Things I am loving Fridays...and house updates!!

Good morning, enjoying my second full day back in blogland.This will not be as lengthy as my usual Thursday post. Lets face it this has hardly been a conventional week!  For one, we have been without power and generator at new house, so though they have been working, its been limited but despite the weather hiccups, they have made quiet a bit of progress so I am excited. Didn't go out and about and explore too much this week for obvious reasons but am sharing what I am loving and of course some house updates. Many have asked when we are going to move in. We hope to move in later September (my optimistic reply) to late October/early Nov. (husbands overly cautious and conservative reply). So figure somewhere in that window! Hope you are dong great and for anyone who was in Irene's path, so hope that you have since been blessed with restored power (if you lost it to begin with) and that you are getting back to a sense of normalcy. So here we go,.......
HOUSE UPDATES. Things continue despite Irene's disruption, to hum along. It is soo true that the finishing stage is though the most fun, the most drawn out. No doubt, I can see we are going to be "finishing" this house for some time now, its all the little things that really take time. But the painting is moving right along, moldings on first floor getting done, kitchen is getting there though it may not look like much progress is being made, they are there every day and it will be a full 2 month installation process when all said and done. Its taken 2 days just to install all the little magnets on the doors, but its the kind of progress you really don't see. Patio foundation was laid...that was pretty exciting:) Enough talking, here's the low down.....

Slowly but surely it IS coming together...pay no attention to the temporary stove (had to put it in to get the CO)

LOVE my limestone hood

Drawers getting put on today, so I can try my hardware samples! Electric just came back on...

This is a sample of the limestone cladding that will be put up in the "tower" entrance

1st floor hallway getting its moldings done....

Looking in from back entrance/mudroom

How do you like this color for my closet? I really like it! Its a very pale silvery/gray/blue.

The bathroom cabinet/niche got installed in my  kitchen, its just primed for now until we start finishing everything 

Going into hubby's bath...

The patio foundation being laid....

Back staircase is done!

Living room has lights!

Rear patio in process

WEDDING CAKES AND AMAZING COOKIES. This is totally random, yes I know. It also has nothing whatsoever to do with design, decor or any of the above but I will confess I have an obsession with gorgeous over the top wedding cakes and flowers. I often gravitate towards many of the wedding books in bookstores, so I can pour over pictures of the flowers and wedding cakes only to have a salesperson greet me excitedly "Oh, you must be planning a wedding"!  In my next life I must become a wedding planner extraordinaire because I seriously love looking and dreaming and creating them (in my mind of course) I have been a long time fan of Sylvia Weinstock, wedding cake maestro. But in addition to her out of this world creations I found a few other amazing goodies worth sharing....I know this is totally random but they are just too beautiful to not share!!

How amazing are these Wedgwood blue cookies? Makes me want to have a party in their honor!

A FUN ANTIQUE STORE. One thing I love to do and rarely get to do anymore is visit antique stores..you just never know what you will find. The thrill is in the chase!  Well, there is a place not far from me that can get some great things, they are only open 3 days a week and I hadn't been in years, so about a week ago...I jumped in my car and headed over one Saturday morning. I did score a beautiful collection of 12 dessert plates and bowls by Noritake, I love mixing and matching pieces and these would look stunning with my gold rimmed Limoges dinner service. On top of that she had some other really interesting tidbits, and some real steals. Above all else it was just so much fun being there and not knowing what I might discover! Here are a few highlights......

This is the outside of one of the three buildings....

How pretty are these older French bistro chairs? 4 for $125! (and that without negotiating)

Wish I had a place to use four!!

This was huge...almost 4 feet tall, needs some work but its so pretty for a loggia or porch!

These were interesting metal screens, could be gorgeous for a doorway, a closet door or a table top with glass and a base

This place consists of 3 separate buildings, here is the main building which houses all the smaller items, china and crystal

And my plates....

BISCOTTI Do you like it? Well, I have turned my husband unknowingly into a biscotti addict/connoisseur. Now he has to have his little fix every night!  In our days of darkness (and boredom) we got to try several brands, and one which I must say is really really good is Bastoncini. It taste comparable to those that good Italian restaurants give out at the end of a meal. Its quite good, so if you are in need of a little sweet something and like biscotti too, you may want to give this a whirl! (Best part these are the minis, which translates to less guilt)

Well, folks that's about it for me this week. Its been a pretty uneventful week in terms of discovering anything too terribly exciting! I know wedding cakes and biscotti are not too thrilling but compared to the week we had, they are! Would love to know if there is anything you are loving this week! Wishing you a wonderful Friday and start to the Labor Day weekend!!