Entertain with Jordan

Baby Shower For Our Little Man

2012-01-17T23:54:00.000-08:00

While looking at Pintrest tonight (which I am obsessed with) I realized that I never shared images from the baby shower that my very best girlfriends hosted for our little man. These images are from Heather, one of the three that hosted the shower. It was the perfect day with no detail spared by these amazingly

talented women! I love you Heather, Jen and Rebecca!

The Invite {Graphic Design by Heather}

Baby Trivia {Created by Heather - this was so fun}

The Favor {My Favorite - Grandma Kay's Cream Cheese Cookies - these cute mason jars had all the dry ingredients and recipe for the cookies}

The Brunch {Delicious}

Floral {Created by Jen - J. Robbins Florist}

Sweets {Creamsicle Cupcakes by Dulce Cupcakes}

Advice & Wishes {These are now framed in the Nursery}

Hostess Gifts {A small Thank You}

Cade's First Snow Day

2012-01-16T22:29:00.000-08:00

I could not be more excited about the snow that we are having, I love the snow. I find myself waking up at night and peering out the window to see if the snow has started back up. The forecast tells us that we have two more days of snow coming our way - yay!

Our snow dog - Chloe

Cade's First Igloo

We had a yummy cocoa warm up half way through the igloo build.

The Igloo - a few finishing touches are left to do - we ran out of light today

My sister and brother in law came over for dinner and we made breakfast for dinner - one of our favorite dinners growing up. Our feast tonight: scrambled eggs with herbs, blueberry pancakes topped with strawberries & whipped cream or maple syrup, sausage, bacon and orange juice.

We followed up dinner with a game of Farkle - a really fun dice game!

Photo Shoot with Alecia Silva of The Portrait Place Photography

2012-01-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

Cade had the opportunity to be a part of a photo shoot with the very talented newborn photographer, Alecia Silva of The Portrait Place Photography. She was shooting an educational DVD on newborn photography for PhotoVision. It was such a great experience and an eye opener to see what talent you need to photograph newborns. Cade was comfy because her studio was 90 degrees.

These images very taken in September when Cade was 18 days old.

{Love} Four Months!

2012-01-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

Happy 4 Months Baby Cade!

You are becoming quite the little man.

You love all your board books, dancing to music with mama, bath time, and hearing the sounds that you can make.

We love you more and more everyday!

Cade meets Santa

2011-12-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

Cade loved Santa

Merry First Christmas Baby Cade!

The first weekend in December we took Cade to the annual Tacoma Lawn and Tennis Club Santa Pictures & Pancake Breakfast at the tennis club. It was the perfect setting for this first Santa meeting - there was no line, so upon arrival we got right in to get our pictures done. They had a ton of fun projects for the kids - tennis ball ornaments, cookie decorating, popsicle stick ornaments and many more. I made Cade a tennis ball ornament - I am using this as his "First Christmas" ornament. I was the only adult at this table making these with the kids - I was laughing at myself but had fun doing it.

{Love} Three Months!

2011-12-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

Happy 3 Months Baby Cade!
Your giggles, smiles & snuggles make us so happy.
We love you to the moon and back.

Thankful for Firsts

2011-12-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

First Family Trip to Snoshoe Christmas Tree Farm

Cade's first Thanksgiving - loving that Cade and Adam have story time together

First Apple Cup Day - A big day for your Dad

We are so thankful to experience all of your 'Firsts' with you sweet baby Cade

Celebrate Today

2011-11-14T21:47:00.000-08:00

Celebrating our First Anniversary today

Celebrating our healthy 9 week old baby boy Cade today

Celebrating our family & friends today

Celebrating our life together

Grandma and Great Grandma

2011-11-08T22:18:00.000-08:00

Today Cade and I spent the day with my mom and grandma at her home in Woodinville. It is so fun to see my Grandma getting to be a Great Grandma. Cade is the first great grand baby in the family and I love seeing her reactions to him growing each time she sees him. We enjoyed looking at family pictures (one of her favorite things), a walk in the beautiful fall sunshine and delicious lunch at Bear Creek. I am so grateful for my family. I look forward to many more days like today with both of them.

{Love} Two Months!

2011-11-07T22:08:00.000-08:00

Happy 2 months Baby Cade
We love you SO much!

Labor Day

2011-10-28T01:43:00.000-07:00

Our Labor Day Baby

we love you Cade

love your mama & dad

Whidbey Island {Fall}

2011-10-24T23:38:00.000-07:00

Family. Fall. Beach. Cozy. Love.

Some images from our first family vacation to the beach house on Whidbey Island

Fabulous Friends & Comfort Food

2011-10-18T22:42:00.000-07:00

I have a fabulous group of girlfriends that started a birthday dinner tradition a few years ago. I LOVE these nights and so look forward to these nights with the ladies. They always consist of great food, wine, lots of laughter, more wine, and stories of happenings in our crazy busy lives. Last night we celebrated belated birthdays for the amazing Rebecca and Jen. Heather and I hosted at my house this month.

{A Comfort Food Inspired Menu}

Fig and Blue Cheese Crostini topped with walnuts and drizzled with honey

Cranberry-Orange-Pecan Salad

Turkey Lasagna

Rustic Olive Bread

Pumpkin Cheesecake

{The Ladies Birthday Gift}

Fun & easy read - great love story. I love all things Pioneer Woman!

Perfect Fall Day

2011-10-14T00:10:00.000-07:00

Today was a truly a perfect Fall day. My sister and I took advantage of the sunny, crisp Fall morning by walking the downtown Gig Harbor waterfront. We made a few favorite stops and new discoveries along the way today. First stop was at Suzanne's Bakery - we picked up some delicious pumpkin spice muffins for breakfast. This is a must visit for yummy pastries, pies cakes (the layered strawberry and whip cream cake is a slice of heaven) sandwiches & soups. We also stumbled upon a new spot that we cannot wait to try - Red Rooster Cafe. We only picked up coffee here today but cannot wait to head back for breakfast or lunch. The Cafe is so cute and the menu looks delicious - the Creme Brulee French Toast is what caught our attention this morning. Below are some images from our fabulous morning.

The trees are starting to turn

Inspiration : Lovely Succulent Wall

Red Rooster Cafe

Jerisich Park

Pumpkin Spice Muffin from Suzanne's Bakery

The afternoon was spent shopping with some of my best friends and baby Cade at Dame Lola's Fall and Holiday Show, a late lunch (my favorite salad - the Buffalo Chicken Salad) at the restaurant I worked at for the last 3 years - Varsity Grill and a fabulous dinner & evening with dear friends that are going to be married in just 16 days!
Baby Cade is now asleep (my husband too) so now it is time for this mama to get some rest.

{Love} One Month!

2011-10-12T00:03:00.000-07:00

October 5th was a big day in our house - Cade was 1 month old! Being a mama is the BEST job ever and we are so in love with our baby boy. Happy 1 month baby Cade.

{Pumpkins: Welcome Fall}

2011-10-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

Mama and Baby Cade

Cade's first trip to Spooner Farms Pumpkin Patch

Love this pumpkin display!

Yummy Caramel Corn

My favorite time of the year has arrived - Fall! Well really Fall through Christmas is my favorite time of year, so the best time of the year has begun! This year might be the best as I get to create all new memories and firsts with Cade.

Last Sunday we took Cade to his first pumpkin patch. We started our morning with pumpkin spice lattes (my favorite seasonal drink) and breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks and headed to Spooner Farms in Orting. We met our friends out there who have a baby boy 5 days younger than Cade, our sisters (both visiting from out of state) and my in-laws.

Spooner Farms has it all - pumpkin sling shot (none of us hit the target - we could have won a free pumpkin if we did), corn maize, face painting, great gift shop, and seasonal treats to eat and drink while you wander through the pumpkin patch. We loved the caramel corn. After a great morning at the patch we headed home with our pumpkins, hay bails and small gourds.

Happy Fall!

Welcome to The World Cade!

2011-10-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

We welcomed our little baby boy on September 5th - Labor Day. He was 1 week late but perfect and so worth the wait! This is the picture that I used on our birth announcements - my sister took some great photos in the labor and delivery room and this was one of them.

