Amuse Bouche Episodes

This week, I had the hilarious experience of attending a tribute concert. Yes, a Jimmy Buffet tribute concert. It was a gift to my Dad for Christmas and it was highly entertaining. If you've never been to the Fireside Theater, it is a true experience. You can check out more about it here and read more about the show we saw here. It's dinner and a show all in one. Anyway, I'm sharing some insights from my audience experience and more fun along the way. Enjoy!

We took a little holiday and New Year's break to re-group, but I'm back with my favorite type of episode - a good old fashioned rant. Ok, it's meant to inspire you and inform you to take a bit of action locally. Or not locally - I bet there is something similar to this going on in your community as well! If you've managed to listen to me on my soapbox and want to be sure to take the survey, you can check it out here. Thanks for listening and tun in this Sunday for a brand new Dinner plus Drin...

Does it make you crazy to see a tree with mis-matched ornaments, awkwardly strung ribbon and some mysterious tinsel in various places? Well, if it does, don't come over to my place because I let me kids decorate the tree! I am generally incredibly Type A, but when it comes to the Christmas tree, I had to let it all go. My ornaments do not match and that is the joy of it. Each ornament on our tree tells a story - whether it's a childhood nickname, a memory from the past or a hand crafted daycare...

Yes, I kept calling it a pagent throughout the episode...because ya know what, it sounds fancier. It's Christmas Concert Season and it is so very fun! This year, I had front row seats and got to see all the various kinds of kids at school Christmas concerts. The nose picker, the crotch scratcher, the one who isn't singing at all and so one. It's nothing but fun this holiday season! And because I promised I would link it... I can't imagine a world in which you would want to watch a Christmas co...

If you have a keen eye, you may have noticed that we skipped a number in the episode titles. You're right! But this is actually the 20th episode, I am just fixing an error made back at episode #3. Now, onto the show! I dug into some traditions, starting at Thanksgiving Day and bringing us through Christmas. If you're dying to learn more about them, you can check out my fact finding missions here: Why do we eat turkey? When did Black Friday start? What about St. Nick? I mention on the episode ...

What the heck do I mean by reflecting on brats? Well, we're coming up on our 100th episode of Dinner plus Drinks and Nick and I have been reflecting on a lot of discussions over the last 100 episodes. So, this week, I'm reflecting on my brat styling technique. That's right, brat styling. You'll have to listen in to see what I mean by that.

I had plenty of articles to chat about on this week's Dinner plus Drinks, so I'm sharing one of the extra's here. Have you seen that you can rent a one night stay in Carrie Bradshaw's brownstone!? Drool over the most amazing closet in the actual Air BnB listing for a replica of Carrie Bradshaw's apartment from Sex and the City. Find a few articles about the apartment here: Article from AirBnB Vogue article NBC News

It's Halloween weekend and I've got murder on the mind! Ok, not like that, but I do love a good true crime story or podcast....like so many others. A few things referenced in this episode are being shared below. Make sure to check them out! A book I found, ordered and can't wait to read! Why We Love Serial Killers: https://amzn.to/3mptpFu My favorite crime podcast recommendations: Morbid: https://www.morbidpodcast.com/ Crime Junkie: https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/ Serial: https://serialpodcas...

It's spooky season and I am basically spending 12 minutes reminiscing on my college years. Because those were the years of my very finest Halloween costume creations. I wanted to release this episode now, so you still had time to get your craft on and make some of the best DIY Halloween costumes for you and your friends or family. I promise, you'll especially love each and every one of these costumes if you grew up in the 90's like I did!

Ok, it's not quite what you might consider wedding planning season, but for me, weddings are on the brain! I am helping a family member plan their wedding this week (as they visit from out of state) so we've been planning all week long. In a previous life, I planned weddings (and have probably planned hundreds at this point), so I' sharing three quick wedding planning tips to help jump start your wedding (or any event really!) planning process on the right foot: Make a guest list ... like r...

No, it's not exactly what you're thinking. Get your mind out of the gutter. Listen in to hear about an article that was able to pinpoint exactly how I have been feeling. Find the original article here: https://thestripe.com/a-lack-of-stamina/ Find Grace Atwood here: https://www.instagram.com/graceatwood/ And loudly enough for everyone in the back: “Be nicer to yourself. Easy to say to others, harder to say to yourself.” - Grace Atwood

It's my birthday! Ok, not quite yet, but it's in just a few days. I'm taking a quick walk down memory lane of my top 5 favorite birthday parties. Plus, sharing a few fun birthday traditions that you can start this year for any birthday celebrations you may have coming up! Make sure to catch this week's Dinner Plus Drinks which will drop on my actual birthday. I'm told it's full of fun and surprises, so we'll see what Nick has in-store for me.

