last weekend, miss angel and i saddled up for a quick jaunt to denver. it was our first time in the mile-high city and we packed the schedule with lots o' fun. flight of the conchords, together time with tyler and shopping galore!
it was so fun to catch up with tyler! he's an old friend from the washington days. he moved to nashville for a bit and then ended up in coloradie with his darling shiloh. he's a funny dude with some serious musical skills. check him out HERE.
this pic of angel and tyler is my favorite of the weekend! i'm not even sure what the heck is going on in this picture...but i like it. i'm pretty sure i said something ridiculous and it all went downhill from there. ah well!
all in all, the mile high city gets two thumbs up. from the promenade at 16th street to the cutest little shops you ever did see, i'll be makin' a return trip. viva le coloradie!
yesterday, i bought a piano. it's being picked up, delivered and tuned today. i'm not gonna lie, i'm pretty excited about turning the loft into my very own music studio. okay, maybe that's a pipe dream. but in the meantime, i'm already scheming.
so there's been a teensie-weensie (yes, weensie) bit o' buzz about this state-wide ysa conference, but not enough for me to know what it's really about or why it's happening. what i DO know is that you have to register for it. oh, and there's a video.
so even after that, we still don't know much, but it's lookin' like this little shindig is kind of a big deal. there's a kickoff fireside may 31, but you don't have to wait for that to get started! go ahead and commit already. go to the website and register NOW!
last night was the pilot episode for FOX's new show: GLEE. um, it's fantastic. the season doesn't actually start until the fall but it's got potential. for sure, for sure.
i'm not a fan of the bachelor/bachelorette show. like, not at all. but i will say that i had a LOT of fun at miss messick's bachelorette shindig last night. from the MENu showcasing headshots and names of each of the 30 (THIRTY?!) bachelors miss jillian has to choose from to the delicious hot dogs and cookies our hostess prepared, it was some seriously good times.
i'll probably never watch the show for the rest of the season, but it was fun while it lasted. oh AND...my vote is for kiptyn. he's smokin' hot and such a great conversationalist.
although, from what i hear, there's not much talkin' going on...if you get my drift.
tristen organized an ice blocking extravaganza for miss katie hatch's birthday. um, yeah. i hadn't been ice blocking in YEARS. luckily, ice blocking is like riding a bicycle. and homegirl's got skills.
this is basically the most amazing picture of the evening. yes, it's a threesome. and yes, that's me suffocating at the bottom of the pile. laughs a-plenty, to be sure. good times, good times.
i'm back from a wonderful mini-vacation to beautiful denver, colorado (more on that later) and, as promised, i have selected a winner for the "commenter of the month" award. well "selected" is kind of a broad term. i basically just wrote everyone's names down, put them in a bowl and pulled one out!
and the lucky winner of the $15 itunes gift card is...vicki davis! oh, the irony! for those of you that don't know, miss vicki is also affectionately known as my mother. that's right, my mama.
for the rest of you losers (sorry, couldn't resist), better luck next time. either way, i want you to know that it's okay to take a minute to send some lovin' and let me know you're out there. happy commenting!
when i started this blog in 2005 (eek!), it was mostly to keep my closest family and friends caught up on what i was doing in california. additionally, it ended up being an online journal of sorts. looking back, this here blog chronicles the past 4 years pretty well. there are plenty of highs and the lowest of lows. good times. if anyone's benefited, it's been me.
that said, i can't tell you how many times i've talked to people and had conversations that went a little something like this:
friend: so how was (insert blogged activity here)? me: how did you know about that? friend: oh, i read your blog. me: really? huh.
and that's just the people i know. several blogger friends linked me on their own blogs (thanks, guys!) and i get some random traffic (aka blog stalkers) that way. which is fine. the more, the merrier. if my adventures, however lame, bring you a smile, happy reading!
i have a point. thanks for reading. mostly, thanks for lettin' me know you're reading. as a sign of my gratitude, i have decided that i am going to reward those readers that actually take a minute to comment and let me know they're out there! in true blogger fashion, i'm doing a GIVEAWAY! everyone that has commented within the past month will get their name entered to win a little somethin' fun.
