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Brownie Points – it’s all in the details

January 19, 2010 by Lilla | Comments (0)

You know the whole “devil’s in the details” saying? well, I’m a professional at details. I get paid the big bucks to manage every last detail and let nothing slip through the proverbial crack. Piece of cake, right?

Well, as a professional meeting planner I was knee deep in an awards banquet for 500 tourism professionals when I got a call from my nanny saying, “Where are the treats?” I literally took the call backstage at the luncheon event as the Governor who had just sipped her perfectly served “Diet Pepsi, no ice” in the green room, was taking the stage.

“What treats?” I say under my breath. She informs me through a crackly cell connection that it was my day to prepare “snack” for 12 hungry pre-schoolers and my son showed up with nothing! I promptly went to that dark foreboding place in my mind, you know the one where you see your kid in the far corner of the play yard being heckled by the 5 year old with sideburns about being the kid who’s Mom forgot “snack day”…holy crap!

Luckily, my delegation instincts kicked in and we (yes, my underpaid priceless nanny wife and I) pulled off a miracle and got a dozen brownies to Raggedy Ann & Andy Preschool by noon. Thousands of dollars and millions of lives later, we are heroes (her & I combined ours to add our allotted 18 lives to the cause).

The moral…yes, the devil is in the details but when he rears his ugly head, use your magic powers of being creative and resourceful to kick the devil’s butt.

Superwoman (plus nanny) : 1 Devil : 0

Spend the Holidays with Your Girlfriends

December 7, 2009 by Gina | Comments (0)

The brisk air is upon us, lit trees line the streets, and the feeling of giving is all around us. Oh, and did we mention the traffic, packed malls, and hectic shopping scene? This season, spend time with friends and family without any worries. Our advice: stay away from the malls and head out for some quality holiday time with your girlfriends. Here are some activities and ideas you can try this season for some holiday cheer.

Ice Skating
Most cities and towns open an outdoor ice skating rink surrounded by lights and holiday music. This is a great idea to do something active outside. You can usually rent skates at these locations, so don’t worry about bringing your own.

Tree Lightings
Check your community newspaper or online to find out when their tree lighting ceremony is. There are usually refreshments available, and of course, some great lights and holiday cheer!

Holiday Cocktails
Some restaurants during the holidays will have one or more special holiday drinks. Grab your girlfriends for a night on the town!

Holiday Shows
Whether it’s the classic Nutcracker or White Christmas, check to see what’s playing in your area and head to the theater. Make a night of it by going out for dinner first. Maybe the Rockettes are in your town—don’t miss that show!

Holiday Party
Throw a holiday party for a group of your girlfriends. Make cookies, egg nog, and holiday-inspired cocktails. Get the ingredients to make gingerbread houses and you can all make your own. Play Secret Santa or a Yankee Swap. A Secret Santa is when you put all your girlfriend’s names in a hat and you each pick a name. The name you get is the person you buy a gift for. Then at the party you exchange gifts. A Yankee Swap is when everyone buys a gift and brings it to the party. Then you put numbers 1-10 (or however many people you have) in a hat. Each person picks a number. Number 1 picks a gift first from the pile of gifts and opens it. Number 2 picks a gift from the pile and opens it, then has the opportunity to keep the gift or take Number 1’s gift. This goes on until you get back to Number 1 who then gets to pick from everyone’s already opened gifts.

Decorated Houses
Have a low-key night with your girlfriends. Take a warm drive around your neighborhood (cocoa in hand!) to see who has decorated their houses in lights. Some people go all out with so many lights you wonder what their electric bill is!

Holiday Shopping
Everyone has some shopping to do during the holidays, whether you’re treating yourself or giving to others. Avoid the malls, with their long lines and crazy traffic, and instead visit locally-owned shops this year. Some local boutiques have such unique gift ideas, including great clothes and accessories. Grab your girlfriends, map a route, and explore some local shops! Grab a CRAVE book to guide you along!

We hope these ideas inspire you to go out and enjoy this time of year with your best friends! If you and your girlfriends have any other holiday traditions, let us know by commenting below.

