Friday Things
1. Today we are leaving for our week-long beach trip, which means I’ll be getting married next week! SO excited! :) I can’t believe it’s here!
2. There will still be recipes going up next week, but I may be a bit behind getting to questions and emails; I’ll be doing my best to catch up quickly when we get back. Thanks in advance for your patience! :)
3. To commemorate my pending nuptials, my best friend took me out for some celebratory frozen yogurt this week (see photo above!). I am so addicted to the toppings! I think the chocolate-covered chunks of waffle cone might be my favorite. If you hit up frozen yogurt places, what are some of your favorite topping combinations?
4. A friend of mine send me this photo via Twitter this week. 100% true… especially since that day (unbeknownst to my friend) Einstein helped himself to a loaf of freshly-baked bread and half a tray of cookies. Serendipity.
5. I know I’ve mentioned here before how obsessed I am with Lindt truffles. My Chief Culinary Consultant brought me some on our first date and I’ve been hooked every since. They’re sold in local grocery stores and at places like Target, but a couple of weeks ago when we were in DC, we stayed within walking distance of an actual Lindt. store. Look out. I was literally a kid in a candy store. This bag was about twice as full when I left the store:
They have so many flavors, I had to get a huge variety since you can’t find most of those in other places. I love the coconut, mint, hazelnut, of course the peanut butter and all variations of the chocolate (milk, dark, extra dark). They just came out with a bunch of new bars, as well. The folks at Lindt sent me some of their new flavor, Strawberries & Creme. It tastes like a smooth, creamy strawberry shortcake. Or strawberry cheesecake. They’re amazing. It’s probably a good thing I live about 4 hours from a Lindt store or I’d be in trouble ;-)
6. Every time I read one of Jessica’s monthly beauty favorites posts, I add umpteen things to my Amazon wish list. If only I had the style sense to know what to do with all of it!
7. I am absolutely in love with the new(ish) Geico commercial featuring the “Hump Day” camel. I giggle incessantly every time it comes on. “Woot woooo!”
8. Last weekend, I Instagrammed a photo of the cookie table at a friend’s wedding, and got a lot of questions about it. Most people hadn’t heard of a cookie table; it’s definitely a regional thing. In Pittsburgh, no wedding is complete without a cookie table. Sure, cake is served for dessert, but traditionally, many members of the couple’s family bake tons of different cookies to be displayed at the wedding for guests to enjoy. Perusing the cookie table is one of the best parts of the reception! And no cookie table is complete without takeout boxes so guests can pack up their favorites to take home with them. Here are some other articles about the tradition of cookie tables: Wikipedia, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and The New York Times.
9. I got my second StitchFix this week and LOVED it! I kept 4 out of the 5 pieces that I received. If you haven’t heard about StitchFix, check out this Friday Things from a few weeks ago, I give a little more detail. Next month, I’ll start blogging about each Fix over on the new Home & Garden section (which I haven’t started up yet). I’m definitely loving this service!
10. TGIF! Einstein hopes your weekend is as comfy as his!
Congrats on your upcoming wedding that is so exciting!!!!!”
Have a great beach trip and wedding! Congratulations!
I am intrigued by the StitchFix service. Is it really an average of ~$375 per shipment though? I need some better style, but that is way more than my Target budget!
Hi Lily, It all depends on what you set as your budget. You can indicate how much you want to spend on different types of clothing. If you select the lowest option, I would imagine that all five pieces would be much less than $375. However, you do have the option of spending a lot more, which is probably why the average is what it is. They only send you pieces that are in your specified price range.
Congrats on your upcoming wedding! Wishing you all the best! Enjoy your special day!
From an avid fan in Doha, Qatar
Congrats on your big day! Also, I loved the cookie table articles.
Mazal tov from an avid fan in Jerusalem!
Congratulations!
I look forward to your emails and love your site!
All the best to you!
Good luck with this candies ;D Congratulations on your wedding, enjoy it!
I know what you mean about the Lindt shops, SO MANY FLAVOURS!! I hope you have a gorgeous week away
Congratulations, wishing you a beautiful and relaxing wedding & honeymoon! We also had a beach wedding (Maui) and loved every minute of it. I want to mention that there’s a new Lindt chocolate store at the Tanger Outlets at Washington, PA. A lot closer than DC! And when I first moved to Pgh and found out about the Cookie Table, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. My favorite is when they include the to go boxes. Love wedding cookies!
