@ poniac on Hiatus

So the sewing, weddings & (some) design projects are done and I'm able to write. This blog as served me well as an outlet to explore my feelings, share experiences and make goals. I've debated what direction to take this blog last year and yet again I'm at the same point. So my goal for next year is to get things done. That means unplugging from this blog and establishing a new web presense when I'm ready.
Thank you all for reading and commenting.
Stay tuned and see you Saturday Grandma.

A sweet and sad moment

Mike and I brought our large families and friends together this past Saturday for a pre-wedding picnic before we run off to wed in Mexico. We both had a great time and hope everyone else enjoyed it as well. After we cleaned up we sat at the kitchen table in front of a stack of envelopes that our guests had given us.

With white wine in hand, I gave Mike the honors of opening them. Out of about 50 cards, he selects the first one and says "Well this is a cute card, look."  I look, my eyes big with amazement point, "That's my mom." Mike is clearly confused but clearly see what is happening as my eyes fill up with tears. A long time ago I had seen a similar childhood photo of my mom and her friends. I opened it to read a nice note from my mom's two dear friends who explain that they used to take turns playing wedding dress up and that mom would have been very proud of me.

I have to admit, my mom friends haven't kept in touch or played a big role in my or my sister's lives. But by talking to them on Sunday it was clear there was a connection, a calm and secure one.

I'm amazed that out of all the cards lying on the table, Mike selected that one first. It was like Mom was trying to say she was there with me.

Mom is at the top right.

The Wedding Industry - Part 3

There are a few other things that irk me about the wedding industry – it just seems as if it has ballooned over time with tv shows searching for dresses, praising bridezillas and budgetless brides. The US media celebrates selfishness and greed, but spins it so you want to watch it. You’re tied to the tv because you want to see if the bride will blow her budget on the cake-topper dress of her dreams or how out of control they will push their family and friends to make one day perfect for them but horrendous for everyone else.

We live in 2010. Woman are expected to be independent. The glass ceiling concept has been pushed to the background… so why are highly independent working brides putting together gift registries? My perspective is that it’s a concept from the early have of the 1900’s when young brides getting married were thrown a party to get a collection of items that will set the couple as they move out of their parent’s houses and in together. But what about today’s woman?

It’s no secret I have a problem with the term “bridal shower”. Ultimately it becomes less of a send off into marriage than watching the future 20-to- 30-something open 20-30 of her friends and families handouts. Tear up the gift registry and let the people closest to you give something meaningful. You might find more joy in the gift you never expected than one you’ve been lusting over.

Turn the industry around - be thoughtful and meaningful, splurge on love. 

The Wedding Industry - Part 2

continued from Part 1
Save the dates. What save the dates? Party favors. What party favors? You don't sweat the small stuff. You forget to wear something borrowed, something blue …
We almost did save the dates - but felt that sending out our destination wedding invite early would be enough.


You'd rather go for a hike than have a bachelorette party. Sure, your friends who don't like to hike will want to kill you for making them exercise—and you may never hear the end of it if they disagree with your interpretation of an "easy" hike—but if they're your friends, they'll still love you. And that sip of wine at the top of the trail will never taste so good.
Amen! How about a 20 mile bike ride with a brunch rest stop?


You opt for nontraditional wedding invitations. Whether you and your fiancée design them yourselves or your best friend and brilliant graphic designer offers to do the legwork, you want the invitations to reflect you as an individual couple, not an ideal that others aspire to.
Graphic designer in the house! Our luggage tag invites fit perfectly with our destination wedding.


You don't own anything resembling a wedding planner. You don't have any how-to guides or planners... Any bridal magazines on your bookshelf were given to you by your mother during the aforementioned period of trying to convince you to have a wedding, and any planning is done on an as-needed basis.
I've got a folder with stamps, addresses and reviews of the hotel.

You only need a few months to get your act together. Short engagements certainly aren't for everyone, but you can see that needing nine months to a year to plan a wedding is a myth. In fact, aside from writing sincere thank-you notes, the anti-bride probably sees that most of the dos and don'ts of wedding planning are myths. In the end, as long as you and the groom are planning to show up, the anti-bride knows that everything will work out just fine.
We had a long engagement because we wanted to enjoy it. We didn't even start thinking about a wedding until six months after. Who wants to jump into a whirlwind of chaos as soon as bit of bling descends on their finger? A lot of people have asked how the planning is going, and actually is fairly easy because there's not a lot to do. Will do it the week before at the resort - easy peasy!

