Desperate Beach Girl

GINA'S BACHELORETTE PARTY - December 2008

2009-03-11T11:43:00.000-07:00

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Before Gina & Keith tied the knot we went down to San Diego for Gina's Bachelorette Party!! We stayed at the Hard Rock hotel in San Diego! Great Hotel... very trendy. And of course how could we have a bachelorette party with out MG's veil making skills!

We had a blast! We went out in down town SD wearing all black to compliment Gina's white dress!

After we hit our first club we decided to venture to more venues to continue the party. WELL.... we got a little separated and Erica, MG and I lost the girls. We finally got a hold of someone and decided to cab it to the next bar. We told the taxi driver the name of the club and he dropped us off on the next street corner. HA!!! Well the bar we wanted was no where in sight. Yes the cabbie just dumped us on the corner and drove off because he obviously didn't know where we wanted to go. So we walked and walked and walked in our heels. Frustrated with the taxi driver, in pain and slightly intoxicated. We finally found some very nice police officers to give us directions. Yeah I'd say we walked about a mile... VERY frustrating!

We finally found the girls who had ventured over to the "Groom to be" bachelor party. I guess Gina really missed Keith!

It was a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Week 2008

2009-03-11T10:16:00.000-07:00

I know!!! This is embarrassing that I haven't kept up! BUT... I will catch up to date... and then continue with posts because we have a lot of important events/trips to cover :-)

THANKSGIVING WEEK 2008
Lockport, New York

It snowed a little bit, just enough to dust the ground and then melt a few hours later. This is Denise & Dan's back yard. Mark and I enjoyed waking up to this little scene with coffee in hand staring out the window.

We celebrated Adam's 30th Birthday while in Lockport!!! Very low key :-) Ice Cream Cake and booze. As you can tell... we're REALLY bad at taking pictures of ourselves. Sarah is much better at it, I think it's a teenager thing ;-)

Every Thanksgiving Eve Dan and Denise take us out to the local watering hole... this year Goff's was the pub of choice... hehehehehe what a hole ;-) but we loved it! I love little charming bars like that!

During the week we celebrated my parents' 40th Wedding anniversary! Also Maria & Lowell's anniversary is on the same day November 28th. So we threw a little party with cake!!

Thanksgiving is a very special holiday to me! I've been going to Lockport for this holiday EVERY year since I was born! I've never spent Thanksgiving in California. Turkey Day just wouldn't be the same with out everyone in Buffalo to celebrate and eat with. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to share this family experience with Mark. Especially because the Thanksgiving Holiday doesn't exist in South Africa.

The Elf Family

2008-12-02T11:08:00.000-08:00

So I know I am behind in posts... I have to finish the wedding, honeymoon, Thanksgiving in Buffalo, etc... but I just HAD to post this first to kick off the Christmas Season!!!

I almost peed myself when I watched it... there are 3 different videos (3 different dances)

So enjoy the Weick/Maunder Family of Elves (oh and Gareth too!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! (early)

DISCO

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

CHARLESTON

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

BARNYARD BASH

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sarah's Birthday Party

2008-11-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

So my friend Sarah (from High School) always has a themed birthday party every year. Last year was Pin Up Girls & Men in Uniform...

This year was "Jocks & Nerds"... So I dug up my old Drill Team uniform out of my mother's closet... and Mark borrowed a Rugby uniform from his old roommate. They just happened to match, which gave it that special touch!

Mark wasn't the only Rugby guy! But Mark had the best costume!!! That's why he won the costume contest! I think Sarah gave him the award because he was the only guy brave enough to actually come in the SHORT SHORT Rugby Shorts!!!

Everyone Dressed up for the occasion! Even Sarah's Dog Lulu!

Mark BEGGED us to take this picture!!! I guess he has a thing for Cheerleaders!

"Save the Cheerleader! Save the World"

Happy Birthday Sarah! As always... it was a BLAST!!

2008 Election Results

2008-11-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

So Barack Hussein Obama II is the 2008 elected President of the United States. I don't have much to say, considering I voted proudly for McCain! I just hope America receives the change we need to rebuild our country for the better.

I have nothing left to say... other than I DREADED going into work this morning, it actually made me sick to my stomach! And my fears were proven true and my worst nightmare came alive!!!

Damn Liberals in my office!!!

2008 ELECTION

2008-11-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

So I'm not a huge fan of politics, but I feel that November 4, 2008 is a monumental election year. So I'm just posting a general entry of the candidates and their background & issues. Purely for historic sake.

AND... I hate to admit, but this is the FIRST time I have ever voted! I went to the polling center this morning at 7am and stood in line for 1 hour!!

This is a long post so bear with me.

Barack Obama VS. John McCain

JOHN McCAIN (Republican Candidate)

John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is the senior United States Senator from Arizona and presidential nominee of the Republican Party in the 2008 presidential election.

McCain graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958. He became a naval aviator, flying ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. During the Vietnam War, he nearly lost his life in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. In October 1967, while on a bombing mission over Hanoi, he was shot down, badly injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain experienced episodes of torture, and refused an out-of-sequence early repatriation offer. His war wounds left him with lifelong physical limitations.

He retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981, moved to Arizona, and entered politics. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, he served two terms, and was then elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, winning re-election easily in 1992, 1998, and 2004. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain at times has had a media reputation as a "maverick" for having disagreed with his party. After being investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s as a member of the Keating Five, he made campaign finance reform one of his signature concerns, which eventually led to the passage of the McCain-Feingold Act in 2002. He is also known for his work towards restoring diplomatic relations with Vietnam in the 1990s, and for his belief that the war in Iraq should be fought to a successful conclusion. McCain has chaired the Senate Commerce Committee, has opposed spending that he considered to be pork barrel, and played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations.

McCain lost his bid for the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush. He ran again for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, and gained enough delegates to become the party's presumptive nominee in March 2008. McCain was formally nominated at the 2008 Republican National Convention in September 2008, together with his chosen running mate from Alaska, Governor Sarah Palin.

BARACK OBAMA (Democratic Candidate)

Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2008 United States presidential election.

Obama is the first African American to be nominated by a major American political party for president.[1] A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review, Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70 percent of the vote.

As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, he helped create legislation to control conventional weapons and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During the 110th Congress, he helped create legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. Obama announced his presidential campaign in February 2007, and was formally nominated at the 2008 Democratic National Convention with Delaware senator Joe Biden as his running mate.

The Issues:
ECONOMY
McCain - The McCain approach is more market-oriented and includes cuts in corporate taxes to stimulate job creation. McCain promises to balance the federal budget by 2013, in part by cutting earmarks and freezing non-military discretionary spending.
Obama - Obama favors a more “bottom-up” approach, focusing his tax cuts on small businesses and individuals earning less than $250,000 a year - a plan he says would produce lower taxes for 95 percent of Americans. Obama also promises to cut earmarks and to reduce or eliminate the deficit by enforcing pay-as-you-go budget discipline.

ENERGY
McCain - McCain would promote renewable energy by locking in a long-term system of tax credits to reduce its cost.
Obama - Obama's plan would cost producers more and aims for steeper cuts in carbon emissions. Obama would promote renewable energy through direct investment and mandates for its use. Both support biofuels and clean-coal technology.
Both - Obama and McCain advocate a cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions, which would make coal a more expensive fuel to use to generate electricity. Both say they support nuclear power, although McCain's support is more specific, and he sets targets for the expansion of nuclear energy.

MILITARY
McCain - The son and grandson of an admiral and former Navy flier and Vietnam War veteran, McCain believes in the “Powell Doctrine” - that the U.S. should use overwhelming military force or none at all. He said winning the Iraq war would be “fairly easy” and initially praised former Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's controversial handling of the war. He later criticized the lack of troops and supported escalation of the war that drastically reduced violence but significantly increased ethnic separation and Sunni refugees. He opposes withdrawing most troops by 2013.
McCain, who said in 2003 that the U.S. could “muddle through” in Afghanistan, now supports escalating war. He criticized Obama for advocating U.S. military strikes against al-Qaida on Pakistani soil on the Afghanistan border. He says Iran must not be allowed to develop or obtain nuclear weapons and warns of a “second Holocaust” if it does. He rejects direct negotiations with Iranian government. He wants to increase the size of the military, but wants greater oversight of spending to avoid pork-barrel projects.
Obama - Obama has no military background and is a believer in the use of the “soft power” - limited military strike with clearly defined goals. He opposed the Iraq war, which he called a “strategic blunder,” and wants to withdraw most troops by mid-2010. He wants to escalate the Afghanistan war by sending up to 12,000 more U.S. soldiers there.
He says Iran must not be allowed to develop or obtain nuclear weapons, but does not rule out direct negotiations with the Iranian government. He wants to increase the size of the Army by 65,000 and Marines by 27,000.

EDUCATION
Both - Even though the issue hasn't caused any large debates - or small talk, for that matter - both McCain and Obama have taken stances, and even similar at that, on education.
Both would want changes to No Child Left Behind, which was an initiative under President Bush to have all students nationwide passing state assessment tests. Obama would like to see a complete overhaul, while McCain would favor more tweaks, according to their respective campaigns.
Both would like to see the charter school program expanded. Regarding school vouchers, McCain wants more funding in Washington, D.C., for those schools but has made no mention of that elsewhere, while Obama opposes the use of vouchers.
Both would support more funding in schools from early childhood to higher education, as well as offering additional incentives to teachers to work in difficult areas. Their plans on how to accomplish this differ, however.

