Season's Greetings 2010

Happy Birthday Dad@BC & Mum@Tinny!

A combined birthday wish to Daddy & Mummy whose birthdays are on the 17th and 22nd respectively.

lots of love,
XoXoX
Sharon, Sherene & Peter

Happy Birthday Jimmy!

Many happy returns cousin!
XoXoX
Sher & Pete

Friday nite out...

It's usually a happy TGIF for me... but this particular Friday was a draining one. More about that on a future post but all I looked forward to was getting home and wrapping myself under the blanket (which I did for a couple of hours) until Wojtek called us up to head out for dinner and drinks. BINGO! That was what I needed! Two vodka tonics, one martini and a raspberry framboise later... I was relaxed and happy! Not the tipsy kind of way but just at peace with myself and my thoughts! And NO - not talking as an alcoholic! :P

Wojtek and Martha

The ladies...

I could not keep my eyes open wide, neither could Peter keep up with Goran!

Happy 50th Uncle Richard!

Forty is the old age of youth; fifty is the youth of old age - Victor Hugo
XoXoX
Sher & Pete

O Tannenbaum - 2010

This year's tree search was a breeze... we love our neighborhood nursery, Russell's where we found our 2010 Christmas tree, this time a Douglas fir. Here are pictures from our search, setting up and trimming the o'tannenbaum.

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Michael Bublé Concert 2010

This was my third Bublé concert and each time is a different but still amazing experience. We had awesome seats at HSBC Arena... we were right of the stage and I could have literally reached out and grab him if I was crazy enough!! Here are pictures and a couple videos from my 'lil point and shoot camera.

After Thanksgiving steamboat

What do you do after Thanksgiving? Have an after Thanksgiving Hokkien Mee brunch and for dinner a steamboat affair with your friends! And that is exactly what we did! :P

Can you spot peeping Goran?!

Here he is!

Thanksgiving 2010

Peter and I hosted our very first Thanksgiving in our home - giving Mom@Nancy a break from cooking and sharing it with our friends from Canada and UB. Just like any other Milizia event, we had plenty of food to go around. Here are pictures of our Thanksgiving.

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Happy Birthday Erica!

Many happy returns of the day!

XoXoX
Sher & Pete

Husband's birthday!

I love you!!
XoXoX
Sher

Jim + Erica by Ling Photography

I could not have worded it any better than Ai Ling did... so here is a post of her post!

p.s. check out her site and blog post on jim + erica's wedding reception brunch (click on jim+erica's name below) - she made a wonderful slideshow with music selection from yours truly :P

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jim + erica {wedding day}
date : november 7, 2010
reception brunch : rochester yacht club, rochester, new york

The story goes like this. Back in the days before I became a photographer I was a regular on flickr. Sherene saw one of my photo, commented, and we started chatting. We became friends, very good friends indeed, even though we’ve never met in person. I wasn’t able to attend her and Peter’s wedding in September 2008 because Ian’s due date was around the corner, and so, when they asked if I could come photograph Peter’s cousin, Jim’s reception brunch as a gift to the couple, of course I said yes.

So a couple weeks ago I put a big red bow around my neck and flew to New York. (Wow, I know. That’s a lot of words for a photographer that couldn’t write.)

James and Erica eloped to Hawaii, and decided to have a brunch to celebrate with all their family and friends. It was a happy brunch. : )

Milizia brothers birthday!

Happy Birthday Matt!!

Wish you were here so we can celebrate with you!!
Miss you lots!
XoXoX

Sylvia & Jeff's Baby Shower

Pete and I headed up north again, this time to Sylvia & Jeff's place for their baby shower. Bethany did an amazing job helping co-organize it with the future parents! Here are pictures from the shower...

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Pete's Birthday Surprise

It was a planned wine club event... with an early birthday surprise for Peter!

Upcoming family birthdays...

22nd - Mathew Milizia
23rd - Peter Milizia
25th - Erica Legan

Erica & Jimmy's Wedding Reception

A brunch reception and family get together to celebrate Jimmy & Erica's nuptials at the Rochester Yacht Club this past Sunday the 7th. Here are pictures from my crummy point and shoot while assisting Ai Ling who was the professional on duty!

