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

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

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

january 2006

1/31/06


~It’s official Greg (my bf) has a problem: he’s a sneaker addict. No lie. In the past month he’s bought at least 4 pairs of sneakers (most of which are Nike dunk lows). Just this past weekend, we scoured the city looking for the Air Jordan Defining Moments. And we found them (despite Nike only making 11,000 pairs in the U.S. and him paying almost double the price)!! While I can’t say I have a love for sneakers, I do enjoy my own shoe escapades!! He scored his sneaks and I bought my Tamara Henriques rain boots!! So cliché, but I guess that’s why we make a perfect pair! -candace

1/30/06

~My favorite hobby by far is baking, so I especially look forward to any/ all occasions and holidays so that I can bake away! For the Superbowl this Sunday I think I’ll whip up some ‘Sure Fire, No Fire S'mores’ because…well, because I just really like s’mores! For Valentine’s Day I plan on cooking a whole meal (most likely something revolving around filet mignon) but for dessert I’m still choosing between crème brûlée, mini chocolate soufflés or mini heart shaped ice cream desserts. If I do the brûlée or soufflé I get to buy these cute pink ramekins, but if I make the heart shaped ice cream I get to buy this cute pink heart mold (both from Williams-Sonoma). Oh decisions, decisions… -maria


1/27/06

~A shocking fact: for someone so makeup-savvy, I am strikingly hair-impaired. Like, I can’t even master putting my hair back into a decent high pony with the bangs teased and pulled back (Erica’s specialty) —seriously, it’s a wonder I can put my hair in a braid. So when I want my hair to look good, I usually just shell out for a blowout —although that can get expensive after a while. So I am incredibly proud (like, 4-year-old who learns to tie his shoe proud) that I gave myself my first decent-looking blowout the other night. And it only involved one hour, a blowdryer, a round brush, a straightening iron, and 5 products!! OK—so I have a ways to go—but seriously, when I sprayed my Elnett hairspray (illegal but amazing aerosol spray stealthily imported from my last trip to London) to finish off my lovely new do, it was a fine hour indeed. -alexis


1/26/06

~So I’ve been looking for a kickboxing type class forever, but I can’t seem to find one that I like or that fits my schedule. Feeling totally defeated, I attempted to find a class one last time yesterday on Craig’s List and (finally!) I think I found one. It’s called Ki-Bo and it’s a blend of cardio kickboxing, self defense and strength training using your own body weight. Plus the instructor is a woman – who looks from the website like she can kick some serious butt – so I feel really confident that I may have finally found what I’ve been looking for! I’ll be attending my first class next week, so wish me luck and I’ll give everyone an update after the class! -maria


1/25/06

~Well, I'm finally ready to get back into running outside. I've never been an outdoors runner but I miss it!! So I picked up some heavy duty outdoor running clothes this weekend - I got the super warm spandex pants - that's right spandex! The ones only a hardcore runner can get away with (so I've got to pretend I'm one of them). I got a really cute blue windbreaker some special running gloves and a headband thing that keeps your ears warm. I'm legit now! All I have to do now is get out there - if only it would warm up just a little bit... -heather


1/24/06

~Phil & I went to the MoMA this weekend to check out the Pixar 20-year retrospective —it was so awesome. The museum was pretty chaotic and the exhibit was SO crowded, but honestly, it was worth it. You got to see all the steps they take when creating the characters for their movies—so much work goes into it, it’s absolutely insane. (The audio guide was great, too—really helped you understand what you’re looking at). Basically, we both came away from the exhibit thinking that Pixar is some kind of magical wonderland to work at. Also—the main highlight was the zoetrope (see pic) which dictionary.com defines as: An optical toy, in which figures made to revolve on the inside of a cylinder, and viewed through slits in its circumference, appear like a single figure passing through a series of natural motions as if animated or mechanically moved. (There’s no way I could improve on that explanation). Seriously one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. -alexis

1/23/06

~Ok, enough with the rain already!! I know it’s only the start of winter here in NYC, but I’ve already had enough. I’m on the hunt for a good pair of rain boots. My one requirement is that they must have some sort of heel (I’m 5’2’’—I need all the height I can get). There are definitely some cute ones at the style bakery, though I’m really leaning towards these Tamara Henriques boots. Hmmm, or maybe the Pink Burberry ones at Neiman Marcus. Decisions, decisions… -candace



~I'm finally back after the long gone for my wedding and honeymoon! And finally we managed to move in our first place yesterday after 3 weeks weekend tough painting work! I can't wait to go shopping for some new furniture and new appliance, I really want to buy a nice king size bed so I don't need to flight for space with Terrence! -leonie





1/20/06





~I'm so happy to be all moved in to my new place. Now comes my favorite part..decorating! The bedding set I ordered from the pottery barn came in the other day and it's so bright and colorful. It's really going to look great in the room especially with the custom headboard I made. Tomorrow I'm going to make a trip out to Ikea to pick up a few more things and hopefully get some more ideas. I can't wait to start all little projects I have planned!

