Dirty Coast

Dirty Coast is a small but rapidly growing t-shirt business in New Orleans. They make some kick-ass shirts that will make you smile. The tongue in check humor, the neato designs and unabashed love for NOLA makes me want to buy every single tee in stock. Here's just a sampling of what they offer:

Te Casan

Just like the rest of the world I was glued to the telly Wednesday night watching Project Runway. The pint sized Natalie Portman was the guest judge and they mentioned her "vegan cruelty free" shoe line and I had to check it out. Sold at Te Casan, a company established in 2006, they sell limited-edition footwear from a roster of awesome designers. My favorites are Zoe Lee and Natalie Portman:



Natalie Portman's "Plath" in petal pink. It's feminine but not over the top girly. I love the ballerina pink and the little pom pom for glamour.

Zoe Lee's "Lily".

Zoe Lee's "Petal Shoe":

Good Stock

I don't remember how I came across Good Stock but I have to say what they offer is sheer genius. Good Stock is a press and bindery company that creates instant heirlooms by turning your family history or any other special moment you would like documented into a beautiful book. Jack's family immediately came to mind. They are currently recording his grandfather's WWII stories to keep and treasure. Out of all the stories he's told the one that boggles my mind is how a 16 year old managed to enlist in the Navy and then survive his ship being sunk twice in the Pacific. Yes.. twice. If any of you are helping your parents or grandparents with your family history or would like to document a special moment in your life then this is the place to go. They will help you every step of the way; from the layout to helping you write your story.

Rare Books

My idea of heaven

I fell in love with rare books and manuscripts when I worked as a student worker in the Special Collections section of Tulane's library system. Most of the time I was "copy girl" or "filing girl" but sometimes I got the rare treat of handling and seeing the special collections section. Such treats included sorting through a stack of Abraham Lincoln's civil war letters or glimpsing a leaf of the Gutenberg Bible. I loved looking through these beautiful rare books and manuscripts; the craftsmanship and sense of history is amazing to behold. I wanted to start my own little rare books library one day but I didn't have a clue on what to look for or where to start. So I proceeded to educated myself and learn as much as I could in the interim. Most of what I learned was from asking rare book dealers in the area; many of them take the time to educate their costumers and guide them through the process of selecting the rare book with the best investment value.

You can start by collecting your favorite novels, or a set of novels written by your favorite author. Some people focus on controversial banned books, books of great import to the arts and sciences, revolutionary tomes, or books that have a one of kind illustration or binding. Or you can collect from each to design your own collection. There are many factors the determine if a book is rare: age, condition, scarcity, popularity, if it is signed by the author, if the book still comes with its original dust jacket. But what really determines the value of the book is its legacy; the influence and effect the book has now and when it was printed. One of the first things I learned was the import of when and how the book was printed. You'll hear words like edition, issue ect tossed around quite a bit so here are my simplified definitions to make things easier (for further reading click here):

Edition: An edition are all the copies printed at one time from the same plates without any changes.
First Edition: The first time the text is printed
Printings: Within an edition you can have multiple printings from the same exact plates (without any changes).
Issue: When a change or modification is made by the publisher of any said edition, they are treated as a separate "issue" of a particular edition.

First Edition of The General Theory of Relativity by Einstein

Typically the first editions are the most collectible and sought after. Or the most collectible being First Edition, First Print. The number of copies printed in the first edition are not always clear, especially for older books; but your rare books dealer can find that information for you by checking a variety of sources if it's not printed in the book itself. They will also offer verification of the book being a true first edition by checking their reference material. Typically the words "First Edition" or some sort of notation is printed on the copyright page to indicate if the book is a first edition. Sometimes a later edition has more value; some prefer collecting later editions of work translated into English or if a later edition has additional illustrations or added work. It's important to weigh your options to see what offers the best value.

