Wow-ing winter weddings

I love wedding photos! While I'm on vacation in Maui, please enjoy these photos that make me smile![Source Millie Holloman]
Surf Club in Wilmington, NC

[Source: Wedding Star]

[Source: Photos by Braedon Photography via A Cup of Jo]

Timberline Lodge near Portland, Oregon looks like a magical place for a winter party or wedding too!
Near Aspen, CO on Crystal Farms Ranch
[Source Green Wedding Shoes]

 [Source: On Ritzy Bee- Thayer Allyson Gowdy via Martha Stewart Weddings]

Check out the Ritzy Bee Blog for more winter wedding inspiration!

Leaving on a jet plane...for Maui!!

[Art by Brittney Lee]

This will be me very sooon!!! I'm leaving for Maui today and won't be back until January 5th! Aloha!

I love Glee!

The DVD was just released and it's AMAZING!

Winnie the Pooh quotes and Cute Piglet Cupcakes!

DSCN8096
Originally uploaded by katiskupcakes

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh," he whispered.
"Yes, Piglet?"
"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw, "I just wanted to be sure of you."”


“If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."


“Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon”


“A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise.”


“You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.”

Katie Holmes and Boeuf Bourguignon

It's Sunday night. While the Boeuf Bourguignon cooks, I'm watching Eli Stone and Katie Holmes is such a cute guest star! (She's been a favorite actress of mine since Dawson's Creek and I'm really looking forward to her new movie, The Romantics.)

My husband and I spent several hours chopping, saute-ing, and carefully preparing this famous dish from Mastering the Art of French Cooking and the Julie & Julia movie. We also just decanted a bottle of châteauneuf-du-pape. It smells like cherries. 

Tonight is a wonderful culmination of the Christmas weekend!

Book Reviews of 2009

Referring back to my October 10th, 2009 post, there is only one book left on my list, Books I Want to Read in (or by the End of) 2009. It's Pretty in Plaid: A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or, the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered Smart-Ass Phase by Jen Lancaster! I've been hoping I can find it for less than $10 on Amazon soon.

My favorite book of this year was The Girl Who Played with Fire. It's a dynamic and eye opening sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. The first book was quite graphic and dark, but the sequel explains more of the main character's idiosyncrasies and strange habits in a logical fashion. I'm eagerly looking forward to the end of the trilogy, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, coming out in May 2010. 

I have just finished God Came Near and started Cleaving by Julie Powell. Both are fascinating and intriguing, but I'm ready for light and fun reading, like Jen Lancaster for my Maui vacation. I am also very curious about the new book by the Time Traveler's Wife author, Audrey Niffenegger. Has anyone read Her Fearful Symmetry: A Novel? Perhaps on a light note, I'd also be interested in hearing reviews about How to Train Your Dragon (Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III)!


I did find a great review of Pretty in Plaid on the blog, "A Girl Walks Into A Bookstore...". She makes me think this will be a perfect Hawaiian vacation read. "In Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster gave us the brief details of her bio before she was famously fired from her high-powered job. In Pretty in Plaid, Lancaster illustrates some of those moments, from growing up in Cow Town, Indiana, to her life as a sorority girl during her eleven years of college, to her first job post-college. Like her previous books, Pretty in Plaid is written as a series of essays, all of which are connected by the theme of clothing. From her Girl Scout uniform—covered in (il)legally earned patches—to her first job interview suit, Jen illustrates how clothes shaped the way she views the world. I was extremely entertained by this book. It’s a fast read—I read it in less than two days—and it’s just as funny, if not funnier, than some of her other books. Jen Lancaster definitely has a unique voice that’s very witty, and her thoughts, as usual, are uncensored—good for the reader, since it meant that I was belly laughing all the way through. In fact, in places, I had to put the book down, I was laughing so hard. No matter what situation Jen finds herself in, she’s always got a positive attitude about it. Although the present-tense narration got a little irritating in some places, I simply couldn’t stop turning the pages. It’s a nice, light read that’s perfect for spring."

Christmas with my sisters

Can you tell which ones are my sisters versus my Mom, Aunt, and cousin? I think we all look alike!

Who's your favorite Sex and the City Character?

