Green Plan-It

new things

2011-06-06T08:36:00.000-07:00

After the holidays I decided to ease back into the blogging world as I eased into 2011. We had a lot going on at the beginning of this year, a huge family vacation to Florida and turning 30 to name a couple and regular blog updates just seemed a little daunting. The beginning of 2010 had been really difficult so I just wanted to lay low and go with the flow for a while. Little did I know that big things were just around the corner.

February brought some crazy surprising news that meant putting the brakes on our fun blog. This is when we found out that we'll be expecting a new little addition to our tiny family in October. It has been a mix of completely overwhelming, exciting, scary and funny. Our thoughts racing from: Are we ready for this?, Where will we live?, Is it a boy or a girl?, Can I still wear this?

So clearly there is a new angle to the blog as it's one of the main things on my mind these days. There will still be some food and fun but also baby. We're getting really excited for our little monkey to join us and I hope you all enjoy these fun parent-to-be updates!

(Above photo by Sharon Montrose, from The Animal Printshop)

martha's holiday craft fair!

2010-12-05T16:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my friend Kristin and I (and our very loving husbands) went to Martha Stewart's Holiday Craft Fair to see what amazing items they would be offering. They had a range of vendors and some very amazing crafters! I am always amazed with crafty people and it was incredibly inspiring. There were great letterpress cards, screen printed bags, jewelry, scarves, and, well, everything. Even McClure's Pickles was there and we sampled some Spicy Bloody Mary Mix which was so tasty! One vendor that I was super excited about finding was Rifle Paper Company and I picked up a couple of holiday cards and some recipe cards, all of them were just what I was looking for!

Following up a great Craft Fair with a couple of drinks out with great friends made for a very nice Saturday!

holiday kindness

2010-12-05T15:19:00.001-08:00

The holidays can be a wonderful time of the year filled with friends, family, food, music and good cheer. But it's not like this for everyone. There are those people who may not have a home to go to for the holidays or a warm meal to look forward to. But we all have the opportunity to help in any way we can. Some people donate money but when you're not sure if you can do that don't forget that there are other ways you can help too. Many places have food, toy and coat drives so be on the lookout in your local area. Below are a couple in the New York area and check your local grocery stores or Starbucks to see if they have a drop-spot for toys.

The New York Cares Coat Drive

Food Donations at The Food Bank for New York City

wish list

2010-12-05T14:50:00.000-08:00

While I'm not a real perfume (for myself) or cologne (for Tony) person there are those items that catch my eye from time to time. A scent that can make you think of cozy times, firesides, red buffalo plaid scarfs, and big soft hats. I stumbled upon one last year that sounds lovely, "Walking in the Air" from CB I Hate Perfume, which is supposed to smell like snow. How awesome is that!? I know that there are many people who wish for warm weather and beaches but I love the cold and snow. I love the snuggly feeling when you watch it fall outside or walking around in Brooklyn once it has fallen and gazing down the beautiful blocks.

The second one that I recently came across is from Portland General Store and it is called "Maine" and the description sounds so comforting. They have other scents including Whiskey, Tobacco, Cardamom and others products as well. How is it that so many awesome products come from Portland, Maine?

I hope you're all having cozy weekends. I am, and wishing for some snow!

(Images from CB I Hate Perfume and Etsy: Portland General Store)

thanksgiving wish list

2010-11-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving readers! I hope you are all having wonderful, relaxing and food-filled days. I know that my day has been super busy prepping the meal but it has been a blast! My only wish list item today is that you all have a beautiful day and get to eat delicious foods.

Also, I wanted to share something from my mom. She has a blog, "Writing Out Loud" and just wrote an essay titled "Live Thanks" so you should definitely check it out.

Check back in the coming days for pictures from today's meal. Now, time to eat!

thanksgiving week

2010-11-22T13:38:00.001-08:00

I don't know about all of you wonderful readers but I know that I am so excited for this week! I love Thanksgiving and everything that it entails. Friends and family and eating and drinking, what more could you ask for. It's also when I start to crank the holiday tunes (get ready, Mom).

You may remember last year when Tony and I hosted Thanksgiving at our place in Brooklyn and it was the first time that I was in charge of all of that food. Well this year I will be at it again but in my family's kitchen in Connecticut. I've been planning a menu with some new variations on good ol' standbys as well as some yummy treats we will never get rid of. And since there won't be a standard sweet potato casserole at this dinner I decided to make one for myself last weekend (above). It was so delicious! I will keep you all posted on this year's feast with pics and recipes!

being kind

2010-11-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

A wonderful and new thing happened to me the other day. I received a comment on a post from someone I didn't know. I know of him because I have read about him and I wrote about him. It was Andy Smallman, the founder of the Puget Sound Community School, which offers "kindness classes." What a thrill it was to hear from someone that I wrote about. It felt amazing realizing that my words can really reach people (thanks Google Alert!). I have really enjoyed incorporating our kindness "assignments" and hope that you readers have liked it as well.

This week I am borrowing one from Mr. Smallman's course: Be Kind to Yourself. With the holidays upon us it is easy to eat too much, drink too much, spend too much, and to become exhausted with all of your social obligations. But sometimes we forget to care for ourselves. So this week's task is to do something kind for yourself, take care of yourself, before the whirlwind of this holiday season begins. A nice meal or a yoga class or a massage (doesn't that sound lovely) could be just what your body and soul need.

Be Kind!

thursday wish list

2010-11-18T14:46:00.000-08:00

While I do love cold weather there is one thing I don't like about the approaching cooler months: dry hands. I don't remember always being afflicted with such a problem but in the past couple of years it has been troublesome. And with even more hand-washing in the kitchen it's even more necessary to find something that can quench that dryness and make my hands soft and "holdable."

