Chocolate Bar

Yesterday we went to the Chocolate Bar at the Langham Hotel. We got tickets at a discount through the HBS Partners' Club. We've been there before, so we knew what to expect and expertly paced ourselves.

It's really decadent and indulgent and fun. My strategy was to eat as much fruit and non-chocolate as possible. That meant that 1) I didn't overload on sugar and 2) I could eat a whole lot more! I mostly had little tastes of this and that. I started with a chocolate crepe with berries inside. The crepes are definitely the best thing there; I should have had a second one! I ended with a chocolate chip cookie + vanilla ice cream sandwich.

How'd you spend your weekend?

Lots Of Hearts

My computer troubles aren't over, but instead of letting it get to me I worked on a project. While I was uninstalling and reinstalling and downloading tons of things, I cut out tiny hearts. Lots and lots of tiny hearts.

After gluing them onto some paper, I framed them. Now I just need to figure out where to hang them! I'm really pleased with the result because they make me happy.

Unfortunately they didn't solve my computer problems. Now I'm off to deal with that. Wish me luck.

*Did you see this week's Lost in Thoughts?

Nice Outfit

We saw this guy at the bar during Eric's birthday party on Saturday.

I snapped the picture with my blackberry, because I just couldn't let this outfit go undocumented.

Let's consider what he's wearing:

• bandana headband
• t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off
• kilt

Yeah, that makes sense. Thanks, dude, for making the night a little more memorable!

Eric's Birthday Cake

Saturday was Eric's birthday, so I made a cake for him. We decided on a brownie mosaic cheesecake; there were 4 parts to it. First I made the brownies (I used this recipe), then the crust (Eric crushed the teddy grahams), then the cheesecake filling, and lastly the ganache topping. We don't have an electric mixer, so this cake took some muscle. Eric took a picture of me stirring the cream cheese - 3 whole packages - until it was fluffy.

We met a bunch of friends at Boston Beer Works for dinner, and I brought the cake for dessert. Not only was it the first cheesecake I ever made, it was my first cake of any sort. And wow, it came out well. If you like chocolate, that is. And I don't. So I didn't like it that much. But everybody else seemed to enjoy it.

We had such a good time that I only took 1 picture of the cake and a few terrible photos of our group (so bad that I will not be sharing them). Anyway, I think Eric enjoyed his birthday and I know he enjoyed dessert. ★

*In other news, you can check out my homemade chalkboard here.

Journal Of Drawings

Recently, I've been really inspired by Melissa Morris's 160 Pages (I actually wrote about it on the Everything Little Miss blog yesterday). I even started my own little journal of drawings for 2010. They're just quick sketches and short comments, but I like how it's going. I started on the 14th, and I've already done 10. This is the second one I did.

I've written about our disco ball before. One of my favorite parts about working from home is that I get to experience a sunlight party almost everyday.

Are you doing anything new in 2010?

Glass Elephant

Before I moved to Boston, my Gramma gave me this glass elephant for luck. I think it's been working so far.

I keep it on my dresser, right beside the bed. I look at it every morning while I get dressed.

Don't forget to check out today's Lost in Thoughts, if you have a moment.

Just Hangin' Around

On Sunday we went to the Museum of Science. I love that place; the exhibit explanations are informative and most are interactive in some way. Plus, there are kids everywhere (and they're hilarious). It's a fun way to spend a Sunday.

We went to check out the Harry Potter exhibit, but of course we spent time in the rest of the museum as well. The Harry Potter exhibit is about the movies and it is pretty cool. I think the best part was seeing the costumes up close and personal. I really wanted to wear some of them! The details are so impressive. Really gorgeous. Photography wasn't allowed, which is why you're looking at a picture of a bat instead of Dumbledore's robes or Hermione's ball gown.

Golden Necklace

Eric bought me a beautiful necklace for Hanukkah/Christmas. There are 100 little golden beads spaced out along the chain, and each one represents a wish. That's good, because I love making wishes.

My first wish? I'm so not telling! (If you tell, they never come true. Don't you know that?)

Happy Friday + happy weekend. What are your plans?

*Valentines are now available in my Etsy shop!

Back In November

I took this photo waaaaaay back in mid-November. It was a really beautiful fall day, so Eric and I decided to take a walk around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir in Brookline.

I wonder what the reservoir looks like on cold day like today. I haven't been by it in a long time; it's probably iced over! I should go take some more pictures, shouldn't I?

*Not completely true. Yesterday I took some photos for Everything Little Miss.

Orange + Gold + Purple

While I was home for the holidays I got to visit my friend and mentor, Viola. Not only did she cook a delicious dinner for my mom and me, she also gave me me a beautiful gift.

Would you just look at this notebook? It's handmade, and I believe the paper (for the pages and the cover) is salvaged from scraps that were going to be thrown away. The binding is particularly nice; when the book is open it lays flat, no matter which page your on. Cool, huh?

And it's orange. She knows me so well. ★

Dancing Flames

I don't have much to say about this picture. I just like it, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Fire is mesmerizing, isn't it? On a cold night like this, it's very appealing. We don't have a fireplace in our apartment though, so I'll just have to dream.

Happy Friday + happy weekend.

One-upmanship

At Christmastime Eric's whole family got to spend some time together (and me, too). Since all the boys were home, their mom wanted to get a picture. Eric got a new blazer from his parents, and he rushed to put it on (you know, so he'd look sharper than his brothers). Since his mom said it would be a waist up photo, he didn't bother to change out of his PJs.

He didn't count on me getting a photo. :)

(He makes me laugh.)

*The first Lost in Thoughts of 2010 is up today.

Looking In Windows

While we were downtown on New Year's Eve, even the darkened stores and clubs looked festive.

Sparkle and shine.

Hello 2010

Hello! I've been absent for a few days, but I'm back in business now! I was pretty busy last week and over the long weekend I upgraded to Windows 7 and did a clean install, which means I had to reinstall all of my programs. I also had to move all of my files to an external hard drive and then move them back. Something about that is completely nerve wracking, but I don't seem to be missing anything. So I've been tied up with that and getting used to my new and improved operating system.

Eric and I had a wonderful New Year's Eve celebration. We started the night early by heading downtown to catch the parade at 5:30.

The streets were packed with people.

At 7 were watched the fireworks on the Common. I learned that they have fireworks at 7 (they also have them at midnight, of course) because 7 PM our time is midnight Greenwich Mean Time! Awesome!

Afterwards we headed back to our apartment to ring in the new year with our friends. We chatted, ate too many snacks, sipped champagne (or sparkling cider), played Taboo, and watched the ball drop.

It was a lot of fun. Tell me about yours!

Click here to check out some of my goals for 2010.