So... non-wedding post here. But still... I promise a bit of fun. I am a crowdtapper -- it's a website that allows you to give feedback to brands and rewards you with points and fun stuff. I am party of the Old Navy Style Council which is probably the best brand on crowdtap.
This time, my "task" was to host a party at Old Navy and bring three friends. In exchange for our time, we were rewarded with a new sweater, pair of pants, and a winter accessory. It took a little while to coordinate a time (my work schedule has been nutty recently) and it took me a bit more asking than I thought it would to get three volunteers.
We met up at the Old Navy at 170 & Ladue here in St. Louis. We were there for well over an hour (who knew it took so long to get just the right outfit?) and enjoyed ourselves. The cords that they had were the clear favorite -- three of us took home cords in a sweetheart cut, a variety of colors. Mine are a dark grey and they feel soooo soft. Really really soft. It's great. We all got very different sweaters and accessories. The nice thing about Old Navy is that they offer a variety of tastes and styles. I had a mixed bag of ladies there. One had not been in Old Navy in years and thought that last time she was there everything was set up for teeny boppers/tweens. Not geared towards adults. I had the opportunity to show her that there was a whole bunch of items that fit into her style. I also brought a friend that has a very unique style and is very expressive. Things that looked strange on me, looked great and perfectly put together on her.
As I mentioned, three of us picked cords... and the fourth picked a pair of jeans. Old Navy jeans come in a variety of cuts, colors, flares, etc. It was nice that she was able to find a pair that worked for her as well. As far as sweaters went, we all picked ones that were very different. I got a lovely sparkley silver sweater. Another one picked out a fuzzy cable knit sweater, a very classic design. My uniquest friend picked what I called the "un-sweater." It was very loosely knit and open, the kind of sweater you need to wear with a tank top or cami underneath. The final sweater was one of those newer open vest type sweaters. It's called a poncho here.
For accessories, we all migrated towards the scarves. I picked a lovely black scarf that has silver ribbons through it. It matches the sweater wonderfully. One girl settled on a simple fleece scarf after they rejected the first one she picked out for her trip to Paris. Another one snagged an infinity style scarf, which looked adorable. And our final member of the party, picked a fidora hat.
All in all, a fun evening and lots of cool stuff to see and look at. We were able to enjoy each others company and pick out outfits for upcoming holiday parties. It's my favorite part of crowdtap -- being able to share the wealth. I've gotten lots of buzz after this one... perhaps I'll have some new friends joining the style council.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Demitasse Dinner
As I mentioned before, I was luck enough to win a delicious dinner out on the town through my witty writing. Woo hoo! I took Timmy (of course) and we got to experience St. Louis' first 'pop up' dining experience Demitasse 665. The idea being that someone takes over a location for a few days, a week ~ more or less ~ and has a specific/themed restaurant. This is an off shoot of the hip underground dining events. It is not just a meal or just about the food, it is an experience.
Timmy arrived first and got to introduce himself before I arrived. The pop up was located in the Dorchester (665 Skinker Blvd) across from Forest Park. The space was previously occupied briefly by Caitlyns Green Eyed Grill and longer ago as The Tavern. Our host and hostess for the evening had decorated the space with items from their home. There was a long table for all of us to sit and dine communally. They also had some comfy chairs, artwork, and lots of pretty candles.
Upon arrival, we received Cava, a sparkling Spanish wine, with a cranberry floating in it. The crowd was small and the space was intimate.
The bottle below is our first course white wine. Yummy!!
Our first course, simply plated, was butternut squash wanton. It was served on a bed of smashed peas with fried sage and toasted walnuts.
After the first course, Timmy told me no more pictures and that I need to just enjoy ourselves. As a bit more luck graced us over dinner, we were closest to the kitchen door and were served first each course. Yippie!! It was a wonderful evening and each course was presented with anticipation. They included two additional red wines to pair with our meals, and not surprisingly both tasted great and seemed to compliment well.
We got to know the folks sitting at the table with us -- directly across the table was a couple that lived in the Dorchester. On the other side of me was the son-in-law of the chef and he is a pilot (but no longer flies commercially) and now is an accountant. The conversation flowed about places visited, the building, favorite foods, wines, hobbies, and jobs. All the things you might bring up with your new friends.
The seven courses were all smaller portions ~~ sort of like ordering a well matched array of tapas plates. The advantage of this is clearly the ability to keep eating and trying new things. You don't have to cry uncle before dessert and you're not allowed to overindulge in an early course so you are able to enjoy all pieces as they come out. We had a tasty and artfully designed beat salad with goat cheese and freshly sliced avocados. The soup was spicy and creamy. It was the type of experience where you're not sure exactly what is coming next.... and while you wait in anticipation, you know it will be good and worth the wait. The palate cleanser was a homemade basil sorbet served in a small sherri glass. We had a course of fancy green beans that were perfect. I do love green beans to begin with, and these ones were garnished with almonds and prosciutto. Our main dish was lamb -- another favorite of mine -- served with potatoes and spinach. After our main dish, we had a splendid dessert that was flavorful, filling, and rich. It was a pumpkin sticky toffee pudding sandwiched with toffee carmel vanilla cream, a carmel drizzle, a dash of sea salt, and candied pumpkin seeds. yum yum yum.
