fun

Weekend Recap – CVNP Topography

| The Bee Life

B and I had the honor of being guests at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Topography event, Saturday night.

Not knowing what to expect, I was quickly blown away by the array of food, all supplied and catered by Spice Kitchen & Bar and the interactive cocktail experience while enjoying the trail system, leading us to an open field of beautifully dressed tables set for 200. A seated dinner was served at 8:15, it started with a salad and then family style dishes for the main meal. The food and service was exceptional.
Topography 2017 - the bee life
We were lucky to be accompanied by a great group of friends for this incredibly unique dining experience. After dinner we were able to sit around camp fires, sipping cocktails and enjoying the perfect summer night. A band played in the distance, while various tents were set up with bars or desserts!

The event supports and raises money for Trails Forever, with helps protect and preserve the CVNP trails.   B and I will definitely be heading back to check out the park in the future to enjoy some hikes.  If you have a chance, keep this event on your radar for next year, especially if you want to enjoy an unforgettable evening at a beautiful, local, national park with the best local cuisine.

Weekend Recap – College Showers

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was a good mix of work and fun.

We started yet another house project Friday afternoon, even though we’re working with contractors, so we aren’t doing too much of the heavy lifting, just heavily babysitting. *winks*  But that should be finished up by tomorrow, so fingers crossed we got all the snafu’s worked out.  Don’t worry I’ll share the full project at a later date! Friday night we attended a watch party to watch the Cavs murder the Celtics in game two of the Eastern Conference finals, only to watch them loose at a buzzer beater last night. *grrrr*

Saturday after some of the babysitting stress subsided, we made it out of the house, over to our friend’s to celebrate her 30th! The theme of the night was “party like you’re in college” so there was plenty of drinking games and even a keg of beer.  In order to keep on theme for the night, we gifted the birthday girl with a t-shirt that read; “I Can’t Adult Today” it was perfect! We of course partook in some of the “college party” fun and ran the beer pong table for a few games before we retired and became spectators, mainly because we lost to a few cheaters (you know who you are.) It was a lot of fun, although B and I definitely didn’t party like we were in college. #adulting

Love & Mimosas
Happy 30th Lauren!
Work in Progress
Presents!
Besties with Baby Ash

Sunday was one of my bestie’s bridal showers.  It was fun catching up with friends and meeting a lot of her family! It was a beautiful shower with mimosas and lots of sweets, so it was extra perfect. A was spoiled with all of her beautiful gifts, because she has amazing taste. I can’t wait for her wedding in July!

On a side note, I can’t believe this next weekend is Memorial Day – where did May go?! What are your favorite May memorials of 2017?

XO

Weekend Recap – First of March

| The Bee Life

Happy March! For avid Bee readers, you know it’s my favorite month *smiles* and the first weekend of March was a busy but good one.

It started out Friday afternoon, volunteering with my company at a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. If you’ve never been or heard of one of these, see if you have one near by and check it out. As they explained it, it’s like a Home Depot meets Goodwill store. They offer way more than your typical thrift store; it’s a DIYers dream or perfect for furnishing your first apartment. Not to mention you help the greater cause shopping in these stores! It was a nice way to kick off the weekend.

Momma Bee came into town, so she was at the house by the time I got done volunteering! We were in the mood for meatless tacos for the first Friday of Lent, so we ended up at a nearby spot and ordered a tray full of tacos and a few mojitos. It hit the spot!

Tacos!
At our wedding venue
Saturday dinner & drinks!

Saturday morning we got a jump start on some wedding activities. First and foremost on our agenda was seeing our finished venue.  We first saw it in September, under construction, dusty with no walls or electric and we fell in love. Seeing it again brought back all the feels. It’s so stunning, I can’t imagine a place more perfect! From there we headed to see the hotel and met with a DJ! It was a very productive morning.  After church we headed to one of our favorite spots for all night happy hour, yup, all night. We enjoyed cosmos, dirty martinis, and more delicious food.

Sunday’s highlight was celebrating a dear friend’s baby shower! It was a beautiful afternoon celebrating with her family and friends, and seeing all the adorable little boy outfits and stuffed animals. I can’t wait to meet her little boy.

Celebrating Bekah!
Great friends<3

It’s always hard when these fantastic weekends come to an end, but it’s these fantastic weekends that get me through the work week for more!

Weekend Recap – A New York Fall

| The Bee Life

We had another jammed packed weekend, full of family and everything fall.  We ventured to my parents house for the weekend.
Weekend Recap - NY & Fall.png
Saturday morning we ventured over to my brother and SIL’s new house!! It’s so beautiful.It was great seeing it in person, it has a lot of that century home character that B and I both love, except it’s updated in the right places (like the kitchen and bathrooms).  We also had a delicious brunch at their house, a breakfast pizza, which I need to get the recipe for! It was delicious.

