Busy, Busy, Busy

Wow, it's been a few days since I last posted. Sorry about that!

Let's catch up.

So, the Mister and I got some great news; the government extended the $8,000 tax credit!! Earlier this week, we decided we were going to rent again, since living with his sister is getting a little tough. So I spent Monday and Tuesday scouting and looking at apartments in the areas we want to live in.

Then yesterday, we got the tax credit news. CHANGE OF PLANS!

So I have been researching the details of the tax credit and looking for mortgage brokers to assist us with getting a mortgage.

In the middle of all of this housing-hoopla, I received our envelops for our STDs!

So now I need to print, mount, stuff and label. I can't wait to get these out the door since I know I will go into hyper-house-overdrive!

I will get to the STDs tonight/tomorrow and show you how they turn out.

Any of you taking advantage of the tax credit? Any tips on buying a house while wedding planning?

I Want Money, Lots and Lots Of Money!

I am so excited we reached our savings goal! Yes, the Mister and I had a plan to reach X-amount of dollars before the wedding so we could insure we didn't need to charge everything. And yesterday, we did it!

Well, I just spent less while the Mister saved!

We have scaled back here and there in attempts to save some dough-ray-mi. If you recall, we cut the bar time, slashed the photographer budget and kissed my Manolo Blahnik's goodbye!

I feel conflicted; we are 3-months ahead of our saving-schedule. So should we keep saving and pump up the volume on our wedding again?

It's a tough call. I mean, we can keep saving and put it towards our honeymoon...

Or maybe something a little more... permanent...

(haha... a bride can dream!)

So what would you do with a budget surplus? Splurge on the wedding? Extend the honeymoon? Or start life as a married couple with a little piece of land that is all your own?

source: all Google Image

A Few of My Favorite Things...

source: http://www.murad.com/resurgence/

I am flipping for Murad's Resurgence! Yes, this is the product Joan London pushes on the Sunday morning0 infomercial.

I purchased the starter kit from Sephora. I am only 3-days in but I am LOVING what I am seeing!

I am only 27 but I am big on aging prevention. Now, heavy-duty anti-aging products aren't for everyone. But after reading what the website and chatting with the girls at Sephora, I thought this anti-hormonal aging product might be right for me.

I have adult breakouts, red blotches, dry patches; all hormone related skin issues.

I started this in preparation for the wedding but I plan on using it long after!

What are your skin saviors? I love me some good skin products :)

Ode to Ina

If there is a person I could switch lives with for a week or just have dinner with, it would be Ina Garten, aka. Barefoot Contessa.


Ina is probably the coolest person ever and someone I strive to be like. Her career is filled with twist and turns. Ina went to school at Syracuse University (near me) and worked in at White House Office of Management and Budget. One day Ina and her adobable husband, Jeffrey, were driving and saw a specialty food store for sale in the Hamptons. Long-story-short, Ina took over the store and made Barefoot Contessa what it is today (even though the store is closed, she has made an empire with the name and lifestyle).

Ina loves all things French, as do I, has a great sense of design, as I think I do, and loves to cook and entertain, as do I.

But she took a risk on a business, which I could never do. And she does everything with such great style and grace, which I am too frumpy to attempt.

She is so cool!

The Mister and I have collected her cookbooks, we watch her show, have bought many items from her Pantry line and the Mister even tried to incorporate some Barefoot Contessa into our engagement.

Incorporate Barefoot Contessa into your engagement, you say?

Well, Ina's sixth and most recent cookbook was coming out right around our engagement. He saw that you could have a personal message from Ina inscribed in your cookbook if you ordered from the BC site.

I guess something was lost in translation but it was just an autographed copy... no "Dear Tres Chic, The Mister is about to ask you to marry him. I hope you say Yes! Ina", like he wanted.

Poo! But it's okay.

I would love to get Ina's opinions on our wedding. I know she would approve of the vintage-garden theme with lots of clean colors and soft touches to add to the romance.

Could you imagine her catering the wedding?! Even just the cocktail hour would be more than enough for me. I can see it now, roasted shrimp cocktail, herb crusted lamb chops, grilled chicken skewers with satay dip, blinis with smoked salmon and her cheese straws! ~sigh~

Is there anyone you turn to for design and style inspiration? Who is it? What makes them so fabulous to you?

source: http://www.barefootcontessa.com/

Now They Can Eat Cake!

With our VIC (very important cake) flavor settled on, the Mister and I felt ready to do our full cake tasting.

As a recap, we selected the amazing Premier Pastry based on their fabulous red velvet cake!

Our next step: The Box.

Inside this little bakery box, lays 6-slices of sweet and sinful....

3 coco creations and 3 white wonders!

First up - Chocolate Praline Torte...

The texture was to die for! The cake was rich and moist, the center filling was creamy with a soft crunch from the praline-carmel candies and the butter cream... I die.

The second and third slices were delectable but that praline lingered on our palettes and in our minds.

The Mister and I agree, the Chocolate Praline Torte was the winner!

A few sips of champagne (we wanted to see if the champagne at the wedding will pair well with cake... it does!) and we were ready for the whites.

Even though I am obsessed with red velvet, white and vanilla cakes are typically what I prefer so this was going to be good!

We started with the Chambord Gateau...

It is beautiful! White cake, soaked in Chambord raspberry liquor with a raspberry cream filling. I love the look and the taste of this cake! The Mister liked it but wasn't sold.

Next was the White Wedding...

Vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream. You could see the flecks of vanilla bean throughout the cream. It was wonderful but this time, I wasn't sold.

Our final slice was Raspberry Almond Torte...

White cake with a layer of raspberry, almond meringue and butter cream. Oh yes, this has winner potential!

We know the red velvet and chocolate praline torte are in. There are a few more flavors (orange pound cake with Grand Marnier cream, fresh strawberry torte and lemon gateau, are you serious!!!) I want to try before we settle.

Next up, narrowing down the cake design!

What flavors are you going with for your wedding cake? Go ahead and make us drool!!