Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Have a Splendiferous Holiday!


Tonight Peter/I read the latest Fancy Nancy book to the girls - so cute - called Splendiferous Christmas. They are beyond excited for Santa to come on Friday. I overheard the two of them chatting about which cookies to leave out for Santa. Cute.
Have a nice holiday and I will be back to posting come 2010! May your holiday be filled with family, friends, TONS of delicious food and safe travels.
Until 2010!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Good Reading

I have my usual sites/blogs that I go to daily or weekly. I have some new ones to add to my growing list - most of them came from the November 2009 issues of In Style - that listed 220 sites they love. 
  • Eating is Art - Tricia from Portland, OR who writes about yummy food. 
  • Katy Elliott - Follow Katy as she renovates her over 200 year old house in MA. 
  • MilkShop - I probably will not buy much from this site (as I don't believe in spending a fortune on kids clothing) but OMG - such adorable stuff! Hilarious too - check out Mr. Miami Beach or Rebel without a Cause from their Look Book. 
  • Gift Genius - WOW, wish I would have bookmarked this one a LONG time ago. Brilliant. I love the recipient tab where you can adjust the attributes - like the level of Style, Attitude and Relationship. Fun. 
  • Creature Comforts - So many fun DIY projects and inspirations. Great Gift Guide if you are still searching for those last few folks for the holidays. 
Enjoy! What are some of your favorite sites/blogs? Please share. 

Monday, December 21, 2009

The Holidays



I love the holidays and all the things that come with them - holiday cards, holiday parties/gatherings, good food, festive decor and seeing family and friends. 

  • Friday night we spent at Target shopping for the girls - such a great spot for one stop shopping. Strolling through the toy aisles I'm amazed that things like Hello Kitty andBarbie dolls are still just as popular as they were years ago. Some things change, some don't. 
  • One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to open the mail and check out all the fun holiday cards - I especially love the ones with family photos. So fun. This year we decided to use a photo from the wedding of all four of us - so our card is going to be a Happy New Year card. I love the selection of cards from Tiny Prints. 
  • Saturday we were at two different Christmas parties. I spotted someone wearing very similar earrings to these from J.Crew - as the ones she was wearing are now not sold. The earrings were SO FUN and festive. And just recently I heard of J.Crew's jewelry of the month club - hmmm...sounds like a fun gift idea for someone. 
  • I ate WAY TOO much on Sunday at a family Christmas party. My sister-in-law and her husband brought this amazing blue cheese buffalo chicken dip that is SO AMAZING (note that this same dip won first place one year at the annual Hors Derby). We timed it - the dip was gone in 8 minutes. I'm waiting to get the recipe. So yummy. We brought these yummy Scotcharoos that were a hit. 
  • One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to head to the movies. There are so many movies out there that I want to see. One in particular is The Blind Side - I've heard that Sandra Bullock is amazing in it. 
  • We have been listening to Michael Buble's Christmas Album called Let it Snow. 
4 days until Christmas! Our Elf on the Shelf Kevin-Devin has showing up each morning in a different spot - the girls LOVE him! 

Friday, December 18, 2009

My Latest Obsessions

So, I'm a HUGE fan of Etsy (as well as the blog A Cup of Jo). Joanne's husband wrote the following New York Times story about artisans who quit their day job to pursue their work on Etsy. Interesting. 

I was flipping through old pictures when we were putting together our wedding slideshow for the rehearsal dinner. I came across countless family photos of myself and my two sisters - where my mom put us in these outfits that we did not like at all. And now they seem pretty cute. One of my mom's favorite brands for us was Florence Eiseman. I didn't know if they still existed so I looked them up. Such cute stuff - like this adorable spring dress (all three of us had something very similar - all matching). If only my mom had a boy - (maybe she can hope for a grandson someday) - as this outfit is ADORABLE (love the peter pan collar). NOTE: I will not post the picture of me red faced with tears streaming down my face (as I was not having it - I DID NOT want to match my two younger sisters for a family portrait). 

Inspirational video. Makes you think. 

I read this City Guide from Refinery 29 and I decided which restaurant I want to check out next - Nightwood in Pilsen (something different and new and a spot I don't think many have been to yet). I try to keep up w/stuff in the city since my move...

I wear slippers ALL the time in the winter. We have wood floors in our house = cold feet! Theseslippers are cute and provide some warmth. Cute. And you could get away with wearing them out of the house for a quick errand. 

Soon we will be leaving cookies out for Santa on Christmas Eve. This looks like a fun projectfrom Cathy Holden's Just Something I Made blog. 

Thursday, December 17, 2009

My Latest Obsessions

I have been FREEZING lately in Chicago. I saw this coat and it looks so cozy. Love it. Love the combo of knits.

