Fitness Fun with the Jimmy Fund

Calling all fitness enthusiasts! Enjoy a fun-filled day of your favorite workouts at the third annual Jimmy Fund Fit Fest presented by Reebok at Reebok Headquarters in the Seaport this Saturday, September 29, 2018 from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. You can register online in advance here. Day-of registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Participants of all fitness levels are invited to challenge themselves with high-energy workouts led by Reebok’s expert trainers including:

• CrossFit Instructor, Dylan Pettit 
• Dylan will teach an introduction to CrossFit movements and methodology. 
• Les Mills BodyAttack™ Instructor, Brooke Rosenbauer 
• Brooke’s BodyAttack class will be a high-energy fitness class combining running, lunging, and jumping with strength exercises. 
• Yoga Instructor, Sara Eckhardt 
• Sara’s class will be accessible to yogis and non-yogis alike, with an added touch of humor into her instruction. 

Attendees will also enjoy a post-sweat social hour hosted by Harpoon Brewery, featuring complimentary snacks and two adult beverages for participants over 21. All participants will receive a Fit Fest t-shirt, a 40% off Reebok merchandise coupon, and one prize depending on fundraising level. Prizes range from Reebok water bottles, yoga mats, and clothing, to footwear, bags, and more. The top fundraisers will receive custom Reebok athletic footwear and a VIP tour of the Reebok facilities, and other great prizes. Proceeds go directly to the Jimmy Fund which supports cancer research and patient care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

To register, start a team, or learn more, please visit jimmyfundfitfest.org. Participants must meet a fundraising minimum of $200 and the registration fee is $10. Be a part of the Jimmy Fund Fit Fest presented by Reebok and devour the details of a Saturday well spent! Sign up today!

Wedding Wednesdays: The "No Ring, No Bring" Plus-One Policy

If you’re making your wedding guest list while trying to stick to a reasonable budget, you’ve likely asked this question at least once: Should all of my guests get a plus-one, or only married and engaged guests? Enter the ever-controversial “no ring, no bring” plus-one policy—an unspoken “rule” that attempts to reassure couples they don’t need to invite guests’ significant others to the wedding unless they’re married or planning to get married.

You may be even more familiar with this topic since it resurfaced around Pippa Middleton’s wedding—she implemented a “no ring, no bring” rule for her wedding ceremony and only invited Prince Harry’s then-girlfriend Meghan Markle to the reception. (What? Yes, that happened!) It's something every bride and groom have to face when making their guest list. But you don't have to do it alone. Check out The Knot's advice on the "no ring, no bring" plus-one policy!

Listen, no one understands better than The Knot on how challenging it is to include all your loved ones and stay within budget—it’s really hard! But not letting someone attend your wedding with their partner of several years because no one’s “put a ring on it” isn’t the answer. Just because there’s no symbolic jewelry involved in their relationship, doesn’t mean their love isn’t legit—they deserve to enjoy your wedding with their significant other as much as any married or engaged couple.

If you’re trying to set parameters to trim your wedding head count (and show your bank account some love), there are other, more etiquette-friendly tricks you can try than the “no ring, no bring” thing (trust us, your guests will thank you). Instead of bringing down the hammer and only inviting one half of a serious couple, go another route and try to cut your guest list in other ways. Maybe you can opt for an adults-only wedding, nix inviting your coworkers or ask your parents if they’ll edit their portion of the list.

So, who absolutely needs a plus-one? Married and engaged couples are obviously package deals, so that one’s easy. Your wedding party members, whether or not they’re in a relationship, should be given the option to bring their partner or a date. But, and we totally get it, it does start to get murky when it’s time to determine which non-engaged guests should be considered a social unit. Basically, couples you know to be in a serious or long-term relationship (think: they live together, have been dating for a year or more, or you simply know they consider one another a significant other) should get invited as a pair (and none of that Tom Smith and Guest stuff—use both of their proper names on the invitation: Mr. Tom Smith and Mr. John Doe).

