We are really looking forward to seeing so many of our friends and family here in Austin and sharing this day with you. If you have any questions or if there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
One Month Out
We can hardly believe that our wedding is only a month away! There are still quite a few things left on our "to do" list, but we have also crossed so many of the big things off recently. We just bought our wedding rings yesterday (although Justin, afraid I would wear mine before the wedding, has hidden it from me -- or so he thinks...) We are still tackling many of the smaller tasks in preparation for the big day -- looking through old family photos to find some to display at the wedding, finding vases for candles and flowers, writing the ceremony, making the programs and guest book, etc. But, it finally seems that everything is starting to come together!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Happy Halloween!
This past week Justin and I spent a little time doing some pumpkin carving! It has been perfect weather here in Texas -- it's really beginning to feel like fall (it will be in the mid-thirties tonight!)
Justin and his masterpiece.
Our two little pumpkins.
Happy Halloween to everyone!
Meet the Wedding Party - Maid of Honor Edition
It is difficult to follow such a moving and personal tribute to Justin's best man, his brother Christopher. I was struck, as I am sure many of you were, by the bond that they share -- it is a bond that reminds me a great deal of my relationship with my sister, who is my maid of honor.I, like Justin, wanted a younger sibling desperately. I cannot explain the excitement and the anticipation I felt when I found out I would have a baby sister. I remember clearly the night she was born -- July 31, 1988 -- my parents took me to my grandparents' house on the way to the hospital, and I tried to stay awake as long as possible (I think I might have made it to midnight -- a true feat for a five year old), awaiting the news of my sister's birth.
From that moment on, my sister and I were inseparable. I always tried to take care of her, look out for her, and teach her everything I knew about life. Specifically, I remember trying to teach an impatient two year old the alphabet because I wanted her to be able to know it before she started school (a full three years later). Molly went through a very difficult and painful period of teething, which was punctuated by lots of biting, including one unfortunate incident that involved my nose (I still don't think it quite ever looked the same...)
I feel so fortunate to have both and sister and a best friend in Molly. She is someone that I truly admire because of her strength, tenacity, confidence, perseverance, immense talent, sense of humor, and fashion sense (I must admit, I raided her closet quite frequently growing up). We share an affinity for many things, including watching (and re-watching) Gilmore Girls, quoting Talledega Nights at inopportune moments, traveling, H&M, politics, coffee, staying up all night talking and laughing, and awkward turtles.One of my favorite memories I have with my sister is a trip we took together to New York City shortly after she graduated from high school. It was incredible to see Rent together, listen to music at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square, see "Starry Night" at the MOMA, make random friends in Bloomingdale's, and attaining an unparalleled sugar high from sharing an iced hot chocolate at Serendipity. My sister and I share a flair for the dramatic (she is a theater major at Southwestern), so of course our re-makes of iconic Hollywood movies like An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle (both filmed on location at the Empire State Building) were priceless.
Because of all the incredible memories we've shared, I am so honored and grateful that Molly will be by my side as my maid of honor to help celebrate my future with Justin.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Meet the Wedding Party - Best Man Edition
Christopher Wines Burniske was conceived just outside of Lisbon, Portugal on June 12th, 1989. If you wonder how I know, I was there... In Portugal, that is, not at the conception. It was all part of the plan, a pregnancy over the summer with a birth in the spring. The actual inspiration for the plan is fuzzy, although a letter requesting a little brother has been produced as possible source. This party wishes to plead the fifth in reference to any such letter, although I believe our mother might say otherwise.
His birth came on March 10th, 1990, early in the morning in Quito, Ecuador. He was an impatient baby in a country that is never in a hurry. Not only did our parents have to hurry around in order to make the drive up from Cumbaya to Quito, but their arrival at the hospital caught the doctor off guard as well: he wasn’t there. The story goes that, as my parents waited for Christopher, and the doctor, to arrive, they played Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, wondering during which season he would arrive. Maybe spring would signify a youthful spirit, summer a child full of life, and autumn might be a calm soul. He came out in winter. You go listen to the Four Seasons and tell me what that means…
Christopher enjoyed his first years of life outside the nine-month Jacuzzi. Raised in a house surrounded by both Spanish and English, he seemed to be full of language. His vocabulary was a collage of languages slapped together with the added touch only a child can put on language, making understanding him a linguistic accomplishment worthy of a line on a resume.
Yet, with so many amazing vocalizations, his most famous oratory endeavor at that early age was attempting his name. As if to test him, our mother would show him a family portrait, pointing at each member while asking, “Who is this? Who is this Christopher?” He would go through the names, say, “Mom-mie”, ”Da-da”, and “Dut-tin”. However, one name seemed to elude him, his own.
