Andy & Erin

Week 17/40

2012-02-11T16:52:00.000-06:00

During week 17, my belly looks about the same as week 16. We have been writing in a journal about our pregnancy experiences. This week we each wrote our first letter to the baby. It was a very exciting night, thinking about what we wanted to say and share. Andy brought me home more flowers, you can see them in the background. Just lovely!

Week 16/40

2012-02-09T10:18:00.001-06:00

I think it is safe to say that at week 16 my pregnancy is obvious! I officially have started to wear leggings almost every day. I have gained 4 lbs. and already my clothes feel too tight. Andy and I finally broke down and went shopping for a few new items that I could comfortably fit in. Beyond having nothing to wear, I continue to feel really great! I still do not feel the baby move. My Dr. said since the baby has tucked itself behind the placenta, I may not feel anything until week 20.

We continue to become more and more thrilled with the whole process! We look forward to visiting our friends and family in April and celebrating our pregnancy with them! We also can't wait to find out the gender in early March! We think it is a boy, but since we think that... I am sure it will probably be a girl! Either way, we are so excited to finally know!

Week 15/40

2012-02-09T10:05:00.000-06:00

Week 14/40

2012-02-09T10:03:00.000-06:00

Week 13/40 Ultrasound

2012-02-09T10:00:00.000-06:00

At week 13, the fetus continues to develop more baby-like features and is about 3 inches in length (head to rump). It's genitals are also starting to become visible... what will it be!? Boy or girl!?

Week 13/40

2012-02-09T09:57:00.002-06:00

Week 13 is officially the 2nd trimester! With this transition, I am starting to see major changes with my body. Each day my body changes, I become more excited for the baby growing inside me. The love I feel in my heart is overwhelming! Andy is also becoming more and more ecstatic. He is constantly buying me flowers and showing his affection so sweetly. We are both so thankful everything has been going so well!

Week 12/40 Ultrasound

2012-02-09T09:52:00.000-06:00

This is not the greatest photo, but at 12 weeks the embryo has become a fetus and is about 3 inches long! Again, it amazes me how fast this baby grows. During this ultrasound, I was able to see the baby move. In fact, every time I giggled the baby would hop up and down. It was a really magical moment. As the fetus grows, I feel more and more excited about motherhood and about introducing our baby to the world.

Week 12/40

2012-02-09T09:47:00.001-06:00

During week 12, I finally started to see my belly becoming more "pregnant" looking. After a big meal, it would protrude outward quite a bit. I also started to gain weight.

Week 12 is the end of the 1st trimester, I can't believe how fast it went. I have been really lucky and have not experienced a lot of pregnancy symptoms. The first couple weeks I felt nauseated when hungry and exhausted throughout the day, but that quickly subsided. Beyond cramping, thirst for water, and the constant need to urinate (of course), I have felt really great!

Week 11/40

2012-02-09T09:36:00.002-06:00

During week 11, my pregnancy continued to become more noticeable. At this point, I couldn't button any of my pants. I still hadn't gained any weight, but my growing lower abdomen continued to protrude. During the entirety of my pregnancy, I have had a lot of cramping and pulling sensations in my lower abdomen, evidence of its growth. During these early weeks, the cramps were more intense.

Week 10/40

2012-02-09T09:30:00.000-06:00

Sorry these pictures are not the greatest. We have issues with lighting in our house, it is always too much or too little. Also, we really don't have a good backdrop anywhere in our little box. We are doing the best we can!

Week 9/40 Ultrasound

2012-02-09T09:26:00.002-06:00

In just one week the embryo has grown 1/2" and is now approximately 1" in length. The cavity you see in the picture is the brain forming. Hands and feet are also starting to become distinguishable. Overall, the embryo is starting to take on more baby-like features.

Week 9/40

2012-02-09T09:23:00.001-06:00

During week 9, I still had not gained any weight. However, my stomach started to protrude outward. You can start to see my lower abdomen more clearly.

Week 8/40 Ultrasound

2012-02-09T09:20:00.000-06:00

This picture does not show much because at this point there is nothing more than an embryo in my uterus. The embryo is beginning to grow legs, arms, and facial features. These are not visible on the ultrasound, since the embryo is only approximately 1/2" long.

Week 8/40

2012-02-09T08:41:00.002-06:00

Now that our little secret is out, we wanted to start posting progression photos of my pregnancy. Every week I will post a new photo of my belly, so you can see how everything is coming along. I can't believe how fast this baby is growing!

In week 8, I had just a little bump forming in my lower abdomen. I hadn't gained any weight at this point, so I am still looking relatively normal. I had a lot of food aversions during this first period of the pregnancy. I couldn't stand the smell of coffee, alcohol, garlic, or anything else that had a very pungent scent. I thought giving up caffeine and alcohol would be difficult, but (since I had these food aversions) it was a piece of cake!

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

2011-12-26T11:31:00.000-06:00

On Christmas night, Andy and I took a trip to Rockefeller Center to look at the gargantuan Christmas tree. It was amazing and so sparkly! Here is the website: http://www.rockefellercenter.com/tour-and-explore/the-tree-at-rockefeller-center/.

NYC SantaCon 2011

2011-12-26T10:40:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, Andy and I left our apartment as usual and were greeted by hundereds of Santas! Apparently, SantaCon is a big thing in NYC. People dress up like Santa, Mrs. Clause, reindeer, and elves... then they get smashed! Or at least that seemed to be the main goal. Check out this website: http://nycsantacon.com/.

Oh yeah, I should mention Andy is always in charge of editing the videos. He is pretty proud of the transitions on this one. He he.

New York Protesters

2011-10-17T19:30:00.000-05:00

Our First Brooklyn Bridge Stroll

2011-09-14T15:54:00.000-05:00

Our New York, NY Apartment & Neighborhood

2011-08-31T11:46:00.002-05:00

Yay!!! We are so excited to finally be in our new New York apartment with no impending natural disasters! It was a great relief to us both when the earthquake, hurricane, and consequential panic had finally ended. We are beginning to focus on making a home again. Below are some pictures of our new apartment and our new neighborhood. We took the neighborhood photos on Sunday, the day the hurricane was receding. Enjoy!

Our Home: New York by Gehry
http://www.newyorkbygehry.com/

Looking into our apartment from the front entrance.

To the left is the kitchen.

To the right is the bathroom, washer & dryer closet, and coat closet.

The living area, where we sleep, work, compute, eat, etc... It is about 15' x 15'. Pretty cozy, but we like it! You may have noticed we have no furniture. We are still waiting for our shipment, it should arrive next Tuesday. We ordered a bed, which should be here this Sunday. Thank goodness for the Bettino's air mattress! We will probably not have any chairs or accessories for at least a few more weeks. We need to save up some bank first!

Looking back at the front entrance. We have one closet in the main living space, which will be used for clothing.

Our one and only window. It is huge and faces south, which is perfect! We love our downtown view! The view is pretty dense, so you can't see the Upper Bay or the Hudson River.

If you stretch your neck to the left/east you can see the East River.

If you stretch your neck to the right/west you can see the Woolworth Building and the One World Trade Center under construction.

Our Neighborhood: Financial District

We love our neighborhood! It is perfect for us! We are located on the north end of the Financial District, at the intersection of the Financial District, Tribeca, Chinatown, and Lower East Side. Our neighborhood is clean, has lots of fun places to eat, shop, site-see, and has many parks. We are close to the hip Tribeca and SoHo neighborhoods, but also have beautiful landmarks and skyscrapers right outside our door!

Our building from outside.

Our building's entrance.

The lot next to our building under construction. We think it might be a playground. I think we forgot to mention to everyone that the bottom few floors of our building are being built-out for an elementary school!

Benjamin Franklin!

We are right next to the Brooklyn Bridge!

We have subway access everywhere. The tape blocked the entrance during the hurricane until the trains started running again.

Our local park was closed off for the hurricane.

The park gates.

Tree damage from the hurricane.

Another picture of the Woolworth Building. You can see how windy it still was!

Lots of pedestrian walkways.

We hope to get more pictures after everything is furnished and we start using our amenities. Until then, take care!

New York Apartment Dilemma

2011-08-15T11:33:00.003-05:00

Andy and I are not approved for either of these apartments, but in case we are approved for both... help us decide! Below are the pros and cons with pics!

90 West by Cass Gilbert
90 West Street
New York, NY 10006
www.90weststreet.com
Similar Unit Floorplan

Location Pros:
Close to the river front park.
Expansive view. Our unit is located on the 9th floor.

Location Cons:
Overlooking World Trade Center construction.
Located in a business area without a lot of close restaurants, shops, etc...
North facing unit.

Amenity Pros:
Modern Work out room.
Historical lounge area.

Amenity Cons:
Washer and dryer located on floors above and below our unit.

Building Pros:
Built in 1907, has historical charm and amazing architectural embellishments.
Design by Cass Gilbert, a famous MN based architect.
Smaller, more peaceful residential ambiance (27 levels).
The unit we are looking at has a separate bedroom and a lot more square footage. The only reason we can afford this unit is because they discounted the price due to the construction noise.

Building Cons:
Corridor carpets were stained.
No outdoor lounge area.

New York by Frank Gehry
Eight Spruce Street
New York, NY 10038
www.newyorkbygehry.com
Similar Unit Floorplan

Location Pros:
Near Tribeca, a hip area full of delis, shops, bars, etc...
Expansive, south facing view. Our unit is located on the 33rd floor.

Location Cons:
Busy transportation hub.

Amenity Pros:
Outdoor area with grills and lounge chairs.
Pool, work out room, yoga classes, and sauna.
Library, movie room, and golf simulator.
Washer and dryer located in our unit.

Amenity Cons:
High amenity one-time fee.

Building Pros:
Built in 2011, has an amazing modern aesthetic.
Designed by Frank Gehry, a famous contemporary architect.

Building Cons:
Huge building with thousands of tenants (76 levels).
Under construction.
The unit we are looking at is a studio and very small (the smallest in the building). We would ordinarily not be able to afford any unit in this building, but they are offering incentives for early move-ins.