I never underestimate the condition of the book. If I can't afford to buy a book listed as "fine" condition I wait it out until I can. But sometimes a collector doesn't have a choice. If a book is incredibly scarce sometimes the best you can do is "good". The condition of a book, along with all the other factors, will determine the value of your book. The better condition, the higher the value. Along the same vein, the dust jacket, created to protect the book against damage has interestingly enough become a commodity. Dust jackets actually add value to the book because of their scarcity. They are usually thrown out so most rare books come without them. Some collectors, wanting their copy to be as close in condition and appearance when printed, will insist on only buying rare books with dust jackets (even if the dust jacket is in poor condition).

I learned that in order to maintain the condition of your rare books it is important that they are handled with care. A stable, temperate environment that is not too dry or too humid is key. I was warned to keep my books out of sunlight or they will start to fade. Some collectors seek out custom made slip cases or boxes to house their rare books. That's only necessary if the condition of the rare book necessitates it otherwise if you follow the above your rare book will last for a long time to come.

Hopefully I've whet your appetite just a bit. If you are interested in collecting rare books then head out to your local rare book shop and seek the advice of the resident expert. Here are some of my favorite rare booksellers and resources:

Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America

Magg's Rare Books

Printers Row Fine & Rare Books

Between the Covers

The Manhattan Rare Book Company

Lingerie Shower

My girlfriends threw me a fantastic surprise lingerie shower a while back and I thought I'd share some pics of our innocent little get together. It took place at Angelina Ristorante, a cozy Italian restaurant that happens to serve a delicious brunch. Located in the heart of Boystown, the first officially gay recognized village in the United States, they were able to procure the choicest, raunchiest titillating lingerie items much to Jack's delight. The mimosas and bellinis flowed, conversation and lingerie was risque and the company divine. I blushed my way through the shower happily opening all of my gifts. My girlfriends knew about my serious addiction to lingerie and kindly obliged me: Here's a pic of my little sister and I:

My bridesmaid Jane created this wonderful scrapbook filled with really old college photos of Jack and I. This is me....embarrassed:)

New lingerie! Wheeeee!!!


I totally love the twirly girlies...but not as much as the guy behind me:)


Out of my way! I'm such a greedy gus:

The cups!... The cups!!! Need I say more?

Lovely Ladies Who Brunch. Love you guys!!!

Cowboy Mouth - Jenny Says (Live)

We are going to the Sheffield Garden Walk this weekend to see Cowboy Mouth! They are an amazing band from New Orleans. Hope to see you there!

Juggling Act

Sometimes talking about financial obligations and ensuing responsibilities takes the wind out of my wedding planning wings. Being the "dreamer" in the relationship I'm always thinking of bigger and better, although when it comes down to it, bigger is not always better. It's just a mind set I have to slap myself out of every once in a while. Or I can always rely on my little sis to also give me a slap from time to time:) Jack has been very understanding and grounding; he doesn't agree with the wedding industry complex that ravages my poor brain but he understands.

Unfortunately, I would sometimes apply the "bigger and better" to other areas in my life outside of wedding planning. So in order to finance all of my (I mean "our") schemes, it was time for a little heart to heart. All of our obligations; school, wedding, student loans and saving to buy a house ect where screaming for our attention and we had to ask ourselves, "What is most important to us and how do we prioritize?". I remember Jack and I sitting down one day and outlining all of our financial goals together. And most importantly truly listening to each other. For us it was important to be consistent with our payments and our savings goals to insure a financial peace of mind we always wanted but never had. Slowly but surely we started to accomplish our goals; one credit card led to the rest, we had a sizeable but livable bi-weekly withdrawal from our checking to our savings account and we finally paid off one of our student loans. It was a juggling act to cut back on our day to day expenses but still maintain a comfortable standard of living. Out were the daily lattes from Starbucks, trips were curtailed and we made eating Sushi a treat instead of an entitlement (that was rough). It was amazing how much we saved from cutting out the "little things". Turns out they weren't so little after all.

