Mom sent me a coupon for World Market, and I used it, spending $29 and saving $19 on two large orange vase/votive-things and a string of 35 mini lanterns with all the hardware. While checking out, I signed up for their rewards program thingy, and they will continue sending me coupons. This could get dangerous.
The other day I found some other great things at Goodwill - a beautiful aqua votive, some smaller aqua tealight votives, and two unused orange candles plus vintage plates to put them on, all for $10. The savings are intoxicating, but that puts my total wedding spending at $39 this week alone.
Making the decision not to have identical tablescapes has been liberating; it gives me the freedom to pick what I want where I can. But the odd things I've purchased so far still don't fit into any scheme - no matter how loose my definition of 'scheme' is - and I wonder if I'll just end up with closets full of orange- and blue-colored things that I don't end up using. The space (crossing fingers!) is versatile enough that I think I can find places for a variety of things. In the bathroom, for example! On the bar! On little side tables, at the front entrance, on a random counter that just happens to be there. But to what end?
Also, our preferred wedding date is over a year away. The things I'm buying now will literally just take up space until then.
I have no idea if I'll look back and think, "Why the hell did I buy all that stuff? I didn't use half of it - what a waste of money." I could look back and think, "Thank goodness I bought all that stuff when I did, because now I'm putting my money towards bigger wedding expenses/the orange stuff this season isn't what I want at all/I lost my job and I'm poor as shit." Who knows these things?
I tell myself that I'm being good. I don't scoop up every single thing that is made of aqua glass, because then I'd be the proud owner of a glass basket (what) that I saw at Goodwill the other day, and that is just dumb. I'm looking for specific shades and sizes and materials, and I don't put anything in my basket on a whim. Also I refuse to pay full price for anything. This is immensely emotionally satisfying and makes me feel successful at planning a wedding that my guests and I will find lovely. But I'm not sure, at this moment, that it's the best tactic.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Entertainment During the Waiting Game
It feels like everything's on hold. I can research caterers and photographers and anything I want until my eyes explode, but we can't make any more decisions until we nail down the date with the Theater Off Jackson, and they can't help us - at least not for now. They're negotiating the renewal of their lease, and until that gets signed, our contract won't be signed, either.
They seem optimistic that we can get a date in August 2012, and they seem eager to work with us. In the meantime, Mr. Fiance has suggested - very practically - that we look at other venues so as not to put all of our eggs in one basket. I agree with him, but it's not like our initial search was just our top 4 from hundreds of possible spaces - we have a budget, and we have a huge number of people, and there just aren't that many places to choose from that accommodate both. Plus, I've spent HOURS with Microsoft Publisher trying to figure out how to fit the maximum number of guests into the layout, and I've finally found a plan that seats 120 comfortably, with room to walk and dance. How can I walk away from all of that work and start over?
Maybe it should be HIS job to look for venues while I worry about more important things, like decorations?
I found delightful inspiration for tablescapes from this picture, and as with everything else wedding-related, I've spent some time trying to figure out how I can achieve the same idea for cheaper. I love the idea of little oranges, but they'll be out of season, so I need summer-appropriate, local fruit that will be cheap and fit into the color scheme. I'm not sure what to do about flowers, but I like the orange-in-blue idea. And sure, I could get matching containers, but wouldn't a mix of thrifty finds be more interesting? Also, Mr. Fiance likes the soda bottle idea, and I love the little blue and orange votives - although I would like them more if they were gilded.
The goal: shallow, long containers filled with orange flowers, seasonal orange-colored fruit, and moss or some other filler; orange soda bottles; blue and orange candle votives
The solution: For the containers, I've started scouring Goodwill and TJ Maxx (My kingdom for a HomeGoods in Seattle!). Both of these places are most well-known for affordable clothing, but they also carry a large selection of home items and decorations. I found a surprisingly nice aqua-colored oval glass bowl that is very pretty at Goodwill last week for about $4, and TJ Maxx had some orange jugs in clearance for $5.50, so I got two and will tie some blue ribbon around the top to make them more festive. I love an excuse to window shop, so if I go back when I can - a few times a month - I'll probably find some really interesting items every time I go. This helps me spread the cost out over a long period of time.
The flowers are tricky. I have entertained going to Pike Place Market to get flowers without really caring what color they are, but I have friends who know about wholesale options. I don't like the look of silk flowers, but I really like wooden flowers, so those might work. I can use fake moss, or that green foam stuff. This is something that I'll have to figure out closer to the date, but needless to say, I will not be paying a florist to arrange centerpieces.