Locations (Cass Gilbert lower left, Frank Gehry upper right):

View Gilbert vs. Gehry in a larger map

90 West - Cass Gilbert Images:

8 Spruce Street - Frank Gehry Images:

Bibliography:
Frank Gehry Lobby
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-11/gehry-s-875-million-tower-ripples-over-lower-manhattan-james-s-russell.html
Frank Gehry Exterior
http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/beekman-tower-already-a-broker-favorite
Frank Gehry Close Up
http://www.bestarchitecture.org/new-york-beekman-tower-finished-by-frank-gehry
Cass Gilbert Lobby
http://www.totsandtravel.com/family_hotels-marriott_execustay_90_west_new_york.html
Cass Gilbert Exterior
http://www.multifamilyinvestor.com/new-york-city-apartment-building-of-the-week-how-did-90-west-street-survive-9-11/
Cass Gilbert Close Up
http://www.multifamilyinvestor.com/new-york-city-apartment-building-of-the-week-how-did-90-west-street-survive-9-11/

Grilled Sea Bass with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce & Bruschetta

2011-04-17T12:39:00.000-05:00

Andy and I grilled our first meal of the season last week! We are so excited it is finally warm enough to cook outiside! Our first meal on the good ol' Webber was Sea Bass with Roasted Tomato Cream Sauce & Bruschetta. We seasoned the fish and grilled it with the skin on. We then grilled the tomatoes and mashed them into a cream, shallot, and herb sauce we had on the stove. For the bruschetta, we kept things traditional. After taking the thick levain bread from Rustica off the grill, we rubbed it with raw garlic cloves and drenched it in delicious extra olive oil. Mmmmm... it was absolutely divine! What a way to start the grilling season!

Octopus & Moths

2011-04-17T12:26:00.000-05:00

Andy and I recently purchased a painting for our home! Once I saw it, I couldn't leave the store without it! I absolutely love reading and learning about mythical creatures that may or may not exist... this painting spoke to that fascination. The painting is called "Kraken" by Nancy Cashman, a local MPLS artist.

Another exciting addition to our home are the blooms on our Phalaenopsis (Moth) Orchid . This orchid is so amazing! It continually blooms about every 3 months. The blooms have lasted for 3 weeks so far! We can't wait until it is warm enough to plant our pots on our balcony with more flowers! We are almost there!

Sushi Smackdown

2011-03-19T18:10:00.023-05:00

Ever since Andy and I received some sushi making pointers from our friend... we have decided to hone our skills! We recently made sushi at home and up north... both times were delicious!

Sushi @ Home

Veggie gyoza apps!

Making sushi rolls!

The end result!

Sushi close-up!

Shrimp tempura!

Andy enjoying our home-made sushi!

Sushi @ Mom & Dad's

Sushi dining table!

Sushi roll veggies!

Sushi rolling station on the butcher block!

Andy cutting sushi rolls!

Sushi! These rolls did not turn out as tight as we wanted, but they were still delicious!

More sushi!

Mom and dad enjoying sushi!

The final plated sushi meal!

Florida Photos

2011-02-15T21:24:00.019-06:00

Below are just a few photos from our Florida adventure!

Spanish Monastery, Miami:

Art Deco District, Miami:

Espanola Way, Miami:

Vizcaya, Miami:

Alabama Jack's, Key Largo:

Beach, Key West:

Seven Mile Bridge, the Keys:

We hope you enjoyed! Until next time...

Recent Cooking Adventures

2011-01-09T12:33:00.012-06:00

Andy and I have been trying out a lot of new recipes lately! Below are some items we have cooked for the first time and also some classic meals we just can't stop craving!

Stuffed Rellenos with Chips and Guacamole

Homemade tortilla chips! Nothing is better than a hot batch of chips for guacamole dipping!

We cook stuffed rellenos pretty frequently. Especially in the summer when we can use the grill.

Yum!!!

Root Vegetable Stew with Herb Dumplings

My parents gave us a ton of root vegetables... so, we decided to make a delicious stew! It was unbelievably satisfyingy! You can never go wrong with dumplings!

Momos

Speaking of dumplings... Andy and I received a much desired cookbook for Christmas, Asian Dumplings by Andrea Nguyen! These "Napalese Vegetable and Cheese Dumplings (Momos)" where the first dumplings we made from the book. They were extremely intense to make... homemade dough, filling, sauce and of course trying to figure out how to form them!

Steaming the dumplings!

The end result, steamed momos with "Spicy Roasted Tomato Sauce".

Calzones

Here is another one of our classic recipes, calzones! We are cooking these constantly and trying out different fillings. These calzones were stuffed with fresh mozzarella and fresh ricotta and served with a red chili tomato sauce! Yum!

Crispy Salmon with Potato Crab Salad

This meal Andy surprised me with on his day off! It was absolutely delicious! The recipes are from Gordon Ramsay, which Andy found online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSrR0CsbGWs.

I would take this again any day!

We hope you enjoyed!

New Year's 2011

2011-01-01T12:30:00.009-06:00

Andy and I decided to have a quiet night out for New Year's this year. We had a lot of fun enjoying each others company and checking out the hot scene downtown!

We started the night out eating at Gorkha Palace... our favorite Indian restaurant in MPLS!

Here we are enjoying our food!

Our meal! Palaak paneer, garlic naan, jasmine rice, and shrimp curry! Oh yeah... we (of course) had momo's as an appetizer!

Our next stop was Bradstreet Crafthouse for drinks and a cheese plate dessert!

Here is Andy looking at the drink menu at the chef's counter at Bradstreet!

Our last stop was the Eden Ice Chamber at Le Meridien Chambers Hotel.

The Ice Chamber!

Inside the chamber!

Drinking our martinis around the outside fire pit!

The fire pit!

Watching the fire show before the clock struck midnight!

Overall, it was a very exciting and intimate evening out on the town! Happy new year, everyone!!! We hope you had fun celebrating the beginning of 2011!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T16:23:00.018-06:00

This year was an extremely busy Christmas for us! We saw a lot of family members and celebrated to the max! The celebrations started on the 22nd. Andy and I awoke early to continue preparing for Bettino Christmas, but took a break to exchange gifts!

Here Andy opened the Christmas sweater I gave him!

Here I am checking out the purse Andy gave me!

Our next Christmas activity was hosting the Bettino Christmas! We were really excited for this. We had planned and cooked a Northern Italian menu and couldn't wait for our guests to try it!

Here is the dining table all set up and ready for our guests!

Here is the extremely important beverage stand next to Christmas presents!

Here are some of the appetizers we had! To see the full menu, check out our previous post: Bettino Christmas Menu.

Here is a close-up of some of the Italian treats we had for appetizers: marinated mushrooms, nuts, figs, and olives. Yum!

This is the spinach torta appetizer. It was soooo delicious!

This was our Christmas colored entree: beet and potato salad, broccoli parmigiana reggiano, and pegai pasta with a ricotta cheese sauce! It was absolutely divine!

This was one of the desserts we had, Italian style hot chocolate. Italian hot chocolate is a lot thicker than the US version and so much yummier!

Here is the clan!

After all the excitement we cleaned up and packed our bags to journey up north to enjoy Christmas with my family! We celebrated by eating, drinking, partaking in family traditions, and visiting lots of family and friends! The time just flew by!

Here Andy is relaxing on Christmas Eve.

Here is mom and dad opening gifts.

Danny got a Lightsaber for Christmas, oh my!

Here I am opening some cozy slippers!

Andy and I are showing off our coordinating aprons and oven mits! It's no secret we love to cook!

All the festivities this year were truly wonderful! Thank you, everyone, for the gifts and for sharing in the celebrations! We love you all! Merry Christmas!

One Night in Chi-Town

2010-12-19T10:51:00.013-06:00

Andy and I took a whirlwind trip to Chicago this weekend! We didn't have very much time to visit a lot of the city, but we did manage to finally eat at Rick Bayless's Frontera Grill restaurant! It was absolutely amazing!!! Rick Bayless is by far our favorite chef. We have been wanting to visit his restaurants for a really long time!

Here I am standing outside of the Frontera Grill. Two people we spoke with said it would be impossible to get a table on a Friday night (since Frontera does not take reservations), but we must have timed it just right because we were lucky enough to get a table right when we walked in the door! Yay!

We started our Frontera Grill adventure with delicious drinks! I had delicious margaritas shaken table-side and Andy had "Marisol", a beer brewed by Goose Island specifically for Rick Bayless's restaurants!

"Goose Island "Marisol" - our Frontera beer brewed by Goose Island. A Belgian-style wheat ale with citrus and green coriander. Light and refreshing." -www.rickbayless.com

After ordering our drinks, we started the meal with "Trio Trio Trio", a trio of ceviches!

Next, for my entree, I had the "Day-Boat Catch". That night, it happened to be Mahi Mahi! Yum!

For his entree, Andy had the Duck Mole! We also both shared an order of house-made tortillas! They were absolutely delicious!

The next day we visited several of the Chicago neighborhoods to check out the Chicago lifestyle! Here I am in the Lincoln Park area.

We also ate lunch at the Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder!

We shared a salad and each had a pizza pot pie, which was like a mini, gooey, delicious deep dish pizza! Yum!

We were so sad to leave Chi-Town! We will definitely have to stay longer next time!

Minneapolis December Blizzard of 2010

2010-12-13T21:24:00.007-06:00

I was able to quickly snap a video of the blizzard on December 11th! I also have a couple of pictures below. The blizzard was so intense! Walking to and from work today was a real challenge, as well. I felt like I was back in Aitkin!

MPLS blizzard from our house.

Minneapolis skyline during the blizzard.

Minneapolis skyline after the blizzard.

Hopefully this will be the only blizzard of the season... now we just have to figure out how to survive these early below zero temperatures! Awww, Minnesota, how we love you!

Erin's 27th Birthday

2010-12-11T16:56:00.014-06:00

For my birthday this year, I decided to let Andy plan the celebration... most of it! I tried to not be involved, but I just love planning fun activities way too much! In the end, Andy developed a wonderful 24 HR plan to mark the beginning of my 27th year!

To begin the celebration, Andy baked me a delicious chocolate cake! I blew out the candles at midnight and we enjoyed the yummiest "midnight snack" ever!

After eating cinnamon rolls for breakfast, opening birthday presents, and eating at Grand Szechuan (the best Szechuan restaraunt in MPLS) for lunch, we headed to the MIA to see the Art of the Native Americans exhibit. It was so amazing! Andy planned this event all on his own, he knows how much I love and admire Native American art and culture! The image above is a tee-pee the MIA had set up outside.

