I give this weekend a B.

Friday night was fun as it always is when P. Dunn and I do the Chilis thing. They have a sweet happy hour menu from 9pm-midnight where all these apps and burger/sandwich combos are $3.99 each. I got a grilled chicken sandwich and french fries (I know. I couldn't resist). But we all know the real reason I like to go there on Friday's - Nikki makes me the best dirty martinis. The best. I have been in this sordid love affair with dirty martinis for the past year or so. But I will only drink it at certain places and I would probably never dare to make one on my own - but I love them - especially if the establishment stuffs the olives with blue cheese (ie. Cheesecake Factory, Not Your Average Joe's). I always get the most attention when I drink them as well - men will come and be like "That's a serious martini" then I will do my best to act flirty - but we all know I'm as smooth as Liz Lemon, so instead I ramble on about a story on how much I love salt which makes it the perfect drink for me.

I'm a classy broad. All that talk really makes me want a DM now.

I digress. Pat has a friend named Norm who we like to mess around with after a few drinks. We send him (ok Pat does - but I provide content) random Friends synopsises' and see if he gets them - he generally doesn't but usually takes it in stride. He used to think it was really funny but this Friday night he was NOT amused. He send Pat back very mean text's and a scathing voice mail. Ohh Norm.

Saturday I woke up early and cleaned and I promised my long lost best friend Mrs. Hillary that I would go up to North Shore and visit her. They live on the beach in Winthrop - so I put on a little sundress ready to get some color. Little do I know Hillary and the hub are decked out beach style in bathing suits and stuff. Little serious for April you think? When we were getting some sun, our friend Jess mentions she's never been to Hooter's. In my very PR way I tell her why it's so awesome and not because boobs are awesome. I've always had a really fun time at Hooter's. First time I ever went in like 2000 this douche bag was harrassing our waitress so in my 17 year old glory I totally yelled at this guy - I don't know exactly what I said but it wasn't nice - sorry dude - but she was a sweetie. She was so appreciative she bought my friends and I a round of beer. Beer? Yeah I was a late bloomer and all I drank at 17 was like two sips of Zima and some watered down white russians (thanks Roger!). So I asked for the only beer I knew at that time - Bud Light. God we were so cool. We took like 18 pictures of our beers and couldn't wait to show our friends at school on Monday.

I digress again - I just think the gals there are the sweetest and the food is good. So we cleaned up and headed to the new Hooter's on Route 1. Obvs we had a blast and watched the Red Sox OWN the Yankees. It was cool because you didn't feel weird jumping out your seat and cheering for the game - because everyone was. We weren't that one LOUD table as we always are. So fun. SO many families there too. Like lots of little kids. Do you think recently breast fed kids try to reach out for the gals boobies?

And think Hooter's is only for boobs and games. Don't count Hooter's out when you're planning your next date.

Hilarious. This kept me entertained for a few minutes. Get your wings and your champagne.

After the game I was just going to head home but ended up meeting up with some pals for a Breast Cancer Fundraiser. Twas fun. The band was really bad but the drinks and the company were good. I tried not being in any pictures because I looked gross ( being on the beach all day can do that to you) but alas - I got caught.

Cute!

Sunday I lounged around all day and it was glorious. Yep. Last night after work the roomie and I decided to catch a movie. We saw "I Love You Man" and it was incredible. SO FUNNY. I love Jason Segel - my love just grows and grows for him. Legit. Funny movie. Totes McGotes.

Did I mention I'm getting ridiculously psyched for this weekend and Bamboozle. Can't wait.

Zumba tonight!!

xok

Wow. Three posts in one week. Color me shocked. I have been inspired by the lovely Jessica at tried to live forever every day of the year. She does a Friday playlist every Friday and I have decided to make my own.

I have also been asked by a journalist who came to the event last week if I could make her a running mix (apparently along with my talents she also thinks I have good taste in music - yeah I don't know what she's thinking). I have mixes on the brain.