the ting tings aren't new. but they are fabulous. this pop-y little bit o' music is most delightful. so delightful, in fact, that i'm pretty sure it's gonna be a summer staple.
i never vote on american idol. EVER. all that changed last night. i may or may not have voted for kris allen more than 100 times last night. his arrangement of kanye's heartless was nothing short of genius.
last weekend, dusty monroe, social organizer extraordinaire, rallied the peeps for a trip to coronado to watch the red bull air race. from the packed beaches to paula's bag o' goodies, we had a most fantastic time!
you'll notice i posted two group pics here. one is missing tristen and the other is missing miss julie monroe. i didn't want anyone to feel left out! mostly, my favorite part of both pics is the expression on brad's face. his delight with that pb&honey sandwich (courtesy of paula's bag o' goodies) is clear.
we followed up a most delightful day at the beach with a trip to some off the grid pub with most fabulous hamburgers! yes, it was at a pub and yes, i got carded. believe you me, the burgers were worth the trip back to the car to get my driver's license. yum yum, dee-lish!
this lady is UH-mazing! better than that in fact. even the most well-developed vocabularian wouldn't have the words to describe the incredulifficness that is miss vicki davis. everything that is good in me, is 'cause of my mama. true story.
sometimes i do really irresponsible things. going to a midnight showing of star trek on opening night may or may not fall into this category. and today, while i am very VERY tired, i'm also very VERY glad i went.
i wouldn't consider myself a trekkie by any stretch of the imagination, but i am a HUGE fan of this movie. it may or may not have something to do with the general beefcake-ness of the principle cast. no seriously. just when i think sylar couldn't get any hotter, he slaps on a pair of pointy hears and sets my heart racing. okay, maybe that last bit isn't entirely true. sylar is hot. but the ears i could do without.
winter is over and summer is on it's way! if that's not cause for celebration, i don't know what is! most people associate may day with nothing more than maypoles and raucous celebrations.
my favorite may day tradition involves some good ol' fashioned doorbell ditching. some may day celebrators (is that a word?) secretly deliver baskets of flowers or treats to loved ones. but beware: if the receiver catches the fleeing giver, a kiss is to be exchanged!
i recognize that this might be inappropriate but i also recognize that it is a hilarious picture. i hope it gives you at least a little bit of a chuckle. if it offends you, i give you permission to never read my blog again.
i saw an article today, which ironically enough was posted by a fellow facebook-er, that talked about an epidemic of facebook addictions sweeping the globe. how pathetic are we?! seriously. granted, i'm better than i have been in days of yore (the recession's been good for something...keeping me on task for fear of losing my job. it all started when the ceo of my company added me as a friend.), but i'm still on facebook (or 'fb' as i like to affectionally call it) more than the average individual.
and in case you're too busy facebooking (yes, it's a verb now), here are the five ways to determine if you're a fb addict. granted, if you're a fb addict, you're probably on facebook instead of reading my blog. but just in case, here they are:
1. you lose sleep over facebook. 2. you spend more than an hour a day on facebook. 3. you become obsessed with old loves. 4. you ignore work in favor of facebook. 5. the thought of getting off facebook leaves you in a cold sweat.
cold sweats? seriously?! then again, who am i to judge? i blog incessantly. AND i rejoined twitter. seriously, it's time for a social media detox. maybe i'll start tomorrow.
okay, i admit. there's a bit of the indie rocker/hipster in me. i love the vibe and ADORE the music. it's okay, you don't have to like it. i can respect that. but for those of you that are obsessed with vampire weekend and ra ra riot, look what i found!
rostam batmanglij from vampire weekend has teamed up with wes miles from ra ra riot and an ep is in the works. it's called discovery and so far, so good. click HERE to have a listen.
vampire weekend's been around for a bit but i didn't discover (har-har) them until late last spring. lemme tell ya, these boys got me through the summer. love it! as for ra ra riot, i'd heard 'em here and there but wasn't converted until i saw them play at the detroit bar in costa mesa last month. good times, good times.
