Top 10 Parks and Recreation Episodes

In honor of Parks and Recreation starting back up this week, I am going to list off my favorite episodes ever. I'll be honest, I am really nervous about this season, because the election stuff was not that good to me, but watching it over to make this list, season 4 did have a couple of gems ("Treat Yo Self" and Feminist Andy come to mind). And I still think Parks and Rec is one of the most underrated, straight up best shows on television. 

10."Christmas Scandal" (2/12)- Maybe the bittersweetest episode of the show ever, with the break up at the end being so incredibly good (Louis CK is truly the best sad sack ever)and the quiet ending being even better. But you have to give the show credit for not antagonizing its female lead for choosing a job over a boy, balancing that story with many of the reasons why she really does belong where she is. I like that this is a continuing trope of the show, and it is this same feeling you get at the end of season 4. You can feel the gooey center of the show (and the department) here.

9. "End of the World" (4/6)- I know there are other options for most romantic episode of this show, but I think this one wins. Watching April help Andy fulfill as many items on his bucket list as possible is so sweet, and their reaction to the Grand Canyon is amazingly touching in a quiet way most comedies couldn't handle (also, props to Parks and Rec for successfully transitioning a couple from pining into an interesting and romantic married couple). The main plot line, that the cult is waiting for Zorp to return and set them all on fire with their lava mouth is a hilarious frame for Leslie's sad grappling with her relationship with Ben and Tom's glorious final stand as the owner of Entertainment 720. Writing this makes me realize just how sad this episode could be, but the tone remains upbeat and very funny, because Parks and Rec clearly loves their characters.

8. "Summer Catalog" (2/20)- Is it weird that my favorite moment from this episode is that Leslie has bacon in her purse because she knew Ron would be hungry and Ron already ate it? This show has seriously the best friendships on TV. A great episode for showing how women have to participate in boy's clubs and finding the humor in these interactions. I also LOVE when Tom pitches the tiny cup picture in meeting.

7. Pawnee Rangers (4/4)- Amazing. Absolutely Rashida Jones's best episode of the show. She is so funny in it. The plot is great, so in line with the Leslie Knope character (I love how annoying she finds the little mini-Knopes). Features a Gertrude Stein and a womanly roar. You can't fight with that business, and it isn't surprising the men cross over. I also love that the resolution is two mixed gender clubs. Feminist episode while being funny and not stupid or heavy handed about it. Even better is the "Treat Yo Self" subplot. Thank the heavens for Donna and Tom in a sparkly blazer. Also, a great episode for Ben. So nerdy and amazing!

6. "The Fight" (3/14)- If this only had Ron Swanson drunk on snake juice it would be in the top ten, but there are so many great things going on- Ann and Leslie's fight is hilarious, the Douche, Jean Ralphio's raps (I love him, I know he is supposed to be annoying but he is my favorite recurring character- "How bout you turn that friz-own uside diggity?"). I also love that nearly all of the characters are in the same place in this episode, so we can just enjoy them all being together and super drunk.

5. "Telethon" (2/22)-I love the way this episode becomes about Leslie and her friendship with Ann (the sleeping at the end is super fun). Also, I love the accountant. And "Pawnee's most bookable celebrity" And the beginning of Detlef Shremp. No a huge episode in terms of moving the plot along (except with Mark and Ann), but this episode is just one hilarious thing after another.

4."Fancy Party" (3/9)- Andy and April's wedding is hilarious and sweet. Their vows to each other can make me tear up. Chris Trager's dancing is hilarious, Jean Ralphio's toast advice is amazing, and Tom Haverford's feeling on best men is clearly on point. The wedding is lovely, but I actually love the subplot with Ann and Donna too- Retta is absolutely hilarious in this episode- "Are you Nell, from the movie Nell?"

3. Ron and Tammy Part 2 (3/4)- The first Ron and Tammy episode is great because it is so unexpected (it made my brother's list), but the second episode takes it to a whole new level (come on, Ron Swanson with braids in a kimono?). The two biggest highlights, I think, are the police interviews about their fight at the police party ("Real piece of work") and the intervention. I especially love Donna and Andy's speech and Ron's reaction to his own film ("That's you, that's you talking").This is also one of the best Tom Haverford episodes, culminating in his entrance to Tammy's bridal shower ("Tammy Swanson Swanson!"), seeing Jerry ("Damnit Jerry"), and getting the crap kicked out of him.

