Wedding Wednesdays: The Knot's 5 Essential Tips for Making Your Guest List

Guest list planning can get gritty and it's definitely not as fun as cake tasting or venue shopping. But it is one of the big ticket items that needs your attention the most. Have no fear, The Knot is here to help! Kick those guest list anxieties to the curb with these 5 essential tips.

1. Decide how you'll divvy up the list—before accepting financial help.
We won't tiptoe around the truth: Making a guest list can get messy, especially if one or both sets of parents are involved in the planning or contributing financially. That's why you should be clear about your expectations before you accept help from them. Even if you're paying for the wedding yourselves, it's a good idea to get the families together and talk about the guest list so there are no surprises. Once you've started putting down deposits with someone else's money, you're in a bind, whereas before you start spending, you can still negotiate or choose to decline.

Tip: Traditionally the couple gets half the guest list, and each set of parents gets a quarter of the guest list. So if you're planning to invite 200 people, you'd get 100 guests, your parents would get 50 and your fiancé's parents would also get 50. The most drama-free approach is to split the list evenly three ways.

2. Use a system that's collaborative.
There are a lot of different ways you can build your guest list, but it's best to use a system that's collaborative so anyone with input can make edits in real time and see the most up-to-date version. With The Knot Wedding Guest List Manager, you can easily can export your guest list to help create a seating chart and track your RSVPs. It's also useful to have everyone's contact info all in one place, so later on you have a list for holiday cards, anniversary party invitations and other occasions.

Tip: Don't delete any names once you get going. When the time comes to start dividing the yeses from the maybes (and the nos) you can use several color-coded tabs, or make a separate document for names you're unsure about. You might discover that you do have extra space, but if you erase the names completely, you'll have no idea who you might want to invite.

3. Design your dream list.
When you start building your list, jot down the names of everyone you could ever imagine attending your wedding, from old camp friends to that funny third cousin you met once at a family reunion. Just for this part, take your budget and venue out of the equation. You'll have to do some trimming later on, but for now, think big.

Tip: If you're tempted to invite even more people on a whim later, go back to this list as a reality check. If they were never on your dream list, are they really crucial now?

4. Be realistic about the number of guests to avoid stress later on.
Crunching the numbers isn't the most glamorous part of wedding planning, but there is a figure you really can't avoid: your guest list count. Your budget and the venue size are the main factors that should play into this decision. Each guest adds to the number of plates your caterer will prepare, favors, chair rentals and how much cake you'll need. Choose a number that's larger than your venue's capacity and you'll be holding your breath every time you open an RSVP. It's much better to keep your number on the conservative side. If there's room in the budget or you end up having more space than you thought you would, add later on.

Tip: Make it easy on yourself and use The Knot Budget Calculator to play around with the numbers and see how much you can save or spend by subtracting or adding from your guest list.

5. Make some cutting rules (and actually follow them).
It's time to return to reality and start trimming that dream list until you reach your real number. The easiest way to cut the list is to come up with rules and actually stick to them. We promise it'll be easier in the long run and you'll avoid potential drama down the line. What do we mean by "rules"? Here are a few common ones:

Rule 1: If neither of you has spoken to or met them or heard their name before, don't invite them.
Rule 2: Not crazy about inviting children to your party? Don't feel bad about having an adults-only wedding.
Rule 3: If neither of you has spoken to them in three years and they're not related to you, don't invite them.
Rule 4: If there's anyone who's on the list because you feel guilty about leaving them off (maybe because you were invited to their wedding or they're friends with lots of people who are invited), don't invite them.

Tip: We've heard just about every guest list horror story, and through experience, we know the only way to make this process go smoothly is to be as fair as possible when you're making edits. It'll be difficult at first, but for each person you take off your in-laws' or parents' list, take one off your own as well.

Conquer your guest list fears and devour the details of a perfectly planned wedding with the help of The Knot!

Tasty Tuesday: Pumpkin Cake Pops

Just in time for Halloween, we're bringing you a treat that's not candy! Fun and festive, these pops will easily catch your eye before a Kit Kat does. Try out this recipe and enjoy a sweet of a different kind during your ghoulish Wednesday night activities.

Pumpkin Cake Pops

Ingredients
For cake
1 box Pillsbury Traditional Vanilla cake mix
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
15 oz pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

For pops
1/3 cup Pillsbury vanilla frosting
36 sucker sticks
1 bag cocoa candy melts (or chocolate chips)
3 bags orange candy melts
1 bag green candy melts

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Combine all cake ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes, occasionally scraping the sides.

Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

When cake has completely cooled, crumble into a large mixing bowl, and stir in frosting.

Form 1" balls, using your hands. Place on a large cookie sheet, or in a plastic container, and freeze for 30 minutes.

