Showing posts with label Marrying. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marrying. Show all posts

Saturday, October 13, 2007

The Wedding of Pookie and Wes

Click here to see the wedding photos the photographer took.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Kittens? Apparently they tire easily . . .

** Please note that Blogger is acting crazy and keeps deleting stuff like links, photos and text I add. It is making me crazy and is taking more of my time than I have the sanity to deal with. So I am publishing as is becauseI can't mess with this anymore . ***

As previously mentioned Saturday night was my sister's bachelorette party. I am happy to say I still hold the rights to the most fun bachelorette party ever--at least that I have attended. I only bring this up because everyone who knows me knows that I pretty much think of everything as a competition (especially where I get to win-- which is seldom, but not in this instance.) And I suppose, that is as it should be. I should also give credit to Meme because she is the one who threw me one hell of a Bachelorette party.

The past few weeks I must admit have somewhat bemoaned the bachelorette party. Don't get me wrong, I do love a party but seriously, the madness must at some point must end: I am 36, married and have 2 kids. I am also pretty gung ho on all my marathon/triathlon training. So the prospects of a long night on the town of all out partying just didn't have the appeal to me as it once did. And appeal it once did. Nonetheless I pepped talked myself into a night of debauchery and was ready to hang.


From the left--Me!, Captain Morgan, Kristy, Bride (Pookie), Rae, ABBA, and Fishstick. There was suppose to be Mel and Meredith but they had sinus infections. Celina bailed. And Peru, Monique and I believe a few others were meeting up with us later in the evening.

We started the evening at Fuego's for tapas and cocktails.Very yummy! Captain Morgan brought Bride a "Bride-to-be" sash. Bride, however, was very specific about not wearing veils or penises on her head or doing anything bachlorette like except the drinking and dancing. But after much coercion she agreed to wear said sash for just one picture.

Of course I--jealous of pink attention garnering sash-- insisted on trying it on and pretending to be a Bride of the Year and stating my platform--which I have no idea what I said but I am sure it was not terribly clever. Everyone else liked this idea too and also tried sash on and said stated their platform.

Fishstick's was kung fu fighting.

I believe Rae
And Kristy's platforms were hints to their boyfriends.
I can't tell you what ABBA's was.

Or Captain Morgan. Not appropriate content.
In response to this I ordered an espresso martini heavy on the vodka and espresso.

After all the silliness Bride told me that she wanted to go to Opera (which I knew was the plan as I arranged with her other friends to put us on the guest list) but then she also wanted to hit the Cleremont Lounge and then MJQ's.

Yeah! I was totally down for MJQ's. Ryan and I cut a serious rug there after the Pixies a few years ago. And not since the days of Disco Hell at the old 40 Watt and those grandly fun nights at the Star Bar with Dj Romeo Cologne (yes, I have a soft spot for the dives) have I had so much dancing. I do love to boogie. But the Clermont Lounge is a completely different matter. Yes it is absolutely a dive but it is one of the dirtiest places I have every been in. I have been there once and have no desire to revisit. I should mention that my visit to the Clermont was when I was 6 weeks pregnant with Beau and doing the not telling dance of early pregnancy. So I was also sober. Pregnancy and sobriety are 2 states you don't want to be rocking at the Clermont.

I hear you Atlanta. I know what you are thinking. It is The Clermont Lounge. And I know it is an Atlanta must go at least once landmark. But it is so, so disgustingly dirty. Dirty on so many dark and subterranean levels. And for those of you unfamiliar with exactly what the Clermont Lounge is let me be the first to tell you: It is the darkest hole of strip clubs. It the strip club of where women who have no business taking off their clothes do. And as if that isn't enough they then do things like crush beer cans with various body parts--you know, like their boobs. I think there is even one stripper there who is like 60 or so.

So like I said, not a place you want to go pregnant or sober. The memory and the frightening images I saw at my visit to the Clermont are burned a little clearer than I think anyone would want on their brain.

I digress. It happens. A lot, I know. So what happened next? Well, we finished our dinner and drinks and headed across the street to Opera. It is the old Eleven50 and is tres fancy. Cover I hear is $25. We, thanks to Bride's roommate who tends bar and her other friend Peru whose husband is an investor or somehow connected got us on the guest list and V.I.P passes. I am not exactly sure what the V.I.P passes did for us other than to permit us to walk up and down a lot of stairs. Seems we did that. A lot.

Here are some of the pictures of us at Opera.


Me and Fishstick on the terrace making out. Okay, not really. But only because she would have nothing to do with me. Please know I am kidding. Mom. Ryan. Jason.

Playing with the "retro" setting on my camera:



Captain Morgan doing his best James Dean.


And the Bride, about 5 minutes before she turned into a pumpkin.