Things have been busy with our new baby and life has gone by so quickly over the last 27 days. Now that I feel like I have a semi grasp on what life is like with a little one (as much as you can) - I am going to try and blog again, consistently. It has been awhile and while I still read all my favorite blogs everyday - I miss working on this one. I am not quite sure of the direction for my blog now, but I am sure once I get back into blogging it will come to me.

Looking forward to our new life adventures with the new love of our life, baby Cade!

Before and After...Guest Bathroom

2011-09-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

Before

After

We live in a house that was built 22 years ago and has not had any updates. We have spent this summer remodeling our master bedroom, master bathroom, guest bedroom - transforming this into our baby's nursery, guest bathroom, living room, lighting, carpet, appliances and patio. It has been fun and we have had a lot of company aka contractors at our house for a majority of the last couple months. It is so worth it as the projects are nearly complete.

Waiting for our Arrival

2011-08-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

With 5 days left until our due date, we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our baby boy

Salsa Verde

2011-06-06T21:26:00.000-07:00

~Salsa Verde~

4 Large Tomatillos

2 Bunches of Cilantro

5 Garlic Cloves

1 Large Yellow Onion

4 Ounces Vinegar

4 Large Jalapeno

Salt & Pepper to Taste

-Place tomatillos in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the tomatillos.

-Put tomatillos in a blender or food processor and add remaining ingredients.

-Puree until smooth or until desired consistency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.

-Enjoy with tortilla chips

Recipe by Jason Harrell, Varsity Grill

Design: Tile Detail

2011-06-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

Pebble Tile - Shower Floor

Glass Tile - Shower Detail

All the Master Bath Tile & Kohler Shower Detail

Tile for Main Bathroom

Our tile delivery came today - yay! Looking forward to master bath and main bath to be completed.

Loving a Busy Life

2011-06-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

It has been over a month since my last post - wow. Things have been super busy around our house and life has been mile a minute as well. We are in the process of remodeling our house - master bedroom, master bathroom, baby room, main bathroom, living room, new windows throughout house, patio and all new lighting. We are in phase 1 of out 3 phase process right now - it has been so fun selecting all the new materials (tile, carpet, paint, fixtures, and much more) and am loving seeing it all come together. We are spending this Friday shopping for nursery furniture - yay! At 6 months pregnant now - I am getting anxious to get our baby's nursery designed and built.

I am VERY excited for our patio to get done so we can host a summer bbq on the patio next month - I love outdoor entertaining - my menu is already planned!

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to take a photography workshop from Me Ra Koh Photography. This 2 day workshop was very inspiring and helped me learn a great deal about my camera, lenses, light metering and I now am able to shoot in manual mode 100% of the time. This Saturday I am doing a fashion shoot for jewelry designer Jessica Alexander & stylist Rebecca Dashow - vintage fashion is the inspiration - this should be so much fun.

We are booking our next Mexico trip tomorrow - a two week vacation with our little one and also booking Thanksgiving travel this week. My sister and her husband are commercial fisherman who live in Petersberg, Alaska which is where we will spend our holiday.

So that is what has been going on. More fun images and recipes to come soon!

love this book by Me Ra Koh - a great resource

The inspiration for my bbq- image from Pottery Barn

bathroom inspiration

new bathroom lighting from Pottery Barn

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade: The Recipe

2011-04-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

~ Flank Steak with Lime Marinade ~
I have had some people ask for the marinade recipe from the Dinner with Friends post. It is from Martha Stewart's Cookbook, Great Food Fast: 250 Recipes For Easy, Delicious Meals All Year Long. This entire cookbook is amazing. Happy Grilling!

Ingredients

1/3 cup (about 4 limes) freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 scallions (about 1/3 cup), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
Vegetable oil, for grates
Coarse salt and ground black pepper

Directions

In a resealable plastic bag, combine lime juice, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, and red-pepper flakes. Add steak, and seal bag (place in a dish to catch any leaks); marinate in the refrigerator, turning occasionally, up to 1 hour.
Heat grill to high; lightly oil grates. Remove steak from marinade, letting excess drip off (discard marinade); season with salt and black pepper. Place on grill; cover. Cook, turning once, until meat reaches desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly.
recipe from Martha Stewart

Banana Bread

2011-04-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

I love banana bread and have loved it even more since I have been pregnant. I having been buying a slice every day with my hot cocoa from Forza and realized last week that I should just be making my own. I used a new recipe that my mom shared with me (I cannot find my favorite recipe) and thought this one was just as delicious! I loved this recipe because no mixer is needed - it is quick and easy.

{Banana Bread}

Aunt Holly's Banana Bread from Epicurious

3 to 4 ripe bananas

1/4 c. melted butter

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg beaten

1 tsp. baking soda

1. Mash bananas in bowl

2. Add remaining ingredients - mix with wooden spoon

3. Bake at 350 in buttered loaf pan for 55 minutes

Dinner with Friends

2011-04-13T20:51:00.000-07:00

On Monday night we hosted a dinner at our house for friends - Nate, Sheryl, their twin 4 month old baby girls, McKenzi, Anthony and Amiya. It was the first adventure for our grill this year (something I have been wanting to get out for weeks now). The dinner, a collaboration of cooking/grilling by me, a salad by Sheryl and dessert made by McKenzi turned out delicious and we had a fabulous time with friends! I love doing dinner this way, after a full day of work at the restaurant, having everyone help out took some of the pressure off and I always love trying new recipes by friends.

{The Menu}

Appetizer:

Alaska Smoked Salmon Caught by Sister & Her Husband

Rosemary and Sea Salt Flatbread Crackers & Sesame Rice Crackers

Red & Green Organic Grapes

Brie and Boursin Cheese

Main Course:

Flank Steak with Lime Marinade

Twice Baked Potatoes

Greek Salad ~ made by Sheryl

Dessert:

Raspberry & Lemon Curd Trifle ~ made by McKenzi

the marinade

my new FAVORITE beverage! Dry Soda. I love the Vanilla Bean Soda - only 60 calories and sweetened with sugar cane.

I did not get photos of the twice baked potatoes or the dessert - which was SO beautiful!

Pizza Party ~ Birthday Celebration

2011-04-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

For my birthday this year we did a casual make your own pizza dinner at my parents house. My mom is an amazing cook/baker and we love having dinner at their house anytime we can. For our pizza night she made us each our own pizza dough ball from scratch and had all the perfect toppings a person could want. We cooked the individual pizzas on the grill - a new favorite way to make a yummy pizza! I would recommend grilling pizzas to anyone who has not tried a pizza this way before. I know think this is the only way to make a pizza at home and is so easy with little clean up. This is a fabulous way to serve a casual lunch or dinner for a small or big group as well.

{The Menu}

Spinach salad with strawberries, red onion, walnuts, feta topped with a vinaigrette dressing

Individual grilled pizzas

Apple crisp with vanilla ice cream (my favorite dessert)

My finished pizza

pizza dough from scratch

making sure our dough is stretched to a 7 inch round. This amazing kitchen gadget is from King Arthur Flour Co. and my mom uses this when making breads

Place dough on cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent sticking. Send to the grill for 1 minute and then bring back to top with your choice of toppings

After they had been grilled for 1 minute we brushed them with olive oil and used a pesto as our sauce base and topped with yummy fresh ingredients

back to the grill they go for 3 minutes to be finished

Oh BOY!

2011-04-07T22:28:00.000-07:00

Profile Pic

What a leg

Today we found out we are having a baby boy! Adam and I are SO excited. My mom stopped by our house and left a message on our chalkboard in the kitchen. Now that we know it is a little boy, the planning for the nursery can start. This will be a fun project!

Ready Set - Alaska!

2011-03-01T22:08:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my sister called and surprised me with a ticket to see her in Petersburg Alaska next week. I am SO excited! For one - my mom will also be visiting at the same time and it will be a fun time for the ladies to just relax, enjoy the snow (4 -5 feet of it) and have a little Alaska adventure. My sister lives in a small town and I this will be my first visit since she moved there. I am looking forward to seeing and exploring her little town and enjoying a vacation with my mom and sister. Baby Moll and I will miss Adam but I am looking forward to this little snow getaway and relaxation.

her backyard

Snow Day

2011-02-24T20:47:00.000-08:00

I L.O.V.E the snow and loved the snowfall we got last night. We had about 6 inches at our house this morning. What a surprise for February! Below is our puppy Chloe with her favorite toy - the tennis ball.

