The Girl with a Cat

How to Host a Book Themed Baby Shower

sansasworld — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 17:49:31 +0000

As part of my gathering series, where I am trying to throw more intentional gatherings, of course I must highlight the book themed baby shower I hosted last year. Themed baby showers are so much fun, and a book theme was perfect for my incredible author friend, Kendra to celebrate her “Next Chapter” of being a parent.

Obviously I love throwing a party, and what is better than hosting a party in honor of someone you love? Nothing, honestly. Kendra is an author, and one of her friends thought of the idea for a “Next Chapter” book themed baby shower to honor her love for writing. Of course, my love for a good theme took over, and I took to the Internet to find the cutest ways to integrate the book theme into the shower.

I chose only the best decorations and activities for Kendra’s shower, so I’m going to share the different ways I integrated the “Next Chapter” baby shower theme into an intentional, and fun, baby shower.

Kendra and Edgar, the parents-to-be!

Invitations for a Next Chapter Baby Shower

The invitation is the first way your soon-to-be guests will get a glimpse of the kind of party you’re hosting. So for this book themed baby shower, we needed a book invitation!

I love buying invitations from Etsy, because there are so many great options for nearly any theme you can think of. Plus, supporting small businesses and artists is the best.

This is the invitation we went with. Kendra knew she was having a boy, but she didn’t want to go the traditional baby blue vibe. She is creative and artsy, so when I found this invite option I knew she’d love it. In addition to the invitation, we included inserts for a diaper raffle and baby book card request.

In case you’re not familiar with a diaper raffle, you can encourage guests to bring a pack of diapers in exchange for a raffle ticket for a chance to win a price. It’s a great way to get the parents started with some diapers since they’re going to need a ton!

The baby book card request is an adorable way to replace the traditional throw away cards, with a keepsake item for the baby. This request matched the theme perfectly, and people loved picking out their favorite children’s books to give to baby boy. Here’s what we wrote on the baby book card insert with the invitation:

Decorations for a Book Themed Baby Shower

Baby showers are cute. Books are cute. Books + baby shower = cute ass party. The decorations for this next chapter baby shower were honestly my favorite part. Because Kendra preferred a less traditional, blue with balloons and bears baby shower, I wanted to make sure that the decorations were more natural.

I started thrifting old books a few weeks before the baby shower. Something about ripping pages out of new books feels sacrilegious, and expensive. But the thrift store had a ton of well-loved books, that made me feel better about ripping pages out to use for decorations.

For book themed decorations I focused on:

A book page covered photo backdrop: I have an arch wall, and covered it in book pages from different books. This could easily be done on a wall, I literally just taped book pages down! Nothing fancy or difficult.

The arch wall covered in thrifted book pages, a D for the baby’s name, and my peacock chair!

Book welcome sign: I made a welcome sign to match the invitation I linked through Etsy above. I got it printed with Staples, and put it on an Easel. It was a great photo op, and helped guests know where to go when they got there.

Book page confetti: I got this heart stamp, and used it to cut out different sized book page hearts. I sprinkled them around on different tables.

Hard cover books for centerpieces: I used my own books for this one. I was able to remove the sleeves from my hard cover books which leaves the neutral colored fabric that makes for perfect stacked centerpieces. I layered them with baby photos of the mom and dad to be!

Flowers: Flowers are such a great way to elevate a baby shower. Flowers versus balloons is an easy decision in my opinion Don’t get me wrong, balloons have their time and place, and I have used them before. But for this dreamy book themed shower, flowers were the move. If you don’t already know, Trader Joes has the best and most affordable flowers that make it so easy to make your own bouquets.

Activities for a Book Themed Baby Shower

Baby’s first alphabet book: This one is a no brainer for the next chapter themed shower, although it would go well with just about any theme. For this activity, guests color in an alphabet letter and get to write a note to baby. I had it as a station that guests could come and go from, so if they wanted a break from socializing, they could go color a page. I ordered this one from Etsy, and it was perfect.

Baby book emoji game: Another great Etsy purchase! This game was organized with everyone starting at the same time, and the first to finish won a prize. Guests had to guess which traditional baby book the emojis were depicting. It was loud, fun, and got everyone involved.

Build a baby: This one isn’t book themed but was so much fun. The build a baby station had different colored Play-Doh, and challenged guests to mold their own baby. Some of the older folks got really into this. My dad literally spent two hours perfecting his baby. So this is a great one if you have some less social guests, and helps them still feel involved.

The results of the Baby Building game!

Build your own bouquet bar: Party favors are growing controversial, because who wants a throw away item that they’ll never use? We opted to combine an activity with the party favors. Guests built their own bouquets and then got to take them home. The customized sticker on the front really tied it all together! I talk more about how to do a bouquet bar in my Galentine’s Ideas post.

Guess how many Book Worms: This is a fun take on the traditional guessing game. Upon arrival guests guessed how many gummy worms were in the jar. The winner got to take them home!

Food for a Book Themed Baby Shower

I am a self-proclaimed foodie. So food at an event is usually very important to me. Instead of just buying a bunch of typical finger foods, I wanted to integrate what Kendra and her husband Edgar had been eating during the pregnancy. In the weeks leading up to the pregnancy, I’d pay attention to what Kendra said she had been craving, and made sure to include something like that in the baby shower menu. For her, it was mango with Takis and deviled eggs! For Edgar, it was caprese salad, and chicken poppy seed salad (he’s healthy, we know!!)