Here are my songs that are currently getting me through this workday:

1. Dire Straights - Money For Nothing
2. Peter, Bjorn and John - Nothing to Worry About
3. Kelly Clarkson - I Do Not Hook Up
4. Demi Lovato - Get Back
5. Kings of Leon - Four Kicks
6. Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
7. Letters to Cleo - Find You Dead
8. Iggy Pop - Candy
9. New Found Glory - 47
10. Lily Allen - Everyone's At It
11. Weezer - It's Easy
12. The Raconteurs - Old Enough
13. MGMT - Electric Feel
14. Motion City Soundtrack - It Had to be You
15. The Killers - Neon Tiger

Happy Friday!

xok

Just realized I forgot something pretty exciting that also happened this weekend: My mom and Roger (step-dad) are finally getting married.

I feel like everyone I tell is WAY more excited than I am. I am excited - don't get me wrong but I'm just like "jeez finally." They've been together for 17 years. I'm just not surprised. They've been engaged for over 10 years and have told me they were getting married like 6 times.

They were supposed to be married in 2000 - I even sent Joey Fatone from NSYNC a letter to see if he wanted to be my date (still waiting on my rsvp - FYI - oh yeah did I mention I was 18). But they didn't. Plans fell through.

Come two weeks ago at my mom's birthday I break the news about my vacation. Roger is often a professional parade pisser-on-er so I told just my mom. She's like WHAT! We were going to get married on May 30!

Oh. Well excuse me. I guess since I don't live in their house anymore I am void of big news. They both get all flustered that I didn't tell them sooner.

Sunday, I'm in the gym (where BTW Missy and I found a condom wrapper - hip-hop superstar must be seducing the ladies in there with his sweet moves) and my mom calls. I tell her I'm on a plan to look fierce at Annie's wedding (see previous post for bridesmaid woes) and before I can finish she's like "Oh! We're getting married June 20. We already paid for the luncheon at Common Market." Pretty exciting - but again I'm kind of over it. I can't wait - and it's going to be amazing but I feel like they're already married so it's no big shakes. I've been calling Roger my step dad for years - he's been in my life longer than my biological father was - his daughters (regardless of my liking for them) have been my sisters - I like his family more than I like my own. So many of them have shaped my life for the better. So I'm looking at this wedding as a party - official merging of families though it's already happened years ago.

Weird. Actually putting that out there has made me more excited for their wedding. If only I could put a veto on crazy step-sister attending.

Moving on. As a part of my seriousness of getting into shape and eating better (I haven't had a bagel or bread all week - go me!) I have decided to broaden my workouts. I did Zumba a few years ago at a Women's Retreat (totally mom's idea - leave me alone) and it was fun. It's all he rage now. Every gym has it - except for mine. I found out that Bayshore Atheltic Club in Braintree has a Zumba class and you don't have to me a member to join the class. All you do is spend $7 ($5 for members). So, mom's friend Kim asked her to go, mom asked me to join and I told Missy about it.

I have never had so much fun working out. I didn't fill my water because I was like "Ohh dancing - how much will I need to hydrate." The answer is "A LOT." After some serious giggles I got into it and I was sweating a TON (TMI?) I felt like my clothes were getting heavier and heavier. I rolled up my pants like a hip hop gangsta. It was insane. I have never sweat so much. Sooo worth the $7. Did I mention I'm the worst dancer ever? I'm going back tonight and have recruited a few more gals to come with so I'm even more excited.

Time to get back to work. <3

xok

So I'm going to go a little backwards in this blog posting here.

