august 2006

08/29/06

~Since this one-month-til-the-wedding mind racing has given me major insomnia lately, I’ve taken to reading books in bed. It helps me take my mind off whatever issue is bugging me at the moment and unlike TV, there’s no chance I’ll accidentally stumble onto something like “Bridezillas.” My book of the moment is Heat by Bill Buford. It’s about the author’s apprenticeship at Babbo with Mario Batali (among other things) and surprisingly, there are a lot of great cooking tips peppered throughout the book, even though it’s by no means a cookbook. Really engaging and definitely does the trick to keep me occupied with other things…worth checking out! -alexis

08/25/06

~Alexis is so good to me, as a thank you for helping her out with stuff for her wedding she got me the coolest nicola vruwink necklace! It's a silver scissor charm since I'm the resident Miss Fix-It and crafter.. I'm a real cut up! hehe -erica





~So last week was my niece’s birthday and I thought it would be fun to take her to the Bronx Zoo since, like me, she is a big animal lover…ok, so the idea was a little selfish since I haven’t been there in a while. Needless to say we both had an amazing time, and although I love going to the zoo anyway nothing beats seeing the joy and excitement on her face when we went through all the different exhibits and, of course, the children’s zoo. And because I am the best aunt ever I even agreed to let her get her face painted like a ladybug, fully knowing that she would fall asleep on the car ride home and get face paint all over my leather seats…but hey, some things are just more important then a clean car! -maria

08/17/06
~If it seems like the tarte girls haven’t been “musing” much lately, it’s because things have been pretty crazy around here, what with all the new babies & weddings going on! (I am especially freaking out myself…less than 2 months to go!). Anyway, last weekend was great because I had my lovely bridal shower (thanks Mom!) and got to spend a GORGEOUS day in East Hampton with my family, friends, and my tartelettes past & present. It was a great day, and I now have more cooking supplies than I could’ve ever dreamed. Expect me to write about my diet in the future…hahaha. -alexis


~Please tell me I’m not the only one who’s truly upset about the outcome of So You Think You Can Dance! I know my friend Darlie agrees! Seriously, I am obsessed with that show and even more obsessed with Travis! He was an unbelievable dancer—I mean his technical skills beat everyone else on that show. I’ll admit I even voted for him last week! In all honesty, I’m still mad about the results! I’m thinking I might get tix to the tour! Who’s with me?! -candace


08/16/06
~I’m so excited for the weekend! Heading to Boston and going to the Red Sox vs. Yankees game at Fenway!!!! My uncle Johnny rocks—at the last minute he was able to find 2 tickets!! And we’re not talking about any old seats—State Street Pavilion Box seats!!!!! The game is going to be so fun! I’m totally into the rivalry and then hitting up happy hour (if my boys win, of course)!! -candace



~I cannot wait, in two days I will be in sunny Miami! I haven't been on a real vacation in a year and the heat in NYC has just been oppressive this summer. So I'm excited to just sit on the beach or by the pool for 5 days straight with a fruity drink in one hand and a good book in the other! -erica

july 2006

07/20/06

~I know I’m probably late to read this, but I just finished The Kite Runner. It was beautifully written and just such a compelling story. I’ll admit I cried a few times throughout the book—just so sad. After finishing such a good book it’s tough to figure out the next read. I stopped in McNally Robinson bookstore to browse and just couldn’t decide—I’m debating on “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” “The Secret Life of Bees,” or “My Sister’s Keeper.” If anyone has read a great non-fiction book or a sappy love story (I’m a sucker for those), please send recommendations!!! Thanks! -candace

07/17/06

~I am so excited, my favorite show Project Runway is back! Although I’m kind of nervous too…because can anything really stack up against Santino & Andrae? I’m hoping this season is just as good as last…but if not, thanks to the good people of YouTube, I can always go back and revisit my favorites! -alexis

07/11/06

~Sunday was completely insane, in a good way! It was the World Cup final, Italy v France and Italy won! Every Italian neighborhood in the area exploded – streets were shut down, impromptu parades broke out – literally every car, building, street pole, parking meter…EVERYTHING was red, white and green. Someone even painted their dog, which was kinda sad but still really cute and funny. There was screaming, chanting and blaring horns from the second the last penalty kick was scored to midnight. It was a great celebration, definitely one I will never forget and will always be thankful that I got to be a part of. Forza Azzurri! -maria

june 2006

07/03/06

~This week I’m heading to San Francisco to visit my best friend (we grew up playing soccer together in Mass). We’re planning a run across the Golden Gate Bridge, mini-shopping escapades and a chill time on the beach. I’m really excited about this trip! Another one of my newly engaged friends, who lives in Boston, is meeting me there. It’s going to be such a fun girl’s weekend!! We’re even driving to Tahoe for the Fourth! If only Greg could join me for the fireworks…now that would be perfect! -candace