Before removing cake balls from freezer, prep the cocoa candy melts. Place about 1/4 cup of melts into a small bowl and microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Cook until just melted.

Dip sucker sticks into the chocolate, covering about 3/4" of one end. Then immediately stick at least halfway through a cake ball. Hold the ball in the air, with the stick below it, so the chocolate will start to drip down the stick. Use a second stick to help spread it down the stick just a little bit.

Repeat with remaining cake balls. By the time you are finished, it will be time to melt the orange candy melts. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring in between. It will take nearly all three bags to cover 36 cake pops.

Holding the cake pop by the stick, dunk each one into the melted orange candy. Use a spoon to carefully bring the chocolate all the way up to the top, careful not to cover the chocolate already on the stick.

Return the now orange cake pop to a piece of waxed paper. Repeat with remaining pops.

When the orange is completely set up, melt a half cup of green candy melts and place into a squeeze bottle. You can also use a piping bag and small frosting tip. Squeeze vines and/or leaves onto the top of each cake pop.

Voila, pumpkin spiced pumpkin cake pops! (We can't get over how cute these are!) A perfect pumpkin patch you can devour the details of. Enjoy!

Monday Mashups: Our Crystal Ball is Showing a Great Future for Snapchat's AR Feature

Just in time for Halloween, Jägermeister is conjuring up magic—via augmented reality. Called “Divine the Darke,” BizBash shares the experience from the German spirits (the alcoholic kind, not the otherworldly ones) brand delivers tarot-card readings using Snapchat. And it's just as thrilling as you'd expect!

How it works: Consumers locate and scan Snapcodes that are embedded in Jägermeister’s collateral material, such as custom coasters at bars and retail locations throughout the U.S. The code will unlock a custom Snapchat lens within the app, which will be available to users for one hour. Similar to what a lot of wineries are doing with their labels and the Living Wine Labels app, the branded AR filter brings up Jägermeister imagery, including its signature stag logo, along with tarot cards. Users can then tap on the card to reveal their cocktail fate, a.k.a., drinks that incorporate the digestif liqueur.

But why tarot? “As consumers look toward new means to help them navigate a future that seems more uncertain than ever, modern mysticism has reached new heights,” explains Heather Kozera, vice president of integrated marketing at Mast-Jägermeister U.S. We really dig this explanation!

“From crystals to fortune tellers, brands are taking advantage of consumers’ growing appetite for new age spiritualism,“ she continued. “There’s no better time for Jägermeister to unveil a custom augmented-reality tarot card experience that taps into a cultural space, connecting the brand with their millennial target. The Divine the Darke augmented experience offers consumers a glimpse into what their futures might hold in an irreverent and non-traditional way.”

This new AR experience, which was created in partnership with the brand’s digital agency of record Firstborn, utilizes Snapchat’s Lens Studio, which debuted in December 2017 and allows creators to design their own lens or filters for the social-media app. Recently, new advanced AR features that were previously only available to Snapchat’s internal designers were added to Lens Studio. (Snapchat’s C.E.O., Evan Spiegel, recently stated that AR will be a focus of the app’s strategy in 2019.)

“For this campaign, we are looking to engage millennial consumers,” Kozera said. “We feel that Snapchat’s platform will bring a better experience to our target by seamlessly integrating Jägermeister into a night of fun.”

So head to your nearest liquor store and prepare to devour the details of  your true fate just in time for Halloween with the help of Jägermeister. Cheers!

We Came, We Sweat, We Conquered

Sweat Concierge's very own SweatCon Rally is coming back to Boston on October 27th and it is going to be bigger and better than ever!

This weekend, instead of people sweating at the studios around Boston, Sweat Concierge is bringing it all under one roof. Come sweat with some of Beantown's best studios as they take over the Reebok Corporate Headquarters fitness facility for the day.

Participants will get three 30-minute classes back to back to back. Plus attendees can stay and hang out all day to take advantage of all the sweat event perks including braid bar, food, coffee, juice, alcohol and more.

Participating studios include: B/SPOKE Studios, BKBX, CorePower Yoga, CrossFit ONE Nation - Boston, Needham & Waltham, Exhale Spa, Pure Barre, MYSTRYDE, Orangetheory Fitness, TITLE Boxing Club, YogaWorks.

It's a sweat-filled weekend we can't wait to be a part of! Get your tickets today and devour the details of all the Boston-area workout warriors have to offer. See you there!

Wedding Wednesdays: Don't Puff, Puff, Pass Up on Having a Cigar Bar at Your Reception

Looking for a unique reception activity your guests will love? A cigar bar is the perfect fun and sophisticated amenity they'll definitely enjoy. Seriously, you won't want to puff, puff, pass up those celebratory cigar photo opps! Here's some need-to-know info from The Knot to help you pull it off and impress your guests.