The internet tells me that apricots, peaches and nectarines will be in season here in Washington, and I can probably find those fruits in orange-enough shades to satisfy me.
Personalized soda bottles - like personalized anything - will cost $texas, and I don't really care if they say "Mr. & Mrs. Whatever". Thomas Kemper Orange Soda already has an orange label, so I could just set these out on the tables or in buckets of ice for easy, decorative refreshment. I could even make my own stickers or paint the cartons they come in if I really felt motivated. Plus this gives me an excuse to have my signature cocktail involve orange cream soda in some way. SCORE.
The votives are tricky. I love the idea of gilded votives like these, but at $4.95 a pop plus tax and shipping, they'll add up quickly if I want my tables littered with them.... which I do. These are a cheaper alternative, and if I find myself with a lot of free time and some gold leaf on hand, I found this tutorial on how to put gold on stuff your own damn self. I could also just tie ribbon or twine around them and call it a day.
Since I've already got a few vases at home and some flowers from Mr. Fiance that are on the verge of death, maybe I'll do a mockup of what this concept would look like?
They seem optimistic that we can get a date in August 2012, and they seem eager to work with us. In the meantime, Mr. Fiance has suggested - very practically - that we look at other venues so as not to put all of our eggs in one basket. I agree with him, but it's not like our initial search was just our top 4 from hundreds of possible spaces - we have a budget, and we have a huge number of people, and there just aren't that many places to choose from that accommodate both. Plus, I've spent HOURS with Microsoft Publisher trying to figure out how to fit the maximum number of guests into the layout, and I've finally found a plan that seats 120 comfortably, with room to walk and dance. How can I walk away from all of that work and start over?
Maybe it should be HIS job to look for venues while I worry about more important things, like decorations?
I found delightful inspiration for tablescapes from this picture, and as with everything else wedding-related, I've spent some time trying to figure out how I can achieve the same idea for cheaper. I love the idea of little oranges, but they'll be out of season, so I need summer-appropriate, local fruit that will be cheap and fit into the color scheme. I'm not sure what to do about flowers, but I like the orange-in-blue idea. And sure, I could get matching containers, but wouldn't a mix of thrifty finds be more interesting? Also, Mr. Fiance likes the soda bottle idea, and I love the little blue and orange votives - although I would like them more if they were gilded.
The goal: shallow, long containers filled with orange flowers, seasonal orange-colored fruit, and moss or some other filler; orange soda bottles; blue and orange candle votives
The solution: For the containers, I've started scouring Goodwill and TJ Maxx (My kingdom for a HomeGoods in Seattle!). Both of these places are most well-known for affordable clothing, but they also carry a large selection of home items and decorations. I found a surprisingly nice aqua-colored oval glass bowl that is very pretty at Goodwill last week for about $4, and TJ Maxx had some orange jugs in clearance for $5.50, so I got two and will tie some blue ribbon around the top to make them more festive. I love an excuse to window shop, so if I go back when I can - a few times a month - I'll probably find some really interesting items every time I go. This helps me spread the cost out over a long period of time.
The flowers are tricky. I have entertained going to Pike Place Market to get flowers without really caring what color they are, but I have friends who know about wholesale options. I don't like the look of silk flowers, but I really like wooden flowers, so those might work. I can use fake moss, or that green foam stuff. This is something that I'll have to figure out closer to the date, but needless to say, I will not be paying a florist to arrange centerpieces.
The internet tells me that apricots, peaches and nectarines will be in season here in Washington, and I can probably find those fruits in orange-enough shades to satisfy me.
Personalized soda bottles - like personalized anything - will cost $texas, and I don't really care if they say "Mr. & Mrs. Whatever". Thomas Kemper Orange Soda already has an orange label, so I could just set these out on the tables or in buckets of ice for easy, decorative refreshment. I could even make my own stickers or paint the cartons they come in if I really felt motivated. Plus this gives me an excuse to have my signature cocktail involve orange cream soda in some way. SCORE.
The votives are tricky. I love the idea of gilded votives like these, but at $4.95 a pop plus tax and shipping, they'll add up quickly if I want my tables littered with them.... which I do. These are a cheaper alternative, and if I find myself with a lot of free time and some gold leaf on hand, I found this tutorial on how to put gold on stuff your own damn self. I could also just tie ribbon or twine around them and call it a day.
Since I've already got a few vases at home and some flowers from Mr. Fiance that are on the verge of death, maybe I'll do a mockup of what this concept would look like?