When I found the L'Occitane Hand Cream and read all of the glowing reviews I knew it had to make it's way to the wish list. I know I'm not the only one who pines for nice 'n soft hands whether it be warm or cold!

a very martha weekend

2010-11-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

Remember how I did a craft project a couple of weeks ago and then promised to put up some images? Well here they are! It was the Sunday following Gluten-Free night and my sister-in-law and I were walking along 7th Avenue in Park Slope when I spotted a rather sad but could-be useful bookshelf at the flea market. It just needed some love and paint. I got Tony over to approve the purchase and then we made our way to True Value to grab our supplies and then head back to the apartment. The only problem was that I promised to make an applesauce cake too! What was I to do!? I decided to channel my inner Martha. Martha (Stewart that is) seems to be able to do it all. She can craft and bake and cook all at once so why couldn't I? I enlisted the help of Christina for the sanding prep work which was simply amazing of her to do while I got my cake mixed and ready. In the chilly weather, cake in the oven, we proceeded to put on 3 coats of paint and get it to an even pretty blue.

I felt pretty proud of that day, making a tasty cake and re-painting a flea market find into a cute addition to our living room. Thanks Tony and Christina (and Martha too)!

food heaven

2010-11-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

Walking along 23rd Street in the Flatiron area of NYC you wouldn't know that you were so close to heaven. Food heaven that is. And I guess it's not food heaven for everyone. But it kind of was for me. Walking into Eataly I was immediately presented with beautiful delicious looking produce. I don't like eggplant but I wanted eggplant from there simply because it was so pretty. I picked up some carrots to roast later that evening and then kept on moving. With each turn I found something else that would make my mouth water. People were beginning to take their seats for lunch as I headed towards one of the two areas that I had my eye on.

Bread is such a simple pleasure for me. Whether it is consumed with cheese or olive oil or butter or jam, it is comforting and sometimes the only thing I need. There were samples of focaccia with olive oil and sea salt placed in baskets on the counter and one of the most helpful men behind the counter. I picked up a warm rustic loaf and hugged it close, moving to the next necessary stop in this wonderland...cheese (because if you get some bread you obviously need some cheese). I found the sign directing me to the specific kind I was searching for, Grana Padano. How happy was I, with bread and cheese and carrots in hand!? I walked out along the sweets aisle wishing I had both the time and the dairy pills to stop for some gelato, but alas, that would have to wait for another day.

I hope that if you, like me, love breads and cheese and pasta and fresh produce and tons of other things, that you get the opportunity to enjoy the splendors of Eataly.

buon appetito!

kindness homework

2010-11-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

One benefit of doing all of this cooking, while it has been wonderful for me, has also been how much Tony appreciates it. I'm getting a chance to do something that I enjoy but sometimes it can just make someone's day and you end up feeling even better. Our homework for this week is to make someone something to eat. Sometimes it's one of the nicest things that you can do.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! New York is supposed to be super pretty and great weather for farmer's markets and pie bake-offs!

who wants pie?

2010-11-11T11:25:00.001-08:00

While perusing my daily Tasting Table NYC email today I came across an event that sounds, well, yummy. This weekend is the "2nd Annual Brooklyn Pie Bake-Off Benefit." With awesome food, beverages, judges, and a good cause, it sounds like a very appealing way to spend a Sunday. Just 10 bucks and you get several pie tickets and bevvies (milk and beer). It's this Sunday from 1-4pm at Spacecraft. Hope to see you there!

thursday wish list

2010-11-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

Since I couldn't choose this week I decided to add three items to our on-going holiday wish list! And why choose...these are all great.

The first is a new book from Amanda Hesser: The Essential New York Times Cookbook. From what I have heard this book is incredibly comprehensive and a must-have. I would love to spend some time cooking my way through it!

Next item is something that I found myself pining for each time I stand in front of the sink, slightly hunched over, peeling apples. And with all of the applesauce (and applesauce cakes) I long to make I bet the Apple Peeler/Corer from Williams-Sonoma is a necessary tool to have in our kitchen.

Finally, I have myself a little camera crush. I also have a crush on all of these amazing food photography blogs that I stumble upon each day which lead to me wishing I could take such lovely shots in our own kitchen. So we're adding the Canon PowerShot G12 to the list as well! A good blogger camera before getting into DSLR territory.

What's else is on everyone's wish lists this year?

(images above from Amazon.com, WilliamsSonoma.com, and B&H Photo)

yummy and gluten free

2010-11-11T08:13:00.000-08:00

In the past year my sister-in-law was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which means no more wheat, barley or rye. As a budding cook, and Italian, this was beyond disappointing. What about pasta, and holiday cookies!? But not one to let this condition get in the way of eating great foods (thank goodness cheese isn't on the list) we have been experimenting with gluten free meals in our home.

This past weekend she and I were looking forward to a couple of days of sitting. No plans were made except to make some food. We made my mom's Mac & Cheese and subbed in brown rice pasta shells and all purpose gluten-free flour and roasted some brussel sprouts in Old Bay seasoning to add a much-needed vegetable. I also introduced her to deviled eggs and much to my surprise, and delight, she liked them! A little something about my husband and sister-in-law: they hate mayo! Everything about it. I wouldn't say I love it but I do like what it can add to a deviled egg or pasta salad or sandwich. It wasn't until recently that I finally put my foot down and started keeping it in the refrigerator again. And to have it on hand just in case you want to make a couple of deviled eggs, well that's just wonderful.

I hesitated on posting about this past weekend's food fun as, shamefully, I forgot to take any pictures! But just know that it looked amazing in the way that homemade macaroni and cheese should. When it's just out of the oven and the cheesy mix is still bubbling and when you finally take your first bite and realize that there is even more cheese hiding in the shell...delicious. And our roasted brussel spouts were truly a perfect complement.

