The DJ

After some brainstorming and some heavy candidates, we've decided on a DJ.

At first we weren't sure if we would even hire a DJ. We got the Elmhurst College Jazz Band right away, so that was cool, but we didn't think everyone would appreciate getting down to the standards all night. There was a very brief discussion about an iPod being used and I even had a plan to mix a video to music. Eh, too much work. What we really needed was someone to get on the mic and run the evening. So we decided to hire a DJ.
We got two recommendations. We've discussed the two, contacted them, got our quotes and we've made the decision. Joe has a friend at work, Rex, who has worked with (musically) a guy who goes by Jayfunk. He's a DJ for KISS FM and I actually listened to his mix on my way home from my Mom's house last night. We'll be meeting with him on Sunday, May 4th to discuss song lists and the things we need him to do for the evening. He gave us a very decent quote for what he'll be doing and he even went out to the ballroom to check out their system before giving us a solid number. I thought that was really professional of him to do.
So we should have some awesome music to kick it to while we're out on the dance floor. Rock!

Jay Ejercito
103.5 Kiss Fm Chicago
www.jayfunk.com
773-895-0528

Who Loves Cupcakes? I do!

Maybe it's because I used to take the most delicious Mom-baked cupcakes to school every year for my birthday, but I just love cupcakes. They're the perfect size dessert (as long as you can keep to just having one), and they come in any flavor/decoration combination you can imagine. If it wasn't for my equal love of wedding cake, I'd beg for a cupcake stand full of delicious cupcakes to share with our guests after dinner. Who knows, maybe I'll throw some on the sweet table.

So how does one become a cupcake guru? Crate and Barrel makes it all possible.

The first thing you have to do is decide which kind you want to bake. This is the most fun part! You can choose what kind of cake to what kind of frosting and how creatively you want to decorate your cupcakes. Do you want to make them all the same or put a different design on each? Maybe alternate? Or how about some letters so they spell out "Congratulations!" Try browsing 500 cupcakes from Crate and Barrel.


Once you've made your choice, you've got to gather your ingredients. Maybe you keep your flour and sugar in plastic bags in your cabinet. I prefer to store them in canisters on my counter. This way, they're always available for cupcake baking! This set of four stainless steel/acrylic canisters is perfect for keeping your ingredients fresh and styling up your counter space.




Time to start measuring and mixing!



OK! Let's throw those cupcakes in a pan and get bakin'. Of course, you want to put your cupcake cups in first, and cool them on a cooling rack, so you'll want to invest in an entire set of cupcake baking materials such as the ones featured at Crate and Barrel as the 4-piece Cupcake-Muffin Set. The thing I love best about this set is the option to make mini-cupcakes or mini-muffins. At school, the kids come around on their birthdays with mini-cupcake treats they get at the store. Wouldn't it be great to be able to make your own minis?

Ready to frost? The Barefoot Contessa has a delicious line of frosting mix all ready to go at Crate and Barrel!