Michigan State vs Univ of Washington tailgate with RevelXP

Sometimes things turn out even better than you could have hoped for. I put out a lot of hype calls, texts and emails trying to bring my friends together for a tailgate on campus at Michigan State for the MSU vs University of Washington Huskys game 9-16-23. Our Husky friends Matt & Sally had taken us to the football game when MSU played Univ of Washington in Seattle last year, so this was part of the master plan. Return to Michigan State and revel in the fun of being on campus again, but how? 

It was all a dream until I found out that REVELxp was a company that was founded on making tailgating easy. They handled all of the logistics that were hard for me as someone coming from out of state. They provide the reserved space; They put up the tent and fill it with a couple big tables and folding chairs and a few coolers full of ice. They hung a banner (they printed) so my friends could find me. They met us at a designated drop off spot and unloaded our car into a golf car and drop our load to our designated tent. (Am I dreaming?) At the end of the game, they make it all go away. Incredible. It was just what we needed and I can't say enough positive things. 

These 2 great friends of mine Tricia (and Tim) and Alicia (and Alan!) also went above & beyond to make our tailgate a success. They brought a huge bar of mixed drinks, a grill for hot dogs and tons of tailgating supplies. Things I never would have been able to come up with flying in. They are the best and I think they had as much fun as I did. What a great reunion. Tons of our friends from Junior League dinner club came with bells on.

Lots of my friends brought food or drinks to make the party great. Btw, REVELxp also offers catering. It's expensive, but it does allow you to guarantee that you'll have some bites for your guests. We had sandwich platters and chicken wings to fill people up. And we were able to get all of the drinks in cans at the local Meijers the morning of the game. 

Our Junior League of Birmingham, MI dinner club (started in 1997) came out and it was so wonderful to see so many of our friends again. I was levitating. I stood for 3 1/2 hours, didn't eat or drink and it felt like a wedding reception. I knew everyone there and I didn't want to miss a moment.

I couldn't pack a lot in my suitcase, but I did manage to bring football stadium tablecloths (cute!) and tiny beer can dessert picks with me. Don't they look darling in my friend Karla's brownies? They are my kind of beer.

Another whole part of this event was getting my Kappa Alpha Theta sorority sisters together. Many of these women, I hadn't seen in about 25 years and I had only been writing on Facebook. The photo above shows 22 women from my time as a Theta at Michigan State. It was fabulous.

We were known as the "4 H" 

You can see from the image above that our UW friends Matt & Sally made sure that the Husky fans they knew (that had also travelled) felt welcome to come tailgate with us. It was so fun seeing everyone together. Dan & I had stood in a sea of purple in Seattle the year before, so it was wonderful to host this year and include everyone.

Liz and I met our first year volunteering with Junior League in 1997 and have been kindred spirits ever since.  

There was a great banner so tailgaters can tell which tent to go to. This was just as we arrived - I'm so glad we took a photograph. Smartest thing we did in 2023 - host a tailgate and get all of our friends and family together. Yes, my brothers, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews came too. It was a awesome.

The game was a disaster. University of Washington won 41 to 7. It looked like we had sent our Tennis Team to try and play them. Horrible. But, our seats were great, the weather was beautiful and we had a blast! 

And, University of Washington went on this season to be in the National Championships, so clearly they were an excellent team. 

This was the best thing I planned all year. If you get a chance to do a reunion tailgate, I highly recommend it.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game: Thetas at the Mariners

I went to my first Major League baseball game this week! I know, I'm not sure how I missed this all American pastime but I did. My only explanation is that I spent my summers at a cottage on a lake, far out of reach of Tiger stadium. Anyhoo, when my sorority alumnae group planned a night at the ballpark, I couldn't wait to sign up. Twelve or so Thetas met for dinner and then walked  across the street to the game. Play ball! 

The T-Mobile stadium is open air and felt so grand when I walked in, that my oohing and ahhing caught the attention of the attendant and he sent us over to get my "first time at a Seattle Mariners' game" certificate. How could I not?

The stadium has a retractable roof, so the majority of the game was in the fresh air. I took this photo from open area on the 3rd deck. Hello Seattle! When it started to rain around 9 pm, the roof slowly and silently slide closed. That is a modern marvel!

When I was planning on what I would wear to the game (Mariners' colors are blue with a bit of green & the weather would be in the high 50's), I regretted not having any Mariners garb. I was driving when I remembered that I had my Dad's baseball charm. It was in his desk drawer my whole life and as a girl, I was most likely to wear a charm, so my mom said I could have it. It says "Champions 1951" and he would have been 18 years old that year. Was he on his high school baseball team? I need to ask his brother if he can remember a significant baseball event in Mount Clemens, Michigan in 1951.

