T is for Tracy Turpen

Ok. First things first. Yes, I know. I failed at my challenge of writing a new blog post every day. To be honest, it was just exhausting! And, I was stressing myself out a bit. "Get home, get home, it's almost 11:46! Ahhh!" So, to my faithful following (mom) sorry about that!

I'm back and, yes, I'm talking once again about...photography. I have always loved photography, but I was never really good at it. I mean, yeah sure, I can luck up every now and then and take some sick pictures like these, but it's few and far between.

Last year, a dear friend of mine got married and used a wedding photographer that I've absolutely fallen in love with (among many!). Her name is Tracy Turpen and her work is creative, dynamic, original, breathtaking and, most importantly, alive. I feel like she just gets it. She understands how to tell the story of that special day through an image. Take a look:









Isn't she wonderful? Yeah, I thought you'd like her!

H is for The Help

I just picked up this book today, and am already obsessed. I'm sure tomorrow's post will be my review and I can't wait! I just read that they are in the process of making a movie based off this book, starring non other than American's sweetheart, Reese Witherspoon. Yet another reason why I must stop writing and go finish reading this book!

H is for Happy Birthday Lindsay!

Birthday dinners are always so much fun, especially went you go to awesome places like Saki Tumi! Here are some of the fun things we ate and enjoyed for Lindsay's 25th!

To start, we had some kind of awesome fried rice. It had egg in it so I was happy!



Doesn't that look amazing! It's shrimp tempera. The only way I can eat "sushi."



We had a few shots of this. I think this was called "Blue raspberry delishiousness saki"! (And that it was!)



To round out the night, we finished with this...



Raspberry cheesecake! This masterpiece was found at the one and only, Nonnah's, Columbia's secret little gem!

Such a great evening for a great friend! Happy Birthday Lindsay!

Note: The author of this blog definitely ate every last bit of everything photographed... and she's pretty proud of that!

G is for Grooveshark

I'm about to change your life... again! For those of you that, like myself, have desk jobs, listen up! (And those of you that get to go and come as you please can continue to read, but just know that you're not who this entry is intended for and I'm very jealous of you!)

If you're anything like me, music at work is a must. I literally cannot just sit there, in silence, tapping away at my computer, trying not to listen to conversations happening around me, wondering what my friend in another department is doing without having some kind of background noise to drawn out my wondering thoughts. At first, I was alllll about some Pandora. (If you don't know Pandora, then... umm.. well.. ask any young professional you meet). I had Pandora on from the time I sat down, until the 5 o'clock bell. It was a normal part of my routine. Walk in cube, turn on desk light, move my mouse to gently wake up my computer, log into my email accounts (yes, plural), open a browser for the Huffington Post (my favorite) and then, bam, hello Pandora!

Oh how I loved Pandora. I had created every station known to man. I had everything from Elton John, The Pointer Sisters and Michael Jackson, to Jay Z, The Plain White T's and Needtobreathe. I just loved it... until the day the music stopped.

I frantically minimized every browser window I had up until I got to the Pandora page, only to see the message "To continue listening, sign up here" was staring back at me. I had come to the end of Pandora. No more free music, no more cube parties, nothing. Done. Everything was over...

Well, fast forward out of that depression and into present day, and I have been saved. I found the best thing ever for a hard working, desk job-er! Please enter... Grooveshark!

Unlike Pandora, you can REPEAT songs, listen to songs in whatever order you like AND fast forward! Additionally, if you are lazy and don't want to create play lists, you can listen to satellite radio. WHAT?! I know! Grooveshark is that amazing and I hope that you, my fellow deskers, can enjoy and appreciate this little gem as much as I have.

N is for Nothing to say...

This "blog entry every day" this is a bit much. Umm... maybe I'll have more to say tomorrow. Sorry...

C is for The Civil Wars

A friend told me about this band last week and, since then, I've listened to this song about 150 times! I think one of the reasons I've fallen for this song are the powerful lyrics. The song is this awesome, but somehow broken, love story played out in a tug-a-war between each verse.

In addition to song itself, I am completely smitten with the voices of Joy Williams and John Paul White. Simply blissful. Around the 73rd time in listening to Poison and Wine, I stumbled upon an article about the duo and how they came to be. After singing together for one song, they both said, they just knew they were meant to sing together. Something like musical soul mates. I just love that...

So, I hope you enjoy this as much as I do. Have a listen.

Poison and Wine
By: The Civil Wars
You only know what I want you to
I know everything you don't want me to
Oh your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine
Oh you think your dreams are the same as mine
Oh I don't love you but I always will
Oh I don't love you but I always will
I always will

I wish you'd hold me when I turn my back
The less I give the more I get back
Oh your hands can heal, your hands can bruise
I don't have a choice but I still choose you
Oh I don't love you but I always will
Oh I don't love you but I always will
I always will

R is for Rachel's Sunshine and Smiles, Deliciously Good Omelette/Omelet Recipe

My sweet friend Rachel came over the other day when I was held up in my house by painters all morning. I couldn't leave, so she offered to come over, have a good chat and make me breakfast. To that I said, I'll make the coffee! (Cinnamon of course!)

After just a few minutes, here's what Rachel made...



Doesn't that look delicious?! It definitely was, and I thought I'd share the recipe.

Rachel's Sunshine and Smiles, Deliciously Good Omelette/Omelet
3-4 Egg Whites
A good amount (not a lot) of olive oil
A bunch of basil leaves, cut
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Salt
Pepper
Tomatoes (strong suggestion!)

Directions:
Wear a cute apron like this...



Heat pan on medium heat
Pour in "good amount" of oil
Add the egg whites
Add cheese, tomatoes, salt, pepper and, the golden ingredient, basil
After it sets up/firms, fold in thirds and cook until golden brown

Serve on white plate with cinnamon coffee and a napkin and wait for this...



I hope you all love this as much as I did. Thanks Rachel! Enjoy!

Note: I wasn't sure how to spell, umm, well I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!
Note #2: Apron is from none other than.. Anthropologie!