Woo hoo!! It's FRIIIIIIDAAAY!! So looking forward to the weekend to play with Sr. Clark all day long!!

We had another big day yesterday with the dog! After work Neil and I took Clark to the vet for his first check up. First of all, Clark loved the car. He was so good and either sat or slept during the ride over!

                                                (Focus on the road, lady. I'm just sleeping)

Our vet is super cool and helpful in answering all of our questions about the pup. He said Clark looked good and that he is going to be a big boy! Love hearing that! He said he'd have a better idea of how big Clark is going to be once his baby teeth fall out in a few weeks. I can't wait to hear what he thinks, so far initial guesses are that he's going to be around 60 or 70 lbs, which doesn't seem too big to me.

I think the excitement of the vet knocked Clark out. Neil tried to take him for a walk and he was NOT feeling it! We might have pushed it a little far the night before. We took Clark for a walk, which was about a mile long. Yesterday the vet said his limit now should be about 4 or 5 blocks. Whoops. At least he slept through the night again with no accidents all day and all night. Go Clark, Go!!

I like him most when he's like this and not eating the carpet, shoes, remotes, boxes, towels, etc.

We have the smartest dog in the world...

Ok, maybe not THE smartest, but Clark is so good!! Last night we took him for a walk, and he did a great job with the busy streets. He was knocked out after the walk, too (success)!

The highlight of the night was that he not only slept through the night, but he did not have any accidents at all! I actually had to wake him up this morning and take him outside where he successfully went to the bathroom. I'm so proud of my little pooch! Equally as important, this afternoon when Neil went to take him out at lunch, he did not have any accidents in his crate! He's so cute and so good! Clark's catching on to "sit" and "outside" as well. He's going to school the other pups when he starts training next week!!

While I was drying my hair this morning Clark decided to catch up on world events and thumb through the newspaper.

    This week it's the red eye, next week he'll be working on the New York Time's crossword puzzle!

He also decided to make a bed out of Neil's clothes (that's what happens when you leave your clothes on the floor)!

The Adventures of Clark Berman

Clark had a very busy and successful day yesterday! It was his first day in the crate while Neil and I were at work and he did a pretty good job! I took him out twice in the morning and Neil took him out before he left as well. Then Neil came home at lunch and I got home early from work. Overall, not too bad of a day with two minor tinkle accidents in his crate. We are trying to get used to the new schedule for all of us!

Last night was a big night! He met his aunt Megan and our friends George and Brian (who have a 14 month old Husky). Clark was so excited to meet everyone! George and Brian brought him two new toys, one being a "Kosher" bone (because Clark is a quarter Jewish after all, Mazel)!

We also gave Clark a bath because he smelled a little "Kennely." Overall he was OK in the bath, but definitely not the biggest fan of the tub!

                                                     Clark taking a little nap after the bath

                                                  Clark and George enjoying a Yuengling

                         Slightly annoyed that people are talking and making noise while he's trying to sleep.

The biggest news is that he had no accidents last night!! We took him out for awhile before bed and then around 1:30 I heard him cry so I took him out and he did his business. Then around 6:00 I woke him up to go outside! BIG night in the Berman household!! This morning he liked the new set up of keeping him in the kitchen while I get ready, he even made himself a little bed by helping himself to the dish towel and sleeping on top of it.

I am loving our new little pup! Now to tackle the puppy biting!

Weekend Wrap Up

This weekend was amazing and not just because we got a puppy! Friday night was super ugly, rainy and cold out, so we ended up just ordering pizza and staying in (which was awesome). Saturday I got up bright and early and headed out of town to Cleveland! My mom was going there for the weekend to help my grandma with some things so we decided to meet half way so she can see the ring :)

I arrived at my aunt and uncles house (most of my extended family lives in Cleveland) around 1ish and my mom and I went to lunch and then looked at some wedding dresses. I didn't try anything on, just looked at all the styles out there because I am completely clueless!

After that we went back to the hotel to get ready for the night. My cousins (and godparents), Kathy and Dan invited my mom and I over to dinner so we can all hang out and talk wedding. This turned into a scene from my Big Fat Greek Wedding because before I knew it my cousins, Mike, Jeff, Scott, Diane, Lori, Jerry, Jordan and Nolan were all over there. It was so much fun and I'm so thankful to Kathy and Dan for having us over! It was great to see everyone and fun to talk all about the wedding.