HEALTH
McCain - McCain's plan focuses on expanding the private insurance market to encourage more competitive rates and individualized options. Low-income people or those with chronic diseases could obtain coverage through high-risk pools formed across state lines. He proposes eliminating tax exemptions for employer-based benefits while giving tax credits to individuals and families to buy their own plans, with any savings on the purchase placed into a health savings account.
Obama - Obama's plan, although closer to universal coverage, mandates coverage only for children. He would develop a private-public system in which employers must offer health insurance or contribute to a new national plan or an employee's private plan. Those who fall through the cracks - small-business owners, the self-employed and people who do not qualify for Medicaid, for example - could purchase insurance through a new National Health Insurance Exchange. He would expand Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program eligibility and mandate all insurance carriers offer plans to any applicant, regardless of health.

CRIME
McCain - McCain supports traditional Republican tough-on-crime strategies: increased executions, stricter sentencing for habitual criminals, restricting judicial discretion in sentencing. “A judge's decisions must rest on more than his subjective conviction that he is right or his eagerness to address a perceived social ill.”
He supports spending $360 million on recidivism reduction programs in the next two years. He wants to involve local and state prosecutors in deporting illegal immigrants guilty of felony crimes. He supports increasing community policing, but rejects earmarking of federal taxpayer grants for law enforcement, saying funds must be awarded on merit and need.
Obama - Obama has voted to increase taxpayer spending on community policing and domestic violence prevention. He supports executions, but only for heinous crimes. He wants to reduce racial profiling and sentencing racial disparities. As an Illinois state senator, he sponsored a bill that became law mandating videotaping interrogations of homicide suspects.
He is a strong supporter of recidivism-reduction programs because he said that as a teenager he “dabbled in drugs” and understands why some young men, particularly young black men, engage in self-destructive behavior. “If I had been growing up in low-income neighborhoods in Chicago, there is no reason to think I wouldn't be in jail today.”

HAPPY HALLOWEEN - 2008

2008-11-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

So this past Saturday Shelley had a Halloween Party! Everyone came out from the OC and even San Diego! The costumes were great!

Mark and I took a chance with our costumes! And yes this was Mark's idea NOT MINE!!!

The effort and true Halloween spirit was there!
PLUG & SOCKET - Mindee & Dickson
STEVE IRWIN - Phil
BALLARINAS - Rachel & Shelley
TWISTER - Behrmo
ARMY GUY - Jason
ZOMBIE (I think) - Charley
SENOR & SENORITA - Jade & MG
DEVIL - Erica
SAILOR - Eric
MAD HATTER & ALICE IN WONDERLAND - Mark & Sarah
CREEPY GUY IN THE TREES - Jon (Jade's friend)

Having too much fun with the Amigos!

Pumpkin Carving

2008-10-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

We has Mindee and Dickson over for dinner on Sunday night! I think Mark and I have considered it our first "grown up" dinner... We even used the good napkins.

After we carved pumpkins, had pumpkin muffins & cookies. Tom, Melinda and Darrin joined us as well.

I must say, I think we were all impressed with our pumpkin carving skills.

From left to right...
Spider Web - JULIANNE
Witch & the Calderon - MARK & DICKSON (joint effort)
Scary Face - DARRIN
Happy Face - MELINDA
Wolf Howling at the Moon - TOM
Ghost - MINDEE & DICKSON (join effort)

ABC Along - S, T, U

2008-10-22T18:20:00.001-07:00

Ok... getting caught up again...

S is for:

SHAMROCK - I wear it every year on St. Patty's Day!
SNORKELING - Mark went snorkeling on our honeymoon.
SHOES - These were my wedding shoes.
SUNSET - This is the sunset right down the street from our apartment.
SURFING - Mark learned how to surf in Hawaii.
SANGRIA - Nice restaurant on the Hermosa Pier, obviously know for their Sangria.
Doug SAVANT - Doug works on Desperate Housewives with me.
SARAH & SHELLEY - They are my friends :-)
SHOTS of SAMBUCA - Mark always does shots of Sambuca when it's someones B-Day!!

T is for:

TRICYCLE - Yeah someone actually brought this to a party we went to.
TONY - Mark's older brother.
TOM - Mark's best mate from England.
TOAST - My Dad giving a toast on our wedding day.

U is for: Almost NOTHING... this was REALLY HARD

UNIVERSAL Studios - Where I work.

Wedding Day Prep - GROOM

2008-10-07T20:38:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY - JUNE 7, 2008
Yet another entry on the wedding... slowly but surely!

The men were cramped into a little hotel room to get ready. But they are guys... what could they possibly need?

You have NO idea, from these beautifully captured photos, that Mark was missing his pants from the tuxedo shop, and half of the groomsmen weren't even there... hahaha they were going out to breakfast ;-) Boy am I glad I found this out AFTER the wedding!

The Groomsmen went to the trouble of getting me a matching toy (female) horse... just like Mark's. It looks like the boys are having more fun with it... I'm sure it was hard to let it go!

They all look so handsome! I couldn't get over how great they all looked. They clean up nice!!!

I hope they had fun being a part of our wedding and it wasn't too much of a chore :-) Each of these men mean so much to Mark and I and I don't think we could have picked a better group of friends and family.

Thanks guys! You were AMAZING!!!

ABC - Along

2008-09-10T17:16:00.001-07:00

Yes it has BEEN-Along since the ABC-Alongs... So, I have letters K - R! Please bear with me. I am now caught up until Saturday :-(

K is for...
KISS (taken in Antigua on our Honeymoon)
KATIE Roller (my friend from Wisconsin. We met through my friend Megan)
KAUAI, Hawaii (Mark and I went last summer, it was his first time in Hawaii)
KAYLA (my friend who use to work with me Desperate Housewives)

L is for...
LINDSAY Gabler (MG's little sister)
LIMO (how we roll in Vegas)
LESS Cowbell (Awesome shirt sported my Sarah's boyfriend Patrick)
LOVE (Does this need an explanation?)

M is for... (so many things)
MARTINI (at the Mermaid)
MUFASA & MOLLY (Mufasa is Molly's cat)
MARILYN (as in Aunt)
MOON (Where we roll in Vegas)
MAUNDER (My new last name)
MARK (My husband)
MICK (My cousin Gina's son)
MORGAN (My cousin Dean's daughter and my flower girl)
MERMAID Restaurant (My watering hole)
MAROON 5 (The concert we went to for Erica's 30th)
MEGAN (Behrmo!! One of my best friends)
MEGAN (MG!! My maid of honor)
MINDEE (Another best friend... I have lots!!)

N is for...
NOVEMBER - All of the November birthdays! It's a busy month. Mark, Mom, Adam, Gina, Erica, Sarah, Sammy, Aunt Yvonne, Maria, Logan & Morgan.

O is for...
OPAEKAA Falls (A beautiful waterfall we visited in Kauai, Hawaii)
OKTOBERFEST (We go every year... multiple times. Check out the stein!)
OPENING Gifts (Doesn't everyone love that?)
OCEAN View (A view in which I never move away from)

P is for... (many things)
PUBCRAWL (A monthly get - together it started with 5 and now is over 30)
POOPDECK (Another HB wateringhole)
PIANO (I found one at our resort on our Honeymoon)
POOL (The pool was awesome at Sandals Resort)
POOL (We played pool as well)
PARTYVAN (My nickname in college)
PALMS Casino (Our favorite hotel in Vegas)
PIZZA (Sooooooo GOOD!!)
PAUL (Danielle's boyfriend, he was in our wedding party)
PATRICK Malloy's (One of our many stops on our PUB-crawls)
POPI (My grandfather)
PARKING Space (I got a new parking spot with my name on it a few months ago)
PANCAKES (What we have every Sunday! It's tradition)

Q is for...
QUEEN
QUIZNOS
(I couldn't think of too many things)

R is for...
RING (Can you believe Mark actually agreed to wear this? And he STILL does!)
RED (The color we wore on our February Pub Crawl)
RAIN (Mindee and I got caught in a rain storm in Florence, Italy)
RACHEL sells REAL Estate in ROLLING Hills, RANCHO Palos Verdes who lives in REDONDO Beach(how do ya like that?)

Wedding Day Prep - BRIDE

2008-08-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

June 7, 2008

So long time coming... but here are my wedding posts! There will be many since there are around 820 pictures, so bare with me.

The morning of June 7, 2008 the girls and I woke up at 5am to start getting ready! Yeah REALLY early! We reserved a meeting room and got our makeup and hair done in the same room. Coffee and bagels were brought in so we were happy campers!

Deborah did our make up! She is AMAZING! I got her name from my friend Brittany and Courtney because she did their weddings. I was so happy that I got to have all the girls get their makeup done that day.

Our hair stylist Sam came in with his assistant and went to work. We were all rotating in and out. It took a total of 7 hours to complete all 10 of the bridesmaids, me and my mom.

Later in the morning my cousin Kelly brought my little Flower Girl to the room to get ready. Morgan was adorable! She looked absolutely perfect in her "pretty pink dress" that Maria made for her. She went up to everyone and introduced herself as the flower girl. She was so excited and so professional (for a 4 year old). I could not have chosen a cuter little girl! She carried the most precious bunch of flowers. It was a ball of pink roses with seashells through out them hung from a ribbon.

