Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Book Worm






Party Time

After almost a year of being in our first home, I am realizing that we have done so much work to every single room, except the master bedroom.  Most people would probably do this first upon moving in, but somewhere in the back of my mind I figured that since only the husband and I would be in there, it just wasn't priority.  Until now.  I can no longer look at the throw up colored walls and boring berber carpet, or the blank walls that are screaming at me to hang things on them.  I guess I was really putting this project off because "i change my mind alot" and didnt want to jump into a color scheme only to end up hating it 6 months later.  Once we get back from vacation, exciting things begin to happen.  My parents are coming down to visit so that my Dad can help John rip apart a wall that divides the dining and living rooms.  I will be getting quotes from contractors on the cost of renovating our non heated porch and making it an actual part of the house (a den? an office? mudroom? breakfast nook?).  So long as I can go outside in the winter and not lose a toe to hypothermia I will be happy.  And of course the master bedroom will be getting a major face lift, with new paint, decor, bedding, a cowhide rug (like I wasnt going to get one, come on people!) and GASP wallpaper.  If the samples arrive soon I may suck my mother into helping me hang this while they visit.  I feel like she is good at that sort of thing (i can feel her evil stare now because that is so not what she had in mind for visiting NJ).  Below are the wallpaper samples I ordered...what do you think?  1 and 2 are similar, just different colors and the patterns are different in size.  My favorite is the third, called "vitality" (ooooh).  It would go on the wall behind our headboard, and then the other three walls would be painted some shade of very pale blue/purple- very airy and light but still more interesting than plain old white.  What do you think?  Which is your fave?



Vacation Time (almost)

Did I tell you that we were going on vacation?  Well we are, to Jamaica, on Friday!  I feel like I have been counting down the days in my head for 5 months and now it's finally (almost) here.  We leave at the ass crack of dawn on Friday morning and head down to Runaway Bay Jamaica for 5 days.  A short little vacation, but very much needed.  We are meeting our vacation friends Mariah and Justin down there.  Just for reference, Justin is the one who when we were all in Vegas drank too much, fell backwards and broke the dining chair and Mariah is the one who married him.  Mariah and I will be romancing the natives while the husband and Justin go searching for treasures.

Runaway Bay is actually right near Ocho Rios/ St Ann- about 90 minutes east of Montego Bay.  Should be an awesome shuttle ride to the hotel.  Ill be wearing pants with pockets so I can sneak aboard some of my favorite beer, Red Stripe.  Dont you love the hazy photo?  Thats quality blogging right there.

Jewel Dunn's River Resort...all inclusive, which means we will be drinking like feesh until Tuesday when we leave.  Eating will be good too...but I am really going for the beach and the booze.  

This is the boat I plan to dump the husbands passed out body in.  Kidding, kidding.  Maybe we will take it out for a little snorkel or something.

Miami Vice?  Sure why not?  Dirty banana?  Even better.  dirty bananas are good every time of day...I should know, I drank about 60 of them on our honeymoon in Jamaica 2.5 years ago.  For all of you with your mind in the gutter about the name...just stop it.  STOP IT!
Ill be back next week with what should be entertaining stories and photos to share with all!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Calling all frosting

By now its no secret that I am training to run in a half marathon in early April in NYC.  Its also no secret that I am a huge fatty who loves anything with sugar listed as an ingredient.  Put the two together and you basically get a 29 year old running 4 miles a day and then coming home to rummage through the cupboards and shove anything that is remotely sweet into her mouth.  So today I was just popping around the blog world and I came across these photos from Forty Sixth at Grace and my mouth started watering.  And it wouldnt stop.  I now have a problem, I need that chocolate cake and until I get it, I will not sleep well.  Its sick really, and I blame it all on my dad.  He loves sweets just about as much as I do and one of my fondest memories was visiting Levitt's Bakery (Dad, I know you will say you never went there but we definitely did) and ordering Boston cream and jelly donuts and then sitting in his truck to eat them.  I know, the good times just keep rolling in the backwoods of NH.  So anyways, back to the chocolate cake, or really any cake, I want some, like now.  I figure if I keep running, i could probably live off of cookies, cake and pudding (they all have eggs and milk so I will get my daily nutrients).  This is all okay with me.  With the husband, not so much.  He would rather quench his dessert thirst with steak.  It must have been something in the water he drank growing up. 

I think some time ago I read about a cookie diet and how it actually worked (to make the person lose weight, and clog their arteries at the same time- oh how I love multitasking).  I would like to follow this diet.  Actually, I would like to come up with my own diet, as follows:

Monday B/L/D- chocolate lava cake.  are you kidding me?  this guy had me at hello.