06/26/06

~I had found this recipe for caramel apple wedding cake (in Martha Stewart Weddings) that I really wanted to try, but before I gave the recipe to the caterer I wanted to taste it myself. Because Erica is the best girl in the whole world, she actually spent time this weekend baking me a sample wedding cake. (This is no small task…it involved a meringue and a custard and a buttercream and all kinds of other things like candy thermometers). She brought it in today and it’s divine. Possibly because she made it. All hail Erica, queen of baking and everything arts-related!! -alexis

06/19/06

~So Saturday I’m all excited because I finally have time to install my new Sirius satellite radio in my car (QVC TSV!) when all of a sudden I hear screaming and a horn blaring the whole way up my block. Without looking up, I already know its my brother and when I finally do look up, I’m not at all surprised to see that he’s tethered a 5 foot long Italian flag to his car. Ahh, you gotta love World Cup Soccer! Saturday’s game – Italy v USA – was awesome; I was a little torn at first because my heart is to cheer for Italy but I didn’t really want the US to lose. Well the game ended in a tie so I guess things worked out for me! -maria


06/14/06 Congrats Heather & John!

~Since I got engaged exactly 6 days ago, I've been in wedding overdrive! I've been to Barnes & Noble 4 times (for various wedding planners and magazines), I've visited at least 100 websites and have been on the phone non-stop with reception venues, my mom and my fiance (that sounds weird!) (though I'm trying to keep him out of it as much as possible!). But I feel good because I'm visiting 4 places this weekend and hope to get something booked right away! The next 10 months will be crazy!! Unless we do what John wants - elope -haha! -heather


06/13/06

~So a few weeks ago a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to form a team with her & her friend and submit applications for this game show she heard about. I submitted the application and my picture and totally forgot the whole thing. Lo and behold, they actually want us to audition this week!!! It’s called Chain Reaction and it’s actually a remake of an old game that was on NBC in 1980. My friends and I have been emailing each other practice puzzles…but keep your fingers crossed that I get on, because maybe I can actually make some wedding money back! (Plus how cool, a tartelette on Tv!) -alexis

06/07/06

~So, I must admit I have a peanut butter addiction. I was shopping at Gourmet Garage last week and I came across Peanut Butter & Co Cinnamon Raisin Swirl. OMG—this is seriously the best stuff ever! How ingenious—“a breakfast blend of peanut butter with swirls of aromatic cinnamon and raisins”! I’m truly addicted. And the best part—I just found out that there is a Peanut Butter & Co. store near my apartment! Next on my list: the Dark Chocolate Dreams….YUM! -candace



06/06/06

~Last week we got a delicious treat. One of the vendors I work with sent us a Godiva Cheesecake and a Cookies and Cream from the Cheesecake Factory! If there’s one thing the tarte girls love, it’s the Cheesecake Factory! Being the chocoholic that I am, the Godiva cheesecake is my favorite. Flourless chocolate cake and chocolate cheesecake, what could be better! -nicole

may 2006

05/30/06

~In three more days I will be in Lake George, camping for the first time…and I’m actually looking forward to it! I went all out and bought a big back pack, a tent, a sleeping bag, etc. Now I just need to get some camping clothes! I took this holiday weekend to go to The Westchester Mall and did some quality shopping – I mean really, what’s camping if you don’t have cute pink boots?! -maria



05/25/06

~So one thing I’ve kinda been pushing off is looking for shoes for my wedding. I think it’s mostly because I HATE bridal shoes—all that white satin and bows and chunky heels is so not me, and I know I’d never wear them again. So I think I’ve decided on gold shoes—that way I can always pair them with jeans or dresses after the fact. I like these Jimmy Choos a lot, but why does everything good have to be 4” high?? If anyone has suggestions for this never-ending quest, please advise!! -alexis


