Meet The Dreamer. A simple cocktail made with pink lemonade, Bacardi rum, and a dollop of cool whip.
This drink can be prepared in a large batch before a party and served in a pretty decanter or beverage server. If you want to get super fancy….replace the Cool Whip with cotton candy and you got yourself a party in a glass. Enjoy!
Happy planning! xoxo
This Thirsty Thursday inspiration is brought to you: pinterest and dessertedplanet.com
The Sarasota
1 large bottle of Moscato or Riesling Wine (My inexpensive yet delicious recommendations: The Naked Grape or Barefoot Wine, either would make a great addition to this recipe)
1 can of raspberry lemonade concentrate
a splash of sprite (Keep it low-calorie with a splash of seltzer water or club soda instead)
crushed raspberries (Fresh or Frozen)
mix everything together
add a pretty striped straw and enjoy!
I’ve been married for exactly one week and I’ve been asked numerous times if anything feels different. The answer I give everyone is the same – It feels no different. It’s kinda like a birthday. You anticipate the day but after it’s gone, everything is still the same. Nothing feels different…well maybe I feel a little broke. But besides that…nothing out of the norm.
In fact, the wedding almost feels like it was a dream and although I wouldn’t change a thing, there are a few things I would have done differently.
Don’t Procrastinate: I waited until last-minute to do a few things like pack for the weekend and get everything I needed together. Because I was scrambling to get everything ready the day of – the morning flew by and I forgot the gift box…Don’t forget your gift box!
Start Early: I arrived at the hotel around noon and most of my bridesmaids didn’t show up until 2pm. Even though some were getting their hair and make-up done elsewhere it was really chaotic in the bridal suite. I would highly suggest having everyone arrive earlier than you think you need them there. Something will happen that will cause you to run a little late. For example. I hit every red light and the bridge. Gotta love Florida! Plus, the last hour will flew by and we were rushing out of the bridal room with handbags, flip flops and clothes from the morning. We had no time to stash them in a room so we carried everything to the church. No fun! My Valentino shoe box got crushed in the chaos! So upsetting.
Take More Pictures: I love pictures so I have no idea how this was overlooked. But with all the excitement my camera was a no-show. Luckily, a good friend grabbed her camera and stopped by the bridal suite to snap a few shots before the professional photographer got there. I haven’t seen any of her pictures yet but hopefully some will leak soon. Another thing I wish I had was a videographer. Because I went over budget (by a lot) I opted to save money and forgo the video. I did however ask a bridesmaid to film some memories using my Sony Bloggie. If this is a route you are planning on taking I suggest having a plan to follow. Some suggestions: Video of the girls getting ready, the guys getting ready, the bride getting into her dress, the girls/guys walking to the limo, highlights of the ceremony and the grand entrance just to name a few.
Don’t Hand The Top Layer of Your Cake to Random Hotel Workers - After the wedding is over there is a possibility you will do something without thinking clearly. Case in point – The top layer of my wedding cake was delivered to my hotel room in a pretty white box, unfortunately the air conditioner in the hotel room was broken so I called downstairs to ask for a new room and a refrigerator to place my cake in for safe keeping. We were moved to a new room and my cake was taken by a friendly employee….who lost my cake. I did however have another cake made and it is now safe in my freezer.
{My pretty little cake top)
Traditionally, you are supposed to freeze the cake and eat it on your one year anniversary. My cake was amazing and there was no way I could go one whole year without getting my hands into that deliciousness. So, I cut my cake into 12 petite pieces and wrapped each slice individually. My husband (so weird!) and I will eat one slice of cake on the 11th of each month (the 11th is the day we were married) for the next 12 months. I also thought it would be a cute idea if we each wrote a letter to each other that we would open and read on our first anniversary. Sappy I know. But if get to eat wedding cake every month I am willing to get a little sappy!
Here’s what to do: Cut your cake into 12 slices. Make sure you count. I mistakenly cut only eight slices and had to unwrap a few slices and re-cut. Wrap each slice individually – I used two pieces of Glad Press and Seal and two pieces of Reynolds Wrap Tin Foil. Each slice was wrapped a total of four times each. I placed all 12 slices in the cake box it was delivered in and wrapped that in tin foil too. Better safe than sorry…right?
Once I have the letter from my husband and myself (which I need to write soon!) I am going to tape it either in the inside of the box or underneath. I am praying the freezer doesn’t malfunction and ruin our letters… We shall see.
PS. The image above is from our engagement shoot. I can not wait to see the wedding photos!
