Winesday: Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon

I love red wine, so obviously I love finding new wines to try. Today I am reviewing the first red I ever drank: Educated Guess Cabernet Sauvignon. (Disclaimer: I'm not a professional wine connoisseur, just a lush fan!) This wine is reasonably priced ($16 at Kroger) and is easy to find at most wine / grocery stores (at least in the south). 

My older sister first introduced me to this wine. She originally bought it because of the label (she is in medical school and is what I fondly call a nerd). The label is attractive and definitely stands out, props to the graphic designer / marketing department.  The molecules are actual formulas that happen during the wine fermenting process, how cute is that? 

I have some nice glassware, but I love using this cute plastic wine tumbler from Swoozies! (SoSwoozies on Instagram) Not only do I love the gold glitter, but what I love most is that I don't have to worry about one of my roommates' dogs breaking my glass! This tumbler has a lid with a straw which is great for tailgates, but I don't use the lid when I'm at home. 

Back to my wine review: I would describe this wine as full-flavored with blackberry undertones. It has a good aftertaste and isn't bitter. This is one of my go-to wines for dinner parties. Like most reds, I would pair it with cheese or chocolate for an appetizer / snack. A nice steak or any red Italian sauce would also go great with this wine. 

I adore my bottle fur. It dresses up any bottle and adds a little bit of wild to girl's night in. 

I also adore my chandelier topper. Like the bottle fur, it was a gift. I believe she got it from the local Anthropologie / Urban Outfitters warehouse called Final Cut. 

I hope you've enjoyed my review! Next time you're in the grocery store and can't decide what wine to buy, you can make an Educated Guess and buy this Cabernet! 

May every hour be a happy hour!

Ciao for Now, 

Jaclyn 

Seasonal Seven: Christmas Edition

Tis the season to be jolly! I hope this list of my seven favorite ways to celebrate Christmas makes your season merry and bright! 

1. Make a new seasonal recipe and watch Christmas Movies or TV specials. 

I love themed activities. Even if it's just a date night or a night in by myself, I like to pick a theme and plan my night around it. Trying new recipes can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. I always try to pick simple recipes from Pinterest that have very few ingredients. And if you aren't great at cooking or baking, then keep some break'n'bake cookies and a bottle of wine in the pantry for back-up. After you make your new Christmas/ winter recipe, I suggest curling up on the couch and watching something Christmassy OnDemand. Most TV shows have Christmas Specials available. Two of my favorite shows are Modern Family and The Mindy Project. They have great Christmas Specials! Or just watch a free Lifetime movie. 

Here are some recipe suggestions which I found on Pinterest: 

Nutella Hot Chocolate: 

http://www.thehungryhousewife.com/2010/12/nutella-hot-chocolate.html

Oreo snow men pops: 

http://www.redstarrecipe.com/2013/10/oreo-snomen-pops.html

Homemade eggnog: 

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/12/homemade-eggnog.html

2. Pick out a LIVE Christmas tree. 

My FIRst time (see what I did there?) picking out a Fraser Fir was this year with my boyfriend's family. We took the truck to the community church and picked out a beauty. Nothing smells quite like Christmas as much as a freshly cut tree. It was fun watching the guys fit the tree in the door. And I had a blast decorating it with ornaments and lights. 

3. Attend or Throw a Secret Santa Party.

Every year, I attend my mom's Bunko Babe Christmas Party and Secret Santa. Her bunko friends all invite their daughters and we have a night filled with food, friends, and fellowship. The trick to Secret Santa parties is to spend a little bit more (like $5) than the price requirement, that way it encourages people to buy more quality gifts for future years. Occasionally, you will be stuck with something that you don't like but overall it should be a fun experience. 

4. Buy winter or Christmas themed PJs. 

I love PJs. Especially themed ones. These would be good to wear on the night that you make a Christmas recipe and watch Christmas shows. Here are my favorite pjs this season: 

J Crew Factory for $24.50 right now MAJOR STEAL! 

https://factory.jcrew.com/womens-clothing/loungewear/sleep/PRDOVR~52342/52342.jsp?color_name=rock-salt

5. Make a Christmas Playlist. 

Make a playlist for when you go Christmas Light viewing, Christmas shopping, or for when you're locked in your bedroom wrapping Christmas Presents like a mad woman/man on Christmas Eve! My current favorite Christmas playlist is A Merry-Making Playlist by Anthropologie on Rotation. 

My favorite playlists on Spotify are from Anthropologie on Rotation! I love the ambiance of Anthropologie stores and their playlists are a perfect way to experience the cheer outside of their store.  

The playlist can be found here: 

https://open.spotify.com/user/1234072509/playlist/7jHqlDELtCX85kbsMYqSo4

6. Visit another city and enjoy the Christmas spirit with a different local flair.

Even if it's just visiting family or driving to the next town over, visit a new city this holiday season. Towns rarely decorate their entire city unless it's for Christmas. Also, around this time of year, there is no lack of entertainment. Enjoy local events and traditions. Hotels also look amazing around Christmas time and it's a great photo opportunity with your best friends, family, or significant other. A lot of restaurants add seasonal items that are regional and so may not be available where you live. My boyfriend and I traveled to Charleston this past weekend for his cousin's Law School graduation and we enjoyed seeing the town dressed for Christmas. We also enjoyed in the seasonal brunch selections as well as winters oysters from cold water Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia! Yum! 