This is a relief carving from the Pacific Northwest Native Americans.

Here I am looking out at the snow... it snowed the entire day! Good thing Andy gave me warm boots for a birthday present!

After the MIA and shopping, Andy took me to Spoonriver for dinner and then to the Guthrie Theater to watch A Christmas Carol. Everything was so perfect! I just loved it!

Here is the view from the Bridge to Nowhere.

The birthday girl!

The new 35W bridge all lit up.

A mini-snowperson!

It was such a wonderful birthday! We visited so many of my favorite sites and just enjoyed the day together. My 27th year is off to an amazing start!!!

Mexican Inspired Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T11:54:00.011-06:00

This year, Andy and I persuaded my parents to cook a Mexican inspired menu with us for our Thanksgiving celebration. It turned out to be absolutely delicious! We would definitely do it again! For our recipes we used Rick Bayless's Mexico, One Plate at a Time and his company's (Frontera's) suggested recipes.

Appetizers:
Guacamole
Queso Fundido with Mushrooms and Smokey Chipotles
Grouper Ceviche
Chips
Tortillas

Appetizers.

Meal:
Avocado Mango Salad with Cheese and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Green Chile and Cheese Cornbread
Roasted Garlic Mashed Rutabagas and Potatoes
Classic Red Mole with Turkey
Classic Red Mole with Shrimp

Salad.

Dining table with potatoes and cornbread

Red Mole Turkey.

Dessert:
Rustic Apple Tarts with Berry Salsa
Chocolate Cake (For my birthday!)
Chocolate Pie (Made by Geri!)

Rustic apple tart before going into the oven.

Beverages:
Bohemia Apple Lime Cider
Cava
Red Spanish Wine

For Thanksgiving festivities (besides cooking) we hung out, drank wine, worked at the flower shop on black Friday, and watched the Fish House Parade!

Taking a break from cooking.

Mom and Danny taking a break.

Aitkin fish house parade!

Working at the flower shop!

We always have so much fun during the holidays... I can't wait for Christmas!

Bagels Bagels Bagels!!!

2010-11-21T11:05:00.007-06:00

Ever since Andy went on his business trip to New York City and had the most amazing bagels he has ever tasted... he has been obsessed with making bagels! It is all he talked about for weeks. Finally, he did it! See below for the steps he took. He used this recipe he found online (after extensive research): http://www.foodmayhem.com/2009/09/bagels.html.

The first step (after mixing the dough and letting it rest) was to form the bagels.

The next step was to boil the bagels, this ensures the bagel will have a shiny appearance and chewy texture.

The last step is to top the bagels with seeds and seasoning and throw them in the oven! The smell of the bagels baking was absolutely divine!

For this batch, Andy made sesame, everything, and poppy seed bagels. They were so delicious, I think bagels for breakfast will be our new household standard!

Bettino Christmas - Tentative Menu

2010-11-15T20:10:00.003-06:00

Andy and I would like to make the Bettino family a wonderful northern Italian meal for Christmas this year. We are using recipes from The Cooking of Parma by Richard Camillo Sidoli. See below for the tentative menu and please let us know what you think!

Antipasti
Funghi Marinati (Marinated Mushrooms)
Torta di Spinaci (Spinach Torta)
Antipasti Assortiti (Cheese, Meats, Olives, Fruit & Bread)

Secondi
Pegai (Walnut & Cheese Stuffed Pasta)
Broccoli Alla Parmigiana (Broccoli Parmesan Style)
Insalata di Barbietole E Patate (Beet and Potato Salad)

Dolci
Tiramisu (Provided by Cathy and Ed)

Bevande
Red Wine
White Wine
Spiced Hot Beverage

The event is schedule for Wednesday, December 22nd at 6:00 PM. Please let us know if this is an issue and we can move the date and/or time! Thank you!

Autumn Brew Review 2010

2010-10-03T17:39:00.012-05:00

The Autumn Brew Review was better than ever this year! There were more brewers, more beers, more food, and more friends! Plus the weather was perfect! This year we went to the event with Grace, Danny, and Dan. We also met up with Andy's work crew and Dan's crew. Everyone had an awesome time!

This year, we managed to try approximately 50 beers out of approximately 300 (there were 76 different brewers)! Our favorites were Town Hall's Coconut Mango IPA, Town Hall's Eye of the Storm Honey Ale, Surly's Moe's Bender, and Goose Island's Bourbon County Coffee Stout. Overall, it was another successful MN beer tasting event!

The crowd seemed a lot larger than last year!

The beginning of the event!

Andy's crew!

Andy recording our critiques!

Matching necklaces!

Beer and chocolate, yum!

Grace, me, Andy, and Dan!

More matching necklaces!

Andy and me!

After party at Grumpy's!

I think we are all looking forward to next year!

Aitkin and Cornstalks

2010-09-26T12:54:00.017-05:00

Recently Andy and I visited Aitkin and ended up decorating the town with my Grandpa's dried-up cornstalks with family and friends. It was quite the experience and a lot of fun!

Here we are at my Grandpa's garden... ready to get to work

Here we go! My dad with the machete he used to chop down the stalks!

Stefan picking up the cornstalks to toss in the truck!

Steve hauling cornstalks!

Amanda and I taking a break!

Loading the truck!

Some corn flew out of the trucks on the highway! We had to make a clean-up stop!

Dad, Stefan, and Andy making sure the cornstalks are tied down tight this time!

Tying the cornstalks to the Aitkin light poles!

Me and my mom!

Danny tying the twine!

All done! We were all feeling pretty good about bringing holiday cheer to the town!

After party at the Pub to relax and wind down!

Pine River Adventures

2010-09-12T13:31:00.016-05:00

This weekend Andy and I traveled north to Pine River to visit Andy's parents. There were a lot of activities to participate in upon our arrival, check it out!

The first activity was for Andy and Ed to move a trailer filled with gravel while I documented and Cathy supervised!

Andy and Ed hunkered down to make the move.

Once the wheels started turning, Ed and Andy easily glided the heavy trailer into its new spot!

Andy and I took a moment to pose for a picture.

Our next stop was lunch at The Chase in Walker.

After our bellies were full, we wandered over to the Walker Ethnic Fest.

Here we go again! It's the State Fair all over again!

You can't go to any fest without having at least one unhealthy treat!

Our next stop was Leech Lake. We took a moment to check out the new light house established in 2007. We are still unsure if it is actually a light house or just a fun place to relax on a hot summer day.

Andy and I found a quaint spot to take in the view (and to pose for a cute picture).

Our final activity for the day was the community garden in Pine River. Ed and Cathy showed us their plot and Ed and Andy picked some vegetables to bring home for dinner.

What an eventful day! It was a wonderful way to spend one of our last nice days of summer!!!

Matar Panir Served with Chapati (Panir Cheese and Green Peas in Tomato Sauce Served with Griddle-Baked Whole Wheat Bread)

2010-09-12T11:20:00.008-05:00

Andy and I successfully cooked our second authentic Indian dish last weekend! We used our new Indian cuisine cookbook, Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi. We made Matar Panir and Chapati. I am absolutely in love with Matar Panir, I order it almost every time we eat at an Indian restaurant. It is sooooo delicious!

We did not take a lot of photos during our cooking process this time, we had too much going on. However, we did manage to capture a few key moments. Enjoy!

Step 1:

Make homemade panir cheese. "Panir is to India's millions of vegetarians what tofu bean curd is to a similar number of Orientals. It is a versatile protein from a country that explores milk products perhaps more than any other. Panir is the simplest kind of unripened cheese. Whole milk is heated, an acid reagent is introduced, and milk protein coagulates to form a soft curd of casein" (Devi, Pg. 313).

Step 2:

Make the tomato sauce.

Step 3:

Knead the dough for the Chapati. It's nice having someone around with big muscles to handle this step!

Step 4:

Griddle-bake the Chapati.

Step 5:

The end result! Yum!

We will definitely be making this recipe again. We will make a few modifications the next time we cook it, but overall, it is a keeper!

Masala Aloo Bhaji (Potatoes and Whole Okra in Seasoned Cream Sauce)

2010-09-06T14:38:00.010-05:00

You will probably be seeing a lot of Indian cuisine posts in the near future. Andy and I have finally purchased our first Indian cookbook, Lord Krishna's Cuisine: The Art of Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Yamuna Devi. The first dish we decided to make was Masala Aloo Bhaji. We had just purchased a whole pound of fresh okra from the farmer's market and were excited to eat it! Look below to see how we did making our first authentic Indian meal!

Step 1:

Make Garam Masala (a blend of Indian spices).

Step 2:

Make the cream sauce (a mixture of heavy cream, spices, and herbs) and put the potatoes in the oven.

Step 3:

Cook the okra until nice and soft. Add freshly ground spices and mix potatoes in.

Step 4:

Place the vegetables on a serving tray and pour the room temperature cream sauce over them.

Step 5:

Admire the end result!

Step 6:

Dish up!

Step 7:

Enjoy!

The meal was so good! We are loving this cookbook! Tonight we are going to make Matar Panir. Look for photos soon!

MN State Fair

2010-09-06T12:40:00.019-05:00

After several years of visiting the MN State Fair, Andy and I have developed a traditional route that keeps us coming back for more! Our pictures are some of the highlights of that route.

Andy and I usually like to visit the fair during the first weekend. We love all the excitement and the huge crowds!

This year, one of our first stops was the cheese curd booth! After many taste tests, we have concluded that the cheese curd booth near the Grand Stand is much better than the booth in the Food Building. Yum!

Cheese curds are usually one of the first foods we eat... we crave them all year long!

This year we added french fries to our route!

These homemade-style fries were delicious!

We always like to add some veggies into the mix!

This is my favorite part of our route, the Horticulture Building! Our first stop there is buying some delicious honey ice cream! I can't get enough of it!

Andy and I looooove honey! We like to look at the honey being made in MN. We also usually watch the honey-making show and look at the bees!

We also like to check out the crumb on the bread contestants. We are always trying to perfect our bread recipes!

We also like to check out the seed art in the Horticulture Building. This was one of our favorites!

We also liked this seed art image. It is so whimsical!

Our next stop in the Horticulture Building is the vegetables. As gourmet cooks, there is nothing we love more than checking out the local produce!

We also enjoy looking at the crazy vegetables!

There were a ton of giant pumpkins this year!

