Jeff’s sister has lived in Monterey, California for a few years now, but we were never able to make it out for a visit. Between school for him, work for me and work for her, it was tough to coordinate everyone’s schedules. So after we moved here and I started working from home, we knew we had to get a visit on the books, and this month we finally took a trip west. This was my first time in California and I felt truly awestruck by it all—the scenery, the wildlife, even the weather. It was an amazing trip. Continue reading
Setting a Date and Other Wedding Excitement
It’s been a little while since I’ve posted about the wedding planning, but it is not because there hasn’t been much happening on that front. On the contrary, there has been so much happening that I haven’t had time to post! Over the past couple weeks we’ve checked a few pretty big things off the wedding to-do list; here’s what we’ve accomplished and how it happened! Continue reading
Initial Thoughts on Writing Fiction
I’ve finally done it. I’ve started writing a novel that I fully intend to finish, and actually feel like I can. It’s been a couple weeks now and I’m about 16,000 words in, so I wanted to share some of my initial thoughts and observations on writing fiction. Continue reading
If You Haven’t Seen The Greatest Showman, Go Watch It Immediately
Last week, I finally had the pleasure of watching The Greatest Showman. It had been a long time coming—I’d been planning to watch it on the plane to Portland last month, and it was available, but to my chagrin Alaska Airlines is too technologically advanced for my electronic devices and I wasn’t able to watch it. Then finally, we rented it on Amazon Prime. And let me tell you, it surpassed my incredibly high expectations. If you haven’t seen this movie, please go find it right now. It’s amazing. Continue reading
What I’m Reading: One and Only
One and Only by Jenny Holiday is the first book in her Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. I flew through this book—it was a fun, funny contemporary romance, perfect for a weekend getaway or just if you’re looking for a light and breezy read. Continue reading
My Love Affair with Zola for All Things Wedding
I’m sure that anyone currently planning a wedding is familiar with Zola, but if you aren’t, this post is about why you should familiarize yourself with it real fast. Because as I’ve started getting more into the weeds of wedding planning, I’ve paid a little more attention to the online tools at my disposal. And I’m here to tell you that Zola is by far my favorite one. Continue reading
Take Me Out to Camden Yards
Having grown up in Massachusetts, I’m a huge Boston sports fan. Which has certainly been fun, given all the success our teams have had over the last 15 years. Baseball is Jeff’s favorite sport, so I’ve definitely gotten more into it in the past 5 years, and we went to our share of Red Sox games when they came to Yankee Stadium while we were living in Hoboken. Thankfully, our current proximity to Baltimore means we’re still living in the AL East, so for our birthdays last weekend we headed up to Camden Yards and took in a game there. Continue reading
Summer Veggie and Bacon Gnocchi with Pesto
It’s been a little while since I posted a recipe, so I wanted to share this delicious, super easy creation that Jeff and I came up with for dinner on Sunday. If you’re someone who enjoys cooking when you’re following a recipe but feel like you’re at a loss without one, I think pasta dishes are a great place to start—all you need is the pasta (or gnocchi, in this case), a few ingredients to toss in and a sauce. And before you know it, you have a light, fresh and delicious meal! Continue reading
What I’m Reading: The Book Thief
I know that The Book Thief by Markus Zusak isn’t a new book; it was first published in 2005 and went on to become a New York Times Bestseller and win numerous awards. I picked up this special anniversary edition from work a few years ago because I thought it would look nice on my bookcase. I had every intention to read it, but I just wasn’t sure when. Well, I finally got around to it and I must say, it is truly an incredible book. Continue reading
Two Days in Portland, Oregon
This was the second part of our whirlwind of travel: after arriving back home late Sunday night, I squeezed in a Zumba class Monday morning before heading to the airport again Monday afternoon for a flight to Portland, Oregon. Previously, I had never traveled further west than Utah, so when we found out that Jeff needed to go to Portland for a few days for work, I jumped at the chance to go along. Ahh, the perks of being freelance. So here are my thoughts and experiences from two days in Portland. Continue reading