Happy 1st Birthday Hayden

The oh-so-adorable Hayden Sophie turns one this weekend! I can’t believe how many things have happened in the last 12 months, and how fast it has all flown by.



Freya and Jason invited us to attend Hayden’s birthday party in NJ which was held earlier this month. Luckily we already had plans to be up north that weekend, so we were able to attend the party and see some college friends. (Very thoughtful of them to accommodate our travel schedule, don’t you think?)


you saw this adorable sign upon entering the party

yummy cookies and chocolate lillipops

There was a musician for the kids and an ice cream sundae station for the not-always-so-grown-ups. Freya and her mother made ALL of the decorations themselves- move over Martha Stewart! Can you believe all this work?! Amazing.

Lainee, Freya and the birthday girl. It was great to see Lainee and Danny.

...Happy Birthday Dear Hayden, Happy Birthday To You!

Hayley's Bridal Shower Weekend

This weekend we were up north for Hayley’s Bridal Shower Weekend. There are just 11 weeks to go until Hayley and Shawn’s big day!!




On Saturday afternoon David went to NYC for lunch with his brother at Joe's Shanghai, their favorite dumpling restaurant in NYC while I relaxed at Hayley’s parents beautiful home in Westhampton Beach, NY



Hayley takes Indy for a dip in the pool


chillaxin with Jodi


Mel and Russ

It was a gorgeous sunny day and such a treat to spend time with both Hay and Jodi.




Hayley’s parents, fiancé Shawn, newlyweds Mel and Russ, and Hayley’s good friend Alana joined us for an afternoon by the pool. There were jet-skis, a delicious lunch and dinner outside and a cozy bonfire that evening.


even the sunsets in the Hamptons are beautiful!


Hayley and some of her bridesmaids


the bride-and-groom-to-be





On Sunday morning we went to Hayley’s bridal shower at Old Westbury Golf & Country Club. Hosted by Shawn’s mother, aunt and sister- it was an absolutely beautiful (and happy!) afternoon.


mom and me


mother of the bride-to-be and mother of the matron of honor


gorgeous tables

I got to spend some time with my mom and a bunch of familiar Dix Hills faces I haven’t seen in a while. Hay did a great job with answering questions during the “newlywed game” and was a great sport. I also have to compliment Jodi on her ribbon hat-making skills and Carolyn for her present unwrapping and expediting work. It was quite the workout!




Newlywed Game


opening gifts (aka bridesmaid sweatshop hour)


At the end of the afternoon, Shawn brought Hayley a bouquet of beautiful roses.


Thanking everyone for coming.

Then it was back to Jersey to pick up David and on towards home in Maryland. With a short pit-stop at our favorite South Jersey WaWa, we made it home with very little traffic or drama. Ever try to avoid even thinking about how lucky you are doing with traffic because you don’t want to jinx it by even thinking it?

It was a long but fantastic weekend- and a true collaborative effort. Thanks to my mom for all of your help throughout the last few weeks, to Fran and Dov for keeping the hours flexible and the rates at Hotel Ehrlich so low (ha!), to Esther and Rob for hosting us on Saturday, to Sandy and Alana for hosting us on Sunday, to Jodi for being such a kick-ass partner in crime and to Allison, Alana G, Alana R, Carolyn and Mel for being such a great (and patient) wedding party.

See you in Vegas, baby!

Ehrlich BBQ Extravaganza 2008

This weekend we headed up to New Jersey for David’s parents’ annual summer BBQ. The BBQ is a weekend we look forward to each year, and this year’s did not disappoint.


the moms and me





chefs for the day




Fran and Dov must have been preparing for days- there was so much food! When we arrived Friday night, Dov was already working on his corned beef. On Saturday morning, David and Dov started working on the two smoked salmons. Once people started arriving, they also made chicken wings, hot dogs and lamb steaks, grilled veggies, kosher sausages and TONS more!









David and I had not seen a lot of these people since the wedding, so it was great to catch up a bit in a less formal setting (and more comfortable shoes).




Daddy's girl




With the Grandparents

Always a great afternoon, there were a ton of friends and family, the weather was beautiful, the food was delicious-- we had a fantastic time!

Recipe of the Month: Pan-seared tuna with soy, ginger, and lime

Inspired by Tyler Florence and the great weather we had this weekend, David and I enjoyed a delicious dinner of Pan-Seared Tuna with soy, ginger, and lime.

(I love dining al fresco, but August is mosquito season, so if you are going to dine outdoors- remember to light a citronella candle or spray yourself with a little OFF ahead of time. It will make your meal that much more enjoyable.)



