12/28/10

Wedding Wednesday {The Best of 2010}

If you’ve stopped by here, really…anytime, in the last 365 days, you probably caught on to the fact that this was the year I got married. The process is an exciting, crazy, fun, overwhelming and extremely joyous experience. At least I feel lucky enough to have felt all of those emotions upon getting engaged and suddenly finding myself faced with this “momentous occasion.”

But as I’ve said before, these days weddings can really be anything your heart desires. And for the event planner in me – this was pure heaven! I could not have had more fun dreaming up such a special experience with the man I chose to spend the rest of my life with. Not to mention playing with dresses, shoes, decor, food, paper, photography and everything in between!

So when looking back through the reams and reams of inspiration, the post below is probably my favorite moment in the whole process. When it had all come together, we were about to take off and anticipation was at its peak. It’s a feeling I hope to hold onto for a very long time.

Best of Wedding Wednesday 2010
It seems a bride’s work, or more accurately, a bride’s brainstorming is never done. Even while I’m packing my bags for Mexico I’m still thinking of fun little details to incorporate into the big day.

Things like gorgeous hand calligraphed menus (those are my actual menus!), beautiful varieties of flowers (I ended up ordering polar star roses, ranunculus, alstroemeria and black calla lilies), fabulous shoes and gorgeous hair accessories make the day that much more personal.

1) Our wedding dinner menu, calligraphy by primele, 2) flowers by unknown, 3) manolos by elizabeth messina, 4)Mandizzle hair flower, 5) bouquet unknown and 6) sign by Tanja Lippert via erin ever after

As it has all come together, I’ve realized that although the wedding details are amazingly fun, what we’re really planning is a moment of private commitment and collective joy. It’s a special time to bring your nearest and dearest closest to you, turn to the person you love most in the entire world and devote your heart and every lasting friendship to him (or her!). It’s an occasion to toast and cheer. It’s the moment when you choose your family. Oh, and you get to put on a seriously rockin’ dress. Does it get any better than that!?

Well, I’ll let you know in a couple of weeks! Thank you to all of my readers for your suggestions, input, advice and support. It means the world. I promise to share all when I return

Wow, it really was quite a ride that we won’t soon forget. As an extra special treat for you, my unbelievably patient readers, here is the very first sneak-peak image of our wedding, shot by the adored Jose Villa!

The rest of the wedding will be revealed at a very special wedding blog very soon. You can also check out our engagement photo session with Jose here. The man does amazing things with a camera!

Finally, I want to say a massive thank you to every reader. Your thoughtful comments, emails, advice and support meant the world. You were such a huge inspiration and often a huge help to me throughout the planning process and it made the whole experience that much more enjoyable.

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Now it’s time to start planning the 1-year anniversary celebration!

*Mrs. E

10 Comments

12/27/10

Tasty Tuesdays {The Best of 2010}

Since launching Tasty Tuesdays last summer, I’ve been thrilled by the response from fellow foodies and I’ve so enjoyed sharing recipes, gorgeous food photos and the random taste treats I find with you.

Good food plays such a significant role in my daily life and I hoped that talking about food on Apartment 34 might inspire others as well.

So when I looked back to pick my favorite tasty post for 2010, I just had to go to where the inspiration all began ~ the experience of eating decadently through our entire European honeymoon. There are so many meals that I still remember vividly – food memories that I hope will last a lifetime.

I hope you’ve found some good recipes, kitchen ideas and maybe even a bit of style inspiration from this series. I plan to find and share even more deliciousness in 2011!

Best of Tasty Tuesday 2010

I talk about a lot of different things I love here – fashion, style, design, decor, travel…but one passion I’ve yet to delve into is…food! I am an out and proud foodie and take this love very very seriously.

It’s gotten to the point where I just had to share some of my favorite eats with you. So I give you a new Apartment 34 feature ~ Tasty Tuesdays! Since talking about food could easily overtake everything here, I knew I had to limit it to just one day a week (at least to start!).

To kick it all off, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite honeymoon meals.

I judge most things by the number of good meals I had, so I made a point to make sure we ate very well throughout our honeymoon travels. Whether it was old Amsterdam cheese, apfelkuchen and beers by the city’s canals, or lovely lunches of polenta with squid ink sauce paired with an excellent Valpolicella in Venice we made sure to savor each and every morsel.

1) tortellini in Borghetto 2) traditional Dutch seafood in a modern way at Spelt 3) Venetian cicheri 4) beet risotto at Spelt 5) polenta with black ink sauce 6) Dutch breakfast at Gartine 7) dessert on the Amsterdam canal 8) black ink spaghetti 9) pumpkin tortellini with amaretti

We tried to sample the local speciality of each city we visited. It ranged from fantastic handmade tortellini outside of Verona, to a beautiful beet risotto (in Amsterdam no less and it was divine!). Feel lucky I didn’t take pictures of every gelateria we sampled because those posts would dominate Tasty Tuesdays for weeks.

Now back at home, I’m still hankering for those amazing dinners. I highly recommend my italian speaking readers check out La Cucina, a stunning italian cooking magazine. Every recipe makes me drool all over my keyboard.

Sunday-Supers, the Brooklyn-based cooking school on which I have the biggest foodie crush, also recently held an all italian dinner with delicious recipes. You can check it out here.

Bon appetito luvies!

*Mrs. E

6 Comments

12/26/10

Monday Work Wear {The Best of 2010}

With how quickly this jam-packed year flew by, for the final week fo 2010 I thought I’d look back over the 365+ posts and pick my very favorites. It’s interesting to look back and see how perspectives, personal tastes and trends evolve (or stay exactly the same) over the course of 12 months!

Throughout the week I’ll be bringing back my top work looks, taste treats, wedding inspiration and crushes. Because when a fresh start presents itself, its wise to remember the old before you start the new.

I hope you enjoy walk down memory lane!

Best of Monday Work Wear 2010
There are definitely some consistencies in my preferred work wardrobe. Menswear, power shoes, a love of Zara, looks that turn heads and makes you feel great at the same time.

But I think the post below, inspired by our honeymoon in Italy, really captures my workwear mantra: make a statement, make a mark, make people stand up and take notice, because really, what’s the point of getting up every Monday and going out into the world other than to make your individual impression on it!

spotted on haute design, images by jak & jil

Original post: These looks spotted during men’s fashion week in Milan are right up my alley. Giovanna is a classic and those shoes – need I say more?! I think my fashion is going to influenced by Italy for quite some time.

I hope you head into the new year ready to make an indelible mark luvies.

Happy last week of 2010!
*Mrs. E