On Sunday our adventure to consume only tasty things continued and we walked to Java Joe to get some pumpkin spice coffee. I usually indulge frequently in pumpkin spice coffee from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters during the fall into winter but it had been sold out online for some time. I was so pleased to stumble upon a local shop that carried this cozy sign of the holidays for me.

Next week I will be posting some images that I actually did take from last weekend of an impromptu craft project!

"think globally, act locally"

2010-11-05T18:29:00.001-07:00

It's such a nice idea...and also your next assignment readers! One nice thing that we can all do is support our local farmers wherever we are. This week seek out a farmer's market and support a local farmer, whether you are buying veggies, fruits, cheese, breads or whatever it is your kitchen needs. Eating fresh and seasonal foods means this assignment benefits you as well! And you get to meet the people that are making everything. In my opinion the fall is such a great time to visit your local farmer's market when the air is crisp and you can get a warm cider in your hands as you peruse the beautiful treats that all came from nearby. And even if you don't have a farmer's market close then find some local goods at your grocery store, many will stock items from local vendors.

Have a beautiful weekend!!

wish list

2010-11-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

The holidays are upon us and with this new-found enjoyment in the kitchen I am experiencing (and loving) I figured I would start putting together a little wish list. This is by no means just for me. I hope that all of the items that I will share are ones that you can all incorporate into or pine for in your own lives.

The first one on the list is a book, but not just any book. Since I don't believe I will be attending a culinary school I can't see a better way to learn some much-needed basics, techniques and recipes than from Martha Stewart's Cooking School. And really, who better to teach me than Ms. Stewart herself. Even better, I could be at home with a glass of wine while learning these lessons!

(image from serious eats)

mmmm....good food is good

2010-11-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

This was a funny article by "fork in the road" writer Rebecca Marx that I read earlier and it's very true. When you're writing about food what are some other adjectives you can use? Especially for something that you want to give a thumbs up to? Some of the ones that these Village Voice writers came up with are definitely soon-to-be-used alternatives. I guess I will just have to start getting creative and while the adjectives will be made-up at times you'll still get where I'm going with it, hopefully!

more tasty pictures...

2010-11-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

As promised I am putting up a couple of new pictures from the whirlwind of baking and cooking this past weekend. I was so disappointed when I realized that we didn't take any pictures of the gingersnap rosemary cookies. They were done on a whim and ended up being so good! The lemon butter I made to go with them, not so good.

The prep pictures were for the pumpkin bread pudding. I have never made a bread pudding before and have only started sampling them in the past couple of years. But I assumed that anything that combines pumpkin and challah bread has got to be awesome, and it is. For this dessert I made a maple whipped cream (1 cup heavy cream and then 3 tablespoons maple syrup from my friend's farm...and then more to taste) and toasted some pecans with cinnamon, such a lovely combination! The pecans also doubled as a pretty and yummy topping on the applesauce cake the next day for breakfast.

In the spirit of my friend Kristin's and my belief that a couple of drinks during recreational cooking opens up your creativity I decided that it was time to break open the Pimm's. It was, after all, a holiday. And though my Pimm's wasn't an official "Pimm's Cup" as I had no cucumber it definitely got the job done and got me in the mood to peel some brussel sprouts. I know what you're saying to yourself, "peel a brussel sprout...Annie, that's not what you do silly!" But to cook them up and combine them with couscous it's exactly what you do. And the leaves look so pretty all pulled apart.

It was all so much fun getting these foods together for our dinner on Saturday night. With all of this cooking I have been so motivated and inspired to try new things and when I get home I just want to make an awesome dinner! Once we get into the habit of taking pictures of everything made in our kitchen I'll be sure to share them with you.

halloween weekend

2010-11-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Belated Halloween, readers! I hope you all had yourselves an amazing weekend, in costume or not. I was, of course, the latter. But even without costumes we had so much fun with cooking, baking, and eating! Saturday started out with a trip to the Grand Army Plaza GreenMarket, which was filled with kids getting a head start on dressing up and then another billion people stocking up on fresh produce, cheeses, breads and last-minute pumpkins. With my list in hand I got down to business and only picked up one or two unnecessary items because sometimes it's just too hard to pass up a beautiful head of yellow broccoli. Challah bread for the Pumpkin Bread Pudding, brussel sprouts to go with the couscous and some extra apples just in case when I was making applesauce. The unsweetened applesauce was of course for my most favorite treat of the weekend...spiced applesauce cake from Smitten Kitchen (pictured above for Sunday morning breakfast). The cake itself was delicious, but coupled with the cinnamon frosting, come on! Since I still have some of the applesauce I'm sure I'll be making another one of these this week.

Tony and I were at a dinner party Saturday night, with treats in tow, and I found that I am already going to have to contradict an earlier statement I made here. I now not only eat just turkey in the meat department. Our friends Mike and Jackie made us an amazing ham! It had such a lovely glaze and had been roasted with cloves, I just couldn't say no! With side dishes of cauliflower (the yellow included) and Kristin's Mac & Cheese we were all left totally satisfied. Thanks guys for such an awesome night!

For the day of Halloween I was so excited to be in Park Slope to see all of the little kidderoos dressed up and dress up they did! After I turned out a mushroom lasagna and rosemary cookies for the football game my friend Amy and I scooted down to the street with a bowl of candy. I'm never sure if anyone will come to our door (they didn't) so I'm so glad we got out there where all of the kids were. A couple of favorites: An amazing little Michael Jackson and a piece of pizza.

