Friday Roundup

It's a weekend for showing love to Seattle & the Seahawks. Hopefully it'll be a good one! 

Football Brownies, perfect for whatever Superbowl party you might be attending. 

Or, try this cookie dough ice cream sandwich. It has nothing to do with football, but looks amazing! 

Misused words

Stickygram sale. You can never have enough photo magnets! 

Here's some hometown pride

Kitten + Dog= Adorableness

Full House reunion 

State Stereotypes

Vote for Jackie!

Image by E8OSE1

Surviving the Grammys, Part 2

Incase you missed it, my first post is here. And without further adieu, more random musings...

I loved the wedding! I was tearing up in the stands, even though I could barely see Laura and Alex. What a crazy way to get married, other than those 33 couples, no one will ever be able to say that they were married by Queen Latifah while Macklemore, Ryan, Mary Lambert and Madonna performed. More on this next week! (@zoerainphoto)

The official Grammy Celebration was crazy amazing party with a Roaring 20's theme and tons of food- from sushi to grilled cheese. Ciara and Boyz II Men preformed. It was over the top with amazing decor including actual Model-T's. Basically I felt like I was in Baz Luhrmann's Gatsby. Oh and did I mention Jason and I brought our parents to the Grammys? Here I am with my mom and dad! 

After the the main after party we headed to a private, low key party with friends and ended the night chilling outside of our hotel. When you live in Seattle, it's a novelty to sit outside in January and not be freezing.

Finally, this might have been the best moment of the evening. A little backstory, I mentioned yesterday that I was SUPER excited to see Bob Saget. Jason really encouraged me to go up to him and ask him for a photo, but after watching that happen to my friends over and over, I really didn't want to be that person. He was with his daughter, he too had been nominated for a Grammy (comedy album) and hadn't won. If I was him, I wouldn't have wanted to be bothered by a creepy Full House fan. Anyway, fast forward 10 minutes, we're in our seats and suddenly we're standing back up to let Alan Thicke into our row, but instead of going past, he's saying to me, that he thinks I'm in his spot! After a minute of looking at tickets, we realize he's in the wrong place, to which he profusely apologizes and Jason quickly asks him to take a selfie with us, which he's happy to do. So I'm pretty convinced having Alan Thicke, favorite TV dad #2, delivered directly to me was my consolation prize for leaving Bob Saget alone. I'll take it!

All in all, it was a long, exhausting and emotional weekend for so many reasons, but overall- I'm honored I got to be a part of it all. 

Surviving the Grammys, Part 1

So, we didn't win the Grammy for Best Music Video, but did I EVER in my life think that I'd be telling people that I lost an award to Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z and director David Fincher*? Definitely not.

Enough about that, on to the fun stuff! Here are my random musings on the evening...

It was a LONG day. I was dressed and ready to go at 11:30 AM! Jason snapped this adorable one of Ben (aka Macklemore) taking a photo of his parents as we were all leaving the hotel.

When shopping for a dress you're  going to be sitting in for 5+ hours, definitely make sure it is comfortable to sit in. I LOVED my Halston Heritage dress, but it wasn't the best for sitting down in, oops. But, I will say I do love long dresses! I didn't have to shave my legs and wore wonderfully flat Stewart Weitzman sandals. Yay! Little victories people.  (via @jkoephoto)

It's really hard to pick a favorite performance- I LOVED Kendrick and Imagine Dragons, during Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr's performance felt like I was witness to an historic moment and Daft Punk was amazing too. Oh and I was beyond impressed with Pink's arial skills-way better than us!  

Rolling Stone published our very own Zoe Rain's photos of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis preparing for their performance.  Including the above shot of Jason showing Ben the final tour episode. 

Walking the red carpet was a surreal jumble of lights and cameras,  although the media doesn't care about you unless you're famous. We were part of the later crowd walking in, so we missed a lot of it but I still felt super special rubbing shoulders with Smokey Robinson and Kathy Griffin, watching Sara Bareilles and Taylor Swift get interviewed,  chatting with Ed Sheeran, and being herded like cattle by event staff who's main job is to keep this giant cluster of celebrities and publicists moving along. I have to admit though, I was most starstruck by seeing Bob Saget! 

Zoe, who was backstage for part of the show got to see the comings and goings of performers. (@zoerainphoto)

I'll be back with more random tidbits tomorrow! 

