by | March 10, 2010 · 7:44 am

Red and Gold Oscar Party

I love being a hostess and can always seem to find an excuse to throw a party.  This year I decided to host an Oscar party for some of my girl friends.  We ate, drank, filled out our ballots and, most importantly, took in the fashion!

The invitations were made to look like Oscar envelopes.

The girls were greeted with ballots to fill out before the Oscars started.

We snacked on a spread of food that was all made using Wildtree products.

For Dessert, we ate red velvet cake iced with cream cheese frosting and topped with the hollywood sign!

Popcorn and movie theater candy were also available for guests to snack on.

What will be your next excuse to throw a party?

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by | March 8, 2010 · 9:19 am

Cupcakes On Demand!

I’ve received several requests for the recipes for some of the cupcakes I’ve featured lately so today I thought I’d share them! The Vanilla Bean & Chai Cupcake recipe is from the Lions, Tigers & Bears, Oh My baby shower and the Baby Got Bock Cupcake is the recipe I created for the Iron Cupcake: Beer competition. Baby Got Bock is a chocolate cake made with home-brewed dopplebock beer, caramel cream frosting and Heath bits – unfortunately I don’t have a real picture – so use your imaginations 🙂

Vanilla Bean and Chai Cupcake

Vanilla Bean & Chai Cupcakes
Chai Cupcakes
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 C self-rising flour
1 C butter, room temp
2 C sugar
4 eggs, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 C milk (not skim)
2/3 C chai concentrate
1 1/2 Tbsp chai spice powder OR approx. 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, ginger, cardamom

Vanilla Bean Frosting
2 sticks butter, room temp
6-8 C powdered sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 vanilla beans
splash half & half

Sugar Cookie Leaves
1/2 tube frozen sugar cookie dough
3 C powdered sugar
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 egg white, room temp
food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and beat in vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine flours with a whisk and in a large measuring cup combine chai and milk.  Alternately work in about 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the liquid, beating well after each addition. Repeat until all ingredients are beaten in. Beat in chai powder or spices and adjust with additional spice as needed to taste.  Batter should be both sweet and slightly spicy. Pour batter into standard muffin tins, approximately 3/4 full and bake for 20-23 minutes. Cool completely.

For frosting, beat butter until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time, adding vanilla and half & half slowly for moisture to achieve desired consistency. Frosting should be thick and creamy. Slit vanilla beans length-wise and use a knife to scrape out the inside and seeds, adding to frosting. Beat well and pipe onto cupcakes.

Use a leaf cookie cutter (or a small circle and pinch the ends to form leaves) on rolled out sugar cookie dough. Bake 5-7 minutes. In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Use a whisk to whip in powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add green food coloring and frost cooled cookies. Frosting hardens quickly so work fast!

Chocolate Dopplebock Beer Cupcakes

“Baby Got Bock” Chocolate Caramel Beer Cupcakes
3/4 C cocoa powder
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar
2 C flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 C dopplebock beer (stout or porter works too)
1 stick butter
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 eggs
3/4 C sour cream

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
1 pkg cream cheese, room temp
1 stick butter, room temp
3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
splash half & half
1/2 jar caramel ice cream topping
Heath bits

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time and beat in vanilla and sour cream. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. Alternately work in about 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the beer, beating well after each addition. Repeat until all ingredients are beaten in. Pour batter into standard muffin tins, approximately 3/4 full and bake for 20-23 minutes. Cool completely.

For frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar one cup at a time, adding vanilla and half & half slowly. Beat in caramel and pipe onto cupcakes. Top with Heath bits.

Cupcake Tips:
Over time I’ve found that there are a few things I didn’t believe would make a difference but they do:
1. Mixing your dry and wet ingredients separately is worth the extra effort.  You get a better batter consistency and more even flavor.
2. Overbaking is the fastest way to kill your cupcakes. When in doubt, always set a timer for a little less time than the recipe calls for and test with a toothpick. You may have to monitor them for the next few minutes on your first batch but you’ll be able to pull them right away when the toothpick comes clean. Even a few extra minutes can dry them out.
3. Make sure your butter and cream cheese are both at room temp before you make cream cheese frosting. If you try to melt your butter (or something else) and beat it into cool cream cheese, it will get clumpy and gross.
4. Let your cupcakes cool completely before you frost. I’m talking a few hours or even over night. Otherwise you risk crumbly cake, melty frosting and a lot of frustration.