those of you that know me, know that i have a REALLY hard time focusing. you also know that the lure of a social engagement is often simply too much to resist. these days, this flaw has created a heightened level of stress in my life. pretty much, for weeks i've been playing instead of packing. and now, the rubber has hit the proverbial road. i'm in trouble.
i packed and packed and packed last night. and this morning when i woke up, i took a look at my surroundings and realized that i've still got a LOT of packing to do. oh man. here's the thing: i have NO TIME between now and saturday morning. okay, i have SOME time but i'll be very busy with choir practice and concert attending and general frolicking.
don't judge me. i TOLD you i had a problem. and i would consider going to therapy for it, but i can't find the time. i have packing to do.
it's movin' on time...again. i keep telling myself this is the LAST time! granted, i've told myself that every year for the past 6 years. but this time, i mean it.
at any rate, the next few days are certain to be a flurry of packing tape and tears as i wade through all the junk - erm, precious posessions - i've acquired over the past several years. wish me luck!
dearest darlingest earth, in your honor, i plan on seeing the following movie. oh and i promise to start reusing my water bottles. and i'll always use trash receptacles. and i'll plant a garden...eventually. oh and i'll take shorter showers. and, if i'm feelin' extra earthy, i might even consider skippin' a day...just for you.
no no, don't thank me. it's the least i can do. after all this time? seriously. i mean, you've provided years of joy and entertainment. and, let's be honest, i simply couldn't live without you. really, without you, i'd cease to exist. so, thanks. you're beautiful. i love you.
okay, maybe not...lemme 'splain. pretty much, the LAST place i wanted to be was in that circle. it doesn't take a body language expert to figure that little tidbit out. more than not wanting to be there, i'm almost certain i was TERRIFIED of catching the bouquet (sorry, mom).
to all my girlfriends that will be single when i get married: i promise i won't make you stand in a huddle and watch me chuck floral arrangments at you. promise.
i've been offered two free tickets to see miss spears at the honda center in anaheim next week. pretty much, britney spears is a dirty tramp train wreck (sorry, mama - it's the truef) but i'm thinkin' the girl can put on a good show.
my mama's in town this weekend. to say i'm excited would be the understatement of the century. i'm BESIDE myself with jubilation and anticipation. usually, my type-A-ness has the weekend all planned out to the last detail but this weekend's going to be a little different. we have plans here and there but mostly this weekend is all about chillaxin' and livin' the dream.
if anyone wants to fly me home to washington for this year's sasquatch! festival at the gorge, i'm totally down. oh, and go ahead and buy me tickets to the show while you're at it.
i met up with miss allie and katie at the ward activity this weekend and was introduced to sally the scooter. i've been obsessing over getting one for many moons and after our scooting adventure - and by adventure i mean that i just rode around the parking lot a bit - i just can't stop thinking about it.
so, mom and dad, if you're reading this, can i PLEASE have a scooter for my birthday? i promise i'll always wear my helmet and let you ride it whenever you want.
the ladies of violet lantern hosted a little french themed birthday shindig for m'girl aubrey this weekend. never one to turn down a themed party, i busted out my neckerchief and borrowed a "beret" from miss allie. the results, i'm sure you'll agree, were ridiculous at best. but the crepes were delicious and the company was divine!
so m'girls jane and kristine metcalf blogged about these little beauties recently. my mouth has been watering ever since but i haven't had a chance to check out the recipe to see how the magic is done. all that has changed and i've added a few ingredients to my shopping list.
my niece, hope, is almost four and the cutest thing you ever did see. obviously. something about that cheese-y smile just warms my hardened heart. the girl's got a sassiness about her that makes her auntie la-la (that's me!) proud. i'm gonna go ahead and turn this into a gush-fest. my nieces and nephews are some of the most beautiful children ever ever EVER! whenever i'm home for a visit, the first thing i do is begin the life long pursuit of kissing their adorable faces off. i just can't even handle it. it's almost enough to make me move home. almost.
i don't watch the office. oh, i've seen bits and pieces of the occasional episode whilst visiting an addicted friend or two on thursday nights. don't get me wrong, i think it's hilarious. i just haven't taken the time to set my tivo.
