Steph and I had a great time driving around Two Harbors looking for shade and fun places to take pictures. There was also beautiful light coming in the basement window where we took the indoor shots!
If you haven't noticed, I'm obsessed with my adorable Boston Terrier, Candy. My adorable little munchkin is spoiled rotten. For my favorite holiday I made sure my little angel was sporting the lastest Christmas fashions.
I now spend more on Candy's wardrobe than my own...go figure. So without futher adieu... I present Candy's Christmas Collection!
Candy in Mrs. Claus's best dress...thanks Amanda!
Candy in her striped christmas jammies!
Candy sports a super trendy scarf that is sure to keep her warm on cold Minnesota days.
Candy proves Bostons make great additions to Santa's sleigh. Looking super adorable in her reindeer sweater.
There's no chance of Candy getting cold in her adorable winter sweater.
I don't think she's ever looked cuter. Sure to bring cheer with her festive, jingle collar.
It's especially fun to dress up our dogs at Christmas time, isn't it?
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all from the both of us;)
Disclaimer: No Boston's were hurt in the presentation of this collection. She was well fed between costume changes with incentive treats;)
Christmas is nearly here! Last weekend was my xmas party. I'd been planning it for months...literally! I had tons of packaging and decorating supplies. I made the sugar cookies ahead of time so everyone could just enjoy decorating.
I made everyone a little box gift, a little bag full of snacks with bugle santa hats, mm's kissed pretzels and puppie chow!
Then we had mimosas, homemade meatballs (Jordan finally taught me!), cheese & crackers, fruit platter, chips and cheese dip, candy cane jello shots and some more delicious treats!
We had a blast eating, decorating, catching up, taking cute photos and later watching a Christmas classic: Home Alone!
The invites I sent out for my party!
I planned my party for weeks. I had tons of decorating supplies so everyone could make fabulous cookies.
This was before the guests arrived. Kristina helped me setup. Jordan and I often joke about our dollhouse: mini table, furniture, couch, tv stand, xmas tree...you get the idea!
I made candy cane jello shots thtat tasted just like candy canes and were dangerously delicious! Try the recipe here: Candy Cane Jello Shots
Cheers with Jello shots made with peppermint Schnapps, sweetened condensed milk and cherry jello!
The ladies decorating all the sugar cookies I baked. Took care of the easy part so the creativity and fun could abound!
I was so impressed with everyone's adorable cookies. Everyone was so creative. I barely had time to decorate many since I was too busy running around.
Tal's adorable little santa cookie complete with rosy cheeks!
Phalen came up with a cute tagline, "Best dressed cookie!" Me, Natalia, and Kristina all did Christmas dresses. So cute! I think I'm going to make a bunch more I like them so much!
A few of the girls and I had a photoshoot on with the cookies I taught everyone how to make. Candy begged as our feet the entire time!
I hung a bunch of streamers from the deck door and it made the perfect photoshoot backdrop!
Everyone showing off their adorable cookies...except Steph who had already packaged hers.
I gave everyone a cute packaging box with a cookie cutter, kitchen towel and sprinkles. Then I provided a ton of packaging supplies so everyone could package their cookies
I loved these boxes so much that I finally gave in and bought them...in bulk. It was the only way to get them. I got 24!
Everyone had such cute little packaged gifts!
Hope everyone has a very merry little christmas indeed and you all consume lots of delicious treats!
As you may know we were approved for a Boston puppy until we learned our apartment complex didn't allow puppies. I was devastated. I was still hoping somehow we'd be able to get a Boston. They weren't terribly easy to come by on Petfinder, especially since we wanted a female. I wasn't surprised! Who would ever want to give up a Boston?? From what I'd read they were practically the best pet imaginable!
Somewhere along the line, I became OBSESSED with the Boston Terrier. I mean to the point of no return. I know the trigger of course...it was Kevin and Amanda's adorable blog pictures of their two Boston Terriers; I was hooked. I began contacting breeders, researching constantly, looking for every picture and video I could find. If it was Boston related and would fuel my obsession you better believe it was on my radar. I was manifesting this little creature. I had no doubt I would eventually find her...
For months and months I waited in anticipation for the day we could finally get a dog. First we had to wait for our new apartment and then wedding and honeymoon to be over.
Then as if by magic, the day arrived. We had been back from our honeymoon for not even a week when I found her. A sweet little 5 year-old Boston for sale on Oodle. I began a conversation with the owner and a few days later we were headed north for a meet and greet. I was nervous. I wasn't sure if she'd be what we expected, but she sounded perfect. He had too many dogs and needed a little less crazy in his life (I wanted a little of his crazy).
We met her at a park and after a few minutes with her I was sure we wanted her. She was snorting like crazy and hyper and terribly excited to meet us. I had agreed with Jordan that we would let the guy spay her before got her if we wanted her (she was a show dog). But she was so cute and so amazing that we ended up taking her home that day.
There is our angel the first time we met!
It was not even a week with our little munchkin before we had her spayed. She ran around in her cone recovering from her spay and running into things in her attempt to navigate with her expanded head.
There is the poor baby in her cone!
We've had Candy now for close to 4 months and she's the most amazing pet ever! I love her to pieces and my Boston Terrier obsession has grown dramatically. This 15 pound dog has practically turned into my surrogate human child. She goes everywhere with me, even work! Everyday I dress her up in cute little jackets and sweaters and parade her around.
Everything they say about Bostons are true: they fart (a lot and they smell terrible), they snore (so loud I wear earplugs to bed), they are hilarious, they snort, they have lots of energy and they love you so much (Candy follows me everywhere!)
Below I share some of my favorite moments with Candy over the past few months.
Love this picture of Candy!
Candy dressed up as a little duckling. Isn't she cute?
Candy crawling across the floor to try to get her treats!
The little cuddlebug under all the blankets. She loves being under all the covers!
She has no short supply of kisses for her mama!
Grandma gets lots of love too! Isn't this picture precious!?
She certainly loves her daddy too!
Candy had on many layers at Apple Fest in Bayfield and she was still cold! Poor Baby girl.
Ready to attack her peanut butter stick! She sure loves peanut butter...
She was my cutest little baby bee for Halloween. She's suprisingly tolerant of all the outfits I dress her in!
Candy staring at the shadow on the wall. She is obsessed with light and shadows. She loves chasing lasers and flashlights!
Me and my little darling! I love her soooo much!
Are you as obsessed with your pet as me!? Please let me know I am not alone. I'd love to have a few Boston friends for Candy but I know my husband won't allow that for awhile...
Last weekend we got a cat. Candy tries so hard to play with it, but it hasn't quite warmed up to her yet...
If you are thinking of a Boston, do it! They are real characters and super entertaining to have around!
Talk about beautiful places to see before you die! If Italy isn't on your bucket list, it should be! I wanted to hit the coast for this trip to Italy since it was our honeymoon. In the dead of summer the flowers were in full bloom and the sunshine bright as can be. It made for astounding views and pictures!
The amalfi coast was the last leg of our journey. We took a ferri ride to Sorrento and another ferri to Positano. I definitely recommend the ferry. It's a nice breezy trip on the sea and the view coming into Positano is beautiful.
I took this picture high up on the cliff overlooking the town. This view was opposite where we were staying. One of those little windows was ours;)
This was a view of the beach. There were tons of little restaurants along the beach and lots of sunbathers.
We always walked from our hotel down the hill to the center of town and this was one of the houses along the way.
All the buildings were white and the stores full of high end and very EXPENSIVE clothes. They say Positano attracts a lot of starlets. Unfortonutely we didn't see any.
Near our hotel there was a great restaurant with a beautiful view overlooking all of positano.
That was the restaurant and the view, especially at night, was magical.
This was the view off our balcony and nearly the same from the restaurant.
Our hotel view was incredible. We had a beautiful view, wonderful fresh breakfast each morning and at night we'd sit out on the balcony and listen to the music drifting over from the restaurant next door.
This is the beautiful table on our balcony. I love this picture. They sold things like this is in the town.
After a few days in Positano we went to Amalfi for a night. We took the bus along the most spellbinding and incredibly nail-biting trips ever. We were flying around each bend and the view was incredible but unfortunately made me super sick:(
Amalfi was cute. It had some good shopping but I definitely liked Positano better. We stayed at Hotel Amalfi, it was in the center of town without a balcony and very old furniture. I definitely recommend getting a hotel with a balcony overlooking the sea. It's worth the extra buck in Italy. Trust me.
We had delicious bruchetta and drinks overlooking the beach at the restaurant above.
This is the street along the beach in Amalfi.
There I am on the ferry leaving Amalfi.
Be sure to check out the other posts from my honeymoon! Ciao!
I know this post is loooong overdue. If you haven't noticed or are new, I just redesigned my website! I've been working like crazy to get it live! After a crazy past few months of wedding, honeymoon, and a new pup I am finally returning to some sort of normal routine. So here it is: a peek into our wedding day!
It was not the picturesque day every bride dreams of. In fact, it was downright dreary when I awoke and pouring just hours before the early-afternoon ceremony. Fortunately, I had been following the forecast with religious obsession so it didn't come as a complete surprise.
I have to admit...I did have one bridezilla moment while getting ready. The bouquets arrived and I was horrified to see 3 or 4 giant unopened lilies in the center of the bouquet. Of course my logical solution was to snip them out, but my mother strictly forbade it. "Absolutely not!" she said. I got a little testy, stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door. My dad poked his head in the bathroom, "OH! We have a bridezilla," he screeched in exaggerated pleasure. Of course, I snipped those off as soon as my mom walked out the door and my bouquet instantly looked alive.
The ceremony was a small, afternoon occasion at Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors, MN. The ceremony was short and accompanied by beautiful music, following the cermony was a delicious buffet of food, a candy buffet, bubbles, a photo booth, and social affair!
Then we took off to Italy (speaking of which I still need to post our adventures on the Amalfi Coast). Here are a few of my favorite pics from the wedding!
Me in my dress! Took forever to came (that's) another story. But I love that it's short!
Here we are nearly at the end of Cinque Terre stay and I have two villages you have yet to see: Vernazza & Corniglia. Vernazza was hit by a incredible flooding just over a year ago and is still working to repair the damage. Vernazza is seaside and Corniglia sits 382 steps above the train station.
I like Corniglia more than Vernazza, but Vernazza is still recovering from flood damage. If you ever go to Italy I strongly recommend you visit the Cinque Terre. I have talked to many people who have deemed Cinque Terre their favorite visit in Italy and I'd tend to agree. It was beautiful, rustic, and majestic. Although summer is hot, you get to see everything in its vibrant color and full bloom (which also makes for great pictures).
In the bay just beyond the depth of this photo there were huge cranes removing stuff from the flood damage in the water.
Video showing the flooding less than an a year earlier.
City of Vernazza
Buildings in Vernazza.
Poster showing damage of flooding to Vernazza.
And so we began the many many steps upward to the hilltop town of Corniglia. It was a sweltering day, but there was only one other way up: crammed in a van of tourits-no thanks!
Plus...I wasn't about to miss the killer views!
I mean look at it! Everything in bloom, blazing sun with not a cloud in the sky!
When we finally made it to the top, we took a winding road to more incredible views. Past this little grape vineyard and on to a delicious lunch.
This is where we ate lunch. I had delicious fresh bruchetta and a fresh fruit salad. We enjoyed lots of water and an incredible view of the sea and surrounding gardens.
We took a stroll through the city as well.
Stay tuned for our visit to the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy!
The day after our arrival in Cinque Terre we begin exploring the five villages by train and foot. On our list the biggest and most touristic: Monterosso. Unlike many of the other villages whose steep rocks lead down to a row of boats, Monterrosso is covered in beach umbrellas and overwraught with beach bums.
We walk around in the blazing heat (not enjoying the beach as this is a foreign concept to Jordan), stop in and out of shops and stop for afternoon cocktails overlooking the beach.
Isn't it lovely? So colorful and picturesque!
We kept seeing cats basking in the sun. Jordan loves cats, but I'm allergic so he tends to gravitate towards the strays.
Lemons everywhere in Italy. They are famous for Limoncello!
View from where we had afternoon cocktails.
Unfortunately I don't have a great video, but this will give a glimpse of Monterosso. More live music! Hope you enjoyed my picture journal of Monterosso, Cinque Terre's northernest village!
I'm back with the 4th installment of the honeymoon and our second day in Cinque Terre-5 charming little coastal villages in Northern Italy. Today I shall take you on a walk to Riomaggiore from Manarola, its sister village and the town we stayed in.
There are five villages in the Cinque Terre and they are connected by short 5 minute train rides and hiking trails.
This was deemed the easiest, shortest walk (20 mins) (and one of the few coastal ones) and since it was blazing hot and we aren't hikers we took this as our cue.
This was looking back at Manarola (the beginning of our walk) I drew a little arrow so you can see where our room was in Manarola.
We woke up earlier to get the walk in and beat the heat and the crowds.
The water was a beautiful blend of blue and turquise. There we are on the trail!
The vegetation was lush and beautiful.
This walk was called Via Dell'Amore (street of love). People chained locks with inscriptions on a fence near the beginning and on the cliffside. Lovers names inscribed on the cactus, the rocks, and the walls of the the tunnel.
A man was playing music in the tunnel. This is exactly how I envisioned Italy.
I believe there is some saying that if you put your lock up on this walk your love will last forever. We didn't have a lock. Hopefully this isn't a bad omen.
The views were stunningly beautiful.
The trail dramatically overlooks the sea.
We made it to Riomaggiore. The first town when arriving from the south.
LIttle stores like this were eveywhere in Cinque Terre. We'd often stop in for fruit or just to browse.
This village was darling. LIttle boats to take out the tourists or go fishing.
I was falling more and more in love with Cinque Terre and I still had only visited 2 of the 5 villages! Stay tuned for more of Cinque Terre.
