Italiana Signorina

the lion king musical

2009-11-08T17:39:00.001-08:00

last week i saw the lion king with some friends in san diego.

this is to show you our amazing seats. yes, we were the 2nd to last row from the very top. take my advice and don't buy the cheapest tickets.

overall i think i've decided that i'm not a musical person. i've seen other musicals before, but i don't enjoy sitting in one spot for three hours watching people sing and dance. i feel i may be the only one who feels like this. it could have been because i was just at the hospital the entire day and my feet were aching, or the fact that i could barely see anything because we were in the nosebleeds. it is a good show though so if you haven't seen it i recommend it.

it's all about the baby part II

2009-11-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

there's still time.

get your copy here.

http://vixmusic.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5719802

halloween bash

2009-11-01T11:19:00.000-08:00

some of the gang

patty's plethora and my sweet candle holders

true or false the best pumpkin you have ever seen?

san diego boat party

2009-10-31T22:18:00.000-07:00

funniest kid to watch dance

pechanga pirate party

2009-10-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

the invites to this party were adorable. we received a box and inside was a bottle filled with sand and sea shells....just like what you would find floating in the ocean (message in a bottle).

me. bree. emily.

prez and sis arnold

seriously by far the coolest costume i have ever seen on the left. he looked like he was pulled out of the pirates movie. and that's no mask he's wearing....miss pinson did his make up!

the pinson family that threw the bash.

patty. bree. brig. me.

patty looked so cute in her costume AND she won best female costume (mainly because of my loud voice)

isn't the cake adorable? patty said it was the best cake she had ever eaten.

the souvenir. the mug says "pinson tavern." too cute.

free people

2009-10-23T13:51:00.000-07:00

i LOVE this free people military ruffle jacket

in the bleak midwinter

2009-10-19T16:33:00.001-07:00

never had i heard this song until victoria. i have to admit that this is now one of my favorite christmas songs. i recorded this song on the second take. it's raw, unedited, and lacking that extra something because.....it will be perfected for the cd!

i'm definitely not the first one in the world to expose my talent, but for some reason this song is different. i normally can't STAND to hear myself like any normal person, but i want to share it because of the feelings that even I GET when i hear the song. when victoria and i recorded "In the Bleak midwinter", i think i can vouch for her that we both felt something powerful. now, i have recorded and sang with victoria since i was 15 or 16. i have sang tons of songs, and with the exception of "Evening Lullaby," I have never been moved by a song like I have with this one.

i'm giving a little sample for all of you who won't buy the cd because you haven't heard any songs. it may be a little early for christmas songs, but i don't think you'll mind.

visit here:

http://vixchristmasmusic.blogspot.com/

it's all about the baby

2009-10-14T15:03:00.000-07:00

check out

http://vixmusic.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=5656868

here you can purchase a christmas cd featuring tons of great artists (one you just might recognize :)

the cd is only $11 and trust me is worth it.

i can't tell you how hard victoria has worked

this lady writes ALL of her songs....let me say that again....ALL of her songs.

Do you know how hard that is?

i find singing all day long extremely exhausting, but imagine sitting at a piano for months writing one song, trying to get the lyrics and melody perfect.

so in need of a christmas present? head over to her website to purchase this dream of victoria's and i promise you, you won't be disappointed.

midori satin ribbon

2009-10-03T14:58:00.000-07:00

i would love this ribbon, if it weren't $64 per roll.

halloween food labels

2009-10-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

'Putrid Pumpkin Pie'

'Catastrophic Caramel Corn'

'Rancid Rootbeer'

i am having the greatest time with this adobe illustrator program. honestly, it's amazing at what this program can do. i took a regular martha stewart halloween label and made it my own. aren't these to die for?!

my new littmann

2009-09-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

look what came in!

this pretty much only applies to those who understand how amazing medical tools are. this is my new littmann stethescope. i have already been putting this thing to good use. take for example this...

everyday i get home i ask to listen to everyone's heart beat. they definitely get a kick out of hearing their own heart. it makes being alive just that much better. can't wait to start using this to hear abnormal beats!

brain cupcakes

2009-09-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

aren't these martha brain cupcakes for halloween to die for? i don't think i could be that creative and think of all those brain names. the only name i could think of to add the mix is....Abby Normal.

destination charm necklace

2009-09-01T20:53:00.000-07:00

my sister's friend came over to our house tonight wearing this...