From there, it’s up to you (and the space you have left) whether or not you let single guests bring a date. If you have the budget and know it’ll make them more comfortable, go for it. If you’d rather keep your wedding as intimate as possible after inviting the necessary couples together, you’re welcome not to. Your 15-year-old cousin may be a ladies man, but if you don’t feel like having his prom date of the month in every family portrait, we think he can handle a night flying solo. Take The Knot's advice and devour the details of planning your guest list whether you decide to use the "no ring, no bring" plus-one policy or not!

Tasty Tuesday: Brown Butter & Sage Popcorn

Popcorn is, without a doubt, our all-time favorite snack food. You might even call it an obsession! Seriously...we've been known to stop by a movie theater just to buy a bag. What can we say? It’s one of our guilty pleasures! We even like popcorn with a little twist. Buffalo sauce, caramel, honey, you name it - everything pretty much pairs perfectly with this super snack! So when we saw this recipe on LaurenConrad.com, we knew we had to share (especially for all the popcorn lovers like us out there)! Enjoy!

Brown Butter & Sage Popcorn

Ingredients:
½ cup plain, corn kernels (or bagged popcorn for the quick version)
fresh sage, about 5-6 leaves depending on how strong you want the flavor
3 tablespoons butter
truffle salt (for taste)

Instructions:
On the stove top: 

1. Start popping your kernels on the stovetop with a pot with a clear lid. Then, in a separate saucepan, start cooking your butter and fresh sage. Cook until the butter is browned and the sage is nice and crispy.
2. Pour the butter-sage mixture on your popcorn, and we like to finish it off by sprinkling with truffle salt. So good.

In the microwave (the quick version):

1. Pop your bag of popcorn, then remove from the microwave. Place your butter and fresh sage leaves in a microwave-safe container and cook in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until butter is melted. Note: This won’t make your sage crispy like it will on a stove top, but it will infuse your butter with the sage flavors (which is delicious).
2. Pour mixture on popcorn and sprinkle with truffle salt.

Nothing beats this treat when you're staying in on a Friday night watching some Netflix! Get the ingredients today and devour the details of this perfect popcorn recipe!

Monday Mashups: An Unlikely NYFW Dynamic Duo

For Alice & Olivia’s Spring 2019 presentation, designer Stacey Bendet took attendees on a trip around the world—without leaving New York.

In partnership with Booking.com, her “Passport to Wonderland” presentation, which was held on September 11 at Pier 59 Studios, featured vignettes inspired by global locations, including Positano, Italy; Paris; Morocco; Tokyo; and the English countryside, all destinations with listings on the travel site. As for the collection, it included plenty of getaway-ready pieces with bold scarf prints, striped patterns, and floral motifs. The collection and presentation had us dreaming of our next vacation!

Outside, on the Hudson River, sat a yacht decked out in a kaleidoscope of colors, a signature aesthetic of Alice & Olivia, along with interior rooms decorated in the spirit of the locations. The yacht had been available to book through Booking.com for three days during Fashion Week—another tie in between the travel site and designer.

The relationship between fashion and travel has always been fairly organic, and now with social media it has become even more significant. Angela Cavis, senior PR and communications manager for Booking.com, explained that the site commissioned a study on how the two relate to each other. It revealed how style can impact travelers—from boosting mood and confidence to transforming personal style. Let's not forget comfort! You want to look your best while traveling and feel confident and comfortable in what you're wearing. Alice & Olivia and Booking.com portrayed that beautifully with this presentation!

Based in Amsterdam, the travel e-commerce company has worked with international fashion brands in the past, but this was the first time activating at New York Fashion Week. Cavis explained that the yacht, which was produced by Studio HS, “was listed exactly how we would list any of our other accommodations partners.” But the unusual lodging was pretty tame in comparison to the company’s other former listings, which included an overnight stay at the Empire State Building, a luxury townhouse with a Marcus Samuelsson-curated food truck, a spooky stay in the San Francisco Dungeon, and Nick Jonas’ tour bus.

