It's Always Something

LA was definitely our R&R spot this year. It seemed like we were there every few weeks. Since I haven't been out in quite a bit since becoming a mommy in 2001, the frequent trips to LA this year have meant so much to me. Although extremely tired and often needed the work week to recover from the weekend, the trips were well worth it. (above: On occasion, Lib will partake in a Jager shot with me. I love her!) These girl trips became a time for me to find myself again. To learn to make friends again and open myself up to meeting new people. I've been working so hard for so long at work, parenthood, and marriage that I lost sight of what made me happy. Although I did many things in 2007 that I DIDN'T like, it definitely helped me find out what I really enjoyed... ... being home with Brooklynn. Go figure.

We celebrated the summer birthdays by heading to Los Angeles a couple times.  We visited friends/family, ate good food, and partied it up.  Classic moments like strip lessons with Case vs. Ro, Party Like a Rock Star video on Melrose, Paris Hilton sightings, and much more!   Brooklynn came on the second girls trip and hung out with baby Gavin a couple of days.  (above: Sketchers body guard) As we cruised the beach looking for AAA batteries, we stumbled upon the house of one of the guys who owns Sketchers.      As always... 4 shots of GG chilled with a squeeze twist + 1 glass of wine. xoxo

Lots of traveling this year. I think I practically lived out of a suitcase in 2007. Sometimes I have to sit back and wonder- was I visiting or running away?

I have been compiling a list of places where I would like to reside if I ever decide to move out of California. On that list--Chicago, IL. Downtown Chicago is a perfect hybrid of suburbs and urban living. Everything is within walking distance on the tree-lined streets, everyone is polite, and you can dine upscale restaurants, like David Burke's steak house (left) or walk-in hot dogs stands. Shopping on Michigan Avenue to keep the ladies happy, and plenty of pubs and bars for the gents. My fave is the Schoolyard Tavern. Awesome Macaroni tots. Mmmmm ! But what really makes Chicago cool is Wrigley Field. Third best ballpark, in my humble opinion, following (of course) AT&T Park, and that all-American Fenway . I had the privilege of sitting 3 rows behind home plate (thank you, WebJuice ). Game was tied up until the bottom of the 11 th when the Cubbies finally pulled off a W. Not too shabby for my first Cubs game.

This month, I had the honor to be a part of and witness the beautiful union of two friends. The Newlyweds. The Wedding Party. It was my first time crying at a wedding. It was a new beginning for them. A promise hope and endless possibilities. Perhaps it was the sad state of my own marriage that made this union so much more important to me. Regardless, it was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Congratulations + good luck! xoxo

For some reason I have been a deprived person and have not been to many concerts. Mainly because I am not a fan of huge crowds, but also because I never got to experience a GOOD concert that turned me on to more concerts... until Robin Thicke came along. I became a Thicke fan earlier in the year and played his album over and over again. It has been a long time since I really got in to music so this was pretty exciting for me. Although his lyrics weren't always the most poetic, I was really feelin' how he tried to mesh jazz, hip hop, and r&b together... and he's a 6'4" goofy white boy, too? Pssssh... i'm a fan. Powerfully sexy behind the piano while belting out tunes, Thicke was H.O.T... until he stood up to dance. Big mistake. Then, during one of his sexiest songs, "Teach You A Lesson", he starts humping the mic stand. Huge mistake. I almost, ALMOST, wanted to burn every CD I had of his; however I convinced myself his manager is to blame and ...

I have lost touch with my pen and paper over the years. This blog will be my outlet for many things: happiness, frustration, boredom, silliness, creativeness, crabbiness, naivity, curiosity, freedom, anger, and daydreaming. By reading this, you'll be getting into my head. I apologize in advance.