Holiday Season in NYC

One of the best times to go to New York City, in my opinion, is during the holiday season right after Thanksgiving.  The air is crisp, the buildings and stores are decked out with over-the-top Christmas decor, the crowds are skating at Rockefeller Center or the Wollman Rink at Central Park.  People are smiling, children are wishing for...

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5 Things I'm Loving Right Now (5 Thanksgiving Pies) - The Other 3 Pies

I was going to write individual posts for these pies, but I couldn't get good photos of the pumpkin and chocolate guinness pies. I'm not sure what happened, but when I cut into them, they just did not set up overnight.  The plating yesterday ended up going something like this:  cut one side, cut the other side, stick the pie knife under...

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5 Things I'm Loving Right Now (5 Thanksgiving Pies) - A+ Apple Pie

Who doesn't like apple pie?  There are so many ways to prepare an apple pie, and for Thanksgiving this year, I decided to forgo the normal double-crust pie for the buttery, nutty, sugary deliciousness of a crumble top.  This is a recipe given to me by my mom in book she made of her favorite recipes and dishes/baked goods that I grew up...

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5 Things I'm Loving Right Now (5 Thanksgiving Pies) - Pecan Pie

I've never made a pecan pie before because I'm not one who gravitates toward the taste of pecan, but it was a requested favorite of my friends coming to Thanksgiving dinner, so I thought I'd give it a try. The recipe I selected was from Martha Stewart.  I was surprised at how easy and quick this pie turned out! Here are the directions from...

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Reducing the Reading Pile

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. But...

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Formula 1 Inaugural United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas

I have been a fan of car racing since a friend took me to my first race when I was 18 years old.  And if you've read some prior posts, you'll know that not only do I like watching races, but I like to drive the cars as well, having already taken some laps in both a NASCAR and an Indy Car and having learned some off-road skills at rally car school....

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More Yummy Cookies

I tried out three new cookie recipes this month that I think you should check out!  Just click on the cookie name below the photo to get to the original recipe website.  Enjoy! Chocolate Chip Biskoff Cookies If you have not tried the delicious biscoff spread, you don't know what you're missing!  Think of it as spreadable gingerbread...

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Baby Shower for a Little Girl

Last summer, I threw a baby shower for a little boy with a space/alien theme.  Now, with the opportunity to throw one for a little girl, I got to go all out in the girliness department - butterflies and flowers all the way. First project was preparing the decor.  I had seen some giant tissue paper flowers on Pinterest a few weeks...

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