stefanie | mostefinitely

October 26, 2019

Easy and fun Halloween couples costume: Robert Palmer and Robert Palmer girl

When it comes to Halloween costumes, I love taking ideas from popular culture. Favorite movies, TV shows, and music artists are all great sources of inspiration. It’s so much fun to come up with ideas that can’t always be found at the store and aren’t overdone.

One of the ideas I’ve been keeping in my back pocket is recreating the iconic “Addicted to Love” video with Robert Palmer and his band of models. It truly doesn’t take much in the way of costume elements, and it’s instantly recognizable… at least to most people of the MTV music video era.

Friday night gave us the perfect opportunity to finally make this idea come to life: an 80s-themed Halloween party at East Lansing’s Fieldhouse featuring 80s cover band Triple Lindy.

We had a complete blast dancing the night away, and we won the costume contest!

Here’s how to easily put this costume together.

October 11, 2019

Recipe: ‘Magic Salad’ with arugula, squash, and brussels sprouts

Lately, I have become obsessed with making what I’ve started to call the “magic salad.” It takes some of my favorite veggies (roasted butternut squash and shaved brussels sprouts) and gets them into the salad action instead of sitting on the sidelines. Add in arugula, parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and a salt bae healthy dose of Maldon sea salt, and you have a hearty and delicious dinner.

I first made this magic salad on our first night home from our trip to Paris. After dining out on pure decadence for a week, I was craving a salad something fierce. It hit the spot, and has been a favorite go-to ever since.

While butternut squash is the OG squash for the magic salad, I’ve also incorporated my other favorite squash, delicata. For added protein, I have used flank steak or chicken, but it’s plenty filling without the meat.

Here’s how to make it!

October 8, 2019

Interview: Storm Large, a force of nature

This weekend, Wharton Center audiences will be treated to the song stylings of five-time Grammy-nominated vocalist/pianist Michael Feinstein and Pink Martini’s powerhouse Storm Large. Their Shaken & Stirred tour, arriving in East Lansing October 12th, features song selections from the Great American Songbook. Click here for additional show information and tickets.

Storm Large — musician, actor, playwright, and author — is a musical force of nature, best known for her appearance on CBS’s “Rock Star: Supernova,” musical memoir “Crazy Enough,” and performing with Pink Martini. I spoke with Storm about her career, working with Michael Feinstein, and how music connects us all.

September 23, 2019

Love pumpkin? You must try these fall treats

Today marks the official first day of fall, and while it always feels like summer flies by too quickly, there are also so many special things about fall in Michigan. I’m already dreaming about visits to Barkham Creek Farm for apple cider and donuts, Halloween costume prep, and dressing for crisper days.

It’s also the magical time of year when all things pumpkin appear on the shelves: everything from dish soaps to candles, flavored coffees to cereals. Pumpkin lovers rejoice, pumpkin haters groan. I’m a pumpkin lover, so I’m in major celebration mode this month.

I’ve been starting to bring out the annual standbys, like my Pumpkin Patch Kalamazoo Candle Company candles, but this season it feels like the universe is bestowing new pumpkin gifts onto us in great abundance.

Can you say, pumpkin pie hummus? Are you thrilled or disgusted by this notion? How about a spin on Starbucks’ cold brew, or a delicious, 120-calorie ice cream pop?

If you’re a pumpkin fanatic, please proceed.

September 12, 2019September 12, 2019

Sneak peek: Check out the new Foster Coffee Co. in East Lansing

In spring 2018, I went with my friends Linda and Ellen to visit the cute little town of Owosso. One of our must-stops was Foster Coffee Co, which was founded in Owosso in 2014. Foster celebrates community through local partnerships and, of course, coffee. I loved their cozy vibe, and the coffee was also so yummy.

Over a year later, I am so excited that Foster Coffee Co. is opening an East Lansing location in the new Center City project along Grand River. This Wednesday night, I was given the opportunity to get a sneak peek of the location, which is set to make its debut with a grand opening weekend on 9/20-9/22. I was also sent a fun little package ahead of the sneak preview with a Foster Coffee Co. shirt, mug, sticker, and gift card.

September 11, 2019September 11, 2019

Review: “Come From Away” sheds light on our darkest time

Today marks the 18th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11. As we’ve done each year since 2001, we spend this time reflecting on where we were, remembering those whose lives were lost, and honoring the heroes. Some of the stories are full of heartbreak and sorrow. Some of the stories shed light on our unity and humanity.

