Tag Archives: Hope at Home

Thirsty Thursday: ONEHOPE Wine Mimosa Bar Set – DIY Mimosa Bar

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Brunch is the best. Brunch with bubbly is better. But brunch with bubbly that benefits kids in need? Well, there’s nothin’ better than that. That’s why I’m proud to support ONEHOPE Wine as they promote their new Mimosa Bar Set ($139). Did you know that with every case of sparkling that ONEHOPE Wine sells, 25 meals are connected to children in need via the World Food Programme? Gives sippin’ mimosas a whole new meaning.

Do good by poppin' some bubbly with the ONEHOPE Mimosa Bar Set

So how can you help? By drinking mimosas. Yep, it really is that simple. The ONEHOPE Wine Mimosa Bar is the perfect addition to any brunch, shower or party. Just serve it up with your favorite juices and fruit and encourage some DIY magic by instructing your guests to mix and muddle their mimosas while mingling with friends.

A Happy Easter, indeed with the ONEHOPE Wine Mimosa Bar Set ($139)

So how did I customize my own ONEHOPE Mimosa Bar Set at my 3rd Annual Classic Southern Easter Dinner?

MY 3rd Annual Classic Southern Easter Dinner was a garden party theme. Know what pairs beautifully with a garden party theme? A DIY Mimosa bar!! Say whaaaa?!

Well, I supplied my guests with the following juice options:

The juice is loose!

  • Orange
  • Grapefruit
  • Pineapple
  • Cranberry
  • Pink Lemonade

And the following muddling ingredients:

  • Mint
  • Blackberries
  • Raspberries
What was my favorite mimosa recipe, you ask?
ONEHOPE Sparkling Wine + Cranberry Juice + Mint + Blackberries = Perfect Easter Mimosa
BF’s Fave Mimosa Combo: Cranberry-Mint-Blackberry-Bubbly
Also, I must say, I didn’t know if my gentlemen guests would be into it but I would venture to say that they loved it more than the ladies, even. And the ladies looooovedit! We even had to bring the mimosa makins’ outside because we enjoyed refilling our glasses so much!

Don't even ask what's on Jose's phone. It's just about the carafes, folks. Focus on the carafes.

The ONEHOPEWINE Mimosa Bar Set really made the afternoon even more enjoyable than it would have been – and it truly was an integral part of the most magical, memorable day.

Mimosas make the meal even more enjoyable...even the bunnies seem happy!

Each Mimosa Bar Set (right now, only $139) includes:

  • 3 bottles of ONEHOPE Brut Sparkling
  • 5 carafes
  • 4 fruit bowls
  • 1 muddler
  • 1 muddling/rimming sugar tray
  • 25 straws
  • 10 juice carafe tags
  • 8 fruit cards
For more info on the World Food Programme:
Twitter: @WFP
Instagram: @wfpusa
xoxo,
BF
BF Asks: What mimosa recipe are you most excited to concoct?

High-Low 4/22/14: Easter & Ouch

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Yet again, it’s time for the most popular column on BeautyFrosting – my High-Low. *So what exactly is a High-Low, you ask? High-Low is the BEST & WORST part of your day, week, month, etc. I started this tradition with friends & family after I discovered it through a movie decades ago. Not only is it useful for the sake of reflection but it is also an excellent way to communicate with your spouse, kids or friends over the dinner table. By introducing this tradition to folks, parents have told me that their kids have opened up more and friends have told me that their spouses have become more communicative. Try it for yourself and let me know what your experience is…

***

HIGH-LOW 4/22/14

Easter? Yay!!! Face burns? No bueno.

This week was a doozy (aren’t they all?) as it contained my favorite holiday – for which I hosted a garden party – and my not-so-fave as, well, my face got burned! And it all happened in one day. See? Doozy.

As my old boss used to say, Oy vey.

Up first? The high, of course. Here we go, here we go, here we go.