this little gem may have just changed all of that.
viva le tivo. sucking the social life out of you, one recorded show at a time.
you know when there's those things that just keep coming up in totally different conversations or situations? and it's like once it's mentioned, you can't get away from it?
many moons ago, martha and i started a game we like to call scat wars. now, for those of you who aren't familiar with the term, click here.
and yes, i know this pic has nothing to do with scatting, but it is a perfect example of how far we'll go to entertain each other. get the picture? m'kay then.
so i was out with friends this week and the subject of scatting came up. a couple of friends mentioned a gem of a vocalist that auditioned on american idol several seasons ago known as scat girl.
do you remember her? i don't. all i can say is: awkward. and ella fitzgerald probably rolled over in her grave when that poor, midguided soul called whatever craziness she was doing scatting.
speaking of ella, here's what real scatting sounds like:
it gets better! i went to a rascal flatts concert this weekend and we weren't two or three songs into the set when the lead singer started scatting. i 'bout wet my pants with laughter!
again, semi-unrelated. i thought you'd want to see a pic of the ladies who gathered for the rascal festivating. good times, GOOD times!
but wait, there's more! i'm drivin' home from a most fantastic dinner with friends and i get a text from one of the scat girl enlighteners that marge is scatting on the latest episode of the simpsons! weird. and awesome.
'member how i told you i was going to see mc hammer and vanilla ice. well i did. and it was terrible! but there was a silver lining. we all dressed up. and when i say dressed up, i mean dressed UP! gold hammer pants, anyone? thank you, kevin fish! crimped hair and shoulder pads? done and done compliments of miss martha ostergar.
so m'girl and i made the trek across the country for a little fun in the massachussets sun. okay, so it wasn't really sunshiny, but we DID have tons of fun! oh man!
if ever you have a chance to visit boston, do it! you will not regret it! take time for the paul revere freedom trail and spend sometime in little italy. tell 'em paula sent you.
i heart tivo. no, seriously. it's changed my life. and introduced me to my newest favorite shows. i mean, if you're gonna be idle, may as well be SELECTIVELY idle, right?! here are my latest obsessions.
first off, we've got demitri martin's important things with demitri martin. hee-larious. with a dry sense of humor and the most glorious bowl cut you ever have seen, you'd do well to check this one out.
please know that his show is on comedy central, which means that he might not always be presenting kid-friendly material. just so's you know. watch at your own risk.
and rob dyrdek of rob & big fame is back with his own show, rob dyrdek's fantasy factory. it's the same old schenannigans minus rob's sidekick, big black. the fantasy factory is full of skateboard ramps and foam pits galore. each week, rob teams up with his equally stuntastic pals to attempt the ridiculous. set your tivo 'cause it's gonna be a wild ride.
how did i love without tivo for so long? seriously. tivo is my gateway drug. i don't know what it's a gateway too, but doesn't that sound delightfully dramatic?! what's on YOUR tivo?
so natalie has this...talent. it's a unique talent. one that elicits fits of hysterical laughter. if your name is paula peralta, that is.
natalie didn't believe that her...talent...was unique in the least. so naturally, i took it upon myself to show her that she was indeed a very special young lady. behold, my attempt at said talent.
i choose to believe that my talents lie in other areas. areas such as movie watching and gum chewing. joke cracking and responsibility ignoring.
calling all fans of mtv's the city. prepare to curl up and die of jealousy. yes, it is that good. you know jay? yeah, the hot aussie that seems to be a fan of miss whitney. you know the one. well, i may or may not have met him. in person. tonight. accent and all. yes, it's true. and let the records show that he is hotter in person than on tv. yum.
tonight i'm off to expand my horizons in the land of tea parties and cobbled lanes. that's right...boston. it's MUCH colder than my california blood is used to but i'm hoping the excitement of exploring a new place will take my mind off the frigid temperatures. wish me luck on my adventuring!
for one night only, the legends - mc hammer and vanilla ice - are reuniting for the concert of the year...in OREM, UT of all places! i still can't believe it but you bet your sweet bippie i got me some tickets!