*Incase you aren't a huge movie buff, David Fincher, who directed "Suit & Tie" is a pretty amazing director. He did Fight Club, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Social Network and is currently working on Gone Girl- trust me, it was a HUGE honor to be nominated against him and unfortunately, someone who's hard to beat based on name recognition...

Wedding Wednesday: Laura and Alex's Grammy Wedding!

As promised, here are a few more pictures of our memorable trip to California last weekend. It was Myles' first time on a plane and he did great on the way down there (not so much on the way back, poor buddy). Patrick and I hit Santa Monica Beach on Saturday and got to soak up some sun. It was Myles' first time at the beach too! He loved the feeling of the sand beneath his toes but wasn't so excited about the sound of the crashing waves. 

On Sunday morning I got to go to the hair salon and get my hair blown out...heaven!! I first did this for Jenny's birthday in December and I'm officially addicted. 

My parent's, Patrick and I headed over Staples center together in the afternoon (everyone else went early for rehearsals or pre-Grammy shows). Our seats were up in the rafters but we enjoyed every minute of the concerts, awards ceremony (congratulations Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and team on their FOUR Grammys!), and celebrity spotting. We were seated next to Lorde's family which was pretty fun. I wore this dress from Nordstrom which I LOVED, fit like a glove and was super comfortable. My jewelry was from Forever 21. :)

Watching Laura and Alex get married by Queen Latifah was an incredible experience. Next week we'll post more pictures of the wedding and interview Laura about what it was like. Congratulations to the gorgeous bride and groom!

Here are a few pictures of us at the after party/wedding reception. We had a great time partying with the whole team (including Jenny and Jason and their parents!) and celebrating the Grammy wins and newlyweds. More pictures and stories from Jenny coming in a bit!

And finally, one of my favorite pics of all time, the morning after the Grammy's...

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- Tour Video Finale

I'm immensely proud of this one. If you've got 22 minutes, check out our final tour video from this fall, it was just released today. It's definitely worth a watch, it's my favorite of all 5 tour videos we did. I love the range of emotion it captures- from the shock/joy/amazement at the Grammy nominations to Ben puking backstage before one of the final shows in Seattle. Look for me in it near the end! 

PS. I'll be back tomorrow with a Grammy recap! 

California Dreaming

I haven't had much time to blog yet but wanted to give a little preview of our memorable weekend in California! My brother and Jenny/Jason were nominated for Grammy's and had been planning to go down to LA for a few months. Then at the last minute Ryan invited my sister to be a part of the production by joining 33 other couples in getting married during the live performance of their song Same Love! We of course could not miss that so Patrick, Myles and I hopped a plane on Friday and were able to join in the festivities and soak up some sun. Talk about a once in a lifetime experience!! I'll post more pictures and details later this week. Congratulations to Jenny, Jason, Ryan and the BRIDE AND GROOM, Laura and Alex!!

Friday Roundup

Happy Friday! Tomorrow we are headed down to California for a fun filled weekend, I'm so excited to see the sun! It's Myles first time on a plane so I'm a little nervous but it's a short flight so hopefully all will go well. I'll post pictures and stories next week, going to be a crazy weekend!

Here are some links to get us started:

How the cast of GIRLS are really the Little Women and one reason why Downton Abbey sucks us in. (Thoughts??)

Why the mantra "Do What You Love" isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be.

Dreamy rental house. 

So cute and hilarious.

A cute Valentine's DIY.

How to comfort those in grief.

Crazy foodscape photos.

This birthday cake looks sooo tasty.

Grammy Weekend

I'm just realizing now, I haven't really blogged about the fact that I AM NOMINATED FOR A GRAMMY. Me! Well, along with a lot of other really talented people. Jason and I and our bags of  fancy clothes are boarding a plane this morning to head to LA in preparation for Sunday night. Our category, Best Music Video, will be announced in the pre-telecast, but I'm excited to go to the main show and cheer for my friends too! 

Obviously winning would be cool, but I can genuinely say it's a huge honor just to be nominated, especially when you look at the people we are nominated against. CRAZY.  Beyond that, the whole thing is a bit overwhelming for me, although I felt the same about the VMAs and they turned out to be really fun. I'll report back next week. Wish us luck!

Half a Year

On Monday, Myles turned six months old. Half a year. I can't believe it, time has gone so fast, this seems like just yesterday. I haven't had a chance to take his official six month photos yet but here are a few cute ones from the past week or so. I love the one I took of him up above, right before he took his bath. He was laying there looking so grown up I had to run and grab my phone to capture the moment.

These were taken the day of his six month check up at the pediatrician. He is one happy baby in the waiting room and then was totally cashed out after his vaccinations. He never ever falls asleep on me (he's not much of a cuddler) so I was in mama-heaven for a few minutes. 

Mylo with his best buddies, Kian (2.5 months) and Rory (six weeks). 

Everyone is Engaged!

Did you just get engaged? According to this article in The Atlantic, appropriately entitled "Everyone You Know Really Did Just Get Engaged", 1/3 of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and New Years. Sometimes I like to have facts to back up what seems to be true to life, and I can tell you that I get more emails about booking weddings in the beginning of January, than any other time of the year. 

Did you get engaged in during the holiday season? I didn't, but Teresa did! 

Here are some tips for the newly engaged...

Stitch Fix: Box # 1

My first box of Stitch Fix clothes arrived last week! Although I only kept one item I'm pretty excited about the idea of this service. As I've mentioned before, Stitch Fix is an online personal shopper that sends me five articles of clothing/accessories based on the style profile that I filled out online. I let them know my size, personal style, budget, and how often I want to receive a box and voila! A box of surprises arrives on my doorstep. You pay a $20 styling fee that can go toward any purchases and if you keep all five items you get 25% off.

Overall, my first box was a little too romantic/bohemian for my taste, which is partly my own fault for the way I filled out the profile and that I mentioned I had just had a baby and would want flowy tops. I edited everything online so I'm excited to see what they bring next month! Here are the details.

1) KAPLAN EMBROIDERED HENLEY BLOUSE - This actually fit really well but was a bit too pricey ($75) and I didn't love the color/style.

2) HENRY BIRDS ON BRANCH INFINITY SCARF -  I liked this scarf but it was kind of boring and I have a lot of stuff that looks like it ($28). 

3) LOTTIE FLORAL BLOSSOM 3/4 SLEEVE BLOUSE -This was too big and I'm not a fan of floral prints ($35). 

4) ADORA SKINNY JEAN - These were my least favorite item, the color wasn't for me. ($80).

5) BENSON 3/4 RUCHED SLEEVE BLAZER-  I LOVE THIS BLAZER! Kept it. ($75)

Monday Motivation

via Pinterest

Friday Roundup

Long week? Me too! This is the time of year when I always consider moving to a warmer climate.  Here are some fun and happy things to start your weekend off right...

It's Benjamin Franklin's 308th birthday today, so the city of Philadelphia made him a Facebook page.

I Suck at Tender is my new favorite Tumblr.

Would you wear these convertible booties?

This movie looks awesome.

And so it begins, a heartwarming story from the Sochi Olympics. 

Which odd holiday falls on your birthday? 

These sticky notes from a stay at home dad are highly entertaining.

Jane Austen Proposal

Have you read the Lena Dunham article in Vogue? I recommend it.



Image of golden snub-nosed monkeys by Joel Sartore via National Geographic

Starting Solid Foods

Tomorrow Myles has his six month check up with our pediatrician and we are going to get the go-ahead to start solid foods! This child LOVES to eat so it's going to be very fun to give him different kinds of food and watch his thrilled little face. On the other hand, it's been so easy to not have to think about what to feed him these past six months while breastfeeding. I'm overwhelmed by the amount of information out there regarding starting solids...looks like some people go the traditional route of pureed fruits, veggies and proteins while others lean toward "Baby Led Weaning" which involves giving the baby whole foods (cut into "matchstick" sized pieces) right from the beginning. I'm going to discuss with our pediatrician tomorrow but both methods seem to have their merits.

I've thought about buying one of these dual steamer/processor's to make things easy on me and our mom's/nanny but that would be more of a commitment to pureeing everything. I also have yet to buy a highchair! I've heard this one from IKEA is inexpensive and great.

Any and all advice is welcome! Would love any tips on essential gear, books and favorite foods!