Later I'll get some more pictures up of all of the foods that came out of the kitchen this weekend but I hope you all got to see some awesome ghouls, goblins or Michael Jacksons and enjoy the last weekend of October because now we're getting into serious holiday season, hooray!!

let's do some good

2010-10-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

A month or so ago I was reading a blurb in a magazine, Ode. Ode is a magazine that writes about good goings-on in the world and the people who make a difference, whether it be in a small community or on a larger scale. But this one "ode" really struck a chord with me. It was the "Ode to Andy Smallman" (read it here). Mr. Smallman is the founder of and a teacher at Puget Sound Community School in Seattle. From what I have learned so far, this is a truly remarkable school, with one amazing class in particular, "The Practice of Kindness." This is a class for anyone and everyone, available online, and the assignments encourage you to do good, be kind, and to reflect on it. It's such a simple task that we can all do everyday, but one that can be easily overlooked. So I thought we could try it! Every now and then I'll post a good thing that we can all do for the week. It won't be difficult and really, you'll probably feel great!

We can start small: For one week hold the door open for people and let people go ahead of you (I know, I took this one from the article). I can almost guarantee that you'll have a nice warm feeling about it.

Enjoy!

nothing like a good sandwich

2010-10-28T07:43:00.001-07:00

A few years ago I did the Master Cleanse. I loved pretty much everything about it and on occasion I like to do it for a day or so, in modified fashion. One of the results of my initial Master Cleanse was giving up most meats (I continued on as a pescatarian). Now and then I would wake up from a dream where I was indulging in an amazing turkey sandwich. I would have flashbacks to being in Burlington, VT eating at the Red Onion, with their immensely enjoyable turkey sandwiches...and that bread! And sometimes when I was hungry I knew the only thing that would satisfy my grumbling stomach was a good ol' turkey sandwich.

Therefore, a few weeks ago I got back on the meat-eating wagon. I still have rules and regulations regarding meat consumption, of course. I really only stick to turkey, I'm not interested in much else. I also attempt to only buy non-hormone, free-range products so that I know these animals were taken care of and respected during their turkey lives. Also, Tony is really happy as this opens up our meals to so many new possibilities!

It being fall and all I have really been wanting to make a more grown-up grilled cheese with some turkey and apple. I wouldn't rest until it was made and I convinced Tony to let me do this the other night. And those sandwiches did not disappoint! I picked up a freshly baked loaf from Whole Foods and loaded it up with some Cabot Cheddar, Maple-Honey Turkey and some McIntosh apple slices, grilled it up and it was everything I hoped it would be! Gooey and crispy in all the right parts, I couldn't believe that we were getting to enjoy such a wonderful treat.

And on a sweets note...I'm getting ready for this weekend: more applesauce to go into apple cake and so many different pumpkin indulgences! And experimenting with frosting and whipped cream! It's Halloween and while this is definitely not a holiday that I usually embrace I'm so excited about the totally valid excuse of treats galore!

EmersonMade!

2010-10-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have loved EmersonMade flower pins for a long time! I was elated when, after receiving a gift bag at a wedding event, I found a small little EM pin that was all mine, finally. How excited was I then to find out that they made amazing table linens that would eventually someday make their way to my gigantic reclaimed wood dining table in my country house (It will happen someday)? Very! And finally, this past late summer/early fall marked an even more amazing venture from this charming company...a clothing line! Check them out since everything is just so sweet and lovely!

(Photo from The Kitchn)

Annie's Kitchen Weekend

2010-10-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

Again some time was needed to re-energize and re-focus this blog, hence more time off! I'm not going to lie...2010 was not what I expected and it's been difficult to get motivated and share what's going on when it's not all that fantastic. Since I want to spread happiness and joy through these posts, it just hasn't seemed like the year to do that. I also haven't been sure where to take the "Green Plan-It" blog as I won't be planning too many things (except trips when I can). So for now we'll keep the name and continue on until we find out it's true meaning and how it relates to what we do here now.

But as we venture into understanding I am really digging being in the kitchen! This weekend was jam-packed with cooking and baking time. A trip to the farmer's market on a beautiful Saturday morning was just the inspiration needed to get my butt in gear! Applesauce, Pumpkin Butter, Apple Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting, oh my! And for football Sunday (poor Bills, or rather, the fans) a very tasty Turkey Chili with Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen (one of my favorite blog stops these days...check out those pictures!).

So to keep up my writing, and my voice, I suppose I'll just keep you posted on yummy things from Annie's Kitchen. I'll scour the web and make some tasty treats and be sure to share them with you (with the recipe and source, of course) and I'm sure my always-hungry hubby won't mind the new project at all!

(Photo courtesy of Husband Tony)

Trying Something New...

2010-07-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

My dear readers,

My abundant apologies for my time off from the blog! For me these past few months have been a time to reassess and think about what's happening with my life and is this what I really want to do? What I have realized is that the blog has been such a wonderful outlet. Sure it strayed from it's original mission but that's where I had the most fun. Do I love weddings and events and all of these beautiful wonderful things? Of course! Do I necessarily want to do them for other people...ehhhh...maybe no.

I was swept up and just went along for the ride for a while. All of a sudden I thought "Wait! What ride is this?? It's this crazy upside-down wild roller-coaster when all I was looking for was the carousel! Crap!" So now I'm off and on solid ground and figuring things out. Now that things are a bit clearer I feel I can continue blogging (really by taking a break I was trying to save you all from the mayhem).

So as it turns out, Green Plan-It isn't about events anymore...it's about me.

Happy Happy!

2010-03-24T18:15:00.001-07:00

I'm so sorry for the lapse in posts my readers! I've been completely preoccupied recently with a surprise event and I knew I would just want to write about the plans...so, alas...I had to refrain from some posts!

This past weekend was my husband's 30th Birthday! And a surprise it was (thankfully). After being able to keep various plans from him for the past couple of weeks I was finally able to let them all unfold.

