traveling

here's where i've been in the whole world...

Where I've been

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

here's where i've been in the USA....

Make yours @ BigHugeLabs.com

the blue indicates the places i've been. looks like i've got alot of ground left to cover. let's go!!
*thanks to maggie for the link to this fun site


update 8.28.08-thanks to my dad for reminding me that i have been to new mexico :) i threw in delaware and rhode island too because we toured all over new england and i'm pretty sure we went through both. :)

oh the things i can do now...

to market, to market, originally uploaded by goldiestereo.

now that i have an iphone...an early birthday gift from the sweetest husband in the world! this is my first "official" photo taken with my iphone. next on the list a new "real" camera.......

summertime....i wish it were mine

it's summertime. i have had that revelation that most people who work a 9-5 must have at some time or another......where is summer? it just seems that when june 21st rolls around that i should be able to sleep in delicously crisp, cool sheets to wake up just in time to throw on a swimsuit that was drying somewhere and grab a towel and some sandals, shorts and a tshirt and be driven to the pool in the early morning mist. friends would be there. cold, cold water and swimming lessons. then as the sun worked it's way overhead more people would arrive, swimming lessons were over and free swim begins. perhaps some soda and some sticky sweet treat bought in the copa cabana (otherwise known as the snack bar at the callaway pool). we would swim all day, as long as we could.

there were fireflies, homemade ice cream with fresh georgia peaches, fireworks, parades, bicycle rides, swimming in the lake, fishing, hours upon hours to watch this new channel called mtv or endless movies, barbie houses to decorate and their stories to be told, a bowl of fresh blueberries or strawberries for breakfast. and the trips.....oh the trips.....trips to see my dad full of excitement and day trips to hanna barbera land, astroworld or galveston where we caught fresh crabs in white nets....trips to the beach to spend hours riding the waves while my grandaddy stood there with his hand holding my raft to keep it from drifting away then miles of sand to play in and make believe i was hosting my own cooking show with my sandy concoctions, fresh oysters fried crispy, delicious shrimp......trips to the mountains with endless lines of souvenir stores, outlet malls, water slides and swimming pools i could never spend enough time in...spontaneous trips with my mother to go see my grandmother in her cute little apartment in alabama with no air conditioning but that she managed to keep us cool in and where she made us neat little sandwich lunches served on pretty trays and never tired (every single time) of pulling out every single item in her cedar chest and pouring over the memories with me of my mother's wedding dress, my parents wedding pictures, my mom's little girl photographs and her old pictures and flapper dress she wore in the 20's.

cold cold air conditioning after being out in the hot southern sun. eating as much french toast as my grandmother would let me. lemon sours at hillside pharmacy with my mom hearing stories about how she went there as a little girl after dancing lessons. spending the night....or a week at my friend carmin's house...walking to pizza hut to play miss pacman....listening to the fat boys, cyndi lauper and duran duran..dancing around to "lucky star" ...watching carmin in awe as she daringly painted her walls with polka dots and splatter paint, not sure if her mom would laugh, cry, appluade or both...the tape that we recorded messages and songs on and sent back and forth to each other until it wore out. the butterflies in my stomach and not being able to sleep in excitement the night before going to six flags. convinincing my friend lynn we should play beauty shop with her dolls and really wash and cut their hair. hide and go seek in the dark. trying to sleep in the jackson's camper and getting so scared i had to go inside. wishing with all my heart we could go camping for real with a tent in the woods. watching my dad build my barbie doll house from scraps of lumber in his garage. flying on a plane through the fluffy white clouds and endless blue skies. making coke floats and sunshine zap! smoothies with my mom in the kitchen on vernon rd with the yellow chairs.

oh summertime......

funny story

at least i'm trying to convince myself it's a funny story. haha. there i laughed. last night a bird flew into our bedroom through the fireplace. the previous tenants didn't close the damper and we never had a fireplace and didn't think to check it. nathan was very brave and got it out. i on the other hand.....let's just say there was some crying , screaming and hiding in the bathroom involved.

sigh. so now i need to go to sleep. i've prayed. the damper is shut tight. everything is fine. i want to go to sleep. i need to go to sleep. Lord, please help me get to sleep.

a little something for ya...