HIGH: My 3rd Annual Classic Southern Easter Dinner

My Easter table surrounded by friends. My cup runneth over...both literally and figuratively

I love having a houseful of people. To be honest, I feel most alive and happy when I am hosting a soiree at my house – surrounded by friends, indulging in delicious, homemade food and drinking wine and laughing. Add in some board games and I’m having the time of my life. All of that just does my heart good. And it definitely does my heart good to look around me and see the folks I hold so dear looking plumb happy.

Which is why I ignored a friend’s advice when he told me to skip hosting my annual classic southern Easter dinner this year (although he’s usually quite wise). With all I have going on, it just didn’t seem like the smartest thing to do. But I am so glad I did it!

There were old friends, new friends and enough food, wine and spirited conversation to go around. And I really appreciate that my guests who have attended each year said that they so look forward to it and it’s one of their most beloved events of the year. It might be a hefty task to take on when things are busy and bustling but anything that makes me feel so good simply can’t be a bad thing.

The theme this year? Ricky Nelson-Garden Party style. In the backyard with the tasel garlands, puffs on trees, birds and the bees. Oh, you know what I mean...

The reason I love this tradition so much is because it marries the best of the old traditions precious to my family – which reminds me of my younger days – with the new traditions that I’m creating on my own with my friends and surrogate family out here in LA. It is such a beautiful thing – and isn’t that what life’s all about?

As with everything, it’s all in the delicate details – and the delicate details are what delight me. I used my Nanny’s silver, made her Jello lime salad in her vintage jello mold and served the salad on her white and gold cake stand. I always feel connected to her when I bake but when I actually use precious family treasures that she owned for years, I feel especially connected to her.

Marrying the old traditions with the new ones. Pictured here is my Nanny's silver and my favorite new washable linen napkins from Haute Hostess (Left) and Jessie Steele (right)

We started out the day with a DIY Mimosa bar from One Hope Wine that was a hit! Guests could custom-make their own mimosas featuring One Hope Sparkling wine and select from a bevy of juices, fruits and mint to muddle, mix and design to their heart’s content. More on the Mimosa Bar (and how you can order the One Hope Wine Mimosa Bar Set) on Thirsty Thursday this week!

DIY Mimosa Bar featuring One Hope Wine Mimosa Bar Set - this was a HIT!

 

What else was served for dinner? Well, we always have a HoneyBaked ham, my Cowboy Corn Casserole, my Paris, Texas Green Bean Casserole, my Southern Pea Salad, Matt Marr’s Prized Deviled Eggs, mac & Cheese, turkey, salads and SO much more!

 

The Spread: southern fare galore!

 

As for the best part? Dessert, of course! I baked my annual Easter Bunny Coconut Cake (this year her name was Bedelia – yes, seriously), my Chocolate Cream pie, my Blackberry Cream pie and my Nanny’s ‘Nana Pudding. Holy goodness, it was all delicious!

But even more delicious than the food was the company. Thank you to each and every one of you who came and celebrated a beautiful spring day in my backyard. The memories will live on long after the food is gone – and the memories were downright magical.

The memories will live on long after the food is gone...

LOW: Ouch!

LOW: Ouch! Too many irons in the fire and something might catch ON fire! (p.s. That white stuff on my face? It's Silver Sufudiazine which helps burns)

 

I’ll keep this short. I burned myself. While busily setting the table, cooking, baking and decorating for Easter dinner, I spotted a Diptyque candle on fire in my living room. Nope. Not stressful at all. A fire extinguisher would’ve made a mess for such a small fire so I (dumbly?) decided to blow it out. Well, the hot wax splashed up and hit my face. It actually didn’t really hurt – probably because I was so focused on putting out the fire!

I’m fine  – and it could have been much worse but I did receive 4 small burns on my face – one second degree that’s requiring a bit of attention so as to prevent scarring. But thanks to my dermatologist, I’ll be right as rain in no time. And, again, even though I’m calling it a low, I know that there is much, much worse than having a few burns on your face. A good reminder to yes, keep all those irons in the fire but to keep your eye out for things catching on fire with all we have going on every day.

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: What was your High-Low this week?