If the Cigar Fits
In terms of picking the right cigar, remember not to over-commit. The Knot suggests that you keep the length below six inches and the ring gauge between 46 and 52. This keeps the smoking time short, which is important so your guests remember to come back inside and enjoy the party.

Location Is Key
You may want to place your cigar bar in a somewhat secluded or private space, so guests who don't want to participate can abstain without feeling uncomfortable or smell the smoke. Find a discreet spot positioned away from patio doors or kid-friendly areas.

Perfect Pair
And now for the fun part—drink pairings! We all know from classic flicks that nothing is more suitable for a cigar than a well-aged glass of scotch, but The Knot offers a few other options. Enjoy a dark spirit, or dark-spirit-based cocktail, like a Manhattan, with bolder, richer cigars. Conversely, sip on lighter, more brightly flavored cocktails, like wine and beer, to complement mellower cigars. You can also hire a tobacconist to guide your guests through their cigar and drink experience—how cool is that?

Bang for Your Buck
Premium cigars cost anywhere from $5 to $25 and up. And if you're looking for a cigar bar that's a little more cost-effective, The Knot recommends a DIY option, which includes buying the cigars, then printing out your own tasting cards that describe each one's distinctive qualities.

Consider including some celebratory cigars and devour the details of impressing your guests with this fun reception activity!

Tasty Tuesday: Two Crock Pot Recipes to Try This Week

The cold weather is coming on strong! Time to put those grills away (officially) and bust out the crock pot. Nothing beats arriving home after a long day at work, opening the door and instantly having your nose fill up with the smell of a delicious meal! Seriously, we can't wait to try these recipes...and we hope you're just as excited too!

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients

1 lb extra-lean ground beef

1 c onion diced

14-1/2 oz can Red Gold diced tomatoes with Roasted Garlic and Onions

2 c green peppers and/or red peppers chopped

15 oz can Red Gold tomato sauce

3 c beef broth

1/2 t dried basil

1/2 t dried oregano

1 c cooked rice

Instructions

Brown your beef with your onion in a skillet over medium heat.

Drain your beef and onions and place in your 6-quart slow cooker.

Add your Red Gold tomatoes (juice and all) and the rest of your ingredients.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

We love stuffed peppers and we absolutely LOVE soup...so this seems like the perfect combination for us! Can't wait to get a taste of this recipe!

Cuban Mojo Pork

Ingredients

1 bone-in pork shoulder (about 4 pounds) pork butt works as well)

11/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3/4 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

1/2 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 1 lime

1/2 cup olive oil

8 cloves garlic, chopped finely

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (lightly packed)

Instructions

Using a paring knife, make a few slits all over the surface of the pork.

To the slow cooker, add the rest of the ingredients. Mix to combine. 

Place the pork in the slow cooker and cook on high for 5 - 6 hours or on low for 8 - 10 hours.

The pork should be tender and almost falling of the bone!. Carefully remove it from the slow cooker and place it onto an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. 

Remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. You will be able to shred the meat with a couple of forks, yes, it will be that tender!

Serve with the remaining juices from the slow cooker.

When you need a break from all of those chicken dishes, this pork recipe will surely do the trick! Yum!

Test out these two recipes and devour the details of some marvelous meals for dinner this week! Enjoy!

Monday Mashups: A Dreamy Pop-Up Turns into a Complete Nightmare Just in Time for Halloween

So we've previously told you about the Dream Machine--a New York pop-up museum inspired by sleep. Well, this immersive experience has been completely transformed for the month of October. And it's here to haunt you! That's right. The once Dream Machine is now a Nightmare Machine. Are you ready for a freight?

Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the spooktastic exhibition, which runs until October 31, is an urban take on haunted houses, with shareable moments and vignettes that draw inspiration from pop culture, as well as New York life. The nine rooms are designed around creepy, spooky, and downright gross themes, including aliens and U.F.O.s, cockroaches, disturbing clowns, a grizzly autopsy, plus a “millennial graveyard” with tombstones dedicated to of-the-moment references such as the L train (which will soon be shut down).

On September 9, Founder Paige Solomon and her team closed the doors to Dream Machine, which ran from April to September, and transformed the space into the macabre museum over the course of two weeks.

And while much sweeter “Instagram museums” like Museum of Ice Cream and Candytopia might attract crowds like flies to honey, Solomon explained that the Nightmare Machine offers “a darker twist on all the pop-ups that are in New York and all over the country right now,” adding that on a sold-out day about 800 people visit the space.

Tickets to the Nightmare Machine cost $38. The Nightmare Machine is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 5 to 10:30 p.m. There isn’t an age restriction, but the organizers recommend that guests be 13 years of age and older due to the nature of the experience. Plus, no masks or weapons are allowed. The space is also available to rent for private parties.

If you're in the area and in need of a good scare, head to the Nightmare Machine for a frightful time and devour the details of Halloween among this haunted happening!