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Venue Found: Theater Off Jackson
I had a hunch the first time I ever saw a show in the upstairs Exhibition Hall at the Theater Off Jackson that I would be planning a wedding there. It had so much to offer both of us: Mr. Fiance, an improv comedian, gets to get married on the stage downstairs. For me, ever the Asia enthusiast, I get the former site of the Wing Luke Asian Museum. I get some lanterns already hung up, and paint that match the color scheme I'm planning. I get a dragon boat on the motherfucking wall.
Here's how it looks standing on the stage in the front looking back:
Then in the back corner, there's a patio area? Except it's inside. There will be so many, many lanterns here.
Dragon boat.
The front of the room.
Photosynth is some nifty iPhone app that Mr. Fiance has, and with it he took a panoramic shot of the Exhibition Hall, where we would have our reception. Click here (you may have to download the viewer thingy).
We still have to discuss pricing and dates, but we're both thrilled about this space.
Here's how it looks standing on the stage in the front looking back:
Then in the back corner, there's a patio area? Except it's inside. There will be so many, many lanterns here.
Dragon boat.
The front of the room.
Photosynth is some nifty iPhone app that Mr. Fiance has, and with it he took a panoramic shot of the Exhibition Hall, where we would have our reception. Click here (you may have to download the viewer thingy).
We still have to discuss pricing and dates, but we're both thrilled about this space.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
The Great Venue Hunt
I’m on the verge of oversaturating myself with wedding ideas. Secretly, I’m thrilled that Mr. Fiance proposed when he did, because I have plenty of time to plan my attack on post-summer wedding sales. When all the June brides have come back from their honeymoons and need to get rid of decorations and aqua-colored table linens, I will be there to reap the benefits at a fraction of the cost.
Nothing is solid on the decoration front for that very reason, and so today I shall discuss the Great Venue Hunt undertaken by Mr. Fiance and myself last weekend. We made an appointment to visit one of our top two contenders, and decided on impromptu visits to some other locations just to see how we felt about them.
Venue the First: The Mercer Island Community & Event Center near Luther Burbank Park. The views and amenities were pleasantly surprising, but overall we felt underwhelmed with the actual space that would be used for the reception. It was essentially a gym, and would need serious camouflaging to fit MAH VISION™. Plus, I’d have to haul ass up a hill in heels to get to the sprawling outdoor ceremony space, and I don’t trust them to mow the grass before the big day. It would need curtains or drapery, a ton of decorations, and a golf cart turned into my own personal limousine. No hard alcohol allowed, nothing can be tacked to the walls. But it’s cheap, so this space will work only if nothing else does.
Venue the Second: We drove down to Georgetown Studios, a kickass crumbling brick building nestled in a small, flourishing neighborhood of restaurants and shops. There was a street fair going on in the parking lot, and we loved the feel of the place. We snuck inside to find a photo shoot in progress, and were informed by a photographer that the building is no longer allowed to be an event venue because it doesn’t meet seismic standards. Indeed, it felt as if the whole building would collapse if a strong wind went by, and we left dejected.
Venue the Third: En route to the last place, we decided to swing by the Theater Off Jackson, which was our top choice. We have an appointment to take a proper tour on Wednesday, but we tried our luck and managed to sneak in as a middle school play was letting out. The theater downstairs is delightful, seats 140 people and would be awesome for a ceremony. No one could let us in to the larger room upstairs, but it has blue walls and a Chinese dragon boat nailed to the wall – what’s not to love? My only concern is that it won’t be large enough for the 100+ guest list we have drafted.
Venue the Fourth: The lovely Edgewater Hotel sits on the Seattle waterfront, and for the sum of $95-$150 per person, you, too, can be married in this establishment. We drove our ratty El Camino up to the front, got JUDGMENT STARES from other hotel patrons waiting on valet, realized it would cost $5 to park with validation, and left immediately without going inside.
I'm sure we'll think of some other places to check out, but I'm excited for the theater tour tomorrow and it's our super-duper top first choice if things work out.
Friday, May 13, 2011
The beginning of wedding ramblings
It has been an unholy amount of time since I last wrote... alas, life wasn't throwing much at me worthy of committing to the internet. Work has been work. Mr. Boyfriend and I adopted a 3-legged cat. I went on a low-carb diet, and dreamt of buckets of cupcakes.
And then, approximately one week ago while we were at the beach in North Carolina for my friend's wedding, Mr. Boyfriend got down on one knee and pulled out a ring so out-of-this-world perfect I can still hardly believe I get to wear it. He proposed at me, I said yes while sobbing like a bitch, and we are getting married.