 

 

Thirsty Thursday: All You Need Is Love GLITTER Gift Set from One Hope Wine – VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL!!!

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For Thirsty Thursday today, I am featuring the ULTIMATE Valentine’s Day gift for your love, lover or laugh-buddy. Y’all know I’m a big fan of One Hope Wine and One Hope at Home because they do good out there and make gooooood products.

But when you add in red glitter à la Dorothy? Baby-oh-baby, I’m OBSESSED!

Thirsty Thursday: One Hope Wine's All You Need Is Love GLITTER Gift Box Set ($129)

 

Benefitting the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign (with One Hope Wine donating half of the profits of every purchase), you can fill your heart with joy and help the hearts of women everywhere. The All You Need Is Love GLITTER gift box from One Hope Wine ($129) is filled with the things I love best  – and the things I DEFINITELY need as a single gal in the city on Valentine’s Day.

What’s that, you ask? Wine. Chocolate. Candles. Glitter. Specifically, One Hope Wine’s Limited Edition red glitter bottle of North Coast Reserve Pinot Noir, B.Toffee dark chocolate and an exquisite Voluspa candle with sensual scents of goji berry and ripe mango. And get ’em while you can cuz they’re only selling 100 of these beauties!!

Get em while you can - they're only selling 100 of these beauties!!!!

Right now, One Hope Wine is offering an All You Need is Love GLITTER gift set for for a limited time only for only $129. But, BUUUUUT, as a BeautyFrosting reader you can get 30% off TODAY ONLY with the code GORED! Get it for your lover, your friend or heck, yourself! That’s what I’m gonna do! Happppppy Vaaaaaaalentine’s to meeeee!

Some not-so-sweet stats:
Risk Factors
– 90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease
– While 1 in 31 women dies of breast cancer each year, 1 in 3 dies of heart disease
The Good News!
Tomorrow, Feb 7 is National Wear Red day.  Since the first wear red day 10 years ago, 21% fewer women are dying of heart disease, and 21% more are aware that it’s their number 1 health threat.  Planning a party with Hope at Home can help make a difference!

 

xoxo,

BF

 

BF Asks: What red frocks are you gonna don tomorrow for National Wear Red Day?

Thirsty Thursday: BF & One Hope’s Spiced Apple Cider Mimosa

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When I was trying to decide what my signature cocktail would be for my “Come As You Were…or WISH You Were In High School” birthday party, I was a bit overwhelmed. I wanted it to involve the bubbly (I mean what’s a birthday without champagne), have a wintry component (because my party this year was sandwiched between a slew of holiday parties) and be something that my guests would never forget.

That’s where One Hope Wine and Hope at Home stepped in to help.

One Hope Wine & Hope At Home saved that day…well, at least my party!

 

They have a slew of cocktail recipes and fab pics on OneHopeWeddings.com where you can find the PERFECT cocktail to accompany your perfect party.
For mine, I opted for the Apple Cider Mimosa.

One Hope's Apple Cider Mimosa

But to make it my own whimsical winter wonderland-fitting libation, I “tweaked” it a bit by substituting Captain Morgan Spiced Rum  in place of the scotch.

And you know what really made me feel good about it? For every bottle of One Hope California Brut Sparkling Wine ($18.99) sold, a hungry child is connected with 10 healthy meals. Drinking for a good cause? It’s like two of my favorite things on the planet just married one another.

It. Was. Perfect. Everyone was raaaaaving about it and asking for the recipe.

 

A few of my guests (Jennifer & Rahiel from Spoiled Little LA Girls) & I sippin' on our BF & One Hope Spiced Apple Cider Mimosas! Photography by Takahiro Watanabe Photography

More guests - Jen and Jennie - sippin' their One Hope cider cocktail… Photo by Guerrero Photography

 

Yep. It’s exactly what I wanted.

Enjoying my 2nd glass (!!!) of One Hope Spiced Apple Cider Mimosa. Don't judge, people. It was my BIRTHDAY!!! Photo by Guerrero Photography

So now you can enjoy it at your holiday or winter party!