The Wedding Industry - Part 1

Since my teens, I knew I wasn't the normal girly-girl. I wore jeans a size too big, loved football, wouldn't let anyone talk to me during a Brewer game unless it was about baseball and I didn't know your belt should match your shoes until my sophomore year of college. So when it came time to plan my wedding it's no surprise I held back.

At no disrespect to my friends I didn't want to go through the details they went through. And after a couple bridal showers I began to feel a little guilty that I wasn't as excited as perhaps I should be. So I started researching because my emotions for the pre-wedding activities didn't reach my happiness for the couple as when they committed to each other. And then I came across this article written by Jessica Murphy from Seattle:

Below are segments from her article,
You Know You're an Anti-Bride If …
- - -
"You need to be convinced to have a wedding. Eloping doesn't seem like a bad option. The idea that all of the work involved in planning the event can disappear with one short trip to Vegas is tantalizing—right up until the moment you walk down the aisle."

So true and exactly why we opted for a destination
 

Bridal boutiques give you the creeps. You're not enamored with the whole process of finding a wedding dress, and Vera Wang price tags seem downright absurd. ..You opt for buying something off the rack, online shopping, eBay, or one of the more reasonably priced chains.

I have to admit I had a blast trying on a million dresses. But I also have a bit of an obsession with dresses. I did buy a dress for under $200 and now have a bought a vintage dress online for under $150.

You don't believe that the wedding is "all about the bride." It's amazing how often a bride-to-be will hear this phrase. However, the anti-bride is typically uncomfortable with this notion because to you it's all about the groom—and the vows the two of you will make.


Couldn't agree more! It's about two people making a life-long commitment.

You let your bridal party decide what to wear. ...You'd rather have your friends wear a dress that they like and that they feel beautiful in.... You may not even have a bridal party at all. You may simply have your sister stand by your side.


Done and done - told my sister to pick out whatever dress she wants, just as long as it's not white. Mike's best man is wearing whatever outfit he wants. 

to be continued...

A week of pain brings out my inner 23 yr old.

Feeling helpless as been the emotion of the week. With the basement flooding twice and my workspace is no longer functional, how could the weekend get any worse. Ah yeah that sneaky fire hydrant that I happen to back into on a way to a bachelorette party. I couldn’t suck up $9 to pay to park since it should go to repairing the basement. Lesson Learned: fork over the cash and save on repairs and tears.

Didn’t make it to the first part of the party since I went home and cried. After my eyes stopped hurting and my taste for a cocktail grew high, I put on a sassy green dress and strutted into Whisky Bar for the night portion of the party. Recovery was easy after that first sip and a table full of girlfriends.

Throughout the night we encountered Northwestern Mutal’s many employees in Milwaukee for their annual conference, other bachelor parties and the regular Water Streeters out for a good time.

My engagement ring must have been uber shiny as guys took my left hand to confirm my ring finger bling and shot me those puppy dog eyes. However it didn’t stop some from throwing drinks my way, spinning me on the dance floor or stopping me in the street. New this year was the petting of the hair. I don't understand it but I could feel multiple people petting my locks. I don’t think I had that much attention in one night when I was 23, but it’s nice to know that I still got it – even at age 28.

Sunday kicked me back into reality with little sleep and a two-hour church service (which I haven’t attended a regular mass in 9 years) and Mike’s niece asking me when a baby is going to come out of my tummy. 

Celebration and chaos

It’s been a whirlwind of a week and there’s not enough coffee that can keep me awake at the moment.