Since my family moved away when we were younger, we only see the Cleveland family a few times a year, but whenever we do see them it's so much fun and just reminds how lucky I am to have such a great, loving family!

Before I left on Sunday my mom and I stopped by my Grandma's place for awhile to catch up. My Grandma cracks me up! She's 94 years old and she is the definition of a character! She keeps up to speed with all that is going on with pop culture (she was talking about 'Say Yes to the Dress' and who was the latest to get kicked off of 'Dancing with the Stars'). She always has multiple copies of the Enquirer laying around and candy in dishes all around her place! One thing my grandma does not lack is opinions... on everything! While some of her thoughts might not be the most "current" or "politically correct" she still makes me laugh with every comment that is made!

Great weekend! It was awesome seeing my mom and family!

Welcome to the Family, Puppy Berman!

Yesterday Neil and I got a puppy and he's PERFECT! We went to PAWS (the no-kill shelter that Neil and I have worked at in the past) and he was one of the first pups we saw when we first got there. After walking around for a bit we first met and played with his brother, Zed (pictured below)

While we were playing with Zed someone came in and told us that he had been adopted. So we decided to meet his sister and brother. At the shelter they called our little guy Zorro and we knew right away that he was perfect for us. He was so sweet and cute and loved sniffing everything in the room. What sold me on him was his little hound ears. They are huge and fly back when he runs!

We loaded up at Petsmart and then took him home. It was so fun to see him explore the apartment. He's so sweet and just wants to sit in your lap and cuddle!

We are still trying to pin down a name and have a list of a few:
1. Clark (because we live on Clark St.)
2. Quincy (because he was born in Quincy, IL)
3. Truman (Mizzou mascot)

I lean towards Clark, but have a hard time finalizing the name! I loved the name Dublin because not only is it the cutest dog name, but it was fun to abbreviate and shorten with Dub, Dubs, Dubbie, etc so I have a hard time pinning down a final name. Suggestions welcomed!

Out first night wasn't too terrible either! Neil took him out at around 10:30 and he was sawing logs (literally snoring) until about 2:00am and he started crying, so I slept next to his crate for a bit. Around 5:30 am he was up up so I took him outside and started the day. I think we need to do a little more research on crate training!

Many more adventures and stories to come!

Current Obesession

Andrew Rannells.

He's so funny in "The New Normal" and just has the cutest face ever! I originally fell in love with him when he played Hannah's ex-boyfriend in "Girls." He said, quite possibly the best line ever spoken on TV: I'm going to go now. Your dad is gay.

AMAZING!!

What the Heck?

Now that there is a ring on my finger, it's time to get in shape (it's what all brides say/do, right?). I've done a few of the free weeks at Core Power Yoga, which I LOVE because the classes always kick my butt and feel so great. So when I looked to get a membership I was just totally blown away and annoyed by the prices:



I mean, really?

Then I went to check out the prices at a CrossFit place near my apartment because I keep hearing how this is such a great work out and awesome way to get in shape. I was even more annoyed by the prices:

Monthly Memberships
Goal Development - 3 Classes per Week (3m)	3 classes per week	$199.00 monthly
Goal Development - 3 Classes per Week (6m)	3 classes per week	$189.00 monthly
Goal Development - 3 classes per week (12m)	3 classes per week	$179.00 monthly
Results - Unlimited Classes (3m)	Unlimited classes	$219.00 monthly
Results - Unlimited Classes (6m)	Unlimited classes	$208.00 monthly
Results - Unlimited Classes (12m)	Unlimited classes	$197.00 monthly

So I am completely frustrated with these places and am trying to think of the best solution for me! In a perfect world, I would be disciplined enough to eat well and work out on my own in the free gym in my building, but, after 28 years of struggling with my weight, I know this is not the best option to get me into shape! So I'm at a loss at this point and guess I just have to rely on a wedding to be enough motivation to get myself into shape! Let's see how that goes...

Tis the Season

As mentioned on my previous post about Pumpkin Spice Latte's (currently drinking one, btw), it's that time of year to make Pumpkin Bread! I forgot how amazing it makes your apartment/house smell! It makes me want to make it every single day! Round one of the bread was a success, but slightly dangerous to have around the house, as I just munched on it all night. Hardly a "light" snack and DEFINITELY not something a soon-to-be bride should be doing!