Saturday night we headed over to my cousins house, another new house that we got to see a tour of their new house, which was also beautiful! They hosted their first annual chili cook-off, it was a cool fall evening.  There were 8-different chili’s with various toppings and the desserts were to die for. I was sipping on apple cider and champagne all night.  We also played a game of Cards Against Humanity, with our moms!  It was great getting in some extended family time in with some awesome laughs too!

Sunday morning we went to church with the whole fam, got breakfast at the local diner and then headed out to the local apple orchard/pumpkin farm.  B ended up picking out a 26 pound pumpkin! We got some McIntyre apples, apple pies will be being made soon.

It was seriously the quintessential fall weekend, the weather, the leaves coloring, the activities, company, the poncho and boots, it was just perfect.

 

5 Reasons To Host a Fall Party

| The Bee Life

If you don’t have an upcoming fall party planned, I highly recommend getting something in the books whether it’s later this month or into early November. And if you’re not convinced why you should be hosting a fall party… or that it can be SUPER easy, let me tell you how. reasons-to-host-a-fall-partyBrunch & Football – Throwing together a football brunch can be really easy too, with a magic thing called breakfast casserole (recipe to come)! Most of the prep for a breakfast casserole is the night ahead, so all you have to do the morning of is throw it in the oven.  Have a TV with football? Boom, turn it on and grab some mimosas or bloody mary makings and your set for a day of drinking, friends and football – check out our brunch last fall.

Chili – I’ll be sharing my mom’s delicious chili recipe (that I’ve adopted overtime) on an upcoming post.  But as long as you have a killer recipe, a box or two of cornbread and a crockpot, all you need to do is throw the ingredients together in the morning and by mid-afternoon or by dinner time you’ll have a delicious, easy to serve, low mess and matience dish for your guests!  Have some friends bring some beers and dessert and you’ve got a low key night. Light some candles, start a fire and pull out some games and you’ve got a fun night ahead of you.

Pumpkin Beers – Literally craft a party around pumpkins beers (or harvest blends).  Have your guests bring a six pack or two, and let the tasting begin.  You could even create score cards and a rating system for everyone to weigh in.

Breweries or New Spots –  Don’t want to host something at your house? Plan a gathering at a local pub or a new brewery with your favorites.  Not only will there be no mess to clean up at the end of the night, but you’ll be able to try something new or enjoy a fan favorite.  Then end the night with a bonfire back at your house!

Pie Baking – Have a girls afternoon and bake some pies! Pop open some wine or rose, share some recipes and bake some yummy pies or fall favorites to work out the kinks for upcoming holiday celebrations!

The summer’s are always so busy so try and catch-up with friends now before the holiday craze starts up again! You don’t need to be too elaborate or overthink your upcoming fall party, it can be easy, low key and affordable!

Hosting an upcoming fall party? Share your pictures or hacks with me on twitter or instagram @mmariebee.

#BestOfCle – 2016

| The Bee Life

We are just a few short days away from one of my favorite months. October is one of my favorite months for many reasons,  but one of those reasons is because of  Cleveland Magazine’s annual Best of Cleveland Party! I’ve attended this event for the last six years and I’m amazed that it keeps getting better, it’s such a fun time.

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Photo cred: Thom Sheridan, Cleveland Magazine

Reasons To Attend

You’ll Be Surrounded By The Best... for an entire night! The best food, best drinks, shops, local businesses, apartments, sweet treats, music and organizations. Nearly 70 of the best will be at your finger tips.

Giving Back. This event raises money every year to help benefit the Breakthrough Schools of Greater Cleveland. An organization striving to give back and excel our youth with high-quality education.

Keep On Celebrating… our NBA Championship! Every year has a theme and this year’s theme to no surprise is all about our huge and historical championship this past June. What better way to keep on partying and celebrating our win with 1,700 of your closest friends – it won’t be as packed as the parade. *winks*

Legendary Venue… Public Auditorium has been the host of legends and the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, what greater stage and venue to enjoy the best than be in the presence of the best.

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Photo cred: Thom Sheridan, Cleveland Magazine

Tips for the Night

Go with Friends: Whether it’s a double date or a group of your closest pals grab some friends to enjoy in the fun! It definitely helps make the night.

Go VIP: If you’re really looking for a night out celebrating your favorite city whether you’re homegrown or a transplant this night will give you a taste of everything that makes us great!  So go all out and truly enjoy the exclusive rooms, treatment, drinks and eats.