“Who’s that? Who is that Christopher?”
Silence.
“Who is this Christopher?”
Silence…
Until one day, when again presented with this conundrum, he said:
“Kiki.”
Hence a childhood nickname was born. That nickname has since morphed into a variety of forms including Kikster, Kik, Chris, Texas, Tex, Blondie, Surfer Dude, Aloha Man, Big Papi, CB, Bird Boy, Christofer, and of course, Maverick.
At the age of two, Christopher and his family moved to the location that is very near the furthest place on earth from his birthplace, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Here, he entered into what many refer to as early childhood, or what we called, the “I POOP ON YOU” years. Yes, Christopher was fond of going up to people and threatening them with his own feces. Some felt his claim was a sign of affection, showing that he appreciated the person he was threatening. Yet, like the family pet that leaves a dead bird in your shoe, the gift went unappreciated. Fortunately, he was a dog with no bite. Christopher also showed a great interest in art. Whether drawing with chalk on the driveway or crayon on the faux-marble, his art was always larger then life and rarely contained to a page.
As I think back, there are numerous stories of Christopher throughout my life. Saying, “My mom took my little brother to the emergency room because he split his chin open while sliding face first on wet cement,” to the parents of my friends who were dropping their kids off for my sleepover birthday party in June. Then there was the time Christopher had me hook him up to our dog’s runner. He started running as fast as he could to the end of the runner, expecting the line to just pop off, but instead he ended up vertical to the ground before landing on his ass. Playing football, 1-on-1, on the opposite sides of puberty, and Christopher getting anywhere from 8 to 24 downs to go from one side of our back yard to the other. He would put on an old plastic Giants helmet, lower his head, and just try to run at me. I, in turn, took this opportunity to repeatedly throw him to the ground. Then the times my parents went on “business trips,” leaving me to watch Christopher, and I in turn left him in the closet, telling him we were playing hide and go seek. He just thought I was really, really bad seeker.
He also has a long list of accomplishments to his name. He was recognized as a junior MESA candidate at the age of four. He served as president of his elementary school. He was so trusted they let him count the ballots for his own election (he won the election 21-1). He once struck out 10 batters in 3 innings before becoming a Little League All-Star. He ran at the Hawaii State meets his sophomore, junior, and senior years in both cross country and track, finishing 5th in XC as a senior. He is one with the wave, a surfer willing to do anything in order to find the waves. There is no paddle too long, no low tide too early, nor any man in a grey suit that will keep him away from his waves. He was pictured in Sports Illustrated as one of the top athletes in the nation. He drinks so much Coke he was a semi-finalist for their national scholarship program. He was summoned by POTUS to the White House. He is currently attending Stanford University where he is planning a counter-revolution that would remove laptops from the classroom so students would start taking notes in class again.
Most importantly, Christopher is my brother. As his older brother, he has taught me about responsibility, about being a role model, and the value in thinking of others, not just yourself. When he was a fifth grader, I remember him worrying about how he would do on the SAT, or if he would do as well as I did in high school. Yet in his own academic accomplishments he has consistently matched if not surpassed my own. He has shown a great deal of commitment to his family, making sacrifices throughout our father’s illness, spending time at home helping out when most high school student would be hanging with friends. He has always shown support and a belief in me that goes beyond family, because the belief was genuine. For everything we have been through and how much he means to me, I am thankful that he will be standing next to me as my best man.
Note: Some or all of this may or may not be true.
His birth came on March 10th, 1990, early in the morning in Quito, Ecuador. He was an impatient baby in a country that is never in a hurry. Not only did our parents have to hurry around in order to make the drive up from Cumbaya to Quito, but their arrival at the hospital caught the doctor off guard as well: he wasn’t there. The story goes that, as my parents waited for Christopher, and the doctor, to arrive, they played Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, wondering during which season he would arrive. Maybe spring would signify a youthful spirit, summer a child full of life, and autumn might be a calm soul. He came out in winter. You go listen to the Four Seasons and tell me what that means…
Christopher enjoyed his first years of life outside the nine-month Jacuzzi. Raised in a house surrounded by both Spanish and English, he seemed to be full of language. His vocabulary was a collage of languages slapped together with the added touch only a child can put on language, making understanding him a linguistic accomplishment worthy of a line on a resume.
Yet, with so many amazing vocalizations, his most famous oratory endeavor at that early age was attempting his name. As if to test him, our mother would show him a family portrait, pointing at each member while asking, “Who is this? Who is this Christopher?” He would go through the names, say, “Mom-mie”, ”Da-da”, and “Dut-tin”. However, one name seemed to elude him, his own.
