It’s official! Our guests have received our save the date magnets — our first DIY wedding project.

Believe it or not, this was the hardest decision to date. We had no trouble choosing our venue, photographer, or caterer, and I fell in love with my dress the moment I saw it. But we went through SEVEN versions of our save the date design. Fortunately we had a patient (and very talented) friend on our side. She let us swap photos and layouts several times before we arrived at this one. And we’re thrilled!

We ordered the magnets via VistaPrint — unbeatable prices and fantastic customer service. And Nick found beautiful thick red envelopes from Envelopemall. (We’ll probably go back to them when it’s time to mail our invitations.) I hand addressed the envelopes, and Nick stuffed and sealed them and attached green “love” stamps. We make a pretty good team!

I can’t wait to start our next craft.

If we were getting a big cake, I’d want one like this. How clever!

But instead (though it’s incredibly beautiful!), we’ve decided to have an assortment of cakes and pies. Here is our inspiration:

And we’ll have a small cake just for the two of us. We couldn’t forgo the cutting of the cake tradition, after all!

Another dessert idea I simply love is a candy bar. But our wedding is outdoors in Pennsylvania in August, and I really don’t think beautiful glass jars of colorful chocolate and sticky sweets would survive the likely heat.

I’m still considering alternatives.

“When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” –Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally

Five months to go until the rest of my life begins, and it’s all I can think about. I dream about our Wedding Day — the expression on Nick’s face when he sees me in my wedding gown at the top of the cobblestone staircase, sliding a ring onto his finger, and dancing for the first time as man and wife.

And our future home — a backyard with a garden full of herbs and vegetables and a big dog chasing sticks, a cozy kitchen with a vase of fresh flowers and a plate of brownies on the counter, a fireplace, and a bedroom oasis.

And the family we will have — baby laughs and pigtails and t-ball games.

I’m so ready for it all to begin.

Five days in the nation’s capital — time for work and time for play!

I arrived in DC with a crew of five on Wednesday afternoon. It took us about four hours to set up three cameras, two half racks, one boom, one spider, one scan converter, and six mics in the conference room of the Academy for Educational Development (AED).

I wanted to crash when I finally got inside my hotel room, but I also really wanted to see an old college friend. So I freshened up and walked to Dupont Circle to meet her.

Erin and I were roommates in college, and it had been far too long since we’d last seen each other. It was so much fun to catch up! We had dinner at Bistrot Du Coin, a vibrant bistro with an authentic French menu. Fortunately for me, Erin lived in France for three years and was able to interpret the menu for me. She highly recommended Boeuf Bourgignon (beef stew in red Burgundy wine sauce with onions, mushrooms, and pasta), and I’m glad I listened to her! It was flavorful and hearty, and the beef was so tender. We also shared a half bottle of Bordeaux and Fondant au Chocolat Semi Amer for dessert.

(bistrot du coin)

I woke up early on Thursday for the first day of the Regional Educational Lab (REL) Southeast conference on Response to Intervention (RtI). I played the role of producer — which is a lot like event planner — on behalf of Penn State’s College of Education. I met school administrators from across the country, listened to presentations on tiered instruction in the classroom, and ran the microphone from one end of the room to the other during Q&A sessions (thankfully I didn’t trip on a briefcase or crossed leg).

After a very long day of filming, I was happy to relax at a Greek cafe with the crew. Zorbas is ranked as one of the best deals in DC — it’s authentic and affordable. The atmosphere was enchanting, and the hummus was some of the best I’ve ever had. Maybe someday I’ll travel to the Aegean Sea and experience Greece for myself.

(zorbas)

Friday brought another half-day of filming followed by a trip to the PBS offices in Crystal City, Arlington. I was invited to visit after meeting some folks at the IMA conference in Atlanta. I learned lots about COVE, the soon-to-be-released online video player that will feature both local and national PBS content. Exciting stuff!

Afterwards I headed back to DC to meet up with my cousin, Scott. He lives on Seton Street — one block of colorful row homes between Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan. And I think his may be the most beautiful. It’s sunshine yellow on the outside with an exposed brick wall on the inside and cozy contemporary decor.

Scott was anxious to introduce me to his favorite speakeasy on U Street. He led me through an unmarked door and into The Gibson. The lights were dim, and the bar was a deep mahogany. It was romantic and reminiscent of the 1920s. I later learned that this exclusive hot spot seats just 48, and it’s typically tough to get into without a reservation. Glad I was with an insider! Scott ordered a concoction with vermouth and absinthe, and I chose the Brunswick Sour — even the cocktail names are glamorous! My drink consisted of white rum, lime, and a swirl of merlot on top. The sweet merlot was the perfect compliment to the sour lime. The bartenders were incredibly artistic, and our drinks were both delicious and beautiful.

