Hull Harbor Illumination Festival

Hull, MA, about 50 minutes south of Boston, is a peninsula town in Plymouth County. Lifesaving has been an important part of Hull history. The Massachusetts Humane Society placed one of its first Huts of Refuge on Nantasket Beach in Hull after the American Revolution. When the Society expanded its boat houses for lifeboats, it placed several in Hull at Stoney Beach, on Nantasket Beach, and near Cohasset. Both Humane Society volunteers and U.S. Life-Savers, are estimated to have saved over 1000 people from shipwrecks since forming in Hull. The exact number is not known because Massachusetts Humane Society records were lost in the Great Boston Fire of 1872. Today, the Hull Lifesaving Museum is located in the 1889 Pt. Allerton Life Saving Station, with the Museum's Maritime Program housed in the old Coast Guard boathouse at Pemberton Point and continues to recognize its heroes with such events as the Hull Harbor Illumination Festival.

A little knowledge for you! In order to honor these incredible rescue efforts, each year the city of Hull puts on this  colorful parade of lit-up boats and an illumination of 1,000 flares on the shoreline of Hull Bay. It is an emotional and moving ceremony for those with historical ties to the area. This annual event begins at 2:00 pm this Saturday, July 30 with a memorial service at Hull Cemetery commemorating the heroism of the MA Humane Society volunteers, U.S. Lifesaving Servicemen, and Coast Guard. The tempo picks up at 3:00 pm with the Illumination Festival offering live music, kids activities, food and craft vendors at L-Street Field. At dusk attendees gather at the shoreline of Hull Bay for the Parade of Boats followed by the awe-inspiring Illumination.

There are many ways to get involved in this event. You can actually enter your boat into the parade for starters! Entries will decorate and illuminate their power or sail vessels (boat must be a minimum of 24 feet or a maximum of 60 feet) for a chance to win the title of "Best Illuminated Vessel". String up those twinkle lights and get creative! Keep in mind, the display needs to be bright enough to see from the shoreline, so the brighter the better. You can also remember a loved one or special moment in your life by sponsoring a flare to be lit or setup a "Forever Flare" to be lit this year and every year in their memory. Also, each year more than 150 volunteers help set-up, light flares, clean-up, greet visitors, pass out programs, booth sit for weary artisans, staff booths, and more. Your help would be much appreciated! The Festival is a great way to get together with friends, be part of a treasured community event and make new friends. Definitely something fun to be involved with!

Be a part of this spectacular Hull tradition of collective celebration and personal remembrance! Even if you can't make it this Saturday, take the time to visit the Hull Lifesaving Museum to learn more and celebrate the courageous efforts the MA Humane Society volunteers, U.S. Lifesaving Servicemen, and Coast Guard. Devour the details and get involved with this special event, you'll be happy you did!

Wedding Wednesdays: Eight Classy Board Games as Wedding Gifts

There a three types of wedding gift-giver categories you can fall into as a guest. The categories are as follows: 1. you give a card with cash, 2. you give something right off the registry or 3. you are that gift-giver that goes down the creative route with something the bride and groom would never have expected. In our opinion, you always should be creative but we know that life happens and sometimes a card with cash is as creative as you can get. But we're here to help! Check out this one gift theme that will be totally unique amongst the endless amount of tissue paper. The bride and groom will be feeling like kids again appreciate your thoughtfulness and creativity with this one!

Eight Classy Board Games as Wedding Gifts

1. A gloriously retro version of Clue that could never get old!

Get it from Restoration Hardware for $289.

2. A personalized Connect Four that'll melt their hearts!

Get it from Uncommon Goods for $75.

3. A marble tic-tac-toe set to remind them of all their hugs and kisses!

Get it from Crate & Barrel for $34.95.

4. A pearly edition of Scrabble to resemble the bride's white wedding gown!

Get it from Jet.com for $94.99.

5. A wood and faux leather Monopoly set that will never go out of style!

Get it from Brookstone for $199.99.

6. A black and gold edition of Apples to Apples that sort of reminds us of Batman...and who doesn't love Batman?

Get it from Toys R Us for $11.98.

7. A box set of four decks of gold foil-stamped playing cards that will have the bride and groom feeling like they hit the big time!

Get it from Theory 11 for $59.95.

8. A richly appointed version of Trivial Pursuit that’ll make them wealthy with knowledge!

Get it from Amazon for $159.99.

These eight elegant board games make perfect wedding gifts for a competitive bride and groom looking for something to do. Devour the details of these classics and give the newlyweds something they surely won't forget!