It's Just a Brunch of Hocus Pocus

Join us at City Tap House the weekend prior to Halloween as all the hocus pocus, horror, and zombies invade the Fort Point hau(n)t spot for three days of Hallow's eve fun! Typically, Halloween is a time for mini fairy princesses and superheroes to try and look their cutest in the hopes of scoring an extra piece of candy. But for us adults it's more about the gore, booze and costumes that would have corpses rolling in their graves. That's where City Tap House comes in! All weekend long, the beer haven is bringing ghoulish fun for your inner witch, warlock or wizard in addition to a series of All Hallow’s Eve-inspired cocktails: Bloody Mimosa (champagne & blood orange juice - $5); Jäger Bombs (orange Red Bull - $8); Back from the Dead (Godiva white chocolate, Stoli Vanil, raspberry liqueur & milk ($10); and, a sharable potion for-two.

Hocus Pocus ‘90s Brunch – Saturday, 10/27, from 11am-3pm
City Tap will be cooking up some magic that could have the Sanderson Sisters green with envy: booze-laced, formerly kid-friendly cereals. From the caldron, there is limited-edition Cap’n Crunch that will turn your boring white milk green, and Count Chocula with monster marshmallows and Godiva white chocolate-Stoli Vanil milk, among other hangover specials from the kitchen. Be prepared to be bewitched when the “Bubble, Bubble! I'm in Trouble!” sharable cocktail is in front of you, or opt for a Monster Ale from Brooklyn Brewery while lining your pockets with swag and capturing the moment at their Polaroid camera station. Don your best Winifred wig (or any ‘90s obnoxiousness will do) and enjoy treats from the City Tap candy supply.

(City Tap) House of Horror – Saturday, 10/27, beginning at 9pm
By nightfall, the Fort Point hotspot will transform into the “(City Tap) House of Horror,” the alternative to another basic night at the club. With DJ Sprino dizzily spinning so revelers can show off their best Thriller moves, there are big stakes for those who take their costume game to the next level. At 11:30pm, the two winners will be announced: the group donning the “best in show” will take home $1,000 cash, and the best soloist will leave with $500. Bonus: Get before 10pm and be entered into the door prize draw to win a brunch for-four back at the scene of the crime.

Zombie Brunch – Sunday, 10/28, from 12-4pm
Admit it: On more than one occasion, you’ve fallen asleep fully clothed after a long (and devious) night. The plus is City Tap encourages you to do the “walk of shame” to their house on Sunday morning, looking all zombie-ish in your costume from last night, for the ultimate hangover brunch. While you’re ordering up fried delights that would put greasy spoons to shame, experience flashbacks from the weekend as DJ Sprino plays “that” song where you took over the dance floor.

Cisco TaleGate, Halloween Edition – Monday, 10/29, from 6-8pm
The Patriots are in Buffalo but City Tap will be repping the home team at their next “Cisco TaleGate” viewing party. With the firepits roaring and bean bags flying in cornhole, throw it back to childhood while bobbing for apples or entering into the mummy-wrap contest. In addition to buckets of Whale’s Tale cans and giveaways, CTH also will feature a Cisco Pumpkin Drumkin draft ($6.50).

Don't miss this spooky good time! Grab your guys and ghouls and head straight to City Tap to devour the details of Halloween!

Wedding Wednesdays: Mini Hot Dogs on the Menu

We're taking a break from fall and getting our spring fever on! This post is for all of our baseball lovers with April, May and June weddings in 2019. As a nod to the start of the season, consider plating up some pigs in a blanket for your cocktail reception! Have we lost it? Not quite! But seriously...you know you can always count on pigs in a blanket to satisfy: salty little franks swaddled in flaky puff pastry, dipped in tangy mustard, if you so desire. And if these bites start circulating during your wedding cocktail hour, you're already nailing the appetizer game (well done, you!).

But if you're worried these mini bundles of joy are too casual to offer at your wedding, or that the idea's a little been there, done that, don't write it off quite yet. Check out these mini dog makeovers that will surely satisfy at your reception!

Bacon-Wrapped Mini Hot Dog

Bite-Size Crispy Corn Dog

Slaw Stuffed Mini Dogs

Give us the ball game experience right at your wedding and devour the details of the perfect pig in a blanket at your reception!

Warm Pumpkin Protein Pudding for the Win

Yes, it's the month where we are inundated with all things pumpkin but we assure you--you won't want to pass up on this perfectly pumpkin recipe! A little more nutritious than most pumpkin treats, this satisfying dish will fill you right up (in a good way). Did we mention it's super easy to make? Trust us, you'll be eating this for breakfast all fall long. Check out the recipe below!

