Best Buy makes planning your wedding registry fun with these top five picks

Some think that picking out the engagement ring is tough – and in some cases it is. The right “size, shape, color”, is it new or something that is a family heirloom. When it comes to picking out your registry, you can breathe a sign of relief because Best Buy wedding registry takes all the stress out of your wedding planning with home goods that you’ll both enjoy. These are my top five picks from Best Buy to help any engaged couples new life together the best.

1 – TV anyone? This is awesome for gathering around for date night, simple movies and let’s not forget all the sports that your spouse (and possibly you too) will love to watch with family and friends.2 – Technology is key in the 21^st century. How about new matching mobile devices, music players or laptops? This makes staying in touch and getting those thank you notes off to your guests easier.  They also have an awesome “Geek Squad”, that can help you with any of your computer related questions.

3 – New appliances may be needed in your new home and how about that washer, drier or stainless steel wine fridge you’ve had your eye on. While these may seem big-ticket items, they are great for “Group Gifting”. What’s that you ask? It allows gift-givers to give any amount they want, so couples can ask for the gifts you really want and not worry about price point. Great for your officemates or bridal party who want to pool funds for your gift.

4 – It’s party time and a new stereo and/or speakers will set your party off right! Music systems will help with amazing surround sound for parties both in and out of your home. Placing your speakers near or via blue tooth, will have your guests enjoying every moment.

5 – I don’t know about you but nothing makes for a great party but awesome food and cocktails. That’s why a microwave, toaster, blender or coffee maker must be on your registry. Fun food just completes your new home and cocktails  or coffee make everything meal perfect all year round.

Best Buy has a great choice of gifts that will fit any registry request. Remember that all items $199 and over can be considered for their “group gifting” option. This allows you to ask for what you really want, without asking your guests to spend more than they are comfortable with—so dream big. Remember Best Buy Wedding Registry has Free Shipping, No Minimum.  So whatever your “Top Five” products, big or small, expensive or affordable, all ship for free saving your guests money.

So check out Best Buy and take the stress out of your registry planning. Now back to finding the perfect dress….

While a huge Best Buy fan, this is a sponsored post and I’ve been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

On a hot Labor Day think cool Cocktails from Snow Leopard Vodka

Can you believe it’s ALREADY Labor Day?! During these last hot days of summer, there is no better cocktail to help celebrate than Snow Leopard Vodka. It’s cool, refreshing and these cocktails will go down oh-so-refreshingly smooth. Are you planning your engagement party this weekend? Why not make one of these your signature cocktail. If you’re not feeling like cooking or are looking for a fun evening out, then you really have to try either Trattoria Il Mulino (36 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003) or Pergola (36 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001) where you can experience the SnowHound and Bright Lotus respectfully there and then re-create it at home.

If you are a vodka lover (like I am) you will truly enjoy Snow Leopard Vodka. So be cool, think cool and have a “snow” kind of Labor Day.

Remember…drink responsibly.

SnowHound
Trattoria Il Mulino (36 E 20th St, New York, NY 10003)
Snow Leopard Vodka
Grapefruit Cordial
Fresh Lemon

Bright Lotus
by Scott Fitzgerald at Pergola (36 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001)
2 oz. Snow Leopard
.75 oz. Passionfruit Puree
.75 oz. Simple Syrup
.5 oz. Lime Juice
3 drops Creme de Cassis

Snow Leopard Garden

Created by John Christie
1.5 oz. Snow Leopard Vodka
2 oz. fresh watermelon juice
.5 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. agave nectar
.25 oz. elderflower cordial

Glassware: Coupe,  Garnish: Frozen Watermelon Ball

Sparrow Swizzle
Created by Garrett Mikell at Eveleigh in Los Angeles, CA
1.5 oz Snow Leopard
1.5 oz Lavender Lemonade
Build in a collins glass, add crushed ice, swizzle and a lemon twist

Jewel of Asia
1.25oz Snow Leopard Vodka
1oz Lychee Liqueur
1oz Lime Juice
0.5oz Pomegranate Syrup
Top with Champagne
Add ingredients into a rocks glass fill with cubed ice and swizzle garnish with pink grapefruit and serve

Himalayan Spritz
1oz Snow leopard Vodka
1oz Aperol
1oz Cherry Brandy OR Maraschino
Top with chilled Prosecco
Add ingredients into a rocks glass fill with cubed ice and stir. Garnish with lemon wheel and cherry then serve.

