Bites of My Life

Christmas week is here! I went out with a bang last week with nights full of fun events capped off with the most beautiful wedding. I’m home for the holiday now and can’t wait to get through the work week and slide into Christmas family traditions. Decorating cookies, a viewing of Eloise at Christmastime, church service, breakfast crescents and Christmas salad are on the docket. Merry Christmas everyone!

-Can’t even with this Christmas spread! Low twins outdid themselves with an over-the-top table and seriously fun White Elephant party.
-Number 7 seeing REK! His Christmas show never disappoints!
-So proud of my little cookie Christmas tags. Do you recognize the cookie from my blog logo?!
-Hot cocoa bar at The Slate. I may or may not have gone overboard on the mint chocolate chips, but….
-Alcohol removed wine, have you tried it? If you know me well you know I said goodbye to wine about two years ago. It makes me feel terrible, but I miss the joy of a good glass of wine. I came to know about Starla wines from foodie extraordinaire @chekmarkeats. It’s a Dallas women-owned brand and I loved it. Purchased at Central Market!
-Special sushi lunch with one of my best friends, her mom, and godmother, all who I LOVE!
-Cute pic of us and a reason to show off one of my favorite purchases of the year :)
-The absolute cutest welcome party post-rehearsal dinner where the family turned the space into a Christmas bar serving beer out of Santa boot mugs and peppermint tinis!!
-Last wedding of 2021. It’s been a packed year, but each wedding couldn’t have been more fun.

Annie

Bites of My Life

Another busy pre-Christmas week before heading home for the holiday - I can’t wait! December is flying per usual but only because the days are full of festive festivities. I’m craving a slow down, but I know the time will come.

-Christmas concert with Jordan and Wills.
-Annual Christmas ornament exchange was a success. The theme was food this year and I lucked into this little take-out box that now proudly hangs on my tree.
-Pretty new holiday studs thanks to Made by Maddie!
-This Flower Child menu item leaves their menu tomorrow and I’m so sad. You’ve got to try the Singapore spaghetti squash noodles today!
-Tried the hot new spot Friday. Another lemon drop, please!
-What started as a walk around the hood turned into a pit stop for brunch at one of my favorite spots!
-Ginger cookies were finally made this season and all is right in the world.
-Up early Sunday morning to cheer on our Dallas marathoners.
-Sunday night hibachi turned polaroid photoshoot!

Annie

Bites of My Life

December has really kicked off and started running toward Christmas. So many fun events and parties and dinners on the docket for December. In typical Annie fashion, looking ahead at my calendar I started to get overwhelmed at what the month held. However, I know that it’s a blessing to have a full schedule, especially after last year, and that the memories made and fun times had will outweigh any preconceived stress or worry of not having enough downtime.

I always write the captions for each photo below before I write this opening section. And to my point above this month has already hit the ground running. What a treat to have my Sunday night routine of writing out my bites post and getting to reflect back on the week. Because what a good one it was! And if not for this time, I’d easily have my eyes only turned to what is on tap for this week and forget to say my thanks and prayers for a a great last 7 days.

-I was lucky to get to do a sponsored post with Kodiak Cakes, and boy do I love this brand and these pancakes. More details here.
-Fun evening bopping around the Something Navy pop-up with Jordan and Sarah!
-A Rom Com Holiday! Have you listened to my *perfectly* curated holiday playlist?
-A holiday must if you’re in Dallas is drinks or dinner at Hudson House while they are fully decked!
-ABPA Holiday Home Tour with my festive friend Jordan. Each house was stunning but this one took the cake and the Christmas decor was spot on. You can watch a tour of the house from a few months ago with The Potted Boxwood.
-Friday favorite things party with some of my favorite people! Walked away with some fancy shampoo and conditioner that I used for the first time last night and wow. I took my tried and true lip stain.
-Sweet Green is finally in Dallas. I waited in a line out the door for this Curry Cauliflower Bowl. But worth it!
-First time trying cutie Yo! Lobster in Highland Park Village. After a tour of Christmas lights, Pete and I feasted on oysters, lobster bisque, fish tacos and lobster rolls.
-Started Prolon again yesterday. I was not its #1 fan the first time I did it, mainly because of the price, so I purchased a box on Black Friday to save a few dollars. I’ve been feeling bleh and wanted a jumpstart before I turn into a Christmas cookie.