Happiness

What a wonderful year it has been. As of Monday May 19th, 2008 we have been married for one year. A year of love, laughter, joy and fun mixed in with the stress, ever changing challenges of everyday life. I wouldn't trade my wonderful husband for anything and being married to him has changed my life so much for the better. Here's to happiness and to hope to anyone out there who has given up on finding true love. I waited a long time but when the time was right, it all came together. Never give up.

sigh.

i pondered. i agonized. i scrutinized. i lived with little paint chips taped to the wall for a couple of weeks. i crossed my fingers and bought some paint. it turned out to be even better than i hoped when it was was painted. then the landlord only painted half of the rooms which were promised. i cried. i was sad. i'm still sad. just let us paint the walls please! we promise to be careful. oh the blues of rental living in the city. i need to get busy. i must get busy unpacking, organizing, decorating. it just kind of feels like i got the wind knocked out of my sails. that's all.

picking paint colors

help.
here's the story

don't look any further

currently loving

my new macbook! :)

my husband not just for buying me a laptop as a huge surprise, but also because he's wonderful AND because he further surprised me with flowers to celebrate my very first brand new computer after years of hand me down computer cast offs.

my job (yes! i said it! i actually love my new job)

the thought of saving up to go to this

plans with my friend for a day of photo exploring

sweet memories of sun filled days at the beach

daydreaming about paint colors for the new apt we'll move to in may

hints of spring in the air, windows open and 70 degree weather

counting the days till the billy joel concert

reading books again

looking forward to our first anniversary

road trip ahead to see my much missed family soon

flowers popping up here and there :)

this and this and the song here but not so much the video, and the webcast here featuring my all time favorite announcer.

if you're looking for me...

i'm at the beach

the great blizzard of 2008

pretty much all plans got canceled, our house guest for the week got stuck with us, there have been soup, chili, miller's cinnamon rolls (modified), bad movies, good movies, and lots of relaxing. i always wanted to get snowed in.

gentle dental

we are looking for a new dentist, one who is super gentle, maybe even one of those kind that have a massage chair or a tv to make the experience a little more comfy. so far i'm coming up with nothing. if you live in columbus and you have an idea let me know.

our hearts are broken

some of our best friends, austin and maggie baxter, lost their beautiful baby girl, beatrix clementine baxter, this week. maggie was about 8 months pregnant. her best friend jenny explains what happened better than i ever could here on her blog. If anyone in our community wants to send a card or gift card or bring a meal I am organizing meals and can give you the info. Email me at meridith21 at g mail dot com.

a little treat to brighten up your winter day

Detour Magazine interviews Wes Anderson and Jason Schwartzman

Yacht Rock Lives!

Episode 11 has been released for your smooth viewing pleasure! (please pardon their french)

book meme

i love a good meme :) i got tagged by beth :)

01. One book that changed your life
Experiencing God by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King
Reading this book changed my devotional life and brought new depth to my relationship with Jesus. It's so good and down to earth, I'd love to go throug it again.


02. One book that you have read more than once

When I was a kid, there was a time that I lived down the street from the library. I was there so much they knew me by name. I read MANY books over and over. Seventeenth Summer by Maureen Daly, all the Little House books, all the books that were written by Beverly Cleary, all the Henry Reed books, Pipi Longstocking, the Anne of Green Gables books...then when I was older Pride and Predjudice. I should read some of them again.

03. One book you would want on a deserted Island

The Bible. I don't think I could survive an experience like that without it!

04. One book that made you laugh

Pure Drivel by Steve Martin

05. One book that made you cry

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I read it in high school and cried my eyes out.

06. One book that you wish you had written

Roaring Lambs by Bob Briner
Another book that changed my life. I wish I could have read this when I was in High School. I wish it was required reading in church youth groups.

07. One book that you wish had never been written

I don't think I know the answer to that. Probably a horror book like The Exorcist. Yuck. I only read one page and had nightmares.


08. One book you are currently reading

nothing. :( i need something good to read. any suggestions? i love a good biography or memoir!

09. One book you have been meaning to read

Me Talk Pretty Some Day by David Sedaris

10. Tag 5 readers

hmmm....are their 5 people reading anymore?......Joy, My Dad, Karen, Nathan and Joanna

hibernation

it's that time of year. it's gray and cold outside (although not as cold today) and it was the perfect weekend to stay in your pj's all day, watch movies and make a big pot of chili. so that's what we did this weekend and it was just lovely. we only left the apt to go to church and then lunch w/friends afterward. the holidays are so consuming, so busy, so FUN, so wonderful, so full of activity....i loved every minute of them but..... it's so good to r-e-l-a-x.

my addiction

i guess it's time for me to come clean with you guys. i am an addict.
i am addicted to the food network!
seriously. i don't care what anthony bourdain says i love watching it. i really enjoyed watching the next iron chef america. lately i think my favorite thing to watch are the challenges. i particularly enjoyed the 'edible ornaments' challenge and the one where they had to make a haunted house out of gingerbread. i get kind of bored with emeril and bobby flay but i love watching paula deen, rachel ray $40/day, alton brown (especially the one where he's traveling around the country), unwrapped, dinner impossible, 2 dudes catering. i love the stuff with a story behind it or a challenge. watching emeril crank it up a notch doesn't do much and neither does sandra dee or lee or whatever her name is. the thing where bobby flay challenges people is kind of sad to me because here are these nice people thinking they have a tv crew doing a special on them and then it turns in them having to defend their honor in their hometown. boo. that's not cool to me.

