I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Christmas cookies! It’s safe to say that the little kid in all of us perks up at the thought of baking those Christmas cookies just in time for the big guy to arrive. Growing up, we always stuck to a classic family recipe; sugar cookies with no frosting, but a whole lot of sprinkles. (Well the first cookie sheet usually received a lot more attention and patience than the rest… so we always had a few pretty plain cookies by the end.) Still to this day, my family enjoys the classic recipe, but with their own spin on it. My aunt makes them extra thin for a delicate bite, and my mom always lets them be a bit cakier for a soft, almost bread-y bite. Either way, biting into those sugar cookies still marks Christmastime every year for me!
I know we’re usually sans-frosting when making our cookies at home, but I realize thanks to Pinterest that there are so many absolutely stunning and super tasty sugar cookies out there. So I rounded up a few of the best Christmas sugar cookies for Santa in the slideshow above. Simply click on the image and don’t be surprised if you’re licking your lips before you’re through! Cheers, Kat
SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
During my numerous times to Sonoma I had peeped the Fairmont Mission Inn. I mean how could you miss its pink facade?! I had always wanted to stay there and being one of the oldest hotels in Sonoma, when I finally got the chance I couldn’t help but feel like like I was coming home. With its stunning architecture, it’s amazing how a large upscale resort can sit so quietly in the middle of Sonoma, without disrupting its majestic feel. Sonoma is, after all, a small town with a big city-luxury vibe.
The Fairmont has done the most amazing job preserving what is; the magic in Sonoma, the beauty of the region, but it’s also included the modern amenities that you’d expect from a high-end luxury resort. Upon our stay, we were treated to dinners and breakfasts that were nothing short of extraordinary. But to top the stay at the inn, I spent the last day at their spa. And I must say; it’s one of the best spas I’ve ever been to.
Williams-Sonoma joined us with Fortessa in Sonoma, one of my favorite dinnerware brands. If you’re not familiar with them, you’ve probably been enjoying Fortessa dinnerware for years and haven’t even realized it! It’s a family-run business (by brothers) that just gives you that good home-town feel. Restaurants, hotels, weddings and events have showcased their stunning dinnerware for decades. And now, to my greatest pleasure, Fortessa finds its way on our dinner tables at home too.
WS and Fortessa teamed up for a dream day for us to celebrate its founder Chuck Williams’ 100th birthday. We got a glimpse at his original collections (hello copper) at the original WS store, which were beyond amazing to say the least.
To top off the entire visit, we made a stop to Silver Oak, a winery I’ve long loved, and we spent the last day tasting a slew of Silver Oak’s primo cabs. I walked through their sweepingly beautiful gardens too, which have always been a favorite. It was truly the most magical way to round off a great visit to one of my favorite places on earth.
When I told you on Instagram and Snapchat that I was doing wine country, I know you didn’t think I’d do anything but go all out. I think it’s safe to say that joining the big players: Williams-Sonoma, Fairmont and Fortessa, sure makes for an incredible visit. I already can’t wait to make my way back again…which will be soon. Truly, MKR
SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
All photography is original to Waiting on Martha| THIS STORY IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WILLIAMS-SONOMA, A BRAND WE LOVE AND USE REGULARLY. OPINIONS AND IMAGES ARE 100% OUR OWN.
“Being happier is something we can all choose to do” explains Happier, an app that serves as a handy, virtual gratitude journal. Happier‘s mission is simple; it encourages you to celebrate the good around you. Since celebrating the good stuff is something we take very seriously here at WOM, this app quickly became my new favorite discovery in iPhone App Land.
But then I kept on a’ downloading, and I discovered Acorns and Trippeo. Two apps that all seem to make my life a little easier (investing spare change from everyday purchases and auto-generating expense reports both sound great to me). It’s safe to say I was geeking out by the time I was playing around with Sleep Cycle (I’m a data nerd)… and how can I forget Splitwise? A friend recently told me how Splitwise took all of the headache out of planning a guys’ weekend at the cabin by perfectly divvying up grocery (and beer) runs. Genius. And then of course I always love a good photo editing app for Instagram like the rest, and always appreciate any apps that help me find the best deals when I’m traveling.
It’s amazing how some apps can truly make life a little brighter, quite easier and a lot fuller. Check out the list of 10 awesome apps for iPhones by clicking on the image above. Do you use any of my favorites too? What other apps are rocking your world? I’d love to add them to my list! Cheers, Kat
SHOP THE STORY / CLICK LEFT & RIGHT ARROWS TO EXPLORE
HAPPIER
I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT GRATITUDE IS EVERYTHING. HAPPIER SERVES AS A DAILY GRATITUDE JOURNAL AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, AND IS MY NEW FAVORITE WAY TO START MY DAY.
TRIPIT ORGANIZES ALL OF YOUR TRAVEL INFO IN ONE PLACE, FOR EASY REFERENCE ON-THE-GO. THE APP DOES A GREAT JOB MAKING YOUR ENTIRE ITINERARY EASY TO READ, AND YOU CAN EVEN AUTO-IMPORT THE DATA STRAIGHT FROM YOUR CONFIRMATION EMAILS. NO MORE SCRAMBLING IN LINE, LOOKING FOR CONFIRMATION NUMBERS, HOTEL ADDRESSES OR CHECK-IN TIMES.
SAY HELLO TO A PERFECT NIGHT'S SLEEP WITH SLEEP CYCLE, OR AT LEAST A LOT OF INTERESTING DATA THAT SHOWS HOW YOU WERE SLEEPING AND THE BEST, MOST PERFECTLY-TIMED WAKE UP ALARM IN THE MORNING.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE VSCO DOWNLOADED ALREADY, STOP READING AND GET IT NOW. IT OFFERS MORE THAN ADDITIONAL FILTERS; THE EDITING CAPABILITIES WILL DRASTICALLY UPGRADE YOUR INSTAGRAM GAME.
"ENJOY BECOMING BETTER EVERY DAY" WITH PEAK, AN ENGAGING BRAIN TRAINING APP. THESE SHORT AND FUN GAMES ARE A WELCOME CHALLENGE AND DISTRACTION TO YOUR DAY, ALL WHILE MAKING YOU A BIT SHARPER.
TRIPPEO IS GODSEND FOR ALL CREATIVES, FREELANCERS AND EXPENSE REPORTERS ALIKE. THIS INTUITIVE APP STORES RECEIPTS AND CREATES EXPENSE REPORTS, MAKING FINANCES SUPER EASY WHEN ON-THE-GO.