What will these brands pull off next? Keep your eyes on Alice & Olivia and Booking.com and devour the details of fashion while traveling to your next getaway!

Oktoberfest is Back at Night Shift Brewing

Our favorite local brew crew is gearing up for the best fall holiday. That's right. they've got steins on their mind and are ready for some schnitzel! This Saturday from 11AM to 11PM, Night Shift Brewing will be holding their 4th Annual Oktoberfest. And we couldn't be more excited!

Night Shift will be be giving the parking lot a traditional German-style transformation including a beer garden, brass bands, food vendors, communal drinking tables and lawn games. For this all day celebration, they'll be featuring four German-inspired beers in addition to their ever-flowing Night Shift draft list:

• Steinbier - Marzen-Style Lager 
• Lounge Act - Smoked Lager 
• Storm & Drive - Schwarzbier 
• Pfaffenheck - German Pilsner 

The fun doesn't stop there! Night Shift will also have:

• A celebratory Oktoberfest toast to ring in the event 
• TubaFrau Hofbrau Band - a lively traditional German oompah band will be playing the hits from 1PM to 6PM
• NSB Oktoberfest Steins to enjoy on-site or buy and take home 

And of course, some awesome food trucks as well:

• Gastros401 will be serving up sausages & more starting at 11AM
• Daddy's Bonetown Burgers will be on site until 10PM
• Caldwell Confections will be serving the freshest, homemade soft pretzels & more all day
• Speakeasy Donuts will be here keeping with the theme (as they so wonderfully are known to do) creating wildly delicious treats for the entire celebration

Hang on to your Lederhosen, it's going to be one hell of a night! Grab your pals and devour the details of Oktoberfest 2018 at Night Shift Brewing. Cheers!

Wedding Wednesdays: Crafting Your Signature Cocktails

Signature cocktails are nothing new at weddings, but gone are the days of brides and grooms picking their favorite classic libations. Now, couples are opting for entire custom bar programs, which tells their love story through unique mixed drinks, molecular gastronomy, craft beers, mocktails and even new inventions, like SipMi.

SipMi is a live activation provided by cocktail company, The Grand Bevy. SipMi is an invention where guests at a wedding or other event can snap an image in a photo booth and have it printed, on flavorless edible paper with edible inks, on top of their cocktail. The result is an interactive and memorable moment for guests. And it’s representative of how couples are elevating the cocktail at their marriage celebrations.

Couples use cocktails as a vehicle to deliver a message about their relationship, incorporating, say, a margarita-inspired drink to denote their first date a local taco restaurant or an ingredient discovered by the couple on a memorable trip. For one Los Angeles couple, cocktail company, Pharmacie, suggested employing their mutual adoration of music and the groom’s career as a musician as inspiration for their cocktails. The bride, Melanie Ayer, recalled that many of their best memories were on the road as now-husband Kelcey Ayer toured. Since he proposed the day after a Radiohead concert in New York, the couple and Pharmacie fashioned a dark Bourbon cocktail with Dubonnet Rouge, Benedictine, and Angostura Bitters to evoke the experience. “It reminded us of the moody, romantic vibes of that entire weekend,” Ms. Ayer said of the drink, which they dubbed “Everything in Its Right Place” after the rock band’s song.

Everything in Its Right Place

Ingredients
1 ½ ounces Bourbon
1 ½ ounces Dubonnet Rouge
¾ ounce Benedictine
3 dashes Angostura Bitters, added just before your stir

Instructions
1. Combine all the ingredients, including the bitters, in a cocktail carafe over ice and stir for 30 to 40 seconds.

2. Strain into a Nick and Nora Glass and add a cherry garnish.

Alcohol has long fueled dance parties and wedding shenanigans, but the experience of sipping an elegant drink gives guests an opportunity to converse with one another and bond while enjoying the beverage, much like a cocktail party. It’s another form of entertainment. Consider your own tastes and devour the details of crafting your signature cocktail for the perfect wedded sip. Cheers!

