…While On Exhibit In London!

Take a look at these more than functional party dresses!

In what ways are they functional, you ask?  They became the structure of this party venue at the London Festival Of Architecture! 

“Party Dress is a roving performance that is part living architecture; part monumental fashion.” - Party Dress

Interesting, isn’t it?  The structure of the tent is none other than the dresses worn by a group of lovely ladies.  And we thought the only proper time for someone to go under a dress in public was when the groom took off the bride’s garter! 

So next time you’re asked to stand up in a wedding and you don’t like the bridesmaid dress chosen for you to wear, just be thankful the bride’s not asking you to become her venue as well!

To see more pictures of this fascinating work of performance art, click HERE. 

…In Love!

I love this picture, found in Inside Weddings magazine.  The picture shows “dinner by lantern light” on a pontoon, at Turtle Island resort in Fiji.  However, it brought another idea to my wedding-obsessed brain.  If you’re planning a beach wedding, you might want to consider this as an option…

…What if you had your wedding ceremony on a small pontoon?  The good news is that you wouldn’t have to go to Fiji in order to do it!

I remember when I was little, my family and I would go up to the cabin.   There was a floating pontoon on the pond, similar to this one, attached to the dock by a rope.  It was mostly enjoyed for fishing or jumping off of to go swimming.

I’m sure there are many local ponds and lakes that also have the same thing, which you could use for your ceremony base.  Picture it…an intimate ceremony for the two of you, but at the same time allowing friends and family to still enjoy by witnessing your vows from the beach!

Of course, I’d keep it in shallow water just in case, with life vests ready…and I’d stay out of the ocean especially at dusk because I hear that’s when the sharks like to feed.  Don’t laugh… yours truly is terrified of sharks.  But don’t let me scare you, because this idea forming in my head was working well for a bit…don’t you agree?  What are your thoughts?

Happy planning! 

Wed or Honeymoon In Italy!

The Italian Lake District is one of the most romantic settings in Italy. You can celebrate your big day in Lake Garda, Lake Como, Lake Maggiore or the more intimate Lake Orta. Incredible lakeside villas, secluded castles and panoramic chapels are scattered throughout the region providing ideal venues for breathtaking and stylish Italian weddings.  - Italian Lakes Wedding

How romantic!  Who needs decorations when you’ve got this scenery?

See and learn more about weddings and honeymoons in Italy by visiting the Italian Lakes Wedding Blog!  Happy planning!

…Lovely French Wedding Inspiration!

I always enjoy finding fresh wedding inspiration, but sometimes you have to look outside the box.  In this case, it’s looking outside the United States “box”, and into France!

 Don’t you just love this inspiration from Undecorsecree.com?

You might want to use Google to translate if you’re like me and haven’t ever taken French language classes!

Guess who’s coming to Chicago, and several other cities? 

Schecky’s Girls Night Out!

Has life been stressful for you too?  You’re probably in need for a fun, girly shopping day.  Well, you’re in luck!  Enjoy shopping over 50 great brands, fashion, beauty, and giveaways while sipping yummy cocktails at the 5-hour complimentary bar!  Now THAT is fabulous!!!

So when is it?  Schecky’s is coming to Chicago March  12th - 13th.  It’s being held at The Great Hall at Chicago’s Union Station - 210 S. Canal St.  General Admission is $10.00.  The Deluxe Goodie Bag Tickets are $30.00 (which includes the Schecky’s famous overstuffed goodie bag!)  Go with a group of girlfriends and save up to 20%!

Find out more information at: Schecky’s Girls Night Out!

In an earlier post, I introduced you to my friend Natalie, who is currently road-tripping it through the U.S. While on her way, she experienced black ice on the roads, with trucks out of control just inches away from her.

Click HERE to read her terrifying story of driving through the Rocky Mountains.

Read it, view the pictures, and take her advice: During the winter, opt to fly over the Rocky Mountains, never drive over them. This reminds all of us, mountains or no mountains, to play it safe while driving this winter…and stay out of the way of trucks!  And of course, wear your seatbelt, and say your prayers!

Thanks for sharing your experience, Natalie! Best of luck on the rest of your trip!

With the holiday season now here, I realize how lucky I am to be home.  So many people miss out on their family holiday get togethers due to long distance issues, and it’s so hard!  Makes me sometimes wish there really was such a thing as teleporting!  How nice would it be to just press a button and appear wherever you wished? 

The holidays should be holiMONTHS, don’t you think?  It’d be so much easier, that way nobody is alone on a holiDAY, and everyone can see everyone they need to. 

Like they said on www.thenest.com, “If traveling is simply too much of a burden, find a less hectic date that might work for a faux holiday bash. Who’s to stop you from lighting candles, singing carols, and eating turkey in January?”

So happy holimonths, everyone!  I hope you get to enjoy it with those you love. 

For other great ideas on how to figure out all that holiday stress, check out this article from The Nest!  Just click on link below to view.

http://www.thenest.com/articles/article_living.aspx?articleid=A51025133641

Winter Storm Warning!