Tuesday Brunch- stuffed cupcake- from the famous "stuffed cupcakes" in nutley NJ.  Its sort of like french toast which makes it okay to eat before noon....By the time my parents read this, they will be enjoying some that I sent their way as a late Vday gift.  Im sure they will thank me since they are going on a beach vacation in 45 days.  PS- when I tried one of these, it may have been the most enjoyable 12 seconds of my life.

 Tuesday Dinner- Boston Cream Pie - again, all thanks to my Dad.

Wednesday- humpday, which means I will eat as many cannolis as I can in a 24 hour period.  the original kind of course.

Thursday B/L- soft batch choc chip cookies.  to.die.for.

Thursday Dinner- a small little slice of red velvet cake. and a side order of ice cold milk.

Friday= Vienna Finger Day!  Who could possibly forget these delicious little bastards?  Dip them in choc milk and say a prayer people.

Saturday- oh you know, just some banana cream pie.  Its got bananas, so its healthy

Oh and Sunday- the grand finale...pepper jack cheese and sour dill pickles.  I know I know, we are a far stretch here from my sweet tooth dreams...but really- does it get any better than this? 

Now that we have gone through my dream diet and you all think I need professional help- i think its time to go.  Go eat a mini stuffed cupcake that is!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Cozy!

Both of these spaces look so warm and inviting- i thought i would share!


Monday, February 14, 2011

Black Back Door

Remember my post about painting the kitchen door black?  Well I got my project approved and did it and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  I actually ended up using chalkboard paint, which left a very matte finish on the door and also allows children (and the husband) to write messages on it in chalk or the dirt on their fingers.  Check it out!

Progress shots...dont mind the dog leash in the background..I forgot to clean up before taking this shot.



Finished Product- from far away.  This is how it looks if you walk in the house and look back through to the kitchen
 And heres the view from inside the kitchen.  Next project is to get rid of that disgusting base board crap along the floor and replace it with molding to match the other rooms.  I really question the brain power of the people who used to live here and wonder why the hell they put some of this stuff in here.  Oh and my MADE BY GIRL "Hello" poster...he's going on the wall very soon too!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!  We had a great weekend...got to see some friends and some family and took the husband to see some sights that NYC has to offer.  After a long day yesterday we headed out to a romantic dinner at the perfect little BYOB place and ate way too much food for my own good.  The husband surprised me with a VERY nice gift, something I honestly thought I would never even own so to say I feel so lucky is a complete understatement.  Tonight since the husband is at school I had a romantic date with the deli man at the grocery store who asked me "what my plans were later".  and he was covered in meat blood.  Awesome. 

Whose bigger? 

@ Ellis Island

Old luggage from immigrants @ Ellis Island

The Great Hall

Cityscape and the Husband

Flowers for Valentines Day from the best husband ever!

Friday, February 11, 2011

[Traveling in Style]

Weekend Plans

Happy Friday everyone!  I cannot wait for this weekend to begin- and it seems it will around 5pm today.  We have some big plans in store over here in the dirty dirty, such as seeing a Broadway musical (we were invited at the last minute by my uncle- free tickets=I am there), hitting up some touristy landmarks and celebrating Valentines Day a whole day early (the husband has class Monday night so we are dining in style Sunday night). Oh and then of course I will continue my never ending job of painting all the trim in our house white, since the last owner so graciously painted it the ugliest shade of ivory on earth.  What are your weekend plans?

Million dollar quartet on Bdwy- Elvis, Johnnie Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.  I think Ill be dancing in my seat.

Taking the husband to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for V-day!

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Today Im loving...

Love me some all white rooms...


and I love me some fantastic wallpaper...I need this birch wallpaper for my bedroom re-do...



and love me some funky stairs that immediately would brighten my day...

Monochrome-tastic

It's everywhere!


More Knives

We've talked about this right?  My undying love for these magnetic knife racks?  Love them.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

More Snow= Stay in bed all day

I am already dreading waking up tomorrow morning, checking the status of my flight back to Newark and seeing the words "CANCELLED" in red.  The NY area ia supposed to get hit with more snow and ice- which basically means there is a very good chance I will be stuck out West until Thursday, if not later.  I am trying to stay positive but lets be serious, I am getting pretty sick of winter and am officially considering a move out west to get away from it all.  If I was home though, these modern, yet comfy bedrooms would be the perfect place to work from for the next few days...