One of our final stops is the International Bazaar! We like to peak at whatever show happens to be on while we eat Island Noodles and drink Summit beer! We are usually pretty full at this point!

A couple of things we usually do on our route that we did not have time for this year were the onion blossom and the Art Building. There were also some things we did not photo. We visited the Miracle of Life barn and drank lots and lots of water! We already can't wait for next year!

The Knot... finally!!!

2010-08-15T20:24:00.004-05:00

Finally the Fall/Winter 2010 The Knot came out! Andy and I bought several copies, since our wedding is featured on page 42! Once you get your copy, look at page 44 as well. See those chandeliers? I hand hung those crystals with two other designers!!! The chandeliers were designed by Molly Yee and were installed at the Calhoun Beach Club. Me, Molly, and Natalie Rauma (the other designer) had to balance on tall scaffolding while tediously stringing crystals around the huge pendants! That was quite an experience!

The Knot!

Our article in The Knot!

Anniversary flowers!

1st Year Anniversary

2010-08-15T19:54:00.018-05:00

Andy and I can hardly believe we have been married for one year... the time flew by! To celebrate our special day, we visited New Ulm, MN. We toured the Schell's brewery, climbed the Hermann Monument, and ate dinner at The Corner Table in Minneapolis! It turned out to be quite a day!

Schell's brewery.

Schell's antique boiler now on display in their museum.

Schell's garden.

Hummingbird? We found this little guy in the Schell's garden.

Schell's taps at the B & L Bar downtown New Ulm.

Eating a picnic before we climb the Hermann Monument.

Smoked fish, cheese, and olive bread... mmmmmmm!

Hermann Monument.

Me climbing up the monument.

Andy going up!

Almost to the top!

Andy peaking through!

The top!

Me checking out the materials... of course.

What a beautiful day!

Thank you, everyone, for your wonderful anniversary wishes! We feel so lucky to have such amazing families and friends to share these special moments with!

Tres Leches Birthday Cake

2010-08-09T18:21:00.012-05:00

Finally... Andy got his birthday cake!!! I had to postpone baking Andy a birthday cake since we had a destination birthday celebration.

This year, Andy requested a Tres Leches cake with berries. I found a delicious recipe on Epicurious.com, Coconut Tres Leches Cake with Caramelized Bananas. Obviously I had to tweak the recipe to fit Andy's request, but the end result was absolutely delicious! We would definitely make this again!

The cake cooling. You can see the toasted coconut in the background.

Here I am skillfully decorating the cake with fresh, locally grown berries!

Spreading the fluffy, freshly whipped frosting!

The end result... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

Here is my mom looking for a knife to cut the cake. Her birthday is close to Andy's, so I decided to bring the cake to the flower shop. Both birthday VIP's graciously decided to share one cake! Whew!!!

The birthday boy eating his cake! You are probably wondering why his head is not in the picture... because his eyes were closed and I was enjoying the cake so much I didn't notice!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

You probably noticed that the cake is not as wet as a typical Tres Leches Cake. This was because we had a time restraint. The cake was supposed to soak in the milk for four hours... I only soaked it for about 1.5 hours. However, it was still absolutely delicious! It will be even better next time!

Parley Lake Winery

2010-08-01T18:26:00.009-05:00

Today Andy and I visited the Parley Lake Winery. It was a lot of fun! It was also great to find a locally produced (cold climate) wine that was sooooo good! Oh yeah... keep in mind today is Sunday! Andy and I think Parley Lake Winery might become a new Sunday tradition for us!

Parley Lake Winery label.

Parley Lake Winery tasting room!

Andy and I in the Parley Lake Winery vineyard.

Andy and the grapes.

Grapes ready for harvest!

Trying to eat an apple from a tree in the orchard!

Whirligig

2010-08-01T17:32:00.005-05:00

Recently Amanda and Stefan drove a whole collection of art from Wisconsin to Minnesota! The art came from Stefan's dad, Slava Yanovsky, who for years has hand-crafted whimsical and surreal pieces. We were lucky enough to be given an awesome whirligig for our home!

Andy's 26th Birthday

2010-07-31T20:36:00.018-05:00

For Andy's special day this year, I planned a trip to Gooseberry Falls and the Split Rock Lighthouse!

We left Friday night and arrived at the Fitger's Inn in Duluth.

That night we ate dinner and drank lots of yummy beer at the Fitger's Brewhouse.

Fitger's is located right on the beach of Lake Superior. After dinner we strolled along the boardwalk and caught this beautiful view!

The next day, after eating a quick breakfast in Duluth, we headed toward Gooseberry Falls. Along the way, we stopped at the world famous Lou's Fish Smoke House to buy smoked fish for our picnic!

Once we arrived at the Gooseberry State Park, we first found the picnic area on the Lake Superior beach to eat the birthday picnic I had packed!

Andy blew out 8 candles to represent the 8 birthdays we had shared together. (There was no way I was going to be able to fit 26 candles on that piece of cake!)

After cake, I carved our initials into the table alongside hundreds of others. Andy decided to carve Slayer into the table!

After the picnic, we walked around the beach before we left for the falls.

Here I am checking out the water. It was pretty cold, but there were a few daredevils who took a quick dip while we were there!

Once we arrived at the falls, we walked on a trail that took us to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Falls. This picture is the Upper Falls.

Here is Andy standing in the Upper Falls!

Our next stop was the Split Rock Lighthouse! It felt like we were on a very calm ocean instead of a lake while we were there!

This is inside the lighthouse. We climbed the staircase to the top!

We took a break at this spot on our way home. It was such an amazing day, we definitely want to go back to the area to spend more time! Happy 26th birthday, Andy!

Be'Wiched Surly Tasting

2010-07-31T13:07:00.014-05:00

Recently Andy and I had an awesome opportunity to visit our neighborhood deli, Be'Wiched , for a delicious tasting menu of locally produced, gourmet food and locally brewed Surly beer! The pairings were mind blowing!!! We can't wait until next year!

We purchased our tickets ahead of time (I purchased vegetarian and Andy purchased regular). The restaurant was closed for the night except for people attending the event. After we arrived, we were served 5 courses: appetizers, first course, second course, main course, and dessert! Each plate of food was paired with a Surly beer. It was soooo delicious!

Appetizer Course

The Surly beer paired with our appetizers was Bitter Brewer Firkin.

The meat appetizer.

The vegetarian appetizer.

First Course

Andy eating the meat first course and drinking Surly Hell.

Second Course

Me eating the vegetarian second course and drinking Surly Cynic Ale.

Close-up of vegetarian second course.

Main Course

Main course beer, Surly Abrasive Ale.

Vegetarian main course.

Dessert Course

Dessert course served with Surly Four.

After all the delicious food and awesome beer... it was time to sneak a picture with Omar, the founder of Surly! Omar had been moving from table to table all night long explaining the beers and answering questions. The whole night was so awesome! We also has a chance to talk with the Be'Wiched founders and chefs (Matthew Bickford and Mike Ryan) who had planned out the amazing menu and pairings!

Here is Omar and I and some weird, sweaty guy to our right;)

Nanaimo Bar

2010-07-31T11:42:00.007-05:00

Hello everyone. While Andy and I were cruising around the Pacific Northwest, we discovered a local delicacy we wanted to write more about... the Nanaimo Bar. The Nanaimo Bar is a fusion of chocolate, coconut, custard and other deliciously sweet ingredients anyone would love! Below are pictures of three Nanaimo Bars we tried during our travels.

For a recipe, you can visit the Nanaimo official website . For more information, you can even check out Wikipedia's Nanaimo Bar article .

Nanaimo Bar 1

This bar may look like the tastiest of the bunch, but it was actually the worst! It had a pre-packaged flavor and was waaaaaay too sweet! We thought our love for the Nanaimo Bar was over after this one! We found it at a small gift shop/cafe in Stanley Park, Vancouver.

Nanaimo Bar 2

After eating this bar, we knew that Nanaimo Bar's had potential to be good. This bar was definitely made in-house, but was still too sweet. We discovered this bar in a small cafe along the coast of the Strait of Georgia in Nanaimo.

Nanaimo Bar 3

This was the best Nanaimo Bar we had the entire trip! It was absolutely delicious! It had the perfect sweetness, gooeyness, and chunkiness! You could taste the home-made freshness and the bright ingredients! Yum! We found this bar in a small cafe in Nanaimo's historic area.

After all those Nanaimo Bar's, we are ready to make our own version!

The Pacific Northwest

2010-07-11T15:06:00.022-05:00

Andy and I absolutely loved the Pacific Northwest! The mountains, the sea-life, the huge trees, the calm atmosphere... it was all so wonderful! We definitely want to go back and hope to one day share the area with our children (which we don't have right now). I posted a few pictures below of the highlights and the places we loved the most!

Vancouver - 2 Nights

The view of Vancouver from Stanley Park.

Leaving Vancouver for Nanaimo. We had to cross the Straight of Georgia on a ferry with our car. This was the first stop of many on our way to the Wickaninnish Inn (Wick Inn for short) located in Tofino, BC.

Andy on the ferry.

Nanaimo.

Tofino - 2 Nights

One of the stops we made on our way to Tofino.

Our hotel room at the Wick Inn from outside.

Sea creatures.

One of many starfish on the coast near the Wick Inn.

Andy climbing on the rocks on the beach.

The beach.

We just couldn't get enough of this place!

The Secret Cove at the Wick Inn.

Climbing in the Secret Cove.

Seattle - 2 Nights

Andy and I on the top floor of the Seattle Space Needle.

Place Pigalle food... yummy!

The best donuts ever!

Building in the historic district.

Andy in the sculptural garden.

Trabant Coffee.

We can't wait to go back! We just loved this area!

The Pacific Northwest

2010-07-01T16:22:00.009-05:00

Honey Ice Cream at Night

Praline Pecan Ice Cream During the Day

Besides eating a lot of ice cream night and day, Andy and I have been busy planning our trip to the Pacific Northwest. By the way... we leave tomorrow! See below for our tentative site-seeing activities. We are really excited, neither of us have explored that area before. We are hoping to see a lot of beautiful mountains, old growth trees, historical sites, and of course... the ocean! We also hope to eat a lot of delicious food and drink a lot of coffee! See you when we get back!