Get Physically and Financially Healthy the John Hancock | Vitality Way

Its finally SPRING!! YIPPIE!!

Now is the time to get moving and even small steps will help you not only get fit, but lead a healthier and longer life. John Hancock teamed up with Chris O’Donnell, star of NCIS: Los Angeles to help us all recognize that getting healthy means physically, emotionally and financially. Even small steps are better than no steps right? Working in partnership with Vitality, John Hancock is offering an entirely new kind of life insurance that rewards you for living a healthier lifestyle.  What would you do with #5MoreNow?

The John Hancock | Vitality exclusive partnership is offering a new kind of life insurance that integrates wellness benefits with life insurance products. This means you will really save on your premiums. The more you save, the more you are rewarded. So how does it work? After you complete your life insurance process you take an online Vitality Health Review to help determine your “Vitality Age” (it just means your overall health). Then you receive a personalized goals assessment to help you on your way to a healthier lifestyle. To help you along, John Hancock will give you a free Fitbit to track your progress. SCORE!! As you gain in your “Vitality Status” you can earn even more savings and rewards. For example, Policyholders can earn travel, shopping, and entertainment-related rewards and discounts, including half-price Hyatt hotel nights, 20-50% off major brand cruise packages, and gift cards from leading retailers like Whole Foods, REI, iTunes, Starbucks, Fandango, and more.

This is a wonderful opportunity and truly important for you as a new couple. Life insurance isn’t something that one thinks about immediately or at all…until it’s too late. Honestly, it should be one of the first things you do together as a couple. Protect each other. Get healthy together and in the end you will save a lot of money on medical expenses.

You can find out much more by going to the John Hancock website http://www.jhrewardslife.com/ This is the best investment you can make for yourself and each other.

 

 

Festive Martini Sparkling Wines at 60 calories so indulge

Spring is finally here, or at least that’s what the calendar says.  In preparation for your Easter or Mother’s Day brunch how about some delicious brunch sips from MARTINI Sparkling Wines. Take the pressure off creating the perfect brunch by serving up some of these signature crafted cocktails, created with family and those you love in mind.  Whether celebrating at home with breakfast in bed or cooking for the entire family, elevate your celebration with Martini Prosecco. Martini is not only the number one selling sparkling wine in the world, it’s the most affordable too. At only $14.99 for a bottle of Prosecco, it’s the ultimate way to enjoy a delicious bubbly beverage!

You know how I love to pair cocktails and food, so if you are heading out for brunch in New York City don’t forget to stop by Donatella Arpaia’s new Italian eatery, Prova, to try out the exclusive Martini Belle View cocktail. Prova  is located at 184 8^th Avenue, New York, and is the only location in New York City to sell this specialty cocktail.  So why not try it and have some amazing nibbles while you’re there.

MOTHER’S DAY AND EASTER BRUNCH COCKTAILS:

Serve mom breakfast in bed with these delectable cocktails

MARTINI® Mom-osa

2 parts chilled MARTINI® Asti

1 part Orange Juice

Pour orange juice into a flute glass. Top with MARTINI® Asti and garnish with strawberry.

MARTIN® Prosecco Bellini

2 parts white peach puree

MARTINI® Prosecco

Pour white peach puree into a glass. Top with chilled MARTINI® Prosecco and serve.

For an extra special treat, garnish with your favorite fruit

MARTINI® Bella

1 ½ parts Bombay

½ part Saint Germain

½ part Lemon juice

½ part Amarena syrup

¾ part Kir royal- blended tea

Top off MARTINI® Prosecco

Pour all the ingredients into a shaker except for the prosecco.  Shake and double strain into a coupe. Top it off with Martini prosecco.  Garnish with Amarena, lime and lemon zest.

Created exclusively for PROVA Resturant by New York’s Most Imaginative Bartender 2014, Enzo Cangemi

Mindy Weiss and Wedding Paper Divas get you married in style

Getting her start in the industry working at a stationery store, Mindy Weiss has always had a passion for paper. As a style partner for Wedding Paper Divas and a go-to wedding trends expert, Mindy has also designed an exquisite new bridal stationery collection that is striking, yet affordable, and appeals to a broad range of styles.

