the hair

I had my hair trail with the amazing Stacy Pitt. I can't begin to tell you how awesome she is. She put my hair in 5 styles in an hour and a half, plus pulled a superhero trick with the down style by pulling it up with 3 pins, AND put it in a pony for me to look acceptable walking the streets of the east village. love her.

Style 1: The Classic

Style 2: The Texan
the one a friend said made me look like a mormon fundamentalist from Texas

Style 3: The Mom
the one everyone loves but that I only did for my mom

Style 4: The Swirl
loved it in person, not so much in pics

Style 5: The Damn I Have A Lot of Hair
amazing side view, back view has too many curls for me

i cropped this not so much for anonymity but because I didn't know I had the beginning of jowls

i look forward to your comments. go for it.

tasty tasting

We're going for our tasting tonight at Bubby's. Here are our selections:

Appetizers
Shrimp and Pork Spring Rolls
Mini Potato Pancakes with sour cream and onions
Mini slider burgers
Mini BBQ pulled pork
Mac and Cheese bites

Salads
Arugula with roasted pears and parm
Beet and goat cheese salad

Entrees
Rosemary roasted chicken
Striped bass
Pecan crusted salmon
Brisket

Sides
Mac and cheese
Green beans almondine
Mashed Potatoes
Grilled asparagus

Desserts
Apple Pie
Carrot Cake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

I expect to feel the same way I do after a visit to chipotle, like I just ate a small animal, but happier.

Art

After seeing Jessie Oleson's custom art for not martha and her wedding, I started thinking about who I would want to make a little custom something-something for me.

It would have to be Denise DeLong. I heart her collages and her ceramics. Have this one in the apt.


p.s. I can't post the letter, it's a little too personal even for my anonymous blog. We all have limits, right?

shower-gate update part II

I had a little conundrum over whether or not to attend my future sister in law's baby shower in a far away state (her one of 4 showers) or my bridesmaid's bridal shower (whom I have known since I was 12) in nyc. On easter weekend. For anyone else who has been in this situation...doesn't it just suck?

I had decided and went the bridal shower this past weekend and it was so great. I'm not a huge fan of showers, but this one was delightful. The 3 margaritas I drank were...helpful.

Fall out from the in-laws re: the missed shower? FSIL is fine, FMIL is fine. I worked myself into such a tizzy about this that I couldn't sleep at night. My relationship with the in-laws is still fragile...but it's just going to have to be on hold right now while I wrap my head around this getting married business.

In fact, I mentioned to my mom that FMIL hasn't been asking as many questions as she had in the past about the wedding. Her response, "Maybe it's because of the letter I sent her"

Me: WHAT?
Mom: I responded to her letter, didn't you want me to do that?
Me: um, yeah...did you keep a copy? what did it say?
Mom: I think I saved it on my computer
Me: you TYPED a letter to FMIL?
Mom: I've always typed letters
it's true, I've received typed letters since the age of 10 at summer camp
Me: Could you send me it?
Mom: Sure

Backstory: FMIL sent my mom a letter back in December with a bunch of wedding related questions that honestly, my mom has no interest in (gee, I wonder where I got this anti-bride gene). My mom had foot surgery and was on vicodin for a good part of December and January, no state to respond to a letter.

Fast forward to my anniversary dinner with FH when he asks me, my mom wants to know why your mom didn't respond to her letter, she wants to know if your mom knows about what happened over Christmas. 'What happened over christmas' is the reason FH hasn't talked to his stepdad since Christmas and horrible in every way imaginable. Of course my mom knows.

I ask my mom why she didn't respond to the letter, she said she didn't think she had to and doesn't see a reason why she should. I ask her to just respond if she asked a question.

So she does. In a TYPED letter. To a probably beautifully hand written letter from FMIL.

The letter.

My friends.

Is awesome. Says Lay the F off my daughter in the NICEST way possible.

and ever since...no questions from the in-laws.