2."Go Big or Go Home" (3/1)- Has the Swanson's Pyramid of Greatness- What else do you need? Parks and Rec comes back strong every season, but this season opener was the greatest.Ron and Andy's time with their basketball teams (who would "develop a great rivalry") is a perfect summation of the characters. It also has the beginnings of Chris and Ann's romance, and Rashida Jones is very funny in the episode (though she is even better in the flu episode). Also, props to them for showing the members of the department doing their part-time jobs while the government was on hiatus. Throwing Jerry's painting in the lake gets me every time.

1. "Greg Pikitis"- (2/ 7)-  My favorite episode of all time. I realize this may not seem like the obvious choice, but watch the episode again. It is literally perfect. Every line is funny. Stories are moved forward and bonds change, but in such a funny way. it is also the first time we see Andy get to work as Bert Macklin, FBI agent ("I'm not crying, I'm just allergic to jerks!"). Also, Amy Poehler is so funny from the first shot on as a crazed Leslie Knope. I fully believe that Parks and Rec is best when it keeps its scale small, and this episode shows its strength when it just puts most of its characters at a party and have at it, because by this point you can just genuinely enjoy spending time with them.

Alright,  which episodes am I missing? What would you name as the best?

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My Favorite Things from our Quick Trip to New Orleans

1. Collaborative Packing- This fine art nearly transforms the chore into fun. Nearly. I feel like we will spend the rest of our life perfecting the strategy and getting our time down. I think we have finally reached the point where it takes more time to unpack than to pack, but we still overpack every single time. Does anyone have any tricks for this?
2. Horse paintings- On Thursday, I genomed a lot of beautiful things from a gallery in Hong Kong, and was shocked just how often horse paintings still came up (historically, it makes sense, but horses still dominate the contemporary work as well). Jack Donaghy would approve (especially if you threw in some ship paintings).
3. Green Onion- Makes anything instantly seem super fresh.
4. The African Cafe in the Seattle Airport- On Friday morning when we walked by, "Circle of Life" was playing. That is how legitimately "African" this restaurant is. Also, they don't sell any actual African food.
5. Spiderman kid in the Houston Airport- I am not impressed by the Bush Airport; there are no maps, it makes no sense, and they only put moving walkways in places where you do not need them. It actually seems to want to impede your  ability to make decisions (we can all just imagine the political joke that will get me angry family emails here). Truly, this airport is a mess. On the other hand, there was a kid (in a suit no less) who was doing spin moves and casting webs all over the place. Why didn't Sartre say "Heaven is other people, at least the ones pretending to be Spiderman"?

6. Our First Kitchen Nightmares Restaurant- How did we kick off our trip to the Big Easy? By going to the place where the owner threatened to feed Gordon Ramsey to the alligators. And we ate alligator. The Boy read that the busy idiot brother is no longer attached and the place is pretty good now. I have fried oysters, and they were awesome, so I agree, though Gordon would not like the pictures in the menu. Also, we had the first of MANY super kickass New Orleans servers.

7. Late Night Beignets at Cafe du Monde- We planned on going for breakfast, but we just happened upon the cafe on our first walk around the French Quarter (drunks, but mostly sloppy not belligerent or angry), so we went for it. It reminded me of those dates  you go on where you are having such a great time that you add another activity on to the end. Just the kind of business you can't pull with spawn, and therefore a perfect part of our babymooning.

8. New Orleans Cemeteries- I knew that New Orleans funerals were these kind of joyful, musical events, but the cemeteries are also amazing. Like beautiful little death cities. Apparently because of where the city is built, bodies will eventually float back up if you bury them in the ground, which sounds pretty horrible for everyone involved. So this solution proves to be creepy and beautiful, while avoiding the body floating which is plenty creepy, but not beautiful.