Asian Invasion

Last night I made an Asian Inspired dinner for Neil and, not to pat myself on the back, but it was awesome!! It's been so long since I've cooked that I forgot how much I love doing it! One of my favorite things to make is lettuce wraps. I found a healthy recipe a few years ago and have tried to make them on a fairly regular basis since then. I actually lost the original recipe, but here's what I use to make them:

• Ground Chicken
• Plum Sauce (use generously)
• Celery
• Water chestnuts
• Rice Vinegar
• Soy Sauce
• Salt and Pepper
• Sprouts

The original recipe called for carrots, but since they are my arch-nemesis, I opted out. You can really put in anything else you want (baby carrots, bamboo, etc) in the wraps and just add sauce to taste and wrap them in lettuce! Neil adds chili garlic sauce to give his an extra kick! You just need to mix them all together in a pan (or wok) and serve!

I get that this is not the most appetizing picture, but I swear they are awesome!

Also, for an app I made spicy edamame which was inspired by the amazing sushi restaurants in Southern California. I heated the edamame up with garlic and crushed red pepper. It was pretty good, but I think next time I just need to mix the edamame with spicy chili garlic sauce (good suggestion Neil)!

Couldn't ask for anything better

First time that I came to work and wasn't totally dripping sweat! Woo hoo!!

Smile... Abel Arnett is Watching You!

Coffee Bug

I've never been a big coffee drinker. In fact, for the longest time I actually hated the smell of it and anything that had coffee in it (ie;coffee flavored ice cream). So whenever Starbucks comes out with their seasonal drinks and cups such as Pumpkin Spice latte and the red winter cups I always got slightly annoyed. People post pictures all over facebook of them holding their cups and how these drinks have made their day. So last week I took the bait and ordered a pumpkin spice latte.

Oh.My.God!

Now I know what I have been missing out on! The drink was delicious and may actually convert me into a coffee drinker after all! It tastes like fall, which just makes me so happy!

Thanks, Starbucks! Now to make my annual pumpkin bread!

Weekend Wrap Up

What an amazing weekend here in Chicago!! The weather was perfect, the sun was shining and it just seemed like everyone was in a good mood!

Friday after work I walked over to my sisters place (still so weird to say/type that!) and we had a little champ and got ready together. Once Neil came over we all headed out to Maude's Liquor Bar for Megan's birthday dinner! Megan's friend, and our good family friend, Jenny met us there as well. The food and drinks at Maude's are INSANE! We did quite a few rounds of food (luckily they were small plates, so we could justify it) and everything was awesome. We had some oysters whice I loved, then a Lyonnaise salad, Shrimp cocktail, fries, Steamed mussels, Cassoulet and the salmon. I really don't think I could pick a favorite because everything tasted so great! The front runner would probably be the Lyonnaise salad. All yum. In addition to the amazing food, Maude's had the best cocktails, ever!! They have something called "Smashes" which are the alcohol of your choice mixed with a bunch of things (I can't remember all they had in them) but according to google a smash is:

The Smash:

2 ounces of spirit
1 teaspoon white sugar, or 1/3rd ounce simple syrup
4 or 5 mint leaves

Combine the ingredients in a shaker tin with crushed ice. Shake, straining the mixture into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with another sprig of mint, and optionally some fruit.

So amazing! After Maude's we went over to a new Champagne bar called RM Champagne Salon and it was awesome! The decor is so cute and has an amazing outdoor seating area! Neil and I are headed back there next weekend too :)

Saturday Neil and I jump started our day by running errands and going to a Deli near us called Manny's, which was so great! A classic New York Deli with great corn beef and matzo ball soup! When we came home I got to cleaning our place and didn't stop for the rest of the day! It felt so good! Nothing I love more than a good cleaning.

Saturday evening my sister stopped by and she and I ended up ordering in and staying in for the night while Neil went out to dinner with his friend Nick. It was a great and relaxing Saturday!

Sunday my friend Caitlin had her bridal shower which was beautiful! It was in Forest Park at Francesca's Fiore. The place was adorable and it was a wonderful afternoon! I can't believe Caitlin and Hunter are getting married in just over a month! That wedding it going to be amazing!!

Words to Live By

'Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.'

Wedding Bonanza!