I have relished the smiles, squeals, and congratulations from everyone this past week. I was able to share the news first with childhood friends at the wedding in NC, and then with my parents who were down at the beach on Mother's Day. My friends, coworkers and fellow drummers back in Seattle have been awesome -- I have an army of wedding magazines at my disposal, and I didn't have to pay for a single one.
I got a lot of advice about what Step the First should be when planning a wedding. "Plan your honeymoon first," instructed the Best Man at the NC wedding, hungover on the day after festivities and drinking beer on the porch of the beach house that we all rented together. "That way when your mother insists on inviting her hairdresser and you want to tell her to fuck herself, you can focus on the awesome trip you have coming up."
It's a fantastic sentiment, but as I am lacking the money to plan a honeymoon at the moment - not to speak of paying for a wedding, reception, dress, or even getting my cell phone payment in on time - I decided to put that on the back burner with all of my other ideas and focus on what seems most important to me: When and Where? The When is determined by the Where; if we get married in Seattle, summer's the only time for that, but if we choose North Carolina, late autumn would be best. Or we could meet in the middle in EXOTIC IOWA or something (gross).
Mr. Fiance and I made a list of all the friends, family and assorted hoodlums with whom we wanted to share our special day, and one thing became apparent immediately: more of our people would have to travel to NC than to Seattle, and between our friends, his are younger, poorer and don't all have full-time jobs. My people are a little more established and a little more able to make the trek. My mother hasn't accepted it yet, but Seattle's where we're getting hitched.
Currently, approximately 7 days after the proposal, my focus has shifted to the more specific part of Where. What delightfully unique corner of Seattle will play host to our nuptials? I thought I would be overwhelmed with possibilities, but the reality is that it's hard to rent a space - just a space for sitting - for under $2,500. And those are just the restaurants that can't really accommodate the hot billion guests I want to invite, and won't let me hang anything on the walls. On the one hand are hotels, private clubs and golf courses, which are fully prepared to handle weddings but cost $texas, require you use their awful caterers, and sure as shit won't appreciate my Blockbuster DVD backer cards turned into handmade table place cards (ingenious). At the other end, you can find affordable, really ugly shacks, complete with linoleum and a view of the parking lot.
I am not getting married in a fancy hotel or on a golf course. The idea of having everything taken care of is very nice, and I am definitely high-maintenance enough to pull it off. I deserve a classy gig, for lack of a better word. But months of clicking through sites like Offbeat Bride and Don't Eat the Paste, not to mention attending Kyle's DIY, 50% handmade 50% Etsy-tastic wedding, has given me the confidence that I can create an event that reflects who I am beyond selecting white vs. silver linens.
Nor will I have a solely outdoor wedding. I am not an outdoor girl. I can appreciate the aesthetics of nature in a photo shoot, but Mr. Fiance had to bribe me into agreeing to go camping with him sometime, since my only experience with that involved sleeping in a puddle and pooping in a hole with poop.
No, my ideal venue will be some abomination cast out from the pages of Martha Stewart because the napkin rings don't match the hors d'ouevres, but the party will be fun, the space will be beautiful, and the overall hootenany will not soon be forgotten.
I've narrowed down a few places I want to visit, but that will have to wait for next time.
And then, approximately one week ago while we were at the beach in North Carolina for my friend's wedding, Mr. Boyfriend got down on one knee and pulled out a ring so out-of-this-world perfect I can still hardly believe I get to wear it. He proposed at me, I said yes while sobbing like a bitch, and we are getting married.
I have relished the smiles, squeals, and congratulations from everyone this past week. I was able to share the news first with childhood friends at the wedding in NC, and then with my parents who were down at the beach on Mother's Day. My friends, coworkers and fellow drummers back in Seattle have been awesome -- I have an army of wedding magazines at my disposal, and I didn't have to pay for a single one.
I got a lot of advice about what Step the First should be when planning a wedding. "Plan your honeymoon first," instructed the Best Man at the NC wedding, hungover on the day after festivities and drinking beer on the porch of the beach house that we all rented together. "That way when your mother insists on inviting her hairdresser and you want to tell her to fuck herself, you can focus on the awesome trip you have coming up."
It's a fantastic sentiment, but as I am lacking the money to plan a honeymoon at the moment - not to speak of paying for a wedding, reception, dress, or even getting my cell phone payment in on time - I decided to put that on the back burner with all of my other ideas and focus on what seems most important to me: When and Where? The When is determined by the Where; if we get married in Seattle, summer's the only time for that, but if we choose North Carolina, late autumn would be best. Or we could meet in the middle in EXOTIC IOWA or something (gross).
