Thursday, December 31, 2020

Happy 2021

 
Here's to hoping 2021 revolves around us all getting vaccinated (and you doing everything you wanna do) — xoxo darling, Hayden.

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Year in Review // 2020

As this god-awful year came to a close, I started looking back over Haute Table throughout the years. I went through my seven year in review posts, searching for why I did them and what they meant to me. And this year, running HT was one of the hardest fought for me mentally. I finally sat down and looked at the numbers and they were fairly abysmal in relation to a blog that has existed for eight years. Granted, Haute Table never was a way to make money. The goal still is not to make money...I have a successful job and am incredibly happy with it. But I began to question this year why I stressed about having blog posts up and why I was doing the roundups. But as the year progressed and I read through old posts and searched through new ideas, I realized how much this blog has meant to me over the last eight years. It has been my constant. People have come and gone, Instagram trends have come and gone and TikTok has come (will it go?! God I hope not). But HT is still here. It's kind of like a ton of photo albums but at one url. And with that, I bid you adieu on this introspective. Yes, Haute Table is continuing into 2021 because where else would I dump all of my photos and vent about my life? Where else would I get to be this weirdly creative? I hope you all enjoy this year in review. I know I always do — xoxo darling, Hayden.
As we all know, 2020 has been a weird year. Everyone's has. We've all gone through this extremely traumatic experience together and some of us have come out the other side (please wear your mask). It's not the normal year in review because it isn't a normal year but I thought I'd highlight some of the better things that have happened. 

We worked with one of my all-time favorite restaurant chains.
We saw our favorite podcast in person (Belinkers unite!).
We visited our favorite place in the whole wide world. 
We took the most restorative girls' trip to Grand Lake.
We celebrated 2 years of Denver Food Adventures.
We started our feminist cocktail series on TikTok.
We celebrated the little things (like green grass).
We celebrated our best friendaversary on Zoom.
We celebrated Haute Table's 8th birthday.
We witnessed the most beautiful autumn.
We worked on being actively anti-racist.
We did our first shoot wearing a mask.
We released the official Denver guide.
We went to our first drive-in theater.
We explored Denver more in-depth.
We welcomed Marcus to Colorado.
We (safely) hung-out with friends.
We went to White Sands NPS.
We escaped to Breckenridge.
We launched 61 in 1001.
We visited El Paso.
We went home.
We turned 24.
We marched.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Resolutions in Review

Alright. We all know that when we created our resolutions way back in January we had no idea a global pandemic would rain down upon us. 2020 has been...everything. Some weirdly extreme highs, some downright god awful lows and everything in between. And so, I give you the review of how I did:

Just Do It

Well...I guess this depends on how we look at it. Yes, it was originally intended to get myself eating alone in restaurants. And obviously that was a bit impossible this year as restaurants shuttered and did takeout only. But I think this year I have never been more alone (and not in the incredibly depressing way that sounds). Yes, I have a roommate who I'm incredibly thankful for, but most of us didn't have our immediate support network for months at a time and I had to truly entertain myself. This year I started going on 3.5–5.5 miles a day!!!! WHAT?! I feel in the back of my mind losing weight is always a goal. Which sucks. We shouldn't do that to ourselves, but it happens. I always looked at working out as awful but something shifted this year. I think I was so desperate to not be in my apartment, to not let that crushing sadness take over and I got outside. And now walking every day is kind of a lifeline. If I don't do it (and I think I've missed a collective 20 days since April 25, 2020, I feel disappointed in myself. I have no idea what I weigh, there was no dieting but I feel better. I sleep better. I (think) I'm happier. So while I didn't exactly accomplish this because #covid, I think I achieved something greater.

See More

Welp. Yet again a bit of a challenge on this one as we were shut down most of the year. I will say I ate at way more restaurants, explored more outdoor areas near my home and really embraced that Colorado life (hiking...I mean hiking). I wanted to see more museums but instead I got more parks and ya know what? That's just fine. So I'm saying 100 percent success on this one, given the circumstances. 

Be (A Little) Spontaneous 

Oh lordy. I would say this is a pretty big fail. Although, I did say yes to two things I would normally avoid this year. But I think dealing with the pandemic took all spontaneity out of my life. My mind couldn't cope with that on top of everything else. 

Social Media

FAIL. Well not a failure in terms of my success on TikTok and my Denver food Instagram. Those two are killin' it. But in regard to the actual goal of having a better HT Instagram, absolute and total failure. And I don't really know what to do about it. I would say, well let's try harder but for some reason it just falls by the wayside. I'm gonna keep trying in 2021 and see if something works. Maybe an hour each morning or each night for just getting posts ready? IDK...any ideas welcome. 

Saturday, December 26, 2020

Vlogmas Update

Catch up on the final videos of Vlogmas — xoxo darling, Hayden.