Sunday night, Robyn and I went to see Kings of Leon at Agganis Arena in Boston. Agganis is a nice place. Unlike it's bastard step brother Tsongas Arena. The Walkmen opened but we didn't get to see any of them. We heard a little of them while we enjoyed a hot dog and a cold beer. Ran into Gary and Molly which is always nice. They got tickets like 30 minutes before the show for $40 at the ticket office and they were no lie 3 rows from the stage. I shit you not. Robyn and I were jealous, though our seats weren't to shabby themselves. KOL opened with Taper Jean Girl - which obvs couldn't have made me happier. They had a cool stage set up - nothing too fancy but these cool TV screens above the stage that flashed the performance. Not in a Gillette Stadium kind of way but in a fancy artsy kind of way. They also played my jam "Four Kicks" and a million others. Not too many from the new album. Not even Revelry which I heard is their next single. I was happy to hear "Manhattan."

Lily Allen was also in town that night. I had a dream Kings of Leon was canceled and that I was still able to get Lily tickets. So unfair. Any whosit. Walking back to the car I saw this gem parked in front of the Paradise:


Yes. The Dharma Van - Orange edition. I geeked out and Robyn tried to run away before people realized we were walking together. To my joy two guys walking by were like "HOLY SHIT! It's JUST like the Dharma Van." We were so cool. There was a bed in the back of that one. True story.

Saturday I had some bridesmaid duties to perform - my least favorite of them all - finding a bridesmaids dress. Kill me now. It wasn't too painful. Annie (the lovely bride) picked up Colleen, Robyn, Lisa and I up and we headed up to Amesbury. So far but that's where she bought her dress and the owner said they'd give us a discount if we got our dresses there. This is the dress we ALL picked. Annie had told us as long we stuck with the Burgundy/Cabernet color that we could all pick a different dress if we wanted. All four of us instantly fell in love with this dress. The pressure is on for the other three bridesmaids when they go to check it out next weekend. The link shows the green dress but ours is a dark red = kind of gorgeous.

We headed back on glamourous route one for some lunch and chats. When I got back Missy, Jess, Robyn and I headed to the cinema to see 17 Again. Did you really think I wouldn't see that?? It was so cute and hilarious. And yeah if I already wasn't in love with Zac Efron. We stopped by Not Your Average Joe's after. First time I ever went there and I thought it was amazing. Good dirty martinis and good apps = like the Phantom Gourmet I give it a thumbs up.

Friday was crazy at work so I made a conscious decision to lay low. Glad my like minded roommate was also into it. We went for a three mile walk around Abington, made a yummy healthy dinner and watched YES MAN! Love that movie.

Doing follow up on the event today - which again went amazing - and the feedback we're getting from the poeple that atttended echoes my sentiments. First night we had a grand dinner at Bonfire - Todd English's restaurant in the Boston Park Plaza (where were stayed!). We sat at this HUGE table in their private wine room. I pre-picked the courses and they were a hit. I got the Brazilian Churassco. It was a few pieces of amazing filet a top of greens and a little potato cake with a gorgonzola sauce and feta cheese. It was TO DIE. Desert I chose the banana bread pudding. Incredible. Everyone else also enjoyed their meals.

Second night we went to the more relaxed and casual Stephanie's on Newbury. I always hear how epic their Mac and Cheese is. And I discovered that not only is it EPIC - but it is - wait for it - LEGENDARY. If you ever go there i highly recommend the Macaroni and Cheese - and the Warm Grilled Bruschetta. HEAVENLY. We ordered three plates of it. That dinner was fun and full of laughs. I wowed the crowd with not only my Lindsay Lohan impressions (her e-harmony vid just came out - click to watch), Tyra impression and my favorite - Cher.

Good times indeed.

xok

The last three event days in pictures. I'll do a for real post about the event - promise.

Driving to the hotel to get set up before everyone else starts arriving. I saw this sign and laughed. Just like the SODYPOP sign. Love these ads.


Got into the hotel and I had these surprises waiting for me. I booked Towers level suites for the attendees of the event. Figured it was swankier and it comes with access to the sweet executive lounge (more on that later). I got the room list the day before - and instead of putting me in a Standard room - they had booked me in a Tower's level room. She said it was upgraded for free - I think she sensed the stress and sometimes frustrating and figured I'd need a sweet (suite?) room.