If you need a little extra party guidance, Hope At Home has you covered. See, Hope At Home is magical when it comes to making a party pop. They offer private wine tasting parties where 15% of the sales go back to the non-profit or school of your choice. What could be a more fun – and philanthropic – way to celebrate this holiday season? And what a fun way to raise funds for your organization!!

 BF & One Hope’s Spiced Apple Cider Mimosa

 

BF & One Hope's Spiced Apple Cider Mimosa - photo courtesy of OneHopeWeddings.com

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total: 10
Serves: 1

Ingredients
1 tsp brown sugar
1 ounce spiced rum (I used Captain Morgan)
2 ounces fresh apple cider
4 ounces ONEHOPE Sparkling Wine
Apple slices for garnish

Directions
Combine brown sugar, spiced rum and apple cider in a flute.
Top with ONEHOPE Sparkling wine and garnish with fresh apple slices.

 

xoxo,

BF

BF Asks: What charity, school or organization would benefit from your Hope At Home wine tasting party?

My Birthday Party 2013: Come As You Were…or WISH You Were In High School

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The gang! Photos by Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

 

Oh, how I love me a theme party! I have one every year for my birthday and it always fills me with such joy. I mean what could be more fun than dressing up like someone – or something – else, being surrounded by friends, sipping champagne, eating delicious eats, polishing off some cake and dancing until the sun comes up? I’ll tell ya – not much. Previous birthday party themes of mine have included Dallas (the 80s show), 80s, 70s, Toddlers & Tiaras and more.

But this year’s had to have been my favorite thus far! I decided last year at my birthday that the theme would be “Come As You Were…or Wish You Were In High School.” So when I was home in Dallas in October, I broke out my Episcopal School of Dallas private school uniform (the skirt still fit! Yay!) and my cheerleading uniform (the top didn’t fit because I grabbed my JV uniform my mistake – oops!) and decided it was ON!

One of my best friends – and my former roomie and uber-talented BeautyFrosting graphic designer – Vanessa York of Shindig Shoppe designed the adorable invite drawing on the colors of my home, varsity lettering and, of course, pom-poms.

The oh-so-cute invitation designed by Vanessa York of Shindig Shoppe

 

Next, my dear hairstylist & friend, Robby LaRiviere, whipped my hair up into some pretty darned precious pigtails, I picked up some saddle shoes at Shelly’s Dance (my FAVE for costumes & alterations in LA!!!) and I donned Outfit #1. Oh, honey, you KNOW there was gonna be a wardrobe change!

THE FASHION

Outfit #1: My Episcopal School of Dallas uniform from 1996:

Donning my Episcopal School of Dallas original uniform! The fact that it still fit is cause alone for celebration! Photo by Guerrero Photography & Photobooth by Takahiro Watanabe Photography, Custom Tassel Garland by Studio Mucci

 

And with glasses, of course!

And I had to wear glasses for a few, of course! Glasses by Ivory Mason, Photo by Guerrero Photography & Photobooth by Takahiro Watanabe Photography, Tassel Garland by Studio Mucci

Outfit #2:
My Episcopal School of Dallas Cheerleading Uniform from 1993 (GO EAGLES!!!) – I grabbed by JV – and not my Varsity uniform – by mistake so Shelly’s had to let out the chest a bit. I was 15 when I last wore this one!

Donning my ESD Junior Varsity Cheerleading Uniform, American Apparel knee socks & saddle shoes from Shelly's; Photography by Guerrero Photography and Photobooth by Takahiro Watanabe Photography; Custom Tassel Garland by Studio Mucci

 THE DECOR

I love that my birthday is so close to Christmas because I can decorate my house for Christmas and let it serve as deco for my birthday party. With my Studio Mucci custom tassel garlands, Shabby Chic decorations, pastel lights and vintage finds from Uptown Country Home that I’ve bought over the years, I love creating a Whimsical Winter Wonderland. Add some wintry pink & blue balloons and my high school yearbooks and you’ve got a party!

