How many kids do you and Alex want to have? Also, twins or triplets, incredibly scary thought or fun? (Just so you know, the idea or more than one baby at a time scares the crap out of me :-)

Would you be a stay at home mom? If so, for how long? And if it's a boy, would you make him do yoga so he would have the chance to join cirque du soleil when he's all grown up?

Oh also, it's my bday. Would you bake a cake for me?

Where or what would you suggest to a tourist to check out in NYC...especially if they tend to like something off the beaten track. And your fav restaurant please!

Or you could use your free time wisely by going dancing with your gays, visiting friends, cocktailing til you dance on tables, maybe make out with a gay go go dancer. I don't know. Just putting it out there.

Clearlykels - I guess two is the standard response, but that depends on if the first one is anything like Alex and I, who I understand were not the kind of babies that encourage parents to repeat the experience. Heh.

What I'd really like to do is have the luxury to put a few years (3-4) between kids, but I'm five days from 30 and not starting for another year or two, so it's not clear we'll have that luxury. Basically, we'd like to outnumber the spawn for as long as possible.

Mary - Hrm, I don't think I'm cut out to be a SAHM, but I fully understand that leaving a three-month old in the care of strangers is an emotionally gutting experience. I've always had this pipe dream I could do the Dooce/Finslippy thing and freelance while staying at home, but only for a little while. We're not rich and I get cranky when I feel my brain softening.

- Yes, I would in a heartbeat, but frosted cakes ship terribly.

UKYankee - I used to be obsessed with the tramway to Roosevelt Island, but not so much since it had an electrical failure last month and passengers were left dangling over the East River for like 17 hours. Right now, I'd stick with Coney Island's Astroland, still fabulous in all of it's campy glory. Other delights include the Green-Brook Cemetery in Brooklyn, the Cloisters (though I admit I haven't made it there - yet, but will very soon), and walking over the Bklyn Bridge.

- My favorite restaurant in NYC, as I am sure everyone is sick of hearing about by now, is the Bread Bar at Tabla. Beyond that, I've lately become obsessed with Blue Smoke and a few weeks ago, I had one of the best meals of my life at Wallse. At least twice a month we got to a tiny French place called The Green Monkey on 7th Avenue that I have to admit I don't want to tell anyone about because the food there is so freaking good and its never too crowded and I'm afraid it will change and then I'll be sad. That's why I am making you translate it yourself. :)

Deb,
I really want to visit Paris. I know the name of your secret hotel but what I don't know is what is the best time of year to go price-wise...? I am trying to talk my hubby into going and if I whine enough and proclaim how cheap it would be maybe he would say yes!

Also What's your fave movie?

Hillary - I think the cheapest time of year any place you travel is usually when either the weather is unappealing or all the Americans are not on vacation. That said, prices are really high in the spring and summer, but come down after Labor Day. October is moderately priced and has moderately good weather, so often a good balance. Then again, that hotel we mentioned never gets expensive, and you don't need to pay a ton of money to get a good meal in Paris, so it never has to be a big-budget trip. (How do you think we got to go twice in a year and a half?)

- Favorite movies: Heathers, True Romance, Breakfast at Tiffanys, and Kung Fu Hustle.

have you ever considered doing a blog dedicated exclusively to food?

Thpride - Oh yes. Almost every day. I'm fairly certain I'd like that to be my next "project". I think it would be really fun.

why does it say "by drothberg" on bloglines whenever you publish a new blog entry (i.e., what does that mean)?

I have read through a lot of your archives, but have yet to come across a post that describes how you and Alex met. Can you point me to it?

What does Alex do for business that takes him away from you?

Have you ever had a reader recognize you out and about in NY?

Your pictures are gorgeous. Can you tell us your photography secrets? What kind of camera equipment do you use? And how do you take such great indoor food shots? Mine always have this weird flash glare.

How and when did you discover your love for cooking? Did you help your mom cook when you were a kid?

I don't really want to know more than you have already shared, but I am curious about the following: will you adopt me? I kid, I kid.

I would really like to know if you have had a pastrami sandwich from Katz's and what you thought of it.

p.s. Go to the Cloisters. Take a lunch and eat it in the park. You will forget you're even in Mnahattan (where I lived for 5 years). It is beautiful.

