Our Journey: Part III

After our summer love matured, the day when we had to part came along. After all, I was a foreign exchange student and my family was waiting for me back home (Venezuela). Anxiety kept creeping up as D-Day got closer. I had made wonderful friends throughout the year, my host-family was amazing and I had found love! I had such mixed feelings about the whole thing. On one hand, I would be leaving a place full of great memories, and on the other I'd be reunited with my family and friends, whom I'd missed all year long.

The tradition was that all the exchange students, along with their host-families and friends would get together at the local high school and wait for "the bus" that would take the exchange students to the airport. I have to say that waiting for that bus was like Chinese torture.

As the bus arrived I remember a chill running through my body. The Groom and I had no idea when we would be able to see each other again! And like every teenager, we thought we had found our life-mate during our senior year of high school. Lucky for us, this was true.

The luggage was loaded, the headcount checked, goodbyes were said. And off we were. And yes, The Groom ran after the bus. He would then be known amongst my friends as "the one who ran after the bus."

Less than a year later, I was back in The States to continue my education. With distance out of our way we continued dating. I had found my soul mate, but we weren't ready to be together just yet. We were so young and made so many mistakes. Eventually we each went our own ways.

It wasn't until eight years later that my host-mother received a call from some high school friend asking for me. Not much information was exchanged, so I had no way to get back in touch with him. As soon as I learned this my heart skipped a beat. I thought "wow... that was so long ago!" and I embarked in a quest to find him. And I did! Via Google of all places! I simply typed his first and last name and voila! There he was, with his big smile staring back at me. I had found him through his company website. It was a Sunday, so I knew he wouldn't be at work but I called the number on the screen anyway. It was so comforting to hear his voice again. I left him a message with my contact information and thus began the rest of our lives.

After some reacquainting, some courting and a great romance, we were engaged to be married! And the wonderful Punam was there to document it:

Photograph by Punam Bean

And so started the Wedding Planning!

IKEA Is Coming To Town!

I'm sorry I've been absent for so long. I have been a busy bee studying for my Engineering licensing exam and I tell you, it is no joke! But I am back for a brief moment to share some great news with you.

As a former New Yorker, I truly appreciate the meaning of IKEA. This warehouse/interior design-for-everyday-life paradise was a fabulous tool when it came to decorating my Bronx appartment as a recent graduate. I longed for a chic environment to host my dinner/dance parties but lacked the senior level salary to go to Pottery Barn or West Elm, so a trip to IKEA was a must. I would call a friend with a car to the rescue and go on a road trip to New Jersey, to our closest IKEA store. I'd then proceed to unload all my new belongings, and drag them up the five flights of stairs (that is correct, walking up the stairs was not an option but a necessity since the building doesn't have an elevator). At this time I'd like to thank all my generous friends for helping me in such labor intense tasks.


However, once I moved to Florida I realized I had no access to any IKEAs in the area! The closest one was a long car ride to Texas! I was bummed out but have managed so far. And now those days are gone since there are tons of IKEAs opening up around me. The closest will be the store located in Tampa, which opens this May, 2009!


And I am already armed with a shopping list. Ever since we bought our house we've been throwing ideas of things to do and projects to complete, but haven't really accomplished much. One of my project ideas is to re-do our office/den so it's more appealing to the eye yet maintaining its practicality. It is a small room so I don't want to over furnish it.

If I were to take on this project today and complete it only with items from IKEA this is what you would find in my shopping cart:

All images via IKEA

The Groom and I want to paint the room in a tan color - maybe as a reminder of the perfect cafe con leche. We really want a navy blue sofa, which is a lot harder to find than you think. Then add some dark, clean cut furniture and some white accents.

IKEA here we come!

My Affair with Chocolate

Poster by Steff Green via Art

I promised to be true and loyal to The Groom on our wedding day. What he doesn't know is that I was crossing my fingers behind me. Shh!!! I have had a long lasting love affair with chocolate, and I'm not ready to give it up.

I have been a chocolate fiend for as long as I can remember. And all my dreams came true one day back in 1997 when I was looking for a college job. I was referred to this quaint chocolatier in Fishkill, NY, the town where I resided at the time. As you enter The Alps Sweet Shop you're grazed by the sweetness in the air. It looks like chocolate wonderland in there, full of baskets and truffles and dim lights, glass display cases full of chocolate. Mmhh!

After my interview with Sally (the owner), it was clear that it was a perfect match. They were looking for a chocolate elf and I was willing to do quality control on all their freshly made candy. Some of my best memories come from working at that lovely place. Lunch sometimes would be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which was made of a peanut butter cup, a chocolate covered jelly and a chocolate covered graham cracker. Sugar rush anybody? I'd say!

