80's/Taco Bell Collab

Recently, I've been watching a lot of YouTubers' videos and doing a little research because I'm THINKING about taking TMN and myself to the YouTubes. Of all the all the videos I've been watching, my favorites tend to be collabs, when one YouTuber is featured on another's channel. One of my friends is a big YouTube personality and he knows a thing or two about collaborations. Maybe that's why he came up with the idea of crashing my boyfriend, Korey's 80's themed birthday party and essentially turning it into a collaboration with Taco Bell.

Let me explain - on Twitter, they both tweet at Taco Bell and vice versa. As a surprise (and it was a HUGE surprise) our friend got corporate media people from Taco Bell surprise us all and walked in with what seemed like two million hundred tacos to cater the 40 something people there.

Party: Success

Roommate Dinner

My roommates, Joan and Ernie, have been cooking for me a lot as of late...as in every night. Joan is an amazing cook who whips up some delish eats on the regular(after proof reading this, that sounds completely idiotic, but I'm leaving it because I want you to see how I write before I think things through), but I thought she would enjoy a  break and let me cook for them. After giving it about a minutes thought, I decided to make them pizza. I needed something that was quick (and really more "assembling" rather than "cooking") since I don't get home until late from work after you factor in Caltrain and bike riding. (Plus Ernie and Joan seem to not be on an eating schedule that I would typically be on. I would normally eat around 9 or 10 when they (as most people I'm assuming) eat around 7.)

Crust: Boboli Wheat
Base: Olive oil, garlic, goat cheese
Top: sweet Italian sausage, red onions, rosemary, calamata olives, and mozzarella cheese

Cheersies

In the words of the great (I mean she's okay) Rihanna: Cheers to the freakin' weekend. I'll drink to that. Yeahhh.

Friday is finally here! As it turns out, it'll end up being one of my busiest work days in the week thanks to certain California labor laws (I won't bore you...or myself with the details). Regardless, just a few more hours to go and I'm out of here! Last weekend I didn't do too much because of the rain, but this weekend, I'm expecting to head up to SanFran, get my Wiggle on with Adam, then go out, have a few several drinks, and then see where the night goes.

After Party for Five (j/k 6)

Last night, I attended 225's Hot Off the Press Party for their fashion issue at the newly built Renaissance hotel in Baton Rouge. Both 225 and The Renaissance did a great job in terms of putting on a fabulous party. The complimentary food was light (unless you're like me and had several servings #noselfcontrol) and delicious and the overall ambiance of the party was nothing short of bougie. 

Afterwards, friends, Johnny, Patrick, Brittany, Danae, Brennan, and I went right down the road to Perkins Rowe to enjoy a little reverse happy hour at Kona Grill. I was too busy rubbing elbows to take pictures at the event (for which I'm kicking myself now), but I managed to snap a few at Kona. That pizza - DELISH!

Custom Invite Mock Up

How much do you hate me for not posting the "after" pictures from the desk I've been working on...as promised in yesterday? I tried finishing it last night, but I'm just not loving the outcome, so I'm going to do a little more work tonight.

Now - for today's post. This is a mock up of an invite for a "Friendsgiving" dinner party. I know we're no where near Thanksgiving, but I wanted to share this with you now to give you some ideas for upcoming parties you may be having: Easter, Summer, Graduation, Birthday, etc.

This is a completely custom design, and I am in love with it. I think these types of invites (where it's a lot of text in different fonts) are super fun, exciting, and vibrant.

As always, if you're interested in any type of custom invite, please email us at TheMendedNest@gmail.com!

Rehearsal Dinner - Elizabeth and Miles Wedding

How beautiful? These are the pictures from Elizabeth and Miles' Rehearsal Dinner. It was held at the elegant Calcasieu Room, located at 930 Tchoupitoulas St. in New Orleans. From the second we walked in, we were greeted by the smiling faces of Elizabeth's and Miles' families...and cocktails (exactly what I needed after a 1.5 hour drive into New Orleans). You can see the menu directly above, so I need not mention how delicious the food was. Best part - we were at the "cool table"!...at least I think so. We got to sit with a few of the bridesmaids who are also friends of ours, as well as a few friends Beau know from Lake Charles. We laughed and told embarassing/funny stories. #sometimesitalktoomuch

Food, cocktails, and good company. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I want this to be about the wedding and not the Calcasieu (cal-cuh-shew) Room, but I do have to take a second to give them props. The room, service, and food were all first class. Well done!

Hung Over Thursday

I'm sorry, guys. I'm just really hung over from last night. We went down to New Orleans with Krystal from A Pinch of Lovely for shows and an after party for NOLA Fashion Week (partially put on and sponsored by our good friends, Nick (*NLE) and Micah (Gaudet Bros.) - great job, guys!)

As usual, I forgot my camera. Soo...here's a random picture of our azaleas blooming . Normally, I'd be talking about how it's representative of spring coming and how excited I am about it (except for the weather), but I just have no energy.