My Bridesmaids... what can I say!! They are the most beautiful group of women inside and out. Each and every one of them are so dear to my heart. It was so much fun to get ready with them and socialize before the ceremony. It really calmed my nerves.

Closer to the time we were suppose to leave the flowers arrived. Bobbe (my florist) did an breathtaking arrangement for myself and all the girls. My bouquet was wrapped in a handkerchief handmade by my great grandmother. My mom used it in her wedding. It was my something old and something borrowed. Mark's mother made and beautiful ring bearer pillow for Logan to carry. It had all my favorite colors.

Time to get into the dress! Let's just say it barely fit! I knew I shouldn't have had so many bagels!

Just before we went downstairs to get into the limo Dana (our photographer) took some last minuet photos... I'm surprised they turned out so well considering we were late and in a rush to get to the church

So I had already been up for 8 hours, and my day hadn't even started yet. More posts to come on capturing out wedding day.

MG's Crazy T-Shirt Birthday Party

2008-08-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

AUGUST 2, 2008

Megan (MG) had a crazy T-Shirt Party for her birthday. Everyone one put on their best, most creative or funniest T-Shirt.

Everyone came out to celebrate MG's Birthday! We had a blast!

When you go to a party at the Wrightwood house you can't miss a game of flip cup. It's a must!!

And who can resist birthday cupcakes!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MG!!! We had an amazing time!!! (as usual)

BACHELORETTE PARTY - Part Trois: The Final Chapter

2008-07-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

So... the fun continues in Vegas... I know I know it was in May, but there were just so many pictures and fun times...

SATURDAY - May 18, 2008
By the pool all day long... we were so tired from the night before, and some of us weren't feeling top notch, so relaxing was in order. And a little play of course!

After the pool... we all got ready! We all wore matching tank tops and jeans! It was fun :-) We met in one of the rooms and played some fun, bachelorette games, and got some prizes! Leave it to MG... the teacher!

After games and drinks we headed down to the Heart Bar before dinner. Had some more drinks, took some more pictures. I even managed to spill my first drink (bloody mary)all over my new jeans :-( BUT... they were dark, so I just smelled like tomatoes for a little while!

Off to Dinner... Again we took a hummer limo (but we'll get to the limo pics in a few)...we had dinner at a little Italian hole in the wall place called "Battista's Hole In The Wall" yes that is really the name of the restaurant. The food was really good, and it was all you can drink wine! We had a cute little old man who played the accordion, and sang about my future wedding. It was a lot of fun!

LIMO RIDES!!! I can't believe the size of these vehicles!
LIMO #1 - From Planet Hollywood to the Restaurant!

LIMO #2 - From the restaurant to the "Hawaiian Tropic Zone"!

Look closely, there is a bachelor we met on the way who is VERY jealous of our ride!

Onto the "Hawaiian Tropic Zone"... Ladies night! Girls get in free and drink for free! Danga Danga! We even ran into a drunk Elvis! Gotta Love Las Vegas Baby! The girls made me do the infamous "blow job" shot... so tacky! But I guess when in Rome!

So that concludes my Bachelorette Party Vegas Experience! I had the best weekend! The girls spoiled me rotten and showed me the best time! I love you girls! And am so blessed to have you in my life!

PUB CRAWL - July 2008

2008-07-22T18:52:00.001-07:00

It's been a few months, but two weeks ago we had another HERMOSA BEACH PUB CRAWL! And the winning color is...

GREEN

Bar #1 - PATRICK MALLOY'S

We all met at Patty Malloy's for the first bar. We started to blend in with the staff because they as well wore green. Well what do you expect at an Irish Pub!

Bar #2 - SANGRIA

Sangria was our second stop... it's also a restaurant, so they weren't too happy to see 30 of us walk into the bar. The manager was mad I didn't call, but how was I suppose to know we were going to have that many people? Geez! I told her we'd leave, but she insisted we stay, then proceeded to make me feel bad. Hmmmm I don't think Sangria is going to be one of our stops in the future.

Bar #3 - FAT FACE FENNER'S FISHACK (F.F.F.F)

FFFF... bar number three! Always a crowd pleaser! We stayed there an extra hour!

Bar #4 - HENESSEY'S TAVERN

At the 4th bar we again blended in with the staff. I guess I didn't realize how many Irish bars were on the pier! We were really in the spirit!

Bar #5 - POOP DECK

Definitely not the classiest bar on the pier, but we love it anyway. We played a few games of flip cup, but as soon as we needed to pee... we were OUT!!! The Poop Deck may be fun, but you couldn't pay me enough to use their facilities!

Bar #6 - SHARK'S COVE

Our last stop! Shark's Cove I like because they have pool tables and other bar games to keep you busy. Their patio is small, but it's really nice to people watch!

At Shark's Cove they had a Mojito making station... Mark & Mark had fun!

That concludes our July Pub Crawl! Stay tuned for our next crawl in September or so!

J is for...

2008-07-11T18:17:00.000-07:00

JEANS - I just bought a new pair of true religion jeans a few months back. I LOVE THEM! Very comfortable and fit really well. Mark almost had a heart attack when the receipt slipped out of the bag... BUT HE BOUGHT A HELICOPTER!!!! MORE THAN 1!!

JUNE - Mark and I got married June 7, 2008! Pictures will be posted at a later time... I know I know I'm dying to see them too! My photographer says the end of next week.

JASON BATEMAN - I worked with him on a show called "The Jake Effect". Another J for the mix... It was my first show! I had so much fun. He's a really nice guy.

JULIANNE - You didn't think I was going to pass over J and not give myself a shout out!

I is for...

2008-07-08T13:04:00.001-07:00

ITALY

I've been to Italy multiple times! It's my favorite country I think! It's full of history, culture, beautiful people and great FOOD!!!

TRIP #1 - The first time I went was in 1994 with my Mom and Popi. We went everywhere, Venice, Florence, Rome, Milan, Pisa... and most importantly visited family in Reggio Calabria. It was a perfect trip for my first experience in Europe.

TRIP #2 - 2000 I went on a cruise with my parents around the Mediterranean sea. One of our stops was Palermo Sicily and Rome! We were only in Rome for a few hours, but it gave my mom and I enough time to climb to the top of the Vatican Dome.

TRIP #3 - 2001 was my college graduation trip with my roommate on a Contiki Tour. We went all around Europe, but stopped in Venice, Florence, Rome & Pisa. Even though I had done it before, I didn't care I wanted to see all the sites all over again.

TRIP #4 - 2005 I went with my friend Mindee! She had never been to Europe so we took another Contiki Tour. Pretty much the same tour as the last time, but I felt the need to experience it once again.

TRIP #5 - 2010 Possibly! Mark has never been... and I simply must share the culture and this beautiful country with him. I know it's 2 years away, but I can't wait!!

VEGAS PART DUEX - Bachelorette Party

2008-06-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

OK here we go!

FRIDAY, MAY 16TH - NIGHT #1

After getting food in our bellies, exploring the hotel, etc... we came back to our rooms and got ready for a big night out!

All of us met at the HEART BAR in the center of the Planet Hollywood casino for a few drinks before we caught a ride to the Palms Hotel.

After everyone gathered we made our way to the taxi stand. The girls though it would just be easier (since there were 17 of us) to take a hummer limo! Sure why not! I'm not complaining :-)

AND WE'RE OFF! Our destination for the evening was the Moon Nightclub at the Palms Resort & Casino. I've been there before for Erica's 30th Birthday and fell in love with it! Moon occupies the very top floor of the Palms' new Fantasy Tower above the Playboy Club. It's AMAZING!

When we got there we were escorted up to the club surpassing all the poor bastard in line :-) the hostess showed us to our table. There were 2 tables surrounded by a long sofa surrounding the tables. We had a perfect view of the dance floor and were up a few steps secluded from any passerbys!

The girls were amazing! They not only reserved our table and special area... they ordered bottle service which was AWESOME! What was included you ask?...
WAITRESS
BAR BACK
BOUNCER
LOTS OF BOOZE

It was great because our waitress ALWAYS made sure all of us had a drink in our hand. Our bar back kept everything neat and clean... and he insisted we finish our drinks before he took our glasses away... and our bouncer kept all the boys away who wanted to drink our alcohol! It really was the worst bachelorette party for any man to try and crash because out of the 17 of us. only 3 were single! It truly was a girls weekend!

So since the vodka was there... we drank!

And after we drank... we danced the night away... and got a little silly as one does when vodka is involved!

So that concludes our first night in VEGAS! More to come!

H is for...

2008-06-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

Where I drive to everyday...
Where I eat breakfast...
Where I eat lunch...
Where I eat dinner...
Where I make ends meat

In 1853, one adobe hut stood on the site that became Hollywood. By 1870, an agricultural community flourished in the area with thriving crops. A locally popular etymology is that the name "Hollywood" traces to the ample stands of native Toyon or "California Holly", that cover the hillsides with clusters of bright red berries each winter. But this and accounts of the name coming from imported holly then growing in the area, are not confirmed. The name Hollywood was coined by H. J. Whitley, the Father of Hollywood. He and his wife, Gigi, came up with the name while on their honeymoon. As they stood on the hill (which is now the center of Hollywood)was admiring the view, when they spied a rickety old wagon pulled by one horse with a Chinese man driving pell-mell down a narrow path. As he approached them he stopped his wagon. HJ Whitley asked what he was doing. In broken English with a Chinese accent he said, "I up sunrise. Old trees fall down. Pick up wood. All time haully wood." With an epiphany HJ declared he would name his new town Hollywood. Ivar Weid a Danish immigrant, railroad owner and major land holder in Hollywood told Daeida Wilcox of HJ's plans. That is why she recorded the name on her property.

