melanie

Last night we attended Klugergiving - an all-friends, potluck-style Thanksgiving dinner hosted by our good friends: the Klugers - Melanie, Andrew, and Lola (their adorable puppy).

Not only was their house (yes! a house! oh the glories of the East Bay...) impeccably decorated with cheerful yet sophisticated stylings, Melanie had out-done herself by perfectly decorating their abode for the festivities. 

In addition to a gorgeous table lined with tulips in mason jars and simple white votives, she had placed luscious snacks (a decadent spread of cheeses, a tantalizing tray of olives and all sorts of vegetable munchables) all around their wide-open living room-kitchen-dining room for easy snacking while we sipped our Pinots.

Meanwhile, Andrew was manning the turkey...

 

...which came out beyond perfect: brown and crispy yet tender and juicy - exactly how anyone likes it.

 

In addition to the turkey and make-your-own-potato & sweet potato-bar prepared by the Klugers, we had all sorts of goodness supplied by our plethora of guests:

1. a spinach, pear, persimmon, walnut, roasted Brussels sprout salad (compliments of the Fischers of course)

2. braised cabbage + carrots

3. a killer, spicy sausage stuffing

4. a homemade apple pie

5. nothing BUNDT cakes mini-cakes (if you're looking to send something to a friend or family member, these most certainly fit the bill)

 

Melanie also planned all sorts of fun games to entertain us as we dined.  She had prepped a bunch of chalkboards for us to pass around the table and write what we each thankful for. 

She then read them all aloud and had us guess whose was whose.  So. much. fun. 

 

But not only did Melanie plan and host a killer Sunday-night bash while being five-months pregnant (in four-inch heels mind you...), she's been blogging up a storm for her new styling biz: Head over Heels.

 

She guest blogged over at the Collection on how to style a bump when heading to a wedding...

 

 

 

 

 ...and then over at The White Dress on how to do polka dots...

 

 

...and then over at vmac and cheese on what to bring on one's honeymoon...

 

 

 

...and THEN (as if that weren't enough) a shoot she styled was featured on the one and only Once Wed!

 

 

 

Not to mention all the fabulous posting she's been doing over at Head Over Heels.

This girl has been BUSY, and yet - she makes it look so easy.  How does she do it?

 

xoxo

KK

grammar

Growing up, I absolutely deplored when my grandma Nana would nag me for improper word use.
"Gretchen and I, not me!" she would bemoan me time and time again.
My younger brother Sam was exactly the same.  He would constantly pester all of us to perfect our prose.  He was (and still is) a grammatical snob.

Did it really matter? I would always think to myself post one of their tirades.  You still no what I mean. 

But years later I have come to realize that - yes, oh yes, grammar matters quite a lot.  It is a known fact that people make a first judgment about one another in a matter of minutes, and one's grammar - oh lovely, sneaky, tricky grammar - is one of the first cards to be shown.

So thanks to all of you who have corrected me along the way.  I hope you'll continue to do so every. single. time.   

 

xoxo

KK

stiletto & spice

So sadly I was solo this past weekend as Stefan (who had to be in Germany for work today - Wednesday) spent the weekend in Switzerland visiting his fam.

He was totally enamored by the newest addition - his new niece Melissa:

In addition to some drink, dinner, and Williams-College-football-watching girlfriend dates, some friends and I decided to schedule a private cooking class with the fabulous Claudine of Stiletto & Spice. 

I've always been a fan of cooking classes, but every time I'm blown away by the complexity of the dishes we usually learn.  They're delicious (and almost do-able) when we're in class with the constant help of the head chef, but the recipes are too technical and complex for me to ever attempt at home.

Claudine's curriculum couldn't be more different.  She's all about simple, non-technical, easily-substitutable, yet still packed-full-of-flavor-and-nutrition one-dish meals.  In her three hour class, you learn how to prepare and cook five uber delicious meals, prepping all the ingredients so you're ready to go for the entire week.

It all starts with a trip to the grocery store.  Claudine will gladly do the shopping for you, but, as she so accurately told us, the purchasing is part of the total learning experience.   

 

A few days before our cooking date, Claudine sent us a long list and was available to answer any and all our questions via phone and email:

fresh or frozen edamame? 

organic or conventional broccoli?

brown rice or whole wheat pasta? 

 

The awesome thing about her methodology, however, is that it really doesn't matter - her recipes work with almost any variety of ingredients.

 

When we arrived to our class (held in the rock star kitchen of one of said friends), Claudine was waiting with adorable recipe booklets.  We started by chopping and cleaning all our veggies while we cooked up some quinoa (which would serve as the base for two of our dinners) on the stove.

