Huge party of friends!! And the last ever at the KERF house 
So sad!!!
KERF + HTP are changing guards –
This afternoon was TOTALLY relaxing thanks to Kristien!!!! He gave me a full hour assessment, including acupuncture and massage!
Kristien asked me 100 questions about my health and symptoms and chose some points to attack.
I absolutely HATE needles so I can’t believe I was brave enough to try this…that’s how stressed I am! I had chest pains all day yesterday after a month without a day of rest and too little sleep.
I have to say that I really enjoyed the experience. The needles were just a tiny pinch and when you really need the treatment, it’s almost like you WANT some pain in the points. They weren’t painful at all.
[Note my surgery scar on my foot!]
My leg needles felt a little burn…
My hand needles felt a little itch…
And my forehead needle felt like a magnet on my head!!! Kristien said all of those effects meant good things were happening : )
It’s hard to tell how much the acupuncture itself helped because the whole hour of deep breathing and massage was divine. But I’m SURE something good was happening.
Meanwhile, Matt was down making 20 vegan black bean burgers for our cookout tonight! We used Emily + Casey’s famous recipe – best bean burger ever! Better than mine! The cinnamon is the secret ingredient 
Soon enough we had guests
Games of beer cricket ensued
Beverages
Seltzer and juice for the mocktail drinkers
And a collection of wine and beer (this was just the beginning of the beer!)
This wine was a blog sample to review!! I cracked it open for a splash and sent it around to sample. I got good reviews from those who like Sauv Blanc and turned noses from those who don’t. It was very citrusy and I liked it a lot! Had about 2 small glasses throughout the night.
New friend Jen and her husband Jeff brought a fruit dip with cinnamon pita chips. I think they were the hit of appetizers!!
Kate + Nate brought famous TJ’s hummus + more pitas!
I put out some Food Should Taste Good chips
I nibbled on chips and hummus throughout the first hour or so
I also drank an Orange Blossom Cream Ale at some point. It was great!!
On the dinner menu were the bean burgers on Great Harvest buns made by Matt on Friday. Half honey whole wheat, half rosemary garlic!
The bean burgers looked a LOT like cookies!!!! They were great!
We also grilled a ton of veggies!
Caitlin + Jason brought a tomato + mozzarella couscous salad
And a fruit + nut green salad from Emily + Casey
Dinner was so tasty! I was pretty full from some chips and a beer, so it was the perfect amount of food. I ate half my burger and saved room for dessert!
I turned to mocktails..
The desserts….
Whit‘s Milk Chocolate Cookies
Michelle‘s Famous Banana Pudding!!
And Diana made Berry Shortcakes with homemade almond whipped cream
Absolutely delicious
We’re going to miss our friends so much!!
{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
everything looks great! glad yall had a great time!
jealous times 1 billion. I can’t wait to meet you lovely ladies at HLS in a few months! WOOT WOOT epicness.
PS I love how fresh and green everything looks in your backyard
Summertime is the best
What a paaaaartay!!! I love that the bears are with you during acupuncture. I’m seeing right, right??
Hahhahhahahahah! YES!
This looks like such a fun hang-out. Sad to leave but exciting things ahead.
This party looks like a ton of fun and a great way to “change over”. Kudos to you for introducing Caitlin to friends in town before she moves!
Wei-Wei
That is so fun to have a personal assessment by a doctor. It’s like a house call
So many refreshing items on the menu tonight – orange beer, berry shortcakes, and salads galore! YUM.
That meal sounds amazingly perfect for a last party in your home lady! This makes me so excited to meet you at the HLS, because it seems like so much fun when bloggers get together!
It looks like a great time! It is so hard to leave a place and friends! I am sure you will easily meet new friends and keep in touch with your current ones!
OMG Almond whipped cream. My favorite indulgence.
BTW, this is crazy, but my fiance’s step dad creates the ‘savory dips’ for TJ’s and has designed their hummuses himself. His company makes all the deli case items for stores like Fresh&Easy, TJs, and some supermarket on the east coast. It’s awesome (and total score on the in-law scale, lol)! He’s also super in tuned to social media, so keep talking about it if you like it. He tried my version of vegan queso at graduation and loved it, so new dips are on the way!
Oh cool! What a fun job
I love how healthy the cook out its! I was eyeing those rosemary garlic buns over at HTP
Oh my what a spread. It is great you got to have such a nice last party at your house.
But you won’t be too far away – I’m sure you’ll see them all again before you know it
Thank you for the report about acupuncture – I’ve been wanting to try it for a really long time, as I get bad RSI from typing (and am doing a PhD next year, so need to sort something out) and I’ve heard acupuncture can help 
You threw a great party, Kath!! Everything looks delish, especially the bread + banana pudding!! YUMMM
Jenn
Oh my goodness, everything looks so good! You’re making me hungry just looking at it! I really love how all you bloggers know each other
Check my blog out!
