golden girl

I've had my eye on this dress for a while, but didn't really think I had an occasion to wear it.  But then I realized that I didn't care because it was so fabulous and I'd come up with some excuse to put it on.  I decided to get a little glammed up for our housewarming party and this dress was the perfect number.  And I realized that my hair is long enough for a fun little updo!  Huzzah!  I hope I find another event (or create one) so I can wear this dress.  I suppose a fancy date could be a good excuse, though we typically go on more laid-back dates.  A couple years ago Dan's birthday had an old hollywood theme, and this dress would've been perfect for that!  I'm sure I'll come up with something, because this dress is too good to be stuck in the back of a closet.

dress/courtesy of modcloth :: shoes/vintage :: coat/ruche :: photos by Dan
Our housewarming party was so fun.  I made stuffed mushrooms, cupcakes, bruschetta and crostinis, baked brie, and punch.  Just talking about the food makes me wish I could materialize it all right now, so good!  I've made that baked brie three times in the past month because it's seriously one of the best things in the world.  And it's so incredibly easy to make.  It's my new go-to party dish.
It was so cool to have our new home packed with great people, and the conversation buzzing from wall to wall.  Our kitchen is big enough now that it's where people gather and talk.  Our last kitchen was so small that it was hard to have more than two people in there.  I've always loved how the kitchen is the room in a house where people just want to stand around and hang out, so it was nice to see that our new kitchen is great for that!
I can't wait to have barbecues this summer.  Even though our backyard is pretty small, it's still going to be so great for having little summer dinner parties and barbecues.  I want to string lights and bunting above our backyard to make it feel special and fun, and plant veggies and herbs so I can cook with my own homegrown produce!  Summer is a long time coming, though, so for now I'll just continue daydreaming.