Appletini!

[gingerBcookie]

Your WF appt was today!! Two hours ago!!! Are you out yet? How''d it go? Verdict? Update? Tell us!!!

p.s. too nosy?

no shame here!

 

[blueroses]

Yay, do tell, do tell!!!! We''ve missed you the past few days!

 

[goldengirl]

Hey, while we''re paging ya.... I got the NES. The first time I popped in a game it loaded up right away, but then reset and I haven''t been able to convince it to load that game, or any other, since.

Kyle''s going to get the cleaning stuff they use on computers and we''ll touch up the terminal connections and see if that helps... have any other suggestions?

 

[MelissaSue]

GG - blowing on the games and the terminal is still the best way to fix an NES... They are just iffy like that. My fiance has his still.. and thats just what you gotta do!

I keep meaning to get him this tee

 

[appletini]

GG: the blow method works, also you can file the metal on your games with one fo the poofy nail files...I found that on an NES site. Also don''t put the game too far in. I played a round of Super Mario to make sure it worked, so hopefully it will stop having a case of the Mondays.

I have missed everyone too!!! Since the BF was only here for the weekend I had to spend as much time with him as possible...he''s on the plane flying back to Brazil right now, so the countdown is restarting--about 17 days left to go! But he might go to Carnival while he''s down there, and when he comes home, he''ll be here for at least a week b/c he has to renew his Brazilian visa.

Okay now for the moment you have all been waiting for...We had a great meeting with Brian the Cutter (and Leon) at Whiteflash today. Brian talked to us for three hours and went over every detail of the diamonds. Brian is such a sweet, wonderful, and knowledgeable man! I think some of it was over the BF''s head, and mine a little, but its a good thing I''ve been doing my research...BF was joking with me about being OCD. Of the stones we looked at there was a 1.255 G SI1 A Cut Above that we really liked, but with the BF being gone, we''ll have to wait. So hopefully no one will steal it away from us in the meantime, but if they do, I''m sure that we will find another amazing rock. One thing we know for sure is that we are definitely doing all of our business with Whiteflash!

After discussing stones, we also talked with Brian briefly about the setting that WF will be custom making for us. BF has decided to give me full control of that process, so I''m very excited that I can actively participate, especially since WF is local for us, so I can deal with them in person a lot--they will probably get sick of me. I showed Brian some pictures of rings that I have been interested in, and what led me to liking something like the Speyer setting--we both agreed that the Speyer looked too bulky from the side. I think we will have to do some creative brainstorming to come up with a stellar setting, but I have a feeling that Reena''s ring will be my inspiration.

Oh and at the very end Brian showed us his 7 carat diamond! OMG!!! It is so gigantic!!! And I have pics...hopefully these will post, b/c my home computer won''t let me use the attach file button. He also asked if we wanted a pic of it next to the one we liked--we said NO!!

 

[appletini]

okay here are the pics...

 

[appletini]

Oh and we also talked about the possibility of a destination wedding in Cabo (my dream), surprisingly he was actually open to it...I think b/c we know that the people that really matter will be the ones that actually go, plus it could be a little vacation for everyone. And we can still have it in a church (this is his main request). Anyway...this is where I would have it
http://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/oao/palmilla/MainFrameset.aspx?lang=0&sct=home (click on Weddings). So maybe Teebee & I will both have Memorial weekend weddings in 2006...the extra day off for everyone would it make it easier for them to travel for the weekend, plus the flight is only like 2.5 hours from Houston.

Enough rambling for one night, I'm going to sleep since I'm going to work tomorrow (took today off to be with my lover boy).

 

[Kaili]

Yowzer!! That is one huge rock!

I''m glad you had such a great experience, and how lucky are you to be so close to Whiteflash! I''m jealous.

Keep us posted.

 

[blueroses]

What a cute pic of you guys! SO glad you had a productive meeting, and how fun to hold that massive rock on top of your hand!!