Relax, Refresh, Rethink Summer with these New England Retreats

Of course summer is the time of year where you're always on the go. The weather makes it easiest to get around, especially in New England, and you just seem to have more energy. The sun is also out longer, tricking us into thinking we have more time in the day to get things done. All of these extras summer brings along can take a toll on us and cause exhaustion. Consider taking the time to rejuvenate during these hot months instead of just burning yourself out. Check out these three retreats that will have you relaxed and refreshed in time for fall!

Canyon Ranch
Lenox, Massachusetts

Canyon Ranch is the world’s recognized leader in healthy living and luxury spa vacations, with destination spa resorts and SpaClub® day facilities on land and at sea. They have been in the forefront of expanding the concept of a health resort by introducing a comprehensive professional approach, with a staff that includes registered dieticians, board-certified physicians, exercise physiologists, licensed therapists and other highly skilled, caring staff in order to provide guests with every possible resource. Canyon Ranch has embraced an integrative approach to wellness in which professionals in various disciplines help you achieve your goals, create greater balance in your life and feel your very best. Packages range in price and they also offer additional online specials throughout the year.

Winvian Farm
Morris, Connecticut

At Winvian Farm, an estate home to 18 unique bungalows, you’ll find much-needed peace and quiet paired with the opulence of a resort focused on relaxation. Offering activities from yoga to kayaking, you'll find that everything meets your relaxation needs at this unique retreat. Visit the 5,000-square-foot spa where you can enjoy treatments like hydrotherapy and aromatherapy without forgetting your setting and take a dip in the 40-foot swimming pool that sits discreetly in a green meadow, not far from their luscious gardens or get a taste of their seed to table philosophy at their five-star restaurant; it'll change your view of "fresh" forever. Winvian Farm offers an array of packages and rates pending the night of the week you choose to visit.

Stowe Mountain Ranch Yoga Retreat Center
Stowe, Vermont

This Stowe Vermont sanctuary challenges each individual to be fully present, to engage in both yoga practice indoors and outdoors along the beautiful Vermont countryside. At this rustic ranch, complete with a quaint overnight retreat center, instructors lead sessions of all kinds, from vinyasa and hot yoga, to yoga and writing, and even yoga with horses. This unique retreat is a private vacation rental property that is used by leading yoga/wellness teachers for their retreats so you are only able to attend through external yoga/wellness programs that are listed on their website. Spa details, like a cedar sauna and an outdoor hot tub, and outdoor adventures, like nearby hikes throughout the Green Mountains, make Stowe a destination for anyone seeking to reconnect with Vermont mountain views.

When fall hits, you'll be totally rejuvenated and refreshed after a trip to any of these gorgeous spots. Don't let the long summer days get in your way, devour the details of a relaxing getaway at one of these fantastic New England retreats!

Monday Mashups: Top 5 Movies to Watch by Moonlight

We're not just referring to watching movies at night time--we're talking about taking things outdoors and watching a few films right under the stars! With a projector and a backyard, you can have your own personal theater that is ready to roll as soon as the sun goes down. Grab your buds, some popcorn and blankets, and enjoy these classics in the dark of night. Here are our top 5 movies to watch by moonlight!

5. Back to the Future

A young man is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown, and must make sure his high-school-age parents unite in order to save his own existence.

"Wait a minute. Wait a minute, Doc. Ah... Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?"

4. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

A high school wise guy is determined to have a day off from school, despite what the principal thinks of that.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

3. Dirty Dancing

Spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, Frances "Baby" Houseman falls in love with the camp's dance instructor, Johnny Castle.

"Nobody puts Baby in a corner."

2. Tuck Everlasting

A young woman meets and falls in love with a young man who is part of a family of immortals.

"Tuck said it to Winnie the summer she turned 15: Do not fear death, but rather the unlived life. You don't have to live forever. You just have to live. And she did."

1. The Goonies

In order to save their home from foreclosure, a group of misfits set out to find a pirate's ancient treasure.

"Goonies never say die!"

Devour the details of your own personal backyard theater with these top 5 movies to watch by moonlight--you'll never want this summer of outdoor classics to end!

Six Beach Perfect Wines for Summer

For all you winosaurs out there that enjoy a nice relaxing beach day with a glass of red, white or rosé...this post is for you! Through thorough research (and many tastings) by Cala Restaurant's wine director, Lauren Feldman, it has been determined that coastal wines tend to pair best with the ocean breeze and sandy cheeks. Naturally, northern Spain and Basque country wines and wines from the French, Italian and Spanish rivieras, basically the whole Mediterranean coastline and island wines, like from Corsica and the Canary Islands fit the bill. Produced in areas with the sunshine and sea breeze, meant to enjoy on the sand with a beach read, these are the top six wines to enjoy this summer!