so now you know what i spent alot of my time at home doing. my down time and relaxation usually involves me...the couch...my laptop and the food network. there's just something so comforting about it. i love to cook too and the food network has definitely inspired me and taught me quite a bit. every since i was a kid i loved watching cooking shows and daydreamed about having my own someday. i love that i can now watch them pretty much any time of day (except during the 3am -9am infomercials, what's up with that?).

12!

do you understand that it is 12.46 am and i just spent the last 2 hours of my life with my husband and a bunch of the nerdiest looking kids i've ever seen at a gamestop store waiting to get "rock band" at it's midnight release? that my friends is true love. :) do you know what else has to do with 12? this. this awesome little find by andrea that shot me back to about 1978. when will someone wake up and smell the coffee and release a dvd set of sesame street from the 70's? if they have already please tell me.


update @ 1:08am my wish has been granted!

crock pot recipes

any ideas? something yummy and non casserole-y. something other than chili or pot roast. it's fall and i need some good recipes that can cook all day by themselves while i'm at work.

photobooks

ok so i have a question for anyone that wants to answer. i want to make one of those nifty digital photo books of all our wedding pictures, the kind that you order and it comes back look like your own bound book. has anyone ordered these before and/or any reccomendations on the best company to go with. there are quite a few to choose from.

songs we love to hate

yesterday over at musicmamas.com we all posted our top 5 songs that we love to hate. you know the ones......the ones that if you hear one more time your brain will explode. songs that are played out, over played and over rated. songs that make your ears ache, grind on your nerves and make you wonder how anyone could listen to this crap! come on over and share your list too!

musicmamas.com

recently i got an email that made me really happy. my friend kendra decided to start a blog and asked me to be a part of it. i am absolutely thrilled and honor to be part of creative project involving some of the most creative, talented and beautiful (inside and out) women that i know. it's all about music written by some of us girls that are all connected in random ways through blogging, music and friendship. our theme this month is "the evolution of music in my life". stop by and meet everyone and say hello here!

criterion collection finally includes 'bottle rocket'

this is the best news i've heard in awhile. thank you criterion collection. i can't wait. read more about it here

craigslist you did it again

wow! a month or two ago i would have probably bought this before i found the danish modern dining room table that i got on ebay for a steal. this is on the columbus, oh craigslist today for only $200. the seller actually has quite a few little mid century gems posted today. click here for the listing and then search for "fabulous fifties" to see this buyer's other offerings.

owen wilson

so many articles being posted and written right now about the sad news of owen wilson's hospitalization. behind all that celebrity there's a human being with a broken heart. it makes me sad.

no one seems to even mention bottlerocket in his film credits, so here's my tribute to one of my all time favorite movies. after all, the name of this blog is from a quote from that movie. owen, if you are out there somewhere on the internets......we're praying for you. hang in there.

retro patio

i've decided to put my craigslist addiction to good use. since i am already obsessively watching the columbus, oh furniture "for sell" listings everday...i have decided to post some of the great finds. so far i have found a great vintage dresser ($30) and 1960's chrome lamp with glass globes ($25) and i am am on the hunt for a couple more items to decorate our home.

i'm going to post some of the cool things i find that i would buy if i had the money or space or that are just so cool that someone should buy them! maybe someday i'll expand to other cities, but for now let's stick with columbus, oh. my focus is on finding great pieces at a great price.

today's pick is a vintage patio set. i think this set is just so lovely and the floral seat cushions give it a fun kick. it would look great on the patio of one of my friends who has an adorable ranch style house out by the lake. i can just picture a fun lady's luncheon on this table with chicken salad sandwiches, petit fours and iced tea.

if you want to see more click here for the full listing. it's going for $150 and it's been posted several times over the past few months. someone buy it!

pink/orange/red/wonderful

so i am cheating a bit and combining the last days of color week. the colors aren't quite as vibrant in photo as in person. all my pictures in this series have been from our wonderful trip down to georgia in june for our second reception at the beautiful bellevue mansion in my hometown, father's day, a day trip to cumberland island, going to savannah and YES going to paula dean's restraunt (totally worth the 2 hour wait), charleston SC, cherokee NC and gaitlingburg TN. we drove down with my wonderful mother and father in law and equally wonderful brother in law and got to spend time with my entire wonderful family including my grandmother, aunt & uncle, mother & stepfather, brothers, dad & stepmother and very dear friends. all the pics are up on my flickr page. there are so many stories behind each picture. if you are ever in gaitlinburg, take the time to go to the new ripley's aquarium...it was very impressive.

white/brown/black & i've been tagged.....

i've been tagged for a meme by zabs
how fun! i haven't done one in awhile and i always like a good meme.