 

[Blue824]

Wow, appletini! Sounds like they''re an amazing company to work with. That''s so exciting that the process is in the works and going so well! Enjoy your time with your bf before he heads back, too bad you can''t mee him out there for Carnival, I''ve heard amazing things about Brazil''s celebrations.

And as for the resort in Los Cabos...WOW! Absolutely stunning!

Btw, you two look so cute together. That 7ct rock doesn''t hurt either

How much did they want for that? I can''t even imagine!

 

[MelissaSue]

YAY!!! I''m glad you had a good meeting.. that ring is getting closer and closer!!

umm. I wanna see a 7 carat diamond!!!!!

I was thinking about this today.. and I''ve never even seen bigger than a 2 carats in real life.. and I''ve never seen an asscher.

and I don''t even know if i''ve seen and EMERALD cut in real life!! I''m sooo deprived! I don''t belong on pricescope!

soo.. the moral of the story is... I''m jealous.. and if I haven''t mentioned this at least a hundred times.. I sure wish I lived closer to a real city with real jewlery (And real culture...etc...)

 

[appletini]

Hey girls! The 7 ct is $250,000!!! I know, thats almost our first house!

Blue: I would love to go to Carnival, but I definitely can''t unless I want to get fired, b/c its my busy time at work. Maybe next year! Blue I''m in love with resort too...If I can''t get married there, then I''m going to push really hard for the honeymoon, or maybe if I''m lucky he''ll propose to me there...he''s been mentioning about us taking a trip sometime this spring (March or April).

MS: I did see an asscher yesterday that was in one of the WF cutom settings...it was gorgeous and a J, but looked so much whiter! Keep yours eyes open everywhere you go, I have to try not to stare at people''s rings, but I just can''t help it.

Thanks to everyone for being so excited for me, it really means a lot, b/c I''m so excited too!!!

 

[SJS1234]

Appletini! I''m so excited for you!!!!!!! I know you are so thrilled to have been given "full control" of the setting! and that you had such an awesome meeting with the cutter. That 7 carat sounds like a stunner too -- maybe you could live in your car (forgo the house) and just go with that one! Would be tempting!!

My bf and I are also considering Palmilla for a destination wedding!!!!! It just looks spectacular -- and though it''s pretty pricey, it would still be less expensive than having even a small wedding here in Atlanta. If you remember, we''ve both been married before -- so no big fancy wedding for us this go ''round! What do you know about weddings there? I haven''t really researched it at all -- I''ve just checked out the website and the wedding package rates -- but I have a feeling that he other expenses will be pretty steep too (photography, flowers, etc.).

 

[njc]

So exciting Appletini!!! So glad everything is working out so well for you. That 7 ct diamond looks great on your hand!

And you make a very cute couple. LOVE the little chapel in Cabo... that would be such a neat wedding! Hope it works out for you.

 

[appletini]

SJS: I''m so excited that you are thinking about Palmilla too. That is one thing that I haven''t had a chance to research. Although I probably wouldn''t do a lot of flowers b/c the atmosphere is so breathtaking. My biggest thing will be finding the photographer. If you do a google search for Cabo weddings you might be able to find some leads. We''ll have to keep each other posted on the research. Also the wedding package does include the honeymoon, so depending on what type of room you get will be the variable cost. But even their cheapest rooms look awesome! I was thinking about maybe reserving some houses for the wedding parties to stay in and then arrange for a shuttle to take them to the hotel for the wedding.

*disclaimer* Appletini has new wedding ideas almost everyday!

 

[SJS1234]

I have done a few searches for photographers in Cabo -- and there definitely are several choices, but I think I''ll end up calling the Palmilla and asking for recommendations.....although I expect that those would be the most expensive ones!!! I really don''t care though -- I mean we''ll be saving on flowers, like you said, so we can splurge on something as important as photography!

I''ll keep you posted on anything I find out -- and you do the same!!!!! I like your idea of renting houses and shuttles for the guests -- definitely a good idea. I don''t think my dad or my future in laws would be willing to pay Palmilla room prices!