1.Valdespino Fino Inocente (nonvintage)

This wine has a refreshing acidity and saltiness. It's said to taste like ocean water, like briny oyster wine. And if you like oysters like us, you totally won't mind!

2. 2015 Ameztoi Rubentis Txakolina

This wine is straightforward with a little bit of berry but mostly watermelon and a refreshing summer fruit quality to it. It's the perfect wine to drink under the sun because the alcohol content isn't too high. Plus who doesn't like these flavors at the beach?

3. 2014 Ferdinand Albariño

This wine is super crisp and refreshing! Totally hits the spot when it gets a little hot at the beach. A lighter but still complex wine we wouldn't mind sharing!

4.  2014 Los Bermejos Listán Rosado

This is a pretty ripe rosé, and there’s peachiness to it. It's right up our alley! Can't wait to sip on this bubbly beach drink!

5. 2015 Altura Chiaretto di Sangiovese

This wine starts off tart yet bright with grand cranberry flavors, fresh and floral nodes and then kind of opens up into more of a deeper berry, cherries, strawberries! All really fresh, kind of youthful flavors with an underlying, island herbaceousness perfect for any beachy destination. You can't go wrong with this wine!

6. 2014 Ampeleia Unlitro

This is sort of a surprising, light, juicy number from Tuscany. Pairs well with meats if you're grilling at the beach. Unlitro is one you can drink all day and night, so make sure you bring enough for everyone!

Don't just take our word for it (or Lauren Feldman's), try these wines today and devour the details of these beach perfect reds, whites and rosés! Cheers!

Wedding Wednesdays: Custom Snapchat Geofilters

You've definitely been seeing these lately on a variety of snapstories. Heck, my college roommate even produced one for me for my Grandpa's 90th birthday. That's right, we're talking about geofilters! Snapchat is the trendiest form of social media right now. From average folk to celebrities, sharing that up-to-ten second picture or video is the new way to let the world know what you're up to. Geofilters take that to the next level because they add your location, whether at an event or just the town your in, to your snap for all of your fellow snapchatters to see. Amazing how in ten seconds you can share so much.

Snapchat is where it's at and it's without a doubt that third party entrepreneurs are starting to cash in on this evolving platform. The newest startup to join the geofilter trend, getting a lot of attention these days, is a company called Makeshake. Makeshake is an online marketplace that offers consumers the chance to buy custom-made Snapchat geofilters from digitally minded artists. Think Etsy but more digital. The website, which has been slowly rolling out, is onboarding 54 designers to kick-start its venture.

Here's how it works: The designers upload their Snapchat geofilter templates. Then, consumers can request alterations such as changes to names, dates, positions, fonts, shapes and colors. According to Makeshake, the designer is supposed to complete the requests within 48 hours, and then the customer receives a digital download file to submit to Snapchat for review. Designers set their own prices and get paid 55 percent of each sale. The average filter price so far is $22 but the company have even seen some sell for $75-150.

Why is this important to our readers? Because amidst all of the events you may need a geofilter for, we believe your wedding day is the most important of them all! Now that just about everyone has a wedding hashtag (to see pictures from their big day on Instagram), it’s only logical that the next step in social media personalization are custom geofilters for Snapchat. It is within our nature, as a generation that has grown up in a new world of technology, to want to digitally overlay our real-life celebrations with these kind of mobile filters. It just makes sense.

This detail is one you can get extremely creative with. Utilizing the work of Makeshake's 54 designers will have your guests thrilled when it comes time to snap the night away. Don't even think about leaving this feature out of your wedding day, devour the details and create the most epic geofilter today!

The Savage Wiener, Your New Favorite Pop-Up

We had to talk about this place because come on, with a name like that, you've got to wonder what this new go-to Newton pop-up is all about! The Savage Wiener was born out of the love for good food with the main focus being hot dogs (now you're starting to understand). However, with a surplus of great places in the Boston-area to grab a frankfurter, the competition to be the top dog is kind of like finding a bone in a haystack; rather difficult. But that won't stop owner and longtime Newton Centre resident, Jim Lowenstern! Lowenstern believes that their unique blend of spices coupled with carefully selected toppings gives their hot dogs a unique twist on the classic hot dog experience, making them a standout amongst the competition, and we agree!