What kind of camera do you use? All your photos are amazing — you not only have a good eye but must have great natural light in your apartment.

Is it possible to make good al dente orechiette that doesn't stack itself up in little piles like a child's toy?

Sorry, I know that's an awful question, but it's actually been on my mind lately, and you seem like the gal to answer it!

You sound like you're enjoying married life, which is great! Any surprises since the wedding day?

I know it is a lame question, but what is your favourite tv show? favourite city in the whole world? By the way, for your next trip, I have to recommend my city, Buenos Aires, it has a strong European-Parisian feel to it, but it is way cheaper now, and were sure know food, have you ever tried "dulce de leche"?

Was there ever a time during engagement or beyond when you questioned whether alex was the right one? and how'd you'd come to your senses and realize he was?

Also-does alex's family read your blog?

I am getting married in almost exactly four months (Friday, October 13th....yeah, we like to tempt fate), and as I am in the midst of not only wedding planning but also starting a new job, I am (as you can imagine) feeling the stress. What was your favorite way to relax during your wedding planning time? What do you count as your favorite memory/moment of your wedding day?

Now that you've been married for a while, can you now honestly say that you "understand men?"

Hi Deb,
This is not so much a question as a request - can you post the french tuna salad recipe again? I've lost my copy, and have an intense craving for it!

Thanks, and keep up the good work.

RzDrms - Rothberg is my maiden name and drothberg is my MT login. I noticed it showing up on RSS feeds but didn'€™t sweat it. Mystery, solved!

Joy - http://thesmitten.ivillage.com/love/archives/2003/09/how_to_drink_vodka.html
Right there, second comment. It only took him a year to take me to the Russian Vodka Room, as promised.

Tree -€“ Fine, here it goes. He'€™s flying to the moon to sing among the stars, seeing what life is like on Jupiter or Mars. Or, that'€™s the way I dreamily imagine it. But in reality, he is a Business Analyst and no, I'™m sorry, I have no idea what that means. (I swear, it'€™s like Chandler on Friends.)

M -€“ Three times, and all were bloggers. Laren from Sweet Blog O'€™Mine a couple years ago, Liz from Urban Honking/Liz is Working last year, and just this past Friday at a nail salon in Chelsea, Shana of Shanalittlebit fame. Like I need more opportunities to have a swollen head! That said, they all happen to be superiorly cool chicks and I totally lucked out.

CJ – Secret one is an SLR camera, technically my husband’s but I rarely let him use it. Heh. Secret two is that I almost never use flash, or at least won’t until we get one better than the standard flash that came with the camera. I hate the bright, artificial light. Secret three relates in that I try to take pictures of everything in daylight only. Often I’ll bake something and not photograph it until the next day. We’re super-lucky and have a very sunny apartment with a skylight so I can take pictures without having to open the shutter so long that it requires a tripod. Once in a while, a rare while, I break down and use the tripod, though. Usually, I’m just too lazy, and I have the blurry pictures to prove it. Secret number four is a photo editor. I white balance all of my food photos, and make adjustments and crops as needed. I’m going to shock and awe here, too: I have Photoshop but use Google’s free Picasa 99% of the time. It works well, and quickly.

Debi – I’ve always loved to cook, but I have never cooked as much as I do now that I have a captive audience who appreciates every homemade morsel and then washes dishes with skill and finesse. I distinctly remember making challah (just once), cookies, and many other things with my mother growing up, though. I definitely get the cooking gene from her.

Alyce – Because I was a vegetarian until about two years ago, I’ve never had a pastrami sandwich or much of a taste for it. But, this might be about to change as I had a tiny slice from a Russian market at Alex’s parents house recently and was really impressed. (They cure/smoke/etc. their own meat at that store.)

- I will adopt you but only if keep me in wine and chocolate. Same regulations I gave Alex, actually.

Lisa – Canon EOS Digital Rebel from a few years ago. And yes, we do; it’s VERY spoiling.

E. – I actually enjoy the spearing the stacks whole, but I’m unrefined like that. I think the structure of the “tiny ears” makes it impossible not to stack a little but maybe with more sauce or a chunkier one, it wouldn’t as much? Maybe some ziti would work better? Nah, nothing’s more fun than pasta ears.