And thus ended the night of dancing for me and Fishstick. Everyone else stayed and carried the party on. Fishstick and I carried the Bride home.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Let's Talk About Sex

Baby! Let's talk about you and me.

Let's talk about it. . .

Just kidding, let's talk about food instead. Let's talk about all the good things to eat at a wedding.

Word.

I just think you cyberends (Internet friends) were so super to help Lala pick her dress and I thought that maybe you wouldn't mind being of assistance with the wedding menu too. Lala is meeting with the caterer this week and I think it would great for her to hear what are some of your favorite wedding eats.

Here, in case it helps, are the details of the upcoming soiree: the wedding is at 7:30 pm in-- as Rae recently coined--the Wedding Meadow (aka The Goat Memorial Garden's, aka, Lala and Pop's front lawn) and then the reception is immediately following at Lala and Pop's. There will be about 150+/- people and it will be a buffet. Reception is inside the house and on the front and rear terraces. There will be tents in case of inclement weather. Lots and lots of candles.

Okay, now that you have the details in mind tell us first what you like to see being passed around on trays while you enjoy cocktails and socialize on the terrace--maybe dance a little. We have discussed low country shrimp, crab cakes and spanakopita.

Thoughts?
Opinions?
Suggestions?

What about the buffet? Pastas? Carving station? We are leaning towards a honey glazed pork loin but other options are turkey or a beef tenderloin. Your thoughts on meat on a stick? What about salmon. Veggie suggestions? Cheese, olive and bread tray? Fruit?

Com'on! Let's hear it. I know that unlike ladies dresses food is something everyone has an opinion on.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Bag Lady Couture

You hoo
Hey there everybody!
Lala needs help choosing a dress to wear to my sister Pookie's wedding. She has 3 picked out and just can't decide.

For those that do not know Lala, she is the mother of the very nontraditional bride Pookie, my sister. See, Pookie really wanted a red wedding dress but could not fine one to her liking. And I'm sorry but I can't describe Pookie's dress to you because groom-to-be reads my blog but I can tell you that her wedding gown is not so traditional. It is more traditional than a red wedding dress but not exactly the cream puff confection that I wore. It would also be fair to say that compared to Pookie and Lala I am the Jacki O of conservative and classic taste in the family. What I am trying to explain is that the traditional mother-of-the-bride dresses do not appeal to either of these two artistes. Oh, and you should also know that Lala has long had a penchant for the bag lady look.


Please help Lala out and post your preference for dress and shoes in the comments.

Dress number 1 Is a purplish and gold slip dress in silk and burn-out velvet. I can't remember whose label it is. Lala bought it at one of those posh boutiques in Alpharetta.

It also has a shaw.

Dress number 2 Is an Ivan Grundahl dress in the true bag lady style purchased at Mooncake in Va Highlands. It is tres avant-guarde. This dress has crazy bustling, erratic hems and frayed edges. The material is a cross between a rain jacket and duchess satin. It is an army green color with a bit of sheen.

Back view:
Dress number 3 Is an old dress from Lala's closet. It is an INC dress. Gosh ,it may be almost vintage. I want to say it is circa 1995. I had borrowed it and altered it to fit me and wore it to a garden wedding in New Orleans before Ryan and I got married. It is a silk, army green slip dress with an organza inlaid hem. She will pair this dress with the meditation shaw she purchased at Moon Cakes in Va Highlands. This dress will require the magic underwear--in case that factors into your decision making.
Meditation shaw:
Dress number 3 also has an additional option with an alternate cover-up. Lala calls this the "cage". I think it looks like a nightgown.


Questions?

Like maybe, what is that little head in the pictures about? Why that is one of Lala's Secret Keepers. I have lots of silly comments about the Secret Keepers but I am going to keep them to myself since they are money item. And art that sells is a good thing.

Okay, now you need to pick the shoes.

The following shoes, color wise, will match all of the dresses (or so Lala says). So please pick a pair of shoes to wear with the dress you choose.

Shoe A. This shoe has a Lucite heel. Lucite is making a huge come back in accessories right now. It is also a practical choice for a garden wedding and will serve the dual purpose of not only being fashionable footwear but will also aerate the lawn without damaging the shoe. How great is that?
Shoe B Is a ballet flat in a faux metallic either alligator or snake skin with a t-strap. I personally do not think these are dressy enough and think these would work better with jeans. But then again, I'm a heel girl and if I could run in heels I would be wearing heels all the time. Lala, however, is a little taller than me so comfort--not height-- is more important to her.
Shoe C Strappy bronze Nine West Sandals. Eh.
Your vote is greatly appreciated and I will be sure to let you know what Lala decides however, do not be surprised if Lala doesn't go out and buy yet another dress. You know, Mom , maybe you should just wear them all and just treat the wedding as the stage for your own Bag Lady Couture fashion show.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Powder Room


This post is for Harriett. She is Lala's sister. She wants to see the recent renovation that Lala did to the powder room. Harriett lives in Texas and therefore can't just come over and see powder room for herself. And of course she and Lala are so technologically unsavvy that me posting pictures on my blog is easier than tutoring them both in downloading, uploading, attaching and emailing photos.