Paying off our sizeable debt in turn helped us save for the wedding. Our wedding fund truly is more than enough for two people to get married. But after all that's been said and done the temptation to get into wedding debt and/or "borrow" from our house fund rears its ugly head. Especially when I read the most current Martha Stewart's Weddings magazine for example. I would look at our wedding priority list and ache to re-arrange it and increase our budget. Yes, I want that award winning cinematographer. Yes, I want that show stopping cake. I want, I want, I want. It's that one special day, everything has to be the best. But I should know better; I can't tell you the thousands... yes thousands we paid in credit card interest over the years. So I snap out of it after replaying our credit card trauma in my head and realizing how nice it would be to fly back from our honeymoon to a home we actually own. Or be able to afford to continue on with school. Not only that but I have to re-assure myself that the details will be great regardless because the best part of my day will be saying our vows. That's the best part and everything else is lagniappe.

So in order for us to pay for the wedding and not get into any wedding debt, its imperative that we stick to our budget. Any suggestions on how to avoid temptation? How and what did you prioritize? {Image Source}

Thank You

Thanks to Leontine Linens for the kind mention!!!!

Sixpence All the Richer

When were in New Orleans last year I did my usual amble down Royal Street pining for all the pretty antiques when I saw Jack veer towards Cohen & Sons Inc., an antique treasure trove filled with antique weapons, rare coins and other collectibles. As Jack checked out a civil war flintlock pistol I strolled around the store until I came upon a collection of sixpence. Jackpot! I bought three; one for myself, my sister and now my future sister-in-law (yes, I was hoping my brother would eventually propose and he did!). Both my brother and I will be getting married within a year of each other so it's a very exciting time for my family.

But I was curious; why is the "lucky sixpence in your shoe" incorporated in traditional Western rites of marriage? I knew right off the bat that the sixpence, a tradition heavily incorporated in Victorian times, symbolized wealth and prosperity to the married couple. Perhaps Queen Victoria, the ultimate wedding trendsetter started this tradition. She was after all the impetus behind our modern constructs of what a bride is supposed to wear; that being blinding virginal white. Then I thought...probably not. Queen Victoria did not have a wish for wealth, she had plenty of it. But then again prosperity she had in spades. Here's a photo of her wedding day shoes: {Image Source}

After doing a little research it turns out the tradition started way before Queen Victoria's time. The sixpence was first minted in 1551 and became associated with weddings when land holders or the "Lord of the Manor" would give tenant brides to be a sixpence as a wedding gift. As time passed the tradition changed and it became the custom for the bride's parents to give the coin as a dowry gift. It wasn't until Victorian times that the sixpence amalgamated into a good luck charm. The father of the bride to be would place the sixpence in the bride's left shoe for good luck. The "left" seems to have a great import in weddings; the bride walks to the left of her father down the aisle, you are always supposed to start a procession with your left foot ect.

I love the idea of the sixpence but is it uncomfortable to wear? Would I have to stick it on with tape or something? If any of you have tried it, let me know. Another great option I found was on Weddingbee. Mrs. Bird of Paradise bought sixpence cufflinks to give to her husband. Awesome.

Source:

Sitting Pretty: Part II

I was hoping someone would translate John Singer Sargeant's beauties into a photo op and Martha Stewart Weddings Fall 2002 did just that. I probably have every Martha Stewart Weddings Magazine since 2000- I'm not kidding. And instead of giving them away I'm saving each and every single one for my little sister when it's her turn to get married. When I do go through the back issues something different always catches my eye and I get re-inspired. In this case... the bridal portrait.

I think the bridal portrait is worth it depending on what you use it for. In the South, portraits of the bride are usually set outside of the reception on giant easels and in the bride's parents home. Vanity aside, it's a tradition that many hold dear, especially the family of the bride. I'm not so keen on having a full sized photo of me to dazzle the world (perhaps out of shyness maybe?), so I plan on buying some really nice frames and making the bridal portrait a gift to my parents and in-laws. If you plan on doing neither, then I would not recommend it. If it's part of a photography package then you can always ask your photographer to allocate it to something else; perhaps an engagement session, a morning after session etc. To get the most bang for the buck, do your hair and make-up trials the day of your bridal portrait. I've heard from others that its fun to do and it's nice to have the focus be on you. So if you need ideas on how to pose (your photographer will help you with this also), then here is some eye candy. Get yourself some rope pearls (yes... fake will do!), a coquettish fan and fabulous surroundings and have fun! Anyone else doing a bridal portrait and how are you making use of the photos?