The Savage Wiener's gourmet hot dogs are a nod to old-world craftsmanship, while embracing today’s state-of-the-art smokehouses. Each bite is a one-of-a-kind experience for your taste-buds. Since this is jus a pop-up concept, for now, The Savage Wiener is located within Sandwich Works in Newton Centre, 827 Beacon Street. If you choose to dine-in, you can get you wiener served up four ways: straight up, with spicy mustard, with spicy mustard, secret relish and onions or with all the savage toppings. And if you can't get enough of these delicious dogs, they allow you to order as many as you need to feed your cravings at home as well!

Lowenstern isn't just stopping at hot dogs. At the opposite end of the food spectrum, in the pastry category, he offers a "savage muffin top"; a name that fits right in to his off-colored branding theme. The Savage Wiener officially opened for business with a launch party last Thursday night, July 14, and more details about hours of operation going forward will be coming to their website soon. And as for expansion, keep a eye out for Lowenstern who has said the idea of a standalone concept for The Savage Wiener is one that he sees in the near future.

Who let the dogs out? The Savage Wiener did. Devour the details of a hot dog experience like no other and be sure to thank Jim Lowenstern as you're doing so!

Monday Mashups: Six Ways to Savor Watermelon This Summer

One of the most refreshing fruits of its season, watermelon is definitely something to savor in the summer months. People don't realize that there is so much you can do with this tasty treat. From bubbly drinks to baked goods, watermelon is where it's at! Check out these six ways to savor our favorite fruit all summer long; you'll be glad you did!

Watermelon Prosecco Mint Cocktail

This pretty pink concoction highlights the watermelon's flavors and is paired perfectly with fresh mint. Get the recipe here!

Watermelon Jam

Incorporate some watermelon into your breakfast or brunch for that extra something sweet. This is one recipe that will make you feel like you're treating yourself all summer!

Watermelon Bruschetta with Whipped Feta, Basil, and Balsamic Drizzle

All of our favorite things in one bite, we could eat these all day long. Perfect appetizer or late night snack, try this recipe out! You won't be able to put these down!

Watermelon Salsa

You'll need a sturdy tortilla chip that can stand up to all this watermelon-goodness. This salsa hits the spot! Fresh and light, so you'll still have room for dessert. Get a taste for this recipe!

Grilled Watermelon with Jalapeños, Feta and Honey

You'll definitely get a kick from the jalapeños but don't worry, the perfectly grilled watermelon will take care of the spice. We love the addition of honey for that sweet and spicy flavor combination. This will be one of the favorite summer recipes in no time!

Watermelon Cake

Nothing stacks up to this wicked cute watermelon dessert! Perfectly displayed in a mason jar, get all the flavors of watermelon packed into three adorable cakes. The best recipe for anyone with a sweet tooth!

Get creative and devour the details of these various watermelon recipes and join us as we savor our favorite refreshing fruit all summer long! Cheers to you, watermelon!

Boston Public Market Beer Garden

Join Boston Public Market in celebrating being open 7-days a week with their pop-up beer garden this Monday and Tuesday, July 18 and 19. The beer garden, which will be open from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., will feature local drafts from one of the market’s vendors, Hopsters Alley. Customers will be able to choose between four of the brewery’s beers: the Newtonian, Guerilla Saison, Comet Citra, and Leaf Blower. The beer garden will also feature music and games, and beer will cost just $5!

The Boston Public Market is an indoor, year round marketplace for locally sourced groceries and specialty agricultural products, where residents and visitors can find fresh, seasonal food from Massachusetts and New England. The Market houses 39 local farmers, fishers, and food entrepreneurs selling items such as farm fresh produce; meat and poultry; eggs; milk and cheese; fish and shellfish; bread and baked goods; beverages; flowers; and an assortment of specialty and prepared foods. Everything sold at the Market is produced or originates in New England making this a true home grown feel!

Located at 100 Hanover Street in Boston, BPM spans the length of the entire ground floor which also contains the Boston RMV branch, entrances to the Haymarket MBTA station, vent stacks for the Interstate-93 tunnel, and a parking garage. The building and the Market’s location had been vacant for over 12 years before the idea of the market was born. This location is part of Boston’s emerging Market District, along with the Haymarket open-air fruit and vegetable market and the historic Blackstone Block. After the Boston Public Market Association raised $13 million for the design, permitting, and construction of the Market, oversaw an on-time construction process, and brought together many of the region’s top food producers, the Market opened on July 30, 2015. They'll be celebrating their year anniversary at the end of this month!

