Feeling Famous in the Hall of Fame

With the holiday break right around the corner, most of us are planning out what we can do when our loved ones come to visit us. Sure, there's the inevitable shopping trips and family meals, but what do you do when the food is all cleaned up, and the Big Game isn't on TV yet? 

Last weekend, my cousin came into town for the annual Georgia Tech-Clemson bout, and I was faced with the same question and wanted to make sure she had a great time on her visit. Luckily, I had earmarked a page from the paper from months ago, about the new College Football Hall of Fame, so we were set with a fun place to go!

Located in downtown Atlanta right by Phillips and the Dome, the College Football Hall of Fame relocated from South Bend and our beloved Fighting Irish back in August, and the new location just couldn't be cooler. It's an entirely interactive experience, anchored around the "all access" badge you receive when you walk in. Pick your team, and go explore! 

The entrance hall is pretty awesome alone. The helmets on the walls light up with a blue light as you pick your team. I picked Georgia Tech, Brad picked Auburn, and Erin picked Clemson. Then, as you walk through the museum, the badge is automatically picked up by the displays, and you get served up custom college content. Here's Brad checking out the interactive screen of Auburn videos and photos: 

And then right down the way on the same big screen, a section lit up to show me some Georgia Tech content. My favorite was watching the Ramblin' Wreck enter the stadium with the team :)

This museum is super-connected. If you participate in any of the interactive demos, the video and photos are tracked on your badge, and everything gets sent to your email address when you leave. So, in case you are wondering, YES, you can re-live that moment when you accidentally signed up for Fight Song Karaoke in front of the entire. freaking. room. of. people. and then had to sing and clap. Yep.

Goodness. Gracious. But if I can do it, so can you. #GoJackets #noshame #sorryimnotsorry What team would you sing a fight song for aloud, no questions asked? :)

In addition to the interactive content, there is just SO much to read and explore on your own in over two floors of museum displays. History, legends and traditions in college towns across the nation. Spotting your favorite college throughout is pretty easy, since most big NCAA schools seemed to be represented.



One last BB tip: GO SEE THE MOVIE. It is, in one word, AMAZING. I got chills and nearly teared up. If you are a sports fan, you are going to love it.

Happy Holidays, all, enjoy your Thanksgiving! And, Go Jackets, and War Eagle! 

Disclosure: I didn't receive any compensation from the CFB Hall of Fame for this post. We just had an amazing time, and I wanted to share this with you all!

Blurs

Seriously. Where does time go sometimes?

It's been a blur of a few past days. Wedding tastings (oh my oh my, so amazing). Unplugged date days (mini golf is an overlooked art). Last marriage prep session. Wedding checklists. Cleaning and organizing the condo mixed with lots of sleep and me-time, too. 

Seriously. I am pretty sure there was a weekend in there somewhere :)

Valentine's Day is only two days away, though, so some smiles are sure to come with all that it includes. Whether you are a single or a couple, we can all agree, hearts and chocolates make everything pretty great!

What are your plans for Valentine's Day? 

Source: letsdishrecipes.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Hello to 2013!

Happy New Year!

I hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season with your family and friends. We are fresh back from the snowy lands of New Jersey where we spent a whirlwind few days with both my mom and dad’s families. We had our yearly reunion at Grandma’s, complete with all aunts and uncles, cousins, great-grandkids and significant others. What fun! I can't wait to see how that group photo turned out with all 20+ of us :)

We also managed to squeeze in a little afternoon in NYC for some falafel and strolling. Taim, you never cease to amaze me. If you are a falafel fan, don’t miss this one next time you are in town.

Hanging in the city, Christmas 2012

What a shock to me, then, given our family's busy schedules, that somehow the ladies planned a surprise bridal shower for me right in the midst of it all! My lovely aunts hosted a ladies luncheon on the 29th at a local historic inn in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ. To say they “got me” would be an understatement; I was shaking from the moment I realized what was going on and for nearly thirty minutes after!!