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by | March 5, 2010 · 9:01 am

GIVEAWAY! Sugar Beez Vacation Cookie Basket

Hooray!  It’s Giveaway Day and we’re super excited to have Tracy Vasquez from Chicago-land’s Sugar Beez bakery. I met Tracy, her daughter and adorable granddaughter when she was stationed next to me at the Iron Cupcake: Beer event with her Goose Island Stout Cupcakes.

To finish off spring week on a sweet note, one lucky reader will win a custom vacation-themed cookie basket from Sugar Beez.  Judging by how fast Tracy’s cupcakes disappeared, I’m sure her cookies taste as good as they look! To enter, just leave a comment telling us about your “vacation sweet spot” (your favorite vacation destination)!

flip flop cookie

And now…a little about Tracy and Sugar Beez:

1. Give us your one minute bio – a little about you and then how you got into baking.
I’m the mother to 5 daughters, grandmother to 2 babies, wife to Gil for 23 years. I opened Sugar Beez 3 years ago and started baking cookies about 10 years ago. I’d like to say I did it for my kids, but after they got sick of eating cookies every single day, it really became about me. I really just had a great time decorating cookies. I find it to be relaxing and enjoyable because I can tap into my creative nature and let it flow.

When I couldn’t bribe my kids with cookies anymore I started giving them away. Then someone actually asked me if I would make some cookies for them and they would pay me for them…WHAT? I can make money with cookies? And so Sugar Beez was born. I love the challenge of creating custom cookies. Each order is created for the client’s event and it is rare that any two orders are the same.

2. What made you decide to start your own business?
I decided to start Sugar Beez when I was asked a couple of times if I sold my cookies. I thought, heck, if people are willing to buy them, I’m willing to sell them!

3. What would be your advice to someone looking to start their own business?
My advice is do your homework. Connect with SCORE, they have been an invaluable source of information. Attend any small business classes you can. The more you know the better your chances at being successful. But most importantly, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it…don’t be afraid…just give it a try!

4. What is your favorite kind of cookie?
My favorite kind of cookie is oatmeal, no raisins! Love them…the brown sugar butteriness of them….mmmm…now I gotta go make some!

5. Willing to divulge any of your cookie tips for our readers?
Some of the best tips given to me were:
1) Roll out cookie dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper, you won’t have to use flour, which will dry out your dough.
2) Mix your royal icing for at least 7 minutes on low and you will avoid clumps that would clog your decorating tips.
3) After your roll your dough between sheets of parchment, cut your shapes then move the sheet with your shapes onto a cookie sheet and freeze for 15 minutes before baking. This will give the dough a chance to rest and help prevent spreading when you bake.

6. What are 3 ingredients that you always keep on hand?
Powdered sugar, meringue powder and flour.

7. If you could have dinner with 5 people, living or dead, who would they be?
Billy Dec, Rick Bayless, Bronwen Weber, Will Smith and Oprah Winfrey!

starfish decorated cookie

Check out more of Sugar Beez adorable cookies!

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by | March 4, 2010 · 9:01 am

Staycation: Milwaukee!

Last year the Merriam Webster dictionary made the word “staycation” official. Even though the rough economy will eventually improve we think staycations are here to, ahem, stay.  Today we have fellow Milwaukeean Sara Beringer, who regularly explores our fine city on her blog, Cream City & Sugar.  Check out Sara’s sneak peek at Milwaukee (a hidden gem if we do say so!) and apply her tips to your city:

Milwaukee Public Market sign

An Adventure in Your Backyard
If you find yourself stuck in Milwaukee this Spring Break, don’t worry, there’s plenty of mid-winter fun to be had north of the Mason-Dixon. You may have hoped for beaches and 80 degree weather, but that’s a bonus not an essential. Spring break is all about getting away, letting loose, and hanging out….and fortunately, the Brew City has plenty of outlets for doing just that!