Congratulations on your wedding! Hope to see some pictures. I LOVE the idea of a cookie table at a wedding. Best idea ever!
Congrats on the wedding! That should be very fun, can’t wait to see pics! Good luck, I wish you the best!
Congratulations on your wedding!! I can’t wait to see pictures! I LOVE Jessica’s beauty posts too. I love that I usually have a few of the items she loves and have always wanted to try the others, so it really helps me pick out new goodies too :)
Congrats on your impending nuptials! When you shared the “cookie table” picture last week it brought back such fun memories of my cousin’s wedding three years ago. She was born and raised near Pittsburgh but got married in Florida…the cookie table was such a unique twist to have at the reception. Everyone raved about it!
Now I’m hungry for frozen yogurt…
Congratulations by the way! Hope you have the most beautiful wedding day :)
Congratulations on your wedding. Have a wonderful time and enjoy your day!!
My boxer prefers a loaf of freshly made banana bread but I don’t think I ended my sentence with the word serendipity!
my husband used to work at a hospital in NH right next to the Lindt factory!! he got an employee discount and everytime he went in with his uniform they would give him a 10lb bag of assorted truffles for free!!!!!
Happy Wedding Week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, so happy for you! We want EVERY detail when you get back. EVERY one. I’m not even kidding.
*mwah*
Have a wonderful vacation and wedding!
Cookie tables are def. an Italian thing in Ohio too!
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Have a wonderful, memorable time!
Have a comfy weekend too! I am also in love with Lindt truffles, yum!
Congratulations Michelle and CCC, have a wonderful, fun and relaxing vacation and the most beautiful wedding ever. We will miss you!
BTW, love the pictures of Einstein, he is lovely, but a loaf of bread and half a sheet of cookies??? Burp!!
1. yay for you guys.. have fun
7. LOVE this comercial
10. So cute, love your dog!
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I hope it’s beautiful and that your cake and cookie table are delicious!!!
Give your doggie an extra squeez, we just found out ours has a rapidly advancing form of lymphoma cancer and has anywhere from a week to 3 months with us.
Oh Jackie, I am so sorry to hear that :( Hugs to you and your pup.
http://www.lindtchocolatersvp.com/
I recently found a Lindt store near us… whoa! We walked away with two big bags- one of truffles, one of the “European” chocolates. It’s such a dangerous place :D
Congratulations on the upcoming wedding! And just so you know Lindt now does home chocolate parties. Think “party lite” only edible. The chocolate comes straight from the factory and honestly the prices aren’t that bad :)
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Love reading your blog! Happy Week! It will go by like a blink of an eye. All the best for a happy wedding and most of all a happy life together!
As a very recent Mother of the Bride, I wish you nothing but sheer happiness & bliss on your special day! It does go by quickly (for everyone involved), so be sure to have lots of photos! I, too, love reading your blog…..you have lots of talent & really seem to enjoy life. That’s what living is all about! Best wishes! :)
Many blessings for you and the CCC this next week, Michelle! Marrying your best friend is the most wonderful gift in life :) Since you’re also adding a new addition to the family soon, I had to send you this – it’s from our breeder and will make you (and Einstein) smile…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK15gCqCino&feature=c4-overview&list=UU3lH33EXFQwAt_EjzeXb6Tw
Congrats to the blushing Bride and Groom. May you enjoy each other each day that passes. I married the man in my life 47 years ago. I wish you the same longevity. Best wishes for sunny weather all week long.
Congratulations on your wedding! I’m thinking you should consider a Lindt truffle table for the reception! I just can’t resist those little guys!
I moved to the South over 20 years ago, and to this day I miss the Cookie Table at weddings. I had no idea it was regional, until I left Pittsburgh. I can still taste those cookies…and would steal a few if I could!
Congratulations on your wedding….and a lifetime of continued happiness!
Strawberries and cream truffles sound delicious. We actually used Lindt truffles for our wedding favors. I picked fall colors and put them in little bags tied with orange and white baker’s twine with thank you tags on them. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful wedding. Enjoy every minute!
Wow, I remember how crazy the weeks leading up to my wedding were. You’re so smart to go away *before* you get married!
Lindt truffles are amazingly delicious. I first fell in love with them when I worked at the cafe in Borders bookstore- now whenever I get to have one it’s like this nostalgic treat :) Speaking of delicious- yes please to chocolate-covered waffle cone toppings! One of my most common fro yo toppings is crumbled peanut butter cups…okay, that and maybe hot fudge, haha.
