#FunFriday – Christmas Decorating Ideas

I love getting the house ready for Christmas! It’s the one time of year I really go all out with garlands at various windows and along the staircase, the Christmas village, lights outside, the tree and of course, the table for Christmas Eve. I must confess the table is a two person operation as my husband has it down to a science as to where the china and crystal are stored and how to lay out enough spots for all the friends and family that are attending. Once he gets the basic layout done, I come in and do the decorating.

We usually have three tables and I try to do something different on each one. The fun part is mixing in new with old family favorites, like my husband’s Lionel train set, gifts from friends who know I love Christmas, or handmade items my daughter or mother had made. Of course, everything around the house has color. No monochrome displays or just white lights. Sorry. It may be “elegant” but it’s just not for me!

Just in case you need a little Christmas decorating inspiration, here are some links to some fun sites for you to check out!

  • For those with a country flair: http://bit.ly/2zXEqoN
  • Tap your inner Martha Stewart: https://www.marthastewart.com/274574/christmas-decorating-ideas
  • Want to try out different colors for Christmas? https://www.bhg.com/christmas/indoor-decorating/christmas-color-schemes/
  • How about a little Southern, y’all? https://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/christmas-decorating-ideas
  • Or are you feeling a little wacky this year? https://yhoo.it/2zVxnwM

FYI – this photo is of one of our Christmas Eve dining room tables!

#TeaserThursday – Bring Summer Back

I hate the cold! We just don’t get along. This morning as I trudged to work with a fine snow coming down, all I could think of was warm sunny days spent lazing on the beach. So I thought I’d take you back to the beach this morning with an excerpt from ONE SUMMER NIGHT. In this scene Maggie and Owen have just had breakfast after Maggie cancelled on Owen for their first weekend alone at the Shore. As the talk gets personal, Maggie realizes just how much Owen understands her and cares for her and soon the attraction pulling them together just becomes too much to resist.

Warning – this teaser is for mature adults!

Teaser

As she pressed into him, she dug her fingers into his hair and cradled his head in her hands. Opened her mouth to invite him to enter. Taste. Savor.

God, but she was so sweet and responsive.

When he danced his tongue across perfect white teeth, she playfully chased it and then lightly bit his lower lip, jerking a groan from him.

He was hard, so hard, that he had to bring a stop to this or there would be no turning back. And as soon as he thought that, she shifted away slightly and met his gaze.

“I want you, Owen. I want this,” she said, laying her hand on his chest directly over his beating heart.

“I want it too, Maggie.” He’d wanted this since they were eighteen and he’d kissed her on that moonlit beach. Maybe even since they were children, playing on the beach together happily. Being with her back then had always seemed to make any day special.

Maggie smiled and pointed an index finger heavenward. “My bedroom is two flights up.”

“Good thing I work out,” he teased, bent, and scooped her up in his arms.

Maggie grabbed hold of his shoulders and laughed out a halfhearted protest. “You don’t have to carry me.”

Owen grinned. “I know what you spent all your summers reading in the gazebo,” he said as he hurried to the stairs and began the climb to her bedroom. Without any strain or hitch in his breath, he said, “I know what the heroes in those books do.”

She chuckled, pulled herself close to nip his earlobe, and whispered, “Bet you can’t guess what the heroines do.”

“Sweet Lord, I can’t wait to find out,” he said and quickened his pace up the stairs.

He entered her room and, with a muttered “Wow,” marched straight to her antique four-poster bed, with its artfully draped canopy of gossamer-light fabric.

Her body skimmed along his as he released her, and she slowly sank to her feet. As soon as she touched the ground, he rested his hands just above where the jeans ended, his palms slightly rough against that sensitive skin and hot. So, so hot.

With a gentle sweep upward, he bracketed her body beneath her breasts and urged her close, her hips grazing against his erection, trapped beneath the khaki he wore. The tips of her breasts, tight and hard with her need, just brushed the starched cotton of his shirt.

She inched her hands up to the first button of that shirt and half glanced at him as she deliberately, leisurely, slipped each button free until his shirt hung open.

“You’re killing me, Mags.” He didn’t need to say what he wanted, because it was obvious she wanted it too.

***

Maggie laid her hands on his chest, cupping his nicely defined pecs, brushing her thumbs across the hard paps as he eased his hands upward and mimicked her actions, cradling her breasts. Teasing the hard tips between his thumb and forefinger, each little tug blasting straight to her center, creating a sympathetic twist of need.