The first surprise came Friday with his parents coming to town to celebrate their son's important day. Next came ice skating. Tony.Loves.Hockey! It was the least I could do on such a milestone to get a little ice time. Finally, after a little pizza and drinks at our apartment we hopped on over to Larry Lawrence Bar, which I must say was perfect! Larry Lawrence is in Williamsburg and not only was everyone there so helpful and accommodating but the space is just so great for large parties.

Finally came the actual Birthday day...Sunday, which we celebrated by having lunch with his family and mine and it was just a simple lovely day.

Happy 30th Birthday, babe! Love ya!

Holy Anthropologie!

2010-03-08T11:15:00.000-08:00

Many of you who know me know that I love Anthropologie. I love the decor of the store and I love how special they make every piece of clothing and I love all of the other wonderful treats you can find for your home . You can imagine how excited I was to find out while reading Cup of Jo that they are putting together a wedding line! It's due spring of 2011! I'm sure it will be absolutely dreamy!

(Photo by Schnack Studios, via Green Wedding Shoes)

Diana F+ Camera

2010-03-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

I realize that recently my posts have drifted more towards lifestyle blogging rather than events and weddings, mostly due to the learning curve of blogging (what can I post, images, links, etc.) but I promise to get a little more on point! But before that happens I thought I would tip my cap to the Diana F+ camera. Tony and I purchased this in the middle of January and I had high hopes to capture some images of our event in February. Alas, those pictures did not really turn out all that well. Good news is the random trip to Brighton Beach the following day did produce some cool pics! I like that it's sort of vintage, as if I had borrowed them from my fam's attic.

Happy March...

2010-03-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

...And to stay happy, check out the "50 Steps to Simple Happiness", recently published by New York Magazine (via A Cup of Jo). Maybe not all of these tips are for everyone but I'm sure we can all find some that definitely do make us happy, something of the utmost importance!

Inspiration

2010-02-26T13:35:00.001-08:00

Happy Friday!

Even though I love pretty much everything about snow, I know not everyone does. Some people are wishing for those warmer days of spring and summer. I thought it would be nice to share a picture of wonderful Santa Monica as inspiration to those who may feel like this winter may never end...or maybe I'm just inadvertently making people more frustrated.

Wishing for a Snow Day

2010-02-25T07:21:00.000-08:00

This picture is from my mom's blog, Flip-Flops After 50 (you should definitely head over and check it out). She was lucky enough to have a Snow Day the other day in Connecticut. I woke up today to see the snow falling in Brooklyn and immediately thought of her relaxing and cozy day! I hope some of you are able to be at home right now enjoying the beautiful snow falling!

Oh Cheese...

2010-02-24T09:11:00.000-08:00

Even though I have always wanted to go to Murray's Cheese, a place I've imagined as both completely magical and dangerous, I only went for the first time two weeks ago. Nora and I went to fill out our menu for our event. A very helpful fellow there walked us through some of the cheeses we should get...which ones were good for an adventurous crowd and which ones to get if people aren't as adventurous (me). Now mind you, as a lactose intolerant individual it is only mildly embarrassing to be popping dairy pills in the middle of a cheese emporium...but totally worth it!

Here's what we ended up with: English Tickler (a cheddar and a huge hit!), Gorwydd Caerphilly (raw cow's milk), Zimbro (a creamy sheep's milk), Le Chevrot (goat cheese), and St. Nectaire (a raw cow's milk).

Since we were purchasing with multiple people and pairings in mind we wanted it to a be a wonderful, well-rounded selection. However, I'm so looking forward to going back and just tasting and stocking up on all of my favorites (mmm....more Tickler)!

New Logo!!

2010-02-19T08:42:00.000-08:00

I know you have all been wondering what the logo for our new biz was going to look like and I'm so happy to unveil it today! Didn't Krista do such an awesome job with the design!?

A Note on Being Green...

2010-02-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

To all my wonderful readers you may have noticed what looked like disposable forks in our pictures as well as plates (the lighter ones on the left). I did want to let you all know that as we are Green Plan-It, with the emphasis on "Green", these forks are compostable and re-usable, as are the bamboo plates! And although we found that you may not be able to really re-use the bamboo plates for the same purpose after they get wet they do make for very interesting art pieces!

Prep Work

2010-02-17T20:07:00.001-08:00

Here are a few images of our prep work done before Saturday night's festivities. But I can't even tell you all about it without first giving full credit to my two amazing partners who I got to plan with: Krista and Nora. From the start, when we all sat together and decided to have a party, up to the day before creating cheese labels (Thank you, Krista)! I'm so lucky to get to work with these two ladies as we each bring something important to the table, Nora and her beautiful interior design, Krista and her fantastic graphic design (the logo she created for us will be revealed soon!!), and then me with my crazy love of organization and planning...we make a good team!

The top picture is our fridge prior to people showing up. I also need to thank my amazingly helpful sister-in-law who sacrificed her Saturday afternoon to come over and make all of these delicious and adorable red velvet cupcakes, thanks Christina! Who knew that a fridge full of beer and cupcakes could look so lovely.

Second is the table prior to cheeses and pairings. The lighting was so great that evening. Nora and I strung lights around the apartment a few days prior and it worked out perfectly!

The last image is a close-up of the table, also prior to being fully set. Doesn't the cheese look so beautiful (and that label)!

A few other thank you's before I sign off for the day...to Mom and Angelo for coming to join us and for bringing extra mason jars, candles, and wooden discs...and to my amazing husband, Tony, who is not only totally supportive of this new venture in my life but also for being my go-to fella for anything that I needed leading up to the event.

Preview

2010-02-16T20:32:00.001-08:00

This past Saturday was our un-official pre-launch event! A small gathering of some of the people we love, cheese, and wine...yum! I'll be posting some more images tomorrow. And this was just the first of events to come. Thank you all who were there for sharing this with us!!