Warm Pumpkin Chia Seed Pudding (grain free “oatmeal”)

Ingredients:
2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
1 serving vanilla protein powder (Primal Kitchen vanilla collagen protein is Kelly’s pick)
3 Tbsp pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp ground flax
3 Tbsp hemp hearts
1 Tbsp pumpkin spice seasoning

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Whisk together until ingredients thicken to oatmeal-like consistency. Enjoy!

Nutritious and delicious! This breakfast bowl is much better than caving in and having a pumpkin doughnut (or two). Get the ingredients today and devour the details of this perfect fall recipe!

We're Smashing Pumpkins Over This City Tap House & Smuttynose Collaboration

The season of “pumpkin everything” is upon us...so City Tap House is doing what they do best: welcoming it with open arms (and with hungry stomachs).

Since some tend to go a bit overboard with the pumpkin craze, City Tap House has decided to raise the stakes even further because, well, more is more! On October 20, the Fort Point beer paradise will host their annual Pumpkin Smash event featuring live music by The Royal Furs from 12pm-4pm and a massive gourd filled with Smuttynose Brewing Company’s seasonal pumpkin brew. (Insider tip: Head to the bar at City Tap House on Friday night to watch it get carved out in preparation for Saturday’s shindig).

If this photo op isn’t Instagram-worthy enough for you, try adding a “Pumpkin Smash” keepsake glass to the mix brimming with suds from the gourd-licious keg ($10). More than 10 pumpkin drafts will be available for the day - as supplies last - and making its return will be The Drunken Pumpkin, made with house-infused pumpkin vodka, becherovka, ginger liquor, black walnut bitters topped with cinnamon sugar ($13). Sounds like a gourd time to us!

And...there’s even more! For those who can’t get enough of pumpkin-frosted, pumpkin-laced and pumpkin-filled treats, City Tap House will dish out specials from the pumpkin patch including a stack of Pumpkin Pancakes with cinnamon whipped cream and candy corn ($13) and a Pumpkin Cookie Smash dessert made with sugar cookie dough that is baked, served in a cast iron pan and topped with perfectly creamy pumpkin gelato ($11). Our minds are officially blown.

To hold you and your excitement over in the meantime, keep an eye out around the Seaport District for mini Smuttynose labeled pumpkins. If you find one, take a photo and tag @SmumpkinSmash (make sure to follow @citytapboston and @smuttynose) to be entered to win a $100 City Tap Gift Card, as well as a huge Smuttynose swag bag. Get to City Tap House on October 20 and devour the details of a smashing good time at this pumpkin palooza. Cheers!

Wedding Wednesdays: 5 Ways to Keep Your Love Alive While Wedding Planning

Wedding planning can be stressful (and if you're reading this, we're sure you already know that). And with stress can come tension, and with tension can come little arguments. Avoid unnecessary conflicts with your partner by making time for one another outside of planning. That's right, you can still have a life even when you have a wedding to make happen! Here are 5 ways to keep your love alive throughout the planning process.

1. Dance the night away.
Check one worry off your to-do list, and turn a night out for dinner and dancing into a weekly standing date to prepare for your first twirl together as husband and wife.

2. Walk down memory lane.
If money is tight thanks to a wedding budget that magnetizes any extra cash, skip going out for a night of reminiscing over old love letters and pictures from when you first started dating. Reliving those times is a good reminder of what the day to come is really all about.

3. Sweat it out.
It's no secret that exercise is a great stress reliever. Instead of working out alone, buddy up with your mate and take a spinning class together or get active exploring the great outdoors while hiking, biking and kayaking in tandem.

4. Get away.
Who says you have to wait until you're married to plan a vacation that's all about the two of you? Just as expecting parents take babymoons before the little ones arrive, treat yourself to a long weekend minimoon before your wedding day. If your honeymoon is set in a beach destination, for example, use your minimoon for scuba-diving lessons, allowing you more adventure time together.

5. Live your vows.
Even if you haven't officially said your vows to one another yet, practice living them every day leading up to "I do." When you're feeling run down, remember what the words really mean, and commit yourself to the promises you intend to make.

Devour the details of reconnecting with the help of these romantic rendezvous and kick wedding planning stress to the curb once and for all!

Tasty Tuesday: It's Officially Soup Season

Fall is here and that can only mean one thing -- it's officially soup season! Though we like to eat soup year round, it's definitely more acceptable in the fall and winter months. Whether you whip something up in the crock pot or on the stove top, you can't go wrong with this belly warming meal. Check out this delicious recipe from LaurenConrad.com for Creamy Spicy Tomato soup and plan your next dinner with a grilled cheese on the side. Yum!

Creamy Spicy Tomato Soup

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
4 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
2 quarts broth

Instructions:
1. In a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed chili flake and paprika. Make sure it doesn’t burn.
2. Add tomatoes, basil, sugar, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid evaporates.
3. Add broth. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cream and butter. Purée.

Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:
4 slices cheddar cheese
2 slices sourdough bread
butter

Instructions:
1. Place two pieces of cheese on one slice of bread and add the other two slices of cheese, and press the other slice of bread onto it. With a knife, butter the bread.
2. Heat a skillet over a medium flame, and press the sandwich on, buttered side down.
3. Press until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has started to melt. Butter the other side of the sandwich (which is facing up) and flip.
4. Cook until golden brown and the cheese is gooey (this should all take about 3-4 minutes). Slice and enjoy!

This dish will surely hit the spot on those chilly fall and winter nights! Get the ingredients today and devour the details of soup season with the help of Lauren Conrad's Creamy Spicy Tomato recipe.

Monday Mashups: Kimmel Comedy Club, Heading Back Home

A year ago, executives from Caesars Entertainment approached Jimmy Kimmel with an idea. They were looking to open a comedy club across the street from their Las Vegas hotel, and they wondered whether he, a native of the city, would be interested in partnering. Fast forward 365 days, and their grand idea has come to life.

Kimmel, who already had his hands full with his ABC late-night show, two small children and a collection of other projects, didn’t hesitate. He loved the idea of having a presence of some kind in his hometown — and he loved the idea of it being with Caesars, where his vast and tight-knit family has a long history. His late Uncle Frank, once a staple of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, had been a security guard at the hotel; his bandleader, Cleto, began his music career at its bar, Cleopatra’s Barge; and Cleto’s dad, also in the JKL band, was a room-service waiter at the hotel in a former life.

So, Kimmel signed on, and in the spring of 2019, Caesars Entertainment will open Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club. The 8,000-square-foot space will be housed on the nearby LINQ Promenade, near the High Roller observation wheel and the popular Brooklyn Bowl. The famously meticulous host will help curate the list of talent coming through, seven nights a week, along with the food and drink options on offer. Already he’s been busy surveying his comic friends about the ideal conditions for a club, and he intends to employ many of his learnings in the coming months.

Additional details regarding Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club will be announced later this year. In the meantime, you can catch Kimmel late-night on ABC. Keep your eyes peeled for the Strip's newest venue this spring and devour the details of a hilariously good time next time you visit Vegas!

Pickles & Pints (Our Two Favorite Things)

Cheers to a weekend-long event that celebrates our two favorite things - pickles and pints! Yes, you read that right. This Columbus Day Weekend, you can visit Tower Hill Botanic Garden to get a taste of all things pickled and brewed. Check it out!

Saturday, October 6

All Day

• Crafts: Families are welcome to express their creativity with a festive fall craft!
• Exploration Station: Families can keep an eye out for our pop-up Exploration Stations. Children will use microscopes to see wacky gourds up close.
• Vendors (Pickles, jams, maple syrup, apples, vinegar, and more): Prepare to taste and buy delicious preserved products from many local vendors. There will be treats for even the pickiest taste buds.
• Face Painting and henna: Celebrate autumn with a face full of color and glitter.
• Veggie Races: Ready, set, go! Which vegetable is the most aerodynamic? We have souped up vegetable with wheels and a race track to answer this question. Get ready to guess which veggie on wheels will win it all.
• Wine Tasting with First Crush Vineyard: Red or white? Whatever your preference you will enjoy the samples offered by First Crush Vineyard from Harwich, MA.
• Sauerkraut making drop-in activity: Learn some tips and tricks while seeing the process of transforming cabbage into sauerkraut!
• Apple Tasting: You don’t have to know much about apples to enjoy their sweet taste! We will be offering samples of a variety of local apples.
• Pickle making drop-in activity: Learn how to make your own pickles during this demonstration of the pickling process.

10:30am – 12pm, Family Hike
10:30am – 12:30pm, Plush Pickle Drop-in Workshop, Do you LOVE pickles so much that you wish you could snuggle with one? Come create your very own fabric pickle! Give it eyes, a name and a story! All ages and abilities welcome.
12pm, Award Ceremony for Growing Contest with Roger Swain: Join us as we announce the awards to the winners of our Let’s Get Growing Contest. You will see some of the largest, wackiest, and strangest products of the garden that can be grown.
12 – 1pm, Live Music by Seth Connelly
1 – 3pm, Learn and Grow
1:30 – 3:30pm, The Joy of Making Homemade Wines
2 – 3pm, Guided Tour
2 – 3pm, Live Music by Seth Connelly

Sunday, October 7

All Day

• Crafts: Families are welcome to express their creativity with a festive fall craft!
• Exploration Station: Families can keep an eye out for our pop-up Exploration Stations. Children will use microscopes to see wacky gourds up close.
• Vendors (Pickles, jams, maple syrup, apples, vinegar, and more): Prepare to taste and buy delicious preserved products from many local vendors. There will be treats for even the pickiest taste buds.
• Face Painting: Celebrate autumn with a face full of color and glitter.
• Veggie Races: Ready, set, go! Which vegetable is the most aerodynamic? We have souped up vegetable with wheels and a race track to answer this question. Get ready to guess which veggie on wheels will win it all.
• Sauerkraut making drop-in activity: Learn some tips and tricks while seeing the process of transforming cabbage into sauerkraut!
• Apple Tasting: You don’t have to know much about apples to enjoy their sweet taste! We will be offering samples of a variety of local apples.
• Pickle making drop-in activity: Learn how to make your own pickles during this demonstration of the pickling process.

