Between juggling work, motherhood and family time, getting that uninterrupted, laugh-until-we-cry connecting time with gal pals over glasses of wine and savory cheese plates seems to be the one area of life that gets put on the back burner for moms. But, finding the time to pencil them in should be a priority because talking things out with your BFF could be just what you need for a recharge. I invited my friend Alysha (mom to precious daughter Penelope who was born the same month as Phoebe) over for much needed girl time. Styled in looks from one of my favorite lines at the moment, Hatch (I never imagined finding clothes that I could love wearing before, during and after a pregnancy!) we dished over the life of a working mom and finding that elusive life/work balance, but mostly we just laughed…a lot between melt-in-your-mouth bites from indie food company Mouth. Our readers will receive 15% off on Mouth orders through the end of the month using the code Styles15.
photography by wynn myers
Together, Hatch and Mouth have co-curated the Hatch Cravings Collection, a selection of goodies to gift new moms (think crunchy pickles and decadent chocolate chip cookies) and mamas-to-be (a grown-up mock-tail? yes, please!). We enjoyed each handmade and delicious Mouth snack, and thought we’d share a few tips on hosting a Girls’ Night In of your own.
In honor of being “Back in the Saddle,” we unpacked all the makings of our girls’ night in from one of Mouth’s cool reuseable canvas tote bags.
Mouth’s mission is simple — they love food, especially food that is handmade in small batches, and their site makes it easy to find interesting indie food products to create a spread for just about any occasion.
Photographer Alysha Rainwaters is wearing Hatch’s button down dress and I’m sporting Hatch’s denim legging, pullover and blazer.
To complement our Mouth delicacies, I brought out (what else?) some really good cheese. When it comes to serving a cheese plate, here are a few tips I always keep in mind:
- Serve 1-2 ounces of cheese per person.
- Let the cheese sit at room temp for one hour before serving — flavors are enhanced when the cheese isn’t cold.
- Include a mix of fresh, aged, soft and hard cheeses. Arrange (and sample) the cheeses starting with the freshest and lightest, ending with the most ripe and most intense.
I’ll be adding this Fennel, Black Pepper and Bacon Jam (yes, it’s as amazing as it sounds) by Skillet Street Food out of Seattle to all my cheese plates.
The Hatch Collection makes it easy to find all the wardrobe essentials you need for a new season in one place. The clean lines of the pieces and loose but flattering fits will take you all the way from pre-pregnancy to post- with timeless, but hip pieces.
I love how Mouth shares tidbits about each maker featured on their site. Four Peel Citrusy Gin made by the Watershed Distillery in Columbus, Ohio is a fun spirit to play with in cocktails that don’t typically call for gin.
No Girls Night In (or Out) is complete without a few cocktails! Sometimes the simplest concoctions are the best — this one calls for only three ingredients: equal parts Square One Organic Vodka and fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a splash of Elsa’s Rose Hip Grenadine (which turns any drink into a party.)
I found the secret to the perfect gin & tonic — this small batch tonic syrup made by Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.
Over cocktails, we chatted about being working mamas and how important it is to take a break from technology and spend uninterrupted, cell phone free time with our littles.
The green chile & lime caramel corn made by Butter & Scotch out of Brooklyn balanced out the sweets with a kick of spice.
And these Raspberry & Hibiscus Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies by Malvi were even more delish than they looked!
What girl wouldn’t love a party that’s all about appetizers and dessert?
With just a few clicks, everything I needed to host a Girls’ Night arrived to my doorstep (including our gorgeous Hatch ensembles.) I will definitely be gifting (and hosting) with Mouth’s collections all year. Sign up for a monthly subscription with Mouth, and a box of what you love (a variety of 30 different cookies so you could end each day with a new flavor all month or introduce your guy to new bourbons with the bourbon subscription where he would be sent a new bottle to try every month) will arrive to you or a lucky friend for 3-12 months. They’ve got some great ideas for everyone on my Holiday gift list too. Here are my picks for more gift ideas from their collection…
The Big Cheese — Perfect for entertaining this fall with everything you need for a cheese plate.
The Great Guest — Be everyone’s favorite house guest this Thanksgiving by showing up with treats for the host or hostess. Or take a look at all their wonderful gift suggestions (and stocking stuffers!) in the just-released Holiday Gift Preview.
Tricks ‘n Treats — Love this sophisticated way to say Happy Halloween. There are even more great ideas for Halloween gifting here.
Our readers will receive 15% off on Mouth orders through the end of the month using the code Styles15.