The first studio in Hollywood was established by the New Jersey-based Centaur Co., which wanted to make westerns in California. They rented an unused roadhouse at 6121 Sunset Boulevard at the corner of Gower, and converted it into a movie studio in October 1911, calling it Nestor Studio after the name of the western branch of their company. The first feature film made specifically in a Hollywood studio, in 1914, was The Squaw Man, directed by Cecil B. DeMille and Oscar Apfel. By 1915, the majority of American films were being produced in the Los Angeles area.

H is for...
HOBIE CAT

Mark dragged me out on that thing EVERY SINGLE DAY of our honeymoon!!! It was fun though! Mark is a GREAT SEAMAN!!!

BACHELORETTE PARTY - LAS VEGAS (Part I)

2008-06-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post, so I apologize because I've been slightly crazy!

On Friday, May 16th the girls took me to Las Vegas, Nevada for my Bachelorette Party! We stayed at PLANET HOLLYWOOD HOTEL & CASINO

I arrived with Mindee, Rachel and Amy...We met up with Leigh and Danielle who had been there since the morning (DANGA! DANGA!) We grabbed lunch and a few drinks in the "Heart Bar", which became our common meeting place in the center of the casino. We were then joined by Sarah and Shelley!

There were a total of 17 of us! Look out VEGAS we were ready to have some fun! We all arrived at different times... some were delayed (story for another post), but we all made it safe and sound!

The Lobby and the Casino were Beautiful! It set a great setting for all the L.A. girls to have a great time!

And the rooms weren't too shabby!

When we all finally got settled with food in our stomachs and a few drinks we were ready for a big night out on the town!

Bridal Shower #3

2008-04-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

My BEAUTIFUL bridesmaids threw me a wonderful shower! It was a perfect day. I still can't get over the detail and the creativeness of the whole thing. Bare with me because I have a lot of pictures to post... only because I still can't believe what an amazing job the girls did :-)

The Shower was thrown on Saturday April 26th a Mexican Restaurant called "Cozy Mel's" in Manhattan Beach.

I WAS GREETED WITH A LEI!

The theme for the shower was "Honeymoon In Antigua". Everything was very tropical, which is what I LOVE!

Everyone had a flower shaped name tag, and they were pinned up on a decorated board. As if you couldn't tell already... three out of my ten bridesmaids are teachers... very much in their element :-)

And of course the cake was PERFECT for me!! I didn't want to cut it because it was so pretty.

I'd have to say I was most impressed with the centerpieces. I'm so glad they arrived safe and sound!

The tables looked great! Yummy Cookies!

Even down to the signage!

A cute "fun fact" display about the island of Antigua was posted on the opposite wall.

It was really nice to see everyone!

The Margaritas were flowing. I think MANGO was my favorite.

After Lunch... which was DELICIOUS! We played a few games. The first was entitled "How Well Do You Know Julianne & Mark?" Who ever got the most questions right WON! It was VERY cute!

We then played another game... It was a test on how well I knew Mark. I answered only 11 questions out of 20. But in all fairness... our answers had to match and MARK answered the questions WRONG!!! If he had answered the questions correctly I would have AT LEAST gotten 18 out of 20 correct. I hate not getting a PERFECT SCORE!!

On to gifts! I can't even begin to thank everyone! The generosity was unreal!

And I have to comment on Laura's wrapping job and card... I wish I could do what she does!

THANK YOU TO ALL MY BRIDESMAIDS! I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE! I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IN MY LIFE!

Only missing 2 girls... can't wait to actually have a picture with EVERYONE!

G IS FOR...

2008-04-28T20:13:00.000-07:00

G is for GOOMBAH...

(US, slang, pejorative) A person of Italian descent.

Sometimes used to describe a companion or associate, especially an older friend who acts as a patron, protector, or adviser.

Goombah, to use its usual spelling, is an English rendering of a dialectal Italian pronunciation of compare, which can mean 'godfather', 'friend', or 'accomplice; crony'.

G is for GODPARENTS

My Godparents are Steve & Stella Cuzzacrea. This is a picture of their fruit stand they use to own in Lockport, New York back in the 40's. My Uncle Steve ALWAYS use to say that a tomato is an HERB... not a fruit or a vegetable!

How I remember them. Thanksgiving just isn't the same since they past. I really wish they could have met Mark. I think Aunt Stella really would have gotten a kick out of him. And Uncle Steve would have probably made African jokes every hour on the hour.

This was at Denise & Dan's Wedding.

G is for GODFATHER

I can still smell that pipe!

G is for GUITAR HERO

I became obsessed with this video game when my old roommates bought it. I them discovered that my next door neighbor owned it... so I played it quite often. I was given Play Station 2 from the prop department at work... so I then went and bought my own guitar hero 2 and wireless guitar! Mark recently bought me Guitar Hero 3 to further feed my addiction!

I've become quite good :-)

G is for GARMIN

Mark got me a Garmin for my birthday. It's a GPS navigation system. I LOVE IT!!! Not only do I NEVER get lost... I ALWAYS know what time I'm going to arrive at my destination. It was the BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER!!

INVITATIONS

2008-04-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

So our invitations went out this week. I have to dedicate an entry to my friend Laura. She hand made each and every invitation. I know I brag about them so much, but I just can't get over the GREAT job Laura did.

I hope she goes into the printing/invitation business because I want to do her public relations. Her talents can not be wasted!

I also want to take the time to thank her VERY MUCH, for making this part of my wedding so beautiful. It really means a lot to me, that a friend could put so much time and effort into making something. I truly appreciate the tender love and care it took to put these together. It was no easy task. So THANK YOU LAURA! I am so blessed to have you as a friend.

It took us a few hours to stuff all the envelopes... there were A LOT of invitations, but it was fun! We had a whole assembly line going.

The pictures don't do any justice... but there were gorgeous!

My Bridal Shower

2008-04-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

On Sunday April 13th, my Aunt Marilyn, my Aunt Rosemary and my mom's friend Karen LaBelle threw me a beautiful bridal shower. It was at my mom's house in Palos Verdes Estates.

Everything was VERY detail oriented. They all did a wonderful job of making it to my taste. They served Bellini Cocktails (my favorite) and pineapple punch. But the best was the FOOD!! Chicken and Egg salad sandwiches were a hit. And who could have a luncheon at my mom's house without her famous potato salad. YUM!! And we can't forget the cake! DELICIOUS!

I had so much fun and it was nice to see everyone. I felt like I didn't get to visit with EVERYONE because there were just so much going on. But thank you to all who came, it was a great party! And the gifts were overly generous, but I had a blast opening each one... and I had even more fun bringing everything home with me :-)

It was hard to miss which house was having the party!

The set up looked BEAUTIFUL! Did I mention the food was AWESOME!

Yes VERY detailed... Apprently Aunt Marilyn and Aunt Rosemary had were on a mission to get "pink & brown" M&Ms... they found them in VEGAS!

MMMMMMM CAKE!!!!!!!

So the ladies played this game... it involved rolling dice, gifts, and STEALING! Hhahahaha it was really funny to watch everyone taking presents from each other. It got a little nasty.

My bridesmaids are BEAUTIFUL!!! I'm only missing 3 people, can you believe it? I don't think I've ever had all of them in one place at one time.

I was overjoyed with all the generous gifts. I can't even begin to express my thanks... BUT THANKS!!!

My Mom got me my first place setting for my china set. THANK YOU MOM!!

How could anyone complain about where we live and grew up? I am so lucky!

Who would have thought opening all those gifts would make me SOOOOO tired.

Thank you everyone for EVERYTHING!

BANDIT

2008-04-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to our office mascot BANDIT!

Melody, our prop master is an animal lover and her husband Steve found Bandit in an alley way. He was only 12 days old when they found him, and he was all alone. He had a bad scratch on his right arm so they took him to the vet.

Melody decided to rescue him. She is slowly nursing him back to health and plans on find him a home in about two months. Mark and I discussed it, and thought it was about time to have a little one run around. So we are now on the very waiting list to adopt bandit. Hopefully we can take him home.

I'll keep you updated.

How could you not fall in love with this face!

PARKING

2008-04-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

So at the end of 4 full seasons I FINALLY got my own parking space. I can't tell you how excited I am...

1. That my boss felt the need to give me my own space (cause it really isn't necessary)
AND
2. I think this means YES I will be invited back for season 5... but let's not jinx it.

F is for...

2008-04-04T13:36:00.001-07:00

F is for FLOWERS

So many flowers so little space!

I went to the "Wedding Info Night" at St. Lawrence Church and one of the local florist brought in this beautiful bouquet. At the end of the meeting the wedding coordinator said that someone was going to be able to take it home. She asked if anyone was born on St. Partick's Day... no answer... she then asked if anyone was born in March... MY HAND SHOT UP!!! But so did another girl. We had to pick a number between 1 and 10.... I WON!!!

Mark surprised me at my office with these beautiful orchids. I LOVE HIM!

Alexis's Birthday was last week... both Larry & David (our directors) got her flowers. How sweet :-) The office looks beautiful at the moment.

