Tea for Twenty

About a week ago, I got to help celebrate my best friend Julie by attending her tea party bridal shower.  It was so appropriately themed considering she has lived in England, home to all things tea party.  We were even asked to wear a tea hat, or fascinator as the Brits call it.  Her Maid of Honor Christina did a FANTASTIC job of decorating her parents home for the shower and it really felt like we had stepped into an English tea room in Newcastle.  Minus the 90 degree weather.  :)

It was so fun to celebrate Julie and her soon to come July wedding to Mr. Kevin Connolly.  Josh and I can't wait to attend.

Here are some pictures from the day.

Christina's Mom made ALL the food!

Me and the beautiful bride!

The bride and her bridesmaids

WINNERS! of the bride dress toliet paper challenge!

I'm SOOOO excited for the wedding AND the bachelorette party coming up in Vegas in a few weeks!

STILL Fascinated!

Yep, I'll admit it.  I'm STILL extremely obsessed fascinated by all the wedding shenanigans.  I KEEP watching the tv specials.  I KEEP reading the articles online.  And I KEEP looking at fascinators when I walk through Eldon Square.  Someone get me out of the UK before I do something crazy like buy a fascinator or try to crash a Royal Wedding so I can wear one!  Just Kidding!  Actually, not really. 

Speaking of leaving the UK, three weeks from today, Josh and I will be flying out of Newcastle bound for the western shores of California!  I can't believe we are almost done living in England and more importantly, Josh is less than two weeks away from being done with year 1 of medical school.  Crazy!  I am going to miss our flat and our little town of Jesmond, I'll miss walking through Jesmond Dene, but most importantly, I'll miss my BFF Julie.  She has made this term in Newcastle so amazing for me. 

We have become such close friends especially considering that until last November, we were total strangers.  It seems like most days some days, we spend more time with each other than we do with our significant others, which explains why our friendship has grown so much.  I seriously don't know what I will do without her once we get to Grenada in June.  Luckily, she and Kevin will be meeting up with us again in January 2012 in Grenada!  And if this year is any indication of how quickly our time in Grenada will fly by, then it won't seem like long before they are there too.

Anyway, back to fascinating fascinators.  Julie and I had a girl's day on the town today.  We had lunch in Jesmond at a quaint little cafe. After, we headed into city center for some errands and then a movie at The Gate.  We saw Water for Elephants.  It was great and I would definitely recommend it to everyone.  I read the book which I think is a MUST before seeing the movie, but if you aren't really into reading, the movie is still worth seeing.  While we were out shopping running errands, we tried on some fun fascinators at T K Maxx.  Yes, it's T K Maxx, like T J Maxx.  I don't know why they switch out the "J" for the "K" here but then again, I don't understand why they do a lot of the things they do here.  We had lots of fun putting on the different ones. 

I shoulda bought it!

Notice the "TK Maxx" sign in the background.

I think I really NEED to have one of these.  What do you think?   A girl's necessity?!?

Fascinated by Fascinators..And All Things Royal

I have been so obsessed with the Royal Wedding these last few weeks. 
Maybe it's because I LOVE fairy tales and this is a real life one. 
Maybe it's because my wedding was only a mere 10 months ago and so weddings are fresh in my mind.  Maybe it's because I currently live in England and so I feel so much more connected to it all then I would living anywhere else in the world. 
Or, maybe it's all of the above. 
Whatever the case may be, I have been completely and totally fascinated with all things royal.

I have watched all the documentaries, specials, and Lifetime movies about Prince William and Kate.  And yesterday, I barely took my eyes off of the television all day.  I went out and bought UK newspapers yesterday and today, and I have read so many articles online about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as well as the Royal family that I could practically write a biography on them.

My poor poor husband just can't understand my obsession.  I think he thinks it is bordering on crazy.  Buuuut that's okay with me, there are worse things to be addicted to.  And how can you not be anything but captivated by this family and their legacy?

I know we can't and won't ever have a King and Queen of America (though that might be a lot of fun), but can we please, please, PLEASE start wearing fascinators to weddings!!!   Julie and I almost bought one at Eldon Square to wear to my tea party, but they were expensive and I think Josh might have killed me.  I don't think I saw one person at the Royal Wedding not wearing a hat or a fascinator and now I know why.  It's part of the Royal Wedding dress code that all females wear a headpiece of some sort.  These were some of my favorites of the day.



Ahhh the Beckhams....FAB-U-LOUS



The blue fascinator is to die for!

But as with most things, there has to be a worst list.  And I think Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie absolutely take the cake.  I read online somewhere that one person thought Princess Beatrice's fascinator "looked like she had an octopus on her head."  I think they got it spot on.  Who is her stylist?  It's terrible.

Who wants to start a "Let's Get Fascinators in the USA" club?!?!?