Baby Moll

2011-02-16T23:16:00.000-08:00

Adam and I are VERY excited to welcome our first baby this August!

There is so much to take in and get prepared for our little one - we have begun our preparations and planning. I know that this time is going to fly by and am trying to take in each day as it comes.

We cannot wait for you to arrive baby Moll (that is what we call the baby right now)

Birthday Wishes

2011-02-09T21:57:00.000-08:00

Tonight we celebrated my sweet husband's 31st birthday. Both of our parents came over for dinner.

Adam's Menu:

Cloverleaf Monster Pizza - the BEST pizza

Widmer Hefeweizen - his favorite beer

No salad - his choice

Texas Sheet Cake Birthday Cake - made by my mom - the best sheet cake ever

Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the world!

Megan + Wayne

2011-02-08T00:36:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday my sister married her best friend - Mr. Wayne Winther. They held their ceremony and reception at Canlis restaurant in Seattle. Megan and Wayne live in Petersburg Alaska and are commercial fisherman on their boat, The Aquila. One of my favorite details - the guest favors. Each guest received smoked salmon caught by Megan and Wayne on the Aquila this summer. It was the perfect personal touch. I also loved the non-traditional guest book. Our mom created tags out of vintage fishing labels that guests left advice to the bride and groom on. She is binding these for them into a mini book for bride and groom - I know the finished product will be unique and amazing. My mom, sister and I spent the day getting pampered at Habitude Day Spa and then headed back to our beautiful hotel, The Camlin, to get ready for the big event. There were 70 dear friends and family that came together to celebrate Megan and Wayne's wedding that evening. The wedding was amazing, the food and wine delicious and the bride and groom - a perfect pair!

vintage Rolls Royce - the wedding wheels

detail of the vintage fishing labels - the guest book

loved the orchid & chocolate fish at each guests place setting

Wedding cake by Celebrity Cake Studio

Their boat, The Aquila

Relaxation Day to Celebrate Megan

2011-02-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday a few of us spent the day with my little sister Megan to celebrate her upcoming wedding. Instead of the traditional bachelorette party, she wanted a day of relaxation. One of her dear friends from Cal Maritime, Beth, organized the day for us. We started the day at Banya 5 - an amazing Urban Spa located near the space needle. I had their honey & sea salt scrub that was absolutely divine! Banya 5 has a great tea room and even a napping room. Next we headed to the Walrus and the Carpenter a restaurant in Ballard that Megan has wanted to visit. The Walrus and the Carpenter is an Oyster bar with a focus on French style cuisine in a casual rustic setting. The food was AMAZING and I would recommend this spot to anyone visiting Ballard. We ended the day with a private yoga class at a studio in Ballard. It was the perfect day!

Banya 5

loved their menus

the happy bride to be

fried brussel sprouts with sea salt & chives - this was my favorite!

butter lettuce salad with a mustard dressing and hazelnuts

local clams

speck with apple and aged balsamic

Beth is from Hawaii and gave us gifts from this great boutique from home

cinnamon bread pudding with apricot preserved and powdered sugar

beautiful chandelier at Walrus and the Carpenter

Wedding Photo Selection Night

2011-01-24T21:13:00.000-08:00

Tonight we are working on selecting the photos we would like for our wedding album and editing the photos that we would like to put into the gallery that we will email out to family and friends. I met with our amazing photographer Jeff Hobson of J. Hobson Photography today and just cannot wait to see the finished product! Below are a few images from the day of the wedding on Las Caletas.

Suncadia: Our Winter Adventure

2011-01-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

Adam and I just returned from a very relaxing 4 days at Suncadia Resort. This resort is located in Eastern Washington near the town of Cle Elum; just a short hour and half drive for us. We took our 2 year old golden retriever, Chloe, with us and she loved every minute of our snow adventures. There was not as much snow as I was hoping for, but enough for us to enjoy a showshoe adventure and some great outdoor time. We enjoyed delicious food, some much needed relaxation time together, lots of time outdoors, and an incredible massage at Glade Springs Spa - the spa at Suncadia. One of my favorite nights was making smores in the outdoor fire pit - it was a little rainy but we had packed our smores makings and were set on our winter smores! We celebrated 2 months of marriage over the weekend - looking forward to thousands more of these!

Glade Springs Spa

Chloe loving the snow

Adam scouting out our showshoe route

Not enough snow for sleigh rides - so horse drawn carriages were offered

Happy 2011

2011-01-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

I am looking forward to an amazing year full of adventures with my husband, family & friends.

2010 was one of the best years of my life and I am looking forward to the future!

Happy 2011!

Spending time at home...

2010-12-23T00:02:00.000-08:00

Being in the Restaurant and Catering business we work a TON during this time of year. I am so grateful that we have been so busy! I love this time of year! This year has been a tough one though - last week my 7 day, 81 hour work week did not allow me Christmas shopping time This year I have done a lot of local shopping which I am proud to support as opposed to heading to U Village as a tradition in years past. I was finally able to do some shopping after work today and begin wrapping for the deliveries I need to do to friends and co-workers tomorrow. Every year I choose a theme for my wrapping. This year I selected Paper Source's Moss Flourish Paper with a Cranberry Red & Green Ribbon. I love the way they tuned out and LOVED the the dogs were relaxing tonight after a huge run today.

Chloe

Big Brother Olen

Our Christmas Tree

2010-12-19T22:42:00.000-08:00

~ Merry Christmas ~

Hosting Our First Christmas Dinner Party Together

2010-12-15T22:41:00.000-08:00

Braised Short Ribs, Grilled Asparagus topped with parmesan & Polenta with White Cheddar

Lyla joined us at the very end

Last Sunday Adam & I hosted our first Christmas dinner party together. It was a fabulous night with some of our favorite couples. My menu was inspired by the Williams Sonoma's Dinner Parties book. I used many of the recipes in the Midwinter Dinner feature and added a few other elements. I did the table decor in an understated holiday look. I used little live christmas trees potted in cute silver containers instead of flowers. I used silver sparkly garland, ornaments and mercury glass candles on the table to add natural light and sparkle! We had each guest bring a wrapped ornament for the ornament exchange - which was so fun!

We have decided that we LOVE dinner parties and cannot wait to host our next one!

The Menu

~Appetizer: Marinated Mushrooms & Homemade Cinnamon Holiday Nuts (made my my mother in law)

: Paired with LaMarca Prosecco - garnished with raspberries :

~ Mandarin Orange, Avocado, Fennel & Olive Salad served over mixed greens (I added this, I thought it needed a little more). Served with a fresh mandarin orange white balsamic & champagne vinegar dressing made from scratch

: Paired with Starborough Sauvignon Blanc (my favorite wine right now) :

~Braised Short Ribs

~Polenta with White Cheddar

~Roasted Asparagus topped with Fresh Parmesan

: Paired with Cline Syrah :

~Chocolate Cupcakes topped with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting & Peppermint candies was served with a scoop of peppermint ice cream

Dame Lola Holiday Show

2010-12-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday December 1st, Dame Lola, hosted her Dame Lola Holiday Show at our venue. Rebecca Dashow Baldwin is one of my dearest friends and also the owner of Dame Lola - this was one of her BEST shows (Dame Lola hosts quarterly trunk shows). Below are some of the beautiful finds from the day. Congrats on on another Fabulous event and show Rebecca! Check out her new blog too - The Dame Dish .

Jessica Alexander feather hair pieces

Jessica Alexander feather hair detail

Jessica Alexander

Maya Moon

Cozy Scarves

Jessica Alexander Designs

Great dress that I am loving! Thanks Emily for modeling this dress!