Many celebrations and chaos have taken place within the past ten 10 days, these are the highlights:

1. Celebrated Mike turning one year older, although he very much doesn’t look it.
2. Bachelorette party on a catamaran in Lake Michigan followed by a birthday party, followed by returning back to the bachelorette party, followed by crashing early in my own bed.
3. Mike and I shared a nice dinner for our three-year anniversary. Less than 100 more days and I’ll be a Mrs.
4. While feeding the fish, our biggest one dolphined out of the fish tank, I screamed. Mike came running down thinking I fell down the stairs or the basement flooded.
5. Go downstairs to find the basement did flood.
6. Spent the entire day moving my workspace, throwing away fabric, ripping up the carpet and sanitizing.
7. Rocked my $30 vintage dress at my friend’s wonderful Friday wedding.
8. Spent Saturday constructing a makeshift workspace so that I can sew like made to get ready for a sale.
9. While babysitting for Mike’s brother’s kids, learned that the 5 year old has a crush on a 12 yr old and can’t sleep at night because he likes her old sister. Proved Mike wrong. He said the 7 week-old baby cries because he knows I’m white.
10. And last, my Grandpa came home from the hospital, no more threats of breaking out!

July 4th Weekend

The holiday continues as as I'm writing - cars have taken over our neighborhood to watch the parade, lexie (the dog) is watching people push strollers and I'm avoiding the heat inside. What happened this weekend?

Friday: The July 4th weekend not only celebrates our Independence but the birthday of two lovely ladies each blessed with the name Sara/h. A rendezvous at Leff's Luckytown brought together our group of friends with much less shots as last year.

Saturday: I dragged Mike to a new Milwaukee festival, Tour de Fat. A touring circus-like event hosted by Colorado microbrew, New Belgium. It was not so much as seeing how cool your bike is but how crazy you're dressed while wearing your bike. Entertainment was at a maximum. The bicycle teacup was just one of the contorted bicycles fest goers could try to master. For those in other parts of the nation be sure to check this event out. Newbelgium.com/tour-de-fat-2010-schedule.

Since we were in Bayview, we were dying to check out HoneyPie cafe. Using local produce and meats this delicious new diner brought a whole new meaning to comfort food. Mmming at ever bite in my mac and cheese and Mike's gravy saturated turkey you weren't sure whether to vacuum it in or save it for leftovers.

Gone for a couple hours we came home to this. The city started removing a tree on our front yard. Pretty messy but the guys cleaned it all up. Napping was out of the question do the men outside and the man inside sawing logs.

It's not over yet: Summerfest

I don't like big crowds, the Counting Crows or big crowds but here we were at Summerfest for the biggest night of the 10 day music fest, at a stage with the Counting Crows. Nonetheless meeting up with our various groups of friends, wearing my princess unicorn shirt and feather earrings we all had a blast.

Sunday: A relaxing lazy day spent window shopping, air conditioned movie theater playing Knight and Day, and a little bit to eat at Mike's favorite: Kopps.

My Lettter to Delta

Delta Delta,

I'm concerned about two things, my miles and your marketing budget.

First your marketing budget. Today I received a beautifully expensive direct mail piece. I know it's expensive because I work in marketing. It offered me a $100 flight certificate if I entered in the RSVP code. So I did. And wouldn't you know the website says I already enrolled. So my question is why did your marketing team waste time, paper, production, energy, mail cost, etc to send me something I've already taken action on? Not very efficient on your end.

Second is my pity sum of miles. It seems that two years ago my fiancé were able to book our flights with half as many miles. Since 2010 it now costs double the miles. Two years ago he was able to book both of our plane tickets on his miles alone. According to your reward travel website we can only book one seat and I might be lucky to get a one way to Detroit. I applied for the Amex card for the sole purpose of using miles for our honeymoon. Oh and there was a guarantee of “40K bonus” miles which I don’t think I ever got and now wouldn’t help anyways.

So with your big marketing budgets and increase in miles I think I’ll go back to my M&I card. You see the rewards don’t change and they don’t send me as much mail, something as a customer I appreciate.

Dinner #2 Stuffed Chicken

Thanks to a class at the Milwaukee Public Market I was able to Mike a hearty dinner.

This is stuffed chicken with a blue cheese/artichoke filling.

A tip to make the chicken flat is to beat it with a soup pan.

A San Francisco Treat

Mike and I recently returned home from a wonderful trip in San Francisco. Below are a few highlights from our adventure.

Day 1: Arrival

• Made it safely to our hotel via the Bart subway and a two block walk.

• Sought out ZARA, a clothing store, which I was in one year ago in Manila.