05/19/06

~My little brother Kenn (though he is 6 ‘2”) is graduating from Boston College on Monday! Woohoo—I’m a proud sis! But, shhhh—I’m not a very good one. The thing is I have yet to get him a gift!! On the contrary, it’s so hard buying gifts for guys that they’ll actually be excited to receive and/or use. That said I’m thinking I’ll get him clothes. Since he is starting a new job in July and will DEFINITELY need some dress clothes (I think he owns like 1 pair of dress pants and a hand me down suit). Hmm..I’ll have to hit up Brooks Brothers on Sunday!!! -candace

05/15/06

~Very excited for the Grey's Anatomy season finale tonight. Last night they prepped us for it with a new, action-packed episode that left me in suspense until tonight's show. It's 2 hours and I can't wait to see what happens! Will Burke die? Will Denny die? You know someone is going to die - so who is it, ahhhh!! At least they didn't make us wait a week. The only problem is that it conflicts with Deal or No Deal which is a 2 hour special tonight. Oh well, I'll bypass the game show this time... -heather


~I am so excited to get home tonight - season finale of Prison Break at 8! Seriously, it's frightening how obsessed I've become. I'm sure tonight's episode is going to be edge of your seat exciting (and I quite literally was on the edge of my seat last week so I'll probably end up passing out this week, lol). One thing I'm not looking forward to is the inevitable cliff hanger they are going to end the show with - I don't think I can wait 6 months to find out what happens! -maria


05/11/06

~May is the month of weddings (at least for me)! Two of my good friends from high school are getting married this month. Next weekend I’ll be traveling to Massachusetts for my friend Colleen’s wedding at The Georgetown Country Club and then Memorial Day Weekend I’ll be in Cape Cod to celebrate my friend Seth’s wedding! Um, yea, I’m already feeling teary-eyed!!! OK, I need to change the focus here—I’m on the hunt for dresses…. -candace


05/09/06

~Let’s ignore the fact that 9 times out of 10, my blogs are food-related—I promise I do not have a problem/obsession, I just happen to be a big foodie. However, despite my love of fancy cheeses and wines, I can go pretty low-brow too, which explains my current obsession with those Nabisco 100-Calorie packs. First of all, how smart was that idea?? The marketer in me just thinks it’s a totally genius concept. And of course, the prone-to-oversnacking girl in me is eternally grateful. Finally, a way for me to eat cheese balls and Oreos and know when to stop. If I lose any weight before the wedding, I owe a little something to the good people of Nabisco. -alexis

05/08/06

~We all had a festive weekend, Maureen's baby shower was on Saturday and it happened to be a Cinco de Mayo theme. So there was lots of yummy food and even more margaritas and coronas! -erica






05/01/06

~ Heather and I were just sitting here talking about Trader Joe’s and I really needed to take a moment to praise this fine establishment. My love for Trader Joe’s knows no bounds (I even got a gift certificate there for my birthday!). They have the BEST spreads, dips, sauces, snacks (cinnamon sugar pita crisps?? So good)…to say nothing of their frozen food section. And you’ll go up to the register with like 10 items and it’ll only cost $25. How can you beat that? (For any newcomers, I recommend the artichoke tortellini…once you’ve tried that, there’s no turning back). -alexis

april 2006

04/25/06

~Last night I was watching tv and I saw a commercial for the latest Cirque Du Soleil show that is starting on Randall's Island today. My mom has been dropping hints like crazy for this show so we are going to see it for Mother's Day. Even better, my boyfriend and his mom are going to come with us (the moms will meet for the first time!). I'm just so happy that the Mother's Day Gift pressure is over - both for me and John plus Cirque shows are pretty awesome!! -heather

04/24/06

~With spring here (despite today’s torrential downpours) and summer around the corner, I realized that I desperately need a tan if I plan to wear any fun clothes!! However, I don’t need the wrinkles! Soooo, per a friend’s recommendation I’m trying Clarins’ self-tanner. I’ve tried self-tanners in the past, but I usually ended up looking a shade of awful orange and so did my clothes, sheets, etc (you get the point). Well, so far this one is spot-on without the splotches! The key is to mix it with a moisturizer. Anyhow, I’m hooked..now when will it be sunny again?! -candace