For her collection, Mindy combined years of experience in the wedding industry with her style and creativity to draw inspiration from all facets of life including fashion, art, nature and her forecasted trends for the year. From brilliant color blocking to delicate lace details, the collection features nine designs in a variety of bold and beautiful themes.

“I designed this stationery collection for Wedding Paper Divas to be versatile and elegant enough to match a wide variety of wedding themes and motifs,” said Mindy. “I can’t wait to help couples personalize these designs and add their own flair.”

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

• Simple Allure – Color blocking is modernized and this time it’s all about full-bodied, jewel-toned colors.
• Modern Splendor – Inspired by watercolors, there is magic in the carefree flow of darks and lights, creating a vibrant yet peaceful ambiance.
• Floral Trellis – Emulating Chinoiserie’s whimsical style and Asian influences, the design adds a worldly and dignified statement.
• Lasting Lace – This design pays homage to the classic fairytale love story and all things romantic – and what says romance more than lace?
• Natural Lattice – “Let Love Live,” says Mindy, who believes elements of nature and green living walls will be the focus of many wedding celebrations this season.

 Not limited strictly to invitations, the suites also feature save the date cards, response cards, enclosure cards, thank you cards and more. Mindy’s bridal stationery collection is completely customizable, and available at www.weddingpaperdivas.com/mindyweiss

Wine Wednesday: Wine-Braised Pork with Chestnuts and Sweet Potatoes

Legendary chef Jacques Pépin sears pork shoulder to make a terrific crust, then braises it slowly with stock, wine, chestnuts and sweet potatoes until it’s meltingly tender.

 

1. One 4-pound boneless pork shoulder
2. 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
3. Pepper
4. 1 onion, finely chopped
5. 5 garlic cloves, crushed
6. 3 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
7. 1/2 cup dry white wine
8. 5 parsley sprigs, plus chopped parsley for garnish
9. 3 thyme sprigs

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 pound vacuum-packed roasted peeled chestnuts (3 cups)

Season the pork with the 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Heat a large cast-iron casserole over moderately high heat. Add the pork, fat side down, and add 1/2 cup of water. Cook until all 
of the water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook over moderate heat until the pork is golden brown, about 8 minutes. Flip the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 5 minutes longer.

Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, wine and parsley and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat, turning once, until the pork is just tender, 2 1/2 hours. Add the sweet potatoes and chestnuts, cover and cook until the pork and sweet potatoes are very tender, 30 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sweet potatoes and chestnuts to a platter. Strain the jus into a bowl and degrease with a spoon; season with salt and pepper.

Slice the pork and arrange it on top of the vegetables. Garnish with parsley and serve with the jus.

Make Ahead The braised pork can be refrigerated overnight and reheated before serving.

Suggested Pairing

Medium-bodied Côtes du Rhône is rich enough to go with this pork and has enough fruit to go with sweet potatoes.

 

Wine Wednesday: Spicy Korean Grilled Pork

Pounding slices of pork tenderizes the meat, making it thin enough to take on the flavor of the marinade and allowing it to cook fast enough to stay moist.

1. 1 cup Chinese fermented black beans (5 ounces); see Note
2. 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and coarsely chopped
3. One 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
4. 1/2 cup Korean chile paste (gochujang); see Note
5. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
6. 1/4 cup soy sauce
7. 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
8. 3/4 cup light brown sugar
9. One 3-pound trimmed boneless pork shoulder roast, cut crosswise into twelve 1/4-inch-thick slices

• Vegetable oil, for brushing

Put the fermented black beans in a bowl and cover with water. Let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and coarsely chop the beans.

In a food processor, combine the black beans, garlic and ginger and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chile paste, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar and blend well.

On a work surface, pound the pork slices 1/8 inch thick. Lay one-fourth of the pork slices in a large, shallow dish and coat with one-fourth of the black bean marinade. Repeat with the remaining pork and marinade for three more layers. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Remove the pork from the marinade, leaving just a thin coating on the meat. Brush the pork with oil and grill over moderate heat, turning every 2 minutes, until nicely charred and cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Chinese fermented black beans and gochujang are available at Asian markets and from amazon.com. Or substitute an equal amount of Chinese black bean sauce or any kind of Asian chile paste.

Serve With

Vegetables or chilled noodles.

Suggested Pairing

Tannins in red wine can intensify the heat in chiles, so for this dish, look for a fruit-forward Grenache-based wine.