My job there was easy (and delicious I might add). How can you go wrong with chocolate? There's nothing like seeing your costumer's happy faces filled with pure pleasure once you stocked their goodie bags with their favorites. And you develope such an intimate relationship with the regulars, who come back for their Christmas presents, Easter bunnies, chocolate filled hearts for Valentine's Day, or just after a good doctor's visit.

The shop's story is actually very touching. Back in 1922, Sally's grandfather, migrated from Greece to the Hudson Valley in New York. He opened a small homemade chocolate shop, which quickly became very popular in town. The original store is still open and the squeaks and charm bring you back in time when you set foot in it. It has gone from generation to generation and it is now operated by Sally and her husband.

So if you're ever in town, do not hesitate in stopping by. I promise you will not regret it!

It's My Birfday! And I will dance if I want to!

I'm usually not very egocentric. But it's been a year with lots of ups and downs and lots of change. First, The Groom lost his job two weeks before the wedding due to the local economy (which ended up being a blessing in disguise as he finished a lot of our DIY projects). He, since, has been hired back by his former employer so it all worked out in the end. Not only that, but our house has also devaluated in this market, which is a bit sad being that it's our first home and we only bought it a year ago.

But as my girlfriend would tell me, after all that, I always have love to come back to. And I definitely have a lot of that. My husband is so loving and giving and so is our little girl. This year has been a year of positive change too. The Groom and I had the most amazing wedding (sorry girls... but that's just how we all feel about our own wedding) surrounded by really great loving friends and family.

So for that, I'm celebrating my birthday today! Because I'm thankful for all the things I have accomplished and for all the love I have. Also, because The Groom just told me he has a surprise for me and I loooove surprises! (If you could see me, I'm grinning right now).

{On Home Decor} Showroom: Marimekko

One of the great things about being involved with people from all different backgrounds is that you learn so much about the world!

After I relocated a couple of years ago I was looking for local things to do and decided to reconnect with the organization that got me here: AFS. I have met wonderful people through my local AFS Chapter and I am the liaison for one of the Foreign Exchange Students from Finland. I have learned so much about Finland so far! Including different aspects of their culture, economy and industries. Finnish have a different flair when it comes to home decoration, fashion and architecture. One of their signature lines for home decor is Marimekko. Their designs are bold and clean and look so fresh! I personally really liked these happy and colorful kitchen items:

Although they are better known for their unikko pattern (shown above), they offer different patterns and colors, like their Lumimarja line, or their Onni style. All very clean, all very unique and absolutely adorable.

So enjoy a little taste of Finland!

Our Journey: Part II

So after Dippin’ Dots, we each went our way and didn’t see each other until Prom night. We had planned on getting everyone together at my parent’s house, take pictures, exchange corsages, boutonnieres, etc and be on our way.

Here is where it gets tricky. Remember how I mentioned that as a Foreign Exchange Student I really didn’t have a clue about this whole Prom business? Well, I accidentally ended up with two dates. It was funny! Well maybe not so funny for my second date. But we all found humor in it. My second date was a Freshman at my High School. One day before Prom we were chit-chatting in a group when me and my big mouth said: Hey Tom, are you coming to Prom? The kid's face lit up and then looked at me with confusion. I totally missed those signals. After he told me he wasn't planning on going to Prom since he didn't have anybody to go with, I said: Well, you should come with us! (motioning to my friends). I think it'd be fun!

To my defense, I thought it was a regular school party, where everyone went with a group of people. I didn't realize the whole "Prom date" thing was such a big deal.

So Prom day comes and everyone is showing up at my house all nice and pretty. Parents are all ready with their cameras, girls are all giggly with their hair done and pretty jewelry, boys are ready to hand out their corsages!?!? And it was then that it dawned on me: I have TWO dates!!! And what is worse, I only have ONE boutonniere!

So my poor mother had to run to the closest florist in town and get a second boutonniere, for my second date.

My two dates: Tom and The Groom

It ended up being OK. Some of my girlfriends went to Prom without dates, so they were more than happy to help me entertain two dates. Most of my classmates thought that it was just a Venezuelan custom to wear two corsages! And I didn't argue.

So, while Freshman Tom was having a good time jumping from dance to dance. The Groom and I danced all night long! Our feet hurt when the night was over. He literally swept me off my feet. And it was a sweet night.

We started dating immediately and I had my first taste of the meaning of love.

{Wedding Planner} Keeping yourself organized!

After I got engaged time seemed to start going a lot faster than before. I had the intentions of hand making a lot of things so that we could shrink our spending. But once I saw how fast things were moving while I tried to keep up with my nine-to-five job, I was getting a little discouraged. Lucky for me we ended up postponing our wedding almost a year, so we had more time for all those DIY projects! I never thought I’d be happy to have a long engagement but I have to say I am glad it ended up being that way. I was able to get a whole lot more done and search for better deals.