Update: Funny, I just realized this picture updates itself according to the weather!  Great!

If you know me well, you know that I’m also obsessed with The Weather Channel!  Well it’s time to check out www.weather.com, because we’ve got a winter storm nearing, and it’s not going to be the pretty fluffy white snow as much as it’s going to be ICE. 

So if you’re in for the storm, stay in if you can, not worth driving on roads of ice, it’s too dangerous! 

From Yahoo! News ~ Too cool not to share!

Spyglass House

Maui’s Spyglass House is nothing fancy; it wisely lets its oceanfront location do the heavy lifting. There are six rooms, divided between two houses. The common-area living room has amazing views. Sit in a Sky Chair hanging over the lawn, or do some yoga at the yoga center that Spyglass House runs a few blocks down the street. The hippie-chic town of Paia, half a mile away, is packed with eclectic restaurants and boutiques, but there’s a kitchen and barbecue grill on-site if you’d rather not leave the premises. 808/579-8608 or 800/475-6695, spyglassmaui.com, $120 ($90 for shared bath), includes breakfast.

Calla Lily Inn

Rod and Charlotte Callahan renovated a 1950s hotel in downtown Palm Springs, Calif., giving it a comfortable, nonintimidating feel. The nine rooms are large and tasteful, but the real star is the courtyard. Vibrant foliage–including palms and lemon, lime, and grapefruit trees–surrounds a rectangular pool, with the San Jacinto Mountains providing a glamorous backdrop. The five fountains don’t hurt, either. 760/323-3654 or 888/888-5787, palmspringscallalily.com, from $109 (two-day minimum on weekends), includes evening cordial.

Galisteo Inn

Galisteo is 25 minutes outside of Santa Fe, but feels farther. The inn is a low-slung 18th-century hacienda, redone in 2004 with elan. Walls were painted in vibrant colors, and objets de cowboy art have been deployed with precision. The hotel is surrounded by 15 acres, home to apple and other trees. (You can pick fruit and feed it to the friendly llamas.) The Pecos Wilderness area is 10 miles away and has great hiking trails. The Galisteo Inn’s chef, Enrique Guerrero, trained with Thomas Keller, of the famous French Laundry in California. 866/404-8200, galisteoinn.com, from $115, includes breakfast.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School
What was once a 1936 elementary school in downtown Bend, Ore., has been converted into a lodging-and-entertainment complex. The classrooms are now 17 hotel rooms, but the property appeals to locals, too. There’s a movie theater, microbrewery, restaurant, and Turkish soaking pool. Groups should consider the four cottages, which sleep 2 to 10 people. Like McMenamins’ other properties, this one has character to burn. 877/661-4228 or 541/382-5174, mcmenamins.com, from $94, includes movie theater admission.

Numero Uno Guest House

In the residential Ocean Park neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Numero Uno is a 1940s house that’s been turned into a hotel. The inn, which was totally renovated in 2005, is on the beach; you can hear the waves from your room. Numero Uno’s restaurant, Pamela’s Caribbean Cuisine, has tables on the sand. Go for dinner, or just for the house drink, a Lemon Squeeze–Bacardi Limon, with lemons and limes steeping in it, and cranberry juice. 866/726-5010 or 787/726-5010, numero1guesthouse.com, from $60, includes breakfast.

For more charming hotels around the world, for around $100, go to:

http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content//article/2006/10/02/AR2006100200403_4.html

Happy traveling!

A Must See & Do: The Ritz Carlton Chicago Anniversary Suite!

If you ever get the chance, even if it’s just for one night, save up and experience the Anniversary Suite inside the Ritz Carlton of Chicago.  My husband and I stayed here on our wedding weekend, for 4 nights (thank you Mom!!!), instead of going away on a honeymoon.  But fear not, we were treated probably better than any other honeymoon we might have taken had my husband had a less demanding job at the time!

The minute we walked into the Ritz Carlton, they knew our names, and continued to greet us as “Mr. And Mrs….”the entire time.  We have no idea how everyone knew who we were.  We’re just normal people, but were treated like royalty!  Every person in that hotel, from the concierge to the elevator guy, knew our names…and greeted us by name as we would walk through.  They were helpful in hand-picking romantic tables at restaurants for us, helping us with whatever it was we needed, ensuring we had an enjoyable stay.

Not only was the service amazing, but so was the hotel itself, of course!  We had the pleasure of staying in the 860 sqft.” Anniversary Suite”, which is a suite, mind you, with an actual DOORBELL because it’s so large!  The “Anniversary Suites” are on the corners of the building, between the 24th and 27th floors.  How cool.

You walk into your suite to the foyer where there is a beautiful bar, then through an arched doorway is a huge living room area with beautiful furniture and decor.  As you walk through the living room, you open the French doors to your bedroom, which in itself is amazing, with the most comfortable king bed in the world, and amazing panoramic views of the city! 

Next to the bedroom is 2 marble bathrooms, (one is shown above) which features an oversized deep soaking tub for two, and of course, another amazing view of the city and Navy Pier.    The glass-enclosed shower is beautiful…you sing in it and it sounds as if you’re in an opera house! 