After a few hot days in Naples I am looking forward to the seaside towns in Northern Italy. My sister and cousin had both traveled to Italy and raved about Cinque Terre. I can see why and you will too. We take a train north to Rome and then to La Spetzia totaling around 5 hours of travel. The scenery is beautiful, but the second train is HOT.
Our train arrives an hour later that it says to La Spetzia. Fortunately, the tickets to Manarola (where we are staying) are only 4E for both of us and takes us only 10 minutes. However, we are extremely confused about how to get to the proper platform and no one really speaks much English to assist. This is where I wish I spent longer on my Italian Train Station Chapter.
We are out of breath, hot as hell and heaving from the weight of our luggage by the time we board the train for Manarola, but we are pretty certain we've boarded the right train and we are almost to our destination.
Jordan on the way to Northern Italy
First Class to Rome (then 2nd class) and it was hot.
Upon arriving in Cinque Terre I am taken away by how beautiful it is. Tiny colored houses dot steep cliffs that fall sharply to the clear blue sea. Flowers are in full bloom and make the views especially stunning. I feel like we've gone back in time. The hoards of people fall away to cobbled streets and tiny houses and shops then have a rustic, authentic feel I marvel in.
Now our challenge remains: find the room we are staying in which appears to be located at the end of a very steep incline, luckily with no steps.
We stay in Manarola where we rent a room called Vandairis. The room itself is simple, clean and unadorned. But the view is beautiful and the town adorable.
View from our Balcony in Manarola Room Rent
The view just outside the place we were staying.
Me at Dinner in Manarola the first night. It was a long day of travel and nice to relax.
We had so much fun exploring the villages, buying cheeses and wine from the local store and eating it on the balcony.
Breakfast in the sunshine.
We walked along the side of the cliff and there were beautiful views of cliffs and the village.
Me and Jordan overlooking Manarola.
Stay tuned to see pics and adventures of the other villages in Cinque Terre. They were all amazing:)
I return for the next chapter of our amazing honeymoon. As you may have read in my previous post our first stop was Naples, Italy. As I mentioned before Naples had some of the best food in Italy and it was cheap. We would get two bottles of house wine, a seafood salad appetizer, bottle of water, two entrees and dessert for around 30E. This was at our spot. On our second day in Italy we went to the train station to buy tickets to Cinque Terre. On our way back we were invited for lunch at a little restaurant on the strip back. We were hot and hungry and couldn't say no.
I return for the next chapter of our amazing honeymoon. As you may have read in my previous post our first stop was Naples, Italy. As I mentioned before Naples had some of the best food in Italy and it was cheap. We would get two bottles of house wine, a seafood salad appetizer, bottle of water, two entrees and dessert for around 30E. This was at our spot. On our second day in Italy we went to the train station to buy tickets to Cinque Terre. On our way back we were invited for lunch at a little restaurant on the strip back. We were hot and hungry and couldn't say no.
This turned out to be the best food we had. I think we went back on 4 or 5 separate occasions. Basically almost all our meals in Naples were had at this little place called, 'Iris.' If you're ever in Naples I strongly recommend it. We got to practice our Italian, little phrases like "the check please" or "a bottle of house white," were quite thrilling and terrifying experiences. Usually they understood what we meant, but they'd help us pronounce it when we totally butchered it.
That was my first meal at our hot spot. Spaghetti Pomodoro. I tried recreating it when I got back, but It didn't even come close to the deliciousness.
When I first order this dish they accidentally drop mine and the waiter comes out with a seafood salad, full of octapus, shrimp, mussels, etc. Well anyone who knows me, knows that I detest seafood. As Jordan's eyes light up I try desparately to hide my horror. How will I politely refrain from eating this generous offering? "You have to eat it!" Jordan hisses under his breath. I cut off the tiniest bit of white rubber and swallow it with water. The waiter then sees I don't like it and hands it to the much delighted, Jordan. Then he brings me eggplant. I really would have been fine waiting for my spaghetti. It was delish!
We wandered the streets, looking in the cheap shops and catching a glimpse of how people lived here. Little stores and carts selling fruit and vegetables in Italy are abundant and we often took advantage.
Market in Italy. The streets are full of outdoor markets, wares for sale, etc.
Market in Italy. I should have bought some things, but didn't.
Everyone hung out there clothes to dry on their tiny balconies. We'd often see someone lowering a basket to get a pack of cigarettes or alcohol.
Entrance and view just outside our hotel.
This is the courtyard at our hotel in Naples. Very relaxing and a way to escape some of the heat and drink a cocktail. This is the same hotel we stayed in the whole time we were in Naples. We were there on three separate occasions. It served as our home base between our coastal trips.
One of many delicious meals at our fav restaurant in Naples. This cheese tortellini was so delicious and the cream sauce was light and flavorful.
Guess who's meal this was? Definitely Jordan's.
One of the servers saw me eyeing the dessert case on my way to the restroom. He encouraged me to get one. I pointed at the chocolate cake and he shakes his head, lemon cake. With strawberries? I ask. He nods and brings it to my table. OMG is it heavenly.
It had this amazingly light whipped cream frosting and lemon curd in the middle. Jordan made me eat the whole thing myself since he'd gorged himself on dinner.
Wearing one of the new dresses I bought in Naples for 15E. Everything was on sale that Friday!
I hope you had a good time following some our adventures in Naples. Next up: Cinque Terre. It is beautiful and you aren't going to want to miss it!
So much has happened in the past month. We moved into our new place. Jordan and were married a few weeks ago. I thought the day would never come...but more on that when our wedding pictures are ready. We moved into a new apartment a month ago and yesterday we adopted our dream dog (well mostly mine) a Boston Terrier named Candy. I can't wait to share pictures from the wedding, the new apartment and our sweetest little girl Candy, but I'll start with the first leg of our honeymoon.
Italy has been a dream vacation of mine for many, many years. I really wasn't sure when it would manifest but I thought what other perfect time than on our honeymoon and so the planning began. We were set to leave just two days after the wedding. Our tickets weren't cheap given that we were flying in prime tourist season: late June & July, but I was determined to have the Honeymoon adjacent to the Wedding.
That's us waiting for our plane to leave Minneapolis.
We flew into Naples and to my complete horror and dismay my suitcase never came down the carousel. I kept staring at the belt, praying and willing for it to magically tumble onto the belt, but I was not obliged. I was almost in tears. We didn't speak any more than a few Italian phrases and I had no idea where to report my missing luggage. Worst of all I looked like a total tourist in jeans and running sneakers (which I'd worn to save space in my suitcase, but it was blazing hot). We finally filed a report and with only Jordan's luggage in toe, we caught a cab to our hotel: Palazzo Caracciolo Napoli - MGallery Collection.
On our ride to the hotel I was snapping photos out the window, tired from a long flight, but surprisingly alert.
Snapshot of Naples City Street from Cab
My first impression of Naples was that it was hot and I was terribly overdressed. My second was that it was rundown, dirty and that the garbage problem I'd read about was very real. I was nervous about having planned our first destination on a romantic honeymoon in a hot, messy city, but it was only the first day and our trip wasn't primarily planned for Naples.
However our hotel was beautiful. The rooms looked exactly like the pictures, were blasting with AC, had enormous ceilings, a balcony and the most amazingly plush beds.
Beautiful ceilings and simple, classy decor. View from Balcony looking in.
There I am shortly after arriving in Naples. By some miracle I had packed a few articles of clothing in Jordan's suitcase.
Our rooms just behind Jordan.
We spent the day exploring Naples and getting lost. The hotel had provided us a map, but we were so turned around in the streets and for some reason Jordan had decided to wear pants. It was sweltering hot. I'm talking ungoldly hot. Jordan was sweating profusely and his fingers started to swell. We tried to find our way back to the room with no success.
After many, many wrong turns I was sure I had booked us the honeymoon from hell and Jordan was going to hate me forever for not taking him to a tropical island. I knew this was not completely true since he's much more carefree than I am, but I was worried just the same. Of course this was an intense overreaction on my part... as usual.
Church in Naples Italy
Typical Street in Naples Italy.
A few things we learned quickly about Naples:
They don't know english (except at our hotel), so we got to practice our terrible Italian
They cart their whole family around on mopeds
They rarely obey or adhere to traffic rules and never yield to pedestrians
Naples had the best food of any place on our trip (and the cheapest)
They really do have the best pizza
It does indeed have a big garbage problem (but it doesn't smell)
It is hot, really, really hot.
There isn't much greenery, but the locals have really learned how to use the real estate. Old men sit on corners conversing, people play card games on the street, gather to watch the soccer finals outside cafes, a father races his son down the street, young boys kick around a ball on the main street.
We had dinner our first night at a little pizza place a few blocks from our hotel. It was cheap, full of delicious olive oil, fresh cheese and quite delicious.
What a wonderful weekend! I took Friday off and Kristina and I headed up north for a relaxing day before my wedding shower the next day. My aunt Robby threw me a wedding shower with the family. Lots of food, family, games and presents! It was nice to have a party completely dedicated to me. I felt like a 10 year old at my birthday party:) Thanks to all who were involved!
I also got great news this weekend. Jordan and I have been approved for a Boston Terrier puppy. I have been wanting one forever, now we just have to wait a few months until our little Shrimpy arrives.
I wasn't going to make anything, given that it was my shower in all, but I couldn't resist the urge to make these little treats as take-home favors.
My wedding shower favors. I took some decorative wax paper and cut rectangles for the bottom. Then I used a 3M tip to create theis lovely decorative icing on red velvet sugar cookies.
Add a few strawberries and tie with ribbon for a delicious take away.
My aunt planned a delicious taco bar, there were also mini cheesecakes, pie and mini red velvet cupcakes!
My grandma's & cousin's son Oliver. My grandma's name is Olive;)
Then all of my cousins and I had a photoshoot...the theme? Bright colors and candy!
Jordan and I went up north for Easter. I hadn't been home since February so I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home. I spent most of my time relaxing and researching Boston Terriers since we have decided to get a puppy. I'm so excited! We also went up the shore to revisit the wedding site and have lunch. Then we had a nice simple brunch this morning before returning to the cities.
Jordan and I went up north for Easter. I hadn't been home since February so I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home. I spent most of my time relaxing and researching Boston Terriers since we have decided to get a puppy. I'm so excited! We also went up the shore to revisit the wedding site and have lunch. Then we had a nice simple brunch this morning before returning to the cities.
Kristina and Anchie Bear
Dad with his girls..Angela (25) & Kristina (21, nearly 22)
Kristina & I with Grandma Olive
Kristina and I were play fighting over our picture with Ancha.
Jordan and I
Grandma made Kristina this adorable reversible apron for her silent auction fundraiser.
This is the other side. Isn't it darling???
Easter brunch: fruit, eggs, homemade caramel rolls & orange juice with fresh blended banana.
My family making really creepy face on accident.
Want to make these caramel rolls for yourself? My mom has been making them for years and they are simple and delicious!
As many of you know, I'm getting married in June. Lot's of planning has been done and most of the big things are taken care of. We're having a small outdoor ceremony with music by my musician friends Ida Jo & Scott Lamps. My cousins are singing one of my favorite songs and then we will have a delicious feast. The wedding is at a state park on Lake Superior and so is the reception. Photo booth, food, cake, photo booth, candy buffet and beautiful scenery. It should be a very special day indeed:)
As many of you know, I'm getting married in June. Lot's of planning has been done and most of the big things are taken care of. We're having a small outdoor ceremony with music by my musician friends Ida Jo & Scott Lamps. My cousins are singing one of my favorite songs and then we will have a delicious feast. The wedding is at a state park on Lake Superior and so is the reception. Photo booth, food, cake, photo booth, candy buffet and beautiful scenery. It should be a very special day indeed:)
Check out a preview of the talented Ida & Scott below or at Idajo.com
I handmade all our invites. The cards are tiny so I didn't have to fill too much space. I used wallet prints, a strip of ribbon and compiled the flower using glitter spray, and black stick-ons.
Then I bought an invite stamp from Michael's, stamped all the backs & wrote out all the information on the back with a calligraphy pen. Luckily I'm having a small wedding (family and close friends) so it wasn't too many (about 45 invites).
Love my custom stamps from zazzle.com. Aren't they cute?! They came out perfectly!
Cranking out the invites on the first weekend. I adhered the picture and ribbon with double-sided photo-safe tape and the the flower with glue.
I had all my supplies perfectly organized at first...it didn't last long.
Luckily I had some helping addressing the envelopes from my mother and stamping the invites from Jordan. Kristina and Jordan helped me pick out supplies and Kristina assembled my flowers!
The process took several weekends. One weekend I went up and my mom helped me address all the invites.
I hope all the relatives out west get this before I post it today, but if not it should only be another day or two and I'm impatient:) I created a little website for more details and for people to rsvp. I enjoy watching my email notifications of the attendees!
Supplies
Celebrate It Basic Basic Ribbon (B&W frill design) from Michaels
Yours Truly Flat Notes 3 1/2" x 4 7/8" in Eco White from Archivers ($3.99/pack of 10)
Yours Truly Envelopes (packs of 10) 3 5/8" x 5 1/8" in Metallic Opal from Archivers
Wallet Prints from Shutterfly ($30 for 50)
Crystal Stickers Pearls in Dark Grey from Archivers
Prim French Vanilla Paper Flowers (packs of 10) from Archivers
Glimmer Mist (white, spritz on paper flowers) in white from Archivers
Recollections You're Invited Stamp from Michaels (about $10)
Custom Stamps from zazzle.com sheets of 20 ($20 each)
Doodles "You're Invited" Cardstock Stickers (set of 5) from Archivers ($1.49 each)
My mom has been helping me coordinate a menu with Red Swan Catering over the past month or so. Our selections sounded delicious but I wasn't about to blindly accept a delicious sounding menu without sampling the food first.