10:30am – 12pm, Family Canning
10:30am – 12:30pm, Plush Pickle Drop-in Workshop, Do you LOVE pickles so much that you wish you could snuggle with one? Come create your very own fabric pickle! Give it eyes, a name and a story! All ages and abilities welcome.
11:30am – 12:30pm, Chef Demo with Gary Ankin
12 – 1pm, Live Music by The Rafters
1 – 3pm, Learn and Grow
2pm, Chef Demo: Ciderhouse Cookbook
2pm, Guided Tour
2pm, The Art and Science of Growing Giant Pumpkins
2 – 3pm, Live Music by The Dales

Monday, October 8

All Day

• Crafts: Families are welcome to express their creativity with a festive fall craft
• Exploration Station: Families can keep an eye out for our pop-up Exploration Stations. Children will use microscopes to see wacky gourds up close.
• Vendors (Pickles, jams, maple syrup, apples, vinegar, and more): Prepare to taste and buy delicious preserved products from many local vendors. There will be treats for even the pickiest taste buds.
• Face Painting: Celebrate autumn with a face full of color and glitter.
• Veggie Races: Ready, set, go! Which vegetable is the most aerodynamic? We have souped up vegetable with wheels and a race track to answer this question. Get ready to guess which veggie on wheels will win it all.
• Sauerkraut making drop-in activity: Learn some tips and tricks while seeing the process of transforming cabbage into sauerkraut!
• Apple Tasting: You don’t have to know much about apples to enjoy their sweet taste! We will be offering samples of a variety of local apples.
• Pickle making drop-in activity: Learn how to make your own pickles during this demonstration of the pickling process.

12 – 1pm, Live Music by CrossTracks
1 – 3pm, Learn and Grow
2pm, Chef Demo: Jason Bond
2pm, Guided Tour
2 – 3pm, Live Music by CrossTracks

Put a lid on autumn with this delicious weekend focusing on the world of canned, jarred, jammed, pickled, preserved, fermented, and brewed produce and devour the details of pickles and pints all weekend long at Tower Hill Botanic Garden!

Wedding Wednesdays: Six Things No One Tells You About Your Honeymoon

Your wedding was sheer perfection! Now it's time to get away and relax. Forget about the stress of planning - it's toes in the sand and drinks in hand from this point on. But The Knot is here to share that there may be rose petals on your bed but not everything always comes up roses on your blissful trip. What do we mean? Well, here are six things no one tells you about your honeymooning experience!

You'll forget to plan it.
Let's say you're planning a normal vacation. You'd probably takes months reading up on the destination, researching flights and hotels, and creating your itinerary. But this no ordinary time in your life—this is your "wedding planning life," and you are busy. But set aside some time to orchestrate your honeymoon, because once you finally pick your head up from planning, you'll be so glad there's a relaxing trip on the other side.

It will be incredibly special.
Even if you swear all those clichés of couples cuddling at the airport or holding hands while checking into their hotel is so not you two, don't be surprised if all of a sudden you find yourselves acting just like those other happy couples. You're celebrating a very big, very happy event—not to mention, you no longer have the stress of planning on your shoulders. Enjoy it!

You might not feel relaxed until a day or two in.
If you expect that it will only take an hour or two of sun and a strong cocktail for you to feel rejuvenated and focused on each other, you may be surprised. You'll have so much adrenaline pushing you through the wedding that you may be exhausted or just feel kind of out of it for the first day or so. Prepare to go with the flow, be kind to yourselves and maybe push that adventurous scuba excursion or hiking to the top of the volcano until later in the week.

It won't always feel like a romantic fantasy.
After you've packed the fancy lingerie you got at your bachelorette party and pre-ordered the expensive champagne for your hotel room, you imagine romance will be in the air all day every day. But sometimes, too much sun, surf or sightseeing can really take its toll, and you can bet that at least one night you'll just want to do something sort of lame, like watching a TV show in a foreign language (and trying to decipher the plot line) while eating some room service.

Mishaps might happen.
On a related note, be prepared for unexpected—and unwelcome—events. Your hotel room might not be as lovely as it looked in the photos, you might miss a connecting flight or you might even get sick, but if you roll with the punches when things go wrong, you'll be able to enjoy all the amazing things that go right. And keep in mind that most hotels have doctors on call to help and medicine in the gift shop, but pack a few Imodium and Advil in your suitcase just in case (it'll be way cheaper than buying it there).

