Welcome friend! & Liebster Awards!

Last month we welcomed my lovely friend Danielle at The Bear Necessities to the blogging world!  Danielle is one of my dear college friends.  She lived in Chris' dorm freshman year and that's how we met.  I had the honor of being a bridesmaid in Danielle's wedding last July!

Miami girlfriends!

Danielle and her husband, aren't they the cutest?!

She's one of those friends that shares my mindset (we OBSESS over details) and likes to drink wine so we get along well (this shouldn't be surprising that my likeness of friends depends on their drinking preferences but I suppose such discernment started early in preschool when I picked friends based on their hairbow collection).

Enjoying the wineries in Geneva for her Bachelorette!

Anyways, Danielle being the savy new blogger and sweet friend she is nominated me for a Liebster Award (insert, "a WHAT award?" here).  Yes I didn't know what it was either until I read Danielle's blog.  This award is for bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.  Here are the rules surrounding this blogging award:
1. Say "thanks!" to the nominator on your blog and give them a gracious link back.
2. Answer 11 questions from the nominator.
3. List 11 random facts about yourself.
4. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 11 other bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers, or who you think deserve to be noticed.  Don't forget to leave a comment on their blog so they know about it!
5. Copy and paste the blog award onto your blog, show it off!

So step 1.:
BIG thanks to Danielle at The Bear Necessities! Love you homegirl!

Questions for me:
1. What inspired you to start blogging? The support of my awesome friends and the example of my Great Aunt Chookie!  Aunt Chook has her own blog updating the family on what's happening with her clan.  My friends enjoy my cocktails now and again and kept telling me to find a way to share them, ta-da enter WWSV!
2. What is the worst thing you have attempted to make for a blog post (craft, recipe, etc.)? Hmm this is tricky, probably crockpot bourbon baked beans, I just didn't like them, hence why I have yet to post them.
3. If you could go anywhere in the world, money is not an object, where would you go? ITALY! And maybe some other places in Europe but definitely back to Italy.
4. What is the stupidest thing you have ever done/said? Hmmm this is also tricky, there's such a plethora of things to choose from.  Most recently, (Danielle was there for this one) I was meeting a party hostess at a bridal shower and I totally blanked on my OWN name.  I mean I've only had the moniker for 25 years, it's so easy to forget!
5. What is your dream job? Food writer/critic
6. How do you decide what you will blog about? It's really based on what I have going on at the time.  If I'm trying a lot of new restaurants I blog about that, if I'm trying new recipes or making new cocktails I share those.
7. What is your goal for your blog? Hopefully people try my recipes or restaurants that I post about.  I'd love to gain more visibility in the Columbus food scene as a blogger. 
8. What is your current profession? Marketing professional for an IT consulting firm.
9. What advice would you give to new/er bloggers? Commit to what you can.  If its one post a week or one a month do what you can, it should be a fun outlet not feel like an obligation!
10. What are your favorite blogs to follow? 
The Bear Necessities (like, DUH! Danielle is my homie!)
In the Pink - my Miami freshman year roommate's blog
Here's Another Sunday - My great aunt's blog
How Sweet It Is 
11. What is your favorite pair of shoes? This is another tricky question!  Given my blog's title its kind of obvious I love shoes so narrowing it down is tough.  I guess I'll share my "shoes I'm loving right now" and "shoes I'll always love" (hey, nothing like dodging the question!).  Shoes I'm loving right now: flip flops, specifically my Rainbows.  Shoes I'll always love: a great loafer or classic pump.

11 Random Facts:
1. I don't like odd numbers (with the exception of my birthday, the 9th).
2. Although I work in marketing, my degree is in Sociology (I paired it with a Marketing minor though).
3. I am a TV junkie, especially reality TV.  Latest guilty pleasure: What Would Ryan Lochte Do?
4. I was a gymnast and cheerleader in my high school days.
5. The thing that makes my skin crawl is when people breathe on me.  (This sounds really weird, but best explanation of it is when I'm at the computer and someone stands behind me breathing down my neck.)
6. I have to apply chapstick to my lips before bed or else I can't sleep.
7. My first car was a GMC Yukon, that I shared with my mom.
8. I get the Dictionary.com Word of the Day everyday and have been signed up for it since high school (it helped me study for the SAT vocab test).
9. I have had dinner with Tasha Schwikert, member of the 2000 Olympics USA Women's Gymnastics Team who later competed for UCLA (big thanks to my teammate's parents, the Turners, for setting that one up!).
10. I have been to both Alaska and Hawaii.
11. My big pet peeve is when people don't respond to text messages or emails.

Questions for my nominees:
1. What do you think is most unique about your blog?
2. What is your go to "interesting fact" about you that you use for icebreaker games?
3. Who is the most influential person in your life?
4. Why did you start blogging?
5. What is your favorite warm weather activity?
6. What is your guilty pleasure?
7. Name your favorite comfort food.
8. What is one of your life goals/bucket list items?
9. Who would you most like to meet someday?
10. What is one of your favorite holiday traditions?
11. What is your cocktail of choice?

Nominees (drumroll pleaseeee!):
Most of the blogs I follow have more than 200 followers so this award isn't totally applicable.  But I'll throw out a nomination to a fellow Miami girl: Katie at In the Pink!  Her latest "Uniforms" post spoke straight to my preppy heart!

Happy Thursday!  I've gotten so behind this week I promise to post those bacon recipes soon!

Cheers!
Steph