Our Pacific Northwest Tentative Adventure Plans:

View The Pacific Northwest in a larger map

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – 2 Nights
Cafe Burlington
Steamworks Brewing
Shanghai Chinese Bistro
Salt Tasting Room
Chinese Garden
Museum of Anthropology
Granville Island
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Stanley Park

Tofino, British Columbia, Canada – 2 Nights
Nanaimo
Wickaninish Inn
The Pacific Rim National Park

Seattle, Washington – 2 Nights
Elysian Brew Pub
Top Pot Hand-Forged Donuts
Trabant Coffee and Chai
Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour
Pike Place Market & Harbor
Sculpture Garden
Seattle Center
Seattle Aquarium

Mole Mole!!!

2010-06-08T21:24:00.020-05:00

Over Memorial Day weekend, Andy and I decided to undertake one of the most elaborate dishes we have ever created... mole! Five hours and twenty-eight ingredients later, we enjoyed one of the most tongue tantalizing dishes we have ever made! We used Rick Bayless's "Teloloapan Red Mole" recipe from his cookbook, Mexican Kitchen.

Step 1: Prepare snacks (Guacamole and Surly Smoke).

Step 2: Deseed the dry peppers.

Step 3: Soak the fried dry peppers and toast the seeds.

Step 4: Prepare other dry ingredients.

Step 5: Blend dry ingredients and peppers separately.

Step 6: Watch the sun go down and look at the pretty rainbow.

Step 7: Stir and heat for about 2 hours!

Step 8: Enjoy!

It felt like we had run a marathon by the end, but the incredible, complex flavors were so worth it!

Wine & Cheese Party!

2010-05-26T19:07:00.004-05:00

The month of May has proven to be an incredibly busy month for Andy and I... May Day, Mother's Day, bachelorette party, Mexican fiesta, Twins game, Grace's graduation... the list goes on! I am sure you can forgive us for not posting in so long!

We decided to share our wine and cheese party we hosted for Andy's family in celebration of Grace's graduation. It was so much fun... we are already planning our next one!

For our party, we decided to explore the flavors of Italy. We paired six Italian wines with six Italian cheeses from the same regions. The plan worked out deliciously!

Pairing 1
Baron di Valforte Passerina 2008 with Robiola

Pairing 2
2008 Lava Beneventano Falanghina 2008 with Montasio

Pairing 3
Vigna Rocca Albana di Romagna 2008 with Parmigiano Reggiano aged 4 yrs

Pairing 4
Renato Ratti Colombe Dolcetto 2008 with Pecorino Toscano

Pairing 5
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 with Sotocenere Truffle

Pairing 6
Zenato Valpolicella DOC Superiore, 2007 with Gorgonzola

E 'stato perfetto!

Mead

2010-04-17T17:09:00.007-05:00

Andy and I finally bottled our mead the other day. We are both extremely excited! We sampled the mead and discovered it is well on its way to developing into a delicious beverage. This might be the first home brew that is successful (as in good tasting). The mead will need to bottle condition until Christmas (at least), you can count on sampling some then!

Ingredients:
Ames Honey
H2O (filtered spring water)
Yeast, Lalvin 71B-1122
Yeast Nutrient

Andy bottling.

Erin bottling.

Mead with the Minneapolis skyline, the Arco replica, and Money Tree.

Andy and the mead.

Mead! We can't wait until it is ready!

Wine, Candles, & Avocado Pizza

2010-04-02T21:34:00.003-05:00

Today is Andy and I's 7th year dating anniversary! To recognize this wonderful event we decided to grill our favorite pizza, Avocado and Black Bean! We paired it with a full body red wine and some soothing candles. It was a splendid and delicious way to celebrate! We still can't believe we have been together this long... 7 wonderful years of dating, 7.5 wonderful years of knowing one another, and now almost 8 months of being married!

Hello Arco

2010-03-28T20:47:00.004-05:00

Andy and I have been searching for an Arco Floor Lamp replica for years. We finally found a pretty good one for an excellent price on Craigslist! We happened to be on the site right when it was listed, this was extremely lucky. Replicas go quick! We cannot afford the real Arco Floor Lamp, but our replica does just the trick! Say hello to our new friend!

St. Patrick's Day Dinner

2010-03-28T18:20:00.009-05:00

Andy and I decided to start a St. Patrick's Day tradition... a delicious Irish meal! We found an excellent recipe for Twice Baked Irish Potatoes with Stout Onions and Kale on Hulu. It was absolutely delicious, we can't wait to make it again!

Before we started cooking, we cracked open some Irish-style nitro beers.

While we cooked we munched on smoked salmon, porter cheese, and a baguette.

Here is Andy cooking up the kale, onion, and stout mixture.

Here I am stuffing the potatoes with lots and lots of Irish cheddar cheese.

Loading the potatoes into the oven, they were super heavy!

The delicious end result! We will definitely be making these again!

Tienda de Artesania "Los Ceibos" in Muna, YUC

2010-03-14T18:29:00.010-05:00

We wanted to share the details of our visit to Los Ceibos, since this little shop is internationally acclaimed. We found the location by using the below directions from Frommer's Guide to Cancun & the Yucatan.

"...just as you enter Muna [driving south on HWY 261 from Merida], keep an eye out for two large Ceiba trees growing on the right side of the road. Under the trees, a small plaza with stalls sell handcrafts or food. Make a right turn and go down 148 ft. On your left will be a store. It is not well marked, but it will be obvious."

We felt the directions above were pretty good. We personally had trouble finding the shop since we were coming from the opposite direction, which led us by several other plazas. We also had no idea what a Ceiba tree looked like.

We eventually found the quaint little store and were immediately ecstatic. One of the owners was busy painting pottery while we were there. It was so fascinating to watch her technique. We had so much fun perusing through all the hand-made pots, jewelry, and carvings. We definitely plan on returning!

Front entrance.

One of the pots for sale.

Discussing pricing with one of the owners/artisans.

Our purchases. We regret not buying more!

Honeymoon Photos!

2010-02-28T15:14:00.012-06:00

Below are a few images we took during our honeymoon. We took over 2,000 photos, but below are some of our favorites. If you want to see more, you will just have to come visit!

The marvelous Cancun beach.

The Catedral de San Ildefonso facade, the oldest cathedral on the continent!

The entrance courtyard at the Hacienda Yaxcopoil.

An interior image of the worn wall finishes at the Hacienda Yaxcopoil.

Looking over the Uxmal ruins from a high vantage point!

A close-up of the amazing high-relief carvings at Uxmal.

Andy stepping down into the Kabah ruins.

A partially excavated structure at the Balamku site.

A cenote in the Artun Chen cave.

Walking around the Isla Mujeres on a surreal, winding path.

Actual Honeymoon Route

2010-02-28T10:41:00.007-06:00

View Yucatan Honeymoon! in a larger map

Andy and I changed a lot of our plans while we were driving around in Mexico (see the map above). We stayed in places we did not expect and stayed less time in places we had planned. The whole trip was spontaneous and exciting! Below I listed all the places we visited, stayed at, and ate at. I ranked the hotels and restaurants with fair, good, or excellent in case you are interested in visiting the Yucatan! Of course, all the sites (including the cities we were staying in) were all excellent!

February 8-10, Cancun
-Flew into Cozumel (missed our Cancun flight), took a ferry to Playa del Carmen, and took a taxi to Cancun!
-Visited the beach.
-Stayed in the ME by Melia Hotel (excellent, but expensive).
-Ate at El Shrimp Bucket (fair) and the Beach House (good).

February 10-12, Merida
-Visited Valladolid, the Ek-Balam ruins, the Chichen Itza ruins, and Paseo Montejo.
-Stayed at Gran Real Yucatan Hotel (good).
-Ate at El Meson del Marques (excellent) and Alberto's Continental (excellent).

February 12-14, Uxmal
-Visited the Hacienda Yaxcopoil and Uxmal ruins.
-Stayed at the Lodge at Uxmal (excellent).
-Ate at Lodge at Uxmal restaurant (excellent).

February 13-14, Campeche
-Visited Tienda De Artesanias "Los Ceibos" in Muna, the Kabah ruins, and the Sayil ruins.
-Stayed at Francis Drake (good).
-Ate at La Pigua (excellent).

February 14-15, Laguna Bacalar
-Visited the Balamku ruins, the Becan ruins, the Cenote Azul, and the Laguna Bacalar (it's a lake).
-Stayed at Hotel Laguna Bacalar (fair).
-Ate at Hotel Laguna Bacalar (fair) and Restaurante Cenote Azul (good).

February 15-16, Tulum
-Visited the Chacchoben ruins, the Tulum ruins, and the beach.
-Stayed in a Zamas hut right on the beach (excellent).
-Ate at Zamas (excellent).

February 16-18, Playa del Carmen
-Visited Akumel, the beach, and the Artun Chen cave.
-Stayed at Playa Palms (good).
-Ate at Yaxche (excellent), La Cueva del Chango (the most excellent meal we had the entire vacation, 100% fresh, authentic Mexican cuisine), and Casa Mediterranean (excellent).

February 18-23, Cancun
-Visited the beach, Isla Mujeres, Mercado 28, and downtown Cancun.
-Stayed at ME by Melia (excellent, but expensive).
-Ate at Thai (good), La Madonna (good), Taco Grill (fair), Lorenzillo's (fair), Labna (excellent), the Beach House (good), Silk (fair) and Sunset Grill (good).

Return from Honeymoon

2010-02-23T20:36:00.002-06:00

Hi everyone! We just got back today and are completely exhausted! We plan on going to work tomorrow, so we don't have time to get any pictures up tonight. It was an extremely amazing trip, we can't wait to share!!!

Our Honeymon Route!

2010-02-05T23:08:00.003-06:00

View Yucatan Honeymoon Route in a larger map

The map above is for you to follow along on our expedition! Below are the highlights we would like to see along our route!

CANCUN, 2 Nights:
-Isla Mujeres
-The beach!

MERIDA, 5 Nights:
-Ek Balam
-Chichen Itza
-Uxmal
-Dzibilchaltun
-Celestun

CAMPECHE, 1 Night
-Old Spanish city walls and buildings of Campeche.

BACALAR/CHETUMAL, 2 Nights:
-Becan
-Xpujil
-Chicanna
-Laguna Bacalar
-Cenote Azul

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, 5 Nights:
-Tulum
-Coba
-Cozumel
-The beach!

Paella!