In recognizing the heroes of 9/11, it feels especially poignant this particular week aligns with the arrival of the “Come From Away” national tour at the Wharton Center. “Come From Away” tells the true story of the 7,000 airplane passengers who were stranded on 9/11 in Gander, a small town in Newfoundland, and the residents who helped feed, clothe, and house them for five days. Real-life testimonies from the passengers and Gander residents give an intimate look at the confusion, chaos, and Canadian camaraderie in the days that followed 9/11.

With book, music, and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and Tony Award-winning direction by Christopher Ashley, “Come From Away” is an emotional and heartwarming kickoff to the Wharton Center’s 2019-20 season. It runs through September 15, 2019.

September 5, 2019September 5, 2019

I love Paris: The best food we ate and where to find it

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it forever: enjoying the local cuisine is one of my favorite parts of any trip. Wherever we plan to go for a vacation, you can bet that I either have ideas in mind of where I’d like to eat or will be researching with endless Google tabs open on my browser.

So when we decided to go to Paris for our 10th anniversary, the vision of macarons, croissants, baguettes, and other delicacies filled my dreams like a carbohydrate cloud. Where would we even begin to find the time and stomach space to get our fill of everything Paris has to offer? And how can you even decide on where to eat when every quaint street cafe looks incredible?

Thankfully, we had some help from friends, local recommendations, pop culture, and of course, a whole lot of Googling.

While just about everything we ate on our trip was absolutely wonderful, especially the bread (oh my goodness, the bread the bread the BREAD), here are the best of the best things we ate in Paris.

September 3, 2019

Interview: Chatting with Julie Johnson of “Come From Away”

The 2019-20 Broadway season at Wharton Center kicks off this month with the arrival of “Come From Away,” the Tony-nominated musical based on true events surrounding 9/11 and the days that followed. The national tour’s East Lansing stop runs from September 10-15, 2019, making it an especially poignant time of reflection for the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

“Come From Away” tells the true story of 7,000 passengers stranded in a small town in Newfoundland and the local residents who helped feed, house, and support them in the confusing and chaotic aftermath of 9/11.

Julie Johnson stars as Beulah and other characters in the touring company of “Come From Away.” Johnson isn’t a stranger to the Wharton Center: she also starred as Mama in the first national tour of “Memphis,” which stopped in East Lansing during the 2011-12 season.

I spoke with her about the humanity in “Come From Away,” her connection with the cast, and her unexpected voice role in the 1990s and 2000s.

August 30, 2019

Checking out the new SMASH: A Nuclear Adventure exhibit at Impression 5

Our family loves visiting the Impression 5 Science Center in downtown Lansing. We’ve enjoyed a membership and two summers’ worth of summer camps for Stella over the years, and it continues to be a favorite place to spend time exploring and learning. It feels like we discover something new each time we visit, especially as the girls are getting older.

I was very excited to be invited by Kate Snyder of Piper & Gold to visit Impression 5 this month and learn more about its newest exhibit, SMASH: A Nuclear Adventure. This interactive exhibit is located on the second level, next to the Spectrum room, and allows visitors to experience the wonder of nuclear science.

The exhibit helps illustrate the research happening right down the street at Michigan State University at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and in the years to come at MSU’s Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). At SMASH, visitors can smash atoms, create rare isotopes, and observe cosmic rays.

While I missed the media preview earlier this month due to our trip, I was graciously given the chance to visit Impression 5 with the girls when we were back home. With Stella having the day off for Labor Day weekend, it seemed like a great chance to check out the new exhibit (and of course visit old favorites) soon after its grand opening.

August 26, 2019August 26, 2019

I love Paris: Hiring a professional photographer to capture our trip

Just a few days ago, we returned home from our 10th wedding anniversary trip to Paris. After months of Googling, planning, organizing, and dreaming about this amazing vacation, it is now the stuff of wonderful memories.

In addition to getting reacclimated to Eastern Standard Time and preparing for our daughter’s first week of school, my mind has been swimming with how I can and should document our Paris trip for this blog. Daily recaps, categories, photo posts? I feel like I have so much to share, tips and anecdotes and hand-me-down recommendations from friends and family that turned out to be golden.

I wasn’t sure where to start, but this seems like a good way to do it. I want to write about how hiring a professional photographer to capture our trip was one of the best things we’ve ever done.