Getting our Christmas Tree

2010-12-07T22:19:00.000-08:00

Adam and I took our annual trip to Snowshoe Tree Farm in Orting last Sunday for out third annual Christmas tree cutting! This year as we were walking the farm & the many rows of tress his parents (my mother and father in-law) were talking about the last 15 years that they have been visiting this tree farm and how they love selecting the perfect tree each year. I hope that Adam and I can continue this tradition every year with his parents and we cannot wait until we have our own family to introduce to this tradition! Happy Holidays.

My husband on the search for "the" tree

Gary and Vicki have found "the" tree!

Cutting down our tree

The Moll's

Midwinter Dinner Party

2010-12-07T22:00:00.000-08:00

I am working on my to-do list tonight and getting very excited for our upcoming dinner party!

Married!

2010-11-22T20:17:00.000-08:00

November 14th Adam and I got married in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Our civil ceremony took place at 10:00am with our families & wedding party present. The civil ceremony was presented in Spanish and translated for us. Our wedding celebration with 65 friends, family & spiritual ceremony took place on Las Caletas at 6:00pm.

I cannot wait to share our photos!

top photo by J. Hobson Photography

bottom photo by Heather Stajgr

¡ Te quiero! y ¡ Te adoro! / I love you & I adore you.....

2010-11-05T00:24:00.000-07:00

¡ Te quiero! y ¡ Te adoro!

In less then six hours Adam and I depart for our wedding - we are both so anxious and excited for our wedding!

Time to Pack!

2010-11-02T20:01:00.000-07:00

It is time to start packing for our upcoming wedding adventure! I have my checklists started (for those of you who know me, know I love a good checklist). I have piles all around the house and wish I could wave a wand and have all my clothes neatly organized and packed or wish Martha Stewart could come give me a good packing for your Destination Wedding and Honeymoon lesson. I will just have to see how good I can get it. Adam and I cannot wait to board the plane and get to Mexico!

image from Martha Stewart.com

Wedding Flowers for our Destination Wedding

2010-11-02T02:05:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, bridesmaid, & florist Jennifer gave me the gift of my wedding floral design & bouquet mach ups to sent to my wedding planner at Las Caletas. I love her design and the texture and colors of the beautiful combinations she put together! I hope that these can be recreated by my floral designer in Puerto Vallarta.

The Boutonniere

The bridesmaid bouquets

My bridal bouquet

Love - A great find

2010-10-31T18:20:00.000-07:00

I am so lucky to have found the love of my life and with only 15 days till out wedding, I am just giddy!

I wanted to share this great pillow I found on Alexandra Ferguson's - A Sassy Little Pillow Company's Etsy site today. This LOVE pillow is made from recycled felt and comes in this delicious oatmeal color.

Get Cozy

2010-10-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite stores - Bloom just got in these cozy scarves! I cannot wait to visit the store - located in Uptown Gig Harbor to get one for the plane ride next week! The best part is that they are $34.

Savi Day Spa - My escape from restaurant chaos

2010-10-27T00:10:00.000-07:00

I have always loved Savi Day Spa - located one block from the restaurant, this is an easy commute to my spa sanctuary. Leading up to the wedding (we leave 1 week from Friday) I have been doing a series of slimming wraps & facials. I had the best spa experience tonight! I had Jen as my Savi massage therapist & Esthetician - it was SO relaxing and I feel great. I finished my amazing 2 hour appointment with a 20 minute hydrotherapy tub. This gave me such a good chance to reflect on the upcoming weeks and spent my time focusing on my to-do's and the fact that I have such a great life with so many amazing friends and the best family. I am so grateful!

Bridal Shower - Amazing!

2010-10-19T23:20:00.000-07:00

This last weekend three of my amazing & talented bridesmaids hosted a bridal shower for me. What a perfect day! It all began with beautiful invites. I am such a paper and invite person that this set the stage for the day. The shower included a Delicious Menu, Blushing Bride Brew (champagne cocktail), and a fabulous time with friends and our moms!

Bridesmaid, Jennifer Robbins of J. Robbins florist did all the flowers

Blushing Bride Brew Recipe

The bridesmaids! (4 of the 7 of them were there)

Vodka Infusions @ Varsity Grill

2010-10-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

We just finished our Halloween decorations at the restaurant, Varsity Grill, this week and they look spooky and amazing! This image is from our vodka infusions. We always feature 2 infusions at the restaurant & the current ones are: Finlandia Vodka infused with Lemon Head Candy - this makes a delicious Lemondrop Martini and Finlandia Vodka infused with Sour Apple Jolly Ranchers - this makes a delightful Sour Apple Martini. Our guests are loving both of them! My favorite is the Lemon Head infused Vodka - this is a must try at home!

Wedding:The Shoes!

2010-10-13T00:21:00.000-07:00

Last night about 7:00pm I called my best friend Heather to see if she was available for a shoe shopping adventure to to the Bellevue Nordstrom and she said yes! I knew I could count on her for a shoe shopping adventure! We are getting pretty close to our Mexico departure date and I have been stressing about my wedding shoes. I have to have them for my last fitting at Luly Yang next Thursday and found the white Badgley Mischka shoes online yesterday at Nordstrom.com. After falling in love with these online, I also fell in LOVE with the Manolo Blahnik's pictured below in the store. I have them both at our house and am contemplating which ones are the ONE!

Wedding Veil ~ Antique Italian Lace

2010-10-11T22:41:00.000-07:00

I first heard of Emily Street through my friend Jessica McDougall. Elizabeth McDougall - sister in law to my creative and talented friend, Jessica, is the creator of Emily Street Veil's. I had the chance to sit down with Emily last Friday morning and discuss my vision for my wedding veil. She is SO talented and I love all the lace images that she sent me. I am most in love with the antique Italian lace that she picked up on a trip to Italy in 1999. This is the lace she is using to make my veil - I cannot wait to see the final product and hopefully pass this on to our daughter one day.

Cutest Bridal Shower Invites!

2010-10-11T21:50:00.000-07:00

I am so excited for my upcoming bridal shower being hosted by three of my bridesmaids ~ Rebecca, Jennifer & Heather. I had to share the INCREDIBLE invite the was created by Heather! Oh how I love birds, the colors and that the directions are printed on a hand cut bird - oh so cute! We are so lucky to be surrounded by such amazing family & friends!

Make it: Smoked Salmon Fettucini

2010-10-10T22:27:00.000-07:00

We were scheduled to celebrate my mom's birthday dinner tonight - she is sick so we are postponing the grilled cheese and bloody mary dinner until next Sunday. I wanted to share a delicious and EASY recipe for a quick dinner!

1. Pick up a fresh fettucini noodle - I bought ours at Tacoma Boys.

2. Pick up a good smoked salmon - our came from my sister who is a commercial fisherman. I would normally buy smoked salmon at Metropolitan Market. I have found the best quality here.

3. Cook fettucini and toss in a light butter mixed with fresh herbs - I used herbs from our garden.

4. Enjoy!

Beautiful Wedding Garter

2010-10-10T13:10:00.000-07:00

I found my garter on Etsy last week and it arrived yesterday and I love it! I bought it from Rosebud Lips Etsy site - I would defiantly recommend her site! We are getting so excited - only 35 days till the wedding.

Bella Puzzles is Creating Our Wedding Guestbook: Amor

2010-10-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

I cannot tell you how excited I was to open Etsy's daily email today. It had the answer to solving our guestbook dilemma for the wedding - Bella Puzzles. We have been looking for a unique guestbook idea and had not found anything that we loved and represented us - until today! Adam and I love puzzles and this is the perfect fit as the guestbook for out wedding. Lara the owner has been amazing and I cannot wait to see her final creation! Below are some images from her Etsy site.