9. Creole Tomatoes- I love a tomato, and love a tomato salad even more. I wanted to try the creole tomato, because it has a reputation for being really sweet and delicious. It reminded me of tomatoes people grew in Pennsylvania, but it still made me happy.
10. New Orleans Service- Almost all of our servers were awesome. We were nervous to go to Commander's Palace (we just feel like posers at fancy places), but the whole jazz brunch had a fun playful atmosphere, and our server was funny, odd, and really welcoming. God bless a server who can see you are pregnant and comes up with some cocktail ideas for you. Also, her food runner had a ridiculous mustache, kept dancing when he thought people weren't looking, and requested the band play slayer. He also gave the Boy a hat for finishing his dessert. I guess the focus on really capable and warm servers makes sense with the Southern hospitality deal, but it still caught us by surprise.

11. Pag's future career- Commander's Palace (and many other local restaurants) has a jazz brunch where a small ensemble plays while you eat. I can totally imagine Bullyhill Brass doing it, and we heard so many songs that I mostly have only heard my relatives play, so that was exciting.
12. Dude Pool- I was so excited to go swimming (seriously, the best feeling ever to walk into the pool right now), but it turned out to be very busy in the afternoon (despite the impending thunderstorm). It was busy with dudes, looking for hot girls in swimsuits. The ratio of men to women was like 10 to 1 (and most of the women were older or me), and the bros were each pretty bro-ish. Two women were at the pool, and I saw the men kind of circling, but neither woman looked all that interested. The Boy says New Orleans serves as the Las Vegas of the East, and it did have large collectives of dudes, but I have to believe Las Vegas pools are luckier for the men. Also, I would like to be a yenta and just brazenly force people's love connections.
13. Pregnancy stories- People in New Orleans were really friendly and ready to share their own pregnancy and delivery tales. My favorite/ the most traumatizing was told to us by a girl in a candy store, whose cousin gave birth to triplets when they thought she was only expecting one baby. I do not understand how this could possibly happen, but it is truly horrifying.
14. The Besh and his hair- We went to a John Besh restaurant, and they have all of his cookbooks right up front, so in case you didn't know before, you are eating a beautiful person's food. Also, the food was delicious. Best pasta ever (with more tomatoes!).

15. Street musicians who are really freaking good- the majority of the Seattle street musicians play acoustic guitars and mumble. On our last night, we just walked around the city, and we came across the best trio ever (though Nick felt they played the same song too long). One of my favorite moments of the whole trip.
16. D2, DC, and too much time in the airport- We showed up at the New Orleans Airport 2 hours before our flight (our standard time) at 11 AM. We were through security at 11:06. The terminal only had 12 gates. We perhaps made a mistake, but we had a fun time doing laps in the airport, because we are weird like that.
17. Pens that explode- About once a year, I have a pen destroy my hands, some chunk of clothing I am wearing, and The Boy's fledgling belief that I am sort of like an adult. It's worth it to use nice pens, not horrible ones like he does.
18. The Sadness of a Trip being over being Replaced by the Comfort and Drive of getting back home- I think we get sad every time we have to leave, and this trip was perhaps even worse, because we knew we wouldn't be adventuring again any time soon. But you get home, and you can be in your own bed,  and you start checking things off your list, and it mostly feels really good. Back to work!

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1930s Vintage Wedding Dresses - A Guide to the Decade of Glamour!

Dear Reader

Who can resist the allure of the 30s, with all the glamour it conveys? I'm often intrigued by the gorgeous vintage wedding dresses I've sourced, so I have done a little research into the subject...

Beautiful white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip

One question that interested me was, why it is so difficult to find beautiful gowns in great condition that pre-date the 30s? Well, the main reason is the introduction of Rayon. This fantastic strong fabric was originally called Artificial Silk, and was immediately embraced by all the major fashion houses. It was perfect for the draped styles of the day - it ruched and hung so beautifully, as it had a wonderful weight to it.

Stunning white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip

Rayon was also more affordable than silk too - a huge advantage during the Depression Era. So whereas so many of the 1920s silk and chiffon gowns have lost their appeal, due to the silk 'breaking down',  the stronger 1930s Rayon dresses can be restored to their full beauty with a little know-how and a lot of love. There are certainly some amazing vintage wedding gowns from earlier decades, but dresses from the 30s seem to have lasted so well.

