Here We Go

This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend my first Pittsburgh Steelers game of the 2011-2012 season. As a lifelong Pittsburgher, I know that any time that you have the opportunity to obtain tickets to a game, you take it. Partially because they are super fun to go to, and partially because the season ticket waiting list is more than thirty years long. This particular opportunity included tickets that were not only free, but six rows back on the 20 yard line. WIN!  To make the football-filled day even better, my fantasy football team beat my husband's. (DOUBLE WIN!)  Here are a few of my more favorite snapshots from this memorable experience. Go Steelers!

Have you had the opportunity to attend a professional sporting event this season? Do you prefer to watch football in person or do you prefer to be posted up on your couch cheering on your favorite team at home?

Fans and football,

My Best Friend's Wedding

This past weekend, one of my most long-time, closest friends got married. She and I were inseparable back in the day when we were still losing our baby teeth, wearing Umbro shorts and soccer shoes to school, and got upset when we had to wear our hair down for lice checks. We went to summer camp, wrote notes to each other with sad lyrics in them about the boys that didn't 'love' us, and saw every chick flick together the week that it came out. I visited her in college with our other good friend K at the University of Michigan, and we stayed in touch often while she attended law school in Iowa. We've seen the best and worst of each other over the years.

So, with all of this history behind us, I couldn't help but get a little tear in my eye, and pride deep down in my heart to see her looking so happy and beautiful on her wedding day. She and her now husband can boast an unbelievable love story which started with her courtship of him via mutual friends back in 10th grade. They attended a dance together, sparks flew, and before we all knew it they were off to college together- showing everyone that their relationship would withstand the test of time. They graduated within a year of each other at the top of the class in both undergrad and graduate school. Now, they both have great jobs lined up in Pittsburgh- and I couldn't be more ecstatic. It's nice to grab coffee with a friend that you haven't seen in a while and feel like you were never apart- but in this case, I'm really looking forward to getting to know one of my closest friends again- and see each other on a regular basis.

Their wedding was truly one of the most beautiful events I have ever attended- and so perfect for the two of them. The ceremony was heart-felt and personal. Myself and the other bridesmaids and groomsmen were given the honor of standing around the newlyweds on the altar as they said their vows. At the end of the ceremony, the priest gave them the bible from which he read from during the service as a keepsake. The reception followed within an hour at a gorgeous venue with tall ceilings, log walls, and a gorgeous wraparound porch. The bride and her mom cashed in on the earthy feel of the venue and decorated the tables with pine cones, birch bark vases for the centerpieces, and mini twig wreaths as napkin holders. The natural feel was perfectly accented by gorgeous lighting, lush groups of white hydrangeas, and cracked crystal chargers acting as the center of focus for the perfectly arranged place settings. The couple's sweetheart table was in the center of the dance floor, and above it hung a twig wreath taller than the first floor of our house with the letters "L" and "N" hanging from the center with gorgeous blue satin ribbon. A deserving central focus to the room to remind us all why we were there.

Here are a few snapshots from my buddy's big day (J is the best because he took over photographer duty before I had arrived with the rest of the bridal party):

gorgeous trumpet lace dress with satin bow

matron of honor attending to her duties

the bride and the other stars of the show

mother of the bride getting ready to carefully place the veil 

its all about the shoes.

patiently waiting to get married in the wings of the church 

personalized wreath

seating assignments and wildflower arrangement

L + N!  Love the rustic cake stands. 

Perfect space for such a low-maintenance down-to-earth  couple.

Lovely table setting with accents of steel blue and chocolate brown

guest book and gift area

'sweetheart' table and room focal point

I am so happy that one of my best buds got to truly have the day of her dreams.  I don't think that I will ever forget how gorgeous she looked, or the look on her husband-to-be's face when he saw her walking down the aisle. The day perfectly suited them and went off without a hitch. Congrats to the new bride and groom.

Have you attended a wedding recently that perfectly suited the couple being honored? What were some of the personal touches that made this day stand out to you. 

Fairytale weddings and friendship, 

Hometown Glory

illustration (c) v13designs

I am currently working on a small project related to a hometown sports team.  During the brainstorming process, I thought that it might be interesting for the background graphic for this project to have something to do with a silhouetted view of the (gorgeous!) Pittsburgh skyline from our baseball park.  This is one of my most favorite views of the city, and I really enjoyed being creative with it. So, while I finish up this project, enjoy a sneak peek- combined with a little Pittsburgh love.

Another Erie Visit

This past weekend, J and I took another one hour and forty-five minute trip north on Interstate 79 to good ol' Erie, PA. His best friend and wife were celebrating their one year anniversary this weekend, and hosted an open house in their gorgeous new home just outside of 'downtown' Erie (read: Suburbia).