I wonder if they are still coming...

and

I love my mom. For everything.

Fun or Ridiculous?

Would this be fun or ridiculous: pin different brooches on the b-maids?

i may just like this one because it's a japanese craft item

Or if floral is too much, old school ones like this one?

all photos link to etsy seller shops...

Even my AM New York has turned on me:

Economy Gives Couples the Wedding Bells Blues

The economy has cast a long shadow on the start of the wedding season, with nervous couples cutting guest lists, haggling for discounted gowns or postponing the date until fortunes brighten.

“They are more timid about everything,” said Mark Ingram, owner of a couture bridal store in Turtle Bay, which slashed prices by 80 percent last month to move stale merchandise. “It's no surprise. The economy is in the toilet.”

FH emailed me immediately to see if I had seen it, asking why we were above the $25k average wedding price and I chalk it up to NYC. That said, I was quick to remind him that I offered a surprise picnic wedding catered by the Dinosaur BBQ truck and he turned it down. I'm sure there is something between BBQ truck and what we are doing, but the 254 guest list is fuel to our wedding budget fire.

6. Months. To. Go.

I'm sure the knot.com has sent me an email, but I feel, strangely, so very out of touch with wedding planning. Like it will just take care of itself if I leave it over there in the corner.

shh, don't look at it. it bites.

White Lies

More and more frequently, the first thing people ask me is, "How is wedding planning going?!" It always, always, strikes me as the strangest of questions. I am very aware that there are people out there who love to plan weddings, even make a career out of it. I have to think that even people who love planning weddings, when planning their own wedding, hate planning their wedding at some point, even if for a little tiny fraction of a second.

I've recently employed a technique on how to answer this question. I had to because of the looks of horror I was getting from near strangers from answering honestly, "It's hard balancing what I am willing to do for us vs. what I am willing to do for others in my life." Then I tried, "It's hard", only to get puzzled looks.

My response now is the littlest of white lies, "It's Grrreat, thank you for asking" because, you know, it's easier than the truth.

ps, i miss I Hate Planning My Wedding, but know she's in wedded bliss somewhere...

ha!

Need a main squeeze? for all your accordion needs?

Things I Should Be Doing

My craft projects are keeping me from doing the following.

1. Compiling list of music for DJ (just suggested, not required, I trust him)
2. Booking hotel (the recession is really keeping us from doing this, prices are going south)
3. Booking transportation (dependent on hotel, methinks)
4. Booking Hair person
5. Trying on my dress after a year of hanging in my parents' apt (I'm scared)
6. Finding seamstress
7. Compiling random catholic documents for church (baptism, confirmation, dispensation to get married at university church...sigh)
8. Taking Pre-Cana class
9. Ordering B-maid dresses
10. Getting new shoes to replace the pain inducers
11. Food tasting...looking forward to this
12. Getting in shape (signed up for 10k, have run 2xs, am at a 14 min mile, sigh)
13. Picking readings, songs for ceremony
14. Take dance lessons for first dance
15. Getting a veil (maybe)
16. Picking out converse sneaks for the ring bearer
17. Bridal party gifts (although the amount of time i spend on etsy.com is ridiculous considering I've never bought anything)
18. Form a loving and meaningful relationship with my in-laws (I'd settle for having them not hate me)
19. Register for ridiculous plates that I heart, despite FH's objections

Some things need to be done before others...like getting shoes before I face my dress and bring it to a seamstress. Unlike Lost, I have a pretty straight time/space continuum. Others, like forming a loving a meaningful relationship with my in-laws do not abide by a simple wedding time line, but still need to get done.

If you'd like to know about my craft projects, I guess I should start another blog, because I am not a lazy crafter. I'm taking a quilting class at the City Quilter and crocheting a baby blanket for the future sister in law. My quilting instructor is such a cranky New Yorker that I consider it a privilege to be insulted by her. I know, I'm weird.