Up Next On The Undomestic Bride: Mini-Moons, Thank You Cards and Wedding Rehab Oh My!
Here is your daily dose of coupons
Einsteins Bro’s Bagels Coupons: Perfect quick breakfast and they have bottomless coffee…need I say more!
Agave Sweetner: Your waistline will thank you later
Alexia Sweet Potato Fries: Need a quick side dish? Try these! They are delicious and I make them every chance I get.
Looking to fill your wedding welcome bags? Target.com has a great array of coupons for candy and snacks.
Wedding planning seems more enjoyable when you’re discussing details over a good meal. And if that meal is prepared by someone else…It’s even better! So over the next few months, not only will you hear about my trials and tribulations on planning a wedding, you’ll also receive a few food reviews too. So this is our journey, one bite at a time!
Tired of the usual Broward options there was only one thing left to do. Drive to Miami! So, we headed down south to try OYE Cuban Grill in Pinecrest. Our topic of discussion: Venue.
You would think in the forty minutes it took to get to the restaurant we would have at least discussed something wedding related, instead all we could think about was food. Luckily, the drive wasn’t that bad and we quickly found the restaurant.
OYE Cuban Grill is hidden in a plaza off South Dixie Highway and serves up traditional Cuban fare in a hip and urban space. Patrons have the option to sit inside, outside, or take their food to go and since there was no way we were taking our food anywhere, we found a table and were quickly greeted by our frienly and knowledgeable waiter. After a quick once over of the menu we ordered a few things and waited patiently for our selections to arrive.
Mini Oye Sliders
We started with Mini Oye Burger - Shredded Beef in a traditional Cuban red sauce. The three mini buns were piled high with meat and topped with crunchy potato sticks. They weren’t the easiest to eat but they were worth the mess! The beef was flavorful and the sauce was present but not overpowering. They were delicious!
I ordered the Oye Wrap- traditionally made with grilled churrasco and accompanied by sautéed onions, queso blanco, diced sweet plantains and cabbage, served with mojo vinaigrette in a warm plain wrap. I decided to forgo the churrasco, which I was told was a customer favorite and opted for chicken instead. The wrap was served warm and the combination of all the ingredients were amazing together. I especially loved the sweet plantains! The portion was perfect for a lunch and at only $8.50 it was a great price for size and freshness!
The Fat Cuban
My fiance tried the “Fat Cuban” - a signature sandwich weighing 1.5 pounds according to the menu. It was huge and a carnivores dream! The sandwich was stuffed to the brim with roast pork, OYE chicken, tavern ham, croquetas, maduros and swiss cheese, topped with pickles, tomato and potato sticks and presented with a side of creamy mustard sauce on Cuban bread. It pretty much had everything on it! Definitely not created for a vegetarian. I had to have a bite and I must say, it was really good. Heavier, obviously then the wrap – It was delicious and a great price at only $10.
We finished lunch with little wedding talk but did decide to pursue a new venue for our reception. Now I just need to make a few phone calls! As far as the restaurant we were really impressed with our new discovery. This little café was impressive From the warm inviting interior to the aroma of the freshly prepared food from the open kitchen. Everything was delicious, the staff was friendly and the prices were very reasonable.
To stuffed for dessert or coffee we made the trek back to Broward but decided that if we were ever in the neighborhood, OYE Cuban Grill will definitely be on our agenda!
Sometimes you just need to indulge…
Toasted Marshmallow Shake
3 heaping scoops vanilla ice cream {I used Blue Bell}
1 tablespoon whole milk {Substituted with fat free}
I large dollop of plain yogurt {Can be optional since I didn’t have any…}
5 Kraft Jumbo Jet-Puffed marshmallows
3-5 ice cubes {Optional}
1 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream
Recipe:
1) Toast marshmallows under a broiler, or if you are brave over a flame until they just start to blacken evenly (the trick is to make sure it’s evenly toasted and dark, but not turned to charcoal).
2) Put the milk, yogurt, and then ice cream in the blender. Blend carefully, just until you get a “donut”—when you see the shake holding to the sides of the blender with a hollow core.
3) Add three of the toasted marshmallows to the blender, and whirl it just until they’re all broken up and distributed evenly.
4) Pour shake into a glass, top with a dollop of whipped cream, break the last two marshmallows on top, and serve with an extra-wide straw.
5) Must serve with fun straw.
6) Repeat if necessary….and it will be necessary…
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere: Add a shot or two of dark rum…enjoy!
