I.Made.A.TURKEY!!!!!!

I’m happy to report back that our first thanksgiving as newlyweds was a success!Here’s what we had:
- Stuffed mushrooms
- Cheese assortment
- Salad
- Rolls
- Sweet potatoes
- Mashed potatoes
- Gravy & Cranberry sauce
- Stuffing
- Green beans
- Turkey
- Cheesecake
- Pecan pie
- Pumpkin pieThank goodness my Mom came to help! She made all the pies (except the pumpkin) and really helped to keep things on track and moving. I think the biggest hit of the night was the turkey. I used my sister in law’s recipe HERE and I honestly can’t see myself ever veering from this recipe because it was such a hit.

Truth be told, I’m not sure if I will host thanksgiving again next year. It was a great experience but it was also a TON of work!!!!!!!

Hope your Thanksgiving was a great success too!

Cyber Monday SALE!

Happy Cyber Monday!

Save 15% off EVERYTHING in the Hello Cupcake Etsy Shop today only!

Use Coupon Code: CYBERMONDAY15

Happy Shopping!!!!!

There's so much to be thankful for!

I have so much to be thankful for this year.

• I have a husband who loves me unconditionally and challenges me to be my best self.
• I have a family that supports me like no other and tells me to no end just how talented they think I am.
• I have incredibly thoughtful friends that keep me laughing and would go to the ends of the earth for me.
• I have a career at a nonprofit where the work I do actually makes a difference in people’s lives. It’s humbling, it’s heartwarming, it’s hard. It has changed me as a person.
• I have a business that I built from an idea while on a ski trip with my Dad. It’s reaching milestones I never thought possible.
• I have a career in the wedding industry that allows me to grow my creativity and work alongside an amazing team of women.

I am so fortunate. Not a day goes by that I take it for granted. I hope the same rings true for you.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

P.S.: I’m also fortunate to have the most adorable dog in the world.

A Surprise Birthday Brunch

A few weeks ago we attended a Surprise 30th Birthday Brunch for a dear friend.

Around 20 of us gathered for a family style brunch at Axis Café for one delicious entre after the next and endless mimosas. The party was fantastic! I loved all of the attention to detail that went into this special event. Beautiful present flower bouquets, individual mini doughnut guest gifts (mini doughnuts!!!) and printed menus.

The birthday girl was indeed surprised. What a fun way to celebrate with friends!

First Thanksgiving as Newlyweds

Happy Monday!

If you’re planning to host your very first Thanksgiving like I am, I’ve posted some useful tips over on the A Savvy Event Blog.

Be sure to check it out!

Image From: Here

Hello Cupcake's New Tag Line!

Thank you so much to everyone who contributed their thoughts on the blog and Facebook as to what my new tagline should be!I’m happy to say that I’ve chosen the tagline. Drum roll please!

“Paper & Spice Make Nice”

So here it is: Hello Cupcake – Paper & Spice Make Nice

I like it! It’s cute, a bit saucy and hopefully will clear up that awful rumor that Hello Cupcake LLC is a cupcake company! Seriously, had I known that a book would be published named Hello, Cupcake! I probably would have picked a different company name!

Live & learn.

In Case You Missed It:
I also write for A Savvy Event – be sure to check out my posts from this week:
San Francisco Weddings: All You Could Ever Want Wrapped Into One Location
Real Wedding: Basking In the Warm Glow of Love
The Perfect Gift: Changing Your Name

Congratulations Winter Grads: Prescription Bottle Cards

Not only are the holiday’s fast approaching but we are also nearing the end of the school semester.If you recall, I made these prescription bottle invitations back in 2009 when Christoph was finishing his medical residency. They’ve been a popular item in my Etsy shop ever since I listed them.Not only are they available for party invitations but they are also available as congratulations cards. So if you know anyone graduating from pharmacy, nursing, medical, chiropractic school (etc. etc.) these make the perfect card!You can hop on over to my Etsy shop to see more.

Congrats to all you grads out there!

