Thursday Thirteen – 13 Ways to Stay Cool in this Crazy Heat

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How sad that I’m doing this now when Summer has just begun. I can’t imagine what I’ll be doing during the crazy fall heatwave we get in September and October.

1. turn on the AC
2. or if you’re like us and the AC barely works, surround yourself with tons of fans
3. go for a long drive with both the AC and the stereo blasting
4. head out to the movies
5. head out to the mall
6. head out to the bookstore
7. eat out at an air-conditioned restaurant – or be like us and just sit down with a sandwich at the local grocery store
8. drink plenty of water – it’s especially good icy cold with sliced up cucumbers
9. close all the blinds
10. popsicles, frozen fruit pops or ice cream
11. eat an entire watermelon – yes, you’ll be full and sticky as well, but so good
12. take a cool shower
13. wrap a cool, wet towel around your neck and pray for a cold spell

Best Day Ever!

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No my day hasn’t improved. I’m still serenaded by the cacophony of the pneumatic nail gun and it’s accompanying compressor. Even as I type this.

But it IS the Best Day Ever because I’ve beaten my previous most views. And the day is still young!

Now if I could only convince people to comment. That would make this the Bestest Day Ever!

Who Needs Sleep?

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There’s just something wrong with being jarringly awoken from a dead sleep by the sound of a GIANT roll of packaging tape ripping off the roll as it tapes up a house (okay, that’s what it sounded like to me). And of course, this is punctuated with the pneumatic nail gun bang-banging and the air compressor turning on and off. Really, it’s not a good way to wake up. I feel like I’m terribly hungover, yet only had one of my hot-damn-these-kick-ass! margaritas.

Tonight were in for another late night (off to see Great Northern at the Hammer) and tomorrow I have a crazy early day babysitting for a friend. Yeah, this day will surely turn out well. But really, who needs sleep?

Me, dammit, me!! I get horrible bags under my eyes and don’t function well. So guess who will be taking a nap once the house people go home? Seriously, how does my husband function on less than five hours of sleep a night? I just can’t do it.

Heading To Chicago – Let’s Hope it’s My Kind of Town

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Lakeshore Drive
Originally uploaded by noms78.

In a couple of weeks I’m off to Chicago. The hubby will be attending a conference during the week and then shooting a music festival out that way (Pitchfork) over the weekend so he invited me along for the weekend. For the most part, I’m going to be on my own from about mid-day (which is morning for us night owls) until late eveningish. We don’t know specifics just yet and he can’t seem to find the answers anywhere – so if you know how things run at Pitchfork, feel free to drop me a comment!

We’ll be staying at the W on Lakeshore, and I’ve already booked my visit to Bliss. Way back when, when I was taking care of my dying father-in-law, my husband offered his sister and I a spa package. Man I was psyched! At the last minute, he offered her some Kenny Chesney tickets and bam-o, my spa trip was canceled (I can’t quite blame her though). So I decided to treat myself while in Chicago, so I’m going with a 90 minute Carrot and Sesame Buff with a Hair Dew. Yummy. I can’t wait.

I’ll also be meeting up Saturday with one of my moderators and another friend from my site out in the ‘burbs somewhere. I’ll actually be taking the train out to meet them – yikes! We’ll visit, get tattoos (we’ll I won’t since I have my scrub the following day, but that was the original plan anyway) and have some good drinks, good food and good company. We’re keeping it small since it’s such short notice. I’m really looking forward to it.

And well, since I’m meeting up with my moderator and some members, why not turn it into a biz trip, right? So I’m also meeting with the admin/mod team of a local Chicago community that broke away from the Knot (much in the same way my site broke away from the WeddingChannel). Should be fun to be able to chat and share ideas.

Which of course doesn’t really leave me with all that much free time, but since I’m not that much of a shopper, I thought maybe I could just check out Chicago. Or at least my end of Chicago. I really, really want to go on one of the architectural cruises – I just have to convince the hubby that it’s worth the time and the money. I think the photo ops alone would excite him (I know one of my motivating factors!) Otherwise, I think I’d like to just kind of wander around and take pictures. I’m even going to confiscate his old D70 for this trip!