Stay the Night. First and foremost, staying in a hotel really adds to that faux feeling of escape when you’re not far from home. Lucky for you, this is the low season for tourism in the Midwest, so there are lots of deals depending on your taste:
Relax: The County Clare Inn: a quiet Irish inn with great Shepherd’s Pie and endless pints of Guinness on Milwaukee’s Eastside.
Entertain: Iron Horse Hotel: a Harley lover’s top choice for a chic yet masculine place to kick off your boots. It’s close to downtown, the Harley Museum, Art Museum, Bradley Center, and nightlife.
Explore: Hilton Milwaukee City Center is in a downtown location close to shopping and all the family friendly places..AND there’s a huge indoor water park in the lower level.
Feel Chic:Hotel Metro: where many musicians and celebs stay while in town.

Have Some Fun. Milwaukee’s options for having a good time are endless, whether you’re being entertained or entertaining yourself!:
Rock Out – Brew City Bruiser Roller Derby: These fishnet and rollerskate-clad, post-punk , PBR drinking ladies are racing at the Shamrock Smackdown on March 13th.
Catch a Show – Pabst Theater, Riverside Theater, Turner Hall: Tickets for popular groups at these historic venues sell out fast, however, they usually release a few “holds” on the lower level at the Pabst and any remaining “box seats” at the last minute. Smaller clubs with local talent worth checking out include: The Cactus Club in Bay View, Shank Hall on the East Side and Mad Planet in Riverwest.
Take a Tour – Miller Brewery, Lakefront Brewery & Sprecher Brewery:  Lakefront is hands down the best, most entertaining tour and their Friday fish fry is amazing. Sprecher is great for kids because of the specialty soda tasting and shorter tour.
Go Bowling – Koz’s Mini Bowl: A duckpin bowling alley with real, brave people changing the pins. It’s hard not to enjoy your night at Koz’s regardless of background, age and bowling ability. It’s a bar so they card after 9pm if you have youngins’ in tow.
Lay Low – Burnhearts:  A hipster hideout complete with shuffleboard, pool, and board games on hand and a nice beer variety on tap. DJs are often on hand playing the best of up and coming artists, throwback soul funk, or country classics.

Milwaukee Third WardMicrobrew beers

Explore the City. Whether you’re exploring history or checking out a new neighborhood, Spring Break is the perfect excuse to step out of your routine:
Discovery World: This science and learning museum can entertain a gaggle of kids AND keep the adults having fun. The best-kept secret is the aquarium in the lower level. The admission is a little steep, but on March 13th and 17th, wear green and get $5 off.
Harley-Davidson: What also made Milwaukee famous! Check out the museum, revel in the biker toughness of it all, and learn about when Harleys used to be bicycles.
La Merenda: A tapas restaurant on the near south-side. It fills up early, for good reason: the food is amazing. Try small dishes from Panama to Indonesia and even Wisconsin. Great place for dinner with your sweetheart or with a group of girlfriends.
Bryant’s:  Off the beaten track, but well worth it. When you walk into the velvet walled lounge with Rat Pack songs playing, it is like a time-warp. They serve all the cocktails you thought were extinct, like grasshoppers, and the intoxicatingly dangerous “Brainbuster”.
Honeypie Café: This slightly ironic cafe fully embraces the Wisco-pride with its local brews on tap and generous portions laden with cheese. Milwaukee skyline from Lake Michigan

Relax a Bit. With great locally-owned restaurants (and bars) on every corner, just kick back and hang out:
Get Brunch! For the all day hang out at a euro-style café check out the Belgian-styled Café Hollander or the French style of Trocadero (closed for renovations until April or so).
Roots Restaurant and Wine Cellar: One of the most serene views of the city. The menu changes with the season and relies heavily on organic and local food.
The Watts Tea Shop: Classic English tea and scones just upstairs from the sophisticated George Watts & Son. For the kids, Benjamin Button will be coming for breakfast during Easter weekends!
Paddy’s Pub: A cozy Irish pub with church pews, fireplaces, eclectic decor, and a long list of signature warm drinks.
Sugar Maple: An exploration in itself with all 60 taps at the bar are microbrews, many local and a laid-back vibe. The real key to a good staycation is enjoying the city as if it were all new. Go and experience new restaurants, venture to new parts of the city, and let go of your old “expectations” of what Milwaukee, or your city, has to offer. Cheers! -Sara

