W.W.E.D.? - What Would Ellen Do?

In the past couple months I've become a fan of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.  (That sounds like I'm behind the times, she's been doing the show since 2003 but I haven't had the chance to really watch it regularly till now, so call me a late bloomer I guess!)  She and her guests are usually good for a decent giggle plus her desire to empower people and share the benefits of her success is just inspiring!  It makes for some feel good TV! 

As previously admitted, I never paid a whole lot of attention to the content of her show until one day I had it on in the background and I heard her closing remark "Be kind to one another" which just struck a chord with me.  How often (especially during the holiday season) do we forget to be kind?

So with Ellen's daily encouragement in mind, I decided to take a little time out of my hectic holiday prep to spread some holiday cheer.  Granted I couldn't really go giving away thousands of dollars worth of merch and gifts BUT I'd like to think I brightened someone's day and showed my appreciation for them in a manageable way.  

I think it's safe to say our postal workers and package delivery folks are the unsung heroes of the holidays.  They work long hours in the less than pleasant weather (at least here in the Midwest) to make sure all our gifts and goodies arrive in time.  So as a thank you to our dear mail carrier I left him a little note and a Starbucks gift card (note: USPS does not allow carriers to accept cash tips but gift cards under $20 are okay) to fuel his longer shifts in the cold.

There's all kinds of other ideas and people in your life that I bet make your life pre-holidays easier so take a minute and show them you appreciate it!

I'm going to do my best to get more posts up before the holidays!

Cheers! And "Be kind to one another"!
Steph  

ALOHA Supplement Trial

And we're back at it!  How was everyone's Turkey Day?!  Chris and I had a fabulous long weekend with family and friends, proof that our blessings in life are truly in abundance.  Thanksgiving is pretty much my favorite holiday, an excuse to eat excessive amounts of mashed potatoes and gravy is ALWAYS my idea of a good time.  Plus my wonderful Momma got to celebrate her birthday with us at the Ohio State v. Michigan game!  We started our tailgating at 7am (noon games make tailgating schedules rough!) and had such a blast!

Rushing the field after a Buckeye WIN!!

But with such gluttony comes necessary checks and balances so I thought I'd give a new health product a try and share it with you.  It's called ALOHA which offers powered supplements as well as nutrient capsule packages that are vegan, non-GMO, gluten free, soy free, etc.

I think I found this floating around on Facebook and saw they offered a free trial, all you have to do is pay shipping, which I thought was pretty cool!  They have a couple different options to mix and match with your trial.  I decided on Daily Good Greens: whole food powders and The Foundation: 5 capsule nutrient packs.

The trial came with three flavors of Daily Good Greens: chocolate, berry and original and three capsule packs.

I tried the Daily Good Greens three different ways: in my breakfast smoothie, in a glass of coconut milk and in a glass of just water.  My breakfast smoothie typically has water, flax seed, raspberries, banana, spinach, peanut butter and lemon juice so I added the Original powder to the mix as well.  It was good, you could definitely taste a little more "green" taste but it didn't make it terrible or anything.

The capsule packs contain 5 capsules: 2 Be Brilliant capsules that promote brain cell growth, glowing skin and better sleep quality, 2 Be Young & Strong capsules that sharpens cognition, strengthens bones and defends cells and 1 Be Protected capsule that soothes everyday inflammation, relieves stress, detoxifies and boosts the immune system.  (For the full vitamin breakdown, click here.)  Each pack came with these cute little notes with inspiring quotes on one side then nutrition facts on the other which was a nice surprise! 

I mixed the Daily Good Greens: Chocolate in a glass of coconut milk.  It didn't dissolve very well which made it pretty grainy/chalky tasting, it still tasted a little earthy but nothing too bad. The worst part was the texture.

I mixed the last packet of Daily Good Greens: Berry in a glass of water, it wasn't entirely desirable tasting but it dissolved easier than it did in the milk. 