So many links in this post! I’m going to try those black bean burgers, they do look good!
i bet having the last party at the house must’ve been emotional! i find that acupuncture helps just because you are forced to lie still, just breathing, for such a long period of time.
What an amazing night, with so much good food! I’ve had acupuncture before, I’ll be interested to see if you think it’s helped long term; when I had it, I kind of went in a bit skeptical, so I’m not sure if I really allowed it to work..but my mum is a firm believer in it
Have a great Sunday!
AAAAHH. I have never tried acupuncture because I have a BIG fear of needles, but people keep telling me I should and you were so brave too, so maybe this is a sign that I can go through with it too
Hey Kath can you please let me know if you know where Diana got her white mixing bowls seen in the pictures? I love them and would love to buy some!
Go ask her!
oh what a fun time and I’m glad to hear you let yourself relax!
What a fantastic evening.
I feel sort of sad that you and Caitlin wont be living in the same place! I think there was an opportunity for some epic Blog-ventures!
I don’t mind needles but I think I would be too scared to try acupuncture. The idea of a needle sticking out of my body does not appeal to me! I’m glad it helped you though, I can’t believe you had chest pains, not good. Kristian seems like a fab friend to have.
It’s so sad that you’ve held your last party at your house. I hope you are looking forward to your next adventure!
I’ve never tried acupuncture and I’m with on fear of needles…glad it sounds as if it’s working for you though!!
What a grand cookout with a fun group of friends!
Your house is so beautiful…every time I see pictures of it, I love it
Those rosemary garlic rolls look divine, as do the berry shortcakes. What a yummy cookout! Hope you enjoy your Sunday!
Wow, what a feast! It looks great. I have always wanted to try acupuncture, but was afraid it would hurt. I hate the idea of needle sticking out of me! I guess I just need to be fearless and give it a try!
I love reading your blog and thought about you this weekend! I am from SC but am visiting NYC for the weekend and I ate at an all natural restaurant and right when I opened the menu my eye spoted a sandwhich that was Turkey, sharp cheddar and ligonberry perserves, argulua on seven grain! It was delicious!!!!
we will miss you more
thanks for the wonderful party!! we had a great time 
Oh wow, so much delicious food! I would be overwhelmed with all those choices!
Wow that dessert platter looks amazing! I’d forgotten about banana pudding; now I want some!
Awww that sounds like so much fun!! Is that Not Your Mama’s Banana Pudding by Paula Dean? SO GOOD.
Whoa acupuncture in your house..that’s cool! That must feel so weird. It’s amazing how being pricked with little needles can do so much.
and those burgers did look like cookies- big chocolate chip ones! hahaha I’m glad you had such a good time with your friends! The last one in the KERF house but there will be plenty more
The desserts look absolutely fantastic. And I totally thought those burgers were the cookies when I saw them on Caitlin’s blog. Then I thought they wouldn’t trick me on yours, but then that was my first thought again! They look so delicious either way.
So fun to hang out with other healthy minded friends, makes for great party food.
Looks like a really fun and relaxing night! The desserts look awesome!
Oh my goodness what yummy eats!!
I have a recipe for a fruit salsa & cinnamon pita chips that is always a hit at parties! It’s SO good!
You are sooo lucky to have such a great group of friends. In other parts of the country (ahem…where I live in a part of the south) it is so difficult to find nice, healthy living young couples to hang out with. Most 20 somethings in my area are more interested in going out and getting trashed rather than having a nice backyard party full of good food and company. Be thankful for your friends!!
Kath, I wonder if you will ever tell us exactly why you had to get surgery on your foot? I would love to know
I had a fused sub-talar joint (a birth defect?) that became symptomatic in high school after I sprained that ankle playing soccer. I had “mega arthritis” in the joint and had surgery to un-fuse it in 2005. It’s been OK since!
It’s sad to leave the old but you have to look forward to all of the new friends and things to come. All that stress will go away.
So glad you had such a FANTASTIC weekend with Caitlin and your friends. Great food, good drinks and fun times. You should be so grateful.
Have you noticed anything different yet as a result of the acupuncture? It’s something I’ve been wanting to try for a long time..
Nothing specific. But I do feel SO Much better than I did on Friday!
Acupuncture relaxes me like nothing else. I think it having to lay absolutely still so as not to desturb the needles, something I NEVER do! Good for you for getting past your fear of needles and giving it a go!
Wow, this looks like such a great party! I’d love to do a blogger meet-up like this sometime
Looks like you guys had a great party! Too bad I didn’t get to meet you before you left Charlotte. You’ve been a source of inspiration for me as I’ve started my own blog over the past few months. I hope you guys have a seamless transition to your new life in Virginia and that you make lots of great friends there.