Meanwhile we began cooking a sample of one of our dinners.  Tomato-rosemary salmon with asparagus and bulgar:  

Take 1 cup of bulgar, 2 cups of broth and pour it in the bottom of a cooking dish

Cover bulgar with trimmed asparagus

Then top asparagus with salmon fillet seasoned with salt and pepper

Garnish with tomatoes and rosemary

 

Once the quinoa was ready, we prepared a sample of another night's meal: Miso-glazed black cod with edamame quinoa and a Miso slaw.  Sounded like something fancy enough to be served at a five-star restaurant, but with instructions and ingredients simple enough for me to actually make it at home. 

 

Unreal.

We also learned how to make:
> fresh pea risotto in the oven (seriously - how simple is THAT), to be served with roasted pesto chicken
> fish tacos (need I say more?)
> shrimp-broccoli-pesto pasta made in ONE POT - you cook the pasta, shrimp, and broccoli in the exact same water (adding them each in at a different time to perfect the cooking), drain them, toss with pesto, and top with pine nuts

The best thing about all of these dishes?  You can swap in any veggie or protein or grain depending on what you're in the mood for.

We went home with the basic ingredients prepped to make these five meals all on our own that week (veggies chopped, dressings and sauces made) plus the knowledge of how to make a plethora of nutritious meals down the road.  Pretty good deal if you ask me.

xoxo
KK

hosting made simple

So I have a tendency to be a bit overly ambitious when it comes to hosting parties.  I get all Martha Stewart on myself wanting to hand-craft everything from the invites to the decor to the cocktails to the snacks to the dessert. 

Time and time again, I've attempted such a soiree and the result is always the same:
I am scrambling around madly trying to finish everything before guests arrive,
I never do and end up spending the duration of my party in the kitchen (and begging my guests to assist),
and then everything turns out - well - mediocre. 
And you know how I feel about mediocrity: it sucks.

For my Stella & Dot trunk show, I decided to wave the white flag and do everything as easy as possible, with just a touch of homemade.

First, the invites:
Rather than hand-design and hand-make custom invites, I opted for one of Paperless Post's free varieties. 

Much cuter than I could have ever crafted

Then, the drinks:
I opted for just simple red and white wine with a few non-alcoholic options (limeade, iced tea, lemon-infused water).  No fancy cocktails here.

Next, the snacks:

 

Because my guestlist included a bunch of health-conscious babes, I did a big vegetable platter (all store-bought, pre-cut, already-washed varieties) complete with my signature dip (1 container of fat-free greek yogurt + a packet of ranch seasoning - you can eat the WHOLE thing and it's only 100 calories).

 

For my more savory snack, I took it up a notch yet still keeping it simple.  I bought a bunch of fresh baguettes, sliced them into extra-thin slices, tossed them with a bit of olive oil and salt, and toasted them in the oven until just on the verge of turning brown.

 

I let my fresh crostinis cool and then topped them with one of two super easy to assemble combinations.

One: crisp, crunchy fuji apple paired with creamy, buttery brie

Two: smooth, velvety ricotta topped with fresh figs and honey

I labeled them on our chalkboard cheese board

to make them extra special

Then last but not least - dessert:
Stefan stayed out of the apartment until later in the evening, arriving home right as it was time to quench everyone's sweet tooth.  Being the wonderful husband that he is, he happily picked up a tray of mini-pumpkin-spice cupcakes to pass around to the group.
"Wow, these are SO good," guests raved. "Did KK make these?"
Knowing that I am the type of person who would attempt such a thing, he replied: "Yes, yes - she did!"

Little did all my guests know that these little munchkins were not homemade, nor were they scored from one of San Francisco's plethora of cupcake shops which charge $4 a pop - all 24 of these little guys were purchased for a grand total of $1.99 at none other than Target. 

What are your go-to hosting secrets for making any soiree swoon-worthy without the stress?

xoxo
KK

the new tubberware

Not too long, I hosted a stella & dot party.  Think: your mother's Tupperware party but with a whole lot more style and a whole lot better economics. 

The concept is simple: any woman can sign up to be a Stylist.  For $199, that woman gets $350 worth of product as well as a hefty discount on any additional purchases made within the first month or so.  She then asks others to "host" parties for her - she brings the stylish jewels to show off while the host provides the seasonal beverages, snacks and locale.  Guests wine, dine and shop - ordering items that will arrive within a few days in beautifully wrapped packages.  While the stylist earns a commission on her sales, the host earns free product.  A pretty good deal for just chilling and shopping with friends.

Our party was perfection.  My friend (and Stylist) Kara Chase arrived about two hours beforehand (while I was slicing baguettes for crostinis - more on those deets tomorrow) to turn our humble little abode into a styling palace.  
 

