MOB and Pete are MARRIED!

There's weddings and there's WEDDINGS.

WEDDINGS (in all CAPS) are those super special weddings, the ones that involve people so important to you that you essentially cry their entire wedding day because you're so happy for them.

The WEDDINGS where one of your oldest and dearest everything type of friend gets married, the one where MOB gets married - that's one of those WEDDINGS.

Because it was also one of those type of WEDDINGS is why this post isn't going live until Thursday... there is just so much fun to recap and fun to recover from.

I can go on and on about my MOB, her now husband Peter and how much I love them both but I know what you all really want to see... the pictures.

So behold the photographic proof that Mary is now MARRIED to Pete and that no one was happier, more beautiful or having more fun on September 22, 2012, than the bride.

WEDDINGS!

MOB posing with her hot pretend wedding bouquet + the adorable nephews practicing their "here comes the bride" walk + Muffin, Beaver, MOB, Mistiburr and Foxxy at Pete's parents house for the rehearsal + the bride and groom to be at Communion of Saints Parish (St. Anne's) in Cleveland Heights)

Addison Montgomery and Pichee in like minded states, hint hint + Mistiburr and Tigger looking gorgeous + MOB and her niece Molly + Muffin rockin' the ladies at the table engagement and wedding bling

All the girls stayed at the Inn at Hillbrook all weekend so we were all up bright and early in Chagrin Falls for hair and make-up. MOB and her sister Molly getting ready + MOB with the finished, beautiful product.

Waiting to walk down the aisle, Mary and her maids: MOB, me, Muffin, Caroline, Foxxy, Nicole, Jamie, Molly, Meg and Sarah + MOB and her UD maids, Muffin, Foxxy and me + Mrs. O'Brien and her daughter MOB

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Winchester!!!

The beautiful O'Brien women, Jamie, Caroline, MOB, Mrs. O'Brien and Molly + the groomsmen wedding busing it up + The Foxx siblings, Jim, Foxxy and Pat + leisurely posing of the wedding party

UD besties, even you Doyle! Holler, Foxxy, Beaver, Mistiburr, Muffin + Poo poo, Addison Montgomery, me, Tigger and Pichee

Jesse, CK and Cubby being handsome + the hot couple + Muffin and Addison Montgomery (also a hot couple) + me, Pichee, Mistiburr, Muffin and AM

It's right around here that the wheels started coming off....

Photo booth wedding reception fun! Addison Montgomery, Tigger, Poo Poo, Muffin + AM close up + Mistiburr bird + I promise these turned out awesome

Ladies, all the beautiful ladies + MOB, poo poo and Beaver helping the band out while they were on break. But of course.

WEDDINGS!

One would think that after all of the above debauchery I would sleep all day... wrong. It was Cleveland Browns Sunday and CK, Muffin, Jesse and I all headed to the game in the rain to watch them lose... you'll have that.

Muffin, Jesse, CK and I at the Browns game + CK, Muffin and Jesse taking shelter from the rain/hail + A random Bills fan and timmybennet in a Zubaz off + the Johnson sisters being awesome at Panini's

Party time, excellent.

Do you guys now understand why I didn't get this up till Thursday morning? Yikes, I'm tired just reading it all. I wouldn't change anything for the world though, I live a blessed and full life.

Happy Thursday, kids.

Makeup at work?

Let's talk about makeup for a hot second.

When working out I'm of the mindset that the worse you look when you work out, the better you look when you go out.

When going to actual work, I'm of the mindset that one should look professional and put together but I'm not a big work makeup wearer, or even work heels wearer on a day-to-day basis - unless I have a client meeting.

I'm all fresh faced and fancy free 95% of the time at work. Meaning, the only thing on my face is my moisturizers, yes, plural, I really like to moisturize - but that's another post. 

I've raised the question before on twitter (@clevelandsaplum, if you don't follow me, you should) that sometimes I don't feel like a "real" business woman because I don't rock 3 or 4 inch heels to work on a regular basis.

I'm starting to think recently that the combination of no makeup paired with no heels is making me even less of a "real" business woman - am I coming off lazy because I don't get all dolled up? This is my concern.

Side note: One could have a strong argument that my dear friend Lzone wears enough make up for the both of us combined - ha.

I mean, it really is a special day at the office for me when I even put on a coat of mascara.

Is that weird?

I'm lucky enough to have fairly good skin (ever getting deeper wrinkles not included), obviously I'm naturally beautiful (ha ha ha) and I like saving the makeup for a night out on the town. 

Eye liner is not a required office accessory.

(According to me)

So, people, what's your makeup routine for the office? Yay or Nay?

Happy Wednesday, kids!

Cleveland weekend, plum style

I was a very bad picture taking blogger this weekend, which is very unlike me, so I'm just going to link the crap out of all the fun places I went so you all can do the same on another weekend soon.

Friday:
- Dinner at the always fabulous Spice Kitchen & Bar in my Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood with CK and my Mom and Jackie up from Canton. 
- When at Spice you can never go wrong with their dinner specials, the grilled strip steak, polenta chick pea fries, and pan seared walleye. To imbibe, all of their signature cocktails are phenomenal, but my favorite is the cherry smash, no vodka, add Maker's Mark, naturally. 
- Post dinner the whole family headed to Mahall's 20 Lanes in Lakewood to meet up with lots of friends celebrating Foxx's 32nd birthday. This place continues to make me happy and I love how the word is getting out around town. Spoiler alert, perhaps #HollaDays will end up here in December....

Saturday:
- Errands, errands, errands, and chores. Target, Fitness Edge and yard work, oh my!
- With the big day for MOB and Pete happening this weekend there's lots of last minute items to cross off the list - like picking up my bridesmaid dress from Something White Bridal Boutique. 
- I cooked a great dinner for me and CK made with about 90% of the meal's ingredients coming from my Fresh Fork Market haul - tomato sauce made from fresh plum and heirloom tomatoes? Glorious. 

Sunday:  
- A lazy Sunday for me, cleaning and boring housework all while watching Goodfellas though, so it made it better. 
- A fancy lunch made by CK and his little one made my afternoon.
- A shopping excursion to Crocker Park with MOB and Muffin for some final wedding preparation touches - it's THE WEEK OF MOB!
- Bubbles and vino to celebrate the shopping with MOB and Muffin at 87 West, because we can.
- Oyster Fest at Stone Mad Pub with CK turned into quality time for us with Seanski, Matt, Aunt Beth and friends at XYZ the Tavern which turned into me falling asleep while CK watches Sunday Night Football. a standard Sunday tradition.

This is yet another weekend, like last weekend, where I felt the perfect combination of fun, relaxing and gettin' shit done were accomplished.

I call that a winning weekend.

I have a feeling this upcoming weekend (MOB + Pete wedding extravaganza) is going to be ALL FUN and no relaxing - and I'm ok with that!

Praying this week goes fast.

Happy Monday, kids.

So Delicious for the Paleo Lifestyle

Let's try to lighten things up from my last post, shall we?

Dessert should do that.

I haven't really formally mentioned it on the plum yet, but for the last 7 weeks or so, I've been following The Paleo Diet which long story short means, no wheat, no dairy - sounds hard, but surprisingly it's been a going extremely well.

On a diet or not on a diet, one thing for me doesn't change, I NEED something sweet post dinner before bed. It used to be any kind of ice cream, or a delicious Skinny Cow something or other but the no dairy aspect of my diet puts a big kibosh on that whole treat line.

You may just be thinking to yourself at this point, "Go Soy!", but on Paleo there's no soy allowed... something about it being a bean - so there goes that.

Enter coconut milk, glorious coconut milk, and the So Delicious Dairy Free lines of "ice cream" treats.

Hello, lover.

Oh, hello to you too, sweetie.

Call these Paleo-ish, fine, all I know is that these So Delicious treats are making my new diet lifestyle a bit easier to adjust to. 

The no sugar added vanilla bar is definitely more diet conscious than the chocolate peanut butter swirl,but I save that one for special cravings, ha.

Whether you're rockin' the Paleo lifestyle or not I highly recommend these tasty and addictive treats - and no I'm not getting paid or compensated with product for writing about this brand, I just really really like um!

Happy Friday, kids.

Never forget

A day late and a dollar short? Perhaps, but here's my account.

I didn't know the tragedy that was 9/11/01 until approximately 11:30am that morning, it was the beginning of my senior year at University of Dayton.

I had been awake for about a half an hour watching a cheesy Lifetime movie, which I had fallen asleep to oh so drunkenly during the wee hours of 9/11/01 the night before - that morning I was simply too lazy to get out of bed and change the channel. I had been out celebrating the 21st birthday of my friend Foxx the day before, and had the night before, decided that I was skipping all of my classes the next day.

It wasn't until the house phone land line rang and rang that I finally got out of bed, my whole house still sleeping, to answer the phone and hear the father of one of my roommates talking to me about the tragedy. 

What tragedy I asked?

He told me to turn on the TV.

The second I changed the channel I ran down the stairs of my house (I lived in the attic), waking all of my roommates up.

To this day, I'm still embarrassed by the fact that the bubble that was college, delayed what was going on in the world. Cellphones were around, but not attached to our hip like they are now. The internet was around, but there wasn't wifi and social media for updates.

We were essentially kids who were wrapped up in partying (and bullshit) and while I know that it's not my fault we were sleeping, I can't help but feel guilty about it. 

As if we could have actually done something to stop it all.

But sadly, it is what it is, as it always will be. 

We can only learn from our experiences, cherish our loved ones, take nothing for granted and never, ever, forget.

cleveland browns home opener + ladies who lunch

I had one of those weekends where it was the perfect combination of fun with friends, amazing weather and relaxation. I'll take another one next week, k?

Thursday night brought date night with CK at Velvet Tango Room (drink the Tango Manhattan, trust me) and Momocho. Friday night brought relaxing at CK's with some Aladdin's takeout.

See? Combination nights of going out vs staying in. I'm bipartisan when it comes to my weekends.

Saturday morning I was up and at it early with my Fitness Edge workout and Fresh Fork Market pick up in Tremont because I had a date with some fabulous ladies for lunch.

Muffin, MOB, Beaver, Steph and I had every intention of dining at Bonbon Pastry & Cafe but too long a wait sent us to Bar Cento. I personally had a great meal, but others, cough, seafood chowder, cough, not so much. The service was also very meh, kinda know it all, kinda not so good with actually being attentive and providing good service as much as he was with explaining the process of this or the process of this. Just give me my damn prosecco, k? 

Me and Muffin + MOB, Beaver and Steph = the beautiful ladies who lunch

Post Bar Cento, KAMM (Kara/Beaver + Alexa/Plum + MOB/Mary + Muffin/Megan), walked across the street to spend some quality time together on Market Garden Brewery's back patio. It was awesome out, great cocktails/service and a group of great friends together toasting everything we could think of. We don't need much.

KAMM hand pile, "Gooooooooooo KAMM!" + Beaver and Muffin + Muffin and MOB

Lunch that turns into day drinking that turns into dinner at the Public House with my besties is a win-win in the plum handbook. Going home to my man at a reasonable hour and not having a hangover for Sunday tailgating is also a win-win.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. 

It's football time in America, people. And with the Cleveland Browns season and home opener happening this past Sunday you know I wasn't going to miss it. The Browns are my team, love or hate um, good or bad, win or lose - they are mine, all mine.

I may not love the Cleveland Browns enough to tattoo this gorgeous piece of art on my back, but we can pretend. Yes, I took this picture this past Sunday on my walk to the stadium - he was very proud of it, naturally.

Colleen invited me to attend the game with her, the above pic is the view from our awesome seats in section 104 + my tailgating supplies: Makers Mark flask, carrots and an apple - my diet doesn't stop with tailgating, ha. + Steph and Lindsay + Muffin, Heather, Beth and Erin + Annie, Cara and Katie

Tailgating fun with Cara, Annie, Katie, Colleen, Courtney, Julie and me. A tailgate that involves sunglasses is the best kind of tailgate, well maybe one that ends with a Browns win is better... photo credit: Mark Bennett, natch.

Post game Colleen, her Dad, Jerry, and another fabulous Colleen and I all headed to XYZ the Tavern for some post game grub and an all and all great conclusion to a fabulous Sunday. 

I may or may not have pleasantly fallen asleep on CK while he watched Sunday night football at home. I may love the Browns but I don't really care about any other NFL team unless they are playing the Browns. You'll have that.

And thus concludes a picture perfect weekend in Cleveland. Let's keep on keepin' on, k?

Happy Tuesday, kids.

Taste of the Browns winner + perspective

Congrats to commenter #23, who out of 135 eligible comments(entries), was chosen via random.org to attend Monday night's Taste of the Browns benefit for the Cleveland Foodbank - drum-roll please....

Kimberly from Smitten in CLE!

You're the big winner winner chicken (and all sorts of delicious goodies) dinner!

Sad you didn't win? Well, you can still purchase tickets to my favorite foodie event of the year online here.

Thanks to all who entered, I hope to see some of you on Monday night and GO BROWNS.

And just to remind all you Cleveland Browns fans out there never to take our team for granted - even if we get oh so frustrated on a consistent basis - check out the video below from the last game the Browns played in Municipal Stadium before being moved to Baltimore in 1995.

It could ALWAYS be worse, guys, we couldn't have a team at all.

Have a good weekend, kids.

A long weekend in Toronto for Scott and Davida's wedding

Today is the last day to enter to win a pair of tickets to Taste of the Browns, a benefit for the Cleveland Foodbank next Monday - comment on this post for your chance to win!

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You could say 2012 was the year for weddings for the Kaplanis family with both of my cousins Scott and Melanie getting married within the last few months. 

Melanie's wedding festivities (broken up into part one and part two) occurred this past May in Naples, Florida. And this past long holiday weekend the family got together again and headed up to the warm and fuzzy hat of the USA that is Canada - Toronto to be exact - for my cousin Scott's wedding to the beautiful Davida.

CK, my mom and I all drove up to Toronto on Saturday morning and upon our arrival into the city checked into the Park Hyatt in the Yorkville area of Toronto - our home for the next two nights.

There was no time for relaxing though (but time for a glass of bubbles on the rooftop) because we had to get ready for the pre-wedding party at Bymark. Properly prepping the couple the night before they take their vows with shots of ouzo and cigars is totally normal! For the record we only prepped the groom this way, of course.

Aris arranged for a Cuban Cigar maker (legal in Canada!) from Sleuth & Statesman to set up shop at the party and I smoked my first cigar. It was made special for me right before my eyes and was surprisingly delicious, I'm told it was super mild, which I appreciated. See all the tobacco leaves? Pretty cool. So is my Uncle Nick's extra long stogie, ha.

#whatsissywore rockin' a jumpsuit like a champ + the Marinos ladies! my sissy, mom and me + me and my Thea Eros having a REALLY good time + Jason, sissy and CK being all good looking and stuff

It was also my Thea Eros's birthday - surprise, there's a cake! + The groom, Scott, in some sort of inside joke tshirt + Sissy and Melanie getting the ouzo ready, opa! + Jager bombs? Sure, why not.

I'd say we kicked our first night in Toronto off right. Sunday was Scott and Davida's big day so we needed to rest up... not until after brunch at Flo's Diner and shopping in Yorkville with my Mom, CK, Thea Eros and Uncle Nick though. Shopping in Yorkville turned into Gucci buying and cocktail hour(s) at ONE Restaurant, you'll have that.

The evening was better though because once I stepped onto the grounds of the wedding ceremony and reception venue my breathe was taken away. The venue, Graydon Hall Manor, was amazing! So beautiful, so unique, such a great combination of indoor and outdoor space. Plus, the weather was perfection  - Scott and Davida couldn't have asked for a more glorious day. Don't even get me going on the delicious gourmet meals we were served though, or I'll have to write another whole post.

Let's get to the photos, shall we?

The guests getting ready for the Jewish/Greek ceremony to start, which was beyond touching, educational, and heartfelt + Aris and Marcia walking the groom down the aisle + The Aronovitch family walking the bride down the aisle + Melanie holding her side of the Chuppa

Look at that fountain! I told you this venue was beautiful! + Bob, Melanie, sissy and Jason take one of a photo together + Take two, much better

CK, Melanie, me, sissy and Bob during our continued photo shoot, we just couldn't stop snapping.

We Greek danced! We Jewish danced! We traditionally danced! We did it all while laughing and celebrating, it really was the best.

I don't care how blurry these pictures are from my iPhone, I love them. Now, I've seen Hava Naglia with the chairs, which Scott, Davida and the parents did, but THEN they whipped out a giant sheet and started throwing the bride and groom up on that too. It was amazingly hilarious. That top left blur? Scott. Top right blur? Davida. The bottom is Scott oh so "gently" placing Davida on the sheet. Forget Greek dancing I want every wedding to be Jewish now!

Jason, sissy, Scott, Davida, me and CK - cousins! Don't worry, we can snip Jason and CK off if we need to ;) + CK, me, Kathy and Mary talking Ohio City politics like champs

The band the St Royals provided the music for the evening, they were so talented and fun with a great set list - we danced our asses off passed midnight and my feet still hurt - a sign of a good wedding.

Toronto, as always, provided a great weekend away, such a fabulous city. And I'm so happy for Scott and Davida, but 2013 isn't going to be the same without a Kaplanis wedding! Babies next? ha ha ha ha.

Happy Thursday, kids.