Wedding Dress Shopping. Ugh. (Part II)

Who knew wedding dress shopping would be so hard? You'd think with the intense amount of time I've spent studying these crazy bitches on Say Yes to the Dress, I'd know every detail of my dream dress, right down to what brand of thread I want.

But I don't.

And! guess what.

I actually already bought a wedding dress.

But I'm trying to sell it because I changed my mind about it, like, a week after I bought it.

Oh well, it was super cheap and I figured I could make my money back.

And! guess what again.

Remember when I said I already bought a wedding dress?

I actually already bought two wedding dresses.

But I'm not sure about this second one either.

Apparently, I have a problem when it comes to fancy things because I LOVE EVERYTHING AND WANT TO BUY IT ALL.

Just in case you thought the crazy stopped there, I have a history of buying too many wedding dresses.

The first time I got married, I changed my mind about my wedding dress a couple months before the wedding. I ended up selling that one on eBay.

And when I was in high school, I purchased several wedding dresses from thrift stores.

AND... When I was a kid, I used to write stories about getting married several times so I could have lots of different wedding dresses.

The crazy runs deep in this family.

So, my dresses: What's wrong with them?

Dress #1 I bought it at my first dress-trying-on appointment. It was on MAJOR markdown and the only one I had seen of its kind. I was worried that I might not be able to find something else this unique in my budget. I thought someone else would snatch it up and I would regret not having bought it. So I bought it and figured it would be easy enough to resell if I changed my mind on it. Once I started shopping around and honing in on *THE* style, I realized my mullet-dress wasn't going to make the cut.

Business in the front, party in the back.

Dress #2 I found it on Ebay while searching for vintage wedding stuff. I really thought it was going to be the one and was excitedly waiting for it to be delivered. The day it arrived, I tried it on right away. I was hoping for that stupid-ass "Say Yes to the Dress" moment- like angels would descend from the heavens above. But obviously that didn't happen. That's the problem with shopping online. I knew the dress measurements were slightly bigger than mine, but the dress was even bigger than I had anticipated. Also, I had ordered this dress with the hopes of having it altered to a new and improved version, something custom that *I* had created with my mind's eye. But my reflection wasn't showing a final product. Instead, it was showing sloppy mess of Ren Faire aftermath.

After taking the dress to a bridal seamstress, I learned it was going to be an additional $300 to make this my "dream" dress. That's when I decided to go back to searching through brand new dresses. Not that they would be any more affordable, but I figured I should really look around before I make another rash decision.

I went to a few more stores and narrowed it down to one particular style that I love. But I haven't pulled the trigger yet because that particular style costs, like, $40 million dollars. And it's also not a very common style, which means not many stores sell it.

So now I'm at an "expensive vs. risky" cross roads:

A) Pay a shitload of money for a beautiful dress that I'm only going to wear once (expensive).

B) Pay a somewhat reasonable amount for a dress that isn't my DREAM dress, but is still beautiful (expensive).

C) Pay a much more reasonable amount of money and commission an etsy store to make a copy of the original dress (risky).

D) Stick with my vintage dress and feel accomplished about saving money and somewhat designing my own dress (risky).

What would you do?


Sigh. Thank goodness this decision only happens once twice in your life.

Read More

Guest Post Featuring Biscuit.

Just a quick note-

I was asked to write a guest post about Biscuit! It was featured yesterday at COFFEE WITH A CANINE. Go check it out and contact Marshall if you're interested in doing a post yourself.

Thanks!

Read More

Featured Wedding Venue: La Perla del Mar Chapel

It's official: The wedding planning has begun!

Over the next few weeks, I'll be showcasing a different venue that I've visited in the hunt for our perfect wedding location. Most of these places are not popular venues that you'd find in your typical wedding research. Some may be a little non-traditional. And all of them are perfect for the budget-conscious.

 One thing I noticed while looking at venues online is that most websites don't show the details of the space. I.e. the light fixtures, windows, flooring, etc. And they always show the space when it's fully decked out in someone else's wedding decor. Hopefully, the shots I've taken will give you a better idea of the what each venue looks like as a "blank slate."

Like a venue? Give me your input! (If you already know which venue we've chosen, don't spill the beans, please!)

Courtesy of www.laperladelmarchapel.com

LA PERLA DEL MAR CHAPEL

Located in Shell Beach, this chapel can be rented out for all kinds of events, including church services, yoga clases, and art shows. Originally built in the early 1940's, the chapel was losing its congregation and funds and was put up for sale in 2008. Shelley Malcom and Garin Sinclair purchased the property and renovated it as an events venue for public use.

There is a small, two-bedroom cottage located right next to the chapel, which can be used as the bridal party's dressing room, a honeymoon suite, or even for cocktail hour, if you're hosting a smaller event. The cottage is a former schoolhouse, and while it is located at the same venue, the use of this space is not included in the rental fee.

Chapel - alter area

Chapel - wood beams

Chapel - lighting

Chapel -windows

Chapel - exterior

Chapel - exterior

Cottage - kitchen

Cottage - dining room

Cottage - living room

Cottage - bathroom

Cottage - bedroom 1 (Murphy bed) 

Cottage - bedroom 2 (Murphy bed)

Cottage - exterior 

View to the beach

The rental fee for this venue is as follows:

Hourly rental - $200

Six hours - $1,000

10 hours - $1,500

Packages include Wedding Coordinator and chairs (not sure about tables).

Additional fees include security deposit ($500), liability insurance, Officiant, and sound technician or DJ.

Note:

I emailed/ spoke directly with Shelley Malcom and she was super friendly and accommodating. Even though she was going to be out of town during our visit to the area, she arranged for her daughter to let us in to both buildings, and even followed up with an email after our visit. Very easy to get on contact with. Two thumbs up for this vendor.