A Perfect Bridal Shower

2010-10-05T16:44:00.000-07:00

My mom's best friends hosted my first bridal shower. It was hosted at the beautiful home of Al and Nancy Manning who live on Lake Steilacoom. It was the perfect sunny day to be surrounded by family (my sister flew home the week before as a surprise for my bachelorette party) close friends and bridesmaids. The menu was delicious and featured 2 quiches - one with fresh local crab caught by a family friend & a vegetable quiche. This was served with a yummy strawberry salad, whole grain baguette and a divine butter. After gifts we all loved the brownie dessert that was topped with a chocolate mint ice cream and dark chocolate candy. As guests left, the homeowner Nancy gave each guest the most amazing bridal shower favor that fit the them of our Mexican wedding perfectly! The gift included a bottle of Modelo Mexican beer with a umbrella straw, notecards with flip flops on them, a mini bottle of tabasco, melon gum, and chocolates.

fabulous bridal gift favors for all the guests

Lyla, our flower girl

Laura, my lifelong friend was in charge of creating my rehearsal ribbon and bow bouquet

Little Delaney Warren

So happy!

2010-10-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, Adam asked me to spend the rest of my life with him - I said yes. One month from tomorrow we return to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for our wedding!

Wedding Preparations

2010-08-28T14:58:00.000-07:00

On Friday I did the a press check (visit to the printer to sign off on the invite - mostly to check color) at Print NW (love them!) and gave the final ok to send them to print. The invites will be delivered on Tuesday and be ready for the assembly stage. My goal is to get the invites out next week so between a busy work schedule I have to find time to get this done. Once they have been mailed, I will post an image of the invitation. My best friend Heather Stajgr of Hemisphere Design, did the most amazing job with design - I LOVE them and could not be happier with the way they turned out. I have been doing a little shopping over the last two days for the wedding, which is now only 78 days away! This 13 month engagement has gone by very quickly - I am very happy with the amount of time that Adam and I

Maracas that I purchased at Fun Express for the wedding - I have a fun plan for these!

New swimsuit that I purchased at J.Crew

Love these wedges, they were a must have for Mexico - J.Crew

Make it: Pineapple Salsa

2010-08-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

We have the BEST pineapple salsa that is served on out fish tacos at the restaurant. It was created by Chef Eligio who is one of the superstars here at Varsity Grill. With his permission I am sharing this recipe with you. This salsa is fabulous on fish tacos, with fresh tortilla chips and grilled fish. Enjoy!

Chef Eligio

Eligio's Pineapple Salsa

1 Pineapple

3 Green Peppers

3 Red Peppers

2 Jalepenos

1 Bunch Cilantro

2 Cups Mango Chutney

1 Cup Water

Mojitos, Margaritas & Mingle at Tacoma Lawn & Tennis Club

2010-08-24T20:20:00.000-07:00

Last week we catered (The Vault Catering Co.) the summer social, Mojitos, Margaritas & Mingle at the Tacoma Lawn and Tennis Club. It was an amazing lawn party overlooking the tennis courts & adjacent to the pool. I worked with their social chair (Karen Donahue) to create the look for this event. They wanted either turquoise & green or magenta & orange as their color inspiration - I loved the magenta & orange idea because I has just done this color scheme for Zoobilee and thought it was a fun combo. I made the tissue poms in magenta and orange to be hung on the pool fence and in the trees by one of the buffets. They added the perfect pop of color against the brilliant green grass and trees. The menu was inspired by bite size appetizers with some comfort food. We served some delicious mojitos, margaritas (created by social chair, Karen Donahue - a recipe I want!), wine and beer to the guests. Below are some images from this fun party!

bruschetta served in martini glasses

the skewer bar: roasted vegetable skewers, rosemary & pomegranate glazed chicken skewers & teriyaki beef tenderloin skewers

chocolate mouse cups topped with a triple chocolate brownie and fresh whip

mojitos + lime = ingredients for a perfect mojito

flowers moved onto the lawn for the party - topped with mini tiki torches added the perfect garden feel and ambiance once the sun went down

A month of lovely events and friends

2010-08-11T22:47:00.000-07:00

I have not posted anything in almost a month - things have been very busy with the restaurant, catering & events and planning our wedding (only 3 months away now). I wanted to post a few pictures from some of my favorite events over the last month.

Birthday BBQ Dinner for my Dad's 60th Birthday

Fresh Fruit Salad for my Dad's Birthday

Zoobilee - the booth that was created for Big Whisky

Zoobilee - the fun tissue poms that Heather and I made our booth

Zoobilee - the past Event Chairs from the last 20 years! We had a celebratory patron shot as a group. I co-chaired this event in 2006.

Zoobilee - my amazing friend Heather

Zoobilee- Dancing with the love of my life

Our flower girl - Lyla

40 Under 40 Event ~ Business Examiner

2010-07-13T00:13:00.000-07:00

Event images from the 40 Under 40 Event that we did for the Business Examiner ~ July 8th 2010. We were the proud venue sponsor for 360 guests this year. It was a great event and I am honored to be an alumni of the 40 Under 40 group.

{The menu}

Mini Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tomato Vodka Soup Sips

Lobster Soup Sips

Chef Attended Pasta Station

Build Your Own Caesar Station

Bruschetta Bar

International Cheese, Fruit & Crackers

Build Your Own Sundae Bar with all the Toppings

Cupcakes

Espresso Beverages by Black Tie Espresso

Bake It ~ 4th of July Dessert

2010-07-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

My sister and I made this last year for a party that we went to. I did post this last 4th of July but thought it was worthy of a re-post. So if you do not have your dessert planned for your 4th of July festivities this weekend this is a yummy and fun one to make. Happy 4th of July to you!

FLAG CAKE

INGREDIENTS

18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:

1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:

2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature.

For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth.

Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries.

~recipe from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, Family Style

Summer Dessert

2010-06-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had our dear friends Sheryl and Nate and Adam's sister Randee and her husband Carl over for dinner. It was the perfect night for a bbq. Adam grilled Teriyaki Sesame Chicken Kabobs and Chipotle Rosemary Chicken Kabobs and we served them with a mixed greens salad with sunflower seeds and a poppy dressing. For dessert I served one scoop of Haagen- Dazs Strawberry Ice Cream & one scoop of Haagen -Dazs Vanilla Raspberry Swirl frozen yogurt and sorbet topped with fresh Puyallup strawberries. It is a simple and yummy summer dessert!

Cook It: Cioppino

2010-06-22T21:34:00.000-07:00

photos by J. Hobson Photography

Cioppino

1 large can of tomato sauce (15 oz or more)

1 large can or red wine (use tomato can to measure)

1 large can of tomato puree (28 oz)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 large onions

3 whole cloves garlic

1/2 cup parsley

2 teaspoons oregano

1 teaspoon basil

2 bay leaves

1 bunch green onions

1 tablespoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

5 pounds assorted fish & shellfish

Directions:

Simmer all ingredients for one hour. Add about five pounds of assorted fish & shellfish. We used king crab legs, scallops, Manila clams and jumbo prawns. Simmer 20 minuted longer. Serve with a crusty baguette or warm bread. I served the baguette wrapped in white butcher paper tied with a brown grosgrain ribbon in a basket filled with fresh parsley.

-thank to you Leo Ghelardi for sharing this family recipe

Sangria: Happy First Day of Summer

2010-06-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

Although we did not have summer weather today, it was the official First Day of Summer, I am hoping that our amazing Washington summer with be here soon. I wanted to share my sangria recipe with you. I made this for our dinner party last Monday and it was a hit. I hope you enjoy.

Sangria

2 bottles of Merlot

2 lemons cut in wedges

2 oranges cut in wedges

2 limes cut in wedges

4 tablespoon sugar

splash of orange juice

4 shots of gin

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup raspberries

8 cups Fresca soda

Pour wine in a pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Remove the seeds from the lemons, limes and oranges and toss the chunks of fruit into the pitcher. Add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add Fresca soda, berries and ice prior to serving.

Sangria is best served chilled for about 24 hours prior to serving; this allows the flavors to blend and marinate the fruit.

photo by J. Hobson Photography

Our Destination Wedding ~ Save the Date

2010-06-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

Our Save the Dates were mailed about 3 weeks ago and I wanted to share them. Our wedding gift from my dear friend Heather, who is the Creative Director at Hemisphere Design gave Adam and I the design services of the Save the Date & our Wedding Invitations She is so talented and we are SO thankful for this gift! I absolutely love the finished product!

