Improvise

We had breakfast for dinner tonight.  Yes, this is french toast made with English muffins:

Here's a closer look:

So delicious.  I got the idea from a headline I saw on thekitchn earlier in the day, and it stuck with me since we always have English muffins but almost never have bread for french toast.  Our results were so great, I now want to create mixed-up versions of all kinds of recipes, like french toast using sourdough or grilled cheese on raisin bread.  For me, improvisation in the kitchen normally means disaster; tonight, my reluctance to stop at the grocery store for challah actually worked out.  Have you ever made a great dinner by accident?

IKEA's Floral Finds

I usually don't make impulse purchases, but when I was at IKEA a few days ago picking up this lovely cart for our kitchen, I couldn't help but buy a bunch of items from their new floral, summer line to give as gifts.  Actually, I wanted to buy one of everything to keep for myself but we are already pressed for room in our kitchen.  Anyway, Mother's Day is coming up and who wouldn't want one of these beautiful candy dish-like bowls?

These juice glasses are perfect for brunch, with sweet danishes piled high on top of the matching flowered tray. 

Here are my purchases, nestled in the crease of my backseat on the ride home.  I'm keeping the napkins. xo

It's Happening!

Yes, this weekend we started putting together our Save-the-Dates.  I think they're adorable.  And I love the matching envelope liners, even though they are super time-consuming to insert.  Once I finish getting all of the addresses together and we finally receive the stamp I order from Paper*Source three weeks ago, they'll be ready to go.  This wedding is really happening!

Save the Dates from Minted

Dark-Haired Girl In Search Of: One Comfy Armchair

I think everyone has one favorite spot in their home.  In our last apartment, I liked sitting in the corner right near our kitchen table.  It was only a few nights ago, when I had a project to work on, that I realized I don't have a really comfortable place to sit in our new apartment.  Usually, I'm either camped out on the couch (where I can't balance my laptop) or at the kitchen table on a hard wooden chair (which hurts my back after 25 minutes).  We don't even have a seat at our desk.  Then it dawned on me: we need an armchair.

Now, our space is limited but there is this little area right by our bookcases where I think we can squeeze in a nice, soft, comfy chair, one that would be perfect for reading, or writing, or typing, or possibly watching television.  A seat that makes the apartment feel like home, for real. 

What's your favorite place at home?

P.S. I love this chair (pictured above, courtesy of Pottery Barn)!

Super Sniffer

I don't consider myself to be someone with extraordinary talent but I do have one special skill: I have a killer sense of smell.  I can tell what my grandmother made for dinner while standing on her front porch in the winter (all windows and doors closed).  I can smell the funkiness in the hall of our condo building through two doors (sometimes it smells like fruit loops and vomit).  It's impressive.

More often than not, when I walk into a place, I'm reminded of something else because of the smell, good or bad.   The second floor in my office building reminds me of my great-grandmother's living room (new carpet and strong coffee made in a percolator).  My yogurt's sweet scent this morning made me think of the cereal bars my college cafeteria used to make (think Rice Krispie treat but with Captain Crunch cereal instead).  Sometimes when I'm in New York, the whiffs of street food are reminiscent of my elementary school cafeteria (breaded chicken cutlets and Salisbury steak in steam containers). 

It's like having a built-in sensory memory book. And lately, I find myself thinking about the past more and more, probably because I'm heading further away from my childhood and towards this life-changing thing called marriage.  I love how the simplest thing can bring me back to some of the smaller moments that most people would forget.  Usually, those are the times that are most worth remembering.


P.S. If I could choose to have a real super power, it would be a toss-up between teleporting or mind-reading. But I'd still want to keep my incredible nose. xo

Monumental

Today is April 13th, 2012. Exactly one year from today, Anthony and I, along with all of our friends and family, will be celebrating at our wedding. It's a whole year away, yet it's just a year away. I'm excited and nervous all at once but most importantly, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with Anthony.  I can only hope he loves me half as much as I love him. 

 

Photo courtesy of Forever Cute tumblr via weheartit

Love All Around

In the past week, three friends (two close college friends and one friend from high school) have gotten engaged. And I know five different people who became parents for the first time just last month. It's so funny how things all seem to happen at the same time.   Love in every form is springing up all around.  It makes me so happy to think about all of these new relationships and the new families being formed.  Most importantly, I love when the people around me are happy.  There's so much to celebrate in the coming year.  xo



Photo courtesy of Cheeseheiress

Christening the Kitchenaide

Anthony bought me a Kitchenaide for Christmas.  Did I tell you that?  Four months ago, I unwrapped the most beautiful gift, a mint-green retro mixer for our countertop.  I have wanted one of these glorious machines for as long as I can remember so obviously, I ripped it out of the box and started using it right away, baking up all sorts of treats.