• Walked around the Financial District, high-end window-shopped.

• Dined at the Stinking Rose, our favorite restaurant of the whole trip.

• Browsed through books at a historical bookstore in North Beach – City Lights.

• Night capped it at Café Vessuvio, a famous Beat Generation hangout.

Day 2: Exploration

• Took our first of many walks through Chinatown.

• Watched the seals on Pier 39.

• Strolled through Fisherman’s Wharf up to Ghirardelli Square.

• Broke a sweat climbing one of the steepest hills to get up to Lombard.

• Laughed when a homeless person spooked Mike.

• Feel asleep under the sun in Washington Park. Woke up to more people sleeping beside us. They smelled fine.

• Got tortured by a Chinese person. Never get a massage in Chinatown.

• Ended the night at Fog City Diner.

Day 3: Day Trip

• Took the Ferry over to Sausalito. It was just as I had remembered it when I was younger.

• Spent the day, shopping, eating, sitting along the harbor and getting a little burned.

• Snacked in Chinatown where I was the only white person in a packed diner.

• Ate at one the best Pizza places ever. Tony’s in North Beach is a must.

Day 4: Hippie Luxury

• Brunched at the Sheraton, perhaps one of the most beautiful and sturdiest hotels.

• Jumped on a bus to Haight Asbury and was welcomed to many of crazies.

• Took the longest most Asian speaking cab ride back.

• Stumbled upon a sister resturant to the Stinking Rose where after every bite, Mike closed his eye and “mmmm-ed”.

Day 5: In Flight

• Specifically timed our getway only to find out the plane was delayed and hour and a half. This was your third strike AirTran!

I’m not Irish

I’m not Irish but I’ve had some pretty good memories on this day

1 year ago: Since it was SO nice outside, Mike and I sat out at

Fiesta Garibaldi after work. We enjoyed the patio, ate wonderful Mexican and drank one really strong Margarita. Mike drove home and I feel asleep on the way. It was only 7pm and a 10 min car ride.

4 years ago: Carrie and I had spent most of our time in the Milwaukee airport trying to alleviate our headaches, piecing together the previous night and investigating our phone history to see who we didn’t manage to drunk dial. We made it on to our plane to Charlotte, North Carolina. The warm weather, dogwoods and an itinerary of wine tasting lifted any pain we had been feeling. Best wine ever: Yadkin Gold from RayLen

5 years ago: I celebrated St. Patrick’s day twice in two different cities in two different weekends. The first celebration was in Brisbane, Australia. An intern from Cali and I walked the city, stumbled into street festivals, toured their campus and ran into a St. Patrick’s day parade. When the night entered, we dazzled Australian lads, I left that weekend in a taxi cab while one handsome guy with puppy dog eyes scratched his phone number and smiley face onto a paper and watched me go.

Round two was in Sydney, Australia. I had rented a car so that I could drive six hours to a design conference in Sydney. It just so happened that my friend, Nic was headed that direction too. Nic really taught me how to enjoy the world and the people in it. He read from Jane Eyre while I tried to stay on the Australian side of the road. Once we made it to Sydney we decided it best to part ways. The next morning I walked from King Corners down to the harbor for the conference. I remember pausing, writing in my journal and that I was late. By the door, there was Nic, waiting. I don’t quite remember the words he said but it was beautiful and it was the nicest thing any man had said to me. (Well until I met Mike.) That night we walked all around Sydney, seeing the Opera House, parks with possums, cool statues, we probably ended at an Irish bar. But if it weren’t for him waiting there I would have never seen Sydney in the same light.

Eight years ago: I had woken up on a Sunday early in the morning. It obviously wasn’t early enough because my roommates had already gone to the bars, ate breakfast, drank and left the kitchen table covered with lucky charms, green beads, t-shirts, plastic cups, green hats, etc. No part of that table was visible.

Eight years ago night: Danielle asked my mom, “You like this song (Spirit in the Sky)?” Mom said yes.

Meal #1: French Onion Soup with Salad

I don't like onions but I love a good French Onion Soup. What other soup can you get top with French bread and a handful of cheese? By the time the spoon dips into the brothy wonderfulness, the onions are merely an afterthought.


