That job exists, right? Though, if I were granted a genie and  a wish, I would ask for the talent of a prima ballerina. Growing up, I religiously took ballet classes and other varieties of dance. Since I didn't want to spend hours and hours in the studio every evening, I begrudgingly decided to stop taking classes, but I still think about it everyday and opt for occasional classes and attending performances. But, sometimes we have to make these decisions. One of my favorite passages from Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar says it best:

Patchwork

Work deadlines have kept me away from here, but hopefully things will slow down soon- fingers crossed! I had a lovely weekend full of summer delights- dinners with friends, pooltime and family cookouts.

 

A garden party

We're having a few friends over on Friday evening for cocktails, hors d' oeuvres and desserts, so I'm on the hunt for simple, quick recipes. With the backyard all trimmed and light strands sprinkling the porch, this is well on its way to become a garden party. That being said, this cake would be perfect. Don't you think? 

 

(via Manger, but originally scouted on Cup of Jo) 

Or how about this lovely pink ombre cake? It's in style, no?

(via Espresso and Creme) 

Laughter

On our road trip to the coast last weekend, boy and I listened to talk radio in between my various needs for stopping (ahem) and mandatory North Carolina BBQ.  And by talk radio, I really just mean NPR's Radiolab. I usually moan and whine when he puts it on, wishing that we could use that time for sweet talking or blaring music, but about 10 minutes in, I end up shushing him if he tries to get a word in. We listened to the podcast Laughter, a series answering the questions of why we laugh and if animals laugh,  and interviews with Tanzanians trapped in a contagious laugh for days and weeks. That's right- you heard me! In 1962, a laughter epidemic broke out in Tanzania, starting at a girls' boarding school in a rural village- so very interesting!

If I want to have a doubled over, can't breathe kind of laugh, then I call my bestie Leah. We live in different cities now, so we try to have the occasional wine dates over video chat.  She's absurdly hilarious.

P.S. A documentary on laughing, featuring the Tanzania epidemic: Laughology