Tuesday, March 30, 2010

I Love Her

I always have.  I always will.  She is my ABSOLUTE favorite.  For a gazillion reasons. 

Today I opened a wedding magazine (natch) and this quote was in there...making me love her even more. 

"I BELIEVE IN PINK...I BELIEVE IN KISSING, KISSING A LOT...
AND I BELIEVE THAT HAPPY GIRLS ARE THE PRETTIEST GIRLS." 

Damn right Miss Hepburn.  Reason number (gazillion +1) that I adore you. 


Monday, March 29, 2010

Good Morning.

I am feeling inspired by this book right now.  I think everyone should own a copy.


It's a stunning and sweet picture book made from the most wonderful story.  It is a collection of 236 images, taken by two women, living 3191 miles apart, always before noon.  They took a moment to document the simple, yet beautiful, everyday things around them that morning.  The similarities of the photographs are unreal.     



It makes me want to get up 20 minutes earlier and enjoy the beauty of the coming day.  It reminds me that I need to stop and enjoy life a little more instead of wishing the working day away.  Like Allison Arieff from the New York Times said about this book, "We're living in difficult times and it seems it's exactly these tiny details and fleeting moments that can offer us the most solace and even joy." 

Check out more about it HERE

This book makes me think of my cosmic twin, a kindred spirit, and what she might be doing this morning. 

Have a wonderful day today.  And DO stop to see the beauty in it. 

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Care Package

My mother-in-law sends us a care package three times a year.  Halloween, St. Nick's Day, and Easter.  She never misses these holidays without sending us a box of goodies.  Sometimes we'll get packages at other times too, but you can bet your life on these three. 

The Easter Package came...and it was amazing this year.  I was given the most beautiful flower pin to wear on my suit jacket for work.  It's yellow, sweet, crafty and very pretty.  I wore it and received about a million compliments.  It makes me feel a little like this...

 

This next part of the package takes the cake though.  I see this....



and get excited as Crate and Barrell is one of my fav. stores.  So I opened it, and FOUND THIS...


Now, that's what I call a box of goodies!

It's very sweet and very thoughful...and I am very grateful. 

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Glad

I am so giddy right now! 

Guess who just found out that she's going to see Glee Live in May?!!  Yipeeeee! 



Today, I was given an envelope by my handsome husband that said, "open this when you're feeling down or stressed."  And when I did tickets to the Glee Live show were in it!  How amazing is that? 

Don't stop believing...in love, in surprises, in glee clubs and in magical husbands! 

Monday, March 22, 2010

Springtime

Guess what I bought for myself today? 

LILACS! 

please forgive the poor quality picture!


Aren't they gorgeous?  When is the last time you've seen lilacs in LA?  Exactly.  I was so excited, I bought some immediately.  They smell amazing.  They make me happy and make me think of many wonderful things.  Things like...

Home. 
Springtime at home. 
Lilac bushes in Mom and Dad's backyard.  

And they look so at home in that beautiful vase given to me in a little blue box, by these two loves of my life.  

Life is good, life with lilacs is even better.  BE happy that Spring is here!  

XO 



 

Nutella Fingers

Have you ever been in this predicament...there is Nutella in the cabinet and you cannot find a thing to dip in it?  Sometimes you just need a vessel to get that Nutella into your mouth, right?   


Today I was desperate.  So I dipped clusters of granola into my Nutella.  It was a stretch.  What I wanted to do though, was make Nutella Fingers. 

Below is the recipe: 

A jar of Nutella
Your finger

Enough said. 

Oh Nutella...I love you so.  You know what I need to do?  Learn how to make Nutella Ice Cream.  Um, hello!!!

Best Friday Ever

I realize that I have been an incredibly absent blogger.  Work has consumed my life for the past two weeks and the hours have been very trying on me, thus I have had no extra time to blog.  Sad, I know.        

That being said, I found out on Friday at 4:30 pm that I was going to have to work on Sunday.  I was so upset.  I was looking forward to a weekend away from it all with my lovely hubs.  I left pretty quickly after that and was feeling kind of mopey and bummed about our weekend being cut short, when my husband came up with an incredible idea. 

"Let's use your discount somewhere!"  Duh, what a great idea.  I'm working like a crazy lady, so why not take advantage of one of those great benefits?  Discounted room rates!



