Prepadelphia

About that infrequent posting thing...

2009-02-24T14:31:00.002-05:00

So, I have been a delinquent blogger lately, but dont worry, things in Prepadelphia land are just peachy. Only one small issue... work has actually picked up quite significantly in recent days and so my spare time has been very limited. It may be this way for the next month or so but I should be back with you all as we head toward spring! I have been enjoying reading all of your blogs still and although I might not be commenting very often, I'll be keeping up for sure. AND, since a bunch of friends getting married this summer, I should have some fun insights coming up as we approach wedding season 2009. So, until then, stay warm and beat those winter blues, spring is right around the corner!

Spring Fashion Fever

2009-02-10T13:04:00.005-05:00

Love this top! Luckily I have some J.Crew Spring Rewards to spend if I decide to splurge on something so pricey. Thinking of springtime makes me want to pair it with white jeans, a gold hip slung belt and espadrilles and head somewhere tropical...

I'm in search of... New Luggage!

2009-02-06T11:12:00.003-05:00

Question for you preppy travelin' ladies out there... what type of luggage do you have? Would you recommend it? I have a Vera garment bag (black with pink and green flowers tied with breast cancer pink ribbon pattern from a couple of years ago) that I adore but my set of rolling suitcases is getting very ratty-looking, almost to the point of embarrassment. I have a bunch of weekend trips planned this spring along with a bunch of weddings this summer so I'm looking to upgrade in the very near future. Any suggestions?

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Hearty Soup for a Snowy Day

2009-02-05T16:59:00.002-05:00

With the six(!) inches of snow we woke up to in Philly yesterday, I decided a hearty soup was definately on our dinner menu. So I bundled up for a very chilly and slippery walk home from work yesterday, stopped at the grocery on the way, and was able to create this delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup in only an hour! Bonus - it is colorful, visually pleasing (see pic at left) and so healthy.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup pinto beans (or other white beans)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped green onions

Directions:
In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn, chiles, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

Tag!

2009-02-03T16:59:00.003-05:00

Katie from A Preppy Girl's Guide to Cross Country Living tagged me a couple of days ago for her fun quiz. Thanks Katie! Here goes.

Step 1: Respond and rework—answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, add one more question of your own.

Step 2: Tag eight other un-tagged people.

1. Make a list of things you can see without getting up: I am in my office at work, so... Chase Utley bobblehead, silver framed and monogramed calendar from the Pottery Barn, candy jar with only Hershey Kiss crumbs remaining (I need more ASAP), picture of Mr. Prepster and me on our honeymoon in Italy - we are sooo tan, and my coat and scarf hanging behind the door!

2. Favorite football team: Philadelphia Eagles!

3. Who is the most famous person you know? Hmm, don't really know anyone famous but one of my sorority sisters from college was on Survivor in Africa. She made it to the tribal council part at the end but didn't win.

4. What’s the last thing you read/are currently reading? I read The Curious Case of Benjamin Button sometime right before Christmas. Planning to read Suite Francaise soon.

5. Who was the last person you hugged? Mr. Prepster this morning when we woke up.

6. What’s your current obsession/addiction? Finding new, quick dinners to cook at home after work. I've been doing a better job planning my grocery lists lately, so that is a good start I guess.

7. What was the last thing you said aloud? I gave my boss an update about what's been going on with some transactions I've been working on while he's been in Newport Beach today (did I mention I'm jealous?)

8. What was the last thing you bought? Lunch for my friend who turned 26 today!

9. What are you listening to right now? Myself typing... it is really quiet at work right now.

10. What is your favorite weather, and why? Definitely those warm night of summer when you can eat outside and not be too cold or too hot.

11. Hmm, Katie must have skipped this one. There is no 11. on her list so I'll add mine here. What is your first memory as a child? Going to Disney World when I was 3 and having a swan bite off my shoe while I was in a stroller (seriously!).

12. What is your most challenging goal right now? Finding enough time to work out and pursue other non-work and non-home related hobbies.

13. Say something to the person who tagged you: Katie, I think we would have become friends if you wouldn't have moved away from Philadelphia. We seem to have so much in common!

14. If you could have a house–totally paid for, fully furnished–anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Positano, Italy.

15. Favorite vacation spot? Beaver Creek, Colorado. Grew up going every year, sometimes twice. Love skiing, love the relaxing atmosphere, love the scenery.

16. What is your favorite children’s book? Goodnight Moon.

17. Name one thing you just can’t resist no matter how bad it is for you: Pizza.

18. Favorite hair product? Hair straightning iron. I look like a lion without it.

19. What is the first tape or CD you ever bought? The tape single for Two Princes by the Spin Doctors.

20. Describe your perfect day: Waking up post 9am in a gorgeous hotel somewhere interesting with Mr. Prepster at my side. Breakfast in bed then seeing where the day takes us.

21. The Added Question – What is your favorite outfit? Jeans, a silky top, cute heels, bangle bracelets and earrings that dangle.

I tag...
MMM
Prep-E Girl
The Pink Tutu
Adventures of a Southern Newlywed
Sweet, Sassy and Always Classy
Magnolias & Juleps
Spanish Preppy Girl
Lou Lou in Lilly

Can't wait to read your responses!

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - White Sangria

2009-01-29T13:09:00.004-05:00

It is probably obvious by now if you read this blog that some of my favorite hobbies are cooking and entertaining. I really love finding and making new recipes and experimenting in the kitchen. One of my house-mates in grad school used to make the most delicious white sangria for parties. I've been dying to try it again - it is the perfect way to forget about the blahs of winter so I just might make it this weekend. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 Bottle of white wine (Riesling, Albarino, Chablis, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc)
2/3 cup white sugar
3 oranges (sliced) or may substitute 1 cup of orange juice
1 lemon (sliced)
1 lime (sliced)
1/2 liter of ginger ale or club soda (ginger ale for those with a sweeter tooth!)

Preparation:
Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the orange,lemon and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving. If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled white wine and serve over lots of ice. If you are feeling ambitious, trying adding apples, strawberries, peaches, handful of fresh blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, a shot or two of gin, brandy or rum, or a cup of citrus-flavored soda.

SNOW DAY!

2009-01-28T17:49:00.003-05:00

Woohoo, it FINALLY snowed enough to matter in Philadelphia! When I moved up here from the south a few years ago, I envisioned many a cozy day spent indoors watching the snow, snow angels, snow walks in the park and lots of "snow days" off of work, but it turned out it was not to be. I can't even think of a significant snow storm (I mean 6+ inches) since I've lived here. This one wasn't quite that, but it still looked pretty and all of the ice on top made it enough for me to justify working from home today (though admittedly I definitely could have made it into the office had I wanted to).

I am a big snow fan and am hoping for even more white stuff before it becomes spring. To all of you across the country that got a real winter storm, enjoy. I am jealous.

Be Back Soon...

2009-01-27T11:32:00.002-05:00

A little in over my head all of a sudden but hope to be back with you later this week.

Blog Award

2009-01-21T10:53:00.005-05:00

Thanks to DC Prep who tagged me for the Honest Scrap Award. Along with this award, I am supposed to list 10 honest things about myself. So here goes...

1. My favorite accessory is definitely a scarf. In the fall and winter I wear one almost every day and usually try to match them to my outfits so I can keep them on when I'm chilly.

2. Having clutter in the house really bothers me. I make sure to tidy up and throw away and extra mail, newspapers, etc. before bed almost every night. I have tons of bins and other modes of organization that I swear by.