F is for FELICITY

Felicity Huffman play Lynette on Desperate Housewives

F is for FRANCESCA

This is me and my cousin Francesca at her High School graduation from Chadwick Academy in Palos Verdes.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

2008-03-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day in the states is a huge celebration! Although I do believe it isn't even celebrated in Ireland... how ironic... leave it to the YANKS! We celebrated Hermosa Beach Style!

Myself, Sarah, Rachel and Shelley started at Shelley's new apartment for Margaritas & Bloody Marys at 3:00pm. Shelley made her famous "Shelleyritas" and I broke down and made my weigh watcher version.

We then rode our bikes to HBYC (Hermosa Beach Yacht Club) for one drink. It's a huge dive bar on 1st street. Oh who am I kidding... it's a hole. After that we got back on our bikes and rode to the pier. It was so windy on Saturday. I have never seen it like this before. The sand was pushed all the way up to the curb on Hermosa Avenue, and it was piled pretty deep. The beach looked like desert storm, it was insane. I couldn't get a picture because sand was getting in my hair, eyes and mouth... YUCK! I could feel it grinding in my teeth.

We couldn't get into any Irish Pubs because of lines and they were all at capacity. So we ended up staying at Fat Face Fenner's Fishack... which is a Boston Bar so we settled. Unfortunately the girls MADE me drink butterscotch shots!

The girls came up from the OC, but unfortunately I was extremely tired by the time they got there. We ended the night at 9pm... VERY EARLY!

Sarah was very tired at the end of the night!

It was a very fun time... Another successful party down at the beach!

E is for...

2008-03-17T11:34:00.000-07:00

E is for EDGE

My new car that I purchased is called a Ford EDGE! It's a new model. I LOVE IT! Mark and I went to the dealership to just buy another Escape which is what I use to drive. But we fell in love with this car. It's called a Crossover vehicle. It's such a smooth drive. It's my first car that I've bought on my own (sad I know) and it will take me 6 years to pay it off, but I don't care because I plan on driving it until it won't run anymore.

E is for... EGGS

We were playing with the "food" setting on our camera. How cool is that... there is a FOOD setting. YEAH! I LOVE FOOD!

E is for... EVA

I don't really need to explain much here.

WISDOM TEETH

2008-03-14T11:32:00.000-07:00

So Mark had his wisdom teeth removed yesterday. Kind of late in the game at age 28. He doesn't understand that most of us remove our wisdom teeth BEFORE the start hurting us. I don't know about anyone else, but when I was about 14 or 15 I had all four taken out. And the doctor said that I would have slightly more pain than normal pacients because one of my teeth was starting to grow a little root.

THESE WERE MARK'S TEETH THEY PULLED OUT!

NO WONDER HE WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN! CHECK OUT THE ROOTS ON THESE SUCKERS!

When I saw these I almost got sick... first because it's just gross, and second because he looked so miserable.

He took two ski socks pinned them together, stuck an ice pack in each and tied them to his head. Not attractive, but very clever!

So, sorry for the gross post, but Mark made me. He slept most of the day yesterday, and I brought him, a milkshake, jello pudding, yogurt and apple sauce. But he's being a good pacient, he kept the ice on his cheeks all day yesertday, all night and is continuing to ice it today. Hopefully the swelling will go down in no time. Hahaha he couldn't talk AT ALL last night, and you know how hard that is for him. It was kinda nice! He's such a cute little chipmonk!

D is for...

2008-03-03T11:04:00.001-08:00

D is for DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES of course...
I'm just so glad to back at work... this is a picture of my name tag by my desk.

D is for DAD...
Dad never smiles... maybe some day!

D is for DANCING!!!
Mindee was dancing like the girls on the TV screens... I was just trying to keep up!

29th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!

2008-03-03T10:42:00.000-08:00

On my birthday we went to dinner at one of my favorite restaurants... Mediterraneo it's a Mediterranean tapas restaurant. Yummy! After Dinner we went to Fat Face Fenner's Fishack. We danced the night away. I didn't take many pictures... my Mark's old roommate Lumpy did... so they aren't particularly flattering. I had a lot of fun though! I wasn't feeling my best the next morning, but it was worth it!

Tiramisu was served as my B-Day Cake!

18 People came out for dinner! It was very nice to see everyone!

LOTS OF DANCING AND SILLINESS AT F.F.F.F.

The next day, my birthday wouldn't be the same unless my Aunt made me a cake! So Mark and I went to my mom and dad's house for dinner to have (MY FAVORITE) Pasta and meatballs... and CAKE!!

THE MERMAID

2008-02-19T10:34:00.000-08:00

So most everyone know what my favorite dive bar is. It's called "Mermaid Restaurant & Cocktails". I enjoy going there because it's got a lot of history behind it. It's not trendy, the bartenders are grumpy old men, and the place is a hole. Basically you enjoy yourself with the company you're with. It's a very interesting crowd, you have to experience it to understand where I'm coming from.

I'm dedicating a whole entry to the Mermaid because it's up for sale, and I think it may be torn down. This makes me extremely sad because this Hermosa Beach watering hole is one of the oldest establishments in the town.

Myself, Mark, Shelley and Sarah went there for a nice evening filled with Martinis and surprisingly enough live music. I've never seen this there before, but they had a guy who played 3 or 4 instruments and was just rockin out. We drank dirty martinis which had miniature mermaid toothpicks that held our olives in place. We had a great night. Our favorite bartender, Kenny was in the house. Kenny is from Albania and he's been there for 20 something years.

A LITTLE MERMAID HISTORY:
Quentin “Boots” Thelen owned the Mermaid. Boots served as an Air Force pilot in World War II. After the war, he moved to Hermosa Beach and purchased The Mermaid in 1954.
Thelen turned the establishment into one of the city's favorite places to enjoy a quality meal or cozy up to the bar for a cocktail under the restaurant's dim lights. The restaurant was built in 1954 using the back wall of the recently burned original Mermaid as the front wall of the new place. It was supposed be a temporary structure, but the original was never rebuilt.
Besides being known as the owner of The Mermaid, Thelen gained recognition for serving on the City Council and as mayor in 1965 and 1969, during which time he orchestrated the reconstruction of the Hermosa Beach pier.
He died of cancer on July 24, 2007. He was 85. Hermosa Beach feels they lost one of its most influential citizens.
The Strand-front property of the Mermaid has now hit the market for $27 million. Thelen’s six heirs, including Dianna Albergate (his stepdaughter), decided to sell due to the estate tax man knocking. According to Albergate they apparently didn’t have a choice because the federal government demanded its unfair share.

It's very sad, and I hope whoever buys this property preserves this historic landmark, but unfortunately I doubt they will. That land is a goldmine and I have a feeling it's going to turn into a big hotel or just a parking structure. It really breaks my heart.

Mermaid resides on the strand... prime beach front property

It takes a true Hermosa Beach Local to appreciate the black vinyl booths and rectangular bar.

ABC ALONG

2008-02-15T15:28:00.001-08:00

My cousins Liz and Denise are a part of what is called the ABC Along. So that is where I got this idea...

Here is how it works:
It's a year-long group where participants post a photo to their blog every two weeks to correspond with a letter of the alphabet;
Photos should reflect the personality of the photographer; the subject should be of importance or meaning to them. Post at least one photo in each 2-week period to match the corresponding letter of the alphabet. There are 52 weeks in a year and 26 letters of the alphabet, allowing 2 weeks per letter.

So since I'm behind in the schedule... I will be posting A, B and C all in one entry. Hopefully this will make me take more pictures.

A is for ALEXIS

Alexis and I work together on Desperate Housewives. She sits behind me. Yesterday for Valentines Day her boyfriend took her to the shooting range in Hollywood. Here is a picture of how she did with "Bad Guy vs. Park Ranger". Unfortunately she shot the Park Ranger in the head and neck... not good :-(

B is for BARNACLE'S
Barnacle's is a bar in Hermosa that we like to go to. It usually isn't too crowded, so it's a nice place to hang out. And at one time it was the only bar that play the Rugby World Cup on it's TV screens.

C is for CONCERT
We took Erica to the Maroon 5 Concert for her 30th Birthday in Vegas! Erica isn't in this picture because Gina was able to get box seats! But we had a BLAST!

VALENTINE'S DAY

2008-02-15T15:05:00.000-08:00

Since I've been back to work, I've been fighting traffic every day to work... which is something I didn't miss AT ALL! So by the time I get home I'm really tired. It's hard for me to cook as much as I use to cause I don't get home till 8pm, and Mark just can't wait that long.

So yesterday was Valentine's Day and we planned on celebrating on Sunday because I had to work. But that didn't stop Mark. When I got home from work yesterday the entire apartment was spotless and smelled amazing. There were candles lit everywhere and Mark greeted me with a kiss and a glass of wine. WOW!

He cooked a big Weight Watchers meal for me! WOW! He went onto the WW website and got recipes and whipped up an amazing meal.

Chicken Sausage Salad = 5pts
Pasta Cabanara - 5 pts
Chocolate Fudge Frozen Yogurt = 2pts
Chocolate Covered Strawberries = 2pts

It was a little more than I usually eat for dinner... but it was worth every bite! After dessert he brewed me a cup of coffee and we put Godiva Cappuccino Liqueur in it!

How did I get so lucky? That boy makes me fall in love with him more and more everyday.

BACK TO WORK!

2008-02-15T15:01:00.001-08:00

So.... THE WRITERS STRIKE IS OVER!!!

