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Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls

I know, pumpkin spice everything has invaded the interwebs this month, but c’mon: it only comes around once a year and the season is so fleeting! And I’m #sorrynotsorry that we’re just going to keep the pumpkin train going for 6 more weeks until we’re officially sick of it. You’ll forgive me once you’ve laid […]

Halloween Party for Grown-Ups

When I took a poll last month about which seasonal menus you’d love to get a little help with, “Adult Halloween Party” was one of the most frequent requests. I’m right there with you: it can be really tough to find the balance between spooky and sophisticated, and while you want to infuse the menu with […]

3 Genius Halloween Eye Makeup Tutorials

I love the idea of a Halloween costume created using makeup — instead of having to go out and buy a crazy getup you’ll never wear again, why not use it as an opportunity to stock your makeup drawer with a few new items that can add a fun twist to your usual morning routine? […]

Witchy Woman

Even if Halloween isn’t your thing, it’s pretty hard to deny the aesthetic intrigue of a witchy woman. According to The Eagles, she’s got “raven hair and ruby lips, sparks flying from her fingertips,” but I’d like to think of the modern day version as a cross between Stevie Nicks, Florence Welch and all four leading ladies […]

Easy Homemade Caramel Corn

It doesn’t feel like fall until I’ve eaten ______. How would you fill in the blank? For me, it’s caramel apples, pumpkin everything, a steaming mug of chai tea, and sweet-spicy-crunchy caramel corn. I think it reminds me of the fall carnivals we used to have at school growing up, where everyone dressed up and there […]

Safari Couple’s Costume

This was truly one of the easiest costumes I’ve ever put together (and it’s also one of my favorites since Rosebud the Kitten is involved.) When brainstorming ideas for duo costumes I was thinking about famously cool couples in history. I kept going back to Martin and Osa Johnson, the explorers and documentary filmmakers who […]

The Kissing Sailor Couple’s Costume

Alfred Eisenstaedt’s 1945 photo of a sailor kissing a woman in a white dress is one of the most famous photographs ever taken, and one of our all-time favorites. “The Kiss” (or “V-J Day in Times Square”) was taken shortly after President Truman announced Japan’s surrender during WWII. While many photographers posed their subjects kissing […]

Shipwrecked Couple’s Costume

From Lost to Castaway to Survivor to Gilligan’s Island, I’d say our culture has a bit of an obsession with the idea of being stranded on a desert island. I’m personally guilty of being inexplicably fascinated by the (not very possible) possibility of being washed ashore on an uncharted isle and having to fight for survival: […]

“The Dress” Partner Costume

It was the biggest viral phenomenon of 2015, meaning it’s just begging for an homage this Halloween. I’ll never forget the moment my brother showed me a photo of a dress and asked what colors I saw (team #whiteandgold, by the way)… thirty minutes later, the internet had lost its collective mind over this thing. I mean, […]

Tablecloth Turned Haunted Playhouse

If you were to crawl under the table at my mother’s house and look up, you’d find the space filled with childhood hieroglyphics that my siblings and I left behind. For whatever reason, a boring piece of paper or coloring book wasn’t enough of an attraction for our crayons, colored pencils and markers, and their tips […]

Monster Favor Bags

Ah, the magic of googly eyes. How is it that they’re so simple, yet as soon as they’re placed on any inanimate object, it’s brought to life? I love testing that theory around the office — sticking googlies on computers and soda cans and lampshades — and it’s proven true every single time. So for Halloween this […]

Football Watch Party

Call me a fair-weather fan, but I equate football season with one thing: parties! Whether you’re inviting friends to gather around the tv in your living room, or meeting people at a genuine pre-game tailgate, the common denominator is good drinks and really great food. A lot of you guys have been asking for menu ideas […]

Halloween Monster Cupcakes

This morning as we took the kids on a walk around the neighborhood, we spotted the first few houses all decked out with giant spiderwebs, ghosts hanging from trees, and witches guarding front doors on their broomsticks. It definitely made me start getting in the spirit of things — which is perfect timing since today’s […]

A Tailgating Bloody Mary Brunch

It doesn’t take more than spending a few minutes with Catherine Stiles to think to yourself: Can we be best friends? Not only does being tight with her mean access to some of the greatest barbecue in the country at her husband’s Stiles Switch BBQ & Brew, but it also comes with a lifetime membership to some of the best Texas-style […]

Sprouted Rye Apple Butter Muffins

It might not be sweater weather quite yet here in Austin, but I’m feeling pretty autumnal anyway, thanks to one of my favorite fall crops: apples. I was so surprised several years ago to discover that Texas boasts several thriving apple orchards, and now as soon as the rosy Galas, Annas, and MacIntoshes start coming […]

Maple Affogatos + Amaretti Cookies

Happy First Day of Fall! Can you believe it’s already here? Autumn’s arrival definitely snuck up this year, leaving me feeling slightly sad for missed opportunities to spend lazy days by the pool and evenings barbecuing with friends, but also hopeful and excited for crisp mornings, tall leather boots, and the twinkly magic of the […]

Wowing Your In-Laws

Hey guys! I’m super excited about a new series we’re launching today called “Seasonal Menus.” It’s, well, exactly what it sounds like: I’ll be sharing the perfect menus for all kinds of occasions with the simple recipes you’ll need to prepare them  — some that we’ve posted on the blog before and others that are brand new. To […]