Summer's Kick-Off

For today's barbecue at my parents' house, I made these cinnamon-sugar cookie bars:

This cake tastes just like a giant snickerdoodle cookie. Love. And it looks so much better after my brother plated it like he was at a fancy restaurant. It's fun to have a professional chef in the family to make even the simplest of dishes look elegant.

Also, I came across these awesome seltzers near the checkout at Stop & Shop:

There were a bunch of new flavors but I only bought the Pomegranate Sangria and Mint Mojito. I may be biased since I'm a seltzer-lover but they were amazing, the kind of drinks that are perfect for a warm day, but would also be perfect in a cocktail.

And just like that, it's the end of the long weekend. Summer is here, kind of. xo

Found: Best Ice Cream Sandwich

As a short reprieve from the sideways rain yesterday, Anthony and I detoured through Madison Square Eats.  The weather deterred people from walking through the temporary food festival tents so we didn't have to fight the crowd to get to the Melt cart.  I had reservations about getting an ice cream sandwich since we were freezing but I cannot describe how delicious it was. The homemade snickerdoodle cookies were super crispy and the cinnamon ice cream was so unbelievably rich but not overly sweet. I want to go back and try all of the other flavors. This is definitely going to be a treat that I try to replicate at home this summer.

Umm, I'm Not a Movie Critic but...

 
We watched Bachelorette tonight and I can't tell you how happy I am that I didn't spend money to see this movie in the theater. I love female comedies, and I truly love funny women. On a good day, I even consider myself to be kind of funny. This movie is not funny. If you can tell me where the humor is in a group of three mean, drug-addled, half-coherent messes who sabotage their friend's wedding because of their own jealousies, I'll force a fake laugh for you.


I can't remember the last movie I've seen that I wanted to turn off after a mere five minutes. I stuck with it though (I'm no quitter) and even though the end wasn't good, it was better than the first half. Shouldn't there be a character or two in a movie with at least one redeeming quality? I'm not talking about purely likable characters, but one that I don't want to strangle would be nice.

I liked Bridesmaids but I don't consider it a true comedy. Kristen Wiig has a legitimate mental breakdown near the end of the movie and because it seemed so real and raw, I don't see how people can laugh and not feel badly. But Bachelorette, in its crudeness and rudeness, left out the comedy and the heart.

Whew, okay, I'm done. Has anyone else seen this movie? I hope I wasn't the only one who was compelled to become a movie critic when the credits started rolling.

P.S. I love you, Kirsten Dunst. Please pick roles you deserve! xo

Random #ThrowbackThursday

I don't normally write #tbt posts, but this is one of my favorite photos. Here's my dad and I in a mall photobooth in 1987:

This is the top photo of the strip; in the second and third pictures, we're smiling normally, and in the last one, I'm looking away from the camera. My father is trying to get me to look forward for the final picture before the flash goes off without success. With my dad's afro and my puffy-sleeved shirt, this can either be a photo from the 1980's or a photo from last week. Fashion trends are cyclical, for real. xo

Tea Party Time

I went to a bridal shower in New Jersey today for a friend from college.  Per the invitation, I knew that the shower was being held at a tea room so essentially, I was walking into a tea party for grown-ups.  I fretted for days about what to wear; I am totally unprepared wardrobe-wise for an event like this.

But even though I showed up in a regular dress and black cardigan, sans a fascinator, it was a real experience to sip fancy tea and eat scones all afternoon. I don't like cucumber sandwiches but I sure do love jam and clotted cream.  And this was the first time that someone used my married name, although I haven't officially dropped my maiden name yet. (I might hyphenate--any thoughts?) I even won a bottle of wine in a raffle, although to be fair, every attendee won something.

Joyous celebrations always make rainy days better.  I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Here's hoping for a great week ahead. xo

Spring Sweater

I heard this song on the radio today and fell in love. This band, The Neighbourhood, is new to me but it's clear that their single, "Sweater Weather" is going to be everywhere really soon.


It sounds like the soundtrack to my next short story.

One Month

 

At this time exactly one month ago, I was saying my marriage vows to Anthony in front of a church filled with friends and family.  I actually don't remember as much about the ceremony as I thought I would. Between my dress and shoes, it took a lot of effort not to fall over on the altar, and I was very aware of the group of people in back of me watching my every move.

I was also very aware of Anthony though, so close next to me in his suit with the polka-dot tie that we picked out together. That was just the beginning of a new chapter in our lives; we're not erasing all of the wonderful years that we've already been a couple, we're just adding to those memories.

So, happy one-month anniversary to my husband. I know that time goes by quickly but I promise to try to take advantage of every minute. And as long as we're with one another, I know I'll be forever happy. xo