T'town Has a Sweet Tooth

There's a new store in Tuscaloosa and although it only sells one thing - the line has been out the door every day since it opened 3 weeks ago.  What's got the whole town talking?  It's Gigi's Cupcakes - a cupcake boutique that sells different flavors of cupcakes each day of the week.  In this fast-paced world where businesses are trying to anticipate and meet every need of their client, Gigi's has focused on just one thing and it seems to be working.

 I got to experience Gigi's for the first time last year at their Huntsville branch.  I was so excited about my cupcake, called the Miss Princess, with it's pretty pink cake, towering icing, topped with a little pink crown and sparkly sprinkles - that I took a picture of it and shared my excitement with my Facebook friends.  So I'm not surprised that other visitors to the store are just as excited to spread the word.   

I still, however, was not prepared for the scene when I visited the Tuscaloosa store last Saturday.  The store, located in the new Midtown Village, is tucked right in the heart of the shopping center.  The line of cars swirling around the parking lot, and the circles it took for us to find a parking spot should have clued me in.  Here's my pic of what the store looked like from the outside.  Inside, patrons had thoughtfully cued up in an S pattern to fit as many people as possible into the space.  Thankfully, I never had to squeeze inside, because my brother-in-law and niece were our 'men on the inside' making the deal to get our sweet treats for the rest of the family.  My sister and I waited patiently in the cold and chatted it up with the other people debating whether a half hour wait was worth it for what might be the tastiest cupcake they've had to date.

Was it worth it?  Of course it was!  But I definitely have a soft spot for sweets.  Take a look at today's menu and you'll learn why Tuscaloosa just can't resist - 

• CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL
• CARAMEL SUGAR MAMA
• CHAMPAGNE
• COCONUT SNOWBALL
• ITALIAN CREAM WEDDING CAKE
• KENTUCKY BOURBON PIE
• LEMON DREAM SUPREME
• MIDNIGHT MAGIC
• PUMPKIN CREAM
• SCARLETT’S RED VELVET
• WEDDING CAKE
• WHITE MIDNIGHT MAGIC

Read more about the cupcake phenomenon and see an interview with store owner at WVUA's news page - http://wvuatv.com/content/gigis-cupcakes.  Find out more about Gigi's Cupcakes and all of their locations on their website at http://www.gigiscupcakesusa.com

My big surprise birthday party!!

Well, it’s finally happened and I’m so excited!!  I’m engaged!!  Now, finally the planner gets to be...well, the planner!!  I have had so much fun helping clients plan events and weddings over the last several years and I’m looking forward to really enjoying the process of putting together all of the little details for Mark & my's big day!  I am so excited to be able to use the talents of Birmingham's super-creative event industry professionals!

I plan to use my blog as an outlet for the research that I do around the Birmingham area, so that you can share in my planning.  If you have any topics or questions that you’d like me to check out, please feel free to offer suggestions in the comments.  

So, back to the engagement!  For my birthday, Mark had asked to plan a party for me since it was going to be the big 3-0!  Now, I will confess that I was a little nervous to relinquish ALL responsibility -I am a planner at heart- but Mark insisted and I thought it was really sweet for him to offer, so I accepted.  

As we got closer to the event date some of my friends started emailing and asking what I wanted to do for my birthday.  Panic ensued!  Terrible thoughts whirled through my head - Had Mark not even started planning? No one knows the plan, no one is going to be able to make it!  What are we to do?!? I knew I should have been involved in the planning! 

Mark reassured me that everything was under control.  Yes, he said, I remembered to invite all of the girls. They have the invites, Lindsey, calm down, there will be a party for your birthday.  His reassurance was then required on a daily basis that everything was going as planned.  Hmm...without my help? Surely, they would need my professional assistance before it was all said and done!

Finally the week of my birthday came!  It was on a Wednesday this year, inconveniently smack dab in the middle of the work week.  I took the day off and spent the whole day relaxing and shopping with my mom (except that I had pulled my back first thing that morning....hello 30!).  Then Mark met us down in Tuscaloosa, my hometown, for dinner with my family.  It was a fabulous day but Mark said that I wouldn’t get my gift from him until Saturday. 