I also love these slouch booties by Loeffler Randall (same as the coat above). Cozy and fun.

I saw a post on Daily Candy about 10 items from Cambia Cove that are listed at 20% off for Daily Candy readers. Take a peek. Here are some gifts on Cambia Cove that are all under $50 and super cute. I love these Mercury Glass VotivesCute gift for your friend that loves tea and candles.

I love these DIY holiday favors. Maybe something to put on my list for next year. 

Fun and cute gift ideas all under $20 from Refinery 29. Here are some unique gifts under $100

I love this song by Passion Pit called Let Your Love Grow Tall. Such an upbeat song! Love it. 

I love this reindeer postcard that I found on Etsy. So cute! 

Peter and I loved our rehearsal dinner location - The Bristol. LOVED it. We just saw that it was listed in GQ as #9 in a list of Top 10 best restaurants in America. Way to go Bristol! 

I loved the gals from Bird and Banner that designed our invitations and menu cards. One of my favorite blogs, 100 Layer Cake, featured our invitation and a few other items. So fun! 

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Elf on the Shelf


One of Peter's sister in law's recommended that we look up Elf on the Shelf. And ironically enough a day or two later my dad sent the girls the Elf on the Shelf. This is seriously one of the cutest holiday traditions I have seen. 

The package comes with an Elf and a book that relays the tradition of the Elf on the Shelf. We officially adopted the elf by naming him. Well, our elf is named Kevin-Devin (because Margaret and Cate both couldn't agree on one name so we combined their choices - hence, good ole "Kevin-Devin." Our Elf was sent by Santa to keep an eye on Cate and Margaret and at night he returns to the North Pole to report if the two of them were naughty or nice. When he returns in the morning he lands in a different spot in the house (and the girls take turns finding him). 

This has been hilarious. Each morning one of the girls comes downstairs and tries to spot Kevin-Devin. This morning he was on top of the chandelier in the entryway. The girls are reminded that Kevin-Devin is always watching them - so they better be good! 

I love this tradition. So cute. Kevin-Devin has come in handy a few times, "Girls, Kevin-Devin is watching and he will report to Santa." 

Does anyone have an Elf on the Shelf? I've run into a few parents that have one and we laugh about the various places their Elf has landed (one mom even dusted some flour on him and he must have wanted to help make cookies). 

What a brilliant idea - some words from the authors. Here is a little girl Gigi and her Elf on the Shelf

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Recap: Virgin Gorda (Part 2 of Honeymoon)


Part 2 of our honeymoon was on Virgin Gorda at Little Dix Bay. We took a plane from San Maarten to Tortola and then a boat from there to Virgin Gorda. Virgin Gorda was equally as beautiful as Anguilla - but looks completely different. Virgin Gorda is much more lush and green and the beaches are not as wide. We loved our room, it was peaceful and open - and we loved the outdoor shower. 


We took a sunset cruise one evening which took us to a few different spots - Bitter End Yacht Club and Saba Rock (a tiny island with some accommodations and a restaurant). 

Our second to last night in Virgin Gorda we went to the Mine Shaft Cafe as we were told that it is one of the best spots to watch the sunset. We had a great dinner and had an amazing view of the sunset. One of the funny things about this restaurant is that there is a tree where all the chickens come to sleep (at the top). Hard to explain (but the chickens sit high up in the tree and fall asleep there). 

On our last day we had a sunset massage and hung out at the spa pool (which had an amazing view). That evening we had a private beach dinner - perfect end to our amazing trip. 

PS - And we just received a sneak peek of our pictures from Brett and Kiri of Pen Carlson (who we LOVE). They ROCK! I miss all my wedding vendors! 

Monday, December 14, 2009

Recap: Anguilla (Part 1 of Honeymoon)



Peter and I made a list of criteria when looking for a honeymoon spot = warm weather, easy to travel to, great accommodations/service, beautiful scenery. We came up with two spots in the Caribbean with the help of Lauren from Jet Set World Travel. Our first half of the trip was spent at Cap Juluca (pics of resorts) on Anguilla off of St. Maarten (and our second half of our stay was on Virgin Gorda off of Tortola at Little Dix Bay). We loved both places equally as much for different reasons. The pic above was after dinner at Pimm's Restaurant at Cap Juluca on our first night in Anguilla.

On day 2 of our trip we met this lovely American woman who worked at Cap Juluca who was doing some errands in town. She offered to show us around. She was invaluable - as she gave us quite the overview of the local restaurants/hot spots/gossip, etc. She was basically our personal tour guide for the day. Peter forgot his swimsuit (ha!) so she steered us away from buying one at the resort's overpriced shop and took us to Irie Life. She then took us to Pyrat Rum where Peter participated in a rum tasting. She dropped us off at the local Johnno's Beach Stop in Sandy Ground for lunch (Yummy!). That evening we had dinner at Smokey's and met the owner Clyde Gumbs (son of Jeremiah Gumbs - who led the Anguillan protest in 1967).