Overall it was fun to try and it helped kind of kickstart some better eating before the holidays.  I cancelled the membership before they could charge for or send me the next month's package, which you have to do if you sign up for the trial but they send reminders before your trial is up.  I really didn't care for the Daily Good Greens much but I did like The Foundation capsule packs.  I would consider getting those to help boost my immune system through these winter months, etc.  Plus the little notes in each pack were a good mood booster for each day! 

Hope you all have a great Cyber Week and nab some good deals!  Next up I have some shoes, LFMs and a new recipe to share!

Cheers!
Steph

Jalapeño Hush Puppies

Well greetings from SNOWY Ohio friends!  Columbus has finally joined the rest of the Midwest region and is covered in a blanket of winter wonderland.  Thankfully my current schedule allowed me to stay in my jammies at home while the rest of the city faced the elements on Monday which was an excellent way to enjoy the first snow, making me much less bitter and angsty!  Anyways lets talk food instead, but first...I want to send a birthday shoutout to my dear Great Aunt Chookie who blogs over on Here's Another Sunday!  Hope you have a day just as special as you! 

Ok NOW we can talk food.

A couple weeks ago Chris had a homebrew beer tasting with co-workers and needed to bring a snack to share.  Of course I thought since it was a mostly male audience I couldn't go wrong with bacon or meat or some combination of bacon and meat.  Then he tells me no dice, the majority are vegetarians, whomp whomp, wind completely blown out of my bacon/carnivorous supportive sails (is that even a thing? Yes!).  So I played around with some ideas and we landed on these tasty Jalapeño Hush Puppies.  Even though I've never been this biggest corn bread fan I've been coming around to it and these golden nuggets make it very easy to do so.  

Jalapeño Hush Puppies

Ingredients:

- 1 cup all-purpose Flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 2 large eggs

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 2 jalapeños, finely diced, (seeds and membrane removed)

- 1/2 cup sweet yellow corn (thawed and drained)

- 2ish cups vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions:

-Combine flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture.

-In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Then add jalapeños and corn until well incorporated.

-Pour oil into a cast iron skillet, deep fryer or a deeper pan and heat to 375° (if you don't have a thermometer you may have to do some testers to see if the oil is the right temp.  You want it to sizzle and start to float when the mixture is dropped in but you don't want it to brown too fast or else the outside will be burnt and the inside will be raw.)

-Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into oil, I used a cookie scoop. Fry in batches 3ish minutes on each side or until golden brown.

-Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Fluffy inside flecked with corn and jalapeno, brings fun color to it!

I served these with a side of spicy Sriracha Mayo (about 2 to 3 tablespoons of sriracha mixed with 1/2 cup of mayo, use more or less sriracha depending on spicy preferences).  Chris said they were a hit and went well with the beer(s) they had.

So to flip things on it's side a little, next I'll be posting about my Aloha dietary supplement trial!  Stay tuned!

Cheers!
Steph

Pick of the Patch: Taupe Suede Ankle Boots

So I've come to terms that it is fall in Ohio, the pretty change in foliage has eased the hit to this girl's love of summer.  Fall can be tricky sometimes (especially in Ohio), it can be warm and sunny or cloudy and frigid or in between, it makes it rather hard to pick out proper footwear!  But for those days where it's a little in between its nice to have some ankle boots that cover your feet but don't get super hot like knee high boots.  I found these Sperry Top Sider taupe ankle boots on sale on Rue La La.  As I went to buy them they were out of my size (oh no!) but thankfully Rue La La has this great feature called "Still Want It".  If you still want the item they'll let you know as soon as they get more of that item in your size.  By picking "Still Want It" you have to agree to purchase the item so you fill out your payment info but it will not be charged unless they get the item in stock.  So lucky me they secured my size and sent it over, a happy little shoeprise waiting in my inbox!

These are very comfortable and look great with jeans over top of them or cuffed just above them.  The gold on the sides is a fun accent and adds a little glam. 

This past weekend they had a little fall photo shoot at a pumpkin farm for their blog debut.  My patient and helpful husband agreed to be their photog (thanks hunnie!).  He also put up with my picky pumpkin standards which is no easy task! 