Sad you missed out?  Well, don't fret - you can still shop it here.  To help you choose, I'm bringing you my top choices from the collection.

their celeb-worthy necklaces

like katherine hiegl's fav: the bahari necklace

the easy way to dress up a classic white button-down

($98)

stack-able bracelets

their wrap bracelets are an easy way to get the layered look

($59)

fun and festive iPhone covers 

keep all your calls and messages merry and bright

($29)

their amazing candles are perfection for a hostess gift

($29)

their amazingly cozy and colorful scarves 

are an easy present for any and all gals on your list

($59)

their adorable wallets are the perfect way 

to keep your pennies organized

($79)

 

 

Which goods are your fav?

 

xoxo

KK

the walk

This past weekend, Stefan and I headed out East for my brother Sam's homecoming football game.  Given he's a senior and the last one in the family to go to Williams for awhile (the potential next-in-line is still in middle school), we got a big turn-out from the Williams alums in the family.

Alby Gallun ('89), Liz Krieg ('83), Al Mathews ('10), Gretchen Krieg ('10), Sam Krieg ('13), Me ('08), Stefan Fischer (honorary eph), Dickie Boy Gallun ('57), Todd Krieg ('83)

 

For those of you unfamiliar with this little liberal arts college tucked away in the Berkshires' purple mountains, it is a school full of rich tradition and with extremely proud and passionate former students.

So proud, in fact, that when Stefan travels with his Williams sweatshirt on (which is very, very often), he'll almost always be bombarded with fellow ephs yelling at him from across the terminal:

"What year were you?!"

"Which team did you play on?!"

"In which entry did you live?!"

 

One of Williams' most famous traditions is that of "The Walk."  In 1992, Sports Illustrated called it the BEST POST-GAME TRADITION IN AMERICA.  Kind of a big deal.  But this tradition doesn't occur just any old day.  It ONLY happens when Williams is victorious on Homecoming day. 

 

Lucky for us, after a tough nail-biter, Williams won.

 

lining up for some serious football!

the grandfathers and father approve!

an avid (and very well-dressed) fan

Note the scoreboard in the background - 19:7

Two proud sisters!

 

 

Post victory, the team - in full uniform - marches up Williamstown's main street - singing Williams' spirited fight song the whole way - to the St Pierre Barber Shop.

 

 

Once at the Barber Shop, ALL the players head inside (with some cigars and a thirty-pack), close all the curtains, and watch as the seniors shave the freshmans' hair in anyway they please.  Hair that has been left uncut since the first day of the season.

 

The fans wait eagerly outside.

Dad trying to sneak a peek

 

Once each seniors' masterpiece is complete, he presents it to the crew of onlookers waiting outside.

 

Sam's masterful creation

 

Which hairstyle would you prefer?

 

xoxo

KK

thrifty thursday: blooms

There's just something about having flowers in the home that washes me over with an easy wave of contentment and calm.  It's like a burst of colorful joy every time you walk in, reminding you of all the beauty in life's simplest things.

Problem is: having a steady stream of fresh-cut stems can be taxing not only on your time (cutting, arranging, maintaining, discarding, then doing it all over again with a fresh bouquet), but also on your pocket book.

That's why I love succulents - they're pretty and fresh and simple, but cheap (relatively speaking) and last FOREVER.  Even for someone with absolutely zero ounce of a green thumb (that would be me!), these babies are hard to kill.  Therefore, instead of freshly cut flowers for our wedding, we opted for freshly planted succulent gardens in long wooden boxes that garnished our long wooden tables.

burlap runners hand-made by my mother!

photo by cooper carras

We sent as many boxes as we could home with friends and family (many of whom tell us that theirs are still thriving months later!), but we obviously ended up with a good allotment ourselves.  (Oh, what a pity.)  

Our six boxes had been thriving for quite some time, but as you might expect after three months of no care besides the occasional cupful of water when I remember (I know!  I'm horrible!), some of them started to struggle.  This weekend I carted them all into our kitchen and rolled up my sleeves - pruning them, replanting them, and watering them to their hearts' content.  They've been very happy (and pretty) every since.  Good as new!

  
But if you're not a succulent person - don't fret.  There are other super easy, affordable ways to bring plant life into your home. 

While I was at the farmer's market this past weekend, I spotted a beautiful basket of freshly dried lavender bunches.  At $6 a pop, I couldn't help but buy two.

One now guards our stove...

...while the other beautifies our bathroom.
(Not to mention - keep any not-so-friendly scents at bay.  Pretty and practical - that's my kind of bloom.)

 

Do you like keeping fresh flowers at home?  Which do you choose?

 

xoxo

KK