Me with my cousins Katie and Erin at my
Graduation in 2007. Love these gals and am so
excited to have them as bridesmaids!!

I will share a few photos of the party as soon as my cousin-slash-bridesmaid-slash-awesome-photographer (thanks Katie!) sends them our way. Many, many thanks and love to my aunts, my cousins (who are also my bridesmaids and flower girl!) and the other wonderful women that joined in the fun, including my grandmother and mom who both kept the secret from me all along. I am so, so, so blessed. 

XOXO to my groom who also made a surprise appearance at the end of the party :) I think I will keep him around, ha!

So here we are, back in A-town and getting back into the swing of things, and what a year we have ahead! Our wedding and honeymoon, weddings of loved ones and friends, graduations, and even some babies – my BFF and matron of honor is pregnant!! How exciting!!

I could not be more excited for 2013, and hope that your year is filled with love and happiness, too. See you around town as we kick off another great year!

Holiday Ideas for the Masses

At some point during every holiday season, it's inevitable that you are stumped on what to give to a group of people. A child's multiple school teachers, the staff at the doggie day care, neighbors on your block or coworkers. For me, it's always our building staff. We live in an amazing high rise that is what it is because of the people who staff it. The team does so many things for us throughout the year, and while I wish that I could financially thank each and every person on the team, from the multiple doormen to the concierge personnel, we aren't at that point in our lives to be able to do that. That doesn't mean we can't give back, though, and show a little holiday love.

For the past few years, we have put together a big gift basket for the staff to enjoy, no matter what hour or shift they might be on duty. Store-bought pretzels, popcorn, crackers and chips rounded out a basket of homemade sweets, packaged all up with a pretty bow on top. We heard from the team multiple times how much they always enjoy the snacks (especially the overnight guys!).

This year, I was pulling together group gift ideas for both the building and my new team at work, and decided that in lieu of the snack attack, I would make a big meal for everyone in both groups to enjoy. I chose a casserole favorite of mine that I first posted about here way back in '09. Since then, I have tweaked the recipe and have learned that it is a super easy recipe to double, triple or more. The team at work could have theirs with an easy Mexi-salad, while we delivered the other one to the condo staff with a few bags of tortilla chips and salsa. Whether they snack on it for brunch, lunch, dinner or "fourth meal," I hope that they enjoy it :)

Here is my amended recipe. After making it again for this holiday round, I have amended it one last time, adding in some additional enchilada sauce to the top to help keep things moist -- this is especially clutch if you are making the recipe in bulk, since each dish will need to be reheated.

I think and hope that you will agree, this is a great weeknight comfort (light!) food that doesn't take long to make! Nom Nom Nom and Ho Ho Ho!!

Chicken Tamale Casserole
Amended from Cooking Light, November 2008

• 1 1/2 cups shredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided 
• 1/3 cup skim milk 
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn 
• 1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
• Cooking spray
• 2 (10-ounce) cans red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso), your choice of spice level (Medium is great)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast 
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 
• Taco sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine 1/2 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until set.

Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour one can of enchilada sauce over top. Mix chicken with second can of sauce, and pour mixture over cornbread layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream and taco sauce, if desired.

Tips from Katherine: If making in large scale, it's easiest to shred the chicken in a food processor. Also, if you are making this to take over for a new mom, you may want to drop down the spice factor by reducing the chiles and red pepper and choosing Mild flavor sauce. Or do what I did and accidentally make it with Medium sauce, and cause slight nursing trauma for that mom's new baby. Whoops ;)

Holiday Check-In

As always, the holiday season is a blur. I thought I'd pop over and share some of the (many) things running through my head these days.

