Michele Bachelorette Brunch 2016

We had so much fun during our weekend in Richmond celebrating Michele's bachelorette fun, that I had to separate it into multiple posts. I started counting all the fun things we did, and Friday through Saturday was #1-29: http://theclous.blogspot.com/2016/03/micheles-bachelorette-festivities-2016.html.

On Sunday, I got to sleep in again (very exciting for me, you guys). (#30) When I woke up I saw my wrist and thought- OH MY WHAT IS THAT? It was the bachelorette temporary tattoo from the night before. (#31) Haha. Ash, Angela, and I walked over to Captain Buzzy's Beanery so as not to wake Michele. (#32) Then we walked over to Libby Hill Park to check out the view and drink our coffees, or in Ash's case a dirty dirty chai. She'll never sleep again. (#33) When we came back Michele was up and ready so had group hug time. (#34) It was on the agenda even before we got there because she and Karen were recently passengers in a car accident and got concussions.

Going clockwise from bride: Michele, Tara, Kate, Susan, Angela, Ash, me, 

Hannah, Anne, Kristen, Karen, and Emily

For the highlight of Michele's bachelorette weekend we did the The Jefferson Hotel's Sunday Champagne Brunch. It's a Richmond tradition. (#35) It's an understatement to say I loved it. It's probably responsible for 2 of the 4 pounds I gained while I was in Richmond for 48 hours. Michele had wore a super cute outfit, which Hannah made even cuter with a little veil and boa.  (#36)

Emily, Michele, and Tara

Emily is Michele's sister-in-law and she told us the family tradition of telling fun little stories about the person who is having a big day. It was a great idea and helped us all get to know each other better. It's clear that Michele has super amazing friends (with exceptionally nice hair) and that they all love her like crazy. (#37)

Can we talk about the food for a second? The Sunday Brunch had buffet tables downstairs with breakfast, lunch, and dessert foods. There were: eggs benedict, sausage, bacon, Three Cheese Grits (you had me at grits- #38), Potatoes, french toast, an omelet station, and a waffle station. They also had smoked salmon, shrimp, oysters on the half shell and a bunch of meat dishes including some Indian food flavored pork thing. Obviously I only tried some of these things. Dessert was another story. I had all the desserts- well at least a few bites: chocolate truffle torte, chocolate cake, cheese cakes, tarts , toasted almond torte, pecan bourbon torte, creme brulee, and some mini cupcakes including red devil and peanut butter cupcakes. (#39)

Buffet tables and guest seating on lower level

Music by the Randall Pharr Trio (#40)

In addition to the food, there was bottomless champagne and orange juice which many of us used to create our own mimosas. (#41) Also, Ash I took a billion failed panoramic shots of the table-- this might be directly related to #41. (#42) 

8/12 people

7/12

10/12 and a very distorted Ash, panorama fail.

When brunch was over, Michele had little party gifts for those of us who couldn't come back for the rescheduled shower. (#43) We walked though the beautiful lobby of the hotel where they also do afternoon tea, and then we took some more pictures outside the hotel, because that's how we roll. (#44)

Susan, Kate, Hannah, Michele in the lobby

 

Michele and Kate outside the hotel

We got spoiled on beautiful Richmond on this trip. In addition to going to Libby Hill Park in the morning, Michele, Hannah, Ash, and I went for a walk through Jefferson Park in the afternoon. (#45) Obviously we took more pictures- made impossible and hilarious by high wind conditions. (#46)

Libby Hill Park in the morning

Me, Michele and Ash at Jefferson Park

We went to say goodbye to Arthur, Emily, and Avery before they left to go home. Did I mention how adorable and cute Avery is? (#47) Finally Michele dropped us off at the airport - we had more group hugs- and Michele went off to get her pending manicure from the day before. (#48) Despite the fact that Ash and I got to the airport ridiculously early, we went to charge my phone at another gate and almost missed our flight. But we didn't yay! (#49)

It was a great trip! We had so much fun!! But the BEST PART was that no one got a concussion!!! (#50)

Michele's Bachelorette Festivities 2016

Ash and I went to Richmond to see Michele and celebrate her bachelorette/sort-of-wedding-shower! We had SO much fun I decided to count how many fun things we did (like the birthday fun things game). I reserve the right to edit this post to add more fun things I forgot at the time of writing the post. Also because we had so much fun, I had to break this down into multiple posts! The fun started weeks in advance with Ash has been sending text pictures with signs since we bought our tickets (#1).

FRIDAY
Friday I finally got in on the action sending pictures of James, Miranda, and me wearing Mexican hats (#2) because Michele and Brandon will get married in Mexico in April! Ash and I had drinks at JFK with our hats (#3), and struck up a conversation with some people who offered to take our picture. It turned out that they're moving to Richmond soon so we tried to encourage them to join the Richmond Food Co-op. (#4)

Ash and I bought drinks on the plane and the attendant carded us in all seriousness. (#5) We greeted Michele and Brandon in RIC still wearing the hats.