2010-02-01T19:40:00.016-06:00

Andy and I have not had a lot of experience cooking Spanish cuisine. We decided the best way to introduce ourselves to Spanish food was to make Paella. We purchased two cookbooks we felt would be essential to cooking the perfect Paella, Paella! and The Foods and Wines of Spain, both by Penelope Casas. We chose "Shrimp Paella with Salmorreta Red Pepper Sauce/Arroz con Gambas y Salsa Salmorreta" for our first ever Spanish dish. We also made "Arugala and Carrot Salad with Anchovy Dressing" as an accompaniment.

Stage 1: Season Paella Pan & Cook Stock

Stage 2: Prepare Ingredients

Clams, shrimp, squid, bomba rice, parsley, garlic, and sweet paprika.

Stage 3: Mix & Cook Ingredients in Paella Pan

Stage 4: Prepare Salad & Salmorreta Red Pepper Sauce

Stage 5: Eat Paella!

Mmmmmmm... what an introduction!

Storm King Bliss

2010-01-26T19:58:00.006-06:00

Here we are featuring a beer "emerging from the deepest shades of darkness". One of our favorite beers, Victory's Storm King Imperial Stout. We both like the sizable roasted aroma and the heavy, malty backbone. Mmmmmmmmmm.........

Also, the bottle opener you see here was a gift from Andy. I love how cute it is! Andy and I have a thing for crows after one used to perch by our window to unintentionally wake us up early in the morning.

European Treats

2010-01-24T13:37:00.000-06:00

To break up our obsession with Mexican cuisine, we have been cooking some French and Italian dishes as well.

Above: Fish Fillets poached in White Wine with Shellfish Garnish and Cream Sauce, a Cheese Plate (Andy and Erin style), and Squid with Porcini Mushroom Stuffing and Orange Cucumber Salad

Flan and Fun

2010-01-24T12:57:00.000-06:00

Andy and I have always loved cooking authentic Mexican dishes. Lately, as our anticipation for our honeymoon grows, we have been cooking more Mexican than usual! We always use Rick Bayless's cookbooks, he has so many fantastic recipes. Not only does he feature authentic Mexican cuisine, he also puts his own twist on a lot of the recipes. They are always amazing tasting!

Above (from left to right): Herby Ricotta Tacos, Mexican Chocolate Flan, and Roasted Tomato Chipotle Chilaquiles

Honeymoon Update

2010-01-24T12:43:00.000-06:00

Andy and I think we are officially prepared for our honeymoon adventure! We are still missing good walking sandals and our Spanish cheat-sheet, but we still feel prepared. We recently purchased a GPS to navigate the Yucatan peninsula, extra memory cards for our camera,and Andy got a very special silk Rick Steve's money-belt (see above). We also rummaged through our retired summer gear and located lots of Burts Bees sunscreen and plenty of summer attire. To pack all of our gear, we have borrowed a nice sized suitcase from my parents. Our goal is to bring only one suitcase, but we will see what happens when we start to pack! 16 days is a long time! If you have any other suggestions, let us know!

What's cooking?

2010-01-04T20:22:00.001-06:00

Swordfish with Wine, Tomatoes, and Herbs and Buttered Green Beans

Gnocchi with Tomato Butter Sauce and Garlic Sauteed Spinach

Keeping with the spirit of the holiday, we have been cooking some dishes with a red and green theme.

The Research Continues...

2010-01-04T18:46:00.000-06:00

A few people have asked us why we decided to visit the Mayan ruins for our honeymoon, so here goes the explanation... Andy and I both gathered fond memories of the Mayan culture throughout our educational experiences. I became closer to the subject when I took a Mesoamerican history course during my sophomore year at St. Thomas. I continued to learn about the Maya's architecture and art in several of my art history and architecture courses I took within my interior design curriculum. As Andy and I discussed what I was learning, our anticipation to see the Mayan ruins grew. After the wedding we began to discuss possible destinations for a honeymoon, the ancient Mayan cities were at the top of our list! We are so excited we finally get to see the remnants of such a beautiful culture's history in only one month!

To refresh our memories on the Maya, we have been reading articles online and the above book. So far, the book has been an excellent resource. We want to be sure to know and remember as much as possible before we visit to the ruins!

Andy and I have also been trying to brush up on our Spanish! We both have taken Spanish classes; however, we have forgotten a lot! We are now focusing on vocab that will be the most useful to us and we plan on making a cheat-sheet we can carry around with us. We will also be carrying around the Frommer's "Cancun and the Yucatan" guide, which has tons of information on traveling to the ruins. All of our preparations are making us even more excited to visit the Yucatan, we can't wait!

Honeymoon Planning!

2009-12-14T20:02:00.000-06:00

Andy and I have been researching the Yucatan extensively these past few weeks. We have finally narrowed down the cities we would like to visit and where we would like to stay. Below is the plan, beneath each city are the sites we would like to see!

Days 1-3: Cancun
Relax on the beach and soak in much needed vitamin D!
Visit Isle Mujeras.

Days 3-8: Merida (the Yucatan's capital)
Visit the Ek Balam ancient ruins.
Visit the Chichen Itza ancient ruins.
Explore Merida, founded in 1542 by Spaniards. Of course, the Mayans had been there long before this date.
Vist the Uxmal ancient ruins.
Visit the Dzibilchaltun ancient ruins.
Visit Celestun, a wildlife sanctuary.

Days 8-9: Campeche
Explore Campeche. Spaniards first attacked this city in 1517 and were only able to take control after the Mayan leader, Moch Couoh, died in 1540.
Visit the Becan, Xpujil, and Chicanna ancient ruins.

Days 9-11: Bacalar/Chetumal
Visit the Laguna Bacalar.
Vist Cenote Azul, one of many deep holes found in the area containing ground water (seen in the image above).
Visit the Chetumal cultural museum.

Days 11-16: Playa Del Carmen
Visit Tulum.
Visit the Coba Ruins.
Snorkel in Cozumel.
Relax on the beach one last time before heading back to MN!

We cannot wait! If you have any suggestions, let us know! Also, I feel pretty bad about laughing at everyone who has to stay in MN during February. To make you feel better... this is the first time Andy and I will be able to escape the cold since our Freshmen year in college (6 years ago)! It is about time!

Honeymoon!

2009-11-29T16:47:00.000-06:00

Andy and I have finally started to plan our honeymoon! We have decided to travel around the Yucatan for 16 days! The details are being worked out as I write! The focus of our trip will be the Mayan ruins. We plan on visiting as many as possible. We want to stay in Playa Del Carmen for part of the trip and Merida for the other. We will be going sometime in February and are super sad we will be missing all the wonderful Minneapolis weather, which averages around 12-28 degrees during this month. Ha ha ha ha!!!

Cooking and Baking

2009-10-25T16:28:00.000-05:00

Andy and I have been having a blast cooking and baking yummy food with all of our new exciting kitchen gadgets! Recently we made a delicious apple pie with our new "Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer". Of course, as newlyweds, we made the pie with love and put heart cut-outs on top. Honestly, the hearts were Andy's idea, I wanted stars!

We also recently made tasty gnocchi with our new food mill. The gnocchi turned out super smooth and fluffy. We topped the gnocchi with our favorite fall sauce, browned butter and sage. Can this meal look any more delicious!!! Thanks again for all the great gifts. We are having so much fun using them!

New Houseplants

2009-10-25T16:10:00.001-05:00

Recently we purchased a new orchid, since our other orchid is now dormant with no flowers. We spotted the Cattleya Orchid yesterday and could not leave the store without it. It was so beautiful, plus it reminded us of the white Cattleya Orchid I wore in my hair for our wedding!

We also changed out some of our older house plants. They were too large for our pots, so we gave them away. We planted a new Kumquat Plant that Andy's Aunt Anne and Uncle Gary gave us. We can't wait until it gets bigger and the little orange Kumquats start to grow!

Tubby Smith Basketball

2009-10-25T15:57:00.001-05:00

Yes, the rumors are true! Andy and I received a basketball signed by the Gopher Men's Basketball Coach, Tubby Smith, for a wedding gift. The very thoughtful bestowers are Scotty and Suzie from Kentucky. They are friends of Andy's uncle, Tommy. Andy used to hang out with Scotty and Tommy when he was a little boy.

For now the basketball hangs out in our entryway on the bench my dad made for us. Maybe when we move into a different home we can find a new spot for it.

Wedding Photo Update

2009-09-04T09:35:00.001-05:00

Hello, everyone. We now have Jenna Sefkow's photos on our shutterfly website as well. http://erinandandy.shutterfly.com/ Also, for some reason when I uploaded the Blue Diamond Photography photos, it made a bunch of duplicates. Sorry about this, I am trying to fix it. Enjoy!

Thank you, everyone!!!

2009-08-17T21:25:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone! Andy and I wanted to say thank you again for coming to our special day! We were so grateful that so many wonderful people came to our wedding. We really appreciated everyone's presence, it meant so much to us! We hope you all had a wonderful time and all your traveling was well worth it! We were so glad we were able to share the day with so many people. Everything was so perfect and beautiful the day of our wedding (thanks to a lot of people)! What about the amazing butterfly moment and the beautiful blue, sunny sky!? Both were incredible!

Andy and I had thought long and hard about what our wedding would mean to us... we decided that it would be a special day that would bring all the people we care most about in our lives into one room, to celebrate one event, and to share in one fantastic memory. We think our goal was successful and everyone will remember our day as a loving and intimate celebration!

We also wanted to say a special thank you to Amanda, my parents, and the Aitkin Flower shop crew for all the amazing flowers! We also wanted to say thank you to Andy's parents for the beautiful and fun rehearsal dinner! We really couldn't have made our celebrations as great as they were without help from our generous families! Thank you so much, Lee, for being our officiant. The wedding wouldn't have been nearly as awesome without you. You really took the job seriously and worked so hard to make it just right. It brings tears to my eyes thinking about how perfect and lovingly funny the whole script was. Thank you so much!

Also, thank you immensely for all of those who helped set up the venue and (of course) tear everything down at the end of the night (especially Grace and Dany)! Thank you Jeannie for putting out the flowers on the napkins!

We can't wait to see our professional photos and (of course) we will be sharing them with everyone as soon as they are ready! Thank you again!

Love,
Erin and Andy

Wedding Invite

2009-08-09T11:19:00.001-05:00

We decided to attach an image of our invite in case yours is not available. Feel free to call us if you need more information!