Annie

Rom Com Holiday Playlist

I oddly (or maybe you can relate) love to listen to movie scores as I walk or drive around town. It instantly transports me to my main character alter ego on the set of my own romantic comedy. Hans Zimmer take me away!

If you’ve never done this, try it! Father of the Bride, You’ve Got Mail, and The Holiday are some of my favorite scores. This leads me to the holidays. Today is December 1st which means full-fledged Christmas music is on until the big day!

I typically always throw together or freshen up an old holiday playlist to listen throughout the season. However this year, I’ve created a rom com holiday playlist inspired by all of my favorite Christmas movies.

Picture this: Sybill is making coffee in the kitchen, Elsie is serving up her homemade eggnog, there is construction paper garland hung from the bookshelves, Graham is acting out Mr. Napkin Head, Meredith and Amy are bickering, Nanny is sneaking holiday fudge… These moments combined would make for the ultimate Christmas scene, but they really are a combination of my favorite holiday movies. Don’t forget Sara and Johnathon, Buddy, Eloise, Kevin, Judy, Betty, Phil and Bob!

My playlist has scores, Christmas classics, and a few non-traditional, but movie scene-inspired songs in its mix. Listen and let it transform you to a cottage in the Cotswolds. Alright, I’m getting cheesy, but this playlist is really good. Like really good IMO. Oh, and please listen in order, none of that shuffling buisness on this one.

Favorite, save, listen, download my Rom Com Holiday playlist here. And let me know if you recognize which songs are from which movie.

You, you, you, you send me!

Annie

Bites of My Life

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the necessary downtime that comes with the space between Christmas and New Year’s. Our Christmas was low key, but great. I love getting to hang at home for days and do all of my favorite things like making Christmas cookies, sitting by the fire at my parents house, watching Christmas movies, going on a late night walk to look at lights, and making new memories. I’m working a few days this week and have zero plans for NYE, anyone else? I’m not mad at all about easing out of 2020 without any big hoopla. This past year doesn’t deserve it’s own holiday LOL. Even with the start of 2021 looking a heck of a lot like 2020, there’s always a sense of weight off your chest with a new year, and I’m here for that feeling!

-Cleaning out the fridge before going home for the holidays had dinner looking like scrambled eggs for more days than I’d like to admit. Made them fancy and called them cacio e pepe eggs by adding a ton of black pepper and parm!
-Festive family Friday night right upon pulling into OKC. Great way to kick off the holiday week!
-The brandy ices were strong, the gossip was stronger! A hilarious night with some of my closest gal pals after getting back in town.
-It’s not Christmas without Spode!
-Home means cooking for my parents, one of my favorite things to do. I made Half Baked Harvest’s Butter Chicken. It certainly took more than 30 minutes but it was fabulous.
-Delicious and festive coffee date with my work bestie to get our minds right before a busy last day of work before Christmas.
-While I take my cookie decorating pretty seriously, getting to make a mess with this little three-year-old is worth putting my perfection aside.
-A favorite newer tradition is spaghetti and meatballs for Christmas Eve dinner. We cheat and buy meatballs from Whole Foods, but let the sauce simmer on the stove all day and through our church service (online this year😢).
-Proud of my little charcuter-wreath!
-Homemade Brandy Ices for Christmas dinner adult dessert!
-Post-holiday de-puffing. I used these chinstrap masks and Arbonne eye pads. (Selfless photo to also show off my new robe I got for Christmas)!
-Sunday night cranberry gimlets. Sure why not? Fully influenced to make these after seeing the recipe for pomegranate gimlets in Ina’s new cookbook!

Annie