As the COVID numbers continue to increase, the amount of times I want to leave my house is decreasing. Staying home around the holidays might be what this year looks like. Sharing a few date night ideas for staying home.
Bake cookies. Christmas cookies are the only time during the year that I bake cookies and I really look forward to that.
DIY candle. Try an at home candle kit. My I suggest a Christmas scent.
When it comes to traveling during COVID, there are not quite as many options as they were a year ago. One thing Tony and I have been trying to do this season is traveling close to home. Mini road trips, and getting the best bang for our buck!
As most of you know, Tony is an avid poker player and he does pretty well if I don’t mind to say so myself. Thanks to his poker skills we are always getting offers to stay in Atlantic City for free, it’s for me. This week we were invited to stay at the Borgata for free which was our first time being invited to stay there! Most of the time we stay free at Harrah’s.
When that opportunity came available we had to take it! I wanted to take a few minutes to share what it is like at the casinos currently.
We had dinner at Angeline. It was my first time dining there. Italian style food, and it was delicious!
First and foremost, all of the casinos are going to be following all of the state mandates.
· In New Jersey dining closes at 10pm, and that applies to Casinos as well.
· No food or drinks on the Casino floor or in the restaurants after 10pm.
· There is no sitting at the bar. So in the lounge areas (if they are open) it is table service only.
· Only a select few restaurants are open each night.
· Make sure you make dinner reservations, because with the limited restaurants, the space fills up quick.
· Parking is only $5.
· There is Plexiglas in between all table games.
· For the slots, every other slot machine is closed.
· Masks are required.
If you are thinking that it is going to be the same as a pre COVID gambling experience, think again. But, if you are looking for a good night away to spend quality time with your other half, I would give it a try.
My verdict—I would definitely go back during COVID. This was my second time down to AC during COVID, but my first time staying at the Borgata.
Review: Cornerstone is located right in Tony’s hometown of Camp Hill, PA. When you think of a local coffee shop this cute little shop really fits the mold. Such a great local wholesome coffee shop. Cornerstone is always busy, and it is one of the few local coffee shops in town. When I lived in Mechanicsburg I would frequent this cozy shop. We ordered a breakfast sandwich and it was honestly outstanding. There is indoor and outdoor seating available.
We all know how important supporting our small businesses is, but this Holiday season it will mean even more. 2020 has been a difficult year for small businesses and if you try your harder to spend more local this Holiday season, you are not only supporting small business, you are directly impacting someones dream, family, and holiday season.
Sharing a few of the local businesses I will be supporting this Holiday season.
Brightside Boutique // Perfect for gifts for Her, stocking stuffers, and a Holiday Outfit for yourself.
Panemorfi Photography // Gift a photo session to a loved one, or get your Christmas card photos done with Augustina this Holiday Season.
Poppy and Stella // Great gifts for Her. A ton of local MD gift items that are perfect for anyone that lives in the great state of MD!
Carb Candle Co // Any candle company that names all of the candles after food is most definitely the candle company for me. Stephanie has build a candle brand that I didn’t even know I needed in my life. Her candles are amazing and a perfect Holiday gift. I am on the count down for the Holiday scents to come out!
Mint + Major // A Holiday Staple in my book. Jewels for all the gals in your life, as well as Holiday outfits and accessories. You can always count on Mint + Major to host the coolest events!
Budz & Blooms // Of course I had to throw our flower cart in here! Stop by one of our Pop Up Events or order a bouquet for delivery! Send someone the gift of Blooms by sending them a gift card for the Holiday season.
We have been settling into our new home in Brewers Crossing for just about two months now, and we really couldn’t have picked a better time of year. I love fall when the leaves are changing and their is a slight chill in the air.
Everyone has been asking about how getting set up in our new space is going and it really is going great! The rooftop deck has really been one of the focal pieces of our home. Tony and I use it daily to sip our coffee in the morning, brunch on the weekends, and s’mores at night. So far we added a small couch and chair set with a table, an egg chair, and most importantly a fire table to help keep us warm on chilly nights on our new rooftop space.
I wanted to share with you how we have our cozy space set up on the roof for the fall season.
I also wanted an elevated look for my s’mores set up, so I used this glass jar, and decor tray to keep my s’mores set up all together. To keep our rooftop deck on trend with the season I picked up a few mums and pumpkins at a local farm to help dress up the deck. I blended them in with the initial plants that I bought the week we moved in. Half of our green plants and real and half are fake. I am curious to see how they do through the winter, which is why we did a mix of both, just incase I do not have a green thumb.
Let me know your thoughts on our rooftop set up! We hope you like it.
Brewers Crossing has a few different options when it does to the rooftop space. You can have the large rooftop space like Tony and I do, or you can have a loft with two smaller rooftop spaces on either side. Stop by the model home open 7 days a week to see all the different options. Come be my neighbor! Evergreene Homes is currently offering $20,000 towards Closing Costs! Stop in to Brewers Crossing to learn more. Or check them out online here.
We moved into our dream home just a month ago. We are definitely still getting settled. Moving from an apartment into a home we have many rooms that are not quite filled yet! We have been having so much fun picking out furniture for our new space. And luckily a lot of the furniture we have bought over the last year transitioned really well into our new space!