I am a postage stamp person, I know that a lot of people do not care what the postage looks like, but I am not one of them. I loved the stamp that I found for out Save the Date's. It matched out orange fizz envelopes perfectly and is in the Love series without being a huge heart, pink or anything purple. Heather is designing us a monogram for our custom postage stamps that I am ordering from Zazzle, we will use these on the the formal invitations.

Summer BBQ

2010-06-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had our dear friends Heather, Danny & Lyla (The Savvys) and Jen, Brannen & Mia (The Robbins) over for a summer barbeque dinner. The weather held up, which means it did not rain on us, but it was a little chilly outside. I made dinner, Heather brought a salad and Jen brought dessert. It does not get much better than spending Tuesdays with people you love!

Shopping: Wedding Dress & Bridesmaid Dresses -Oh What A Day!

2010-06-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Luly Yang Couture

Design by Sara, Design Consultant @ Luly Yang Couture

Last Saturday I spent the day shopping in Seattle with a few of my bridesmaids - Heather, Laura, Rebecca and Rhyan. it was my 3rd dress shopping trip and I am so HAPPY that I have found my dress and the dress for the amazing women that are part of our wedding. I am having my dress made by Luly Yang - a dream! The wedding suite, design & service is outstanding here and am so excited to get to have this experience with Luly Yang. I am sharing a couple of the sketches - but my final dress design is going to be kept off the blog. The bridesmaids dresses are from Bella Bridesmaid - and they are a beautiful! We ended the day with delightful dinner at Wild Ginger.

Dream Kitchen: Island Home of Meg Ryan

2010-06-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

Elle Decor is slowly replacing the late Domino magazine in my house. I still miss Domino, don't get me wrong but I needed to find another magazine with great style & design inspiration. The kind of magazine you sit down to read and rip pages out for your dream house file. This month Elle Decor is that magazine for me. I love Meg Ryan's beach house that is featured in this issue. Her beach home is is Martha's Vineyard - a place that I would love to visit! The kitchen pictured below is a DREAM KITCHEN to me! I love the exposed beams - they have a barn like feel with a polished finish. This kitchen is one that is in my inspiration file.

Get It: Custom Address Stamp

2010-05-29T14:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I ordered a fabulous custom address stamp from Paperwink. They have so many amazing styles available, I ordered the Highway 1 (pictured below). I also really like the design and text of the Imprint address stamp. It is made with a vintage style wooden handle - I cannot wait to get it!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

2010-05-28T14:47:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to sleeping in and spending lots of time with Adam and Chloe this weekend.

image from thenest.com

Portugal Images

2010-05-25T22:27:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some images from my trip to Portugal, one of the most beautiful places I have been. I hope you enjoy and if you have a chance visit this amazing place.

I become obsessed with doors when I was on my trip. The architectural detail of all the buildings and churches in Europe amazes me.

Chocolate Must Haves have from the Chocolate Flower Farm

2010-05-23T21:17:00.000-07:00

My sister gave me the best chocolate themed gift from one of my favorite stores, The Garden Shed the retail store for the The Chocolate Flower Farm on Whidbey Island. I am a huge fan of the Pink Himalayan Bath Salts infused with Chocolate & the Chocolate Suds ~ bath and shower gel. The Garden Shed is a must shop on your visit to Langley on Whidbey Island.

Inside the Garden Shed - photo from Chocolateflowerfarm.com

Drink: Orange Drop

2010-05-18T23:10:00.000-07:00

I love lemon drops and with an abundance fresh oranges at the restaurant thought an orange drop would be a refreshing update on the lemon drop.

Orange Drop

1.5 oz. Stoi Ohrang Vodka

.5 oz. Triple Sec

1.5 oz Sweet & Sour

3 Orange Wedges

Splash of Lemon & Lime Soda

In a martini shaker filled with ice combine vodka, triple sec and oranges. Muddle all ingredients. Add Sweet & Sour and shake for 60 seconds. Add a splash of lemon & lime soda and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

A Great Sunday

2010-05-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

Fish tacos we made for dinner

Homemade Pico de Gallo

Lemon & Lime Thyme

Peppermint

3 Varieties of Rosemary

Sweet Basil

Today was a productive and fun Sunday around our house. We watched my sisters golden retriever this weekend (Chloe's brother) and started the day at the park with the dogs. We had perfect weather and Chloe and Olen only had 1 other dog at the park. We worked in the yard - filling all 3 yard waste bins, went grocery shopping at out favorite store for fresh produce & fish - Tacoma Boys, bought 2 new pots (the red ones pictured above) and planted our mint and sweet basil, cleaned our house, did laundry and made an amazing dinner. I made tilapia crusted with lime cilantro fish tacos and beans. I made a fresh (non-spicy for Adam) pico de gallo to top our tacos. Looking forward to the week ahead.

Pineapple Mojito

2010-05-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

2 oz. Bacardi Light Rum

12 Mint Leaves

4 Pineapple Chunks

Splash of Fresh Pineapple Juice

4 Lime Wedges

2 Tbsp. Simple Syrup

Club Soda

~ Perfect Pineapple Mojito ~

In a stainless steel shaker combine 12 fresh mint leaves, 4 fresh pineapple chunks and 4 lime wedges and muddle. Add 2 Tbsp. of simple syrup, splash of pineapple juice and 2 oz of Bacardi Light Rum. Add ice and shake until until all ingredients are combined. Pour into a tall chimney glass and top with club soda & garnish with a sprig of mint.

Mother's Day Brunch at Varsity Grill

2010-05-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

We had a successful Mother's Day Brunch at Varsity Grill yesterday! Our catering division, The Vault led by Executive Chef Randy Spears and his team did an amazing job. In the restaurant business you end up working most holidays and crazy hours; I am so thankful I have an understanding fiancee and family.
My Mom, Grandma & Dad came in for the first seating and was so happy to see them. I am so lucky to have the most amazing, inspiring, caring mom and friend in my life! Happy Mother's Day to all you mother's out there.

The Menu

Omelette Station

Crepe Station

Carving Station ~ Prime Rib & Ham

King Crab Legs & Prawns

Eggs Benedict

Biscuits & Gravy

Scrambled Eggs

Breakfast Potatoes

Bacon & Sausage

Caesar Salad

Pea Salad

Thai Noodle Salad

Chicken Tortellini in a Mushroom Wine Reduction

Fresh Fruit & Assorted Pasties

Cheesecake

Oreo Cheesecake

Apple Studel Cake

Cream Puffs

Chocolate Mousse Cake

Vanilla Bean and Raspberry Mousse

Mother's Day Preparation

2010-05-08T23:58:00.000-07:00

Today we double checked all 500 + Mother's Day brunch reservations at the restaurant and began setting the space. I took on the flowers for brunch - all 40 Centerpieces and 15 arrangements for the buffets - it was a ton of fun! I am excited to share pictures of the brunch and final look once we are done.

Belated Birthday Wishes

2010-05-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

I got home from work tonight and had the sweetest belated birthday wishes arrive in the mail today from my friend Jessica who lives in Charlotte. I wanted to share this cute idea. I am loving.. A Gumball A Day ~ includes 31 gumballs with a cute bag of 31 gumballs attached. I am a major office supply & paper lover - so the adorable letterpress card and While You Were Out phone messages were quite fabulous!

Drink Infusion : Pepper Infused Vodka

2010-05-05T22:41:00.000-07:00

We created a pepper infused vodka at Varsity Grill this week. It makes the perfect vodka for a bloody mary cocktail! Our customers have been loving it and this will featured at brunch this Mother's Day Sunday.

Pepper Vodka Infusion

2 Yellow Bell Peppers

2 Orange Bell Peppers

2 Jalepeno Peppers
2 Cloves Garlic

1 Habanero Pepper

1 Serrano Pepper

1 Tomatillo

Chop & combine all peppers and garlic with 3 bottles premium vodka in an infusion jar. Let sit for at least 24 hours and enjoy!

photo by J. Hobson Photography

Napa Valley, California

2010-05-03T22:40:00.000-07:00

Adam and I took a detour home through Napa on our recent road trip to Berkley California. He had never been to Napa before and we did not have much time with the 12 hour drive ahead of us, so we made a few stops that I have loved from visits before. We first went to the town of St. Helena - otherwise known as the heart of Napa Valley. We stopped in downtown St.Helena at a cafe for coffee then wandered down main street through the galleries and shops. I loved Footcandy- a fabulous shoe store and Vintage Home, they had a spectacular collection of entertaining pieces, furniture and candles.