Created withflickrSLiDR.

Halloween 2010

It was a somewhat chilly Halloween... but we had a lot of fun carving pumpkins with the neighbors the night before, handing out candy and going trick or treating with the neighborhood kids and parents :)

Fall decor

One of the warm touches for our home...

It was a productive morning with a tailgate brunch at the UB Bulls team homecoming came. Game was not so hot but the tailgate was a lot of fun!!

Happy 60th Birthday Dad@Mario!

Many happy returns of the day!!

Lots of love,
XoXoX
Sher & Pete

Newlyweds... Mr & Mrs James Legan

Super excited this morning, Pete and I were anxious to check our emails and facebook to see updates from Jim & Erica... and they did not disappoint with this amazingly gorgeous picture taken after they were married.

Congratulations you two!
Lots of love always... XoXoX

To see more amazing pictures of their trip in Hawaii so far.. check them out at Jim's website www.jameslegan.com

Jimmy & Erica's Wedding

Today, Jimmy & Erica weds in the beautiful island of Oahu, Hawaii. Both families have been waiting for this day and we are all so happy for them! Congratulations!! As you say your vows and I dos with the Hawaiian sunset as your backdrop, we will all be slumbering dreaming happy thoughts of you both. Can't wait to see pictures!

And officially... welcome to the family Erica!! XoXoX

Mary Anne's Baby Shower

Julie threw a great baby shower for Mary Anne at Flaherty's. We all loved the peek-a-boo shower cake of baby Zottoli which Julie ordered from Premier Pastry. Premier Pastry was the place which did our wedding cake and will be doing Jimmy and Erica's come November. Needless to say, it was delish! We cannot wait to meet baby boy Zottoli come January.

O Canada...

Amelia, Peter and I headed up north for a long weekend in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) - mainly the trip was for one of my recruitment trips. And since the fair does not start till Sunday, we had Friday and Saturday all to ourselves. Joining us painting the town red and continuing in our usual gastronomical affairs were Bethany, Binh and Jessica.

Peter was delightfully please with the beer selection and Biermarkt downtown Toronto - you can see him smiling throughout our lunch session there. We also had our first steamboat/hotpot session of the year at Binthany's house - we got really fresh seafood to keep us stuffed all night. We continued the next day with dim sum and a sushi/sashimi buffet at Sushi on 7 by Highway 7 in Markam.

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Of the mini shopping session we did, we managed to squeeze in a mahjong session shortly after we checked into our hotel on Saturday. We also feasted on the juiciest mangoes from south east Asia and found one of the best Cantonese cuisine in the Richmond Hill/Markham area called Dragon Boat Fusion Cuisine. All the girls.... Bethany, Amelia and I managed to also get sick - Jess caught very little of it. So when it came time to work at the fair - I was all sinus-y and headache-y. Ouch!

With baby Mark C.

Peter and I are so sad that we could not make it for baby Mark C's 1st birthday party. Nevertheless, we celebrated two days early with Mark when mommy Michele brought him over to our place for dinner.

Alicia & Tom's Wedding

We stayed over in one of the best condos in Holiday Valley in Elicottville, the weekend of Alicia & Tom's wedding taking place at the Tanenbaum Lodge. Big thanks to Mary for organizing an amazing stay at the condo for us all.

Alicia looked amazing and so beautiful on her wedding day and Tom was as happy as can be! Here are pictures from the weekend...

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Anniversary...

It's been two years since our Castle Wedding!!

Happy Birthday Wojtek!

Many happy returns of the day Wojtek!!

Here's Wojtek with his Polish honey at the Polish Village...we had dinner there to celebrate his big 3-oh!

Housewarmingx2, Mahjong & Hokkien Mee

We had two housewarming parties on two separate weekends... being the busy hosts, the camera was neglected :( However, big thank yous to all our family, friends, co-workers and neighbors who came to our party. We enjoyed having you over and we look forward to more dinners, parties and get togethers at our place. Here are the few pictures I managed to take of our home (more work to be done), everyone around and a Sunday Hokkien Mee brunch session.

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Outdoor fireplace?

