Well, it looks like the brown floral wallpaper won! Thanks to everyone for your votes. You really helped me make up my mind! I'm putting the order in today, that is, if the company is open on New Year's Eve. I think this was the paper I secretly wanted to win all along, just because I gave up on the metallic when I saw the paint sample next to it. Oh well. I do have a hallway in my house that would look lovely in metallic paper. Hmmmmmm.In addition to wallpaper, I've also purchased shelving from West Elm. I normally stay far, far away from West Elm, not because I don't like it, but much like Pier 1 Imports, I'm addicted to it. They were having a post-Christmas sale and I got a ton of shelving for a steal. I've also just purchased my shopping bags, tissue, gift wrap and bows for the shop. I'm having a hard time deciding on little boxes, so I think I'll hold off and order them a bit later. My logo is in the works (finally), and I got in touch with someone who is doing my window graphics. When I meet with the landlord to sign the lease, I have to discuss signage with them. There are so many rules, you know.
Anyway, enough shop talk. I think we all gained at least 10 pounds over the course of this past weekend. The holidays will do that to you, I know, but this was bad. Not only did Mike and I head out at the butt-crack of dawn on Saturday morning to indulge in Panera's delicious asiago cheese bagels with cream cheese, but we also had frozen caramel coffee drinks with our breakfast. We came home and decided to cook, as we usually do, and proceeded to make extra spicy Chex mix, ice cream floats, homemade fudge, homemade chili, and the biggest, most sinful ice cream pie you've ever seen. And yes, the photo you see above is of Mike actually drinking store-bought cake frosting.
Okay, picture a pie crust made entirely out of Rice Krispie Treats. Interesting, right? Next add a layer of homemade double chocolate fudge. Then fill in the rest of the pan with vanilla ice cream and top it off with either chocolate peanut butter sauce or strawberries, depending on your taste. It was fantastic. There's a lot of work involved with this recipe and we drooled the entire time.
Overall it was a decent weekend, and I'm looking forward to Dave and Kate's New Year's bash this evening. None of us are big New Year's people. We don't usually go out, not even with each other, and we don't usually celebrate. My parents sometimes have us over for dinner (Indian food is tradition in our family), but they're both sick this year so that plan went right out the window. Once, our group of friends got together at Randi and Keith's house and we were all out the door and in bed by 11:00. Lame. None of us got together for Christmas this year, so Dave and Kate decided on a party tonight to hang out and exchange gifts. Should be fun, and oddly I'm actually looking forward to getting out of the house and socializing for once.
Now before I end this post and head outside to shovel the 10 inches of snow that dumped on us overnight, I'd like to add one more thing...
If you're considering spending money on "I Am Legend", save your pennies.
Also, we made some homemade chai that was to die for. We cheated in a way by using chai teabags, but someday I'll purchase some cardamom pods and make legitimate homemade chai. What we created, though, was amazing and I'm posting the recipe here so everyone can make some of this warm, snuggly goodness. Ben even had some, despite its lack of caffeine, and he loved it.
Mix it all in a small pot over medium heat until sugar and honey is melted and mixture is just about to boil. Keep stirring. Be careful NOT to boil this, though, because you don't want to scald the milk. We poured it through a strainer into the mugs because you get a lot of sediment on the bottom of the pot.
A 17 year old Shaker student was traveling down the I-90 ramp that leads to I-787 (two of the main highways in this area) and for whatever reason, he pulled his car over to the shoulder of the road, got out, and jumped to his death on the highway below. I feel sick to my stomach. My eyes well up whenever I think about his family...what his mother must be feeling right about now. I don't know him, in fact his name hasn't been released yet, but I've had a few friends die at a very young age and it never gets any easier to accept, no matter how common it might be.
After lunch we walked to Jay Street, once a sweet little shopping district that unfortunately succumbed to the typical grime of any neglected city. There are a few little shops still standing tall, one of which (the most important, in my humble opinion) is the 
Experience marked the end of our day out, which was a good thing in hindsight because it was snowing like crazy and the roads started to get pretty slick on the ride home. I can't put into words the things I saw at this place so I'll just post a few pictures I took while I was there and let them do the talking. They frown upon people taking pictures in there so I had to sneak around like Bond snapping away with the flash off. My favorite thing, by far, is the gigantic grapevine wreath suspended from the ceiling. I'd love to have something like that in my shop. Oh, and be sure to note the "naughty Santa" set-up that Hans pointed out. I wish I had this picture in my posession when I planned this year's Christmas card.
3. Your favorite place:
