On the Other Side

We made it.
We lived.
Some parts even went well.

My feet were really angry at me last night. And oddly, my calves were in knots this morning. No idea why.

But we survived. 4 hours of sleep between Saturday and Sunday and it didn't end until 3am last night/(this morning). But we're on the other side of it now. And we're grateful. And just trying to have today be a slow day.

Some gorgeous settings and moving vows and emotional grooms were the highlights for me. And the horse was pretty cool too. I think everyone should try to attend an Indian wedding at some point in their lives. Gorgeous.

*sigh* I think we're going to head to the wine bar on the corner to enjoy our Memorial Day before next week hits us. And have some of this.

Vaya Con Dios

5 wedding shoots in the next 2 days
2.5 we are shooting ourselves
5 couples
6 shooters
2 audio technicians
3 rides to arrange
6 officiants
8 locations
10 cameras
zillions of batteries
6 bags of gear
4 wedding planners
109 planning related emails (this week)
4-8 revisions on each of the 5 shoot timelines
1 day of possible thunderstorms
3 outdoor ceremonies
857 guests
94.5 hours worked between the 8 of us
1 horse (I am not kidding)

For those of you who are the praying kind....we wouldn't mind a couple thrown in our direction that we make it to Monday in one piece.

Better Late Than Never

My birthday was over 2 weeks ago. And I'm just getting around to posting the pictures. If that tells you anything about life these days. It was one of those magical evenings.....perfect weather, rooftop dining and a group of friends that comes from different walks and stages of my life, but who fit together seamlessly. There's not much better than that.

There was Classic Clay & Alison. Naturally.





For your Consideration in the "My Friends Are Pretty" Category




The Many Faces of Kory








A good time was had by all











Virtually everyone ended up in Kory's glasses at some point





I have no idea how we ended up with no pictures of The O'Gradys. They were only sitting next to me all night! Also not pictured - the lovely Marisa who had to dash out early to rehearsal. And Amanda, who had to dash home to a 4 month old who was really missing her. There's some pretty funny video too....I'll probably manage to get that up in another two weeks.

I love and am SO grateful for my friends.

Down with Wednesdays

I’m not having it. Work makes me want to hide under my desk and never come out today. This job has absolutely made me dyslexic. My job + Geoff’s crazy season = minor melt down for both of us. I definitely almost cried when they didn't have my prescription at the pharmacy today. If that tells you anything.

And now I feel I’m potentially on the verge of splitting personalities.

I don’t like today.

Snapshots of My Weekend

The Sidewalk Book Sale across from my apartment


$8 Well Spent


Browsing through my birthday gift from Geoff's Mom


Lunch on Saturday


Some light R&R


Pedicure


The view from the upstairs Lounge at The Delancy in the East Village - (That's the Williamsburg Bridge in the background...)


Mele's Birthday Party at The Delancy...blowing out the candles


Bike ride on Sunday


The View from our blanket


Amazing Rustic Italian place we stumbled onto for dinner


With homemade gelato. Mine was coconut, Geoff's was popcorn flavored! Both were YUM!


Some lovely weather, running some errands, a little windowsill gardening (not pictured) and some brunch (also not pictured). And a full day with Geoff on Sunday. Which was much needed. So all in all - quite nice. Certainly better (and more restful) than the whirlwind that awaited me at the office this morning.

Fingers crossed that this week doesn't kick me in the teeth too much...

Pretty Please??

Dear World,

Can I have these please?




One can be a belated birthday gift and one can be for Christmas. Mkaaaay? Mkay.

Thanking you,
xoxo
me

** Kitchen from House of Turquoise and that DREAM bedroom belongs to this lovely lady, whom I will now be obsessed with. Seriously, I love everything about it. I need that bed. AND the old door above it? Stop it right now. I need this.

Rom-Com in Real Life

I have this friend.

(Now, normally when this is said, everyone thinks you're actually talking about yourself. As you will come to see, this is not the case. But for undisclosed/semi- obvious reasons, I am choosing to withhold the names of those involved to protect the innocent.)

This friend tends to live a life that resembles a Romantic Comedy. She can't really help it. It just happens to her. And as we emailed back and forth this week, it really felt like I was watching an Amy Adams/Anne Hathaway/Kate Hudson movie.