Thursday, December 24, 2020

Happy Holidays

Hope you're having the best holiday season no matter what you celebrate! — xoxo darling, Hayden


Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Week Re-Cap

Holiday lights at the Edison Home
I officially signed off from work on Monday evening and now I'm on vacation until the 28th. Today is officially my last "real" blog post. I have a photo post tomorrow that wishes you a happy holiday season but this one is the last one with true content until next week...well maybe there's a Vlogmas re-cap on Saturday if I get to it. Over the last week we've seen more holiday lights, gone for long walks, read some books and are just enjoying family time together. It's going to be a chill Christmas with movie watching, grazing and sleeping. Hope your season is going well — xoxo darling, Hayden.
Starting this book & currently v into it
Just finished this one & loved it
Historic Dean Park Neighborhood lights
Obsessed with this house
Cutest card from Serena
Loved the cover of the weekend WSJ
Industry Beer & BBQ in Naples' frito pie
Loved this beer — the Seasick Crocodile — from Prairie Artisan Ales
Industry Beer & BBQ chopped pork shoulder

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Latest TikToks

Catch up on some feminist cocktails — xoxo darling, Hayden.


@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 215: The Alayna Fender ##foryoupage ##fyp ##alaynafender ##feministok ##feministcocktail ##foryo

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 216: The Boudica ##UnwrapTheDeals ##HomeOffice ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feministcocktail ##feminist

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 217: The Alice Wong ##MyRecommendation ##UnwrapTheDeals ##foryoupage ##feminist ##fyp ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Made this back in aug. but this woman deserves to be celebrated again. ##staceyabrams ##FamilyImpression ##FallFashion ##UnwrapTheDeals ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 218: The Angelina Grimke ##NeonShadow ##MyHobby ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feminist ##cocktailrecipe

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 219: The Antonia Hernandez ##FanEdit ##STEMLife ##foryoupqge ##fyp ##feministcocktail ##feminist

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 220: The Arabella Mansfield ##MotivationMonday ##feministok ##foryoupage ##fyp ##cocktailrecipe

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 221: The Louisa Swain ##WIP ##feministok ##foryoupage ##fyp ##cocktailrecipe ##feminist ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 222: The Leilani Muir ##canada ##foryoupage ##albertacanada ##fyp ##feministok ##feminist ##foryo

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 223: The Susette La Flesche ##HolidayCountdown ##WhereILive ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feministok

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine needs ep. no. 224: The Lilian Bland ##JustDanceMoves ##OnHold ##BeKind ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feminist ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 225: The Loretta Lynch ##WeekendVibes ##JustDanceMoves ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feministcocktail

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 226: The Junko Tabei ##JingleJangleWithMe ##BakingSzn ##RoomTour ##JustDanceMoves ##fyp ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 227: The Gretchen Whitmer ##GrowUpWithMe ##JingleJangleWithMe ##FoodTikTok ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 228: The Aurora White ##VansCheckerboardDay ##HolidaysOurWay ##tabletop ##JingleJangleWithMe

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 229: The Mary Edwards Walker ##NBADraft ##VansCheckerboardDay ##RecordsDay ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 230: The Barbara Arnwine ##makeitmini ##OurType ##VansCheckerboardDay ##foryoupage ##fyp ##foryo

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 231: The Juno Pierce ##DoPacSun ##NoNuanceNovember ##makeitmini ##WorkingAtHome ##foryoupage

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 232: The Harriet Purvis ##TheatreKids ##DoPacSun ##GamingSetup ##makeitmini ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 233: The Dr. Marian Croak ##WhenWeWereYounger ##NeedToKnow ##DoPacSun ##foryoupage ##fyp ##foryo

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 234: The Diane Nash ##InkDrawing ##GraphicDesign ##civilrights ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feminist ##fy

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 235: The Dr. SK Chan ##HereForRMHC ##FallGuysMoments ##FamilyRecipe ##foryoupage ##fyp ##oregon

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends...bloopers edition! ##WalmartSyncAlong ##GivingThanks ##HereForRMHC ##foryoupage ##bloopers ##fyp ##foryo

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 236: The Jo Ann Robinson ##OPIObsessed ##ReadySetShop ##WalmartSyncAlong ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 237: The Marie Van Brittan Brown ##DiceRoll ##OPIObsessed ##WalmartSyncAlong ##SmallBusiness

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 238: The Mary McCurdy ##IntroVideo ##HolidayVibes ##OPIObsessed ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feminist

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 239: The Marie Baldwin ##GiftOfGame ##ColdWeather ##indigenouswomen ##foryoupage ##fyp ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 240: The Josephine Ruffin ##GiftOfGame ##HappyHolidays ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feministok ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 241: The Sacred Twenty ###CashAppInBio ##HomeCooked ##GiftOfGame ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feministok

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 242: The Sophia Callahan ##BagelBopsContest ##EasyDIY ##CashAppInBio ##foryoupage ##fyp ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 243: The Queen Elizabeth II ##selenanetflix ##WildAnimals ##BagelBopsContest ##CashAppInBio

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep.no.244:The Mary Fair Burns ##REMDreamCheck ##HolidayMusic ##selenanetflix ##HowBizarre ##BagelBopsContest

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 245: The Rosa Billinghurst ##SelfImprovement ##REMDreamCheck ##selenanetflix ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 246: The Vera Pigee ##ImAGhost ##PersonalFinance ##REMDreamCheck ##foryoupage ##fyp ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no.247: The Zitkála-Šá ##UpTheBeat ##ThinkingAbout ##HouseTour ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feminist ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 248: The Yara Shahidi ##CancelTheNoise ##HolidayCrafts ##UpTheBeat ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feminist