Before & After: Sconces

Sometimes it’s as simple as a can of white spray paint to make all the difference.I got these sconces at Ross when I was in college! At the time, these went well with my room which was full of beige and cranberry red accents. I still like that color combo but it’s far from the look and feel of our current apartment!We’ve had them hanging in the dining room since we moved in, looking pretty bland. Until Christoph had the brilliant idea to spray paint them white.It was a simple project with a great transformation. Seriously, now I’m wandering around the apartment trying to figure out what else I can spray paint…….

Chronicle Books: Happy Haulidays

I’m a huge fan of Chronicle Books. I’ve purchased many a books they’ve published, gone to their launch parties and last year I even pitched them a book idea at their pitch for charity event. They are an awesome San Francisco based company that cranks out top notch books and truly cares about the community.

This year, they are giving away $500 worth of Chronicle books in their Happy Haulidays give-a-way to one lucky blogger and one commenter on the winning blog post. They are also asking the winning blogger to choose one charity to receive up to $500 of books.

The charity I would choose to receive $500 worth of books would be Project Night, Night. They give out care packages, free of charge, to homeless children from birth to pre-teen who need childhood essentials to feel secure, cozy, ready to learn, and significant. Each Night Night Package contains a new security blanket, an age-appropriate children's book, and a stuffed animal -- all nestled inside a canvas tote bag.

Imagine what they could do with $500 worth of Chronicle Books!

I hope I win and one of you lucky commenters will win right alongside me! If so, this is the list of Chronicle Books that I would get with $500 credit.

Papergoods:
Instantly Antique Wall Decals Peel & Stick Decals $24.95
Pattern Making basic principles of pattern cutting $40.00
Famous FrocksPatterns and Instructions for Fabulous Iconic Dresses $29.95
1, 2, 3 Sew 33 Simple Projects $24.95
Handmade Weddings 50 Crafts to Style and Personalize Your Big Day $24.95
Paper + Craft 25 Charming Gifts, Accents, and Accessories to Make from Paper $19.95
DIY Fashion Customize and Personalize Fashion $24.95

Life & Style:
Boo The Life of the World’s Cutest Dog(3 copies) $38.85
What's Next? Follow Your Passion and Find Your Dream Job $22.95
Apartment Therapy Presents: Real Homes, Real People, Hundreds of Real Design Solutions $27.50
A Gracious Welcome Etiquette and Ideas for Entertaining Houseguests $19.95
The New Color Book 45,000 Color Combinations for Your Home $24.95
Secrets of Gorgeous Hundreds of Ways to Live Well While Living It Up $12.95
The A-Z of Visual Ideas How to Solve any Creative Brief $30.00
Bubbly on Your Budget Live Luxuriously with What You Have $12.95
Humanity A Celebration of Friendship, Family, Love & Laughter $24.95
Mixed Portraits of Multiracial Kids $19.95

Stationery:
Pantone: 100 Postcards $19.95
Clockwork 2012 Agenda $12.99

Cookbooks:
The Cheese Tasting Party Kit Selecting and Serving International Cheeses $16.95
The New Thanksgiving Table An American Celebration of Family, Friends, and Food $24.95

Grand Total: $499.54

Good luck to you!

Help me fill in the blank: Hello Cupcake – “____________”

Where’s the beef? Got Milk? Just do it.

I’m pretty sure we can all name the companies behind those catchy tag lines. I’ve been giving some thought lately as to whether or not Hello Cupcake should have a tag line….and I’ve decided, that yes, yes it does need a tag line!

I’ve racked my brain and even taken ideas from my marketing research group (which includes two girlfriends) to come up with a few ideas.

Here are the contenders:

Hello Cupcake - Sweet on paper
Hello Cupcake – Baking with paper
Hello Cupcake – Icing on the paper
Hello Cupcake – Make sweet your signature

Which one’s your favorite? Do you have any good ideas? Leave em’ in the comments below. If I choose your tag line idea I’ll give you $25 credit in my Etsy shop. Perfect for the holidays!

