Blissful Children's Parties!

Hello everyone! Happy Monday to you! I hope you have been enjoying our much needed rain. It felt so great to ride bikes last night with the streets glistening wet and breathing fresh air!

I want to make sure all of you know of an upcoming class that Kristin, from Domestic Bliss, and I will be teaching at the Blissful Living Studio this Saturday, the 19th from 2 to 4 p.m. It is going to be so much fun! We will be discussing ideas for children's parties. You will learn fun, creative, budget conscious ideas starting with the invitation, all the way to the favors, and the thank you notes for after the party! Anyone who knows Kristin knows she is the guru of all party planning, so be sure to call the studio and sign up at 480.733.5558 or check out the website at http://blissfullivingstudio.com/.

I did a guest appearance on Sonoran Living this morning to give a brief overview on the upcoming class. (I swear, I think it took some years off my life, I was so nervous!) In honor of the show, we will be offering the class at half the regular price of $40. So now you can come get some sweet ideas on how to get a jump start on your next party, for only $20!
Hope to see you this Saturday!

-M.

We are very happy to announce that our store has been chosen to be included in the new eat.shop phoenix guide that just came out! The eat.shop guide is all about eating and shopping! How grand! The guide focuses on 90 carefully chosen stores and restaurants, all locally owned, in cities from Portland, Ore., to Paris. I am so excited about these books, not just because our store is in them, but because they make the perfect gift! Whether you are buying for someone who lives here in Arizona, or for a friend who is coming to visit, they will definitely want to check out this guide! There is beautiful photography and it’s size makes it perfect to tote around with you. Of course the best thing is that there are some seriously great businesses to check out. I have lived in Phoenix all of my life and I never knew of some of the stores and restaurants that are featured! My plan is to go through the book and visit every shop and eatery in it. If you are interested in getting one of these must have books, we have plenty in stock at the store. I guarantee you will love it!

-M

p.s. Did any of you try the onion rings? They were delicious!

Hooray for Independance Day!

I hope all of you have great plans for this 4th of July. How perfect that it lands on a Friday! At home we are having the usual all-American celebration with burgers, dogs and finger lickin' onion rings. Yummy! (all served on the above festive plates!) This year we are planning to actually see the fireworks as well. I can't wait! There is nothing that sparks your patriotism quite like watching the night light up to the sounds of our country's anthem.

Happy 4th!

-m.

Here is the onion ring recipe compliments of Martha Stewart:

Beer-Battered Onion Rings
(serves 6)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Cayenne pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
¾ cup beer, preferably lager or pilsner
1 large egg
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
2 large white onions, cut crosswise into
½-inch-thick slices, separated into rings
Sea salt, preferably melon
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

1. Combine flour, salt, and a pinch of cayenne in a medium bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, beer, egg, and lemon zest, and let stand for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 200°. Place a baking sheet on middle rack of oven. Heat oil to 380° in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Dip a few slices of onion in batter, turning to coat. Gently drop slices into oil. Cook, turning once with a wire-mesh skimmer, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer rings to paper towels, season with salt immediately, then transfer onions to the baking sheet to keep warm. Repeat with remaining onions. (Adjust heat as necessary to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.