So we were able to arrange a taste testing session at Clearwater Grille (a castle on the North Shore between Duluth and Two Harbors) to feel confident in our menu. Jordan is a heavy food critic so I hoped it would live up to his expectations. It sure did. The food was delicious. If you're looking for a caterer in the Duluth/Two Harbors area I would definitely recommend them. The taste testing quartet consisted of myself, my mom, my dad, and Jordan.
I'd visited Clearwater Grille (formally known as Lakeview Castle) on special occasions growing up, but I failed to remember the ornate paintings on the wall. Molly served us several courses of samplings describing each entree or dish as she presented it to us. It was a great little experience.
Some of the beautiful details on the wall. The garden path is actually on second wall behind the doorway leading to bathrooms.
My Dad
Family Taste Testing
Jordan eagerily anticipating tasting the menu.
Italian Pasta Salad
The fun thing about the taste testing session was that Molly cooked us samples not only of the items we had on our tentative menu, but other items she thought we might like as well. And we did. Here we tried chicken skewers and pig wings.
Pig wings weren't on our original menu. I don't like pork, but once Jordan tried these he couldn't talk about anything else. He was so excited about this deep fried "treasure" that we ended up adding it to our menu. My mom and dad liked them too. I even tried them and they were good; I just don't like eating pork or deep fried meat. These wings were marinated in a korean bbq sauce and deep fried to make it crispy on the edges.
Salmon Canapes- another item not previously part of the menu and now an h'orderve at the wedding. I don't like fish, but everyone else tried them and loved them. Gosh, I'm picky. A little biscuit, covered with a dill cream cheese spread, topped with a bit of fresh salmon & garnished with sprig of fresh dill.
I was unsure of adding this Mandarin Chicken Salad to the menu because I don't really like cold, mayo-based pasta salads, but this was really good!
We tried these excellent swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes. We already had these on the menu and they were definitely staying on.
First we tried vanilla cupcakes with Buttercream and white chocolate buttercream. This was originally the type of cake we were thinking of having.
We settled on a red velvet cake with raspberry mousse and buttercream frosting. It was delicious and goes with our color scheme. The cake will be piled in fresh raspberries. I'm excited.
The taste testing and planning was really fun and delicious. We have a wonderful, full menu including most of the items above with the addition of fruits and vegetables. If you're invited; you'll have a wonderful array of food to sample & devour;)
I love Madison. It's an adorable city in Wisconsin home to the badger's, a cute little downtown shopping area, fun little bars & restaurants (the capital) and of course my good friend Ida. My friend Hanna and I visit her a few times a year for a fun little girl's weekend where we shop, gossip, cook, & explore the city. This weekend we planned a weekend of making valentines, sugar cookies, and watching cheesy chick flicks like The Vow.
The girls were really excited about being guest bakers on my blog. Crafting typically isn't their thing so they were excited for a change in pace. In our exchanges prior to the roadtrip from Minneapolis Ida said, "I hope we can make a guest appearance on you blog, Angela, but I don't know! That seems like a big step for Hanna and me!" Well here they are!
We started out Saturday with this hearty breakfast. I love this table! I want a little rustic table just like it for photography.
Ida and her boyfriend Scott are musicians. Scott greeted us with some lovely melodies in the morning.
Ida and Scott write their own music and will be playing at my wedding:)
All my valentine's cookie supplies assembled and ready to decorate!
Hanna and Ida mixing up our double batch of dough. It was hard work! I'm glad I had my assistant bakers to create the delicious cookies!
Isn't Ida's kitchen cute? They have all their spices, flour, grains, sugars in little jars lining open cabinets.
I asked Ida if she owned a mixer...this is what she had...ha not sure how old it is but it did the trick.
Inbetween cookies we started making valentines!
Here's Jordan's card I made! (I've banned him from viewing my card until after Vday; I hope he listens;))
Ida and I decorating cookies while her husky begs for a scrap!
Hanna's only decorating attempt.
We made a lot of cookies!
And put them in cute packaging!
This morning I awoke to a city frosted and glittering in blanc and drove to a little place in St. Paul called 'Granny Donuts.' The place was small and packed with eager individuals squeezed in a circle around the store waiting to claim their bag of fresh donuts from St. Paul's best. I was among them. Surging steadily ahead, ticking of my 1/2 dozen selection in my head.
A darling chinese couple own the little shop. The wife takes orders while her husband brings forth fresh pans of donuts to the case in the front. I order a glazed, glaze twist, chocolate raised, sugar raised, raspberry filled, and french cruller. The woman rounds it up to $5 (+0.25) & tosses in another, virtually free, donut.
I was on a mission to surprise Jordan this morning with coffee & donuts. He has been talking about finding a real donut shop in the cities. Mission accomplished. These are divine. Visit them here.
Look at the grease! You can't find anything that succelent & delicious at the gas station!
This little bag of scrumptious donuts made my car smell heavenly. By the time I had acquired coffee from starbucks I was practically floating in the aroma.
Jordan & I fluttered in and out of the fun little shops in uptown including: Paper Source, Penzey's Spices, Kitchen Window and Crate & Barrel's funky new sister store: CB2. The store was fresh, modern, quirky. I discovered a few cute finds. I did not purchase them...yet. This adorable plate was one of them.
A little industrial, not usually my style but I love this vanity. Just not the price tag;)
This is the most comfy couch! But it's $1300:( It's low to the ground. We also discoverd a low bed frame. I'm thinking we're building a house for small people. Jordan has a mustache. It's apparently his first one & he wore the top had to "complete the look." Haha.
Look at this fun plate! It's dry-erase. Jordan used it to make the delicious, easy lunch below.
Salad greens tossed in lime juice & olive oil & sprinkled with mozzarella & chopped spring onions. Fresh, pre-seasoned herb butter chicken breasts from Target that Jordan marinated with a mix of olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked paprika, adobo, salt, & a little lime. Mmmm, delicious!
I bought these labels at Paper Source & stamped/embossed them. Cute huh? I put them on clear plastic bags. Stay tuned! I will be making cute little Valentine's Day treats with them.
Jordan and I will continue our Saturday adventure with dinner & a movie tonight! Have a great Saturday!
Buttercream frosting is my favorite. In fact I've altered a basic buttercream frosting to be my go-to, fail proof cupcake topper every time. The great thing about this base is it's easy to modify the flavor with a few tsps of one of the ingredients below. It's great on its own too (just add a few tsps of milk)!
I've come up with this list to show you 10 easy peasy ways I dress up my frosting flavor for vanilla based cupcakes. A lot of these I even add to the cupcake batter! Try one or a combination of the following flavoring agents in your next batch of frosting.
What I'm presenting here is not a cupcake decoration. It is a list of the little ingredients you may already have on hand to add a little something extra! I recommend slowly adding teaspoons of flavor to your frosting until you've reached the desired taste and consistency. If you accidentally add too much liquid, add in more powdered sugar. If you are adding a dry flavoring, you may want to add in a few tsps of milk depending on the consistency you desire.
Measurements are approximate and will depend on the whether you are looking for a subtle or stronger flavor. Experiment! There is no limit to the combinations you can create
Me, cook? I know it's practically unheard of. Let me clarify something right off the bat here: I consider baking and cooking two very separate activities. I bake multiple times a week. But cook? No, Jordan does that (and a marvelous chef he is). The last time I really cooked anything was in August on the night of our engagement. Of course I didn't know I was getting engaged, but I had an inkling because Jordan is terrible at secrets! Honestly if Jordan or Kristina don't cook I turn to the easiest dinner solution: a bowl of cereal.
I decided to turn the tables this weekend and treat Jordan to something other than pie and cookies. I started stumbling until I found this delicious and simple looking meal. I adapted it as I pleased and it resulted in a deliciously simple meal. The original stromboli can be found on Pip and Ebby.
Ingredients
1/4 c. sun-dried tomato spread
1/4 c. basil spread
1 clove garlic
dash salt
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 c. - 1 c. of fresh spinach chopped
1 tomato (sliced)
6 slices provolone cheese
1/3 c. mozzarella cheese
1 14 oz. can pillsbury pizza crust
1 egg (beaten)
parmesan (optional, for sprinkly on crust)
prosciutto (optional)
Step 1 – Combine sun dried tomato spread with basil spread, olive oil, salt, and garlic.
Step 2 – Spread tomato sauce over dough (leaving an inch on outsides)
Step 3 – Coat sauce with 6 slices of provolone cheese.
Step 4 – Add Sliced tomatoes
Step 5 – Add sliced spinach
Step 6 – Add mozzarella
Step 7 – Fold in sides
Step 8 – Roll up tightly and brush sealed edge and entire crust with beaten egg. Bake in oven @ 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Slice into 1-2 inch wedges and enjoy.
I gave Jordan some raw prosciutto to wrap around it which was very good as well!
Yesterday I made the classic mistake of deciding to bake after driving back from my parents house (3 hour drive). Why is this a mistake you ask? Well, I expect to relax a few hours before the weekend comes to a close and baking something new runs the risk of a mess and possible disaster. So optimistic aren't I?
I decided to run with it, setting my sights on using the pie pocket tool I'd picked up from Target this Fall to make Berry Peach Pie Pockets. To be honest, I expected this to go quite smoothly. I used to work at a pie shop and I've baked pies dozens of times. I'm good at it...and I love it.
You'll imagine my surprise then when all things went terribly wrong. The pie crust stuck to the pie pocket press and the berry mix oozed out the sides. Next, I made my assembly into a mini pie. This went rather well, but I realized I'd be up all night baking in order to make that many mini pies.
In addition to this, I was trying to setup my tripod and camera in a miserably dark room. I had more success photographing the bag of frozen berries than the pie itself. I decided to move my "portable lighting studio" into the kitchen where I'd installed brighter bulbs. In conjunction with my portable light I was certain I had discovered the recipe for better pictures. Boy was I wrong! The second I had setup my arrangement and turned on the light, the bulb burst forth from its socket shattering into a million pieces spewing across the entire kitchen and into the neighboring bathroom and hallway. It made a terrible commotion, as did my shock and subsequent horror.
I had already piled the kitchen high with failed versions of my pie and unnatural layers of flour. Now I had added a carpet of blue glass to the equation. I'm just happy I wasn't facing the light.
The good news? I was able to salvage my pie. I made Blackberry, Strawberry, Raspberry-Peach Pie Cobbler minus the cobble (to be fair they are technically pie bars). They are yummy despite the battle to produce them. Aw! The marvelous adventures in Angela's kitchen.
Excuse the terrible pictures. Kristina decided I hadn't included enough crust (her fav part) so she decided to make her own mini pie crusts with a drizzle of filling. As you can imagine these were not edible.
Want to make this pie for yourself? I promise it's not really as dramatic a process as I've outlined above;)
Use my recipe here, but instead of the fruit, substitute a 16oz bag of frozen fruit (shown above from Target) and 1 c. frozen raspberries. Happy Baking!
Over the past year I've realized there are three types of dessert lovers....or perhaps more. I happen to live with two of them and have occasionally come across the rare third.
Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniac - This person loves sweets! I mean seriously if you put a pan of cookies in front of them and give them permission to "help themselves," they eat ALL of them (probably even if they aren't given permission). The announcement of sweets has them running. I've noticed this many times at work. When I send out emails at work announcing the arrival of my baked goods I watch hoards of "these people" racing to the kitchen for a taste. This is the definition of my fiance, Jordan. He eats everything in copious quantities and loves it. It makes me feel good. I know when I can't please Kristina, Jordan will happily gobble up anything and offer up honest praise.
Uber Picky Dessert Lover - This person loves sweets...but only SPECIFIC sweets. They have a love/hate relationship with chocolate and candy. This person has very specific needs and when those needs are fulfilled they too turn into the "Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniac" devouring everything in sight. This is where this person may follow two different paths.
In the case of my sister, Kristina, this person despises everything failing to match her idealized dessert. She scoffs at cheesecake and questions my state of mind when she comes home to chocolate cake. How about when I leave out frosted sugar cookies? She eats every last one of them....
As for me? Fortunately, if I like something enough to turn into the "Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniac," I can usually get it out of the house before I make too much of a dent. Thank god for hungry nerds! I'm not overly picky, but I like to sample, rather than devour everything in sight.
Dessert Hater/Obstainer with Questionable Motives – For the life of me, I cannot understand this one. I really don't think this person legitimately dislikes desserts, although they often claim to. I think it's probably easier for this person to feign dislike then to admit their obsession. This person either hates desserts or has made a conscious decision not to eat them. Of course these decisions rarely last long; it's hard to resist an innately human desire.
In the end, I think we are all "Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniacs" openly embracing our love of sugar or dying to be set free.
There are my two crazy dessert lovers on opposite ends of the spectrum.
A few days ago Kristina decides to place herself in charge of finding the next recipe for me to bake. She shows me her laptop which is full of images of delicious looking desserts. "All this stuff on her site looks so good!" she breathes. "I don't think they are hers; I think they are photos of desserts from other sites." Kristina appears sparked, "Oh maybe these are all the things she wants to eat! I should get one of those...a request blog!" I laugh, so typical.
She finally decides on tiramisu which both her and Jordan have been begging of me for many months now. Would you believe I've never had tiramisu? Yesterday we begin to put our plan into action.
We have three strikes against us from the very beginning:
We live in America.
We are unable to find ladyfingers. We find some cheap second that tastes like gingerbread cookies and are made in the one of the most European cities in America: San Fran. (For the record: we only looked at Target)
The recipe is in metric and Kristina converts it.
We don't have castor sugar (apparently there is hot debate on the internet over whether castor sugar == granulated sugar). It appears it doesn't, but we use it anyways.
Okay so maybe that's 4. Kristina was searching for the most authentic recipe. She studied in Italy where she claims to have eaten tiramisu on a daily basis. The recipe has extensive background on tiramisu and even says, "serve, arrogant with the knowledge that your tiramisu is the canonical exemplar from which all pale imitations stem." Which unfortunately is not something we can claim with our deflated knock-off (it tasted like chocolate coffee). Better luck next time. Anybody know where I can buy ladyfingers?
