Date Night at Home: Anniversary Edition!

February 16, 2021 Kimberly Mcdowell

Hi there! I’m just returning from a beautiful weekend celebrating me and George’s 17th Anniversary! Yes yes, we got married on Valentine’s Day in 2004. Wow! 17 years is a long time. What’s even more shocking is that I’ve known him since the 10th grade. Any who! This year because of the pandemic we decided to stay in again but instead of hiring a chef, I did the cooking myself. I wanted to be sure I shared the great, the good and the ugly about executing date nights at home. Ultimately, I think they are wonderful opportunities to go all out especially since we’re encouraged to all stay home.

Look The Part

First things first, just because you’re staying home doesn’t mean you get to skimp on the looks department. Dress up and do your make-up. You wouldn’t believe how this will alter your mood on the expectations of the date. George and I love to throw on some fancy rags and shimmy around the house. We really don’t need a reason but our Anniversary was the perfect excuse.

George was sporting some black drawstring slacks and a red sweater. He felt the only way to truly be over the top was to add this nice coat from Macy’s. As for me, I grabbed this satin number from H&M, my new jeweled pumps by Betsy Johnson (one of my gifts), and this cool hat and veil to zhuzh my outfit up a bit.

Set The Stage

This year’s table theme was King & Queen of Hearts. For the past few years, I’ve been trying to come up with different tablescapes to make the evening more festive. Even before the pandemic, I began to grow tired of the waiting game and crowds on Valentine’s Day. So to make our home feel like we’re going out, I’ve been putting together celebratory tables. I’ve loved every moment too. This year I wanted to break away from the classic red or pink table. I added blue! The finished product was indeed a stunner.

On The Menu

This is where the fun begins. I wanted to be sure we had a fancy menu since it was our Anniversary but I also wanted to be sure the meal was pretty easy so I didn’t spend the whole day in the kitchen. I went the semi-homemade route on appetizers and dessert. We ordered some of our favorite sushi from Taca, one of our local favorites, and grabbed a Cheesecake Factory sampler from Publix. I hand dipped some strawberries myself to go with our cheesecake. These short cuts saved a lot of time.

For the next course, I decided to try a new recipe for lobster bisque. It was tasty but not what I expected. I’ll talk more about the don’ts later but as a tip, don’t try new recipes that you haven’t already tested for special dates like this. Now on to our main course, we decided on Filet Mignon cause we fancy, and roasted veggies. We opted against a starch for the main course since we loaded up on carbs with the sushi. We didn’t want to get overstuffed since you know that only leads to an early snooze.

What To Do On A Date At Home?

This part usually comes naturally for most people but if you find yourself looking for things to do to fill up your night, here are a few things you could try.

Conversation Starters

If you two love a good conversation, this intimate deck has conversation starters on a variety of topics. Perfect for when you don’t want to have to come up with things to say.

YouTube Concert

If the two of you are into music, que up a Sade or Kem concert on YouTube! They are definitely entertaining!

Erotic Bedtime Stories

Another cool option for when you’re all done with dinner and have slipped into something more comfortable. Before you jump right into the bedroom acrobatics, read him a bedtime story. Zane has several short stories that are bound to preheat your oven. LOLOLOL

What I Learned

Alright folks, now on to some tips I’ve learned about the evening. 1. Prep super early in the day so you have time to rest up and be energized for the evening. I didn’t start decorating until a few hours prior and listen, my body sure felt it. Also, I began cooking after decorating. Bad idea. I under estimated how long the decor would take so this cut into my time that was allotted for preparing our simple meal. Next time I plan to start super early so I can relax for a couple hours before I have to get dressed. 2. Never try out a new recipe the day of your date. If it goes south, you have no recovery time. The lobster bisque turned out good but the taste was totally different than what I expected. 3. Allow ample time to pamper yourself while you get dressed. It is such a mood enhancer. Take your time, sip some wine and listen to some music while you’re putting yourself together. I had no time to really spend on myself because I didn’t start my prep early enough, plus I was dog tired by the time we sat down for dinner.

I certainly learned my lesson but it was all so worth it. I hope you guys enjoy this and share some of your date night tips with me too.

Until next time,

-K

The ABC’s of Baby Showering!

January 25, 2021 Kimberly Mcdowell

Hey there! I hope everyone is doing well! I tell ya, I had a blast this past weekend showering my niece and nephew at their Baby Shower. My niece is like my daughter, and when she said “I need you to come over I have an announcement” …. I was already planning her shower. She is so much fun and one of the few people that let me totally be myself creatively. And so, it began!!!

Now, my niece is not the typical girly girl. She does not care for the color pink, has a head full of fiery red dreadlocks, loves gardens and Farmer’s Markets, and has a thing for peacock feathers. She’s bubbly and serious, she’s elegant and bohemian, loves the peace of crystals and sage, but she’s always strapped which should make for an interesting evening. Soooo if you’re a DIY person like myself, I thought it would be useful for me to share my 7 steps for outlining the perfect Baby Shower event.

Event Concept and Description

When planning begins, I like to sit down and chat about likes, dislikes and any must haves for the day. I think about how the event should feel and the mood of the atmosphere. This plays a huge part in helping your vision come to life as you tie in all the other details and projects for the event.