Total Attendees

2009-08-09T11:06:00.000-05:00

We have had a few changes in our numbers this weekend. More people are coming! Our new totals are below!

Total: 130
Scallops: 72
Penne Pasta: 51
Grilled Cheese: 4

Final Count and Procrastination

2009-07-30T21:04:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone! We know we haven't posted in a while... that's because we decided to paint the interior of our house instead of work on wedding related items. This endeavor took a week!!! We also were busy celebrating Andy's 25th birthday! Don't worry, this week we are back on track!

We have received all of our RSVP's and are submitting the results to the St. Paul College Club tomorrow. We invited 156 people and 128 people are coming, that is an 82% attendance! This is fantastic; we are so excited almost everyone will be able to attend! In case you were curious, we will be serving 71 broiled scallop entrees, 51 penne pasta entrees, and 4 grilled cheese sandwiches!

As for all the other items that needed to be finished for the wedding... we are still working on it! You have nothing to worry about, though. We have very little left on the to-do list. We are so excited for the event and are looking forward to seeing you soon!

The Florist's Daughter

2009-06-27T11:06:00.000-05:00

Cathy has chosen a book for everyone's reading enjoyment during our wedding week. I finished the book today and I have to say it was fantastic! It is about a woman who grew up in St. Paul, MN post-war. The book gives a lot of historical information about St. Paul and even mentions landmarks that we have suggested people visit while in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. It also describes in detail how flower shops were run during earlier periods. I won't go into specifics, but it was a lot harder (if you can imagine) than today!

The book is very fitting for our wedding, since it takes place in historical St. Paul. Also (I am unsure if many of you know this) my mother owns and runs a flower shop. My mother, father, sister, Andy, and I will all be assembling the arrangements (and anyone else we can capture) for the wedding. I hope you get a chance to read and enjoy the book. Thank you, Cathy, for your wonderful recommendation!

Andy's Ring

2009-06-26T14:30:00.001-05:00

Andy's ring came in today, it is absolutely beautiful! As you can see, he changed his mind again. Any of the rings he looked at would have been wonderful, but I think his final decision was the best!

Gifts

2009-06-21T20:10:00.000-05:00

If you decide you would like to give us a gift, please look at the below four categories (Bathroom, Bedroom,Dining Room, and Kitchen) for ideas! We have not registered at any specific store, but please feel free to use the "comment" section of our blog to indicate to others if you have purchased a gift. We promise not to look!

Also, we have given recommendations for locations you can purchase these items. However, if a local store sells an item we are interested in, please feel free to purchase it there. Don't feel obligated to give us a gift, your presence will be the best gift of all!

Gifts for our Bathroom

2009-06-21T20:02:00.001-05:00

Gifts we could really use or have always wanted for our bathroom.

Item: Bamboo Tub Mat
Item Name: Lenox Platinum Bath Mat, White Mantel
Purchasing Location(s): Macy’s
QTY: 1
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=150658&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

Item: Bamboo Bath Towel
Item Name: Lenox Platinum Bath Towel, 30”x58”, White Mantel
Purchasing Location(s): Macy’s
QTY: 4
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=150658&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

Item: Bamboo Hand Towel
Item Name: Lenox Platinum Hand Towel, 18”x30”, White Mantel
Purchasing Location(s): Macy’s
QTY: 4
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=150658&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

Item: Bamboo Wash Towel
Item Name: Lenox Platinum Wash Towel, 13”x13”, White Mantel
Purchasing Location(s): Macy’s
QTY: 4
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=150658&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

Item: Accessories-Trash, Tooth Brush Holder, Tissue Box
Item Name: Accessories-Trash, Tooth Brush Holder, Tissue Box
Purchasing Location(s): Design Within Reach
QTY: 1 of each
http://www.dwr.com/category/accessories/bath/hinoki-collection.do

Item: White Shower Curtain
Item Name: Dalton Matelasse Shower Curtain
Purchasing Location(s): Pottery Barn
QTY: 1
http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p12756/index.cfm?pkey=cshower-curtains

Gifts for our Bedroom

2009-06-21T19:42:00.000-05:00

Gifts we could really use or have always wanted for our bedroom.

Item: Wool Filled Pillows
Item Name: Woll Knop Filled Pillows, Bamboo cover, Standard size
Purchasing Location(s): www.sleepysheepbedding.com
QTY: 4
http://www.sleepysheepbedding.com/products/erin-catlin-and-andy-bettinos-commitment-gift-registry

Item: Pillowcases
Item Name: Hotel Collection 500 Thread Count, Standard, Steel
Purchasing Location(s): Macys
QTY: 4
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=223061&CategoryID=30673

Item: Shams
Item Name: Hotel Collection “Frame” Standard Quilted Sham
Purchasing Location(s): Macys
QTY: 2
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=198890&CategoryID=12814

Item: Wool Duvet
Item Name: Queen Bamboo/Wool Duvet
Purchasing Location(s): www.sleepysheepbedding.com
QTY: 1
http://www.sleepysheepbedding.com/products/erin-catlin-and-andy-bettinos-commitment-gift-registry

Item: Duvet Cover
Item Name: Hotel Collection “Frame” Queen Duvet Cover
Purchasing Location(s): Macys
QTY: 1
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=198890&CategoryID=12814

Item: Bed Skirt
Item Name: Hotel Collection “Frame” Queen Bed Skirt
Purchasing Location(s): Macys
QTY: 1
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=198890&CategoryID=12814

Item: Full Fitted Sheet
Item Name: Hotel Collection 500 Thread Count, Full Fitted Sheet, Steel
Purchasing Location(s): Macys
QTY: 1
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=223061&CategoryID=30673

Item: Full Flat Sheet
Item Name: Hotel Collection 500 Thread Count, Full Flat Sheet, Steel
Purchasing Location(s): Macys
QTY: 1
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=223061&CategoryID=30673

Item: Queen Wool Mattress Overlay
Item Name: Queen Wool Overlay
Purchasing Location(s): www.sleepysheepbedding.com
QTY: 1
http://www.sleepysheepbedding.com/products/erin-catlin-and-andy-bettinos-commitment-gift-registry

Item: Storage Baskets
Item Name: Kendal Lidded Large Tote
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 3
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=1480&f=10949

Gifts for our Dining Room

2009-06-21T19:34:00.001-05:00

Gifts we could really use or have always wanted for our dining room.

Item: Glassware
Item Name: Cue Barware, Highball 18 oz.
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 12
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=150&f=32471

Item: Glassware
Item Name: Cue Barware, Double Old Fashioned 14 oz.
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 12
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=150&f=32471

Item: Salad Bowl
Item Name: Flare Mango Wood Salad Bowl
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=325&f=29960

Item: Salad Serving Utensils
Item Name: Flare Mango Wood Salad Servers
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 1 set
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=325&f=29960

Item: Table Linens
Item Name: Chrysanthemum Napkin
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 6
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=430&f=26967

Item: Table Linens
Item Name: Casablanca Placemat, Square
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 6
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=430&f=22626

Item: Table Linens
Item Name: Solid Napkins, 21”square, Black
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 12
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=430&f=22900

Item: Wine Decanter
Item Name: Mirabel Decanter
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=370&f=29490

Item: Ice Bucket
Item Name: Kenzie Wine Cooler and Ice Bucket
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1 of each
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=210&f=13310

Item: Ice Tongs
Item Name: Ice Tongs
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1 of each
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=210&f=23604

Gifts for our Kitchen

2009-06-21T18:35:00.000-05:00

Gifts we could really use or have always wanted for our kitchen.

Item: Oil Pump Mister
Item Name: Oil Mister
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku9278516/index.cfm?pkey=cspecialized-kitchen-tools&ckey=specialized-kitchen-tools

Item: Cook Book Stand
Item Name: Collapsible Cookbook stand
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=790&f=5350

Item: Cutting Board
Item Name: Reversible Cutting Board
Purchasing Location(s): Crate and Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=660&f=25338

Item: Kitchen Towels and Mits (black, green, or blue)
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma, Kitchen Window, Cooks of Crocus Hill, Macys, Aitkin Flowers & Gifts
QTY: 4 towels, 2 mits

Item: Cast Iron Skillet
Item Name: Le Creuset, Cherry (red) Oval Skillet, 15-3/4” 3 qt.
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma, Kitchen Window, Cooks of Crocus Hill, and Macys
QTY: 1
http://www.lecreuset.com/en-us/Product-Range/Enameled-Cast-Iron/Skillets--Grills/Oval-Skillet-15-3-qt/

Item: Saucier Pan
Item Name: Le Creuset, Caribbean (light blue) Saucier Pan, 2-1/4 qt.
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma, Kitchen Window, Cooks of Crocus Hill, and Macys
QTY: 1
http://www.lecreuset.com/en-us/Product-Range/Enameled-Cast-Iron/Saucepans/Saucier-Pan-2--qt/

Item: Small Stockpot
Item Name: Le Creucet, Cobalt (dark blue) Stainless Steel Stockpot, 6 qt.
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma, Kitchen Window, Cooks of Crocus Hill, and Macys
QTY: 1
http://www.lecreuset.com/en-us/Product-Range/Enamel-on-Steel/Stockpots/Stockpot-6-qt/

Item: Large Stockpot
Item Name: Le Creucet, Cobalt (dark blue) Stainless Steel Stockpot, 16 qt.
Purchasing Location(s): William-sonoma, Kitchen Window, Cooks of Crocus Hill, and Macys
QTY: 1
http://www.lecreuset.com/en-us/Product-Range/Enamel-on-Steel/Stockpots/Stockpot-6-qt

Item: Paella Pan
Item Name: Stainless Steel Paella Pan
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/srch/index.cfm?words=paella

Item: Coffee Maker
Item Name: Krups Power Brew Coffeemaker
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku7444342/index.cfm?pkey=ccoffee-makers-tea-brewers&ckey=coffee-makers-tea-brewers

Item: Burr Coffee Bean Grinder
Item Name: Breville Ikon Burr Grinder
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku8990764/index.cfm?pkey=ccoffee-makers-tea-brewers&ckey=coffee-makers-tea-brewers

Item: Kitchen Scale
Item Name: Salter Digital Scale
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku7096357/index.cfm?pkey=cctlmesscl

Item: Measuring Cups
Item Name: Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cw250/index.cfm?pkey=cctlmesmes