- PARIS -

urban outfitters also makes this necklace

- VENEZIA -

i think i have to have both.

patty's birthday

2009-08-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

went and did some shopping (bought a pair of jeans i love and were on sale!), ate at macaroni grill for lunch, and had a little pf changs for dinner followed by 'Julie and Julia' to ring in the new b-day year. cute movie and totally made me want to visit france again, and maybe go to cooking school.

bellini glasses

2009-08-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

(photo found here)

aren't these bellini glasses so pretty? these french pretties can be found here and are so cheap!

ice cream social

2009-08-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

how cute are these invites? just having these would make me want to throw a little gelato get-together.

rehearsal dinner in laguna beach

2009-07-14T16:07:00.000-07:00

after the wedding rehearsal at seven degrees, the bridal party headed to k'ya in laguna beach. the view/food/atmosphere was phenomenal. we had a private dinner on the rooftop overlooking the ocean during sunset. of course i could go on about the food, but all i'm going to say is the dark chocolate fondue was out of this world! such a fun evening with the girls!

Samantha and Cameron Creer Wedding

2009-07-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

7-11-09

sam and i have been good friends since we were young. i met cam when they first started dating and it's crazy to know that they have been dating for 7 years, and now they're MARRIED!

sam looked literally amazing. her dress had beautiful pleats in the back.

her very sparkly bouquet

our bouquets

bridesmaids minus one (alex, nicole, britt, katie, me, and cam's sisters)

the wedding ceremony was at 7 degrees in Laguna Beach. it was ranked the best venue or 2009 by 'the knot'

this was where we all stood in a v-formation

right before walking down the isle!

the reception center at 7 degrees. the place looked awesome.

where the bridal party sat. i loved how we weren't one large rectangular table at the front like traditional weddings. instead she had us right in the middle facing each other. round tables were all around the outside.

her delicious cake. it was from Heidelberg Cake Bakery in laguna beach (also ranked best bakery by 'the knot'). the three layers were chocolate with cappuccino, banana with fresh strawberries, and lemon cake.

bridesmaids katie and britt

ad-hoc pineapple upside down cake

2009-07-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

umm....this recipe for the all-american favorite from ad-hoc looks delicious.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

( serves 8 )

Thomas Keller writes: Here is another slightly zany entry from the American tradition, pineapple upside-down cake. I have some affection for canned pineapple for nostalgic reasons, but we use fresh pineapple here for a more elegant dessert. Again, think of this as a general template that you can use for different fruit — apple, blueberries, and the like all work wonderfully. We make what we call a “pan schmear” of butter and brown sugar, top it with the fruit, and pour the cake batter over the top. The recipe makes more schmear than you need, but it is difficult to make less. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator, ready when you want to make another cake, or it can be frozen.

For pan schmear:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon dark rum

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

Kosher salt

1 Gold (extra -sweet) pineapple

For cake:

1 1/3 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle, combine the butter, honey, rum, sugar, and vanilla, and beat until smooth and well blended. Spread 1/3 cup of the schmear over the bottom of a 9-inch silicone cake pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt. (The remaining schmear can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 1 month; bring to room temperature before using.)

Cut top and bottom from pineapple, and cut away peel. Cut pineapple lengthwise into quarters, and cut off core from each section. Cut each piece crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Beginning at the perimeter of the pan, make an overlapping ring of pineapple slices with the curved side facing out. Make a second ring inside the first one, overlapping the slices in the opposite direction, working toward the center of the pan. Reserve any pineapple for another use.

Sift flour and baking powder together; set aside.

Put butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and mix on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating until the first one is incorporated before adding second and scraping down the sides as necessary. Beat in milk. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating just until combined.

Pour batter into pan and spread over pineapple. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate the pan for even browning and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 to 30 minutes.