Have a great weekend!
Congrats on the big day! Hope we get a glimpse of the dress!
Congratulations, Michelle!! I hope you have a beautiful wedding day!
Congratulations on the nuptials! Can’t wait to see your dress! Have a great beach week!
And Jessica’s posts are both a blessing and a curse…my bathroom drawers are already overflowing and now they are bursting!
That commercial is my favorite!
So excited for your new home and garden section!
As always love the Einstein pictures!!
Congrats on the wedding!!
Best wishes for a fabulous wedding in every way you want it to be fabulous. Will you keep your name? And, if not, will you be Michelle Consultant? :-) I kept my name, and it was easy-peasy, even with kids. I love chocolate and orange, so I have to get those truffles at the Lindt store.
One week to go! Wow it’s so exciting!! I hope the weather cooperates for you guys!
Congratulations and I hope you have the most awesome wedding!!!!!
Oh my gosh, we LOVE the Geico ad, too! My husband’s boss pointed it out to him (hubby’s name is Mike), so now I’ll just randomly holler at him, “Mike, Mike, Mike, Mike, MIKE!” So much better than the terrible Kraft dressing ads…
I love the idea of a cookie table! How yummy! And very neat that the cookies are made by family members.
Congrats on your wedding. May you have many happy years together ~
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, that’s so exciting!! I love that hump day commercial so much, but was also dying when I saw the new one with the turtles!!
Best Wishes on your upcoming nuptials!!!! I know you will be a beautiful bride!!
I will be thinking about you next week! Best wishes to you and your Chief Culinary Consultant! I am a fellow Lindt truffles lover, those things are addicting!
Oh I am so happy for you. Although it was 19 years ago I still vividly remember how excited and giddy I was leading up to my wedding and I hope it is everything you’ve dreamed of.. Enjoy every minute of it!!
Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I hope you and your Chief Culinary Consultant enjoy the day. As others have said enjoy the whole week leading up to the big day and the day itself. It goes by really quickly. Take lots of pictures and just have a great time.
Have a fantastic week! Congratulations!
…Lindt outlet store…
Congratulation.
I´m german and i love your recipes.
I`m so happy, next door is an outlet store
Enjoy your week
I hate to break it to you, but there is a Lindt store at the Washington PA Tanger outlet! I took home a giant bag of truffles around Christmas.
I have one of their new “Hello” bars in my cupboard…it has a COFFEE filling.
No way?! I’ve only been to Tanger once (I always go to Grove City), and there definitely wasn’t a Lindt store there at the time. You better believe I’m going to be making lots of trips down there now :)
I’m so sad…went to Tanger yesterday and the Lindt store is GONE. I didn’t see the store listed on the outlet map so I called their number and it was disconnected.
NOOOOO!! Say it ain’t so :(
Woo Hoo, from Washington,, live near Pittsburgh now… and thank you , I will be for sure visiting that Lindt store…
Looks like someone is loving his new bed :).
Enjoy your week and everything about tying the knot!
Woa I can’t believe there are so many lindor truffles flavors! I’d love to try the mint one – I’m a big fan of mint & chocolate! I probably would have had a panic attack in that shop, too much to choose from :D
Happy wedding!
Wow how great to hear your getting married! I just stumbled on you blog by coincidence so wow, really nice! Have a great wedding :)
Oh my God Michelle you’re actually getting married! I can’t believe it :) I really really hope your wedding day goes perfectly and you have a beautiful, fun and sunny honeymoon, best wishes to you and your fiancé! xoxo
I am so thrilled that you’ve shared this part of your life with us. It makes me remember my own wedding 6 yrs ago. Don’t forget to enjoy as much of the next week as possible. It all goes so quick. <3 <3 <3
I tried to find a traditional Italian blessing but kept coming up with the first letter from St. Paul to the Corinthians (which I love & had my own wedding). Here's the most simple blessing I could find…"There are three beautiful things in life: birth, love, and this day. Best wishes and good fortune to you, Michelle & your CCC, for all of your life."
ps – will Einstein be part of your special day?
Hi Andrea, Thank you so much for the sweet words. Unfortunately, Einstein won’t be with us :( It’s a long drive, plus we didn’t want to leave him in an unfamiliar beach house by himself if we all were gone. So, he’s going with my mom’s dog to the doggie resort while we’re away :)
I am so excited for you!! I hope you have a great wedding and a beautiful, sunny and funny honeymoon!
Congrats Michelle!