Just in case you needed a reason to head out..

...besides our upcoming nuptials.

This whole East Coast/West Coast, Left Coast/Right Coast thing gets a little crazy (Tupac RIP) but I have to tell you, having lived on both sides, the East Coast wins. If working public transportation, soft pretzels, and general awesomeness won't convince you, I present to you... the Squirrel Defense.

The following video was posted to Jezebel recently, and as heartwarming as it is, NYC squirrels kind of kick the cutie rodents' behinds. Yeah, yeah, the baby squirrel shows a fierce tenacity, but here in Gotham, we have squirrels who are willing to mug you for fries in broad daylight. And what's New York without a good old fashioned mugging by an adorably furry rodent? It only adds to the authenticity of your visit here. Besides, the UCLA squirrel needed help from not one, but TWO, humans. (Had the squirrel lived near USC, I hardly think this would have been the case. And at risk of diminishing my present argument, a Trojan squirrel would kick a Bruin squirrel's behind any day. Fleetwood Mac knew where it was at, duh..)

Yeah, so F and I saw two squirrels stalk some flighty tourist couple for their fries for a good half an hour in Madison Square Park. They'd left their fries undefended on a bench, and damned near lost some, but I'd started chuckling, and the couple turned around just before Squirrel #1 absconded with said fries. Said couple swatted them away a few times before switching to benches near the playground, thinking "Oh, these squirrels don't have enough nuts (hah!) to come after our tasty fried potatoes over here!" But no, one squirrel ran across the sidewalk and under their new bench. It then signaled to the second squirrel to hightail it over to execute Operation Gimme Some. After less than ten minutes, both squirrels obtained some of that coveted golden loot. All WITHOUT human aid! Take that inferior UCLA rodents! Technically, I made it even harder by exposing their plan to steal the fries (Shake Shack crinkle cuts, FYI), and they STILL made out like the bushy-tailed bandits they are!

And so I present to you, Squirrels At UCLA Who Are Not As Cute Or Smart As NYC (or USC) Squirrels.



Also, the park where said NYC squirrels stole friend from humans is mere blocks from the Ace Hotel. That's where we're staying. And some other peoples. In case you want to hang out with the cool kids.

i!

My invitations are rad, right?

I know! And totally worth the wait.

For those of you who have shared kind words about the total awesome-ness of our invitations, please find Jessica Bauer-Greene at the wedding and let her know how much you like them. She kindly offered to design them for us during a not so slow period of her life, and they could not be a more honest reflection of our aesthetic. Her friend Michelle runs Elevated Press, the awesome full-service letterpress stationery studio that made the invites a tangible, mailable thing. You'll notice the frequent use of words like "rad" and "awesome", because I kind of think they are. F does, too. Need stationery? Killer birthday cards? Baby shower, bridal shower, or party invitations that will make the snooty peeps who name get a little sweaty when they're talking about raised lettering and watermarks, call Michelle. The proof is in that envelope you just got.

More radness will follow at the hands of our cousins JT and Eric upon entering the wedding venue. Stay tuned...

You like caffeine? Good. Me, too.

Welcome, wedding attendees! Here begins my attempt to blog information pertinent to those who shall be in attendance when FJ and I get hitched...



For those of you who hail from the Left Coast, Stumptown may already be a household name, but only coffee-freaks like myself have been faithfully stalking the Oregon coffeehouse's slow infiltration of the East Coast. Yes, some shops across the country may be selling or serving the carefully cultivated free-trade brew, but New York magazine detailed why that may be a fleeting thing. Apaprently, Stumptown founder Duane Sorenson's dedication to the craft of good-coffeemaking "is like a religion." A selective one. And that's okay with me.

Why is that important to me and you? And me? Especially me. And maybe Karen. Oh, and Kat. Definitely for Lauren... Because Stumptown will be opening it's first official outpost in the Ace Hotel, where we have reserved a block of rooms in which to party! If you know me, you know I am barely able to function until I've consumed one hearty dose of that liquid gold--or umber, chestnut, whatever--and when I'm traveling that usually leads me to a Starbucks. And sorry folks, but I only go there because I know exactly how to order something that won't taste like burnt dishwater. A Stumptown outpost holds promise for those New Yorkers and guests who are tired of burned espresso (and want to keep on fighting the good fight for independent business).

So, for those of you who will be arriving early to take in the sights, and for those of you who will need the help the day after, Stumptown will be the place to get a good jolt of java that will deliver the promise that free-trade caffeine holds for both the day and our consumer consciousness.

i!