One morning we worked out with Cardigan Connor, a famous past cricket player. He was a delight to chat w/. Talk about FIT FIT FIT. We met a family (the Miller's) who were staying at a Villa just off Cap Juluca's property for Thanksgiving. They have gotten to know Cardigan over the years and said that he has the best stories. We also enjoyed talking with the Miller's son Bryce Miller, a race car driver.

On day 3 we took a boat out with a group from our resort and snorkeled and stopped by Shoal Bay (pic above). We also stopped at this tiny island, called Scilly Cay, and had an awesome lunch. The island is super small and has a tiny restaurant on it - owned by Eudoxie and Sandra Wallace. We loved all the folks in our group that we got everyone on board to head to the Dunes (scroll down to read about the history behind the Dunes) that night to hear Bankie Banx play and have dinner.

Our last night in Anguilla was Thanksgiving and we had dinner at Mango's Seaside Grill. We had an incredible dinner and loved being right on the water - definitely different from the tryptophan induced traditional meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc. The owner of Mango's recently passed away and everyone on the island was talking about it. Mango Dave was known by all as someone who truly lived the dream (by selling his business in New Jersey and buying a restaurant in the Caribbean).  

Friday, December 11, 2009

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Friday! Freezing days like today make me wonder why I still live in Chicago (time to pull out those pics from the summer!). 

I love these 7 Deadly Sins Plates (from Etsy) made from reworked vintage china saucers. So different. These Fighter and Lover bowls are kind of interesting. 

I was inspired to look up these carolers the other day when I was at a friend's home. I immediately recognized them as the same ones my mom collects - and has one for each of our family members. My mom is currently looking for one to represent Peter. So cute. 

My mom LOVES San Miguel, Mexico and I saw this wedding save the date and sent it to her. She loved it. Love the design of these save the dates by Chewing the Cud

I LOVE these monogrammed letterpress coasters. I might have to "gift" myself some of these. I was at a friend's house and saw them - and I was in love. These would make the perfect hostess gift. 

I really like this Kiehl's scent - maybe for Peter? 

friend of mine who recently got married recommended that I use this Bliss Steep Clean Mask the morning of my wedding. I did and I loved it. 

One of my girl crushes, Joanna Goddard (of A Cup of Jo), posted her Gift Guide for Best Friends. Love it! She has Gift Guides for everyone on your list. Check them out! 

I loved the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. I found it inspiring and I loved how real the author felt. A friend of mine posted this article/Q&A where Elizabeth Gilbert discusses her new novel entitled Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Recap: Wedding Reception

I have loved A New Leaf (as a florist and as a venue) for years. I used to live in the Old Town/Lincoln Park area and at night drive or walk by the space - and it was always so pretty - candle lit with beautiful flowers. I made a mental note that someday I wanted to host an event there. I remember calling ANL (A New Leaf) and asking them if they had any available Saturdays in 2009 - they had one - which ended up being our wedding day = Saturday, November 21, 2009

The flowers and candles were gorgeous. I loved all the fall colors and the orange calla lilies submerged in water filled vases. Simple and beautiful. 

ANL has two levels - a mezzanine level looking down. Dancing took place upstairs. We LOVED our DJs from Toast and Jam. They rocked out. Everyone loved them. 

This is a picture from above looking down. Peter and I loved our caterers from Limelight Catering. The awesome gals of Bird and Banner who designed our invitations put together a complementary menu. I'm still waiting to hear from the caterer with the recipe for the Bosc Pear, Local Apple and Goat Cheese Gratin. It was DIVINE! 

My cousin got married at the end of October and she had a Candy Buffet at her wedding. It was a HUGE hit. My sister and I loved it and ate our favorite candy all night long. Two weeks before the wedding I decided to do it. It was such a hit with everyone. Who doesn't love candy? My favorites were the Melt Away Mints - YUM! 

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Recap: Wedding Dress






I absolutely LOVED my wedding dress. It was definitely my PRINCESS moment for sure.  My mom and I looked for dresses last spring and had a great time. My sisters and I are always vying for one on one time with my mom so having an entire weekend together was so much fun. We had a blast trying on dress after dress - I didn't know how I was going to make my decision as I loved so many of them. This past fall I even tried on my Mom's wedding dress (that had not been taken out of the box since her wedding) - so fun! 

My mom also came to Chicago this past fall and she went with me to meet with Amy Beck ofAmy Beck Cake Design. My mom fell in love with Amy's work and we came up with the above design (to replicate my wedding dress). It was so beautiful (and tasty). We had 3 different layers - Coconut Cake with Key Lime Buttercream, Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Spiced Ginger Buttercream, and lastly Chocolate Bourbon with Raspberry Buttercream. YUM, YUM, YUM! 


