for miss lauren...

Look what came in the mail! It's seems like a very large envelope from Boxcar Press!!! Let's open it!
I'll unwrap it carefully...
WHY IT'S MY LETTERPRESS PLATE FOR MY WEDDING INVITATIONS (which you lovingly designed for me)!!!
Here's a close-up! It's absolutely perfect, thank you so much! Now on to building the press...

[For my long neglected blog-o-sphere friends, hello! Unfortunately, the day after my last post I started one of those real grown up job which hardly affords me time to read blogs, much less write my own. However, in that period of time, I did become engaged to sweet Mr. Blog, who surprised me with a trip to Napa and proposed on the balcony of The French Laundry. Us newly engaged:
A blurry picture of the ring:
A much better picture of the ring - I love how the diamond floats in the setting: Now on to more lawyering and wedding planning! Cheers!]

Oh, Mr. Blog

I love the way you disco dance.A big thank you to sweet BFF, Britney #2, for hosting us this weekend and for throwing the most amazing 70s soiree! Happy birthday!

Today is my last day at work

I will miss:

• the anonymous person who brings in Bath & Body Works products
• Tuesday lunches from the LA Mag best noodle places to eat list
• 3:00 pm Coffeebean runs
• teatime
• being able to park near the building
• the gym downstairs (which I never use)
• the amazing legal team
• the amazing staff

Thanks for a good run!

Upcoming plans:
A navy reunion
An Oregon reunion
An early Valentine's Day celebration
THE disco party of the year
... and my new job, starting Tuesday.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Valentines

For the past several years, Mr. Blog and I have created adorable Valentines for him to bring to work and exchange with the other attorneys (well, I would make them and then force Mr. Blog to hand them out at the office). I like to think of myself as the craft-y, bake-y girlfriend of his work, but recently another girlfriend has been stepping it up (and sending batches and batches of delicious homemade cookies and cupcakes to the office). When Mr. Blog defended my honor, the other attorney responded, "bring it."

And thus, with the challenge extended, I spent all day yesterday in the kitchen making:Parisenne macaroons filled with chocolate ganche and strawberry jam (Maybe it's me, but I found these cookies to be incredibly finicky and ridiculously difficult to get purty. It took me 3 batches to perfect, yet my 4th batch still reverted back to ugliness. I ate all the ugly ones and it was darn satisfying.)
and Chocolate dipped vanilla and strawberry marshmallows. (These are so, so good, but by the time I got to them, after eatting about 100 macaroons, I was so full I didn't even lick the bowl! I know! I rinsed perfectly good melted chocolate down the drain!! I am totally ashamed! And for any eating teams I may have committed myself to, I'd like to point out that I'm good for the sprint but clearly, my endurance needs work!).

By the end of the day I had added a few paper adornments and some extra goodies, and, for Valentine's Day this year, we have a little handmade box...
en francais... stuffed full of treats...
all tied up and ready to go.In the words of those cheerleaders, I believe it has been broughten.

Sucker eating

I hate getting up early in the mornings.
I'm not that fond of waiting in lines.
I don't particularly like Denny's.
I don't like pancakes.
But I am a complete sucker for free food.
So, yesterday, I woke up at 7:30 in the morning to stand in line for my free Grand Slam at Denny's before work.
It was still totally worth it.

Apparently, I don't craft anymore

But I sure do eat a lot:

[Chi Dynasty for Chinese New Year]

[Pinot Cafe for DineLA week]

Moo

Happy Chinese New Year!