Our Silly little gingerbread cookies. The package said they were served on planes (same as ladyfingers). Kristina said they looked kinda like the pics of ladyfingers...until we opened the package.
Kristina spread the cream with such care. I commented on her patience. "Normally I wouldn't do this," She explains. But I have interest in the success of this dessert. A lot of interest."
After claiming the tiramisu tasted "like nothing" Kristina proceeds to eat it directly out of the pan
as a midnight snack.
On our second day in Bayfield we spend the better part of the morning deciding (and by better I mean 15 minutes) between a ferry ride to Madeline Island, where given it is New Year's Day, will likely to be ghost town and where we may or may not require a car to see anything outside of town. Not to mention the Ferry is on a very limited schedule for the holiday. It seems only natural we choose the Apostle Islands self-guided trek through the wilderness.
We bundle up and stop for a hearty breakfast at the Egg Toss before driving 15 miles out of town to Meyers Road where apparently we can catch a glimpse of the Sea Caves (even though the ice has yet to freeze).
Upon making the turn down the unplowed road towards the lake Jordan asks, "Do you think we're going to get stuck?"
"No, I have a shovel," I answer matter-of-factly, as though the shovel is some kind of universal tool providing relief from any potential mishaps...
We venture down to the beach where the wind is howling and whipping something fierce. It is cold. Frigidly cold.
We decide to take the 1.8 mile hike to the sea caves. When I say "we" I clearly mean I. Jordan graciously follows suit. This may seem unimpressive, but for a largely inactive couple who spends the bulk of their time baking, cooking and parked in front of the tv, this is no small feat you must imagine. (Granted I'm only half serious.)
Jordan is wearing shoes. Flat, tractionless Converse sneakers and we are hiking into a forest covered in fresh snow. But this is Jordan. Claiming his feet are somekind of anomalous extension to his legs, immune to the cold. I have my pack boots; I'm good.
The trees block most of the wind as the trail winds inward. A good pass behind me is Jordan (slipping and sliding down the embankments). When I think we must be nearing the outlook we reach an opening in the trail informing us it's still another 1.1 miles to our destination.
"Are you going to make it?" I ask Jordan who suddenly realizes it'll be another 2 miles back. "Hopefully," he says smiling. "I don't want you to get frostbite in my quest to see the sea caves," I say.
We make it. It is fiercely windy by the edge and I am mildly concerned I might be blown to sea as I clutch to a spindly looking tree while snapping pictures.
By the end of our hike, most of the oxygen must have escaped my brain and the cold numbed my senses because I gun my car over a concrete parking divider. I instantly enter into a state of panic upon realizing the front tires are wedged between two concrete slabs (not budging) in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. It is ironic we find ourselves in a predicament to which the glorified shovel will provide zero assistance.
We somehow gun it back off (or more accurately: Jordan does), freeing ourselves from a potentially embarassing and costly situation. It is not the first time (nor probably the last) I've ran over or into inanimate objects in parking lots.
Overall, it is about a 2 hour hike, but the fresh air feels good. I don't hike much, but I'd like to start. Before that can happen though, I think Jordan will need to invest in a pair of boots.
Converse vs. Columbia. I'll let you guess whose feet stayed warmest:) (this was after a full day of drying out his shoes)
For Jordan's Christmas present I reserved a room in Bayfield for two nights at the Bayfield Inn for us over New Years. We love getaways. The last time I was in Bayfield was October 2010 for AppleFest. It was a beautiful fall day and the town was packed with people; I mean seriously there were wall-to-wall people in this tiny little town. Fall is a beautiful time to come too!
We took the scenic route to Bayfield from St. Paul. A lot of little towns and the drive is mostly through the countryside.
Bayfield has a population of 611 people and is right on the shores of Lake Superior. It is a darling little town with cute Victorian homes, a beautiful little marina and fun little restaurants and gift shops to explore.
Ferry rides take visitors to Madeline Island. Cruises tour the area in the summer months. We didn't go but I've been there as a kid.
We loved our room. It was a King Jacuzzi Suite overlooking Lake Superior. The great thing about coming over the winter is that you are in the off-season and rooms are less expensive. However a lot of stores and restaurants are closed during the winter.
The Bayfield Inn is so cute! Yellow walls, and restored heritage photos from around the area make it a warm and cozy stay.
We have a wonderfully comfortable bed, nice jacuzzi tub, a gas fireplace and amazing view of Bayfield Bay.
This the view just beyond our hotel room. I love small towns because you can walk to most of your destinations. We walked to dinner and lunch, gift shops and views of the bay. I think this quiet little sea town has something to offer any time of year.
After a little meandering around town yesterday I thought I'd booked us a stay in a darling little fishing town whose restaurants were all closed for the winter. Most cafes we strolled past had signs in the window that read, "Closed for the season."
I was scared. Jordan LOVES food. I didn't rent us a condo with a kitchen. I was counting on us going out to eat. We had started a discussion around a backup plan that involved getting cold cuts from the IGA down the street. I was sure Jordan wouldn't like Bayfield if it meant eating cold cuts from the room.
Luckily the front-desk steered us toward's Maggies. I could tell Jordan was a little apprensive about this place too. It was pink. Bright pink with yellow trim.
We were plesantly surprised by a delightful hometown restaurant bubbling with island decor...more specifically an abundance of quirky little flamingo souvenirs and multicolored christmas lights.
We enjoyed an evening in the room with cheap wine and a little detour to the hotel's bar. The snow was falling heavily and Jordan was schmoozing with the local legends. It was a nice way to ring in 2012! Happy New Year all! Stay tuned for our adventures on New Year's Day hiking through the forrest to catch a glimpse of the sea caves.
I have been searching for the magic tool to subsidize the ugly indoor night light that is forced upon me by a combination of MN winters and a day job. I bought a white backdrop and reflector, a special light and different light bulbs. I purchased a new lens and tried different settings on my camera. The light got a little better. It was okay. Today though a little stop at National Camera Exchange changed my life. Along with my tripod purchase, I bought a speedlite. I'd heard a little chatter on the internet about them, but I must admit I didn't know much, except that they may assist in my lighting.
Well, today I popped some batteries in the flash and mounted that little lite on top of camera. I pressed the button and poof! I disappeared. Haha well not quite, but the difference in the lighting was amazing. I can adjust the light to any direction I want creating vastly different effects and moods. The speedlite creates a nice lighting of the object without the glare and doesn't overexpose the subject and lose the details.
I jumped up and down! I squealed in delight! I called my mother and father to share the news. Jordan giggled at my exuberance. I updated every social media network to inform them of my delight. I would like to give a shout out to Tim S. at National Camera Exchange who sold me this little beauty. Want one for yourself? I know you do! Buy it here or at National Camera Exchange. It's on sale at National Camera Exchange for $270 until the end of the year. They are about the same price.
I now present to you exhibit A (don't worry that's not it):
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light-no flash
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light-built-in camera flash
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light-Canon 430EX II Speedlite
Canon 50D 50mm indoors light-built-in camera flash (not bad but harsh shadows)
Canon 50D 50mm indoors-Canon 430EX II Speedlite (see the nice color and glow, so pretty!)
Canon 50D 50mm indoors-Canon 430EX II Speedlite (love how soft the light is on the subject)
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light a little farther away than the pretzels-built-in camera flash
From the portraits below you can see the speedlite can create many different types of moods by angling the light differently. So great. You aren't sick of my subject yet are you? Just a few more. He's currently my only subject (Kristina isn't home).
What a wonderful Christmas it has been! Jordan and I spent the holidays up in Two Harbors, MN (where my parents live). It was our first Christmas together and was a wonderful little break away from work and the city. We had my dad take pictures of us with Ancha (my favorite Bernese Mountain Dog in the whole world). I call her 'Anchie Bear.' Everytime I get to see her it makes me super excited to get our dog. Of course it is still a ways out, but we are excited to get a small dog sometime next summer after the wedding.
For now, I will be content taking numerous photos of Ancha. She is 10 years old now and still super healthy and playful just as she was as a puppy. She is the most wonderful, well behaved loveable dog my parents have ever owned. A few weeks ago I bought a new camera lens: a 50 mm f/1.4. I've been taking hundreds of pictures over the past few days to test it out and see the difference between this and my old lens.
Trying to outfit Ancha with her santa hat.
She was a bit stubborn.
After awhile she thought the hat was a toy.
She finally just layed down in my lap.
I love this pic!
I'm not sure she liked being a reindeer that much more but she sure looked cute! Kristina got her a squeaky penguin toy for Christmas. Ancha has a full basket full of toys. Everytime someone comes to the door Ancha runs to her basket and selects a toy to bring to the visitor.
My dad took us down by the lake where a guy he works with feeds the deer every day.
Kristina apparently follows some of the same blogs I do! She found this post by Amanda from I am Baker and took the liberty of creating me 8 photography backdrops! I was so excited.
I've been trying to make caramel for about a year now. I used a thermometer, I sat over the pot waiting...waiting for the perfect color, the perfect texture and taste. The first time I didn't cook it long enough; it was practically see-through! I tossed it in the freezer for a few days praying for a miracle. I was not obliged.
My next attempt didn't fair too much better and ended up in last year's Christmas turtles. At least they weren't a total waste...
My third attempt had me pulling up a stool to the stove. I cooked that caramel as slowly as humanly possible. I hovered over the pot like a crazy woman, stirring, tasting, waiting. It was the most patience I've exhibted towards anything in a long time. Somehow that 3 hours passed and my caramel had not reached the hardness I desired. Not too mention that I put the caramel into a wax lined pan as all the recipes suggested. Bad. Bad. Don't do that. Spray your pans and abandon the wax it has stuck to the bottom every time.
About a month ago I decided to brave the caramel war and try again. I didn't follow a recipe. I didn't use a thermometer. I assembled nearly every damn ingredient I'd seen used in homemade caramels and dumped them in a pot: butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, heavy whipping cream, water, dark corn syrup...and you know what? Those caramels turned out. I just kept taking out spoonfuls to test the consistency and in the end I came out with delicious caramels!
I was so pleased. I wrapped them up in wax wrappers and put them in a dish in the center of the table. They were my new centerpiece – a proud testament to my success. The next day I reached my hand into the dish and carefully unwrapped one of my prized caramels. Imagine my horrified surprise when I discovered the caramel had dried out! It still tasted good for the next day or so but they didn't have the rich, buttery, greasy, melt-in your mouth texture that every caramel-maker dreams of. I was crushed.
Yesterday I decided to try caramels again; a new recipe rated highly on allrecipes.com. I still didn't have a thermometer, but I was confident in my ability to judge based on my spoon/stir test. The caramels were ready in about half an hour. It was a breeze. I poured them into a greased glass pan and sprayed plastic molds. They were beautiful, buttery, silky smooth. Kristina loved them. No small feat you can imagine.
Given my fails and triumphs with caramel over the past year I've decided to put this jumbo batch of caramels to the test. I'm praying on high hope that these last at least through Christmas. What's this test you ask? Well it's really quite simple: I eat at least one caramel per day until Christmas to see how much they retain the classic buttery caramel taste and texture. I think I'm going to like this test. In fact, I'll like it even more if they stay buttery smooth right through Christmas so my family can enjoy them as much as I do.
First successful batch of caramels that dried out too fast:(
The best ones yet
My perfect caramels; they are sooo yummy!
Want to try these delicious morsels for yourself!? Check out the recipe below.
Day 1- Monday, December 19, 2011
I made my caramels yesterday. Today I filled up a little container and kept them at my desk to offer to anyone who stopped by. They were delicious; just the same as yesterday.We shall see what tomorrow brings for the caramel! I try not to eat more than a serving or so of most of my sweets, but caramel, well that little treat kicks my sweet tooth into overdrive;)
I have all the rest in a closed plastic container (in wrappers) in hopes of minimizing exposure to air. I put them on top of all the cabinets. Kristina complained to me tonight, "Why did you have to put them up so high!? I have to climb up there every hour just to get a caramel!"
Day 2- Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hooray! My caramels are just as tasty as ever. In fact a little too tasty...I ate about three or four. I almost wish they weren't quite as good to cut down on my consumption...almost.
Day 3- Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Still yummy! I only ate two today. I'm proud of myself. Granted I was uber busy at work and didn't have much of a chance to eat more. My supply has dwindled by half. I've now hidden 98% from Kristina to ensure there are still some on Christmas.
Day 4- Thursday, December 22, 2011
I had quite the scare this morning! We had brought all of our packages and suitcases to the car as we were loading up to head up north. The caramels had been sitting in the car for only about 10 minutes or so. I went to perform my taste test as we hit the road and discovered they had hardened ever so slightly. After I had wrapped them in a scarf and the car had warmed up I went in for round 2. Success! Those little caramels were just a bit cold. They were just as soft as the day before and my mom loved them!
Day 5- Friday, December 23, 2011
It's clear this is the best caramel recipe yet! Perfect as the day I made them.
Day 6-Saturday December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas! I now have the confidence to simply squeeze the caramel knowing the softness = delicious! Of course I had one too. They won't last past tomorrow that's for sure (everyone will eat them) but I know they have a shelf live far greater than any of the other caramels I've tried before.
As an UPDATE: Monday January 16, 2011 - I visited my parents this weekend. My dad came home from work to tell me he'd just found one of the caramels from Christmas in his lunchbox. It was still good:)
Caramel Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 pound brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. light corn syrup
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Caramel Instructions
1) Spray molds/glass pan (9x13) with cooking spray, then add all ingredients except the vanilla to heavy duty saucepan and cook over med-high heat stirring constantly until it starts to bubble.
2) This took me about ten minutes, then I added the vanilla and continued to cook the mixture over med heat stirring constantly.