“Who’s that? Who is that Christopher?”
Silence.
“Who is this Christopher?”
Silence…
Until one day, when again presented with this conundrum, he said:
“Kiki.”
Hence a childhood nickname was born. That nickname has since morphed into a variety of forms including Kikster, Kik, Chris, Texas, Tex, Blondie, Surfer Dude, Aloha Man, Big Papi, CB, Bird Boy, Christofer, and of course, Maverick.
At the age of two, Christopher and his family moved to the location that is very near the furthest place on earth from his birthplace, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Here, he entered into what many refer to as early childhood, or what we called, the “I POOP ON YOU” years. Yes, Christopher was fond of going up to people and threatening them with his own feces. Some felt his claim was a sign of affection, showing that he appreciated the person he was threatening. Yet, like the family pet that leaves a dead bird in your shoe, the gift went unappreciated. Fortunately, he was a dog with no bite. Christopher also showed a great interest in art. Whether drawing with chalk on the driveway or crayon on the faux-marble, his art was always larger then life and rarely contained to a page.As I think back, there are numerous stories of Christopher throughout my life. Saying, “My mom took my little brother to the emergency room because he split his chin open while sliding face first on wet cement,” to the parents of my friends who were dropping their kids off for my sleepover birthday party in June. Then there was the time Christopher had me hook him up to our dog’s runner. He started running as fast as he could to the end of the runner, expecting the line to just pop off, but instead he ended up vertical to the ground before landing on his ass. Playing football, 1-on-1, on the opposite sides of puberty, and Christopher getting anywhere from 8 to 24 downs to go from one side of our back yard to the other. He would put on an old plastic Giants helmet, lower his head, and just try to run at me. I, in turn, took this opportunity to repeatedly throw him to the ground. Then the times my parents went on “business trips,” leaving me to watch Christopher, and I in turn left him in the closet, telling him we were playing hide and go seek. He just thought I was really, really bad seeker.
He also has a long list of accomplishments to his name. He was recognized as a junior MESA candidate at the age of four. He served as president of his elementary school. He was so trusted they let him count the ballots for his own election (he won the election 21-1). He once struck out 10 batters in 3 innings before becoming a Little League All-Star. He ran at the Hawaii State meets his sophomore, junior, and senior years in both cross country and track, finishing 5th in XC as a senior. He is one with the wave, a surfer willing to do anything in order to find the waves. There is no paddle too long, no low tide too early, nor any man in a grey suit that will keep him away from his waves. He was pictured in Sports Illustrated as one of the top athletes in the nation. He drinks so much Coke he was a semi-finalist for their national scholarship program. He was summoned by POTUS to the White House. He is currently attending Stanford University where he is planning a counter-revolution that would remove laptops from the classroom so students would start taking notes in class again.Most importantly, Christopher is my brother. As his older brother, he has taught me about responsibility, about being a role model, and the value in thinking of others, not just yourself. When he was a fifth grader, I remember him worrying about how he would do on the SAT, or if he would do as well as I did in high school. Yet in his own academic accomplishments he has consistently matched if not surpassed my own. He has shown a great deal of commitment to his family, making sacrifices throughout our father’s illness, spending time at home helping out when most high school student would be hanging with friends. He has always shown support and a belief in me that goes beyond family, because the belief was genuine. For everything we have been through and how much he means to me, I am thankful that he will be standing next to me as my best man.
Note: Some or all of this may or may not be true.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Things to Do in Austin
Many of our wedding guests are coming to Austin from out of town, and many of you might be visiting for the first time. There are so many unique things to see and do around Austin -- here are a few of our recommendations:
1. Eat, drink, and sleep on South Congress: Green Pastures, the site of our wedding and reception, is located just a few blocks from the South Congress area. Situated at the edge of downtown Austin, South Congress is home to many unique restaurants, galleries, stores, and quirky local hangouts. A few of our favorites include Amy's Ice Cream, whose flavors include everything from Fredericksburg Peach to Shiner Bock. Austin Art Glass features hand-blown glass pieces by local artists, while Gallery SoCo showcases work by both local and national artists in a variety of mediums. For great Tex-Mex, visit Guero's Taco Bar, or nearby Chuy's, located on Barton Springs Road near Zilker Park. For great coffee and free Wi-Fi, try Jo's or Texas French Bread. We know a few of you are staying at nearby accomodations like the Austin Motel and the Hyatt Regency. For more information about things to do in the South Congress area, check out this guide from the Austin Chronicle.
