The Best Party I've Ever Thrown & My Chill Summer Checklist

Female Foodie Friday Vol. 34

Brooke Eliason

Jun 14, 2025

Life is moving super fast lately.

My kids are both done with school.

My son is done with Kindergarten (how?).

Our 4th of July ribbons are on display.

We’re signed up for swim lessons.

I need new sandals for all of the kids.

And June is almost halfway over.

I’ve always loved “Stop This Train” by John Mayer and will be channeling that energy for the next couple of months because there’s nothing I want more than a CHILL summer.

Chill Summer Checklist

slow mornings in PJs
unlimited backyard sprinkler time
endless popsicles
letting my kids sleep in as much as possible
and letting them stay up late, too (here and there)
grilling nonstop
backyard string lights every night
s’mores
daily walks
showering if we feel like it
eating outside more often than not

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10 Things That Made This Week Great

I was spoiled with a ton of good food this past week, as my birthday celebrations continued into the weekend. A few girlfriends took me to my fav pizzeria in Portland (ILY, Grana!).
I couldn’t resist ordering my usual: the Nonna (ricotta, preserved lemon, broccolini, oregano, sesame seeds, & garlic) with salami.
Gado Gado with Cody (he knows me!) for the dreamiest southeast asian birthday date night. I love eating really good Asian cuisine like this—every dish feels so novel and exciting and like nothing I could cook for myself at home.
No matter what you order, the Roti Canai is a must.
I actually cried of laughter watching this vid.
It’s officially CSA season, and I couldn’t be happier (CSA = community supported agriculture). I get a new box of produce from a local farmer every Tuesday and look forward to it alllll week long.
So many greens!
Still dreaming about this week’s recipe, which is truly just perfect for summer.
Had Thirst Drinks founder Ethan Cisneros on the podcast this week and loved talking to him about true hustle and what it’s like to provide incredible customer service.
In the next life I will have a voice like this (rest in peace, Brian Wilson 💛).
Listened to this podcast by Brooke Castillo and loved what she had to say about potential (it’s a bit of a run-on sentence because I pulled it straight from the episode, but gosh, it’s so good!):
“Utilizing your own potential is the thrill of being alive.
Most people aren’t trained to be resilient, aren’t trained to be courageous, aren’t trained to be able to manage the emotional roller coaster that is one of living your life at the highest level and living your life on a constant dose of self created discomfort in order to achieve in the highest way.”
This week’s highlight was unquestionably last night: the first-ever Female Foodie Tours reunion. We invited all 300+ ladies who have ever come with us to Italy to have one giant party together in Salt Lake City.
My heart was full to the brim reuniting with our *amazing* guests who’ve all joined us in Italy for a magical, unforgettable week (many of them more than once!). It was hard to pull away from the conversation to grab pictures, but I’m so glad I did!
We hosted the event at Wheeler Farm and had an INCREDIBLE turnout. Some drove a few minutes, several came from different states, and we even had two guests fly in from CANADA. When you come on one of our tours, you’re family for life. 🫶🏼
A great party doesn’t exist without great food. Here’s how we treated our guests for the evening:
Tacos from La Casa Del Tamal, aka my favorite tacos in the state of Utah. I knew I wanted something casual but delicious for all of the guests to eat, so it was a no-brainer to ask La Casa Del Tamal to cater the event. They served three different tacos to each of our guests, and I couldn’t recommend their catering services more (their birria tacos changed my life).
Thirst Drinks because Thirst is hands-down my favorite soda shop in Utah, and I wanted all of our guests from near and far to experience an iconic “Utah” soda. Jake and Crew were amazing, and I was so impressed by their fun and efficient catering setup. My go-to order forever and always will be the Little Mama.
Cutler Cookie Co., because we had to have a sweet treat for our guests, and their brownie marshmallow and frosted peanut butter cookies are some of the best cookies I’ve had in my life. I love that they can make these miniature sizes for bulk orders, and everyone loved trying both cookies!