The rest was filled in with typical crowd pleasers like sandwiches, pasta salad, and barbecue meatballs.

A fun way to integrate books with your food for a book themed baby shower, would be to serve foods that are related to a children’s book in some way. I did it below with If you Give a Mouse a Cookie, but there are so many more like Sunny with a Chance of Meatballs.

Where I dropped the ball on food, is not remembering that pregnant people can’t eat everything! So the deli meat sandwiches, and salami filled pasta salad were no-goes for Kendra. Make sure you’re serving food the mom can eat, because it is about her after all!

Other Things to remember for a baby shower

Welcome table: The welcome table is such an important part of any party, because it sets the tone for what your guests can expect. At our welcome table, we had the Guess how many Book Worms game and the diaper raffle drop off. And cute decorations of course!

Gift Zone: This one is easily forgotten, and gifts often get shoved under or on top of random tables. By having a designated gift zone, you’re actually created a natural decoration. Gifts are usually wrapped super cute, so why not put them on display? We stationed the gift zone in my vintage trunk.

Throwing this baby shower for Kendra was truly so much fun! I loved bringing together the Next Chapter book theme, and making sure her friends and family had enough activities and things to enjoy. Celebrating anyone’s next chapter of being parents should be this intentional and fun!

Party on!

The post How to Host a Book Themed Baby Shower appeared first on The Girl with a Cat.

I tried Run Clubs

sansasworld — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 16:10:44 +0000

Run clubs are so trendy on social media right now. After trying a few different run clubs, both in person, and online communities, I’d argue that they’re worth the hype. Here’s my experience trying run clubs, and if I think they’re worth it.

In my opinion, run clubs serve three purposes. The first is to get exercise, of course. The second is that it’s a forceful motivation to train. Running with others not only helps you feel like you need to keep up with the pace of the group, but seeing the social media posts of everyone out on the same Tuesday night, makes you want to return for another run. The third reason, and to me the most important, is that run clubs are a form of community.

Run Clubs as Community Building

I’ve been feeling such a need to be in community with people, in real life, face to face. Going to run clubs last year was one of my first introductions to groups of people who come together in community over a shared interest. It’s such a unique opportunity, when most of us are sitting at computers all day, and then staring at big and little screen when we get home.

Run clubs not only get us outside into the fresh air, but chatting with people who we might not normally meet. The great thing is though, that the conversation is easy when you’re coming together over a shared interest like running, and you live near each other. There’s an automatic topic to small talk about, like “are you training for a race?” Most run clubs are also in the cities where the attendees live, so you’ll see familiar faces over and over.

I went to about 6-7 run club meetings in my city, and a few in other local cities (like 5 miles away). I saw some of the same faces at all of them. Even if you’re not the social type to go out of your way to meet everyone, seeing familiar faces is comforting. Plus, there will definitely be some run club regulars who go out of their way to talk to you and make you feel comfortable.

Run Clubs have started a movement back to in-person gatherings where we can do something we love with each other. I’m here for it.

Run Clubs as Motivation

When I was training for my triathlon last year (another post on that soon), I was struggling with my motivation to run outside. And then when I got outside, I was struggling to stay running instead of stopping to walk. Run club helps with my motivation all around.

There’s this awesome mind block that happens when you’re running, where you feel like you have to stop. Sometimes you do, but sometimes you just need to slow down and keep going and push through the discomfort. Running with the club helps, because I want to keep up with the group, or at least feel like if they can do it, so can I.

It’s hard to even get the motivation to get out of the house for a run. Not to mention, that if you’re a woman running outside (especially at night) can be sketchy or feel unsafe. The run clubs I’ve been to meet at night time after work, so they allowed me to run in the dark when I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Plus, they got me out of the house and running because I didn’t want to miss out on the community I had started to become part of.

What You Need to Know Before Going to Run Club

Go at your own pace: I know, I said they’re a motivation to keep up with everyone else. But I’ve found that the running community that goes to run clubs is so supportive of whatever pace you’re at. All of the ones I’ve been to have people who make sure no one is left behind, and check at intersections to make sure everyone made it. I’ve been running alone at the back of the pack before, and they made sure I got in, and even cheered when I did.
Be Friendly: Run clubs are little communities of people, and when it’s your first time, they’re going to welcome you with open arms. Go into it wanting to make friends, and it will make it so much easier. Have a few questions ready to go and talk about. Asking about upcoming races, how often they train, and how long they’ve been coming to this club are all good conversation starters.
Wear bright colors: If you’re running in the dark, wear bright colors so you don’t get hit by a car (haha, but for real). Sometimes you might be running in bike lanes, and some people will even wear reflective vests or head lamps!
Follow them on Instagram: My run clubs have Instagrams, where they post the route ahead of time. When I was first starting, I felt so much better when I knew the route so that I didn’t have to feel worried about getting lost. It also helps with if you know you aren’t ready for hills, you can skip that week. Or challenge yourself!

People to Follow Online for Run Club Content

Before I got off of social media, I made my Instagram a safe haven for inspiring running content that was non judgmental, and inclusive. So often, online content and comments can be majorly discouraging for slow runners, or anyone who doesn’t look like the typical marathoner.