Back in the day, my great uncle use to sell produce at Haymarket's open-air fruit and vegetable market so I'm very fond of BPM's mission and what they're trying to accomplish in the city that I love. So if you're in the area Monday or Tuesday, stop by and have a drink or two while you shop for fresh ingredients for dinner or lunches for work the week. You can't go wrong with the top notch vendors that call BPM home. Devour the details of all this fresh produce and celebrate the extended hours of Boston Public Market at their pop-up beer garden next week! See you there!

Wedding Wednesdays: Are Sand Sculptures the New Ice Sculptures?

Phasing their way out of weddings, ice sculptures are becoming a thing of the past. Not to mention, they never really worked for outdoor beach weddings anyways. Lucky for us, there's a new trend on the horizon that will still be a focal point at any reception and won't melt all over the display table; sand sculptures! Beautifully carved and a true standout, this creative and unique piece will make all your guests forget about that big chunk of frozen water. Check out these amazing sand sculptures for your summer wedding!

Stick with the beachy theme!

Share a representation of your love (you are the moon to my sun)!

A castle to make you feel like King and Queen on your wedding day!

Have it as a way to welcome your guests!

Build it as a way to display your place-cards!

We hope you get inspired to devour the details of this beautiful sand castle trend at your summer wedding!

Party Favor Favorite

Thanks to our favorite Laguna Beach and The Hills star, Lauren Conrad, we were able to find the perfect party favor for the summer that will soon be your favorite as well! Brightly colored with fringe and a gift inside; that's right, we're talking about mini-piñatas! Check out how LC pulls these paper favors together to make the perfect take home after your next get-together. Your guests will surely love these!

Here’s what you will need:

• mini cardboard or paper-mâché gift boxes
• tissue paper in several colors
• Elmer’s glue
• scissors

Instructions:

• Cut long, one-inch wide strips out of your tissue paper.
• To begin, measure a strip of tissue that will fit along the bottom edge of your box.
• Cut fringe into the pre-measured strip.
• Glue your first strip onto the bottom edge of the box. (Note: You only need a very little bit of glue.)
• Continuing to work from the bottom up, repeat steps 2-4 in alternating colors, layering as you go. Start with the rim of the box, and then move on to the top of the lid.
• Fill your boxes with party favors, and get ready to put a smile on your guests’ faces!

For this fiesta, Essie nail polish and mini Jouer lip glosses were the surprises that filled these adorable boxes but you can go more traditional with candy or add a little more excitement with nips of alcohol. There's no right or wrong way to fill these piñatas!

Plus they make for the perfect pop of color on any dining table. For more ideas sign up for the Lauren Conrad Newsletter and devour the details of your next get-together!

Monday Mashups: Five Creative Ways to Celebrate National Ice Cream Month

It's the most wonderful time of the year! No, not Christmas--National Ice Cream Month! When the weather is hot, you need this sweet treat to cool off. Don't just enjoy it on a cone or in a cup, check out these five creative ways to celebrate National Ice Cream Month! Seriously, you'll have to try these out!

Celebrate with..

A Not Your Fathers Root Beer Float

This is one for the adults and it will have you feeling like a kid again! Get the recipe from Tipsy Bartender here and enjoy these ice creamy concoctions all summer long!

A Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream

At Churn2 in Cambridge, MA, you can get your favorite flavors frozen right in front of your eyes! Operating out of a storage container, Churn2 is full of surprises--and nothing beats their ice cream!

An Ice Cream Pizza

When the best of both worlds collide! At Emack and Bolio's, you have to try the Ice Cream Pizza. Dubbed the "Connoisseurs of Ice Cream", this frozen treat is sure to hit the spot with each bite!

A Battle of Bunker Hill Tribute

For just $17.76 (appropriate price tag for the Revolutionary War time period), enjoy 17 scoops of ice cream and as many toppings (like homemade fudge, butterscotch, macaroon crunch, and cherry-caramel sauce) as you can fit in this baking dish. We can guarantee you'll have a sugar rush followed by a food coma after leaving Putnam Pantry in Danvers, MA!

A Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwich

It's true, they've thought of everything these days! Get a doughnut ice cream sandwich at Boston's very own Blackbird Doughnuts. You can pick your favorite doughnut flavor and have it stuffed with either chocolate, vanilla or twist ice cream. Honestly, what could be better?

We wish you a very happy National Ice Cream Month and hope you will join us in devouring the details of this celebration all month long!