04/19/06

~Happy ::belated:: Birthday to Erica!!! We had a nice tarte celebration yesterday complete with, what else, cupcakes! For those of you who don’t know, Erica is the queen of baking around here, so Lex and I wanted to repay her with some really special cupcakes of her own…so we made Beaker from The Muppets cupcakes! They were so much fun to make, and surprisingly easy…problem is, they looked so cute and hysterically funny we almost didn’t want to eat them! Key word being almost… -maria

04/12/06

~So it’s possible that I might have a new obsession: Coke Blak. Phil has been telling me about this stuff since he saw a commercial for it during the Academy Awards, and I swear, I thought he made it up. I hadn’t seen it anywhere! But lo & behold, I spotted a 4-pack at Key Food this weekend, and I had to try it. It promises “coke effervescence with coffee-flavored essence,” and since I’m a big coffee soda fan, that’s definitely worth exploring. Anyway, it tastes just like this soda I used to drink as a kid called No-Cal Coffee Soda. Apparently me & my dad are the only ones who remember this stuff, but whatever—I am officially a Coke Blak convert. -alexis

04/10/06

~I can’t believe Passover is this week! I like the holiday because I get to see my family, but giving up foods like pizza for a week is tough. You would think I’d be used to it by now, but every year it’s s struggle. At least my Mom made an extra pot of matzah ball soup for me. Nothing is as good as her golden chicken soup and fluffy matzah balls! -nicole

04/07/06

~I'm a die-hard cat lover but I'm not allowed to have pets in my apartment. I'm dying to move to a different place so that I can get a kitten! So when my brother tells me he's going away for 3 weeks and needs someone to watch his 2 cats, I unselfishly offered to host them (ok, maybe it was a little selfish!) I figure it's only temporary so the super won't have a problem with the illegal pets - haha! Well, he drops the cats off last Saturday and it's been sort of a nightmare ever since. Turns out my boyfriend is allergic to them, they wake us up every night at 4am running back and forth through the apartment (did I mention it's a studio - 2 people and 2 cats are a bit TOO much...) and they love to sleep on top of us! I just don't know how we're going to get through the next 2 weeks! John has even threatened to move out until my brother comes home. I think my chances of getting a kitten in the future are dwindling by the minute... -heather

march 2006

3/31/06





~For those of you who haven't seen the posts on our board yet, this weekend we have two hour shows this Sunday on QVC. It is so exciting to be there, no matter how many times we're on. Hopefully all of you guys can watch and support us...it's always so great to know that our loyal tartelettes are pulling for us! Plus we are introducing some new items, and running a lot of great specials so tune in if you can! April 2, 2006 at 5am & 6pm ET! -maria

3/29/06

~Spring is here—Yay! However, I have nothing fun to wear. I think April and May are by far the most difficult months for clothes. Maybe, I think that because I desperately need a spring jacket—perhaps it’s time I buy that

Burberry, sexy trench I’ve been eyeing. I’d also like to buy some cute lightweight tops. C&C and Juicy never let me down! While I’m at it, I really want these Dita Aviator Sunglasses! -candace

3/27/06

~I just have to show off the cupcakes Maria & I made for Alexis' birthday last week! They are cookie monster cupcakes since he's Alexis' favorite muppet! I think they came out awesome and Alexis loved them! Maybe Maria & I should go into the cupcake business? -erica

3/17/06

~HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! xx the tarte team

3/16/06

~I just have a random funny story; My roommates bf was on a plane back from Florida and the group Three 6 Mafia (The 2006 Academy Award winners for Best Song, "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp") ended up sitting across from him. The funny thing was they were carrying around their Oscar with them! And when the plane was getting ready for take off they wrapped the Oscar up and put it in an LV bag... that's some great carry on luggage! haha -erica

3/13/06

~MARCH MADNESS: This weekend was all about Syracuse basketball!! SU became the first team in BIG EAST history to win 4 games on the way to the tournament championship. It started with senior guard Gerry McNamara’s last-second 3-pointer to beat Cincinnati, then a 2 point overtime upset win over UCONN, a 1 point nail-biting victory over Georgetown and the championship win against Pitt. All very, very close games!! Gerry (also known as GMAC) was just unstoppable! And to think the local media said, “McNamara was overrated. The fifth-seeded team will play Texas A&M on Thursday---GO ORANGE!!!! -canDANCE

3/8/06

~It’s still bordering on freezing in NY, but at least Spring is right around the corner! And with that comes spring cleaning – something I’ve never been very good at. I always start out on an adrenaline rush thinking that I’m going to scrub every inch and make everything spotless…then 45 minutes into it I realize I haven’t made a dent, get dejected and go eat some ice cream. It happens every time! Luckily I found this article in