Watch This: Orphan Black

You MUST watch Orphan Black if you haven't already. I'd been hearing about if for months and last week Jason and I binged the entire first season.  

Part of me wants to go on and on about all of the reasons I love the show, my favorite characters, etc. but not knowing what you're in for when it begins is definitely one of the best things about it. Just trust me and check it out. 

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Life Lately

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the past month or so. I really enjoyed the Christmas season this year, I got to take a few days off of work, see lots of family and friends, and of course enjoy the holiday for the first time through the eyes of Mylo. 

Jenny's birthday was one of the highlights of the season for me. Jenny and I got our nails and hair done and then we went out to dinner just the four of us (huge thanks to my MIL for babysitting!). I haven't had a night out like that in ages and it felt so glamorous to get all dressed up and do something fancy.

Christmas this year was really fun. We got to celebrate with Patrick's side of the family over the weekend and then spent Christmas Eve and Day lounging at my parent's house (I didn't get out of my new PJ's all day on Xmas!), eating great food, and partaking in our annual traditions. Oh and I tried to stuff Rory in a stocking. :)

Since Christmas I feel like Mylo has grown up so much! He is now sitting on his own (for a few seconds at least!) and rolling over from front to back. He's a happy boy, I love this age. 

And then there is this gif that my phone made which is cracking me up, BFF's:

Wedding Wednesday: Cheeseburgers...

I always LOVE it when couples want to stop for snacks while taking photos! Maybe it's something for you to consider as you're planning out your wedding day schedule. If you're already going to be driving by one of your favorite spots, why not stop for a bite and snap a couple photos?

Photo via JKoe Photography

Thoughts on 30...

Yesterday was Jason's 30th birthday. Mine was right before Christmas but somehow now that Jason is 30 as well, it feels even more real. For the last year, I've really been struggling with the idea of being 30. Part of me understands that it's just a number, but there is still something with 30 that I can't seem to get past. 

Now that it's happened, I've realized the only issue with being 30 is the one I've created. It seems I've set my own stereotype for what being 30 means. 

Somehow I've convinced myself that 30 year olds are supposed to have things together and not constantly have dirty laundry on their bedroom floor and eat cookies for breakfast. They are supposed to grocery shop regularly and remember to renew their license tabs. These things were forgivable for 20-somethings. Don't get me wrong, 30 year olds are still allowed to have fun of course, and stay out late and make rash decisions and spurge on silly things, but they are expected to be responsible too. I've turned being 30 into some sort of new and probably impossible standard to measure myself against. Yes, I probably should eat more balanced breakfasts and fold my clothes, but I shouldn't let my mind wander to  this place of guilt, that I'm not doing a good enough job at being a grown up when I don't.

Anyone else battling being 30 out there? 

According to this quiz, I'm 19 and since the quiz was from BuzzFeed, I'm sure is extremely accurate and scientifically proven ;). Although, I'm pretty sure part of me will be 19 forever. 

Photos above from Jason's birthday last night at Rock Box taken with the Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic, his present from me!

Winter Hair Solutions: Aveda Dry Remedy Oil

I've used Aveda products on my hair for a few years now and I think they are great. But this new oil they just released is amazing on a whole new level. My hair colorist and stylist have both been raving to me about it for a few months now and I finally picked up some free samples during December when I was getting my hair cut. This stuff is awesome! You only have to use 3-6 drops (depending on hair length) so it lasts forever and makes my hair super duper soft. Especially with winter dryness and wind this product is my new favorite. I've heard it is really good with curly/coarse hair too, FYI.

What winter weather beauty products are on your must-have list?

Monday Motivation

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Friday Roundup

Happy Friday!! It is going to be a wet and windy weekend here in Seattle but I'm excited to spend some time with Patrick (who has been in Oregon the whole week) and Mylo (who is sitting up on his own!). Also, being that I'm definitely a fair weather fan-- Go Hawks!!

Here are some links to get kick off the weekend:

This just blew my mind! Downton Abbey actors being decidedly un-Downton. (Mrs. Hughes! Edith!)

Also, "Downton Tabby" (must buy immediately) and GIRLS remade with kittens as CATS (yesssss.)

The daily routines of famous writers.

25 healthy recipes for the new year.

The best infographics from 2013. Love the last meals one in particular.

Refinery 29 toured Target's AMAZING offices.

I really want this in purple.