Wedding Night TLC

Now that we have our guest accommodations all planned out it's time for us to think about where to stay the night of our wedding night. Again, with so many choices to choose from we put together a list of musts to narrow down our choices. Does the room come with a jacuzzi tub, king size bed, a balcony and the ambiance that we prefer? Also, are we justified in splurging on ourselves that one night? If so, what is the limit? We were able to narrow down our choices and so far here's our list:

1. Windsor Court Hotel: Probably the highest ranked hotel in New Orleans, it's listed at 41 on Travel & Leisure's 2008 best hotels in the Continental U.S. & Canada. The junior suite is spacious at 600 feet with a king sized bed, marble bath, a separate dressing room and gorgeous views over the Mississippi. Oh, and apparently they have an 8 million dollar art collection scattered throughout the hotel. Heck it might be worth it just to see the art. Pros: the most luxurious hotel in New Orleans. Cons: Cost and Location.

2. Ritz Carlton Hotel: This is where our room block is located (for $139/night!!!) The suite option doesn't come with a hot tub but it has everything else we like. Plus the executive suite is super affordable for a 5 star hotel. Pros: Cost and Amenities. Cons: Lack of privacy. It's the same hotel where our guests will be located at.

3. House on Bayou Road: This is an old favorite of Jack and I. When we first started dating we splurged on our first Valentine's day together and decided to escape to a Bed and Breakfast. As students, we scrimped and saved for our city get away and it felt like we were far far away despite being only 15 minutes away from campus. The beds are comfy, the breakfast amazing and they have a hot tub in the back. House on Bayou Road has all the amenities we need. Pros: Cost, Ambiance, and Nostalgia. Cons: A little out of the way (which is great if you plan on escaping for more than a day).

4. Soniat House: A gorgeous boutique hotel in the Quarter that offers Frette linens, the perfect French Quarter romantic ambiance and privacy. Rich in history the hotel is comprised of three separate town homes combined to form the hotel, in which two of the three homes were built in 1830. The suites are gorgeous. Pros: Ambiance, Amenities, Location, Privacy. Cons: Cost


Should we go with something we are familiar with and love like House on Bayou Road or something new with better amenities? More than likely we will get to the hotel and crash from exhaustion but... what if we don't? We won't get another wedding night. What are your thoughts? Is a little wedding night TLC worth it?

Colombian Food & Music

Being half-Colombian I really would like to bring in a little Latin flavour into our wedding festivities. Just how wedding traditions here in the United States vary from region to region, the same can be said of weddings in Latin America. We even make our empanadas different depending on whether you are talking to an Argentine, a Colombian, or a Venezuelan (all three variations are great). Jack loves all things Colombian (which immediately endeared him to my Mom) and it goes a long ways in helping incorporate the other half of my family that I adore and love. Here's a little snippet of typical Colombian food and music we hope to include:

1. Torta Negra or "Black Cake": Instead of the traditional white wedding cake, Colombians eat a dark fruitcake called Torta Negra. This dark rich fruitcake is studded with candied fruits, nuts, and spiced with molasses to give it extra flavour and texture. To make the cake look "bridal" it is usually covered in white frosting of some sorts. Fortunately there is a delicious bakery or "panaderia" here in Chicago called Mekatos Bakery that makes Torta Negra that I could bring down with me to New Orleans for people to try. {image source}