Me, Michele, and Ash in our Meximond sombreros! (#6)

We went back to Michele and Brandon's and had some wine and cheese while catching up. (#7) Brandon also made us these amazing turmeric drinks. Yum. (#8) They showed us their awesome wedding rings! (#9)

Michi + Brando = Love

Because apparently turmeric is a happiness-inducing spice

SATURDAY
Saturday morning I slept in! (#10) Actually I still woke up first somehow, so I went to the store to buy wine and Girl Scout Cookies. Ash came with me, the walk was pleasant, and the tiny girl scout entrepreneur actually assured us that the thin mints go great with wine. (#11)

Brandon made us fresh scones! (#12) We ate them with honey made by Buddhist monks and wow- you could taste the delicious nirvana in them. Seriously. (#13)

So good this is a picture from my out-of-body scone experience

Michele went to Yoga, Ash went to see her cousin and I met up with Candice, Tim, and Cora. (More on my visit with them later.) (Separate but simultaneous #14)

I arrived at the spa, still super happy from my visit with Candice and as I walked in I remembered that I was scheduled for a couples massage with Ash. Let me just break that down for you a minute, I was already so happy, well-rested, and well-fed only to discover I was scheduled for MORE HAPPINESS. The massage was only my third ever (first was my prenatal one, second one was also with Ash) but it was the best ever. I tried to stay very focused on it and not let my mind wander during it. (#15) Michele and Angela met us there and we all had a group pedi together. (#16) And they gave us wine to sip! (#17)

At the spa getting pedicures

While we got our nails done, Michele had her massage. (#18) (She came back for her manicure Sunday, so she didn't miss out on anything.) There was so much unintentional comedy during the manicure that I laughed so hard I think I pulled some abs. (#19)

Then we met Brandon, Paul, Chris at Amour, the restaurant where Michele and Brandon first met! It's called Amour! Paul gave us very personalized wine recommendations so we loved what we were drinking. (#20) Then the boys headed out for part 1 of a very civilized bachelor celebration. (#21) We spotted them later eating dinner at a restaurant. I really wanted to take cute paparazzi photos of them but I restrained myself.

Ash, Michele, Brandon, Paul, Chris at Amour

KISS KISS- Michele and Brandon

Me and Angela had a lot of bonding time on this trip

We went to visit Emily and Avery at Michele's mom's house. Avery is Michele's niece and she's a little mini-Emily and is the cutest. The cutest. (#22) Michele not only showed us her wedding dress but put it on to model it. So gorgeous!! (#23)

Then we back to the house for out girls' night of pizza and wine! (#24) We also had our Girl Scout Cookies. They deserve their own number. (#25) Ash got us Bachelorette tattoos that said "Bride to Be" for Michele and "Bride's Tribe" for the rest of us, and she helped us apply them because she's the best. (#26) We wore the Mexican hats in honor of Meximond and their upcoming wedding in Mexico and took lots of fun pictures. (#27)

We played Dixit - a very pretty game- and we successfully battled the tricky Susan and Kate team. (#28) Michele also had a dress for some official document signing and she modeled that dress for us as well. (#29)

Cheers to Michi and Brandon's love!

Michele, Karen, and Susan showing their hats and tats

Kate, Angela, and me - more hats and tats

The original three amigas

Me and Michi

Dixit!

Things got really fancy on Sunday...

Richmond Food Cooperative 2012

A month ago, I wrote about Michele's departure from New York to start a food co-op in Richmond. She and her co-op co-founder Susan are hard at work already! The Richmond Food Cooperative has had meetings with the committee heads and an event to meet prospective members.  The co-op has a Facebook page, and now the Richmond Food Cooperative blog up and running! Go check it out!

Time with Friends 2010

Somehow, despite working 100 hours in just over a week, I have still made time for friends. I hope you understand how much I love you all.

I had dinner with some of my closest friends from law school:

I went out with Michele to watch and celebrate her movie for New York Film Race:

Kevin and I had brunch with Christina and her husband Dan (Brooklyn Festival):

Then things got really crazy at work... Kevin's friend Jeff M and Brady visited but I couldn't go out with them. Trey stayed with us for the second time where I was not able to spend any time with him. Though I had a breakfast bagels with all of them before their departures. And the entire weekend that I spent at Ash's place, I spent doing work. But at least we got to hang out and watch at least one Lifetime movie, which we watched in a completely un-ironic way.

What have you done lately to make time for friends or family?

Espirit Red Carpet Opening 2010

This week, in between working a full day, and going back to the office late night, Michele took her friend Susan, her cousin Tatiana, and me to the opening of the Esprit flagship store in Manhattan. It was a semi-fancy affair with a red carpet and free wine and champagne.

Half the people there were related to the fashion industry in some way. And the other half of us, well, not-so-much. The difference was a bit obvious. There were models mixed in the crowd, and a ton of other people who I figured were "somebody" except I don't read fashion magazines or watch the right television shows so I couldn't figure out who they were. Here is an incomplete list for those of you who know about these things or care: Emmy Rossum, Robert Verdi, Erin Lucas, Andy Hilfiger, Amanda Ross, Merideth Melling Burke, Paula Meronek, David Meister, DJ Mia Moretti, and Ryan Kehoe. There were also a bunch of people who seem to be known simply for being all the places famous or rich people go.

I was most impressed by Jennifer Love Hewitt, who was standing on the red carpet when we arrived. Jennifer Love Hewitt! She has lost too much weight and seemed positively waifish (this photo adds 5-10 pounds) but we love her just the same.

Before we left Macy Gray performed a few songs. It was a fun night, and thanks to Michele, so different than what I usually get to do.