One of my strongest memories of the Calgary Stampede growing up is the annual pancake breakfast that my parents used to put on. There was an electric atmosphere that overcame our house as the smell of pancakes and the sound of live music took over my senses.
I thought it was about time to resurrect the tradition, and 144 eggs, 20 pounds of bacon, 150 sausages, 120 hashbrowns, and countless pancakes later, it was deemed a success. There was live music, a portable cooking grill, an array of refreshments and of course, line dancing.
The key to the success of the event, and my enjoyment the day of, relied heavily on the prep work leading up to the occasion. The weather could not have been more beautiful, and with the feedback received I think it’s safe to say this might just have to be an annual event.
One of my most favorite things in life is hosting good friends and family in my home. This is especially so when it’s friends from out of town. I’ve discovered a few ‘tricks of the trade’ in regards to creating the perfect guest room ambiance.
To start, I like to fill the frames in the guest room of photos of myself with my visitors. Since the sun rises at a disrespectful hour in the summers in Calgary, I included an eye mask for lazy mornings. Lip chap is a necessity as most of my visitors go from grape to raisin the moment they land. A small jewelry box on the bedside table allows guests to store their jewels, and a water carafe allows for thirsty travelers to quench their thirst without having leaving their room. I plan on cooking a brunch one morning this week, so I whipped up a little menu to give my company some direction on what I have prepared for their visit. The best part of all this preparation is hearing friends say they feel like my home is their home.
Club Monaco Shirt and Skirt, Loeffler Randall Loafers, Chloe Handbag, Michael Kors Watch
I keep hearing about Palm Springs and how it’s the ‘hot spot to be at the moment’. I saw this skirt and top in all it’s palm tree glory and knew it belonged it my closet. I love mixing prints together, and it was especially easy with the matching color palette of these pieces. Since I can’t be there, why not bring a little Palm Springs to Calgary?
One of my favorite things about the summer is the abundance of fresh produce available. There’s nothing that beats going to the farmer’s market and picking out the freshest of ingredients. The strawberries looked particularly delicious, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them once I got them home. I used this recipe and they turned out like a dream. Light, fluffy and sweetly refreshing for these beautiful summer days we’re having.
Happy Canada Day to all you readers out there, I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable long weekend. I just love these long summer nights where the sun doesn’t set until almost 10:00pm, and the evenings are filled with endless possibilities.
My weekend was spent cheering on a friend in her qualifying race for the London Olympics, hosting friends at home, a little baking and a delicious dinner out. I was able to honor the holiday in all matters red, white and maple leaf.