January

2010-01-27T17:41:00.000-08:00

This picture was actually taken on my birthday a couple of weeks ago but I felt it was also appropriate to post as a reflection on these past few weeks. January has been a lot to handle. I still believe that this year is supposed to be a good one but it seems there are a lot of hurdles to cross in order to get there. I just hope they are all at the beginning of the year. And now I know I have a "Shangel" to help get me through it.

The Dress That Should Have Been...

2010-01-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

Recently J. Crew added this new gown to their beautiful wedding collection and I am so wishing this one had been available six months ago. As I mentioned earlier in this blog I ended up not so happy with my dress, but you live and you learn. Since this dress was introduced I have seen it everywhere! Today when I saw it on Cup of Jo I realized that I just need to write about it and release it.

(Posted on Cup of Jo; layout by Lace and Tea)

mmmm....food

2010-01-10T15:56:00.000-08:00

I wanted to write a little bit about food today. It's a chilly day out and right now I would love some fries and cider donuts! So I thought I would share with you all some pics of the food from our wedding, courtesy of our friend Larry. We were so lucky to have a friend at the wedding who is also a rocking photographer! So here are some pictures of the amazing food that we had, provided by Jordan Caterers in Connecticut. They totally got what we were going for...cozy comfort food, including fries, mac and cheese, sliders, salmon skewers, etc. They also commissioned the cake which was apple spice to go with the season with twigs placed in it for a beautiful natural look. And of course the donuts....ahhhh, cider donuts! So incredibly tasty and from March Farms which was right around the corner from the wedding (they also provided amazing pies). They were such a hit, even when the party shifted back to the hotel and everyone shoved some donuts into their pockets for the ride. Should you ever be in CT you should definitely go there!! I also included a pic of the bubbly and candy table for good measure to show all of the sweets that we had.

We got so many complements on the food because it was simple and easy but oh so good!!!

Many thanks to Jordan Caterers, March Farms, and of course Larry for taking such awesome photos!

Wedding Crashers!

2010-01-09T12:20:00.001-08:00

So to ring in the new year right and get Green Plan-It going strong I decided to attend "Wedding Crashers" today put on by Brooklyn Based, held at the Bell House in Brooklyn. It was such a great venue for such a wonderful event (and the readily available bubbly was pretty swell too)! I wanted to start getting out there and meeting all of the great vendors that Brooklyn has to offer and there were so many, from photographers to bands to caterers and everyone in between. Since most of the attendants were brides-to-be, many of the vendors were a little surprised to hear that I was already a married lady but I quickly followed my intro with "but I also just started an event planning business." With that, I was in! Other vendors want to be recommended through planners as well so it was a great place to meet people. I just wish I had planned a little better and had business cards in tow...so you all know what I'm doing this afternoon!

This was the first Wedding Crashers event and I'm looking forward to the next one! Hopefully by then we'll be in full swing and be able to have a booth there too!

Happy 2010!

2010-01-09T12:13:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm quite delayed in the New Year's greetings but I still wanted to wish you all a happy 2010! I know this is going to be a great year and big things are going to happen, including the big plans for Green Plan-It!!

This picture is how I rang in the new years, snowshoeing in Vermont. It was so beautiful up there! A bunch of great friends + food + drinks + fun outdoor activity + an amazing big house = so much fun!

Kristin & Phil's Wedding = Beautiful & Crazy Fun Weekend!

2009-11-28T13:03:00.000-08:00

So in keeping up with the Blog Catch-Up Day I'm writing one more....

I realized that I never posted images or wrote about our friends' wedding on Captiva Island in Florida at the end of October! This wedding was gorgeous! Simple, lovely touches, a laid-back beach vibe and dolphins swimming by, can't beat it! The stunning ceremony, officiated by our friend Dena, was followed by a completely fun and delicious reception! Also, the place where both the ceremony and reception was held, South Seas Resort, was simply fantastic. And we were transported around the island by practical and whimsical trolleys, bonus!

Also at South Seas Resort there is so much wildlife (insert obvious joke about all of our silly wild friends at the end of a night of drinking and celebrating here). We had manatees outside of our hotel room, little lizards scooting about, dolphins and grouper nearby and amazing birds perched about the resort.

And to top it off, my Grandma and Papa joined us on Sunday for lunch which was so fantastic!

Thank you Kristin & Phil for an amazing weekend!!

She Said Yes!

2009-11-28T11:56:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was apparently "Let's Get Engaged" Weekend! I had a feeling that one of my closest friends was going to be getting engaged and I was at the edge of my seat all day. I've been hearing little hints about it happening from my own husband and from Krista herself. I wasn't sure how it was going to happen but I knew it was supposed to happen before Thanksgiving. When she told me Friday that her weekend plans included a trip to the Empire State Building my jaw dropped and I knew that I would have to have my phone glued to me all of Saturday!

Saturday was also the day that my mom was visiting and first stop was Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Station. I don't know the complete history of this place but my mom does and she's always wanted to stop in for a cocktail and last Saturday at 3pm she headed there to wait for me. This place is beautiful and more people should spend there time here either before catching a train or as soon as they arrive in Manhattan, or at any other point. It feels very Old New York. It felt even more like that while I sat there sipping my Pimm's Cup and taking it all in. Much to our surprise, this place was packed...with a surprise engagement party! After we moved from the bar to our seats the happy newly engaged couple entered and all of Campbell Apartment, including my mom and I, started clapping and tearing up! How amazing to be in a place with such history and such happiness. Sure the couple would look around and see all of the people they love and then my mom and I, complete strangers, but we still had a fantastic time. We were engagement party crashers!

We then traveled uptown to visit with one of my mom's friends from college and I continued to check my phone constantly, waiting for a sign that Krista too had gotten engaged. It wasn't until later in the evening, around 9pm, that I got a text saying "U knew." YES! And he did it in a perfect way! No, it ended up not being the Empire State Building. Instead it was MOMA, Krista's favorite museum. After I got to speak to her on the phone I proceeded to call our friend Nora so we could share our happiness. And wouldn't you know it, one of Nora's friends from her home in Maine got engaged the very next day!