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by | March 3, 2010 · 7:48 am

Snow Bunny Getaway: Colorado

For those who just can’t get enough of winter, a weekend full of fresh powder, ski chalets and spiked cocoa is just what the doctor ordered. We called up our favorite nutrition expert (who also happens to be an outdoor enthusiast and Denver local), Ann Pierce from Pierce Whole Nutrition to get her recommendations for the best excursions, lodges and restaurants in the Colorado Rockies:

Colorado Rockies treeline

Aspen
Aspen seems to have it all. The first time I went, I was expecting to feel very small amongst the rich and famous, but that is definitely not the case. Although it’s normal to bump into Heidi Klum on a hike or Lance Armstrong at the bar, the locals could not be more welcoming and friendly and there are shops, bars and restaurants to satisfy anyone. Make sure you aprés (for the uninformed, this is what skiers do post-skiing, and it usually includes an abundance of food, drink and laughter) at Ajax Tavern in The Little Nell, because the cheeseburger and truffle fries are to die for. Little Annie’s is a great Mexican place and for pizza-lovers, Brunelleschi’s thin crust pizza is absolutely perfect with fast and friendly service. If you’re up for a night out, the historic Wheeler Opera House is a great place to visit for concerts, movies and events.

For skiers, you have options. Ski Highlands if you want steep, difficult terrain and plenty of hiking.  If you’re feeling brave, “hike the bowl” – it’s difficult but so rewarding (I hiked it with Chris Davenport last month!). Buttermilk is the mountain for the kiddos and Aspen is a good combination of the two. The shopping won’t let you down either with everything from Theory, Burberry and James Perse to Gap.

Hike the Bowl in Aspen

Vail
Vail is world-class skiing at its best. And now that our very own Lindsey Vonn has won the gold, Vail has even more to brag about!
Fuel up at Vendetta’s for pizza – you can sit down or just walk in and grab a slice, Sweet Basil for amazing modern American dining or Sonnenalp (Cameron Diaz’s hangout) for burgers and the mudslides. For aprés, including great music, try The Red Lion, The George, The Tap Room, or Los Amigos. If you can get a seat on the patio at Los Amigos, it’s extremely entertaining to watch skiers make their way down a steep run called “Pepi’s Face,” which is 100% ice and people fall 100% of the time!

Vail seems to always have events going on, such as their annual spring Pond Skimming competition (Watch the video). If you chose Vail as your skiing destination, I promise you’ll leave happy.

Skiing in Vail

Beaver Creek
Just west of Vail, you’ll find Beaver Creek. Their slogan “Not Exactly Roughing It” pretty much sums up the experience. Picture this:

You walk through the village, skis in tow, headed to the chair lift. A friendly volunteer brushes by holding a plate of warm (and free) chocolate chip cookies. You are about to spend the day skiing – one cookie won’t hurt so you grab it right before you step onto the outdoor escalator that effortlessly transports you up one level to the lift area. Jump on the lift and head over to the Birds of Prey area, famous for its World Cup downhill course. The three chairlifts feed all types of terrain – greens, blues, blacks and beyond, which all funnel into one meeting area, so your group never gets separated.

Late afternoon when you call it a day, ski down to the base and relax with a glass of wine at the Ritz’s outdoor fireplace seating area. Everyone around you is calm and happy. Live music is being played softly in the background. Kids are under control. Wealthy, beautiful people in beautiful clothing walk by. Those fortunate enough to be staying at the Ritz are soaking in the outdoor heated pool. You get offered another freshly baked cookie or two. Life is good. (Can you tell Beaver Creek is my favorite?)

Beaver Creek Skiing Colorado

Winter Park
WP is ideal for families. They cater to all levels of skiing and have wonderful programs and ski school for children, allowing Mom and Dad to enjoy their time on the slopes. A part of the mountain called Mary Jane is a favorite for moguls.

