Throwing a Halloween Bash

Hello Shocktober! I have never been into decorating my house with all things horror.  Come fall I stick to pumpkins, leaves and cinnamon sticks.  But this year when we decided to throw a Halloween bash, I went all in.
 Those who know me know I love playing the hostess for any event, and I don't like ordinary. So when a friend wanted to throw a Halloween party together, I started making lists. Because of all the hype around HBO's True Blood and Twilight's Breaking Dawn, we went full Vampire.  We loving named it the "Fangtastic" Party, and played with our theme.

 Having a picture opportunity to capture your guests is a great idea. When you first stepped in the breezeway you were greeted by sounds of horror, black lights, a strobe light....and the perfect picture taking opportunity.  We built a life size coffin, threw up a sheet and put cobwebs anywhere possible.  It made the perfect entrance for our soiree. Inside you could find drink options like peach champagne and jolly rancher soaked vodka with enough snacks for the block.  I turned my office into a murder scene with an outline of a dead body, ghost standing behind.  We kept a strobe light in that room as well and played it up further by making the bathroom right across the hall the scene in which the murder took place.  A bloody shower curtain, body parts, and dripping blood brought it all together.
 A fabulous idea to save any hostess time is to promote a dessert contest.  We bought a gift of wine and candy for the winner and our guests went above and beyond to supply creative and creepy desserts.  We had fingers, spider cupcakes, a grave yard, and delicious brownies and cupcakes.
 We also offer prizes for a beer pong tournament and drew up a bracket to make things more interesting outside.  Hanging some Halloween lights, having the tiki torches going and fire pit blazing, added to our outside ambiance.  A closer look would show you ghosts in the tree, a welcome sign from the Cullen's, and pumpkins with tea lights chasing them.
 It was a blast to decorate and watch everyone enjoy our own little haunted house.  Next year I am thinking old Hollywood theme, with the red carpet.....

Best Dessert Winner

I had blood red contacts to Vamp it up

Delish Oreo Balls

Ahh the wind down, huge success, in bed by dawn...when a Vampire should be

~*Welcoming Fall*~

So long Summer, Hello Fall

Summer was a beautiful success. Just as I was starting to feel the woes of worry for something so wonderful coming to an end, a fall breeze swept through town and the excitement of something new filled me up.  What a great reminder that the end of one thing is always the beginning of another.
 Sure, packing away the beach chairs and watching the pool come down was a tug at the heart strings.  But it opened up possibility for jeans and hoodies, fires and football.
 And luckily, I was able to squeeze one last warm night in the city to kiss the summer goodbye, and  for a fabulous reason- a good friends birthday! So I took advantage of shorts and heels and crossed the bridge to Philadelphia to celebrate good girlfriends and transitions.  The great thing about living 5 minutes from a city like Philadelphia is there is an abundance of art, history and trendy bars and food spots to last a lifetime.  We started our night at Tria, an adorable wine bar with small plate offerings of meats, cheeses and flat breads.  Although Tria isn't grand on size, they make up for that in quaintness, service and the open wall windows that leave you feeling as if you are sitting right on the street.  Tria offers two of my favorite things; yummy snacks and great people watching.  I had the sweet Riesling as well as a Rose Champagne.   A few hours later with the warm breeze calling, we hit the streets to see what else the night would find.  A quick duck into an Irish bar somewhere (I have no idea), and  eventually we ended up at Public House. We found the DJ here more our style and danced the rest of the night and summer away.  It was a great nod goodbye to summer.

plate at Tria, not my thing but points for presentation

With the birthday girl <3

enjoying the weather with the girls

outsideTria

making our own dance floor

 I am writing this with the windows open, under a blanket.  My burning candle that was summer sand is now replaced with Autumn Spice. I traded my tank top in for this Eagles sweatshirt and the Monday night game is on the TV.   I am not missing summer right now; I am looking forward to all that fall has to offer.  I am a planner so I have to be careful not to rush Christmas and the New Year and stay present here in the moment and enjoy this time. Pine cones, apple pie, tailgates, comfy sweats, long walks, changing leavings, open windows, fires, cinnamon, fall festivals, halloween- what are you soaking up right now?