Uber: You will definitely enjoy yourself and a few adult beverages especially if you go the VIP route, so be sure to play it safe and carpool or grab an Uber to and from!

This party is truly not like any other you’ll attend throughout the year. The atmosphere is infectious especially once the music really gets going; you can even jump on the legendary stage and show off your moves! Tickets are officially on sale and the countdown to Saturday, October 15th will be here before we know it.

For more tickets & information: CLICK HERE!

 

Christmas in July Party

| The Bee Life

Confession! I love Christmas!! And what better than to have an excuse to pull out some decorations, drink some Christmas Ale and have a bunch of your friends over, than Christmas in July!  This upcoming Monday is officially 6-months until Christmas, so next week and weekend are an excuse to throw a party. If you haven’t made this a tradition yet, I highly recommend it, regardless of how all out you go!

Here is your go-to guide for everything you’ll need to throw an epic Christmas in July party this year!

Food/Snacks:  The best part about all of these ideas is that they’re easy, a little healthy and super cute! You can also do a cheese spread in the shape of a tree or a wreath. Also bust out those Christmas cookie receipts and make some good ol’ cut outs or peanut butter cup cookies, they’ll be a hit.

http://www.cleanandscentsible.com/2013/11/grinch-party.html
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/christmas-tree-vegetable-platter/652abef8-2f37-4200-8dc6-c38a4350ba96?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=09_2015_standard&crlt.pid=camp.oSrDgIEfBM88
http://fantabulosity.com/christmas-play-date/

Drinks: Our local breweries always release some of their Christmas Ale’s around this time, so it’s definitely a treat and fun to snag a glass or 6-pack. Add a cinnamon sugar rim to your glasses for an extra treat for you and your guests! Next up, red and green jello shots – yup! It’s a must, not to mention easy and refreshing, and perfect for your Christmas in July festivities. I like to serve with pop-rocks poured on top, so yummy.  Last but not least, find a punch that is both refreshing and light but still hits those Christmas sentiments you love – like this Cranberry Orange Punch, make in bulk and you’re ready for a fun night.

http://www.thegunnysack.com/cranberry-orange-holiday-punch/

Decor: Have some old Christmas wrapping paper that you’re sick of seeing every year? Wrap some empty boxes as accents around your space.  Pull out some colored lights and string them up in the back yard, garage, or shrubbery.  No need to go crazy here, any other lawn ornaments that’re sitting around put them on prime display!

Dress Code: Asking that your guests dress in red and green or even throwing on an ugly Christmas sweater helps make this party an event.  If it’s mostly couples you can request that each couple comes as a “Christmas Couple” an excuse to get creative!

Details: This is when Pandora really comes in handy, click on your favorite holiday tunes station (mine is, Mariah Carey Christmas) and the mood will truly be set! You can also play a favorite Christmas movie on repeat, either in the house or out in the garage – Elf and Home Alone never get old.  Finally, napkins, plates, and cups that are red and green help add to the theme without breaking the bank – check the Dollar Tree!

Remember all of these things will really bring your Christmas in July theme to life while being able to enjoy a cold Christmas Ale on a hot summer day and all your nearest and dearest by starting a new tradition!

Happy Christmas in July!!

Fun Hangover.

| The Bee Life

This week has been crazy with a side of ridiculous. Since Sunday night’s victory of the Cavs winning the NBA Finals, setting a number of records and making history, this city has been non-stop, myself included!

Monday it was like Christmas, waking up reliving everything, being so happy, and just soaking in all the coverage, the players tweets, party photos, snaps, replaying the last few seconds of the game and going through all the emotions over and over again. Not to mention, the Cavs came home so there was a welcome party that of course we had to watch as they got off the plane.  Tuesday seemed like the calm before the storm, but also crazy just getting ready for Wednesday and trying to plan and guess how the parade would be – as it was a first for many, if not all.

Wednesday was the Cavs parade. The first championship parade this city has seen in nearly five decades. The estimates of how many people who were expected to cram into downtown were anywhere from 500,000 to 1 million.  Well there was a reported approx. 1.3 million people who came down to Cleveland for the parade. People who started arriving downtown at 6AM (if they hadn’t spent the night), waiting for the parade which didn’t start until 11AM, and ended up taking four hours.

We decided to get downtown pretty early since we saw on the news that the crowds were growing fairly fast, at least quicker than we anticipated. Luckily working downtown, we had a parking spot secure in my lot and then we headed to a coworkers apartment near by for some pre-gaming fun. We slowly recruited other coworkers to head over from the office, since the city was packed and celebrating the Cavs!

