In 2011, I started a tradition with two of my best friends from college. Every August, we all get together for the weekend in Columbia, Mo. to attend a wonderful event called Boone Dwaddle. It's a summer extension of the annual True/False Film Festival, another one of our traditions, which takes places in February. The Boone Dwaddle consists of a leisurely 16-mile bike ride on the Katy Trail from Columbia to Les Bourgeois Vineyards & Winery in Rocheport, Mo. Along the way, there are a number of "trailside surprises," such as snacks and performances. Upon arrival to the winery, you are treated to a buffet-style local foods picnic, live music and a documentary film screening. All of this takes place on a gorgeous blufftop overlooking the Missouri River. I must admit that my friends and I have never actually done the bike ride portion of Boone Dwaddle. Each year, we briefly consider it, and then opt out in favor of the shuttle bus. The event organizers hinted that they might add canoeing as a form of transportation next year, in which case, we will definitely participate. 

Boone Dwaddle was on Saturday, but we kicked off the festivities early on Friday evening. I drove to Columbia, and met my friends at our accommodations, The Gathering Place Bed & Breakfast. We stay here for every Boone Dwaddle and most of the time for True/False. Besides the beautiful guest rooms, impeccable customer service and mouthwatering breakfasts, it is also within walking distance of downtown. I would live there full-time if I could! For dinner, we went downtown to Pizza Tree, an eatery that specializes in creative pizza styles made from fresh, local ingredients. We started the meal with an order of fried dough sticks that were served with chile oil for dipping. The appetizer was perfectly crispy and light, and we wasted no time devouring them. Our entree was the Banh Mi pizza, which is inspired by the popular Vietnamese sandwich of the same name. It consists of pizza cheese, sriracha braised pork belly, kimchi, chile aioli and cilantro. This filling combination is delicious and easily the prettiest pizza you have ever seen. We ended the night with frozen cocktails at Tropical Liqueurs before going back to the B&B. 

Sunday began with another fabulous breakfast at the B&B. The main course was Belgian waffles with whipped cream and blueberries. I also had fresh fruit, hickory-smoked bacon and eggs over easy. After breakfast, we checked out of the inn and decided to spend the rest of the morning at the North Village Arts District Farmers & Artisan Market.  There were several vendors selling fresh produce, flowers, jewelry, clothing, artwork and other wares. I wasn't very hungry after our big breakfast, but I couldn't resist trying the truffle pizza at the Playing With Fire Wood Fired Pizza food truck. The yummy pie is made up of mozzarella, Pecorino, garlic, herb and truffle oil. The day was extremely hot, so we cooled down inside at The Root Cellar Grocery, where we picked up some refreshing Fresh Beet Gourmet Ice Pops, and at the Artlandish Gallery catacombs. One of the highlights of the market, was a performance by a very talented singer named Benjamin Joseph who entertained the crowd with his guitar and rock-soul vocals. We delayed heading home because we didn't want to stop listening to him play. He was that great. 

From being in the company of friends who I adore, to indulging in two days of food, film, music and art, Boone Dwaddle weekend 2013 couldn't have been better. This is a tradition that I look forward to continuing for many years to come. 

The 2013 edition of the True/False Film Fest wrapped up Sunday night in Columbia, Mo. after four days packed full of documentary films and live music from around the globe.  This was my fourth year attending the festival and, as always, it was a phenomenal experience. Here's my take on the weekend:

Beyond the films, T/F also puts a premium on showcasing music from various acts from across the country and around the world. Before each film, audience members are treated to a performance from one of nearly 40 solo and group buskers who are part of the festival. Throughout the weekend, musicians can be found playing on street corners and at parties and events. My favorite act at the festival was a string folk band from New Orleans called Yes Ma'am!. I heard them for the first time before the screening of Crash Reel and then later that night at the Toast/False Saturday Busker Showcase. Side Note: While they weren't officially tied to the festival, Columbia, Mo.-based band Jenny Teator and The Fevers played a show on the first night of True/False at a downtown venue. Their set was amazing, and I really hope that they can be incorporated into T/F next year. 

I consider myself to be a bit of a foodie, so what I eat during T/F weekend is as important to me as the films. Beforehand, I prepared a list of Columbia dining establishments that I wanted to try for the first time or revisit during the festival, and I was able to get to most of them. Several restaurants catered to movie-goers by providing discounts for pass holders and a selection of dishes that could be ordered quickly between screenings.  These are the restaurants that I visited during the festival:

• Bleu Restaurant & Wine Bar:  I've been a fan of Bleu since they opened, and they didn't disappoint at T/F. They offered a modified "Sip and Nosh" menu for the festival, but I ordered off the regular menu since I wasn't in a hurry to get to a film. I had their signature Bleu Burger, which had confit mushrooms, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese, with a side of garlic and rosemary fries.
  