I need 3 Tylenol and a Bloody Mary STAT

Cheers!

THIS is What I Need

Dying. I am dying this morning. Last night, Beau and I went to Fernando's, a Mexican restaurant in Baton Rouge to meet some of Mesty's finance's friends. Remember - Megan Estey (Mesty) is one of our closet friends, and recently she got engaged...YAY! We've never had a chance to meet Chris, her fiancee's friends so we all wanted to get together so that we're not all meeting each other for the first time during all the wedding shenanigans. Do I even need to say that I had several cervesas there?

Afterwards, Beau went home, and I when to another friend's restaurant opening. It's called The Breadbox. OMG. Is you live in BR you must go - it's right on Essen near Ichiban. The food is so, so, so good! We got to sample several items from the menu, and I didn't have one thing that was even mediocre...it was ALL fantastic.

I have to say, I was very impressed with myself. By the end of the night I was in no condition to drive, so I took a cab home. (for readers in major cities - remember I live in Baton Rouge. I had to call a cab and wait 20 minutes) Totally worth it. The thought of getting a DUI scares the crap out of me, and I'd rather pay $20 for a cab ride ANY day over thousands in lawyers fees for a DUI charge. Short story long, I woke up in dire need of a big cup of coffee...and I'm out of milk! I need need need need my coffee! I may vomit on the way to work. At least it's Friday!

Lemon Rosemary Vinaigrette

Last night, Beau and I finally made it out to the store for one of our biggest grocery runs to date. We were out of everything, and while I do love eating out for every meal, it gets to be a little too expensive. We got all the usuals: chicken, turkey, cheeses, bread, milk, coffee, fruits, veggies, wine, etc., etc. Since my rosemary bush is temporarily out of commission because of the cold weather, I also had to pick some up that comes in the pack...which ended up being the inspiration for our meal.

I wanted to bake lightly seasoned chicken breasts to serve with a crisp salad...obviously enjoyed with a few glasses of Chardonnay. I didn't see any dressing I was dying for in the grocery, so I decided to use the rosemary I bought and create my own dressing! This is not my own recipe - I totally found it online, but (as usual) I had to alter it a little to make it my own. See below:

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 sprigs rosemary, stems removed
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Add all ingredients to a food processor and let it do all the work, and that's it! You're ready to serve over a bed of mixed greens with finely sliced red onion, and diced cherry tomatoes. Enjoy!

OBSESSED: Garlic and Lemon Olives

Jeri's Corner! Okay - so I know Christmas is over, but I took these pictures over the holiday break, and I didn't have a chance to write about it until now. Every year, Jeri makes these olives and gives them out as little gifts to a few of her friends to enjoy with yummy cheeses...or in a martini. They're so effing good, I cannot even begin to explain. I cannot recommend these enough!!

They're great for any occasion, though - not just holidays. For example, try making them for an office party, birthday gathering, or your next girls/guys night out. The other night, I brought them as a little thank-you for the host of the New Year's eve party I attended.

So here's what you do:

1. Drain one jar of olives (keep the juice)
2. In a separate (cuter) container, layer the following:
 - 1 10-ounce jar large green pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives
 - 4 fresh oregano sprigs
 - 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
 - Juice 2 whole lemons (slice third and add to container)
 - 10 whole black peppercorns
 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
 - add as much of the original olive juice that you can fit in the jar
3. Let this marinate over night and ENJOY the next day!

Thank You

First post of 2012! It's weird for me to write 20"12"and will probably take my brain a solid two months before I can completely reprogram it to where it's automatic. Oh well. I'm ready for the new year. I, along with most of you, are excited and ready to start a year 3 weeks of exercising, eating celery for snacks, and reading more books. Yeahhh....

This past weekend, Beau and I, along with our partner in crime, Ryan, headed down to New Orleans to celebrate New Year's Eve! I can't speak for Ryan (who may or may not remember large parts of the night), but Beau and I decided this was one of our best NYE together to date. We met up at our friend, Mark's to put or bags down (we stayed there that night) and to have a couple cocktails. Afterward, we headed downtown to a wonderful party complete with the ball drop in Times Square (via TV), an outdoor balcony where we could see fireworks, and good friends that we haven't seen in forever! Afterwards, we taxi'd down to the St. Ann and Bourbon for a little bar fun until..oh...4:30 am when we finally stumbled back to Mark's. I haven't stayed out that late in forever, and I remembered why the whole next day. Oh well...it was totally worth it. The whole night was great. I just wish I had ONE picture to remember it by; we thought it was best to not bring the camera, so I have 0 pictures to share. But....

What I will share is a little advice. Since I had never met the host of the party where we enjoyed a large portion of our night, I'm sending him a very short and simple "thank you" for opening his home to us for NYE. I recommend short and sweet - you don't want to come off as crazy. Just a little something that let's them know that you appreciate them having you over, it was nice to meet them, etc.

