Thanks for a Fabulous Time!

Well, this is the last wedding post since all the festivities are done! Alberto and I want to thank all of our friends and family for making each of the celebrations we had (Chicago and Italy) so perfect! We couldn't have asked for more and we hope everyone had as much fun as we did.

Throwing 2 parties (one of them overseas) was a lot of work but it was definitely worth it! Pictures are posted on facebook but eventually I'll create a slideshow for the blog....

Anyways, we hope everyone had a great time helping us celebrate and we look forward to more fun times ahead!

Ciao~

Vicenza Favorites

Vicenza is the closest town to Montecchio Maggiore and where most people who are coming by train will be stopping. Below are some of my favorite places in Vicenza.

• Pizza Pub Re di Spagna, Contra Piancolli, 4 (0444 320661) - This pizza place has the largest variety of pizzas that I've seen so far in Italy. You can get a traditional type of pizza or one that is served on a wooden slate. The place is big and has a nice courtyard in the back.
• Hisyou, Piazza Delle Erbe 9 (0444 321044) - If/when you have had your fill of pasta, pizza and risotto, this smal sushi spot is a nice change of pace. They also serve other traditional japanese dishes so if you want to mix it up, you can.
• Gelateria - I'm not sure the exact name or address but just off the main square in Vicenza is a gelateria that has upstairs balconies that overlook the square. They serve a variety of gelato dishes such as gelato spaghetti, lasagna etc. Super fun!

Alberto, my parents and I leave today. It's hard to believe the time has come. We can't wait to see everyone soon!!

Venice Favorites

1 week until we leave for Italy!! It's unbelieveable how fast the time has flown. Alberto's (and my) to-do list is slowly getting shorter and this weekend is a big packing weekend for the trip. In preparation for the trip, below are some of our Venetian favorites!

• al Paradiso Ristorante - This is our favorite restaurant in Venice. No reservations required. The food is delicious and reasonably priced. Every time we go to Venice we make sure we stop by for lunch or dinner. The owner is a friendly guy that walks the tables and talks to every customer. Last time he told us that in the mornings he goes to the local fish market so all his dishes are the freshest. It's close to the Rialto Bridge on Calle Paradiso near "ALBERGHI - NUOVA RESIDENZA LAGUNA"
• Harry's Bar http://www.harrysbarvenezia.com/ - Perhaps a bit of a tourist trap but this small bar serves a mean Bellini and has some cool history behind it. Earnest Hemingway used to frequent this establishment. They have many different types of Bellinis and the traditional is my favorite.

Rome Favorites

Time is getting closer so I wanted to share some of our favorites of Italy as you finish planning your trip. First up is Roma!

• Gusto (http://www.gusto.it/) - This is my favorite pizza place in Italy. They also have great bruschetta! It's fairly priced and I think they have english menus available too. The space is really cool inside and is centrally located. We'll be going there at least once with my parents in September!
• Campo de' Fiori (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campo_de'_Fiori) - Whenever Alberto and I are in Rome, we spend a part of the night having a drink in my favorite square! It is always very busy with lots of good people watching. There are tons of small cafes and bars to grab a seat outside and enjoy Rome!
• Old Bridge Ponte Vecchio Gelato (http://viatraveldesign.com/archive/8D83DA4C41F7C046/) - If you are in the mood for a LOT of gelato head to Ponte Vecchio Gelateria just outside the Vatican walls. For only a couple euros you'll get your money's worth of gelato!

Of course you can't miss the Colusseum, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Vatican, etc.... Rome is one of my favorite cities so I hope that if you are going there, you'll enjoy it too!

Friend Shower and Bachelorette

Last weekend my friends threw me a wonderful combo shower-bachelorette party. It was a lot of fun! We started out at Carrie and Jen's house and then headed out for a yummy dinner. Afterwards, we went to one of my favorite bars, Merkles, for drinks and dancing.

The next day we headed to Twin Lakes to meet Carrie's parents and enjoy an afternoon of tubing and boating. Unfortunately the weather wasn't so great, but we still had a lot fun hanging out. I'm still sore from all the tubing and falling into the lake.

Thanks to all my great friends for such a good time!

Pictures -->

Wedding Showers

I think the concept of having a wedding shower is American, but if this concept is alive somewhere else let me know. When someone throws the bride (and sometimes groom) a shower, it is a party before the wedding to celebrate the couple and usually give them gifts off the registry.

On July 26th, my aunt Sandy threw me a shower and most all my aunts and girl cousins were able to make it. It was a beautiful party at a restaurant in Northbrook. The food was delicious and there were fun games and prizes! When I brought home everything that I received from my family at the shower, Alberto was in amazement. Since the concept of a shower isn't in Italy, he didn't know what to expect. He had fun for hours unpacking all his new kitchen toys!

On August 1st after my family from Buffalo came into town, the Bryzinskis and Janowskys threw Alberto and I a shower. This time Alberto was able to enjoy opening the gifts and celebrating with good food. He loved it!

Pictures are posted on the right hand side of the blog -->

Chicago Party = Success!

Yesterday was the family BBQ for my (Kim's) side of the family. All week long, we had been monitoring the weather hoping we would have nice weather. Early on the weathermen were forecasting rain, but slowly their forecast changed. We have the most perfect weather ever and we feel so lucky! The day before was gloomy and rainy, and we had 80 degrees and sunny. Couldn't have asked for more!

I hope that everyone had a nice time at the party! Alberto and I definitely did! It was really nice to introduce Alberto to the Ostman and Sparkes sides of my family. There were about 60 of us there total, which turned out to be the perfect size for the venue.

I've posted some of the pictures that were taken that day on the slideshow gadget on the right hand side of the page -->

Check it out!