He grabbed the hem of her crop top and drew it up and over her head. Stopped to gaze at her in the sexy lingerie she was glad she’d worn.

He idly traced the swell of her breasts with the tips of his fingers and said, “You’re so beautiful, Maggie.”

She felt more than beautiful with him gazing at her like that. She felt…cherished.

Reaching behind, she undid the bra and slipped it off, baring herself to him, delighting in the swift inhale of his breath and the jump of his arousal against her belly.

He cradled her breasts again, his touch slow and unhurried. Patient as he learned just what she liked. A little tweak of her nipple followed by his sweet kiss. The long pull into his mouth and a crazy swirl of his tongue that made her knees buckle.

She grabbed hold of his shoulders, encountering the soft cotton, but she wanted to feel him. Only him.

She swept away his shirt, and he broke away from her only long enough to let it drop to the floor and then met her lips in a kiss.

Unhurried. Searching. Over and over, their mouths met as he hauled her close, her breasts crushed against the hard wall of his chest.

She opened her mouth and accepted the slide of his tongue. Danced hers along his until they were both breathing hard and there was no holding back.

Faster than a New York minute, they finished undressing, shoes, socks, khaki, and denim flying free until she stood before him in just the tiny bikini bottoms.

His touch was restrained, almost reverent, as he cradled her breast and then tenderly skimmed his hand down her body to the lacy edge of the panty. He dragged the back of his hand back and forth across the flatness of her belly, just above the low waistband. Then he dipped his hand lower, eased the fabric down her legs, and helped her step out of them.

Special Pricing for a limited time!

FYI – My publisher has dropped the price of ONE SUMMER NIGHT to .99 cents for a limited time! If you haven’t already picked up your e-book, you can do so at the following retailers:

Audible: https://amzn.to/2Lgyz2e

You can purchase #2 in the series, WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER, at the following retailers:

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2y6hi4h
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2y92UIQ
B&N: http://bit.ly/2BJNcov
B&N Paperback: http://bit.ly/2sHmY3l
Google: http://bit.ly/2hKg3BW
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2HlVlly
iBooks: http://apple.co/2hKgP1J
Kobo: bit.ly/koboWHS
Audible: https://amzn.to/2M2ZWfY

Counting Down to Christmas Eve! 12 days to go!

In our family Christmas Eve is the big day when we all get together! I love being able to spend time with family and friends and I even like all the cooking that involves.

I usually day before by running up to Union City to get some Cuban pastries, the port leg and other essentials. Later that night I prep the pork leg for slow cooking the morning of Christmas Eve. That involves squeezing a lot of citrus for the marinade, chopping tons of garlic as well as a number of other spices.

On Christmas Eve day I get up early, get the pork leg into the oven and begin with all the other cooking. A typical Christmas Eve meal is a mix of Italian and Cuban food. Shrimp cocktail. Grilled octopus. Stuffed calamari over linguini. Rpast pork with rice and beans. Yuca and plantains (maduros and tostones). Avocado salad (nom nom). Baked ham.

Although I like to bake, I don’t usually have time to do that on Christmas Eve so friends and family bring the desserts. Flan from my sister and delicious cookies from my friends.

It’s usually midnight by the time we finish cleaning up and then we hit the sack to wait for Santa and afterwards, visit family in Brooklyn Christmas Day. Another wonderful fun time!

What are your holidays like? I’d love to know!

Learn More About Writing Jane the Virgin’s Snow Falling

I was lucky to be chosen to ghost write the novel for the Jane the Virgin television show. Writing SNOW FALLING and working with all the amazing talent on Jane the Virgin was amazing. I’ll be chatting about that tonight with Las Comadres!

You’ll also get to listen in on a chat with Sylvia Acevedo, the CEO of the Girl Scouts, about her book Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist. I can’t wait to hear her story!

For details on how to take part in the teleconference, please visit http://bit.ly/2PuCJ7g.

French Toast Casserole #FoodieFriday

French Toast is one of my fav breakfast dishes, but what can you do to prep this when you have a crowd coming over? How about trying out one of these fabulous French Toast Casserole dishes? Most of these are prepped the night before so that gives you plenty of time in the morning to make my next fav breakfast food – bacon! LOL!

I love using challah or panettone in this recipe and you can also mix it up by using raisin bread! Yum!