First, you will need:

1 small mixing bowl/ work bowl
1 handful of fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
½ jalapeno, sliced (or you can use about 10 dashes of Tabasco)
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch sugar (or Splenda)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 (6-ounce) block sushi-quality tuna steaks
**you may also like this recipe with 1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, pitted, and sliced**



Once you are ready to cook:

In a mixing bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Stir the ingredients together until well incorporated.

Season the tuna generously with salt and pepper.

Place a grill-pan or skillet over medium-high heat and coat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

I like my tuna on the rare side, so I lay the tuna in the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side to form a slight crust. Feel free to cook for longer if you like a more well-done tuna steak.

Pour ½ of the cilantro mixture into the pan to coat the fish.

Serve the seared tuna and the remaining cilantro sauce drizzled over the whole plate (topped with the sliced avocado if you like).



A great way to end a light summer meal is with a cheese course for dessert. We accompanied ours with a delicious 1998 Château Doisy-Védrines Sauterne. Quite a yummy night!



This recipe is easy, light and fresh. I hope you give it a try this August!

It's almost Brooke's big day!

It’s almost here!! My dear friends from college, Brooke and Brian are getting married in just 33 days. As you might expect, the past few weeks have been filled with bouquets, menus, place cards, invitations, bridal showers and of course- respective bachelor and bachelorette weekends.
I attended Brooke’s gorgeous shower in New Jersey last month and her bachelorette bash in DC this past weekend. I waited a little while to combine these two events into one recap, my apologies for the delay.





Brooke’s shower was held at Fiddleheads Restaurant in Jamesburg, New Jersey. It was great to meet her family and see how excited they are getting for the big day!

Maid of Honor Extraordinaire Stephanie did an amazing job organizing games, coordinating the invitations and decorations, and keeping the party lively.


Brooke, Michele and Stephanie


Brooke’s bachelorette party in DC started off with relaxing pedicures at Red Door day spa in Chevy Chase before checking into our gorgeous suite at the Donovan House hotel near Thomas Circle. One of the Thompson Hotel’s newest boutique hotels, it was named for Wild Bill Donovan, the legendary general whose covert operations gave birth to the CIA.


I feel pretty.....


The Donovan House gets it simple, chic and modern feel from its stylish solid colors, clean architectural design and materials. The hotel features a rooftop pool and bar, modern looking rooms with cocoon spiral showers, leather wrap-around beds, minibar items from Dean & Deluca, bath products by Kiehl's, flat screen TVs, iPod docking station alarm clocks and tons more. Chef Todd English will soon open a restaurant on the premises soon.

The rooftop pool was great until Mother Nature decided to change our plans a bit. We camped out under an awning until the rain stopped, and our patience was rewarded with a pretty rainbow across the DC skyline.


waiting out the rain


For dinner, we went to Zengo in Chinatown. The menu features a blend of Spanish, Latin and Asian flavors in a style meant for sharing. Zengo translates to “give & take” and plays in nicely with Chef Richard Sandoval's Latin heritage and passion for Asian cuisine. His melding of flavors and cultures results in intriguing shareable and delicious dishes. Located right next to the Gallery Place/ Chinatown metro stop, it is easy to get to and worth a try.





After dinner, we changed into our “Team Bride” tank tops. On the back, Brooke's shirt said "It's my day, Bi*ches!"




Then we went to Co Co Sala for drinks and dessert. This new lounge and restaurant in Penn Quarter is devoted to chocolate, coffee and cocktails. All things I love! This is DC’s first foray into the world of dessert tasting menus (complete with wine and cocktail pairings) and I think it will do very well. The place was packed all night!




Although it was a little loud (and I realize that I am officially getting old by saying this) but the tunes were good and the atmosphere was festive. Make sure you have a reservation.



After a night on the town, we settled into our room with a classic movie, The Princess Bride. Aaaaaas youuuuu wiiiiiish!

Sunday morning was a ton of fun- we went to Perry’s Restaurant in Adams Morgan.



During the week, Perry’s features sushi and contemporary Asian cuisine, but on Sunday mornings it hosts the most fun drag show brunch in town!


I swear I am wearing clothes


The buffet brunch features lip synching drag queens (bring some singles for tips) and does not take reservations, so get there early. Seating begins at 10:30 for the 11 AM show and noon for the 12:30 show.


Yep, this is a man! Amazing!

There is plenty of time to eat before the show begins. This is not a place for the prude, but it's all very light and fun.




Afterwards, we headed back to the Donovan House for poolside champagne and cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake. What a perfectly delicious and indulgent way to end a great weekend!





I have to send a huge thanks to Stephanie for planning two fantastic weekends for Brooke- I don’t know how you do it. Can’t wait for the Big Day!!!!