-erica


1/19/06

~I’ve been on a major cooking kick lately—I think the Italian wife-to-be in me is definitely starting to kick in. I actually had some time to relax this past weekend, so I made a ton of stuff—but new favorite is gnudi. They’re basically the filling of ravioli minus the pasta—literally denuded ravioli, hehe. They’re very messy but fun to make if you do it all from scratch (I used fresh spinach & grated the parm myself instead of using the pre-grated kind…definitely makes a difference!). They’re so filling, but so so good. This recipe looks like the one I used except I made a sage butter sauce—either should be delish though. -alexis

1/18/06

~This Sunday Larry and I are going to the Museum of Natural History to see the Darwin exhibit. I’m having flashbacks to Freshmen biology class when I think about it. Survival of the Fittest…that’s what I remember the most. I haven’t been to the Museum in a while. Every time I go I need to see the dinosaur exhibit, it reminds me of being a kid. And if I’m lucky..we’ll see an Imax film, too!-nicole

~My boyfriend and I officially decided that we are going to Vegas this summer – you have no idea how happy this makes me because I love Vegas! I already started looking up flight and hotel info on Jet Blue and I found a really awesome deal for the Bellagio and the Venetian. Now if I could just lose a good 30 pounds by August…-maria


1/17/06

~I had such a nice, long relaxing weekend in Pennsylvania! It was my boyfriend’s bday (Greg) and we celebrated over sushi and drinks at the Dancing Fish. As for his gift, I bought him these sweet Camel Suede Ferragamo shoes. He LOVES them! I’m heading over his way again this weekend to watch the Syracuse vs. Villanova basketball game—go Orange! -candace

1/13/06

~I'm so excited, this weekend I'm moving into the city! One of my best friends, Marisa and I got a great apartment on the upper east side. The neighborhood is so nice and there are so many great things to do... plus Heathers my neighbor! Project Runway parties will be a must!-erica


~Yay, I’m so glad it’s Friday! For a change we actually have nothing to do this weekend, which means my favorite kind of days…lazy, fixing up the house, reading the paper, cooking, just hanging out. Except we are doing ONE thing on Sunday—we signed up for a 3-hr ballroom dancing crash course. We get to try foxtrot, salsa, waltz & swing—since I’ve never done any of the above, this should be interesting. I have a sneaky suspicion that Phil is going to be one to watch. Anyway, I’m very impressed with his willingness to miss NFL playoffs to go prance around for three hours. That’s why I’m marrying the guy! -alexis


1/12/06


~Tonight Larry and I are going to see Brian Stokes Mitchell perform. I’m so excited, we loved him in Man of La Mancha. He has the most amazing, deep, rich voice. I hope he sings some songs from the show!!!-nicole~So, now I'm addicted to Project Runway. I blame Erica and Alexis for talking about the show every thursday morning. Last night I turned on Bravo and was just in time for a PR marathon. That show is great! The designers are nutty but really talented - it all makes for great tv! Just what I needed, another show to watch!!-heather


1/11/06

~Hi all!!! I’m Candace and I just joined tarte last week!!! So fun and exciting! (and yes, I tend to overuse exclamation marks). The products are truly amazing and the girls are soooo sweet! You’ll most likely see me talking about random things, but hey, who doesn’t like random? For instance, I’m really craving rice pudding right now…this place; Rice to Riches near my apt is great!-candace



1/10/06


~Continuing on my theme of awesome Xmas gifts, I have to focus on an amazing one from Phil: The Muppet Show Season 1 DVDs. So far we’ve only watched the first 4 episodes but it’s so awesome (one of my favorite sketches so far? “Lydia the Tattooed Lady,”—so cute. There’s a “pop up” track you can turn on that gives you all kinds of little factoids about the episodes, the guests, and the Muppeteers. Since I’m a total Muppet freak, I’m addicted.-alexis

~What’s the worse thing you can do when you’re bored? Look through ebay…now I found about 3-4 pairs of shoes that I am obsessing over. But at around $599.99 each pair I just can’t afford it! I’m especially infatuated with a pair of Christian Louboutin jeweled stilettos. Must be strong… -maria

1/6/06

~This weekend is my friend's baby shower (I hope she doesn't read this or the surprise will be ruined!!). This is my first friend to have a baby in the area - I can't believe it and I can't wait until she has the baby! I'm dying to know if it's a boy or a girl. I think it's a girl, but we'll see! Just when the bridal showers were slowing down... -heather