There are a few accounts on Instagram who create welcoming communities for runners of all kind, and even have their own run clubs. Bigirlswhorun_ by Danielle Burnett is my favorite, and she started an actual club in Southern California if you’re looking for that face to face connection. Claremonttrotters is my local run club, and I love the group they’ve built!

Overall, I’m obsessed with run clubs for their motivating, and community building power. I don’t go all the time anymore now that I am cycling so often, but if you’re looking for more in person activities, with like minded people, find your local run club. I hope this has helped you feel more confident trying something new and putting yourself out there!

Happy running,

The post I tried Run Clubs appeared first on The Girl with a Cat.

Galentine’s Day Party Ideas

sansasworld — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 03:03:53 +0000

I love Valentine’s Day, but I think I love Galentine’s more. Of course celebrating love the traditional way on Valentine’s Day is great, but there’s something special about celebrating the love of your friends. So I’m always thinking of new Galentines Day Ideas.

Like I’ve mentioned in my other Gathering posts, I’m trying to be more intentional with my parties, and there are so many great ways to celebrate Galentine’s with your friends. Here’s a list of five fun, and unique Galentine’s day celebration ideas, including a few I’ve done myself.

Galentine’s Day Paint and Sip

Who doesn’t like wine, charcuterie, and a little creativity with your friends? Sure, there are plenty of places to go to a Paint and Sip event. But I prefer being able to choose our own painting, laughing as loud as we want, and not having to drive after a few (too many) glasses of wine.

I’ve broken down a step by step to throwing your own DIY Paint and Sip party, with customized invitations. Check it out if you decide to go with a Paint and Sip!

High Tea Galentine’s Party

Make this Galentine’s Day royal, and treat your gals to a British High Tea. What makes a high tea so fun is the triple decker tray of sandwiches, macarons, and scones. Don’t forget the tea, and make sure you put those pinkies up! I have a High Tea recipe guide to give you a some ideas if you’d like to have a hand at making your own goodies.

Make your High Tea Galentine’s Party even better by encouraging your friends to dress up to match the part.

Pole Dancing Outing

Pole dancing with a group of friends is such a fun way to feel good, and even get a good work out. I haven’t done this for Galentine’s Day, but we went pole dancing for my bachelorette party and had a great time. I know it can seem strange to go pole dancing with your friends, but the classes are so fun, freeing, and can even be a little silly.

Fast Food Mukbang

Hear me out on this: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Del Taco chili cheese fries, Panda Express egg rolls, and a Mamma Mia movie marathon. The idea is that everyone brings their favorite item from their favorite fast food place. Make sure everyone brings enough so that each person gets some, and eat it over your favorite movie. My personal recommendation is Mamma Mia, it’s a great movie to watch with your friends and dance around to!

Bouquet Making Galentine’s Party

Flowers scream Valentine’s Day. What’s even better than getting flowers from someone you love, is making the bouquet on your own, and either giving it to someone you love, or keeping it for yourself. You love yourself after all, right?

To have a DIY bouquet party, you’ll need to create a flower bar. Go to your local Trader Joe’s, which has great flower deals, and get a variety of florals. I recommend 2-3 larger types of flowers, 2 filler flowers like baby’s breath or chamomile, and 1-2 types of greenery like eucalyptus. Put them all in vases on a table, with a pair of scissors, and some twine to tie them together.

I’ve done a bouquet bar for a baby shower, and it was a hit. It’s also a built in party favor!

I hope you’ve found an idea that works for your friend group, whether they’re the crafty, foodie, or dancing type. Let me know in the comments what you decide to do for your Galentine’s gathering.

Party on!

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What to Expect at your First Indoor Cycling Class

sansasworld — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 17:59:13 +0000

Looking for a fun, loud, entertaining and exciting work out? Or just want to try something new? Indoor cycling classes have made exercising such a fun part of my day, and I’m here to demystify what you need to know before going to your first indoor cycling class.

I was so nervous before going to my first few indoor cycling classes, because I didn’t know what to expect. Let me break down what to expect, what to wear, how early to get there, and some helpful tips for your first indoor cycling class.

As I write this, I’m about 75 indoor cycling classes down, and dripping sweat onto my laptop keyboard after this morning’s class. I’m not a fitness expert, nor do I know everything about indoor cycling, but I do know the key things that will help you feel more comfortable stepping foot in a cycling studio for the first time!

What to wear indoor cycling?

I always find it hard to get dressed for group fitness classes. I’m already pretty self-conscious sweating, and huffing and puffing with strangers, I don’t also need unsightly sweat stains and sagging pants to distract me from the work out. Wearing what makes me feel good, so that when I look in the mirror I’m like damnnnnn okayyyy, helps so much!

Beyond feeling good though, there are some logistical needs to meet when you get ready to indoor cycle.