This is probably one of the only vacations we’ll take together where the hubby won’t have to have music since he’ll be at the festival all day. But because of being at the festival all day, we’ll also need to find some nearby, late-night restaurants. It’s not so much about the price tag of the meals as it is about being good food with a good ambiance – bar food is fine if it’s good. So again, I’m more than open to any suggestions.

With luck, we’ll fall in love with Chicago and just have to come back and visit longer. Since I’ve never really done the carefree-gal-alone-in-the-city thing before, I’m definitely open to hearing all about the must-see, must-do, on-a-quickie-visit-to-Chicago suggestions. So suggest away!!

That and well, if anyone wants to meet up for coffee or drinks, I’m always open to that too! 😉

Apu’s Kwik-E-Mart in Burbank, CA

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DSC_3263.JPG
Originally uploaded by katysabrat.

As you may or may not have heard, in a promotional stunt to back the upcoming Simpson’s movie, a select few 7-eleven stores have gone through a complete overhaul. Here in Burbank, we’re the proud residents of the new Kwik-E-Mart. So of course I had to stop by first chance I got. They did a great job.

Everywhere you looked the signage was all about the Simpsons. The place was packed, but everyone was in good spirits. Folks had their arms full of products all while trying to take pictures. There were plenty of uniformed volunteers on staff to help answer any questions or to offer to help take pictures with Homer (and quite a few local police milling about as well).

The temporary ‘Kwik-E-Marts’ will sell items that until now existed only on television: Buzz Cola, KrustyO’s cereal and the slushy drink knockoff of Slurpees, Squishees. So of course, I had to try a Squishee and a donut. I’m sure I’ll be crashing from that sugar high in no time. I picked up a six pack of Buzz and I’ll be going back a little later to pick up some Krusty O’s since they were sold out. I was kind of bummed that there wasn’t any Duff’s beer, but oh well. And don’t worry about missing out on all this Simpson’s goodness, all over the US and Canada, 7-elevens will be carrying the Simpson line.

The U.S. locations where a 7-Eleven store was transformed into a Kwik-E-Mart are New York City; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Burbank, Calif.; Los Angeles; Henderson, Nev.; Orlando, Fla.; Mountain View, Calif.; Seattle; and Bladensburg, Md. For more information, check out seeyellow.com. Hurry though, the Kwik-E-Marts will only be around for the month.

More photos to be found after the jump… Continue reading →

Fits Like a Glove

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And it was on sale to boot!!!

Out here in the Valley, it gets hot in the summer. I mean really hot – and I’m sure I’ll be posting about that quite a bit from here on out. And me, well, I work from home in our barely air conditioned apartment (thank God it’s on the bottom floor!!) that also gets hot inside with the AC on! And working from home, well, there’s never much of a need to dress up – unless you count running to the grocery store or visiting with the UPS guy (yeah, like we’re buds). So I’m always looking for comfortable clothes to lounge about in.

Since I’ve started working out some months ago, along with our hour+ evening walks, I’m just blowing through my sports bras. *There’s a connection here, keep reading* I keep buying new ones, yet I never seem to have enough. The other day I decided to stop by Old Navy and check out their rockin’ summer sale (they’re losing their in-store plus department and everything is bargain basement cheap). While there wasn’t all too much for me that I needed or wanted (again, it’s not like I need the perfect outfit to sit in our office and mess around on the computer all day), I decided to pick up a new sports bra.

I wasn’t really expecting much, but man, I’m in love! So much so that I ran out yesterday during our crazy day of furniture shopping to hit up a different Old Navy and picked up two more. I have a feeling I will be living in these all summer. So much more comfortable than my more bra-like sports bras. It doesn’t rub, chafe (not that mine ever did), or move around. It’s long enough that it sits super comfortable on my back and doesn’t cut into my ribcage right under the boobies. It’s great for working out as well as for lounging about.

So while this is a strange as hell topic to blog about. I just have to say…I’m just so damn comfortable that I just don’t care! Stay cool!

Let’s Just Say…

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Hanson
Originally uploaded by magnolia83912.

