I’m Marrying a [Brooklyn] Farmer…

I’m not sure what Matt loves more, his rooftop garden, or his fiancée.

Here, the proud farmer stands among his Brooklyn-grown crop.

Beware! Farmer Matt’s ferocious Garden Beast protects the seedlings!

Another Year Older …and My Last as a Single Lady

I love birthdays. They’re a great reason to take a moment and reflect on the year that has passed, and the wonderful things that are to come.

This year’s birthday was particularly special for me. As my last birthday as a SINGLE WOMAN (at least in terms of tax filing status), my first thought was that I should spend the weekend bar hopping and picking up handsome gentlemen. But somewhere than plan went awry and instead my birthday started with a midnight serenade from my favorite Brooklyn band, PigPen, and 200 random strangers…

The next morning, Matt let me sleep in (truly the best present ever), then woke me with a parade of cats (okay, maybe that’s actually the best present ever), coffee in bed, and a wrapped gift– a beautiful gold bracelet– which I haven’t taken off since.

Later that evening, Matt led me on a surprise expedition through Manhattan, first stopping for a leisurely outdoor glass of wine, where we reflected on the best (and worst) moments during my year in the 27 Club, then ending the night with an UNREAL chef’s omakase tasting at Jewel Bako Sushi. [not pictured: me stuffing my face]

Finally, we concluded the weekend with some of my closest friends at Brooklyn Crab, where we didn’t let a little rain get in the way of our CORN HOLE VICTORY.

So the takeaway here? I am one very lucky girl. I have such loving friends, family, cats, and soon-to-be husband to share this life with, and I am so completely excited to see what 28 has in store for me.

Engagement Photos: Brooklyn Edition

Matt and I had some photos taken in our neighborhood the other day with the amazing/talented/charming/hilarious/lovable/incredible Heidi Browne of Forged in the North and we really could not be more excited to have her as part of our wedding. Here are some of our faves from the sesh!

 (all photos by Forged in the North)

He had me at “Sesame Street”

Today is a big day. Why? Because the wedding website that Matt has been slaving over, our HAND DRAWN wedding website, is now officially live (!!). Shameless plug: check it out!

The following story is also included on our wedding site, but I felt it was also a good one to share here. So, here it goes:

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Matt and I had a bit of an unconventional start. Had we not had mutual friends, I’m not sure our relationship would have ever moved past introductions, but I suppose I was always banking on this idea that friends don’t let friends date creeps. Or serial killers. Or guys that insist they can see your apartment from their backyard (did I mention that Matt and I were neighbors?).

Now, I’m not saying that Matt wasn’t a nice guy. But he’s the type that comes on a little, er, strong. Sometimes even bro-like. And I didn’t date bros.

But what I soon realized was that Matt was not a bro at all. He was kind, he at least pretended to be a good listener, and he apparently was an animator or something. I still wasn’t sure I wanted to be involved with this guy, but I hadn’t yet written him off.

In November of 2009, Matt asked me to come to his apartment for the first time, claiming he wanted to “show me something.” I ran through a (short) list in my head of things that he might want to “show” me, before texting him back to ask what exactly I was getting myself into. His response was something about Sesame Street.

When I arrived at Matt’s apartment, he had an episode of Sesame Street queued up on his obnoxiously large projection screen TV. “I knew you were into puppets, so I thought you might want to watch this with me. An animation that I worked on debuted on Sesame Street today!”

At that moment, the world around me melted away, and all I could focus on was this (suddenly very handsome) guy who just told me that he CREATED something for SESAME STREET and knew I would like watching that as KIND OF A FIRST DATE because I liked PUPPETS.

This is and always has been exactly what I love about Matt the most—he just “gets” me. When Matt and I got engaged, my mom told me she always knew he was the one for me, because we shared the same spirit. And I couldn’t agree with her more. He had me at “Sesame Street,” and has kept me ever since.

T-365 and Counting…

I woke up to a very sweet text message from my sister this morning, reminding me that in exactly ONE YEAR from today, Matt and I are getting MARRIED. (Gaaaaaaaaah!!)

Somehow, this milestone makes it feel just that much more real. This thing is REALLY happening. But according to Matt, I still have until our engagement photos to back out. So, at least that is reassuring.

To mark the occasion, Matt and I are en route to Upstate NY, cats in tow, where we have vendor appointments for the next few days. Again, this thing is REALLY happening.

See, look! This is us in a CAR!

But perhaps the best memory from this occasion has been my phone conversation with my dad.

Dad: “So, is thing gonna be formal or casual or what?”
Me: “Somewhere in between. No tuxedos or anything, but I mean, we don’t want anyone showing up in overalls.”
Dad: “So… Are you gonna wear, like, a wedding dress?”
Jordan: “As opposed to….?”
Dad: “Well, I mean, some people, they go up in those hot air balloons and get married up there. Or they wear one of those scuba suits. Ya know.”
Me: “….Yeah, I’ll be wearing a wedding dress.”

Food is Love.

When asked to rank the most important elements of our wedding, Matt and I have always agreed that “food” is pretty far up on that list. Yes, we both really love to eat, but it’s more than just that. For me, food takes on a much more emotional meaning, because “food” is a part of so many of my relationships. Those who know me today may find it hard to believe that I was once a (very) picky eater. My mom will verify that once upon a time, my food pyramid mainly consisted of chicken fingers, pasta (no sauce, just butter and cheese), ice cream, and pizza (but again, with no sauce. I was a bad Italian back then). The turning point for me came in college, when my picky eating habits kept me from participating in social outings and dinners with friends. Perhaps that is why I feel that food is such a critical part of my relationships, because through these relationships, I learned to enjoy food. Today, my meals are filled with memories of the individuals who taught me to enjoy each ingredient, and also of the wonderful times I’ve shared with those special people. In fact, just today, I was eating a meal full of onions, when I was suddenly reminded of my old roommate Sammie, a friend I haven’t seen in years, who taught me that no kitchen is complete without a bag of onions in the cupboard. And the list goes on. Homemade pizza reminds me of my friend Georgia. Buffalo sauce is the liquid equivalent of my friend Kenton. Think of the fattiest most delicious meat you can imagine. That’s my friend Kevin. Pure happiness to me is equal parts pumpkin roll and my mom. My best friend Shelley? I have memories of tasting my first clementine with her at a market in Barcelona. She also got me to try (and LOVE) hummus during a semester in London (side note: i gained a lot of weight that semester). And then there is Matt. So much of our relationship has revolved around food. Together, we cook almost every night. We grow a garden together on our rooftop. We even once ate a LIVE octopus together [see video below]. Matt has taught me that brussel sprouts are not what you thought they were as a kid (surprise: they are unbelievably delicious), that cucumbers taste best when you add a dash of salt, and that spicy is not bad (proof: bloody marys). Food is special. Food is memories. Food is love. disclaimer: I have gotten MUCH better with chopsticks since this video was taken.