On Friday night, my suspicions grew about what in the world was planned for my birthday.  Mark had continued to assure me that just he and I would be going to dinner and then we would meet all of our friends out for drinks after.  But on Friday, he let me know that we would need to get up early.  Early? For dinner? What was really going on?  I have to say, people, I have now realized that I’m probably the easiest person to surprise...ever!   Why in the world had I thought that he would tell me exactly what we would be doing when it was supposed to be a surprise?  Well, it worked!  Sneaky, sneaky!

The next morning we got up and he told me to dress for a walk outside.  By the time he had packed water bottles, I was pretty sure I knew what was up - a trip to our favorite nearby trails at Moss Rock Preserve.  We drive out to the Preserve and I am still completely unaware that any of this is strange. Until....he tells me that I have to go find my present out on the trail.  This comment brought a hundred questions reeling through my head.  Had one of his friends really gone out earlier that morning and hidden a present?  It was all starting to get a little fishy, but I still didn’t want to have false hopes!  

At the end of the trail, there is a gorgeous waterfall that pools at the bottom. Since we were both hot from the ridiculously high heat lately, we dipped our feet into the pool to cool off.  Mark decided this would be a great time for a photo op and I tried to argue - I mean, I’m a little sweaty over here!  But I stood up and smiled for the camera as Mark set the timer.  When the flash never went off, I looked at him confused, just as he was going down on one knee.  Excitement rushed over me as Mark pulled out a little black box and opened it to reveal the most gorgeous ring I have ever seen!  He asked me to marry him and I happily said “Yes!!”  Maybe everyone feels like they have a one-of-a-kind love but I really do feel that Mark and I have something special :)  I can not wait to share the rest of my life with my best friend!  

Oh - so the rest of my birthday was incredible!  We spent it sharing our news with our parents, enjoying champagne, 

reliving our first date of putt-putt and go-karts out at the new Treetop Adventure, and then a HUGE surprise party at Cantina! (the 'just us' dinner had always been a ploy!) where we gave our friends a surprise as well with the engagement news,

and then drinks out at the funky new Parkside Cafe!  It was a magical day and it was all thanks to Mark!  I guess he can plan a pretty good party, but next time - I get to help!! 

The First Bride of 2010!

Happy New Year!!                  I  am so happy to share some pictures with you all from the first wedding of 2010, although Feel the Beat was not involved with the event.  My long-time friend and former college roommate got married to her high school sweetheart on January 1, 2010!  The event was held at Jester's Florist in downtown Tuscaloosa.   The setting was casual and intimate, with only the bride & groom's closest friends and family in attendance, which fit this couple perfectly.  The entire occasion was filled with unique & personal touches that really spoke to the couple's personalities and proved that even on a smaller budget, you can still create an event that reflects your style.

The venue was a unique space in historic downtown with an open, lofty feel and more space outside to mingle by the fire pits.  The food served was a twist on typical New Year's Day fare with black-eye peas, ham sandwich sliders, and spanakopita to reflect the groom's Greek heritage, but made with greens so that we can all look forward to a prosperous new year! In lieu of the traditional wedding cake, we had bridal cookies from Celebrations Bakery and a Little Debbie groom's cake from Mary's Cakes!   I have to admit, I was nervous about Swiss Rolls on a cake but one bite and I was a believer! Yummy!

Tables were decorated in silver and white to create a simple and elegant background.   Carnations, packed tight in large, low silver urns, took on an elegant air surrounded by candlelight in the center of the tables.  Even the music was hand-picked by the bride & groom and had all of their favorites including Band of Horses' beautiful ode "No One's Going to Love You" (which seems like an unromantic title until you hear the next line - "more than I do").  It was a beautiful event with special touches everywhere and I was happy to be a part of it!  Here's to more beautiful weddings in 2010!!