Tablescapes
NYC Rooftop Dinner
NYC Rooftop DinnerThomas and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary on our rooftop last week! It was the most beautiful night and we enjoyed a delicious meal from one of our favorite restaurants; Carbone. The spicy rigatoni dish is to die for! An Elegant TablescapeI wanted to make our table look elegant and effortless. I put out a white linen tablecloth, navy blue linen napkins, silver napkin rings, and rattan placemats. My glassware is from Hudson Grace, and my silverware is actually from Bed, Bath and Beyond a few years ago! I put simple white hydrangeas in a clear glass pitcher for a relaxed, summery look. Tapered white candlesticks completed the table. Blue Floral Top + Skirt SetThis blue floral top + skirt set has been hanging in my closet for months waiting to be worn! It’s from one of my favorite brands; Misa Los Angeles. They make the most stunning colorful, printed pieces. I modified this top and scrunched the middle together to make it into a crop top. Then I used a safety pin to hold the fabric together – such an easy little DIY crop top hack! I have 2 of these Misa skirts and they’re even prettier in person. What I love about them is that they have a comfortable elastic waist, flow beautifully when you move, and are super flattering. They’re also made of a wrinkle resistant material so you legit never have to steam or iron them. AccessoriesFor shoes, I wore my favorite Aquazzura lace up sandals. Their heels are 100% worth the splurge because they last forever, never go out of style, and don’t kill your feet when you walk in them! I put on these fun V. Chapman gold cross earrings for a Dolce & Gabbana, Italian inspired look and kept the rest of my jewelry simple. These earrings have quickly become my go-to for date night!
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A Blue + White Spring Tablescape
I’ve had these beautiful blue and white dishes for 2 years and I’ve never once used them! I’ve been saving them for a “special occasion” and I finally asked myself “Why the heck am I waiting to use these?!” I realized there’s no time like the present, and they’re just too pretty to be sitting unused in the cabinet! So I pulled them out and styled them on our dining table and had a lovely lunch. If this time at home teaches us anything, I hope that it encourages us to make everyday moments special (instead of waiting for the perfect time that may never come) and really savor the time we get together. A Blue and White Spring TablescapeI’m obsessed with a blue and white color scheme for a spring tablescape. It’s so classic and fresh. I paired these dishes with white hydrangeas, but I’ve seen them paired with pink peonies before and I absolutely love the contrast of the blue and pink. The blue plates are from Tory Burch (they’re still in stock!) and the rattan cups are from Jenni Kayne (currently 20% off.) The rattan napkin rings and white linen napkins pull everything together making it feel like a bright spring table. Casual Spring Lunch SettingI opted to go without a tablecloth or placemat for a more casual spring lunch vibe, but you could easily add a crisp white linen tablecloth or runner underneath this set up. If I were to do a placemat, I’d opt for a natural rattan or woven material. Glasses + SilverwareThis white silverware is our everyday silverware and has held up beautifully. It’s currently 25% off with code FRIENDS! I always get a ton of questions about the coupe glasses I use for martinis – and you can get them here. I recommend hand washing them versus putting them in the dishwasher! Shop the rest of my entertaining pieces below!
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Apple Cider Donuts for Fall
I want my apartment to permanently smell like these apple cider donuts that I made last week. I wish there was a scratch and sniff for this post because you would D-I-E! Cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg, and butter wafting through the air…heaven, truly. This was the easiesttttt recipe, and believe it or not – I am not even a donut person! Yeah, seriously! But these bad boys, are nothing like the store-bought donuts you’re used to. They’re moist, flavorful, and light – almost like an apple cinnamon muffin, but more fun.
When I moved back to NYC, I left most of my cooking supplies and cute holiday decor behind. It was too much of a pain to bring every little thing, and I just figured I wouldn’t have enough space in my city kitchen for it all. Thankfully, I was able to replace a ton of items I left by ordering them at Walmart (their 2 day shipping option is THE BEST) and everything was soooo reasonably priced and sized. You really do have to think about the size of things in NYC, and this petite 6 donut pan is PERFECT for any kitchen. So is this baking rack!