3. I love receiving magazines and catalogs. I subscribe to many magazines, including Self, Glamour, Better Homes & Gardens and Bon Appetit. Every time I go to the airport I treat myself with UsWeekly or InStyle :)

4. I am left-handed.

5. I went to college and graduate school in the south. I think I am a southern girl at heart and want to move back some day.

6. My favorite professional sport to watch is baseball. My husband and I watch the Phillies on tv pretty much every night during the summer. We attend several games in person each year too, and I only eat hot dogs when we go to the game. For some reason I find them gross in all other instances but love them at the game.

7. I would travel just about every weekend if I could. I really enjoy going to new towns and cities and staying in hotels. Boutique hotels are my favorite, and I especially like the decor and style in the Kimpton Hotels.

8. I don't enjoy most movies - weird, I know, but I usually can think of so many other things I'd rather do with my two hours than watch a movie.

9. We have way too many proper drink glasses relative to the amount of entertaining we actually do. I think I went a little overboard on my registry as I have 12 of each of monogrammed cocktail glasses, water glasses, martini glasses, white wine glasses, red wine glasses and champagne flutes. Hopefully I will have more time for entertaining later in life.

10. I love to cook and try to make a proper dinner every night, even if it means we don't eat until 8 or 9pm. It is a good way for me to unwind at the end of each work day.

I tag anyone who wants to play along!

A New Era

2009-01-20T13:42:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to our new President, Barack Obama. I watched the inauguration live with some co-workers and was so touched to see the spirit in the room and the collective sense of pride. It also was great to see so many Americans (and other citizens of the world) stop to comemmorate this exciting moment in our history. We should all be proud to be Americans today and every day.

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Birthday Edition

2009-01-15T13:10:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to me today. Next time you're celebrating a birthday, try these Classic Vanilla Cupcakes. Yum.

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup vegetable shortening softened

2 cups sugar

4 extra large eggs (l cup eggs)

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 drops lemon and almond extract (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tablespoons baking powder

2 1/2 cups milk

Line two twelve-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Blend butter with shortening until light and fluffy. Add in sugar and beat well. Add in eggs and extracts. Mix dry ingredients together and fold into batter, alternating with milk. Blend on slow speed to combine, scraping down bowl sides and bottom often. Blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds to almost full. Place in oven, immediately reducing heat to 350 degrees F. Bake until cupcakes test done (tops should gently spring back when touched), about 20-24 minutes depending on size of cupcakes. Approximately 24 medium cupcakes - 36 smaller cakes.

Out from Under the Covers

2009-01-14T11:47:00.002-05:00

I've finally emerged from home after a horrible case of the stomach flu. Not fun, but the important thing is I am back just in time for the weekend. Lots to look forward to with my birthday celebration upcoming as well as the Eagles in the Conference Championship Game and Monday off work for MLK Day!! I think Mr. Prepster is going to take me here for my birthday dinner. Such a pretty setting and I can't wait to drink out of one of their lovely wine glasses. We will need to bundle up because it is supposed to be in the single digits here in Philly. Anyone seen any preppy and cute scarves, hats or mittens lately? I am in search of some new ones.

Updating Blogroll

2009-01-09T11:53:00.002-05:00

I plan to update my list of blogs over the weekend. If you would like to be included, leave a comment or shoot me an email. Happy Friday!

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

2009-01-08T21:53:00.000-05:00

After taking a holiday hiatus, Try a New Recipe Thursdays is back! I'd like to share one of my favorite easy dessert recipes - Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies. Most people only make this type of cookie at Christmas time, but for me they are a year-round staple and always go over well with friends. This recipe makes a lot of cookies and is very easy.

1 cup butter

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter (can substitute reduced fat)

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 t vanilla

2 2/3 cup flour

2 t baking soda

1 t salt

16 oz. package chocolate kiss candy

Combine butter, peanut butter and sugars; blend until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; blend. Mix flour, salt and soda, add to cream mixture; stir well. Roll dough into quarter size balls. Roll ball in bowl of sugar. Bake dough at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, take out, place chocolate kiss in center of each cookie. Bake an additional 2 minutes.

J.Crew Quinn Cami

2009-01-07T15:57:00.005-05:00

Anyone have this item? I am such a sucker for ruffles. What do you think of it? I saw it on sale today and think it could be a pretty cute "going out" top and would transition well into spring. I know, this purchase would be in direct contradiction with resolution 3. below, but... this cardi is cute and on great sale too. Here's a set with them together. With the prices the combo is pretty tempting (I already have the bag shown).

Resort Look by Preppy in Philly

9 Resolutions for '09

2009-01-06T15:01:00.004-05:00

Here's what I hope to "improve" about myself this year...

1. Work out at least twice per week (gotta start somewhere, right?)

2. Drink more water (hopefully a consequence of actually achieving 1.)

3. Invest in more special, interesting clothes that I actually need and will wear for years to come instead of mindlessly purchasing whatever tops are on final sale each season at J.Crew

4. Cook more, eat out less

5. Find reasons to have friends over for appetizers, dinner, drinks, etc., i.e. actually use all of my cute wedding serving plates and things!

6. Read more quality books (my list of books read last year consisted of way too many with the word "shopaholic" in the title)

7. Attend church more regularly and give thanks for my wonderful marriage, family and good health

8. Keep in better, closer contact with my two siblings

9. And finally, pay off my student loans

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T10:27:00.003-05:00

Hello blog friends and Happy 2009 to all. After a very busy Christmas season I'm looking forward to unwinding a bit in January and catching up on my blogging. This weekend was a good start to what I hope will be a more relaxing 2009. Mr. Prepster and I spent New Year's Eve and the weekend here, and it was just lovely! We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a room with a fireplace... so cozy. We played Scrabble, watched movies, went to a very cool restaurant for NYE dinner and then another very yummy restaurant later in the weekend and generally just spent a couple of days just being together without distractions or interruptions. This is the first year we haven't done a big NYE reunion with friends from out of town, but honestly (and not that we don't love seeing our friends), I don't think we missed anything. I'm pretty confident we'll all see each other plenty with the multiple weddings that are scheduled for this summer and fall. Oooh, and I wore one of my favorite Christmas gifts, my new pink Victoria Ruffle Cami, on NYE. Those who have been following this blog know that I've been coveting this top forever... And I'm happy to report it is even cuter than it looked online!

Wedding China and The Big Tumble

2008-12-30T11:15:00.006-05:00

On Saturday night we had the pleasure of having dinner on our wedding china for the very first time! Mr. Prepster and I hosted his parents for a second round of Christmas since we had been out of town visiting my family the week prior. I figured it was about time we got it out after having stared at the china and stemware in our display cabinet for more than a year. I was so hesitant to use it though because I am always terrified to break anything, but after "the big tumble" on Friday afternoon I figured my luck couldn't get any worse...

I have been trying to (slowly) collect the serving pieces that match our china. Mr. Prepster surprised me while I was at home with his 2nd (I hope annual) addition to my collection, the Open Vegetable Bowl (like this one but in my pattern pictured at left). Of course I was thrilled and couldn't wait to get it back home to use it for Saturday night dinner. Not so fast.

This dish had to travel on a plane with us on Friday afternoon. So I decided I would carry it on, all wrapped up in a box and shopping bag, and not risk checking it. This seemed like a good plan until Mr. Prepster opened my parents' SUV's back hatch at the airport. Guess what came tumbling out... yep, only the bag with the Herend box. The beautiful bowl was in about 100 tiny pieces, some of them on the sidewalk. I was so upset that I didn't really stop crying until we got on our plane an hour later. I just couldn't believe it wasn't coming back with us. Luckily, our friends at Clossons, where I had registered for my wedding, took pity on us and offered a replacement at a discount. And my mom is convinced I can use the broken pieces for something like a mosaic table top one day... we'll see if that really happens though.