For such a simple soup the French sure do top it off with a fine cheese that is both pricey and hard to find in the grocery store.

So I chopped, grated, caramelized, stirred, boiled and broiled and one and a half hour later I had soup and a man home from work. Mike sat down to a serving of soup and a heaping plate of salad and said, “So what’s for dinner after these appetizers?”

Two things I would change:
1. Order a pizza for Mike
2. Buy single serving oven safe bowls in order to broil the cheese and bread.

For a first try at French Onion soup I’d give myself a B-.
And an A+ for not setting the house ablaze.

Getting sent home from the airport

On Sunday I was sent home from the airport. I don't believe I've ever been sent "home" due to a delayed flight. This delayed flight would cause a lengthy sleepover in Atlanta so the friendly AirTran representative put me on the next flight to Milwaukee, which wasn't going to leave for another 24 hours. Another day at the beach - what a bummer! Here are some highlights from my time in Florida.

1. Nothing beats a falling asleep to a good book in the sun on the deck.
2. The surf and turf dinner followed by key lime pie at the beach house so yummy.
3. Hour-long storytelling from Grandpa.
4. Trying to make my straight leg touch my nose, just like the 77 year-old instructor during beach yoga at 7am.
5. Christmas Tree Bob extended the yard to include a sand pit for bean bag games. Bags tournament rained out - giving me one more year of practice.
6. Can-Can Dancing with Danielle while the Frank Sinatra impersonator sings New York, New York.
7. Finding out Grandma's ONE shared New Year’s resolution is: Try not to get pregnant.
8. Drowning my sorrows in Malibu pineapples at the Holiday Inn happy hour after being sent home from the airport.
9. Debating to get a credit from AirTran and book a Midwest flight while receiving peer pressure from family & grandma's exclaiming, "I'm going to be very mad at you if you don't push purchase NOW!" I say, "Grandma, I haven't even reached that point - we're on dial-up!"
10. During round two to airport step-mom can't find her id and national security is called.

Grandma's big trip to the city

As it turns out, every year our family vacation to Florida lands on the same day of Oconomowoc- Grandma's birthday. For as long as I can remember she has always put one Milwaukee restaurant on a pedestal, Red Lobster. However, since she doesn't trust her driving or her 89 year old boyfriend's driving to Milwaukee, we arranged pick up and drop off. Below are some highlights of the adventure.

1. Upon all sitting down at the table, I ask Grandma, "So when's the last time you ate at a Red Lobster."
   Grandma: "Oh, many years ago."
   Me: "Like 10 years?"
   Grandma: "Well your mom was 8 when we last came here."
   Me: "That was 40 years ago!"
2. Instead of ordering lobster, she orders a lobster pizza. (Gross).
   
3. Our wonderful waiter, Jermaine, asks Grandma, whose opening her birthday cards, if it's her birthday. She throws her hands up and shouts, "NO!"
4. Jermaine brings her out a cheesecake, she eats two bites and puts the rest in her to go box, along with uneaten biscuits. Total to-go boxes for Grandma and John = 3.
   
5. Upon leaving, this could possibly be the first time Grandma was the minority in the room. I'm sure I'll get a letter in the mail concerned for my safety. 
6. When getting settled in Mike's car, John asks "Boy did you get this (car) in the Philippines?"
   
7. Finally getting to show Grandma that I live in a good neighborhood and a nice house hopefully will bring relief when she watches the news. North Ave + gun shots/robbery will keep my phone ringing and letters coming in the mail...concerned for my safety.
   
8. John knew exactly when specific highways, gas stations and business were coming up when driving on capital. Very sharp for 89 years old. (minus the car comment)
   
9. John running back to the car claiming, "I think I left my rubbers in there." 
10. Making my grandma happy for a couple hours makes me happy.  

Resolutions

Made some resolutions for the new year in which I probably will not be following by next December, but we will see.
1. Floss
2. Learn to cook 12 new meals
3. Reduce questioning Mike
4. Learn to speak better Spanish by October
5. Get rock hard abs by October
6. Try not to get pregnant
7. Put 500 miles on the road bike
8. Plant thriving herbs
9. Sew more bags than last year
10. Find my life calling