Source: froufroufashionista.tumblr.com via Domestically on Pinterest

* My wedding dress has come in. Talk about a wake-up call that things are getting close! Like any girl, I want to make sure I look good in that dress on the big day. I decided that while my workouts might need to scale back since I haven't quite figured out how to balance them with my new job/schedule, I could at least focus on the food/drink part for now. I started Weight Watchers again in full last Monday, and lost two pounds the first week. If I can keep this up for a few weeks, and add in some serious workouts once January hits (I'm just being realistic here!), I should be just fine in that dress ;)

* I really love holiday parties with my girlfriends :) Last night's cookie exchange was a huge success, as always. Thanks to all of my lovely friends who joined in the fun!

Source: yummymummykitchen.com via Katherine on Pinterest

* Holiday parties + Weight Watchers is a really hard balance. I am determined to pace myself and still enjoy the season. One splurge does not equal a fail. Lots of splurges do, though. I am holding tight and trying to keep any splurge days to one day/week, and stick strictly to WW the other days. This should help get me through the season without feeling deprived of those wonderful holiday cookies, foods and beverages.

* I am about to turn 29. What a lame number is that?! Ugh.

* Holiday shopping ... is almost done. I have a few presents left to pick out this weekend, but I have an idea for all of them, at least. How is your shopping coming along?

* It's so refreshing to be happy every day. Waking up with motivation is an awesome thing!

Source: stellaresque42.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

* Lots of wedding planning questions from friends recently. Here's a two sentence run-down: we just got the invitations in (!), we have ordered the guys' suits and have some favor prep underway. Next up: booking shuttles for the guests, finalizing rehearsal dinner details and selecting our menu. Hooray!

Even though this season is notoriously crazy, I remind myself every day to stop and look around. I love spending a few minutes each day gazing at our pretty tree, singing along with a holiday song on the radio and reading the holiday cards from our friends. That's what matters after all!

Enjoy your next 12 days of Christmas!! 

Holiday Gift Idea: Jolly Nuts

When you have family and friends spread out across the country, it's easy to get stuck on what you can buy and send their way to really show you are thinking about them during the busy holiday season. And even harder, what about that boss or special client? Those are even harder gifts to buy.

Last week I received a wonderful box in the mail from the Jolly Nut Company, a family-based company out of Fort Valley, Georgia. Jolly Nut has combined the perfection of buying local and sending national with their selection of treats. 

You know those words that are pronounced differently in different parts of the country? Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to? Ant vs. ahhhnt? I usually don't realize how I say these words, but sure enough, I noticed the other day that despite my Jersey blood, I say "pecan" like "puh-cahn." My Georgia friends will love knowing this :)

Either way you say it, roasted nuts make the perfect gift idea for that special aunt or corporate client. Jolly Nut was founded in 1924 and grows their own pecans down on their farmlands. They sent me a sampling of some of their most popular nuts to try out myself:

* Roasted and salted pecans
* Chocolate halves
* Sugar n' spice pecans
* Praline pecans
* Peach pecans
* Sweet and salty pecans

I thought I would be all in control and, you know, open one of the bags at a time to sample. Nope. I was a little ridiculous and opened each bag and tried a few of each right there on the spot. So good! My favorite three were the chocolate halves (my chocolate-loving Grandma would love these), the sweet and salty pecans (tasted like a sugar and spice pretzel from the mall!) and what they said was their most popular product, the roasted and salted pecans. That variety in particular made an excellent post-game treat for us after watching the conference playoff games last weekend, and would be great for any sports lover in your life. The roasted and salty flavors were addicting!

Jolly Nut Co. Bountiful Baskets

Are you interested in Jolly Nuts for your holiday shopping? Head to their website and check out their full selection. They offer a variety of gift baskets and tins as well as huge party packs of their basic pecans that you could have on hand for parties or baking.

Thanks, Jolly Nut, for sharing the goodness! They were all wonderful!

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for this post, but all opinions are my own.