That said, one of the things that I wish I had done differently was better organizing my projects and information. I would see something I really liked and make a mental note and then I’d spend what seemed like years trying to find it again. But The Knot comes to the rescue with their New “The Knot Wedding Collection” and their array of cute little planning tools. One of my favorite: The Knot Seating Chart Organizer. Especially after spending many nail-biting hours using sticky notes trying to make sure that Aunt Jamie isn’t sitting next to Uncle Joe and that Cousin Jim is close to the dance floor so he can do his famous dance move: The Worm!

They come in two different colors (Swirl and Blue Dot) and most items are under $20!

All images via The Knot

{Kids} Say The Darndest Things!

You know how they say “kids say the darndest things”? Well, they really do! We had some friends over a little while ago and we were all exchanging stories. Miss G was the only child under 10 in the room, so she was trying really hard to be “cool” and keep up with everyone there.

I was recounting a memoir of when I was a little younger than her; I was about 3 years old. It had just rained really hard in my hometown and my mom found me leaning against the balcony in our apartment crying. When she asked what was wrong I said “I'm just really sad because that tree fell down and since God is everywhere he just got squished.” My mom then proceeded to explain to me how God was everywhere but he wasn't right there when the tree fell down.

Of course all of our guests burst into laughs and I had accomplished my goal.

Well, Miss G here sees everyone laughing and she starts laughing at me hysterically, in a “oh mom... you're so silly” kind of way. The next morning as we're getting ready for school she stops in the middle of something and says to me “mom, you're so funny.” I respond “Oh, yeah? Why do you say that?” She proceeds “Well, when you were little you were crying because you thought God had gotten squished by the tree!”... silly me “I know, I know... I was silly.” And then she says “It is silly! He was probably just right behind the tree!”

At this point I had to focus really hard not to laugh. It was the cutest thing! She had this face that said “Duh! Of course He was right behind the tree!”

And it is without further ado that I present to you.... Miss G:

Photograph by Punam Bean

Our Journey: Part I

I figured it’d be proper to introduce this blog with a little background and history. The Groom & I met while I was in New York as a foreign exchange student. It was the mid 90’s, the hair was still big and the fashion off. It was approaching Prom time at my high school and as a foreign exchange student I was kind of lost in the process. We certainly don’t have these kinds of dances back in Venezuela, I believe mostly because people there are just not organized enough to pull it off.

I was not focused on finding a date and had assumed I’d just be going with a group of friends. This must’ve been taboo in my upstate New York town because a friend immediately jumped to the opportunity by setting me up on a blind date with this Latin boy from the high school next door. She said to me “He must be from Venezuela too because you guys just match… he’s very similar to you.” To which I reacted with a mental picture of matchy things like “hmm, do these pants match with this shirt?” But I agreed to it, justifying this decision with my goal to fully experience the American Culture. Truth is, I might’ve been a wee bit excited about the thought of another Latino to dance with at the party (not that many of us Upstate New York at the time).

It was all very high school. We exchanged numbers through my friend, met over the phone, agreed to go to Prom together, corsage? Yes, meet here that Saturday and let’s drive to Prom, done!

It was so soothing to finally hear some Spanish after about nine months of what sounded like one long word to me (I knew very little English when I came to the States… and I’m being generous to myself when I say that). He told me he worked at the mall and my host-mother decided it was too weird to meet my Prom date at the Prom. So we drove to the mall one afternoon on a spy mission to determine if he was fitted to be my date or not. The plan was: we walk by his job; if we don’t see any cute guys working there we call the whole thing off. It sounded like a fair, well thought out plan to me at the time and so we marched right in.

As I approached the counter where he told me he worked I couldn’t help but notice this handsome tall boy with a smirk on his face. And all I could think of was “oh please God, let it be him! Please let it be him! I promise I won’t lie on my diary about how many chocolate chip cookies I had today” And with a big cheesy smile on my face I tapped his shoulder and said “Hi! It’s me!” (Yes, that also seemed like the most logical choice of words to me at the time). He stared at me for a few seconds and then said “Jennifer?” And that’s when I exhaled with relief, looked up to the skies and mouthed “Thank You!”

We had Dippin' Dots ice cream and talked about the latest movies (Don Juan DeMarco – how appropriate). It was nice and easy, almost like we’d been friends for years. We made more formal arrangements for the dance and well, the rest is history!

Ok, maybe not so fast. There is a lot more to it, but I’ll tell you the rest another time.

{Cookie Crumble} Love is in the air!

Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner I’d like to share with you my love for cookies! I love baking them, decorating them, sharing them but most of all I love eating them! There is nothing more comforting than a buttery cookie that almost melts in your mouth – OK maybe there is… and I think that’s called chocolate! Yes, I am a chocoholic!

Getting back to the cookies… so tonight Miss G {our daughter} and I will be baking some delicious shortbread cookies to share with the #1 love of our lives – enter The Groom!

I have been in search of the perfect shortbread cookie recipe, so if you have one please don’t hesitate to share!

Photo by Martha Stewart Living