Being outdoorsy for a few minutes

Happy Fall Y'all!  Lots of food to come now that I've been hibernating!

Cheers!
Steph

Local Foodie Moment: The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek

Happy Hump Day friends!  What better way to start it off than with a review of Cameron Mitchell's newest restaurant concept The Barn at Rocky Fork Creek.  But first, a quick Happy Birthday to my husband Chris and best friend Coco as well as Happy Anniversary to my inlaws!  What a coincidence all these people I care about get to be celebrated on the same day!

Ok back to business, three of my gal pals (Kourt, Amy and Heathe) and I spent our evening at The Barn cocktailing, dining and catching up on some much needed girl talk.

Pretty ladies!

CM restaurants are always impeccably thought out and decorated so I couldn't wait to see how they'd make a barn concept work.  To say they made it work would be an understatement, in this case they basically nailed it.  From the time you arrive to the time you leave all of the details and aspects of service transport you to a very chic countryside.

View from the outside

Waiting area

We of course started with cocktails, I got the Barn Lemonade made with gin, fresh lemon and honey.  It was super refreshing and delightful.  My girls mixed it up!  Heathe got one of the Woodford Reserve Barn Whiskies, these are bourbons uniquely blended for The Barn only.  Amy got the Hurricane Punch: two kinds of rum, fresh passion fruit and oregat.  This packs a punch but the passion fruit flavor makes it very fresh, not syrupy.  Kourtney got the Mary Pickford: tequila, fresh pineapple juice and grenadine.  

Cocktails! (Clockwise starting in the left corner: Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Hurricane Punch, Barn Lemonade and Mary Pickford.

Then we decided to split some appetizers.  We ended up with the Spinach Artichoke dip, made with provolone and gruyere cheeses which made it rich and velvety, definitely heightening the flavors.  We also got the Baked Oysters Bingo: baked oysters with creamed spinach, lemon garlic aioli and Parmesan cheese. 

Appetizers: Spanish Artichoke Dip and Baked Oysters Bingo

Now most who know me know I'm not much of a seafood girl especially not an oyster girl!  But I was feeling adventurous and the girls promised me I wouldn't die from it (so kind).  Turns out, I liked it!  Since they were cooked and mixed with enough other cheesey, delicious things there definitely wasn't a fishyness like I expected.  Wooohoo chalk one up for Steph on the new taste sensations list!

The is me surviving the oyster experience, Chris almost didn't believe it!

Next was dinner selections.  Amy and Heathe got The Barn's BBQ Ribs which is actually an appetizer but it comes with a side of fries making it a perfect dinner option.  I snagged a bite of ribs and they were super tender and delicious.

The Barn's BBQ Ribs

Kourt got the Prime Rib served with a baked onion, au jus and horseradish cream and a side of mashed potatoes.  She loved it! 

Prime Rib with baked onion and mashed potatoes

I got the Beef Brisket served over Texas Toast with BBQ sauce and I swapped braised greens for mac and cheese.  Probably should have stuck with the braised greens as the mac and cheese was pretty disappointing, greasy and not very creamy.  As you've seen in previous posts, I like my mac and cheese to be creamy and have plenty of sauce to it, dry or greasy seems to be a crime against the dish in my mind.  BUT the brisket was pretty darn fabulous, so much so I ended up with the delectable house made BBQ sauce in quite a few spots on my white shirt (not exactly the most practical fashion choice but I digress).

Beef Brisket

Mac and Cheese

Overall we were very pleased with our meals.  Our service was pretty impeccable, which I've come to expect of CM restaurants as they set quite an industry standard.  The price point is a little higher than your typical BBQ joint but as most would agree, CM restaurants are not usually "typical" concepts.

Main dining area

The atmosphere was unique, the best way I could describe it would be: rustic elegance.  It had all the character and charm of the country without getting your boots dirty!  Definitely a fun experience worth the extra few minutes to get there. 

This review is on Urbanspoon!