Happy Holidays!

Give Back to Our Community of Women: Volunteer Nationally or Locally

November 23, 2009 by Gina | Comments (3)

The holiday season is right around the corner. What better time of the year than now to show the community of women in our world that you care. There are several organizations, global, national, local, that help women. Volunteering this holiday season will leave you with a warm feeling in your heart and the hearts of those you help. Below is a list of national organizations that you can donate your time to and help those in need.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation’s mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer through education and by providing mammograms for those in need. You can help by giving individual breast cancer donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising for breast cancer, or volunteering for breast cancer. Every effort counts! To become a volunteer for The National Breast Cancer Foundation you can go to their website and fill out a form and they will contact you with volunteer activities in your area. You can also go right online and make a donation. Every little bit helps. (nationalbreastcancer.org)

Global Giving Foundation (globalgiving.com) is a organization and great online tool to use where you can find a cause to volunteer or donate to. You can find a cause or country to support then make donation and then receive updates on how your donation has effected the lives of others. It’s as easy as going to their website, clicking on the Find A Project button, choose a country or a theme (for example: women and girls). From there the site will give you different causes you can donate to. One example is “A Sanctuary for Empowering Refugee Girls” in Kenya. The Children’s Empowerment Project is a safe space where adolescent girls regain their physical and mental health, create a network of peer support and achieve skills which lead to self-sufficiency. This one cause lists denominations which you can donate and what that amount of money will give these girls, such as

$50 -Provides weekly bus fare for 5 girls to attend job-training classes for 3 months

$75 - Provides 3 girls with school supplies for one year, including books, notebooks, handouts and pens

$100 - Pays for one girl’s medical care assistance for one year

And so on. Global Giving allows you to decide what cause you are passionate about and want to help.

Another National Organization you could volunteer with is RAINN: Rape Abuse and Incest National Network. RAINN’s Mission: RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization.  RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotline’s free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual assault; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual assault, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice. There are many ways you can volunteer for RAINN such as staff a hotline, volunteer at your local rape crisis center, raise money to support programs, and raise awareness through public education efforts like RAINN Day. You can find out more information about these specific volunteer activities on RAINN’s website. One particular event that we found a great way to volunteer is a RAINN Day. RAINN Day is RAINN’s annual campaign to stop sexual assault on college campuses. You can register online to be an organization on your campus for a RAINN Day event. The RAINN website also offers materials you can use for your event and to pass out on campus. This is a great way to educate your college campus or community on how to stay safe. (www.rainn.org)

Another organization we’ve all heard of is Big Brother Big Sister. What a rewarding volunteer project to be a part of. Becoming a Big Sister is as easy as showing your little sister how to cook, play a game together or just spend quality sisterly time together. The impact is huge on children that need your friendship and guidance. To become a Big Sister you can go onto Big Brother Big Sister’s website and fill out an application form. A representative will then contact you to complete the process. It’s so easy, why not become a Big Sister and make the difference in a young girl’s life today. (www.bbbs.org)

There are many organizations you can find on the web, you just have to take the time to search. There are some websites dedicated to helping you find volunteer activities in your local community. One is 1-800-volunteer.org , where you can type in your city and see what opportunities are out there. Another site to search is idealist.org, where you can find volunteer opportunities near you. You can volunteer any time you want and trust me it can be so rewarding to know who or how many people you’ve helped. So have a Happy Thanksgiving and good luck giving Thanks to your community!

Holiday Recipes We CRAVE part 1of 3

November 22, 2009 by Nicole S. | Comments (0)

Guests are coming and you are not sure what to bake? Look no further we found the most delicious recipes that will whip your kitchen and your guests into a frenzy.

Apple Cranberry Galette from Patisserie Natalie
These cakes are a complimentary pair of sweet and tart flavors. Creator and high-school aged baking extraordinaire Natalie even made cinnamon flavored ice cream to go with them (so that you can die happy- yum!!).