Atlantic City: The adult playground

Is it the third week of August already? Where is the summer going? Winter never seems to go this fast.  I am loving August and hitting all the points on my "summer bucket list."
 Still holding a steady tan, I traveled to AC for my yearly night away with the girls.  Atlantic City is my personal playground close to home.  It offers a bunch of things I hold near and dear to my heart: rooftop and indoor pools, excellent shopping both high end and outlets, fabulous places to eat, roulette tables, and a reason for short dresses and high heels.  And if you book the right room, there is something great about spending a night in a plush bed with perfect pillows and ordering breakfast via room service at 11am.
 This trip was two simple days and one night, but we squeezed so much in it felt like we were away for a week- true vaca!
 We started at our rooftop pool at Caesars where we enjoyed some watered down mojitos and had to fight for lounge chairs. ( I could redesign that space and squeeze a good 20 more chairs in) Some clouds were rolling in so rather then have to flee from rain *and in search of a better drink* we headed to Harrah's indoor pool.

I love Harrah's pool, even in the winter it offers me a getaway of drinks, hot tubs and palm trees

Harrah's has a great lunch menu so we dined poolside and had drinks that were so good they made us forget the first ones.  I took my frozen fruity concoction straight to the hottub, where it would clearly be more enjoyed.  It was raining overhead but we had no cares about that.  After we logged some time in our water massage we got some lounge chairs and relaxed waiting for more girls to arrive.  When we added to our pack we headed back outdoors into the sun to Trumps Beach Bar.  Some of the people there, clearly already intoxicated, added some additional entertainment to our day.

Little lady was probably around 50, girls just wanna have fun

We hopped over their gate and enjoyed the possibility of feet in the sand.

 We skipped a traditional dinner for apps and drinks at Game On before heading back to the room to shower and get ready for the night.  *For $2.00 you can ride the mechanical bull, do so.
 We had a VIP table at Dusk, which I think for ladies is the only way to go.  It gives us the space to dance together without the uninvited man grope.  Also, they sweetened the pot by adding a bottle of champagne to the deal. Champagne is always my drink of choice, I like to celebrate everything. To speed through the night...dance dance, ladies shannanigans, dance, room service pizza, casino...hours later wake up in bed.  Some feeling better then others.

 A few of us were not ready to end the party or leave all the offerings of AC, so despite the half assness of the Caesars pool the day before, we decided to give it another shot.  *Let me save you some time, skip the Caesars buffet.  We learned the hard way.  The only buffet worth hitting is Harrahs by the pool. * On this last day the pool was a success.  We found a much better drink, Pirate something, and chairs poolside.  We went back and forth from dipping in the pool and laying in the sun.  It was a perfect wrap up for a great night away. 

 I already miss AC, and they sent me a post card yesterday- they want me back.  I can't disappoint....

July Fly By

Here we are, end of July.  How fast that flew by. I was lazy with my blog because summer is so darn distracting.  I can't believe August is knocking on my door already.  

 Yesterday I walked into the mall and I was surrounded by fall.  Summer dresses and flip flops were replaced by fall stilettos and racks of jeans. Five steps in I fell in love with a deep Marc Jacobs brown leather bag  The shopaholic in me got a instant high off of all the new fashion and the eagerness to fill my closet with the new clothes and styles.  For a second I hustled into Fall- crisp leaves, pumpkin spice candles, football Sundays, homemade gravy, long walks...I do love fall.  But wait, I wasn't ready for summer to be over.  So I quickly found a pair of shorts and and a tank top (a way for me to insist summer still has time to spare) and I ran out the door.  Being that August is right over my head, I have to make conscience decisions to plan to enjoy it.  Working 40 hours a week can really cramp your summer style.  I am going to try and enjoy as many long weekends as possible.  In July I was able to take a week off work and rent a great house on Asbury Ave in Ocean City and really relax.  It was fabulous not to think about cleaning or working or hear any cries from my home for attention.