Mr. Fiance and I made a list of all the friends, family and assorted hoodlums with whom we wanted to share our special day, and one thing became apparent immediately: more of our people would have to travel to NC than to Seattle, and between our friends, his are younger, poorer and don't all have full-time jobs. My people are a little more established and a little more able to make the trek. My mother hasn't accepted it yet, but Seattle's where we're getting hitched.
Currently, approximately 7 days after the proposal, my focus has shifted to the more specific part of Where. What delightfully unique corner of Seattle will play host to our nuptials? I thought I would be overwhelmed with possibilities, but the reality is that it's hard to rent a space - just a space for sitting - for under $2,500. And those are just the restaurants that can't really accommodate the hot billion guests I want to invite, and won't let me hang anything on the walls. On the one hand are hotels, private clubs and golf courses, which are fully prepared to handle weddings but cost $texas, require you use their awful caterers, and sure as shit won't appreciate my Blockbuster DVD backer cards turned into handmade table place cards (ingenious). At the other end, you can find affordable, really ugly shacks, complete with linoleum and a view of the parking lot.
I am not getting married in a fancy hotel or on a golf course. The idea of having everything taken care of is very nice, and I am definitely high-maintenance enough to pull it off. I deserve a classy gig, for lack of a better word. But months of clicking through sites like Offbeat Bride and Don't Eat the Paste, not to mention attending Kyle's DIY, 50% handmade 50% Etsy-tastic wedding, has given me the confidence that I can create an event that reflects who I am beyond selecting white vs. silver linens.
Nor will I have a solely outdoor wedding. I am not an outdoor girl. I can appreciate the aesthetics of nature in a photo shoot, but Mr. Fiance had to bribe me into agreeing to go camping with him sometime, since my only experience with that involved sleeping in a puddle and pooping in a hole with poop.
No, my ideal venue will be some abomination cast out from the pages of Martha Stewart because the napkin rings don't match the hors d'ouevres, but the party will be fun, the space will be beautiful, and the overall hootenany will not soon be forgotten.
I've narrowed down a few places I want to visit, but that will have to wait for next time.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Making Xmas special on a budget
The chaos is finally over, and I can settle down and breathe a sigh of relief: after a crazy move-in and two long weeks too full of other engagements to unpack, the new apartment is finally in order.
It's been stressing me out a lot. Work is hard enough, but to come home looking for sanctuary and finding only boxes sitting in little piles has been draining. Yesterday, finally, the bf was going to be gone all day and it was pouring buckets, so I used my distraction-free day to get OCD on my habitat. There are no longer boxes in corners. My stuff has been unpacked, and the bf's has been shoved under his desk (that's what he gets). All laundry was washed, all clothes put away, and rather than lament my descent into distinctly un-feminist territory (I folded his underwear), I just feel a lot better. I finally feel like I can relax in my own home.
He didn't get all of this for free, however. I left a post-it on his side of the mirror with instructions about taking me out to dinner. I feel like that's fair.
The holidays are upon us - we didn't get more cleaning done before yesterday because we were double-booked for holiday parties both nights this weekend - and we kept making noises about getting a tree, but now I don't think we will. If we do, it will be small and go on top of a table or something. It just wasn't in the cards. I have resorted to my usual Xmas tactic, which worked really well and made the day nice for me when I was abroad: wrap everything. Got gifts for people that you haven't mailed yet? Put them under the tree. Bought toothpaste for yourself? Put it in a box, and put a bow on that box. We ordered a bunch of stuff for the house on Amazon, and as those packages arrive, they are getting decorated and will be opened on Xmas even though we both know what they are.
We also won some movie tickets at my company's holiday party, and a whole hotel package at his company's holiday party, so those are going right in the stockings. That way I don't feel bad about not being able to afford a super fantastic present for him. It may be a waste of paper and time, but it'll make our first holiday in the new apartment seem a little more special.
It's been stressing me out a lot. Work is hard enough, but to come home looking for sanctuary and finding only boxes sitting in little piles has been draining. Yesterday, finally, the bf was going to be gone all day and it was pouring buckets, so I used my distraction-free day to get OCD on my habitat. There are no longer boxes in corners. My stuff has been unpacked, and the bf's has been shoved under his desk (that's what he gets). All laundry was washed, all clothes put away, and rather than lament my descent into distinctly un-feminist territory (I folded his underwear), I just feel a lot better. I finally feel like I can relax in my own home.