Personal Top 8 Meme.

Here are the rules:

A. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.

B. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.

C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names.

1. i walk to my temp job everyday from my apt downtown. it takes about 30 minutes but it's great exercise and saves money on gas and parking.

2. i love water. i love swimming. i love the beach. i love these things and i love to talk about how much i love them to the point that it's nearly driving my poor husband silly. despite this fact i have not yet been swimming in the pool at our apt complex and that fact is lamented every day when we walk past it. it's just a matter of time and the lack thereof.

3. i am addicted to craigslist. i check it obsessively all-day-long. seriously. i look for jobs, furniture, gigs and apts i don't even need. i send links to my friends whenever i find a little odd job they might be interested in. i love doing that. i love research. i love connecting people with stuff they love. could i get paid for this craigslist research job?

4. i have catered 2 small weddings and some days what i want to do is go to culinary school and have my own cooking show. other days i want to be an event planner. most days i want to be a writer and photographer. in between i just want to travel the world and get paid for it.

5. i HATE how divinity tastes but i love the southern-ness of it and the tradition of it and how it looks all lined up neatly and how the weather has to be just right or it will fail miserably.

6. almost 2 months in and i still haven't written my wedding thank you notes and i feel like a jerk.

7.i miss summer nights where you could stay up as late as you want and watch nick at nite because you don't have to go to school the next day. i miss the old nick at nite with patty duke and dobie gillis.

8. last saturday night i went to see the polyphonic spree in concert in cleveland. i haven't listened to them much but my husband is a huge fan and our friend that works at the venue got us free tickets. after waiting an hour for the show i was pretty much convinced i would never be a fan no matter how good there show was because i was so annoyed at the one hour wait between the opener and the main event. it turns out they were amazing and somehow totally made up for it with their quirky, fun, confetti-full show.

i'm tagging andrea & glam jo & joy & karen & my dad & lisa & aj & jan

green

blue

my husband and my new brother in law, jared at the ripley's aquarium in gaitlinburg, tn.

color week

hula 70 has proclaimed this week "color week" and i have come out of hiding to play along. today is yellow which is good thing because it's monday and because we could all use a big dose of yellow today.

coming soon

i am working on a little project. it's going to take a bit of time to explain it and have it up and going but here's the first step.
goldiestereo

a little taste

a mint?
Originally uploaded by fensterbme

i want to sit here and blog for hours about the wedding and how amazing it was, how beautiful and perfect and surreal. how amazing our friends and their talents without whom it would not be possible. i want to tell you how fun it is to be married and how free i feel. i would like to bottle up that feeling of having almost all your favorite people in the world all together in one place to see you marry your most favorite person in the world and take that feeling and let it bubble over like a champagne shower on you all. ..but we are leaving for part 2 at 7am in the morning. we have another wedding reception in GA and there will be more petit fours and maybe even cupcakes and more magnolia leaves and more love and more stories to tell. so for now here's just a taste. these melt in your mouth little cheesecake thumbprint cookies were made by two angels, who also go by the names of jade and erin, who managed to whip up the most delectable display of desserts i have ever seen or tasted anywhere.

overjoyed

we're married!

looking for directions

does anyone know how to make this fruit display or where to find directions for something like this? it's stumping some of the most talented girls in the kitchen i know. i want to do something like this at a little party we are throwing next weekend. :)

edit: 5/14/07
we have figured out pretty much how to make this using skewers and florist wreaths but does anyone know where i could find some grape leaves?

chic and cheap!

can i just say first of all how much i love going to target? the prices, the fun stuff, the way they bring in high end designers to make fashionable pieces affordable for the masses? i can spend hours there, easy. so now they have done it again. say goodbye to being a slave to the overpriced bridal industry. target now has a line of wedding dresses and accessories for amazingly low prices. it's all designed by issac mizrahi and is avaiable exclusively at target.com. dresses start at $89 and the veils are $18.99. there are faux pashmina shawls, bridesmaids dresses, shoes, handbags, everything you need. so if you like simple lines are looking for style on a dime for your wedding, definitely check it out.

just so you know, i am just under 2 weeks from my own wedding and i've been in the trenches of budget wedding planning for 7 months. when we get back from the honeymoon i plan to blog all about how it is possible to have a wedding on budget and still love the style of it all.