Target and Neiman Marcus

I just scoped out the upcoming Target + Neiman Marcus collection that debuts Saturday in both brand's stores and online. The much-buzzed about holiday collaboration features over 50 limited-edition products from top American designers that range in price from $7.99 to $499.99.

Have you taken a look at the line-up yet? You can find the full round-up here, and below are a few of my favorites. That dress, in paticular, is to-die, and how great would that bar set be for the bachelor in your life?

Like the Missoni and Jason Wu special Target lines of past, expect these items to sell out FAST! Happy Shopping!!

Lela Rose for Target + Neiman Marcus, $99

Altuzarra for Target + Neiman Marcus, Shaker, Glasses and Tray set, $49.99

Prabal Gurung for Target + Neiman Marcus, $79.99

Robert Rodriguez for Target + Neiman Marcus, $79.99

Flying Through the Air

I just turned on the TV to get a little down time this evening, and what is on but Wall-E, one of my favorite recent Disney/Pixar flicks. I simply adore how Wall-E introduces himself to all of the other robots and slowly "wakes up" the humans on the ship. When he and Eve fly through space, it is like magic, and it makes me so happy :)

This coming weekend, I will get to witness some flying similar to Wall-E's in person, because I am getting to attend my first ever Cirque du Soleil show here in Atlanta!! 

The dress rehearsal for Cirque du Soleil's TOTEM at Atlantic Station, 2012.
Credit: Pouya Dianat/Allied Integrated Marketing/Cirque du Soleil

Here's a little bit about the show, TOTEM:

TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.

Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species. Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

Fun! I have heard that the Cirque du Soleil shows are always a creative experience, and it sounds like this one will be no exception. This show world-premiered in Montreal in 2010, and has been traveling the world ever since. This TOTEM “hybrid show” is the first Cirque du Soleil Big Top show to be created in such a way that it can be adapted to the reality of arenas and other venues from the very outset.

Anyone driving by Atlantic Station when Cirque du Soleil is in town can't help but notice the show site off to the right of the stores. Their mobile village includes the distinguishable blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau (or Big Top, which can seat 2,600!), an artistic tent, box office, kitchen, school, offices, warehouses and more. Completely self-sufficient for electrical power, the site relies only on a local water supply and telecommunication facilities to support its infrastructure.

The dress rehearsal for Cirque du Soleil's TOTEM at Atlantic Station, 2012.
Credit: Pouya Dianat/Allied Integrated Marketing/Cirque du Soleil

Every time Cirque du Soleil has come to Atlanta in the past, I seem to miss it. One thing leads to another, time flies past and their big yellow and blue tents at Atlantic Station come down before I know it. This year, that isn't going to happen! We are having a special date night out on Friday before the busy holiday season begins and I can barely wait.

You, too, can check out the show this year, which will be in town until Sunday, December 30, 2012. What's more, due to popular demand, six performances have been added to the Atlanta engagement; 8 pm performances on December 19, 20, 26 and 27 as well as 4 pm performances on December 21 and 28.

I will be back next week with a bit more about the show, including what we learn on a behind the scenes tour! In the meantime, grab up tickets, if you haven't already, and I will see you under the Big Top!

About Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents. Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.

Disclaimer: I have been provided a pair of press tickets for this weekend's show, however, all opinions are my own. 

Positive Vibes (and a huge sale)

Hello, all!

I hope you had a marvelous week and Thanksgiving holiday! I was beyond ready for this break and have spent a few nights unplugged up in the big R with my family. We have laughed a lot, eaten a lot and slept a lot, too. We also may have done some worthy Black Friday shopping online! Keep reading for a sneak peek at what I picked up :)

As another Thanksgiving came and went, I realized there was a lot that I am thankful for. Big things and small things ... realizing and remembering these things makes every day life that much better :)

* Family members that are safe and sound and with power up north ... It was so hard to hear that their homes were pitch black and cold for days on end, but the most important thing is that everyone is alright after the hurricane whipped through earlier this month!