This is a great venue for a more natural, homey, rustic wedding.

Read More

Working 9 - 5 (or Something Like That).

I started my job this past Monday and guess what.

I STILL LOVE IT.

Yes, I've lasted three whole days and have decided this was a great decision and I'll pretty much be here for the rest of my life.

Today the office is having a potluck. I'm not sure if it's in celebration of St. Valentine's Day or not. It actually doesn't make any difference to me. There's going to be lots of food and I never need a reason for that. My officemate is bringing homemade lasagna. I'm strapping on the feedbag in anticipation.

I'll be taking my blueberry-peach cobbler. And I may just end up bringing an untouched dish back home with me if it's going up against the kind of contenders I've been warned about (I'm looking at you, Jack Daniels cupcakes). That's totally fine with me though because I will straight eat this shit for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the next three days. It has fruit and that means it's healthy.

On a somewhat related note-
I was at the grocery store early this morning to buy blueberries. There were lots of dudes buying flowers in little glass vases and rose-shaped chocolates wrapped in red foil. I thought it was funny.

That's it for my updates. Fingers crossed I don't make anyone at the potluck sick.

Read More

Recipe: Bierocks.

The other day, Eric came home from work saying he wanted bierocks for dinner. Since we'd never made them before, I looked around online and pieced together what seemed like a good recipe. While I didn't really know what would constitute a "good" recipe, I was sold when I came across one that mentioned topping the bierocks with butter. High five!

According to Wikipedia (which is notoriously unreliable), bierocks are pastry pockets filled with ground beef, cabbage, and onions. They're kind of like empanadas, except these are from Germany or Russia or somewhere else over there.

BIEROCKS

INGREDIENTS
Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix
1 lb. ground beef
3 cloves garlic
2/3 white onion, diced
1/4 head cabbage
1 tsp sugar
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Prepare Hot Roll Mix according to directions.

Set dough aside to rest.

It should double in size.

Brown ground beef with onions, garlic, and salt/ pepper to taste.

Drain grease. Add cabbage, sugar, and more salt to taste, if needed. Cook over medium heat for 5 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the dough has rested, roll out onto a floured surface.

Use a medium-sized, circular object to cut circles into the dough. (We used plastic bowls.) Use leftover dough to roll out again and cut more circles. Repeat until dough is all used.

Fill dough circles with meat/ cabbage filling.

Fold sides up, overlapping one bit at a time, until the opening is all sealed. This doesn't have to look perfect, just make sure it's all sealed.

Flip bierocks over so the seam is on the bottom.

Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 20 - 25 minutes, or until golden.

Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

These bierocks reheat in the microwave just fine, making them the perfect leftover for lunch.

Have you had bierocks before? How does this recipe compare?

Read More

Guess Who's Back in the Workforce!

That's right!

IT'S ME!!!!


I finally got a job and it's a job that I'm actually really excited about. It's starting out as a part-time position, but I'm okay with that because 1) I REALLY wanted this job, and 2) I'm going to need to take baby steps in order to remember how to act like a normal, functioning, employed human being again.

My first day is this Monday and I've already started a list of things I need to do in preparation:

1. Put together an outfit that doesn't involve pajama pants.
2. Tame the Charlie Manson hair.
3. Wax my Andy Rooney eyebrows.
4. Remove the two month old, crackhead nail polish from my fingers.

Isn't this exciting???

If you need me, I'll basically be looking like this all weekend.

Read More

Horchata and Ungrateful Jerks.

While enjoying some of the finer things in life (tacos and horchata), I was reminded of a day long, long ago when I shared some Mexican treasures with my classmates.

I must have been around eight or nine years old at the time. Our class was having a potluck party- maybe for Christmas or something- and all of the students were encouraged to bring one or two items of their choice for the lunch buffet. I knew immediately what I wanted to bring because these items were super fucking delicious and how could anybody NOT like them and I knew all of my classmates were going to swarm my treats and I would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Best Buffet Item in Mrs. Stallone's 3rd Grade Class.

Excitedly, I told my mom what I wanted.

"BUNUELOS AND HORCHATA!!!!!!"

For those of you who did not grow up in a town that's basically the equivalent of Little Mexico, bunuelos are lightly fried flour tortillas, topped with cinnamon and sugar. 

And horchata is only the best fucking drink on the planet unless you're weird and don't like the best things ever. It's a sweet beverage that looks like 2% milk, but it's actually rice milk with cinnamon and sugar. (I'm beginning to notice a pattern here.) It's similar to those fancypants rice milk drinks you buy at rich people stores, only about a million times better.

I remember stopping at Taco de Mexico on our way to school the morning of the big party. I remember seeing my mom lug two gallons of heaven-juice back to the car. I was so excited. I mean, I WAS SO EXCITED. Just like, Ralphie from A Christmas Story, when he's sure his essay is so great, it will cure blindness. (Or whatever.)

Have I built up the bunuelos-horchata combo enough for you??

Can you tell where I'm going with this?

Of course, fucking NOBODY wanted my treats. 

Those pre-tween jerks didn't even know a good thing when it was placed right in front of their picky little faces. And you'd think with a class full of children who had probably all had these items before, they would have been clawing each other's faces off to get seconds. Jerks. Double jerks.

To this day, I still can't believe my south-of-the-border delicacies went unappreciated.

Also, I still LOVE horchata.

Disclaimer: If you have never tried horchata, do NOT buy that crap at the grocery store. Trust me. Go to a legit Mexican restaurant for it. The more "hole-in-the-wall," the better. But if the horchata has cantaloupe and walnuts in it, turn back- you've gone too "hole-in-the-wall."

Read More