5 Events in Boise & Beyond - November 15th - 17th

Photo credit to Unsplash   5 Events in Boise & Beyond 1. Gather & Paint - Pet Portraits Where: 404 S 8Th St, L100 When: Friday, Nov 15th Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM EVENT DETAILS HERE   2. Studio Social Where: JUMP Room 5th Floor When: Friday, Nov 15th Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM EVENT DETAILS HERE   3. The Capital City Public Market Where: The Grove Plaza & 8th St When: Saturday, Nov 16th Time: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM EVENT DETAILS HERE   4. WalkAbout Boise Historic Walking Tour Where: Basque Museum & Cultural Center, Inc - 611 W Grove Street When: Saturday, Nov 16th Time: 10:00 - 11:30 AM EVENT DETAILS HERE   5. Tito's Second Annual Espresso Martini Week 2024 Where: 8th Street Promenade - 8th Street between Main St & Bannock St When: Friday, Nov 15th - Sunday, Nov 17th Time: 6:00 PM - 2:00 AM EVENT DETAILS HERE

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Your Guide to Stress-Free Hosting Over the Holidays

Photo courtesy of Ziga Plahutar With the holidays nearing, hosting family and friends at your home can either be the highlight of your year or a daunting task. Regardless of the scale of your event, your culinary skills, or the size of your home, hosting can... and should be enjoyable! So here are a few tips to make the most of hosting this year.    Prepare. Hours feel like minutes on the day of any event. You can take 70% of the stress off your plate simply by creating a game plan and knocking things off your list days in advance.  One week before Gather a guest count, design your menu, outline your to-do list, tidy up the yard, replace light bulbs, and tackle those lingering tasks that you have been putting off for months. Your home doesn’t have to be perfect, but tackling these things will help you feel more at ease come guest arrival.  Two days before Deep clean your house, or better yet, hire a cleaning service. Make a thorough grocery list and get your shopping out of the way. Buy more than you think you need so you don’t risk an emergency trip an hour before the party.  One day before Prep as much food as possible beforehand. Cut the potatoes and veggies, refrigerate the casserole, and marinate the meat to establish a ‘plug and play’ system the day of. Set the table, pick out your outfit, and set out the flowers—you get the idea.    The menu is less important than the experience.  The funny thing about hosting is that the food is often the primary source of stress during the holidays; however, a happy host and a good ambiance have a far greater influence on the success of any event. Whether you’re a culinary aficionado or not, here are a few tips to prioritize simplicity in the kitchen.  Stick to your strengths. Choose dishes that you have successfully made before, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If cooking isn’t your forte, focus on the main dish and ask guests to bring sides. In most cases, people will reach out and offer to help—so let them!   Choose dishes that get better with time or are good served at room temperature. Coordinating the perfect timing for multiple dishes with guest arrival can be challenging, so put out some appetizers and drinks for the early birds, and select a menu that allows flexibility in timing.    Set the ambiance. The ambiance of your home is arguably the most important factor in a successful gathering. Besides ensuring tidiness, create a warm welcome by dimming the lights, lighting candles, and queuing up a dinner playlist. When music is on in the background, the energy of the party is in place before any guests arrive, ensuring there will never be an awkward silence (even for the early birds). Spotify has a ton of great playlists depending on the mood of your party.  Crafting a simple cocktail is an easy way to make a great first impression. Beer and wine is a no-fuss alternative, but always have something prepared and ensure to have non-alcoholic options. Depending on your group, prepare some table topics if the conversation needs a nudge.  Set the table with elegant place cards that have thought-provoking questions on the back. This not only sparks hours of engaging table talk but also relieves you of the pressure to steer the conversation. Here are some good ones: What’s one unpopular opinion you have? Lessons and blessings from the past year? If you could choose any invention for your house, what would it be? What tradition would you most want to pass on to your children? Enlist someone to take photos of the night. Everyone you love is in one room dressed up, and it is a perfect time to document how big the kids are getting and the individual families. While you are in the frenzy of hosting, you will most likely forget to take photos... and no matter the group, I'm sure you haven’t been able to get together as much as you’d like to. Even if it’s forced, everyone will be glad to have them!     

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Boise’s Best Trick-or-Treat Spots

Photo courtesy of 107.9 Lite FM Halloween is just around the corner and it’s time to prepare for the tradition of trick-or-treating. Full of charming neighborhoods and bustling streets that go all out for this festive day, there is no lack of Halloween magic in Boise, Idaho. Grab your costumes and candy bags and try these trick-or-treating spots!   Harrison Boulevard: The pinnacle of trick-or-treating spots in Boise is Harrison Boulevard. Located in the North End, this street features stunning estates and historic homes whose Halloween decor is truly on the next level. On Halloween, Harrison Boulevard is closed to cars and gets an estimated 6,000 trick-or-treating kids and their parents visiting. This is a must-see Boise experience!    Warm Springs Avenue: Located in the East End, Warm Springs Avenue offers a similar but less busy experience as Harrison Boulevard. This street is lined with historic mansions and estates, and residents fill their yards with spooky decorations and even homemade haunted houses. Bring your candy-hungry children and check out the beautiful homes and decorations while trick-or-treating this year.   North End: The North End of Boise is sure to impress on Halloween. This prime neighborhood features charming craftsman and bungalow homes that date back to the early 1900s. Festive and spooky decorations are set up by the majority of residents, and there is an abundance of sweet treats for the young ones. While still busy, this neighborhood offers a much more spread-out trick-or-treating experience than the previous two options.    Harris Ranch: Nestled in southeast Boise is Harris Ranch, a newly established neighborhood sitting beneath the foothills and next to the Boise River. Full of families, this neighborhood is a wonderful place to trick-or-treat. Expect top-notch decorations, plenty of candy for the children, and a well-lit environment with minimal car traffic for a safe and exciting Halloween experience!   JUMP-or-Treat: Located in downtown Boise at JUMP (Jack's Urban Meeting Place), this is a family-friendly and fun event that transforms the campus into a world of wonder. Giant inflatables and local partners fill the plaza to hand out treats to costumed attendees. This event is on Saturday, October 26th from 5-8pm. View more details here.   More Halloween Fun! Another option includes Trunk-or-Treats, which are coordinated treat-or-treating events where multiple participants hand out candy in a specific public area. See a nice guide of opportunities here. Looking for more Halloween magic? Check out this map of epic Halloween displays throughout the Treasure Valley!   Some helpful tips and reminders for a safe and fun-filled evening: Trick-or-treating is observed on Thursday, October 31st this year. Some neighborhoods and trunk-or-treat events might host their events the following Friday or on other days. Trick-or-treating usually takes place from sunset to 8pm. Please be mindful of the time and try not to knock on doors in the late hours. Homes that have porch lights off are typically not participating in trick or treating Spot a teal pumpkin on someone’s porch? It may indicate that the house is participating in a ‘food-free’ treat. They may hand out non-food items like stickers or small toys. These are great options for those with food allergies. Check the candy haul for any odd items and tampered pieces. Boise is a beautiful and safe place for trick-or-treating, but it is always good practice to keep your family safe.  

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