3) I continued to cook the mixture stirring constantly for about 15-20 minutes. After awhile you will notice the mixture start to thicken. I continually take out small spoonfuls of caramel and drop it into cold water and try to form it into a sticky ball.
4) When the caramel forms and stays in a ball remove the pot from the heat and pour into molds/glass pan.
5) Let sit at least an hour before removing from the molds.
It is our second to last day here in the wilderness. I woke up to a beautiful, quiet sunrise over the lake. Today I also I fell in love with White Christmas Mocha all over again. I have to say I'm not much of a coffee drinker, a stark contrast to Jordan who would never get by on less than 6-8 cups a day. Add in several cans of mountain dew (for him) and he's on a caffiene high 90% of the day.
Yesterday Jordan ordered a delicious White Christmas, which was a basically a white chocolate mocha with a shot of hazelnut. Holy deliciousness! I never drink coffee unless it's heavily medicated. Well this one is officially my new favorite winter drink. Try it next time you stop in for a coffee.
This was the view out my window this morning:)
Jordan is consistenly amazed by the quality and presentation of the food here on the north shore, as evidenced by his obsession with last night's trout which, I still heaven't heard the end of. We had a delicious caprese sandwhich after our hike at Temperance River at the Coho Cafe. It was a little colder than yesterday so we didn't last long on the Superior Hiking trail, but it was beautiful and nice to be out in the fresh air and feel the bite of cold air as winter settles into the north shore.
As we hiked along the falls, Jordan mentioned he'd never seen places like this until he met me. Ahh a whole new world, haha. After we returned we cranked on old fashioned christmas tunes and made white chocolate covered holiday pretzels covered in christmas sprinkles. I wanted an excuse to dress up in my new 'Santa Baby' apron my aunt made me. Christmas is by far my favorite holiday and I'll come up with any excuse to listen to Christmas songs and make holiday treats. Stay tuned for a recipe featuring pics of my holiday treats and santa baby photo shoot.
As a lot of people headed toward the city in search of the best sales on Black Friday, Jordan and I fled North. I'm not a fan of crowds and there was nothing I wanted badly enough to fight masses of people over. After making a quick pit-stop in the grocery store in Two Harbors, Jordan and I began our hour drive away from the city along the beautiful North Shore, Minnesota. I'm originally from Two Harbors so we were already there for the holiday. We had contemplated booking a trip somewhere out of state, but with the wedding next June we decided to save some money and planning and find our oasis closer to home.
Surprisingly for this time of year there is no snow and the temperatures are extremely mild. As I write this, I am enjoying the view out our condo window of the waves crashing against the shore. And no, Lake Superior is not home to freshwater whales. I was rather amused when I began reading the journal of previous visitors who were still hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive freshwater whale. A thing of legends I'm afraid;)
I could not have asked for a more relaxing wonderful place to stay. The condo is beautiful and quiet. The view is incredible and the bed is insanely comfortable. I've never been picky about mattresses, but let's just say this one may change that.
Our living room/kitchen. These chairs are insanely comfortable, plus they swivel & rock!
The lovely kitchen where Jordan made me steak chimichurri in honor of my 25th birthday!
Day 2 - Grand Marais
Today we ventured 25 miles north to Grand Marais, MN. A small fishing town on Lake Superior. It was raining and bit chilly, but still surpringly snowless for this time of year. We spent a few hours browsing the gift shops and having some pizza at Sven & Oles. It was good, but nothing to rave about. I was pleased to find a few christmas dishes that will be perfect for staging cupcakes. We also shared an amazing cup of white christmas coffee at the Java Moose: white chocolate, hazelnut, expresso and frothed milk. Delicious!
Later this evening we had dinner at Bluefin Grille just a few miles from where we are staying. Jordan was in shock over how good his trout was. Of course he's a huge foodie and was raving about the fish up and down. I'm sure he ate every last bite of it and even filled out the comment card. Tonight we discovered that Barbie has a whole channel dedicated to her. What has the world of entertainment come to;)
Candy’s Christmas Collection
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boston terrrier
,
candy
,
christmas
Comments (0) ↓I now spend more on Candy's wardrobe than my own...go figure. So without futher adieu... I present Candy's Christmas Collection!
Candy in Mrs. Claus's best dress...thanks Amanda!
Candy in her striped christmas jammies!
Candy sports a super trendy scarf that is sure to keep her warm on cold Minnesota days.
Candy proves Bostons make great additions to Santa's sleigh. Looking super adorable in her reindeer sweater.
There's no chance of Candy getting cold in her adorable winter sweater.
I don't think she's ever looked cuter. Sure to bring cheer with her festive, jingle collar.
It's especially fun to dress up our dogs at Christmas time, isn't it?
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all from the both of us;)
Disclaimer: No Boston's were hurt in the presentation of this collection. She was well fed between costume changes with incentive treats;)
My Crafty Cookie Christmas Party!
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christmas
,
food
,
holidays
Comments (0) ↓Then we had mimosas, homemade meatballs (Jordan finally taught me!), cheese & crackers, fruit platter, chips and cheese dip, candy cane jello shots and some more delicious treats!
We had a blast eating, decorating, catching up, taking cute photos and later watching a Christmas classic: Home Alone!
The invites I sent out for my party!
I planned my party for weeks. I had tons of decorating supplies so everyone could make fabulous cookies.
This was before the guests arrived. Kristina helped me setup. Jordan and I often joke about our dollhouse: mini table, furniture, couch, tv stand, xmas tree...you get the idea!
I made candy cane jello shots thtat tasted just like candy canes and were dangerously delicious! Try the recipe here: Candy Cane Jello Shots
Cheers with Jello shots made with peppermint Schnapps, sweetened condensed milk and cherry jello!
The ladies decorating all the sugar cookies I baked. Took care of the easy part so the creativity and fun could abound!
I was so impressed with everyone's adorable cookies. Everyone was so creative. I barely had time to decorate many since I was too busy running around.
Tal's adorable little santa cookie complete with rosy cheeks!
Phalen came up with a cute tagline, "Best dressed cookie!" Me, Natalia, and Kristina all did Christmas dresses. So cute! I think I'm going to make a bunch more I like them so much!
A few of the girls and I had a photoshoot on with the cookies I taught everyone how to make. Candy begged as our feet the entire time!
I hung a bunch of streamers from the deck door and it made the perfect photoshoot backdrop!
Everyone showing off their adorable cookies...except Steph who had already packaged hers.
I gave everyone a cute packaging box with a cookie cutter, kitchen towel and sprinkles. Then I provided a ton of packaging supplies so everyone could package their cookies
I loved these boxes so much that I finally gave in and bought them...in bulk. It was the only way to get them. I got 24!
Everyone had such cute little packaged gifts!
Hope everyone has a very merry little christmas indeed and you all consume lots of delicious treats!
My lil baby Boston Terrier Candy
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boston terrrier
,
candy
Comments (2) ↓Somewhere along the line, I became OBSESSED with the Boston Terrier. I mean to the point of no return. I know the trigger of course...it was Kevin and Amanda's adorable blog pictures of their two Boston Terriers; I was hooked. I began contacting breeders, researching constantly, looking for every picture and video I could find. If it was Boston related and would fuel my obsession you better believe it was on my radar. I was manifesting this little creature. I had no doubt I would eventually find her...
For months and months I waited in anticipation for the day we could finally get a dog. First we had to wait for our new apartment and then wedding and honeymoon to be over.
Then as if by magic, the day arrived. We had been back from our honeymoon for not even a week when I found her. A sweet little 5 year-old Boston for sale on Oodle. I began a conversation with the owner and a few days later we were headed north for a meet and greet. I was nervous. I wasn't sure if she'd be what we expected, but she sounded perfect. He had too many dogs and needed a little less crazy in his life (I wanted a little of his crazy).
We met her at a park and after a few minutes with her I was sure we wanted her. She was snorting like crazy and hyper and terribly excited to meet us. I had agreed with Jordan that we would let the guy spay her before got her if we wanted her (she was a show dog). But she was so cute and so amazing that we ended up taking her home that day.
There is our angel the first time we met!
It was not even a week with our little munchkin before we had her spayed. She ran around in her cone recovering from her spay and running into things in her attempt to navigate with her expanded head.
There is the poor baby in her cone!
We've had Candy now for close to 4 months and she's the most amazing pet ever! I love her to pieces and my Boston Terrier obsession has grown dramatically. This 15 pound dog has practically turned into my surrogate human child. She goes everywhere with me, even work! Everyday I dress her up in cute little jackets and sweaters and parade her around.
Everything they say about Bostons are true: they fart (a lot and they smell terrible), they snore (so loud I wear earplugs to bed), they are hilarious, they snort, they have lots of energy and they love you so much (Candy follows me everywhere!)
Below I share some of my favorite moments with Candy over the past few months.
Love this picture of Candy!
Candy dressed up as a little duckling. Isn't she cute?
Candy crawling across the floor to try to get her treats!
The little cuddlebug under all the blankets. She loves being under all the covers!
She has no short supply of kisses for her mama!
Grandma gets lots of love too! Isn't this picture precious!?
She certainly loves her daddy too!
Candy had on many layers at Apple Fest in Bayfield and she was still cold! Poor Baby girl.
Ready to attack her peanut butter stick! She sure loves peanut butter...
She was my cutest little baby bee for Halloween. She's suprisingly tolerant of all the outfits I dress her in!
Candy staring at the shadow on the wall. She is obsessed with light and shadows. She loves chasing lasers and flashlights!
Me and my little darling! I love her soooo much!
Are you as obsessed with your pet as me!? Please let me know I am not alone. I'd love to have a few Boston friends for Candy but I know my husband won't allow that for awhile...
Last weekend we got a cat. Candy tries so hard to play with it, but it hasn't quite warmed up to her yet...
If you are thinking of a Boston, do it! They are real characters and super entertaining to have around!
What people are saying...
Honeymoon on Amalfi Coast, Italy
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italy
,
honeymoon
Comments (0) ↓The amalfi coast was the last leg of our journey. We took a ferri ride to Sorrento and another ferri to Positano. I definitely recommend the ferry. It's a nice breezy trip on the sea and the view coming into Positano is beautiful.
I took this picture high up on the cliff overlooking the town. This view was opposite where we were staying. One of those little windows was ours;)
This was a view of the beach. There were tons of little restaurants along the beach and lots of sunbathers.
We always walked from our hotel down the hill to the center of town and this was one of the houses along the way.
All the buildings were white and the stores full of high end and very EXPENSIVE clothes. They say Positano attracts a lot of starlets. Unfortonutely we didn't see any.
Near our hotel there was a great restaurant with a beautiful view overlooking all of positano.
That was the restaurant and the view, especially at night, was magical.
This was the view off our balcony and nearly the same from the restaurant.
Our hotel view was incredible. We had a beautiful view, wonderful fresh breakfast each morning and at night we'd sit out on the balcony and listen to the music drifting over from the restaurant next door.
This is the beautiful table on our balcony. I love this picture. They sold things like this is in the town.
After a few days in Positano we went to Amalfi for a night. We took the bus along the most spellbinding and incredibly nail-biting trips ever. We were flying around each bend and the view was incredible but unfortunately made me super sick:(
Amalfi was cute. It had some good shopping but I definitely liked Positano better. We stayed at Hotel Amalfi, it was in the center of town without a balcony and very old furniture. I definitely recommend getting a hotel with a balcony overlooking the sea. It's worth the extra buck in Italy. Trust me.
We had delicious bruchetta and drinks overlooking the beach at the restaurant above.
This is the street along the beach in Amalfi.
There I am on the ferry leaving Amalfi.
Be sure to check out the other posts from my honeymoon! Ciao!
Italian Holiday, Day 1 Naples
Manarola, Cinque Terre Italy
Walk to Riomaggiore, Italy
A Stop in Monterosso, Italy
Vernazza & Corniglia, Italy
Naples Holiday II
We got Hitched!
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romance
,
wedding
Comments (0) ↓It was not the picturesque day every bride dreams of. In fact, it was downright dreary when I awoke and pouring just hours before the early-afternoon ceremony. Fortunately, I had been following the forecast with religious obsession so it didn't come as a complete surprise.
I have to admit...I did have one bridezilla moment while getting ready. The bouquets arrived and I was horrified to see 3 or 4 giant unopened lilies in the center of the bouquet. Of course my logical solution was to snip them out, but my mother strictly forbade it. "Absolutely not!" she said. I got a little testy, stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door. My dad poked his head in the bathroom, "OH! We have a bridezilla," he screeched in exaggerated pleasure. Of course, I snipped those off as soon as my mom walked out the door and my bouquet instantly looked alive.
The ceremony was a small, afternoon occasion at Split Rock Lighthouse in Two Harbors, MN. The ceremony was short and accompanied by beautiful music, following the cermony was a delicious buffet of food, a candy buffet, bubbles, a photo booth, and social affair!
Then we took off to Italy (speaking of which I still need to post our adventures on the Amalfi Coast). Here are a few of my favorite pics from the wedding!
Me in my dress! Took forever to came (that's) another story. But I love that it's short!
Me and my maid of honor (my younger sis)
Me & the hubby at Split Rock
Love this pic!!
The wedding party! Perfect little Quartet!
We're off to see the wizard!
YUM! The most delicous red velvet cake EVER!
Me and my grandmother!
Pictures Copyright Alex Johnson
Vernazza & Corniglia, Italy
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honeymoon
,
italy
,
cinque terre
Comments (0) ↓I like Corniglia more than Vernazza, but Vernazza is still recovering from flood damage. If you ever go to Italy I strongly recommend you visit the Cinque Terre. I have talked to many people who have deemed Cinque Terre their favorite visit in Italy and I'd tend to agree. It was beautiful, rustic, and majestic. Although summer is hot, you get to see everything in its vibrant color and full bloom (which also makes for great pictures).