I'm not sure how many more seats are left for this special dinner, however, you can find out more by clicking here. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. It was a memorable dinner with all the little touches that make it unique. They take the time to talk about themselves, why they enjoy their food, and why they picked certain items. Our meal was complicated -- 72 unique items went into the creation of our meal. The mix of company was a blessing as it added to the evening. The exclusive experience was a different way of engaging with your food -- if you're lucky enough to have the opportunity, you most certainly should give it a try. After the Demitasse 665 closes its doors, they still will have unique underground dining opportunities. To find out more, visit here.
yum yum yum... still enjoying it a few days later....
Timmy arrived first and got to introduce himself before I arrived. The pop up was located in the Dorchester (665 Skinker Blvd) across from Forest Park. The space was previously occupied briefly by Caitlyns Green Eyed Grill and longer ago as The Tavern. Our host and hostess for the evening had decorated the space with items from their home. There was a long table for all of us to sit and dine communally. They also had some comfy chairs, artwork, and lots of pretty candles.
Our menu is listed above. Yum yum!!
When Marie deemed it time to start with dinner, we moved into the dining room and all gathered around the table. While we didn't know anyone else there, conversation cropped up quickly and we all got to know one another. To get our evening started, we enjoyed a spanish white wine as they brought out the first course. The table was set beautifully and had a different demitasse at each place. The table was elegant and lovely.
The bottle below is our first course white wine. Yummy!!
Our first course, simply plated, was butternut squash wanton. It was served on a bed of smashed peas with fried sage and toasted walnuts.
We got to know the folks sitting at the table with us -- directly across the table was a couple that lived in the Dorchester. On the other side of me was the son-in-law of the chef and he is a pilot (but no longer flies commercially) and now is an accountant. The conversation flowed about places visited, the building, favorite foods, wines, hobbies, and jobs. All the things you might bring up with your new friends.
The seven courses were all smaller portions ~~ sort of like ordering a well matched array of tapas plates. The advantage of this is clearly the ability to keep eating and trying new things. You don't have to cry uncle before dessert and you're not allowed to overindulge in an early course so you are able to enjoy all pieces as they come out. We had a tasty and artfully designed beat salad with goat cheese and freshly sliced avocados. The soup was spicy and creamy. It was the type of experience where you're not sure exactly what is coming next.... and while you wait in anticipation, you know it will be good and worth the wait. The palate cleanser was a homemade basil sorbet served in a small sherri glass. We had a course of fancy green beans that were perfect. I do love green beans to begin with, and these ones were garnished with almonds and prosciutto. Our main dish was lamb -- another favorite of mine -- served with potatoes and spinach. After our main dish, we had a splendid dessert that was flavorful, filling, and rich. It was a pumpkin sticky toffee pudding sandwiched with toffee carmel vanilla cream, a carmel drizzle, a dash of sea salt, and candied pumpkin seeds. yum yum yum.
I'm not sure how many more seats are left for this special dinner, however, you can find out more by clicking here. Would I recommend it? Absolutely. It was a memorable dinner with all the little touches that make it unique. They take the time to talk about themselves, why they enjoy their food, and why they picked certain items. Our meal was complicated -- 72 unique items went into the creation of our meal. The mix of company was a blessing as it added to the evening. The exclusive experience was a different way of engaging with your food -- if you're lucky enough to have the opportunity, you most certainly should give it a try. After the Demitasse 665 closes its doors, they still will have unique underground dining opportunities. To find out more, visit here.
yum yum yum... still enjoying it a few days later....
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Meatless Monday - Veggie Pot Pie
This week's meatless monday was delicious. We all liked it so much that I just had to share it. I can take credit for finding it, but honestly Timmy made the majority of the dish. I used the epicurious app to find it. You can also find it on their website by clicking here.
Veggie Pot Pie
4 medium potatoes, preferably russet
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light olive oil
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1/2 cup low-fat milk, rice milk, or soy milk
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
9-inch prepared good-quality pie crust, preferably whole grain
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
1. Cook or microwave the potatoes in their skins until done. When cool enough to handle, peel. Dice two and mash the other two. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and carrot and sauté over medium heat until golden.
4. Add the broccoli along with a small amount of water. Cover and cook until the broccoli is tender but not overdone, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet, then pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the diced and mashed potatoes. Heat through gently. Stir in the parsley, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and pat in.
6. Place the bread crumbs in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle with the remaining oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Sprinkle evenly over the pie. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Let the pie stand for about 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
The Vegetarian Family Cookbook
May 2009
by Nava Atlas
this is the mix before adding into the pie pan
this is the filling before we topped it with bread crumbs
The finished product!! Delicious!!