Not into the downhill scene? Just past Winter Park, in Tabernash, CO, you’ll find a quaint little ranch called Devil’s Thumb Ranch. This place is known for its expansive Nordic center and miles upon miles of snowshoe trails. Cross-country ski or snowshoe over to the horses to say hello or trek up the hills for an extra tough workout. When it’s all over, relax at the Ranch Creek Spa.

Devil’s Thumb is a renovated and actually working ranch. It has two restaurants: the Ranch House for special occasions/foodies, and Hex’s Tavern, which is more casual but still a cut above anything you’ll find around town. Choose between staying in the main lodge or your own private cabin in the woods, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and fresh firewood delivered to your stoop each morning. I’ve stayed in both places and neither one disappointed. The service at DTR is impeccable and the décor is second to none with wooden cowboy hats and boots lining the hallways and deep leather seats welcoming you at every fireplace. When I build my mountain dream home, I will be hiring the DTR design team!

Devil's Thumb Ranch Colorado

Steamboat Springs
Sometimes described as the “anti-Vail,” Steamboat is welcoming to say the least. They aren’t going for glitz and glamour… more like Old West. As you drive into town from Rabbit Ears Pass, you’ll count no fewer than 54 F.M. Light & Sons signs, your one-stop shop for anything Western: cowboy boots, Carhartt jackets, and lifesize cardboard cutouts of John Wayne. Double Z BBQ is the best meat in town and don’t forget to order your meal with a hotlink on the side. Seating is tight, so go with people you are comfortable with!

The Steamboat Grand is a great place to stay for good service and a prime location. You can walk to the gondola and relax at their spa at the end of the day. But don’t overlook the vacation rentals – there are many, and you can get some great deals. Strawberry Park Hot Springs is just 5 miles outside of town and a great place to relax after a long day of skiing the famous “champagne powder”. Just beware: Steamboatians are a laid-back bunch and to them, sometimes (after dark) it’s just easier to do the hot springs in the nude…

Some things to consider:
Regardless of where you vacation, Vacation Rentals By Owner is a great option for lodging. You can rent anything from studio apartments to houses that sleep 12-16 or more for a weekend or longer. The houses or condos are always clean, convenient, and well-decorated so that you feel like you’ve escaped the real world and can relax. Prices vary depending on season, but don’t hesitate to negotiate if you’re booking last minute. The key is to book something on the bus route (unless, of course, you’re lucky enough to get a ski-in/ski-out condo!).

Happy trails!
– Ann

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by | March 2, 2010 · 8:01 am

City Slicker Getaway: New York City

Over at her NYC-obsessed blog, The Avid Appetite, Rachel Cannon Humiston dutifully reports on New York’s best restaurants and cooks up her own tasty concoctions inspired by some of the city’s finest (rough life, right?).  We can’t help but be envious which is why Rachel was the obvious choice to take us through the perfect urban adventure.

Upper Manhattan skyline

The Un-tourist’s Guide to Spring Break in Manhattan
One of my all-time favorite quotes says it best… “It would be a shame to miss New York in the Spring.” (Bonus if you can guess where that one’s from!*). And it really would. Budding blooms on tree-lined streets, fabulous shopping and outdoor seating at delectable restaurants make spring the best time to visit the biggest city in the world. Manhattan has something for everyone, whether a romantic trip with your significant other, a family sightseeing event or a girls weekend getaway.

Sure, you can get stuck in the crowds in Times Square and wait in line to get to the top of the Empire State Building, but this guide is for the un-tourists who want to see the real New York, sans crowds and fanny packs…just remember to bring your camera! Though you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose to see in NYC, here are just a few of the lesser known must-see’s. There’s a lot to cram into your getaway, so let’s get down to it!