We didn't go far, in miles, from home.  But we felt a world away.  We stayed at the Marriott in Marina del Rey, we went out to dinner and had many drinks, we slept in until 11, we laid in bed all morning and ordered room service and watched movies on HBO.  We laid at the pool for a few more hours to keep our reality suspended for a little longer.  It was amazing.  It was such a needed break for the both of us and the greatest Friday night I've had in a long time!

The first weekend that I don't have to work we are planning on making it a full on weekend "getaway" to the JW Marriott in Palm Desert.  Which , by the way, has a SPA!  I'll be indulging in that for sure!  After this little glimpse into what that will be like...I am beyond ready and excited to go!



Monday, March 8, 2010

Red Carpet

I puffy heart love the Oscars.  Oscar day is one of my top 10 favorite days of the year.  I love it.  I love the glitz, the glamour, the hype, the dreams, the hopes.  I love it all. 

Especially the red carpet. 

Yesterday, however, I was left feeling a little underwhelmed.  Usually there are a number of dresses that I die over.  This year, I didn't go crazy for a single one.  But, there were ones I liked and here they are because what else is a best dressed list for if not to share it on your blog?! 

I mean, this woman can do no wrong in my book.  And then she walked the red carpet in this. 
Very nice my darling Meryl. 


Even though the critics on E! weren't a fan and this is not the best picture of her, I like this dress and overall dreamy look of Miss McAdams.  I thought she looked gorg! 

This hot Momma is just cool.  Enviably cool and always sticks to her own style.  I dig that. 


This woman is just ridic.  That body?  That tan?  That slit? 
Forget about it! 


And now for the ones that made me upset....

I mean, there are truly no words for how this makes me feel. 


This one is a mystery to me.  From the waist up I think Zoe looks incredible.  But what the heck is happening down there by her shoes??? 


I can't really put my finger on it, but I just dislike this one very much.  I thought she looked silly. 
 


Until next year my beauties.  I'll be waiting! 

XO

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Wedding Wednesday - Get Chic

 

Do you have a mentor?  Someone in your life who you look up to and admire?  Someone that gives you amazing advice and guidance?  Someone that takes you under their wing and watches out for you? 

I do.  Her name is Paola and she is incredible.  Paola is the owner of a wedding and event planning boutique in Los Angeles called Just Chic Events.  We hired Paola to be our wedding coordinator which was the best decision ever!  We became fast friends and kept in touch after the wedding, which eventually led to a discussion about my new passion and her extending her gracious hand to me.  She hired me on as her assistant and we never looked back!  I am incredibly proud to be on the Just Chic Events team and so grateful to her for all of her mentoring.  She is pretty much a daily inspiration to me as I feel that she has the dream job! 

The reason I am going on and on about her, on this Wedding Wednesday, is because Just Chic Events has released a new website, design and blog and I couldn't be more excited for Paola. 

Please check it out...I have no doubt that you will love it!  You can see the new blog HERE.  The two weddings you see on the blog right now, are two of the first ones that I assisted her on.  Amazing, right?  Also, take a peek at the website HERE.  If you look closely (at the bottom of the gallery page to be exact) on the website, you might see some familiar faces! 

Who is your mentor?  Who do you look up to?  Take a few moments to BE grateful and TELL them.


   

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

First Job

My very first job ever, other than babysitting when I was a kid, was something very special and probably very surprising. 


That's right, I worked at the Renaissance Faire.

I just wish I had a picture of me in "uniform!"  Kind of like this... 

Kidding, this wasn't like me AT ALL!  I was something much more special.   

I worked in the kitchen for the first summer and then graduated to the position of FOOD WENCH the following year.  No Queen of the Faire for me, I cooked and served the likes of calzones, shrimp tempura, pancakes and shepherds pie.  How random, right?!

I'm thinking of my humble beginnings because this evening, I made shepherds pie.  I just wanted to make something homey and in the comfort food category and thought of trying my hand and "cottage pie".  It's in the oven now so we'll see how it turns out. 

Perchance, I will blog more anon. 

By your leave,
Lady Jessi


Monday, March 1, 2010

Damn right

As I'm always looking for new inspiration for my homemade ice cream, it would seem only natural that at this time of the year, I've stumbled upon an ice cream flavor that can only be described as "damn right." 

I pretty much felt like the girl on the cover of the box when I had my first bite of damn right ice cream.

Yipeeee!