Tasty Tuesday: Cauliflower Rice Vegetable Curry Bowl

It's time to be well! Whether you’re a full-fledged vegan or just want to include more veggie dishes in your diet, this wholesome bowl is both delicious and nutritionist-approved. Trust us, you'll want to whip this dish up everyday! Per Kelly LeVeque’s expert advice, if you opt for a vegetarian based meal, add protein and fat like hemp hearts coconut milk to keep you feeling full and your blood sugar leveled. Check out her amazing recipe and enjoy this meal for lunch or dinner this week!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp avocado oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp cayenne
1 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup squash (butternut, kabocha or delicata)
½ cup carrots
½ cup broccoli
¼ cup snap peas
1 cup kale
¼ cup cilantro
¼ cup green onion
2 Tbsp hemp hearts
2 cups cauliflower rice
2 Tbsp coconut milk
1 Tbsp coconut oil

Instructions:

1. In a medium Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-5 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to medium (or medium low if necessary) and cook until the onion is richly browned but not burned, 5 to 7 minutes more.
3. Add the garlic and ginger; stir continuously until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add the curry, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne; stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices.
5. Add the tomato paste and stir until well blended with the aromatics, about 1 minute.
6. Add the broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low or low and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add the squash, broccoli, carrots and snap peas, continuing to simmer over medium heat for 7-10 minutes. You want vegetables to be fork tender.
8. Cover, and continue to simmer until the vegetables are fork tender, checking every 5 minutes until done.
9. While vegetables tenderize, in a fry pan mix, coconut oil, coconut milk and cauliflower rice. Sauce for 5-7 minutes until done.
10. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes more.
11. Season to taste with salt. Serve with cauliflower rice and garnish with cilantro, green onion and hemp hearts.

What's better than being well? Try Kelly's Cauliflower Rice Vegetable Curry Bowl and devour the details of clean eats that will leave you feeling full any day or night of the week. Yum!

Monday Mashups: Fall Essential Oil Diffuser Blends for Your Home

One of our favorite things about the fall are the warm smells: cinnamon, pumpkin spice and pretty much everything nice. In the last few years, we’ve come to love essential oils for their therapeutic properties and also for making our home smell wonderful! We are not loyal to any one brand of oil, and believe that you should do your own research when it comes to buying ones that work for both your family and budget. So get to googling! Here are some of our favorite essential oil diffuser blends that are perfect for the upcoming fall weather. Enjoy!

Mulled Cider

It only takes 3 oils to diffuse a scent that makes you feel like you wrapping yourself in a warm cup of cider! This is a great diffuser blend for chilly days, and will make your whole home feel warm and toasty. All you need is orange, cinnamon and clove - three oils that are very versatile and can be used in lots of other blends and ways.

Apple Pie

Baked goods are one of the best things about autumn, especially warm apple pie! While this particular diffuser blend doesn’t actually have any essence of apple, it’s got all the spices that make you feel warm and cozy - just like a homemade apple pie.

Fall Spice

You could simmer oranges and cinnamon sticks easily on the stove, but you don’t really need to with this diffuser blend!

Cinnamon Bun

We don’t know about you, but we’ve never met a cinnamon bun we didn’t like! We especially love the smell of a warm one that’s baking in the oven. If you want your home to take on the smell of a bakery, then diffuse this blend, and do it fast.

Embrace the smells of fall and devour the details of these essential oil scents in your home all season long!

Tasting Nature: Foraging Walk & Cooking Demo at Drumlin Farm

Drumlin Farm is a 206 acres working farm and wildlife sanctuary in Lincoln, MA. Visit pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and cows in the farmyard; learn how crops are sustainably grown on site; walk the trails explore exploring field, forest, and wetland habitat; and observe resident owls, hawks, a fisher, and a fox in their native wildlife exhibits. This super sanctuary offers:

• Farm and nature programming for all ages, including onsite and offsite summer camps, nature-based preschool, local and offsite birding trips, and Know Your Food programs.
• School and group programming.
• Spring, Summer, & Fall Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, and a seasonal Farm Stand with a variety of Drumlin Farm products.
• Annual events such as Woolapalooza (March) and Tales of the Night (October).
• Easy hike to the top of our drumlin, one of the highest points in the greater Boston area.
• The Mass Audubon Shop, which carries products that help celebrate the wonders of nature. 