~Can’t wait for the weekend! No major plans. My friend Kara is having a housewarming party in East Rockaway. I look forward to seeing my college friends there and just hanging out. It’s been so gloomy in New York this past week, I hope to finally see the sun! -nicole

1/5/06

~I haven’t written in so long…I think the holidays have totally worn me out, because I still haven’t bounced back from exhaustion. In any case, I did get some AMAZING gifts this year—I feel very lucky—but one of the highlights came from my little Secret Santa Maria. Proving exactly how well she knows me, she got me a 2 month subscription to a Cheese of the Month Club! Seriously, this is like my dream gift. Not to sound like Steve Urkel or anything…it’s just that cheese is totally my favorite food group and brings me to new heights of food euphoria. In conclusion, Maria is the best.-alexis

December 2005

12/21/05

~I just finished reading Memoirs of a Geisha and I can’t wait to see the movie. If you haven’t read the book I really highly recommend it before seeing the movie-the story is somewhat sad, but the story telling is so artistically written and really very vivid...it’s almost hard to believe it was written by a man!-maria

12/20/05

~So now that this whole Sudoku craze has swept the nation, I'm surprised to find myself strangely addicted to it. At first I saw all the numbers, thought it was some sort of math thing, and immediately dismissed it as sooo not my style (I'm a word-puzzle nerd, not a math-puzzle nerd). But it's actually a logic puzzle and totally addictive. I've even gotten Heather into it. If anyone is listening....stocking stuffer.-alexis

~So I seriously just finished one of the best books I've ever read, hands down. It's the follow up book to James Frey's A Million Little Pieces and is called My Friend Leonard . I highly recommend everyone read it...so inspiring and just awesome! Now, what to read next?? Suggestions?-lallie

12/15/05

~I can’t wait to get into the holiday spirit this weekend! On Friday night Larry and I are going to Nobu for dinner to get into the festive mood. Then we have two holiday parties on Saturday, one at my friend Liz’s and one at Dayna’s. I love this time of year when I get to see all of my friends!-nicole
12/12/05

~Erica is always making fun of me because all the candy I love best is very Grandma-like…Jordan almonds, spice drops, weird hard candies…if it seems like it would be in a dish at your grandma’s house, I’d probably love it. Anyway, she redeemed herself for mocking me by bringing me this yummy croccante from a bakery on Arthur Ave in the Bronx. It’s basically almond brittle sprinkled with non-pareils with a few Jordan almonds stuck in for good measure. Super Italian and super old lady. What a good Monday breakfast.-alexis

12/9/05

~Today New York got hit with some serious snow. I can’t believe it’s actually snowing this hard! I really wished I live in California because I’m more of a beach and palm tree girl, not a snow and insanely freezing rain kind of girl. But, it is nice to lay and bed, snuggle, and watch Law & Order reruns with Larry! Maybe that will be my Friday night!-nicole

~So I probably should have written about this yesterday because it would have been more relevant but QVC had a special one hour John Lennon jewelry show on Wednesday/Thursday AM and since I was soundly sleeping I missed it-but, alas, QVC's website has the entire collection! I've been on the phone with my mom (the original QVC queen) all morning trying to decide Christmas gifts. I love QVC!-lallie

12/8/05

~After nine long, intense months of steady practice and studying I'm finally a CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTOR!! I graduated this past weekend. I didn't realize it until Sunday at graduation how amazing it felt to have accomplished this. I'll start teaching as soon as I get my insurance and few other small details. I'm so excited!-lallie

12/7/05

~Addendum to last Friday’s message about how I was soooooooo excited to go skating: NEVER. AGAIN. We did go, and it was lots of fun, but I never got my post-skating hot cocoa because I broke my wrist!!! I swerved to avoid someone, tilted back and broke the fall with my left hand. You see the result— note the unattractive swollen fingers!! Typing, as you can imagine, is a real joy. Oh well—glad it’s not my right!-alexis

~My family has finally started decorating for Christmas, most of the decorations are up around the house and we even have our tree. My dad and I are going to try and finish decorating it tonight, so we can surprise my mom when she comes back from her business trip.I love the way the house feels during Christmas. It's so warm and comfortable, especially by the fireplace!-erica

12/1/05

~I woke up with a terrible sinus headache this AM--so annoying--and I am now mainlining coffee & Dayquil Sinus to try and keep it at bay. Mostly because tonight I am supposed to go ice skating with my friends--including my best friend's sister, who is in from Chicago and I love her! So I've gotta feel good enough to impress everyone with my triple sowcow. (Heh--just kidding--I'll be lucky if I can stay up.)-alexis