 

[appletini]

SJS: the way I see it, is that since we would be there for the honeymoon, I wouldn''t want the guests at the same hotel, b/c I''m going to want my man all to myself for a little awhile after the reception is over. I definitely want great pics to remember everything...another option to have a photographer from your area travel there. There is one couple (husband & wife team) that do wedding photography together and love to do destination weddings b/c it gives them an excuse to travel and have a mini-vacation here is there website www.truecolorstudios.com. Also I discovered another source the other day called http://www.craigslist.org/ and you can click on your city and then event and find local photographers, bands, etc with really great pricing! I''m still looking through this one, just found it yesterday so I really haven''t had time.

 

[gingerBcookie]

sounds like you had a great meeting!

When I went, Brian broke out the 7 ct baby and my eyes nearly popped out of my head

. He recommended it as my next upgrade

, at that point my bf went into convulsions and we had to put the pretty baby away.

How exciting!!! I bet all your inspriartion rings are now constantly flashing in your head trying to find a way to become one knockout ring (I''m speaking from experience

). Keep us upated on the whole process!

HMoG that is one gorgeous resort...I think I''m gonna have to look more into that....what are the rates like?

 

[blue_chica]

Wow, appletini that''s an amazing chapel/resort. You''ve given me new hope in pursuing my own destination wedding.

How exciting to be making ring progress, WHEE! It''s so sad that you''re losing your honey again, but at least you''ll be busy while you wait for him to get back.

BTW, pish 6 carats? Why stop so low, hee hee don''t you deserve the best?

 

[appletini]

I''m in love with the resort. Whenever I''m stressed at work, I look through the pictures on the website for a 5 minute mini-vacation. Hopefully the BF will consent to the Mexican wedding. I can''t remember at what point in the weekend we were talking about it, if it was at the bar on Saturday night it could have just been drunk talk, but it could have also been Sunday or Monday...not really sure since the days all run together.

 

[goldengirl]

Aww, you guys are so cute together. So glad the meeting went well!!

MS, that shirt KICKS!!!

 

[teebee]

Hey Appletini!!

I''m soooooooooooooooo excited that things are moving right along!! Isn''t Brian awesome?!?! My phone conversation with him did not last near as long as your personal visit but I felt like I got so much information & never felt like I was being "sold" on one stone over another one although my preference for one stone over another were confirmed. He was just very personable and generous with his time and knowledge, which can be a rarity these days!! Sounds like you are going to have a stunning ring when its done ~ YAY!!!! The 7 carat... wow... actually that is almost 2.5 of my old house and like 5 of my fiance''s house (we now live in a VERY VERY TINY house, I didn''t know they made houses this small!!!)

Oh, and the Palmilla..... WOW, that place is stunning!!!! I looked into another resort in Cabo that was featured in some wedding mag I bought last summer and I have kept it in the back of my head for a potential honeymoon location but this place blows it away!!! I agree, flowers just wouldn''t be necessary and how often could you honestly say that flowers could almost detract from a setting''s beauty and ambience??? Almost never, except in this place. Again, wow. Oh I hope hope hope you can, or SJS can, get married there!!! I want someone to have my dream wedding!!! But that place is bookmarked under "Future Trave Locations."

Oh, and if you get married on Memorial Day weekend then there would be 3 of us so we would be date "triplets"!!

MelissaSue ~ The biggest diamond I''ve seen up close and personal was a 4+ carat emerald cut and it is really hard for me to imagine anything bigger than that, it seriously looked like a doorknob on this girl''s hand. She does have really petite hands, but still, it looked huge to me. There is a very upscale "exclusive" jewelry store in Tulsa that has some HUGE diamond rings, I mean, GINORMOUS!!! I didn''t have the nerve to ask to see them as they were hundreds of thousands of dollars, and I was in to get a little white gold chain repaired/replaced... but I sure fogged up their jewelry case!!!