The entire suite was just the most amazing suite I’ve ever been inside of.  Beautiful decor, furniture, amazing floor-to-ceiling windows with awesome views of the city, comfortable seating and bedding, and luxuries beyond belief.  Truly the most romantic place on Earth!  So you must, if not today, or tomorrow, then as soon as you can, experience the Ritz Carlton Chicago Anniversary Suite.  It’s heaven, in the city!

If you’re interested, check out this link for more info: http://www.fourseasons.com/chicagorc/guest_rooms_and_suites/anniversary_suite.html. 

Happy honeymooning, anniversarying, or just plain experiencing!

Wondering what to do next weekend, or looking for a fabulous and unique gift idea to give to a friend?  Visit The Wine & Gourmet Chicago link at: www.signaturedays.com!

  Cruise along Lake Michigan and view the skyline while dining on the Spirit of Chicago!  Choose from either the 2-hour lunch cruise or the 3-hour dinner cruise, and enjoy breathtaking views along with excellent food & cocktails! 

Prices range from $50 -$100/person, depending on which cruise you decide on.

Lunch

They will greet & seat you, and take your drink orders. Then you can get up and explore the ship!  As it pulls away from the dock, grab your streamers & your drinks for festive Bon Voyage toast.  Once you’ve been invited up to the Grande Buffet, take as little or as much as you like…for as long as the buffet is open.   While you dine, you’ll be entertained with a narrated tour of Chicago’s breathtaking skyline from the huge panoramic windows.
While you relax over coffee & dessert, the talented Broadway-quality performers will dazzle you with song and dance on the center stage.

Dinner

Your Spirit cruise departs from the historic Navy Pier on Lake Michigan. The ship departs from the South Side of Navy Pier. While sailing routes may vary, the Spirit of Chicago cruises as far south as McCormick Place and as far north as Montrose Harbor along the Chicago skyline.

The moment you step aboard the elegant decks you are escorted to your candlelit table. Order drinks, then feel free to explore the ship.   Your waiter will invite you to the Grande Dinner Buffet, where you can sample a little bit of everything, or just select your favorite fare.

While you relax over coffee and dessert, Spirit’s Broadway-quality performers will dazzle you with song and dance on the center stage.  To cap it off, for nearly two hours, they’ll spin your favorite tunes and let you rock ‘til they dock - literally. The perfect end to the perfect night.

If you haven’t checked out “The Nest”, do it now!  Go to www.thenest.com, to see what all the hype is about.  This site is excellent for couples living together, whether married or not!  With topics such as love, life, and living…from recipes to buying a home to taxes or sex and arguments, www.thenest.com has all the advice you need for every situation. 

 Check out boards such as “Love & Romance”, “Health & Fitness”, “Babies On The Brain”, “Money Matters”, “Decorating & Renovating”, “Trouble In Paradise”, “Parenting”, or more.  Or just read up on the articles posted!  Either way, you’ll find this site helpful in every aspect of your life together.  Enjoy!

“I’m a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world…”

Check it out!  At this Toronto Hilton,

it’s as if Barbie is hosting the best sleepover ever!

Those of you who know me know that I am a huge Barbie fan!  I’ve been collecting the dolls since 1989, and have played with the dolls since I was just a little girl.  I will always love Barbie, no matter how old I get!  How cool would it be to stay in a “Barbie Suite”?!  Hopefully the Hilton will decorate MORE Barbie rooms in the U.S., as I don’t think I’ll be going to Toronto anytime soon.  But then again, you never know!

From The Hilton Toronto Website:

THE ULTIMATE BARBIE  AND  HOT WHEELS

EXPERIENCE AT THE HILTON TORONTO

“Kids who visit the Hilton Toronto this summer will be eager to hear their parents say “Go to your room!”, thanks to the hotel’s new Barbie™ and Hot Wheels™hotel rooms. The first of their kind in North America, these experiential rooms from Mattel and Hilton Toronto are available for occupancy from July 1 through to September 2, 2007. Room packages start from CAD$229 and include an overnight stay in the themed room, breakfast for the whole family, as well as a fun check-out gift-bag for each child. Accompanying adults can add an adjoining room to their reservation.

Guest occupancy of the rooms will also help kids in need: Hilton Toronto and Mattel will be donating a portion of proceeds from the room rates each time the Barbie and Hot Wheels rooms are occupied this summer to SickKids Foundation, in support of the world-renowned research at The Hospital for Sick Children.”

The Barbie Room Experience

• Barbie Powerwheels to drive from front desk to elevator
• Beautiful pink-accented bed covered in bedding featuring Barbie’s image
• Barbie furniture
• Bath time fun with Barbie shampoo/conditioner, bubble bath, towels and toothbrush
• Barbie dolls and toys
• Barbie costumes, jewelry, tiaras
• Barbie musical instruments and Barbie boom box
• Barbie storybooks, activity, colouring, stationary
• Themed room service menu with Barbie dinnerware
• Gift package on checkout with Barbie activities and toys