Wedding photo sneak peek

Our wedding photos are finally getting sent and I cannot WAIT to see them!! In the meantime, our awesome photographer, Lacie Hansen (http://laciehansen.com/) just put up a teaser on her site of a picture of me. It's currently the first picture that pops up on her site (linked above), but here's a picture of it. I highly recommend you look at her site for more photos; she was a pleasure to work with!

Family Room Almost There!

I know I said I'd never paint by myself again, but alas, I had to yesterday. Luckily, it was just the fourth wall of the family room around the fireplace, so it wasn't too bad. It's generally finally done and here are the before and after pictures:

I took down the mirror and we just bought a 42" TV to be mounted on that wall above the fireplace. It's getting delivered on Saturday, but who know how long it'll take us to actually mount it.

I also decided against the random chair in that annoying spot between the bookshelves and I put one of my two Pottery Barn ladder shelves in that nook. It fits perfectly! Now I just have to put up that engagement photo of Matt and me above the shelf on the wall and the room will practically be done!

I bought baskets for the media console to organize all our DVDs and Matt's games. That part is done too. We just have to get the second media console at some point. That extra storage is so helpful. 

Here's what it  looks like at night. I'm a little obsessed with twinkle lights. I had them strung around the living room before too, and we bought numerous strings of them for the wedding so I want to put them to good use.

Here's the picture of our old sofa and chair rearranged to be next to each other, as well as the coffee table for now.

This is what the dining table looks like for now. I love the quirky casualness of the paper placemats from Anthropologie.

A suitcase full of twinkle lights. Each suitcase is actually used as storage for various holiday decorations.

I bought the two chairs for the living room, and I'm waiting for the side table to arrive still. I think it's on backorder until February, but once that comes in it'll go in the middle of these two chairs. After that, we're almost all set for living room furniture!

I loved this mirror I saw at Home Goods, but have no idea where I'd put it.

I'm somewhat debating between these two rugs for the living room, but I think I still really love the antique letter one on the right more. For now, though, I'm glad to use the floral and striped rug I have under the coffee table currently. I bought it from Urban Outfitters awhile ago, but it didn't go with any of my rooms so I had it in the closet all this time. It's too pretty for the closet though.

 On a side note, my favorite dog is a husky and my friends just got one, Chloe (below). I love her!!

Happy New Year!

Finally, some time to update! I spend most of my vacation in China, where I was hoping to update awl in good taste, but it turns out blogs don't work in China. Anyway, when we got back, the media console had arrived! It's up now in the living room next to the TV:

That's what it looks like as of now, but I'm planning on putting in all the DVDs and cleaning up the living/dining room today. I also changed out the rug in that room so I'll post more pictures after the room is a little more presentable. 

We also bought a new couch from Z Gallerie! That store can often be incredibly cheesy, but we love the new couch:

Unfortunately, it doesn't get delivered until early to mid-March because the stock color available is in brown velvet, and we ordered it in beige suede. Very excited about it though, and incredibly appreciative of Matt giving up the sectional seating for this sofa. He really wanted a sectional so we were pretty set on it, but sectionals are mostly contemporary looking and goes well with modern decor. However, the above sofa just goes much better with our more rustic, industrial design.

Here are also some random pictures from our Honeymoon Part 1 in New England area (Vermont, Massachusetts, and NYC). We are currently planning Part 2 in Europe (London, Paris, Berlin, and Bruges).

 Maple Syrup candy in Vermont

 The clear watch I got Matt.

Fall Foliage. 

The B&B we stayed at in Brattleboro, VT. 

The backyard of the B&B that leads to a hiking trail. 

The cheese factory and market (below). 

Amazing looking church that led into downtown Brattleboro, and a picture of downtown below. 

 Amazing restaurant we went to, TJ Buckley's. It's in a train caboose that's by reservation only because it seats only 7 small tables. There were 3 people working, the chef (below in white), the sous chef (below in blue), and the hostess/waitress. We sat next to the open kitchen, and watched the sous chef prepare our salad. It look him 45 minutes because it gently laid each piece of lettuce leaf and flower petal on the plate as a piece of artwork.

 The salad.

 I can't remember the exact name, but it was some type of goat cheese in a flakey crust. It was amazing. I can't look up the menu either because there is no set menu at TJ Buckley's. It's farm to table and the chef decides what he wants to make each day so the menu changes daily.

 Scallops and vegetables.

 Matt's stuffed rabbit leg.

 The outside of the restaurant. 

 Ziplining in Massachusetts. We also took a spontaneous trip to Boston and met up with one of our groomsmen, but didn't take any pictures while we were there.

We then finished off the trip in Manhattan, We didn't take many pictures while we were there, except for the following at a restaurant in SoHo, Public. We both ordered the 5-course prix fix meal. Below are some pictures.

 Some type of crab and lime amuse-bouche topped with caviar.

 Matt's old fashion.

 Our salad, but I really can't remember what the rest of the dishes were, so I just put the pictures below. It was also one of those restaurants where the chef tries different things not on the menu. It's only on Sundays for the Sunday Supper 5-course Prix Fix. 

Matt and I also each bought a pair of the frames shown above and below from C Wonder.

Eating at Public with Carrie Fisher.

Miscellaneous Decor Details

I've been completely swamped with work and sadly have had no time to update my blog. It's 3am right now and I don't think I can post everything I'd like to. However, a few days ago I went around my home and took some picture of random decor details that I wanted to share with everyone. So until the next post when I have more time, here are some random photos:

Side table top next to my new secretary desk workstation.

The new magnet board I finally received and put up in the kitchen!

A taxidermy bird on my antique vanity table in my bedroom.

My other taxidermy bird perched on a wood ledge in the bedroom.

I love morbid beauty. These were gifts from my mother actually.

Antique photos of a random baby for which I still need to customize a frame.

I also like creepy babies.

A working rotary phone by my bedside.

A birdcage filled with an old edition of Gone with the Wind, 

a book of The Complete Poems of Edgar Allen Poe from the 1800s,

and a small vintage bottle of poison in a birds nest.

Another working bejeweled skeleton telephone atop 2 books over 100 years old.

My tea table with teacups filled with decapitated doll parts.

A dress form in my bedroom.

Porcelain doll heads atop our TV.

A painting I painted named Annabel Lee with its namesake poem by Poe typed out within the painting.

Another painting named Lenore with its namesake poem by Poe typed out within the painting.

My new oil canister dispenser!

Matt and I also treated ourselves for a nice dinner out on Sunday. We went to Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills and below are some dishes we got. Matt got the filet below.

I didn't feel like steak so I ordered a french onion soup, 

lobster mashed potatoes, 

crab stuffed mushrooms, 

and brussel sprouts. Above and below are some pix.

I also finally uploaded pictures from our honeymoon so I'll be posting some of those soon.