So, has anyone else broken a piece of her wedding china? Do you use your china often?

Hello Again!

2008-12-29T11:02:00.002-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all! I am back to work today after a wonderful break from everything and am looking forward to catching up on all of my favorite blogs and reading your comments. Christmas week was fantastic. Lots of celebrating with both my family and Mr. Prepster's family (we had two Christmas breakfasts and Christmas dinners this year!) and so many fantastic gifts were given and received. We were truly blessed. Hope everyone had fabulous holidays as well.

More Holiday-Inspired Polyvores

2008-12-18T14:53:00.004-05:00

I'm back with a couple more holiday outfits. I just love wearing black and white - it is so festive! Hopefully I'll have a chance to add a Thursday recipe later today or tomorrow, but for now, enjoy the Polyvores!

Fancy Dinner by Preppy in Philly

Festive for the Season by Preppy in Philly

Busy Bee

2008-12-17T13:33:00.003-05:00

So many holiday-related get togethers for me this past weekend and week. As much as I enjoy all things holiday, I almost can't wait for them to all be over so I can go home to my family and relax next week. One of my biggest stressors this season has been the eternal issue of what to wear. I made Polyvores with some of the looks I've gone with this week... more to come tomorrow.

Casual Holiday Sparkle by Preppy in Philly

Office Party Fab by Preppy in Philly

Afternoon Holiday Open House by Preppy in Philly

Drinks with Clients by Preppy in Philly

Holiday Mental Health Day

2008-12-11T17:48:00.004-05:00

In the midst of all of the holiday shopping, cooking, hosting and decorating we've been doing lately, I decided I needed a little break from the office today. Plus it was so rainy out. So, I stayed home! I did have to work remotely for the morning hours, but since then, I've been drinking the yummy hot chocolate Mr. Prepster got me for St. Nick's day in my Christmas mug, wearing cozy sweatpants, baking peanut butter kiss cookies and red velvet whoopie pies and wrapping presents. It has been a wonderful day! And the best part is, only one more real work day before the weekend.

Holiday Tag

2008-12-09T11:10:00.002-05:00

My Life in Pink and Green tagged me to list 6 holiday-related facts about myself, so here goes...

1. I almost always go shopping on Black Friday. Bring on the crowds, the decorations and the deals. There is nothing like it to get you in the holiday spirit.

2. My family has always celebrated both advent and St. Nick's Day. So every year on December 1 I get out my childhood advent calendar with little drawers numbered 1-25. Mr. Prepster and I alternate days so we get or give a small surprise to each other every other morning. On the morning of St. Nick's Day, December 6, we fill each others' stockings with the first gifts on Christmas.

3. My favorite Christmas cookies are very elaborately decorated butter cookies that have been cut into shapes like trees, stars, angels, gingerbread men, snowmen, etc. with colored icing and sprinkles. I love to spend a whole Saturday making and eating these pretty cookies.

4. I love hot chocolate, especially during the holiday season. For me hot chocolate should have at least one of the following accompaniments: whipped cream, marshmallows or a candy cane. One of my favorite holiday traditions from growing up is the hot chocolate my mom would make on Christmas morning. She would make a big pot on the stove with real melted chocolate and whole or 2% milk and top it with whipped cream and a candy cane for a stirrer. When the candy cane melts in it there is a wonderful peppermint flavor. We would get to take it in the living room in our snowman mugs and enjoy it while opening our gifts. Yum.

5. I like to open my gifts very slowly, one at a time, and organize them in piles to admire for the rest of Christmas day. I also save all the ribbons and carefully fold them so they can be re-used (mild OCD - maybe).

6. I have wonderful flannel PJs with holly and berries on them that I only wear for the Christmas season.

I tag these 6 preppy bloggers:
A Preppy Girl's Guide to Cross Country Living
Magnolias & Juleps
Preppy Sue
The Pink Tutu
The Prep-E Girl
Third Coast Preppy

Christmas Shopping - Can't Wait!

2008-12-05T14:13:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow we are off to the mall to work on our shopping list! I can't wait. One big day of Christmas shopping and tasty mall lunch is something I look forward too literally all year long. (Just ask Mr. Prepster, I've been bugging him to "officially" schedule our day for a while!) I just love all looking at all of the decorated stores and choosing gifts and actually, seeing the crowds of people doing the exact same thing. It really gets me in the Holiday spirit. Of course we'll have to start out our shopping day with something yummy in a red cup too. To all of those with a similar Saturday planned, happy trails and good luck gifting!

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

2008-12-04T15:06:00.006-05:00

So the holiday season is in full swing! I've been so busy transitioning from Thanksgiving to Christmas that my poor blog has been neglected the past couple of days. This week we've gotten a lot of Christmas stuff accomplished though... we purchased and decorated a tree, adorned the rest of the house with all things Christmas, made a very comprehensive shopping list (to be tackled online and this weekend) AND ordered some adorable Paper Cafe Christmas Cards! Since it is already Thursday and time for a new recipe, I thought I'd share something I'm looking forward to making this season for a dessert party we will be attending. These taste even more amazing than they look.

Whoopie Pies

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 Tablespoon red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of batter about 1 1/2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and cookies spring back when touched, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes. Make filling/frosting while cookies chill. Once they are completely cool, frost the flat side of a cookie with a generous amount of frosting and sandwich with another cookie.

Frosting:

(Hint - you will only need 1/2 recipe of the below)

3/4 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1/8 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons milk

2-4 cups powdered sugar depending on desired consistency

Cream the butter and cream cheese together in an electric mixer. (Be sure that the two are at room temperature, but not melted. Cold cream cheese or butter can make your frosting lumpy.) Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract, and beat for about 2 minutes. Turn off mixer and add 2 cups of powdered sugar. Turn the mixer on a low speed so the sugar doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Slowly add more sugar alternately with the milk until you reach your desired consistency.

Happy December!

2008-12-01T12:33:00.002-05:00

I love December and was excited to start my advent calendar this morning. I'm very busy today though so I will have to wait to give a full update tomorrow... Hope you all had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and L O N G holiday weekend!

50th Post!

2008-11-26T15:34:00.005-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We're headed to Mr. Prepster's parents house this afternoon and will be there until Sunday. I can't wait to have a relaxing weekend outside the city in a quaint, small town and am excited that as soon as Thanksgiving is over, Christmastime will be here! I love the month of December and will surely want to hurry home and put up our tree and decorate our house on Sunday. Some things I'm thankful for this year... a healthy family, a loving husband, a warm home, a rewarding job and wonderful friends in my still relatively new city, oh, and that the Phillies won the World Series. Some things I'm looking forward to for this weekend... seeing my little nephew and Mr. Prepster's family, helping cook a yummy meal, eating pumpkin pie, sleeping in, watching football and shopping for Christmas gifts on black Friday.

Can you believe Prepadelphia has 50 posts! Thanks for all of your support and comments.

Cute Paper Cafe Recipe Cards

2008-11-25T13:11:00.006-05:00

I was so enamoured with the recipe cards I won from The Paper Cafe on MMM's blog giveaway that I decided to order them for my Mom, Mother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law. The cards are so cute, personal and make a fab gift for the bargain price of $25 for 20 cards. Actually, I think these would work as holiday gifts for assistants, co-workers, hair stylists, nannies, etc. who love to cook. Below are pictures of the ones that I chose. You can find more designs if you search "recipe cards" on The Paper Cafe's website or you can design your own!