Unfortunately Nick didn’t arrive in DC until just after we had left The Gibson. By that time it was close to 9pm, and we were ready for dinner. We chose Dukem, an Ethiopian restaurant on U Street, and headed there with Scott and his partner, Harry. Ethiopian cuisine is unlike any other food. The four of us shared a combination platter that included lamb stew, chicken in ginger sauce, ground beef in garlic sauce, and an assortment of vegetables. The meats and sides are served on pancake-like bread called “injera.” To eat it, you tear pieces of the injera and use them to scoop the mixtures — no utensils needed! And it’s all incredibly flavorful. We also enjoyed “Harar” honey beers.

(wikipedia)

We woke up on Saturday morning to the sweet smell of scones — did I mention that Scott is a fantastic host? After breakfast Nick and I took a cab to the Capitol Building and met up with his college friend and her boyfriend. The four of us toured the new Visitors Center and Rotunda. I was hoping to see the Chambers, but supposedly you need to reserve tickets from your Congressman. Oh well … it was cold and rainy, and we were happy to head to Capitol City Brewing Company for a late lunch. After the ethnic adventure my taste buds had experienced the past few days, good ‘ole American pub food was surprisingly satisfying. And we shared a sampler of Cap City brews including kolsch, porter, ale, and stout.

After lunch we went to the Natural History Museum. Unfortunately it closed two hours earlier than expected due to a special event. So we only go to see the Hope Diamond and other precious gems and stones — still one of my favorite exhibits!

We decided to stay in with Scott and Harry on Saturday night, and Scott experimented with some new martini recipes. Sunday morning we grabbed brunch with our best man, Mike, at Whitlow’s in Clarendon and added Crate and Barrel to our registry. (We love their glassware!) Then it was off to Dover to surprise my mother on the day before her birthday! We enjoyed a home cooked dinner and Godiva chocolate cheesecake. And she loved her new Kathy Van Zeeland purse

Whew! What a busy weekend! But lots of fun. I’m glad we took advantage of the food, culture, and history of DC … and had time to visit family and friends, too.

Everyone loves Chinese take-out — including the culinary couple. And when Emily saw Mark Bittman make fried rice on the Today Show last week, she got an idea. Let’s cook Chinese take-out in the comfort of our own kitchen!

Both the shrimp fried rice and pork egg rolls were easy to make and tasted better than anything from a take-out box. We chose to use shrimp and pork because we had both in the refrigerator. But you could also use chicken in the rice or ground beef in the egg rolls.

We do, however, strongly recommend using peanut oil in place of any other oil. The nutty flavor is the perfect companion to these Asian dishes.

Shrimp Fried Rice

• peanut oil
• 1 bunch of scallions, cut
• frozen stir-fry vegetables (we like water chestnuts, broccoli, and snow peas in our mix)
• frozen peas
• shrimp, peeled and deveined
• garlic
• ginger
• 3 cups brown rice (it’s even better if you cook it early and let the starches develop for a few hours)
• 2 eggs
• schezwan sauce (includes soy sauce, sesame oil, sherry, and a bit of spice)
• 1/4 cup stock or water
• salt and pepper

1. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet or wok. Add scallions, garlic, and ginger.
2. In a separate skillet cook vegetables according to directions on the bag.
3. Add cooked rice to oil mixture. Create a well in the center and add eggs. Scramble and incorporate eggs into rice.
4. Add cooked vegetables and shrimp, followed by sauces and other liquids. Fold and stir until heated through.

Pork Egg Rolls

• wonton or egg roll wrappers (found in the frozen appetizers section of your grocery store), thawed
• pork, cook and chopped
• schezwan sauce (or other Asian sauces of your choice)
• peanut oil
• garlic
• scallions
• celery
• 1 lb. bean sprouts
• 1 medium head red cabbage, finely shredded (or take some help from the store and buy a bag of already shredded cabbage
• salt and pepper

1. Stir fry garlic, scallions, celery, bean sprouts, and cabbage in peanut oil.
2. Add pork.
3. Add a spoonful of filling to the center of each wrapper. Fold and seal (with a bit of water, if necessary).
4. Fry in peanut oil until golden brown.
5. Serve with duck sauce, of course.

Productive weekend in Happy Valley! We took some time to relax on Friday night and tried a few new beers at Zeno’s. Saturday morning, after going for a run (in the 70+ degree weather), we headed out to Macy’s and Bed Bath & Beyond to start our registries.

We found a few items at Macy’s but were extremely impressed by the selection and customer service at BB&B. The bridal registry consultant shared ideas we hadn’t even considered. For example, we really did not think we wanted china. But she changed our minds when she introduced us to Noritake. It’s incredibly durable, dishwasher- and microwave-safe, and rustic — adjectives I would not have previously used to describe china. So we added the Colorwave raspberry red sets to our list.

We also fell for Calphalon. We chose the contemporary non-stick 12-piece cookware set, the 5-piece bakeware set, the 17-piece knife block set, and the nylon utensils.