    Philadelphia Cream Cheese Puffy French Toast Casserole: http://bit.ly/2zIBUCA
    Simply Recipes: http://bit.ly/2zLFITE
    Food Network Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup: http://bit.ly/2zMuFJK
    Taste of Home: http://bit.ly/2zMuJsY
    All Recipes: https://armagazine.com/2zPSoc9

Hope you all have a great Friday and let me know if you try out any of these dishes. I’ll be making the Food Network one for this weekend!

#ThrowbackThursday – A Visit to the Tree Farm

This is not such a throwback since it’s only to yesterday and our annual visit to the Anne Ellen Tree Farm in Manalapan. We’ve been going there for over 25 years to get our tree. We also commemorate the trip by buying a new ornament to add to the tree. I have to say they’ve done a lovely job in expanding the location with lots of new areas and fun activities for the kids, like a petting farm.

Here are some photos from our visit as well as a before and after of the tree we chose!

#TravelTuesday – My Fav Spots for a New York City Christmas

I love the vibe of New York City for Christmas. It’s one of the reasons that part of ONE SUMMER NIGHT happens during the City’s holiday season! So today I am sharing some of my favorite spots to visit in New York City for the Christmas holiday! If you start in Penn Station and follow along with these fav places, you’ll get to see everything in just a few hours of walking.

Macy’s Christmas Windows
34th Street and Herald Square

    From a celebration of the Miracle on 34th Street to the latest new windows, this is a great way to start your Christmas tour of the City.
2017 Macy’s Windows

NY Public Library
42nd Street and Fifth Avenue

    Say hello to Patience and Fortitude, the two lions named by Fiorella LaGuardia before you enter this lovely building! There are always interesting exhibits about either New York City or themes that would entice book lovers. Visit the gorgeous Reading Room and check out the library’s edition of a Gutenberg bible. On the first floor head back toward the theatre and look down the glass stairs to find the stone foundation of what was once the reservoir that occupied the entire block.
Ceiling in NYPL Reading Room

Bryant Park Ice Rink and Holiday Village
42nd Street between 5th and 6th Directly behind the Library

    Get some delicious Max Brenner hot chocolate and stroll around all the eclectic shops in the holiday village or pop over to watch skaters glide across the ice in the rink. It’s a good place to people watch and window shop before heading back to Fifth Avenue!
Christmas Tree in Bryant Park

Fifth Avenue
Fifth Avenue from 42nd Street to 59th Street/Central Park South

    There was once nothing like NY’s Fifth Avenue for elegance and class. Although it’s lost some of its luster in some areas, this stretch is filled with the shops for the rich and famous (not me) as well as St. Patrick’s and the Promenade into Rockefeller Center. A must walk to check out all the windows, drool over diamonds at Cartier, Tiffany’s, Bulgari and Harry Winston. Linger across the street from Sak’s Fifth Avenue to see their amazing light show before checking out their wonderful windows.

Bling on Fifth Avenue

Rockefeller Center
48th-51st Street between 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue (Aka Avenue of the Americas)

    The tree, the shops, the Promenade, restaurants and more. The holiday season doesn’t officially kick off until the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree with its famous Swarovski tree topper.
Rockefeller Center Tree and Promotheus

St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Between 50th and 51st Streets on Fifth Avenue

    This gorgeous cathedral is the home of worship for many of New York City’s residents as well as the gathering place to mourn the City’s fallen. Walk around to see the various altars to assorted saints as well as the Nativity Scene. During the holidays, the cathedral also often has a special display in one of the areas.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Central Park South
Central Park South (59th Street) and Fifth Avenue

    Finish your walk up Fifth Avenue at Central Park South where you’ll find the famous Plaza Hotel and Grand Army Plaza. Cross over to Central Park and slip down onto the path that leads up Central Park South. Enjoy the views of this immense park until you exit back up into Columbus Circle and the Time Warner Building. Take a moment to visit with one of the carriage horses waiting to take you for a ride aroudn the park!
Central Park

Time Warner Building
Columbus Circle and 59th Street

    By now you might need a break, so take a moment for a quick drink in one of the many restaurants or Whole Foods. Explore the many shops in the building before continuing to our very last stop on the holiday tour!
View of Central Park South from Time Warner Building

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
62nd Street to 66th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues

    It began with our daughter’s fascination with a videotape of The Nutcracker and launched a family tradition that’s been going on for nearly twenty years. Our annual tour of New York City always ends at Lincoln Center where we indulge in seeing the New York City Ballet Company perform The Nutcracker. This is one of the top things of our holiday season and if you get a chance, definitely take in this special treat.
Panorama of Lincoln Center