Top Ten: CHRISTMAS EDITION

Believe it or not, Christmas is almost here! That being said, I happen to be in line with Nordstrom's belief that one holiday should be celebrated at a time, so I've waited until after Thanksgiving to share this top ten (in no particular order)... I hope everyone is enjoying the season with their family and friends as we get ready to ring in a new year!


10. HOLIDAY BEVERAGES: You can't have a holiday shindig without some fun holiday beverages! I especially love drinks during this season because they tend to include cinnamon and some of my other favorite spices. Here's a delicious drink recipe for a fall/winter Sangria that is sure to be a hit!


9. CHRISTMAS PJ'S: On every Christmas Eve since I can remember, my parents (a.k.a. Santa) would put Christmas PJ's on our pillows to be worn that night... a great way to drum up excitement for Christmas morning. Even though I'm 25, I still love getting my Christmas PJ's! My favorite as of recent have been the Vineyard Vines 'Lazy Pants.' After a few washes they become super soft and comfy!


8. HOLIDAY DECORATIONS: Now, as a 25 year old with a small apartment, I try to limit myself to one bin of decorations... however, I must say, it's one wonderful darn bin. My favorite spot to shop for Christmas decorations is the Christmas Tree Shop which has great deals on decorations for every holiday! I'm also a fan of Pier 1, but try to limit myself since it can get a little pricey. Here's a beautiful little table setting available at Pier 1:

7. CHRISTMAS TREE: I know this kinda falls in the #9 category, but here's my little Hoboken Charlie Brown Tree for this year!

6. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: This is a movie favorite of my family's which can always be found on repeat during the holidays. If you haven't seen it... well... you really should. 

5. CHRISTMAS TIME IN NYC: There's absolutely nothing like it. If you can make it into Manhattan around the holidays, here are a few suggested stops: 

• The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and Ice Skating Rink
• Holiday fairs
• Grand Central Holiday Fair
• Columbus Circle Holiday Market
• Union Square Holiday Market
• The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park
• The holiday windows at Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and Sac's
• A stroll down 5th Avenue in midtown for some amazing shopping

4. HOLIDAY OUTFITS: I already did a post on some fun holiday party outfits, but I couldn't pass on the opportunity to post another party dress. Here's a beautiful dress from Rent the Runway by Badgley Mischka:

3. HOLIDAY COOKIES: This year I'm heading to a holiday cookie exchange... I'm going to bring these babies to switch things up a bit. I know s'mores are a bit summer-ey, but at least I know that know one else will bring the same thing! Plus, these Spicy Smokey S'mores Bars are amazing! 

2. HOLIDAY PARTIES: My friend, Jenelle, and I have started a tradition where we hold a Christmas party for our friends (see last year's post). This year, we're going to switch up the food a bit... Here's a little preview of an item on the menu. We're going to make Paula Deen's slow cooker pulled pork sandwiches with buttermilk coleslaw. BUT, because we're only serving h'oeuvres, we're going to make them into little sliders! The best part is that the pork will just sit in the slow cooker all day while we take care of other things. 

1. TIME WITH FAMILY: Of course this is number one... It's what makes the holidays so special! 

Anthony and I at an 'ugly Christmas sweater' party

"Dear George, remember no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings. Love, Clarence." 

- It's A Wonderful Life, 1946

Holiday Parties = An Excuse to Play Dress Up

There are two main reasons I love New Year's Eve. The first is due to the fact that it's my handsome fiance's birthday (he'll be a whopping 26 years old this year) and the second is that it's the one holiday where you can wear an overabundance of sequins and sparkles without worrying about peacocking in the crowd!

I know it's a bit early, but here are some of my favorite finds for New Year's and holiday festivities...

Rent the Runway

I'm a huge fan of Rent the Runway and have used them for several different occasions. It's a website where you can rent designer dresses for a ridiculous discount which is perfect for girls like me who tend to buy a dress, wear it once, and then throw it in the back of the closet. 

This dress below is by Badgley Mischka and retails for $495, but you can rent it for New Year's for just $75! Not a fan of this dress? Rent the Runway has an entire 'New Year's Eve Sparkle and Shine' section of their site to find just the right dress for you. 

Kate Spade New York 

If I had $325 to spend on shoes and had some height to spare (I'm 5'11) these would be my first purchase. These shoes are absolutely adorable (they remind me of confetti) and would be the perfect compliment to a little black dress. You can find them here on Kate Spade's website. 

Anthropologie 

Anthropologie has some beautiful jewelry to mix and match with holiday attire. My favorite of the bunch is this bracelet below. Not only does it sparkle, it's a steal for $38! Find it here at anthropologie.com.

J. Crew 

J. Crew has plenty of clothing and accessories for the holidays. Since it's one of my favorite stores, it was difficult to pick just one thing, but I love this invitation clutch in glitter. If you're not a fan of glitter, they also have the clutch in other solids and patterns as well. 

American Eagle

I haven't shopped in American Eagle in ages, but when I came across this fun cropped sequin blazer in a magazine, I just had to buy it! The blazer also comes in black and would look amazing with black skinny jeans and some nude pumps (plus it's only $49.95!). 

Forever 21

When you're running around last minute looking for a fun (but cheap) holiday look, Forever 21 is your place. Around the holidays, Forever 21 is filled with festive attire and you rarely find items over $50. Here's a cute 'shimmering pailette miniskirt' that I found which could be both dressed up or dressed down.

Happy holiday shopping! 

Nutella Banana Cookies

This is a great recipe that a friend introduced to me while we were cooped up in the apartment during Hurricane Sandy. It's off the blog 'Chef in Training' and would be an excellent cookie for a holiday cookie exchange! Not to mention it only has 9 ingredients making it both inexpensive and easy (one of which is Nutella... quite possibly my favorite chocolate product in existence).

Enjoy!

NUTELLA BANANA COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 large mashed ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup Nutella

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Cut in shortening
4. Beat in mashed ripe bananas and egg.
5. Mix in oats.
6. take a knife and "slice" nutella into batter with a knife. Don't mix it in completely, the stripes are what make them pretty!
7. Spoon "drops" onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes. (Note: this is a lot softer than normal cookie dough and will not form balls, hence spoon “drops”)
8. You can frost these cookies if you would like too! Here is my easy buttercream recipe: 1/2 cup butter-softened, 3 Tbsp. milk, 2 tsp. vanilla, 1 box (16 oz.) powdered sugar. Beat all ingredients together. You can add more milk or powdered sugar to get it to the consistency you want it.

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/08/nutella-banana-cookies/

Hurricane Sandy

While I'm happy to report that Anthony, my family, friends and I are all safe and sound after Hurricane Sandy, unfortunately Hoboken and other parts of NJ, NY, and CT didn't fair so well and are still recovering. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who lost loved ones and their homes in the storm.

Anthony and I finally evacuated Hoboken on Wednesday and stopped by my parents home before heading to a hotel. Here are some pictures from the past few days or so. Hope everyone stays safe in the upcoming weeks...

Downtown NYC in the dark

The entrance to the Archstone on 1st Street

A boat washed up on the sidewalk on 14th Street

Lots of candles

Tree in my parents' driveway in Westchester

Tree in my parents' backyard in Westchester

View from 14th street in Hoboken