{noteworthy} cupcakes, cupcakes & more cupcakes!

Nothing says summer quite like a cupcake tour in Manhattan!  Oh, is that not an actual saying?  Well, it should be.  It was such a fun way to spend a beautiful summer day with my sister!  That's us, enjoying our sugar tour above.  Knowing how much I adore cupcakes, my aunt had purchased two tickets for The Cupcake Tour of New York by Great New York Tours for us as a Christmas gift.  We saved the tour for a sunny, warm Sunday, when walking through the city & tasting cupcakes sounded perfect.

    
The great cupcake tour met at Union Square, arguably my favorite part of the city, & we walked half a block to Baked by Melissa, a tiny place I have walked past a million times.  Baked by Melissa is famous for its bite-sized, mini cupcakes.  We tried the flavor of the month, Pina Colada, & it was delicious.  Someday I will return to try the signature tie-dye cupcake!

Next, we stopped at Amorino Gelato Artigianale.  Yes, gelato on a cupcake tour!  But once we sampled the incredible, refreshing mango gelato, it became quite clear why a gelato place is included in a cupcake tour.  The gelato is that amazing!

Hands down the cupcake bakery that has my heart, we went to Crumbs Bake Shop next.  I'm a huge fan of Crumbs' gourmet cupcakes & I frequent the Hoboken location a little too much.  I'm happy to report the cupcakes were just as yummy in this NYC location!  We were given our choice of a mini cupcake from their best-seller pack & I was lucky enough to score a tasty cookies and cream cupcake.

After walking through scenic Washington Square Park, we arrived at the charming Molly's Cupcakes to build our own custom cupcake.  Just to sugar us up more than we ever could have imagined, they ran out of mini cupcakes & they offered us regular-sized "Molly" cupcakes instead.  I created a basic vanilla cupcake with french buttercream frosting & topped it with pastel sprinkles.  It looked pretty cute & tasted so good!

When we arrived at the adorable Milk & Cookies Bakery on a charming, tree-lined street in the West Village, my sister & I decided we would take our treat to go.  We skipped the cupcakes in favor of their famous cookies, specifically the Salted Oat Surprise.  I simply couldn't wait until I got home to try it so I ate half of my cookie & I was instantly in cookie heaven! 

Last but not least, we found ourselves on a sweet corner in the West Village at Magnolia Bakery.  Sex & The City fans may recognize this little bakery!  We were treated to a full-size red velvet cupcake with whipped vanilla icing.  My sister & I finally raised our white flag in sugar surrender.  I guess there is such a thing as too many cupcakes.  Those red velvet babies came home with us & my husband & I loved them!

If you're looking for something different to do in Manhattan, I highly recommend The Cupcake Tour of New York.  & not just for the treats, although the cupcakes are obviously the highlight.  The cupcake tour is a fun way to explore the city too.  It gets you away from the hustle & bustle of midtown & showcases some of the more unique, delightful neighborhoods of the city.

One last thing.  Per Molly's Cupcakes, did you know there are cupcake rules?

May your weekend be lovely & sweet!

Photography: Kate Corpuz for Koru Wedding
  

Wedding Wheels, Vintage Checker Taxicab (aka my favorite!)

Hailing a taxi & being in New York City go hand-in-hand.  It's only natural that many New Jersey & New York couples opt for a taxi on their wedding day.  Even though the last one was removed from service in 1999, the old world charm of a vintage Checker taxicab is a popular choice.  Fortunately, you can rent vintage Checker taxicabs for weddings, like I did (see photo above!).  I'm not the only one, I frequently spy vintage Checker taxicabs in New Jersey & New York weddings & today's Wedding Wheels is all about those classic, bright yellow beauties!

Just as a vintage Checker taxicab is forever a symbol of New York City, it will forever look right at home in New Jersey & New York weddings.  Once a classic, always a classic.