2. Tour the State Capitol: Located at Congress Avenue and 11th Street, the Texas State Capitol is modeled after the national Capitol building in Washington, D.C., and is constructed out of granite, giving it its pinkish color. For information about tours, call the tour guide office at 512-463-0063. Visitor parking is available in a garage at San Jacinto Boulevard and 12th Street (east side of the Capitol).
3. Feed the ducks at Zilker Park: This 351 acre park includes several playgrounds, picnic areas, over 50 miles of hike and bike trails, a miniature train ride, Barton Springs (a spring-fed pool with an average water temperature of 68 degrees), canoeing, and, of course, lots of hungry turtles, swans, and ducks. Zilker Park also includes the Zilker Botanical Gardens, while the work of artist Charles Umlauf is beautifully displayed on the nearby grounds of the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum.
4. Get historical: Here in Texas, we've devoted an entire museum to tell "the story of Texas." Learn more at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, which houses three floors of interactive exhibits and Austin's only IMAX theater. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, located on the edge of the University of Texas campus at 2313 Red River Street, is currently having its centennial celebration (don't miss the talking animatronic LBJ!).
5. Hook 'em!: Visit Justin and Jessica's alma mater! A spectacular view of Austin can be seen from the observation deck of the iconic UT Tower. Want something burnt orange? Visit the University Co-op, located on "the Drag" (otherwise known as Guadalupe Street).
6. Party on 6th Street: Seven blocks of Austin's Sixth Street, from Congress Avenue to Interstate 35, comprise the city's entertainment district. Here you'll find numerous bars, cafes, restaurants, the Driskell Hotel, and lots of incredible live music. Keep an eye out for Leslie -- surprisingly, a formal mayoral candidate.
7. Dance the night away: The Broken Spoke, located on South Lamar Boulevard, is truly part of the authentic Texas experience. They not only offer dance lessons, but "the best in country band music and chicken fried steak." I would suggest that you enjoy both of those separately, rather than at the same time.
1. Eat, drink, and sleep on South Congress: Green Pastures, the site of our wedding and reception, is located just a few blocks from the South Congress area. Situated at the edge of downtown Austin, South Congress is home to many unique restaurants, galleries, stores, and quirky local hangouts. A few of our favorites include Amy's Ice Cream, whose flavors include everything from Fredericksburg Peach to Shiner Bock. Austin Art Glass features hand-blown glass pieces by local artists, while Gallery SoCo showcases work by both local and national artists in a variety of mediums. For great Tex-Mex, visit Guero's Taco Bar, or nearby Chuy's, located on Barton Springs Road near Zilker Park. For great coffee and free Wi-Fi, try Jo's or Texas French Bread. We know a few of you are staying at nearby accomodations like the Austin Motel and the Hyatt Regency. For more information about things to do in the South Congress area, check out this guide from the Austin Chronicle.
2. Tour the State Capitol: Located at Congress Avenue and 11th Street, the Texas State Capitol is modeled after the national Capitol building in Washington, D.C., and is constructed out of granite, giving it its pinkish color. For information about tours, call the tour guide office at 512-463-0063. Visitor parking is available in a garage at San Jacinto Boulevard and 12th Street (east side of the Capitol).
3. Feed the ducks at Zilker Park: This 351 acre park includes several playgrounds, picnic areas, over 50 miles of hike and bike trails, a miniature train ride, Barton Springs (a spring-fed pool with an average water temperature of 68 degrees), canoeing, and, of course, lots of hungry turtles, swans, and ducks. Zilker Park also includes the Zilker Botanical Gardens, while the work of artist Charles Umlauf is beautifully displayed on the nearby grounds of the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum.
4. Get historical: Here in Texas, we've devoted an entire museum to tell "the story of Texas." Learn more at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, which houses three floors of interactive exhibits and Austin's only IMAX theater. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library and Museum, located on the edge of the University of Texas campus at 2313 Red River Street, is currently having its centennial celebration (don't miss the talking animatronic LBJ!).
5. Hook 'em!: Visit Justin and Jessica's alma mater! A spectacular view of Austin can be seen from the observation deck of the iconic UT Tower. Want something burnt orange? Visit the University Co-op, located on "the Drag" (otherwise known as Guadalupe Street).
6. Party on 6th Street: Seven blocks of Austin's Sixth Street, from Congress Avenue to Interstate 35, comprise the city's entertainment district. Here you'll find numerous bars, cafes, restaurants, the Driskell Hotel, and lots of incredible live music. Keep an eye out for Leslie -- surprisingly, a formal mayoral candidate.
7. Dance the night away: The Broken Spoke, located on South Lamar Boulevard, is truly part of the authentic Texas experience. They not only offer dance lessons, but "the best in country band music and chicken fried steak." I would suggest that you enjoy both of those separately, rather than at the same time.
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