The Brewers Crossing community is so close to everything! We have been able to walk to dinners at the Gunther, or to Plantbar for a morning smoothie. This past weekend we went paddle boarding at Bmore Sup and it was less than 15 minutes away! Paddle boarding was a blast! Tony and I are definitely in the market for paddle boards for next summer! We could not be happier with the location of where we live!
If you aren’t familiar with the area, think Canton Target, look across the street, and head up about two blocks and you are there! Yes, Target, is in walking distance! There are also two grocery stories that we can walk to as well.
Another huge benefit so far has been parking! We have a two car garage to park in, but there is also plenty of street parking, so when friends come over it’s really easy for them to find a spot.
Come be my neighbor! Evergreene Homes is currently offering $20,000 towards Closing Costs! Stop in to Brewers Crossing to learn more. Or check them out online here.
Review: When you think of, or even google coffee shops in OCNJ, more than likely Ocean City Coffee Co is going to be the first place that comes up. They have three Ocean City location and one in Media, PA. Tony and I have been frequenting here over the last 4 years. I remember taking Tony here not long after we first starting dating. Ocean City Coffee is definitely a classic in Ocean City. My go to order is typically a cold brew, but today I went with an Oat Milk Latte and it did not disappoint. Ocean City Coffee is definitely worth a stop if you are in town.
As COVID continues to cancel Travel plans to other countries, Tony and I took the time to spend a week at the beach with my parents in Ocean City, NJ. I recently did a blog post on OCNJ and shared a ton of my favorites. You can check it out here.
I wanted to share today a vacation round up on the blog of what we did during the week!
Sunday
Sticky Buns from Mallons.
Eagles Game at Charlies // The best neighborhood bar in Somers Point.
Monday
Shopping on Asbury Ave // My favorites are Heritage and 7th Street Surf Shop.
Iced Lattes from Drip and Scoop.
Painted Pumpkins at Glazed Over.
Beach Day.
Tuesday
Rented Bikes to Ride on the Boardwalk.
Coffee at Drip and Scoop.
Brown’s Donuts- These are a can’t miss during a week at OCNJ.
Lunch at the Anchorage Tavern in Somers Point.
Dinner at The Crab Trap in Somers Point.
Wednesday
A visit to Local, the best gym on the island.
Cold Brew at Ocean City Coffee Co.
Lunch at the Princeton in Avalon NJ.
Wine Tasting at Cape May Winery.
Brews at Cape May Brewing Co. The Crushing’ It.
Thursday
Brunch at Dockside Kitchen right on the Bay.
Hard Rock Casino for dinner and gambling!
Friday
Nauti Donuts // This was our first time here. It was similar to Duck Donuts where you pick your toppings on your donuts. Yum! They also had cold brew with pumpkin flavoring.
Manco Manco Pizza, because you can’t come to OCNJ without getting Manco Manco // Tony and I love this pizza so much we would drive from Baltimore just to have it!
Ice Cream from Kohr Bros // They had a pumpkin cinnamon swirl. It was out of this world! Best Pumpkin ice cream I have ever had.
Shrivers Salt Water Taffy // I love to do the pick your own so I can get all the Vanilla and Peanut Butter flavors.
Johnson’s Popcorn // Always make sure to ask for the lid off, it will give you more popcorn.
Drip and Scoop has become a staple in OCNJ over the past few years. So popular that they are currently in the works of opening up two more locations. Drip and Scoop has to be my favorite local coffee shop in OCNJ. Drip and Scoop has the best flavor coffee around. Their drinks are always consistent which is so important. Drip and Scoop serves Coffee, Ice Cream, and Donuts. For being in a beach town their prices are extremely reasonable. Less expensive then in the city. The donuts range in price from $1 to $2. For this specific trip we ordered two large lattes and a small iced coffee and only spent around $12, then the next day we ordered a large latte, a small coffee, and 4 donuts and still only spent around $12. The aesthetic inside is so cute and welcoming. The branding of Drip and Scoop is completely on point! Not to mention the place is so clean. Today we were actually going to stop at another coffee shop that I’m not going to name, but we walked up and it did not look clean, so we turned right around and went back over to Drip And Scoop! If you stop at one coffee shop when you are in town make it Drip and Scoop!
Wow have we found our new favorite coffee shop in the city, better yet it’s the closest as well. I am actually a little sad that it is only a 2 block walk from our old apartment, and a little farther from our new house. Cafe Dear Leon is French inspired and boy to do they deliver! On our first stop over we had the oat scone and I honestly can’t get enough of it! They serve it with French butter and homemade jam. We have also tried their banana pudding, or I guess I should say Tony tried it. It was so good I didn’t have a chance to get a spoon in! We also tried the babka and it was delicious! Everyone has been raving about the egg salad, but I have not had a chance to try it yet. Hopefully this week I can. Cafe Dear Leon has become a Baltimore Foodie Favorite overnight. Most mornings there is a line. On the weekend, there always is one that extends around the block. Their line speaks for the quality of pastries they put out. Expect weekly photos of their cold brew and oat scones on my instagram story because we are hooked!
Kate Budzinski 