Here's a cut from this week's "screenplay", shall we say...

CAST:
Pretty Girl Next Door (PGND)- my Rom-Com friend
Kryptonite - the coffeeshop boy that makes her weak in the knees

Interior - a hip coffeeshop littered with large library tables and beautiful people. PGND sits alone with her laptop, a journal and a cup of coffee.

She types an email:


"At Hip Coffeeshop. Kryptonite is working. The crazy part of me wants to give my waitress (the one walking around the lobby area) a note to hand him with my number.

Please tell me this is a bad idea.
xo

me"


...10 minutes later....PGND has not moved from her post. She types EMAIL #2:


"Facts:

He's dreamy.

We sometimes make eye contact.

I know he recognizes me, as when said eye contact occurs there is definite recognition in his look.

The few times we have talked he remembers things.

He is softspoken in that manly way that I love.

I think he pays attention to me without paying attention to me, if that makes sense.

He's cute with or without facial hair, which is shocking to me.

He is my Kryptonite.

He is not married (no ring.)


TBD:

Is he single?

What is his name?

Does he think I'm pretty?

Does he think I'm weird?

Does every girl find him dreamy?

How much of my precious paycheck am I willing to spend trying to find out the answers to all of the above?

xo
me"


FINAL SCENE - In reponse to my asking if I can share the Rom-Com-ness of her life with the blogsophere...


"You have my permission.

You may also post a Craigslist Missed Connection for me, if you'd like...because we are WELL aware of my luck with Missed Connections.

Or call up Hip Coffeeshop and tell them that their handsome, blondish, soft-spoken Barista wearing a striped shirt and brown tie is missing out on the love of his life who is currently sitting at a library table experiencing a massive caffeine buzz."



She is fun to know, this Rom-Com friend. And for those of you who know me and my circle of friends, I'm positive that her identity has not remotely been concealed. Sorry. I tried. Hopefully I will continue to hold the rights to the fascinating life of PGND so that I can share more from the screenplay that is her life. If she'll let me.

Happy Friday!

A Good Time Was Had By All

A couple of our favorite shots from last night... it was BIG fun. Easy, relaxed, and different groups of people gelling together naturally. Exactly what I wanted.

Alison in Kory's HUGE glasses (I think at least half the table tried them on)


Classic


More to come in the next few days...

I'm as Old as Jesus

Today is my Jesus Birthday. I'm now as old as He ever was. And my life isn't nearly as good or as bad as His was. Which I think is right about where you want to be.

(Can I say that out loud? Well, I just did.)

It's bizarre that I moved to NYC when I was 24. 24?? Really? In some ways that seems a lifetime ago, and in other ways, just a few years ago. It's wild.

In my dream world, I would reflect on lo, these 9 years as a New Yorker and share many favorite stories. But sadly, there's too much going on at work today and I don't have time.

Geoff did send me this amazing bouquet today at work though.


I love the heart that is formed at the top. It is amazing.

Maybe I’ve told this story already, so if you get bored, feel free to move along. I have a very strong memory of one of my mom’s friends telling me something that stuck with me for years. (Mom, I don’t know why I think it was Mary Alice Blake, because that would have made me a freshman in high school at the oldest, but I do). She was telling the story of a friend’s daughter who had just gotten engaged. In her entire life, she’d never been given a dozen red roses. And she prayed throughout her life that God would give her a sign, that the person she was supposed to marry would give her a dozen roses. And her fiancé did shortly before he proposed. And that’s how she knew he was the right one. Well, my romantic little teenage heart just ate that right up and remembered it for years. And as I got older, I semi-started to make my own version of that prayer. For some reason, I always wanted to be sent flowers at work. So I thought, maybe that could sorta be my sign. And sure enough… Geoff was the first man to ever send me flowers at work. I’m just sayin’… I know that is cheesy as hell, and I apologize but…I’m just sayin’.

Anyway, back to birthday-related things...tonight is just a small dinner with some friends. Something low key and easy and that will provide many opportunities for sangria. Just as it should be.


PS- My office just did this. Not the best for my waistline, but DANG does it look good!!


PPS - This day keeps getting better...Just after cake, our Executive Director brought her dog Rusty in for a visit. Please! (He also was really into the cake)