Happy New Year Cooking Club

I hosted the January cooking club, and I chose the theme Happy New Year! I rarely make it to midnight on New Year's Eve, so this was a fun way to celebrate the new year with my favorite friends. The parameters were to bring something appetizery, and to wear something sparkly!

I started things off with a bourbon champagne cocktail called the Seelbach. This has bourbon, Cointreau, bitters and champagne. Cheers!



Nancy brought little brie and jelly bites. So melty and good!



Emily brought her adorable infant baby! It was Gabrielle's one-month birthday. Don't worry, we didn't eat her. Baby's first cooking club!



Summer brought a favorite, honeycomb blue cheese bites!



She also made gooey chicken wings. Mmm.



Plus some wonton chips with a peanutty dipping sauce.



I made Smitten Kitchen's creamed mushrooms on toast. Boy, do I love mushrooms!



Emily made little pulled pork sliders, and she even made homemade whole wheat buns! Look at how CUTE they are!



She also brought goat cheese endive boats. Classic!



Valerie made crab cake bites! So cute!



I also made Smitten Kitchen's crushed peas with smoky tahini dressing.



Yumi made salmon wellingtons with pesto! She took photos of them for me before they went into the oven. GORGEOUS.



So cute!



SO MUCH FOOD. NOT COMPLAINING!



All together now!

Mom's Birthday Pizza Party

Tonight we had a belated birthday celebration for Mom! Pizza Party!



Presents!! We got her a fitness tracker.



Just like Little Kate's!



So happy together!






We also got her some of the Indian Coconut Nectar lotion she's obsessed with. Mmm, smells good.






Mer made a birthday cake! Happy birthday to Mom!



Make a wish.






Yum!

Brahms vs. Radiohead

Summer, Yumi and I headed to Columbus for the night, to enjoy the Brahms vs. Radiohead symphonic mash-up at the Ohio Theater.

We went out for dinner at Sidebar beforehand, which was amazing. We ordered SO much food. Yum!

The show was incredible, and after it ended, we just couldn't stop staring at the Ohio Theater itself. It's just gorgeous! Finally one of the ushers had to tell us it's time to go!

Girls Night

Mer, Mom and I went out tonight for a Girls Night! It's Mom's birthday eve. I'm going to be out of town tomorrow, and Dad is out of town all week, so we're celebrating early! We'll have another celebration once Dad's back.

As has become our yearly tradition, we went to Athens Uncorked to enjoy a flight of wine, and then across the street to Thai Paradise for dinner!

Cheers!



We started with our favorite Mala String Beans. Spicy and delicious!



For entrees, we shared Spicy Eggplant with tofu, Drunken Noodles with pork, and Mussaman Curry with tofu, add MUSHROOMS! These were all excellent choices. Happy early birthday, Mom!

Pile of Pets

I had a bunch of chores I was supposed to be doing this evening, but Emma and Felix had other plans for me. Also, look at the super cute hat that Nancy knit for me!



Totally trapped under a pile of pets!

Good Luck Pork

Mom and Dad had the family over tonight for Good Luck Pork! YUM! Happy New Year, everyone!