2. Food & Drink: I could eat Colombian food every day until the day I die. It's delicious, hearty and healthy. The Colombian diet is comprised of rice, potatoes, beef and chicken (seafood for the Costenos) and most foreigners that try it expect a variation of Mexican food but it's unique in its own way. In Medellin, where my mother's family is from, we have this amazing dish called "La Bandeja Paisa"-it is a typical dish that comprises the essential "Paisa" meal; grilled steak, fried plantains, beans, chorizo, chicharron (fried pork rind), arepa (corn patty) among other things. We are thinking of serving empanadas, arepa and chorizo for appetizers if we can. Like in most cultures, champagne is traditionally served for toasts but for after we drink Aguardiente. It really gets the party going. It's a strong anise flavored liquor that should be imbibed lightly, like a sip instead of a shot. Only in Colombia they like to hold on to the bottle:) {Image Source}


*On a side note; I have to share something really funny. The first time Jack attempted to say "Bandeja Paisa" it came out as "Pendeja Paisa". Let's just say you don't want to be saying "Pendeja" in front of your in-laws:)

3. Music: Bring on the Vallenatos y Cumbia!! Colombians in general, despite their many problems are a very happy people and they love to dance, drink and celebrate with the best of them. Vallenatos, a typical folksy music or as Jack likes to refer to as "Colombian Polka" is commonly played. Well known musicians like Carlos Vives have put this style of music on the map. Another typical Colombian music is the Cumbia- a different tempo that is fun and easy to dance to- anyone can do it. It's a very traditional style of music and dance. Boleros are a must have- they are beautiful slow romantic ballads. Here's a photo of woman dancing the cumbia in traditional Cumbia costume: {image source}


4. As I said in my bridesmaid post, we just don't have them. Just two witnesses or your padrinos to guide you through your marriage ceremony. I'm planning a compromise; have our maid of honor and best man at the alter with us and the rest of the bridal party in the front row.

I'm curious: are any of you planning a multicultural wedding and if so how are you deciding to incorporate your cultural traditions?

These Hips Don't Lie

It's been a while since I've mentioned my marathon training and I do have a good reason. Really... I do. I have a doctor's note that says I have something called patellar tendonitis. Say what? I know- I can't even pronounce it correctly so bear with me:)

I was doing pretty well with my training, running around an 11 minute mile or so consistently until I hit the 8 mile mark. My knees started to ache a little but I brushed it off. I mean- it's marathon training, it's not supposed to be a cake walk. I expected blisters and aches and pains that I've never in my life imagined going through. But both knees started to get worse and worse to the point that I could barely walk up a flight of stairs, sitting on the toilet gave me nightmares and looking at my running shoes made me quiver in fear. I still pushed myself through it though; the first mile or so my knees would be killing me but then the pain would work itself out until I stopped running.

My running trainer told me to hightail it to AthletiCo and take advantage of the free one-time injury screening they offer. After multiple visits to AtheltiCo and then the orthopedist it was determined that I have tendonitis in the knees and I needed physical therapy. The reason for it makes me cringe in embarrassment for multiple reasons. It turns out I have weak hips. Yes, that's right... weak hips. I'm 27 years old and I have weak hips. I got slapped on the wrists for not doing my my cross training so the muscles around my hips and in my quads are weak. So my poor knees have been taking the brunt of my *cough* "weight". What makes me mad is that I could have prevented my injury by being diligent with my cross-training. I obviously wasn't in shape to take such a huge undertaking like running a marathon and in my hubris I ended up hurting myself.

So it's time to make Shakira proud and hit up the gym and lift weights. Does the gym intimidate any of you? It sure does intimidate me. I really don't have much of a choice; if I want to meet my goal I have to do it in a way that still keeps my healthy. Thankfully, the doctor says I can still run the marathon as long as I cross-train in conjunction with my running. Despite the chaffing, blisters, aches and pains I want to run that marathon so bad I can taste it. Are any of you pursuing a training goal? Any advice or tips?

CVB

If there is one thing New Orleans does right is how to welcome travelers far and wide with open arms. The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a non-profit group that assists travelers with a variety of concerns; even weddings . Here is just a snippet of what they do free of charge to make your wedding planning easier:

· locate 10 or more hotel rooms in New Orleans for the big day;

· learn details regarding marriage license requirements;

· explore reception, ceremony and rehearsal party venue options; and

· research caterers, florists and other wedding product and service professionals.