It's about Time

The long awaited (and much speculated about on imdb ) film written and directed by Luke Wilson is finally coming to theaters. According to wikipedia The Wendell Baker story "has now been released on DVD for rental in a number of European countries, and will be distributed theatrically by THINKFilm on May 18, 2007."

in the moment

i'm still here. i've just been busier and more consumed with wedding planning than i ever dreamed i would be. we are right here caught in this funny pocket of time. not yet married, but so close. 37 days from now i'll be a mrs. it's exciting and more fun and crazy and all encompassing than i ever dreamed this time would be. i want to soak it all in and savor every minute. this is a once in a lifetime thing.

ipod meme

here's one i've seen posted all around.......i just discovered the fun of using the "shuffle" feature of my ipod (i know, pretty late in the game if you ask me too).....so i thought i'd play. if you haven't done it yet, consider yourself tagged.

if your life were a soundtrack, what would the music be?

here's how it works:
1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every question, type the song that's playing
5. new question-- press the next button
6. don't lie and try to pretend you're cool


opening credits:
"soul for sahib" koop

waking up:
"something's got to give" the beastie boys

first day at school:
"hurt" johnny cash
ouch! school wasn't that bad

falling in love:
"pen and pad" blackalicious

breaking up:
"change your ways" mars ill

prom:
"the gate" belle & sebastian

life's okay:
"i love L.A." randy newman

mental breakdown:
"christmastime is here" vince guaraldi trio, a charlie brown christmas
aww, if i ever have a mental breakdown i think this would certainly soothe me

driving:
"root down" the beastie boys

flashback:
"him her he she" john reuben

getting back together:
"unexpected traffic" candy butchers

wedding:
"delicious" new edition
hmm, don't put it past me to have some new edition at my wedding :)

birth of child:
"bright nights" koop

final battle:
"sara smile" hall &oates
please if i am ever in a battle, someone please get a boombox and play "sara smile"

death scene:
"mild child" the shins

funeral song:
"lost in love" new edition
get out the hankerchiefs :(

end credits:
"don't worry baby" the beach boys


ok, that was a seriously a little freaky.

i'd love to tell you that i am sailing through the wedding planning process like an old pro. i thought i would you know, especially since i have been a bridesmaid at least 14 times (no kidding). it sure is alot different though when you are the bride. my biggest ordeal lately is a little something my dad calls 'paraylsis of analysis". i am stuck on a couple of key descions that have to be made....yesterday. i've simply looked at too many options. i have to just take a deep breath and realize that there is always going to be a more attractive option out there that will most certainly come along about 2 seconds after i finally decide and will be further enhanced by the fact that i have finally picked something ruling out any other options.

fortunately, at the end of the day on may 19th, it will not matter whether or not the candles or flowers or dresses or music are perfect..........nathan and i will be married. the miracle has already happened, we fell in love. if that can happen......everything else is simple.

guitar hero

he'll always be my guitar hero

this photo is so amazing i had to share it. this is nathan, my fiance, with his good friend zachariah at a recent show they did opening up for john reuben's new cd release party. the two of them make up the power-accapella/comedy duo known as 'indie blockedappella". our friend, nick fancher of shutter-think photography took this after the performance. nick also happens to be doing the photography for our wedding. when he approached us with the idea we were very excited. check out more of his amazing work here

out of service

i'm out of comission for a minute. :( feels like i am missing a limb without my laptop but help for it is on the way. 3-7 business days and i should be back in business. meanwhile, somone very nice let's me borrow their computer on occasion.....the wedding plans keep rolling along (food, photography, dresses and honeymoon are pretty much wrapped up! just a few more things now). have a wonderful day. i'll be back soon.

pondering

what can i possibly say about wedding planning that hasn't already been said. there are books upon books, magazines, websites, blogs, message boards, conventions, podcasts....all of which i have sampled. after much research and planning i have come to some conclusions.

having a small budget forces you to get creative. this is not a bad thing... it's just very easy to forget when you are staring at hundreds of options, none of which are affordable. if you want to just take what bridal companies and wedding planners want to sell you as the only option.........you will pay more money for something you could probably do for alot less.

however, i can certainly see why people go the cookie cutter wedding route. it's much easier than trying to 're-invent the wheel'. it would be so simple to just choose from their pre-fab options.

i have a feeling that even if i had unlimited resources i wouldn't be satisfied with that.

so .. i am asking you.......dear readers......for your ideas and input a couple of areas that i am still trying to think through. i might put some more ideas up from time to time. here's the first one.