Of course, we also had some fun scanning our “wants,” such as the KitchenAid 5-Quart Artisan Stand Mixer in red (we’ve been drooling over that for months), a Cuisinart Griddler, and a spice rack.

Notice a trend (aside from choosing red things)? I would guess that 90% of our registry is composed of kitchen items. We just have a tough time choosing things like bath towels, bed sheets, and home decor. I mean, we have no idea what our future house will look like. At this point, we don’t even know where it will be located!

Anyway, we had so much fun. I think Nick let me hold the scan gun for a whole two minutes. But he did scan me and declare me “priceless.” Yes, this is my husband-to-be.

While at the mall, we also popped into Kranichs to check out their selection of wedding bands. We had already decided that we want complimentary bands, and we both like milgrain edging. I want something that won’t take away from the stunning diamonds of my engagement ring and that I can wear all of the time. Palladium seems like a good choice, and Nick likes it, too. I tried on a 2.5mm ring, and Nick was drawn to the 6mm. We didn’t make any purchases, but we might return in the near future.

After a long Saturday of wedding-related activities, we grabbed dinner at Otto’s and saw Slumdog Millionaire at the theatre. But there was one more thing on our to do list …

On Sunday we ordered our save-the-dates! Stay tuned for details.

I will have six lovely women by my side on August 28th. My sister is my Maid of Honor, and the Bridesmaids include three girls from my elementary/middle/high school days, one friend from college, and my soon-to-be sister-in-law. They’re all beautiful with unique senses of style. So I decided to let each girl choose her own dress. All of the dresses are crimson silky taffeta (and made by Bella), but other than that, they reflect each girl’s personality.

And did I mention that these awesome ladies are also more than willing to help plan details? Already one has volunteered to arrange the floral bouquets and another is helping to create our favors. I know as other tasks arise, I can count on them to help. Or to provide distractions.

Our engagement announcement ran in the York Sunday News over the weekend. And my grandmother said we were the most beautiful couple on the page.

1. I was born on 07.07.82 and weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz.
2. On 08.28.09 I’ll be in a garden on a farm on the Susquehanna River marrying the love of my life, Nicholas James.
3. I’m inspired by autumn leaves, cookbooks, and vintage jewelry.
4. I prefer red wine over white and dark beer over light.
5. I’m addicted to Burt’s Bees.
6. Hazelnut coffee is my preferred morning drink of choice. Except in the fall when I can get a pumpkin spice latte.
7. I’ve eaten salmon in Seattle, shrimp in Georgia, and crabs in Maryland. Did I mention I love seafood?
8. I also like mushrooms, peanut butter, Mt. Rainier cherries, and mango habanero wings from Otto’s.
9. I have a tattoo. And I used to have a belly button ring.
10. When I was 15 I had jaw surgery to correct an underbite. It made my smile wider and my nose pudgier. And I had to eat from a straw for several weeks. Ever try pizza or macaroni and cheese from a blender? I don’t recommend it.
11. I wrote a poem and read it at my high school graduation. And I’m currently working on my competent communication certificate from Toastmasters International. I don’t mind public speaking, but I know I can be better.
12. In college I snuck into Beaver Stadium late one night with a group of friends, and we tossed a football on the field. It was the most risky, but one of the most memorable, moments of my college career.
13. I’ve been to England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and Italy. And I plan to be in Germany for Oktoberfest 2010. Proust!
14. The striped pillows on my red couch must always be horizontal. And the men in my life like to test this.
15. I keep a handwritten calendar and a balanced checkbook. Sometimes I just prefer not to use technology.
16. I’ve chased hawks and visited waste tire piles … and reported on such adventures for the Research Penn State magazine.
17. I’ve dressed up as the PBS character WordGirl — she fights crime with her powerful vocabulary!
18. I love my work. I watch PBS, listen to NPR, and believe in the power of public media.
19. My mom taught me to send thank-you notes, and my dad showed me how to hit the sweet spot of a golf ball. My fiance taught me to appreciate schnitzel and Pavarotti. My brother encourages me to take risks, and my 16-year-old sister gives me fashion advice.
20. My dad is a cancer survivor. So is my grandma.
21. I saw The Magic Flute at The Metropolitan Opera.
22. I’m one-half of the culinary couple. Between the two of us we have far too many kitchen gadgets. However we are looking forward to that red Kitchen Aid stand mixer, a sturdy set up pots and pans, and sharp knives.
23. One-quarter of my bedroom currently serves as a storage unit. You’ll find two bikes, two golf bags, several toolboxes, and camping gear. I long for the day when I have a bedroom oasis.
24. I’d like to learn to ballroom dance and play the acoustic guitar. And I plan to run a half-marathon this June. These are just a few items on my lifelong to do list.
25. I’m fortunate to have creative friends, a supportive family, and a fiance who makes me smile every day. But there are far too many miles between us. All of us.