Little background for those not in the know:

My parents have been doing lots of renovations to their house. Pretty much since they had the house built in 1984.

There is always some renovation going on in the house but in the past few months there have been more than usual because my sister is getting married--like I did--in the Goat Memorial Gardens and the reception is in my parents' house.

Goat Memorial Gardens?

They are called the Goat Memorial Gardens because there was a goat massacre in 1998 and all the goats --except Vincent Van Goat (He only had one ear as a result of an incident with a dog)--were slaughtered by unleashed dogs (people, leash your dogs). And since then my parents have no longer owned goats and turned the front field into a garden. I got married there and in September, so will Pookie.

Questions? Everyone brought up to speed?

Okay, so current renovations have included but are not limited to:
The new paint and molding on the outside of house (completed).
Stone front patio (completed).
The interior venetian plastered (in progress).
New molding in the interior (pretty much complete, not painted)
Enclosing the catwalk (completed but not painted.)
Tiling the staircase. Okay, really, rebuilding the staircase (incomplete).
Painting various up stair rooms (incomplete).
Redoing one of the upstairs bathrooms and the downstairs powder room (both complete).

So, here, for you dear Auntie, are the powder room pictures
What is hard to see in these pictures in the finish on the wall. There is real silver leaf. It actually looks brownish in these photos but it is silvery grey in real life. It is very pretty. Lala did it herself.

Pop did the plumbing.
And put in the floor.

And the crown molding.

Lala did all the decorating and picking stuff out.

If they get the stairs done I will post pictures of that too.

Clocks a ticking guys. September is closing in . . .Dum dum da dum, dum dum da dum, dum dum da dum, dum dum da dum dum . . .

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Today. Today is important.

Monumental in many ways.

Me, Nat.
Him, Ryan.

We.

Today, we have been married for 8 years.

Probably down to the minute here.
Seriously.
It is 7:40ish.
Our wedding started at 7 pm.
The light, right this minute, looks the same.

But me?

I am not the same.
Probably for the better.
8 years.
Wow.
This 8th year though?
Our hardest fought.
The hardest won.
Yay us!


Sigh, we are seriously weathering that "for poorer" these days. I hate it. I struggle and worry with it. But hey, we love each other-- so we are rich in the poor house . . . so we've got that, but. . .
Okay, so yeah, if someone has a job they want to offer me: I'm all ears.

Today is monumental.

Today I also rode Lance further than I have run.
28 miles on the mean and hilly streets of Marietta and Roswell. Just shy of a 15 mph pace. Getting faster.

Yesterday I ran 9 miles and swam a mile. I am planning a long run tomorrow. And I am not talking marathon training long run. I am talking summer long run which means about as long and for as far as I can handle in the heat. I need to get in a few shorter runs, a brick and another swim or 2 this week also.

Last week totals came out like this:
The run: 40 miles
The bike: 69 miles
The swim: 2 miles
And I am happy with that.

Today, I signed up for my first trithalon.

And finally, today, I downloaded the pictures from Pookie and Wes's engagement party in Statesboro.

As mentioned before, Ryan couldn't join me.

And after I told him of all the craziness that went down he wasn't so sad he couldn't make it. I am not going to go into all the details of my jam-packed weekend since these are my sister's crazy friends that I don't know very well. No need to embarrass and piss off new acquaintances.

Well, at least not yet.

Also, it is my anniversary and Ryan just got home and he wants some Nat attention.

But I will show you some of the pictures I took before the battery on my camera went out.

On the porch at the Beaver house.

Me and ABBA
Pop and Pookie
Me, Pop and Pookie. Please note how Pop is looking at his favorite child.

Wes's dad, Dr. Phd

Lala and Wes's Mom, Mrs. Dr. Phd

Pop and Lala: my parents.
Next Monday they will have been married 38 years.

Lala and Josh-- one of the groom's men. If I had had better sense I would have gotten his pants in the shot too: Brooks brothers with whales embrodiered on them.

Another groom's man.

Me and the Groom-to-be. He is practicing so we can seriously cut a rug at his wedding in September.

Pookie and Mel

Me!


Me and Pookie at The French Quarter where the after party went.
Mel, Fishstick and Pookie
Fishstick signing one of her many checks at the French Quarter bar.

This was only the beginning of what would come back to bite Fishstick in the ass the next day.
Those throwing back the shots.

And I end with a quote from what ABBA said the next morning: I got to see the show and I didn't even have to buy the tickets. I can't wait for the wedding.

Me too.