grill 'em all

the mister & i took a trip up to new york on saturday, and for a very good reason: his best friend (& best man in our upcoming wedding) was competing on a food network show called food truck wars!! his truck, grill 'em all, is a super totally amazing heavy metal themed burger truck & he made the cut down to the final two trucks in the competition... it was face-off time! naturally, we had to be there to eat 54,643 burgers in his honor. here's a peek at how the day played out:

that's me, waiting for my veggie burger. oh, and did i mention that there were television crews everywhere?! it was funny. that nice camera man kept me company while i waited for my cheese covered treat.

the mister caught me making a funny face as i was about to lay into burger #1. boy was it goooooood.

there he is, the man of the hour! that guy in the blue made my burger possible, bless his soul.

SPOILER ALERT! okay, so here's how the show works: grill 'em all is competing against only one other food truck at this point (a vietnamese banh mi truck) -- all the others have been eliminated. the final challenge was this: each truck had to go to each borough of new york, starting in queens, and make $500 at each stop -- and whoever did that & made it back to the flatiron building in manhattan first won!!

so, in the action shot above, they were packing up the truck in queens & heading for the next stop... brooklyn!

the brooklyn stop turned out to be awesome! loads of people were waiting at the brooklyn brewery in williamsburg for the truck to arrive & once it got there, there was a maaaad rush for a burger. there were some fat & happy people once grill 'em all was through with brooklyn. next was staten island!!

(pictured above: THE BEHEMOTH)

by the time we made our way to staten island, the mister & i were both ready for burger #2. since i am a creature of habit, i got the same thing -- the witte burger. cream cheese, sauteed peppers & onions, sriracha.... yummmm. oh, and since not a whole heck of a lot of people go for the veggie burger, they don't actually serve them. instead, they mash up french fries with loads of cheese & put it on a bun. and let me tell you: that is a-okay with me. also, i stuffed myself full of truffle french fries. because obviously you can never have too many french fries. duh.

the boy however opted for THE BEHEMOTH. what's that, you ask? for starters, the buns are grilled cheese sandwiches. oh YES. then, it's the delicious french-fry-gooey-cheese concoction, with beer soaked onions & smoked cheddar cheese. and if you're not a veg, then you get apple wood smoked bacon too. whoa!

after staten island, the truck ventured on to manhattan for the last leg of the competition, but for these two tired (and stuffed) folks, it was back to philly!

i'm pretty sure i'm totally not allowed to tell you who won, since the show hasn't even aired yet, buuuuut let's just say i am pleased as punch.

shop update: how does your garden grow?

a shop update with pretty floral prints galore, just in time for summer.

abode: beastly beauties

i've been on a bit of a nesting kick recently, looking for some pretty bits to add to the walls, and well, there's always the ubiquitous pillow (although i don't think the boy would appreciate any additions to that collection). i guess i've got animals on the brain, because i sure do love each & every one of these.

chalk it up: 28

well, folks, it's happened... i'm another year older & i couldn't be happier about it. i rang in 28 with some seriously awesome friends, that boy that i like so much, & four reeeeeeally cute pups. i ate loads of delicious food cooked by said boy, received unexpected & beautifully thoughtful gifts from said group of friends, and the kicker? the LOST finale was on my birthday. i know. I KNOW. too good. another day that i count my lucky stars.

let's talk about her, shall we? this is maimer. she belongs to my friend mike. she is a smooshface. pretty uncoordinated, real wrinkly, and man, are those little teeth sharp. puppy breath too. i really love this nerd.

gorgeous flowers from my friends brian & nicole. these pretty ladies have been keeping me company in my studio, brightening my day & making me want to inhale a little deeper with each breath.

totally amazing hammered cuff with itsy bitsy imprinted arrows from la & karen. can you see the arrows? i love that they are a little secret until you look real real close. it's the little things. love love.

CHEESE. i love cheese. probably too much. my really killer friend lia got me 3(!) kinds of cheese for my b-day. we're going to eat these & drink beers in my backyard. i'm excited.*

*i accidentally cheated and already tried the dill havarti. don't tell lia. it was sooo good.

oh, only the most intricately beaded & completely stunning bag ever made. nbd. yet another humblingly incredible gift from my friend nicole. i'll be using this divine little number on my wedding day in (gasp!) a few weeks.

see that perfect little mustard flower pot with the pretty butter yellow petunias, purple bluebird, and dusty miller on the left there? my friend fiona potted those & gave them to me as a b-day gift. i needed one more flowerpot to make my little backyard the perfect little slice of heaven for me and she knew. i didn't tell her. she just knew. why am i so lucky? i dunno. but i am.

also, please note the small pup on the chaise. he is mine. i love him. please also note the hairbrush on the ground next to him. that's his favorite toy. he stole it from me one day as i was brushing my hair & it's been his ever since. it works out well anyway, i think -- he loves it much more than i ever did.

so, basically, to sum up the whole day: best ever. he's not pictured, but you know that boy that i like? he never ceases to amaze me. took me out for yummy vegan dinner & (un-vegan) ice cream the night before my b-day, surprise bought me this print that i love so much, cooked me homemade mac & cheese as well as some criminally delicious lemon bars, and did it all with a smile on his face. and in less than a month, he's stuck with me for good. i win.

shop update: lookin' out my back door

a shop update tonight that appeals to the free spirit in all of us. rustic, bohemian, and just right for summer.

i've got my eye on: prim & proper

i've got my eye on... all things prim & proper.

(and i really wish i would have snagged that old credit sign for myself before it sold! rats.)

stay with me: picnic

a glimpse at some of the newfound pretties that have made their way into my closet recently, compliments of some thrifties in both cincinnati & philly. from the looks of this assortment, i think i'm ready for a picnic.

have a lovely weekend, friends!

shop update: dream weaver

a little shop update tonight with all woven leather styles. some preppy, some ethnic -- a little something for everyone!

in my dreams: fleabags

in my dreams... i would own one of these jawdroppingly gorgeous bags by fleabags.

i found myself in one of my favorite shops in philly, art in the age, the other day, after i saw the violet bag in the window. i had to have it. i was already justifying it as a birthday present for myself when i saw the price tag... let's just say that changed things a tad. but i may just have to start pinching some serious pennies anyway, because i am fairly certain it is destiny for me & one of those bags to be inseparable.

shop update: all the pretty ladies

some ladylike styles added to the shop tonight, with more to come...

very much in love: kris chau

very much in love with... the work of kris chau.

imaginative, lighthearted, & just plain gorgeous, i can't get enough of her paintings. and the cherry on top? i know this super talented lady! kris is just as charming as her art, so go on, treat yourself to something pretty today (i certainly plan to!).

shop update: lace 'em up

a mini shop update over at tree & kimball market with any lace up style that your heart desires!