November 2005

11/30/05

~I'm still enjoying celebrating Maria's birthday. Besides the delicious cupcakes, we went to Houston's last night for dinner to continue the celebration! As crazy as this sounds, Houston's is my favorite restaurant in the city (based on food only). I could eat there every night! My friend and I are going tomorrow night so I can get the ribs that I absolutely love!!-heather

11/29/05

~I had such a great birthday yesterday – calls from all of my friends and family, and Rich sent me flowers and a teddy bear, but what really made my day were the amazing strawberry shortcake cupcakes that Erica made for me! As I’m sure I mentioned several times I love just about anything pink, and pigs are my favorite animal so these were the perfect dessert for me! And I swear, these were created and hand made by Erica herself – she’s such a talented little cupcake! -maria

11/28/05

~Happy belated Thanksgiving, everyone!! Mine was so great-it was so nice to be home & relaxing for a long weekend. I had such a great time with my family-my grandpa made this DVD (complete with soundtrack) of old pictures from the 40s-50s of him and my grandma and my dad, aunt & uncle when they were young-it was so great. A huge hit with everyone...a hit only slightly bigger than the one Phil & I made with our homemade stuffing (recipe courtesy of Lallie’s mom, tweaked slightly by us...thanks Mrs H!). It was our first real foray into holiday cooking so I’m glad we did a good job. I love Thanksgiving. Oh, and also, Happy birthday Maria!!!!-alexis

11/22/05

~My grandfather from Scotland arrived yesterday for a 2 week visit! So happy to see him, he's really great! I love spending quality time with the family and am really looking forward to this weekend. I'm also looking forward to all the chocolate (especially Flakes) he brings over from the UK -it's so good!-heather

11/21/05

~Just saw Walk the Line on Friday night and I think I already want to see it again. I have loved Reese Witherspoon since Man in the Moon in 1991 and this just totally cemented it. Not to sound like every annoying review, but she really is completely transformative, as is Joaquin Phoenix. Their singing is amazing too and I’m totally buying the soundtrack now. You must go!-alexis

~So many people have been talking about James Frey's book, A Million Little Pieces and I even put my name on the list at the library for it. I saw a friend this weekend and she gave it to me so I don't have to wait anymore...must get through current book quickly so I can start reading this one. Can't wait!-lallie

11/15/05

~Tonight I’m going to a screening of The Squid and the Whale with Billy Baldwin. I’m so excited; I’ve heard such great things about the movie! Billy and I both went to Binghamton and he’s hosting the screening in TriBeCa, I can’t wait to meet him. I’ll let you know how the movie is!-nicole

11/14/05

~Went to a wedding at the NY Botanical Gardens on Saturday - it was absolutely beautiful there. Doesn't get any better than good food, good friends and unlimited drinks. -heather

~So I know Halloween has come and gone, but I didn’t get a chance to show you all the cutest girl in the entire world – my niece, Katelyn. Now for those of you who don’t know, she OBSESSED with Dora the Explorer so for months (literally) all she would talk about is ‘Dora, this’ and ‘Dora, that’ and ‘I’m going to be Dora for Halloween!’ So here is her absolutely adorable Dora costume! -maria

11/13/05

~So while Phil & his bro were out at a beer tasting festival on Saturday afternoon, I decided it would be a good time to do a little shopping-it’s been so long since I’ve spent the whole afternoon doing that!! I’ve been on a quest for brown boots pretty much since August and I think I found the perfect pair (alas, I can’t find a pic online). They’re great though—really comfy, casual chocolate brown suede boots with buckles up the side and a 2” heel. The only downside? The soles need a good scuffing, as evidenced by the fact that I walked into my building yesterday and promptly wiped out on the newly waxed floors. Ow.-alexis

~Well, it's been one heck of a year so far and over the weekend, a few friends and I decided we're going to take a New Year's trip to St. Thomas. A few of us were there over Labor Day and have decided it was so awesome and not that expensive so we're going back--hopefully there won't be too many newlyweds there!-lallie

11/10/05

~Tuesday afternoon Lallie and I went to the Buttercup Bakeshop to get the tarte girls an afternoon treat. We got coconut cake, red velvet cupcakes, vanilla cupcakes, vanilla and chocolate cupcakes, and chocolate peanut butter bars. Words can not describe how good it tasted. Everyone loved us! For you New York girls, and anyone who is visiting, Buttercup is a must!-nicole

11/7/05

~So, one more task down…we ordered bridesmaids dresses this weekend and I’m so excited!! Now I definitely can start planning the color scheme for the whole thing. The dresses are a really pretty smoky lilac color and I think they’ll look so nice with really autumnal bouquets. There are 5 different styles and I think everyone is going to look amazing in them. (As long as they don’t show me up, that’s ok with me…haha).-alexis

