Wish List

While it might be a little early for an official Christmas wish list, I am one of the crazy people who tend to have a birthday wish list planned out way in advance.  This year is a big one though, because I am turning the evil 3-0!  People always say "your 30s are the best blah blah"- I dont buy it.  My 20s were awesome, and i cant imagine outdoing those wonderful years, some of which i dont remember.  But since this year is a big one for me, I am hoping to get myself something nice...something to reward myself for all my hard work over the last 8 years since I graduated college, met a guy, got married, moved to NJ and found my dream job.  Typically, a large bottle of vodka would suffice in this instance, but after my not so sober antics last Friday night, I am on the wagon.  So chickens, behold my wish list, something of which will be purchased for me, by me, very soon.  I mean, obviously whatever I buy will be worn out with my birthday suit.  Get your mind out of the gutter, not that kind of birthday suit.

Alexander Wang Rocco bag- found HERE

 Egyptian Blossom bracelet- found HERE

Inca dress from shabby apple- found HERE

Brian Atwood Platform chain pumps, hotter and more comfy than Louboutin...holler- found HERE

 Key to my hear necklace- found HERE

La Mer Multi-chain wrap watch- found HERE

Note how i inserted links to each item, so in the case anyone reading this would like to send me a gift, its as easy as snappity snip snap, boom!  If we have learned one thing today, it's that I like to plan ahead and make lists.  It's no doubt I learned this from my mother, who has been making lists like a bad ass since I can remember.  "if you dont make a list, you are a fool" she says.  Well, actually, she doesn't say that ever, but Mr T would.

"I pity the fool who doesnt make a list!"

Falling for Python

I am slightly obsessed with python lately. I am seeing it everywhere, and I want it all.  Especially some cute slip on flats, and a clutch.  But how amazing are this jacket and pant by Chloe?

I am currently coveting these clutches- one really needs to appear on my doorstep, like, today:

final reveal- our new patio!

It had been months and months that the husband has ben saying he wanted a patio area in the backyard.  After sending him a few links from some of my fave bloggers who had done their own patios, he took charge, and away he went to order paver stones, 450 bags of sand, etc.


I will let him document the actual process (he pretty closely followed THIS link), but here are some photos i took via my blackberry- apologies for the horrible resolution on these:

Looks amazing!  it took him about 2 days of digging (remember that movie Stir of Echoes?  Gotta dig, gotta dig says Kevin Bacon) and then another 2-3 days of laying the pavers, pounding them in, filling in with sand, etc.  He also made a sweet little mini patio for the firepit to sit on, so we dont end up with a crop circle in the lawn anymore!  Job VERY well dome hubby!

Now we have to add in dwarf evergreens along one side, plant grass seed (done this weekend, crossed off list), buy new patio furniture, and build some type of flower bins for the corners. Lots left to do, but it looks so much better than before.  This patio was meant to be!

Over the weekend

 My parents came down to visit last weekend, and as usual, their time spent here was filled with lots of laughs, tasty food and drinks, and of course, a surprise or two (enter the Bloomfield Fire Dept pulling up, sirens blaring, at 9pm on Saturday night because they thought our house was on fire from our backyard fire pit).

On Friday afternoon, I took the parents out to lunch at Holstens while the husband finished up his work day.  Little known to outsiders of Bloomfield NJ, Holstens is the restaurant where they filmed the last scene of the Sopranos (you know, right before the screen went black?  Meadow was actually parallel parking on our street- donttt stop, believinnn).  Anyways, we are having a nice little lunch and all of a sudden, 150 people are jamming the doorway, taking turns sitting in a booth next to us and taking photos like crazies.  A Sopranos tour is what it was, and i was astonished that people pay money to sit in a booth and take photos of a where a tv show happened.  We did our part, by making stupid faces in the background.  These dumb tourists are going to get home and see My Dad pretending to stab me with a fork in the background of each and every photo.  Gotta love Joisey. After that, my mom and I headed out dress shopping for my brother's upcoming wedding next April.  After walking about 3 miles through the mall, we found a dress! Great Success!  If momma aint happy...well...its a scary situation.   Friday night we cooked a nice little dinner at home and relaxed with many mudslides.

Saturday, we hit up the Harvest fest fair in the downtown (see:ghetto) area of our town.  Dad watched some mini ninjas practice and the parents got their first taste of Zeppolis!  Then off we went to Yankee Stadium, to watch the Red Sox lose (again) to the Yankees.  Dad was the only happy one on the way home.  See- it was an action packed weekend.  And yet somehow, someway, my mom found time to take a ride on the back of the husbands Harley.  Cross another item off the bucket list for Patty!

She loves that dirty water!!  We cant wait for another visit (turkey day?)

Art

Some new art (DIY) from around the casa:

image quality is terrible (taken with my blackberry, which is clearly absolute crap compared to the iphone).  Next time you call up, just ask for Picasso.

HAPPY LABOR DAY WEEKEND PEOPLES!!!

The DUDE

This past week there were a series of events popping up all over the country, in honor of one great movie, The Big Lebowski.  When first released, it bought in a measly 17.5M- but not long after, the movie became a cult classic and one of my all time favorites.  So happy weekend to you all...I plan on relaxing on my "rug that ties the room together", sipping on a White Russian (a Caucasian as they call it in the film) and watching for the 25th time the character so lovingly called "the dude" work his magic.

Lone Wolf [i will be this day]

catch it people- Missoni for Target is launching Sept 13th.  I will be in Miami that day, so FML.  However, when i return that evening, you betcha my first stop will be 25 minutes west of my house to the "good" target at the Willowbrook Mall.  I dont care if you walk with a cane/ have babies in tow/or if you are just plain walking too slow, i will shove you down and fight for some of these amazing items that are only available until Oct.  Most coveted, the tableware (shown below) for my dining room and some cute lamps to jazz up the office and guest room.  Anyone want to join my team and help me shop?  I promise I will let you keep something small.

Casually strolling down "the hill"

Last weekend the husband and his siblings threw a surprise 60th bday party for their father.  It was a nice little gathering with about 30 adults and way too many kids up in Worcester MA...

setting up for the party...Jaime, Ed, the husband, Cousin Annie

 Look at his face. Not sure if he is surprised or about to go all postal on us.

Could have been because he saw this...a nice little slideshow that Gwen and I put together with photos from when he was a baby, all the way up through now.

Our goddaughter Savhannah.  Trouble maker.

Checking out his gnome Boston cream cake.  Best. cake. ever- props to jaime

Nothing like forcing him to take a pic with us!

My nephew locking me out from the patio.  Such a sweet 4 year old. 

The husband making a nice little speech about his old man.  He broke out the purple for this party, so you know it was awesome.

Jaime's friends, who gifted the old man some depends, in the case he has an accident

The husband and I after 4-5 cocktails, circa 630pm.

The Santagate clan.  Looks like a crayola crayon box with all those colors.

Clearly they are sober...dancing the night away to some oldies tunes before heading back home to the fire pit for some more good times.  Happy Birthday John!

Return of the Pointy Toe

Enter my outfit for the next 4 months...or well, until it snows, and even then I will probably bust these out anyway:

They say pointy toe'd shoes make your legs look longer and leaner and who isnt all for that?  I am already embracing this and bringing back out my pointy toes from years past.  Kitten heels included.