Tag Archives: events

Paella Partying at Barcelona!

Thank you so much for your comments on Friday’s post! I have to admit this weekend and today I have failed at my me-time and less technology goals…but that’s no reason to give up. I’m going to keep at it and have a couple relaxing nights in planned tonight and tomorrow! Glad to hear my therapist’s definition of an “introvert” was a new and interesting find for some.

The last event I attended at Barcelona Wine Bar in West Hartford (as their event blogger) was a Monday night cooking class appropriately titled “Paella Party”. I invited a couple of friends from high school – one of which had come with me to the Foods of Galicia dinner – and we turned the evening into a foodie girls’ night of nostalgia!

Lindsay, Corri, and me!

Lindsey, Corri, and me sitting in front of the outdoor patio’s mural!

The cooking class took place in my favorite area of dining at Barcelona – the gorgeous outdoor patio.

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Barcelona Goes Galician

Thank you to all who entered the HealthyChic $25 credit giveaway! The winner is my girl Linz of Itz Linz!. Congrats lady and I’ll contact you about redeeming your prize. If you’re bummed you didn’t win, remember you can still create an account through my invite and use discount code FRIENDS15 for 15% off your first order.

Last March I was transported to Mendoza during a wine dinner at Barcelona in West Hartford. In April, Exec Chef Alexander Feldman was at it again on Wednesday 4/17 with a Foods of Galicia dinner menu.

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Taste of Wethersfield 2013

When spring hits (I’m not saying when the weather gets warmer because it barely has been, OK I already got in my weather complaint for the day) my event schedule REALLY starts filling up! Last week I recapped the 4/11 Taste of the Nation Hartford, and a few days later on Saturday night 4/13 I was at the Keeney Memorial Center in Wethersfield, CT for the 8th Annual Taste of Wethersfield!

HIGH FIVE! Great event!

HIGH FIVE! Great event!

I had a great time at this event last year and am thankful that this year, I was asked back by the Wethersfield Historical Society itself! I took my usual foodie partner-in-crime Rachel – who happens to be the namer of my blog. I am forever in her debt!

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TON of Fun at Taste of the Nation Hartford – Part 2

In case you missed it, my Taste of the Nation (Hartford) overall intro and libation recap post went up yesterday! I’m now going to move on to my two favorite parts of the event (and they’ll probably be yours too) – the food and the PEOPLE!

The Food

Some restaurants go with simple white-tablecloth-covered booths, and others go all out. Mill Restaurant Group (responsible for one of my favorite cocktail spots, Market Grille in Manchester) was at the all-out end of the display spectrum!

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MRG’s food quality was all-out as well in both aesthetics and taste! Check out these awesome chilled soup shooters served on slate…

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Judging Crazy Concoctions at CHS Cookoff

I can’t wait to attend Taste of the Nation Hartford tonight with my blends Kaitlin & Kelly! You can still get tickets at the door – general admission is $75, but I’ve been to this event before and it is WORTH IT. Best food tasting event I’ve ever experienced!

I’m so excited to share my experience judging the Connecticut Historical Society‘s first Community Cookoff! Held last Friday from 5:30-7:30pm (nice and early!), the event attracted a good crowd and had the work day craaaaawling by as I anxiously waited for the clock to hit 5 so I could hit the road for Hartford.

I wore my latest splurge – a Lilly Pulitzer top that I got on sale in FL – for such an important event! Little did I know Lilly herself would pass away in a couple of days.

I walked into CHS and was greeted by the smiling, excited faces of Jenny Steadman and Ed Main. They are the ones who came up with this idea, included me, and even planned the event’s timing around my vacation schedule. I couldn’t have felt any more special thanks to them!

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Marvelous Already Had and Yet to Come

Entries for a free Lendperk dress rental close tonight at 11:59PM EST so make sure to enter the giveaway!

Before I get to work recapping what is marvelous on this Monday, can I just express my hopelessly addicted woe over the fact that Instagram has been down (for me) for almost…wait, it’s been less than 24 hours? I need to get a grip. Okay, moving on.

Thank you Katie for helping us see the marvelous in Monday!

Thanks so much for your support in response to Thursday’s reflections on the difficulty I had over my FL vacation letting go and living life. Since being home for over a week now my ego has quieted its mean voice, but I’m wary of its ability to spring back up as soon as I step a toe out of my comfort zone, so I’ve been practicing my positive mindset-mode nonstop. This MIMM post is just one of many ways I can do that.

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Fashion Friday: Lendperk Giveaway!

I may attend a lot of events, but most do not require a nice dress. That does not stop me from buying dresses…even though I live in New England, where spring still has yet to…spring. Anyway, I always have a “stockpile” of dresses I’ve worn a few times that I can bust out for an upcoming fancier event, and that’s just what I planned to do for the wedding I attended on March 23rd…until Star Li, CEO and Founder of Lendperk, came along.

The dress I selected - by BCBG!

The dress I selected for the wedding – by BCBG MAXAZRIA!

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Barcelona Meets Mendoza: Wine Dinner

Last week (Wednesday 3/13) I had the pleasure of attending Barcelona Wine Bar’s latest wine dinner at their West Hartford location – La Vendimia de Mendoza. Funny enough, it fell on the same day that the new pope – from Argentina – was chosen! Fancy that.

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The moment I arrived I knew it’d be a wino’s dream evening. The menu listed SIX different wines that we’d be sampling. Keep in mind the event came with food too, and only cost $45 per person (plus tax and gratuity)!

ALL THE WINE.

ALL THE WINE.

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Barefoot Contessa at the Bushnell: Giveaway!

I’m gearing up to leave for vacation this Friday (a week off work, what a perfect birthday present!) so work has been CRAZY. School too. Therefore I’m keeping it light again on the blog today and just popping in to do a giveaway!

Living just outside of Hartford gives me easy access to The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts, where fantastic musicals, plays, panels, and more are held year-round. The Bushnell seriously offers something for everyone! I’ve seen Wicked there twice, and took my Nana Connie to see The Addams Family Musical in 2011. You may recall that I attended the CT Forum’s Vision & Brilliance panel in December as well. I’ve sat on the floor and in the balcony, and I’m serious – every seat is a good seat. After all, the theater was designed so that every single patron could sit back and enjoy the arts, and that involves actually being able to SEE them!

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Love and Bitters at Barcelona

Remember to check out yesterday’s post, where I shared a special announcement…

My friend (since high school!) Andrea and I made plans on a Monday this month to go out to a fab dinner in honor of her birthday. I discovered Barcelona in West Hartford was doing one of their fun food and drink pairing events that very night, so we decided to turn that Love & Bitters Cocktail Class into our celebratory meetup!

Quite the lineup!

Quite the lineup!

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