I love decisions when they're already made...

And today I made a big one.  I am super thrilled!

We (my parents, kid sister and I) went to the  restaurant/potential venue for lunch today. The manager was very nice, helpful and accommodating even though he was dealing with a tour group of 50 Spainiards at the same time. His price is better than we’d hoped at first, and his kids price is great so  I’m actually going to be able to invite kids, get funny dancing pictures and avoid family WW3. Champagne is included in the open bar price. The food was good. He threw in an extra 1/2 hour (I think we might be able to work it up to a full hour if we really try) and the ceremony space is free. Literally the only thing he isn’t providing is parking and that’s hardly his fault (it is Manhattan, after all). So…

We are officially penciled in for the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5, 2010!

Pending a visit from Mr. McGee so we can have a full tasting, we’ll sign a contract. I have a venue! That I love! And I can afford! I am so so so so so so so happy! Seriously, so much stress is gone, that I am having a harder time worrying about the 8 metric shit-tons of schoolwork I have to do before I graduate in December. The only thing that could have made things better today was the city actually posting parking signs that told us we couldn’t park where we did, rather than just leaving us an illegible parking ticket (sorry Dad!).

Oh, and you can see the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, and Manhattan from your table.  It is the quintessential New York City location I dreamed about.  I am a happy girl.

Bohemian Rhapsody, a la The Muppets!

Thanks Kris.

Postsecret

They have to know they do that, right?

Live like a vampire

Wanna live in the Cullens' house?  It's for sale for a cool $3.298 mil.  (Don't worry, it's Canadian!)

Total Mushiness Alert!

Tricked On Halloween - Watch more Funny Videos

I'll be damned if that doesn't melt my heart every time.  Thanks, hon, for sending it on.

OMG Shoes!

It's totally unfair how much I want these.

Well, maybe not the wanting, but the price tag, for sure.  ($388, ouch!)  Anthropologie, why do you you doing this to me?!

Ok, so I have a thing for lighting.

There are no words for how much I love this.

OK, so probably not $4800 much like Anthro wants, but still.  How cute, in a little breakfast nook robin's egg blue walls, white ceilings, crown moulding and a chair rail, with a nice light wood table for this to hang over.  Between this and all the awesome that's happening over at Pottery Barn, I'm going to have to take metalworking up again.  (Another thing you never knew about me, I can weld!)

I want to go to a masked ball

...at the Plaza in 1966 thrown by Truman Capote.

I really do.

That's Candice Bergen.  Love the bunny mask.  How incredibly glamorous...

Measured Accessories

So, as my blog name might imply, I'm a knitter.  What you might not know about me is that I've sewn for years.  I was really serious into costuming from about 10th grade through sophomore year of college.  By serious, I mean self-imposed late nights (11 or so) in basements or other rooms with no windows, pinning, cutting and sewing my little heart out.  A tape measure is a vital thing to both a costume chick and a knitter.  So, you can understand my excitement when I saw this:

My first thought was, "I could totally make that myself.  Then I saw the price tag.  I don't really think I could buy that many tape measures for that price!  Needless to say, it went right on the wedding registry (we'll have another post soon about how obsessed I am with Wishpot).  You can find it sold online from Viva Terra for $49 here.  It reminded me of the Irregular Choice shoes that I have been in love with since forever.

Maybe I'll use the wedding as an excuse to finally buy them for myself.  Or I could go for the bag...

Decisions, decisions.

Simply Unbelievable Florals

I have a list of things I want to blog about.  I have lots of tabs open that have yet to make it to the list.  I have lots of things to say that you haven't heard yet.  But I saw Ken Marten's work today, and all of that took a major backseat.  Ken is a florist extroadinaire out of London.  His work is big, bold and modern, but what I really love about it is that it manages to be all those things while still being creative and shaking off some of the hard edges that modernist decor (even florals) tend to have.

These two are going to the top of my inspiration file for my wedding centerpieces.  All the hydrenga is affordable and he really makes use of the big ticket flowers he includes.  Plus, I love all the varying textures and heights and the use of greenery and branches.

 

Ken also does really great things with presentation.  I would never have thought to use eggs as mini vases!  (Plus, my soft spot for ranunculus...)  And I've always loved the idea of fruit as decoration, I tend to find it done so that it doesn't look so great, and really, the big value of doing something for cheap is only when it doesn't look cheap.  Let's just say, this does not look cheap.