~This weekend wasn’t too eventful but last week I promised everyone I’d show pics from Halloween. Alas, here is this year’s cheerleading uniform…Not like it’s any different from other years!! HAHA!! -lallie

11/3/05

~I am so excited to have a weekend at home! After being in Binghamton two weekends ago, and then in Chicago last weekend, I can finally rest! On Friday night I’ll be going to the Park Avenue Café for dinner to celebrate my friend Cecilia’s birthday. On Saturday Larry and I will watch some football (aren’t I a great wife? hehe), and the rest of the weekend I plan to read, go to the gym, and cook. I can’t wait!-nicole

11/2/05

~Just got back from a long weekend in San Francisco and we had such a nice time!! I got to go to my friend’s beautiful wedding in Palo Alto, stay with my best friend from high school in her awesome apartment in the Noe Valley, and tour a few vineyards in Napa & Sonoma. Viansa, the first one we went to, had nice wines but even better food-Phil and I had so much fun just sampling all their sauces & condiments. So good. We decided we had to narrow it to 2, so we brought back the Cilantro Lime Aioli and Peach Chardonnay Vinegar. Looking forward to cooking this weekend!-alexis

~Well I hope everyone had a great Halloween and they didn't get too sick from eating too much candy! Everyone in the office has an on-going obsession with my crazy cat Molly, so for fun this Halloween I painted a Mollylumpkin. It's was a big hit in the neighborhood and I think Molly appreciated it too!-erica

11/1/05

~I did some major fall cleaning around the apartment this weekend - I was dreading it but I'm so glad I did it! It's amazing how much clutter can accumulate without even realizing it. And now I can fit my new tv stand I've been wanting to put in - yeah!-heather

october 2005

10/31/05 HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

~For some reason every Halloween my mind shifts directly to Christmas, specifically decorating for Christmas. I love hanging the lights and setting up little statues on the front lawn. This year, I found a new addition to my decorations stash- an 8 foot inflatable snow globe! I know, I know- it’s a bit much, but it looks so awesome!-maria

~I think I might have mentioned that I am a cheerleader every.single.year. for Halloween. I didn't fail this year either--Saturday I went to a very fun party and my cheering was a success! I'm going to another party tonight and will be wearing the same costume--will I ever retire this?? Probably not! Pictures to follow for sure later this week!-lallie

10/26/05

~I went on a major room cleaning kick this past weekend...I ended up donating so many old clothes and 15 pairs of shoes! Even better is I finally cashed in all the loose change I had stored around my room. I filled up a giant bucket full of change and took it to a Coinstar machine and I ended up making $81!! That's enough to get some new shoes to replace the ones I donated... remember to save your pennies ladies because it'll pay off!-erica

10/25/05

~For all of you who haven’t heard yet, this Friday at 11 am eastern time Maureen will host tarte’s second one-hour show on QVC! Live television is so thrilling and exciting (and admittedly a little scary) but we are all starting to get the hang of it- especially Maureen, she’s a natural now! I hope you all can tune in and watch! (ps-you can watch it live on qvc.com...perfect little break from work, hee hee)-maria

10/24/05

~Had the best weekend, mostly because it was Phil’s birthday and I love coming up with fun gift ideas. This year there was a "five senses" theme, so every gift revolved around a different sense (dinner out for taste, a wine & cheese class for smell-also sort of taste, but I figured wine has a "bouquet", a winter coat for touch, and tickets to Avenue Q for sight and sound). I wrote a bunch of funny little poems, hid them, and he had to figure out what each gift was. He loved it and I think in the end his birthday was as fun for me as it was for him!-alexis

~Growing up we always had Chinese food on Sunday nights and last night I had the best Chinese dinner from this restaurant called Baumgart's in Englewood, NJ. SOOOO good!! It's an old diner and is so cute inside. Plus, the food is amazing! I even have leftovers for lunch today. I might just have a new Sunday night tradtition.-lallie

10/21/05

~This might be ridiculous but I just heard that Barbie & Ken are contemplating a reconciliation after their split two years ago! I was always a Barbie & Ken fan so this is a good thing. I still can't believe he cheated with Skipper! This is definitely something I will be following-hehe. So silly!-alexis

~A few years ago tarte participated in a charity event in North Carolina and I flew down to do a young girl's makeup for the affair. Her name is Sherilyn and she was in remission for leukemia and came back out last year, having to undergo lots and lots of treatments which eventually led to a bone marrow transplant. Now, she's working very hard to get better but she can't be outside and worst of all, she can't have a real Christmas tree this year so I'm hoping to help raise some money so we can send her a nice artificial tree so she can have a wonderful Christmas!-lallie