Item: Measuring Spoons
Item Name: Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/cw250/index.cfm?pkey=cctlmesmes

Item: Stainless Steel Kitchen Cook-Serve Utensils
Item Name: Ladle, Spoon, Slotted Spoon, Spatula, Fork, and Pasta fork
Purchasing Location(s): William Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Kitchen Window, and Cooks of Crocus Hill
QTY: 1 of each
Similar to: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/8304628/index.cfm?cm_src=rel

Item: Apple Peeler-Corer
Item Name: Apple Peeler-Corer
Purchasing Location(s): Williams Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku820373/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1|16|||0|||||||peeler%20coorer&cm_src=SCH

Item: Knife Storage
Item Name: Modular In-Drawer Knife Rack
Purchasing Location(s): Williams Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/fn385/index.cfm?pkey=ccutting-boards&ckey=cutting-boards

Item: Kitchen Drawer Organizers
Item Name: Modular Drawer Organizers, Set of 3
Purchasing Location(s): William Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku6662191/index.cfm?pkey=ckitchen-organization&ckey=kitchen-organization

Item: Kitchen Drawer Organizers
Item Name: Mahogany Expandable Flatware Tray
Purchasing Location(s): William Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/7211089/index.cfm?pkey=ckitchen-organization&cm_src=hero

Item: Kitchen Drawer Organizers
Item Name: Mahogany Expandable Utensil Tray
Purchasing Location(s): William Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/7211089/index.cfm?pkey=ckitchen-organization&cm_src=hero

Item Name: Glass Storage Containers for Dry Goods
Purchasing Location(s): Aitkin Flowers & Gifts
QTY: Several in many sizes (storage for rice, noodles, beans, sugars, flours, nuts, grains, etc...)
Contact: Gretchen or Amanda Catlin, 218.927.2815, 800.506.1923, http://www.aitkinflowers.com

Item Name: Kitchen Canisters-1 Large, 1 Medium, 1 Small
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1 of each size
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=850&f=32933

Item Name: Casserole Dishes-1 Large, 1 Small
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1 of each size
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=550&f=23166

Item Name: Rectangular Baker with Lid
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=550&f=27739

Item Name: Spice Rack
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku7863053/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1|16|||0|||||||spice&cm_src=SCH

Item Name: Loaf Pan
Purchasing Location(s): Williams-Sonoma
QTY: 1
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/b011/index.cfm?pkey=cbread-pans-loaf-pans&ckey=bread-pans-loaf-pans

Item Name: Coffee Measure
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=725&f=30181

Item Name: Baking Stone
Purchasing Location(s): Crate & Barrel
QTY: 1
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=520&f=32832&q=stone&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

Marriage License and More

2009-06-19T14:53:00.000-05:00

Andy and I are having quite an important day today. Earlier we went to our local government service center and purchased our Marriage License! We were both so excited during the whole process. I do not think either of us thought signing a piece of paper would create such an emotional, thrilling rush!

We also picked up my wedding ring, which was also an exciting event! We both love the ring! We plan on ordering Andy's ring later tonight. He has changed his mind and is now getting the ring you see above on the right.

Thank you, everyone, for sending your RSVP's back so fast! We are so excited so many people will be able to make it! We can not wait to celebrate with everyone!!

Tentative Wedding Day Itinerary

2009-06-17T10:15:00.001-05:00

This is our tentative itinerary for the wedding day. There will be an updated version at our wedding!

Decisions! Descisions!

2009-06-09T17:30:00.000-05:00

Invitations
We mailed out our first batch of invites today! We are mailing our invites out in two batches since we are still waiting for the rest of our imprintables to be shipped. They should be here by this weekend, we are hoping our second batch will go out early next week.

Cake
We will be meeting with our cake designer from Buttercream Bakery this Sunday at 2:00 PM. We have already designed our cake, we just need to try all the yummy flavors!

Attire
Andy still needs to purchase a shirt and I still need to find jewelry! We are also still planning on purchasing our wedding rings this weekend.

Flowers and Details
I am meeting with our wedding planner at the St. Paul College Club this Friday, June 12th to go over details. Amanda, Andy, and I did a great job figuring out the flowers a couple of weeks ago. We just need to polish the designs a bit and they should be ready.

Music
Andy has hired a trio for music during cocktails and the ceremony. He is still in the process of finding a band for the dance; however, Megan Ritter (my cousin) gave us a great lead on a local band. Hopefully, they will work out!

Minneapolis & St. Paul Public Transportation

2009-06-05T10:14:00.000-05:00

Minneapolis and St. Paul are certainly not known for having the best public transportation; however, we are working hard to improve it! Below are all the available options for public transportation around our cities.

The Light Rail

http://www.metrotransit.org/rail/station_detail.asp

The Light Rail can bring you from the airport to downtown Minneapolis (and vice versa). It only has one line since it is still relatively new to the city! Besides the airport, another big stop is the Mall of America.

Metro Transit Buses

http://www.metrotransit.org/tripPlanner/Default.aspx

The bus is probably the most inexpensive way to get around our cities (except for biking!). Metro Transit has a really great website that can help you plot any route. It is also important to note that many buses run between Minneapolis and St. Paul connecting the cities.

Taxis

The other type of transportation we offer is Taxis. If you are downtown either city and you need a taxis, you will have no problem finding one. Below are a few good options. Never take a taxi unless it is legitimate!

Rainbow Taxi
www.rainbowtaxi.com
612.332.1615

Blue and White Taxi
www.blueandwhitetaxi.com
612.333.3331

ITN Taxi Twin Cities
www.ITNtaxi.com
952-926-8294

Green and White Taxi
651.222.2222

Rings

2009-06-03T11:11:00.001-05:00

Andy and I looked a little more at antique shops and realized if we had wanted antique rings we should have started looking three months ago. It has been hard finding the right ring for the right price. Surprisingly, a lot of the rings we liked were way out of our price range.

We are running out of time, so we have decided to purchase David Yurman rings. Amanda had mentioned this designer in the past. After looking at his unique, moderately priced, sterling silver rings we knew it was the right decision. His rings have a timeless, elegant, ancient looking quality that fits out concept! We are excited because every time we will look at our rings, we will be reminded of our Grecian Garden Wedding! We plan on ordering the rings on June 12th.

I am deciding between the below three rings.

Andy is pretty sure he is going to get the one below.

However, we thought this ring was way awesome! Andy says it is too big, but it is still awesome! Maybe it will make a good anniversary present for him...

Close St. Paul Hotels

2009-06-02T17:40:00.000-05:00

There have been some requests for hotels near the St. Paul College Club. Below are three good options that might work for you. For more recommendations you can also look at our "Minneapolis & St. Paul Hotels" link found under "April" on the right-hand side of your screen. Basically any downtown St. Paul hotel will work. We hope this helps!

A: St. Paul College Club, 990 Summit Avenue, St. Paul
B: Holiday Inn Rivercenter, 175 W 7th Street, St. Paul, 651.225.1515, www.holidayinn.com

A: St. Paul College Club, 990 Summit Avenue, St. Paul
B: Hilton Garden Inn, 411 Minnesota Street, St. Paul, 651.291.8800, www.hiltongardeninn1.hilton.com

A: St. Paul College Club, 990 Summit Avenue, St. Paul
B: Embassy Suites, 175 East 10th Street, St. Paul, 651.224.5400, www.ebassysuites1.hilton.com

Plum Beer and Good Fortune

2009-05-31T16:57:00.000-05:00

We tried the plum beer today, and feel it can be considered a success. There may be some left for our wedding guests to try.

Plum Beer - 5 Gallons
3.3 lbs Light Malt Extract
4.0 lbs Wheat Malt Extract
2.0 lbs Honey (We used Ames Bulk Honey , Watertown MN)
About 1o pounds Plums, pitted and chopped. (Next time we would puree them)
2.0 oz Saaz Hops
Belgian Ardennes Yeast (We used Wyeast 3522)

Boil malt with 3 gallons of water, add hops and boil for 6o minutes. After boil add plums and steep until wort has cooled. Strain, and ferment as normal. We racked ours to a secondary fermenter after 12 days.

Also today we both received the same good fortune at True Thai. Hopefully this is referring to our wedding!

Invitations and more...

2009-05-28T21:26:00.000-05:00

Flowers
Amanda, Andy, and I hit the shelves hard at Koehler and Dramm last Saturday. Andy mostly complained about how cold the flower coolers were while Amanda and I came up with some really great ideas.

Invitations
With plenty of help from Cathy, Grace, Gretchen, and Amanda, Andy and I finalized the invitation and RSVP card design. Look forward to seeing those in the next couple of weeks!

Photographer
We have hired a husband and wife duo to photograph our wedding. They seem okay, but we are definitely glad that Jenna Sefkow is tentatively scheduled as back-up! Nothing is set since Jenna is due in July!

Band
Andy is still searching...

Dress
I purchased my wedding dress about a week ago! It is perfect for our Grecian Garden concept!

Rings
Andy and I have begun to look at local antique shops. We each found a possible rings and will be looking around again this weekend.

Wedding To-Do List Update

2009-05-18T20:12:00.000-05:00

Officiant
We met Lee Swanson and his girlfriend, Rachel, for lunch today to talk about his role as our officiant. It seems everything is in order and Lee is legit! Lee is going to start writing the script, while Andy and I write our vows.

Wedding Dress
Amanda and I are going wedding dress shopping tomorrow at Flutter and Priscilla of Boston. I have narrowed down the search and am deciding between a few dresses. After trying them on tomorrow I need to select one and order it to be sure it will get here in time for the wedding!

Tuxes
As many of you know, Andy tried his tux on at my graduation party and it looked fabulous! Now we just need to order one for Dan and possibly Lee!

Invites
This weekend Amanda, Andy, and I looked at possible Gina B invites we can order through the flower shop. We picked a pattern that fits our "Grecian Garden" concept perfectly! We plan on printing the information on the invites ourselves and sending them out with RSVP cards next week!

New Concept

2009-05-17T18:24:00.000-05:00

Our concept has changed recently since our previous concept was too vague. The new concept draws inspiration from the building design while maintaining our previous color palette. It should be easier to choose decorations now that the concept has become more specific.

The new concept is titled "Grecian Gardens" since the building is in the Georgian Revival architectural style which takes heavy influences from Greek and Roman architecture.