i'd love to say i'm making a special trip but i already had my flight booked to ring in the birth of a few babies. oh but don't you think for one second that i would neglect to put this on the itinerary. this event is 2 legit 2 pass up. word.
my search for the perfect gift for...well, anyone...has finally ended. birthday? valentine's day? flag day? christmas? covered.
the web ad pretty much says it all but just in case you're too scared to check it out (c'mon...do it!), i think there's one thing you should know. something i know you've been wondering. yes, the shirt is removable...and washable. like i said, perfect.
although i'm not generally a fan, i was desperate enough in my search for an area rug to hit up the pottery barn website. unfortunately, i didn't find an area rug. fortunately, i found a duvet cover that i lovey love LOVE!
bright, busy and just a little obnoxious. it's a match made in heaven! unfortunately, i just bought new bed stuff earlier this week. oh, the fates! but FORTUNATELY, i didn't buy all the shams i needed. i think these little beauties will round out my collection nicely.
so while i won't get the entire bed set, i WILL get a little taste of the deliciousness that is this particular textile.
it's official...i'm an etsy seller! my etsy page, sixTwenty, went live yesterday and i've already had my first sale! these brilliant blue beauties (how's that for excessive alliteration?!) called 'the vicki' were the pick du jour.
be prepared for days of shameless self-promotion. it's a necessary evil and how we do it in the biz. don't i sound so pro (that's short for professional) when i throw around slang like 'biz' and whatnot?! don't hate...come see what i create!
i saw this on my way home tonight at the corner of PCH and golden lantern (give or take one stoplight). naturally, it was necessary to pull over and take a picture. prankster, whoever you are, thanks for the laugh.
if you knew a zombie attack was imminent, what would you do? how would you save yourself? what IS a zombie anyway?
many moons ago, a friend of mine taught me how to make jewelry. it's always been in the back of my mind that i'd develop the skill and have some fun with it. then i was introduced to etsy.com. the dream has now become a reality. well...almost. this week, i'll be launching my etsy page: sixTwenty. here's a little preview of the goods:
over time, i'll expand my line but i'm stickin' to jewelry for the moment. i'm hoping to have the site up and runnin' within the week. in the meantime, you can flag the domain - www.sixTwenty.etsy.com - and check back obsessively to see if i've posted any items for sale!
isn't my little sister - ramona - a doll? she is the biggest sweetheart. it's been a rough couple of weeks for her but through it all she's been pretty cheery.
nordstrom and starbucks have each released most delightful compilations designed to celebrate that holiday we all love to hate to love.
nordie's disc is a mixture of the old classics (at last by etta james, unforgettable by nat 'king' cole). i'm a fan of lilac wine by jeff buckley and naked as we came by iron and wine.
starbucks' sweetheart album is a fantastic mix of favorite love songs (maps by the yeah yeah yeahs, i'm on fire by bruce springsteen) covered by some of today's new artists. there are too many standout tracks to name just one, but i WILL say i was pleasantly surprised by rogue wave's cover of maps and death cab's love song cover). good stuff! head on over to starbucks (or itunes), grab yourself a hot cocoa and enjoy your stay!
i have the best nieces and nephews around. they're all so adorable and talented and fun and adorable and talented and...MINE! i love them all but every once in awhile, one of them does something worthy of spotlight.
my nephew levi lives in spokane, washington. last week, he was recognized at a city council meeting for his civic involvement and got to sit in the mayor's chair. doesn't he look official?!
this weekend was a trifecta of adventure. m'girls and i took a not-so-quick trip up to the city of angels for the day. we started off with a jaunt through the fashion district. safe to say, a good time was had by all. the highlights were the skinny jeans in every color of the rainbow and the now you see 'em, now you don't knockoff handbags.
after a rejuvenating lunch at cpk, we headed on over to the los angeles county museum of art (lacma). between the light poles and german automobiles out front, we didn't even really need to go into the museum. but go we did. the vanity fair portrait exhibit with most fantastic along with the hearst collection of antiquities. we wrapped it all up with a stop at our good friend tito's. he welcomed us with open arms and it was the perfect ending to a very long day.