I went back to work this weeks thank god! I really missed it a lot and I'm so happy to be back in the office. There isn't much to do since we don't have a script to work with... but hey, who's complaining, it's a pay check!!

PUB CRAWL - FEBRUARY 08

2008-02-10T22:27:00.001-08:00

So we had our first 2008 Pub Crawl. I didn't have the time or the energy to order shirts for this year, so we came up with a different idea. We all wore the same color. This month was RED... so it was very easy to keep track of the HUGE sea of red!

We did even better this time around. We made it to 9 bars. I'm very proud of ourselves. And we only lost a few on the way.

CRAWL SCHEDULE COMPLETED
1. Barnacle's
2. Shark's Cove
3. Fat Face Fenner's Fish Shack
4. Sangria
5. Patrick Malloy's
6. Poop Deck
7. Mermaid
8. Hennessey's
9. Underground Pub

Thank everyone for a great time. Can't wait for the next crawl!

More Pub Crawl Pics

2008-02-10T22:25:00.001-08:00

SUPER BOWL XLII

2008-02-08T13:50:00.001-08:00

Mark Mulock offered up his place to hold our Super Bowl Party. The game was VERY exciting, but I think the South Africans (and 1 Englishman) enjoyed the food the best.

We had a good turn out I think there were about 13 people there so it was a nice little party.

Surrounding the BBQ we have:
Mark (South Africa)
Mark (South Africa)
Simon (South Africa)
Tom (England)

We didn't go hungry that's for sure!

OFF THE SLOPES

2008-02-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

After a LONG day of skiing we walked to the cattle tram to bring us back to our car. As you can see Mark decided to carry too much stuff.

But leave it to Mark to find a place for every piece of clothing and equipment:
SKIS in left hand
POLES in right hand
BACKPACK on back
HELMET stuffed in the backpack
SKI BOOTS strapped through the ties of the backpack (look closely and you can see)
SWEATSHIRT wrapped around his waist

Tom's family drove back to L.A., but the four of us stayed the night and skied a 2nd day.

The first night we went back to the hotel, washed up and took some naps. We then went out to dinner and tried to go out drinking, but we were just too tired. So we went to the liquor store and got snacks, Jaeger and BLACK Sambuca. We didn't have shot glasses, so we bought ourselves a souvenir. I will admit it was a fun night, although I missed a lot of it cause after one shot of sambuca, I fell asleep.

The next morning we were ready for another day of skiing. Well half day anyway cause we couldn’t get our asses up. We did find time to take some pics outside our hotel room, it was a very pretty view by the lake.

ON THE SLOPES

2008-02-08T13:10:00.001-08:00

Mark took some really good pictures of us on the slopes. Tom, his brother and his dad are REALLY good skiers. I was very impressed with Tom's jumping ability.

I myself have been using blades the last few times we've been skiing. They are smaller skis that give me a little more control and balance. No pole necessary, which I really enjoy. Mark keeps on practicing and is getting better and better, I'm amazed by how much he has improved in just 2 years.

Michelle was the lonely snowboarder, but I give her props because as I have experienced... Snowboarding is impossible! I found it very difficult when I tried a few years back. Michelle can definitely hold her own.

In the videos we have Tom doing little jumps. The 2nd video I couldn't catch up to him because he was going so fast... I tried, but wasn't really watching were I was going and almost hit a jump blindly. Check out the videos.

BIG BEAR - January 2008

2008-02-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry for all the posts in one day, but I'm behind and need to catch up.

Mark, Tom, Michelle and I went up to Big Bear a few weeks ago when the city was dumped with snow. Tom's Brother Sam, Sam's fiance Christy and Tom's Dad Alan also joined us for one day.

Driving up there was a little scary. It was the first time I've ever needed chains. I was VERY proud of Mark for figuring out how to put them on the car, cause there was no chance I would be able to figure it out. I'm so lucky!!!

It was freezing, but a lot of fun. I've divided the trip into different posts cause we took A LOT of pictures.

KINGSLEY'S FLAT

2008-02-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

There are so many strange ways to build a flat in London. Kingsley lives in a downstairs apartment of what was once a very big manor in the 1700s. The original house was 4 levels with the bottom level (where Kingsley's apartment lies) was dedicated to the servant living quarters. There is even a blocked off staircase which leads to the other apartments. There are 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms (which I thought was unheard of, but you can't have too many bathrooms in my opinion).

Mark and I enjoyed staying with Kings, because
1. The price was right
2. The flat was beautiful
3. We had our own bathroom (SOOOOO important)

Here are some pictures of the strange layout, and interesting appliances :-)

BIG BEN

2008-02-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

So we didn't do much site seeing. But I HAD to get some pictures in, just to have proof I was actually in London. So we went to Parliament, we tried to get there before sundown, but failed. I've never been to Europe in the winter time, and I discovered that in London in December it's gloomy all day long and gets dark around 3pm, so that doesn't leave you much time to get good site pictures. But we tried!

HAMLEYS TOY STORE

2008-02-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

Mark I think went back 3 times to the toy store to try and fix that damn helicopter. Once with me and twice with Kings... It was CRAZY!!! The store was called Hamleys. It’s the equivalent to FAO Schwartz in NYC. This store was huge, with multiple levels with elevators and escalators. And kids running around EVERYWHERE (obviously, it's a toy store) But serious... so crowded. I was quite content in the stuffed animal section, this was if some child ran me over (true story) I'd at least fall on something soft.

DIFFERENCES IN LONDON

2008-02-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

So there are so many differences in the city, from the coffee to the cars on the street. Not to mention they drive on the wrong side of the road... which I don't think I'll ever get use to.

We went to a Pub for Lunch one day, and all I wanted was a good cup of coffee. We at this London pub I had to brew my own. It was VERY good I have to say!

Walking around London in December was cold and wet. But the cars were so interesting. It's not every day you see a Ferrari and a Lamborghini parked side by side... or a car so small you could probably pick up and move to a different location.

HELL - ICOPTER

2008-02-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

So Kingsley got Mark a miniature helicopter for xmas! Just what Mark needs... another helicopter. So of course the boys broke it multiple times, and so Mark went back to the toy store 2 or three times to replace some of the parts.

It starts all pretty good, until the little bugger looses control. Why did they have to replace so many toy parts? Take a look and you'll see...

OUT AND ABOUT IN LONDON

2008-02-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

Kingsley took Mark and I out and about in London. We went to a few local night clubs and had a few drinks. It was just fun to experience the night life as a local. First drink Mark picked was a snake bite. I wasn't brave enough to try, but they sure were pretty. I did although gladly take a Berry Sambuca Shot! Mark and I LOVE our sambuca! On our way back to Kingsley's flat we found a photo opportunity in a London Phone Booth.

MARK'S LONDON ENTOURAGE

2008-01-28T00:12:00.000-08:00

Just another Sunday Pub-Day in London! Mark invited all his friends & family to a Sunday Pub Lunch by Hyde Park. A little pub called The Swan. It was nice to meet his friends and his cousins. We talked so much that we were there for about 5 hours. Times flies!

MARK'S LONDON ENTOURAGE
Cousin Lloyd
Cousin Kate and her husband... AND their baby girl Taylor Grace
Maurice (Mark's previous boss) & his wife
Michelle (Mark's X)... don't worry she was VERY sweet and we got along great.

NEW YEARS EVE

2008-01-28T00:05:00.000-08:00

I know it's taken so long to post our New Years in London, so I apologize. On New Years Eve Sinead, Kingsley, Mark and I went to dinner at Frankies in London. We met up with Kingsley and Sinead's friends for a wonderful dinner. There were 26 of us and we were packed into our table and booth like sausages. I didn't know they guy next to me very well, but by the time we had dinner and had a few bottles of wine we became friends and it was less awkward.

After dinner we went to a club called Eclipse. It was very small inside, but it was very nice. Mark and I had a lot of fun! And as long as there is champagne in my presence I'm just fine.

WINTER WONDERLAND - Hyde Park

2008-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

New Years Eve Day myself, Mark, Sinead & Kingsley walked to Hyde Park and went ice skating. There was a little fair going on, so after ice skating we met up with Mark's Cousin Cathy and her boyfriend and had a light lunch. The Park was decorated beautifully. It was a nice day activity before we got ready to celebrate 2008.

LET'S GO FLY A KITE

2008-01-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

So we got back to London after visiting Mark's family in Wigan. We were now ready to experience London Mark/Kingsley style. The first day we walked to Hyde Park to fly Kingsley's new kite he got from Sinead for Christmas. This wasn't just any kite. Is was massive and VERY powerful. Mark and Kingsley flew it very well, but me that was a whole different story. This kite was so powerful is lifted me off the ground... Mark was holding on to me so tight that when I went airborne Mark's feet were dragged with us! As you probably guess we ate it big time! But Mark never let got of me, just like he promised. It was a lot of fun! But when the wind started to pick up Mark couldn't stay on his feet and Kingsley went diving just to avoid the collision. Check out our video!

Wigan, England

2008-01-16T14:18:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map

After we arrived in London we bought train tickets up to Northern England to Wigan. Wigan is where Mark's mother's side of the family live.

Before boarding the train at Paddington Station, we had coffee with Kingsley to catch up. Then we were off. We had been up for over 24 hours, and we had a 5 hour train ride ahead of us. I've included a map to show where Wigan was in relation to London. There were 3 stops along the way where we had to get off the train and change trains. And with Mark and I as usual over packing was difficult with all our luggage.

