Monday, September 19, 2011

Philly Shower!

Yay! Coffee shop bridal shower with all my Philly girls!

Of course, the boys were also hanging out too, they just didn't plan anything. So, they hung out outside the coffee shop (with new baby Conor!) for a while and we just couldn't resist taking a pic of them being indecisive :)

OK, so you can tell that Jen and I started grad school together because she got me this hysterical sleeping mask (which is so true!).

Philly BYOB, or BYOC (champagne!)

This is my "Presents! Yay!" face :)

With my bestie, Lisa, who is my bridesmaid, and who threw me this awesome shower. Yup, I'm spoiled!
A couple weeks before the wedding, Lisa, my bridesmaid, told me to show up at a coffee shop in South Philly. I took the bus down there, and saw this fantastic, colorful, Mexican themed cafe. I had such a great time, seeing everyone. I've known Lisa since I started this whole grad school thing, and we both graduated from the same lab. It was so great to see all my friends and to catch up. And there were even some surprises! I had no idea my friend Melissa would make the trek from Baltimore to come hang out, and my friend Danee had just had little Conor about a month beforehand. The boys took baby Conor (I think to his first bar - sorry Danee!) and we all hung out, drank champagne, and chatted for a while. I had the best time! Thanks so much, Lisa! You're awesome!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

A word on California

While a lot of our guests are coming from the great state of California to the wedding, we do have quite a few out of town guests. I wanted to give you an idea of what to expect, and some suggestions on things to bring. Ventura County can have cool nights and warm days, making it a lovely vacation destination. However that breeze coming off the ocean can sometimes be downright chilly, so I'd suggest bringing something warm, like a fleece and some pants for the evenings you might be outside. And, contrary to popular belief, the ocean off the coast of California is not that warm. The water will likely be in the low to mid 60s, which can be quite chilly! The good news is that there's a pool at the Pierpont that's lovely and heated. There are also lots of places to learn to surf, paddleboard, etc very near the Inn, so if you're feeling adventurous, definitely talk to the front desk when you check in. They'll be able to help you out with anything you might want to know. The Pierpont is literally a bock from the beach, definitely walking distance to a lovely state beach, with a pier, a nice walking / biking path, and even some kid's equipment to play on. There's no need to pay to hang out on the beach (as in New Jersey!), but there are some places that charge a few dollars for parking. Altogether, Alex and I had a lovely time in Ventura and we hope you do too!