Dough Ingredients:	Filling Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour	4 large granny smith apples
2 tablespoons sugar	2/3 cup fresh cranberries
3/4 teaspoon salt	5 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsaltedbutter + 2 tablespoons	2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (or more) ice water	1/2 cup sugar
1 egg	1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon heavy cream	1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
sanding sugar	1/4 teaspoon ginger

Procedure:
1. Mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor.
2. Add 12 tbs. of butter; pulse until coarse meal forms. Add 2 tbs. ice water; pulse until moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Chill 2 hours.
3. While chilling the dough, prepare the filling (procedure below).
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out dough on a floured work surface 1/2″ thick. Cut into 8″ diameter circles and place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Place about 1/3 of a cup of the filling in the center of the circle and fold up edges of the dough in one direction. Place a 1/2 tbs of butter on the filling.
6. Beat the egg in a small bowl and add cream. Using a pastry brush, paint the sides of the galette with an eggwash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Place on the parchment-lined sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes.

Filling Procedure:
1. Peel and cut apples into very thin slices, about 1/4″ thick, then set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, turn on medium heat and melt butter. While the butter is melting, combine lemon juice, sugar, and spices in a small bowl. Pour into the saucepan.
3. Cook the cranberries in the pan first, without the apples. Wait until they start to make “popping” sounds, then remove from the pan, leaving the juice in the pan.
4. Cook apples just until they are easily sliced with a little pressure from a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and toss the cranberries in. Stir the fruits in with the sauce until everything is nice and covered.

For more on this recipe: www.cakespy.com
For more from Patisserie Natalie: patisserienatalie.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream from Ina Garten
We cannot get enough of pumpkin-flavored everything this season! Give us cakes, breads, cookies, coffees over peppermint any day. It is the quintessential holiday flavor. Sophisticated and appealing, this pumpkin roll cake with ginger frosting is a definite way to please your guests.

Cake Ingredients:		Filling Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour		12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
1/2 teaspoon baking powder		1 1/4 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda		2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon		1/4 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
1 teaspoon ground ginger		Pinch kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13×18x1 inch sheet pan and line with parchment paper.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in small bowl and stir.
3. Place eggs and granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high for 3 mins. Turn mixer on low and add pumpkin, then slowly add flour mixture.
4. Pour into pan and spread evenly, bake for 10-12 mins.
5. While cake is baking, sift the ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar evenly onto a thin cotton towel. When cake is done, roll the warm cake and towel together starting at the short end of the cake.
6. Meanwhile, make the filling while cake cools. In an electric mixer beat the mascarpone, confectioner’s sugar and cream for about 1 min. Stir in crystallized ginger and salt.
7. Unroll cake with towel underneath, spread cake evenly with the filling. Reroll cake in a spiral then dust with confectioner’s sugar.

For more on this recipe: www.foodnetwork.com

Beyond the Bottle: Hostess Gifts

November 9, 2009 by Jessica P. | Comments (0)

You don’t have to break the bank on an expensive bottle of wine to show appreciation for your hostess.  All you need is a little creativity to come up with a fab gift. Here are just a few ideas to get the juices flowing:

1. Veggie bouquet made up of delicious garden delights. Pick beautiful fresh herbs, greens and veggies from your garden and place them in an old glass pickle or salsa jar.  Jars make a charming vase for your bouquet and are an environmentally sound way to recycle.

2. Custom mani-pedi set.  Put together a kit containing of all your favorite polishes of the moment.  Include manicure tools like tweezers, a large nail clipper, a small nail clipper, small scissors, a folding nail file, a nail cleaner, 2 eva foam white toe separators and an emory board nail file/buffer.

3. Infused Vodka.  (Recipe via about.com) Ingredients: 750ml bottle of premium vodka, 1 sprig of rosemary, 2 sprigs of lavender and infusion jar with tight sealing lid.  Preparation:  Rinse the herbs and place them a clean mason jar or similar jar with a tight sealing lid.  Pour the vodka over the herbs and shake a few times.  Seal the lid tight and store the jar in a cool, dark place for 3-5 days.  Test the flavor of the infusion everyday, beginning on the second day. Once the lavender and rosemary flavor is to taste, strain the herbs from the vodka using a fine strainer or coffee filter.  Wash the jar and return the flavored vodka to it.  Store as you do other vodka.