Cute little plate of cookies (and yes that blue thing is ROCK candy!). I thought Bethany may have got it too so I asked her how she liked her cookies - and she didn't get any. The missing spot is from the one she took. I didn't have any - but I did take the rock candy.

Side story: When my boss arrived we put some materials together in my room and we had a laugh about the cookies - she was like "I bet you already took a picture of it huh, when will you blog about it?"


They also seemed to think I'd be carrying on some serious big kid business and took the liberty of printing me my own letter head. I didn't. But I took them home. I will send "serious" letters on this paper.

I broke out in uncontrollable giggles seeing this whilst brushing my teeth on Tuesday night after a fantastic dinner (more on that - I swear). Douche bonnet is so the new douche canoe.


Last night we went to Stephanie's on Newbury for the farewell dinner. Someone ordered this tower 0' onion rings. I thought it was amazing. So did Sarah. She asked me if I would tweet about it. I did.

More later I promise - lots of good tidbits. Everything went amazing. Everyone was happy and yeah I wish it could have been a day longer.

Happy Good Friday! Good Friday not because I'm religious but good because it's the end of the week. I'll eat meat today just to buck the system.

Actually that's a lie - my mom has invited me out to dinner where she knows I love the seafood. Damn that woman!

This is going to be a half ass blog today. I've been crazy busy at work. It's so good though. I feel like I'm really making strides in light of some drama that's went on (not in my office!). Big media event is next week and I'm in the last stages of planning - making sure all hotel reservations are set, everyone's got their flight itinerary, grandeur dinner's have been planned (pretty much the reason I'm starting my diet AFTER the event), client is happy and has all of her necessary documents. It's going to be really good. PLEASE pray (to whoever god you pray to :)) that we have good weather.

Went out to AAH for Jess's birthday. It was a good time. It ended up being Pat, Jess, Missy, Hill, Robyn and me. Sometimes I like little gatherings like that. She was supposed to have big gathering tonight in Boston - what can I say - I'm a hermit and I don't like screaming over people to talk.

Last weekend was fun and relaxing. Went to a super fun party Saturday night at Kaitlyn and Andy's. I've heard rumors about these parties and how they're always filled with craziness and debauchery and I had my doubts. I was proven wrong. It was SO fun (almost too much fun) and I would never have left it weren't for the fact I was falling asleep.

Kaitlyn and Andy have a legit bar in their basement and it's awesome. Not creepy basement at all. There was a random old school barbers chair in the corner and we all found it ridiculously random. Boobs were shown, Gary breakdanced, Ron danced on the table, we sang at an ungodly level to "Poker Face" which I blame my new found like (notice NOT love) for that song on that night. There was a fellow partygoer there who looked like Liz from Nip/Tuck (and I found out last night that she also on Criminal Minds!!) and Pat was overcome with joy when he saw her. it was really funny - and even funnier the next day. There was another random girl there who kept asking me awkward questions that included but not limited to "What size are your boobs", "Is that a pedicure on your toes or did you do it yourself", and asking me if my friend Jen and I were sisters not one, not twice, but three times.

Thanks to LiLu I also presented the fact that the day before, last friday was National Cleavage Day. It was a hit.

I had plans to actually do something the next day - I never left the couch. I didn't even put my contacts in - I wore glasses all day. That's a sign of a lazy day. Missy and I had a Queer as Folk season 5 (last season??) marathon. Damn that show is/was amazing. I need to start watching it from the beginning again for old times sake.

Plans for this weekend include, dinner with mom, movie and wine with roomie, out and about for "Quincy Night" as Gary calls it tomorrow night where we will no doubt consume lots of sushi and scorpion bowls and then dance like fools at Commonweath - and I wouldn't have it any other way.

xooook

I've been doing some serious neglecting of this blog here. Sorry five readers. I promise to make my life more interesting STAT.