For my Mom:

For my Mother-in-Law:

For my Sister-in-Law:

Preppy PJs

2008-11-24T10:15:00.003-05:00

Like so many others, Mr. Prepster and I are going away this Thanksgiving. While it would be fun to host someday, we are still at an age where it is nice to relax at his parents' house for 4 days rather than having to worry about putting on the whole shebang ourselves. Here's the thing though... Mr. Prepster's family tends to like to "get comfy" shortly after dinner and so everyone puts on sweats/pjs/robes, etc. and hangs out in them for the rest of the night. As you can imagine, I suffered through a couple of awkward holidays there in the last several years with my really inappropriate and/or uncute sleeping garmets on full display for my new family. Luckily I remembered this "tradition" in time to get some cute new PJs to take with me this year. I found these preppy, comfy pants from Old Navy and this cami and henley from Gap for ridiculously cheap, and now I'm all set for comfy family time this Thanksgiving!

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes

2008-11-20T10:09:00.006-05:00

These potatoes would make a unique Thanksgiving side dish and would provide a nice savory complement to the sweetness of the traditional candied yam dish so many people make. Bonus points because it is easy to prepare and can be made ahead of time. Turkey day is only a week away, so get cooking!

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup whole milk
1 onion, chopped
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), crumbled

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring milk, onion and butter to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Add hot milk mixture and mash. Add goat cheese and mash until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Note: dish can be prepared 2 hours ahead of time.) Let stand at room temperature. Before serving, stir over low heat until heated through. Sprinkle with parsley or chives for added flair.

Yield: 6 servings

Is it too early to talk about Christmas decorations?

2008-11-19T09:09:00.005-05:00

I hope not because I am very excited to decorate a real house for the first time this year! Granted I've had a few good tiny apartment Christmases, but I've never had a substantial space inside or outside to decorate. Plus, seeing all of the holiday catalogs and December magazines has really gotten me in the mood to start brainstorming what to do this year. We are definitely going to put candles in our windows and lately, I've become obsessed with the idea of hanging small wreaths from red ribbon in our windows too. The windows are very tall, so I think it might be ok to have both a candle and a wreath, as long as the wreath is up high.

The wreath look I want is basically a combination of what is in the pictures below. I like the look of hanging the wreath in an outdoor window like the picture on the left, though I would hang it higher up, but I like the actual wreath better in the picture on the right. I am excited to hear what others in the preppy blog world are doing for their Christmas and holiday decorations, so feel free to share your favorite ideas.

Christmas Lists!

2008-11-17T12:56:00.017-05:00

Mr. Prepster and I made up our Christmas lists this weekend. Until I got married I didn't really buy in to the concept of a Christmas list. In my family we were always just surprised with our gifts, but I have to admit it has been fun to pick some things out on put them on a "wish list" the past couple of years :) So here are some of the suggestions I gave my in-laws this year. What's on your list?

Victoria Ruffle Cami from J.Crew

Cashmere Heirloom Henley from J.Crew

Lulu Leather Ballet Flats from J.Crew

Mariposa Pearled Pie Caddy

Mariposa Pearled Small Square Platter

Mariposa Pearled Spreaders

Footed Soup Tureen and Soup Bowls from Crate and Barrel

Sunday Soup cookbook

Stainless Steel Charger Plates from Crate and Barrel (these were on my wedding registry but I didn't get quite enough)

Oval Vegetable Dish in my formal china pattern, Herend Queen Victoria

Cardy Ugg Boots

Cachepot from To Bee Named

Desk Calendar from The Paper Cafe

Notecards from The Paper Cafe

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Banana Bread Pudding

2008-11-13T18:23:00.011-05:00

This week's recipe is inspired by New Orleans and is just as incredible as it looks in the picture!Banana Bread Pudding with Banana Rum Sauce is a fantastic cross between the classic bread pudding and Bananas Foster, the great flaming bananas and ice cream dessert.

Pudding:

6 cups bite-sized pieces of day-old French bread
3 cups milk
3 large eggs
⅔ cup plus 1 tb sugar
2 large very ripe bananas
¾ tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup seedless raisins
½ cup roasted pecans

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 300F. Put the French bread pieces into a 9x12x2 inch baking pan. In a blender or food processor, blend the eggs, milk, 2/3 cup of sugar, bananas, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla until smooth. Pour this mixture over the French bread pieces. Fold in the raisins and the pecans and let the mixture set for 20 minutes. Top with small pieces of the butter. Cover the pudding with aluminum foil and place the pan into a larger pan. Add warm water to a depth of 1 inch in the larger pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 15 minutes until set. In a deep, medium bowl, whisk the cream just until it begins to thicken. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Continue whisking until soft peaks form. Cover and chill.

Sauce:

⅔ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup packed light brown sugar
6 large ripe bananas, quartered
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons banana liqueur
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat a large saute pan or skillet over low heat. Add the butter, sugar, bananas, cinnamon and nutmeg. Moving the skillet back and forth, cook until the butter and sugar become creamy and the bananas begin to soften, about one minute. Remove the skillet from heat and add the rum and the liqueur. Return the pan to the heat. Tilt the pan, avert your face and and light the liquid with a long match. Shake the skillet until the flames subside. Add the vanilla, remove from heat and keep warm.

To serve, place a large scoop of bread pudding in the middle of each serving plate or bowl. Place 2 slices of banana on each plate and top with about 3 tablespoons of sauce. Spoon the whipped cream over the bread pudding and serve immediately.

Eating our way through NOLA!

2008-11-11T22:00:00.002-05:00

Wow, is this city fabulous for those who enjoy all things rich, fried and generally delicious! I have a feeling I'm going to want to step up the workout routine when I get back, but boy is it worth it since I get to enjoy all of the delightful cuisine here. Tonight we had the pleasure of dining in a New Orleans landmark, Galatoire's, and I have to admit, it lived up to its rep. With the whole old-fashioned "jackets required" rule, the dining room made me feel like I was in another era! Everyone was dressed up and it was tremendously southern. I'd definitely recommend it if you are looking for a fancy, memorable date night. Tomorrow morning we're getting up early to venture to the famed Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter for coffee and beignets (French doughnuts) before work. If only all work travel could be this much fun.

More Fab Freebies from Blog Friends

2008-11-10T21:29:00.004-05:00

Wow, Christmas is coming early this year for a couple of lucky blog readers. Check out MMM to win one of these or Adventures of a Southern Newlywed to win one of these! Both items would be absolutely perfect on a desk at work and would get you through some long, cold winter days. Thanks girls for being so generous and special thanks to the Paper Cafe and Keurig for sponsoring. One lucky Prepadelphia reader won MMM's last giveaway, so let's hope we can repeat. Good luck!

Blogging from the Big Easy

2008-11-09T23:19:00.004-05:00

Sorry for the lack of updates these past couple of days. Everything seems to happen all at once for me lately. After the busiest week at work I've had in a year(!), I had a weekend that included a baby shower, a housewarming party, a birthday party, a baptism and a flight to New Orleans! That's right, I'm coming to you live from this lovely French Quarter hotel where I'll be spending the rest of the week. I'm here on a business trip, but should have time for some sightseeing, shopping and dining, so any recommendations from those familiar with this town would be much appreciated. I have to say New Orleans has made a great first impression so far. When I arrived at my hotel a little while ago I was greeted with a "bedtime snack" in the lobby that included a PB&J bar, milk and a hot chocolate bar (with whipped cream and marshmallows). Yummy.