photos
i really want to do photos instead of a traditional bride's book that people sign. i have a plan to do a couple of different backdrops to choose from and have their photo made, which we will later compile into a book. this could be done with poloroids or digital cameras.

poloroids.........pros: immediate gratification/nice white space at the bottom for guests to write a note
cons: expensive film/what do you do with all the poloroids when you are done? the poloroid photo albums i have seen would only fit about 30 pics

digital.........pros: inexpensive/ability to see photo immediately and retake if desired/photos can all be compiled into a book using iphoto or shutterfly
cons: no place for handwritten note so do you get a little journal for that or use a little chalkboard that could be in the photo (if they want it there)

another thought, how hard would it be to construct a DIY photobooth and how could that work?

one moment in time

i'm stealing this one from the lovely andrea. it's kind of funny to read today because i wrote it 3 days ago at work.

two names you go by:

mel, mD, death, mimi, goldie stereo


two parts of your heritage:

english
irish


two things that scare you:

horror movies
slugs


two everyday essentials:

orbit green gum
chapstick


two things you are wearing right now:

my great big winter coat
my engagement ring :)


two of your favorite current bands/artists:

sufjan stevens
blackalicious


two things you want in a relationship (other than love):

friendship
romance

two truths:

i am going to spinning class today for the 2nd time and i am afraid i will pass out
martin luther king day has a special place in my heart


two favorite hobbies:

cooking
photography


two things you have to do this week:

take a little road trip to cleveland
babysit 2 very sweet boys


two stores you shop at:

the papyrus stationary outlet
target


two favorite sports:

wii sports bowling
roller skating


two shows you like to watch:

gilmore girls
the office

two things you'd buy if money were no object:

a beautifully and comfortably furnished condo downtown overlooking the city

unlimited flight vouchers to use anywhere, anytime


two wishes for 2007:

for may 19th to be a beautiful, calm, peaceful, non stressful, magical day full of love, laugther and togetherness

to learn to be a wonderful wife and to share more love than ever with my family and friends

welcome 2007

goodbye to the old, hello to the new.....it's a year of promise. a year i've dreamed of all my life. welcome 2007, i am so glad you are here.

christmas time is here

life is so hectic and busy right now that i may not have a ton of time to post, so here's a little something to put you in the christmas mood. my dad found this on youtube and i was so excited i had to share it. it's a animated video to what just may be my favorite song on sufjan steven's christmas album (we ordered it and it's on back order and i can not wait till it arrives. i got a bootleg copy last christmas and along with the listener and dust's christmas record, that's all i listened to for weeks. so definitely check that and watch this!

how am i supposed to get anything done in life when all i want to do is research tropical honeymoon locations and surf the internet for travel ideas? it's less than 6 months and this weekend i make a big step and move out of my lovely little apt into my gracious friends beautiful home to save money till the wedding. i'm ready. too bad the unpacked boxes aren't as ready as my mind is.

lovely days

that's all. these are just lovely days.

this is my little wedding book. it's really a journal that my lovely friend lorien gave me for my birthday this year. i love the colors and flowers so much and the cover is actually a lovely silky fabric. so i decided to use this as my organizer since i don't like all the big bulky ones in the stores. this one goes with me everywhere these days. it's got scribbles and notes and ideas and inspirations and phone numbers and budgets and lists and prices and even a little drawing or two in it now. we also purchased this wedding software to keep our guest list, budget and other details organized. i think we are on track now. we have a place, we have a budget and we have alot of ideas. my mom is flying up soon to help me look for a dress. there are a million more decisions to be made, but i am loving every minute of it.

this is it

after a month of research, a few tears and at least one melt down...my overanalytical self and my ever patient fiance finally decided on the loveliest of all lovely churches for our wedding and found what in our minds is the coolest idea ever for a downtown reception. i can't give out all the details to the world wide web, but suffice it to say....we are very excited. :)

dollhouse

there it was. perfectly preserved. a little slice of my childhood i had totally forgotten about. i was wandering through an antique mall on a sunday afternoon and came across this old barbie dollhouse tucked under a table and out of the way. i had this exact one. my grandmother bought it for me at a yard sale. i loved it then and i love it now. it came with a house full of furniture and folded up into a little cube that you could take with you. i do remember mine starting to fall apart and the plastic cracking. this one is in mint condition, just sitting there waiting to be purchased. i wonder what ever happened to my old one. it's funny how seeing a toy like this can take you back in time.

loveliness part 2

just another something for my wish list in life. this gorgeous little china set of dishes with red and silver. it's on sale now at my favorite little anqtique mall.