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Recap: Wedding Ceremony







I loved our wedding ceremony. LOVED it. We were blessed with a beautiful fall day - high of 55 and sunny. Cate and Margaret were so excited to be the flower girls - and for weeks they talked about their flower "crowns" which were a hit w/them. 

I remember walking down the aisle with my Dad and not even hearing the processional songO'Carolan's Concerto. I do remember seeing all my family and friends and smiling and waving to everyone. I loved every moment of it. I was beaming to the point where my cheeks HURT! 

And then I saw Peter and he looked so handsome in his tux. OMG - I'm going to marry him. I then looked to my right and saw Cate and Margaret sitting there hugging one another - looking so cute. My two stepsisters read and my now sister in laws said the Prayers of the Faithful. 

I then lost it during our vows. It hit me - wow - I'm getting married - I didn't know if I would be able to continue. But after a few moments - with Peter's reassuring squeeze I made it through. I loved seeing everyone out there and having my two sisters stand up there with me. So special. I'm thrilled we decided to go with a videographer because I know there is so much I missed. 

PS - Check out yesterday's post on our rehearsal dinner - I added pics. 

Monday, December 7, 2009

Recap: Rehearsal Dinner



So, we are back and as I'm typing this there is snow falling. Pretty yes, but COLD = ugh. I have dedicated this week to our wedding - details, details and more details.

Our rehearsal dinner was amazing and it set the tone for the weekend. We held the dinner at The Bristol in Bucktown. We had our dinner upstairs and it couldn't have worked out better. Originally we were supposed to have our dinner at Vivo - long story short we ended up switching to The Bristol two weeks out. We were thrilled with The Bristol and I cannot wait to go back there and have dinner or brunch. People rave about the place!

MENU
Starters
  • Monkey Bread with Dill Dipping Sauce (unbelievable, I could have eaten an entire loaf). Soft, warm and right out of the oven.
  • Apple and Manchego Salad (yummy, but honestly I don't remember as much because I was in LOVE w/the Monkey Bread).
Entrees (passed family style)
  • Ravioli with cheese/herbs and egg yolk that oozes out when you cut into it. They were DIVINE (and huge!). One was enough to keep you satisfied.
  • Beef Brisket (yummy, and my best friend's father who is jewish and knows good beef brisket gave it a thumbs up!).
  • Side of Beets (not sure how they were prepared but LOVED them).
Dessert
  • Homemade Nutter Butter w/a chocolate dipping sauce (need I say more!).
Overall, the night was perfect - great vibe - loved the brown linens and white flowers that were on the table. The staff were beyond friendly and everyone raved about their signature drinks and beers on tap.

For some reason I'm having trouble uploading pics from the dinner (to give you a visual) - stay tuned - will add some tomorrow.

Friday, December 4, 2009

My Latest Obsessions



Well, we are back from our honeymoon!! We got back late Wednesday PM and are getting back into the swing of things. We were sad to leave the Caribbean but seeing the girls has been so much fun. Chicago welcomed us home with cool temps and some flurries. 

So, next week all my posts are going to be about OUR WEDDING - the rehearsal dinner, the wedding ceremony, reception, my wedding dress, and our amazing honeymoon - STAY TUNED!

In the meantime, here are some of my latest favorites (that I found while flying to our first honeymoon destination). ENJOY! 

I LOVE the latest pics of the girls we took several weeks ago. Check them outEvent Password: CM1109

We don't have a dog but if we did this Persian Kilim Napper dog bed is super cute. Maybe I will have to get one for my mom's labradoodle Lacy! 

Here is a great gift item for the guy that has everything - maybe something for his 2nd home -Jonathan Adler needlepoint backgammon set

I received a heads up from my new sister in law that come Spring 2010 Zac Posen will be debuting a wallet friendly line at Target. Stay tuned! 

This would be an adorable gift for a little boy or girl - Brown Own Organic Cotton Storage bin
by 3 Sprouts. Cute and useful. 

I'm a huge fan of Me & Ro jewelry. They have a heart and wing pendant and the fearlessness pendant where 100% of the proceeds go to the Joyful Heart Foundation. Great gift ideas. 

Peter and I met Bradley (from NYC) at Chez Bamboo in Virgin Gorda. He was there with his parents for Thanksgiving. He was a delight to chat w/...and we got to chatting about Thank You Notes and Cards. He recently started b(inc) design - LOVE the idea. My mom drilled into us the importance of Thank You notes (however, I still have some to write from my engagement party...yikes!). I wonder if the White House party crashers write thank you notes! Ha! 

Check out these beautiful organic wool pillows from Kate Henri. More about Kate