Now that Neil and I have officially been engaged 12 days, I feel as though I am a wedding planning expert. Scratch that. I have NO IDEA where to start! Though I'm so excited about the whole process and can't wait to get my hands dirty and start organizing and scheduling events, I'm a bit confused/overwhelmed on where to start!

Since we have decided to do a destination wedding, it was super helpful to talk to my friend Annie who is getting married in Key West in a few weeks. She helped talk me through the anxiety I was starting to feel about planning and I know she's going to be so helpful during the planning process!

I keep trying to tell myself to just step back and enjoy this time, but I'm too excited to NOT plan!! In the mean time, Pinterest and other similar sites are helping me get a vision of our big day!

Obvi Neil won't wear his hair like that and hopefully we will look happier...

Happy birthday, car!

I often forget that my car and my sister have the same birthday! So happy 1 year to my wonderful car!!  Though I really don't drive you anymore, I love you just as much as the day I got you!

Happy birthday, Sissy!!!

Yesterday was my sister Megan's birthday and her first birthday as a Chicago resident!! It was such a fun day and I'm so glad we were able to spend it together! After a rough start to the morning (I may have had one or two too many glasses of Sangria the night before) Megan and I met up to get a mani/pedi, which was wonderful! We then went to a restaurant near her place called Cafe Erie. It was so good and adorable! We sat outside by the water and had a long, leisurely lunch! After hanging out at her place for a bit (and eating the birthday cupcakes) we parted ways. In true Salettel fashion, a birthday is not just a day-long activity. We are going to go out tomorrow night for a fun birthday dinner!

Thanks for letting me spend the day with you, Meg! Happy birthday and welcome to Chicago!!

Weekend Wrap Up

Yay!! Fall has Arrived!!! This weekend felt like the kick off to fall and it was beautiful! Friday night, after getting home from California I had every intention of going out and seeing people, but the second I sat down on the couch, I couldn't move! I think the travel, work, jet lag and engagement excitement finally caught up to me and I was fried!

Saturday we had a good ol' college football drinking day! Neil and I started the day by meeting up with George, a friend of mine from Dayton. The three of us stayed at Joe's on Weed for a few hours then headed over to Neil's old apartment and had a drink on the roof top.

We then went to another bar and then ended up at Sedgwick's, a Mizzou bar. That's when I lost steam. I'm so sad at myself for not being able to hang like the old days (or even last year). That being said, the season is just getting started, plenty of Saturday's to redeem myself!

Last night my sister arrived in Chicago for her big move! As I write this, movers are unloading all her things into her new apartment!! So many times yesterday we both kept saying how we can't believe she's actually moving here! This is going to be so much fun! In fact, tonight I'm walking over there after work!

Cheers to Megan!

So Long!

Tomorrow is my last day of a 10 day stint (and ultimately three week trip) to Southern California. While I'll miss the weather, pho, Palm trees and beaches, I am SO READY to go home! Obviously this was the best business trip I've ever been on, getting engaged and all, but there is something to be said about heading back to the city I love so much, oh, and my fiance! :)

Even though I have only been engaged for about 36 hours, I feel like I need to keep this in front of me at all times! I'm already doing so much planning and coordinating in my head!! This is so fun!!

Weekend Wrap Up

What a fun weekend! Neil came to Cali and we went to a few beaches, went up to LA and Beverly Hills, and oh yea, WE GOT ENGAGED!!! It was amazing and perfect and I am so happy!! I'll get to that part first before going into details on the rest of the weekend!

Neil and I went to a beach called Sunset beach to watch the sunset. We had champagne (thank god) and were ready to watch the sun go down when Neil got on his knee and asked me to marry him! I was so surprised and excited and happy! The ring is BEAUTIFUL and the whole thing was perfect. I can't wait to get married to my best friend!! Here's a few pics from the moments after the proposal.

(champagne in the hotel cups)

 

 

Neil and I immediately called our families and we cant wait to celebrate with them all!

 

As for the rest of the weekend, it really was a super fun weekend!! While I worked on Friday Neil drove around and explored the area and then at night we went to Laguna Beach for sushi. Accompanied by Hilary Duff and "Let the Rain Fall Down" we drove around the adorable town and had an amazing dinner. The sushi was so fresh and delicious! We then walked over to the beach to see the alleged blue moon, which didn't seem blue to either of us, but it was still beautiful. We walked down the beach a bit and then headed back down the PCH (amazing views).