Leggings: The saddle of the bike can chafe your inner thighs if you wear shorts. You’ll be doing lots of sit to stand motions, and when I’ve worn shorts, I’ve left with red marks on my legs from where the saddle rubs. Make sure they’re squat proof, and tight around the ankles so they don’t flap around and hit the pedals!
Socks: If you’re going to a cycling studio that provides clip-in shoes, make sure you wear socks. They don’t usually provide socks, and you can imagine how nasty the communal shoes would be if everyone was in there with no socks!
Supportive sports bra: There is a lot of movement in indoor cycling. Push ups, tap backs, tricep dips, etc. If you’re wearing a loose sports bra, you might let one slip if you know what I mean! This one is my favorite.
Deodorant: The bikes are close together. Like I can tell you used lavender deodorant today rather than your usual fresh scent, close together. Plus there is usually a weights section (we’ll get there), and if you have arm movements above your head, you’ll end up being self-conscious about it. And we’re all about feeling confident here!
Hair up: You’re going to sweat. A lot. Put it up, trust me.
Shirt (or not): I’ve worn baggy, tight, short, long, and I’ve found it doesn’t make a big difference. Baggy is nice because you have a built in sweat towel, but the studio will usually have one for you. A lot of regulars, and the instructors, will wear sports bras, so it really is a safe place to wear what you feel good in. I like the way I look in the mirror in a tighter tank top, so that is usually what I opt for.
Ear plugs: If you’re sensitive to loud noises, or just want to preserve your hearing, ear plugs are a good idea. Some studios have them for you, but bring some of your own if you want to ensure you have them. I get loud noise warnings on my Apple Watch pretty much every cycling class. I’ve heard great things about Loop Ear Plugs, and I’ll be trying them soon.
Apple Watch, Fit Bit, Oura Ring, Etc: If you’re into tracking your heart rate and calories burned, don’t forget your Apple watch when you go indoor cycling! You can track indoor cycling on Strava if you use it, or you can just boast to your friends that you burnt 500 calories cycling that day. But if you go to a studio that turns the lights off, make sure to turn on theater mode on your watch!

Overall, when you’re going indoor cycling for the first time you should wear squat-proof leggings, a supportive sports bra, socks, hair up, and deodorant. Those are the cycling essentials, but consider ear plugs to protect your hearing too!

My outfit for indoor cycling. Squat proof leggings, a tank top, supportive sports bra, socks, and apple watch! Oh and lots of deodorant!

How early should I get to indoor cycling?

Get to your first indoor cycling class 15 minutes early. This will allow you to get help adjusting your bike, and clipping in to your bike for the first time. Check your cycling reservation for your specific studio’s recommendations!

What should I expect when indoor cycling for the first time?

When indoor cycling for the first time, you can expect a fun, fast-paced workout, with loud music, a great community, and lots of sweat!

I’m the kind of person who gets stressed going somewhere new, so here is a run down from start to finish to help you feel less stressed about your first indoor cycling experience.

Get there 15 minutes early, allow yourself extra time to get set up. Being there early will ease your stress, I promise. When you arrive, there is usually a front desk where you check in. The front desk associate will probably be familiar with the regulars and be on a first name basis, don’t let it stress you out. I’ve been to studios where they remember your name even after just attending two classes.

Check in at the front desk, and get your shoes if the studio offers them. A lot of studios offer free clip in shoes for your first class, some even offer them for every class. Your clip in shoes will have a cleat under the toe pad area. They are slippery on hard wood floors! So after you put them on for the first time, walk carefully (I learned the hard way!)

Make your way into the cycling room.

Some studios will automatically have someone help you set up your bike for the first time. If they didn’t, ask the instructor or front desk associate. Every studio has different bikes, and you should ask them for help. Don’t assume the bike is already at your height, you need to adjust the handle bars, and seat every time you go to a class.

Check your weights. Many studios will have a weights song, where you slow your legs down and pick up the weights at the back of your bike. Before you clip in, make sure you’re good with the weights that are on your bike.

If you’re unsure about your upper body strength, opt for the 2-3 pound weights. You may have your arms pumping for a whole song, 4-5 minutes. If you went for the 8 pound weights because that’s what you use at home, it’ll be a rough time!

Get familiar with the bike. Since you’re there early, once you’ve had help setting up your bike, clip in and start pedaling. Get familiar with all of the knobs and how to move your feet.

The lights go down when the class begins. If you’re at a studio that turns down the lights when

the music goes up, you can expect it to get very dark at times. The studios I have been to have colorful flashing lights that make it feel like a dance party, so much fun! Once class starts, the music can get pretty loud. This is where you can put in your ear plugs if you’re using them.

Choreography.

Many studios do rhythmic cycling, which means your feet match the beat of the music. So if the instructor says “left foot leads” that usually means your left foot should hit the bottom of the movement on the beat of the song. They’ll also do arm choreography, like push ups, dips, body rolls, etc. These should be fun, but they won’t be easy at first. The instructor will be doing the movement at the front of the class to show you.

Most studios will tell you that you won’t start getting choreography until 3-4 classes in. For your first indoor cycling class, you should just focus on matching your feet to the beat with the instructor. If you feel ready for choreography, go for it, but it personally took me a few classes to be able to do anything additional! You can check out all of the technical terms for moves here if you’re feeling spicy.

Cool Down. By the end of class, you may be so sweaty you’re ready to run out and jump in the shower! But make sure you stay for the cool down

. You need to stretch out all that hard work your body did, plus a lot of studios do cold towels at the end, and that is truly a magical experience!