I know that this isn't necessary for all occasions. Some friends joke, saying that I should be expecting a thank you card in the mail whenever someone comes over the borrow a ladder or watch a movie. I tell them, "don't be stupid".

Custom Invitation - Tripp and Davis

One of our best friends, Lissa W. has been a huge supporter of The Mended Nest since day one. In fact, working on her Christmas card last year is one of the contributing factors that sparked the whole concept of the blog and company. So far, she's used us for a few invitations, the most recent being for her son, Davis and his friend, Tripp's 10th birthday party. Keeping with a zipline theme, Lissa trusted us enough to pretty much let us do whatever we wanted, and this is the final product. I know Lissa loved it - we hope you do, too!

For more information about custom invites through The Mended Nest, please contact us at themendednest@gmail.com!

A Red Affair

Last night, Beau and I, along with several of our close friends, attended "An All Red Affair" at White Oak Plantation. This event, hosted by Family Service of Greater Baton Rouge, was put on to recognize HIV awareness, specifically honoring three families for their contributions to our Baton Rouge community. As with any occasion planned and executed by our friend, Jeanne McCollister, we all thought that the event turned out great! The theme was to wear black and red - a combo I usually detest, but we pulled it together and had such a fun evening full of laughing, dancing, eating, and drinking. Oh I'm sorry - did I mention all of the food was prepared by renowned Chef John Folse. Who's jealous?

Mended Nest Invite - Tyler's Birthday!

This custom invite was one of the first official projects of The Mended Nest, llc., and we couldn't be happier with the finished product! We were approached by someone requesting a birthday invite for his boyfriend's 23rd birthday. Along with a few other specifications, the general request was something that wasn't over the top, fairly to the point, with fall inspired colors. I feel like this is exactly that. I LOVE simple, chic invites that aren't too loud, yet still interesting and fun. Check out the paper on the second image. We offer a variety of paper options in terms of color and texture - this one was a white with the linen finish.

If you'd like more information about custom invitations from The Mended Nest, please send us an email: themendednest@gmail.com.

Wedding Recap - Jimmy and Katherine!

As I mention in Monday's post, Beau and I traveled to his hometown of Lake Charles, LA in order to attend his cousin, Katherine and her husband, Jimmy's wedding. In true Moss (Beau's dad's family) fashion, the whole weekend was quite an event in all the right ways. Since Beau sang in the wedding, on Friday night we were invited to the rehearsal dinner held at the Pioneer Club in downtown Lake Charles. The Moss family is pretty big (not in lbs. but in quantity), but Jimmy's family is even bigger. He's one of thirteen...yes thirteen children, so you can imagine how man people were there. The company, the food, and the wine were out of control, so needless to say we had a great time, but the weekend fun didn't stop there...

The wedding was held on Saturday evening at the stunning Immaculate Conception Cathedral. The church, the bridal party, the music, and especially the bride were all beyond words. Katherine looked so happy and beautiful, and it was so refreshing to see some flattering bridesmaids' dresses for once! After the ceremony, the tears dried up and the real fun began at the reception held at the Country Club on the other side of town. It. Was. Amazing. From what I understand, trees with changing leaves were flown in from other parts of the country, and Katherine's dad, an architect, even built a custom bar! And the food...omg the food. DELICIOUS! Obviously beer and wine were served, but Katherine and Jimmy also had their signature "his and her" drinks as well. The night carried on with eating, dancing, laughing, and an all around great time was had my all. It's so fun to hang out with his family. They're all crazy-fun and easy going. However, let me just say that I have honestly never been as hung over as I was that next day in my entire life. Well worth the headache, though. I CAN say that much.


The only thing that I regret is not getting more picture from the reception. It was dark in the space, and it made it difficult to get good shots. Hopefully you can get an idea of how beautiful it was!

Talk to You in January

Well it's here, and I couldn't be happier. The middle of October marks the beginning of dinner parties, holiday gatherings, and wedding season, and this year it seems we're busier than ever. Obviously, this is no complaint - although sometimes I feel Beau could go without all this, I live for it! I love having my upcoming weekends planned out: this weekend is our half-marathon then family gathering at my parents, next is Beau's cousin, Katherine's wedding, then it's already Halloween! Next month it's countless Thanksgiving parties, followed by a month of Christmas parties. Then it's already time to start planning for New Year's Eve! As I'm typing I'm getting more and more excited!

Don't worry (because I know you totally were) - Beau and I will walk you through every step making sure to include anything unique, interesting, yet relevant to this blog. I'm anticipating some elaborate dinner parties and some major eats! Let the festivities begin!

With all of this in mind, we hope that you consider The Mended Nest during this season. We offer services ranging from the following:

Custom invites
Save the Dates
Wedding Packets
Custom Birthday Cards
Graduation Announcements
Business Cards
Logos

Happy Friday and have a GREAT weekend! (Also note: None of the above pictures were creations of The Mended Nest, although they're all beautiful!)