New House, New House, New House!

Hello? Is anyone even out there? Considering it’s been weeks since I last popped in, I wouldn't blame you if you all jumped ship.

I personally hate reading blogs where the author just talks about how busy she is all of the time, but… that’s where I am right now. Between the wedding and the house, my to-do list is approximately one million items long (and color-coded, if you must know how crazy I really am), and unfortunately the ole’ blog is suffering because of it. But I do promise that when we are finally moved in – which should happen, oh, about TWO WEEKS before the wedding – I will give you all a FULL, DETAILED, GRAND PLAY BY PLAY on everything. I have grand plans for posts on every single solitary detail of the wedding, don’t you worry :)

In the meantime we can talk about the house for a little bit!

I CAN’T WAIT to blog about all the “before’s and after’s” about all the construction we are doing in our new house. It is SO exciting to see all the new things we’ve picked out finally going in! This whole process is an excellent lesson in patience for someone like me, who likes for things to be done IMMEDIATELY ASAP AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE. For the first month of renovations, I couldn’t see any differences from day to day and it was driving me crazy. I kept calling it “the boring stuff” and I think my contractor (who is EXCELLENT by the way, if you live in Los Angeles PLEASE email me and I will refer him!) was going to kill me. He explained over and over that what I called “the boring stuff” was actually the most important – laying the right foundation, sanding and priming each surface carefully, installing recessed lighting before painting, doing it all the right way the first time, etc etc. Obviously I knew that, but it didn’t mean I didn’t have the occasional whine fest :)

Now, a month and a half in, the exciting stuff is finally starting to happen! Our kitchen cabinets and countertops are in - that was crazy. Can't wait to show off pics. I picked white and glass cabinets with chrome hardware, a gorgeous white flecked Caesarstone for the counters and the island, and the most beautiful kitchen backsplash EVER which has yet to be installed or I would be showing pics right now :( Here's a little sneak peek!

We picked appliances! That was a fun three hour excursion to Lowe's, my new favorite place and one that I frequent at least twice a week now #homeownerproblems. We will have a French-door refrigerator, which I am particularly excited about - Ramz is not on board with it quite yet ("Why is the freezer on the bottom?!") but I know he'll come around once it's stocked with hummus and beer :) 

I hate beige. I think it is the most boring non-color of all time. I don't want anything in our new house to be beige. I painted the entire house a nice, creamy white - Dunn Edwards "Droplets" - and the whole house looks completely different already! The outside of the house was beige and is currently being painted a pale grey, which looks great with our door, which is a beautiful bright red! I ordered new house numbers (these to be exact) and new outdoor lanterns (these to be exact) and can't wait for them to be installed :) Now to find a fabulous snazzy doormat... any suggestions?

One of the most exciting things we've done lately? We bought a couch!!!!! I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for a new couch for AGES. When I moved into my first apartment after graduating college, my parents bought me a couch that I loved at the time. Seven years later (and one ENTHUSIASTIC RUNNING LEAP TO SEE THE MAD MEN PREMIERE by my darling fiance that broke the springs on the entire left side), that couch had seen its LAST DAYS. We took it apart and left it by the dumpster when we moved and I couldn't have been happier to see it go. In the new house we will have a beautiful new sectional from Crate & Barrel! I picked out a beautiful tweedy grey fabric and in 10-12 weeks we will be sitting pretty on that baby watching TV and keeping all food and drinks far, far away from it :)

WHEW! This post was kind of like word-vomit. I think I had to get it all out. I am SO excited and so overwhelmed I think I'm going crazy. THIRTY SEVEN DAYS TIL OUR WEDDING and our contractor promises we'll be in the house in less than two weeks. SEND PRAYERS FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!

Twenty Nine, Damn Fine

So I turned 29 last week. Unlike in past years, where I made The World's Biggest Deal about my birthday and celebrated for weeks on end, this one was fairly low key. In fact, I think it's safe to say this was my quietest birthday EVER.

Maybe it's the fact that in between doing things for the house and the wedding I still barely have time to breathe, let alone plan anything crazy. Orrrrr maybe it's the fact that (speaking of the wedding), in less than two months I will be having a GINORMOUS bash with literally everyone I've ever said hello to in my life. Or maybe I'm just growing up?!

Nah :) I may be getting older (just realized this was my last birthday with a "2" in front of my age - AHHHH) but I'm not a grownup yet. And I did still manage to have some fun birthday celebrations!

Over the long weekend (my birthday ALWAYS falls on Labor Day Weekend), my sis and her fiance came into town. Friday night we took them to the comedy show where we got engaged, since they had never seen it, and then we had dinner at Republique, which was delicious and the first of MANY birthday dinners to come :) #silvermansisters #goodhairdays

The next night, my mom, Bay, and JM all had a rehearsal dinner to go to (more on that in a sec), so my darling husband-to-be took me out to my favorite restaurant, Animal, for dinner. Just the two of us and some pork belly sandwiches - what more could a girl want for her last night of being 28!?

When we came home that night, we all hung out on the couch waiting for the clock to turn midnight... and when it did, Bailey brought out a fabulous surprise... this amazing funfetti sprinkle cake from my AMAZING WEDDING PLANNERS!!!! It was delivered earlier that day but saved for midnight. When I opened the box I almost died. What a fantastic surprise!!!!

The next morning, I woke up to a Starbucks in bed, courtesy of Ram :) and then headed out to Drybar for a little hair pampering with my mama....

... Since later that day, it was time for our dear friend's wedding! Funny story: this was the wedding of the son of one of Rami's best family friends... who married the daughter of one of our best family friends, at the same hotel we are going to get married at next month!!! So basically every single person we've ever met was there, and both our siblings were in the wedding party... my sister walked down the aisle with Rami's brother as bridesmaid and groomsmen!

I was bored with everything in my closet so I rented a dress from Rent The Runway - it was my first time trying it out and I was a little nervous but ended up loving the dress! It was a black Badgley Mischka one-shouldered gown and so comfortable. My only issue was it was a bit big on top so when I started dancing, you could see my bra. Oops. Oh well. I wish I had a full length pic so you could see but this one will have to do!

I love this collage ... on top, me and some of my oldest friends of more than 25 years... on bottom, my siblings - both sides!!!

More pics I love: my amazing family - how glam does my mama look!?

Things got a little crazy in the photobooth....

The wedding was absolutely beautiful and it was so fun dancing the night away with all our family and friends. It made me SO excited for our own wedding - which is seven weeks away BUT WHO'S COUNTING HAHA OH GOD.

A few days ago, I walked into SoulCycle and was greeted with this fun little surprise - my SC friend's birthday was the day after mine and we celebrated during class and afterwards with a fun group dinner! Have I mentioned lately how much I love Soul? Cuz I do.

And just yesterday birthday celebrations officially concluded with a special dinner date at the new Mastro's Ocean Club that just opened in Malibu - Rami went there with his parents when I was in Israel and KNEW he had to take me. It was delicious and quite the scene... but the absolute best part, besides being taken out on the town by my man, was this ridiculous dessert. Butter cake anyone?!?!

So that's how I rang in 29! So far it feels damn fine :) Thank you to everyone who called and texted and emailed and Facebook. It totally made my day! Here's to an amazing year ahead!