Unclip and dismount from your bike. You probably needed help clipping in to your bike, so don’t be embarrassed to ask for help unclipping from your bike. I’ve heard instructors describe unclipping like putting your weight in your toes and smooshing a bug. But they will help you, and I’ve even needed help after 50+ classes sometimes.

Cycling with friends make it so much fun, and way less stressful! This is my coworker Lorie, and she recommended this studio to me.

Tips for Indoor Cycling:

Put your watch in theater mode: The room may be totally dark at some points. With a huge mirror at the front, if your watch goes off you’ll be messing up the vibe of a dark room!
Don’t bring your phone in, or put it on do not disturb. The same idea as putting your watch in theater mode, you don’t want to disturb the dark room vibes the instructor is creating. Some studios won’t even allow phones inside, while others are totally fine with recording the instructor and cheering them on for an Instagram story
Sit in the back if you’re nervous: When you book your bike, check the seat map for where the instructor is sitting. I recommend sitting in the back for your first few classes if you’re nervous. This allows you to not feel like you’re in the spotlight. I still sit in the back sometimes if I’m feeling particularly tired or unmotivated.
Focus on one thing at a time: Don’t expect to be perfect in your first cycling class. Try to do just one thing right, like cycling to the beat. You don’t even have to stand during your first class! You can cycling to the rhythm, and do any choreography all while in the saddle. Every class you do, try to add in another component. After 3-4 classes, you’ll start to get the hang of it.

How many calories will I burn indoor cycling?

Depending on the intensity of the studio and class, you could burn anywhere from 300-600 calories indoor cycling. I went cycling this morning and burnt 510 calories in a 45 minute workout. This will be specific to you and your fitness levels, but expect to be sweating!

Indoor Cycling for me is about so much more than burnt calories. Cycling has helped me feel confident, and allows me to have fun while doing something good for my body. I can feel my cardio improved, and dancing to the beat of fun music with the lights off helps me unwind after a stressful day of work. I highly recommend trying it, even if it’s just for fun. Grab a friend or two and make a fun night out of it.

Special shoutout to my favorite studio, Inner G in Upland, CA.

If you’ve been cycling, comment your favorite thing about it! And if this post got you to try indoor cycling for the first, comment down below how it went!

Happy Cycling,

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DIY High Tea: A Recipe Guide

sansasworld — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 22:21:49 +0000

How can I host a DIY British high tea at home?

I had the most amazing experience having high tea in an old vintage tea in England. I sat in a warm, cozy room filled with antique tea pots, flowery wall paper and the smell of freshly baked cakes. A three-tiered white serving dish sat at the center of my table, covered in finger sandwiches, scones, cake, and macaroons. Needless to say, I fell in love with the idea of drinking tea and eating fancy, delicious foods from adorable dishes. Unfortunately, back home in California, high tea is not nearly as popular as it is in England. Which means when I returned home from my trip abroad, my heart had a tea-time void that needed to be filled. So I decided a DIY High Tea was necessary.

For those who do not know what high tea is, I am not entirely sure either to be quite honest. I have been scolded for explaining it incorrectly in the past, so let’s just stick to thinking of high tea as a social outing that involves yummy tea, sandwiches and desserts.

Without many options for high tea in So Cal, I decided to make a guide on how to have your own high tea at home. It is full of some amazing recipes that I found from my favorite food bloggers. I included a lot of options as well, just incase a few recipes don’t hit the spot for you or your guests.

The structure of high tea is simple, and if you don’t have a three tiered dish like this one, just use separate pretty plates or dishes!

The Bottom Tier

Finger Sandwiches: This tier is all about variety! Choose a few recipes and have one (or two) of each. Here are some of my favorite recipes.

This delicious option combines the deliciousness of avocado with the famous egg salad sandwich. Yes, it is a spicy avocado egg salad sandwich, and you will LOVE it.
Now, one for the meat lovers. These mini Italian club sandwiches will have you reaching for more.
For those who are more traditional, these cream cheese tea sandwiches are delicious and adorable.

Invite your Friends

Already in for hosting a high tea? I made a customizable invitation for you to download, check it out!

Tea Party Invitation

The Middle Tier

Scones with clotted cream and jam: This is the essential part! Of course sandwiches are delicious, but the scones make for the classic high tea experience.

This is my scone after I added clotted cream, but before I added jam. I inhaled it immediately after putting on jam and my camera wasn’t quick enough to get a picture!

Scones:

For the fun and fruity scone lover in your life, these dark chocolate cranberry scones will be everything you could want, and more.
If you’re looking for the traditional scone recipe, you cannot go wrong with this easy and delectable option.

Clotted cream: If you have never heard of clotted cream, you are missing out! And I don’t just mean missing out like you missed a shooting star, it’s more like you missed your BFF’s birthday party and Beyoncé showed up. It is basically a thick and soft cream. Not quite cream cheese, but not quite sour cream. The taste is mild, but the cool texture of the cream on the flakey scone is THE BEST. The only stores in the US I have found it at are World Market (called Double Devon Cream), and Whole Foods! Try making your own if you don’t have a World Market or Whole Foods nearby.

You will also need your favorite jam! If you are serious about this and want to make your own… more power to you. But I am OK with picking up an apricot spread and spending my time on the clotted cream.

The Top Tier to your DIY High Tea

Dessert (AKA cake and macaroons): The final stage! Unless you are my grandma and eat the cake first.