With this chilly weather I have more time to cuddle up with my laptop and blog so be on the lookout for more LFM's, shoes and recipes!

Cheers!
Steph

Happy 2nd Blogiversary WWSV!

Happy Monday everyone!  My blogiversary came and went over the weekend, I totally missed it because I was busy celebrating this STUNNING couple's love story at their nuptials in Detroit!  Shaina and Jeffrey are my new cousins from my husband's side of the family, lots of laughter, love and fun (and spirits) were shared on what was a perfectly sunny fall day in Michigan!

Congratulations to the newlyweds!

A family photo with my inlaws, a pretty group if I do say so myself!

So to my readers who've hung with me through the not so frequent postings lately, I want to thank all of you for your support!  A lot has happened in the last two years since starting this blog: engagements, weddings, career changes and a lot of shoes and vodka (and food) in between!  I ask you to continue to stick with me and to take a minute out of your day today to spread some positive energy.  Mondays can be rough, so do a little something to send good vibes up against the Monday blues!

Also special thanks to friends and family for their help and support; who patiently don't touch their food before eating at a new restaurant, let me snag bites of their dishes, accept the fact that no event in my life goes without a great pair of kicks and who inspire me each day! 

I look forward to plenty more blogging fun to come!

Cheers!
Steph

Red Blooms!

With the drop in temps I figured I better share the newest members to my shoe closet before it's too cold!  I found these pretty red lace up pumps on 6pm.com and couldn't pass them up.

I took these on their first spin to a bridal shower, accenting a chambray dress.  My darling friend Brittany was my incredibly patient photog so these shoes could shine (thanks B!)!

B and I with the bride to be!

Then they got a night on the town at a bachelorette party!  They got loads of compliments and had a great time dancing the night away.  We were having so much fun that I didn't get to snap a picture of their big night out but here's one from the party bus!  I paired them with a black one shoulder dress and chunky red necklace.

The bride to be's Nauti Crew on the party bus!

Now that it's too chilly to be by the pool I'm hoping to get more blog posts up as I'll be cooped up!  Lots of LFMs and recipes to come!

Cheers!
Steph

LFM: 614 Restaurant Week: Oliver's, Downtown

Well it seems like being behind on blogging is becoming all too common in my life, get it together Steph!  I hereby solemnly swear to step up my game!  Ok, now let's talk Restaurant Week, which was like forever ago but oh well!


With such a hectic summer its hard to make it to too many places during Restaurant Week but we at least made it to one with our friend Asha.  Oliver's is the newest member of the FAB Dining Group family, spearheaded by Yvonne Sarber, in good company with Manifesto, DeNovo and Fin (formerly Chez du Bon).  This was on my list to try since I heard about it this winter.  If nothing else I couldn't wait to see what the FAB team did to decorate this unassuming Lynn Alley spot.

Patio seating

In typical fashion they created an environment that's eclectic, unique and transforms your dining experience.  In as few words as possible, it's a classed up downtown sports bar.  Exposed brick, TV's everywhere with a mix of comfortable raised booths and high top tables, it's an urban chic place focused on good booze and good food with sizable portions.

the bar area

So first we started with cocktails, I got a dirty martini.  Since Oliver's prides themselves on their bourbon selection it seemed to make sense for Chris and Asha to get bourbons on the rocks.  I haven't quite ventured to the bourbon side of life, hence the martini.

None of us actually ordered from the Restaurant Week menu as the burgers caught our eyes instead.  I got the Sliders, a trio of short rib mini burgers topped with manchego cheese, lettuce and tomato.  To make the meal more substantial (not realizing the portion size) I ordered a side of the Mac and Cheese, six cheese blend, cavatappi noodles and sour cream bechamel.  The burgers were cooked perfectly, fabulously juicy and very flavorful.  Was a little turned off that they assumed I wouldn't want ketchup and it wasn't served with condiments (I practice safe eating, always use condiments!) but with quality beef and cheese I suppose it's not entirely necessary.  The Mac and Cheese was pretty disappointing, not very cheesey and committed one of the cardinal sins of mac and cheese making: being dry.  I want those noodles practically swimming in cheesey goodness please!