I love all the characters in Sex and the City, but Charlotte's probably my favorite!

Merry Christmas to all!

Merry Christmas ( +3 photos)
Originally uploaded by Fernando Felix

This kitty reminds me of my first cat, Foosa. It's sweet and cute, yet devilish. Merry Merry Christmas to everyone!

Mr and Mrs F are making Christmas Rum cake! (and hot buttered rum!)

PW’s Mother-in-Law’s Christmas Rum Cake

Added by Ree Drummond on July 18, 2009 in Cakes, Desserts

Prep Time 30 Minutes Cook Time 1 Hour

Servings 12

Difficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

• FOR THE CAKE:
• 1 box(es) (about 18 Oz.) Yellow Cake Mix
• 1 package (3.5 Oz.) INSTANT Vanilla Pudding Mix
• 4 whole Eggs
• ½ cups Cold Water
• ½ cups Canola Oil
• ½ cups Rum (dark Or Light Is Fine)
• 1 cup Chopped Pecans
• Brown Sugar (optional)
• _____
• GLAZE
• 1-½ stick Butter
• ¼ cups Water
• 1-½ cup Sugar
• ¾ cups Rum

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Grease and flour a bundt cake pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan. If desired, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar over the nuts.

Mix all cake ingredients together. Pour batter into pan over nuts. Smooth out ’til the top is even. Bake for 1 hour, or a little less if the pan is black. Do not overbake!

Glaze:

While cake has ten minutes to go, make the glaze.
Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off flame and pour in rum. Stir to combine and reheat for 30 seconds.

Remove cake from oven. Immediately drizzle 1/3 of the glaze on the bottom (top) of the cake. Allow to sit for five minutes. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Prick surface a hundred times with a fork (gently, please.) Slowly drizzle remaining rum glaze all over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Cool to room temperature before serving to ensure glaze has soaked in.
Eat. Enjoy. And don’t feel guilty. It’s Christmastime!

Hot Buttered Rum recipe

1 oz light rum
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp butter
4 cloves

Add the sugar, butter and cloves to a coffee mug. Pour the rum, and stir well. Fill with boiling water. Stir again, and serve.

Here's a picture of my Christmas Rum Cake! It's not as pretty as the Pioneer Woman's but it's just as tasty!

Get Carried Away May 28, 2010

http://www.sexandthecitymovie.com

From Love & Olive Oil: Vanilla Cake with Tiramisu Buttercream and Ganache Filling

It's time for dessert...go to Love & Olive Oil for a delicious looking recipe!

Mmmm...

Free Norah Jones Song on iTunes

Single of the Week

iTunes "free track this week comes from one of the most anticipated albums of 2009 — Norah Jones' The Fall. "December" captures the mood of its namesake — it's a hushed bit of atmosphere, with Jones trading the ivories for finger-picked acoustic guitar. "

Today's my lucky day!

I won an awesome GUSSY giveaway from Etsy It Up!! I'm so excited to pick out my favorite thing from Gussy! I love all the ruffles. Thank you soo much, Celeste! How am I possibly going to choose just one thing from Gussy? Have you seen this custom order?!?

I also made a cute new blogger friend from Bologna, Italy. Check out her lovely blog:

Holiday Cuteness for Monday via Color Me Katie and a video trailer

Monday, Monday, la la la la la la... [source Color Me Katie]

There are only a few days to Chrstimas, yay! I wonder what Santa's going to bring! I just love the Valentine's Day trailer. Enjoy!

Christmas Party Saturday!

We had an awesome time at two Christmas parties last night. Here are a few snapshots of our fun times! There was a white elephant gift exchange at the Ugly Christmas sweater party.
This is the sweater that I wore!
Our lovely hosts were amazing and perfectly costumed!

I also found out this morning that I won a Build-A-Bear giveaway hosted by Forever and Always!

It's super cute! Thank you, Ashley!

Friday night...

We went wine tasting at 509 wines on Lake Union and now we're watching Ally McBeal! It's a perfect Friday night.

Here are some of my favorite things tonight, (besides Ally McBeal!)

Our kitties love our new rug!

Check out this lovely new wedding Chiffon and organza dune gown on J.Crew. It looks like a beautiful snow queen gown.