It's such a fantastic weekend when you get to share in the joy of a couple who are so excited to start their life together. And an even better weekend when you get to share in several couples' joy. I, of course, am also super excited about all of the planning that we're going to embark on soon. Tony and I had Krista and Eddie over the next day for a bottle of champagne and we were the first people they had seen since the engagement. That giddy happiness when the girl can't really stand still and just keeps smiling, and the guy looks so relieved because he's been planning this for such a long time and in the end...she said YES!

Congratulations Krista and Eddie! I love you guys!!!

I give thanks for kitchen tools and butter…

2009-11-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

…Because apparently those are the secrets to doing your own Thanksgiving! This year my new hubby and I decided to stay in Brooklyn and host our very first Thanksgiving with wonderful friends and family. I was determined to make as much as possible and to be the most able hostess, and make our home look picture perfect! After all, when you’re beginning your own event planning business you should be able to host your own small dinner party as well, right?

But back to the tools and the butter….Butter is in just about EVERYTHING! Milk makes quite the appearance at Thanksgiving as well. And armed with my dairy aid pills, I was ready! If you can’t let loose and eat whatever you want on Thanksgiving, what’s the point? Now because we were just married a couple of months ago we suddenly have all of these amazing tools that make your life so much easier when preparing food! The Kitchen Aid mixer….Beautiful! And then there’s the Cuisinart Smart Stick which comes with a blender and a food chopper (and others), it’s what I call a time saver and brilliant!

I did my best in adding hints of sustainability to our Thanksgiving as well. Sure there are those things that are just Thanksgiving Day staples, like jellied cranberry sauce and crescent rolls, that I had to make sure made their way to the table. But our potatoes and sweet potatoes and onions were from a local farmer’s market and our apples that went into the Apple Cobbler (along with the butter of course) were from Red Jacket Orchards from upstate (a staple of the Union Square farmer’s market).

The menu was great and mostly my mom’s (Thanks, Mom). Christina, my sister-in-law and lover of cooking and baking, made several pies, provided the cheese platter and was an integral part of our mashed potatoes. The images above show all of the other side dishes that I made, including stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin gingerbread trifle, and apple cobbler! I have never made this much food in less than 24 hours ever before! And it was tasty! I did however cheat on the turkey…that was pre-seasoned and from Whole Foods.

So for all of those people out there who think that doing your own Thanksgiving is completely daunting and overwhelming….well, you’re kind of right. But it’s so much fun and so rewarding as well! Just get yourself some fantastic kitchen tools and plenty of butter and you’re set. And I only cut myself once! Success!!

Design Elements + Wonderful Photographer = Happy

2009-11-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

So after thinking about it a little bit more I couldn't just let the evening go and only post one picture! So here are a few more to enjoy. These were some of the personal touches...from the self-packaged favors in a wheel barrow (from my family's backyard) to our candy station on platforms of wood from my aunt and uncle's home in VT!

2009-11-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

First Official Picture is up! The first reason that this took so long is my own procrastination. Well let's face it, it's the whole reason. But procrastination of various forms. The first being that it took some time for us to get our new office area up and running so before now I was without an accessible work space. The second was my procrastination on learning how to upload images to my blog! Did you know there was an icon and directions! Crazy! But here's the first pic! And as soon as I get this re-sizing down, we're in business!

Wedding Dress Blues

2009-09-23T11:08:00.000-07:00

Quick post on my dress situation, which I will also be posting a picture of soon….maybe ordering online is not always the best idea. It seemed kind of perfect at the time but when it was a week before my wedding and I was just getting it and NOT how we had discussed…well let’s just say a different bride may have freaked out! But since this was a whirlwind of a wedding thus far and there was no time to worry about it I hurried it directly to the tailor and asked her to make what adjustments could be made. So perhaps there is a good reason for trying on dresses in stores and for fittings. But overall, things worked out, even if the train that I had not ordered is now destroyed by a good time!

Wonderful Wedding Weekend!!

2009-09-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Perfect wedding weekend, check! Amazingly relaxing honeymoon, check! So sad that it’s over, check! We had the best wedding ever and the fantastic connections that were made among the various groups that were there was so enjoyable to see! Pictures will be put up soon! We were so lucky for the whole weekend, the rain held off for the ceremony and then there was a perfect drizzle to cool off the overheated dancers who stepped outside for some fresh air. As for setting up, Saturday was such a beautiful day for the early parts of the afternoon and our wedding party and other helpful participants all pitched in to set up the entire event. The caterers arrived prior to the ceremony and continued with the preparations and by the time the pictures and cocktail hour were over and the guests were lead to the tent the food was out and looked amazing! I wish I could catalog each and every moment but as most brides recount the evening…it was kind of a blur! An amazing and fun blur! As soon as we receive our pictures from our photographers, the wonderful Mike and Jenny Wilson, they will be up and I will be more able to note each and every aspect.

Not only was it an amazing wedding and I’m so happy to be married to Tony now, it was also a success in terms of Green Plan-It! It was officially our first event and now I can’t wait to plan our next one! The thrill and excitement of creating the look of the event along with the satisfaction of organizing and planning felt great. I’ve told some people that I feel naked without my wedding binder and it’s true. I loved constantly touching base with vendors and creating inspiration boards for what we wanted the feel of the wedding to be. I can’t believe that it’s over….or rather, just beginning! Stay tuned!

Vendor Love

2009-08-20T13:01:00.001-07:00

This ones a long ones folks! Get ready...