I strung it on a chain and wore it to my first real baseball game, 68 years after "the championship." Isn't that wonderful? I think my dad would have thought this was great.

#seattlemariners #seattleblogger #baseballfan #sentimental #kappaalphatheta #thetakites 

Anne Held Reeves, Beta Pi, Michigan State has Moved to Seattle

I am honored to have this little article I wrote published in print in my sorority's national magazine, as well as online on their website. Enjoy!

(Photo during a trip to West Seattle farmer's market)

I was moving to Seattle and could count the number of people I knew out there on one hand. Kappa Alpha Theta has an alumnae chapter in Seattle, so I transferred my membership with high hopes of making friends out West.
I immediately joined the alumnae chapter’s book club. I famously arrived at my first meeting directly from the airport the night I moved. Now, when we all introduce ourselves at a chapter event, one of the girls invariably remembers meeting me when I first arrived in Seattle and tells everyone, "And I mean when she first arrived!" It's fun, and it tells the others that connecting and showing up when I say I will is important to me. 

That winter, I attended several Theta alum book club nights and it felt wonderful to belong. It might sound funny, but after a day of strangers, it felt so nice to be invited into someone’s home. The tradition in this book club is for the hostess to serve a light meal, usually a hearty soup with fresh bread. The members do their best to contribute wine, appetizers, and very often store-bought cookies. We have a glass of wine and spend the first little while getting reacquainted. It’s great because in addition to the core 10 members (who may or may not make it each month), we always have one or two new women drop in. The attendance ebbs and flows due to work schedules, and that’s okay. The members are understanding. You’ll be interested to know that our ages range from mid-20s to early 70s. 

The differences in our lives foster terrific book discussions. Although most of the book club members have lived in Seattle for at least a few years, when we start talking, our anecdotes and reflections remind us that we began our lives as Thetas at different times and places all over the country. It is that life experience that makes our discussions so rich. Making friends as an adult is challenging, but leaning on your affiliations (school, church, volunteer) can really help you get a leg up. I am so thankful to have our sorority to help us connect (finger snaps).

It has been two years since that first night at book club and I am indebted to these women who were the first in Seattle to learn my name. In that time, we have built a house, moved all our possessions out of storage and have started making a life for ourselves in the Pacific Northwest. 

It was such a nice night! We tried new recipes and ate a lovely meal out on the patio. We even talked about the possibility of making an all cookbook book club, because we all like to cook and really enjoyed having a full meal at our gathering. Who knows, it just might happen! I look forward to whatever my Theta sisters cook up.

I wanted to highlight our book club and this evening in particular because it was the night the Theta alumnae dedicated our August meeting to our love of cookbooks. The leaders suggested we check out fellow Theta and Seattleite, Heather Christo's cookbooks and blog for recipe ideas. Heather was the guest speaker at our 2016 holiday luncheon, and she has a gift for making allergen-free recipes look especially tempting.

Anne Held Reeves, Beta Pi/Michigan State, is a member of the Seattle Alumnae Chapter.

#kappaalphatheta #sorority #thetaforalifetime #seattle #bookclub #momentsofdelight #bloglife #theta #moving

Cookbook Edition: Our Sorority Book Club Branches Out

My sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, has a pretty active alumnae group in Seattle and I transferred my alumnae membership the moment I moved, with high hopes of making friends out West.

I famously arrived at this Theta book club from the airport the night I moved here and now when we all introduce ourselves, one of the girls invariably remembers meeting me when I first arrived in Seattle...and tells everyone "and I mean when she first arrived!" It's fun and it tells the girls that connecting and showing up when I say I will is important to me. 

It was November 2015 and I had just flown in for my first extended stay in Seattle. The plan was that I'd be in our apartment with Dan from November to April, and then I'd fly back to Michigan with my mom to start packing and selling both of our houses over the summer.

It feels like just yesterday, but now we've built our house, are completely moved in and can start making big plans.

I have always loved to cook and I was particularly excited to hear that the book club was dedicating our August meeting to the love of cookbooks. The leaders suggested we check out fellow Theta and Seattleite, Heather Christo's blog for our recipes. Heather was the guest speaker at our holiday luncheon. We did and had a lovely meal. 

I think it is so interesting that most members went to different colleges in different parts of the country, but we all ended up in Seattle and have our sorority to help us connect. (finger snaps) Making friends as an adult is challenging, but leaning on your affiliations (school, church, volunteer) can really help you get a leg up.

I made Heather's Blueberry Maple Mustard Grilled Shrimp and a bowl of cheddar biscuit nibbles called Cheese Wookies (from a different cookbook). The sauce was simple and flavorful - win/win! and everyone ate their fill.

