DIY Nuts and Berries Cocktail Recipe

Last weekend I met up with The Rita Way for our semi-regular cocktail girl's night!

We sometimes just indulge in random parties (of two) with elaborate drinks and an accompanying menu at either of our living spaces. This time, we let Cardamom, a really good Ann Arbor Indian restaurant, do the cooking -- but we made these fancy pants Nuts and Berries Cocktails.

If you don't like creamy cocktails, you may not like this. But it was yum! Especially with the fruity raspberry from the Chambord. 

Nuts and Berries Cocktail Recipe:

1/2 oz Chambord Liquor

1/2 oz Frangelico

2 oz milk 

We used the tiny bottles you can buy at the counter because a whole bottle of Chambord is not cheap! But the real reason is because the bottles are so cute...

Cheers :)

Mami's Wake/Funeral in the USA, African Style

This weekend I visited Jersey again for the American wake for Mami -- my grandma, and primary reason for my last visit to Cameroon. When Cameroonians have funerals...not much of the time is spend in mourning. Especially for someone like Mami who lived over 90 years -- it's a celebration of her life instead. And when I say celebration, I mean literally a huge party with a live DJ and huge speakers loud enough to move the neighbors to call the cops on us, which they do every time my dad has a big party. And when the cops show up expecting to bust underage high school drinkers, are surprised to see grown men and women dancing like their at Ricks (for anyone from Ann Arbor) wearing suits and shiny shoes and heels. I guess this means my dad is way cooler than me because I have never thrown a party big enough to have been busted by cops. Multiple times. 

Overall it was so much fun -- a lot of work -- but a lot of fun. With A LOT of food. Food pretty much comprised 90% of all the set up/prepping time that took all of Thursday and Friday preceded by a few weeks of planning and forming committees. I felt like I was in Cameroon all over again. But it was nice to relive if only for a day. 

Myself in the dress I had tailored in Cameroon

Party dresses

The set up -- 100 chairs + full bar!

The people

My dad

My step brother and nephew

The preacher who spoke in French

Batons de maniocs waiting to be unraveled

The unraveling

Cooking stew over patio bricks and coals

Team effort: Kebabs

Enough chicken to feed the world

And even more fish, poultry and meat to feed the world a few more times.

And even more.

My plate -- mmm.

Me again.

I don't care for dancing much. But in Cameroon, when somebody dies, you have to dance for them. It's a way of tears--both the happy and the sad kind. So even though it was one in the morning and our feet were sore and the onset of hangovers were already beginning...we danced, and danced, and danced, and danced...so Mami would know her life was well lived.

New York City + East Coast Nostalgia for the Home

I'm originally from the East Coast...born in NYC and then raised to (kind of) adulthood in New Jersey. I like Michigan...but I miss the East coast sometimes...and all of the people and places on that side of the country. Luckily, I visit fairly often. Going back this weekend!

Looking online for home inspiration, I keep stumbling into finds that make me miss (my first) home more and more. Here are a few favorites I'd love to scatter throughout my house:

New York City by Haptic Lab

I love how subtle this NYC map quilt is by Haptic Lab. I'd love to have something like this to drape over a couch...or even as a bed spread. Funny enough...this company also has a quilt of the Great Lakes of Michigan...

I Love You From Here to NYC

When I find time to finally finish the office...I definitely want to have a lot off wall art. Something nostalgic of the city will be included! I like this black and white print from HopSkipJumpPaper on Etsy. 

Cityscape  Wire Installation

Found this solution for "hiding" messy wires on Apartment Therapy. I like how it's decorative-meets-practical -- keeping ugly wires off of the floor and making wall art at the same time! I think the NYC sky line is perfect for this...Now I need to find a wire long enough. 

DIY Landmark Wall

I may try this DIY project I found on eye-swoon on one of my walls...using buildings/landmarks from NYC + places I've traveled. Salvation Army (and even the dollar store) always have decent frames - you can always paint/stain mix and matched frames to be more cohesive. You can use your own images to make these more personal or just print outs or magazines. I'll probably be using my own :)

My boss introduced me to Cartoloji -- a super modern/chic line of map art. Both on prints and pillows. I like the prints, but I especially like the pillows. It would be fun to throw one of these in the living room. A little pricey, but nothing's too pricey for a wish list :)

I always keep an eye out for home decor ideas...sometimes I get lazy for ideas and in those instances...Pinterest is my dear friend.