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 249: The Wilma Rudolph ##CancelTheNoise ##UpTheBeat ##foryoupage ##fyp ##feministok ##feminist

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 250: The Wendy Davis ##TheWildsChallenge ##Catchphrases ##OOTD ##CancelTheNoise ##foryoupage

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 251: The Virginia Billedeaux ##CancelTheNoise ##ComfortFood ##TheWildsChallenge ##foryoupage

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 252: The Vigdís Finnbogadóttir ##MONCLERBUBBLEUP ##HolidayDecor ##CancelTheNoise ##RaisedBy

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 253: The Tye Leung Schulze ##TheProm ##MakeItVogue ##MONCLERBUBBLEUP ##GoodMorning ##foryoupage

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 254: The Sarah Bagley ##VivaCleanHacks ##FestiveFashion ##TheProm ##MONCLERBUBBLEUP ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 255: The Keri Gray ##MakeItMagical ##Productivity ##VivaCleanHacks ##TheProm ##foryoupage ##fyp

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 256: The Rollin Sisters ##DejaTuHuella ##HaventSeen ##MakeItMagical ##PlantTikTok ##foryoupage

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 257: The Sister Rosetta Tharpe ##StrikeAPosay ##Artmas ##DejaTuHuella ##MakeItMagical ##foryou

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making feminist cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 258: The Terry Minnis ##OutPizzaTheHut ##LoveStory ##StrikeAPosay ##DejaTuHuella ##foryoupage

♬ original sound - Hayden
@hap213

Making cocktails until the quarantine ends ep. no. 259: The Septima Clark ##OREOFORSANTA ##Wishlist ##OutPizzaTheHut ##StrikeAPosay ##foryoupage ##fyp ##for

♬ original sound - Hayden

Saturday, December 19, 2020

Vlogmas Update

Welcome to more vlogmas episodes! — xoxo darling, Hayden
Days 10–12
Days 13–15




Friday, December 18, 2020

Last Minute Gift Ideas

In case you still need to find something cute before the shipping dates end, here are some last-minute favorites — xoxo darling, Hayden.

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Reindeer Food Recipe

My childhood friend's mom used to make this recipe each December and one day she gave me the recipe (which I have amended to my favorite things). Now I make it each holiday season and as my dad (who doesn't like white chocolate) says, "It's like crack." You can't help but grab a piece anytime you walk through the kitchen. Also, because it breaks into easy pieces you can give it as homemade gifts — everyone will love it, trust me. Hope y'all enjoy — xoxo darling, Hayden.
Reindeer Food Recipe
You'll Need:
-4 cups rice Chex cereal
-3 cups Cheerios cereal
-1 1/2 cups mini pretzels
-1 cup holiday M&Ms
-1 package of vanilla candy coating
-massive mixing bowl
-spatula
-parchment paper
-cookie sheet
-peanuts if you so desire
Instructions:
1. Combine all your dry ingredients in a massive bowl. Mix them up so they aren't sitting in layers. 
2. Slowly heat your vanilla candy coating in the microwave. 
3. Pour the candy coating on your dry mixture and thoroughly coat it in the mixture.
4. Add parchment paper on top of your cookie sheet.
5. Place reindeer food onto the parchment paper cookie sheet in a think layer.
6. Let the candy coating harden before breaking it into pieces.
7. Serve! 

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Week Re-Cap

Had (outside) lunch at Ella Mae's in downtown Fort Myers.
A nice week at home (and in Tallahassee) with the fam bam. This week we're staying closer to home, watching football and most likely eating a lot of takeout. How are y'all? — xoxo darling, Hayden
The delicious fried chicken sandwich.
One of Hannah's amazing Christmas presents to me.
Really loving holiday light walks with my parents.
Loved the lights at Swamphead Brewing.
First Magnitude Brewing in Gainesville
Love Maple Street Biscuit Co.
Governor's Park walk in Tallahassee.
Went to the FSU game.
Capital Tacos near Tampa.
An outdoor beer at Florida Avenue.
Love this mural in downtown St. Pete.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Links I'm Loving

Latest obsession: iced eggnog lattes.

Some recent things I've loved around the internets. — xoxo darling, Hayden

Holiday inspo that is oh so beautiful.

Okay, statement collars are where it is at for 2021.

Going to have to make time to watch Mariah Carey's Christmas special.

Very much want this Dirty Gingerbread candle.

Looking for gifts? Check out these small businesses. Or these Black-owned small businesses!

Need to try this spicy pesto pasta alla vodka!

Romance novelists are helping turn Georgia blue for the runoffs.

Adding a bunch of these to my must-read list.

Snack + holiday movie pairings for your next Zoom call.

All of the food references is Taylor Swift's new songs.

Feeling these indoor person gifts...

A good list of holiday movies to watch in Half Baked Harvest's post.

These decorations are phenom.

30 books to read in that weird break between Christmas and NYE.

Popeyes might be getting chocolate filled beignets...