Sunday, September 28, 2008


Recently, Christina and I were driving down Tejon street on a weekday morning and both noticed the woman pushing a shopping cart up the hill fillled with non-groceries. We both exclaimed as we passed, "that's the best looking bag lady I've ever seen."It's true, she looked healthy and was dressed normally. Hmmmm, what's the story there?
I continue to walk to work. Most days, it's great. Recently, 4 other co-workers started a lunch club. After months of eating out far too often, we decided that each of us would bring in a group lunch once a week. It's brilliant really. I don't have to even think about lunch 4 days out of the week, it's portion controlled and affordable. The unfortunate part, of course, is on Wednesday nights, when I find myself wandering the grocery store aisles trying to figure out what the most unique, most affordable, best tasting meal would be... and on Thursday mornings when I lug, essentially, a one woman potluck to work.
This past Thursday, as I carried tubs of bbq beef brisket, chips, pickles, buns and some sweet treats, along with my work shoes, my wedding planner, my purse and a cup of coffee, I really wished I had my own shopping cart to load up, and stroll along Tejon street. I can hear the passerbys now, "that's a good looking bag lady."

Monday, September 15, 2008

The extremes

So, I'm a crazy interneter these days, looking obsessively for cheap/better/more unique ways to do a wedding. I will fully admit my naivete at thinking planning it so soon wouldn't be too stressful. Don't get me wrong...I'll do it and I hope I do it well... but it is hands down stressful!

It's no surprise that because every bride/couple is different, so is every wedding. Here's an example of an astonishing difference... just with cakes:
Amount: $3,500.00 for the cake
Extraordinary Design
Posted by: Astrid Kipperburg-Liago in Seattle, WA.
Purchased: June, 2007
Number of Slices: 400
Cake Type: 8 Different Cake Flavors, 16 Fillins
Decorations: Extraordinary Eiffel Tower Design
Mark Caldwell of Everett Washington Created a one of a kind masterpiece for my wedding. Sharing a love for France, Mark was able to artistically re-create Paris' Eiffel Tower to an brilliant likeness. The entire cake was frosted in a light buttercream then overlayed in sculpted white chocolate. The cake was then airbrushed with gorgeous color and then finished with gold leaf. After the cake was assembled on site, Mark spiraled white rununculus, white hydrangea, white roses, white miniature cala lilies, looped beargrass and swarovski crystals. Centered on top of a satin draped round table, his creation towered just over 9 feet tall! We could not have ever dreamed of something ourselves. Our cake creator sat with us and brought our love of Paris and created the very place that my husband Bradley proposed. Thank you Mark!


Amount: $125.00 for the cake
wedding cake
Posted by: Lorianne in Atlanta, GA.
Purchased: February, 2008
Number of Slices: 3 tiered cake
Cake Type: wedding
Decorations: basic with trim
I went to the local grocery store and ordered 3 indiviual cakes a 6",8" and 12" vanilla with white frosting and red trim.. I then bought a cake stand that holds the 3 cakes on individual levels. I brought the cakes with me to the reception placed the cakes on the cake stand and then put real roses on top of each cake....I saved a bundle!!