Photo 1: Timothy Glenn Photographers; Photo 2: Janelle Brooke Photography via; Photo 3: Photo Pink via; Photo 4: Christian Oth Studio via; Photo 5: Janelle Brooke Photography via

{Holidays 2012} Holiday Date Night

The very first year RZ & I were dating, we had December date in Manhattan, admiring the city in its holiday finest.  We've done it every year since, a holiday tradition now known as our Holiday Date Night.  This year, we did things a bit different.  We started with drinks in the World Financial District & stopped to pose by the Christmas tree afterwards:

My picture isn't the greatest but we paused to admire the still-in-progress Freedom Tower that reaches well into the dark sky:

We enjoyed a delicious dinner in Wolfgang's in Tribeca:

Then we headed to midtown for a short tour of Manhattan's holiday sites.  First, we stumbled upon Radio City Music Hall, looking a little extra special as they celebrate 85 years of the Rockettes:

The red Christmas ornaments on Sixth Avenue are always a holiday favorite:

And then the always stunning, the always beautiful Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center:

Every year, we search the crowd until we find another couple trying to take a self-portrait with the tree & we strike the "I'll take your photo with the tree, if you take our photo with the tree" deal:

My husband & I have witnessed many things at the tree (an engagement once!) but this year was unlike any other.  Many, many people were openly praying & beautifully singing prayers for the 27 angels gone too soon in the Newtown, CT tragedy that had just taken place earlier that day.  We will continue to keep those souls, their family & their friends close in our hearts & prayers this holiday season.  It's fitting that my last photo in this post is one of the beautiful angels at Rockefeller Center:

May everyone find peace & comfort this holiday season!

In Memory

September 11, 2001 is a day forever etched in our hearts & minds. 

 

There is so much to say, so little of it seems right for the somber occasion.  On that sunny morning 11 years ago, I rushed to work, ignoring the horrible sight of the first tower billowing smoke across the Hudson River.  I came home much, much later on the ferry & looked in horror at the heavy smoke where the towers had stood tall just hours ago.  The Twin Towers were gone.  Loved ones were forever lost, including 57 of my Hoboken neighbors.  My heart was broken.  The world had changed. 

 

Hope & resilience persevere.

 

I bow my head in remembrance.     

 

Image via Lavender & Lilies 

 

 

Etsy Weddings Event

Saturday was a beautiful Spring day, just perfect for heading into NYC with Jen of Jen Kim Made & attending To Have & To Hold, the first-ever weddings event hosted by Etsy.

Just beyond the white & cream ribbon entrance, the event promised unique items & plentiful inspiration for Brides, Grooms, wedding parties & wedding guests.

 

& the event delivered!  I was instantly enamored with the sweet lace number accented with a blush pink flower belt:

Fresh flower bouquet alternatives like fabric, silk & wood were quite cool but a stunning ranunculus paper bouquet to last forever & ever stole my heart:

Oh, sweet little vignettes were tucked in every nook & cranny, chock full of vintage & handmade items for creating a stylish wedding:

Why hello, sparke & shine tassel garland:

Wow, wow.  To Have & To Hold vintage book cut-out!!!: look closely:

It wasn't all about the Bride & Grooms!  As a pet lover, I thought the ring pillows outfitted for a furry bridal party members were fabulous:

Bravo to Etsy & its artists for supporting same sex marriages:

Once.  You're only a Bride & Groom once jetting off on your honeymoon so why not travel Bride & Groom-style:

They had me at good-bye with the too-cool-for-school pink vintage typewriter:

  

Last but certainly not least is a great quote about marriage:

This post shows only a snippet of the items available at the event & the event only showcased a fraction of the items available on Etsy.  Please visit Etsy Weddings for handmade & vintage wedding inspiration & shopping!

Photos by Koru Kate

Holiday Date Night

RZ & I have a Christmas tradition that began during our first Christmas as boyfriend & girlfriend: Holiday Date Night in New York City.  Holiday-season Manhattan is absolutely magical from the Lord & Taylor windows to the Fifth Avenue star & everything in between.  I have adored admiring the holiday cheer since I was kid; it's even more special to share it with the man I love.  Holiday Date Night 2011 was hotly anticipated because we would enjoy it as newlyweds. 

Our newlywed Holiday Date Night started out like every other one with the holiday windows at Macy's at 34th Street.  My favorite window was the spinning bucket of champagne:

Next up, Lord & Taylor, always my vote for best holiday windows.  Check out this snowy scene:

Bryant Park is festive during the holidays with ice skating & shopping.  We always pose by their icy blue tree &, well, thank goodness (more on that later):

Dylan's Candy Bar hosted a pop-up shop this year & I couldn't resist taking a peek at the candyland.  Is this candy Christmas tree not a candy-lover's dream come true?!