* Chilly, lazy weekend days spent outdoors ... As the last fall hues fall from the trees and the cold air moves in to stay, I have loved spending time outside, just looking UP at the clear, blue skies!

* New prospects on the horizon ... I am really excited!! I am starting a new job on Monday and am just so thrilled. I will be joining a full-service marketing agency, and it's pretty much the best early Christmas present EVER! Hit me up offline if you want to hear more :)

* Chais, cozy loungewear, manicures and pedicures ... These are pretty much on my "favorites" list all the time, what can I say? 

* Football games ending in things other than a L ... Thankfully, after a rough season, both Auburn and Georgia Tech have managed to pull a few more W's out of the hat. Here's hoping for at least not a depressing blow-out against both teams today for their in-state rivalry games (gah).

Image Source: summersnowart.com via Merideth on Pinterest

Now ... for some serious shopping!

I don't know if you are in need of an area rug for your home, but if you are, you MUST head to RugsUSA.com right now! They have been running a Black Friday sale all week long, with a majority of their rugs featured at 75% off regular price and free shipping. Amazingness. In the rug industry, free shipping is super clutch because that can really add up. I ordered this beauty off there earlier this week, and can't wait for it to come in.

I think it is going to look perfect in the living room, adding just the pop of color that I have been looking for. Let me know if you find anything that fits your decor needs!

I hope you have a wonderful end to your Thanksgiving holiday weekend!

 

Gift Ideas for the Gifting Challenged

Are you starting your holiday shopping early this year? I just had a twinge of anxiety once I realized I have only gotten two out of the ten+ gifts for the celebrations ahead. Yikes! Looks like my Thanksgiving weekend might be filled with a good deal of e-shopping (forget Black Friday, I prefer online ;) ).

Image Credit: RedEnvelope.com

It's always hard to shop for friends and family members that seem to have everything. What do you get for your BFF that just got married and received gifts all year from that, anyways? And mothers-in-law and bosses at work are a whole other category. I consider myself an expert gifter-in-training (I learned from the best - my mom is genius at this stuff) but even I get stumped sometimes for these types of people.

For those times when you get stuck on what to buy for that special someone, I would recommend two online sites, even if just as a thought-starter. The first is Red Envelope. They are stocked full of gift ideas for anyone in your life. Last year, we got a great bottle opener station personalized for Brad's dad from there. He loved it! All the guys use it when they visit his home and the caps drop right into the container below. Brad and his dad brew beer together, so this was the perfect addition to their brewing set-up. I highly recommend this gift for the brewer or beer-lover in your life. Plus, the opener is attractive and would look great with most decor in most homes (or in the garage by the beer fridge!).

And many, many thanks to Lauren for this find earlier this week! The people behind Williams-Sonoma have recently launched Mark and Graham, a gifting site that features "the artful mingling of typography and design." Monogram lovers? This online store is for you! Here's a quick preview of what the store is all about:



After a quick browse, I am already lusting over the hammered coasters, the vintage pool bar stopper, and the linen satin stitch cocktail napkins.

Image Credit: Mark and Graham

Adorable! I can't wait to dive into this site a bit more as soon as I figure out who is left on my list ;)

Happy (early) shopping!!

Dressy Casual

With the holiday season right around the corner, I thought we might take a bit and talk dress codes for those shin-digs that will soon be filling up your social calendars. For most of us, there will be some sort of holiday party at work, and then, if you are on Santa's Nice List, also some sort of social gathering with friends. Whether it's a cookie or ornament exchange, a Secret Santa/White Elephant party (my least favorite one, ugh) or a holiday dinner, a girl's gotta look her best while still giving off that holiday cheer vibe! 

Source: stylemepretty.com via Rachel on Pinterest

Last year, I selected some work-appropriate holiday party attire to share with you, but today, I want to focus instead around the whole "dressy casual" phrase. What can that phrase really mean for a real girl with a real budget and a (maybe a little boring, last-season) real wardrobe to choose from? 