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Cranberry Chicken

2008-11-06T13:11:00.005-05:00

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I'm getting to be in the mood for some cranberry flavor. I'm thinking of making this dish tonight. You should try it too.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - you could also use any other type of chicken you prefer (thighs, bone-in breast, etc.)
1 can cranberry sauce
1 packet onion soup mix
1 small bottle of Russian dressing (ff you can’t find Russian dressing, use Catalina)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Wash and dry your chicken and set in the baking dish; salt and pepper to taste, In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour cranberry mixture over chicken, covering generously. Bake covered with foil for approximately 45 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on the size and type of chicken you select).

Great Final Sale Deal at J.Crew

2008-11-05T12:37:00.002-05:00

Are you lusting after a soft, warm cashmere sweater in a pretty fall color or a nice pair of wool slacks? Take advantage of this extra 30% off coupon for final sale items at J.Crew, now through Saturday, November 8. Enter EXTRA30 when you check out to redeem the coupon. I'm very tempted by the cashmere turtleneck sweater in bright saffron. Happy deal-catching!

Get out the Vote!

2008-11-03T19:21:00.003-05:00

Just a friendly reminder ladies - do your American duty tomorrow and vote for your favorite candidates! Remember, every vote counts, especially for those of us in the 11 states that are considered "in play" for this election and could go for either campaign - PA, VA, NC, FL, OH, IN, ND, MT, CO and NV. I, for one, can't wait to vote in my third presidential election ever (and the first with a real, non-absentee ballot).

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Stuffed Peppers

2008-10-30T19:04:00.008-04:00

Need a hearty meal to warm you up on cool fall evenings? Try making these yummy, healthy, stuffed peppers. I recieved this recipe during a kitchen/cooking shower that was thrown for me by friends of my mom almost two years ago now and it continues to be one of my favorite week night go-tos. It is also a great way to use leftover ground beef and/or rice.

1 lb. cooked ground beef (or ground turkey)

1 cup cooked brown rice (1/2 cup uncooked)

1/2 small onion, browned

1 packet taco seasoning

4-6 green peppers (depending on how large they are)

1 cup tomato sauce

shredded cheddar cheese

Wash and core peppers, removing seeds and membranes. Mix together cooked beef, rice and browned onion with taco mix (if you don't have leftover beef, you can brown the beef with the onion). Fill peppers and place in baking dish. Poor tomato sauce over the tops of the peppers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle cheese over top. Bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese melts. Enjoy - the picture at the top shows my last batch of yummy stuffed peppers!

Exciting Wins!

2008-10-30T10:54:00.004-04:00

Wow, what a night last night was for Philadelphians! The Phillies Phinally won the World Series. I am young enough that I've never been alive for a Phillies World Series title (they last won in 1980), so it was really amazing to see how celebratory the whole city was last night. Walking Broad Street after the game was absolutely a ridiculous sight to see and if it is anything like the pandamodium last night was, I can't wait to attend the victory parade tomorrow!

Last night also brought another fun surprise. I found out I won the recipe cards giveaway on Magnolias, Marriage and Manhattan!! I just adore these cards designed by the Paper Menu and can't wait to have some signature stationery to share my recipes on courtesy of the Paper Cafe. So special thanks to MMM and to The Prep-e Girl who posted on MMM saying she was sent to the contest by me. Props to you both for your fun blogs that I really enjoy reading daily.

Washed Out!

2008-10-28T11:10:00.004-04:00

Mr. Prepster and I are great big Phillies fans. We endured this last night and are ready to go back for more of Game 5 when the weather allows. I can't believe I was actually at a baseball game in my North Face ski coat, Uggs, long undies and a horribly ugly enormous yellow poncho and was still wet and freezing. P.S. I am still feeling wet and freezing 12 hours later! Let's hope for better luck for us and for our beloved team tonight!

Recipe Cards Giveaway on Magnolias, Marriage and Manhattan!

2008-10-24T10:03:00.007-04:00

Happy Friday! Be sure to check out MMM's fantastic recipe card giveaway today. She found adorable recipe cards designed by Paper Menu at the Paper Cafe and is giving away a personalized set of 20 to one lucky reader. Click here to see all the products by the Paper Menu that you can buy or win and be sure to leave a comment on her blog about your favorite design. You may just be the lucky one! My favorite is the pink and green striped recipe card with a circle monogram shown in the picture to the left. If you found the contest here, do me a favor and mention Prepadelphia in your comment.

Try a New Recipe Thursdays - Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Icing

2008-10-23T14:56:00.009-04:00

I've decided to start a new feature to share some of my favorite recipes. Here is a yummy one for fall weekends that is so easy, and it was a big hit at a World Series gathering we attended last night.

Pumpkin Bars:
2 cups pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups canola oil
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 t baking soda
2 cups flour

Cream Cheese Icing:
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick butter, softened
1 2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
(you can also cheat with a store-bought variety)

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together pumpkin, sugar and oil. Sift flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and add it to the pumpkin mixture. Bake in an ungreased medium-sized jelly roll pan for 25-30 minutes. A fork should come out clean when it is done.

Beat softened cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar and milk and beat until smooth and creamy. Allow bars to cool before frosting them. Add a piece of candy corn or a mini candy pumpkin for a garnish if you wish. Store bars in the fridge until you are ready to serve them.

Exciting New Arrivals at J.Crew

2008-10-21T13:31:00.007-04:00

I've been following J.Crew a fair amount lately thanks to one of my new favorite blogs, J.Crew Aficionada. They have some fabulous new arrivals for late fall/holiday that are a bit more creative and well-styled than their old standby cords and cardis (not that I don't love those too). Here are a few of their new things that I'm seriously coveting.

Victoria Ruffle Cami in Bright Fushcia:

Cashmere Heirloom Henley in Bright Papaya (or really any color):

Boucle Tweed Penny Jacket in Honey Glaze:

Can you tell I adore bright colors? What do you want from J.Crew?

Pictures of Harvest Table Setting

2008-10-20T20:58:00.006-04:00

Here are some pictures of our new dining table centerpiece I described in my post earlier today. I set it (partially) with some of our everyday china for the photos. Not quite Pottery Barn store display worthy, but it definitely has some autumn spice now.

Harvest Table Setting

2008-10-20T10:08:00.005-04:00

This weekend I made a special trip to the Pottery Barn to cash in on my "Family and Friends 20% off your Entire Purchase" coupon. I'm not quite sure why the Pottery Barn thinks it is my friend... hmm, maybe because we moved six months ago and gave them way too many of our $$ for furniture? Likely. In any event, I have been wanting to change up our dining room table centerpiece for a while but haven't had any brilliant ideas. So I went to good old PB for inspiration and ended up finding a very inexpensive way to put our table together with some fall flair. I will post pictures of the whole set up later because very few of the items I used are available on the PB website (so check back!), but basically, I purchased an orange table runner, some ivory linen hemstitch napkins, cute green napkin rings and several different vase fillers - pears, acorns, pinecones, etc. and went to work. Luckily I was able to use three small square vases and one large square vase I already owned and all of the different vase fillers were 30% off in the PB store right now, even before the additional 20% off coupon! All of the colorful filled vases placed together on the table looked great against the orange runner. This idea could be dressed up with a few votives or tealights and used for Thanksgiving dinner.

World Series Here We Come!