JJ - I'm surprised nothing has changed, actually. Or, nothing yet. Man, that sounded ominous. What I mean is, I hope they don't.

Marce – Dulce de leche is truly the food of gods and Buenos Aires is very high on our list of places we’d like to go – just need to rob that bank, you know? Or maybe we can crash with you? :) Favorite television shows: the late Six Feet Under, Sopranos, Deadwood, Barefoot Contessa, Pimp My Ride, and E! True Hollywood Story. I'm all class, obvs.

Bmoregirl – Actually, aside from the early days of dating, I never questioned if we could be happy or right together. Which kind of answers the second question, too. We totally lucked out. It's great to have at least one or two things in your life you didn't have to think twice about. It helps you save your energy for the bigger decisions - number of bustles on your gown, flower choices for centerpieces, and how many times you'll let him ask if you want to do the dishes tonight before you'll acknowledge him with a response.
- As for question two, would you believe I have no idea? I mean, they know which publications I write for, so I suppose it’s up to them if they want to seek out the content. I’ve never pressed the issue.

Farrah - My favorite way to relax during the summer of wedding planning was wine; also bourbon, and occasionally tequila. I also spent a lot of time researching thigh flasks and cupcake cakes and other things I probably wasn't going to actually go through with, but amused me endlessly. I made exhaustive "you must play this" lists for the band comprised mostly of hair bands. Also, I looked at pictures of other people's weddings to make myself feel better about my own choices. Really, it was a great summer.

My favorite moment on the wedding day was seeing Alex before the ceremony for our posed pictures. He made the best face when he saw me in my dress… Oh man, does anyone remember when I used to have an edge? Yeah, me neither.

Neil - Nope, though I understand mine sometimes. Well, actually, about four or five days a month I understand him, the rest of the time I just stare at him and assume it all made sense and then stick my face inches from his while he's sleeping making a weird face so he can wake up with a gasp like he made me do last weekend. Uh, sorry, I've digressed…

No, I don't understand men. But, since I've been married I can spot a bad one miles away. Swear.

Suki - I have temporarily misplaced it! But, will repost it very soon, promise. [Until I find it, however, the basic premise is this: tuna, olive oil, mustard, pine nuts, dill, slivers of those Italian pickled green hot peppers whose name escapes me… and maybe scallions.] Also, if anyone else has a recipe they would like me to repost, let me know. Maybe I'll round them all up in one shot.

Did you try to loose some weight for the wedding? How did you do it without stressing out? If not, do you regret not loosing weight for the big 'W' day?

I started Weight Watchers about four months before Alex and I got engaged and continued it until a few months before the wedding. (I'd been stuck at my almost-goal weight for eons.) I avoided any type of extra dieting before the wedding because I hated the dieting bride cliche. I mean, it's one thing to make a lifestyle change in your eating habits, it's another to diet yourself silly for one big party.

And just like that, someone sent my office home-baked cookies! Yum.

Do you have a list of things you want to do before you die? Also, what's the wild and craziest thing that you've ever done (that you can say in front of your mother) Yeah, the girl from Memphis comes up with off the wall questions. Final one, would you still have the big wedding or run off to Vegas?

Since it has gotten quiet in here for a while and we can ask for recipes, I do not remember if you ever posted a good brownie/cupcake recipe, but those being two of my favorite treats, I would like some new recipes, if you have any. (something with white chocolate, chocolate chips, cinammon, or something like that could do the trick.)

Hi there Smitten! Now that your blog is on ivillage are you restricted in what you are allowed to post? You know, do they care if you drop the F bomb or talk otherwise about substances and activities of ill-repute?

Jen - No, I don't have a list, but if I were to make one, it would include a lot of traveling. Africa, Alaska, Australia, Argentina… and that's just the A's. It's been a horrible realization in my totally-about-to-start adult life that traveling costs an assload of money, money doesn't grow on trees, etc. Just shoot me now, I've turned into all of our parents.

- Some friends and I broke into the Jefferson Memorial while it was under renovation ten years ago (ouch!). We climbed the inside scaffolding all the way to the top and hung out on the platform for fixing the ceiling for a while. Obviously, alcohol only leads to good things, right?