Video showing the flooding less than an a year earlier.
City of Vernazza
Buildings in Vernazza.
Poster showing damage of flooding to Vernazza.
And so we began the many many steps upward to the hilltop town of Corniglia. It was a sweltering day, but there was only one other way up: crammed in a van of tourits-no thanks!
Plus...I wasn't about to miss the killer views!
I mean look at it! Everything in bloom, blazing sun with not a cloud in the sky!
When we finally made it to the top, we took a winding road to more incredible views. Past this little grape vineyard and on to a delicious lunch.
This is where we ate lunch. I had delicious fresh bruchetta and a fresh fruit salad. We enjoyed lots of water and an incredible view of the sea and surrounding gardens.
We took a stroll through the city as well.
Stay tuned for our visit to the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy!
A stop in Monterosso, Italy
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honeymoon
,
italy
,
cinque terre
Comments (0) ↓We walk around in the blazing heat (not enjoying the beach as this is a foreign concept to Jordan), stop in and out of shops and stop for afternoon cocktails overlooking the beach.
Isn't it lovely? So colorful and picturesque!
We kept seeing cats basking in the sun. Jordan loves cats, but I'm allergic so he tends to gravitate towards the strays.
Lemons everywhere in Italy. They are famous for Limoncello!
View from where we had afternoon cocktails.
Unfortunately I don't have a great video, but this will give a glimpse of Monterosso. More live music! Hope you enjoyed my picture journal of Monterosso, Cinque Terre's northernest village!
Walk to Riomaggiore, Italy
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photography
,
romance
,
honeymoon
Comments (0) ↓There are five villages in the Cinque Terre and they are connected by short 5 minute train rides and hiking trails.
There we are on the trail!
This was deemed the easiest, shortest walk (20 mins) (and one of the few coastal ones) and since it was blazing hot and we aren't hikers we took this as our cue.
This was looking back at Manarola (the beginning of our walk) I drew a little arrow so you can see where our room was in Manarola.
We woke up earlier to get the walk in and beat the heat and the crowds.
The water was a beautiful blend of blue and turquise.
The vegetation was lush and beautiful.
This walk was called Via Dell'Amore (street of love). People chained locks with inscriptions on a fence near the beginning and on the cliffside. Lovers names inscribed on the cactus, the rocks, and the walls of the the tunnel.
I believe there is some saying that if you put your lock up on this walk your love will last forever. We didn't have a lock. Hopefully this isn't a bad omen.
The views were stunningly beautiful.
The trail dramatically overlooks the sea.
We made it to Riomaggiore. The first town when arriving from the south.
LIttle stores like this were eveywhere in Cinque Terre. We'd often stop in for fruit or just to browse.
This village was darling. LIttle boats to take out the tourists or go fishing.
I was falling more and more in love with Cinque Terre and I still had only visited 2 of the 5 villages! Stay tuned for more of Cinque Terre.
Manarola Cinque Terre, Italy
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honeymoon
,
italy
,
romance
Comments (0) ↓Our train arrives an hour later that it says to La Spetzia. Fortunately, the tickets to Manarola (where we are staying) are only 4E for both of us and takes us only 10 minutes. However, we are extremely confused about how to get to the proper platform and no one really speaks much English to assist. This is where I wish I spent longer on my Italian Train Station Chapter.
We are out of breath, hot as hell and heaving from the weight of our luggage by the time we board the train for Manarola, but we are pretty certain we've boarded the right train and we are almost to our destination.
Jordan on the way to Northern Italy
First Class to Rome (then 2nd class) and it was hot.
Upon arriving in Cinque Terre I am taken away by how beautiful it is. Tiny colored houses dot steep cliffs that fall sharply to the clear blue sea. Flowers are in full bloom and make the views especially stunning. I feel like we've gone back in time. The hoards of people fall away to cobbled streets and tiny houses and shops then have a rustic, authentic feel I marvel in.
Now our challenge remains: find the room we are staying in which appears to be located at the end of a very steep incline, luckily with no steps.
We stay in Manarola where we rent a room called Vandairis. The room itself is simple, clean and unadorned. But the view is beautiful and the town adorable.
View from our Balcony in Manarola Room Rent
The view just outside the place we were staying.
Me at Dinner in Manarola the first night. It was a long day of travel and nice to relax.
We had so much fun exploring the villages, buying cheeses and wine from the local store and eating it on the balcony.
Breakfast in the sunshine.
We walked along the side of the cliff and there were beautiful views of cliffs and the village.
Me and Jordan overlooking Manarola.
Stay tuned to see pics and adventures of the other villages in Cinque Terre. They were all amazing:)
Honeymoon Chapter II- Naples, Italy
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romance
,
honeymoon
,
italy
Comments (0) ↓I return for the next chapter of our amazing honeymoon. As you may have read in my previous post our first stop was Naples, Italy. As I mentioned before Naples had some of the best food in Italy and it was cheap. We would get two bottles of house wine, a seafood salad appetizer, bottle of water, two entrees and dessert for around 30E. This was at our spot. On our second day in Italy we went to the train station to buy tickets to Cinque Terre. On our way back we were invited for lunch at a little restaurant on the strip back. We were hot and hungry and couldn't say no.
This turned out to be the best food we had. I think we went back on 4 or 5 separate occasions. Basically almost all our meals in Naples were had at this little place called, 'Iris.' If you're ever in Naples I strongly recommend it. We got to practice our Italian, little phrases like "the check please" or "a bottle of house white," were quite thrilling and terrifying experiences. Usually they understood what we meant, but they'd help us pronounce it when we totally butchered it.
That was my first meal at our hot spot. Spaghetti Pomodoro. I tried recreating it when I got back, but It didn't even come close to the deliciousness.
When I first order this dish they accidentally drop mine and the waiter comes out with a seafood salad, full of octapus, shrimp, mussels, etc. Well anyone who knows me, knows that I detest seafood. As Jordan's eyes light up I try desparately to hide my horror. How will I politely refrain from eating this generous offering? "You have to eat it!" Jordan hisses under his breath. I cut off the tiniest bit of white rubber and swallow it with water. The waiter then sees I don't like it and hands it to the much delighted, Jordan. Then he brings me eggplant. I really would have been fine waiting for my spaghetti. It was delish!
We wandered the streets, looking in the cheap shops and catching a glimpse of how people lived here. Little stores and carts selling fruit and vegetables in Italy are abundant and we often took advantage.
Market in Italy. The streets are full of outdoor markets, wares for sale, etc.
Market in Italy. I should have bought some things, but didn't.
Everyone hung out there clothes to dry on their tiny balconies. We'd often see someone lowering a basket to get a pack of cigarettes or alcohol.
Entrance and view just outside our hotel.
This is the courtyard at our hotel in Naples. Very relaxing and a way to escape some of the heat and drink a cocktail. This is the same hotel we stayed in the whole time we were in Naples. We were there on three separate occasions. It served as our home base between our coastal trips.
One of many delicious meals at our fav restaurant in Naples. This cheese tortellini was so delicious and the cream sauce was light and flavorful.
Guess who's meal this was? Definitely Jordan's.
One of the servers saw me eyeing the dessert case on my way to the restroom. He encouraged me to get one. I pointed at the chocolate cake and he shakes his head, lemon cake. With strawberries? I ask. He nods and brings it to my table. OMG is it heavenly.
It had this amazingly light whipped cream frosting and lemon curd in the middle. Jordan made me eat the whole thing myself since he'd gorged himself on dinner.
Wearing one of the new dresses I bought in Naples for 15E. Everything was on sale that Friday!
I hope you had a good time following some our adventures in Naples. Next up: Cinque Terre. It is beautiful and you aren't going to want to miss it!
Italian Holiday Day 1: Naples
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honeymoon
,
romance
,
italy
Comments (0) ↓Italy has been a dream vacation of mine for many, many years. I really wasn't sure when it would manifest but I thought what other perfect time than on our honeymoon and so the planning began. We were set to leave just two days after the wedding. Our tickets weren't cheap given that we were flying in prime tourist season: late June & July, but I was determined to have the Honeymoon adjacent to the Wedding.
That's us waiting for our plane to leave Minneapolis.
We flew into Naples and to my complete horror and dismay my suitcase never came down the carousel. I kept staring at the belt, praying and willing for it to magically tumble onto the belt, but I was not obliged. I was almost in tears. We didn't speak any more than a few Italian phrases and I had no idea where to report my missing luggage. Worst of all I looked like a total tourist in jeans and running sneakers (which I'd worn to save space in my suitcase, but it was blazing hot). We finally filed a report and with only Jordan's luggage in toe, we caught a cab to our hotel: Palazzo Caracciolo Napoli - MGallery Collection.
On our ride to the hotel I was snapping photos out the window, tired from a long flight, but surprisingly alert.
Snapshot of Naples City Street from Cab
My first impression of Naples was that it was hot and I was terribly overdressed. My second was that it was rundown, dirty and that the garbage problem I'd read about was very real. I was nervous about having planned our first destination on a romantic honeymoon in a hot, messy city, but it was only the first day and our trip wasn't primarily planned for Naples.
However our hotel was beautiful. The rooms looked exactly like the pictures, were blasting with AC, had enormous ceilings, a balcony and the most amazingly plush beds.
Beautiful ceilings and simple, classy decor. View from Balcony looking in.
There I am shortly after arriving in Naples. By some miracle I had packed a few articles of clothing in Jordan's suitcase.
Our rooms just behind Jordan.
We spent the day exploring Naples and getting lost. The hotel had provided us a map, but we were so turned around in the streets and for some reason Jordan had decided to wear pants. It was sweltering hot. I'm talking ungoldly hot. Jordan was sweating profusely and his fingers started to swell. We tried to find our way back to the room with no success.
After many, many wrong turns I was sure I had booked us the honeymoon from hell and Jordan was going to hate me forever for not taking him to a tropical island. I knew this was not completely true since he's much more carefree than I am, but I was worried just the same. Of course this was an intense overreaction on my part... as usual.
Church in Naples Italy
Typical Street in Naples Italy.
A few things we learned quickly about Naples:
We had dinner our first night at a little pizza place a few blocks from our hotel. It was cheap, full of delicious olive oil, fresh cheese and quite delicious.
Wedding Shower & Candyland Photoshoot
- Tags:
photography
,
romance
,
wedding
Comments (0) ↓I also got great news this weekend. Jordan and I have been approved for a Boston Terrier puppy. I have been wanting one forever, now we just have to wait a few months until our little Shrimpy arrives.
I wasn't going to make anything, given that it was my shower in all, but I couldn't resist the urge to make these little treats as take-home favors.
My wedding shower favors. I took some decorative wax paper and cut rectangles for the bottom. Then I used a 3M tip to create theis lovely decorative icing on red velvet sugar cookies.
Add a few strawberries and tie with ribbon for a delicious take away.
My aunt planned a delicious taco bar, there were also mini cheesecakes, pie and mini red velvet cupcakes!
My grandma's & cousin's son Oliver. My grandma's name is Olive;)
Then all of my cousins and I had a photoshoot...the theme? Bright colors and candy!
This one is my favorite!
Easter Celebration 2012
- Tags:
holidays
,
food
Comments (0) ↓Jordan and I went up north for Easter. I hadn't been home since February so I was looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home. I spent most of my time relaxing and researching Boston Terriers since we have decided to get a puppy. I'm so excited! We also went up the shore to revisit the wedding site and have lunch. Then we had a nice simple brunch this morning before returning to the cities.
Jordan and I
Grandma made Kristina this adorable reversible apron for her silent auction fundraiser.
This is the other side. Isn't it darling???
Easter brunch: fruit, eggs, homemade caramel rolls & orange juice with fresh blended banana.
My family making really creepy face on accident.
Want to make these caramel rolls for yourself? My mom has been making them for years and they are simple and delicious!
Kristina and Anchie Bear
Dad with his girls..Angela (25) & Kristina (21, nearly 22)
Kristina & I with Grandma Olive
Kristina and I were play fighting over our picture with Ancha.
Caramel Roll Recipe
2 loafs frozen bread dough
2 sticks (1 c.) butter
1 c. brown sugar
1 pkg vanilla pudding (not instant)
1 tsp. cinnamon
Wedding Invites
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romance
,
wedding
Comments (2) ↓As many of you know, I'm getting married in June. Lot's of planning has been done and most of the big things are taken care of. We're having a small outdoor ceremony with music by my musician friends Ida Jo & Scott Lamps. My cousins are singing one of my favorite songs and then we will have a delicious feast. The wedding is at a state park on Lake Superior and so is the reception. Photo booth, food, cake, photo booth, candy buffet and beautiful scenery. It should be a very special day indeed:)
Check out a preview of the talented Ida & Scott below or at Idajo.com
I handmade all our invites. The cards are tiny so I didn't have to fill too much space. I used wallet prints, a strip of ribbon and compiled the flower using glitter spray, and black stick-ons.
Then I bought an invite stamp from Michael's, stamped all the backs & wrote out all the information on the back with a calligraphy pen. Luckily I'm having a small wedding (family and close friends) so it wasn't too many (about 45 invites).
Love my custom stamps from zazzle.com. Aren't they cute?! They came out perfectly!
Cranking out the invites on the first weekend. I adhered the picture and ribbon with double-sided photo-safe tape and the the flower with glue.
I had all my supplies perfectly organized at first...it didn't last long.
Luckily I had some helping addressing the envelopes from my mother and stamping the invites from Jordan. Kristina and Jordan helped me pick out supplies and Kristina assembled my flowers!
The process took several weekends. One weekend I went up and my mom helped me address all the invites.
I hope all the relatives out west get this before I post it today, but if not it should only be another day or two and I'm impatient:) I created a little website for more details and for people to rsvp. I enjoy watching my email notifications of the attendees!
Supplies
What people are saying...