Invitations and Paper Goods

The invitations are really what gives guests the first glimpse of the event’s theme. I love this part especially for Nygeria’s shower because we didn’t go with your typical baby themes like booties or bows. We wanted her love for crystals and peacock feathers to shine through.

Other paper items like the party favors we had also followed that same theme. To capture more of her personality, we put together a sage bundle and matches, rose quartz stone, and a bracelet with the tree of life charm for her favor boxes. We also included a note that tells the meaning of them all. To bring out her earthy elegance, we adorned the kraft colored boxes with a satin purple bow and a peacock feather.

Tables and Seating

The tables and seating are another area you can really show your personality. Guests spend the most time here, so you want to make it interesting and give them something to awe over. If possible, I try to always use real flowers for centerpieces. You never get tired of looking at beautiful nature-made real flowers. This elevates your tablescape instantly. For Nygeria’s day we included metal prisms, crystals, geode slices, natural colored baby blocks, and candles. We also included plates and cutlery in the tablescape with a personalized touch to the napkin holders that were extremely inexpensive. My favorite thing was the geometrically shaped cups. Such a unique touch.

Buffet

If you decide on a buffet, its so important not to neglect this area. You want to be sure it ties into your other décor even though it may not be as heavily decorated as other areas. Another important factor is that you allow ample spacing for lines of people. I know I hate it when I’m at my seat and people are hovering near me waiting in the buffet line. Be sure you think about everyone’s comfort level.

Focal Point 1 – Cake/Dessert Table

If there is space, I like to have several focal points to create areas of interest throughout the venue. The cake/dessert table is certainly one area that does double duty. Not only is it necessary, it can also serve as a focal point if the décor is played up a bit. For Nygeria’s event, we used a backdrop similar to her photo backdrop to add to the décor of the table but not take away from the beauty of the cake.

Focal Point 2 - Backdrop/Photo Area

This area is where you can have the most fun. It’s the area that anchors the room and where you can really be most creative. Have fun with this because this is visual you will see in all the pictures posted on social media and other places. Make it whimsical and full of life. For Nygeria’s shower, we included some balloon garland, a decorated bassinet, and baby Ellarhi’s name. There are several professionals that are available locally but if you choose to diy it like me, YouTube is going to be your best friend in creating balloon art like this one. It’s not perfect but I love how it turned out.

Music/Activity

For smaller events where you don’t use a DJ, I like to put together a playlist. Most of the time it’s jazz because there is already so much talking during parties and who wants to compete with singing. Jazz is an easy option, but it is totally up to the guest of honor and the theme of the occasion. Lastly, think about how the time will be spent. Will you have games or a specific activity that will occupy your guests time? Be specific in how the day will flow so you know what happens next. This is important especially when you want to hold their attention.

Thanks for listening and I hope you’ll find these tidbits useful.

Until next time,

-K

Your Inner Voice: Sound Advice or Self Sabotage?

January 5, 2021 Kimberly Mcdowell

Happy New Year!!

Here we are at the top of a new 365 days. A chance to make a fresh start. I’m gonna keep this one brief but I wanted to touch on this subject as we dive into our new adventures of 2021.

This past year we’ve extended ourselves a little more care and grace due to these unfortunate worldwide events. Some of us have even began to soothe ourselves from life’s woes long before 2020. Trust me I get it. We all have a way of talking ourselves back off the ledge and pumping up our own confidence when we need to. We tell ourselves all the wonderful things about us to help us heal from whatever it is that we have issues with be it self image, past traumas, financial burdens, loss, toxic relationships and a host of other things that cause us to question who we are and our purpose.

I am all for being your own cheerleader. Listen, I’ve cheered myself on through years of being teased in elementary school, losing our mother, break-ups, sub-par annual reviews, and the pressure to be the perfect wife and mother. I’m actually really good at talking myself through things and comforting myself. Giving myself grace and understanding for my short comings and applauding my small victories. I just recently began to make an effort to focus more on how I’m feeling and not what others are thinking of me. I’ve trained my brain to compliment as much as I criticize myself. I’m so much happier for that too. But there is a flip side.

I’ve gotten so good at self soothing that sometimes my pep talks turn into bonafide EXCUSES! Excuses and Bulls**t that help me avoid getting myself to the next level. Am I talking to anyone out there? Excuses for why I don’t need to exercise, save more money, stop with the excessive cocktails, lose weight, take the class, legitimize your business, buy the house, etc. I’m a Virgo and I promise you I can sweet talk myself into and out of anything with finesse.

Again, I’m proud of me and all my accomplishments, public and private, I love who I am genuinely and because of that I’m completely honest with myself. So this year I’m jumping hurdles and crossing things off the list instead of comforting myself into mediocrity.

I wish you all well and hope you're able to use this as a push in the right direction if needed.

Until next time,

-K

Curvyscaping: Holiday Sparkle for a Wild Night In!

December 20, 2020 Kimberly Mcdowell

I can’t believe Christmas is only five days away! Celebrations are a little different this year but why not put on a little holiday sparkle for even the quaintest of gatherings. Even though a wild night these days look more like movies and baking cookies, I decided to bring a few special clothes out of the closet and have a little fun. Who says you can’t bake cookies in a festive outfit? Come join me!