2008-10-16T13:40:00.004-04:00

Mr. Prepster and I are huge Phillies fans and are beyond excited that they made the World Series this year. Congrats to the Phillies and best of luck in the next round! Here are some cute items for the preppy girls who are Phillies fans.

Preppy Things I Love: Mariposa

2008-10-13T10:22:00.003-04:00

I hope everyone has a nice fall weekend! We had some friends over on Friday night so we had the occasion to use some of the entertaining items we received as wedding gifts. I was reminded how much I adore the Mariposa "string of pearls" serving pieces. You don't ever need to polish these items like you do traditional silver - Mariposa items stay glowing and gorgeous without effort on your part.

Since I discovered Mariposa's website this morning and they have many more items than I ever thought existed, I wanted to share favorite items with you all (though I can't copy the pictures, you can click on the links below). A lot of this stuff is going on my Christmas list!

Things I have and love:
-Pearled round platter with wood insert - perfect for cheese and fruit
-Pearled sauce dish - I use this on my cocktail table for pistachios or other nuts
-Pearled cake stand - this can be used to display cookies too
-Pearled round serving tray - so pretty for champagne service
-Pearled wine coaster - especially good for white bottles to guard against condensation
-Beaded box with butterfly weight - cute cocktail napkin holder (see more napkin holders, they are a Mariposa specialty)

Things I want:
-Pearled pie caddy - this would be beautiful on a Thanksgiving or Christmas table
-Pearled oblong casserole caddy - fancy lasagne?
-Pearled cupcake tier - who doesn't love cupcakes?
-Pearled cracker caddy - to match the cheese platter above
-Pearled spreader set - more cheese-related items

Any one else adore Mariposa as much as I do?

Cool Pink Stuff

2008-10-07T13:02:00.004-04:00

Support Breast Cancer Awareness this month by purchasing any of the items featured in my Polyvore set below. Visit the websites for Coach, Polo, Kitchen Aid, M&Ms, Aveda and Bumble and Bumble to get more details and score one of these preppy pink products.
Show off that pink!

More from Cali

2008-10-06T20:59:00.011-04:00

As promised, here are a couple of pictures of the beautiful wedding we just attended in the Napa Valley... I still can't get over how cool it was to have dinner in the wine cave. What a fantastic touch.

Back from Cali

2008-10-06T11:37:00.004-04:00

I'm back. California was wonderful. We cruised in a convertible, tasted lots of wine, enjoyed the fresh air, attended a beautiful wedding where we ate dinner in a wine cave(!) and visited with friends in San Fran. Other than some travel snafus on the way out there, the trip was a great success. A longer update will come once I've gotten back in the swing of things here at work. I'm loving October so far (today is a sweater day on the east coast) and excited for more playoff baseball in Philly later this week!

Off to Wine Land

2008-10-01T10:07:00.004-04:00

This afternoon we're headed to sunny California to attend a wedding of my good friend in the Napa Valley. I've only been to wine country once, and only for a day that time, so I am definitely psyched to take in all the scenery and taste lots of yummy vino. Does anyone have suggestions for a must see place or a must taste wine? The wedding is going to be at Hans Fahden Vineyard in Calistoga, which from the website and the picture (left) looks absolutely gorgeous. Let's hope for a sunny, clear day for the bride and groom! I hope to keep you posted on our adventures over the course of the weekend...

Outlet Shopping

2008-09-29T09:30:00.002-04:00

On Saturday a couple of friends and I treked an hour outside of the city to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets. Even though the drive was a bit long, we all agreed the bargains made it well worth the trip. This place is fantastic... Kate Spade, Michael Kors, BCBG, JCrew, Banana Republic, Coach, Ann Taylor, French Connection, Cole Haan, Niemans... all in outlet form! Wow, did we ever do well here. I'm talking like 40% off minimum on most items we bought. Truly great if you are stocking up on seasonless staples like cardigans, work pants and purses. My favorite find was a Kate Spade Foster Crossing bag (same color as the one pictured but a bit larger with bows on the sides). If you live anywhere near this place, I would highly recommend the trip.

Knitting Update

2008-09-25T19:35:00.007-04:00

So, I finished the yellow scarf this week and started a yellow hat, which right now looks kind of like a beret. It is supposed to be a regular skiing hat eventually, which is much more my style. The lambswool is very warm, but a little stratchy, so I am going to make some holiday presents out of a softer yarn, like cashmere. I can't wait to get started.

Fall Work Wear

2008-09-24T10:01:00.007-04:00

Lately I've had a hard time figuring out how to dress on these days when it is in the 50s when I head to work but is in the high 70s if I'm out at all during the day. If I had an unlimited budget and an unlimited closet (hello, Polyvore!), here is what I'd love to be wearing today. What is your go-to Fall look for the office?

Preppy Fall Home Accessories

2008-09-22T15:02:00.004-04:00

I like to redecorate our house every so often with season-specific accessories like pillows, glass vases, hurricanes, candles, etc. It's fun to get in touch with your creative side by finding new ways to arrange what you have and sometimes one or two new items is all you need to feel like you have an updated room without having to break the budget for a whole new look.

Want to spice up your home for the Fall season? Visit Pottery Barn today for some easy, inexpensive ideas to give your place a cozy feel for the upcoming cold weather months. PotteryBarn.com is offering free shipping on decorative pillows and throws right now. The colors they are showing are so vivid and really "pop" in a room of neutral colors. I'm not sure how long this offer lasts, so cash in while you can. And while you're there, pick up some cool decorative accents. You can get anything on this page for under $50. I especially like the Panna Cream Vases.

Big Weekend

2008-09-21T21:24:00.009-04:00

We've had a jam-packed but fun-filled past couple of days, hence my neglect of this blog. Our weekend was kicked off with delicious restaurant week dinner on Friday night. For you non-Prepadelphians, restaurant week is an agreement among many of the nice dining spots in the city to offer a 3 course tasting menu for only $35! It is a great way to try new places you might not choose to splurge on otherwise.

Saturday was our annual fall adventure to Linvilla for the farmer's market, apple picking and a picnic. Picnics may just be one of my all time favorite romantic activities. Sadly, Mr. Prepster is less keen on sharing his lunch with nature, but he was a good sport. That was followed by dinner with friends and homemade apple crisp:

5 medium tart baking apples (I used Jonagold this time)

2 T lemon juice

1/2 stick cold butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup oats

1/2 cup crushed walnuts

Peel, core and slice the apples and place them in a mixing bowl with lemon juice. Combine the cinnamon and nutmeg with brown sugar and pour it over apples. Stir to coat the apples and set them aside. Combine flour, sugar and oats in another mixing bowl. Slice butter into 8-12 small chunks and stir it into the dry ingredients. Mix until the butter is coated then add walnuts. Grease a square baking dish and spread the apples on the bottom. Pour dry ingredients over the top and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Try not to eat it all...

Despite the urge to camp out on the sofa, today was another high energy one as we tailgated and cheered our Eagles on to victory over the terrible towel-waving Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field. Whew, I'm exhausted and feel like I need another weekend to recover from this one! Hope everyone has had an enjoyable couple of days.

Ahhh, Fall

2008-09-18T11:40:00.003-04:00

It is perfectly Fall outside today, clear and sunny with a little crispness in the air, and I am loving it. Here are my favorite things about my favorite season:

Apples. I love apple picking, apple crisp, apple cider, caramel apples, honeycrisp apples... you get the idea. Mr. Prepster and I are going on our annual apple adventure this Saturday. Can't wait.