We never forget to pay homage to my husband's Filipino heritage with a swing by the Philippines Center's gorgeous holiday display of parols (p.s. I still want one):

We strolled up Fifth Avenue, passing Santa, Grinch, Reindeer & Snowmen.  No, not decorations- walking, talking Santa & crew (only in NYC)!  The Rockefeller Christmas Tree was crazy crowded & we decided to come back after dinner.  First, we saw Cartier, tied up with a holiday red bow:

Time to eat, drink & be merry!  We enjoyed a delicious, traditional steakhouse dinner at one our favorites, Wolfgang's Steakhouse.  Bonus: we met Wolfgang:

Stuffed & happy, we made our way back to Rockefeller Center, only to find this disheartening sight:

Sad but true: Lights out at Rockefeller Center at 11:30pm.  In the city that never sleeps!  BOO!!

But hey, we wouldn't let one little glitch ruin our newlywed Holiday Date Night.  Just a few blocks away, we found more holiday cheer.  A bright, happy Christmas light strand put smiles back on our faces:

More holiday smiles at the biggest, merriest Christmas ornaments:

Our newlywed Holiday Date Night was so fun & so special.  I will remember it forever as the year of no lights at Rock Center! 

Photos by Koru Kate

Chart House Wedding {Real Wedding Sneak Peek}

Don't get too excited, Koru family & friends.  Maybe just a smidgen excited.  Why?  I have some sneak peek photos to share with you from last Saturday's wedding!!!!  Please understand these photos were taken by me during a whirlwind work day on my camera phone.  I couldn't capture everything (ahem, like the beautiful Bride & Groom!), nor could I capture anything well.  But I did my best to give you a little glimpse of a happy, gorgeous occasion.

The Bride & Groom live in Hoboken (just like me) where they are treated to stunning views of the New York City skyline just across the Hudson River from them.  It was important to them to share those city views with their guests & the Chart House in nearby Weehawken gave them that luxury.  Bonus points if you remember I considered Chart House for my wedding!  Chart House sits at the end of a pier & it's so close to NYC you feel like you could touch the buildings.  As shown here, Chart House is at the end of the pier on the left & the city is just beyond it:

The Bride loves, LOVES the romantic vibe of candlelight & candles were a major force throughout the wedding during the ceremony & reception.  I didn't get a good photo of the guest table centerpieces but each table got a healthy dose of red rose petals, crystals & candles wrapped in various black & white pattern ribbon.  Here is the version I modified for the head table:

This is a close-up of a candle & rose petals on the head table, yet look beyond the table to that glittering NYC view from the ballroom!  Incredible, right?  The Empire State Building is front & center, lit up in orange, white & blue for the NYC Marathon the next day:

Oh, & the gorgeous, delicious cake from Hoboken's famous Carlo's Bakery (aka Cake Boss)! Again, bonus points if you remember Carlo's Bakery also made my wedding cake!  This couple's round, white cake is decorated with a big, black bow, black swirl detailing & black piping.  Red velvet cake- YUM!  I re-purposed flower garlands used during the ceremony to decorate the cake table.  We positioned this darling cake so it was in front of the windows facing downtown.  Maybe only I notice it but the white glow near the top of the cake is the Freedom Tower:

After a fun, rocking reception, the Bride & Groom had a Sparkler Grand Departure!  If you follow me on Twitter you know this was almost nixed due to a fire hazard.  But when there is a will, there's usually a way & we found one.  After a candlelit Last Dance, my assistant & I lined up the guests, handed out sparklers & lit them up, then prompted the Bride & Groom to run through to their getaway car.  This is the second Sparkler Grand Departure I've organized & it's just so awesome!  My photo was taken after the Bride & Groom had left but the guests still had plenty of sparkle:

I hope you enjoyed this humble little sneak peek!  More to come as soon as I can share professional photos from the great Daniel Hedden Photography.  Um, cause if you noticed, I am not a professional wedding photographer.  Just leave me to the wedding planning!

In Memory

Image via Lavender & Lilies

September 11, 2001 is a day forever etched in our hearts & minds. 

There is so much to say, so little of it seems right for the somber occasion.  On that sunny morning 10 years ago, I rushed to work, ignoring the horrible sight of the first tower billowing smoke across the Hudson River.  I came home much, much later on the ferry & looked in horror at the heavy smoke where the towers had stood tall.  The Twin Towers were gone.  Loved ones were forever lost.  My heart was broken.  The world had changed. 

Hope & resilience persevere.

I bow my head in remembrance.