Except that I didn't.  You see, Anthony and I weren't supposed to buy each other expensive gifts for Christmas this year.  We are saving for a wedding, a wedding that is almost exactly one year away.  But he knew how much I wanted one and how happy it would make me, after I stopped being mad at him, of course.  I considered returning it, but couldn't do it.  So I made a special spot on the counter and have looked at it fondly every day since December 25th.

And then on Friday night, I decided that I needed to use it.  I christened the Kitchenaide to make sugar cookies for Easter.  I should have mixed the ingredients together a bit more, but in less than two minutes, I had an entire batch of dough ready to chill then bake.  It was the true meaning of baking efficiency.

I'd like to say that I'm going to use it all of the time now, but I'm not sure yet.  In a way, it still seems too pretty to use.  What I do know is that every time I look at it, I smile.  I also feel like I should be waxing it up nightly so that it stays shiny.  It's one of the best gifts I've ever received, and I'm glad I didn't return it.

Easter Weekend

Without further ado, below are highlights from our Easter holiday:

I've never seen these Reese's Peanut Butter eggs, and I just had to buy a bag. 

Anthony and I ate them for breakfast on Easter morning.  Delicious.

Wild West Lego man was a little gift to Anthony.  He now lives on our coffee table.

I made these sugar cookies for dessert.  They are small and bite-size, which I love,

 but a little too neon for my taste. 

My future mother-in-law brought this adorable lemon cake. 

The chick made out of frosting on the top is the best.

I wish that we had dyed eggs or maybe gave each other small baskets this year.  It didn't really feel like Easter for some reason.  I didn't even have time to make the felt plush mini carrots that I've been thinking about for the last month.  But there's always next year.  I hope you had a fabulous holiday weekend! xo

P.S.  It's a bit weird that I don't have any pictures of actual people but at least I took some photos.  My family doesn't typically love posing for the camera. 

Blooms

Daffodils are my go-to flower at Easter.  I love handing out small bouquets of the tight yellow buds knowing that in just a few days, they will be bright blooms.  Today I bought several bunches at Trader Joe's and am just hoping that they stay closed until I can give them out on Sunday.  If not, I'll be more than happy to keep them in our apartment and let them cheer up the living room a bit.

For Easter, we'll be at my parents' house celebrating with lots of extended family and tons of chocolate peanut butter eggs.  What are your plans?  Happy weekend to you all! xo

Landmark

When we were in New York on St. Patrick's Day, I regret not taking a picture of the Empire State Building, shining bright green light against the foggy sky.  The image was so striking, almost comicbook-esque.  It was a photo that any tourist would kill for (not that I necessarily consider myself a tourist, although I never can pass up an iconic NYC picture). 

While I was waiting for my friend near Herald Square this rainy weekend, I noticed that everyone was walking by and looking up.  Eventually, I did too, only to see a perfect shot of the Empire State Building masked by fog and clouds.  It was gorgeous against the sky, almost like a clip from a black-and-white movie.  Even though it was a couple of weeks late, I'm glad I finally got my picture.

Spotted!

So while troving wedding sites, I came across a post on weddingchicks.com that caught my eye.  The decorations were lovely, the shoes were gorgeous, and the bride was absolutely beautiful.  She was wearing this adorable dress with the perfect neckline and details.  Her hair was just how I want mine to be on my wedding day, too.  Then, I noticed something very important: she was wearing my dress!

Did I mention I bought a wedding dress? In January, I went with my mother, sister-in-law and best friend to just try on dresses to see what they would look like, just to have a little fun.  The last dress I tried on (the eleventh one, I believe) was one that I picked out myself on their website.  It was also the one that I fell in love with.  Instead of going to another store to see if I might be able to find something I liked more, I decided that this was my dress.  It felt right. 

Since Anthony has made it very clear that he does not want to see my dress, I'm hesitant to even post the link to this wedding but here it is.  If he can resist the temptation to peek into the garment bag that is hanging in our bedroom with the dress, I think he can resist clicking on a hyperlink.  Let me know what you think.  Jordan, the featured bride, looks so good that I have fallen for my dress all over again.

Now if I only look half as beautiful as this girl, I think I will make Anthony a very happy groom next April. 

Photos courtesy of The Wedding Chicks; our dress is from David's Bridal