Leslie Straughn assisted us with our room block and we had 40 or so hotels in the New Orleans contact us with room block proposals. We were able to pick the ones with the best offers and take it from there. If you are not getting married in New Orleans it's worth a check to see if your local visitors bureau offers the same service!

Party New Orleans Style: II

For something a little wackier and fun you can bring the French Quarter to your reception and keep guests entertained for hours in a carnival-like atmosphere:

Bring in the Roman Candy Man. If you are from New Orleans then you know what I'm talking about. While reading up on Ceci and Trevor's festivities I read that they had Rod Kotteman bring his taffy on by to the reception. How cool is that? {image source}

Bring in tarot card readers, mimes or even better yet caricature artists to make drawings of your guests having a great time. It's a keepsake I'm sure they will treasure. {image source}

Have a masked carnival themed party. There are many a tourist shop in New Orleans that sell Mardi Gras masks: {image source}


For excitement bring in a flame blower {image source}

Antique Lace Restoration

I know I've been talking allot about lace lately. It's been on my mind since I have been looking for someone to work on my family's antique mixed lace veil. It's hard to find expert restorers that work exclusively with handmade antique lace; as I said previously the art form is on it's way out and it's harder to find those that have the expertise to care for it. Two people come to mind that I thought I'd share for anyone else in my predicament. You really can't go wrong with either one, they are both phenomenal:

Lynn Kiracofe:

Many of you may have seen Lynn's work in Martha Stewart and Bride's magazine. She's very well known for taking different antique lace style trims and creating brand new veils out of them. She does amazing restoration work and resides in New York.

Janice Martin Bridal & Couture:

Janice Martin is well known for being entrusted with the restoration of Gracy Kelly's veil by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She comes highly recommended.

Princess Grace Veil

*UPDATE: Bryce Reveley also does lace restoration and is based out of New Orleans. She is owner of Gentle Arts

Real Wedding: Cece and Trevor

CeCe and Trevor, 4 of 10 from Chris P. Jones on Vimeo.

Leave it to Abby at Style Me Pretty to showcase the most heart stopping real weddings. This one is from New Orleans and it's jaw dropping gorgeous. I strongly urge you to visit and read a little bit about Cece and Trevor's wedding. But for now feast your eyes on the 8 and 16mm film taken by Mason Jar Films. I can't help but mention a couple of things: first Cece's Mom Mimi who owns Mimi's NOLA sold me my wedding gown and was completely gracious and charming; second Cece's antique Brussels lace wedding veil is an heirloom piece passed down from Trevor's family that was actually worn by Empress Eugenie on the day of her wedding to Emperor Napoleon. Impressive huh?

Dos Gardenias Para Ti

Gardenias are so beautiful but so fickle; they are very delicate and although their fragrance is strong it is fleeting once plucked. And they quickly turned brown once touched. But I like a challenge. If I was getting married in the spring I would push reason aside and go with the gorgeous gardenia as a focal point. Here are my favorite images and ideas:

These Gianna Rose Gardenia Soap Petals would be great as favors or tucked in welcome baskets:

Wear a fresh Gardenia tucked into your hair: {Image Source}

Smell like a gardenia! My favorite gardenia fragrance is Vintage Gardenia by Jo Malone. It will always remind you of your wedding day:


You can utilize the gardenia in your flower decor in a multitude of ways: {Image Source}



Or play a truly romantic song by Buena Vista Social Club called "Dos Gardenias Para Ti"

Wendy Kromer

The talent behind the red velvet cake shown and the recent Martha Stewart Wedding Cake book is the baker Wendy Kromer. GAH If only I lived in Ohio! She does deliver to the surrounding areas though and for a fee she will fly the cake to you. I think her sugar flowers are amazing and you can actually order them on her website. Here are my favorites:

Cherry Blossoms:

Magnolia:

Hellebores: