Signature Cocktails: Rhubarb-Strawberry Champagne Cocktail

Puree all ingredients except lime. Reduce liquid to 1/2 over heat. Add lime juice. Mix can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Can also be frozen. In a glass, pour a bit of the rhubarb mix, a splash of cointreau, and top with champagne. Garnish with strawberry.

The Questions Never End ...

The annoying questions that other people ask you throughout your adult life are, well... annoying. Once you reach, say, the age of 23 or so (or younger if you don't attend college) people start with the annoying questions about your life plans. The questions usually run in stages; according to the different stages of your life. We have all heard them, and I think women get them a lot more than men do. But men, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

QUESTION #1: So, when are you getting married? 

Ummm, I don't know. Why don't you let me find a boyfriend that I actually LIKE first and who wants to marry me. More importantly, let me actually be involved in a relationship for awhile with a guy who ISN'T totally freaked out by the...

Top 11 Things I Love About my Husband ...

Today; October 27th, is my first Wedding Anniversary.

Well, by the time this blog is published, it will no longer be my Anniversary. But right now, as I write this, it is. Today at this same time, we were cutting into our wedding cake while a Harry Connick Jr. song played in the background and our friends and family looked on. The first year of my marriage has gone by super fast. It feels like a few months, rather than a whole year. So on this day; I want to dedicate my blog to my wonderful husband; and tell him some of the many reasons that I love him. And although there are hundreds and hundreds of reasons; this list goes to eleven.

The TOP 11 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY HUSBAND:

1. His shoulders and chest make for a great, cheap...

The Perfect Proposal #7: Back From Iraq

If you thought getting back from Iraq safe and sound is a blessing on its own, throw in a ring and a wedding proposal. Here's how one woman handled it!

Something Old, Something New...

We all know the saying: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Each item in this poem represents a good luck token for the bride if she carries them on her weddng day. The Something Old represents the continuance of the bride's past, the Something New means hope for the bride's future, the Something Borrowed is an item from a happily married friend/family member whose good luck in marriage is carried over to the bride, and the Something Blue symbolizes love and fidelity.

Here are some ideas you can use for your wedding:

Something Old:

Something New:

Something Borrowed:

I Have a Proposal for You ...

The Proposal. It seems like such a formal word for something that is so personal, doesn't it? A Proposal sounds like some sort of business transaction between two corporatations, rather than the beginning of a lifelong commitment to a new life together.

There are so many "stereotypical" proposals that we always hear about. The classic baseball game proposal where the question is posted on the giant screen for all the crowd to see. To me; if I were a guy, that would be way too stressful. How can you enjoy the game? You have to constantly look at that screen, waiting for the 2 second message to appear. And you have to make damn sure that SHE sees the message too. What if she goes to the ladies room for the 10th time? What if she just...

What If?

So weddings are all fun, fabulous, and momentous occasions we want to remember fondly for a lifetime. No one ever wants to talk about the “what if.” Shhh…don’t tell anyone, but I actually want to talk (or whisper) about the “what if.” In an attempt to learn something from tragedy, let’s pause from the fun (if only for a second) and prepare for the unknown.

Much of California burns today and many landmarks have been, and threaten to be, destroyed. From the Castle in Malibu to Southern California churches and homes, many no longer exist. What if your wedding was set for this weekend? What if? Of course we hope this never happens to you; and hope that no events are affected by these fires (or any other for that matter), but...

Confession of the Day

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Victoria and Earl's Wedding Blog - "My Bachelorette Night!"

My Bachelorette Night

Although I had two bachelorette parties, one with the Bears - my fave group of guys of which I'm one *teehee* - and one with my true blue girls, I'll blog about the bachelorette night with my girls.

One Friday after work, my matron of honor, Maxine, one of my wedding coordinators, Isis, and one of my bridesmaids, Robin, bum rushed me at my job and picked me up to begin the festivities on a rainy night in New York City. Before leaving, they bestowed upon me a silver tiara, a black feather boa and a custom made pink tee shirt that proclaimed "Queen Victoria" across the front. After they presented me with my Good Girl / Bad Girl wand, we were off!

Knowing that I've never responded well to strippers or...

Signature Cocktails: Chocolate Martini

8 oz. Absolut Vanilla

8 oz. Kahlua

4 oz. light creme

Chocolate shavings for garnish

Raw sugar for the rims

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, mix the Absolut, Kahlua, and creme until frothy. To sugar rims of glasses, pour the sugar into a shallow dish, wet the rims and dip into the sugar coating evenly. Strain the Absolut, Kahlua, and creme into glasses and serve.

It’s a wedding after all, so who doesn’t want to indulge in a bit of delectable, rich, chocolate while at the same time having a cocktail? This sweet libation is the perfect way to have your guests indulge in dessert before the meal! Try serving them during cocktails, but also after dinner to replace the costly...