Take a stroll through Central Park.
It’s one of Manhattan’s natural wonders; a sprawling, perfectly green park with lush lawns and amazing views extending over 50 city blocks. Sure, you can book a tour or go on a guided walk, but you’re doing things the un-touristy way. Skip the schedule and pick up a map and outline your own tour. Make time for sunning on the Great Lawn, strolling in the shade and, if you’re feeling adventurous, taking a paddle on the Central Park row boats. Oh, and while you’re at it, be sure to stroll down 5th Avenue a la Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Located below the southern end of the park, it’s the home of truly fabulous flagship stores including Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, and Bergdorf Goodman, among others. Even for window shopping and star gazing, it’s worth the trek.
New York spring cherry blossoms


Scope out the local goods.
New York isn’t your typical town and the Union Square Greenmarket isn’t your typical outdoor market. One of the largest in Manhattan, it’s overflowing with locally grown produce, fresh cheese, maple syrup, hot cider, and lots of free samples and events including cooking demonstrations and wine tastings. Heck, even famous top chefs get their goods here so if it’s good enough for them…

Score a Broadway show or museum visit on the cheap.
This is the one touristy item on the list because a visit to New York without partaking in its cultural offerings would be a major miss. If you’re open to seeing any show available, visit TKTS in Times Square for significant discounts within hours of the show. Museums like The Morgan Library & Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) offer free admission on Friday evenings.

Eat without spending a fortune and have dinner in Hell’s Kitchen or Greenwich Village.
Not only are these neighborhoods a hot spot for young adults, they boast a plethora of hole-in-the-wall restaurants and bars, which are really the best kind. After all, Manhattan is about great food and it doesn’t have to come with an outrageous price tag. Whether rustic Italian fare at Cara Mia or a juicy diner-chic burger at Five Napkin Burger, you really can’t go wrong. Looking for something in a low-key neighborhood? Try Cowgirl, Keste or Otto Enoteca in Greenwich Village. All of these eateries are cozy, chic, completely affordable and over-the-top tasty to boot.

New York pizza, Five Napkin Burger NYC

Do something scandalous.
After all, you are on vacation! Whether with your man or your best gals, the Meatpacking District is the place to be. Located all the way on the West Side just below 14th Street, what was once exactly how it sounds is now a bona fide hot spot for chic restaurants and bars hidden along the dark, cobblestone streets. A word to the wise, take caution when sporting stilettos. For a real Manhattan nightclub experience, try Kiss ‘n Fly. With pumpin’ music, fun lighting and dancing until the wee hours, it’s sure to be a night to remember. Looking for something a little more low-key? Have a glass of wine at 675 Bar, an underground cavelike bar with different rooms and activities among them including billiards, darts, foosball and a good old fashioned library.

Some quick tips:
Pick up a subway map – Do it like a local and ride the train from sight to sight. This is a one-of-a-kind experience in itself. If you need to hail a cab, remember the movie-style whistle generally won’t work. Instead, find one with its top light on and stick out your arm to wave one down.
Do some street shopping – Some of the best jewelry can be found on the streets of New York (literally). A favorite for handmade goods is on the corner of Spring and Mercer Streets in SoHo.
Swing by South Street Seaport – A great view, more shopping, a mini boardwalk, and a sweet photo op to boot!
Catch a game – If you’re less into shopping and more into sports, catch a game at Yankee Stadium, home of the World Series Champs (and the best baseball franchise of all time).
Pamper yourself – For some pampering along the way a haircut at Bumble & Bumble or a spa session at Bliss just might do the trick.

Lower Manhattan skyline

The most important thing to remember is to take stock of what you want to see before you get there and make your plan. In the city that never sleeps, you’ll never have a shortage of fun!

-Rachel

*Yup, it’s from You’ve Got Mail, pure viewing pleasure and one of the best chick flicks with a New York City backdrop.

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by | March 1, 2010 · 3:40 pm

Guest Blog: Meal Planning 101

We are over at Allstate’s Good Hands Community blog again today, sharing our money saving tips on how to plan out your meals for the week. Taking a little bit of time to plan before heading out to the grocery store will keep your wallet thick and your waste thin! 

Check out the GHC article today!

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by | March 1, 2010 · 8:13 am

Spring Break Week: Planning the Perfect Trip

About this time every year people begin to go a little stir-crazy.  If you’ve been finding yourself Googling “caribbean cruise” and “weekend spa” on your lunch breaks lately, then this week of vacation window shopping is for you!  Use it to book a much-needed getaway or just to escape for a few minutes at your desk.