I got my car back! Woop. She is gorgeous and sparkly.

If you remember this is what she looked like before. And anyone who has seen my car in the flesh (metal?) in the past two years knows the other side of the bumper was held together by duct tape that my step-dad spray painted black to match. Oo she is gorgeous now. I'm using the club a lot more now. I don't want anyone to steal her.

(ED Note: Yeah I totally am too lazy to fuzz out my license plate. I'm sure you nice folks won't do bad things with it.)

Went to my first bonfire of the season last Saturday night and it was glorious. The smell of wood smoke in my hair and on my clothes was invigorating. I couldn't stop sniffing myself on the way home. It was at my roommates friend house who likes in Pembroke but is a Quincy cop. I could listen to dumb cop stories all night. Seriously. I told him he should write memoirs based solely off of his hilarious stories. I could try to tell them again but it would be lame.

I have a hip hop star in my building (by hip hop star I am totally being sarcastic. He's probably 19 - tops and dances and sings in the gym - which is next to my apartment really late at night). Gary and Pat were lucky enough to catch one of his performances late last Friday night. So much so that after they walked by and saw him - they doubled back and walked by again - much to the hip hop stars embarrassment. It was super late and the roommate was sleeping so I nicely asked him to turn it down - which he did but still.

Then when I went to bring down the rent, Caitlin - the super sweet office manager tells me that the neighbor next to us complained because she thought we were playing "racist music" at 2:30 in the morning. Apparently hip hop star was holding another performance in the gym Monday night. Missy did not hear, nor did I but our neighbor was NOT pleased. Nor was the family on the other side of the gym whose baby was woken up.

Good stuff.

Work is CRAZY lately but is definitely going really well and I'm learning a whole new facet of my job - event planning. Usually someone else does all the logistics and such - but she left in November. Then we hired someone else to do it - but with tiny budgets we are trying to keep the work as close as we can - making me the new event manager. It's amazing and confusing but totally redeeming. I think this may be my forte actually. I love pitching and media outreach - but this is also really fun. Helps me be really organized. I'm also the holder of the budget - which is scary.

Speaking of jobs - one of my best friends, Miss Robyn - got laid off last week. She has the WORST job luck ever. I feel awful for her. She's also not going on vacation anymore to Dominican with us - and she was part of the reason why I wanted to go so badly. When I found out she was going I was psyched! Now her and Matt are not going. I'm still as excited for the trip - just bummed she won't be joining us.

This weekend holds promise for a good time. Tonight is my mom's birthday so I'll be providing cake at her dinner party. Pretty excited. My mom is the only older adult I know who get's super psyched about her birthday. I hope I get that excited when I'm 54 (sorry mom). Whcih reminds me - I should probably call her to wish her happy birthday.

Tomorrow Kaitlyn and Andy are having a rager at their house. Super excited because as I have never been to one of their parties, I know last time Pat was there he had so much fun that he stayed real late and passed out in his car (which was parked in their driveway) and called me like 85 times to tell me how much fun it was and also to share his Lost theories. So I'm looking forward to it. They are an amazing group of people for sure.

Music minute. Not sure if I've shared this with my blog - but the new New Found Glory album is pretty effing incredible. I hated, despised thier last two albums (OK OK Catalyst wasn't AWFUL - but that ONE song that doesn't even deserve to be mentioned - ruined it for me). Their new one Not Without a Fight was produced by the genious that is Mark Hoppus - who also produced MCS's brilliant Committ this to Memory (and is also doing MCS's upcoming record. WOOP!) - so I thank Mark Hoppus for re-introducing me to the 2002 version of NFG. So good. So good, that, first day of Bamboozle (also when they are playing) I will be wearing the infamous NFG All Stars Steve Klein shirt. The shirt that both Lauren and Robyn want me to leave to them in my will. Yeah. It's THAT cool.

Work time. xok