You won't want to come home.
Whether you've already been on tons of vacations as a couple or this is your first big one together, coming back from your honeymoon is a quick trip back to reality (sorry!) and everything you've been neglecting while you were planning your wedding, like a stack of work, your taxes or cleaning the bathroom. Planning your next trip can ease the pain a little, as can scheduling a fun date night for the weekend after you're back.

Do what you can to enjoy this momentous trip but remember to take it easy and let the unexpected roll right off your back. Stay calm and devour the details of one amazing honeymoon experience!

Tuesday Tips: 10 Things You Never Knew About Drinking Tea

We're not huge coffee drinkers. (Shocking we know!) Instead, we prefer to have a cup of tea! Green tea, English tea, herbal tea, spiced tea and everything in between. We love them all! There are so many types of tea and benefits of drinking it that you don't even realize. Today, we're sharing ten things from LaurenConrad.com that you didn't know about this steeped drink!

1. Green tea, black tea, oolong, and white tea all come from the same plant, the way different varietals of wine all come from grapes.

2. Herbal teas (or “tisanes”) such as chamomile, rooibos, and mint, are not technically teas since they do not come from a tea plant.

3. An 8 oz. cup of white tea has approximately 30-55 mg of caffeine, a cup of green tea has 35-70 mg of caffeine, a cup of oolong tea has 50-75 mg of caffeine, and a cup of black tea has 60-90 mg of caffeine. An 8 oz. cup of coffee has 100 mg of caffeine.

4. You should only brew green tea for 1 to 3 minutes. If you let it steep for too long it will start to taste bitter.

5. Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world (other than water).

6. 80% of the tea consumed in the United States is iced tea.

7. People have been drinking tea since 2737 B.C., but tea bags were only invented in 1907 by an American tea merchant who tied up tea samples in silk sachets. Tea bags only became widespread during WWII when tea was rationed.

8. You can (and should!) reuse tea leaves (but not tisanes). Most loose leaf teas are meant to be brewed 3 or 4 times. While the caffeine and flavor won’t be as strong with multiple infusions, you might find it tastes even better that way.

9. Matcha literally means “powdered tea.” So when you order a matcha green tea, you are drinking actual leaves as opposed to just steeping them in water.

10. Drinking tea is good for you! Tea is high in antioxidants, and may reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke, aid in weight loss, protect your bones, and boost the immune system.

Now that you know much more about this steeping hot product than you did 20 minutes ago, brew up a cup and devour the details of a tea-filled day!

Monday Mashups: Human Nature at Kimpton Hotel

Event planners have long understood the power of human connections and shared experiences—and now hotels are getting on board, too. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has launched what it's calling a “social experiment” to create meaningful interactions and authentic connections between guests.

Dubbed “Room 301,” the program is taking place mainly at the Kimpton Everly Hotel in Los Angeles, with additional activations at select hotels around the country. Guests who choose to book the experience will encounter a variety of interactive, thought-provoking in-room activities for the length of their stay.

So, what can guests expect in Room 301? First of all, the room has a special design, with a photo-friendly mural and neon signage. There’s also a Spotify-driven playlist, where guests can add their favorite songs; a Polaroid camera, where guests are encouraged to take selfies and write down their moods at various times of the day; and a “community confessions” wall, where guests can grab a marker and write down their secrets—anonymously—on a wall of the suite. There’s also an activity where guests write down their biggest vice and bring it to the bartender at the hotel’s Ever Bar. The bartender will then create a cocktail that reflects that vice.

Another aspect of the suite aims to study human nature: Guests will be given a certificate for 10,000 IGH Rewards Club points, which can be redeemed for hotel stays, experiences, merchandise, or other perks. They can then choose to keep the gift for themselves or give it to someone else.

The experiment is an extension of the brand’s ongoing “Stay Human” campaign, which focuses on the need for authenticity in a technology-driven world. It opened on September 6 and runs through November 30. Guests who choose to stay in the room get 15 percent off the normal rate with a complimentary upgrade to a Hollywood Hills King Room and a view of the Hollywood sign. Also, $10 per night is donated to a nonprofit; guests can choose between either the Trevor Project or No Kid Hungry.

Beyond Los Angeles, the project will have smaller extensions at hotels in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Portland, Nashville, and Chicago. Activities in those hotels include postcard-writing stations, where guests can send hand-written notes home to loved ones, as well as guest-curated playlists and a greenery-filled suite designed for relaxation. At the end of the three-month run, Kimpton will assess and share results of the experiment.

What an interesting concept! We can't wait to see the results. Devour the details of sharing your human side and spend the night at Kimpton Hotel!