Bum Pilates — BLOG — HudsonCounty60

I've known I wanted to do a Shop Local Gift Guide when I started HudsonCounty60, but I didn't know how to kick it all off. But what better than a little party? For me, the Holiday's are synonymous with parties and get-togethers. There are the Holiday basics for the Christians of America-- Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years-- but what about all the celebrations for all the other religions and groups of people that make up our great community? There's Diwali, Channukah, and Kawanza. I knew I needed to keep the Holiday vague, in hopes of throwing a party viewers would want to throw themselves, and I also wanted to do something that would include HudCo60 All Stars like Jen Choi of Sugarsuckle, and Casey Repetti of Casey2Cook. Booze was obviously another requirement.

In September, maybe even August, I started reaching out and beginning the planning process. Both ladies would help me prepare something for the party. Jen decided on Linzer Cookies, which were perfectly light and delicious, and still maintained that holiday spice we all know and love. Casey decided on the perfect party appetizer; sausage, pepper & onion bites. These are not only delicious, but they can be made significantly in advance and frozen, and are INCREDIBLY economical-- one recipe yields 46 bites, and I think we all can agree parties get expensive.

Lastly, I approached the fairly new Wine Dad's in Hoboken about alcohol. I assumed they would suggest some local breweries, but did me one even better-- The Bibo, which may be the perfect little machine for a party. Have you ever thrown a party with a specialty cocktail, only to have to keep making pitchers and pitchers all night long? With Bibo, you essentially have an at home bartender that everyone can work on their own. The machine is as simple as can be-- open the top, put one alcohol packet and one cocktail mix packet in, press the 'mix' button and in less than 30 seconds you have a cocktail! Add a little ice and garnish of choice and voila!

But what makes the Bibo truly perfect for the HudsonCounty60 Shop Local holiday gift guide is that the company is based in Clinton, NJ. And the alcohol pouches? All made by Claremont Distillery in Fairfield, making it New Jersey's largest craft distillery— their Spirits are all produced in the “Garden State” using the finest locally sourced ingredients. So how does Wine Dad's come in? They're the only place in Hudson County that's your one stop shop for the Bibo machine, and alcohol pouches. And a little holiday tip for you— not only are we giving away one machine (valued at $199) to a lucky follower, but during Black Friday you can score one of your very own for only $99 at Wine Dads... wink, wink.

All that was left to do was enjoy! Luckily for me, the party was small and entirely manageable. Between Casey, Jen, Gretchen from Wine Dads and Cait Kolibas from Bum Pilates, we had a great group of ladies! To throw a Holiday Party like ours on your own, I've included Jen and Casey's recipes below. Don't forget to follow all of our friends and vendors on Instagram (links at the bottom) for their Holiday tips!

Happy Holidays, Hudson County xo

Jen’s Linzer Cookies

✨1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

✨1 1/2 cups ground almond flour (or hazelnut flour)

✨1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

✨1/4 teaspoon salt

✨hint of clove

✨114g butter (or 1 stick of butter)

✨1/2 cup sugar

✨1 egg

✨2 teaspoons water

✨Jam or preserves of your choice

1. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a bowl (other than the mixing bowl for the stand mixer).

2. In the stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down to sides of the bowl to make sure butter and sugar are completely combined.

3. Mix egg and water in a separate bowl. Slowly add to your butter-sugar mixture while the mixer is on a low speed.

4. Once the egg/water and butter/sugar are completed incorporated, turn off your mixer and add all of the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on a low speed to combine. Once the dough comes together, stop the mixer. Divide the dough in half and wrap each section in plastic wrap. Chill the dough 1 hour before rolling out.

5. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inches thick between parchment paper to prevent sticking. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place on a cookie sheet or sheet pan lined with a baking mat or parchment paper.

6. Bake at 350 until the edges are golden. Allow cookies to cool completely before adding preserves/jam.

This recipe yields approximately 25 sandwich cookies. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Casey’s Sausage Pepper and Onion Bites

✨1 lb of Italian sausage

✨1/2 cup of small diced bell pepper (I used red)

✨1/2 cup of small diced sweet onion

✨1 teaspoon salt

✨1/2 teaspoon black pepper

✨1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic

✨1 egg

✨1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed

✨1 tablespoon of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a medium bowl, remove the sausage from the casing.. combine the sausage (I used hot) salt, pepper, garlic and egg with your hands until blended.

2. Remove one sheet off puff pastry and unfold it. It is usually folded like a letter, in three. Use the natural bends to cut the 1 sheet into 3 sheets. Roll out each one to about double in size.

3. Divide the sausage mixture into 3 even amounts. Fill each piece of puff pastry and roll into a long log. Use water on your fingertips to seal the puff pastry. Roll in parchment and freeze for at least 1 hour.

4. Remove from the freezer, slice into 1/2inch rounds. Brush the outside with melted butter.

5. Place them at least a half-inch apart on an oven safe tray lined with parchment and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

This recipe will make 3 dozen bites!

…DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW OUR FRIENDS ON INSTAGRAM FOR HOLIDAY TIPS AND INFORMATION!

When I found Bum Pilates on Instagram I was all about the aesthetic. Between the millennial pink, the butt puns and the general imagery, I was all in. It's what a few big workout chains do with their imagery and advertising, but when you go to a class or meet the owners you discover it's all a shtick. As soon as you meet Cait Kolibas, the owner, it becomes abundantly clear how authentic it all is. Cait has long blonde messy hair, she's covered in the coolest tattoos, and did I mention she has the body we all wish we had? This place SCREAMS Cait, and it's cool AF.

I had never done a pilates reformer class before. Sure, I've tried some floor pilates classes at the gym, where women are essentially piled on top of each other, while Techno played, but this was different. Between my gym experience, and the image I had in my mind of Gwyneth Paltrow in an overpriced perfectly white workout outfit, sipping Moon Juice while some New Age music plays, I've just never had any interest. Pilates always seemed like something that just wasn't my speed. Maybe it was the tranquility, or pretentiousness, but it didn't sound fun. When we talk, I tell Cait that these are the images I've had in my mind and exactly why I've never had any desire to try Pilates.

But Bum is entirely different. There's hiphop music I actually listen to playing, the space is cute and pink, there's a calm pit-bull sleeping on the sofa, and Cait's teaching in Adidas leggings and a vintage soccer shirt. She's saying things like "this one makes your ass burn, right?". Not to mention the workout actually kicked my ass.

I tell her I've recently (a year ago) had a baby, and haven't really been working out. And that's when she unloads some knowledge on me-- Pilates is one of the best postpartum workouts. Pilates is perfect for strengthening the pelvic walls that lose their strength after birth. The same walls that make peeing when you sneeze or laugh a possibility. The same walls that ache after a day of walking around. And after one class I can feel that it's true. But let's not forget about your butt. I'm sure Pilates is a great overall workout, but between all the squeezing and tightening and extending, my lower body is where I feel it all. Cait also uses TRX in her workouts which I've always found fun and hard. It brought in an ab element I didn't really get from the reformer exercises, and from what I've heard, is rare in a Pilates class.

Cait and Bum Pilates make working out fun. In an hour I felt toned, strong and like I had actually done something really good for me. It doesn't hurt that the body you're aspiring to have is teaching the class, which is a lot of motivation to keep going when it starts to get too hard. For some exercises watch our episodes below, or go take a class. I assure you, you will feel good afterwards.

For more information on Bum Pilates check out the website here, and the Instagram here. And don't forget, we've partnered with them to giveaway 1 personal training session with Cait herself.