Tasting the Wedding Menu
- Tags:
food
,
romance
,
wedding
Comments (4) ↓So we were able to arrange a taste testing session at Clearwater Grille (a castle on the North Shore between Duluth and Two Harbors) to feel confident in our menu. Jordan is a heavy food critic so I hoped it would live up to his expectations. It sure did. The food was delicious. If you're looking for a caterer in the Duluth/Two Harbors area I would definitely recommend them. The taste testing quartet consisted of myself, my mom, my dad, and Jordan.
I'd visited Clearwater Grille (formally known as Lakeview Castle) on special occasions growing up, but I failed to remember the ornate paintings on the wall. Molly served us several courses of samplings describing each entree or dish as she presented it to us. It was a great little experience.
Some of the beautiful details on the wall. The garden path is actually on second wall behind the doorway leading to bathrooms.
My Dad
Family Taste Testing
Jordan eagerily anticipating tasting the menu.
Italian Pasta Salad
The fun thing about the taste testing session was that Molly cooked us samples not only of the items we had on our tentative menu, but other items she thought we might like as well. And we did. Here we tried chicken skewers and pig wings.
Pig wings weren't on our original menu. I don't like pork, but once Jordan tried these he couldn't talk about anything else. He was so excited about this deep fried "treasure" that we ended up adding it to our menu. My mom and dad liked them too. I even tried them and they were good; I just don't like eating pork or deep fried meat. These wings were marinated in a korean bbq sauce and deep fried to make it crispy on the edges.
Salmon Canapes- another item not previously part of the menu and now an h'orderve at the wedding. I don't like fish, but everyone else tried them and loved them. Gosh, I'm picky. A little biscuit, covered with a dill cream cheese spread, topped with a bit of fresh salmon & garnished with sprig of fresh dill.
I was unsure of adding this Mandarin Chicken Salad to the menu because I don't really like cold, mayo-based pasta salads, but this was really good!
We tried these excellent swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes. We already had these on the menu and they were definitely staying on.
First we tried vanilla cupcakes with Buttercream and white chocolate buttercream. This was originally the type of cake we were thinking of having.
We settled on a red velvet cake with raspberry mousse and buttercream frosting. It was delicious and goes with our color scheme. The cake will be piled in fresh raspberries. I'm excited.
The taste testing and planning was really fun and delicious. We have a wonderful, full menu including most of the items above with the addition of fruits and vegetables. If you're invited; you'll have a wonderful array of food to sample & devour;)
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Madison Weekend with the Girls
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getaways
Comments (0) ↓The girls were really excited about being guest bakers on my blog. Crafting typically isn't their thing so they were excited for a change in pace. In our exchanges prior to the roadtrip from Minneapolis Ida said, "I hope we can make a guest appearance on you blog, Angela, but I don't know! That seems like a big step for Hanna and me!" Well here they are!
We started out Saturday with this hearty breakfast. I love this table! I want a little rustic table just like it for photography.
Ida and her boyfriend Scott are musicians. Scott greeted us with some lovely melodies in the morning.
Ida and Scott write their own music and will be playing at my wedding:)
All my valentine's cookie supplies assembled and ready to decorate!
Hanna and Ida mixing up our double batch of dough. It was hard work! I'm glad I had my assistant bakers to create the delicious cookies!
Isn't Ida's kitchen cute? They have all their spices, flour, grains, sugars in little jars lining open cabinets.
I asked Ida if she owned a mixer...this is what she had...ha not sure how old it is but it did the trick.
Inbetween cookies we started making valentines!
Here's Jordan's card I made! (I've banned him from viewing my card until after Vday; I hope he listens;))
Ida and I decorating cookies while her husky begs for a scrap!
Hanna's only decorating attempt.
We made a lot of cookies!
And put them in cute packaging!
Thanks for a great weekend girls:)
February Outing in the Twin Cities
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food
,
minnesota
Comments (0) ↓A darling chinese couple own the little shop. The wife takes orders while her husband brings forth fresh pans of donuts to the case in the front. I order a glazed, glaze twist, chocolate raised, sugar raised, raspberry filled, and french cruller. The woman rounds it up to $5 (+0.25) & tosses in another, virtually free, donut.
I was on a mission to surprise Jordan this morning with coffee & donuts. He has been talking about finding a real donut shop in the cities. Mission accomplished. These are divine. Visit them here.
Look at the grease! You can't find anything that succelent & delicious at the gas station!
This little bag of scrumptious donuts made my car smell heavenly. By the time I had acquired coffee from starbucks I was practically floating in the aroma.
Jordan & I fluttered in and out of the fun little shops in uptown including: Paper Source, Penzey's Spices, Kitchen Window and Crate & Barrel's funky new sister store: CB2. The store was fresh, modern, quirky. I discovered a few cute finds. I did not purchase them...yet. This adorable plate was one of them.
A little industrial, not usually my style but I love this vanity. Just not the price tag;)
This is the most comfy couch! But it's $1300:( It's low to the ground. We also discoverd a low bed frame. I'm thinking we're building a house for small people. Jordan has a mustache. It's apparently his first one & he wore the top had to "complete the look." Haha.
Look at this fun plate! It's dry-erase. Jordan used it to make the delicious, easy lunch below.
Salad greens tossed in lime juice & olive oil & sprinkled with mozzarella & chopped spring onions. Fresh, pre-seasoned herb butter chicken breasts from Target that Jordan marinated with a mix of olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes, smoked paprika, adobo, salt, & a little lime. Mmmm, delicious!
I bought these labels at Paper Source & stamped/embossed them. Cute huh? I put them on clear plastic bags. Stay tuned! I will be making cute little Valentine's Day treats with them.
Jordan and I will continue our Saturday adventure with dinner & a movie tonight! Have a great Saturday!
10 Ways I Flavor Buttercream Frosting
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food
,
lists
,
baking strategy
Comments (15) ↓I've come up with this list to show you 10 easy peasy ways I dress up my frosting flavor for vanilla based cupcakes. A lot of these I even add to the cupcake batter! Try one or a combination of the following flavoring agents in your next batch of frosting.
What I'm presenting here is not a cupcake decoration. It is a list of the little ingredients you may already have on hand to add a little something extra! I recommend slowly adding teaspoons of flavor to your frosting until you've reached the desired taste and consistency. If you accidentally add too much liquid, add in more powdered sugar. If you are adding a dry flavoring, you may want to add in a few tsps of milk depending on the consistency you desire.
Measurements are approximate and will depend on the whether you are looking for a subtle or stronger flavor. Experiment! There is no limit to the combinations you can create
What do you use to flavor frosting??
Base Frosting Recipe
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I cooked Cheesy, Veggie Stromboli!
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food
Comments (3) ↓I decided to turn the tables this weekend and treat Jordan to something other than pie and cookies. I started stumbling until I found this delicious and simple looking meal. I adapted it as I pleased and it resulted in a deliciously simple meal. The original stromboli can be found on Pip and Ebby.
Ingredients
Step 1 – Combine sun dried tomato spread with basil spread, olive oil, salt, and garlic.
Step 2 – Spread tomato sauce over dough (leaving an inch on outsides)
Step 3 – Coat sauce with 6 slices of provolone cheese.
Step 4 – Add Sliced tomatoes
Step 5 – Add sliced spinach
Step 6 – Add mozzarella
Step 7 – Fold in sides
Step 8 – Roll up tightly and brush sealed edge and entire crust with beaten egg. Bake in oven @ 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Slice into 1-2 inch wedges and enjoy.
I gave Jordan some raw prosciutto to wrap around it which was very good as well!
Voila! Delicious, cheesy, gooey mess.
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Pie Pockets to Pie Cobbler
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food
,
baking disasters
,
stories
Comments (0) ↓I decided to run with it, setting my sights on using the pie pocket tool I'd picked up from Target this Fall to make Berry Peach Pie Pockets. To be honest, I expected this to go quite smoothly. I used to work at a pie shop and I've baked pies dozens of times. I'm good at it...and I love it.
You'll imagine my surprise then when all things went terribly wrong. The pie crust stuck to the pie pocket press and the berry mix oozed out the sides. Next, I made my assembly into a mini pie. This went rather well, but I realized I'd be up all night baking in order to make that many mini pies.
In addition to this, I was trying to setup my tripod and camera in a miserably dark room. I had more success photographing the bag of frozen berries than the pie itself. I decided to move my "portable lighting studio" into the kitchen where I'd installed brighter bulbs. In conjunction with my portable light I was certain I had discovered the recipe for better pictures. Boy was I wrong! The second I had setup my arrangement and turned on the light, the bulb burst forth from its socket shattering into a million pieces spewing across the entire kitchen and into the neighboring bathroom and hallway. It made a terrible commotion, as did my shock and subsequent horror.
I had already piled the kitchen high with failed versions of my pie and unnatural layers of flour. Now I had added a carpet of blue glass to the equation. I'm just happy I wasn't facing the light.
The good news? I was able to salvage my pie. I made Blackberry, Strawberry, Raspberry-Peach Pie Cobbler minus the cobble (to be fair they are technically pie bars). They are yummy despite the battle to produce them. Aw! The marvelous adventures in Angela's kitchen.
Excuse the terrible pictures. Kristina decided I hadn't included enough crust (her fav part) so she decided to make her own mini pie crusts with a drizzle of filling. As you can imagine these were not edible.
Want to make this pie for yourself? I promise it's not really as dramatic a process as I've outlined above;)
Use my recipe here, but instead of the fruit, substitute a 16oz bag of frozen fruit (shown above from Target) and 1 c. frozen raspberries. Happy Baking!
The Three Types of Sugar Lovers
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stories
Comments (0) ↓Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniac - This person loves sweets! I mean seriously if you put a pan of cookies in front of them and give them permission to "help themselves," they eat ALL of them (probably even if they aren't given permission). The announcement of sweets has them running. I've noticed this many times at work. When I send out emails at work announcing the arrival of my baked goods I watch hoards of "these people" racing to the kitchen for a taste. This is the definition of my fiance, Jordan. He eats everything in copious quantities and loves it. It makes me feel good. I know when I can't please Kristina, Jordan will happily gobble up anything and offer up honest praise.
Uber Picky Dessert Lover - This person loves sweets...but only SPECIFIC sweets. They have a love/hate relationship with chocolate and candy. This person has very specific needs and when those needs are fulfilled they too turn into the "Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniac" devouring everything in sight. This is where this person may follow two different paths.
In the case of my sister, Kristina, this person despises everything failing to match her idealized dessert. She scoffs at cheesecake and questions my state of mind when she comes home to chocolate cake. How about when I leave out frosted sugar cookies? She eats every last one of them....
As for me? Fortunately, if I like something enough to turn into the "Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniac," I can usually get it out of the house before I make too much of a dent. Thank god for hungry nerds! I'm not overly picky, but I like to sample, rather than devour everything in sight.
Dessert Hater/Obstainer with Questionable Motives – For the life of me, I cannot understand this one. I really don't think this person legitimately dislikes desserts, although they often claim to. I think it's probably easier for this person to feign dislike then to admit their obsession. This person either hates desserts or has made a conscious decision not to eat them. Of course these decisions rarely last long; it's hard to resist an innately human desire.
In the end, I think we are all "Super Crazy Sugar Obsessed Maniacs" openly embracing our love of sugar or dying to be set free.
There are my two crazy dessert lovers on opposite ends of the spectrum.
What kind of sweet tooth do you have??
Kristina’s request for Tiramisu
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baking disasters
,
food
Comments (5) ↓She finally decides on tiramisu which both her and Jordan have been begging of me for many months now. Would you believe I've never had tiramisu? Yesterday we begin to put our plan into action.
We have three strikes against us from the very beginning:
Okay so maybe that's 4. Kristina was searching for the most authentic recipe. She studied in Italy where she claims to have eaten tiramisu on a daily basis. The recipe has extensive background on tiramisu and even says, "serve, arrogant with the knowledge that your tiramisu is the canonical exemplar from which all pale imitations stem." Which unfortunately is not something we can claim with our deflated knock-off (it tasted like chocolate coffee). Better luck next time. Anybody know where I can buy ladyfingers?
Our Silly little gingerbread cookies. The package said they were served on planes (same as ladyfingers). Kristina said they looked kinda like the pics of ladyfingers...until we opened the package.
Kristina spread the cream with such care. I commented on her patience. "Normally I wouldn't do this," She explains. But I have interest in the success of this dessert. A lot of interest."
After claiming the tiramisu tasted "like nothing" Kristina proceeds to eat it directly out of the pan
as a midnight snack.
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Apostle Island Hike in January
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getaways
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stories
Comments (0) ↓We bundle up and stop for a hearty breakfast at the Egg Toss before driving 15 miles out of town to Meyers Road where apparently we can catch a glimpse of the Sea Caves (even though the ice has yet to freeze).
Upon making the turn down the unplowed road towards the lake Jordan asks, "Do you think we're going to get stuck?"
"No, I have a shovel," I answer matter-of-factly, as though the shovel is some kind of universal tool providing relief from any potential mishaps...
We venture down to the beach where the wind is howling and whipping something fierce. It is cold. Frigidly cold.
We decide to take the 1.8 mile hike to the sea caves. When I say "we" I clearly mean I. Jordan graciously follows suit. This may seem unimpressive, but for a largely inactive couple who spends the bulk of their time baking, cooking and parked in front of the tv, this is no small feat you must imagine. (Granted I'm only half serious.)
Jordan is wearing shoes. Flat, tractionless Converse sneakers and we are hiking into a forest covered in fresh snow. But this is Jordan. Claiming his feet are somekind of anomalous extension to his legs, immune to the cold. I have my pack boots; I'm good.
The trees block most of the wind as the trail winds inward. A good pass behind me is Jordan (slipping and sliding down the embankments). When I think we must be nearing the outlook we reach an opening in the trail informing us it's still another 1.1 miles to our destination.
