#364

Hi. That's me over there. Buried under all of that laundry and those dishes, kind of like how you used to bury yourself in the sand at the beach to see how heavy the sand was and how hard it was to get up? Yup. That's me in there.

I finished my fifth call this morning, getting my sea legs. Had a cup of coffee and some ginger cake, then off to the farmer's market for the week. I picked up some divine raspberries, blueberries, some not-so-ripe-but-homegrown peaches, dill, and a huge bunch of basil. Since I'm post-call on Saturday, I get both Saturday and Sunday off, and how delicious it was to sleep until 4, then make a beautiful dinner of spinach and chicken cooked in a poppy seed and apricot jam reduction with a little dill for garnish! (It's less wild-tasting then it sounds. Kind of a Russian/Scandinavian inspired flavor palate.) I'm thinking about making cucumber and dill soup with tuna and dill sandwiches for the week. And a huge vat of homemade pesto. Maybe I'll invite some friends over tomorrow night for pesto and a raspberry/peach/blueberry pie. Divine.

So, it's high time for a wedding update. I've been working with the nicest, sweetest, most talented invitation designer, Kathleen. We're 75% of the way to finished, and I'll wait to tell you more about how much you should run right out and hire her once I send out the invitations. For now, I'm struggling with the printing, and how exorbitant letterpress printing is.

I spoke with our caterer, Chef Rossi, re: dessert. So, um, yeah, I'm a big fan of dessert. We've tossed around a few ideas like, oh, rum balls and chocolate-dipped strawberries, and a candy bar in beakers, and mini-pies, and a cake buffet. Frankly, it all sounds kind of gluttonous, which is why I love Rossi. She's like your awesome zen aunt who's lived and is funky and cool. (And yeah, I already have one of those, her name is Laurel and she's awesome.) Rossi says we can do whatever we want, and she won't charge me "that obnoxious cake cutting fee" (score!!!!!!!), but that we should limit our cake options to no more than 2 or 3 choices because then guests become indecisive and the line gets long and waiting for cake is no bueno. I am obsessed with the idea of a homemade cake bar because well, that's what I'd be making myself if this was my dream backyard wedding/by the sea/in a red barn. Kind of like these pretties from Sarah Magid:


But I'm torn because I love me some mini-pies. Oh, whatever shall I do?! 50-50? I've read you should only order cake for 75% of the guests, but if you order mini-pies, does the 25% that wouldn't eat cake suddenly want dessert?....I cannot believe my life has amounted to this. I spend my days (and a few nights) worrying about gram negative sepsis, and then the rest of my brain is devoted to the aesthetics of my dessert table. Help!

I was down in NYC last weekend to hang with Doctor Mister Doctor Whimsy (Tom's mad at me right now, so I thought a cute nickname might help), and we stopped by our favorite store, Fish's Eddy. A few weeks ago, there was an article about the most darling getaway in the Catksills, and ever since then Tom and I have been dreaming about buying a small fixer-upper of our own. I've even taken to referring to things as "for the Catskills house." So, we bought some fun New York State juice/milk glasses and some retro tupperware, and as we wandered around the shop (named after a town in the Catskills, natch), we saw these awesome ideas for the reception. First, bunting flags have been all of the rage with dessert tables lately, and seeing them in person in the store made me want to make them this bad.


Tom had an interesting comment, that hanging bunting flags (and I'll do paper 'cause it's easier) above the dessert table is kind of like signaling to the guests that they've reached the finish line. I thought that was awesomely charming.

Second, we saw this flashing sign and we were smitten.


Gary, are your free next weekend? Wanna make this? How fun to have this in front of our photobooth. We could use one of these pointer-hand graphics



with the saying "Anna and Tom's Smile Booth. Memories are made of this."* (Or something corny and cheap like that...)

Finally, the trip before last down to NY, Mom and I stopped by Sposabella Lace to look into "things to wear on your head when you wed." Why, oh, why, do veils cost so darn much? I tried on a range of styles and was surprised by how "costumey" the bird cage veils felt. Our odd salesman offered up this Swarovski encrusted headpiece thing for the reception...and I was smitten for $495. This was not at all what I had in mind for myself, but the jeweled headband had these amazing flowers and it was all so 1940's and I felt like a magical nymph roaming Park Avenue in my dress by the light of the moon...


...And I let it go. Until I saw this headband at Anthropologie today, and my dreams came rushing back. For $38? You bet.


*I have this thing for Johnny Cash's "Memories are Made of This." I'm just itching for places to sprinkle this gem:

Take one fresh and tender kiss
Add one stolen night of bliss
One girl, one boy, some grief, some joy
Memories are made of this.

Don't forget a small moonbeam
Fold it lightly with a dream
Your lips and mine to sip the wine
Memories are made of this

Then add the wedding bells
One house where lovers dwell
Three little kids for the flavor
Stir carefully through the day
See how the flavor stays
These are the dreams that we must savor...