 

Saturday we got up and at 'em and drove up to Beverly Hills/LA/Hollywood, etc. We started with breakfast at Urth Cafe (featured on an entourage episode, which was obviously the reason for picking it). The food there is all organic and very good! Also, its across the street from Kitson so I could see where the Kardashian's shop :)

 

 





 

After Urth Cafe we drove around West Hollywood a bit and stopped at Coffee Beanery for a little pick me up. Also, since I always see pics of the "starts" (aka Ashley Tisdale) walking out of the place, I thought we should try it too. It was awesome!

 

 

 

Once we had enough caffeine in us we decided to do a little star stalking, and we drove over to where the Beckham's live. Naturally it was gated and covered by trees, etc, but we did see a Bentley driving down the street and I swear it was David Beckham (Neil thinks it was Kelsey Grammer). Since our views differed so greatly, I'm sure it was Bob Smith, landscaper to the stars.

 

After the Beckham's we drove past the Playboy mansion, again, no views from the road, so we went over to the Cheteau Marmont for a drink. Since this place is ALWAYS in the tabloids we figured we'd see someone! We sat back in the garden/eating area and fully expected to see Tom Cruise, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Hanks and the like. To our surprise we did have a VERY substantial brush in with fame. Richard Lewis walked right past us and smiled/head nodded at me. Take a minute and soak that up. Richard Lewis. That's right. Impressed much? Even though he is HUGE, I'll post a picture of him (obvi, not taken at the Chateau, they have a no camera policy, plus I wouldn't do that to them, I've been around enough celebs to know that bothers them....)

             (He looked just like this only like 50 lbs smaller and a lot pastier... actually, quite sickly)

 

Since we knew we peaked at Richard Lewis we left the Chateau and drove over to Rodeo drive to look around and stop at Villa Blanca to check the scene out! There was no Lisa Vanderpump, Ken or any of the housewives, but I did have a cocktail. Overall, I was actually not really impressed with the place. It seemed a bit run down and needed a cleaning. We also waited a solid 20 minutes to even get the drink and then probably longer to get the check. Though I'm glad I saw it, I wouldn't go back.

 

 

We drove around Beverly Hills for awhile, which was gorgeous!

 

(RIP Whitney)

                                         (My favorite Pho restaurant: 9010 Pho. Awesome!)

 

We then drove to the Santa Monica Pier, which was really cool to see! I didn't really know what to expect here, but they had a cute boardwalk (mostly for families) and a great beach! We walked around here and sat on the beach for awhile to recap the day.

 

 

We then drove through Venice which was actually pretty cool! I didn't realize it was named Venice because it actually resembled Venice, Italy with the canals. They even had Gondola's! We ended up getting some Mexican food there and then heading home after and long but super fun day!!

 

Sunday we went to Balboa Island/Peninsula and Newport Beach. I was obsessed with going here because Arrested Development is supposed to take place around this area so I wanted to see as much as I could! The town was ADORABLE!! The houses were all so cute and well maintained. We walked around Balboa Island for a bit and then took the fairy to Balboa Peninsula and watched some surfers there. It was so cute and the weather was perfect.

 

 

 

We also stopped and got a frozen banana as a shout out to Arrested Development! Though there was no free standing banana, they did have pleanty of banana stands!

 



 

Then we went kayaking in the ocean! The boats around Newport Beach are INSANE. We saw some massive yachts and gorgeous boats. It was so fun to see everything from the water.

 

When we got back we got dressed and ready to head to Sunset beach (which you already read about). After we got engaged, Neil and I just ordered pizza and headed back to the hotel so we could call people and share the good news!

 

Sunday, after about 14 minutes of sleep, I Facetimed with my family for about 4 hours in the morning. Then Neil and I went to Laguna Beach for one last beach day. It was super packed, but we found a spot to sit down and start wedding planning :)

 

I loved this sign. Neil and I joked that by "harassing the Seals" it meant making cat calls at the Sea Lions, etc. You had to be there. Also, we didn't see any Seals here, but we did see a boat load of them at Balboa Island. Literally. There was a boat in between Balboa Island and Peninsula and there were Seal's all over the boat. Some were sunning themselves and others were jumping off the boat into the water and getting back on again. So random and funny.

 

It was an absolutely unreal and amazing weekend that I will never ever forget! Thank you Neil for coming out, driving all the whole time and making this weekend so great! I can't wait to marry you!!