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Dinner last night: Frothy apple juice, salmon quiche, a small salad and a side of French fries with “Mato Mato Squiz”! Also known as Italian-made ketchup that tastes like strawberries.

Dinner last night:

Frothy apple juice, salmon quiche, a small salad and a side of French fries with “Mato Mato Squiz”! Also known as Italian-made ketchup that tastes like strawberries.

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I mentioned yesterday that I had dinner last night at a French bistro here in Kabul and it was actually quite delicious. When the waiter asked what we’d like to drink, my boss asked what types of juices they had and apple juice sounded fantastic to me. A few moments later, THIS was placed on the table. Frothy, yellow APPLE juice? It couldn’t be. But, I tasted it and although it didn’t look like the bottled Mott’s you can find at Stop ‘N Shop, it tasted like freshly squeezed, pure apple juice, straight from the apple, pulp and all. It was DELICIOUS.

I mentioned yesterday that I had dinner last night at a French bistro here in Kabul and it was actually quite delicious.

When the waiter asked what we’d like to drink, my boss asked what types of juices they had and apple juice sounded fantastic to me.

A few moments later, THIS was placed on the table.

Frothy, yellow APPLE juice? It couldn’t be.

But, I tasted it and although it didn’t look like the bottled Mott’s you can find at Stop ‘N Shop, it tasted like freshly squeezed, pure apple juice, straight from the apple, pulp and all.

It was DELICIOUS.

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Today I finally made it to the glass-blower’s shop to place my order for 150 pieces of beautiful blue hand-blown glass for our wedding centerpieces/favors. I met this man, an expert at blowing traditional Herati glass, and he let me sit in his workshop as he quickly blew me a small glass. The process literally took him three minutes from start to finish and he squatted, barefoot, in front of the hot fire the entire time. He proudly showed me the hand-ground (“no buy from shop!”) powdered dye he uses to color each piece when I asked how the clear glass becomes colored. His shop was filthy but cozy from the fire on this chilly winter day, but I’m sure it is hellish in the summertime. I am so excited to go visit him again tomorrow and pick up my big box of hand-made Herati glass and I am beyond excited to include this little piece of Afghanistan in our wedding!

Today I finally made it to the glass-blower’s shop to place my order for 150 pieces of beautiful blue hand-blown glass for our wedding centerpieces/favors.

I met this man, an expert at blowing traditional Herati glass, and he let me sit in his workshop as he quickly blew me a small glass.

The process literally took him three minutes from start to finish and he squatted, barefoot, in front of the hot fire the entire time. He proudly showed me the hand-ground (“no buy from shop!”) powdered dye he uses to color each piece when I asked how the clear glass becomes colored.

His shop was filthy but cozy from the fire on this chilly winter day, but I’m sure it is hellish in the summertime.

I am so excited to go visit him again tomorrow and pick up my big box of hand-made Herati glass and I am beyond excited to include this little piece of Afghanistan in our wedding!

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Dearest Jess,

Thank you for spending part half of your Saturday morning calling multiple Macy’s stores in Connecticut and New York and Colorado and North Carolina and California searching for the lovely potential bridesmaid dress I posted below.

Of course, I failed to check the size availability of the dress before my little heart settled on it and then realized that only sizes 10 and up were available online and some of my girls are smaller than a 10.

I came whining to you via Gchat and you heroically offered to call various Macy’s stores in FIVE DIFFERENT STATES across the country to find this lovely and perfect dress.

Your efforts were not in vain and not only did you finally located the dress 3000 miles away, but the dress was 50% off in the store, you put the dress on your Macy’s card and used your Macy’s coupon, saving me OVER A HUNDRED DOLLARS from the retail price online.

I so, SO, SO appreciate your helping out this bride-to-be who’s stuck in Afghanistan!

xoxo

Steph

PS - Your check will be in the mail on Wednesday!

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I have spent a considerable amount of my spare time over the course of the past few weeks in Afghanistan perusing the internet for bridesmaid dresses. I have found some gorgeous dresses that I would love for my ladies to wear, but I can’t possibly ask them to spend $200, $250, $300 on a dress that they may or may not wear again. I just can’t do it. Yes, it’s my wedding but I care about these people and don’t want them to go broke because I’m a princess for a day. I keep coming back to this simple but elegant Calvin Klein dress at Macy’s. It’s a reasonable $178 and I’m sure my girls have Macy’s cards, coupons, gift cards, etc that could help the lower the price even more (which wouldn’t be possible with a traditional bridesmaid dress designer at a bridal boutique). The color is perfect, it got great reviews online and if all the girls ordered it and completely loathed the thing in person, we could all return them and start over. The only thing I DON’T love is that the girls would all be wearing the same thing. I did like the idea of having each girl wear a different dress (same designer and same color). The benefits of this dress, though, seem to outweigh this. Also, I did want a dress that falls above the knee, but this could easily be altered. Thoughts? Should the girls order them, try them on and go from there? Should I wait and continue searching the internet until I’m completely sick of the thought of bridesmaids’ dresses altogether?