 

[NoonersMom]

Appletini...this is fabulous news! Congrats! You & your boyfriend look great together! I have to say that I was looking at that exact diamond as well. While I can''t visit it in person (lucky girl), I have been checking online. We are waiting for my BF''s yearly bonus to come through (we''re both debt shy....he freaked out about having a mortgage & it severly impacted his mojo for a while...lol...boys!). Anyway, I imgine you''ll scoop that stone up in no time. If not, there is always the 1.265 there as well. Congrats again! Keep us posted!

 

[denverkat]

Congrats, Appletini! You and your boyfriend are so adorable. (And I had a look at the Palmilla website- holy cow, my jaw is still on the floor!)

 

[appletini]

Thanks ladies!

NoonersMom: That is too funny that you have your eye on the same one. The 1.265 is almost identical to it. If that diamond goes to a fellow LIW then I will be happy, b/c I know all you deserve the best! I think my BF is freaking about debt thing too, he is also debt shy. He''s saving for house, rainy day fund, and ring all at the same time, so I think the ring % is at the bottom of the totem pole, so he''ll probably finance most of it, but I''m sure it won''t take long to get paid off. Plus the house thing might not happen if he(we) gets relocated to S. America for a few years (always a possibility).

Perhaps all of us should have the same wedding weekend at the Palmilla Resort. We can have a different ceremony in the chapel every thirty minutes and then have a combined gigantic reception. LOL...too funny. I like to be a little silly sometimes.

 

[NoonersMom]

LOL Appletini....wouldn''t that be something....a wedding every 30 minutes & an enormous reception....cost split according to guests, of course. . I imagine that stone will have a happy home with you. I''ll keep my fingers crossed for you. We are a good month away from purchasing. If not you, then I will gladly take it. I understand about the house thing....we had to make a decision to buy a house or a ring. Since rates were so low, we bought the house.

If there is a possibility that you will be moving to S. America, save save save! Don''t buy! We knew we would have the opportunity to move to another country at some point...but it came sooner than expected. We will most likely be moving to Europe in summer of 2006 & probably won''t make any $$$ on the house. Save while you can!

BTW...the resort is gorgeous! I wouldn''t mind having the wedding or honeymoon there. LOL. While it''s not Mexico...here is the one that we are looking at in Bali....www.serayashores.com. This place seems so tranquil & peaceful. I love the rustic, simple elegance to it. Not to mention that they are bungalows/chalets....some with an outdoor bathroom.

 

[kanne]

apple-

you two are so cute together!! I''m so glad that you had such a great meeting. Destination weddings are so romantic... Keep us posted! Now I really need to check into that resort website for my mini (5min) vacation from work.

yay!

-lovey

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Glad your meeting at WF went so well, Appletini! I was in Houston this past weekend to have our follow-up Houstonites Christmas, and I thought of looking up where WF is - just to pop in and have a look. Now I''m wishing we had, seeing as they had a an Asscher just sitting . . . out . . . in a setting. You and your b/f are adorable and it sounds like you''ve learned quite a bit in your search for the perfect diamond.

Also, the Palmilla One & Only is a FANTASTIC resort! I have some pics from our company trip in March 2004 . . . let me post a few. . .

Apologies for the pic heavy post, but Palmilla is really and truly one of the most gorgeous places I have ever seen in my life! We''re planning to go back to Cabo next year, because this year is Europe and Tahoe (yay!), so we may not have enough time this year to do Mexico, as well.

 

[appletini]

Lauren: those pics are amazing...now I want to go there even more! Can I have your job? That is so awesome that your company took you!!

NoonersMom: Well it will be almost a month for us too before he can make a purchase. We could have matching diamonds if I have one and you have the other. That is so cool that you get to move to Europe (but that sucks about the losing money on the house). What country would you be living in? I really like your resort too...its look so serene and the some of those views are breaktaking!

Thanks for all of the couple compliments! I think we''re really cute together too!!

 

[appletini]

Oh and I forgot to mention...this past weekend I told the BF that as soon as we get engaged that he needs to get honest answers from his boss as to what his travel plans are expected to be, otherwise his company can pay whatever expenses are incurred if we have to reschedule our wedding. I know there will be lots of travel in 2005, but hopefully not 2006.