Veggie Pot Pie
4 medium potatoes, preferably russet
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon light olive oil
1 medium onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup finely chopped broccoli
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1/2 cup low-fat milk, rice milk, or soy milk
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, optional
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
9-inch prepared good-quality pie crust, preferably whole grain
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
1. Cook or microwave the potatoes in their skins until done. When cool enough to handle, peel. Dice two and mash the other two. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and carrot and sauté over medium heat until golden.
4. Add the broccoli along with a small amount of water. Cover and cook until the broccoli is tender but not overdone, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet, then pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Cook until the liquid thickens a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the diced and mashed potatoes. Heat through gently. Stir in the parsley, if using, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the pie crust and pat in.
6. Place the bread crumbs in a small mixing bowl. Drizzle with the remaining oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Sprinkle evenly over the pie. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Let the pie stand for about 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
The Vegetarian Family Cookbook
May 2009
by Nava Atlas
Monday, November 28, 2011
Our Engagement Party
As the wedding planning has been going along well, it's time to start celebrating. We were lucky enough to have my Aunt Colleen host an engagement party for us yesterday afternoon. While my bridesmaids are from around the country, all of Tim's groomsmen are from here. We were able to get all six groomsmen, our usher, and both dad's together.
Aunt Colleen set up everything and had a lovely toast for everyone. She had some bubbly wine for all the adults and sparkling juice for the wee ones. She had gotten lots of cups and everyone was able to give a toast. My dad went first, followed by Rich (Tim's dad), and then Aunt Colleen. Aunt Kathleen chimed in with the last toast which was simple but true. She said that good marriages are created by people that treat each other well again and again (or something like that). Either way, it sounded lovely (for those that could hear) and was very sweet.
My dad made arrangements to get a cake from a guy Virgil who works with him. Virgil does wedding and specialty cakes as a side business. It was a lovely sheet that was decorated with a holiday theme. It had holly as a decoration and green. It was white cake and had a pretty frosting that was certainly made. He also accented it with some of those lil sugary silver decorations. Yummy!! To top it off, dad also got a "small" wedding cake sample. By small, I mean it would have served 25-35 people. This one was chocolate with a minty flavor. I'm not sure exactly if the chocolate cake had mint in it or if it was the peppermint frosting that was strong enough to make it taste perfectly holiday. We had a part of the chocolate cake for dessert, after dinner, which was after the actual party.
Thanks for everyone who came to the party !! I hope to get some pictures up shortly.... but I didn't bring my camera so I will have to wait and see who can get them to us.
Aunt Colleen set up everything and had a lovely toast for everyone. She had some bubbly wine for all the adults and sparkling juice for the wee ones. She had gotten lots of cups and everyone was able to give a toast. My dad went first, followed by Rich (Tim's dad), and then Aunt Colleen. Aunt Kathleen chimed in with the last toast which was simple but true. She said that good marriages are created by people that treat each other well again and again (or something like that). Either way, it sounded lovely (for those that could hear) and was very sweet.
My dad made arrangements to get a cake from a guy Virgil who works with him. Virgil does wedding and specialty cakes as a side business. It was a lovely sheet that was decorated with a holiday theme. It had holly as a decoration and green. It was white cake and had a pretty frosting that was certainly made. He also accented it with some of those lil sugary silver decorations. Yummy!! To top it off, dad also got a "small" wedding cake sample. By small, I mean it would have served 25-35 people. This one was chocolate with a minty flavor. I'm not sure exactly if the chocolate cake had mint in it or if it was the peppermint frosting that was strong enough to make it taste perfectly holiday. We had a part of the chocolate cake for dessert, after dinner, which was after the actual party.
Thanks for everyone who came to the party !! I hope to get some pictures up shortly.... but I didn't bring my camera so I will have to wait and see who can get them to us.
Lucky Monday
It was a competition for a food review around Forest Park and I won which included an invitation to a special dinner at a "pop up" restaurant. What is a pop up restaurant? Well, it's in the line of the new wave of underground restaurants and such. According to St. Louis Magazine:
"a pop-up restaurant is a unique and economical way for a chef to either spread his name/brand or test drive a completely new idea. Such a restaurant has a run of one night to several weeks and is held in a location one might not expect a restaurant to well, pop up: a coffee shop, an unused catering space, an unusual studio or office, even, as will be the case here, a vacant restaurant."
The place we are headed is in the Dorchester, an apartment building right on Skinker. This pop up is called Demitasse Underground. The dinner will be a 7 course meal with wine pairings. It changes every week, which adds to the allure of it. With our meal we will get to sample quite a few yummy sounding items that will be a challenge to the pallet. I can't wait to tell you all about it. To learn more about Demitasse Underground, you can find out what is on the menu through their facebook page. Click here to see it.
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