I have spent a considerable amount of my spare time over the course of the past few weeks in Afghanistan perusing the internet for bridesmaid dresses.

I have found some gorgeous dresses that I would love for my ladies to wear, but I can’t possibly ask them to spend $200, $250, $300 on a dress that they may or may not wear again. I just can’t do it. Yes, it’s my wedding but I care about these people and don’t want them to go broke because I’m a princess for a day.

I keep coming back to this simple but elegant Calvin Klein dress at Macy’s. It’s a reasonable $178 and I’m sure my girls have Macy’s cards, coupons, gift cards, etc that could help the lower the price even more (which wouldn’t be possible with a traditional bridesmaid dress designer at a bridal boutique).

The color is perfect, it got great reviews online and if all the girls ordered it and completely loathed the thing in person, we could all return them and start over.

The only thing I DON’T love is that the girls would all be wearing the same thing. I did like the idea of having each girl wear a different dress (same designer and same color). The benefits of this dress, though, seem to outweigh this. Also, I did want a dress that falls above the knee, but this could easily be altered.

Thoughts? Should the girls order them, try them on and go from there? Should I wait and continue searching the internet until I’m completely sick of the thought of bridesmaids’ dresses altogether?

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Oh my, isn’t this a lovely little clutch! The more I look at this, the more I want to turn it into a shoe to match - the rich satin, the gorgeous jewel-tone and that luscious rosette in a peep-toe pump would be near perfection. [via Etsy seller, EmmaGordonLondon]

Oh my, isn’t this a lovely little clutch!

The more I look at this, the more I want to turn it into a shoe to match - the rich satin, the gorgeous jewel-tone and that luscious rosette in a peep-toe pump would be near perfection.

[via Etsy seller, EmmaGordonLondon]

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This Kate Spade ring makes me smile. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…everywhere you go…

This Kate Spade ring makes me smile.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…everywhere you go…

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I don't know what my problem is!

I whine about being here and missing my good ole American creature comforts (and my loving fiance and adorable puppy dog), but when my departure is drawing near I get all sad and weepy and want to stay another month.

Had a lovely dinner this evening at a “French bistro” (the term is used loosely for obvious reasons) in Kabul and met more interesting Afghans who, with their welcoming and kind nature, make me want to sit and talk with them forever, join their families and never leave here. (Hope Mark’s not reading this).

I will surely cry on Monday when I have to leave all of my Afghan friends.

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"On average, couples that live in Middletown, CT 06457 spend between $21,724 and $36,206 for their wedding. This does not include cost for a honeymoon or engagement ring." On the one hand, this makes me feel good that we'll likely be spending somewhere in the middle of this range (hopefully on the low end!), but on the other hand it also makes me nauseous to think about spending that much money.
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I have had it up to HERE with this place!

I realize I’m in Afghanistan and that life is unpredictable and I’m not going to have the amenities of a three star hotel in the States.

And I don’t expect that. I don’t say anything when the food turns out exactly opposite of how I have requested (they think I will like it better their way) or when my pajamas disappear from my room (they are just trying to make me happy by washing my clothes) or when the hot water doesn’t work for a couple days (hey, my skin is dry as the Sahara and I’m not sweating so I can go a couple days without a shower) or when the internet randomly stops working when I’m in the middle of a project. I don’t say a word because whatevs! It’s Afghanistan! An adventure!

But. GOOD GOD.

At this point, I have not showered in FOUR DAYS. Maybe five, but WHO’S COUNTING. I desperately need hot (or even lukewarm, I DON’T CARE at this point) water and when it didn’t work tonight, I called the front desk. They came up and proceeded to rip apart the entire plumbing system in my bathroom for an hour, declared it fixed, and when I went to use it nearly an HOUR later, IT STILL DIDN’T WORK.

I called downstairs and they told me to “wait ten minutes more. Only ten minutes more!”

LISTEN. I have waited “ten minutes more” TIMES EIGHT.

HOT WATER, STAT!

I think I need a glass of wine…