The living room...

 

Kids love those balloons...

More deco...

THE LIBATIONS

I remember that Queer Eye For The Straight Guy said it best once. “The right cocktails keep your guests socially lubricated.” When you’re mixing together over 50 of your closest friends – some who know one another but many who don’t – you want to keep the cocktails flowing. I decided to keep it simple by supplying a wine bar. Lucky for me, One Hope Wine and Hope at Home were eager to help.

One Hope Wine tantalized my guests' tastebuds with 4 of their wine varietals and a signature cocktail that we'll be debuting on Thursday on Thirsty Thursday this week!

With a signature cocktail, BeautyFrosting’s Spiced Rum Apple Cider Mimosa (catch the recipe this Thursday on BF on Thirsty Thursday), Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Pinot Noir 2011, Chardonnay 2012, Sauvignon Blanc 2012 and their new California Brut Sparkling Wine (All wines are $18.99), my guests were totally socially lubricated. Everyone raved about my wine selection from One Hope – and my bartender & party hostess, Kristin – but the California Brut Sparkling Wine was the first to go! People were literally asking me how they could get some One Hope of their own!

A bucket full of hope on ice! Photo by Guerrero Photography

But my favorite thing about One Hope – besides the way it tastes – is the charity component that makes them who they are. With every bottle of One Hope wine sold, an impact is made as 50% of  the proceeds goes to a variety of good causes including: AIDS, Alzheimers, Autism, Breast Cancer, Childhood Hunger, Veterans and more. I’ll be featuring One Hope every Thursday for the next 6 Thirsty Thursdays so you’ll see lots more of them – and the love I have for everything that they’re about!

THE NIBBLES

Well, we know I’m a foodie and I love to bake but, um, sometimes I can go overkill when it comes to my parties. For this one, I relied on a few of my party faves – such as Southern Shrimp Ball, Bandito Black Bean dip, L’il Smokies, Texas Ranch House Queso, Red Velvet Dip and Pistachio Thumbprint and Eggnog Thumbprint Cookies that are always a hit. And then I hit up Whole Foods for a veggie tray and Trader Joe’s for cheese, charcuterie and crackers.

The spread…a foodie's dream!

And then there was the cake…Oh my…

The cake by Hansen's Cakes

Hansen’s Cakes was responsible for this deliciousness. Marble cake with butterchip filling and buttercream frosting. I’m still dreaming of it but had to give all leftovers away!

THE PHOTOS

As a photographer’s daughter – and a blogger, of course – photos are super important to me. So I asked my friends, Takahiro Watanabe Photography and Guerrero Photography to help me out for the evening.
The DIY Photobooth with Takahiro that I literally just put outside against a stucco wall was a hit. That’s gonna have to be a whole other post because EVERYONE can do this and it was sooooo much fun!

Here are just a few of the 267 photos from the Photobooth. For more, check out the entire album of fun (complete with my house pics, food pics and more) at: Dawn’s Birthday 2013: Come As You Were…or Wish You Were in High School on Facebook (yep, I made it public for your perusal & enjoyment).

Photobooth fun! Photos by Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

 

Photobooth fun! Photos by Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

Photobooth fun! Photos by Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

hotobooth fun! Photos by Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

Another group shot by Guerrero Photography:

The gang! Photos by Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

Thank you to all of my friends who came, drank, ate, danced til 4 am, showered me with gifts & love and took pics with me all night long! It was a magical night I will always remember!

xoxo,
BF

BF Asks: How did you celebrate your birthday this year? 

 CREDITS

Wine & Cocktails by: One Hope Wine & Hope At Home

Blowout & Pigtails by: Robby LaRiviere

Photos by: Takahiro Watanabe Photography & Guerrero Photography

Tassel Garlands by: Studio Mucci

Party Set-up Assistant: Sarah of TaskRabbit

Bartender/Guest Hostess: Kristin of TaskRabbit

Cake: Hansen’s Cakes

Wardrobe Alterations & Shoes: Shelly’s Dance Supply