some do's and don'ts for a party-tastic new year's eve/day

• don't drink red wine before midnight.  you're not allowed to fall asleep before the ball drops.

• don't think you need to have someone to kiss at midnight.  it's perfectly fine not to have to settle for someone mediocre as your first kiss of the year.  but if you do have someone special, then yay!

• don't be that person.  you know, the one that arrives fashionably late.  and by fashionable, i mean two minutes before twelve.

• do glam it up!  the night isn't complete without a shiny silver eyeshadow or a sequined skirt!  and really...when else are  you going to have an excuse to wear that 90's body glitter?

• do have a designated driver.  or some other form of reliable (and preferably, sober) transportation.

• do have fun!  okay, so this one's a cop-out.  i couldn't think of another do.

cheers to another new year! see you on the other side!

-jillian m.


{image: ori2uru)

snow day!

monday was a good day.  not just because it snowed (i'm actually not crazy about snow, in general), but because it snowed and the office was closed!  wooohooo!  i don't even mind that my hands and toes were frozen almost to the point of no return.  or that i've been walking around the house hunched over because my back gave out (my body thinks it's ninety years old). 

i still treasure these long weekends :)

-jillian m.

outrageous chocolate cookies (with espresso)

after much deliberation on what to bake for christmas eve, i decided to go with a recipe from martha stewart's collection: outrageous chocolate cookies.  only the first batch was kind of blah, so i sprinkled some espresso and placed some chocolate chunks on top and...it was yummy.  the espresso gave the cookie a much needed hint of taste and texture.

for christmas, i went with the same recipe but this time, i mixed the espresso in the batter (as opposed to "sprinkling").  i scooped up dollops of the chocolatey batter and placed them on foil, when i noticed i forgot to add the chocolate chunks to the batter, making the batter less chunky (hence, rounder and flatter cookies).  so the chunks were a last-minute addition.

what i learned: don't bake cookies at four 'o clock in the morning.

however, the cookies were a hit!  yay!  and it inspired me to bake more (especially since I received a cookbook on "cake pops" and a doughnut maker for christmas!).  at the end of the night...this tray was empty.  success.

-jillian m.

christmas roundup

my holiday was wonderful.  it's the best thing in the world to be with your family on christmas (and by family, i don't just mean blood relatives).  i would have loved to take more pictures (or rather, better pictures), but sometimes, you just have to come out from behind the lens and be in the moment.  here are some of the highlights:

glowy gold lights on the tree to set the mood.

bob and tre chatting it up/beer advertisement

jaxon's first taste of rice! everyone else had white rice with gandules and pernil (aka white rice with pigeon peas and roasted pork shoulder--soooooo good!).  for dessert, chocolate espresso cookies (more on this later!).

 jax, mase and branden waiting ever so patiently for the christmas gifts.

gifts!

all of us gathering around to watch the digital slideshow of pictures from yesteryear!

hope everyone had a lovely and happy holiday!

-jillian m.

holiday decorations

yes, i'm aware that my last few posts have been christmas-related, but i just love it so!  how can i not speak of it?  how can i not show my cheery spirit of the season?  so, here's to another christmas post (and more to come)!

here's what the house has been looking like this month:

just wanted to wish you a holly jolly christmas!  have a safe, happy and super fun holiday (whichever holidays you celebrate)!  talk to you soon...

-jillian m.

my top five favorite christmas songs

1. christmastime is here - a classic!  love that it makes me feel like a little kid drinking hot chocolate in front of the tv.  those little sing-songy voices never fail to put a smile on my face.




2. blue christmas - not the most cheerful christmas song, but something about elvis's husky voice and the woo-woo-wooing of the background vocals makes me feel like i'm trudging through a snowstorm just to see my love on christmas day.



3. santa baby - eartha kitt's version is, hands down, the best version of this song. so innocent and playful, yet so deliciously sultry.  her voice is is as smooth as butter.