The more times that I visit Erie, the more I learn to appreciate the beauty of all of the natural features that Pittsburgh lacks. Its direct proximity to the lake means that this small town boasts a shoreline filled with gorgeous harbors and numerous sailboats. I love sailboats! The community surrounding Presque Isle State Park is not only very picturesque, but also possesses an innocent charm that seems to have remained unchanged for the past 50 years. If you know what's good for you, you'll stop at Sara's Diner every.single.time and pick up one of their to-die-for orange and vanilla twist ice cream cones. This is best enjoyed sitting on the diner's patio, watching the droves of families, locals and transplanted college students cruise Peninsula Drive with their windows down on yet another hot, sunny day. Additionally, having lived in Erie for two years during college, I heard from a number of locals that the view of the sunset from Presque Isle was given the award of second best sunset in the world (first place went to Japan).  How about that for a tiny, north eastern PA city?

source

Stormy Wednesday

Yesterday was a day full of unusually wild weather here in Pittsburgh. Hail, high winds, a tornado! I left downtown just in time to prevent golf ball size hail from pelting my car. There was hail all over the ground on the road that is only five minutes from our house. Somehow, I managed to miss it in both places. The paint on my only-2-years-old car is thankful for that.

When I left work yesterday it was 65 degrees.  When I left for work this morning, there was snow on the ground. Oh, Pittsburgh. One of my favorite parts about violent storms, however, is the way that the sky clears so beautifully afterwards. I snapped some pictures of the water droplets that had gathered on the western-facing window of our house as the sun was setting yesterday. Here is my favorite of the bunch:

Snow and Hockey

Last week, J and I were given the awesome opportunity to attend a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game at their new state-of-the-art arena.  This was no usual game, however, because we were given free box seat tickets by a large company that King Electric is affiliated with- Eaton Corporation. We were both able to leave work a little early that day, so we got to the Consol Energy Center more than an hour before the game started.  This ended up working out so well, because we were the first people to arrive to the Eaton box.  We walked in the door to find a fully stocked bar, tons of gourmet food, a private restroom, and our own attendant (!).  Since nobody was around, I was able to snap a few photos without looking too silly and excited. It was an amazing opportunity to be able to watch the hockey game in such a cool place, and I feel so lucky that I was able to experience it.

The night continued to be interesting even after the game because nine inches of snow fell while we were inside.  It took us about 2 and a half hours to get home, and we saw more than fifty cars abandoned on the highway because they were unable to travel.  It was a pretty scary experience, and I was VERY glad that we were safe in J's 4-wheel-drive truck, because I know that my car would not have made it.

Have you ever had the opportunity to view a sporting event in a way that you aren't used to?

Popcorn and hockey pucks,

Peace, Love and Little Donuts

oreo, sugar, and sprinkles

J and I grabbed lunch at Roland's in the strip district this morning. A good friend of Justin's from college owns Roland's, and it is definitely one of the must-eat, must-visit restaurants in town.  The atmosphere is great, the food is so fresh and delicious, and the balcony is one of the best places to people-watch in the summertime. We always love to end our morning in the strip district there with a few drinks and some amazing seafood.  They have a lobster roll that is 1 lb. of of lobster tail stuffed into butterfly-sliced garlic bread. It is TO-DIE-FOR, and I am not even a big seafood eater. With the amount of lobster you get for only fourteen dollars, it is truly one of the best deals around.

There was a serious frenzy of Steelers fans downtown today preparing for tomorrow's big AFC championship game against the Jets.  Even in the 12 degree weather, there were hundreds of people crowding the streets, purchasing black and gold gear, as well as stocking up on hand (and toe!) warmers for tomorrow night's big game.  You personally could not PAY me to sit outside in this bitter cold for four hours- playoffs or not.  I will be enjoying the game from the comfort of my couch. Warm, toasty, and excited for the black and gold.

Unusual Sky

It seems as though weather in the wintertime changes by the minute. We had a beautiful sunny day in Pittsburgh yesterday, but overnight, a nasty ice storm.  As the weather began to change in the afternoon, I snapped a few pictures of the unusual sky that I noticed while driving home from work.

Our house sits at the top of a hill overlooking the main road in our area, and a very large set of neighborhoods. We are surrounded by huge, old pine and walnut trees which tend to block most sunsets that we would be able to see otherwise.  Every now and then the sky gets colorful when the sun is still relatively high over the horizon.  Yesterday was one of those days.

Enjoy!

2010 Pictured: April to June

4.10-6.10... proudly celebrated sister's achievement : spent valuable time in shadyside : tried on 'the' dress for the first time : ventured to cleveland for J's best friend's wedding : watched my sister graduate from my alma mater : fireworks with my family at a local park : made a sign that should have been for a birthday : went on a hunt for the perfect shoes : found my favorite place at a landmark that I had never been to, but is so close to home : spent a difficult morning in one of my favorite places in town : celebrated the 25th anniversary of my parents, with my whole family, a surprise : went to a wedding surrounded by birds : learned to really enjoy a glass of wine : celebrated a warm spring day with friends downtown : planted my very first flower garden : took sister out for a night on the town : lost someone that I will never stop missing.