To kick things off we have Colleen McIntyre with her tips on planning the perfect trip.  Colleen, who has been flying since before she could walk, blends her passions for exploration and creativity in her funky-fun travel blog, Flee Fly Flown.

Plan the Perfect Vacation
Ahhhh, vacation! You’re sitting on a beach, drink in hand, nose in a book and soaking in the sun. It’s bliss thanks to your (or your travel agent’s) fabulous planning. But let’s hit pause and rewind for a second. Chances are, if you had the task of coordinating everything, the process wasn’t 100% smooth sailing.

tropical vacation picture

When planning a trip, there’s a lot to consider. How do you decide where to go? How do you get there? What do you pack? Do you have all the travel gear needed for your trip? Where do you read travel gear reviews if you need a new sleeping bag? When should you go? How much is it going to cost? Yikes! The list goes on. There’s two ways to approach your vacation planning: Hands Free or D.I.Y.

Hands Free:
Call a travel agent. They’re experts at what they do, so why wouldn’t you call one? Plus, if something goes wrong, you have someone to fix the messed up the reservations or deal with things when the hotel doesn’t recognize the website you used to book.

I’m not saying to leave everything up to the agent. Do your online research if you like and take what you’ve found back to them. Leave the booking up to the agent and let them shoulder the responsibility of making your vacation perfect so that you can sit back, relax and enjoy. Want to go hands free? I recommend Passageways Travel who has experts for every continent.

Colleen McIntyre Flee Fly Flown

DIY:
Since most of you won’t take my advice and call an agent, here’s some tips and tools to help your d.i.y. planning run a little more smoothly.

Travel deals are a dime a dozen so do a search and pick the one that works best for you. Just make sure you read the fine print. Now getting back to planning tips, here’s a few things to think about:

  • Where do you want to go?
  • How many people are going?
  • How are you getting there?
  • What’s the best time of year to go?
  • Based on price or weather?
  • Tropical destination? When’s the rainy or hurricane season?
  • Is everyone coming from the same place?
  • How many hotel rooms will you need?
  • How many nights will you be staying?
  • What does everyone want to do when you’re there?

Next, make a list of all the trip components and fill them in as you book them. Share it with your party and be sure to take it with you when you leave for the trip:
Destination & Dates
Travelers: Include full names as they appear on their state issued I.D. or Passport and cell phone numbers
Flights: Include confirmation numbers, flight numbers, airline info and arrival & departure times
Accommodation(s): Include hotel name(s), contact information, confirmation numbers and if you’re staying with friends, their address & phone number
Activities: Confirmation numbers, time & dates of tours, meeting point for tour pick-up
Restaurant Recommendations: Talked to friends who’ve visited the same place and check out travel user ratings & reviews sites.
Car Rental: Rental company name and confirmation number

And in case that’s not enough, here’s a teeny, tiny list of resources I tend to start with when researching a trip:
Tourism sites of the city or country you’re visiting
Wikitravel.org
PassagewaysTravel.com
Matador.com
WhereIveBeen.com

Relax, It’s a Vacation!
Coordinating a trip isn’t a simple task. I’ve covered the basics, but there’s a lot more to consider. Here are a few final thoughts on planning the perfect vacation:
Leave room to breath –You’ll need a vacation from your vacation if it’s too action packed.
Make planning a team effort
Be patient – Weather delays or mechanical difficulties are inevitable.
Lose the attitude – In a bind, you’ll get a lot further with gate agents, flight attendants and hotel managers if you’re polite.
Go with the flow – Plan some activities and tours in advance, since it can be cheaper. But leave a little room to get advice from the locals upon arrival.

And most importantly, once you leave for the trip, be in the moment. The world will not stop if you’re not at the office. Enjoy your time with family and/or friends and STOP checking your email every hour from your phone. You’ll be a lot more refreshed and ready to work when you get home.

Hawaiian sunset

Happy planning and bon voyage!
-Colleen

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by | February 26, 2010 · 9:59 am

There’s someone we’d like you to meet!