4.  the christmas song - another smooth soulster. an obvious choice, but to me, this is the ultimate christmas song - tiny tots having trouble falling asleep, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, mistletoe, folks dressed like eskimos...it's all here!




5. the grinch song - love love love singing along to this one!  part of what makes it so fun is that the lyrics are things i would never think to say in my real life, i.e. "you're a bad banana with a greasy black peeeeeeel" (how about "your brain is full of spiders, you've got garlic in your soul"?).  aaah, the magic of dr. seuss!




there are so many others, but this list would have been way too long.  here are a few (of many) honorable mentions: white christmas by bing crosby,  the christmas song by alvin and the chipmunks, it's the most wonderful time of the year and happy holidays by andy williams and little saint nick by the beach boys.

what are some of your favorites?

-jillian m.

the tiny village

 this is the village that lives under my christmas tree.  here you'll find jolly townies, christmas carolers, shoppers, colorful houses, snow on the ground and a wonderful place where everybody knows your name.

-jillian m.

friday!

• ha!  beauty sleep does exist!   and apparently, all those times my mom would put me to nap wasn't because she wanted to get rid of me for an hour or two.  thanks for looking out for me, ma!

• once and for all, what is the deal with pinterest?  i have an account and i still don't get it.  once you "pin" pictures to your board, what do you do with them?

• belgian hot chocolate on a stick.  do i even need to say how i feel about this?

• if only i were more skilled with my hair, i'd love to try something like this for the holidays (or any night out).  as a matter of fact, i'm adding professional hair stylist to my christmas wishlist.

• i've been so busy, i haven't watched any christmas movies this year!  not a single charlie brown.  nor a grinch. not even a polar express! i need to feel that childlike christmas spirit again.  mental note: must get a move on this before the weekend is over.

-jillian m.


{image source:  here)

what's on the menu?

after some recipe researching, i came up with a few choices to make for christmas eve and christmas day:

mexican hot chocolate cookies
meringue cookies
chocolate thumbprints

i'm leaning towards the mexican hot chocolate cookies for both days.  but i kind of like the ease and airiness of the meringue cookies.  maybe i should make the meringue for one day and the cookies for another (and create more work for myself)?  or i can just scratch both ideas and stick with the trusty, crowd-pleasing truffle brownies that came out wonderful both times i made them (first and second time).  or olivia's salted caramel brownies (which i've never made, but i've been dying to try!).

in case you haven't noticed, i'm really indecisive.

are you noting the chocolate theme here?  because i am.  maybe i'll leave those meringue cookies for some other time.  after all, the holidays call for chocolate.

are any of you making/baking anything for the holidays?  i'd love to hear what you're doing (and maybe i'll consider some of those ideas and be even more confused about what i should make).

-jillian m.

my christmas wishlist

there's been a ton of bloggers posting their wishlists and since it's such a great idea, i've decided to create my very own!

1. an invisible heater to follow me everywhere in the winter time.

2. my own limo and driver to take me anywhere, especially to work.  a hot breakfast would be ready as soon as i stepped in the car and an afternoon snack for the ride home.  oh, and it would be allowed to ride the express bus lanes.

3. a huge brownstone in the west village.

4. unlimited hot chocolate.

5. a closet organizer/outfit maker.  remember that computer thingamajig that cher had in clueless that helped her pick clothes for school?  mine would be like that, only better!  it would help me create a bunch of different outfits, mixing and matching everything i own (plus, accessories) to make cool and unexpected ensembles.  and it would create based on themes, such as work, shopping, and "night out" wear. 

6. unlimited fresh guacamole.

7. johnny depp.

what are you wanting this year?