What is the best hostess gift you have ever received?

Girl on Top – Book Tour Hits Your Area!

November 3, 2009 by Lilla | Comments (0)

In Girl on Top, career expert Nicole Williams takes 20 tried-and-true dating rules every CRAVE girl knows (and have probably used) such as “Play Hard to Get” and “Don’t Give Away the Milk for Free”—and shows you how to put them to use when the object of your affection is your job. With her ingenious approach—taking the tactics used to land a man and applying them to your career—you’ll be able to handle any work situation and come out on top. Finally, the advice no one else has been willing to tell you, right at your fingertips!

About the Author:
Nicole Williams, the original Girl on Top, is your tell it-like-it-is big sister who happens to be an expert in all things career. As a best selling author and founder of WORKS by Nicole Williams, she has re-defined the world of work—making it glamorous, relevant, and get this—fun!—to modern women who refuse to settle for a less-than-thrilling career. Get more of her advice at nicolewilliams.com.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

11/04 Santa Clara – 2855 Steven’s Creek Boulevard, Santa Clara
11/06 Seattle – 315 S. Center, Seattle
11/09 Vancouver – 788 Robson St., Vancouver
11/11 Minneapolis – 60 West Broadway, Bloomington
11/13 Chicago – 5 Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg
11/17 Boston – 1245 Worcester Road, Natick
11/18 Boston – 250 Granite St., Braintree
11/20 Cherry Hill – 502 Cherry Hill Mall, Cherry Hill
11/23 Washington DC – 1100 South Hayes St., Arlington
11/25 Toronto

DIY Barware

November 2, 2009 by Jessica P. | Comments (0)

Hand-painted wine and cocktail glasses make excellent gifts and are super fun to make.  Invite your girls over for a night of creative camaraderie and follow the simple instructions below.

Step 1 Purchase inexpensive clear wine, martini or highball glasses, a variety of paint brushes, and paint designed for decorating glass. Most craft stores carry special paint that can be set by heating painted glass in the oven.  Find stencils, and and cut out clip art imagery you would like to apply to the glasses.

Step 2 Wash glasses thoroughly and stick stencils or clip art to the inside of the glass you are decorating with clear tape.

Step 3 Apply paint in a free form manner or follow the lines of the clip art you taped to the glass.

Step 4 Remove clip art and heat according to paint instructions.

Step 5 Let cool in oven completely before use. Wash by hand and they are ready to go!

pictures from www.girlygirlgifts.com

Party Blueprint: Preparing For Autumn Entertaining

October 26, 2009 by Jessica P. | Comments (3)

Dawn Sandomeno and Elizabeth Mascali are lifestyle experts and partners in Party Bluprints Inc, the first ever website to provide online electronic party plans – Partybluprintsblog.com.

Recently the talented entertainment mavens provided a killer blueprint to help ready your home for Fall entertaining. Check out excerpts below, or the full post.

1. First impressions are important – address your front door and entrance. Bring life to your entrance by planting flowers in the same vibrant hues as the changing landscape. Be selective in your plantings and they should last you through Thanksgiving. If needed, give your door a fresh coat of paint and accessorize with “door decor” (flowers, wreaths, plaques,etc.). Finally, provide an attractive welcome mat – stylish and functional what a winning combo.

2. A new season can inspire a fresh vibe in your home. Freshen up your interior by simply tweaking a few existing elements. Change the color of your candles and make sure you have plenty of them throughout the house – there’s nothing like candlelight to warm up a space (it also hides a multitude of sins). Given the “coziness” of the next two seasons, if you have a fireplace, make sure it’s ready to go (have it cleaned annually). Accessorize your hearth & mantle which are focal points.

3. Bring out cozy throws, we love faux fur blankets in chocolate and camel.

4. Swap your summer tablecloth and/or placemats for ones in a richer fabric and palette.

5. Spruce up your powder room by changing the color/pattern of your hand towels. Keep this “private room” smelling sweet with a scented candle in pumpkin or fall spice.