Incredible 70 year old untouched apartment discovered in Paris.

How Olivia Pope would handle Chris Christie's bridge scandal.

Amazing window wall house and story.

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A New Chapter

Confession: I have not read a single novel since Myles was born nearly six months ago. This is very unusual for me since I love fiction but I'm sad to say I've spent much more time watching TV and movies than reading. But now that I'm less sleep deprived, Myles is in a normal napping/sleeping pattern, and the winter dreary's have set in I've decided to start reading again! First book up is Gone Girl, I'm sure many of you have read it, about 10 people have recommended it to me. And I need to read it before the movie with Ben Affleck comes out!

Have any other recommendations for me? It needs to be a page turner so I can stay awake (just being honest!). 

PS. 16 books to read before the movies come out in 2014!


(Image above of Leslie Caron reading in her dressing room in 1951 during the filming of ‘The Man with a Cloak’ from this fabulous Tumblr: Awesome People Reading)

Healthier Banana Bread

I had some brown bananas. 

I'm trying to eat somewhat healthier this month. Hmmm...what to do? 

A little bit of googling later, I came across this recipe on Lavender and Olive which substituted agave and canola oil for refined sugar and butter in banana bread, so that's what I started with. I ended up taking it a few steps further, subbing in whole wheat flour and coconut oil. Oh, and then chocolate chips. Because, well... there really wasn't a health reason for that one. Oops!

Healthier Banana Bread 

adapted from Lavender and Olive

Ingredients:

1-2/3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
3 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup chocolate chips, or as many as you want :)

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan.

Sift flour, salt, baking soda and baking power in a bowl and put aside.

In a separate bowl, mash bananas. Add vanilla, agave nectar, coconut oil and eggs and mix them together.

Fold the wet ingredients gently into dry just until they mix evenly, adding chocolate chips at the end.

Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Remove from pan, set on rack to cool. 

Ferry Tale Wedding

Last weekend Jenny and I attended our friend Shannon's wedding to her guy Peter in one of the most unique wedding venue's I've ever experienced -- on the deck of a Washington State Ferry! All 200 guests walked on to the ferry at 5:35 and the wedding began a few minutes later -- the bridal party and bride walked down the "aisle" in between ferry seats and by the time we reached Bremerton the adorable couple kissed and were pronounced husband and wife! We spent the next few hours partying on the water in Bremerton and then caught the 60 minute ferry back to Seattle. Kudos to Shannon and Peter for doing something different, loved the fresh, fun and laid back vibe of their special day. (Thanks for the pics Ash!)

Jenny and I waiting for the ceremony to start

The beautiful bride and groom

Their signature cocktail - the Moscow Mule! Need to get me some of these copper glasses. 

Wedding Wednesday: A Veil

Jason and I had a marvelous time shooting Catherine & Richy's wedding a few weeks back. I was really loving Catherine's entire look, I'd call it classically chic. And the veil really pulled it all together. Here are a few shots...

Enjoying January

Why is it always so depressing to take down Christmas decorations?  It's like the fun part of winter is over and now we have to hunker down and survive the blah-ness that is January-March. So, for me, this is the perfect time to write a list, reminding myself of all the things I enjoy about winter...

1. SOUP! (some of my favorites: Carrot, Truffled Cauliflower, and Teresa's Easy Taco Soup)

2. Sweaters, slippers, tea, candles and all other things cosy and warm. 

3. Fires in the fireplace. Even though it's no longer Christmastime, this still makes things feel festive.

4. Not feeling guilty about wasting a day by curling up inside with a good book (I just started this one...). If it's rainy and grey, you might as well be inside! 

5. Award Season. Each year Teresa makes a goal to watch all of the Academy Awards Best Picture nominees. 

6. Great TV! The Sochi Olympics start in February and Downton Abbey is back on PBS and it's a great time to catch up on shows you might have missed. I have no idea how I missed the memo on Orphan Black (BBC America)  and Bletchley Circle (available on Netflix). I'm starting those now.

7. Healthy living. Whether it's on Pinterest, Facebook or even emails from my favorite yoga studio, inspiration to be healthier abounds in January. It's a great time to jump on the bandwagon and make positive changes. Lets face it, we have no real excuse to eat an entire box of chocolate in one sitting until Valentines Day.