early thanksgiving

today i just feel so blessed that it's bursting out of me and has to spill out somewhere. i am so thankful for my amazing and adoreable fiance', for my wonderful parents whose love just keeps going beyond what i ever dreamed, for my future family with the kind of mother and father inlaw that one could only hope and pray to have with such kind hearts, and for a community of friends that i am convinced are like no other. thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, but i am celebrating early.

nablopomo

i'm in
nablopomo

by the skin of my teeth and who knows if i'll make it to the end

inspirations

this little blue bird card from good on paper




this bit of vintage fabric from the blogof designer lena corwin, as well as her gorgeous wedding featured in martha stewart weddings summer '06 issue. i found these photos of the lovely event on flickr featuring "artfully mismatched fabrics and crockery".

knitted wedding

check it out, it's a wedding made of yarn. even. the food. seriously.
check it

i'm looking forward to this

last year two christmas cd's filled my ears with delicious christmas sounds so nice i made them both my exclusive music for the season. the christmas cd from the listener & dust was one of them. i just found got a nice little promo email on myspace saying that this year the duo is going on a christmas tour with promises of fresh music, hot cocoa and bad sweaters. sounds good to me! here are the tour dates, i'm going to do my level best to make it to the ohio show.*

FR 12/1 - Jacksonville, FL
SA 12/2 - Fort Lauderdale, FL
SU 12/3 - Tampa, FL
MO 12/4 - Macon, GA
TU 12/5 - Nashville, TN
WE 12/6 - Louisville, KY
TH 12/7 - Cincinnati, OH
FR 12/8 - Butler, PA
SA 12/9 - Holland, MI
SU 12/10 - Fort Wayne, IN
MO 12/11 - Muncie, IN
TU 12/12 - St. Louis, MO
WE 12/13 - Springfield, MO

*i stole that phrase 'i'll do my level best' from my friend robert in amsterdam. i love the way it sounds. 'level best'. that's like better than best.

location, location, location

my first big task in this wedding planning whirlwind is to find the venue. it is definitely more of a challenge than i had thought. there are soooo many places. of course, alot get ruled out quickly due to the price or the location or even just the decor. i am trying to be creative since we are on a limited budget. today we looked at gorgeous church downtown. we are trying to have the reception and wedding in the same place if possible. so we are trying to find a unique location or a church near downtown that has a fellowship hall big enough for dancing and a reception. i would love to find an art gallery or loft type space, but the more i look the more i think that's just a pipe dream. honestly, no matter where it is, i know it's going to be wonderful. however, i think i understand more know why they tell you to prioritize and determine what things at the wedding matter most to you. outside of the spiritual aspect, the LOVE aspect and the music.....i guess location is a big deal to me. it seems to me if we find the right place, it will just make everything come together so much more smoothly. suggestions anyone?

and so it begins...

ok, all you lovelies that read my blog. the planning is in full force. my brain is going 800 miles an hour thinking of cakes, venues, catering, dresses, decorations and the works. it's funny how quickly the planning start once you are engaged. everyone has different ideas and plans for you. i love it all. it's so much fun!

so i am calling out to you married ladies out there and i asking for your advice and ideas. what do you wish you had done differently? what did you learn the hard way? what did you do right that you loved. i want to hear it all.

will this turn into a bridal blog? that's what's on my brain so chances are that's going to come up alot in all my conversations for the next 7 months till the lovely day we have picked out, may 19th, 2007. i can't wait! :)

here's the wedding blog/sites that i am reading and enjoying with some thrown in that aren't dedicated to weddings but have written about their own weddings with beautiful style, if you know of others that are a must see let me know:

something old something new

wedding register

wedding bee

oh joy

cupcakes on a monday


there are more, but i will save them for another day.....
back to researching venues!

we're engaged!!

we're engaged, originally uploaded by goldiestereo.

it's official! he proposed and i, of course, said YES!

steps

not goodbye but see you later to old friends, hello to long lost loved ones, taking deep breaths, quitting jobs and beginning a brand, brand new kind of job, stopping, closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, feeling the cool breeze, hearing the wind in the trees, seasons changing, breathing some more, letting go of stress, taking new steps.

sweetness

my birthday cake, >.

to sum it up....
it was fabulous.
there was a romantic dinner for two at spagio , followed a week later by a small dinner party hosted by zabs and
nathan and irene. this incredible (and when i say incredible i mean incredible) cake from the famous mrs. goodman's bakery with melt in your mouth icing and lemon raspberry filling, flowers, presents too pretty to unwrap, a box filled to the brim that seemed to have no end with treasures from my mom from earrings and stationary to the sweetest little biue bird tea cups and all manner of delightful goodness, wonderful phone calls and messages from old friends, cards that are still hanging on my wall for me to enjoy just a little while longer, the best lemon pound cake in the world during a wonderful labor day trip to my dad's by the ocean where i also received wonderful gifts and more nostalgic vinyl that i'll tell you about another day, a delightful lunch and pedicure with my friend rachael, a wonderful dinner with my friend lorien and more presents and hillarious cards.