It was so much fun. I love my coworkers and it was fun to party and hang with them, with B too and some of our other friends. It was also bitter sweet since my last day at the office is today. I’ve made awesome friends and that will be the hardest party of leaving, is not seeing them everyday, all day (but we will still be close!) So I know we will all still stay close.

Because the parade took so long, we didn’t last to see much in person, we waited at the end of the Rally, thinking that was going to be the grand finale and party, but it was a little lack luster.  Apparently the parade was where it was at! So we should’ve started at the beginning! Oh well, it was still so much fun, an experience we will never forget, a part of history, an awesome party and amazing day for our city.

Go Cavs!!!

 

 

 

Weekend Recap – Family Wedding

| The Bee Life

This past weekend was full of family as we celebrated my cousin Tim’s wedding to his long time girlfriend, Morgan! So here is a quick recap of the weekends events.

Friday, we both took a half day in hopes that we could head out mid-afternoon and get down to Columbus early evening… but I had a little too much on my to-do list before that happened. Running around making stops, getting an oil change in, and then forgetting about our call with a wedding planner that I was expecting to have while we were already in the car, pushed back our leave time by about 2-hours, oops! We dropped Moz over to our neighbors, and then finally hit the road and got into Columbus a little after 7pm.

Dinner reservations were at 8:30pm, whenever my family has a weekend of any sort together (especially weddings) it is ALWAYS jammed packed with family dinners, activities, workouts, you name it. So we headed to Bravo! Cucina Italian – my first time there, andddd I know it’s a chain, but I wasn’t impressed at all. Service was slow and the food wasn’t that great. Which only led me to snack on Doritos later in the evening. *smiles* After dinner was over, some people went to the casino and others headed back to the hotel.  We stopped and grabbed some adult beverages to hang out at the hotel with my parents, Nate and Kiera.

Saturday morning we slept in until 9:30!! We haven’t slept in, in so long, it was so amazing! We got up and headed to Starbucks and then came back to workout and hang with the family. The hotel had a basketball court so everyone was hanging out between there and the pool while I sweated through a 45-minute boot camp workout, luckily my cousin Niki joined halfway through! From there we headed to lunch at First Watch, yum! (Avocado toast for days, please and thanks.) By the time we got back after lunch it wasn’t long before we had to start getting ready for the wedding.

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The ceremony; was so nice and the vows were beyond sweet. Tim and Morgan have been together for nearly 11-years, not to mention living long distance, so this has been a long time coming. My cousin Tim is a bit more reserved than the rest of us, so it was so awesome seeing him pull out his handmade scroll with his vows and reading them with so much love and truth in what he was saying.  After they said their vows, and kissed the rest of the night was about celebrating!

Tim & his adorable Mom
Morgan coming down the aisle
The kiss!
The send off – big smiles.

The reception was at La Scala Restaurant, which had a back room for the reception area and was the perfect size to accommodate everyone. The staff was great catering to everyone and we had our own private bar in the back which worked out perfectly too! Although it took some tweaking for the mixed drinks, since I’d like to say my family is a bunch of alcohol snobs, it would’ve been easier if we could just get behind the bar, ha! The dinner was served family style, which I really liked. It was a mix of lasagna, two types of chicken, green beans, and mashed potatoes, with salad and bread as the starter. Yum!

Forever Wedding Date ❤
Our Table!
Kiera & Nate
Their cake!
Most of the Fruit Loops!

Once the dancing finally started, the rest of the night was toast (unless a country song came on, then the dance floor was nearly cleared out, yet the DJ still insisted on playing his set-list).  Everyone tore up the dance floor and definitely got a second workout in. I think B danced the most out of all the weddings we’ve been too together, it was so much fun! Of course, there were a few breaks for shots – although we had to order them in the main restaurant, so it was funny to see the bartender mix up 25-lemon drops and a rowdy crowd come into the main area demanding shots.

B and Tim
The First Dance
Jordan and I cutting a rug
Me and Niki
Hampel Ladies
With the beautiful bride
Final Dance!

It was a great time,  and family drama was at a fair minimum, minus a few situations which I am currently ignoring for the time being. *smiles* You could tell how happy Tim and Morgan were and how excited they were for their big day and commitment to each other. They’re truly just a sweet couple. It’s always a great party when we are welcoming another person into our family, needless to say everyone was hurting the next day.

We had a family brunch Sunday morning so everyone could see each other one last time before we all went our separate ways, a family tradition for wedding weekends. B and I were back home by 12:30 and got our little pune baby back (Moz). She was exhausted from her weekend with her friend Maybel! We were exhausted too, so it was a lazy afternoon.

Cheers to another beautiful wedding and fun weekend!