Run a knife around the edges of the cake, invert onto a serving platter, and serve warm. (Leftover cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

nail salon

2009-07-05T21:58:00.000-07:00

the fourth of july is one of my favorite holidays. while lighting fire-works with the fam, my dad said something that sparked my memory. it was a memory from when i had flown up for my friend emily's and michael's wedding. it's a story that still to this day makes me laugh and i figured i needed to write it down so that i would remember it forever....

it was the day before emily's and michael's wedding in april. after picking up michael's tux, emily, michael, and I went to the local nail salon so emily could get her nails done.

there was absolutely no one in this nail salon....at least we thought. i was sitting down reading people magazine while michael was paying close attention to emily's pedicure when all of a sudden we heard loud shouting from the back rooms. one woman was going nuts....screaming, yelling, you name it at another woman behind the curtains.

the little vietnamese woman doing emily's pedicure said, "I scare foh her". emilie, michael, and I looked at each other in confusion until...

a woman storms out of the back room yelling, "don't EVER come here for a facial! these people are not professional!" and leaves the salon with her embarrassed boyfriend slowly trailing behind her.

a couple minutes after the fiasco, the vietnamese woman working on the crazy lady came out behind the curtains all flustered.

vietnamese lady: "oh my gah. that lady was so wude. i cannot belie her"

"she came in here cuz she hab many peckles, and she say, 'i want to get wid of my peckles' so i tell her 'i can get wid of your peckles but it take mo den one tweatment'. so lata she come back and she say, "i look like MONTAH!"

-at this point i am so confused. i'm sitting there starring at the woman trying to figure out what the heck 'peckles' were and most of all what on earth a 'MONTAH' was-

"so i tewl lady dat it take mo den one tweatment. and i tewl her that she pick her peckles. i can tell dat she picked her peckles. den the lady say, 'i no pick my peckles. are you calling me a liah?' den i say, no lady. but i can tewl dat you pick your peckles. it take mo den one tweatment. it no magic."

after the long, drawn out story, i realized what the lady was saying...

(translation. the woman came into the nail salon to get a chemical peel to get ride of her freckles, but it didn't work so she told the vietnamese lady that she looked like a MONSTER. the esthetician told her that it would take more than one treatment to get rid of the freckles, but the lady had no patience)

sour cherry strudels

2009-07-05T21:52:00.000-07:00

gourmet mag. featured a recipe for sour cherry strudels that looked amazing! now that summer is here, you can find sweet bing cherries at almost every store. i love this recipe because the phyllo dough makes the pastry light and flaky. if you're in a pinch and can't pit all the cherries, williams-sonoma makes an amazing all natural cherry compote.

wedding festivities

2009-07-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

got another wedding this week. bf sam is going to marry cam in laguna this weekend. so much to do before the big day. can't wait for this party!

xooro: spanish fritters

2009-06-20T14:43:00.000-07:00

so happy to find out that there is going to be a location in san diego.

xooro is a company known for their churros (aka premium spanish fritters) that are filled with custards and topped with a bunch of sweet treats.

wake me up when we get to beaver

2009-06-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

while driving home from the grad party, my sister says, "wake me up when we get to beaver". i will never forget these words for as long as i live. beaver? where is beaver? the story begins....

once i finished byu, i had to move out of my apartment and drive all of my things home. this picture just about explains how much stuff i had. my car was literally packed to the brim. my sister and i had a deal that i would drive the first half of the trip, and she would proceed to finish the rest. a couple of hours into the trip my passenger of a sister tells me, "wake me up when we get to beaver". period. that's it. no explanation, just a statement. so i proceed to travel down the I-15 listening to music, everything peaceful, UNTIL.....

i had just made it over a hill to see 2 cops parked on the side. i immediately felt a pit in my stomach. he didn't even have to turn his lights on. me, being the leader of the pack of cars, pulled quickly over to the side, saying something under my breath only to see my sister waking up from a deep slumber. "what's happening? where are we?" she says. "i have no idea, but i'm getting a ticket" i angrily apply. before the cop got out of his car, i had my license and registration already handy. as he was approaching my window, my arm was perched out with documents in hand. "wow, where are you going?" the officer asked.

"ohh, i just graduated from BYU....i'm driving home"

"well i clocked you going 91, and it's a 70 area, but because you just graduated, i'll knock it down 5 mph"

-i paused for a moment with my jaw to the floor because he is writing me a ticket, yet trying to be the nice guy at the same time. this is when my sister nudged me in my side and told me to say thank you for what he had done. and me, gritting my teeth, said thank you.-

"okay go on your way now, drive safe, and happy graduation!"

i hate beaver.

graduate party part due

2009-06-14T22:41:00.000-07:00

grandma, mom, child

who knew nicoli was so good at being a florist. i taught him well.

the party was an absolute blast. gram went WAY overboard. thanks for everything! love you!