I know Peter would really like a fire pit in our backyard... so we've been looking at ideas and trying to picture the perfect fire pit to create. Saw this at Lowe's - here's an idea for you husband!

Pete and the Apple Pancake

Peter and his huge breakfast - the Original Pancake House's signature item - the Apple Pancake, a single large pancake smothered with sautéed apples and cinnamon sugar baked to perfection.

Zucchini Blossoms

I love Wegmans!! After searching high and low for them at local farmer's markets - I found them at Wegmans. Pete and I have been dreaming of zucchini blossoms and I so wanted to make them at home so we can just pic out on them.

Aren't they beautiful to look at...

and good to eat too after I stuff them with ricotta and fresh herbs!

I have a great recipe for them which I posted sometime last year - click on Zucchini Blossom for the recipe. Enjoy!!

The Perfect ♥ Martini

Thanks to 800 Maple for making this delish martini!

Alicia's Bachelorette Weekend

Thanks to Jess for organizing such a fun bachelorette for Alicia! We camped over at Keuka State Park, had a limo picked all of us girls up from our campsite (all other campers had their eyes on us lot), lots of tastings and vino shopping at the Keuka Lake wineries, an amazing dinner at Esperanza Mansion and back to camp with our attempt to light somewhat wet firewood for smores!

Created with flickrSLiDR

Sharon's quick stop!

Peter and Chee Ming drove to Indianapolis over the weekend to help Sharon move apartment to a friend's house and drove her back to Buffalo. She literally had less than 48 hours with us before she departed for Poland to join up with my parents on their European holiday. Here are pictures from dinner with the rest of the crew and at home.

Sharon & Amelia and Myrto and Sherene @ 800 Maple

Sharon, Chee Ming, Xenia, Myrto & Sherene

Peter, Sharon, Chee Ming, Xenia and Myrto

Sisters at home...

Sharon with her jiě fū = brother in law

Have a wonderful time in Europe!!
XoXoX

Viva Toronto

Myrto and Gian Paolo had a conference in Toronto to attend, the rest of us just wanted the drive, dim sum brunch and some grocery shopping. Sasha rode his bike the entire way and we snapped some "AMAA-ZING" pictures of Gian Paolo hanging on to his helmet on Sasha's bike on one of the shorter drives.

Created with flickrSLiDR

The artist in us...

We were over at Artsphere Studio and Gallery to support Katia who is showing several of her art pieces.

One of Katia's piece

This is Shadow and Pink by Margaret Raab - I absolutely love it and wished husband or Wojtek could have at least purchased it for me. I know the perfect spot for it at home too! :P

Here are the guys - Peter, Wojtek & Gian Paolo waiting happily for....

Chee Ming - here he comes. We were all starving waiting for you!

Neighborhood Block Party

This weekend, our street hosted our first annual block party and what a party it was. We have no idea how we are all going to top it next year. Everyone pitched in and made it such a wonderful event and both the adults and kids had tremendous fun.

There were face painting and parade of decorated bicycles/tricycles, three-legged races, obstacle courses, water balloon tosses, whiffleball, throwing pie in face at Dads and pinata! We even had an outdoor screen made and set up for movie later in the evening.

During the parade of decorated bikes... we had a fireman came in his fire department's SUV with his lights all turned on leading the kids parade. This was then followed by an appearance of a policewoman from our town's police department. The kids and adults were all amazed when she pulled out her AK-47 for show and tell and more. The kids all enjoyed being in the back of the police car but, hey - no one had better be looking forward to it in real life! :P

The biggest surprise was when our fireman returned not in his fire department's SUV but with the fire engine. Not only did everyone get to hop on to the fire engine we all got treated to a ride up in the ''ladder-basket"! Such fun!!

What else is there to say but... we love our street!

Created with flickrSLiDR.

Goran & Valya's Birthday

Two of our birthday people were missing on their birthday... not missing MIA but missing as in not around for us to sing happy birthday to on their many happy returns of the day. Goran's birthday was on the 12th - one day after Valya's. Thanks to Wojtek's quick planning, we all gathered for dinner upon their return from the West Coast to toast them.

Make a wish....

Birthday buddies!