Good Housekeeping that will streamline my spring cleaning…but I’ll probably still top it off with some ice cream! -maria

3/6/06

~Ok, I need to talk about the Oscars. First off, I’m a huge Jon Stewart fan and I think he did a great job! At first he seemed a tad bit timid, but he definitely pulled through (it’s a tough crowd to begin with). And how funny are Steve Carell and Will Ferrell?! I loved their make-up skit. Next, the actual awards…this is the first year that all my guesses for best actor/actress and best supporting actor/actress came true! I was really excited and I saw almost every movie. What I do think is odd is that none of these actors/actresses were in the best movie or in the movie by the best director. Um, and Three 6 Mafia…I’m still speechless. Lastly, let’s talk about fashion!!! Ladies that I thought looked great—Reese’s glam look and Felicity’s daring Zac Posen debut! I really liked Hilary Swank’s and Jennifer Anniston’s dresses (simple, yet classic). And let’s face it—George Clooney really stole the show this year. -candace

february 2006

2/27/06

~So Phil went to the NY Comic Convention at the Javits Center this weekend and he came back with a new friend for me. His name is Mister Toast. I don’t know much about the artist who draws him or about his whole comic “world’ yet, but he’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I’m having fun looking at the other characters on the website…how cute is the guy called Shaky Bacon? Anyway, I love when Phil brings home fun toys for me…just one of the perks of being with a toy/graphic designer. However, between my perfume obsession and his toy obsession, our apartment is overrun. But it’s still pretty funny to see Apocalypse from X-Men and a bottle of Guerlain perfume happily co-existing on a shelf. -alexis

2/23/06

~OK, I’ll admit it—I LOVE American Idol! I wish it were on a little later because I always miss the first half! I already have some favs…Lisa, Paris, Katharine, Melissa, Ace, Elliott…. I think I have some idea of who will get the boot tonight (but I don’t want to jinx it). I should probably vote, but I leave that to my mom and aunt who do it for everyone! I’m not kidding you can’t call my parent’s house during the show. Not only do I like to watch the show, but I like to sing along! And, unfortunately I wasn’t blessed with a good voice, but I still belt out the songs. Last season, my best friend Lori and I would sing our little hearts out. Hmm, wonder how our neighbors didn’t tell us to shut up! Ha. And could someone please tell Randy to knock off that “dog pound” thing, does it annoy anyone else? Anyhow, I’m excited to see it tonight! -candace

2/22/06

~I had a busy 3 day weekend - dinner out, broadway show, etc. But the highlight of it was Saturday morning... my boyfriend was flipping through the channels and stopped on a random cartoon. And I thought to myself, "They don't make cartoons like Bugs Bunny anymore." Then I remembered that while Christmas shopping for my brother this year, I picked up an extra Looney Tunes DVD for myself! So I spent all of Saturday morning watching Bugs Bunny and loved every minute! The only thing that could have made it better would be breakfast in bed... -heather

2/21/06

~Oh how I love 3 day weekends! This past weekend was especially fun – I did some relaxing, some good eating and had some old school fun. On Saturday I went to see Eight Below with Rich because we are both huge dog lovers – it was such a sweet movie, but still very sad. Basically I cried for an hour and a half straight and probably frightened all the kids sitting around us. Then yesterday Rich, my brother and I took my nieces and nephew to Sportstime – an arcade/ carnival games/ pool hall…you get the idea! I had such a good time pretending to be a kid again! What made the day even better was getting to play my favorite game in the world – air hockey. I tied Rich and beat my nephew…yea, he’s 8 but so what, I still won! -maria

2/17/06

~So 3 weeks from today at this time, Phil and I will be on a plane to Florida to visit Pam (his sister), Anthony & Mya (our niece). I am SO excited—not just because it’s warm down there, but also because we get to have some nice QT with the family and be on vacation…nothing better than that. We haven’t seen Mya since October so I can’t wait to see how big she’s gotten. Another big plus of the trip—we’re going to Disneyworld!! I haven’t been in a million years and I’m seriously dying to re-experience Space Mountain. Mya’s too young to really get the whole thing so she’ll mostly be watching from the sidelines with her mom…but luckily, my second favorite ride is Dumbo (not kidding)—so maybe she can go flying with her aunt-to-be and a friendly elephant. -alexis

