V-day is around the corner and whether you’re single or attached, we think it’s the perfect time to celebrate your love for the ones who are always there for you – your ladies! Planning get-togethers can sometimes feel intimidating and time-consuming but they don’t have to! Today I’m sharing some tips to make hosting your own Galentine’s Day party as easy as 1,2,3!

The Décor

First things, first, let’s talk décor! One of my personal favorites about Valentine’s Day (besides the sweets!) is the décor and it’s the perfect place to start when you’re planning your party. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Create a focal point
Living in a studio in NYC, my space is pretty limited so I have to pick one corner of my apartment to decorate, but the same concept applies for no matter where you live. Pick one table, a bar or a bar cart to highlight your party décor.  You don’t have to decorate your whole place to be festive. Pick one spot and do it right!

Tablecloths are a party’s best friend
Tablecloths are one of the easiest and inexpensive ways to transform a space from every day to party-ready. Plus they make cleanup a breeze.

Shop for props
The dollar bins at Target and Michaels can go a long way for your Galentine’s Day party! In fact, almost everything I purchased for my party was from both stores. I love the dollar bins because they always have the cutest holiday décor and you know it won’t break the bank. Here are some of my favorite options to pick up:

• Banners – One of my favorite ways to decorate for a party is by adding a banner. Often you can find these in the dollar bins either that are already festive or plain, allowing you to decorate them just the way you want.
• Napkins & paper plates – Skip the dishes and grab some cute options in the dollar bins for your party.
• Stationary – Cute stationary is always one of my go-tos for goody bags. Another way I like to use them is by laying them out on your table for decoration or using them as place setting cards.
• Paper straws – This classic item adds an extra dose of cuteness to whatever you are drinking.
• Confetti – Add a little confetti to a table and it already looks like a party!

The Sips
Because a party isn’t quite a Galentine’s Day party without something to drink!

It’s all about the hot chocolate bar
Take a break from mimosas and bellinis for this party and host your very own hot chocolate bar. Perfect for the winter season, a hot chocolate bar is a fun way to celebrate and very easy to put together. I suggest mixing up some hot chocolate in a crockpot so that you can make a large amount and keep it warm throughout your party. The great thing about creating a toppings bar too is everyone can customize their own drink just how they’d like.

Here are some ideas to create your toppings bar:

• Marshmallows
• Flavored syrups
• Candy hearts
• Chocolate chips
• Sprinkles
• Whipped cream

Want to add a little booze to your hot chocolate bar too? Add in some of your favorite liquor and even try out arecipe or two.

The Bites
Valentine’s Day is all about the treats so this Galentine’s Day party will have no shortage of sweets! Here are some easy ideas to put together.

Create a donut decorating bar
You don’t have to overcomplicate things either! If you don’t have time to bake your own donuts, buy a box of plain ones at the store and focus on the best part – the frosting! For this party I whipped up some classic whipped cream frosting with a touch of food coloring. Pick your favorite frosting recipe or even just pick up a can at the store. The fun is in the decorating with a variety of sprinkles!

Sugar cookie or cupcake decorating bar
If donuts aren’t your thing, you can try the same concept with sugar cookies or cupcakes. Whatever fits your fancy, it will all be tasty!

Add some sprinkles to your popcorn
Another fun snack idea is Valentine’s Popcorn. Add some white chocolate, a little salt, and sprinkles and you’ll have a delicious treat in only a few minutes! Add it into some cute paper bags, and your quick snack will look all sorts of festive.

Now that you have some inspiration, it’s time to plan your very own Galentine’s Day party! Have fun ladies and happy Valentine’s Day! 

Guest Blog originally published on CarryLove Designs

Happy National Donut Day! It sounds funny to say that a food has become 'trendy' but judging by my Instagram feed, this is turning into the year of the donut. Which, by the way, I'm totally okay with since I LOVE donuts! I've talked before about my quest to find good donuts in New York and decided today was the perfect day to do a round-up of some of my favorites!  