As usual, I am a sucker for surprising uses of baby's breath.  No exception here.  And I love the ornaments in the vases.  I love glass vases, but not always the look of the stems, so ornaments in a wide vase is such a cool way to conceal them!  This could be really easily adapted to be less Christmassy, I would think.

All this and so much more in Ken Marten's flickr stream.

White For Less Green: Nanette Lepore

There is no way around the fact that this dress is a total steal.  It is so awesome.  100% cotton, fully lined (again, with cotton) with crocheted detailing and a lovely beaded bib.

And really, once I saw that cute little kick pleat in the back, I was sold.

 Nanette Lepore Treasure Bead Yoke Dress

Come on, just how perfect would it be for a spring tea party, or a low key hippie summer affair?  Yum.

It's on sale, from now through whenever it sells out (which, judging by the rest of their goodies, will be soon!) from the Gilt Groupe.  Sizes 2-8 have sold out, so good on ya if you're a 0, 10 or 12.  (They also have it in navy in 10 and cranberry in 0, 6, 8, 10, 12.)  Gilt is invitation only so if you follow my link here, it will give you an invitation from me to sign up.  It's on sale for $148.00 from the original $425.00!

And while I was there, I couldn't help but check out today's Carolina Herrera sale.  If they weren't $598 a piece, this would totally be my bridesmaid dress.

That quilted metallic?  I mean, come on!

More Giveaways!

I have two totally awesome giveaways today, totally different, too.

The first is for your own personal letterpress machine!  That's right, a total (tiny!) at home letterpress system, ready for all your DIY papery goodness!  Check out the Lifestyle Crafts blog here to check it out and hit up the giveaway on the iDIY blog here.  And if you don't win, you can still buy yourself one here from Paper Source here ($149.99).  They're running free shipping on orders over $100 (Code: SHIP100) through Sunday and they start shipping Monday.  The contest ends this Wednesday, 11/18. 

Photo Credit Emily Takes Photos.

The second is another awesome free photography contest!  This time you San Franciso brides are so in luck!  Emily Takes Photos is giving away a complete photo package to one lucky couple including:

• Grand prize: 8 hours day-of coverage with 2 photographers, engagement session, 5x7 prints of images, CD of images + proofbook, 12x12 custom-designed leather album ($3600 value)
• Runner-up: engagement session + CD of images ($600 value)
• All finalists will receive 15% off any services booked

The rules:

1. Create a 12-second video telling us about yourselves. Feel free to get as creative as you want.
2. Upload the video to YouTube or Vimeo.
3. Email us at contest [at] emilytakesphotos [dot] com with the following: a link to your video, your names and email addresses, date and location of wedding.

Entries must be received by 11:59pm PST on November 30. Finalists will be announced here on the blog on December 1, and voting will be open until 11:59pm PST on December 14. Winners will be announced December 15.

 

Go, go!  Enter, win!

A Beginner's Guide to the Beatles "Hey Jude"

Postsecret

Postsecret.

If this is true, at least I won't feel bad (despite the best intentions of some people) for not remembering the proper post-hoc analysis for a given data set, or whatever the problem may be, right off the top of my head.  I suppose I have to get a job first...

Flatbush Artist Studio Tour

Hey, it's Sunday, and you're in New York, looking for something to do.  Here you go, problem solved.  Check out the Flatbush Artist Studio Tour!  And it's on RIGHT NOW through four this afternoon.  It's chock a block with a pretty neighborhood and heaps of talented artists, including my mom!  It even got a cool write up in Brokelyn.

Images painted and copyrighted by Karen Friedland.

Inspiration Board: Brought to You By the Letter J

This board makes me happy after a jam-packed, crappy day, with two more queued up for tomorrow and Thursday.  It's cheery and whimsical and maybe a bit disjointed but with all the makings of a great, fun and friendly party.

Typographical inspiration (as always) from Daily Drop Cap.  (She's doing another round of caps, too!  Yay for ongoing inspiration!)

I have no idea when I became a purse girl.

But seriously, when I saw this purse on Ruffled, I was in total lust.  Normally I don't even like clutches (really, no handle, no strap, what gives?), but this is too incredible for words.

Via Ruffled.