Glamorous gold satin 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip

The main influence for the shape of 1930s wedding dresses was Hollywood. As the Great Depression drastically altered peoples lives, Hollywood films offered escapism and glamour. And so wedding gowns were modelled on the evening gowns worn by the Stars.

Simply glamorous. VIOLETTE 1930s-inspired silk wedding dress, from £1450

Hem-lines had started to rise in the 1920s, but they fell right back to the floor in the 30s, and simplicity and pared-down elegance became the only way for the modern bride. Madeleine Vionnet’s 1920s and 1930s dramatic bias cut gowns had a huge influence on fashion, and revolutionised the way dresses fitted. Although this technique had been used earlier, in the 1930s it was developing into a new way of dressing.

Slinky white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip

Other features of the dresses - like the cowl neck and draping - reinforced the fluid idea of the design and became part of the whole. Low backs and open backs were subtly sexy, and combined with the sinuous fabrics, made a striking statement. 

Subtly sexy - white satin original 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip

VIOLETTE 1930s-inspired silk wedding dress with lace sleeves, from £1450

VIOLETTE 1930s-style wedding dress with petal sleeves in silk satin, from £1450

It was during also the 30s that the idea of a 'white wedding' really took root. This was not a new idea - the white wedding dress was originally popularised by Queen Victoria. But from the 30s onwards, manufacturers started to produce gowns specifically for the bride, and the bridal gown became a cherished possession.

VIOLETTE 1930s-style dress with chantilly lace inserts, £1450

The white dress was promoted as an ideal from an earlier age. During the First World War and the Depression, brides had simply worn a suit or a day dress, so the new style of wedding dress heralded a return to glamour and romance.  

Movie-star glamour! White 1930s satin dress priced £1250 incl slip

Hollywood romance in white silk satin, VIOLETTE from £1450

The dresses required little in the way of ornamentation. Diamante dress clips were worn and still look great today. And beaded necklines were also popular in the later part of the decade. Technological developments during the 30s meant that costume jewellery was better made and much more widely available. There are many fabulous examples of 1930s diamante brooches and dress clips in fantastic condition, which look perfect with a satin gown. 

VIOLETTE 1930s-style dress worn with diamante dress clips

At present I have around eight or nine beautiful 1930s vintage dresses - including the two original beauties shown here - priced between £950 and £1350. (Dresses of this age are never lined as the ladies always wore a slip, so the price includes an individually-matched slip of the same age and style as the dress.)

Super-glamorous gold satin 1930s wedding dress, £1250 incl slip

And of course, my vintage-inspired Heavenly Collection features a number of 1930s-style dresses such as Violette shown here in different versions, priced from £1450. 

VIOLETTE in silk, from my vintage-inspired Heavenly Collection

I also have about fifty other vintage wedding dresses for sale for sale from every period, and the only way to find the best one for you is to pop over to visit me and try them on! 

Hope to see you soon,

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

All photos with thanks to Robert Lawler Photography

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This is my day, by Vintage Bride Carlye

Dear Reader,
Welcome to Part Two of Carlye's takeover. Today, our gorgeous bride is going to whizz us through her fabulous vintage–inspired day.…

Well, readers, this is my day, my experience – and my advice for you! 
Jase and I met almost eleven years ago at Uni in Swansea, aged just 19. Eight years later, we were living together in London when he took me on a surprise holiday to Venice – and proposed. 


In the next three years, while we established our careers, we went to so many friends' weddings that by the time we tied the knot this summer we had a really good idea of what we wanted our own big day to look like. 

The most important thing for us was that the day had to reflect us as individuals and as a couple. Everything we chose was personal and meaningful to us. And although there were lots of themes going on, everyone understood those details were a reflection of us.

We also wanted to be respectful of the traditions of marriage but not necessarily follow everything if we didn't feel it was right for us. We wanted things to be a bit more friendly, easygoing and informal, just like us! 

As soon as we were engaged, we chose Devon for our wedding as that's where Jase is from. We spent many summers there as students, and decided on our favourite village, Cockington: the most charming place with its thatched cottages and the best tea room.