Footcandy

Vintage Home

We also enjoyed looking at all the real estate listings that lined the windows of the offices in St. Helena; although not something we could ever afford it was fun to see all the amazing homes in wine country. We only had time to go to 1 winery so chose to visit the beautiful Rubicon Estate formerly Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery. The estate was renamed to honor it's flagship wine. It made it hard to find as I did not know about the name change but as soon as we drove up the long tree lined drive and saw the breathtaking fountain in front of the estate I knew we found it. I enjoyed a wine tasting (Adam had to drive) and we selected some wines to being home with us.

Rubicon Estate

Our Rubicon Estate Passport for the wine tasting notes

We also got a fantastic book called Wine Dogs USA 2. This book features over 300 wineries across the United States with over 450 photos. This is a great coffee table book and the perfect gift for any dog lover. We are thinking that a honeymoon in Napa would be perfect.

Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta - Can't Wait!

2010-04-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

We are so lucky to be staying at the Grand Luxxe in Nuevo Vallarta (it just opened this July) for our wedding this November! We will enjoy 2 weeks in this beautiful spot in one of our favorite places - Puerto Vallarta. Most of our guests are staying at the Grand Mayan (on the same property) so will be close by and we will be able to spend our days with family and friends lounging by the pool and on the beach.
Espero tener buena estancia en este otono para la celebrar con mi familia.

Welcome to Grand Luxxe

Beautiful Rooms

Image I Love

2010-04-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

I came across this image last week while reading my friend Jessica's blog. She has great posts on her life as a mom, travels, style & fashion. Some of my favorite things on her blog are Her Style Inspirations, Today's Style, and Gabrielle's Style (her beautiful daughter).
This image reminds me of Chloe, my golden retriever when she was still a puppy. I do love her style too!

Beach Wedding I Love!

2010-04-06T21:33:00.000-07:00

I found this amazing, beautiful & inspiring wedding while searching for destination weddings on StylemePretty.com. (one of my favorite wedding blogs). These images are photographed by Gia Canali and the wedding designed by the world famous Yifat Oren.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this wedding. It is the perfect blend of elegance, clean design and romance. I am loving her dress by Monique Lhillier too! Seeing these amazing images makes me so happy that we have decided on a beach wedding! Although we do not have a world famous event planner; I love planning all the details and have some talented friends & family that will be right along side me helping with details & design. The Save the Dates are almost complete- these are being designed by one of my dearest friends, Heather. I cannot wait to share them! The wedding invitation design is almost complete as well - Adam and I have a little work ahead of us as we need to compile all the details for Puerto Vallarta to be included in the invite.

Bowling Birthday

2010-04-01T23:48:00.000-07:00

Although Adam's birthday has come and gone. I have not shared some of my favorite photos from his bowling birthday celebration. Below are some of the details from his celebration.

Custom Fortune Cookies for all the guests

Chocolate Chip Mint Cupcakes in a bowling theme by Dulce Cupcakes

Awards that were created for the Highest Scoring Game, Most Strikes in a Row & Highest Team Score

Loving Yellow!

2010-03-22T21:05:00.000-07:00

1. Yellow Bowls - Target.com

2. Hobo International wallet

3. Charles David shoes

I am obsessed with yellow! I am not usually a color person but had a great day shopping on Sunday and was drawn to everything yellow. Happy Spring!

New Chandelier

2010-03-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to get home from work today to hang our new chandelier! Although this amazing Wine Bottle Chandelier from Pottery Barn is not the one that we bought, I still wanted to share this great chandelier that Pottery Barn has added to their stores. Our chandelier came from Sweets, Treats & Designs. I fell in love with ours at the Spring Martini Party last Sunday - which was quite a fun day!

Fido Friendly Hotels

2010-03-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

Adam and I are looking for a great dog friendly hotel in Seattle for my birthday. I did not realize all the possibilities in the city. Our first pick is Hotel Max (Hotel Murano's sister hotel- we love Hotel Murano!) and in a close second the W Hotel - always amazing. We are having brunch with my family, then headed to Pike Place Market - our first trip as a couple AND dog friendly market, then to dinner at El Guacho and hopefully a night a Hotel Max!

pet friendly W Hotel

Hotel Max

El Gaucho

Dreaming of Spring

2010-03-11T20:57:00.000-08:00

I love J.Crew and was searching for some new pieces for the wedding this November. These are a few of my favorites and on my wish list.

Top Photo - Gauze sand dollar tunic

Second Photo - Lugano leather valise

Third Photo-Seaside tote

Fourth Photo -Shimmerveil leather capri sandals

The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry

2010-03-04T23:27:00.000-08:00

After reading about The Sharper Your Knife, The Less You Cry on Alexandra Hedin's blog post a few weeks ago I decided to order it off amazon (the only way to buy books I feel). It is a great story about a 36 year old woman who leaves her corporate job (after her boss eliminated her position) and took her life savings to move to Paris and attend the world famous Le Cordon Bleu cooking school (which I would LOVE to do too). Although I am not that far into the book, I can tell you it is a funny account of her everyday life in the French culinary world. Working in the restaurant business I find myself laughing along while she tells her daily accounts with the chefs. She also has some tasty sounding recipes - I am most exited to try the Golden Onion and Roasted Tomato Quiche first. The book also has a Menu Guide for Book Clubs in the back. Now all I need is a Book Club and I am set.

Wedding Suites Event @ Paper Source Bellevue store

2010-03-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today my mom ( a talented card designer) and I are going to Paper Source's Bellevue store to a DIY Wedding Suites event where we'll get to craft a distinctive wedding suite inspired from Paper Source's collection of invitations, escort cards, table tents and favors. Tonight we will have time to create a wedding suite uniquely my own. The best part is that they will be offering wine and cheese! I am SO lucky to have one of my dearest friends, Heather, a VERY talented graphic designer and Creative Director for 425 magazine design our invitations. This will be a great time to source some amazing papers and get additional ideas to work on with Heather.

Spring Martini Party

2010-03-03T22:39:00.000-08:00

I am getting so excited for my next event @ Sweets, Treats and Designs on Sunday March 14th! Please mark your calendar and come in for a great Spring Martini Party! The last event was amazing and so much fun! I hope you can make it!

J.Crew Wedding Dress

2010-02-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

I have always loved J.Crew and was looking through the their wedding collection today. I think the Chiffon and Organza Dune Gown might be perfect for a beach wedding. I will be going on my second dress shopping trip this Friday with two of my bridesmaids - I am most excited to visit Luly Yang!

What a Sweet Thing

2010-02-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

Last week I walked into the kitchen and noticed that Adam had started a birthday countdown to my 31st birthday next month. Our chalkboard is an old window that is painted with chalkboard paint - I love how rustic it is. I just had to share.

Whidbey Island Valentine's Weekend

2010-02-21T16:56:00.000-08:00

Chloe getting started on our fist hike at Possession Point

Celebrating

The most amazing appetizer - Dungeness Crab Quesadilla at Gordon's on Blueberry Hill

Adam's entree - Duck with a blackberry demi glaze / We had a delicious lemon tart for dessert

The Langley Firehouse is now Callahan's Firehouse - a Glass Blowing Studio - for $35 you can create your own piece

We saw Sherlock Holmes at the Clyde Theater - Popcorn is $1 here!

Hike #2 at Greenbank Farms

Adam and Chloe

Searching for THE DRESS

2010-02-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

Lyla enjoying dress shopping

Last Wednesday I had my first wedding dress experience. My mom, my fiancees mom and dear friend Heather and her 7 month old daughter Lyla went to The Wedding Bell . I had seen a dress in the window that I loved, so decided my first appointment would be here. It was a great experience and I did love the above dress but am still headed up to Seattle in a few weeks to visit some wedding dress boutiques there as well. What an exciting time!

Las Caletas...The Story

2010-02-13T00:20:00.000-08:00

I love the story and history behind the location of our wedding location, Las Caletas and wanted to share with you.....