The cities along the way included:
Reading
Worcester
Birmingham

We finally got into Wigan around 7pm. Mark's Uncle Richard picked us up fro the train station and we were off to Aunt Joan's house for dinner. Mark right away tried to get in on the wrong side of the car... Sitting in the back I didn't think anything of it, but then I realized that there was no steering wheel on the right left side. No matter how many times I've been to England, it still throws me that first day to be on the wrong side of the road.

Dinner at Aunt Joan's was AMAZING! So much food, I was unable to finish.

Roast Beef
Baked Potatoes
Mashed Potatoes (which I found strange to be served both)
Green Beans
Brussel Sprouts
Yorkshire Pudding

Yorkshire Pudding.. very different, but VERY delicious! It's not what you think. It isn't sweet... they are more like bread cups, kind of like the fried dough my mom use to make, but served with gravy instead of sugar. I MUST get the recipe!

At the dinner table we had "Crackers" on our plate. Not like the crackers you eat... those are called biscuits. Not these were like presents. You pull each end with the person next to you and the make a big "CRACK" and then inside are little toys. Apparently these are done more back east. But I have never heard of them or even seen anything like them. It's a Boxing Day (day after xmas) tradition.

After dinner we visited and shared pictures and talked about the upcoming wedding. We do hope that they can attend :-)

Mark and I slept in the spare room like logs, since we had been up for 48 hours prior. We didn't wake up until 10am the next morning (whoops). Anyway, we had our coffee and it was off to visit Mark's Nan. She was so happy to see Mark, and was very upbeat and talkative. Which Mark was very grateful for.

We then went to an authentic English Pub for lunch had a few drinks. In the picture at the Pub is:

LEFT TO RIGHT
Aunt Joan
Cousin Cathy
Uncle Richard
Me & Mark

After lunch we were on our way back to the train station. We thankfully were able to catch a quicker route with only 1 stop in Birmingham which was much easier.

Our trip in London now begins! More to come!

London for New Years

2008-01-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

After a very long flight, we arrived in London Thursday December 27th around 10am. We caught the tube to paddington station where Kingsley met us for coffee. We then hopped on a train to northern England to meet Mark's Mom's side of the family.

After one night we traveled back to London to stay with Kings, catch up with Mark's friends, celebrate the new year, etc. Just a quick summary of what the trip entailed. I will do separate posts for each little excursion. So enjoy!

AWAY IN LONDON

2007-12-25T23:33:00.000-08:00

Mark and I will be in London for a week and will return after the first of the year. So Merry Christmas to all... and A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

CHRISTMAS DESSERTS

2007-12-25T23:17:00.000-08:00

And who could have Christmas without dessert!

AUNT MARILYN'S BAKERY
Annis Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Cookies
Apple Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie

MOM'S ITALIAN BAKERY
Cannolis
Cuccidati (Fig Cookies)
Orange Cookies

I didn't get pictures of everything because they were eaten too fast!

CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!

2007-12-25T22:55:00.000-08:00

And the opening begins... once Mark was off of work.

Mark and I got my dad a digital camcorder. Mark's idea of course. He played with it all morning... unfortunately after he opened our gift, he didn't care to open all the clothes my mom so carefully picked out and wrapped. Typical male!

We got my mom a digital photo frame. It's something she's never seen before. They are really neat... they hold over a hundred pictures, plus music and video if you desire. And of course I always get her a Desperate Housewives calendar and a gift certificate to get her nails done.

I threw Mark off by getting him a few shirts and a pair of slippers. So he was really surprised when he opened an iPod Nano... Mark was VERY excited!

Mark got me a pair of UGG slippers. I absolutely love them. They are the most comfortable thing I've ever put on my feet. And my Aunt got me an extremely soft throw for our new sofa. I've been searching for a chocolate brown blanket everywhere and haven't been able to find the perfect one... but she did! And my parents got me a beautiful coat. It's something I've always wanted and definitely needed for our trip to London. My mom and I actually went shopping for it a few weeks ago... but since it was my xmas gift she had to wrap it and put it under the tree.

For dinner Mark's friend Mark (also from South Africa), my friend Sarah and her sister Ester came over. I was very happy that they were able to spend the holiday with us. All in all it was a great Christmas. Quiet but very nice.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST

2007-12-25T22:49:00.000-08:00

Tradition in the Weick House! My dad always makes us breakfast Christmas morning when we wake up. It always tastes so good. He makes orange rolls every year, but unfortunately they didn't turn out the way he wanted them to. Mark and I devoured them, so they must have not been that bad.

My mom always is very good about detailed holiday decorations. I admire how lovely her table always looks. She always puts out her xmas table cloth that Aunt Stella gave her from Italy "Buone Feste" (Merry Christmas in Italian).

CHRISTMAS EVE

2007-12-25T22:40:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve was quiet as usual. We always visit my grandma Weick at the Nazareth House in Los Angeles where she now lives. It's nice to visit with her and hear all of the activities she has been participating in. Just two days ago she won at bingo. She NEVER misses bingo, it's her favorite. "Eat, Sleep and Pray"... is what she says every time we ask her what she's up to.

We then went back to my Aunt Marilyn's house and had xmas eve dinner. Mark watched "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" for the first time. I was just so surprised that he had never seen it before.

Mark and I spent the night at my parent's house. We conked out early in anticipation of Santa Claus! The tree always looks more festive with so many presents under it!

STELLA'S ADDICTION

2007-12-25T22:29:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know what Stella's addiction is I will share. My Aunt Stella (who is also my godmother) LOVED candy. My mom always use to tell her that she needed to be careful with how much candy she ate. She would reply... "I'm sorry Julie, but it's just my addiction!" So my mom went out and bought her a cookie/candy jar that read "Stella's Addiction".

So, when my Aunt Stella passed, her daughter Maria took the jar home. My cousins in NY do an annual xmas cookie exchange in December. It was Joanne's idea to pass the jar around to a different person each year. So naturally, Joanne received the jar the first year. Then she passed it along the year after that to someone else, and so on and so forth.

Well this year it was Denise's turn to pass it on. My mom does not participate in the cookie exchange because we are not in town for the party, but Denise wanted to pass it to my mom anyway. So one day she got home from work and the jar was sitting on her kitchen table. My mom was so excited, and felt so honored.

So therefore my mom gets to enjoy Stella's Addiction for the year of 2008, and next year will pass it along once more. I love this tradition, I think it's so wonderful, but I does bring me to miss my Aunt Stella just a little.

DISNEYLAND @ CHRISTMAS TIME

2007-12-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

The girls (Erica, MG, Behrmo & Katie) and I went to Disneyland last Friday. It was a last minuet decision, and well worth it. It was nice just having fun with the girls. The whole park was beautifully decorated for xmas. Main Street look particularly amazing! It was very cold (for So. Cali) but it was fun to get all bundled up and ride our favorite attractions which are...
SPACE MOUNTAIN
THUNDER MOUNTAIN
INDIANA JONES
THE HAUNTED MANSION (which was decorated in the theme... the "nightmare before xmas")

We had a wonderful time, and I can wait to maybe make it an annual tradition!

Gingerbread People

2007-12-19T20:47:00.000-08:00

After tree decorating, we (I) baked gingerbread cookies and Mark ate them. I tried a new weight watchers recipe (1pt per cookie). They turned our DELICIOUS!! Shelley helped me decorate since my artistic skills are somewhat lacking.

Christmas Tree

2007-12-19T20:44:00.000-08:00

Mark and I finally decorated our xmas tree. We ended up buying a artificial tree, but I think it looks nice. Our apartment is small, but it's nice and quaint.

TREE LIGHTING - HERMOSA BEACH

2007-12-10T20:30:00.000-08:00

Mark and I walked down to the pier Thursday night for the Hermosa Beach Tree Lighting. It was nice, they had singing and dancing and Santa Claus was out for the occasion. Mark and I went to Cantina Real and had a few margaritas, we walked along the beach for a while then went to our favorite sushi restaurant (paradise sushi) for dinner. It was a really nice date night :-) We sometimes take for granted where we live, so we're are going to make a point to walk down to the beach for dinner, drinks or coffee more often.

LAST 2007 PUB CRAWL

2007-12-10T13:41:00.001-08:00

So On Saturday we had our last Pub Crawl of 2007 in Hermosa Beach! Everyone who had a T-Shirt wore theirs... so THANK YOU!! I had a great time! It was a little cold but it rained just at the right times (while we were inside). We made it to a total of 8 bars!!! Good for us! And I would like to congratulate Sarah and Shelley because they made it to 9 bars. Unfortunately we could not join them at F.F.F.F. because there was a cover! I think we had a successful night, and I look forward to 2008! Any new T-Shirt ideas?

Our Pub Crawl Schedule(Completed)
1. THE UNDERGROUND
2. BOOGALOO
3. SHARK'S COVE
4. SANGRIA
5. PATRICK MALLOY'S (F.F.F.F. - Shelley & Sarah)
6. LIGHTHOUSE
7. HENNESSEY'S
8. MERMAID

LOCAL 80

2007-12-10T12:39:00.001-08:00

So it was an exciting day last week! Mark finally got all his days to join the Grip Union (Local 80). I'm so proud of him! He has been working so hard and running on practically no sleep!