On this Saturday, September 15, Drumlin Farm will host a foraging walk and kitchen demonstration centering around seasonal edible plants. Attendees will have the opportunity to identify, harvest, and prepare edible plants found in everyday landscapes, like the farm, alongside Landscape Designer Natalie DeNormandie of Flora Verdura. You will also be able to learn ecological, medicinal, and nutritional benefits of specific wild plants (different characters for each season). After your foraging walk, you will have the opportunity to participate in a technique-driven cooking demonstration and tasting prepared by Chef Karina Hines of Botanical Kitchen.

Bring wildness to your table with best-practice foraging and preparation techniques! For more information on this tasting adventure, visit the Mass Audubon website. Join us this Saturday in devouring the details of delicious edible plant creations!

Wedding Wednesdays: Health Benefits for the Bride-to-Be

Believe it or not, there are some foods out there that work to keep you healthy and gorgeous—inside and out. Today, we're going to share a few with you! And trust us, they are just what a bride-to-be needs when preparing for her wedding day. With good-for-you nutrients and amazing beauty benefits, these five foods do double-duty to get you feeling great from your head to your toes!

Apple Cider Vinegar

Health Benefit: Enzymes in apple cider vinegar not only aid in digestion, they also encourage good gut flora.

Beauty Boost: Create an at-home topical solution by mixing one part apple cider vinegar with four parts water. You'll start to see skin that's "just right"—not too oily or dry.

Avocado

Health Benefit: Oleic acid, the healthy fat found in avocados, has been linked to better heart health and may help burn fat.

Beauty Boost: Avocado fatty acids can lock in moisture and replenish hair. To get the benefits, mix an avocado with a quarter cup olive oil and a bit of lemon juice. Apply the mixture from root to tip. Wait 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse.

Ground Oats

Health Benefit: Oats are dense in beta-glucan, a type of dietary fiber proven to lower blood cholesterol. A bowl of oatmeal for breakfast will also keep you feeling full throughout the morning.

Beauty Boost: Oats can make a gentle exfoliant, perfect for people with sensitive skin, itchiness or rosacea. For your face, mix ground oats with water until it becomes like a paste, then apply to your skin. Leave it on for a few minutes, then rinse. For your body, just pour oats into a warm bath and soak.

Cucumber

Health Benefit: Cucumbers are incredibly hydrating, both internally and externally. They're also packed with antioxidants, which may help lower your risk of chronic diseases.

Beauty Boost: Cucumbers have vitamins C and K, which combat inflammation and aging. But it's the gel in a cucumber's center that has the most moisturizing benefits, making it perfect for use on your face, hands or body.

Tea

Health Benefit: Green tea leaves contain theanine, an amino acid that's been shown to reduce stress and improve cognitive function, while black, white and green teas all have healthy antioxidants.

Beauty Boost: Black tea is a known astringent that will reduce under-eye puffiness. Just let the bags cool to room temperature after steeping and apply! If acne is your issue, the catechins in green tea are antibacterial and can help reduce breakouts.

Try these tricks today and devour the details of feeling and looking great on your wedding day—inside and out!

Tasty Tuesday: If You Were A Fruit...

You'd be a fine-apple! Especially with this sweet and savory salsa recipe! Perfect for Taco Tuesday...it'll be your new favorite go-to. Trust us, this fresh salsa served up in a carved out pineapple will have you running out of chips before you know it!

Pineapple and Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
1 pineapple, cut in half, hollowed out, and diced into bite sized chunks
2 avocados, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
juice of 1 lime
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 mango, diced
1 onion, diced
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Begin by cutting your pineapple in half lengthwise and hollowing out the centers. Dice the pineapple chunks that were removed.