"Are you going to make it?" I ask Jordan who suddenly realizes it'll be another 2 miles back. "Hopefully," he says smiling. "I don't want you to get frostbite in my quest to see the sea caves," I say.
We make it. It is fiercely windy by the edge and I am mildly concerned I might be blown to sea as I clutch to a spindly looking tree while snapping pictures.
By the end of our hike, most of the oxygen must have escaped my brain and the cold numbed my senses because I gun my car over a concrete parking divider. I instantly enter into a state of panic upon realizing the front tires are wedged between two concrete slabs (not budging) in the middle of nowhere with no cell service. It is ironic we find ourselves in a predicament to which the glorified shovel will provide zero assistance.
We somehow gun it back off (or more accurately: Jordan does), freeing ourselves from a potentially embarassing and costly situation. It is not the first time (nor probably the last) I've ran over or into inanimate objects in parking lots.
Overall, it is about a 2 hour hike, but the fresh air feels good. I don't hike much, but I'd like to start. Before that can happen though, I think Jordan will need to invest in a pair of boots.
Converse vs. Columbia. I'll let you guess whose feet stayed warmest:) (this was after a full day of drying out his shoes)
New Year in Bayfield, WI
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getaways
Comments (0) ↓We took the scenic route to Bayfield from St. Paul. A lot of little towns and the drive is mostly through the countryside.
Bayfield has a population of 611 people and is right on the shores of Lake Superior. It is a darling little town with cute Victorian homes, a beautiful little marina and fun little restaurants and gift shops to explore.
Ferry rides take visitors to Madeline Island. Cruises tour the area in the summer months. We didn't go but I've been there as a kid.
We loved our room. It was a King Jacuzzi Suite overlooking Lake Superior. The great thing about coming over the winter is that you are in the off-season and rooms are less expensive. However a lot of stores and restaurants are closed during the winter.
The Bayfield Inn is so cute! Yellow walls, and restored heritage photos from around the area make it a warm and cozy stay.
We have a wonderfully comfortable bed, nice jacuzzi tub, a gas fireplace and amazing view of Bayfield Bay.
This the view just beyond our hotel room. I love small towns because you can walk to most of your destinations. We walked to dinner and lunch, gift shops and views of the bay. I think this quiet little sea town has something to offer any time of year.
After a little meandering around town yesterday I thought I'd booked us a stay in a darling little fishing town whose restaurants were all closed for the winter. Most cafes we strolled past had signs in the window that read, "Closed for the season."
I was scared. Jordan LOVES food. I didn't rent us a condo with a kitchen. I was counting on us going out to eat. We had started a discussion around a backup plan that involved getting cold cuts from the IGA down the street. I was sure Jordan wouldn't like Bayfield if it meant eating cold cuts from the room.
Luckily the front-desk steered us toward's Maggies. I could tell Jordan was a little apprensive about this place too. It was pink. Bright pink with yellow trim.
We were plesantly surprised by a delightful hometown restaurant bubbling with island decor...more specifically an abundance of quirky little flamingo souvenirs and multicolored christmas lights.
We enjoyed an evening in the room with cheap wine and a little detour to the hotel's bar. The snow was falling heavily and Jordan was schmoozing with the local legends. It was a nice way to ring in 2012! Happy New Year all! Stay tuned for our adventures on New Year's Day hiking through the forrest to catch a glimpse of the sea caves.
The Speedlite: My new BFF!
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photography
Comments (0) ↓Well, today I popped some batteries in the flash and mounted that little lite on top of camera. I pressed the button and poof! I disappeared. Haha well not quite, but the difference in the lighting was amazing. I can adjust the light to any direction I want creating vastly different effects and moods. The speedlite creates a nice lighting of the object without the glare and doesn't overexpose the subject and lose the details.
I jumped up and down! I squealed in delight! I called my mother and father to share the news. Jordan giggled at my exuberance. I updated every social media network to inform them of my delight. I would like to give a shout out to Tim S. at National Camera Exchange who sold me this little beauty. Want one for yourself? I know you do! Buy it here or at National Camera Exchange. It's on sale at National Camera Exchange for $270 until the end of the year. They are about the same price.
I now present to you exhibit A (don't worry that's not it):
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light-no flash
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light-built-in camera flash
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light-Canon 430EX II Speedlite
Canon 50D 50mm indoors light-built-in camera flash (not bad but harsh shadows)
Canon 50D 50mm indoors-Canon 430EX II Speedlite (see the nice color and glow, so pretty!)
Canon 50D 50mm indoors-Canon 430EX II Speedlite (love how soft the light is on the subject)
Canon 50D 50mm indoor in low light a little farther away than the pretzels-built-in camera flash
Canon 50D 50mm indoors-Canon 430EX II Speedlite (subtle, yet palpable difference)
From the portraits below you can see the speedlite can create many different types of moods by angling the light differently. So great. You aren't sick of my subject yet are you? Just a few more. He's currently my only subject (Kristina isn't home).
Christmas on the North Shore
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christmas
,
holidays
Comments (0) ↓For now, I will be content taking numerous photos of Ancha. She is 10 years old now and still super healthy and playful just as she was as a puppy. She is the most wonderful, well behaved loveable dog my parents have ever owned. A few weeks ago I bought a new camera lens: a 50 mm f/1.4. I've been taking hundreds of pictures over the past few days to test it out and see the difference between this and my old lens.
Trying to outfit Ancha with her santa hat.
She was a bit stubborn.
After awhile she thought the hat was a toy.
She finally just layed down in my lap.
I love this pic!
I'm not sure she liked being a reindeer that much more but she sure looked cute! Kristina got her a squeaky penguin toy for Christmas. Ancha has a full basket full of toys. Everytime someone comes to the door Ancha runs to her basket and selects a toy to bring to the visitor.
My dad took us down by the lake where a guy he works with feeds the deer every day.
Kristina apparently follows some of the same blogs I do! She found this post by Amanda from I am Baker and took the liberty of creating me 8 photography backdrops! I was so excited.
Adventures in Caramel Making
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food
,
stories
Comments (2) ↓My next attempt didn't fair too much better and ended up in last year's Christmas turtles. At least they weren't a total waste...
My third attempt had me pulling up a stool to the stove. I cooked that caramel as slowly as humanly possible. I hovered over the pot like a crazy woman, stirring, tasting, waiting. It was the most patience I've exhibted towards anything in a long time. Somehow that 3 hours passed and my caramel had not reached the hardness I desired. Not too mention that I put the caramel into a wax lined pan as all the recipes suggested. Bad. Bad. Don't do that. Spray your pans and abandon the wax it has stuck to the bottom every time.
About a month ago I decided to brave the caramel war and try again. I didn't follow a recipe. I didn't use a thermometer. I assembled nearly every damn ingredient I'd seen used in homemade caramels and dumped them in a pot: butter, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, heavy whipping cream, water, dark corn syrup...and you know what? Those caramels turned out. I just kept taking out spoonfuls to test the consistency and in the end I came out with delicious caramels!
I was so pleased. I wrapped them up in wax wrappers and put them in a dish in the center of the table. They were my new centerpiece – a proud testament to my success. The next day I reached my hand into the dish and carefully unwrapped one of my prized caramels. Imagine my horrified surprise when I discovered the caramel had dried out! It still tasted good for the next day or so but they didn't have the rich, buttery, greasy, melt-in your mouth texture that every caramel-maker dreams of. I was crushed.
Yesterday I decided to try caramels again; a new recipe rated highly on allrecipes.com. I still didn't have a thermometer, but I was confident in my ability to judge based on my spoon/stir test. The caramels were ready in about half an hour. It was a breeze. I poured them into a greased glass pan and sprayed plastic molds. They were beautiful, buttery, silky smooth. Kristina loved them. No small feat you can imagine.
Given my fails and triumphs with caramel over the past year I've decided to put this jumbo batch of caramels to the test. I'm praying on high hope that these last at least through Christmas. What's this test you ask? Well it's really quite simple: I eat at least one caramel per day until Christmas to see how much they retain the classic buttery caramel taste and texture. I think I'm going to like this test. In fact, I'll like it even more if they stay buttery smooth right through Christmas so my family can enjoy them as much as I do.
First successful batch of caramels that dried out too fast:(
The best ones yet
My perfect caramels; they are sooo yummy!
Want to try these delicious morsels for yourself!? Check out the recipe below.
Day 1- Monday, December 19, 2011
I made my caramels yesterday. Today I filled up a little container and kept them at my desk to offer to anyone who stopped by. They were delicious; just the same as yesterday.We shall see what tomorrow brings for the caramel! I try not to eat more than a serving or so of most of my sweets, but caramel, well that little treat kicks my sweet tooth into overdrive;)
I have all the rest in a closed plastic container (in wrappers) in hopes of minimizing exposure to air. I put them on top of all the cabinets. Kristina complained to me tonight, "Why did you have to put them up so high!? I have to climb up there every hour just to get a caramel!"
Day 2- Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Hooray! My caramels are just as tasty as ever. In fact a little too tasty...I ate about three or four. I almost wish they weren't quite as good to cut down on my consumption...almost.
Day 3- Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Still yummy! I only ate two today. I'm proud of myself. Granted I was uber busy at work and didn't have much of a chance to eat more. My supply has dwindled by half. I've now hidden 98% from Kristina to ensure there are still some on Christmas.
Day 4- Thursday, December 22, 2011
I had quite the scare this morning! We had brought all of our packages and suitcases to the car as we were loading up to head up north. The caramels had been sitting in the car for only about 10 minutes or so. I went to perform my taste test as we hit the road and discovered they had hardened ever so slightly. After I had wrapped them in a scarf and the car had warmed up I went in for round 2. Success! Those little caramels were just a bit cold. They were just as soft as the day before and my mom loved them!
Day 5- Friday, December 23, 2011
It's clear this is the best caramel recipe yet! Perfect as the day I made them.
Day 6-Saturday December 24, 2011
Merry Christmas! I now have the confidence to simply squeeze the caramel knowing the softness = delicious! Of course I had one too. They won't last past tomorrow that's for sure (everyone will eat them) but I know they have a shelf live far greater than any of the other caramels I've tried before.
As an UPDATE: Monday January 16, 2011 - I visited my parents this weekend. My dad came home from work to tell me he'd just found one of the caramels from Christmas in his lunchbox. It was still good:)
Caramel Ingredients
Caramel Instructions
1) Spray molds/glass pan (9x13) with cooking spray, then add all ingredients except the vanilla to heavy duty saucepan and cook over med-high heat stirring constantly until it starts to bubble.
2) This took me about ten minutes, then I added the vanilla and continued to cook the mixture over med heat stirring constantly.
3) I continued to cook the mixture stirring constantly for about 15-20 minutes. After awhile you will notice the mixture start to thicken. I continually take out small spoonfuls of caramel and drop it into cold water and try to form it into a sticky ball.
4) When the caramel forms and stays in a ball remove the pot from the heat and pour into molds/glass pan.
5) Let sit at least an hour before removing from the molds.
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Tofte Escape: Part II
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getaways
Comments (0) ↓Yesterday Jordan ordered a delicious White Christmas, which was a basically a white chocolate mocha with a shot of hazelnut. Holy deliciousness! I never drink coffee unless it's heavily medicated. Well this one is officially my new favorite winter drink. Try it next time you stop in for a coffee.
This was the view out my window this morning:)
Jordan is consistenly amazed by the quality and presentation of the food here on the north shore, as evidenced by his obsession with last night's trout which, I still heaven't heard the end of. We had a delicious caprese sandwhich after our hike at Temperance River at the Coho Cafe. It was a little colder than yesterday so we didn't last long on the Superior Hiking trail, but it was beautiful and nice to be out in the fresh air and feel the bite of cold air as winter settles into the north shore.
As we hiked along the falls, Jordan mentioned he'd never seen places like this until he met me. Ahh a whole new world, haha. After we returned we cranked on old fashioned christmas tunes and made white chocolate covered holiday pretzels covered in christmas sprinkles. I wanted an excuse to dress up in my new 'Santa Baby' apron my aunt made me. Christmas is by far my favorite holiday and I'll come up with any excuse to listen to Christmas songs and make holiday treats. Stay tuned for a recipe featuring pics of my holiday treats and santa baby photo shoot.
Our Post-Thanksgiving Escape
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getaways
,
minnesota
Comments (1) ↓Surprisingly for this time of year there is no snow and the temperatures are extremely mild. As I write this, I am enjoying the view out our condo window of the waves crashing against the shore. And no, Lake Superior is not home to freshwater whales. I was rather amused when I began reading the journal of previous visitors who were still hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive freshwater whale. A thing of legends I'm afraid;)
I could not have asked for a more relaxing wonderful place to stay. The condo is beautiful and quiet. The view is incredible and the bed is insanely comfortable. I've never been picky about mattresses, but let's just say this one may change that.
Our living room/kitchen. These chairs are insanely comfortable, plus they swivel & rock!
The lovely kitchen where Jordan made me steak chimichurri in honor of my 25th birthday!
Day 2 - Grand Marais
Today we ventured 25 miles north to Grand Marais, MN. A small fishing town on Lake Superior. It was raining and bit chilly, but still surpringly snowless for this time of year. We spent a few hours browsing the gift shops and having some pizza at Sven & Oles. It was good, but nothing to rave about. I was pleased to find a few christmas dishes that will be perfect for staging cupcakes. We also shared an amazing cup of white christmas coffee at the Java Moose: white chocolate, hazelnut, expresso and frothed milk. Delicious!
Later this evening we had dinner at Bluefin Grille just a few miles from where we are staying. Jordan was in shock over how good his trout was. Of course he's a huge foodie and was raving about the fish up and down. I'm sure he ate every last bite of it and even filled out the comment card. Tonight we discovered that Barbie has a whole channel dedicated to her. What has the world of entertainment come to;)
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