- I'd have the big wedding again. I don't regret it at all but we continue to have a soft spot for destination weddings on beaches with small groups of people. Our families unanimously expressed zero interest in this arrangement. I won't lie, though, there's something really fun about a big party your friends are STILL going on about nine months later.

Marce - I promise promise to do a post of all favorite recipes very soon, including your request. I just don’t have them anywhere nearby right now. :(

Rosie - I have no restrictions on what I am allowed to post about or off-color content. (There's a joke in here, somewhere, about the blush-worth content on iVillage versus my stories about flour and butter, but I'll avoid the low-hanging fruit, hee.) The only stipulation of of my iVillage contract I am terrible about following is my posting frequency. Oops. I'm sure my future editors will be very impressed, don't you?

How did iVillage find you?

Street corner, uh, just kidding. I recieved an email from iVillage last June saying they were big fans of my site and wanted to see if I'd be interested in writing a blog they were launching. It took a few months to get everything started.

Do you think it's possible to plan a wedding in 3 months? Venue, food, dresses, are decided on. Fun, family, not-so-fancy... Is that possible? Am I crazy?

Sort of a question, but not the kind you're looking for: Might you please email me the name of your secret cheap hotel? I did the "semester in Paris," stint, but haven't been in (ick) over 10 years, and am hoping to bring my boy over soon and can't figure out where to stay! A cheap option would make that decision a bajillion times easier. I'd be grateful.

Pretty pretty please from a longtime reader . . . (jessica.resnick@gmail.com)

Sarah-

It is entirely possible to plan a wedding in 3 months - I did it for over 200 people at my wedding last New Year's Eve. A word of advice - accept help and be willing to compromise! I wouldn't do anything different (I was so sick of talking about it by the end I was grateful that I didn't have a year to do it)... jessica(dot) diettrich (at)gmail (dot)com

Are you still going to be brave enough to write when things go wrong, now that they have been going so right?

Sarah,

It is totally possible!! Buy a dress off the rack--Do your own bouquets (I made mine and 7 bmaids the night before the wedding), YOU CAN DO IT. One key thing don't go at it alone BUT don't hire someone--they will charge a ton o' mooola just because it on a rush schedule! Where are you located? Do you have a Sams Club? That is the place to go for flowers---cheap. Feel free to contact me happy.sanders@insightbb.com

GOOD LUCK !

Sarah,
I married SantaMom (38 years ago)exactly 6 months+1 day to the day we met, and four months to the day that I popped the question. It's do-able for sure. Jess has it right. Compromise.

Sarah Gaunt - Ibid on everyone else's suggestions. You could plan it one month if you are willing to adjust the party to what you can realistically get done. Consider it a gift - the more time people have, the more they fuss over insignificant details, when they should be focusing on starting their lives together.

Jess - The hotel is called the Best Western Nouvel Orleans. It is fairly inexpensive, renovated, and across the street from the Mouton-Duvernet Metro. It is in no way the only decent hotel in Paris that price category; we just stay there because we feel we lucked out and don't want to mess with a good thing.

Sasha - While it seems a little Debbie Downer to assume things will go wrong, I've never felt a need to have things upbeat here if it's not actually the case, as it that would bum me out further. This site was infinitely helpful to me when I was going through work, pre-cohabitation and pre-wedding stress hell; it literally saved me to get the stuff down so I could move on. But, I really try to avoid making mountains out of molehills these days - I don't bother mentioning little tiffs or small annoyances unless they registered with something larger for me, as arguing over the dishes is not in itself an interesting topic.

Dad - You forgot to mention that since you got hitched so quickly, everyone suspected it was a shotgun wedding. That's MY favorite part of the story, at least.

Would you be totally freaked out if, hypothetically, a reader who had just moved to New York and was looking for friends (not including lawyers, with whom she works and who are not so interesting) emailed you and asked if you would be interested in getting a cup of coffee? Just hypothetically :)

I'm with you on the edamame-for-dinner while temporarily "single". I do exactly the same thing when it's just me for the evening. It's really rather gratifying!

1. Best "affordable" (like $15 main entree max) restaurant that you have tried in NYC.

2. Best vodka in NYC.

and...

3. Best OCD organizational/cleaning project ever completed.

Oh, and have you ever tried making home made devil dogs? My parents made them once and they were awesome.