First, when I hear the phrase "dressy casual," I immediately think of the age-old classic of dark jeans and a sparkly top. Seriously, it might be the safest go-to that anyone can choose, and you likely already own at least half of the outfit! When paired with a pair of heels, you can go from work during the day directly to the party at night with this look.

I love this sparkly tank option from the Simply Vera line at Kohl's. It's a steal at only $33, and would look fantastic with your favorite pair of dark rinse skinny jeans. Add some blingy earrings and a chunky black bracelet to complete the look.

And look, they even have a holiday ruby-colored version, too! I love that the belt on both of these adds emphasis to your middle, but the flowy structure keeps things safe just in case you eat one too many cookies at the swap :)

I also love the combination of unexpected textures and materials to step things up for a dressy casual event. This combo of chambray plus glitz equals a South Beach holiday party gold mine, if you ask me. Just swap out that lavender scarf for a black one and add some black heels, and you are set for the evening.

Source: wendyslookbook.com via Megan on Pinterest

In the same vein, a basic gray tee can be glammed up with the addition of a sparkly skirt:

Source: glamorouschiclife.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

I also LOVE this look of a chunky cableknit worn over some sparkle on the bottom! This just screams "winter lodge semiformal" to me, ha!

Source: capecodcollegiate.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

No sparkly clothes in your closet? I also love stepping up an otherwise pretty casual outfit for a dressier holiday event by adding in some special accessories. An oversized clutch with some shine can do the trick ...

Source: hautemamasfaves.tumblr.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Source: brunchatsaks.blogspot.com via Anne on Pinterest

Or some blingy, oversized costume (or real!) jewelry, of course. Add these to an all-black outfit and your "dressy casual" look for the night is complete.

Source: ssasychic.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Source: instyle.com via Loloma on Pinterest

I hope this helps you look at your own wardrobe with some renewed interest this holiday season! I'd love to feature your dressy casual "looks" as you create them, so snap a shot and send it my way -- I might just feature you right here on the blog! :)

An Atlanta Tradition

As every good Atlantan does, I have some local traditions. Fridays spent at Sweetwater Brewing Company kick any weekend off right. I know to walk, not drive, around the Lenox Mall area at the holidays due to the insane traffic that piles up. Fall mornings mean we are boarding the trains with our yellow and gold on for Game Day. I like to hit up Waffle House the morning after a late night out.

Source: Uploaded by user via Pardot on Pinterest

My favorite tradition, however, is the Peachtree Road Race. This race, run every year on the morning of July 4th, is something that my family has been participating in together for years and years. My mom and dad were early instigators, suggesting one year that rather than sleeping in that morning, we should get up with 50,000+ other locals and head down to Lenox Mall for the start line of this famed, world's largest 10K road race. All these years later, and I think this year will be my sixth (seventh?) race!

Since I am not a "real" runner, I usually get randomly seeded for the race, meaning that my start group has changed almost every year. I always say to myself, oh, I should run some local 5K ahead of time and submit my time for a better number next year. But I never do. And you know what? It doesn't really matter :) As long as I am not in the last group (which is filled with almost all walkers), all of the groups in the middle are pretty much the same.

Note: I had some finish-line photos of me from past races I wanted to share here with you all, but they were all the proof versions - none that were good enough to buy ;) So after second thoughts, I decided to take them out of the post since I didn't have the rights to share them. 

Just imagine a shot of me running here. I look dorky and not coordinated :)

The race has covered almost the exact same course through Buckhead into Midtown Atlanta since 1970. It starts now right in front of Lenox Mall, and ends on 10th Street by Charles Allen. It covers 6.2 miles of hilly, windy terrain, going through some of the prettiest parts of Buckhead. At the end lies the coveted Peachtree Road Race t-shirt, the design for which is kept a surprise until the first runners pick up their bags!