10/20/05

~While Lallie may have the ‘mind and soul’ treat for the day, Leonie covered the ‘body’ treat of the day – she brought us in white chocolate raspberry truffle cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory! If there is one thing you need to know about us tarte girls, its that NOTHING makes us happier then cheesecake from The Factory!-maria

~Today Lallie has a special treat for us-she is going to be leading a yoga class at lunch! I haven’t done yoga since college, so I’m really looking forward to it. All of the tarte girls will be doing it. I could use a little zen and relaxation!-nicole

10/19/05

~I haven't had any good Chinese food at a REALLY nice Chinese restaurant since I moved here. Thanks to the very kind and thoughtful tarte girls who surprised me last Friday with a celebration party for my marriage at Chin Chin I had the chance! I was so moved by their kindness. Even though I am very excited about the wedding at home (Hong Kong) in two weeks, I'm sure I going to miss them.-leonie

10/18/05

~This weekend I’m heading up to Binghamtonfor homecoming. I’m so excited for the beautiful autumn drive up Route 17. I can’t wait to see my friends, show Larry around campus, and have a relaxing weekend out of the City. Not to mention do some shopping and not pay hefty NYC prices!-nicole

10/17/05

~This re-imagined trailer for "The Shining" had me cracking up every time I thought about it this weekend. Whoever did this is amazing-love the musical cue, too. Just in time for Halloween!-alexis

~I went to the movies last night for the first time in months. I saw The Aristocrats--so freaking funny but I had absolutely no idea what it was about when I went in. If you see it (highly recommended), go in with an open mind but be prepared to laugh your pants off!-lallie

10/14/05

~So my next challenge is bridesmaids dresses, and with 7 very different, very picky girls-the word "challenge" is definitely correct. Initially I was leaning towards greens, but I haven’t seen anything yet that really fits the green I have in my head. So now I’m leaning towards purple,a nice deep amethyst. It’s very tarte, too-how fitting!-alexis

~With all this rain I've been a clothes changing fool because I keep getting wet on the way to work. When I left work last night to go to yoga class I left my yoga pants here at the office. So...I had to buy a new pair at the studio. I'd actually been eyeing these pants called Be Present for a while but just couldn't bring myself to buy them and now I had a reason. I bought them in aqua and I LOVE them. Plus, they work for just kicking around on the weekends instead of jeans or sweats!-lallie

10/13/05

~I have always hated cold weather and rainy days. These two things are both occuring these days and has made my commuter life even harder. Thanks to one of my vendors from Korea who brought me a barley tea at HBA I can be in a little better spirits. This tea has brightend up many days and has definitely kept me warm. This kind of tea is my all time favorite!-leonie

10/12/05

~We are having some major rainy days here in NY and I know everyone hates them but I've always loved them. There's something so soothing about rain and I can't resist jumping in a few puddles, but something I can't stand about the rain my are wet jeans! They are soaked and now I have to sit for the rest of the day at work waiting for them to dry out, I either need to start bringing an extra pair of pants on rainy days or invest in some cute rain boots! I think we know what option I'll be going with...-erica

10/11/05

~One of the most fun things to do in the wedding process so far has been registering. It’s like making the longest, craziest Christmas list ever, except you actually have a chance to get some of the things on your list. You might remember that a few months ago I was desperately craving the pink Kitchenaid mixer . Well, I put it on one of our registries and lo and behold, a certain redheaded someone decided it would make a lovely engagement present. And it has!!! I already made apple cinnamon pancakes and I love just looking at it on the kitchen counter. Yay!!-alexis

~So this might seem silly to blog about but everyone I know (including me) seems to be getting sick with this fall bug. I went to my local health food store (my fave) and found this immune support supplement. I've been taking it since Thursday and I can honestly say I haven't gotten any sicker!! For those of you who feel a little under the weather, it's worth trying.-lallie

10/6/05

~I had a great Rosh Hashanah. I spent it in Long Island with my grandmother. It was a nice bonding experience with her; she’s such a special lady! She also makes the best matzo ball soup of anyone I know. I tried to bring some back for Lallie (it's her fave!) but it was all eaten! We talked, looked at family pictures, and relaxed. I told her I’d be back again next year to spend the holiday with her.-nicole

10/5/05

~Last week was a crazy yet exciting week! On top of the regular workload & HBA show, we managed to see houses and then bought one in Newtown, PA, unexpectedly. We visited the town this Saturday and found out it's an amazing, cute and small town. We met an American couple who adopted their daughter from China 8 years ago , they told us there are at least 20-25 Chinese girls who were adopted from China in this town. We are so thrilled that we will be living in this town which is full of kind-heart people and can't wait to move in!-leonie