Let’s just say you were hanging out with your significant other and decided to see a favorite boy band from your youth*.  Let’s just say that since it’s a late night show, you and your guy get a good head start drinking.  So when said boy band from your youth* basically starts rocking the joint doing cover songs from many, many years** before said youth, do you start dancing along?  Dancing along to the Doobie Brothers?  The Doobie Brothers as sung by Hanson?!?!

Wow, what a night.  Those fans were crazy.  There was enough screaming and flash going of that you’d think the paps were there. I’m sure they’ll be plenty of pictures on Flickr once folks sober up enough to post them(found one). 

And um…they lied to me!  There wasn’t any Rob Thomas to be seen or heard!  I was gyped! 

I was gyped and forced to stand in a hot, sweaty room full of 21ers that had been drinking for hours and gay men!  Those very same drunk young ‘uns that just wouldn’t shut the hell up and made so much racket you couldn’t even really hear the music.  Let’s face it, I’m getting too old to appreciate shit like this.  Me, I want to enjoy my live music from a well-ventilated venue with comfy seats, good acoustics, a great view and wait service.

So while the young Hanson boys were rocking out those cover songs, it still was *just* three brothers from the mid-west playing 60’s & 70’s cover songs.  While I sweat admiring the loud, drunk, morons dancing like fools.***

* this is purely hypothetical…they were a hit by the time I was into adulthood folks!
** we’re talking stuff that I grew up on as a wee one with a pothead for a dad
*** remember what I said about he night starting out in Dennys?

Off to a Good Start

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Alison Krauss & Union Station @ the Greek
Originally uploaded by katysabrat.

You know it’s going to be one helluva night when it starts out at Denny’s! Yeah well, they hubby figured it was closer to the ATM and wouldn’t have a huge crowd like anything in Silver Lake would have.

We got to the show a little late, but that meant for easy breezy parking. Luckily, since he’d won the company box seats through a work raffle, it also came with premium parking. So we were able to slide right into a parking space and cruise right on in to our seats. Let me just say, box seats at the Greek are nice! And you’re not nearly as cramped and crowded as you can get at the Bowl.

The show was fun. Alison Krauss has an incredible voice. And I had no idea that her bandmates (Union Station) were those Foggy Bottom folks from that weird George Clooney movie. They put on a very entertaining, and very blue grassy show.

Their last song of the evening before heading off stage was Oh, Atlanta. I’ve loved that song since the first time I heard it. Sadly, the band decided to mess with her and played it so slow it just sounded awful. She kept trying to do it, and wound up laughing. Eventually, she just told them to stop. It’s a shame because that’s such an awesome and fun song.

And their first encore was When You Say Nothing At All. That has to be one of the prettiest songs out there. I get goosebumps or tear up whenever I hear it. Again, it was a tad slower than usual, but not nearly as noticeable.

So now we’re home briefly before heading out to the Hotel Cafe for that super secret Hanson/Rob Thomas show. It doesn’t even start until midnight, so we have plenty of time. I’m interested in who their target audience will be. I mean, they’re all married with kids now (I think) and they’re not quite those Mmmmbop boys anymore.

So now back to my chilled glass of Pinot Gris (Valley of the Moon – bought while on vacation) YUM!

Thursday Thirteen – 13 Joys of Summer

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A Pedicure & New FlipFlops - What More Could You Ask For?

While I might not appreciate the heat of summer (and man, it gets HOT in the Valley here – nearly as not as Albuquerque, yet with humidity…gross!), but I do look forward to summer none the less.

1. fresh fruits and veggies straight from the Farmer’s Markets
2. better yet, watermelon – I could eat fresh, summer watermelon all day long
3. swimming outside or visits to the beach
4. concert season – better still, outdoor concerts
5. summer TV – for me, it means tons of reading since there’s nothing on TV and I just love that
6. comfortable evening walks with the hubby & the boy
7. gelato – for some reason, we only make time for gelato during the summer
8. grilling veggies and meats – tastes so good
9. family get-togethers – we seem to find more time to get-together once all the kids get out of school
10. summer clothes – I love not having to wear jackets or sweaters
11. summer sandals and no more socks!
12. flip flops – speaking of, where is that last order I placed for new flip flops?
13. pedicures, pedicures, pedicures!!