Lincoln James
6 lbs 3.5 oz and 19 inches long

Please say hello to the newest member of the Haute Apple Pie Family!

Baby Lincoln decided to surprise his mommy and daddy and arrive 3 weeks early!  Both Stef and Lincoln are doing great.

Congratulations Stef!!

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by | February 24, 2010 · 7:51 am

Consignment Shops {U-Turn}

Have you ever looked in your closet and ask yourself, “do I really wear all of this?” Well, this happens to me quite often. And to make matters worse, some of those things jammed way in the back still have tags on them. I often take clothing to goodwill, but wondered if I could get money for some of these expensive clothes that are gently used or, in come cases, brand new. Well, thanks to the resurgence of consignment shops, now I can!

Last summer, a new consignment shop opened in Milwaukee called U-Turn. I dropped off about 15 items and 2 months later they sent me a $74 check! I was amazed and now have made it my mission to go through my closet every couple months to get rid of the things I don’t wear. It is a win-win, my closet gets more organized and I get a little extra spending money.

I sat down with the ladies of U-Turn, Deb and Jessica, to ask them about how they run their store and what kinds of things they look for when accepting clothing.

Why did you decided to open the shop?

Deb and I have known each other since our boys were in senior kindergarten. Deb does finance in the car industry and I am a Speech Pathologist. We were both looking for a change, although we both still work in our professions on a limited basis since opening a business is a scary thought at times! We had been talking and throwing out ideas for businesses one summer night at a friend’s backyard fire pit, but nothing seemed good at the time.

Then one fall morning Deb saw me at school drop off, and asked what I thought about a young adult consignment shop. I said I had never really considered it before, but we started doing our research. The next thing you know we were asking family and friends what they thought of various names for the shop and standing in front of the city board with our business plan!

Explain to me how U Turn works. What kinds of items will you accept?

Although our original intent was to focus on teens and provide both men’s and women’s clothing, we have evolved to offer mostly women’s clothing. We love our faithful men shoppers, but let’s face it, most of the shopping is done by girls and women, so our men’s section has dwindled to a rack or two.

We prefer styles that are current. Items that sell quickly are higher end brands and pieces from boutiques – anything different and original. We are not brand specific.   Customers love clothing that has never been worn or looks barely worn. As a first time consignor, think about if you or your best friend would still wear it out around town and let that be your guide for if you should bring it in.

We accept sizes from 14/16 juniors to Woman’s size 18. We may occasionally turn away a size if we have too much of it in stock, or ask that you hold on to it and bring it back at a later time.

How do consignors make money?

When we sell an item the consignor makes 40% of the sale. We pay out when their account hits $20.00 or all the items in their account have sold. They just drop off the clothes and we take care of the rest!

Do you have any tips for people who would like to bring in clothing and accessories sell?

Potential consignors can download a copy of the consignment policy from the website here and fill it out ahead of time. Consignors should have clothing pressed and cleaned and on hangers. It is much easier and faster for us to go through them this way. When potential consignors bring in clothing, they can shop around while we go through the items. The whole process should only take about 10-15 minutes depending on the amount of items you bring in or how busy we are. If a consignor’s items are sold, they can either have the money via check or come to U-Turn and use the accrued money in their account for in store credit.

Do you only sell consignment clothing?

We also sell items for local artist. We do ask that they use some type of recycle/reuse with their products. We have some great artists in here.


I can tell that you try to make your store “green.” What kinds of things to you do to create less waste in the world?

We try to make our carbon footprint as small as possible. Our shopping bags are made from tee-shirts donated by customers and friends, a bundle of 10 will get you 5% off one item. If a customer brings back the bag to use for another shopping trip they will get 10 cents off their order. We also do carry a few new line items also that support the environment. Our Tees for change for example, the company plants a tree with every sale of a shirt. Our snack bags are great for reducing the amount of plastic baggies we use in our lunches.

I love the thought of  recycling clothing and it makes me feel like I am still helping to minimize my carbon footprint…every little bit helps!  And, best of all, I have picked up many unique and one of a kind items at U-Turn.

Do you have a consignment shop in your area?  Just do a quick internet search…and then go attack that closet!

Happy Cleaning!

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