10/4/05

~I am so excited because Rich (my bf) got a brand new puppy over the weekend! Her name is Rory and she is a lab/ pointer mix – and she is the cutest puppy I have ever seen! He adopted her from North Shore Animal League, which I think is awesome because there are so many great dogs, cats, puppies and kittens (including a lot of hurricane rescues) who need a good home. If you’re in the market for a new pet I highly suggest that you check it out! -maria

~This weekend I went to the Fall for Dance Festival at the NY City Center. The Festival showcased 30 dance companies, 5 each night for 6 nights. It was such a great show - the dancers were sooo talented. And the best part - the tickets for every show - no matter where your seat was were $10 each. You can't beat that! I highly recommend it for next year. I'm going to go more than one night!-heather

10/3/05

~Hey everyone-just wanted to tell you to check Maureen out on QVC’s Pink Ribbon Beauty show today (4-5PM EST)!! She’ll be selling our adorable Ladies Night kits (in 2 different colors) and 50% of the proceeds are going to the Young Survival Coalition. If you’re at work (like the rest of us tarte girls are) you can watch the show live on QVC.com! They think of everything.-alexis

~My brother's band, Washington Lane, was in a Battle of the Bands contest last night AND HE WON!! It was a unanimous decision on the judges part and they won $600 (and I think the opp to tour with the All American Rejects!). We're still waiting on all the details but I'm so, so happy for him!-lallie

September 2005

9/29/05

~I fear that I will become one of those boring people who has nothing to talk about besides her wedding (although, admittedly...it’s easy to fall into that trap!), so instead, I’ll talk about one of my favorite time-waster sites, AstrologyZone. Susan Miller’s monthly horoscopes are amazing...eerily accurate-like check this out from my September horoscope: "You and your partner will feel very close, and you may just whisper, "Let's make it official," to your main squeeze." Thankfully, though, there was no cheesy whispering involved with our proposal.-alexis

9/28/05

~Thanks to my handy Daily Candy newsletters I found a awesome new Knitting store called Suss Design. It's a new shop opened by Swedish knitting enthusiast Suss Cousins, that she created in to make boring old knitting.. fun and modern. They carry a ton of funky yarn, knitting accessories, and even have classes where you can learn to make trendy items like wrap sweaters. Maybe when I get some free time this winter I'll start a local knitting class and knit up some cool creations!-erica

9/27/05

~I went to the NY Times small business conference yesterday and really enjoyed it. I usually fall asleep at those things but this one was so informative and had such great speakers. There was one woman from an advertising firm called T3 that was really inspirational and the keynote speaker was Paul Orfalea, the founder of Kinko's. He was such a great speaker, I'm now reading his book about how he started Kinko's. You know someone has to be really interesting if they get me away from books like Shopaholic takes Manhattan and Something Borrowed!!-heather

~It’s not even October yet, but I’ve already been thinking about Halloween costumes! I think with my newly dark, long hair and pale skin I could be a dead ringer for Morticia Addams-certainly not something to be proud of, but at least I don’t have to worry about wearing a wig! Now if only I can get Rich to dress up as Gomez...-maria

9/26/05

~I had the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!! I can barely see I'm so exhausted but it was such a great weekend that I don't even care! My sister came to spend the day with me and that was so awesome! My birthday bbq went off without a hitch and was so much fun (will hopefully post some pics soon) and Erica made me a lovely almond poppy seed cake that was delish! Click here for the recipe--it's so worth it!-lallie

9/23/05

~So our engagement party last night was a smashing success. If I’d had the presence of mind to download photos onto my computer last night, I’d have posted some here-I’ll try to next week. Suffice it to say, it was one of the best nights I’ve had pretty much...ever. Having all my closest friends in one room, talking to each other, having a great time with good music & good snacks-it was just awesome. And of course, I cried about it, because when I’m happy, I just can’t contain myself. (Those pics? We will NOT be posting them.)-alexis

~So excited about the upcoming weekend! It's my birthday weekend and it's packed with fun activities. Tonight I'm taking it easy and getting and getting a pedicure with my neighbor. Tomorrow is my PARTY and then Sunday (my actual bday) is the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival! I can't wait for it all!-lallie

9/22/05

~Tonight is Lex's engagement party so the tarte office is in a whirlwind of excitement discussing our outfits and who's going to do whose makeup! They picked a new place for the party so we'll fill everyone in tomorrow about it...let's hope we have just right amount of celebratory champagne and not too much!-heather

~This past Sunday was our Mid-Autumn Festival - also called moon cake festival. I was so happy that I could celebrate with my mom and Terrence. The moon cake was so good, I got to learn how to make it for next year!-leonie

9/21/05

~Tonight Maria, Richard (Maria's bf), & I are going to Little Italy for the 78th Annual Feast of San Gennaro! It's basically a two week long big Italian party, where you can taste some of the best Italian food in the city and experience Little Italy. Maria has never been before so it should be a lot of fun showing her New York's version of Italy.-erica