These days weddings on average take over a year to plan. Therefore you have already booked most of your vendors about a year out and have had meetings, tastings, listened to your potential dj or band, and maybe have had an engagement shoot with your photographer. For our wedding, vendors have been mostly shocked with our speedy engagement. They love the story..."Well we were going to do it next year but we figured...why wait!" But then they kind of laugh when I say that we'll be getting married in a few months/couple months/few weeks, depending on which vendor it is. "Oh! That's so nice...Oh...that soon...yeah, we're not available." It wasn't always that the time from proposal to wedding would be so long. We are in fact just getting married under a year but didn't start the planning until 9 months into it.

Onto the vendors...We have been so lucky with our vendors! And I really love them all! Some we were able to nail down as soon as we made the decision to move the date up and some we just booked in the last couple of days.

First one: Site. We thought outdoors, maybe barn maybe garden so I started calling around. I happened upon the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden in Bethlehem, CT. Now I grew up one town over and never even knew of this magical place! I called them to see if they do weddings, they do! I then asked if they had any availability for September this year, they do! Done! Without ever even seeing the place it was booked. And we couldn't be happier. Keep checking back for post-wedding for pictures of it! (We have since seen it...not to worry!)

Second Vendor: Rentals. Having a wedding at a Connecticut Landmark garden does mean that you must provide all of your own rentals. Not a problem when that's what your brother does! Check!

Third Vendor: Caterer....hmmmm. This is where it started getting a little bit trickier. It was one of the first things that we started looking for and one of the last booked. With the style of the wedding being a fun party, not your most traditional or conventional, we had a specific idea for the food. Something fun and different. Comfort food done in a special way. The items on the menu would be ones that wouldn't be new and difficult for a vendor but as weddings are not always done like this it was hard to convey the message. I would call a caterer and if they were even available (which many were not) then I would explain what we wanted to see on the menu. They would then prepare the proposal and get it back to me. Seemed easy enough until the proposals didn't include the key items we had asked for. It appeared that they wanted to "spice it up" thinking that maybe I wasn't sure if what I had requested was really what I meant. No, really....let's see some mac & cheese...but fancy. I didn't ever want to seem like a crazy bride...just really wanted yummy foods! As luck would have it one of the original caterers I had contacted but never got to touch base with got in touch with me. We discussed the menu ideas and she totally got it and tah-dah!, like magic, we have a menu that is hearty and whimsical! Jordan Caterers to the rescue!

Vendor Four: DJ...easy as pie. We met with Bobby at a local restaurant and knew right away that we liked him. Done!

Vendor Five: I love love an amazing wedding picture. I love when there is just something a little different than your regular wedding portrait. From combing through all of these amazing blogs the last few months I have found so many unbelievable photographers out there! I have also found that most of them are way out of our budget! Unsure of what to do....we did nothing. We kept researching, kept discussing. We were close a few times but they fell through. Then like the light breaking through the clouds came my mom and her amazing connection. A friend is starting a wedding photography biz as he just got married himself. And they're trying to build a portfolio and both he and his wife have great experience with photography. And we'll be the first clients! As someone who is also starting a business I think it's only right to allow others the opportunity to get started!

So there you have it readers! With a mix of risk and perseverance we have ourselves a bunch of awesome vendors! Now these are the biggie vendors for the wedding, I will of course be writing about all of the other amazing people that we've been working with who have provided such items as dress, rings, flowers, invites...all amazingly talented it's crazy!

I'm off to another wedding this weekend so some of the next few posts will include even more real wedding love!!

The "Un-Bride"

2009-08-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

So for the first day of blogging we're going to keep the ball rolling...another post it is!

I have found that this short time frame has made me quite "un-bride" like. Per the usual checklists, guidebooks, etc. you are given a timeline. This timeline can include when to really kick your workouts and diets into high gear...when to have your dress by so it's all set for the many fittings you may have...you get the picture. I have been doing mostly the opposite of these tasks.

It began with the dress, which mind you readers, I still have not seen in person. But before I continue I think I must first note the Importance of Shopping Etsy! For those of you who don't know it...do not read the rest of this post, go directly there: www.etsy.com. I have found the most amazing items through this site! But back to the dress. It's being made by Etsy designer Sarah Seven. She has the most beautiful, etheral pieces and I knew one of them had to be my gown. I won't mention what it is or put a link to it as the soon-to-be-groom does check this from time to time and I have promised to not disclose anything about it! But yay! I had found my dress! Snag! The designer usually needs 6 months to make it and my wedding is only 3 months away! Long story a little shorter. She did it and it will be here next week (2 weeks before wedding - yikes!)

The other "un-bride" like activity is my diet. I read over and over on said checklists about when to give up vices, snacks, sweets...carbs! Like hell! I looked down at my tex-mex leftovers and apple crumb pie with ice cream two nights ago, turned to Tony and just laughed. I felt I was the picture of "What NOT to do Three Weeks Before Your Wedding!!" But our timeline has shifted from the norm and therefore all things that you're "supposed" to do are out the window!

I wanted to share this with all you other soon-to-be-brides out there...it's okay to throw the checklist and guidelines out every now and then and just enjoy the fun of getting married! It's a crazy and hectic time if you've decided to take it all on yourself (or even if you haven't). With all of the planning and calling and visiting and worrying it's easy to get caught up in everything. But the goal of these weddings is to be married and that's it. Everything else will fall into place. And in the meantime it's totally okay to be "un-bride" like.

Countdown!

2009-08-19T12:33:00.001-07:00

We are but three and half weeks away from the big day and I could not be more excited! So excited in fact that I decided that I would join the great blogosphere that has been so inspiring these past couple of months and keep you all posted.

This is what happens when you decide to bump your wedding up an entire year and cram all of the planning that would have been reserved for taking your time on deciding on a venue...color schemes...a dress! into three blissfully crazed months!