Cardigans. I look forward to adding to my "collection" each year. This year I'm lusting over these ruffled ones from J.Crew.

Football. Oh how I miss the atmosphere of college (and grad school) tailgates and game days. But the TV and couch with a nice bowl of popcorn (Blue Ridge Kettle Corn is the best) isn't so bad either.

Pumpkins and gourds. I like to decorate our house with these items and find recipes that use them, like squash soup and pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing. Last year I made a flower arrangement like this using a pumpkin as a pot and it lasted for several weeks and was a fab centerpiece.

Knitting Right Along...

2008-09-17T10:42:00.001-04:00

I'm happy to report that last night's knitting class went a whole lot more smoothly than it did last week. I may not be using the most complicated scarf pattern in the class (mine is just knitting with garter stitch, no fancy stitches like the seed stitch or ribbing), but I have to say what I've done so far looks pretty good! Unfortunately I am quite slow so my scarf is only 6 inches long right now, but it is definitely a start. Hopefully by next week I'll be able to post a picture of my masterpiece. Then for my next project, I'd love to try something like this striped baby blanket for my nephew. You get to use this yarn and there are so many beautiful colors.

Summer Squash Soup

2008-09-16T10:09:00.005-04:00

On Sunday evening I decided to make something yummy to have for dinner this week while Mr. Prepster is out-of-town for work. I wanted something tasty, healthy and easy to just heat up so Summer Squash Soup was the perfect choice, especially since squash is in season. It's a simple recipe that is quick to prepare compared to most soups.

3 lbs. yellow squash, chopped (5 medium sized squash will do)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 t salt
1 t white pepper (or more to taste)
1/4 cup butter
2 T vegetable oil
1 cup 2% milk, divided

Heat butter and oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sautee until soft. Add chicken stock and squash and simmer until squash is tender. Hint: you should easily be able to cut the squash with a wooden spoon. Transfer soup to a blender or food processor in batches and puree with milk. You will have to divide the milk according to how many batches you have to blend - my Cuisinart blender/food processor combo is small to medium in size and I had four batches. Use a large container or bowl to hold the pureed soup while you are blending the remaining batches (this bowl can be reused to serve and/or store the leftover soup later). After all of the soup is pureed, transfer it back into the stockpot. Place over low heat and add salt and pepper. Simmer 5-10 minutes to ensure soup is hot for serving. This recipe serves 10-12 and will keep in the refrigerator for one week. Garnish it with diced zucchini or red peppers for extra flair.

Found a Raincoat!

2008-09-15T20:05:00.006-04:00

I just ordered this raincoat in "bright flame" to go with my new boots. I've been admiring this lovely item for awhile (am a tad obsessed with ruffles) so it was very exciting to be able to get it on sale and with my J.Crew Fall Rewards $25 gift card! Props to this blog for giving me a free shipping code too. If you like J.Crew, check out J.Crew Aficionada regularly for some great offers as she is religious about listing all current coupon codes on the righthand column of her site.

Preppy Philly Places: Parc

2008-09-15T09:49:00.010-04:00

My parents were in town for the weekend so Mr. Prepster and I treated them to a yummy Philadelphia-style brunch at Parc. Here's my review of this Preppy Philly Place.

Parc Restaurant
227 S. 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Surprise, surprise but brunch is not such a big deal in the suburbs of the mid-sized midwestern city where they live so they love to witness the spectacle that is Sunday brunch here in Philly. Parc was absolutely hopping and lived up to its hype as the new hot spot to see and be seen - we even needed a reservation for brunch! And as you can see by the photos, it really looks like Paris inside.

If you go, try the poached eggs over polenta. Also, for all of you champagne lovers out there (like me), they have a delicious kir royale on the menu for only $8 as well as several other yummy cocktails.

Rain Gear for Fall

2008-09-13T08:40:00.007-04:00

Yesterday's downpour prompted me to get these adorable houndstooth wellies. They are really going to come in handy for my walk to work this fall and winter and are an absolute steal as far as price goes.

Now I just need a raincoat and I'll be all set for fall as far as crummy weather outerwear goes. Any suggestions for a cute, reasonably-priced raincoat? I'm in search of something three-quarter length that is dressy enough for work but not totally boring.

Happy weekend everyone.

Preppy Philly Places: Apothecary

2008-09-11T13:11:00.002-04:00

Last night Mr. Prepster and I ventured over to "Midtown Village" to have dinner and drinks at Apothecary. Here's my review of this Preppy Philly Place.

Apothecary Bar & Lounge
102 S. 13th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Happy hour was going on upstairs in the lounge bar and the roof deck connected to it. They have a whole downstairs restaurant (pictured) but oddly, that was closed off. Decor in the lounge was very modern with shades of gray and nice votive candles. There were leather lounge benches and small cocktail tables along with a bar that had seating. Very hip yet a relaxing ambience.

Well, it would have been relaxing if there hadn't been about eight girls amid the gossip session of a lifetime coupled with three cocktails each right in the middle of the lounge. Luckily, it was a nice night so we sat outdoors on the roof deck, which gave us a great view of 13th Street and although all the tables were taken, was much quieter than the lounge.

They had a creative drink menu with loads of fresh fruit and interesting cordials. Very limited snack/dinner choices though. There were only about 4 apps, 4 paninis and 4 flatbread pizzas to choose from. We got a flatbread pizza and a panini along with "El Floridita" cocktails (kind of a grapefruit capriana that was a nice pale pink color with a round lime slice, but a bit too pretty and fruity for Mr. Prepster). My pizza was yummy but I did have a bit of food envy over the girls next to us who were having wine and fondue.

All sounds pretty great, right? Unfortunately it took 25 minutes to get our drinks! The one waiter/bartender/foodrunner/host was extremely swamped and was pretty much a one man show. Clearly they did not expect to have so many patrons on a Wednesday. Even so, it was a good time and is definitely worth checking out, espcially for those who like to branch out from the usual vodka soda or cosmo. Cheers!

A Rough Start

2008-09-10T12:17:00.006-04:00

So my knitting adventure last night didn't go quite as planned. Let's just say I am a complete buffoon when it comes to knitting.

To summarize:

I dropped my needles on the floor about seven times. I knew I was in for struggle when K, our instructor, said to hold the needles like chopsticks - I can't work chopsticks to save my life.

K had to unravel my work and re-"cast-on" my yarn to my needles twice.

I couldn't decide whether I should be right- or left-handed. This is a common issue for me, but more on that another time.

The gal next to me, M, was an absolute pro. She had completed about 10 stitches before K had finished explaining the chopsticks method for holding the needles. Luckily she was super nice and ended up giving me a couple of great tips.

When the rest of the class was learning to "purl" because they had completed the requisite five rows of the "knit" stitch on our practice swatch, I didn't even have one good row. After two hours I never did get those five rows so I didn't graduate to purling. To avoid getting too far behind, I have to try to teach myself via an online tutorial or perhaps by watching someone knit on you tube this week. Yeah, as if that is going to work. Know any good tutorials or videos?

We did not exactly get to choose our yarn. So no pretty pink or orange cashmere for me. K thought we should use something as thick and as light in color as possible since beginners are such slow knitters and light colors make it easier to see your stitches. So I am going to have pale yellow of this for my scarf.

I have to admit that even despite all of my troubles, I absolutely loved it! I practiced after class at home and have gotten a little better. My husband, Mr. Prepster, thought I was absolutely nuts when he walked into our bedroom and I was knitting in the bed. Oh well, let's hope I improve before we actually start the scarf pattern next week!