He didn't get all of this for free, however. I left a post-it on his side of the mirror with instructions about taking me out to dinner. I feel like that's fair.
The holidays are upon us - we didn't get more cleaning done before yesterday because we were double-booked for holiday parties both nights this weekend - and we kept making noises about getting a tree, but now I don't think we will. If we do, it will be small and go on top of a table or something. It just wasn't in the cards. I have resorted to my usual Xmas tactic, which worked really well and made the day nice for me when I was abroad: wrap everything. Got gifts for people that you haven't mailed yet? Put them under the tree. Bought toothpaste for yourself? Put it in a box, and put a bow on that box. We ordered a bunch of stuff for the house on Amazon, and as those packages arrive, they are getting decorated and will be opened on Xmas even though we both know what they are.
We also won some movie tickets at my company's holiday party, and a whole hotel package at his company's holiday party, so those are going right in the stockings. That way I don't feel bad about not being able to afford a super fantastic present for him. It may be a waste of paper and time, but it'll make our first holiday in the new apartment seem a little more special.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Doctored jelly from a can
Will there ever be a Why You Should Quit Your Job Part 3? Who knows? I've been busy with working at the New Job, and I really like it, and I'm not sure I have the energy to think back to the old one right now. Maybe later.
Seattle is in the grips of Snowpocalypse 2k10 and I've been home all day, packing for my upcoming move to the Eastside. Moving In With the BF is also an event worth capital letters, but I'm concerned less with the emotions behind that and more with the sheer number of boxes crowding my current apartment. It's not just the boxes of STUFF, it's the boxes of breakable/decorative mess that can't really go in the back of a U-Haul, lest it all shatter. "It'll just go in the backseat of the car" is what I'm thinking about 10 boxes and several paintings and a samurai sword. We'll see if it works out.
But talking about boxes is boring. Instead, let me tell you about what unholiness I will be unleashing upon the BF's family for Thanksgiving. I volunteered to bring fruit and veg (their dinner last year was lacking in these departments) in the form of cranberry sauce and green bean casserole. The casserole is a family recipe full of cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions, but for the cranberry sauce, I wanted to get creative with it.
I decided to make a pear and cranberry sauce, figuring that would be Food Networky enough to impress but easy enough that it wouldn't severely interfere with my packing schedule. I got most of the ingredients this past weekend, knowing that the snow would make grocery stores harder to get to, and today I set about making everything. I chopped pears and boiled them with a bit of water and honey, plus cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and huge chunks of ginger for flavor.
However, instead of getting fresh or frozen cranberries, I got canned sauce. Whoops. So now I have honey-ginger-cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice-infused cranberry jelly. Hot damn! Nothing says classy like doctored food from a can. I hope it tastes okay.
Off to watch Fargo with the Roommate and the Cat.
Seattle is in the grips of Snowpocalypse 2k10 and I've been home all day, packing for my upcoming move to the Eastside. Moving In With the BF is also an event worth capital letters, but I'm concerned less with the emotions behind that and more with the sheer number of boxes crowding my current apartment. It's not just the boxes of STUFF, it's the boxes of breakable/decorative mess that can't really go in the back of a U-Haul, lest it all shatter. "It'll just go in the backseat of the car" is what I'm thinking about 10 boxes and several paintings and a samurai sword. We'll see if it works out.
But talking about boxes is boring. Instead, let me tell you about what unholiness I will be unleashing upon the BF's family for Thanksgiving. I volunteered to bring fruit and veg (their dinner last year was lacking in these departments) in the form of cranberry sauce and green bean casserole. The casserole is a family recipe full of cream of mushroom soup and french fried onions, but for the cranberry sauce, I wanted to get creative with it.
I decided to make a pear and cranberry sauce, figuring that would be Food Networky enough to impress but easy enough that it wouldn't severely interfere with my packing schedule. I got most of the ingredients this past weekend, knowing that the snow would make grocery stores harder to get to, and today I set about making everything. I chopped pears and boiled them with a bit of water and honey, plus cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and huge chunks of ginger for flavor.
However, instead of getting fresh or frozen cranberries, I got canned sauce. Whoops. So now I have honey-ginger-cinnamon-nutmeg-allspice-infused cranberry jelly. Hot damn! Nothing says classy like doctored food from a can. I hope it tastes okay.
Off to watch Fargo with the Roommate and the Cat.
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