there was too much really, i am blessed beyond description. it's too much love for me to fathom. i don't know if i am spoiled rotten or just the luckiest girl in the world.

then to top it all off, my boyfriend spent days making me what may be the world's only yacht rock soundtrack....no, not just cd's with every single song from the entire series in order....but the vinyl records to go with it so that i own what may also be the world's only true yacht rock vinyl collection.

it was one of my favorite birthdays ever in life.

i can feel it coming.

it's creeping up, slowly but surely. today i can really feel it in the wind that blows past me from my open window. the tree outside, the one that acts as a signal for all the seasons is starting to show tips of orangey red on the once bright green leaves. there may be some more days to come of indian summer but i know autumn is coming. i can feel it. it's my favorite season of all.

calling all retro loving readers

my dad is cleaning out his storage and if you are like me, you want to be around when a guys who has spent his whole life working in the music business starts selling off some of his memorabilia. it's like the yard sale of my dreams. the good news is you can be there, through the magic of the internet and a little site called ebay. check it out
here

there are some old records and more to come, a johnny mathis business card holder, vintage radio promo pieces....just all sorts of neat stuff. there are some beautiful antique perfume bottle as well passed down from a legendary aunt in our family in the 1920's. he's still cleaning things out, so i am sure there will be more to come.

oh why not

here's a meme that andrea and lulu and glam jo have all done. i haven't done one in a while, so here goes:

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:

"the waiter carefully placed the platter in front of us, stepped back, and said: "Bon appetit!"
My Life in France by Julia Child


2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can...what do you touch first?

my black papason chair


3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?

a little bit of oprah whose guest today was marc jacobs


4. WITHOUT LOOKING, what time is it?
3:48 pm


5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

4:43 pm (oooops)


6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

the hum of the air conditioning window unit


7. When did you last step outside?

this afternoon when i left my 'other' job to go to the BMV and then come home


8. What are you wearing?

jeans with rolled up hems and a pink blindside t-shirt


9. When did you last laugh?

yesterday afternoon after a phone call with a promoter, i just had to laugh

10. Seen anything weird lately?

i've heard alot of weird stuff. what have i seen........hmm........well i went to a funeral this week. it was weird to see us at a funeral of a friend who was only 29. it was also very sad.


11. What did you dream last night?

i usually remember my dreams, but i don't remember mine from last night. bummer.


12. What's on the walls of the room you're in?

3 ikea frames, two filled with a aqua blue and one with kelly green paper. 2 old oil paintings i found at a thrift store by an italian artist named 'rocco', i am not sure if they are worth anything, but i love them. one french ad poster that says "parapluie-revel".


14. What do you think of this survey?

nice


15. What's the last film you saw?

'little miss sunshine'
i laughed till actual tears rolled down my checks at the ending. it was good. sad. but also good.


16. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?

first i would pay off any debts and call zab's dad to help me figure out what to invest. then i'd buy a new car. and i would help some other people out with their debts. i'd take nathan to japan for about 2 weeks. then i would take my mom on a spa vacation, take all my friends on a huge vacation, buy my dad a sailboat and take him on a trip to europe, i'd take my grandmother on an alaskan cruise with my aunt anor. then i'd......oh wait.....i got carried away there for a minute. :)


17. Tell me something about you that I don't know.

when i was a little girl, i wanted to be a fashion designer or an actress. i used to sit and draw beautiful ladies for hours on end.


18. If you could change one thing about the world, what would you change?

i'd like to teach the world to sing........in perfect harmony........i'd like to buy the world a coke.....and keep it company



19. Do you like to dance?

oh yes. yes, yes and yes.


20. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

sweetheart


21. Boy?

cutie pie


22. Would you ever consider living abroad?

yep, i'd love to do that for a bit. i want to be like julia child and go on a honeymoon to france and learn to master the art of french cooking.

found

someone painted this on a electric box on broad street. i guess when you live close to the art school, it shouldn't surprise you to find art in unexpected places. nevertheless, i was delighted by this little scene.

today i went for a walk.

going on my walks are so good for my soul. i need these moments of solitude. it clears my head. opens my eyes. helps me breathe better. it never ceases to amaze me how many little surprises like this bit of graffiti that you can find on a walk if you keep your eyes open for the everyday beauty around you.

it makes me think.

i want to live my life like one of my walks.

carefree.
breathing deeply.
eyes wide open for beauty at every turn.

right this second.....i am just too worn out to blog.