A Sweet Galentine’s Day Party + The Best Movies for Girl’s Night

*This post was sponsored by Hudsonville Ice Cream, but (as always!) all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Lake Shore Lady possible!

This is probably not news to you, but I’m a BIG fan of Galentine’s Day. Not only that, but I have been ever since I first heard Leslie Knope talk about it on Parks & Rec. I try to make a point to post about it in some way every year because I know that Valentine’s Day can be sort of isolating sometimes. Plus, most of our best gals have been around even longer than our significant others, right?!

For this celebration, I gathered a few ladies that I’ve met through blogging. Since we all have different (and busy!) lives, it can be hard to squeeze each other in, so this felt like the perfect opportunity to get some catch up time on the calendar. I also love that each of these ladies excels at something different – I feel like I’m always learning something new whenever I see each of them, so it was fun for me to get them all in one room together!

Ali is the most fashionable gal I know, and the sweetest at that. Kit is a food blogger extradonaire! She’s got recipe content lined up for months, and always has new SEO tidbits to share with me to help me succeed. Ashley is an incredible photographer, and can style a flat lay like no one else. (The cutie pug in this post also belongs to her!) And Jess is the best fitness buddy, as well as an incredibly honest and vulnerable writer. And, the adorable Hannah Schweiss was behind the camera! Can’t forget her!

Ice Cream Party – A Sweet Galentine’s Day Party

To help us celebrate this fun holiday, I partnered with Hudsonville Ice Cream – one of my favorite ice cream companies in the Midwest. I discovered them at Mariano’s last year and it’s been our favorite ice cream brand since! I always love supporting local family-owned businesses, and this one has been perfecting the art of ice cream making in Michigan since 1926.

For these ice cream sundaes, Hudsonville sent me their Limited Edition Chocolate Raspberry Indulgence flavor, which is definitely indulgent! It combines dark chocolate and white chocolate ice creams with a natural raspberry ripple. Yeah… it’s just as good as your imagining it to be ?

If you want to pick up a pint for your Galentine’s or Valentine’s Day celebrations, you can use the Hudsonville Ice Cream Scoop Locator to find a store near you that has their ice cream in stock. You can also get a coupon for $3 off two cartons of Hudsonville’s Limited Edition flavors (this one and Hazelnut Cinnamon Bun – YUM!) when you click here!

As delicious as this ice cream is on it’s own, parties are way more fun with toppings, right?! I set out hot fudge, various sprinkles, fresh raspberries, and whipped cream. Pretty sure hot fudge was a must for all of our sundaes. I mean, just look at that drizzle!

The Best Movies for a Girl’s Night In

In addition to finding out what everyone puts on their ice cream (and what voices we use to talk to Ashley’s adorable pug), I also asked all of them what their favorite movie is for a girl’s night in. That way, if you guys recreate this setup, you also have something fun to watch!

Ali’s Pick

This is a tough question! But I think my favorite rom-com is Friends With Benefits! I love it because it’s totally relatable, sweet, silly and fun. No better person to fall in love with than someone you adore as a friend! Plus… I mean… JT & Mila. Who couldn’t love them!?

Ashley’s Pick

Clueless was THE most stylish film of my childhood. I spent all of middle school trying to dress like Cher. Years later and this movie hasn’t lost once ounce of it’s chic charm!

Jess’s Pick

I’m a sucker for a good rom-com (cliché storylines and all) and found myself in need of a cozy night in the weekend before last. So I did what any single 30-something would do and turned to Netflix, aka the cure all. Armed with a glass of my favorite Cabernet, I laughed and cried my way through To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, and then I decided I’ll have what Lara Jean is having. 😉

Kit’s Pick

I love a great American/British love story, so my pick is Serendipity. I feel like it is an overlooked gem of a rom com. It has John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale and is set in NYC. You could argue that it is a Christmas movie, but I think it is watchable year round! The movie has SATC favorites (John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan) plus Jeremy Piven, Molly Shannon, and Eugene Levy. I love this movie because it is all about fate bringing people together.

My Pick(s)

It’s my post, so I can pick more than one, right?! My all time favorite romantic comedy is You’ve Got Mail, so I’m always down to watch that one. I also recently re-watched My Best Friend’s Wedding and it holds UP! Plus, it’s so fun to see Chicago in so many of the big scenes. And lastly, if you don’t want a romance, Dumplin on Netflix is so sweet and uplifting. It’s all about friendship, body confidence, and self love. In other words, it will give you all the feels!

And no, I didn’t move to a swanky apartment without telling you! Since my kitchen is dark (and the counters aren’t pretty at all ?) we shot these photos in a gorgeous apartment 465 North Park. This kitchen is the dream!

Are you celebrating Galentine’s Day this year?

What’s your favorite movie for girl’s night? And have you ever tried Hudsonville Ice Cream? Let me know in the comments!

PS. You might also like Valentine’s Day Recipes + Date Night Picks for 10 Chicago Neighborhoods.