7. Attend a Christmas Eve Candle Light Service.

I saved the best for last! Go to church with your friends or family. Nothing says Christmas like celebrating the reason for the season. If you don't have a home church then google some local churches until you find a service time that fits your needs and style. I always like attending a service with a bunch of kids because I've found that they're more cheerful. And if you can't make it to a Christmas Eve service (I feel you retail workers) then buy some cheap candles, turn the lights off, read the Christmas story (Luke Chapter 2) and sing along to some Christmas carols.

Christmas Story: 

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202

Let me know what you are doing to get in the Christmas Spirit or if you tried any of my suggestions. 

Ciao for Now, 

Jaclyn 

Style Seven: Prints for Fall

Must have prints for fall: 

1. Plaid

I absolutely adore plaid. I put this print first in my list because it is almost exclusive to the fall and winter months. Whether it be on a scarf, a flannel, or a vest, you can't go wrong adding plaid to any cold weather outfit.

2. Herringbone

One of my favorite prints for fall is herringbone. I love herringbone blazers for men in the cold months. Also, who can forget the oh so classic and popular J. Crew herringbone vest? 

[ill can't find a picture of me wearing herringbone but will correct this soon 🙈)

3. Houndstooth 

Houndstooth is a lot like herringbone because it's traditionally in a white and black color way. Not only is houndstooth school spirited, looking at you Alabama, but it's a great neutral print. I love this print especially in a statement coat. Also it's great on a scarf or other statement piece. 

4. Leopard 

"As far as I'm concerned leopard is a neutral." Right now, leopard is my favorite animal print. Because leopard is an animal print it can walk the line between lady and lady of the night (the exotic dancing kind). Leopard can easily make you look cheap. But wear it the right way and you'll receive a lot of compliments. Your inner wild is calling. Will you answer it? 

5. Stripes 

Can you go wrong with stripes? I love it when blazer or bag linings have a classic stripe print. It's a classic print and I think I wear something striped everyday. Also, stripes are to me the easiest to mix with other prints because it's so basic and geometric. (I'll write an entire post about mixing prints soon). 

6. Polka Dots

Overall, polka dots are probably my favorite print of all time. If anything (especially dish wear) has a polka dot print then I want to buy it. Polka dot details are so feminine to me. Kate Spade has shown us the many different uses for polka dots, and I love her for it! 

7. Floral 

I almost didn't include this on my fall list because it's not very fall or winter friendly. But there are some floral prints that work great in fall. Steer away from overall bright colors and pick prints with more neutrals. Anything with browns or golds will easily match your fall clothes. Black and white floral is a great option as well. 

Ciao for now! 

J

TerraMae: Brunching with Jackie O

Jordan and I live four hours away from each other but we make an effort to spend as many weekends as possible together. One of our favorite rituals is to go to Sunday Brunch. We have traveled a lot this year and have brunched in quite a few different cities. I am going to start documenting our more memorable brunches in my blog. 

Below is my first installment:

TerraMae

Appalachian Bistro 

Downtown Chattanooga

TerraMae is located on the first floor of the StoneFort Inn. This boutique inn is over 100 years old and was built on the old stone fort which existed during the civil war. Chattanooga has a lot of antebellum history and Jordan has a fascination with most things military so this restaurant seemed right up our alley! 

TerraMae is located in downtown Chattanooga on East 10th Street. I think this may be our first time going to brunch downtown (we usually stick to NorthShore). The restaurant seemed fairly busy but we were able to be seated without a reservation. We were seated by right the kitchen so next time I will probably make a reservation.

The decorations and atmosphere were great! I would describe it as Southern Chic.

We started our meal with a mimosa for me and an americano coffee for Jordan. Jordan blindly ordered an americano and learned that he prefers lattes and cappuccinos.  That was his fault, not the restaurant's. My mimosa was very good. You may ask "how can you mess up a mimosa?' But we have been unpleasantly surprised with the quality of orange juice used in mimosas in most restaurants (usually tastes like Minute Maid). TerraMae doesn't cut any corners on mimosas and uses freshly squeezed orange juice. Oh, and they have bottomless mimosas for $10. 

I decided to order the Heavenly Hash which is coffee and spice rubbed beef tips, caramelized potatoes (sweet and regular) and sunny side-up eggs. Jordan decided to order the frog legs appetizer as his main. 

My meal was amazing. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the beef was extremely tender and flavorful. I would definitely order this again.

 Jordan's meal was good but too potent for hit palate. He wanted to try the frog legs out of curiosity, but lesson learned: Jordan hates frog legs. Jordan is an extremely picky eater but he likes trying new things... this usually results in him eating my meal or him not eating much at all. 

Since we essentially split my entree, we decided to get dessert. We ordered the bread pudding. It was amazing. The dish consisted of three bread pieces a dark chocolate garnish and a scoop of pumpkin spice ice cream. This dish was divine and we could have eaten two more servings if our stomachs would have allowed. 

So far, I would rate TerraMae as our favorite Chattanooga brunch spot.

<> <> <> <> four diamonds 

Ciao for Now,

Jaclyn