Besides running, which is always a challenge but a super fun one at that, my favorite PTRR tradition is the after-party. Our group of family and friends have been holding down the corner where the race turns from Peachtree onto 10th Street for many, many years. As you run past, you are guaranteed a great hollering from those of the group holding down the fan-side, and when you are done, you walk back up to join in the race watching. Since the Peachtree lasts for a few hours (60,000+ people are running it tomorrow!), there is usually at least an hour or two left of people to pass by and watch.

The very, very best part about our tailgate? This:

Source: ezrapoundcake.com via Sara on Pinterest

The bloody mary(s) waiting for me as I walk up to our tailgating group! A bloody mary, in my opinion, is the best post-race drink EVER! In one glass, you get some replenishing nutrients AND a slight "whoa" feeling :)

Are you running the PTRR tomorrow? And out-of-towners, have you ever considered making the trip in for this momentous event? It's a popular destination for the Fourth and I urge you to mark your calendars for the 2013 race!!

Hop, Hop Hop

I can't believe Easter is right around the corner.

The trees were in full bloom at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens this week!

This time of year always seems to fly by for me. I am typically on the workout wagon starting around the New Year, for better or for worse, since bikini season is right around the corner. As a result, I am usually steering clear of the sweets for as long as possible right about now - that two-piece fitting just right means too much to carelessly binge on too many bon-bons!

Come Easter Sunday, though, you better watch out - there is a box of Tagalongs with my name on it (truth: they taste even better when you have waited weeks to open the box!) and many, many dark chocolate bunnies to eat, too :)

Source: google.com.au via Kim on Pinterest

Ever since I can remember, our family gathers around a big feast for Brunch on Easter Sunday. We put aside the Easter dresses and bonnets (I only wish bonnets were still in style for a grown gal ... though I noticed last year that the Buckhead "Ladies Who Lunch" definitely wear big hats to Mass on this special day!) in exchange for cozier warm weather clothing.

Source: pauladeen.com via Käären on Pinterest

We sip cooled beverages (hello, Mimosas!) and enjoy deviled eggs, sliced ham, pineapple and cheese casserole, salads and almost too much more to list out. Usually, if we don't fall asleep napping first, we can also then enjoy a lazy afternoon walk to give our full tummies a break. Forget Thanksgiving - I think I might prefer the casserole heaven of Easter Brunch!

While family is at the core of Easter for me, food is a close second as you might be able to tell, and cooking together with family is no exception. A few years ago, I offered to bake the big dessert (where did we find room for it after that meal?!) on Easter morning, and picked out a cake worthy of the day. I got to splurge my own sweet tooth while also indulging the side of me who loves to bake for others, a side that often gets squelched with said bikini-goal-mindsets. This cake, though, was full of healthy bananas, fresh raspberries and a bright lemon flavor that combined together in a decadent-yet-"light" confection.

I look forward to making this cake again one Easter morning soon to come, and hope that you, too, can enjoy this and your own Easter traditions coming up! Happy Easter Season, everyone!

Source: myrecipes.com via Katherine on Pinterest

Banana-Raspberry Cake with Lemon Frosting
Via Cooking Light 

Cake:

• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, chilled
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 350°. To prepare the cake, coat 2 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust each pan with 1 1/2 teaspoons flour.

Place granulated sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 1 3/4 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, banana, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (mix after each addition just until blended).

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake cake at 350° for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Peel off wax paper. Cool layers completely on wire rack.

To prepare frosting, combine cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, rind, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and dash of salt in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat at low speed just until blended (do not overbeat).

Place 1 cake layer on a plate, and spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Arrange raspberries in a single layer over frosting, and top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Celebrate with Hershey's Bunny Trail. In exchange for sharing my own Easter memories and tips, I received a (glorious) custom-made Easter basket from Hershey's, stuffed full of my favorite Hershey's products! Thank you Hershey's for making this Easter that much more fun!