Carrot cake is very popular out here in England, and sorry America… but it is so much better here! Luckily, now that I am back to the states, I have this recipe to go off of and make sure I can have it whenever I want.
Want those famous macaroons, but aren’t sure if you can make them yourself? Look no further, because you CAN! Not only can you make these salted caramel macaroons, you will lick the bowl when you’re done.

The Tea for your DIY High Tea

The easiest, but most essential part is choosing your tea. Grab some of your favorite tea bags and put them into the cutest tea pot you own. If there is one thing you get out of this post it should be to PUT MILK IN YOUR TEA. Yes, I’m yelling. If you haven’t tried it, please please please do! My favorite is black tea with cream. It maintains the mild but delicious taste of the tea, with a whole lot of added creaminess.

Now go off, gather your friends and enjoy great food and even better times. Let me know how it goes. Looking for other ways to intentionally gather with friends? Check out my DIY paint and sip night post!

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How to Host a DIY Paint and Sip Night

sansasworld — Wed, 24 May 2023 00:03:02 +0000

How to host a paint and sip night

I’ve been looking for ways to be more intentional with my get togethers. Sure, the come on over and sit on the couch and have some drinks is nice. But as the host, I start to get that internal panic, “is everyone having fun? How else can I entertain?” Hosting can feel like a lot of pressure, and I think that feeling is made worse when there isn’t a set itinerary or planned out activities.

I consider myself an introvert, so any get together is usually accompanied by lots of indecision on whether I want to attend at all. But recently I have found myself wanting more of that social interaction. It seems like many of the exciting times we get together in our 20s are centered on celebrations, someone is getting married, having a baby, or graduating from college. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good celebration! But I think we should start to replace our casual hang outs with something more exciting, even if we aren’t celebrating anything or anyone.

SO, I am on the quest for better, more intentional gatherings. I recently started reading The Art of Gathering, and although I am not far enough to start putting my learnings from Priya Parker into action, I did host my first intentional gathering!

Who doesn’t love a paint and sip? Idk, but they are no friend of mine. Thus, my DIY Paint and Sip Night was born. I’m including all of the elements I took into consideration, and some fun tips for how you can host your own paint and sip night too!

1. Who to invite to your paint and sip night

I started with my guest list (you may want to swap step 1 and 2, totally up to your preference). This was important to me, because who I am inviting will determine the location, the activities and the food. I even put my guest list above choosing a date. I have a small group of friends, so I prefer deciding on a date together, to maximize the turnout and include everyone. So first, decide who you want to paint and sip with, then invite them.

I created a special, and customizable, paint and sip invitation template. Check it out here: My Etsy Page

I think it’s so fun to create a fun invitation, even if it is for a small gathering. An invitation shows your invitees that you want them there, and sets the tone for an intentional get together.

2. Setting a date for your paint and sip night

I like to set a date after I’ve come up with my guest list, so that I can work with my friends to find a date that works for all, or most of us. But of course if you’ve got a big flourishing list of potential guests, you may want to set the date first and whoever can come, comes!

Other than finding a date that works for most of my friends, I also like to consider the day of the week and optimal time frame.

Weeknight vs. weekend: I love having fun on weeknights, but if there are drinks involved, who wants to wake up at 6 a.m. after a paint and sip?

Time of the day: Should we wind down with a paint and sip? Or use it to start our day? Don’t forget, if you’re hosting during a meal time, you should be feeding your guests more than just snacks!

3. Food and drinks for a DIY paint and sip night

Great, you’ve got a date and guest list. Now if you’re like me, this step is the best part. Setting the menu for a paint and sip night can be so much fun. Start off by setting some of the basics.

What time is my paint and sip? If you’ll have guests over around noon, or 5 p.m. it is best hosting etiquette to provide a meal for your guests. If you want to avoid that and just stick to snacks, be sure to choose a timeframe that avoids those major meal times in step 2.

I decided on a 4 p.m. start time, starting with appetizers and wine, and making our way to spaghetti and meatballs as the main course. No, spaghetti and meatballs is not the cleanest meal, but I’ve been leaning into my Italian heritage and wanted to share it a little bit with my friends!

I personally think appetizers are the most important part of a party. They are a key discussion piece, they keep your guests fed and happy, and they’re delicious, duh. You can never go wrong with a charcuterie board, so my appetizer was a board full of delicious meats and cheeses from Trader Joe’s, along with their mini baguettes, and fig jam.

Some other paint and sip friendly appetizers are these mini caprese skewers, grilled peach and burrata crostinis, or these honey sriracha turkey meatballs.

As for drinks, this is a great place to get your guests involved. Ask each of your guests to bring their favorite bottle of wine. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but by everyone bringing a bottle, you can ensure there is something everyone likes, and you get to have fun sampling each other’s wines!

4. The actual painting at your DIY Paint and Sip night

Oh yeah, we gathered to paint huh? Once the drinks are flowing and the appetizers start to disappear, it’s a great time to start on the painting portion of your at home paint and sip night. There are a few key logistical considerations to make with this.

Where will you paint? I have a small apartment, so there weren’t many options for me. But you’ll want to paint somewhere that you won’t be distraught if someone spills a bit of paint (or wine), and somewhere that is comfortable to sit. For my paint and sip night, this meant setting up pillows and blankets on the floor, around my living room coffee table.