2/15/06

~I am so excited for my upcoming trip to Playa de Carmen, Mexico! One month to go! I’ll have six days in the sun and sand, and most importantly…warmth!!!!!!! Larry and I will snorkel, swim, kayak, and drink quite a few pina coladas! Ok fine, I’ll be the one drinking the pina coladas. Larry is not the fruity drink kind of guy. After the two feet of snow we got, I’m more excited than ever for my trip! -nicole

2/14/06 ~happy valentine's day! xo

~For all of you real perfume fanatics out there (especially you Alexis), I found the best site: www.luckyscent.com. OMG—it’s amazing. They offer those rare perfumes that you just can’t find anywhere!! The site is sooo easy to use—you can look for that certain scent you’ve been craving or check out the latest from your favorite brand. And, if you can’t decide what to buy, you can order $2-3 sample vials. Next time I’m in LA, I’m so checking out their new store. Oh, I’d be like a kid in a candy store! The Ultimate Vanilla Collection looks divine! But, Eau de Menthe by HEELEY would be ideal for summer. Hmmm….now what to buy…or what my Valentine could buy me. Hint hint! -candace

2/10/06

~Thanks to an invite from Lallie, Phil and I get to go see a screening of the Corpse Bride tonight to celebrate the launch of the new DVD—and Tim Burton is going to speak afterwards! We didn’t get to see the movie when it was initially released even though Phil wanted to, so I’m glad we’re able to do this—plus he LOVES Tim Burton (I do too, how could you not love the man who brought us Pee Wee’s Big Adventure?) so this is quite a treat. It’s nice that with all the useless (to him) makeup I bring home, I still have some job perks that speak to his interests! -alexis

2/7/06

~I’m so excited that JetBlue has flights to Boston—they answered my wishes!! I just booked a flight for President’s Day weekend—it’s amazingly cheap! I can’t wait to see my family and friends. I haven’t been home since the holidays and I like to visit every month. It’s also my friend’s birthday (we’ll be partying at Saint) and I can't wait to see everyone! -candace

2/3/06

~Soooo exhausted today because last night was the CEW Product Demonstration—one of the hugest industry events all year. Basically every brand comes out to show their latest & greatest products in the hopes that they’ll be nominated for a CEW Beauty Award, which is a really prestigious honor in the industry (we won last year for our slide tin lip balm!). We nominated 4 products this year—our bronzer, clean slate primer, lights, camera, lashes! mascara, and sin city liquid eyelining stains—will keep you posted on the status, but keep your fingers crossed!! Anyway, it’s so fun to get dressed up and walk around looking at all the cool stuff from other brands (not to mention the insane goody bag you get at the end)…but my feet were KILLING me after a while. I finally made the ultimate sacrifice of vanity and switched from Chanel stilettos to Pumas. Not nearly as glamourous, but so worth it.-alexis

2/6/06

~Once again, I went into hyper-baking mode this past weekend (it was so rainy out, and I will take any excuse to use my Kitchenaid mixer). I made blueberry corn bread for breakfast on Saturday, which is the yummiest treat with boysenberry jam spread on it…so good. Then I had to make a SuperBowl dessert so I scoured my Joy of Cooking until I found this amazing recipe for “dream bars.” Dreamy indeed…the middle-layer combo of brown sugar, pecans & toasted coconut was rich enough to satisfy any sweet tooth, but it basically put me on full tilt and I think I need to detox for the rest of the day….or week.-alexis

~What a weekend - I decided last minute to have Erica, Nicole and her husband over for the Superbowl yesterday. But the problem with that is my apartment (a studio I share with my boyfriend) is a disaster area. I mean, it usually looks like a bomb went off in there - literally! So I got to work and by 1am I felt like I had done alot but in reality the place didn't look that much better... But I set the alarm and went to sleep because Sunday was going to be an even bigger day! Sunday morning I bolted out of bed, went to the grocery store, rushed home, threw the food in the refridgerator and ran out to the other grocery store to get the stuff I couldn't find at the first one. By 4:30 I was finally ready to start the food - my favorite part!! I was ready about 5 seconds before my guests arrived and I have to say I was pleased with the result. The apartment looks great and the food was delicious - I think we have a food coma today. I'm so happy with my clean apartment, I need to have guests over more often so that I keep the place clean! I -heather