Update on Etsy sale for Nie Nie

Well, that sale is pratically sold out.  There's 3 items left.  When it was going on, I clicked on a reversible apron to buy as a Christmas gift, but talked myself out of it as it was $43.  A nanosecond later someone scooped it up.  Just out of curiosity, I searched for reversible aprons in Etsy and found an amazing apron with a damask pattern on one side and a solid grey fabric with stitched flowers on the other side.  For only $18 dollars!  I bought it immediately!

From seller DreamState

I'm still going to do something for Nie Nie, that sale was just at too fast of a speed for me!

Buy on Etsy for Nie Nie

I recently found out about this blogger, Stephanie Nielson (aka Nie Nie), who was in a plane crash this August in Arizona. Stephanie suffered burns over 80% of her body and her husband suffered burns over 30%. The flight instructor passed away in the hospital. This story just makes me so sad, especially a blogger who shares her life story in print for everyone to read. Stephanie's sister is posting updates on her own blog, c jane enjoy it, and there is a recovery website too with more information. Today at 10:00 am PST (1:00 pm my time) there is going to be a sale on Etsy where the proceeds will benefit the Nielson's. Check it out, I'm sure the goods will go super fast because their story has spread to and touched so many people. They have even been featured on the Today show and I believe a blurb in People magazine.  I'm definitely gonna buy something and keep up with c jane (Courtney)'s blog as she updates almost daily on their condition and surgeries and whatever else.  Goes to show you how powerful blogging can be to spread the word and help support this amazing family.

Melt Bar and Grilled

Cleveland has cool little neighborhoods surrounding it and one of these is Lakewood. Melt Bar and Grilled opened in 2006 in Lakewood, and after reading rave reviews in the free magazines and Cleveland.com, Danny and I decided to check it out. Who wouldn't want to go to a place that served all different kinds of grilled cheese? Upon walking in the bar/restaurant, I immediately felt like a hipster. The place was packed with ecclectic people and the servers had piercings and wore their own clothes. Having moonlighted as a server myself, I would be overwhelmed by all those people in there but our server was very nonchalant and calm. On the walls they were hawking pretty handmade purses from crafter syrupskin, who has an etsy site. As casual and cool as the place was, the food was on point! I had the special for January, a homemade meatloaf melt sandwich with spicy chipolte ketchup and muenster cheese. Each slice of bread was about an inch thick and I asked to get their vegetable of the day, sugar snap peas with a spicy coconut sauce, instead of fries. Everything was amazing! Leave it to Danny to get the Parmageddon, a potato and cheese perogi sandwich! On the same thick bread was a huge, stuffed perogi with cheddar cheese. Talk about carb overload! They also offer appetizers and desserts including fried twinkies, but there's no way you have room for anything else since the sandwich portions are so big. Today I'm eating the rest of my sandwich and am back to being a dork. At least I was cool for a couple hours last night eating at Melt!

The Office Present Dilemma

Last year was my first Christmas at my work. I didn't know how they worked the present situation on the last day of work before Christmas so I just bought presents for my two female managers. Well my desk filled up pretty quickly with presents from EVERYONE. I felt like an ass because I didn't have presents for all 8 people, but I didn't know and nobody told me. Well it's that time of year again and I'm debating how to do this office present thing cheaply this year. I turned to my favorite site, etsy.com and I came up with two options.


1. Gingerbread Body Lotion - Body Wash - Holiday Gift Set from seller aBreathofFrenchair. $6 x 8 people = $48 + Shipping USPS Flat-Rate box for $8.95 =$56.95

2. 15 hour Votive 3 Pack from seller gabrielsaunt. $12.50 x 3 sets = $37.50 + 6.50 shipping = $44 plus I get an extra candle since there is 9!

Option 2 is clearly cheaper but Option 1 doesn't have to be wrapped since it comes in a gingerbread gift basket. I think the price is still going to persuade me to go for option 2 and I will painstakingly wrap all those tiny votives. That's what Christmas is all about, right?

Blurbs

Every thing I've done lately has been boring. I get bored halfway through typing it. So here's a condensed version:

• Went to an original 50's diner called Annabelle's in Mentor with Danny. The reason I wanted to take him there was they have classic cars in their parking lot and Danny is a car nut. The food at the diner was disapointing and our server was this girl I used to waitress with 3 years ago which was random.

• Went to a baby shower where I was able to give my gift that I had ordered from etsy.com! This was the first time I was excited to give a baby gift because I seem eons away from that point in my life right now and generally don't care about baby stuff. They don't know what they're having so I found this perfect bib and onesey with apples and pears on it in a modern graphic fabric.

• Got inspired to bake! But not really because it was a no bake dessert, Banana Caramel Chocolate Spice Pie. It was a hit, everybody I gave it to loved it! And these people are in the restaurant business and picky! I took it from here.