What will you paint with? If one of your friends is a creative, or has paints of their own, awesome! But as the host, you should be providing the materials. I got water color paint, brushes, and paper from Target.

Will you have guided painting, or is it a free for all? You could set up a paint as you go video on YouTube like this one, or everyone can find something that inspires them and paint away. We went the route of painting on our own because we all had different tastes. But it was so fun to see what everyone came up with at the end.

6. Other activities for your paint and sip night

I know, a paint and sip should be enough. But once the drinks are flowing and you’re done painting, your guests may not be ready to leave. Have a few other activities up your sleeve so that you don’t have to panic when there is nothing left to do. We personally always have Scattergories on hand (our favorite game ever!) But this time we also had a TikTok challenge we wanted to do. The challenge includes everyone being blindfolded, and dancing to a selected song while being recorded. Then you can remove your blindfold and laugh at how differently everyone danced to the same song! So fun, but I will spare you from watching the footage.

Or maybe even combine it with an at home high tea- my favorite!

7. Set the ambience for your paint and sip night

Part of my goal for more intentional gatherings, includes taking it a step further! I want everyone to have a great time, and enjoy great food. But I also want to set a great ambience for people to be transported into our get together, and away from any worries or outside life!

Light every candle you have in your house, grab the prettiest bunch of flowers from Trader Joe’s and find a great playlist. With great guests, delicious food, fun activities, and a specially curated ambience, your guests are sure to love your DIY Paint and Sip night.

What will you paint with your friends? Share with me in the comments!

Happy paint and sipping,

The post How to Host a DIY Paint and Sip Night appeared first on The Girl with a Cat.

How to spend two days in Joshua Tree

sansasworld — Fri, 12 May 2023 04:26:07 +0000

There are so many beautiful places to see in the town, and the National Park. So what are the best places to see in Joshua Tree in two days?

With the New Year arriving, and one of my resolutions being to spend more time in nature, what better place to ring in the New Year than Joshua Tree? We decided to spend our holiday in Joshua Tree because of its natural beauty, off-the-grid-esque experience, and surprisingly close proximity.

We only had enough time to spend one night in Joshua Tree. We packed as much as we could in to our 48 hours. Because there is so much to do in the National Park, we felt that spontaneity was important. We did also have a few places we made a point to see on our journey.

Although Joshua Tree National Park is beautiful regardless of time of year, we were lucky that it snowed just days before we arrived. Since snow is rare in Joshua Tree, we hadn’t seen any pictures of a snowy desert landscape. The Joshua Trees, cacti and mountains were gorgeous covered in white blankets of snow, and luckily we didn’t even need chains.

A huge reason we chose Joshua Tree was to disconnect from our busy day to day lives. We get so caught up in social media, work, school, etc. that it was a much needed two days of taking in nature and exploring a beautiful place. There isn’t much phone service out there, so you won’t see any one scrolling through their Insta feed while on a trail (and you won’t even be tempted to).

Another plus was how close to us Joshua Tree really is. We had never been to a National Park, so when we discovered that it was only an hour and a half from us, we knew we had to go. We live in the Claremont/Upland part of the Greater Los Angeles areas, so we basically took the 10 freeway the entire way until we arrived in Yucca Valley. A simple, short drive to a beautiful place? YES, PLEASE.

There are so many great things to see, but here is where we hiked, ate and stayed for our two-day Joshua Tree adventure.

Day 1 in Joshua Tree

Drive in to the west entrance of Joshua Tree National Park ($30 entrance fee is good for a week). Stop and hike to Barker Dam. Eat at The Rib Co. and last but not least, relax in your adorable Airbnb.

Barker Dam: After entering the park, we were in complete awe of all of the snow. Because of the scenery, the drive to Barker Dam felt short, but in reality it was probably about 30 minutes from the entrance. This was a relatively short hike, about 1.5 miles. Because of how frequently we stopped for pictures (okay so we didn’t totally disconnect on this trip) and some slippery snow, it took us about an hour and a half. It was a family friendly trail, with people of all ages hiking it. Because it was New Year’s Eve, and snowy, it’s likely that there were more visitors than normal. We did have to park in a turnout down the street from the regular parking lot, but it was totally worth the walk. On our drive out, we took in the scenery, and honestly driving through was an excursion in itself.

The Rib Co: We skipped lunch and went straight to the park, so after all of the hiking, we were starving. Given that it was New Years Eve, some of the places that were recommended to us had very long waits, including Joshua Tree Saloon. Some Yelp searches resulted in just a 15 minute drive to The Rib Co. which is technically in 29 Palms. From the ribs and steaks, to Mac ‘n cheese and baked beans, the food was deliciously homemade. Your taste buds will start to water right when you open your car door, thanks to a grill in the front of the restaurant letting off some serious smoky meat scents.

Our Airbnb: There is no shortage of adorable places to stay near the National Park. Honestly, the hotels/motels in the area are just not nearly as exciting or unique as the homes available on Airbnb. Our place was called the “Tin Can” and was on a lot with other tiny homes that shared a kitchen, pool and Jacuzzi. I wish we could have stayed longer to really use all of the amenities, but sipping wine under the stars in the hot tub was so relaxing.