Loop de Loop

2008-09-09T11:27:00.003-04:00

Tonight I start a knitting class at Loop. It meets every Tuesday in September so I'll be sure to keep you updated on my progress. I was inspired to give knitting a try after seeing this lovely bathmat from the Purl Bee but I have a feeling I won't be advanced enough to pull that off for quite a while.

Apparently we will be making a scarf and a hat. I want to do mine in cashmere yarn and like the orange color shown on the scarf pictured to the right. That one is great for fall but there are so many pretty yarn colors to choose from that I know it will be difficult to decide. I may just trust my instincts and grab some pink. If you're a Philly local who's into knitting, quilting or sewing, definitely check out Loop and its next door neighbor on South Street, Spool. Very cool places with quite a selection of yarn and fabric.

Wish me luck!

Happy Birthday Banana!

2008-09-08T11:04:00.020-04:00

In honor of its 30th birthday celebration, Banana Republic is offering 30% your entire purchase and free shipping (the code is HAPPY30). Hurry ladies, this offer is good today only. This is a perfect excuse to pick out something cute and new for fall so I plan to take a break and cash in this afternoon. I find Banana to have classic staples for work, reasonably-priced, well-fitting sweaters, occasional fab going-out tops and great statement jewelry. Here are a couple of things I'm considering:

Button sweater dress in camel heather

This is a great work option for fall that is cute enough to wear to happy hour afterwards. It is normally $120.00 but is only $84.00 today.

Elbow-sleeve pocket cardigan in flaming ember orange (what a fantastic color name)

This sweater is adorable and memorable. I especially love the sleeve-length. It is still a bit pricey at $91.00 (from $130.00) and is one of those things that I'm not sure "real" people can pull off as well as the model shown. What do you think?

Dot bracelets in black, purple, coral and french blue

These bracelets are a steal at $27.30 (from $39.00) and come in four colors so you can have one to match every outfit.

What's on your Banana wish list for fall?

Hunkering Down for Hanna

2008-09-06T08:43:00.019-04:00

With Hanna headed squarely for the East Coast, we've decided to hunker down and stay inside all day. With the many outdoor adventures that come with summer weekends, I think it's the first time we've really hunkered in months. So in honor of the rainy day and the coming of fall, it's chili time. I like a chili that cooks almost all day but that can be left to simmer with little supervision after the initial prep work is done. The recipe below is so incredibly easy and works well in a crock pot or a dutch oven like this pretty azure blue one from Le Creuset via Williams Sonoma.

2 lbs. ground beef (I use 90% lean)
1 large onion, diced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes

16 oz. can tomato puree

16 oz. can kidney beans, undrained

4 oz. can diced green chilis

1 cup water

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T mild chili powder

2 t salt

1 t pepper

2 t ground cumin

cheddar cheese to sprinkle on top

Brown the beef and onion in a skillet. Drain and place in your chili pot over high heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook on high for 30 minutes. Cover and simmer 4 to 6 hours over low heat, stirring occasionally. The longer you have to let it simmer, the better the flavor becomes. Top with cheddar cheese and serve. This recipe goes well with with something sweet on the side like corn muffins. You'll have enough for 8 to 10 so this chili is perfect for football game (or tropical storm) watching parties. Happy hunkering!

Fall-ing Into Place

2008-09-04T17:31:00.006-04:00

Fall is just around the corner and it's time to switch out those linen skirts and flip flops still lingering in our closets in favor of chic scarves, belts and, of course, cashmere cardigans. Here are some objects of desire in case you want to spice up your wardrobe with warm neutrals and fall folliage-inspired brights.

Looking Back...

2008-09-02T16:00:00.005-04:00

One year ago today... was my favorite day ever. Here are some wedding pictures to give you a flavor of our decor. Click on them to see a larger version. We were here for the reception. Our general scheme was pink, green and hydrangeas. Enjoy. I have to admit I got a little teary just thinking about it.

Late Summer Fling in Charlottesville

2008-09-01T17:43:00.013-04:00

My fondess for Charlottesville grows heaps every time I visit. How cute is the downtown pedestrian mall pictured below? Yes, I am quite biased. After all, I did meet the man of my dreams here, get engaged here and get married here (and am here celebrating our anniversary now). But still, what's not to love about this place? The countryside surrounding the town is stunning and filled with vineyards, it has great weather most of the year, there are a ridiculous amount of delicious restaurants, especially for such a small area, several absolutely picturesque hotels (see here, here and here) and even more great shops. It has the perfect combination of southerness, sophistication and charm. My kind of place indeed. Check it out sometime when you want to be south, but not too far south, and when you want to eat or shop your way through an all in all cool, preppy locale. You might just fall in love...

Preppy in St. Michaels

2008-08-30T11:59:00.020-04:00

If you live within driving distance of the lovely Chesapeake region, a day or weekend trip to St. Michaels, Maryland is definitely an order. This seaside town has a nice relaxed pace, loads of charm, a number of quaint little shops to browse (if you appreciate Italian art and cuisine, check out my favorite shop, Simpatico) and last but not least, gorgeous views to take in while you dine or have afternoon tea or cocktails.

We are kicking off our first wedding anniversary trip in St. Michaels this year. If you have a special occasion coming up or if a bit of a "splurge" is in your budget, the Inn at Perry Cabin is pure, heavenly relaxation. I'm off to the pool. Ahhh, vacation...

Labor Day Weekend Love

2008-08-28T15:03:00.022-04:00

Labor Day has always been my favorite "long weekend". Even though this time of year is no longer filled with the excitement of going back to school (think about how amazing that first week of high school, college or grad school was each September... old friends, new supplies, new outfits... pure bliss if you ask me), Labor Day weekend will always be significant in my life because it marks our wedding anniversary. Our first one is fast approaching and all week I've been trying to mentally relive all the excitement that came with Labor Day weekend 2007 in Charlottesville. Random memory from the Thursday before Labor Day, one year ago... our two families met up and worked together, for about 6 hours mind you, to assemble well over 100 of hotel welcome bags for our guests (even though they didn't exactly match our wedding theme colors, I adore the striped canvas bags). Believe it or not, this activity was super fun because it meant the wedding weekend was finally here.

But more wedding memories and pics another day. Right now, I'm anxiously trying to decide what to pack for our anniversary trip back to Charlottesville, with a little detour to St. Michaels, Maryland on the way. Here's what I came up with:

If only I actually had all of these items... Happy almost Labor Day Weekend!

Polyvore Fun

2008-08-26T14:16:00.014-04:00

I got started on Polyvore this morning. How have I gone so long without knowing about this wonderful packing tool? Here's what I came up with using "Around Town" and "Summer Dinner Date" as my inspiration (both with my upcoming 1st Anniversary trip in mind). Now that wedding planning is behind me, creating a "set" on Polyvore may become my new favorite work-procrastination activity. Click on either of the pictures to visit my Polyvore page and see other sets I've made.

Hello Preppy Friends!

2008-08-25T15:52:00.005-04:00

Lately I've been a little slow at work due to this but I've been so inspired by all of the fantastic preppy blogs out there that I've decided to join the party. Early family photos let me know that I was always a preppy girl at heart. Yes, there were sailboats, polka dots, hair ribbons and knee socks and I may or may not have matched outfits with my sister (and brother and Mom). My current sense of preppy has been shaped by a midwestern upbringing, a couple of southern universities and now, life as a 20-something newlywed in my new home on the East Coast. I hope to dish out and gain even more preppy style as I share my latests goings on in my Prepa-, er, Phila-delphia world.