-jillian m.

pizza and cafe mochas at california pizza kitchen

saturday night was low-key for me.  after coming home from my nephew branden's birthday party, bob and i ate at california pizza kitchen.  i had always assumed cpk was just another fast-food chain, but i was very pleasantly surprised by the quality (and the service!).  plus, strawberry italian soda will always get me.

i love avocado and try to eat it as often as i can, so when i saw the big chunks of avocado in these crispy club egg rolls, i was in heaven.  and it tasted super fresh, too.

thai chicken pizza (sweet and spicy) and caramelized pear and gorgonzola pizza (chopped hazelnuts gave this one a nice little crunch).

our dessert consisted of sweet cafe mochas to warm our bones in this chilly weather.  

my weekend was nice because i was reminded of how important it is to stick with your family and friends.  it sounds cheesy, but i'm grateful to have lovely people in my life.  and a boyfriend that likes to eat at the same places i do.

-jillian m.

friday!

•  i'm currently reading like water for chocolate.  i can't put it down.  every sentence is beautifully constructed and delicious.  warning: do not read on an empty stomach.

• sadly, i did not get to see black swan last weekend. can you believe it's only playing in three theaters in the city? three!  and they were all sold out.  i'm hoping for this weekend...or the next.

• i want a wardrobe makeover.  starting with this outfit (as seen on alexa chung).  and this one too.

•  really really really don't know how i'm going to survive this winter.  it's in the thirty degree range and i'm complaining already.  is summer here yet?

• hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with lots of laughter and hot chocolate!

-jillian m.

fortune cookie prediction (or words of wisdom, in this case)

i like this one, not only because it's true, but because i live by it.  i find my inspiration for creativity from a range of sources.  a picture, a best friend, a magazine article, a cuddly puppy, beautiful blogs, a sad song, the scent of a certain deodorant i wore when i was a teenager - these things get me thinking, feeling, loving...

-jillian m.

buttermilk biscuits with butter and honey

i had all this leftover buttermilk from the last recipe, so i searched the internet for some ideas and came across this really simple recipe from bobby flay.  i was never a big biscuit eater, but perhaps that was because i'd never ate a homemade biscuit.  and now that i have, i can officially call myself a biscuit-lovin' gal.

flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, butter and buttermilk come together to make this big block of dough.

biscuits are cut into rounds and ready for baking.

hot biscuit fresh from the oven. a smear of butter for the inside, a dollop of honey for the top.

final verdict: yes, i'll be making these again.  and again.  the honey is the icing on the cake - it gives the biscuit an essential sweetness.  bobby flay knows what he's doing.

-jillian m.

bargain hunter: used books

city opera thrift shop has become one of my favorite places to shop for cheap books.  the first time i went, i picked up bridget jones' diary for only $1!  and since, every time i visit, i come out with some other cheap find that excites me. this time...pride and prejudice for $1.

i've seen the keira knightley version of the movie and loved it! figured it would be appropriate to pick up a copy of the book.  books are always better than the movies.

bob picked up a few books, too.  his total?  $4.

don't used books have so much character?  sometimes, i prefer old and used to new and shiny.

-jillian m.

friday!

• i can not wait to see black swan.  i've been waiting for weeks and it finally comes out today!  i can't stop watching the trailer.  i have no clue what's going on in it, but i'm officially intrigued.

• i've really been into nyx cosmetics lately.  and this is all thanks to marlena of makeup geek who constantly raves about the line.  certainly department store quality, if you ask me, but with the drugstore price.  right now i'm loving the african queen lip gloss.

• did anyone catch the last number on glee with mercedes and tina?  wow.  seriously uplifting (and yet, not so much, considering how the episode ended).

• this is a recipe i'd love to try once peaches are in season again.  and this one, too.

• i have off from work today (and every friday for the rest of the month!).  i'm just over the moon about this.  i truly believe this is how it should work: four days of work, three days of weekend.  let's make it official, america.

happy december!

december is a happy month, isn't it?  it's the only winter month i can tolerate.  and that's because of...christmas! duh.  as much as i get stressed out by the hustle and bustle of frantic shoppers and last minute gifting, i love the twenty-five days leading up to the big day.  holiday movies, music, decorations, twinkle lights, egg nog, festive wrapping paper, peppermint hot chocolate...these are a few of my favorite things.  happy decembering!

-jillian m.