21 June 2010

entertained: summer road trips!

I've always ALWAYS wanted to explore more New England like: New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. I love the architecture, scenery, the SEAFOOD! So when M and I realized that we both have 2 days off in a row (!) and a car to take us wherever we want, we went looking for a cool spot to visit.
And the winner is....................
Kennebunkport, Maine! Its famous for lobsters, cute cottages, and home to President Bush Sr. It is a charming town and it was everything I imagined New England to look like, lots of boats, a little fog, gray skies.
We got a little lost and wound up in Cape Porpoise and we stopped at the Cape Porpoise Kitchen where they were nice enough to direct us back and I picked up some wine too! We easily found our hotel, the Village Cove Inn.
It was a cute little inn just outside of town and right near the beach, and every room came with a little porch. Now that is total luxury for a New Yorker! We settled in right away and headed out to explore...
First stop, THE CLAM SHACK mmmmm...

It was AHHHHsome! We had a lobster roll (traditional Maine style with mayo) and a clam strip basket, crinkle fries (my fav-o-rite) and lemonade. We devoured it! Here are the remains of the meal

and me with a goober grin? I dunno... and M totally helped me! I so didn't eat it all by myself...
Next we decided we need some BEER! Yeah! So Federal Jack's, here we come! Here is the view from the balcony, from which we sampled many fine brews. It looked out into the harbor and across to downtown Kennebunkport.
We headed back into town for a little shopping. Usually I don't like to buy touristy crap..., but we decided to get a Christmas ornament from all the places we go to, starting with the first place we went as an engaged couple. I know, sooo cheesy, but when were are putting up our Christmas tree twenty years from now it will bring up great memories and funny stories. Hey, who knows, this might be a tradition y'all want to start, do you have any traditions? I would love to hear about them!

So after an ornament, a coffee, and some FUDGE we headed back to the Inn to rest up and have a glass on vino on the porch. It was so nice and simple and relaxing, I even contemplated relocating to Maine and growing something, and then I remembered I've killed everything I've tried to grow. Everything. Even an aloe plant once!!! OK perhaps I won't move just yet, but I'm already planning my next trip up! So we decided to check out Cape Porpoise for dinner because it is the area's working harbor and there are a bunch of seafood joints there. We went to Pier77 It was great! Super romantic, with live piano music and great seafood. Duh.
Kennebunkport isn't really a nightlife kind of town, so we happily and tiredly headed back to the Village Cove for an early night of peaceful sleep :)

Morning was misty and a little chilly, we enjoyed our breakfast (even more so because it was included with our room, gotta love free bagels) and took some coffee to go for a stroll through the neighborhood and down along the beach. I'm new to this morning person kinda lifestyle, hence the hair don't...
I absolutely love gray days, especially at the beach. I'm weird. I know ;) After our walk on the beach went walked around some more on Ocean Avenue and I spied a cool looking interiors store, called Spaces, what a GREAT name ;) they had some really cool stuff, I love everything shiny and sparkly, 'cause I'm a ferret... I'm gonna post about Spaces later!
After a little window shopping we walked across the street to Mabel's Lobster Claw, it was recommended by locals and we were told the Pres likes to dine there, so I figured if its good enough for the President of the United States, it would probably do just fine for me too. And all I have to say is, I loves me some chowder! It was perfect after a chilly stroll along the beach.
We had to pack up and head home after lunch. It was way to short of a trip but it was absolutely perfect and I loved every minute! I can't wait to come back.

And I just wanted to say a few things, about having fun everyday and creating memories and dealing with budgets and somehow making it all work. We are totally money crunched, like most of America right now, and we are starting to save for a wedding. So we don't have tons of cash laying around. But M and I are committed to living life to the fullest and if we want to do something or go somewhere, we do. Maybe we don't stay as long as we would like, or we bring healthy snacks from home so we don't get gross junk food, or we adjust plans as needed. I actually really wanted to go to Vermont first, but it was a big weekend in VT and all the hotels were extra pricey so we switch our plans and picked another great state.
So even if our little vacation was just an overnight thing, M and I will cherish that trip forever :)
So just go if ya wanna!!!

Y'all planned any fun trips big or small this summer???
xo Lea






15 June 2010

designed: Wedding Planning, the beginning...

So M and I have finally started to wrap our brains around the fact that we are engaged. And I picked out my ring! TA DAAA! When M took that picture, he was all, "Hey Babe, do you love your ring?" and then I was all...

I can't quite seem to stop calling him my boyfriend, but I'm working on that...

Anyway, we are in the very beginning stages of this whole wedding extravaganza and right now, all we are doing is talking about what each of us envisions for our wedding. I think M just has some general ideas about the big day, but he is a boy... and that was pretty much as far as he got.
I, on the other hand, am a total girl and a designer who does this kind of stuff for a living, so I've been thinking of my wonderful magical day for years... yeah, I know...
So, well, I had basically already planned out my perfect Southern shindig, I figured it would be at Oakton a beautiful antebellum home that has been my family for generations.

Actually, most of my family has been married there, my mom, my aunts, my cousins, and most recently my sister Margaret



(psst- like the pictures? Carrie took 'em, she is my sister too! check her out here). So that was pretty much a given, or so I thought.
Little did I know that the love of my life would have a family home, in this tiny town in New Mexico, too and that is so much a part of him. Here is a little bit about what he thinks of this beautiful place. His family has been there for SEVEN generations, they actually homesteaded the ranch! How cool is that?!? His family is as big as mine and they all get together each year for family reunions in July. I have been out there twice, it is breathtakingly beautiful. See?

The landscape is so austere and natural, the exact opposite to the concrete jungle of New York City. It has this amazingly calming affect on the soul. So when M quietly suggested a wedding out there, I knew immediately it was the place I never knew that I always wanted (and really, that was the only thing wedding-wise that he had ever wanted)
So Carrizozo, New Mexico it is!

We have decided that while we want a beautiful wedding, we don't want to break the bank. We also don't want to start out our life together in debt. It's just not worth it to us. So our Budget for the whole wedding is...
$5,000!
It's not a lot but I know I can create an amazing atmosphere that will totally be US. Oh did I mention that is for the whole weekend? Yep, welcome party, rehearsal dinner, ceremony, reception and heck why not a morning after brunch too!
Oh Man, I think I'm in for the ride of my life!

Wedding Blog World, here I come...

02 June 2010

designed: my wedding plans!

Hey Y'all,
I got some exciting news... I'm getting hitched, and I couldn't be happier! We had an engagement photo shoot this past weekend in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and accidentally, Staten Island. We worked with a great emerging photographer, Carrie Anderson (she is my super talented sister!) This is just a sneak peek, but if you want to see more of our engagement shoot, her other work, OR if you want to book her for a session or wedding with her you can check out her website and blog. We had sooo much fun!

I have already started planning all the fun wedding details. We are getting married on my fiance's family's ranch in Carrizozo, New Mexico

We love the natural setting and it is a really special place for us... but I'm not usually a wild west type of girl. I'm from the South and I live on NYC, so what is a designer /bride to do? Lets find out!

I will take y'all along with me as I try to plan this crazy New Mexico meets New York wedding.