6. If you don’t have them already a “big bang for your buck” purchase is a variety of glass jars/urns. You can fill then with candles or seasonal items like, flowers, produce, candy, etc. and arrange them as a focal point. Small apples from the local orchard will be featured in ours. In a few weeks, the apples will be turned into homemade applesauce and fun candy will fill the containers for Halloween, just remember, the smaller the candy, the more you need to buy! As the season or your mood changes, it’s easy to swap out the contents for an instantly fresh look. These foundational “accessories” are extremely versatile and will serve your home well throughout the seasons and the years.

What are you doing to ready your home for Fall?

Mom’s Night Out!

May 22, 2009 by Amanda | Comments (0)

Children’s Trust Foundation is bringing NYC author Emma Gilbey Keller to town to tell stories from her book, The Comeback, about women re-entering the workplace and finding the balance between motherhood and career. Come enjoy a fun night with your friends at Opal Bistro in Queen Anne, Seattle, and meet other smart women. Admission price includes appetizers and a specialty cocktail, and proceeds benefit Children’s Trust Foundation’s work to prevent child abuse and neglect.

click here to view a video about the book

Date: 05/27/2009
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Location: 2 Boston St., Seattle, WA 98109 | Map It
Ages: Mom’s night out
Cost: $30, $35 at door
Event Info: 206-898-9895

Mother’s Day Spa Indulgence

May 8, 2009 by Amanda | Comments (0)

Spoil your mother this Mother’s day by indulging with spa services, offered by our favorite spas. From Seattle to Austin, we have great deals for you and your mom to relax and pamper yourselves without breaking the bank.

Austin
Salon Intuitions is offering new customers 25% off services if they bring their mom in with them.
4616 TRIANGLE AVE STE 401 Austin, TX 78751-2996. (512) 323-0880

San Francisco
In-Symmetry Spa is running a special on Mother’s day for a one hour massage and one hour facial combination. This service is priced at $130.
2221 26th Street #101 San Francisco, CA 94107. (415) 294-5004

Luminous Spa is offering tasty bites, mimosa’s and a chocolate fondue station for all moms in the Luminous Lounge on Mother’s day weekend (Saturday May 9th- Sunday May 10th). They are also running a special that includes a 60 minute Luminous facial, 30 minute aromatherapy massage, and a 15 min reflexology add-on, for $129.
204 Grand Avenue, South San Francisco, CA. 94080. (650) 871-0759

Seattle
Aviva Holistic Skin Spa is offering a free brow wax or glycolic peel with any purchase of a facial gift card. With the purchase of a gift card for a massage, Aviva will upgrade it to a hot stone massage. And lastly, with the purchase of any gift card for a “classic” manicure or pedicure, they will upgrade it to a “spa” manicure or pedicure.
104 102nd Ave SE Bellevue, WA 98004. (425) 454-2374

Calidora Skin Clinic is offering any mom 25% off any single service between now and May 10th. They are also offering a complimentary Revitalizing Vitamin B serum ($68 value) as a gift for those who purchase gift cards for their moms in the amount of $300 or more.
Locations throughout the greater Seattle area visit them online www.calidora.com

Frenchy’s Day Spa is running a special for Mother’s day that includes a Lulu manicure, Lulu Pedicure, and a Lulu facial. It is priced at $160, and can also be purchased in a gift card for later use. Lulu services are the most deluxe treatments and also most requested, so this is the perfect opportunity to splurge for the higher priced services at a discounted rate. Frenchy’s is also giving a special gift to any mother who receives services on Sunday, May 10th.
3131 E. Madison St. Suite 103 Seattle, WA 98112. (206) 325-9582

Vancouver, B.C
Absolute Spa has many great Mother’s day specials to choose from. These include a manicure and an organic lotion scrub for $60, a pedicure and an organic lotion scrub for $80, and a massage and organic lotion scrub for $105.
Many locations in the Vancouver Area. To find one near you, call them at (604) 684-ASPA.

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