Sliders and Mac and Cheese

Asha got The Downtown Juicy Lucy, 1/2 pound short rib burger stuffed with cheddar and gruyere topped with caramelized onions and chipotle aioli with a side of garlic fries.  She said this was good but since the cheese was in the middle of the burger there was less cheese flavor throughout.  The garlic fries were really yummy (I snagged one to taste!).

Downtown Juicy Lucy

Chris got the BBQ Burger, 1/2 pound short rib burger topped with pulled pork, pickled onions, sweet slaw and the house blueberry BBQ sauce with a side of sweet potato fries.  He said it was good but nothing to write home about. 

BBQ Burger

Even though we were entirely stuffed from our meals we decided to splurge for dessert.  The guy who cleared our plates told us we couldn't order from the Restaurant Week desserts but then our waiter we had the whole time said we could, so a little discombobulated/misinformed but whatevs.  We each ordered different desserts and then passed plates around to try them all.

I ordered the chocolate cake with bourbon glaze.  This was pretty fabulous, the cake was very moist and fluffy and the glaze was just right.

Chocolate Cake with bourbon glaze

Chris got the Peaches and Cream.  This was okay, the shortcake was a little lack luster but the whipped cream was tasty with the peaches.

Peaches and Cream

Asha got the Banana Bread Pudding which was good, the banana was a nice change up from regular bread pudding.

Banana Bread Pudding

So after everyone tried all three we came up with the following verdict: Chocolate Cake was the best, Banana Bread Pudding next, Peaches and Cream last on a count of not very good shortcake.

Overall it's a good downtown spot with elevated flavors and atmosphere, although you'll pass it on High Street if you're not paying attention since it's tucked into the alley on Lynn.  Prices were reasonable for the generous portions.  The menu has some options other than burgers and bar food which gives it more depth.  Definitely a good spot to take in a game and some decent chow if you are downtown.

As previously stated, I'll be working to improve my blogging frequency in the coming weeks, lots of restaurants, recipes and shoes to share!

Cheers!
Steph

I do to THE shoes!

Happy Tuesday SHOESday! :)  As you can probably imagine, picking my wedding shoes was of extreme importance to me, almost more so than the dress and the groom (hehe kidding, sort of...)!  Once I got my dress picked out it was time to find the perfect shoes, this process took far longer and was much more painstaking than the dress part (mainly because of my pickyness)!

I had the following requirements for the shoes that would play a big part in the best day ever!
1) Comfort - I needed to be able to wear them all day with lots of walking and dancing!
2) Style - They had to reflect me! I wanted a colored shoe (pink or red, preferably pink) but something classic and girly without being gaudy (heel to toe rhinestones? - no thanks).
3) Height - At 5'2", I was the shortest in the bridal party, I needed a little boost!
4) Fabulous - with a passion for kicks like me, the deeply fabulous requirement was nonnegotiable
5) $$$ - Needed to stay reasonable on budget, after all they would only be worn once and my mom kept mentioning she struggled to understand spending more on the shoes than the dress.

So after many, many days spent obsessing I found my perfect fit via Milk & Honey Shoes (now Upper Street London) a custom shoe design website that let's you fashion shoes to meet all your needs and requirements (#alleluia!)!  So I picked my style, height, fabric, color, embellishments, etc. and Viola! 

Hot pink satin with rhinestone bows, half inch platform with three and a half inch heel

 I did my best to take these for a spin around the house to break them in before the big day but most of my standing activities have a tendency to be messy (cooking, cocktail making, ya know) and we couldn't risk ruining the shoes before their big debut!  But they were fine throughout the day and ran true to size.  They came with ball of foot cushions and heel grips so that helped make them fit even more comfortably.

Milk & Honey had great customer service!  The shoes came in time, exactly how I wanted them and without any damage or blemishes.  I had utilized their chat with a stylist option to get a better idea of what the rhinestone bow would look like and they were very helpful.  They sent pictures of other shoes with the bow, etc. to help me make my decision.