Affordable Items From Walmart
It’s so fun to get in the fall/holiday spirit and I wanted to share a few easy, affordable things from Walmart that have made my place feel more cozy and fall-like this season!
For fall/Halloween/October themed decor, I love these white pumpkins which can also be used on a Thanksgiving table. These black and white linen napkins are so classic and honestly great to use year round. These black and white straws make any drink more festive. And how fab is this big plaid blanket for picnics or snuggles on the couch?
For baking, I love these Halloween sprinkles, this donut pan, baking rack, simple black spatula, hand mixer, and black “cauldrons” to put toppings in. Walmart literally has everything from decor, to baking items, and ingredients – like flour, sugar, vanilla, and candy corn or frosting! These are my favorite mixing bowls – I use them for everything from apps to baking, candy and more.
Apple Cider Donuts Recipe
Get the apple cider donut recipe here – and let me know how you like them! I can’t wait to make another batch this weekend (I already ate all of these in 2 days – after sharing a few of course ;0) Oh my goodness, I almost forgot – can we talk about Charlie’s costume?! It’s a Where’s Waldo? Halloween costume for dogs – and was under $20. He surprisingly likes it too (minus the glasses which he tore off in 5 seconds haha!) Do you have a pup? There are so many perfect dog costumes here!!! PS Walmart also has some really great adult costumes too!
PPS you can shop this black henley here!
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Fall Game Day Entertaining
It’s football season which means it’s the perfect time to throw a little fall game day shindig at your place! Everyone is back from summer travels, so it’s always a great month to have people over. I personally love any excuse to throw a party, and wanted to share some of my tips + tricks for putting together an easy fall game day entertaining spread! Game Day SnacksFirst things first, let’s talk about the food! My personal fave part of entertaining is getting to snack on all of the yummy treats! You can’t throw a game day party without something salty and something sweet to nosh on. I picked up all of the essential snacks like; chips, salsa, pretzels, popcorn, M&Ms (peanut butter are the bestttt right?!), cheese cubes, and mixed nuts. I made the popcorn in 2 minutes without any butter or oil using this AMAZING hot air popper. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know popcorn is one of my go-to healthy snacks, so this small air popper is a GAMECHANGER for me!!! The popcorn turns out perfect – it doesn’t burn, AND you can easily season it with whatever your heart desires after it’s done. PLUS it’s only $31 and available for Next Day delivery at Walmart! Trust me, you’re going to want one. Game Day DrinksBesides the obvious game day drinks; water, club soda, and beer, I thought it would be fun to add a spiked lemonade to the roundup. Everyone loves lemonade, and it’s a refreshing beverage to go along with all of the snacks and food that you’ll be consuming throughout the day! I ordered this lemonade and added a few shots of vodka and lemon slices to this big glass pitcher. I love that the pitcher came with 5 glasses and holds plenty of liquid for everyone to help themselves to. The entire set just went on sale for under $13! Add a fun straw to the glass and you’ve got a super easy cocktail for your guests. Serving PlattersI picked up all of these simple, affordable platters and bowls at Walmart. This clear, break resistant chip + dip bowl was one of my favorite purchases because it’s so versatile and goes with any style of decor. It’s a great piece to have when you’re doing outdoor entertaining! This wood tray is so rustic and perfect for any fall sort of spread – and would even look gorgeous year round on a coffee or entry table. These classic white bowls and these clear bowls are ideal for using year round as well. Other Game Time Essentials Besides snacks, drinks, and serving platters, a game day party wouldn’t be complete without a few other quintessential items like a TV, grill, table + chairs, and games (I love this corn hole set!) And if you really want to go all out, then Walmart has a ton of cute football themed decor as well! Shop everything I bought below. Happy game day planning!
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