Ever since the word unemployment was breathed over on my end, Mark stepped up, got 3 jobs and has been working so hard to provide for us. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to have Mark in my life. The glass is always half full with him.

So if you see or talk to Mark... give him a pat on the back, because he deserves it!

I LOVE YOU BABE!!

Buffalo Connection

2007-12-03T14:52:00.001-08:00

Finally I can post the shinanigans that happened while Denise was in town. Since her specific purpose for the trip was to surprise my mom, I couldn't share her stay on my blog. So Denise & Maria arrived on Friday night. I picked Denise up from my Aunt Marilyn's house and started off the weekend...

FRIDAY - We went to the opening of Creme De La Crepe in Redondo Beach with Erica, Kyle, Mark, Mark and Mike. It was packed! We waited an hour, but it was worth it. And I'm especially happy for Bruno, since his new restaurant was doing so well :-)

SATURDAY - We ran errands all day in preparation for the party. I introduced Denise to Trader Joes. SHE LOVES IT!! Who wouldn't really. Then after the party we geared up and went down to the Hermosa Pier. First we went to the Mermaid for a Martini then headed up to the UCC to watch Mark ride the bull!! We then ran into our old friend the shopping cart... Scary!

SUNDAY - We took Denise to Martha's for their famous breakfast and preferential treatment... No line waiting for this local :-)We walked along the strand, and showed her where the infamous Poop Deck Bar resides. I then showed her the Portofino Hotel where Mark and I are getting married, before we went to the mall. I think shopping is a Cuzzacrea tradition where ever you go, and who ever you visit. Card playing before dinner, and then AGAIN we went to Creme De La Crepe in Redondo Beach for Crepes.

Phew... it's been a long weekend. But I had so much fun, and I hope I've convinced Denise to come back once a year :-)

Thanks Denise for and AWESOME WEEKEND!

MOM'S SURPRISE PARTY!

2007-12-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY MOM!

This is the year of surprises! We really got my mom good! She thought she was coming over to my Aunt Marilyn's house for a small birthday dinner, but the minuet she walked in everyone was standing there. She was so surprised, she was slightly disoriented. BUT... the real shock was when she made her way through the crowd and saw Maria & Denise. They flew all the way out from Buffalo, NY just for my Mom's party. So I hope she had a good time. I'm just glad that I don't have to keep the secret anymore.

Crock Pot

2007-11-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

When I got home from NY I rushed over to my mom's house to see if the gift Joanne sent me arrived. YES... it did, my crock pot was safe and sound on the front door step. I was so excited that the very next day I cooked my first crock pot meal. Mark had three helpings (WOW!) I cooked an artichoke/red pepper/cheesy pasta dish. Never done it before, but it turn out delicious. Thank you so much Joanne for my crock pot, I will put it to good use! And as you say "Crock Pots are a working girls best friend"!

Original Blog Thought!

2007-11-28T09:02:00.000-08:00

I never really thought of creating a blog until recently. I knew my cousin Liz had one for her knitting fans, but I thought... I don't knit. A few weeks ago someone at work (Virginia) mentioned creating a blog dedicated to telling her adventures with the job. I thought it was a neat idea because she would have some very interesting stories to tell.... Then when I was in NY for Thanksgiving I discovered that everyone had a blog. My family used the blogs to keep in touch with each other. I looked at it as a way of filling everyone in without telling the same story over and over again of what you did last weekend. So thank you Virginia, for giving me the original blog thought. I look forward to reading yours :-)

SURPRISE PARTY FOR MARK!

2007-11-28T00:32:00.000-08:00

Ha!! I got him! Mark thought we were going for a nice romantic dinner for his birthday the day after we got home from NY. Was he ever WRONG!! I had about 20 of his friends waiting at the restaurant to surprise him for his birthday! After dinner at the Union Cattle Co. We went for Crepes at Creme De La Crepe... BRUNO IS THE BEST HOST EVER! Thanks everyone for coming it really means a lot.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!

THANKSGIVING in Buffalo, NY

2007-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

Mark and I went to Lockport, New York for Thanksgiving. I have gone every year since birth. This is the one holiday I’ve NEVER spent in California. This is Mark’s 4th time visiting with me.

We got in Sunday evening and boy was it cold. Pretty warm for the western New Yorkers, but FREEEZING to us beach bums! We drove up to my cousin Maria’s house first thing to have dinner. But what did we find when we pulled into the driveway you ask?... A freshly caught deer, strung up, skinned and gutted, hanging in the garage. YUCK!!! I was ready for the famous Cuzzacrea spaghetti and meatballs when I stepped off the plane, but the hunger sure did disappear once I saw Bambi hanging helplessly in the garage!

Monday night my cousins threw me a Bridal Shower with all my Aunts/Cousins/Friends in Buffalo. It was so nice to see everyone, I had such a great time. Denise made us chocolate martinis that were to die for. They tasted like chocolate milk shakes! She gave the recipe instructions to Ashleigh (16) and Sarah (18) and boy did they run with them. They were making martinis left and right, and we were drinking them. Due to the massive amount of baileys, chocolate liquor and vodka Denise, Liz and I were drunk and stranded!! The boys were unable to pick us up right away, because they were all getting lap dances at the strip club… story for another time!

The whole week was full of eating, drinking, card playing and family gatherings. I swear my jeans popped a button. Cheesecake, Panda Paws, Apple and Pumpkin Pie were just a few deserts each night that were offered. And let’s not forget the SPONGE CANDY!!! Which I didn’t get ONE piece of because my father ate the entire bag before I could get to it.

Thanksgiving morning it snowed. The fresh snow looked beautiful… from the inside! As long as you aren’t stuck in it, it’s great! Denise cooked us an amazing breakfast that morning, but not too much because we had to save room for turkey.

Our Thanksgiving feast went as usual 23 for dinner!! And it was DELICIOUS!! Desert & coffee was served right away since Sam was bitching and complaining about going home to sleep in his chair! Gotta get that Pumpkin Pie in right!!

After we played cards, cards and more cards! And then it was time to go back to Denise and Dans… sleep, sleep, sleep!

The next day, Mark and I went to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side… Against my will, but I finally gave in. It was pretty cool to experience Mark crossing country borders for the first time in 3 years.

Let me just say… it’s good to be home, and in my apartment again. I love to travel, but it really wears you out  So another year goes by and we can’t wait for next Thanksgiving in good old BUFFALO, NY!!

Sarah's Birthday

2007-11-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

Sarah always has a new twist when it comes to celebrating her birthday! This yeah the theme was "Pin-Up Girls & Men in Uniform". Mark and I had an amazing time.

Sarah rented out the lounge at Point 705 in Hermosa Beach. Which is only a block from my apartment... So worth it! She had so many interesting costumes! Everyone went all out.

The costume contest was a plus. The prize was a $100 gift certificate to L.A. Ink! Thank God I didn't win, because I would be torn to use it. Shelley won, well deserved!... I wonder if she'll really get the tattoo or not. I guess that will have to be another post in itself.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SARAH!!

Erica's 30th Birthday

2007-11-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

We surprised Erica for her 30th Birthday! Gina, MG, Behrmo and myself took her to VEGAS for the Maroon 5 concert. I was at the Pearl Concert Hall in the Palms Hotel & Casino.

We woke her up Saturday morning (November 10, 2007) and told her to pack her bags. We didn't tell her we were going to Vegas until we were just about to get onto the 15 freeway. She was so excited to go on the little Vegas trip, she didn't realize there was more to come.

Once we got to the hotel, we all got ready to go out for a night on the town. Just before our taxi arrived we told her that we got tickets to the Maroon 5 concert. She couldn't stop from jumping up and down. It felt so good to see how happy she was.

After the concert we went to the after party at the Playboy Club and Moon at the Palms Hotel. It was so much fun that we stayed out until 4am. CRAZY!!!

The line was so long to get a taxi (at 4am) and our feet were in no shape to stand or wait any longer. We found a guy who was driving a mini bus around. We stopped him and asked if he would take us back to our hotel. He hesitated, but agreed for a flat fee of $25. We jumped at the chance and loaded onto the bus... but what we didn't realize was it was a PARTY BUS!!!! All decked out with black leather seats, a bar and flashing lights. WOW!!! So we road home in style!

As Erica says... THIS WAS THE BEST 30TH BIRTHDAY EVER!!

Sammy's Birthday

2007-11-27T14:48:00.000-08:00

Sammy turned 24 on November 3rd. Youngster!! We celebrated his birthday at Backstage Bar & Grill, a karaoke bar in Culver City. Jen got him an American Idol themed cake... it was perfect for the occasion!

November Birthdays

2007-11-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

So November is a time for birthdays. Everyone close to me has a birthday in November. And when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. So Happy Birthday to all my friends and family in November! (hope I didn't forget anyone)

Sammy (friend) - Nov. 3rd (24 years)
Logan (my godson) - Nov. 7th (9 years)
Morgan (cousin) - Nov. 11th (4 years)
Maria (cousin) - Nov. 12th
Sarah (HS friend) - Nov. 12th (28 years)
Gina (cousin) - Nov. 16th (29 years)
Paco (college friend) - Nov. 18th (29 years)
Erica (sorority sister) - Nov. 20th (30 years)
Mark (my fiance) - Nov. 21st (28 years)
Adam (cousin) - Nov. 25th (29 years)
Aunt Yvonne - Nov. 28th
Mom - Nov. 30th (60 years)