2. Dice the mango, onion, tomato, avocados, and jalapeño into small bite-sized chunks. Chop your cilantro as well.

3. Combine equal amounts of each ingredient into a medium mixing bowl and gently toss. We recommend taste testing at this point to see if you want to add more of any specific ingredient. We ended up preferring a little extra avocado, tomato, and onion!

4. Squeeze juice from lime and sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste. Toss salsa lightly once more.

5. Scoop the salsa into the hollowed-out pineapple halves. Serve with tortilla chips, and enjoy!

You can bet that we’re adding this pineapple and mango salsa to all of our Taco Tuesday menus from now on (and you should too)! Try this recipe and devour the details of this sweet and savory side dish!

Monday Night Football: A Whale's Tale at City Tap

City Tap House has made one final, five-star recruit as the NFL season officially kicks off; the Fort Point beer paradise has added Cisco Brewers – Nantucket’s hottest microbrewery and the Seaport’s latest beer garden pop-up – to its roster. We'll cheers to that!

Paying homage to Cisco’s well-known classic, Whale’s Tale Pale Ale, City Tap has appropriately dubbed the Monday Night Football pregame festivities “TaleGates,” which will be complete with all the trappings of a true Gillette pregame party (sans parking lot) including tastings and bucket specials of Whale’s Tale (buckets available every day throughout football season – 5/$25), giveaways such as Patriots tickets and Cisco swag, serving up the best in tailgate fare, fire pits, music and of course, lawn games to get the competitive juices flowing before kickoff.

To celebrate the unwavering, perfect union between football and beer, City Tap’s TaleGate parties will be held on the following Monday nights throughout the season:

• September 17th - Seattle vs Chicago
• October 29th -  New England vs Buffalo
• November 19th - Kansas City vs Los Angeles
• December 3rd - Washington vs Philly 

Come pregame on the patio with Cisco and City Tap, and then score a seat indoors for kickoff in front of one of the bar’s mammoth 80” screens. Monday night's will never be the same! Join us at City Tap and devour the details of MNF all season long at!

The Boston Arts Festival

The Boston Arts Festival will take place this Saturday, September 8 and Sunday, September 9th, from 11am – 6:30 pm, at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. This annual event is designed to showcase the visual and performing arts in Boston. Affectionately dubbed (ähts), it began in 2003 by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the City of Boston’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events with the mission of promoting the Open Studios happening throughout the Fall in Boston’s neighborhoods.

Featuring more than 50 juried local visual artists, artisans, plus local musicians performing on the Waterfront Stage throughout the day. The event brings over 50,000 visitors to Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, on Boston Harbor, where they can meet the artists and craftspeople who are there to share a wide variety of art and high-end craft work, including painting, photography, ceramics, jewelry and sculpture, and much more. What's else is great about this 2-day event? It's free to the public!

For full event details, visit the Boston Arts Festival website. Show your support of Boston's fine artists and musicians this weekend and devour the details of the local ähts!

Wedding Wednesdays: Parents of the Groom Etiquette Questions Answered

For parents of the groom that aren't necessarily super close with the bride's family, this post is for you! When it comes to planning the big day, you may feel like you're unintentionally stepping on some toes or being left out. To avoid any awkwardness between you, the bride and her family, The Knot has developed an etiquette survival guide that helps keep the lines of communication honest and open throughout the planning process. Check out their advice!

Can the groom's parents host the engagement party?
Anyone can host the engagement party, but tradition dictates that the bride's parents have first dibs on the soirée. The groom's parents can then throw their own party, or both sets of parents can come together to host one jointly. The rehearsal dinner is the domain of the groom's parents.

Who makes the first move?
Traditionally, the groom's parents call on the bride's parents after their son announces the engagement. That means they either drop them a nice note or make a phone call to make plans to get together. Getting together can mean dinner or drinks at their home or out, a weekend trip to the town where they live—whatever. But it's also totally okay for the bride's parents to make the first move, or for the couple to get everyone together to get acquainted if they're not already.