• Uncle Tusk's BBQ: This wasn't on my original food list, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it. Uncle Tusk's BBQ was serving outside of The Bridge concert venue as part of a non-festival show that a friend and I attended on Thursday night. We sampled the maple and brown sugar barbecued wings, and they were incredible. The sauce was perfect and the meat fell off the bones. 
• Uprise Bakery: This eatery is located inside of the Ragtag Cinema which houses two of the festival's venues making it extremely crowded and chaotic. Surprisingly, the service was pretty fast, and I didn't have to rush to finish my house salad and slice of Focaccia bread pizza before my next film. I didn't try it, but I heard raves from people who ordered their Bahn Mi sandwich which consists of pulled pork, kimchi, sriracha aioli, cilantro, mint and cucumbers served on a baguette.
• U Kneed Sweets:  This small bakery was a delight.  The proprietor offers a mix of Asian, American, Italian and French pastries and desserts. I sampled one of their hazelnut macaroons, and it was perfection. 
• Broadway Brewery & Restaurant: To end the festival, my friends and I decided to have Sunday brunch at this downtown brewpub that specializes in creative beers and meals made with fresh, local produce.  I ordered the French toast, house bacon, cheesy grits and a mimosa. I really enjoyed the cheesy grits, and the fresh-squeezed orange juice was the best I've ever tasted. Unfortunately,  their delicious pear ale, which I fell in love with during a previous festival, wasn't on tap. 
• Pizza Tree: I'd been hearing rave review about this new artisan pizza place for awhile, and I was anxious to try it out. They had a discount on their Detroit-style slices for pass holders, and I wasn't super hungry, so I went for a slice of pepperoni. It was good, but what really intrigues me is their "Pizza Art" like The Fortnight which includes Ezzo pepperoni, bacon, ground sirloin, Italian sausage, red onion, kalamata olive, mushrooms and fried green peppers. Another example is the truffled crimini with tomato and Gouda cheese. I look forward to going back and trying these. At next year's fest, Pizza Tree will likely have a food truck roaming the streets. 
• Yogoluv: There was no line here when I stopped in after a film to get my froyo fix despite it being right next to one of the festival's biggest venues.  They change the flavors regularly and have a large selection of toppings to choose from. The price is determined by the weight of your concoction. I tried a satisfying blend of the cinnamon bun and dulce de leche yogurts topped with fresh fruit and almonds. 
• Kaldi's Coffee: I don't drink coffee, but Kaldi's is regularly named as the best place for a cup of Joe in Columbia. I opted for their Italian salami sandwich, chips and a slice of gooey butter cake. It is always crowded during the festival, but service is fairly fast, and the food is good. 
• Lakota Coffee Company & Roasters: I really like the rustic decor of this coffee shop, and it wasn't as crowded as Kaldi's. I had one of their refreshing mango and banana smoothies while I worked on some writing between films. 
• CJ's: My vote for the best buffalo wings in Columbia goes to CJ's hands down. We ordered ahead and our wings were ready for us when we arrived,  which gave us plenty of time to enjoy our meal before our next film. 
• Tropical Liquers:  Trops, as it is known to Columbia's residents, is a beloved establishment that serves up a variety of frozen specialty cocktails. The weather was chilly during the festival and there was snow on the ground, but this place was still packed. 
• Top Ten Wines: This upscale wine shop has a small bar, a couple of ping pong tables and window seating that provides a great view for people watching. We stopped in for a glass of sangria after a day of films. They also sell cheese plates for a light snack. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a relaxed yet sophisticated environment. 
• El Rancho: There are better Mexican restaurants in the city, but this one benefits from being in the heart of downtown and staying open into the early morning hours. When the bars close, it is not surprising to find a line here that goes out the door. I had the ground beef nachos, which weren't anything special, but took care of my hunger at 3 a.m. when not much else was open. 

Posted by Porcshe N. Moran

Watching movies is one of my favorite pastimes, and the Oscars are one of the few award shows that  I enjoy watching each year. It is nearly impossible to not get swept up in the glitz, glamour, and pomp and circumstance of Hollywood's biggest night.  This year,  my fiancé and I hosted a small Oscars viewing party at home. While our gathering was not quite as extravagant as the Governor's Ball or Vanity Fair's annual soiree, it was still a lot of fun!

DECORATIONS
Our living room was party central which meant bringing in some tables and adorning  them with red tablecloths, silver tinsel and sparkly balloon weights that served as centerpieces. To keep post-party clean up simple without sacrificing style,  I purchased plastic black plates, black paper napkins and disposable cutlery that had a sterling silver finish. I used Google Drawing to create signage for the "snack bar" and "dinner & cocktails" areas.

FOOD
I had the intention of preparing some homemade gourmet appetizers for the party, but my busy schedule got in the way. I opted instead for catering from a local supermarket which was much easier, and tasted great. The menu consisted of boneless buffalo wings, Italian bruschetta, vegetable pizza and a fresh fruit platter with watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and fruit dip. For drinks, I served Barefoot Bubbly's Moscato Spumante and Stone Hill Winery's Spumante Blush.  We also set up a movie theater inspired snack bar complete with candy (Junior Mints, M&Ms, Sour Patch Kids and Airheads), popcorn and soda. 

GAMES
A party centered around a three hour TV event can get a little dull, so I planned some games to liven up the evening.  During the red carpet coverage and the main show, we played Oscars themed bingo. We also filled out Oscar ballots before the show to track  how many of the winners we guessed correctly. 

PARTY FAVORS
I wanted my guests to feel just as special as the celebrities that are feted on Oscar night, and the best way to do this was with swag bags. My female swag bag was a glittery silver box topped with a bow. I filled it with a bar of lavender soap, a fresh linen scented candle, some white chocolate truffles, and an elegant black and gold magnetic notepad.  The male swag bag was loaded up with goodies such as a mini LED flashlight, a couple of nice pens, a notepad,  an LCD cleaning kit and an 8-in-1 multi-use knife. 

How did you celebrate the 85th annual Academy Awards? For more photos from my Oscars viewing party follow @PNMMedia on Instagram.