Christmas Wreath Cookies

These gorgeous cookies are definitely my favorite cookies for this holiday season.  The garnishes are endless and this is something your family, friends, and children can get in on and decorate with you. I admit I got a bit stressed out on whether or not I was about to get these cookies to look nice enough to serve but I was quite pleasantly surprised when I started decorating them.  It was beautiful and it hid all the imperfections on the cookies.  I got this recipe from Bon Appetit and you can substitute whatever flavor of shortbread you want if lavender doesn't work for you.  It's a great recipe that shortbread lovers will thank you for.

Raspberry Hot Chocolate

Here is a quick and delicious one for everyone! It's the last weekend until Christmas and instead of pushing and shoving for gifts in department stores, why not stay at home with a nice hot cup of raspberry hot chocolate?  That sounds so much better, doesn't it?

Roaring Camp Railroads Holiday Tree Walk

To continue with the Christmas festivities, I went to the Roaring Camp Railroads Holiday Tree Walk this weekend.  This was my first time visiting these railroads located in Santa Cruz, CA and thankfully, I was not disappointed.  Upon arriving, there was already a crispness in the air from the heavy rain showers the day before.  The trees were a lush green and there were still a few dark clouds lingering in the sky.  

Great Dickens Christmas Fair

For the 6th year in a row, I had the opportunity to attend the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco.  It has been a tradition for us to attend everyday on the first weekend of December to help us get into the Christmas spirit.  For those that are unaware of the Great Dickens Christmas Fair, it's basically a fair set in Victorian London.  The moment you step through the entrance, your senses are delightfully filled with smells of roasting chestnuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  There are Christmas decorations on every surface and storefront.  

Happy December!

Happy December, everyone! I hope those that celebrate Thanksgiving had a great one filled with love and good food.  However, as fast as Thanksgiving came, it has now past and I can't believe we are now in the start of December.  As stressful as December can get, it's important to leave time for yourself this month.  Before writing this blog, I put together a short list of some of the things I'm most looking forward to this month.  Hopefully, this list will pile on and on but it's nice to have a few things to look forward to.  Let me know if anyone has something they're most excited to do for themselves in the month of December!

Love Actually inspired: Banoffee Pie

Everyone has their go to movie every holiday season and mine is undoubtedly, Love Actually.  Released in 2003, Love Actually is a British romantic comedy that follows the ten different love stories.  One of many reasons I love it so much is the fact that the director can make you feel so involved with each story line.  My heart breaks with one as it laughs with another.  I'm sure many of you out there has seen it but if you haven't, it's a must have.

One of my favorite story lines is the one between is Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln).  In one ver emotional scene, Juliet visits Mark to review the footage he took from her wedding.  She enters the door offering banoffee pie.  

"I'm nice. I really am. Apart from my terrible taste in pie and... It would be great if we could be friends." - Juliet