Let’s Party!!!
In this time when we feel so distant, we have the ability to be brought together through a screen and I could not be more thankful for that! This concept allowed us to be a part of two parties this weekend! That’s right! We went to multiple parties while under complete lockdown and isolation!! It’s been a while since I’ve been able to say that and holy moly it was fun!
This weekend, Jourdan and I were fortunate enough to join our friends and celebrate a few incredible people in the midst of their big life moments. One night we shared in the joy, excitement, and love at our sweet friends’ engagement party, and the next we sang “happy birthday” to our bestie as she blew out the candles on her second birthday cake.
I really felt it was a special weekend full of happiness. We have been forced into a new time, but love and happiness are not cancelled, and these parties were proof! I was so grateful to share these moments with the people closest to us even if that meant virtually.
You should also know that I take parties very seriously, and these two were no exception! For the engagement party, it was important for me to really show the happy couple just how much we love them and how much we wished we could have been with them, so I made our own little set up as if we were actually there!
I love champagne, so I absolutely insisted on popping a bottle in their honor – you can’t have a celebration without bubbly! Jourdan and I picked up a bottle of Borrasca Brut Cava from our local Total Wine which I call “the magic store” due to its treasure trove of wonderful things. Jourd has this “rule” when selecting any kind of wine: we can’t go over $10, so this definitely didn’t break the bank! This is a Spanish sparkling wine that I have tried before, but if we are being completely honest, I selected it because the label is glittery and felt perfect for this kind of night! What could be better?! I am a sucker for sparkly things!
I also love a good charcuterie board and made it my mission to piece one together for the event. Let me tell you, these guys are my new obsession! I’m not sure what I love more though – putting them together or actually eating them. I wanted to make one that was a tasty treat but a size that was reasonable for two. I have been known to get carried away with these boards and way over do it on the size. One night I made a cheese board for us and another couple and it was the size of a house! We had so much food waste it was awful, all because I wanted it to look Pinterest worthy! So this time, I used an appropriately sized 8×10 inch board made by my dad. He and my brother are excellent craftsmen and make all my decorative wooden pieces, so if you like them, let me know! We can score you the friends and family discount on a custom piece!
As for le fromage, I am no expert other than the fact that I love cheese. I really do. Give me a cheddar cube and I am set. You typically want to have a variety of soft and hard cheeses with varying color on your board, accompanied by various cured meats. This time, I went with what I had and tried to limit unnecessary purchases seeing as it was just the two of us. Normally I would include nuts, fruit, chocolate, and a jam but we were playing it easy. It may not have been the fanciest or the most gourmet, but that’s the beauty of it; you build it to your own taste and use what you have! I used cheddar and a cream cheese dip that we already had and picked up some brie from the store. Jourdan chose the fourth cheese and we ended up with a bacon flavored cheddar – we meant to grab the buffalo one which I’m not sure would have been any better! Ha! I never claimed to be Bon Appetit! I also picked up peppered salami and my favorite rosemary crackers and called it a day.
For the birthday party, it was equally important for us to share in the excitement, so Jourd and I got dressed up. I actually wore a dress only to realize when you sit down in front of the webcam no one can tell! To further create our party environment on our side of the screen, we shared a piece of chocolate cake that we picked up at The Cheesecake Factory. Lately, we have been on a cheesecake craze and joke that we are the reason they are staying in business during this lockdown! This was the third time in three weeks that we grabbed a slice! I meant to snap a picture of the cake but was too distracted by the cuteness overload that is a two-year-old’s birthday party.
Celebrating these wonderful people made for one of the most fun weekends we’ve had in a while, and we were lucky to virtually take part. Just because you aren’t physically with them doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate big! These little things made us feel just a tiny bit closer to our loved ones and to me, that is a win!
– Kate
hi there!
I'm Kate! I'm obsessed with life and set out to make every day magical. I love all things fashion, am a self proclaimed food-ie, continually seeking the next travel adventure with my fiancé, and love a great merlot!
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