I'm wrapping up my chat about public schools and a bit about the documentary Waiting for Superman. But it's always great to see the other side and this article was helpful in doing such: Harvard Educational Review

It's back to school time and it is a lot. As I was panicking about my son's first year of full-day classes in our local public school, my Father-in-Law introduced my to a documentary that fascinated (and horrified) me. I'm here to tell you a bit about the movie and specifically about how school systems deal with teachers that are doing a less than stellar job. This one has so much information, it'll be broken up into 2 parts! Enjoy part 1 of 2. Resources: https://www.netflix.com/title/7012936...

I admit, it's a long one. But man, if you like thrifting (or want to like thrifting) this one is for you! I'm sharing some of my latest thrift store finds and a few quick tips on shopping at a thrift store (pssst, sneak peak below): Try everything on! Don't flip through every single item on the racks Target (and other retailers) donate their (new with tags) items to thrift stores when they've gone through their sales cycle. Happy Thrifting!

As usual, I could go on and on about this topic, but I actually kept this one pretty quick...mostly because I speak way too fast. But social media sure has changed and businesses are taking advantage. The influencer culture is here to stay and I'm here to talk about it, so listen in! -- Referenced in the show: #BamaRush New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/style/bama-rush-explained.html Under the Influence Podcast - a must listen! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unde...

Happy Oktoberfest Season! Yes, that's right, Oktoberfest is just around the corner and some of the best beer of the year has already hit the shelves. Check out this well-written (and entertaining) article to learn a bit more about Oktoberfest beer: https://www.thrillist.com/drink/nation/best-oktoberfest-beer If you want to try Bridget's Top 5 Fave Oktoberfest beers, get them while they're still around: Munsterfest - 3 Floyds Festbier - Maplewood Oktoberfest - Lakefront Brewing Oc...

Is always striving for greatness the answer? What if we just practiced being content with right where we are? I'm getting aaaallll philosophical on you this week and diving deep into answering life's questions. I even found some scientific research to back up the thoughts in my head. You can check it out here (and, for real, check it out because it's great!): https://bit.ly/2VDS1iv And, as promised in the show, if you need a few quick tips for experiencing contentment: Practice mindfulness...

I love the Olympics and perhaps equal to the sports, I love hearing the fun factoids and interesting information that surround the athletes. Plus, stories of perseverance, fortitude and sportsmanship are inspiring and amazing. This week, I'm sharing some of the bits of fun I've found. Some stories you've heard, some you probably haven't heard. So get ready to get inspired! __ If you're looking for more inspiring moments, check this article out to peak at The 25 Most Inspiring Olympic Moments o...

Bucks in Six! Holy cow, the Milwaukee Bucks are the NBA Champions and it has been amazing to watch. A city and a team that once was barely a blip on the radar is now a destination. Having spent over a decade in Milwaukee, I love that city. I grew up there. Not actually growing up since birth, but I really grew up as an adult. Tune in to hear a small brush of what I love about the city of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Bucks. A few sites that I reference during the show: OnMilwaukee article (B...

No, you don't have to run a marathon to be considered a runner. I'm sharing all about the running community and how I think t hey are some of the most supportive, honest and uplifting athletes out there. Ways to can be involved: Be a spectator at a race Join for the post-race party Start a couch to 5K program Cheer someone on! Talk to your kids about sportsmanship If you want to learn more about Mary Cain's amazing running club, here is the article I referenced: https://www....

Thanks for tuning in to this week's Amuse Bouche! Get ready to listen to my scratchy voice (sorry about that!) and two quick tips about what's working in our family. Hugs or High Fives We're aiming to teach our kids early about boundaries and consent and found that offering them the choice on hugs or high fives has been a fun way to do it. Here's an interesting article on the topic if you're interested! https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/2987-high-five-or-hug-teaching-toddlers-about-consen...

Man, this episode makes me sound like I actually have it all together and have all of the right conversations. Don't worry, I do not! I recorded this one as a reminder for myself - basically my very own hype session. But, if you're heading out on an extended family vacation, here are a few quick tips for making it the best it can be: Spend the whole week ahead laying out things to pack. Add to the pile throughout the week. Set some simple boundaries (more on that below) Lower your exp...

Welcome to episode 1 of Amuse Bouche where you are getting little bits of Bridget before the weekly episode of Dinner plus Drinks. If you're wondering a few quick facts about Bridget, listen in to this episode to learn all about her love for food trucks, hip hop music and thrift shopping. Every Friday, tune in for fun! I so appreciate you listening in. If you've enjoyed this episode, here's how you can follow along for more Amuse Bouche and weekly episodes of Dinner Plus Drinks: Visit our ...