Dun-Well Doughnuts

I LOVE Dun-Well Doughnuts! If you've been reading for awhile you've heard them mentioned a time.. or two ;-) I discovered them at Smorgasburg and they've been at the top of my donut list ever since. Their yeast dough is the perfect texture and makes for the perfect compliment to the awesome flavors they offer like Pink Lemonade, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel and Peach Cobbler. I should also mention they're vegan which makes them a friendly choice for all of my vegan friends :) 

Doughnut Plant

Doughnut Plant has some serious flavors going on! Whether you're a big fan of yeast donuts (like me) or are a sucker for cake of filled donuts, they have you covered on all angels . With locations all over the city serving up their donuts too, they make it easy to get your fix!

Dough

The much loved donut shop in Brooklyn recently opened in Manhattan and a lot of people's sweet tooth's are very happy about it! They're known for some really awesome flavors including their Hibiscus, Lemon Poppy and one of my favorites Passion Fruit. 

My mouth is watering just talking about these places! As an extra incentive to the already awesome day, I'm also offering you a free printable from my upcoming Oh Sweet Lovely print shop! Click on the photo below to download my "You're the Sprinkles to my Donut" print :) Hope you enjoy the print and get out there and eat some delicious donuts!

Well, winter hasn’t quite decided to take a vacation yet! The snow may have continued throughout the day, but Chris and I decided to get out of Manhattan and head to Brooklyn for some comfort food bites.

First up on our agenda? A trip to DuMont Burger. While I will definitely be back to try their burgers.. this trip was all about their mac and cheese. 

Let’s just say this ‘food tour’ wasn’t exactly on the healthy side.. but hey walking through the snow can work up quite the appetite (or at least I’m telling myself that). Chris and I decided to split a side of their onion rings and their famous mac and cheese.

I enjoy a good onion ring and DuMont does this just right. The Spanish onions are cut thick and then covered in a tempura batter that is the perfect combination of fluffy and crisp. I’d happily come back just for a side of these with their special sauce.

Next on our order was their mac and cheese. They offer a bacon add-in, but I suggested we opted for it plain. In my view, to really test out how great a mac and cheese is, you need to do so without any of the extras first. Otherwise it ends up shadowing the cheese mix a little. Their mac and cheese is made with radiatore pasta and a mix of parmesan, gruyere and cheddar cheeses. 

So how do I think it stacks up? I was a big fan of the style of noodles. It’s a little different variety than most restaurants select and the noodles soak up the cheese just right. The cheese blend was a nice combination with a great combination of creamy without being too heavy. Finally, the mac is topped with a nice crust of melted cheese on the top which really finishes off the dish.

After we were filled up on fried and cheesy goodness we headed a little further out in Williamsburg to check out one of my favorite donut joints. 

We first had Dun-Well Doughnuts in the fall at Smorgasburg and I’ve been wanting to have another go at their donuts every since. At I continue my quest to find the best donuts in the city, Dun-Well currently sits a top of my list. The dough that their creations are cooked with is just perfect. 

I follow their accounts on Facebook and Instagram so my mouth was watering before we even made it in the door. We didn’t make it in until the afternoon so they had sold out of a lot of their varieties, but they still had the mini pie options that I had saw on social that morning so I was happier than a clam!

Okay… take a second to check out the bottom right menu item. Doughnut Sundae!?!? That’s just all sorts of fatty deliciousness sounding. If it wasn’t snowing I probably would have went with that route but since we were still pretty full from lunch we opted to take our treats to go. 

Now here is the part that kind of blew my mind a little… It turns out their donuts are vegan! Now I’ve certainly had delicious vegan options in the past, but being someone who doesn’t like missing out on ingredients.. my mind often just assumes that gluten-free or vegan bakeries are just missing a little in their treats, even if that’s a terrible theory.. Well, it’s time I officially throw that mindset out the window because Dun-Well proves that doing things a little different can have even more amazing results. I mean, look at these babies below!

Once we had our treats, it was time to head back to Manhattan. Not before snapping a picture of OMG Taco though. Um, how awesome is that name??  

I’d say our snow noms tour was a serious success. Delicious, and the perfect way to fight off some of the winter blues. Scoots wanted to say hi too :-)