Really Good People in a Really Good Town

Hello, sweet friends.

So not having a job this week is really fun. Like I said, I've been visiting my favorite vintage and thrift shops in Cleveland "one last time," and seeing my few - this is a case of quality over quantity - good friends in town before leaving. This includes the coach of our football team Shawn, who led my trip to Cairo in 2004, and Donna, my very dear friend and mother of my good buddy Lauren.

Donna and I had lunch at Umami, meaning "delicious" in Japanese and seriously living up to its name. I had a seared Tuna and Ginger and Edamame Salad that was incredible, while looking longingly at several other things on the menu. Afterwards, we hung out at a little design studio with a very New York feel, featuring a neverending, eclectic collection of inspiring pieces. Never before have I felt a greater need for a cool loft apartment to decorate. This place is fantastic.

The reasons to re-visit Cleveland in the future are coming together in one really irresistible little pile!

three.home

Donna and I did a little style consignment style scouting - she was made for this - and then I stopped by Anne van H. to pick up moving boxes. It was such a pleasure to share the week's stories with Anne, Marilyn, Erica, and Marina that I realized I've been pretty lucky - I ended up with a job that I didn't think I wanted - but that I still want to visit when I'm done. Funny how that works, isn't it?

I'm excited about Vermont. I really am. 

But I really feel blessed to have had my life touched by Cleveland -- and people like Donna and Lauren.

Weekend in Review

This weekend was great.

John and I celebrated being engaged for one whole week. Although I had to work Saturday, we had plenty of fun on Friday (yoga and dancing) and Saturday (Turkish food) nights and of course our favorite day, Sunday.

This is exciting: I made my first wedding purchase yesterday! I recently found a fantastic vintage store in Chagrin Falls, where I bought a gorgeous white silk wrap dress from the 40's. I went back today with John for a few little wedding must-haves that I wanted to pick up before someone else did. I would love to post pictures of them here, but I think that would ruin the surprise, no? 

As if that didn't excite me enough, there was a light pink lace gown at this shop that I tried on for fun. Somehow it fit perfectly, length and all. It's from the late 20's or early 30's (pre-zippers!!!) --- with a lot of delicate handwork. So pretty. I told the owner that I was going to have to wait on the dress, and she just gave it to me! She said that it fit me, I appreciated it, would actually wear it, and that was good enough for her. How sweet! It's in amazing condition. Hopefully eventually I will picture it here.

This shop I keep mentioning is well worth visiting, and I'm going to miss it if I leave Cleveland. (More news to come!) The vintage clothing collection is beautiful. Usually I have to sort through a bunch of uglies and just look to enjoy the old styles, but these are so carefully selected...I had an armload of things to try on that were actually wearable.

Engagement Day

Friends, I couldn't be happier.

I never dreamed I could be so excited to become someone's wife. That's one of the many reasons I knew John was the one - the thought of marrying him is exhilarating and nothing less. No red flags. Not even a tiny pink one! It's freeing to be able to look ahead with such confidence and trust -- allowing for pure excitement.

Our Engagement Day really was perfect. Very us. John had me totally believing - through blatant hints and constant chatter about secret birthday plans - that it was happening at the very end of March. So when he said he had a surprise planned for Sunday, I thought it was his attempt at throwing me off his game. After playing a gig in Michigan at the end of last week, he said Sunday would be for us (it typically is). After waking up, he told me we'd be going to brunch at our favorite spot. I was thrilled. There's nothing the two of us love more than a relaxed Sunday morning together in this cozy little Victorian house turned local and hip Vine and Bean Cafe.

I noticed John put on a special shirt and rushed to "take Herbie out," (aka proposal set-up), so I asked (excitedly) if I needed to dress up, too. He convinced me otherwise, to "just throw on some clothes and let's go." So I threw on my doggie sweater and headed out. When I walked into the kitchen, I noticed a list of names on our chalkboard, usually used for sweet little notes. In pre-coffee confusion, I started asking what it was, although it was obviously our closest friends. "What is this...a guest list? why would you write one this morning?"  It was entering the back of my mind that it was people we would call after getting engaged, and then I noticed the table with candles and Champagne.

In the next few moments, John was pulling a shiny ring out of his pocket, trying to hold back tears, and asking me to marry him. My answer was completely and wholly yes.

The moments to follow were the best moments of my life. The whole day jumped to the very top of the list.

John chose the First Day of Spring because of its symbolism, and because he knew I loved it. So sweet. Luckily, it was the most gorgeous weather we've seen in Cleveland yet! So after a sweet brunch with coffee, mimosas, and a Pistachio cupcake, my fiance (!!!!) and I headed to Chagrin Falls to see the water, window shop, and generally walk on air. After coffee and galavanting, we collected goods for cooking dinner together and headed home. We cooked and celebrated before moving on to the Champagne phase, which eventually took us to Nighttown, a legendary Cleveland spot that's served as the stage for Wynton, Count Basie, and the like. And as Scene Magazine says, it makes you feel about 20 times cooler than you actually are.

The ring John gave me is absolutely gorgeous. The funny thing is, I was originally very against having a diamond. I wanted something totally unconventional. Eventually we decided, though, that we liked the timelessness and symbolism of the diamond, so here we are, with something beautiful (and extremely sparkly!) as a token of our promise to each other.

So that's our day. We're so excited to share this special time with you! See the rest of our pictures here, if you like.

Day Off!

A Day Off and 60 degrees in Cleveland is bliss! Herbie and I pampered ourselves, took a really long walk, explored adorable vintage shops in Chagrin Falls, and went to The Yoga Room to end up with an unexpected hour of private instruction (amazing!). 

Herbie got a much, much needed haircut at The Barkley Hotel and Day Spa, but now he looks so naked that I feel a little bit bad about it. I got my toes did, leaving me feeling prettier and officially ready for sandal weather (boldly ignoring the rumors of snow for next week). 

I hope your day was just as lovely!

xoxo.

This place is not kidding.

"I got my hair cut, it's 60 degrees, yeeeah!"

Sure sign of Spring: Little Italy's Tomato Tree is back.

Footsie wrap.

Lookin' good.

Unexpected Beauty

People have been telling me to visit Chagrin Falls since I moved to Cleveland. I was making an effort to explore Cleve after we moved, but when cold and snow came I backed off, choosing instead to re-visit the places I already liked (i.e. Tremont). So when I had an afternoon with Ellen last week, it seemed like the perfect time to try a new place. What we found was amazing: a charming little town with waterfalls, one-of-a-kind shops, and yummy food. I'm in love!