DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   Celebrating New Year's Eve with a loved one is great. Spending it in a beautiful locale with fireworks and spectacular activities is even better. Here is a list of the top ten places to celebrate New Year's Eve in, and the reasons why you should be here in one of these cities. London, England Celebrate New Year's Eve with splash of history at the London Eye, and enjoy a wonderful 10-minute public fireworks display. This year is organized by the Mayor of London and put on by the renowned pyrotechnical Christophe Berthonneau. It will be a jam-packed event making the entire downtown area busy with crowds of people. Here you can bring in the New Year along the banks of the Thames. Rome, Italy The Piazza del Popolo is an historic and lovely spot for the festivities. Here you can listen to concerts and view fireworks throughout the evening. There is something magical about bringing in the new year in the twin churches of Santa ...

   Tick-tock...tick-tock...guests will surely count down the minutes until they can dig into this creamy strawberry cheesecake, then ask for seconds. 8-10 Servings Prep: 20 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min. + cooling 20 10 30 Ingredients 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares) 3 tablespoons sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted FILLING: 2 cartons (8 ounces each) spreadable strawberry cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries Red decorating gel 1 fresh strawberry, halved Directions In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; cool. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Fold in the whipped topping. Gently spread a third of the filling over crust....

   This is part II from www.bonappetit.com .  Enjoy the 2nd part! 14. Amaranth    If you like quinoa, you'll love amaranth. The itsy-bitsy, nutty-flavored grain is a complete source of protein, plus it's packed with calcium and iron. For a simple side, simmer 1 part amaranth in 3 parts water with a dash of salt, then dress with fresh herbs, lemon juice, and olive oil. Available at natural foods stores and bobsredmill.com . 15. Questlove's Funky Chicken    The celebrity-driven restaurant concept just took a turn. Questlove—drummer for the Roots and musical director of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon —has turned his obsession with fried chicken into a start-up. The Philly-based musician is serving Love's Drumsticks at food festivals and private parties, and there's talk of a food truck. It's just the thing you'll want to capture with your camera phone. 16. Scotch Eggs    Raise the bar snack. We've fallen hard for Scot...

   This comes from www.notjustpaperandglue.com .   Cute, unique and very easy to make, instead of the regualr plasitc bottles that it usually comes in.  Also it wouldn't need to be refilled very often.  Enjoy! Mason Jar Soap Dispenser Pinterest is one of my favorite places to browse for inspiration. One of the most fascinating things I have found are soap dispensers made from old mason jars. I have plenty of mason jars so this would be a great addition to our master bathroom. Source: theblissfullycontentlife.blogspot.com via Not Just Paper and Glue on Pinterest I wanted to add some decoration to the soap dispensers but I knew I could not put anything on the outside that could not be washed down. The perfect solution would be to put the decoration on the inside. I found some clear pump bottles that fit perfectly inside of my pint jars. I had my husband drill a hole into each of the jar lids and then I attached the bottles to the lids. I spr...

   This comes from www.bonappetit.com . They are always on the cusp of all things past, present and future that has to do with food (sounds like the ghost of Christmas past, present and future)!  Good luck in the coming New Year and enjoy yourself too! 1. Seafood CSAs     It started with kale and kohlrabi, then expanded to eggs and meat. Now the noble CSA model is supporting seafood programs like Siren SeaSA, Cape Ann Fresh Catch, and Port Clyde Fresh Catch, which bring sparkling-fresh fish to your kitchen. Crate to Plate, based in Midcoast Maine, lets subscribers lease lobster traps (you can pick and track yours online) and guarantees delivery of at least 40 lively critters during peak season. Sign up now; traps go fast. cratetoplate.com 2. Asian-Inspired Subs    With all due respect to the BLT, the best sandwiches these days are the ones piled with pickled vegetables, cilantro, cucumbers, and spicy mayo. First it was th...

   Today begins a new year – two thousand and nine. To celebrate the new year, I have put together a list of significant events that have happened in man’s history on this day. It was not until the 16th century that the majority of countries in the West began to use January 1st as the first day of the year – prior to that many nations used the Feast of the Assumption (March 25). This list includes only events that happened on January 1st. The list is in chronological order. Happy New Year! Significant Events 1 – 5 1) 404 AD – The last known gladiatorial competition in Rome takes place (gladiators pictured above) 2) 630 – Muhammad sets out toward Mecca with the army that captures it bloodlessly. 3) 1515 – King Francis I of France (France’s first Renaissance monarch) succeeds to the French throne. 4) 1772 – The first traveler’s cheques, which can be used in 90 European cities, go on sale in London. 5) 1788 – First edition of The Times of London, previous...

     This diy comes form www.centsationalgirl.com .  Very good gift idea for the coming New Year.  Enjoy! DIY: Colored Chalkboard Vases Greetings, I hope you had a lovely weekend! I spent mine mostly indoors with big rainstorms hitting our area, so I had a little fun inside doing some crafting.  I had two quarts of tinted chalkboard paint sitting in my garage, waiting for some projects I plan to get to in the near future. I couldn’t resist the idea of ‘sampling’ the colors this past weekend making some colored chalkboard vases. Fun fun fun! Something about the notion of leaving sentimental or seasonal notes on glass appealed to me, so I tinkered around creating a few versions around the house. Every time I bring home fresh flowers, whether from the grocery store or farmer’s market, my 7 year old asks me for a single stem for her room. Love that! I thought it would be sweet to make a little chalkboard vase for her in a bright colored paint , ...