busygirl

and we're off!

My first blackberry-blogging attempt.  We're at the airport and ready to go.

Be back in a week!

a little notice would've been nice.

Grr...I hate airlines.

We're supposed to leave at 5pm tomorrow for Switzerland.

We just went to check in and our flight leaves at 12pm instead.  Apparently the 5pm was canceled.  They never TOLD us.

Ugh.

So the good news is we get to Switzerland 5 hours earlier than planned.

The bad news is I now have to cram seven hours of work into two tomorrow morning.

fashion motherland.

The golf outing is over.  I can breathe again...and start packing for...EUROPE!

Yeah that's right, I said Europe!  Surprise!  Well, not really, I just realized that I hadn't said a word about this trip before even though I've had my plane ticket for quite a few months.  On a whim one day my friend Megan and I bought cheap tickets to Switzerland to go visit all of our friends that have moved over there the past year.  They are supposively all moving back to the states in spring 2010 so we thought we better hurry and get over there.  AND we just happened to book our trip at the same time Oktoberfest is going on in Germany...hehe.

So needless to say, I am thrilled that after such a stressful week I get to go galavanting around Europe for a few days.  And thrilled about packing.  I don't know about everyone else, but forget LA and NYC fashion...I LOVE Euro-style.  I love their casual, funky style of dress and would replicate it daily if I didn't have to dress business casual for work and if people here thought it was fashionable to wear a pair of pumas with skinny jeans.  I am in 7th heaven packing this suitcase.

And don't even get me started on men's fashion over there.  You'll never see a pair of boxers...since they all wear pants that actually fit and aren't hanging off their butt.  The slimmer style is flattering and makes them all look much more muscular than american clothes do.

I can't wait to go get more fashion inspiration.  And take tons of pictures.  And post them when I get back.

have you seen my mind?

Cause I've lost it.  Seriously.

My company has their charity golf outing tomorrow.  That generates thousands upon thousands of dollars.  That I am responsible for.  That I have been planning for over six months.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow.

I leave for Europe on Wednesday to go see friends in Switzerland and frequent the ever-popular Oktoberfest in Germany.

I still haven't packed.

My to-do list at work is TWO pages long.

And growing.

My blackberry won't work next week in Europe.

I could cry.

a special treat.

Dinner served outside!

Taste the Future.

I was lucky enough to be one of the recipients of a ticket to this year's ever-popular Taste the Future at Columbus State Community College.  This 21-year-old event is features culinary masterpieces from more than 50 of central Ohio's best restaurants, bakeries and caterers. These amazing chefs come together to showcase their talents while raising scholarship money for prospective college students. 

Wow, this WHOLE event was amazing.  I have never been to a food show that had so many high-end chefs serving the most fabulous food.  I hadn't even made it halfway around and was stuffed.  No worries, I kept eating, the food was too hard to resist!  Every table was beautifully decorated, every chef was friendly and outgoing.  And the aptmosphere was wonderful.  A dressy event held in the college courtyard complete with twinkle lights, music and dozens of different wines. 

And check out some of this food:

 

Ohio Sweet Corn Bread Pudding with Rosemary Caramel Sauce

 

 

 

Heirloom Tomato Caprese Salad

 

 

I've been meaning to go to several of these famous Columbus restaurants but have been putting it off for a while.  It's hard to pony up the cash for an expensive dinner when you're not quite sure if you're going to LOVE the food.  This event was a great way to sample their signature dishes without worrying about the price!  I found a few restaurants that I will definitely be venturing to in the near future, such as Sage and Due Amici.

I cannot wait for next year's event!

wordless wednesday: newly painted playground map for the kids!

(I painted all the blue states!)

try this: bread gnocchi

In honor of girlymama's new carnival, my tuesday recipe is a hearty vegetarian dinner that is my go-to on nights when I'm eating solo.

Ingredients

 

8 slices day old, good quality Italian bread

 

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

 

2 tablespoons butter, into pieces

 

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups (2-ounce cans) tomato sauce

3 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Several fresh basil leaves, torn

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Chop bread into bite size pieces. Add extra-virgin olive oil, butter and garlic to the skillet. Melt butter into oil then add the bread. Season the bread with salt and pepper. Toss and cook the bread 7 to 8 minutes then add the tomato sauce and fresh tomatoes. Turn to coat and warm the tomato sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Top with basil then cover the dish with cheese.

For more try this recipes, click here!

love me some vera.

You can run but you can't hide.  I KNOW that some of you internets...ahem, you know who you are...have an unhealthy obsession with Vera Bradley.  Although I can't say that I don't share in your pain.  I have been known to devote an entire section of my holiday wish list to verabradley.com and am still completely in LOVE with my first taste of vera bradley - my green apple betsy!  Soon followed by my villager, my jewelry case, etc etc.

So how excited am I that verabradley.com is having an awesome sale right now!  Laptop bags for $46 (orig. $70), Villager tote bags (I used mine every day in college) for $42 (orig. $72), curling iron or flat iron cover - lined with heat-resistant material for easy travel (I use mine all the time) for $10 (orig. $17) and even belts to jazz up a plain t-shirt for $5 (orig. $26).

Oh and did I mention that you get free shipping if you spend over $75?

So get shopping (SALE ENDS SEPT 15TH!!) and remember...Adam's birthday is in October...I bet he'd really like one of those belts ;)

favorite day.

I love Sunday mornings.