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Summer without cocktails is boring and HOT! And in Virginia, we’ve got to stay cool anyway we can! So this summer, we’re going to add a little ice and a whole lot of flavor to our next 2 celebrations with this delicious Tequila Honey Bee cocktail recipe from liquor.com - try it yourself - ask for an invite to our next event!

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You don’t need much to celebrate Independence Day. We recommend keeping it simple with some s’mores, great friends and a beautiful American landscape. Stay safe and have a great 4th of July friends!  

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Doesn’t moonlight, great friends, food and conversation sound magical to you?Yeah, us too! A simple strand of twinkle lights adds instant allure to any event! Catch us relaxing by twinkle lights tonight in #rva!

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Who doesn’t love a good dessert? These mini cherry pies are so cute and won’t feel guilty if you have one!

Ingredients 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes 1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed 1 tsp lemon juice (mixed into the ice water) Directions In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender or use tips of fingers to rub the butter and flour together, working quickly as not to warm up the ingredients .) With machine running, add (lemony) ice water through feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Shape into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. ---- With the last of the season cherries I picked up the rest was easy, pitting was the most fun using the cool technique I learned recently and used on my cherry dumplings here. I think this is probably one of the most useful and exciting tips I've ever learned because before this I would avoid cherries, using a parring knife to peel the flesh around the pit was not fun at all! I double the recipe of pie dough above and make 2 flattened disks to refrigerate then I make pie filling using 2 bags of cherries as directed below: Doubling the pie dough pastry should make about 12 mini (covered) pies with some cherry filling leftover. OR you can make about 24 open face  tart like pies (like here) with all the filling. An alternate and easier design to do for covered pies is something like this Cherry pie filling: -2 bags of cherries (about 80 cherries, or 2 lbs of cherries) Remove stems, wash, and using a paring knife cut an X in the bottom of each one. Doing this assembly style is best. Wash, then begin cutting them and moving them into another bowl. Once finished all, use a chopstick to push through the top of the cherry (where the stem was) to remove the seed/pit. Once pitted add them to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add: - 1/2 cup sugar - Juice of half a lemon - 2 tbsp water Bring to a boil and cook on medium-low for about 15 minutes. Mix together in a small bowl the following ingredients: - 1 tsp cornstarch - 1 tbsp ice water Bring the cherry filling to a boil again and quickly mix in the cornstarch mixture. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the cherries and you'll see it thicken immediately.  Remove from heat and place the filling in another bowl to cool. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top of the cherries to avoid a seal forming on the top. Allow to cool completely then refrigerate until ready to use. Ok, so these little pies were made right in the cupcake pan. no greasing or anything required. Just cut the dough and put it straight in. The filling should be cool of course and you can begin your assembly creating any type of design you like. Here I made three different designs ... Use some eggwash to create a nice sheen on the little pies before baking.

Bake between at 375 for 30 mins or so until the pastry is crispy and golden browned where it touches the pan.

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Add a touch a sweetness to your outdoor fun this weekend! Bring this decadent, nature inspired cake to the BBQ and thank me later!

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Don’t forget the drinks at this year’s picnic. Add some fun to your lemonade with fresh cut lemons, strawberries & mint.

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Want to step your picnic game up this season? Head to your local bakery and pick up a light, summer cake. It’s totally unexpected and everyone will love it!

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It’s officially picnic season! Celebrate the warm weather with french bread, sparking water and friends! Pro tip: Bring a citronella candle to keep the buggies away!

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Coo-coo for Coconuts:  And in our second rendition of delicious coconut-cakes; we present to you: The Bunny Cake! Enjoy!

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Enjoy this Peeps-sake!: It’s everyone’s must-have Easter candy - on a cake! Sweeten up your Easter holiday with a delicious treat the whole family can-enjoy!

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Christ is Risen: Happy Easter ladies and gents! We don’t always transform our homes for Easter like we do for Christmas or Halloween, but we still want to decorate and celebrate the holiday! A well-placed chalk board instantly adds some ‘here and now’ to a room. Add some fresh Spring arrangements and you’re ready for Easter in no-time!

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That being said: Don't shy away away from Roses or all of one color either!

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Florals? For spring? Ground breaking. Aside from always looking for an occasion to use a well-placed Miranda Priestly quote, I wanted post this gorgeous arrangement to remind you guys that while Roses and Lilies are great - there is a whole world of spectacular flowers to explore! Don't be afraid of exotic florals, bold colors of variety. The world is your garden!

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The rebirth of elegance: In that tricky time of year after Christmas but before Spring; it can be hard to figure out just how you want to decorate your next event. One of my go-to styles during this time of year is Moroccan elegance! It's such a versatile decorating style because it can be bold and colorful; but it can also be clean and elegant. This particular candlelit table feels like the start of something new; don't you think?

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Boozy Brunch: Is there anything better than sipping on a well-made mimosa during high-tea? No, no there isn't.

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Let them eat....doughnuts: It seems like every dessert table is centered around a multi-tiered cake. And that's great sometimes! But this Valentine's day, I'm mixing it up with this romantic doughnut display as my dessert table focal point!