Party Hosting

I was lucky enough to host an engagement party for some fantastic friends yesterday, which was a a pretty great time, but I'm getting ahead of myself.  In order to prep, a trip to the Pike Place was in order. You can tell it's Lilac season, just walking through the flower booths, the aroma is just heaven.

Tulips, Irises and the event bouquets from Pipe Place Market

Inspired by Pinterest (obviously) I offered food options and they chose the ones that they liked best:

• Chicken Skewers
• Lil Smokies
• Veggie Cups
• Watermelon Balsamic bites
• Bread & Cheese (with Cougar Gold of course, this was a Cougar engagement party, after all)
• Champagne Cupcakes

I also really wanted to do a bride and groom signature cocktail, and ended up with Rob Roys (Grooms favorite) and Sparkling Peach Perfection (Champagne, Peach juice, peach liqueur, Chambord, Peaches poached in Prosecco and just a splash of Club soda)

Champagne Cupcakes

These little scrumptious bites just didn't want to come together correctly. You know that moment when you are making white cupcakes and then accidentally add whole eggs instead of just egg whites? Yup, that's when you start making champagne colored cupcakes instead.  Then the filling just didn't want to come together (hint: allow your champagne simple syrup to cool before adding it to your whipping cream.  If not, you get a curdled mess). I thought the frosting was going to be perfect (it did taste quite like champagne) but the texture wasn't quite as frosting-like as I would have hoped.  After all of that, they tasted delicious and it really didn't matter, which is a little life lesson right there.

The Spread

The Happily Engaged couple

Golden Tidbit:

The Bride-to-be gave me this as a Hostess gift and what perfection! I know I'll be using these a LOT over the summer. Available from Pepper Creek Farms for $8.00

Golden Quote:"Love doesn't make the world go 'round, Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." -Franklin P. Jones

St. Paddy's Day Spring

Happy Wear-Green Day! In looking for something to wear today I did realize I had a lot more vibrant emerald Green to wear than I thought (blazer, crop pants, cardigan, silk shirt and 3-5 necklaces - although I have always loved jewel tones, so maybe this shouldn't surprise me). It truly is a gorgeous day out for St. Paddy's Day, so we decided a little brunch and cigar walk was in order (walk for me, Cigar for Jeremy)  We stopped at Blueacre (really, go if you haven't been, I'm serious that this is one of the best restaurants in Seattle) for a breakfast bite to energize and catch up with our favorite bartender, the shaggy ne'er-do-well we know as Neil. Then off on a walk filled with as much sun & nature as we could find within a mile or so of our apartment.  From the flowers we found, you'd think it was already spring, but I believe some great gardeners and city facility owners should get the credit.

And trying something new, an experimental B&W with Birch trees at the Federal Courthouse

Golden Tidbit:

Since it's St. Patrick's Day, I figured it was only fair to make sure the Golden Tidbit had some Green in it.  Also, Emerald is the Pantone color of the year, so really you should already be taking advantage. This Cabachon Kelly Green Bib necklace from Piperlime is $38 (free shipping!) 

Golden Quote: "The First day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month." -Henry Van Dyke