Tag Archives: Party

Captain’s Passion Punch

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I originally had planned to start this off with a mention of the sudden shift we’ve had from freezing cold to sunny and 80-someodd degrees.  We seem to have skipped spring all-together, I would have said, and bounded into the days of BBQs and backyard events.  At least that’s how it seemed last week when I refilled the propane tank, stocked up on alcohol, and proceeded to have my first enjoyable all-hours-outdoors day of the year so far.
 

Captain's Passion Punch

 
However, to little surprise, this past weekend was not as beautiful.  An inaccurate weather forecast on Friday led to me being stuck visiting in New Brunswick with only warm-weather clothes, which also led to 3 hours of being soaking wet and cold as I watched James and many of my friends in their college graduation ceremony, which also led to this wicked cough I’m sporting and the empty bag of Icy Strawberry Halls cough drops resting next to my keyboard.  Sounds like the effects of spring to me…
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Creamy Margarita Popsicles

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They always say you should write about what you know.  Well, I know how to put alcohol in anything.
 
Margarita Popsicles (with Tequila)
 
I learned a lot in college.  Because I couldn’t decide on a major for the longest time, I took classes in pretty much every subject out there.  Everything from linguistics to psychology to art have been in my arsenal of “things I know from school”, and my friends can attest to the fact that I remember a lot (maybe too much?) as a result of extreme exam-time cramming (which is surprising, because I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday.)  Every time I tie some obscure fact into conversation, my friend Wesley teases, “Oh yeah?  Did you take a class on that?”  Yes.  Yes, in fact, I did.
 
Juice those limes! But wait! There’s more…

3-Bite Jamaican Beef Patties

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As much as I adore you– and I promise I do– I might have to sever all ties if you mention your future vacation plans to me one. more. time.
 
Yes, that’s right, I’m talking to you.  All of you.  I hate to admit it, but my stomach has been churning with jealousy lately, which is not how I prefer my stomach to feel.  I would far rather it be full with exotic foods and cocktails that I would most certainly never order while out stateside, but I have shamelessly consumed despite their little paper umbrella garnishes.  For the sake of my stomach and my sanity, I beg you one last time– don’t taunt me with details of your plans for Spring Break / Summer Vacation / Spontaneous Trips.
 

3-Bite Jamaican Beef Patties

 
I’ve never been outside of the states, with the exception a few-hour-long stop in Canada to see the Niagara Falls as a child.  As someone whose biggest goal is “to see the world”, this is not even slightly acceptable.  However, my family wasn’t able to go on many vacations when I was younger, I was broke as a college student, and, well, I’ve got a lot of debts to repay as a newly-graduated-and-employed adult.  Experiencing the world requires a little more money than I can find between the cushions of my couch, unfortunately.
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St. Patrick’s Day 2013 Bar Crawls Across the US! (& a Contest!)

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If you read my Corned Beef Hash Sliders post, then you already know that I’m planning on participating in a bar crawl this weekend.  What I didn’t realize when I posted that, was that it is very difficult to figure out which bar crawl to attend.  I had dozens of people texting me over the past week or so, asking me what I planned on doing for St. Patrick’s Day, and if I was going out in Philly.  I decided the best plan of attack was to  make a list of bar crawls in Phiadelphia to send to my friends so that they would have to choose, because I’m not decisive so that choosing would be easier.
 
Long story short, I eventually decided to make a bar crawl list for cities all across the United States, so that I could help you find a bar crawl in your area to enjoy this St. Patrick’s Day Weekend.  Simply click on the name of the city you’d like to celebrate in, and you’ll be navigated to the events.  If you’d prefer, you can also just scroll through; the cities are in alphabetical order.
 
By the way, while you’re out, tweet @hostthetoast with updates about the bars you visit.  We’d love to hear where the great deals are, where the best music is, and where the most fun is, and if it’s a good tip, we’ll retweet!  Be sure to hashtag the city you are in at the end of your tweet, so that people in your area can find the fun.  Also, tweet @hostthetoast pictures of you and your friends celebrating St. Patrick’s Day weekend, using the hashtag #luckyme.  Some lucky partiers will get their pictures retweeted, and one randomly chosen sender will even win a Metrokane Electric Cocktail Shaker!
 

The list of bar crawls starts after the jump…

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Pork Potstickers with Spicy Dipping Sauce

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(Part of the Chinese New Year Theme Thursday Series)

 
My Grandma Sandy is Chinese, and I have grown up lucky enough to eat authentic Chinese food on many occasions.  My family requests that we get a batch of her creations all the time… maybe too often.  The most beloved of her treats are the Steamed Pork Dumplings, and we eat them on every major holiday.  Even on Thanksgiving, an empty plate that was once stacked high with steamed pork dumplings is always removed from the table by the time the turkey is served.
 
Pork Potstickers
 
A few years ago, my Grandma Sandy taught me how to make her steamed pork dumplings, and I made them every chance I got.  I was proud of myself, because they were almost as good as my grandma’s.  However, after making them for years, I would drive myself crazy wondering why they were only almost as good.  I did everything exactly the same.  I used the same ingredients.  Why weren’t they ever just as good?
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