Top Five Friday #35

We made it to Friday!  The week after a holiday is always rough for me, so I am so ready for the weekend.  Luckily, this weekend will be very relaxed, with just a few plans so far.  I don't have much to say today, so let's hop into the favorites from the week!



Troegs Independent Brewing


Over Thanksgiving weekend, Dan and I stopped in Troegs Brewing in Hershey for a drink.  My all-time favorite beer is the Mad Elf, which is a seasonal beer and really hard to find.  I was really excited when they offered a Mad Elf flight- which consisted of a few different variations of my favorite beer.


The brewery in general was really awesome!  The main dining area is a huge, industrial-style room with open seating.  There's a "snack bar" where you can order food and a huge bar with year round, seasonal, single batch, and bottles of beer.  We didn't get any food, but the menu was amazing - not the typical brewery food - and everything looked great.  They also offer tours of the brewery, and have a room where you can do a self-guided tour, as well as a general store with lots of Troegs products and beer.

Meal Prepping

I've been really into my weekly routine of food prep!  Ever since I wrote my budget post, I've been really organized about meal planning and prepping.  I had no idea how much money it saved when I packed and didn't eat out, so now I'm dedicated!  Each week my meals are ready on Monday, along with my lunch, coffee and breakfast for the week.

One website that has been really helpful is New Leaf Wellness, which has tons of freezer meal prep ideas.  I love preparing everything at once, then all I have to do is thaw it during the day and throw it in the oven or crock pot when I get home!   I really like how the website gives you shopping lists, which helps so much!

I also have a funny side story about this.  I spent a few hours doing my food prep on Monday night and had about 10 bags of food all ready to go- enough for the rest of the month essentially.  On Tuesday morning, Dan woke me up to say that something fell in the freezer, making the door open, and ended up thawing our entire freezer.  So, we had to throw out over $100 worth of food, and all of my prepping went out in the garbage.  Lesson learned- get a lock for the freezer so it doesn't accidentally open!

Office Work Party

Every year, my boss throws a huge party at the Hard Rock for the holidays!  It's always so nice to see old coworkers who have moved positions or retired, or meet people from across the company.  This is the same manager who hosted a wine party earlier this year, so there's always great homemade wine and beer, as well as tons of food and fun.  If I'm a little slow with responding to comments or visiting blogs, you know why....

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black

I like to change up my perfume quite a bit, but once it starts getting colder I always reach for Nirvana Black.  The scent is described as "an addictive blend of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine."  It reminds me of being wrapped in a warm blanket in a cabin - so cozy and warm with a hint of sweetness.  If you haven't smelled it- go to Sephora now and get a sample!  The scent is available in many different formats, from oils to dry shampoo, so check them out here!

Fashion

HM Tunic x JCrew Pixi Pants in Grey x Sofft Boots

Stitchfix Sweather x Express Jeans x Sofft Boots

Express dress x HM tights x Target shoes

Songs


Smoke Break - Carrie Underwood
Touch and Go - Ed Sheeran
Bring it Back - Shawn Mendes
Alive - Sia
Deep in the Meadow Remix - Jennifer Lawrence


Linking up with MarCynthia and Court 
as well as Heather!

Comments

  1. I see you in those boots, Gretch!
    I love breweries more than anything, especially with my boy friend! It's just so fun to grab a craft beer and chat. Or get a couple flights and taste each others.
    Ugh I just talked on my post today how terrible I've been about meal prep lately, but I seriously need to get back on it! This is probably why I've been running around like a lost puppy all week.

    I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

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    1. :) Thanks Margaret! I always get flights at breweries! I always get tired of my beer halfway through, so this way I get to try lots!

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  2. Oh no! So sorry to hear about your freezer. Meal prep saves my life & my budget on the regular. My favorite this time of year are soups in the crockpot that also freeze well. Chili & White chicken chili, both with cornbread are two of my go-tos. They can cook in all day, an make enough that I can freeze a portion or two for nights when I just can't rustle up anything else.

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    1. I'll have to try soups! I'm not usually a soup gal but it can be nice to have one on a cold day. Maybe if it actually got cold in Pittsburgh I would crave some :)

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  3. That elf looks freaky! Monday and Tuesday were rough for me as well, so I'm very happy it's Friday. I've got two days for the weekend, and I'm doing some Christmas shopping.

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    1. Nice! Hope you got a lot accomplished so you can rest until Christmas!

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  4. homemade wine yum! a wine party sounds so fun! sorry your meal prep got ruined, what a bummer all that hard work out the window...dont you wish we didnt have to learn some lessons the hard way!

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    1. It stinks but it's fine :) Luckily I cook when I'm stressed out, so prepping the second time relieved all the stress from having to repurchase all that food!

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  5. I need fashion help. I wear running clothes and pjs. Ha! Good thing I don't have to go to work in an office because I wouldn't even know what to wear.

    Also, I'm really impressed with your meal prepping. Wish I was that organized!

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    Replies
    1. Nothing wrong with that!! Thank goodness that running clothes are more fashionable now..thank you Lululemon and Target!!

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  6. Hershey is my hometown, so I obviously LOVE Troegs!! :) Happy Holidays!

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    1. It's so good!! Can't believe I've never gone before!

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  7. That perfume. need to check it out!

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  8. I absolutely love the Jennifer Lawrence song. That's my fave. I'm curious about the perfume. I think I'd like the same smells as you. Okay, that sounds weird. Ha!

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    1. Nothing wrong with that!! I think you would love the perfume. It's SO good. Can't stop sniffing my wrist!

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  9. Love that perfume!! I can't wear perfume right now because my son's skin reacts to anything too harsh, but I love the dry shampoo. It's a life saver this time of year with all my running around. It smells so delish!

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    1. I'll have to check it out! So excited they came out with some!

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  10. Hi Gretchen! I'm always looking for a new signature scent, so I'll have to check that one out. Too bad about losing your food, but A-for-Effort on getting it prepared! Have a nice weekend, lady! :)

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    1. Thanks Ashley!! Sometimes you just have to laugh at life, right?

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  11. Love Troegs, I've been a couple times.... I'm super impressed with your Mad Elf flight, I'm sure you were feeling good after that ;) That perfume sounds amazing- definitely checking it out this weekend!

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    1. OH YES haha! Thank goodness Dan wasn't drinking much!

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  12. Fantastic week-in-review post as always, Gretchen! I definitely need to check out your perfume - anything with vanilla is right up my alley. And I'm SO sorry about all your meal prep and planning that went to waste!! How frustrating!! :(
    Gina || On the Daily Express

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    1. Thanks Gina! If you like musky vanilla you'll LOVE it!

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  13. I love mad elf. Do you know D's six pack will put a few on from each year. They had a few on tap last week and they were great

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  14. I have an Elizabeth and James perfume that I love, so I'm super intrigued by the Nirvana black. I love vanilla scents.

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    1. You should definitely check it out! I also have the white, but don't like it as much.

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  15. OMG I would freak if that happened to my freezer! Awful! Ugh.

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    1. Thank goodness our freezer is tiny, so we didn't have much. I was mostly sad that all the ice cream melted and dripped all over :(

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  16. I got that same perfume last yr and I love it. Need to replace mine soon. It's always fun going to breweries and trying different ones out.

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  17. I need a new perfume, thanks for the recommendation, definitely checking it out! Have a great weekend :)

    Jen@Jpabstfitness.com

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  18. Ahhh your food prep skills are so inspiring!!! I need to stop being so lazy...

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    1. It's so easy when you get in the habit! Once I realized how much I was saving I made it a priority. Now I love it!

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