After the hot tub and getting acclimated to our place for the night, we brought out our books, coloring books and painting supplies. It was a great way to relax after an adventurous day, and I fell asleep 2 hours before midnight (on New Years Eve!).

Day 2 in Joshua Tree

Start with breakfast at Crossroads Cafe, shop in Downtown and go back in to the National Park to see Hidden Valley, Cholla Cactus Garden and Skull Rock.

Crossroads Cafe & Shopping: This was recommended to us, and when we arrived, we realized it was also recommended to loads of other people. To be fair, it was New Years Day and we only had to wait 30 minutes before being seated. This restaurant is in downtown so there are a few vintage shops and places to get souvenirs right next door. We took advantage of the shops while we were waiting to be seated and got some fun Joshua Tree stickers and handmade leather notebooks from The Mincing Mockingbird.

Back to the important stuff, FOOD! I started off with an orange juice and it tasted like it was fresh-squeezed just for me. Their menu is unique, featuring a few of vegan options. I ordered the Piggy Pancakes, which are pancakes made with bacon, cheddar cheese and green onions in the batter and grilled to perfection! D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

Hidden Valley: We made it back in to the Park at about noon and headed straight for the Hidden Valley Trail. This one mile loop was an easy hike with just a few steep climbs to get down into the valley. Once you get down, it is a beautiful 360 degree view of boulders, blue sky and vegetation. If you’re into bouldering (I envy you), there were quite a few groups spending the day here to climb. We found a parking spot near the trail head and it only took us about an hour to complete, pictures and all.

Cholla Cactus Garden: About a 20-30 minute drive from Hidden Valley is a magical patch of Cholla Cacti. Because of the distance, we almost didn’t go, but it ended up being one of my favorite stops of the trip. This area of Joshua Tree didn’t get any snow, so we got to see the traditional desert landscape.

There was more than enough street parking right next to the cacti. But be careful, we saw someone get stuck by a few needles (and it wasn’t a pretty sight when they were trying to remove them.)

Skull Rock: Skull rock is iconic for Joshua Tree, so much so that we were lucky to find parking with the amount of families who were also stopping there. We stopped briefly, just to see the skull shaped boulder, and were on our way. If you’re looking to hang out there for a while, there are flat boulders where families were picnicking and kids were climbing, or there is a 1.7 mile hike you can embark on. This is one of those places you just have to see in Joshua Tree.

We exited the Park at the 29 Palms exit, because we didn’t want to go back the way we came (and also it was near the closest gas station, oops).

This was such a brief trip, that I can’t wait to come back and explore more trails and visit more downtown restaurants. If you’re looking for more ideas and have a longer trip, check out this post with 15 Joshua Tree must-sees.

You can find a Joshua Tree National Park map here. Trust me, you’ll need it!

The post How to spend two days in Joshua Tree appeared first on The Girl with a Cat.

Life lessons from a cat

sansasworld — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 14:47:30 +0000

Hi Everyone! Sansa here. The feline world is full of furry wisdom that you hoomans could really use some more of in your lives. There is nothing better than being a cat, so here are some life lessons from a cat that could help you live more like us. And no these lessons don’t involve licking your own butt or pooping in a box.

1. Get enough rest

You hoomans are always working so hard and over exerting yourselves. I mean, my mom and pop wake up before the sun and don’t come home until its dark, while I sleep allll day. How can you really enjoy life and do what you love, when you are always going, going, going! You all could learn from us cats and take a nap (or two) throughout the day to reenergize!

2. Dress to impress

I know, not everyone is lucky enough to always be dressed in their best tuxedo like I am. But cats in general are always well groomed and in a fancy fur coat. Our cute cleanliness is part of what makes everyone love us. So try getting ready for the day and licking yourself clean, maybe people will chase you around trying to pet you too.

3. Stay Curious

Curiosity did NOT kill the cat. Did you know the ending to that is, “but the satisfaction brought it back?” It may be because we have nine lives, but still. Our desire to discover what is under the blanket, in a box or behind a curtain keeps us excited for every single day ahead. So take our advice hoomans, have some curiosity as you go through life and be excited to uncover the things that are hiding in your every day life.

4. Surround yourself with the best people

Have you ever had a cat not like you and just simply walk away? It’s because we have an acute sense for who we like and who we would rather not use our energy and purrs on. Why do you hoomans insist on pretending you like people that you don’t? Cats are all about #goodvibesonly. So if we don’t like you, we aren’t pretending. Stop wasting your positive energy on people who don’t make you happy, and use it to love more cats instead.

5. Eat lots of fish

Hello Omega 3s! Salmon pate and tuna entrée are in heavy rotation in my diet. I’d like to take this moment to give a huge shout out to my pop for feeding me my wet food every night! Try to incorporate some more heart healthy fats into your diet the way us cats do.

6. Be Independent

Part of the reason cats are such great furry friends is because we don’t need your constant care and attention the way those dang dogs do. We are happy being on our own sometimes and know just when we are ready to share our love and energy with our hoomans.

7. Always land on your feet

The golden rule of the cat world! Landing on our feet may be a literal skill we have, but I encourage you hoomans to take a metaphorical look at this famous saying. Next time something in your life starts to knock you down, be the person that lands on their feet after a difficult situation.

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