Enjoying Beach Time with Friends

Getting our Mini Golf Fix in

Dinner with my Beautiful Sister

Shopping on the Boards with Mom 

Family drove down for a dinner

Best Sushi in Avalon

I also squeezed some random beach days in July, swam in our little pool, sat outside for drinks and enjoyed our company happy hour party at the River Sharks game.

Best view of from the stadium isn't facing the game.

So now I have to drink every drop of this August heat.  More happy hours, more pools, and definitely more beach. I plan to finish at least 3 more books on the beach (honestly I don't seem to have this time to read in the winter)  I am leaving in 2 weeks for a Atlantic City night with the girls and we intend to spend the day prior and after working on our tans and ability to work a beach bar.  Trump update will follow.

 Have your made your bucket list for the last month of summer? 

Red, White, and Blog

Festival of the 4th.  The day America feels most proud.  A day that celebrates the freedom and beauty of the life we have.  And what better way to celebrate that then to enjoy the good life with the people you love.  All over America people fire up the grills, prepare salads and desserts and stack the cooler with cold beers and some good ole fashion ball busting.  For me, this 4th of July was no different.  We had a two day celebration as it fell on a Monday, and I enjoyed every minute.

 Friends of ours put together a well thought out and generous 4th of July party up in PA.  Their family celebrates this as some celebrate Christmas.  Their invitation beckons, "Come one Come all, with a covered dish."  This leads to a house filled with all kinds of food and goodies.  A backyard with tents, chairs, kegs, & coolers of homemade speciality drinks (including the firecracker, red white and blue lemonade and sangria's for every taste)  Kids run around with Marshmallows on a stick, dipped in something red sprinkled with something blue.  Our flags colors are flying high here.  And there is no shortage of entertainment.  One year they rented sumo wresting suits for continuous one on one battles.  This year they had a huge bouncy tent.  A gift for both the kids and the adults as the kids stay so occupied throughout the night that the adults can thoroughly enjoy themselves without running after or entertaining little Suzy.  And because America offers equality to all, and the pie is out there for the taking. They also offer a slew of games for the adults with prizes to be won.  Horseshoe Tournaments, Beer Pong Tournaments, Flip Cup Contests, Ladder Ball Tournaments- backyard games to keep the friendly competition up all day long. And in case you would rather sit back and relax all day, you can easily do your preparation ahead of time and enter the ultimate dessert contest.  

This year we took home a table gas grill and 2 new beach chairs, I love America.

Posing for a picture with our hostess

Ant winning the horseshoe tournament

Love this game, Won this game

Big Winners!

This party takes planning your next fourth of July gig to the next level.  On the actual 4th we enjoyed time with family with some old traditions, one being our town parade.  We live in a small town and this isn't comparable say to Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  But it is just ours.  Children and Vets of our town joining together to celebrate and promote this little area we call home.  I think it is important to participate somehow, even if just as a spectator.  Our schools, our little league teams, our soldiers and bands, are all gifts we take advantage of every day.  This is the perfect time to celebrate them.

My sister and I, sporting all the red white and blue

Grams favorite part is the mummers, she will even get up and dance when her South Philly Roots kick in

Back home we celebrate with the old fashion BBQ.  Too much eating, a little drinking, and some laughing.  We took a quick dip in the pool and played a round of washers (I would NOT have won this tournament).  Instead of battling the traffic at the high school, we pulled up seats in my yard to catch some fireworks after the sun went down.  It was a nice end to a nice weekend.  It was also a wake up call that July is already here.  Summer flies by so fast, so get out in the sun.  Celebrate the freedom to enjoy!

not as good at this game

Sparklers: not just for the kids! *Actually not good for the kids at all, Jen burned her dress and we were taking mini fire bombs to the arm

Happy 4th, Good Night