I will warn you that the shoes take awhile to come in but that is to be expected for custom designed shoes.  I believe mine took four or five weeks but I got them expedited just in case and had them in plenty of time.

It was so fun to design my own shoes and get exactly what I wanted!  There are other designers out there that have similar design your own options, Nina and Shoes of Prey to name a few!   

Some new shoes just came my way and Restaurant Week is this week so stay tuned and keep cool (finally some scorching days of summer)! 

Cheers!
Steph

Patriotic Boozing: Red, White and Blue Jello Shots!

Let the 4th of July festivities begin!  I figured it was only fitting to share these patriotic jello shots with you before all the fun begins.  I shared these last year so it's a little bit of a repeat but these are too fun not to repeat!

Red, White & Blue Jello Shots
(Makes about 32 shots)

 Ingredients:
- 2 c. berry vodka ( I used 1 c. UV Blue Raspberry vodka for the blue and 1 c. Three Olives Berry for the red)
- 2 c. water
- 1 pkg. red raspberry jello
- 1 pkg. blue rasberry jello
- 1 pkg. Cool Whip
- 1/4 c. or less, vanilla vodka
- small shot cups (I like the ones with lids for easy transport and easy stacking)

Instructions:
- Make the blue raspberry jello first.  Boil 1 cup water then pour over jello powder.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool a little bit so when you add the vodka it doesn't steam off.  I'm entirely too impatient so I create an ice bath for my jello bowl to help cool it down faster.
- Pour in 1 cup vodka, stir until well combined then distribute into cups, about a third of the cup.  Place in refrigerator for at least a half hour or until firm.
- Take thawed Cool Whip and mix in vanilla vodka.  You want it to stay fluffy so just add a splash of vodka at a time and mix until desired strength.
- With a spoon, scoop spiked Cool Whip into cups, leveling it out on top of the blue layer.
- Put cups in the freezer to make sure the Cool Whip is solid, about a half hour.
- Make the red raspberry jello. Boil 1 cup water over the stove, remove then pour over jello powder.  Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool.
- Pour in 1 cup of vodka, stir until well combined.
- **This is an important step!!  Let the jello cool until it becomes thicker but not to the point of setting up.  Once it is cooled down, pour over the other two layers in cup.  If the jello is too warm it will cause the Cool Whip to melt around the edges and float up and ruin your patriotic creation.
- Put in the fridge until red layer is set up.
- Share and enjoy!

We've got a fun weekend with family and friends planned starting with Red, White and BOOM downtown!  What are your 4th of July plans?  Hope they are fun filled and very safe!

Cheers!
Steph

Mrs. WWSV!

Ciao friends!  Finally time to catch up!

Well after what seemed like the longest engagement ever, Chris and I are officially Mr. & Mrs.!  We had the most wonderful wedding day, we are so incredibly blessed to have had so many of our friends and family with us!  I'll just share a few pictures today then I'll do a rundown of some of the details including our AMAZING vendors.  And of course we'll have a post about the shoes!

With our families

Me with my pretty gal pals!

Chris with his guys, what a handsome group!

The whole bridal party

Then we had a dream honeymoon in Italy visiting Rome and smaller towns on the Amalfi Coast.  We MET THE POPE (yes, for real, we met him)!  We had amazing food, fabulous views and even went to a cooking class!  It was the perfect start to our happily ever after.

Dinner at Rossellinis in Ravello, recently featured in a BuzzFeed article on spectacular restaurant views!

Views in Sorrento, Vesuvius in the background!

Cooking class in Sorrento with Chef William, Bruschetta, Gnocchi, Tiramisu and Chicken Scallopina!

Lilly dress, a glass of wine and a beautiful view with my new husband, couldn't be better!

I can't believe the wedding process and honeymoon are all over but its good to be back.  I have A TON of posts to come, local foodie moments, SHOES, cocktails, you name it, its going to be a busy summer of blogging!

Cheers!
Steph