What are the traditional mother of the groom responsibilities?
Typically, the bride is in charge of assigning tasks, and the degree of mom involvement should be left to her discretion. The mother of the groom can take over any of the wedding planning responsibilities once you get the go-ahead from the bride. And for a full rundown, see this detailed list of traditional mother of the groom duties.

Does the father of the groom have a specific to-do list?
The father of the groom can get in on many tasks—definitely include him in any of the things you plan on tackling yourself, or split your to-do list down the middle.

If the groom's family and friends live far away from the bride's, can the mother of the groom host a separate shower including only the groom's loved ones?
It's most traditional to have just one shower, hosted by the bride's attendants (or her family), with the mother of the groom and other groom family members included on the guest list. Even so, many brides have a several showers—one at work, one with friends, one back home at her mom's, to name a few examples. So it's okay (and pretty common) for a bride to be feted by the groom's family in addition to the original bridal shower. The groom's mom should just make sure to touch base with the bride's maid of honor (or whoever is hosting the other shower) to let her know that her decision to throw a separate shower is because of the distance. Also, to avoid stepping on any toes, the shower should be hosted after the fact, not before. Remember, the point of a shower is for all of the women close to the bride to come together for a few hours of gift giving, good food and bonding. If the two camps aren't able to mingle, everyone should try to keep the bride's interests at heart and go from there.

Is the mother of the groom invited to the bachelorette party?
When it comes to bachelor and bachelorette parties, a no-parents rule is usually a good call. In some circles, however, you'll find the bride's and groom's dads whooping it up at the bachelor party. So it's perfectly logical to assume the mother of the groom could be invited to the bachelorette bash. But think about it: If you were the bride, would you want your future mother-in-law to be along for the ride? Don't take not being invited personally—consider it good judgment. Maybe invite the bride out for your own night on the town for some old-school female bonding.

Does the groom's family only pay for the rehearsal dinner or should they plan it too? Who makes up the guest list?
Confer with the bride and groom to devise a game plan that you and the father of the groom, as hosts, will eventually carry out. For example, they'll provide you with a guest list (usually the wedding party, parents, grandparents and close out-of-town relatives), and you'll be the one to send out invitations. Get a sense of what they're looking for (musical entertainment, a pizza party, a backyard picnic, a four-course meal at the club) and then offer to make the necessary arrangements and reservations. Of course, negotiating who's invited and where to eat may be necessary if money is an issue. Try your best to compromise, while keeping the wishes of the bride and groom at heart.

Take The Knot's advice and devour the details of pulling off your role perfectly when it comes to your son and future daughter-in-law's big day!

Taking Pop-Up Shops to New Heights

During the North Face Mountain Festival, which took place from July 27 to 29 in the Italian Alps, the outdoor brand opened a uniquely situated pop-up shop. Its location: almost 7,000 feet up a mountain.

The Pinnacle Project space, which was reachable only on foot, was built to showcase the North Face’s Pinnacle Archives, a collection of products worn by big-name explorers like Alex Honnold, Conrad Anker, Simone Moro, and Caroline Ciavaldini. The eight collector’s items—bags and jackets worn by the athletes during “pinnacle” moments in their careers—were restored and labelled with a personal message to inspire the new owner.

The items were sold through an online auction on fund-raising platform CharityStars, which ended on August 6. The highest-grossing item was the Antarctica Summit Series L3 Down Jacket worn by rock climber Alex Honnold during his recent expedition in Antarctica. Part of the proceeds from the items will be donated to the Tridentine Alpinist Society, an organization that supports mountaineering in the Dolomites in Italy.

The sky-high pop-up was open to hikers over the course of 10 days. The two-hour hike to the shop was also slotted into the festival’s programming as a group activity for attendees. A version of the shop is slated to travel to Berlin and Manchester, England, next. But the tiny red tent in Italy will be staying put; it was built to transition into a bivouac—a temporary shelter for mountaineers.

Would you hike 7,000 feet up to shop? With views of the Italian Alps as the backdrop for some notable Instagram pics, we just might! Keep your eyes peeled for the red tent in Berlin and England on social media and devour the details of knowing who climbs the mountain next.