I really wanted the wedding to reflect my love of all things vintage! I love the 1950s for its elegance and glamour, and the 1960s for its colours and simple style. So I chose a 1960s look for me and 1950s for my bridesmaids. Then we asked everyone to come in their own interpretation of 50s or 60s style. And I must say – though I'm a bit biased – everyone looked stunning! 

To get everyone in the vintage mood, we played a range of vintage music – everything from a 20s charleston to swinging 60s pop. We had a vintage London bus, an old fashioned Post Box for all our cards... even a vintage taxi cab for a photo–booth! 

My bouquet was also made to be similar to my nan's who got married in the late 50s. She loved that I wanted the same! 

My bridesmaids love a bit of vintage too, but are more contemporary in style than me. So we chose a modern dress with a vintage feel: with a halter neck, laced bodice and flared skirt. Then we added a pinny and peep toe shoes for that cute 50s housewife look (we even used the pinny fabric to create extra–special shoe laces!)

My engagement ring is a gold Panther sitting proudly on a branch – inspired by the famous Wallis Simpson Panther Brooch. I definitely wanted something different, so Jase had 'Charlie' (as my panther is now known!) made specially for me. I wanted a branch style ring for my wedding band, and found the perfect one at Alex Monroe. Jase even found a branch style on etsy so we match! 

Jase is a typical big kid, and works in computer–generated special effects. He loves computer games, specially a Japanese series called Final Fantasy. He chose a character that represented us, (for those in the know this was Squall and Aeris!) so we had models of them by the cake. The game also has a classical musical score so I walked down the aisle to 'Aeris' Theme' played by the organist!

We wanted an informal, summery theme and chose Italian to represent our engagement. We kept it simple and rustic – with an Italian menu, prosecco, and a dining room decorated with olive trees and herbs for fragrance. We even put up some of my sister's photographs of Venice. 

We wanted our family involved as much as possible, so we had lots of help with our cake, flowers, stationery, favours and decorations. It made things that extra special. (We had lots of people to thank!)  And both of our families are big cat lovers so our tables were named after all our family cats, past and present.

Our final theme was The Owl & and The Pussycat as Jase had given me a canvas of one of my favourite children's book illustrations from the 60s by Dale Maxey. We used it as part of our invitations (Jase's brother is an illustrator andd designed all our stationery) and decorated the bar area with this theme.

We then tied it all together with the vintage theme in our beautiful tea room: lots of bunting, vintage fabrics and proper cups & saucers – and all beautifully decorated by my mum & sister. 

Our venue was so perfect: Colehayes Park, a stunning Georgian Manor House with dormitory style rooms and beautiful gardens. It's basically a giant holiday home so we rented this for a week and we were allowed to do what we wanted. We weren't restricted to use particular people and that really helped as we were able to add our personal taste to the place, within our budget! 

We wanted the house to speak for itself so we mainly used flowers as its so beautiful & Jase' mum lovely filled the house! We loved that we could invite most people to stay with us & we loved that we had the place to ourselves so it was more informal. We only had a handful of people to help with serving food and drinks. 

We had a great time all helping to set up the venue at the beginning of the week, so we had just close friends and family with us. Most guests arrived the night before, and we all went out for a meal to break the ice. 

On the big day, I was so excited as unfortunately I had been very very poorly in the week up to the wedding (I honestly thought I was going to have to go to hospital) but I woke up feeling great! I ran round the house shouting 'I'm getting married today.' It was great to have friends and family staying with us, all getting ready together! 

The hair and make up team were calm, friendly and fabulous. They got the look perfect and though I still looked quite poorly, they worked a miracle! I loved my Priscilla Presley inspired look! 

My bridesmaids looked so cute with their 50's curls & flower in their hair & I loved their pines! I chose the Liberty print as I love their fabrics & also worked there when I first lived in London after uni! 

The vintage bus was a great surprise for everyone. We all headed to Cockington at a thatched cottage pub a short walk from the church. It was a great opportunity for everyone to meet and greet, calm their nerves or toast the day! It was relaxed and friendly, exactly as we hoped and the best start to the day! I just wish I had been there but I was still getting ready...