In Case You Missed It:
I also write for A Savvy Event – be sure to check out my posts from the last two weeks:
Meet Maddy & Seth from the Etsy Shop Ello There
The Lab: A not-so-ordinary bridal experience
Must love rust
It’s always a nice day for a white wedding
A natural backdrop of lush foliage
San Francisco weddings

Image from: HERE

Eating, Eating & Drinking: New York City

New York City is truly the city that never sleeps. Of the three nights we were in town, only once did we make it home before 2 AM. The rest of the nights went on into the early morning.

Eating, drinking and catching up with friends were the cause! Here’s where we went:
Pomes Frites

Thursday:
Breakfast: Garden Grill Café in Brooklyn: Delicious, friendly and reasonable. Breakfast for 4 was around $30 and the cook brought out two just cooked tapioca puddings just because.
Dinner: Seasonal: Austrian food restaurant near Central Park that has a well-deserved Michelin star.
Drinks: Tippler: Amazing bar under Chelsea Market that offers mixed drink menu and a great atmosphere. Plus a DJ named Huggy Bear playing a great mix (how can you go wrong with that?)
McSorley's

Friday:
Breakfast: Small café in Brooklyn for breakfast sandwiches
Drinks: McSorleys The oldest Tavern in NYC. Your only drink choice is beer, either light or dark and 2-for-1. Go there.
Snack: Pomes Frites: Fresh, hot French fries with your choice of dipping sauces. Amazing.
Snack: Butterlane: Cupcakes with some of the best frosting I’ve ever tasted (and I don’t even like frosting)
Dinner: LidoItalian restraint. Not your typical Harlem cuisine but it has great food and a really enjoyable atmosphere.
Drinks: Bier International: Beer garden in Harlem. Good spot for after diner drinks.Fette Sau

Saturday:
Breakfast: Pipa: One of three restaurants connected to the ABC Home store. The food was fantastic. The best eggs benedict I’ve ever had. Hands down.
Dinner: Tree Bistro: The food was ok (Salmon was blah but the ravioli's were great). They also have enclosed garden seating.

Sunday:
Lunch: Fette Sau BBQ. So good. Drooling at the thought. Go there.

Wow. Reminiscing over what we ate and I think it’s safe to say that we made some great choices. Hope you enjoy my list of places to eat in New York City!

It’s Good to Be Home in San Francisco

Sometimes it feels so good to be home after a fantastic vacation. Until you get up on Monday morning to leave for work only to find that your car is gone. Yep, towed. But let’s try to focus on something more positive. Ok?

We had an amazing trip to NYC! So great in fact that I want to break it out into a few posts to give you an overview that does the city some justice.

Of course I did a bit of shopping damage while in NYC! Here are some of the store’s I checked out that I’d recommend paying a visit to:Uniqlo: It’s like a Japanese Gap. Great staples and lots of beautiful colored cashmere sweaters. Plus, the packaging is fun. Think astronaut ice cream in clothing form.ABC Carpet & Home: The ultimate home shopping experience. Five floors of gorgeous home wares and decor. Definitely worth a visit.Fishs Eddy: Fun kitchen décor. Bright colors, fun patterns. The prices are reasonable. Great place to buy gifts.Limelight: Honestly, the clothes are ok, but the store its self is something to be seen. It’s an old church that was once a club and has since been converted into a three story shopping experience.

(Not Pictured)
Muji: Space saving household items, good for city living. They have a little bit of everything, clothes, furniture, cooking and storage.

Moon River Chattel: Rustic home décor shop in Brooklyn. Find beautiful accents for your home without breaking the bank.

Of the places that we shopped, those were my favorites!

NYC

I’m so excited! Tonight Christoph and I are off to NYC for a mini vacay. Since we started dating 4+ years ago, we’ve taken a yearly trip to New York to do some shopping, catch a Broadway show and visit with friends and family.

I love NYC. The crazy electric vibe, the no dancing signs in the bars, the subway system, the shopping, and the pace of life. I just love it.

I’m always looking for new places to check out, so if you have any favorites you care to share (food, bar, cozy nooks and shopping spots) let me know!

Image from: Here