My friend Clara made this magnificent Quinoa Salad with Roasted Vegetables. 

Our hostess, Kristen made this satisfying Grilled Garlic, Rosemary and Mustard Shrimp and some gluten free cupcakes to satisfy our sweet tooth.

It was such a nice night! We were able to try new recipes and eat a lovely meal out on the patio. We even talked about the possibility of making an all cookbook book club, because we all like to cook and really enjoyed having a real meal at our gathering. Who knows, it just might happen! I look forward to whatever these women cook up.

#seattle #cookbookclub #bookclub #heatherchristo #finddelight

My Sorority Luncheon: Heather Christo and a Charming Party Favor

I attended my sorority alumnae holiday luncheon this year and wanted to share with you a glimpse at the guest speaker and the darling touch that was placed at each place setting. 

The event speaker was allergen-free chef, cookbook author and fellow Theta, Heather Christo. She gave an engaging and thought provoking speech about how she has taken her training as a chef and her mama bear instincts to create beautiful and delicious allergen free meals for her family. Her children are thriving without allergens and the world has taken notice. Her blog, Heather Christos is gorgeous and her followers rave about the recipes. 

Heather was thrilled to share her beautiful new cookbook, Pure Delicious at our luncheon and sign copies for attendees. What a terrific gift for someone who follows or is interested in an allergen-free diet. Heather's recipes are free from gluten, dairy, egg, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish and cane sugar. She is a delightful woman and I was so happy to chat with her over lunch.

The cute touch that was at each place setting was Heather Christo's gluten free gingerbread cookie recipe and a star-shaped cookie cutter. My sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, has Twin Stars as our symbol and I thought it was a darling way to remind us of our connection. Plus it's December and we're all in the cookie-baking mood. It was wonderful to see how easy it is to put an allergen-free recipe into practice.

I encourage you to click around on Heather Christo's website. I guarantee you will be impressed and tempted to alter your diet. Happy New Year!

2013 ArtPrize Winner in Grand Rapids, Michigan

I was so happy when I found out that my trip to Grand Rapids (for my friend Tracy's son's bar mitzvah) coincided with #ArtPrize.  Have you heard about it?

Here is a succinct description from the ArtPrize website: 

"ArtPrize® is a radically open, independently organized international art competition with an unprecedented $200,000 top prize decided entirely by public vote.

For 19 days, three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, become an open playing field where anyone can find a voice in the conversation about what is art and why it matters. Art from around the world pops up in every inch of downtown, and it’s all free and open to the public."

What a fabulous idea! I downloaded the ArtPrize app to my iPhone and was able to vote for pieces I loved while I was in town (you must physically be in GR to vote which ensures tourism for the city and quells cyber-landslides from those who haven't really viewed the artwork).  

There were entries on display in the lobby of my hotel, the JW Marriott.  In the photo below, I framed a booth in the lobby against the visual interest in the background. In the distance you can see the yellow, red and orange banner art installation called "Hydro Anthem" on the Blue Bridge.

I loved staying at the JW because it was right on the Grand River; it was within walking distance of so many of the ArtPrize attractions and the staff was incredibly helpful.  I'm definitely coming back.

I had free time on Saturday afternoon and my two sorority sisters from Kappa Alpha Theta at Michigan State came and picked me up for lunch and a whirlwind art tour.  We had lunch at The Woman's City Club and had a quick "casual buffet for ArtPrize" lunch and then walked around the building viewing the art on display.  During lunch, we heard a darling young singer/songwriter, Elle Pohlman perform with her guitar.  Her music is her art and she proudly recited her ArtPrize entry number in between songs.

I liked seed bead artist, Colleen O'Rourke's cartoon-like girl in a piece called "New Couch."  

Her mother, E. Lynne O'Rourke had a torn art collage hanging in the same room called "Fresh from the Garden."

My favorite part of this piece is the Bigelow tea tag hanging on the string out of the cup. 

This art installment is called "Silk Waves in the Grand" by Al and Laurie Roberts.

I am showing you all of these to spotlight the various types of art on display. I feel very fortunate that I was able to visit Grand Rapids during ArtPrize - it is my kind of event! Good luck to all of the artists! 

*While I was exploring the ArtPrize website, I came upon this page about Kumi Yamashita, of one of last year's winner.  At first, it looks like colorful pieces of tissue paper in orderly rows and columns.  When you look closer, you see that each tissue square has been manipulated/bent so that it casts a shadow that is a human face!  I am in awe. 

***October 5, 2013
The winner of ArtPrize 2013 has been announced! Congratulations to Ann Loveless of Frankfort, Michigan for her landscape art quilt titled, "Sleeping Bear Dune Lakeshore."  It's beautiful! Congratulations, Ann.