A Letter from John Huston's Eden at Las Caletas [circa 1980]

For the better part of the last five years I have been living in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. When I first came here, almost thirty years ago, Vallarta was a fishing village of some two thousand souls. There was only one road to the outside world - and it was impassable during the rainy season. I arrived on a small plane, and we had to buzz the cattle off a field outside town before setting down.

Over the years I came back to Puerto Vallarta a number of times. One of those times was in 1963 to film The Night of the Iguana. It was because of this picture that the world first heard of the place. Visitors and tourists flocked in.

I am now living in Las Caletas, where I've leased one and a half acres from the Chacala Indian Community, the Mexican government has granted these Indians a long stretch of coast and a large interior region. To get to where I live you drive about fifteen miles south of Puerto Vallarta to a small fishing village called Boca de Tomatlan, where the highway leaves the sea and turns inland over the mountains. From Boca you take a panga (an open fiberglass boat with an outboard motor) south some thirty minutes to Las Caletas.

I have my place on a ten-year lease, with an option for another ten. After that, the land and whatever I've built on it go back to the Indians. Las Caletas is my third home. There are no roads to it, and it's unlikely there will ever be - the nearest village is about half an hour away by jungle trail. Las Caletas faces the sea and its back to the jungle, for this reason one thinks of it as an island.

Life here is lived in the open. At night wild creatures come down to inspect the changes I've made in their domain: coatimundias, opossums, deer, boars, ocelots, boas, jaguars. We find their spoor or trails in the mornings. Flocks of frenetic parrots come winging in at first light, full of talk. They climb, dive, wheel as one bird, alight in the treetops, all talking. They take off, do another quick turn or two and disappear - talking.

After sunrise the jungle quiets down, but there is always something going on at sea. Pelicans in tandem, skimming the waves - gulls and other seabirds, diving when the surface of the bay seethes and boils with sardines or schools of other small fish. There's a manta ray who performs regularly about fifty yards offshore. He always jumps twice. The first time is to get your attention. Then he throws all three thousand pounds of himself so high out of the water that you can see the freckles on his white underbelly. Gray, humpback and killer whales and porpoises ply the offshore waters. We're trying to keep a record on the grays because this is the farthest south they've ever been seen.

The winters are sparkling clear. There is almost no rain for nine months. By spring the jungle greens have faded to olive drab. In late June the clouds begin to gather. They thicken and lower until they're halfway down the mountainsides. The atmosphere gets heavier and heavier. Then one day the heavens open and the torrential rains beat down. Instantly there are explosions of color throughout the jungle: orchids, birds or paradise, all manner of bromeliads. And every night there's an electricity display out at sea, lighting up the horizon like a great artillery duel between worlds.

Now that I'm of a certain age, I'm following a piece of old Irish advice in going to live by the sea: 'It stops old wounds from hurting. It revives the spirit. It quickens the passions of mind and body, yet lends tranquility to the soul.'

The Night of the Iguana

In late 1962, John Huston received a proposal from producer Ray Stark to direct The Night of the Iguana. 'I thought it would make a wonderful picture, especially in Mexico,' said Stark. 'John, of course, was the guru of Mexico. I just got him at a lucky time when he wanted to go back there.'

John was indeed thrilled with the chance to work again in Mexico, and more so to take on Tennessee Williams's melodramatic play about an odd group of beleaguered individuals struggling with their frailties at an isolated, second-rate hotel on the tropical coast. Huston considered Williams a genius, one of the very few playwrights capable of presenting complicated characters in a way that illuminated them.

He knew that the story's weighty subject matter - people coping with personal failings, alienation, and loneliness - would be difficult to capture on film and understood that audiences tended to get bored with a movie if not enough action appeared on screen. But he also believed that an intelligent public would appreciate a well-hewn motion picture of the play 'The question is,' Huston posed, 'are you interested in what is happening? I personally find it hard to distinguish between dialogue and action. What's going on in someone's head can also be action, and can have as much violence in it as slow-motion bleeding.'

Both Huston and Stark agreed that the key to the film's success hinged on the casting. 'I choose an actor,' Huston explained, 'always for his kinship to the role. I don't give an actor a script and have him try to change his personality into something that's suitable for the role. I prefer to let him discover whatever part of himself is in that role and present it to me.'

If Huston's ideal for drawing out superb performances was to match an actor's persona with that of the character's, then the leading stars in Iguana couldn't have been better suited for their parts.

To play the defrocked, alcoholic Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon, such formidable actors as Marlon Brando, Richard Harris and William Holden were considered before Huston shrewdly decided on Richard Burton, a man whose own tormented life and exaggerated living paralleled that of Shannon's: the virile but sensitive male stereotype, destroying himself through the indulgence of liquor and women.

Ava Gardner was singled out by Huston to play the part of the bawdy widowed innkeeper, Maxine Falk. He knew Ava to be among the most beautiful, untamed women in the world, but coaxing her into playing Maxine wouldn't be easy On the other hand, said Gardner, Huston had 'a line of talk that could charm cows in from the pasture or ducks off the pond.' She agreed to do the film and later recalled the decision as 'the start of my relationship with John, one of the greatest and most enduring friendships of my life.'

Rounding out the cast was the refined Debra Kerr tagged to play the spinster-artist Hanna Jelks, a gentlewoman who harbors an innate sense of etiquette and kindness that has a salutary effect on Shannon but raises the hackles of a jealous Maxine. And to play the film's expanded role of Charlotte Goodall, the teenaged sexpot whose relentless pursuit of Shannon precipitates his night of undoing, Huston picked 17 year-old Sue Lyons, fresh from playing the title role in the sexually oriented movie, Lolita.

The decision to film Iguana in Mexico was in keeping with Huston's preference for making movies on location. 'The location, just like an actor,' Huston explained, 'gives something to the picture, you know, envelops it in an atmosphere.'

For the actors, that was all well and good if the locations were in such exotic places like Rome or Paris. But in Mexico? 'Williams had set his play in Acapulco,' Gardner drolly recounted,' but God forbid that John, whose motto clearly was, 'Do things the hard way whenever possible,' should even consider filming there. Instead he hit on the idea of Puerto Vallarta, a remote spot on the Pacific coast of Mexico that had been called the most unlikely resort this side of the Hindu Kush. There were no roads into the town, no telephones either, and both plumbing and electricity was decidedly erratic. When John told people, 'It's not at all like getting up in the morning and driving to MGM,' he was not kidding!

The director of photography was Gabriel Figueroa, a legendary pioneer in motion pictures during Mexico's golden era of film. Huston chose and depended on his technicians just as he did his actors. 'The cameraman is, of course, cast for the picture just the same as an actor would be,' said Huston. 'You decide what you want on the screen and then go to the right man for that.' Figueroa's wonderful cinematography earned him an Academy Award nomination.

Never before, or perhaps since, had such an eclectic and combustible mix of talented personalities been assembled to make a movie, 'one of the most publicized pictures of its time,' claimed Ray Stark.

In addition to the prestigious cast and crewmembers, an equally renowned entourage of high-powered celebrities was encamped during the filming. Mega movie star Elizabeth Taylor, who happened to be in the midst of a torrid, scandalous affair with Burton, accompanied her soon-to-he fifth husband for the duration of the shoot. The strange and brilliant Tennessee Williams was also present, as was the fun-loving, pistol packing Mexican director-actor Emilio Fernandez, who had a tendency, according to Huston, to shoot people he didn't like. And there were various current and ex-lovers at hand that fueled the celebrity name and tropical intrigue. From late September through early December in 1963 the small village of Puerto Vallarta was deluged with hundreds of media and paparazzi from around the world, eager to report on the expected ruckus.

As it turned out, the entire cast got along remarkably well. According to Huston, the production went 'as smooth as silk.' He added, 'The press gathered down there expecting something to happen with all these volatile personalities being there. They felt the lid would blow off and there would be fireworks. When there weren't any, they were reduced to writing about Puerto Vallarta. And, I'm afraid, that was the beginning of its popularity, which was a mixed blessing.'

courtesy of Vallarta Adventures