Vacation at home!

(Spicy Salmon Tartare with Avocado relish and Bobs Love Potion (don't ask))

(Carmelized onion tart with tomato salsa and scallops in orange cream sauce with fresh herbs)

Last weekend my husband and I celebrated our 15th anniversary! We had the best time. Usually we go out of town for the weekend, but upon checking, we discovered that all of the hotels we wanted to stay at in California were booked! (go figure!) So, we decided to do something different and spend our vacation in town instead. I have heard of this concept, but have never tried it. So Bob took time off work, just as he would if we went out of town, and we spent the weekend eating at fabulous restaurants, cooking, and going places we don’t usually go to. We both agree that it was our best anniversary yet. I highly recommend taking a vacation in your own hometown.

You can’t beat the benefits:
No travel expenses!
No rental cars
Experience all that your area has to offer and you never knew
Sleep in your own bed at night. (I love my pillow)

To fascilitate in choosing restaurants, we used the eat.shop.phoenix guide. You really must get ahold of one of these books. They are wonderful.

These are some of the yummy restaurants we ate at and would definitely recommend:
Pizzeria Bianco – Phoenix
Barrio Café – Phoenix
House of Tricks – Tempe
Zinc Bistro – Kierland, Scottsdale

Being that we also love to cook, we spent the last half of the weekend heating it up in the kitchen. If you love to cook or would like to expand your culinary horizons, I have attached pictures below of some of the great cookbooks we have in the store. I am a picky buyer of cookbooks, so trust me, these are good!

Look at these new stamps available just in time for your Christmas cards! I love it when you can find the perfect stamp. It completes your package. When you are sending something beautiful on the inside, you want it to look good on the outside as well! So don't forget to pick up these grand stamps.

-M.

Just wanted to show you one of the cute new invites we just got in the store. Of course I have to show them paired with my favorite Caspari napkins. We always have a great selection on hand for all bridal events. But who needs an excuse to have these gorgeous napkins on their table?

-M.

p.s. For update on the money raised for the Nielsons at the BlissFest check here http://http//blissfulliving-domesticbliss.blogspot.com/2008/10/fundraiser-update.html

I love Halloween! It's so much fun to dress up, decorate and enjoy. This day has already started out great. This morning before the store opened, I went to see my niece at her school. They were having all kinds of Halloween festivities, decorating cookies, games, and of course a parade where they can show off their costumes. She was adorable dressed as Alice in Wonderland.

The fun will continue tonight as my neighbors all get together for a potluck dinner. (Have I mentioned how much I love my neighborhood?) Our Halloween potluck has become an annual event which we always look forward to. It started several years ago on Halloween night, when, wanting a little festiveness, I challenged my husband to a pumpkin carving contest. (We still debate over who won) Afterwards, wanting to show off our pumpkin beauties, we set up a table outside with pumpkins, candles, and of course a grand candy bowl to await trick-or-treaters. Upon noticing that we were outside, the neighbors began wandering over, then margaritas started flowing and that was it! We were hooked! Now it is a big event, complete with a candy booth that we set up with all of the combined candy for the trick-or-treaters to enjoy.

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween.

-M.

The BlissFest this past weekend was a huge success! Despite the warm weather, there were tons of people and lots of great fun. There was food, games for the kids, great vendors with loads to sell, and live music. The fundraiser for Christian and Stephanie Nielson went off without a hitch and lots of money was raised to go towards their medical fund. It was wonderful to see the community coming together for them. In addition to the items that were donated for the auction, there were countless hours of time, money and creativity given as well. Our neighborhood (Steph lives on my street) held a caramel apple booth that sold 200 apples! Thanks go to Ellen Dunn and Rhonda Roberson for all of their hard work. I was busy all day running back and forth between our booth and the store, so I have to thank Courtney Everhart for taking this photo for me. (I am going to find out if she has others for you to see)

The festival was the brain child of Kristin at Domestic Bliss . She is always the grand party lady. And let me tell you, her and her husband, Dan, worked so hard to put this on for everyone to enjoy. So, thank you D & K!

-M.

Viva Las Vegas!

I spent the majority of last week in Vegas with my husband. Five days to be exact. Now, I think five days is a long time for anyone in Vegas, but let me tell you, I was ready to get home! It’s taken me five days to recover! My husband went for an annual business convention, and I went for the fun. And fun we had! Of course, after the second night I realized I am just way too old for this. Next year I don’t think I will attend the whole function. A little bit of Vegas goes a long way.

One of my favorite parts of the trip was the getting there and back. We decided to drive, and believe it or not, this was my first time driving to Vegas! (Shameful for any respectable Arizona Native to admit.) I love road trips and I was so excited to document the trip with great photos to share with all of you. Unfortunately I was driving with Speedy Gonzales (yes, that means my husband) and that means no unnecessary stopping. Point A to Point B.

Settling in for the drive, I readied myself to absorb the beautiful landscape. As I watched the desert scenery slipping by, I couldn’t help but think of the many movies filmed in this area. I mean, this is the quintessential southwest! I thought of the good ol’ oater films, and Salma Hayek cruising down the highway in “Fools Rush In” (love that movie), "Vegas Vacation", and I’m not sure if this is true, but I was picturing Forest Gump running down the very road I was on! This was no ordinary road trip! I felt it was an honor to be on this road much traveled!

As we approached Wickenburg, I could not believe I had never been here before! (Again with the shameful) It was a great place! As we sped through town, I attempted to snap photos of the darling downtown. Did I mention who was driving? By the time I had located my camera, taken off the lens, and turned it on, we were already out of town. “We are stopping on the way home for photos!” I demanded. “Sure, hon” was SG’s way of telling me what I wanted to hear, while silently hoping that I would change my mind on the way home.

(My only photo from Wickenburg! But I love it!)

When you are driving somewhere you have never been, you never know what photo opportunity is around the next bend. And, after my experience going through Wickenburg, I decided to keep my camera on my lap and at the ready. I was able to snap a couple pics through the Hoover Dam. They did not turn out so enjoy this photo from terragaleria.com . It shows the magnitude of this great place! “We are going to stop and take the tour of this dam on the way home!” I demanded once again. Speedy just smiled.

All of this to say, that by the end of 5 days, and 4 very long nights, I was the one driving home and of course I didn’t stop either. Once home is in your mind, you just can’t get there fast enough! Sorry for the lack of pics.

-M.

Dinner with Friends

I have known my husband for 18 years now. (Yes, that dates me!) When I met him, he had a large group of friends that he hung out with. Over the years, that large group has dwindled down to about 2 friends (and their spouses) that we see frequently. I feel very fortunate that we have remained friends through all of life’s changes. Most wonderful are the weekends that we spend out of town with these friends. It is a time to get away from every day life, and let our hair down and just be. We don’t have to pretend for these people, they know our ups and downs already. There is so much freedom in that! Most recently, we spent a weekend in California with 2 of our dear friends. I have to say that we didn’t do much! We spent the entire weekend just chillin’, enjoying the weather, laughing, reading, walking, and best of all….eating! Bob made some incredible dinners! These are photos of just one of those remarkable dining experiences! Filet of beef with a gorgonzola sauce, roasted tomatoes and garlic mashed potatoes. Of course wine accompanied every course. We are so spoiled when we are there. Bob starts us off with an appetizer every night, then main course, and if we make it, dessert! I love the way the years have changed each of us, the way we interact, our marriages, and the way we dine! Bon Appetit Bob Dunn!

-M.