Wednesday, October 30, 2013

How To Make Coffee Shop Quality Iced Coffee

How To Make Perfect Iced Coffee At Home


Tonight was a really, really great night for me. I've spent two years drinking iced coffee, almost every day. Over the last year or so, I've tried to make it at home. Let me just say, I'm not a super coffee snob (the real snobs would think I'm an amateur), but I chuckle at the people that say, "oh, just pour your pot of coffee over ice."I tried the Toddy (didn't love it), the New York Times cold brew method (didn't move me).

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

15 More Reasons I Need to Practice Yoga

 
When you find articles like this one in the Huffington Post, it kind of makes me want to slap myself. Why have I been waiting so long to do this? The article claims that you get these benefits even after one yoga class. So that's it. I'm off to GroupOn to find some deals. Get more info here on the Huffington Post.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Just when I thought I didn't want wedding cake..

Today on my lunch break, I took a quick trip to La Cakerie in Charles Village. As I paid, I looked up and saw this cake. This caught my eye for several reasons:
a) Glitter has been really, really been exciting to me for the last couple of months. 
b) It's classic with a glam twist, which I'm totally aiming for
b) It has our initials on it!!!

Speaking of delectable treats, I'm taking my mother and father to the cupcake tasting tomorrow morning. We're planning on having a cupcake tower and a small cake on top for us to save. Can't wait! 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

I'm a future Yogi

I've wanted to be a yogi for years, but I just haven't committed myself. I've only been to a few classes here and there, but I need to go consistently. I went tra-la-la'ing around Hampden in Baltimore city yesterday, and stumbled across this cool sign. Then I realized this was right about Bikram Yoga Hampden, a venue that's always on Groupon. It's only a few minutes away from my job--so I have to take advantage! I'll let you know how it goes. : ) 

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Frugal Bride Files: Baublebar Wedding Accessories


When I first got engaged, I was looking at every expensive piece of jewelry I could find. Harry Winston. Tiffany & Co. The whole nine. I've got my shoes and accessories budget set to around $300, but I'd love to get it down to about $120. Could I really get a hair accessory, earrings, a bracelet and necklace in that price range?

It just might be possible, thanks to the new wedding collection by Baublebar. I found beautiful earrings for $40-$60 and bracelets and necklaces for $50. I don't know how long they'll last me, but that's totally okay. Plus, they have coupons all the time, so the price will drop even more! 

Thursday, October 17, 2013

LISTEN: Blue-Eyed Soul is back with James Blake



James Blake has one of those incredibly soulful voices that takes you by surprise when you hear it. I heard about him during a Jill Scott interview on Power 105.1. If Jilly says she liked him, you know he must be legit. Last week, my brother (and thousands of other people) found Blake on Masters of Sex. All I can say is take a listen, and tell me what you think! 

If you can't get enough, go ahead and spend some time with this Spotify playlist that I created.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

My Decor Obsession: Bar Carts


It made a lot of sense to me to sign up at Crate & Barrel for our wedding registry. They have all the dishes, stemware and gadgets that I could dream of. I attended a registry event, and fell head over heels for these bar carts! I can't imagine spending over $500 to store my liquor, but my oh my, this is so chic. The Libations Bar Cart (left) is my favorite!


Friday, October 4, 2013

Prepping For My First Dinner Party

 
 
For the premiere of Scandal, it only made sense for me to  host a "dinner party" for my girls before the show. I hosted it at my fiance's home, even though he didn't have much for me to work with. I went to storage (aka, grandma's basement) and picked up a table that I scored at moving sale for a store in the mall. I also picked up the crockpot trio from my parents (that I'm keeping until Thanksgiving) to cook the sides and keep them warm. I also stopped by Ikea to pick up some stemware, glass bowls and serving dishes. I had a few bottles of wine on hand, so I threw them in our wine holder.
 
 
We had such a great time! Lots of salmon, chicken and veggies to go around. I ended up spending about $150 for all of the food, wine and kitchenware. I learned to:
  • Find food that you can make ahead of time, then reheat the day of the party
  • Check out the ready-made section at Costco/Sam's Club.
  • Throw the food in the crockpot before work. Three dishes could have been cooking all day, cutting dinner time down.
  • Buy wine by the case, so you don't have to make a trip every time (and you'll have plenty for your party)