Christmas in Newport

These images are from some of the most beautiful and historic mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. They are currently owned by The Preservation Society of Newport County. The Marble House and The Breakers were both Vanderbilt "summer cottages" and The Elms was a summer home owned by coal magnate, Edward Berwind. Hope you enjoy these spectacular decorations!

Marble House Gothic Room

Marble House Foyer

The Marble House wintry exterior

The Elms Sitting Room

The Elms Ballroom

The Breakers Great Hall

The Breakers Great Hall

Advent

Since it's the first day of December and the first of advent is tomorrow I wanted to feature a post on advent calendars. Growing up I had a large handmade advent house that had doors I could open every morning from the first of December through the 24th. I thought it was the Christmas Elf bringing me my goodies. After being in Germany during the Christmas season I was overwhelmed by all of the advent calendars! When I say I saw over 100 styles that may be an understatement. I even found a doggie advent calendar I brought back for my little Charley.

Here is an advent house my mother in law got us a few years ago and Charley's doggie advent calendar! He got his first treat today!

My little reindeer! 

Advent Wreaths

Simple rustic advent wreath from Little Scandinavian 

Pinecone, bar and acorn wreath from Danish site Madogbolig

Advent wreath in topiary form from Madogbolig

Beautiful wildflower advent wreath from Hegegreenall-Scholtz

Advent Houses & Calendars

Insanely beautiful wooden Christmas truck advent calendar from Neiman Marcus

Gnome Santa advent calendar with little boxes that can be filled with gifts from Ikea

Paper 3D Gingerbread House Advent Calendar from German Steins

A few photos of some advent calendars I saw in Germany: 

I brought this advent calendar back from Germany and happened to find it online. This is hanging in my office at work. This one is not filled with candy, but images. I happened to come across this online in the US at Blueberry Forest

Large Santa hanging advent calendar

For the gents in your life, this was a large and heavy advent calendar filled with beer!

My mom's hometown, Iserlohn is celebrating its 775 year anniversary and the local confectionery store Spetsmann founded in 1939 designed this specialty advent calendar filled with truffles.

Outdoor Wreaths Made With Backyard Goodies

Happy Friday! I wanted to share a few pictures of what I worked on this week! I got some of the plain $10 live wreaths from Home Depot, and went exploring in my back yard and found some fun stuff to "spruce" it up. I found some pine cones, greenery from our cypress trees, some holly and red berries. The moss was the only thing not growing in our backyard, but it is this neat looking reindeer type moss (but it's hard not soft), my mom and I found on the side of the road back in the summer in NC. I kept the bows that came with it since these will hang on each side of my mailbox stand and be exposed to the elements. I just hot glued and added the items! A quick and easy way to spruce up a simple wreath.

Live Like a Local

Did you buy your Powerball ticket? Well, I think London may be on my new bucket list for vacation houses.

I came across these amazing images, then realized these are actually like hotels on steroids, or as OneFineStay refers to them as "unhotels". I think I have spent countless hours going through these homes and haven't even seen 1/10th of them!

One Fine Stay gives you the chance to stay in an unhotel – someone’s place while they’re out of town. You get to live their life for a few days and nights. See what they’d see and, if you like, do what they’d do, in other words, Live Like a Local! Currently, they offer these in NYC and London!

You get all the advantages of a hotel, like the nice smelly stuff in small bottles. And with none of the downsides, like somebody bothering you at 8am to fold your toilet paper into a triangle.

They have sifted through some of the most decadent, elegant, quirky and surprising houses and apartments, and curated a collection of wonderful places to stay. Every single one is different. But they all offer the same delicious levels of comfort and character.

The Violin Factory in Waterloo

Princelet Street in Shoreditch

Sumner Place 2 in South Kensington

College Cross in Islington

Princelet Street in Shoreditch

Princelet Street in Shoreditch

Felden Street in Fulham

Strand on the Green in Chiswick

Doria Road in Fulham

Blenheim Crescent 4 in Notting Hill

Blenheim Crescent 4 in Notting Hill

Eaton Square 2 in Belgravia

Thurloe Square in South Kensington

Eaton Square 2 in Belgravia

Westbourne Park Road 3 in Notting Hill

Wardour Street in Soho

Sloane Court East in Chelsea

Elm Park Gardens 4 in Chelsea

Felden Street in Fulham

Eaton Square 2 in Belgravia

Chelsea Embankment in Chelsea

Ladbroke Road in Notting Hill

Rothwell Street in Primrose Hill

Barnes Riverside

Barnes Riverside

Strand on the Green in Chiswick

Homemade Kahlua & Fun Drink Recipes to try with it!

After posting those few fun Thanksgiving cocktails last week, my mind moved to Christmas type cocktails. While I was rearranging my fridge for all the Thanksgiving leftovers, I came across 2 bottles of my aunt's homemade Kahlua. She would make this every year to go along with our gift. I was thinking this is a great gift idea for co-workers, neighbors, friends, and you could include a little hanging recipe card of your favorite drink.

Homemade Kahlua

2 cups hot water

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon instant coffee

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups vodka

1/2 cup good brandy

In a pan on low to medium heat combine sugar, coffee, vanilla and water. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside until completely cool then add vodka and brandy. Be sure it is completely cool or some of the alcohol WILL evaporate. Funnel into bottles and let set for six weeks.

Now that you have made your Kahlua or have some at home, here are a few fun holiday themed martini recipes to use with your Kahlua. I was excited to try the Toblerone Martini, since I bought some Disarrono back in the summer and the only thing I knew with that one was to mix with cranberry.

Toblerone Martini

2 oz DiSarrono Amaretto liqueur

2 oz Kahlua coffee liqueur

2 oz Bailey’s (if you want a little “lighter” drink, substitute half and half for the Bailey’s

To make this more fun and decorative, you can rim the glass with chocolate sprinkles, or shavings, or pour chocolate syrup inside the glass before pouring (like I did), or just top with whipped cream and put a few Toblerone shavings on top from Unusual Cocktail and Drinks.

Gingerbread Cookie Martini

1oz Vodka ( i think my whipped cream vodka would be divine here)

1 oz Baileys Irish creme 

1/2 oz Monin gingerbread syrup 

1/2 oz Kahlua 

Rim glass with graham cracker crumbs. Shake with ice. Strain into glass. Top with whipped cream & gingerbread cookie.

Espresso Martini

1.5 parts Kahlua

1 part ABSOLUT VODKA

1 fresh brewed espresso

Fill a shaker with ice, add Kahlua, vodka, and a fresh brewed espresso. Shake vigorously, and strain into a chilled martini glass from Brides. If you want this to be more creamier, you could add some Bailey's or half and half.

S'moretini

1 1/2 oz marshmallow vodka (Try Pinnacle Marshmallow Vodka)

3/4 oz white creme de cacao

1/4 oz Kahlua

1 1/2 oz Irish cream

For decor: chocolate syrup (some for rimming the glass & some for the marshmallow), 1/2 sheet of a graham cracker (crushed into little crumbs), 1 big marshmallow from Cocktail 365.

For more fun drink recipes check out my Pinterest "Yummy Drink" page.