9/20/05

~It’s so one of those days. I could barely get up, the weather is gross, and I accidentally dumped half a bottle of perfume down my arm. Like, literally—or at least whatever didn’t end up on me ended up on my bathroom floor, so Phil’s in for a treat when he gets home. If anything, though, it reminded me why I love Petite Cherie so much. I may reek of pears, peaches & grass, but it’s still a yummy scent.-alexis

~Despite how everyone else feels about this time of year, it sort of makes me depressed that in two months it will be cold!! The one thing that I'm excited about are all the tv premieres of my favorite shows. Last night was my all time fave night with Las Vegas and Medium both in their season openers. So good!! Can't wait to be bundled up on the couch in the snow watching them(because I never leave my house in winter!).-lallie

9/16/05

~I know it sounds bad to say this, but I’m really looking forward to Fall. The rest of the Tarte girls would not be happy with me for saying that, but it’s true. I want to wear warm sweaters knit with cashmere and angora. I want to drink hot apple cider, and spend Friday nights watching a movie, snuggling under a throw blanket on the couch (with Larry of course J) while watching a movie.. .-nicole

9/15/05

~I had an impromptu dinner date with Alisa & Nicole last night! We decided to go to Blue Fin in Times Square, because their sushi is so good. I've never tried sushi before (something about raw fish creeps me out!) But Alisa made me try some of her spicy tuna roll and I must say it wasn't as bad as I thought, just a little mushy. I'll definitely give it another try soon!-erica

9/14/05

~I went to a great restaurant on Friday night - Park Avenue Cafe - it's pretty fancy and I normally wouldn't go there for a regular old Friday night but they have this great special where you get an appetizer, entree and dessert and you pay your age. It was delicious, I highly recommend it. Be careful with drinks though, they are so expensive there and doubled our bill!! The special goes until 12/31/05 so eat up!-heather

~I haven't been able to really get into any TV series in the past couple of years (except The Sopranos and SATC, of course) but now I am OBSESSED with Prison Break. Every episode is so thrilling and interesting, you are literally always on the edge of your seat. Wentworth Miller (a.k.a. Michael Scofield) from PB is my new official celeb crush - I highly suggest tuning in for the close up shots alone!-maria

9/13/05

~For those of you familiar with Fantasy Football (your boyfriends are probably obsessed) there's a new league in town-Fantasy Fashion League. Could this be more perfect!? And it's New York Fashion Week so I'm doubly excited about this little activity. We've (the tarte office) decided to create a league of our own (hehe) and join in the fun. We have to pick our league name and then do the draft and be part of the whole thing. If anyone knows anything about this or is already playing--please feel free to write about it on the forum!-lallie

~I am so overwhelmed with stuff to do right now. There are SO many things I have to look at, check out, places to visit, things to try on, etc—it’s all exciting, though, so I have to really remind myself of the whole "one step at a time" mantra (very tricky for me!). Luckily we found our place so I even have a date: Oct 7, 2006!! That’s going to be my wedding anniversary-how crazy is that?? (I should mention, incidentally, that it’s also Heather’s birthday which is NO LESS IMPORTANT. Hee hee.) Anyway, expect me to be posting a lot of links and asking for opinions. In the meantime, I’m going to try to do some actual work!-alexis

9/9/05

~So tired today-what an exhausting week (but in a good way). We’re going to look at three reception halls tomorrow-hopefully I’ll have a good idea of what’s going on after that. I can’t focus on much right now , so I leave you with these fine videos of my favorite internet cat. Have a good weekend!-lex

~Growing up my family always had a lot of animals (7 and counting now!) so I have a huge soft spot when it comes to animals in need. Due to Hurricane Katrina many animals and pets need rescuing and the Humane Society is doing everything they can to help. So when a friend told me about their "Be Kind" Cause Collar in which the profits go to animal resuce efforts, I jumped at the chance to help and bought them for all my pets!-lallie

9/8/05

~Ok so my blog is just destined to be boring because I am not planning a wedding or newly engaged! But all this wedding talk has spread a kind of 'wedding fever' through the office so I've been doing a little browsing of my own. I found this website for antique engagement rings - not that I would ever condone buying an engagement ring on line - but it's a good place to look at different antique rings, even if you aren't getting married any time soon!-maria

~Last night Larry totally surprised me by coming home early and making us dinner! He made spaghetti pie. I never had that before, but it was really good. He used fresh tomatoes, basil, gooey mozzarella, and the genoa salami for that extra burst of flavor. We opened a bottle of Cana cabernet (so yummy!) and had the best dinner. He can cook for me any time!-nicole