Per Se has been on my (mental) bucket list for awhile now — ever since I first lived in New York — so it’s only appropriate that I shared the experience with my my dear friend (and former NYC roommate) and little sister (current NYC resident).  It was the most amazing meal I’ve ever experienced, and included 12+ (15+?!) courses over 4.5 hours:

*Click to enlarge!*

The amount of creativity and attention to detail they put into each course was incredible. It really was an artist’s dream.

(And yes, I totally took pictures of each course…I wasn’t about to let my self consciousness outweigh my need to chronicle the once-in-a-long-time dining experience!)

]]> http://blog.poseprints.com/per-se/feed 0 http://blog.poseprints.com/30th-birthday-invite http://blog.poseprints.com/30th-birthday-invite#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 18:22:28 +0000 admin http://blog.poseprints.com/?p=1701 We’ve entered May — my favorite month of the year!  And this May is particularly special, as I turn 30 in a couple of weeks.

I’m having a little party to celebrate my departure from my 20s, and no party — however tiny — is complete without a real, personalized invitation.

While I always love to use PosePrints for my events, I decided to make this one a photo card — as the timing coincided with my finding that circa-1987 photo.  (There will be plenty of PosePrints custom caricature stationery when we celebrate PosePrints’ 5th Birthday in July, anyway.)

The round balloons on my invite also inspired our new Balloons Design.  Here’s the PosePrints version of my 30th birthday party invitation:

Here’s to living up the last two weeks of my twenties.  First stop: NYC!

When I was five or six, I had a brilliant request for my dad: could he build me a rainbow for our front yard, with swings hanging from it?  While I had pictured a life-size version (you know, one I could slide down, like Rainbow Brite), he made me this.  I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was a little small, but it became one of my favorite things.  He even drew a little character on one of the swings:

Or maybe I drew that.

Maybe he can teach me something about carpentry (before I turn 31, of course)…

That’s $15 for a set of personalized stationery.  For your mom.  For Mother’s Day!  Click here to personalize our Balloons card, and click here to personalize our Cherry Blossoms card.

And pssst: we might be offering a Mother’s Day discount in the coming days.  Make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to get the code!

I’ve actually never had my picture taken in a photo booth, but I hear every “set” needs a collection of mustaches and boas and other accessories.  So we might as well use what we have: PosePrints drawings!  I’m envisioning taking our caricature accessories, blowing them up, printing them out, cutting them up, and gluing them to sticks.  You know, so it looks sort of like this:

I made a goal to plan a party with “Pinterest-y party details,” and this can be just that.  A cute, time-consuming little detail.

Anyone want to help?

We’ve revamped the PosePrints Girl’s closet, and you’ll find all of the new features on our website.  We added:

• Striped tops
• A chunky gold necklace
• Gold bracelets
• A big gold ring
• Summery waves (A hairstyle I wish I could pull off like many of my friends do.  At least my caricature can now…)
• Nail polish
• & Bright red lips

So we basically have all of the latest trends covered, aside from colored jeans, colorful belts, and wedge heels (which we would have added if our Girl had legs, a waist and feet).  Am I missing anything?  Let me know!

Ready to “try on” your new pieces?  Click here!

*We’ll soon be adding new clothing options for the PosePrints Guy, Little Girl, Little Boy and Baby, too, so stay tuned!

Here they are: 30 things I want to accomplish before I turn 31 on May 15, 2013.

1. Take a class.

2. Join a club.

3. Celebrate my 30th birthday in style.

4. Make our rental apartment a home.

5. Throw a party with fun, Pinterest-y party details.

6. Brush up on my Spanish.

7. Find a new hobby.

8. Read at least one book per month.

9. Travel to a new place (or few).

10. Sew something.

11. Paint a picture.

12. Celebrate PosePrints‘ 5th Birthday (July 17, 2012!).

13. Take an “annual photo” — same place, same time, every year.

14. Family plan.

15. Get — and stay — in shape.

16. Eat at Per Se & French Laundry.

17. Scan and organize all old photographs.

18. Keep up this blog.

19. Visit Alcatraz.

20. Rescue a pet.

21. Start a collection.

22. Look deeper into my (and my husband’s) genealogy.

23. Host (and make) a simple, pretty brunch.

24. Take a trip with my mom.

25. Learn something about carpentry.

26. Go berry picking.

27. Snail mail birthday cards to every close friend.

28. Give a speech (I hyperventilated just writing this point).

29. Give back.

30. Make things special.

(I will cross these off as I finish them.)

It was hard for me to decide to share this with an audience — however small! — but I love that there’s now some accountability.  Feel free to hold me to this list!

P.S. I’ve been inspired by others‘ lists — so if you have started a similar list, or are starting one now, please share it with me!

The colorful balloons — in shades of red, pink, purple, blue, green and yellow — are appropriate for adults’ and kids’ birthday parties alike. Here it is with the caricatures customized for twins’ birthday party invitations:

And for a first birthday party invitation:

And for a 30th birthday party invitation:

Like the balloons, but not really digging the rainbow colors?  As always, we can customize the colors of anything on your PosePrints — free of charge.  Just let us know what changes you would like to see in the “Comments” section at check-out, and we will send you a proof to approve before we print.  Here is the 30th birthday party invitation with pink and purple balloons:

Click here to check out our new design and create your own caricature for a “Balloons” card!

My week at a glance:

• Spring is finally here (in San Francisco, at least!) — just in time for Easter.  And ranunculus!
• Target “pouf” purchased as a side table.  Another step in our redecorating mini-journey.
• My mom unloaded some of my old belongings on me, including this made-by-Mom-29-years-ago T-shirt. Craftiness runs in the family!
• Working on somebody’s 30th Birthday Party Invitation.

Happy weekend!

I mentioned last week that I like giving gifts that are special and personalized — and nothing does that better than a monogram. I adore the monogram. I would monogram everything in my home if I could, but my husband (jMm) says no.

Here are some of my favorites.  I’ve gifted the zinc letters and monogrammed mugs, and I long for the Max&Chloe monogrammed necklace (jMh) and Longchamp tote bag.  Feel free to take note — my 30th birthday is coming up…

*1* Monogrammed bracelet by Zoe Chicco *2* Custom Monogrammed Tote Bag by Longchamp *3* Zinc letters from Anthropologie *4* Monogram Mug from Anthropologie *5* Custom iPhone Case by Plum Street Prints *6* DIY Name Stationery by Me/PosePrints *7* Max&Chloe Monogram Necklace