It was great to travel together with my mum & sister! Mum had hired a VW campervan to take us to the church – a great surprise – I loved it so much! We did get stuck in traffic and arrive quite late. Poor Jase! 

My mum walked me down the aisle and it was great to have her by my side! 

Afterwards, guests made a beautiful arch outside the church for us to walk through & I had brought everyone a vintage wedding wand by Ginger Ray as an alternative to confetti & was another fun keepsake. 

I actually first brought them the year before, for a best friend's hen do (we were each other's bridesmaid). They were such a hit, she asked if I could bring them to her wedding too! 

Everyone then got back on the bus to the venue. The weather was perfect and so we all enjoyed drinks in the garden before our Italian summer feast by the excellent Dartmoor Kitchens.

We had the speeches before we ate so the very nervous speakers could get this out the way and then relax. They were the most unprepared speeches but also the most spontaneous, funny and heartfelt! Jase's brothers were great – each said a little bit about growing up together, looking up to each other and welcoming me into the family. My sister and grandfather made a speech on my family's side and talked about bring our families together. Everyone was laughing and crying! There wasn't a dry eye in the room! 

The food was perfect. My very clever Auntie and godmother made my cake. I just said I wanted a vintage feel so bless her, already a gifted cook, she went on a course and made lace icing! It looked stunning and tasted delicious! 

We then made things flexible for everyone. Those who wanted cake and a cup of tea could enjoy the vintage tearoom, others could enjoy the bar or the chillout in the Lounge, or take a stroll in the garden before the party got started. 

The tearoom was a great hit with lots of specialist teas including Wedding Breakfast tea from Fortnum & Mason (one of my favourite places) and lots of homemade cakes from a family friend as well as the wedding cake.

We wanted people to feel at home and come and go through the different rooms as they please. We were so lucky that our venue allowed us to do this. I really feel Colehayes is a very special place. The owners are great too – I would highly recommend!

We then opened the dance floor and photo booth. We also had the fabulous Pizza Buona to keep hunger at bay with their made to order stone bake pizzas! Our final salute to our love of Italy! 

Everyone enjoyed themselves until the wee small hours and it was great that most people stayed so no one had to worry about getting home or finishing at a particular time! At midnight, we had an open bar and kept the tearoom going. And we had the added bonus of a basement for our after–party, so the young at heart still had a place to keep dancing but those with tired party feet could also retire upstairs! 

We wanted something for everyone but also still true to us and I think we achieved this. I had the most amazing day and was so overwhelmed to have everyone we know and love in one place.

I also love how everyone's memories, stories and photos help you capture your big day in a way you couldn't imagine. You truly feel very lucky and happy. There are still new moments and stories coming out and I hope that continues for years to come! 

So here's to all Helena's vintage brides – past, present & future! Have a very Happy Wedding Day and may your Heavenly Vintage Wedding Dress bring you lots of love, luck & happiness now and always!

Thanks for letting me share my big day with you! 
Lots of Love 
Mrs. Carlye McCloy-Brown 

For a snapshot of more Real Vintage Brides,
check out my website page here...

Photographs with thanks to Alice of The Vintage Wedding Photographer 

Bride's dress: Original 1960s lace wedding dress – Heavenly Vintage Brides of course!
Bride's Shoes: 1960s Vintage Lace from Candy Says
Bride's Underwear: M&S
Bridesmaids' dresses: Chi Chi London
Bridesmaids' shoes: Mojo Moxy 
Bride's Hair & Make Up: Claire & Rebecca of The Popup Salon
Photo Booth: Alfie the Black Taxi Cab Booth
Groom's Suit: Ben Sherman Tailoring
Shoes: Kurt Geiger 
Best Men Suits: Topshop
Bridesmaid's Pinnies, Ushers / Best Men / Groom Cravats & Pocket: Liberty Art Fabric
Stationery: Groom's brother Danny Deeptown 
Meet & Greet: The Drum Inn, Cockington 
Wedding Ceremony: St George & St David's Church, Cockington, Devon
Wedding Reception: Colehayes Park, Bovey Tracey
Caterers: Dartmoor Kitchens 

And best of all…
Cake by Bride's aunt
Flowers by Groom's mum
Decoration by the mums, close family & friends

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